16: Chapter 16 Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we must gamble on that sliver of hope!

Ye Qingxue sat by the bedside, tightly clutching her unconscious sister.

Her tears fell drop by drop onto Ye Qingyue's pale face.

"Qingyue..."

She sobbed.

Her voice was filled with endless pain and guilt.

"Sister... Sister is so sorry..."

"Sister is useless..."

"Sister... can only..."

She couldn't go on.

How could she say it?

How could she even speak?

How could she tell her sister about this cruel reality?

How could she tell her that her sister was going to give her to that man?

How could she tell her that her sister needed her to be "voluntary"?

Ye Qingxue felt as if her heart were being torn into pieces.

Every piece was dripping with blood.

She had been the strongest one in the family since she was a child.

No matter what difficulties she encountered, she could handle them calmly.

Protecting her sister was the most important thing in her life.

But now...

Now, she was going to push her sister into the fire with her own hands.

This was more painful than killing her.

"Qingyue... Sister can't protect you anymore..."

Ye Qingxue said through her tears.

"Sister... Sister really can't protect you anymore..."

Her voice was intermittent.

Every word felt like it was being forced out of her throat.

Just then.

Ye Qingyue weakly opened her eyes.

She had been unconscious for two whole days.

But her sister's crying had awakened her from her deep stupor.

"Sister..."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"What's wrong..."

Ye Qingxue jerked her head up and saw her sister's eyes open.

"Qingyue?!"

She was both surprised and overjoyed.

"You're awake? You're awake!"

But in the next second, a wave of immense sorrow surged up again.

Because she knew that what she was about to say...

...would completely destroy her sister.

"Sister... Are... are you crying?"

Ye Qingyue asked weakly.

Her vision was blurry, but she could see the tear stains on her sister's face.

Growing up, she had rarely seen her sister cry.

Her sister had always been the strongest one.

No matter what happened, her sister could handle it calmly.

She would never break down and sob like this.

"Sister... what exactly happened..."

Ye Qingyue struggled to raise her hand, wanting to wipe away her sister's tears.

But she was too weak.

Just as she raised her hand, it fell back down powerlessly.

Ye Qingxue grabbed her sister's hand and held it tightly.

Her tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"Qingyue..."

She gritted her teeth and said haltingly:

"Sister... Sister might... not be able to protect you anymore..."

"What?"

Ye Qingyue didn't hear clearly.

Her consciousness was still hazy.

"Sister... is useless..."

Ye Qingxue sobbed.

"Sister... is really... useless..."

"We... we have no food... no water..."

"You... you're about to die..."

"Sister... Sister can't protect you..."

These words were spoken slowly and softly.

But every word felt like a hammer striking Ye Qingyue's heart.

Ye Qingyue froze.

Although she was weak, her mind was still functioning.

Sister said she couldn't protect her anymore...

There was no food or water...

She was about to die...

So...

That man, Lin Yuan...

That strange atmosphere from before...

The sight of her sister kneeling yesterday...

And... her sister's tears now...

Slowly, bit by bit, Ye Qingyue pieced together the truth.

Her eyes slowly widened.

Her pupils were trembling.

"Sister..."

Her voice was shaking.

"Is it... is it that man..."

Ye Qingxue didn't speak.

She only hugged her sister tighter.

Tears fell like broken strings of pearls.

"Sister is sorry... so sorry..."

She sobbed.

"Sister is useless... Sister can't protect you..."

"Sister... can only..."

She couldn't finish her sentence.

But Ye Qingyue already understood.

She understood everything.

Lin Yuan wanted her.

In exchange, he might provide supplies.

But her sister didn't trust him, so she refused.

And then they had been starving.

Waiting for death.

And now...

Her sister had finally compromised.

Because she was dying.

Because her sister couldn't stand by and watch her die.

So her sister... was going to...

Countless emotions surged in Ye Qingyue's heart.

Shock.

Anger.

Fear.

Shame.

And... deep self-reproach.

It was all her fault.

If it weren't for her, her sister wouldn't have encountered all this.

If it weren't for her, her sister wouldn't have been pushed to this point.

