15: Chapter 15 I kept my word

The ninth day.

The early morning light filtered through the dirty curtains, shining on the dying Ye Qingyue on the bed.

There wasn't a trace of color in her face.

Her lips had turned from a cracked purple-black to a deathly gray.

Her entire being was like an empty shell with the life drained out of it.

Ye Qingxue held her younger sister, her hands trembling incessantly.

She could clearly feel that her sister's body temperature was still dropping.

It was already terrifyingly low.

Colder than yesterday.

Colder than the day before.

Cold as a block of ice.

"Qingyue... Qingyue..."

Ye Qingxue gently patted her sister's cheek.

But there was no reaction.

Ye Qingyue had been in a deep coma for two consecutive days.

Two days.

Two whole days.

She hadn't even opened her eyes once.

Her breathing was so faint it was nearly inaudible.

The rise and fall of her chest was so small it was almost invisible.

If it weren't for the extremely weak pulse still thumping in her neck, Ye Qingxue would have almost thought her sister was already dead.

"Qingyue... wake up..."

Ye Qingxue said through her tears.

"Sister is begging you... please wake up..."

But her sister couldn't hear her.

She had fallen into the deepest of comas.

Life was slipping away, bit by bit.

Ye Qingxue discovered in despair that her sister's body temperature was continuing to drop.

She placed her hand on her sister's neck, wanting to feel that faint pulse.

One beat.

A long pause.

Another beat.

The pause was even longer.

The pulse was getting weaker and weaker.

Slower and slower.

This was a sign that life was about to end.

"No... don't..."

Ye Qingxue's tears fell like beads from a broken string.

"Don't die... please... don't die..."

She knew.

She was well aware.

Her sister was dying.

She was truly dying.

Maybe today.

Maybe right now.

Maybe in the next second.

Her sister would stop breathing.

Leaving her forever.

Ye Qingxue held her sister, feeling as if the whole world was collapsing.

Since childhood, she and her sister had depended on each other for survival.

Although their parents loved them very much, they were always busy and rarely at home.

It was she who accompanied her sister as she grew up.

It was she who taught her sister how to write.

It was she who took her sister to school.

It was she who protected her sister from being bullied.

She once swore to protect her sister forever.

No matter what happened, she would ensure her sister was safe and happy.

But now...

Now she was watching her sister slowly die in her arms with her own eyes.

Yet she could do nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Ye Qingxue bit her lip until blood flowed out.

She was making a final struggle.

A final deliberation.

She looked toward Lin Yuan by the wall.

Lin Yuan leaned against the wall with his eyes closed.

His complexion was also poor, but it was clearly much better than theirs.

At least he was still alive.

Still conscious.

And still had the strength to sit up.

While she and her sister had already reached their limit.

Ye Qingxue's mind was in a state of frantic conflict.

On one hand, her rationality told her—

Lin Yuan was lying.

He must be lying.

He was just a pervert trying to take advantage.

How could an ordinary person have that kind of supernatural ability?

Sleeping with her sister could conjure up supplies?

This was complete nonsense!

Absolute nonsense!

But on the other hand, her emotions were screaming—

What if?

What if it's true?

Those antidotes were real.

She and her sister had indeed been cured.

Then... could the other things he said also be true?

What if... what if he really had some kind of way?

What if he really could get supplies?

Even though it was absurd, incredible...

But this current world itself was already absurd enough.

The falling white snow, the spread of snow poison, the mutated creatures...

Weren't these all things previously thought impossible?

So... could there really exist some kind of power she couldn't understand?

Ye Qingxue didn't know.

She really didn't know.

She only knew that her sister was dying.

If she did nothing, her sister would definitely die.

One hundred percent would die.

But if she took a gamble...

Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance...

Even if the probability that Lin Yuan was lying to her was as high as 99.99%...

As long as there was that tiny sliver of possibility, she wanted to grasp it.

Because...

Because she really couldn't watch her sister die.

She absolutely couldn't.

Ye Qingxue made the most difficult decision of her life.

She took a deep breath.

Though her body was so weak she was about to collapse, she forced herself up and slowly crawled off the bed.

Every movement exhausted all the strength in her body.

Her legs were shaking.

Her vision was blurring.

Dizzy and lightheaded, she almost fell several times.

