A Toast to the Rising Sun

"You're awake!"

Cheng Kui opened his eyes to find a flawless face before him. The string of events from earlier flashed through his mind, and he cried out in shock.

"Since you're awake, get up. The chairman wants to see you!" the voice continued. Holding something, she stepped aside, and only then did Cheng Kui realize that the speaker was the girl who had saved him earlier.

"Who exactly are you people? I only went out to buy some soy sauce. Why did the world suddenly become like this?" Cheng Kui said, on the verge of collapse. Who went out only to get hunted down, bombarded by artillery fire, and then have their corpse abused a hundred times? A hundred times! Even now, the agony of dying still lingered in Cheng Kui's body.

"Go see the chairman. All your questions will be answered there," the girl said calmly. She pulled open the curtains, and sunlight streamed in. Filtered through the window glass, the morning sun seemed exceptionally gentle.

The girl extended a hand as though she wanted to grasp the sunlight, but quickly lowered it again. Turning to Cheng Kui, her face remained impassive as she urged him with her icy gaze to get up and meet this so-called chairman.

Looking at the girl before him, Cheng Kui felt as if something had soothed his wounds. For some reason, the pain brought by dying over a hundred times seemed to lighten. It was not because he was thinking with his lower half, nor was she his type. It was simply an indescribable feeling that allowed him to let go of the pain of death.

"Fine." Cheng Kui sighed. "We've met twice now, but I still don't know your name. I'm Cheng Kui."

"I know your name." The girl opened the