Compromising Again

It was the beginning...

Song Zhi felt a chill seep through her body, and her bright eyes began to dim. She had thought the deal was over, that she could stay in Sri Lanka or go to another base and start a new life.

It was over... wasn't it?

"I can... make it on my own now..." Song Zhi clenched her fists, but her words came out faint and weak.

"No, you can't, Song. That night wasn't so simple. It wasn't a transaction, so don't make it sound so ugly! You know what you'll face if you leave here, even if you leave Group A..."

Kelante spoke slowly, giving Song Zhi more time to consider.

Song Zhi couldn't escape. She had spent a short time with Group A and knew some things about them. They wouldn't let her leave. Someone with ulterior motives would use her to harm the Group A Task Force. They could deal with that harm, and they could take care of her while they were at it.

If she left Sri Lanka and escaped Group A's control, where could she go? Who could guarantee that no other "Group A" would appear? Perhaps another "Group A" wouldn't be so "friendly."

They had woven an airtight web, and she had already fallen into it and become stuck. Her every move was controlled within that web.

She lowered her head and slumped her shoulders, conceding.

"Before you're capable of surviving on your own, you still have a long way to go. You can't make it on your own in the outside world. Conditions are getting worse, supplies are scarce, and more and more people will die. You need to grow." Kelante was glad Song Zhi had worked it out for herself. He had always known she was a smart girl.

He was right. Conditions outside were growing harsher, and supplies were becoming scarcer. People outside the safe zones couldn't survive.

Unable to deny it, she nodded.

"Wilk is injured... Lu is severely dehydrated... They're still being treated at a front-line hospital and will be transferred back to Sri Lanka soon. Can you take care of them?"

"Yes..." Song Zhi nodded again.

"Go back to your room and rest. I'll call you when it's time to eat."

Kelante turned and went to the kitchenette. He needed to prepare the steak with red wine.

Song Zhi dragged her heavy feet back to her room. Only when the door closed did she sink weakly to the floor against it.

Could someone tell her where this world's Song Zhi had gone? Could they switch back now?

One against five, good heavens!

There were five of them, and she was all alone.

Just thinking about it was... thrilling...

Song Zhi had thought she had transmigrated into an apocalyptic survival story, but it turned out to be an adults-only battle against five opponents.

With her build... they really would fuck her to death!

Run away? Where could she run? She had been too clever for her own good and willingly set foot on this island, on their territory.

They would never allow her to leave as she pleased.

They hadn't been here for the past month, yet they had still maintained complete control over her, and she hadn't even noticed.

The five of them weren't reckless, ignorant grunts. They were elite operatives, far superior to Song Zhi in both physique and intellect. They were a team, carrying out missions and risking their lives together, and their coordination was practically flawless.

She couldn't handle even one of them, let alone five.

Song Zhi focused all her reasoning on a strategy to deal with them. One of the rare moments in her life when her brain was firing on all cylinders was actually being spent on "resisting Japan"...

She was so angry she had to laugh!

She hadn't even been this tense during the college entrance exam.

A knock came from behind her, followed by Kelante's voice from the other side of the door. "Song, you can come out and eat."

"Okay... I'll be right there."

Song Zhi sighed and climbed to her feet. She straightened her clothes before taking hold of the handle and opening the door.

Kelante was waiting right outside. When he saw her come out, he said, "Go wash your hands. After we eat, I'll take you to class."

It had to be said that Italians were good at cooking. The steak was tender and juicy, and he had even baked a chocolate cake especially for Song Zhi. The way he cut the steak was elegant, courteous and gentlemanly. He cut Song Zhi's steak for her and thoughtfully poured sauce over it.

It made Song Zhi wonder if she was really in an apocalyptic world, rather than on a date with a foreigner in a foreign country.

After the meal, Kelante offered to drive Song Zhi to the library for her class in the guide specialization.

Today was her first day of one-on-one instruction. Miller had told her that a professional in the field would be teaching her today.

Could it be Ace, that man with the cello-like bass voice?

"What do you think of patients with PTSD, postwar traumatic stress syndrome?" Kelante asked Song Zhi as he drove.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a mental disorder caused by experiencing or witnessing a severely traumatic event, such as war, a violent attack, a natural disaster, or an accident."

"Its core symptoms mainly fall into the following categories. First are intrusive symptoms. Patients repeatedly and involuntarily recall details of the traumatic event, or have recurring dreams related to the trauma. They may even experience flashbacks, accompanied by intense psychological distress and physiological reactions such as a racing heartbeat and sweating.

"Second are avoidance symptoms. Patients go to great lengths to avoid places, people, topics, and other things associated with the traumatic event. They are unwilling to mention or recall the experience and may even suffer selective amnesia, leaving them unable to remember important details of it. This avoidance can lead them to reduce their social activities and become estranged from others."

"Third are negative changes in cognition and mood. Patients may develop negative views of themselves, others, or the world, such as believing they are worthless or that the world is absolutely dangerous. Emotionally, they often experience persistent negative feelings such as fear, anger, guilt, and shame. They find it difficult to experience positive emotions and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed."

"Fourth are symptoms of heightened alertness. Patients remain in a state of high alert for long periods, are easily startled, have difficulty concentrating, falling asleep, or sleeping soundly, and may also display irritable, impulsively aggressive behavior."

Song Zhi smoothly recited the key points from the book. It was standard practice for a small-town test-taking whiz: take notes, mark the key points, and memorize what would be on the test.

"Very good. You've studied the book well. Give you another two days and you could memorize the whole thing." Kelante promptly offered encouragement and affirmation, but clearly that wasn't the answer he wanted.

Song Zhi pouted and slumped dejectedly in her seat.

Kelante noticed her dejection and spoke again. His voice was low and somewhat gentle, but firm as well. "Everyone in this world is unique, in both soul and body. So people can't get sick exactly as the books describe. They have the same illness, but it's different too... The harm is different, the feelings are the same, and the symptoms they display are different too. My dear, you should throw those textbooks aside and try to understand using your own thoughts."

The illness had the same name, but its manifestations were different, because the harm was different and so were the feelings...

Kelante's words gripped Song Zhi's heart. It was as though the cap had been removed from a bottle filled with murky wastewater, and the water had been poured out, leaving the bottle clean and empty.

She thought for a moment, then voiced her thoughts. "Before they became soldiers, they must have been people who loved peace. They loved life and peace, and they were kind and sincere. But war and death destroyed everything they cherished..."

She tilted her head against the car window and watched through the bright glass as rows of coconut trees on the beach slid past and seagulls flew across the horizon. This was peace beyond the war. How long could such peace last?

Kelante said nothing, only nodding gently in agreement with Song Zhi.

At the library, Kelante escorted Song Zhi upstairs. Then, under her astonished gaze, he pulled out a key and unlocked a small classroom at the far end of the third floor.

He opened the classroom door, stepped aside, and smiled. "I'm delighted to be your one-on-one instructor. I hope you'll come to enjoy my lessons."

The corner of Song Zhi's eye twitched! Was he Doraemon? Was his pocket full of magical gadgets?

And if it was one-on-one, why did they have to come to the library?

Song Zhi walked into the classroom with an uneasy heart. The door closed behind her and locked with a click.

Why did he lock the door?