"This is a war of attrition."
"But..."
The woman paused, her gaze falling on the girl's deathly pale face.
"It no longer concerns you."
Hua froze completely.
Her mind went blank.
Canghai City...
Was gone?
What about her school?
Her classmates?
The woman shook her head, her movement gentle, yet a verdict in itself.
"Forget it."
"For the rest of your life, stay as far from that place as you can."
"Forgetting is the only painkiller."
"Where's your hometown?"
Hua's lips trembled as she uttered a place name.
The woman's brow furrowed even more tightly.
Her sigh was heavy as lead.
"All of East Asia has fallen."
"There..."
"Are no survivors there either."
The air froze.
Dead silence.
Overnight.
Home, school, family.
All reduced to ashes.
The woman fell silent for a moment, then turned to leave.
"I'll give you some time to process this."
"I'll come back tonight."
"What... exactly happened?"
Hua's voice was hoarse and broken.
She couldn't accept it.
Couldn't understand it.
This absurd reality clung to her like a nightmare.
She stared fixedly at the woman.
Seeking an answer.
Even if it was crueler than a lie.
The woman's steps briefly faltered, her back stiffening.
"A natural disaster? A meteorite? An accident?"
"Define it however you like."
"I can't deceive you."
"You saw it all that day."
She looked back, her tone softening for a rare moment.
"Find an excuse that makes you feel better."
"You have a long road ahead."
"Don't trap yourself in a nightmare."
Hua stared hard at her, her gaze like a blade.
"I want to know."
The woman asked in return, "What for?"
Hua froze.
The scene at the airport flashed through her mind. The alarm had blared, yet she had rushed against the flow back into the ruins. To save