But she still walked toward Lin Yuan step by step.

And then—

Thud.

She knelt down.

Her knees slammed heavily onto the cold floor.

Making a dull sound.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes and looked at her.

His expression remained calm.

As if he had expected this scene long ago.

Ye Qingxue lifted her head, tears blurring her vision.

She looked at Lin Yuan, gritted her teeth, and said word by word:

"I... I promise you..."

These few words seemed to be squeezed out of her throat.

Every word was dripping with blood.

"You want my sister, right..."

"I promise..."

Ye Qingxue's voice was trembling.

"But..."

She gritted her teeth, her nails digging into her palms.

"You must... must keep your word..."

"You must really be able to get supplies..."

"If you lie to me..."

Her eyes suddenly became sharp.

Even though she was weak to the extreme, even though she was kneeling on the ground, the hatred in her eyes was still clearly visible.

"If you lie to me, I swear..."

"I will definitely kill you."

"Even if I become a ghost, I will kill you."

"I will make you regret ever living in this world."

She said this with absolute determination.

There was not a hint of falsehood.

Lin Yuan looked at her and remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he nodded.

"I keep my word."

His voice was calm, but it carried a strange certainty.

"As long as you both agree, I can get supplies."

"This is a trade."

"A fair trade."

Hearing this, Ye Qingxue's tears fell again.

Fair?

How is this fair?

This is the most unfair trade!

The most humiliating trade!

But she had no choice.

She could only gamble.

Gamble that what this man said was true.

Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance.

She had to gamble.

"Fine..."

Ye Qingxue gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.

"I promise you..."

After saying these words, she felt as if her soul had been torn apart.

Pride, dignity, everything...

Were all completely destroyed at this moment.

She had always been the proudest one growing up.

The smartest, the calmest, the most assertive.

She had never bowed her head to anyone.

She had never abandoned her principles for anything.

But now...

Now, to save her sister, she was kneeling before a man.

Handing herself and her sister over to this man.

This was the most humiliating moment of her life.

But at the same time, it was her most helpless moment.

Lin Yuan looked at Ye Qingxue kneeling on the floor.

Watching this proud woman break down bit by bit in her desperation.

Submitting bit by bit.

He knew this was exactly what he wanted.

Not by force.

But by making her willing.

Although this "willingness" was filled with despair and humiliation.

At least, it was a choice she made herself.

"Are you sure?"

Lin Yuan asked.

"Didn't you say you'd rather starve to death together?"

Ye Qingxue gritted her teeth.

"I..."

She closed her eyes, tears flowing uncontrollably.

"I can't watch her die..."

"Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance..."

"I have to try..."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Very good."

But what he said next made Ye Qingxue's heart go cold.

"However..."

Lin Yuan said calmly:

"You have to convince her yourself."

"I don't want it to be forced."

"She must be willing."

Ye Qingxue snapped her head up, her eyes full of shock.

"What... what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

Lin Yuan's voice was cold.

"Go convince your sister and make her willing."

"Only then can I help you."

Ye Qingxue's whole body was trembling.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

This man...

Not only did he want to humiliate her.

He also wanted her to personally hand her sister over to him?

And make her sister "willing"?

What... what kind of perverted requirement was this?

"I can't do it..."

Ye Qingxue said through her sobs.

"How... how could I possibly do that..."

"Then forget it."

Lin Yuan turned around and leaned back against the wall.

"I'm tired, I'm going to rest."

"No!"

Ye Qingxue screamed.

"Wait!"

She crawled to the bedside, looking at her dying sister.

Qingyue...

I'm sorry...

Sister... sister really has no other way...

Ye Qingxue held her sister, her tears falling like rain.

She knew she had to do this.

She had to personally hand her sister over to this demon.

Otherwise, her sister would die.

She really would die.

Ye Qingxue took a deep breath and wiped away her tears.

She looked at Lin Yuan.

"I... I'll go convince her..."

"But you must keep your word..."

"Otherwise..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

But that look in her eyes already said everything.

If Lin Yuan lied to her, she would definitely retaliate with everything she had.

Even if they perished together, she would make him pay the price.

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Don't worry, I keep my word."

A flash of satisfaction crossed his eyes.

The plan had succeeded.

Next, it was just a matter of waiting for the harvest.