It was all because she... was too useless...

"Sister..."

Ye Qingyue's tears also began to flow.

"It's all me... it's all my fault..."

"No!"

Ye Qingxue immediately said.

"It's not your fault!"

"It's that Sister is useless; it's that Sister couldn't protect you..."

The two sisters held each other, crying bitterly in the darkness.

By the wall, Lin Yuan watched this scene quietly.

He didn't speak.

He just watched coldly from the sidelines.

Waiting.

Waiting for Ye Qingyue to make a decision.

A long time passed.

So long that Ye Qingxue thought her sister wouldn't answer.

Ye Qingyue finally spoke.

"Sister..."

She said weakly.

"Sister doesn't know... if what that beast said... is true or false..."

Ye Qingxue sobbed.

"But Sister... Sister can't watch you starve to death..."

"Sister would rather... rather take a gamble..."

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

"Sister wants to try..."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Ye Qingxue hugged her sister, crying heart-wrenchingly.

"It's that Sister is useless... it's Sister who is sorry..."

Ye Qingyue listened quietly.

Her tears were also flowing.

But her gaze slowly changed.

From the initial shock and fear.

...into some kind of complex emotion.

There was heartache.

There was guilt.

And... a faint, almost imperceptible determination.

"Sister..."

Ye Qingyue said weakly.

"I... I don't blame you..."

Ye Qingxue jerked her head up and looked at her sister.

"Qingyue..."

"It's me... I was too useless..."

Ye Qingyue sobbed.

"Making Sister... making things difficult for Sister..."

"It's all my fault..."

"If it weren't for me... Sister wouldn't be in so much pain..."

As she spoke, more and more tears flowed.

"Sister..."

Ye Qingyue looked at her sister's red, swollen eyes.

Looked at her sister's haggard face.

Looked at all the pain her sister had endured for her.

Her heart broke.

Ever since they were little, it was always her sister protecting her.

It was always her sister taking care of her.

Her sister had sacrificed so much for her.

And what about her?

She couldn't do anything.

She could only be a burden to her sister.

She could only cause her sister pain.

"Sister... if... if it really can save us..."

Ye Qingyue said with difficulty.

"I... I'm willing..."

"No!"

Ye Qingxue immediately shouted.

"Qingyue, don't!"

"Sister!"

Ye Qingyue grabbed her sister's hand.

"I don't want to die..."

"And I don't want to watch Sister die either..."

"If... if this is the only way..."

She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm willing to try..."

Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, she would bet on that glimmer of hope!

Ye Qingxue hugged her sister, and the two of them wept together.

By the wall, Lin Yuan finally stood up.

He walked to the bedside and looked down at the two sisters crying in each other's arms.

"Are you doing this voluntarily?"

He asked Ye Qingyue.

His voice was very calm, but it carried an unquestionable sense of pressure.

Ye Qingyue looked up at Lin Yuan.

Her eyes were full of fear and unease.

But more than that, there was a determination for her sister's sake.

"I... I am doing this voluntarily..."

She said through gritted teeth.

Her voice was trembling, but firm.

"I'm willing... as long as... as long as you can really save us..."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Very good."

"Remember."

He said calmly.

"This is a trade."

"A fair trade."

"From now on, your lives are saved by me."

"So you both belong to me."

Ye Qingxue gritted her teeth and didn't speak.

Ye Qingyue also remained silent.

They knew that from this moment on...

...their fates had completely changed.

Lin Yuan looked at them, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

Then he turned and looked out the window.

"Just wait."

He said calmly.

"Soon, you will know... that everything I said is true."

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Only the faint sobbing of the two sisters could be heard.

Along with the sound of the wind and snow howling outside.

This was the most humiliating moment of their lives.

And also their most desperate moment.

But at the same time...

...it was the moment Lin Yuan's plan succeeded.

This was exactly what he had been waiting for.

Not using force.

But making them willing.

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

But at least...

...they had made the choice themselves.

Lin Yuan knew very well that only in this way could he gain long-term trust and then achieve Supply Upgrades.

Only in this way...

...could he survive in this cruel Apocalypse.

And live very well.