Chapter 122 Sisters
After a long silence, the only sounds were the pattering rain outside the window and the faint sounds of soldiers moving about in the distance.
Ruan Ning loosened her fingers under the table, then slowly clenched them again. She raised her eyes to look at Qin Li, her wariness still there, but now tinged with complex thoughts.
“My mother,” she began, her voice slightly calmer than before, “was adopted by my maternal grandmother. My grandmother said that when my mother was four years old, she was rescued from a raided human trafficking den. At that time, my mother was already very frightened. The traffickers had passed her through several hands, and even they couldn’t say where she was originally abducted from.”
She paused, as if recalling those distant and vague stories.
“Grandma said that Mom didn’t remember anything except her nickname. She had no idea about her biological parents or her original home. Later, Grandma raised her as her own daughter. The necklace Mom wore when she was rescued was kept by Grandma, who only told her that it was a gift from Grandma. Grandma and the others tried to help her find her biological parents, but there was no news.”
Ruan Ning's gaze fell on Qin Li's face, observing his reaction. "If... if your mother also had the same necklace, and they were about the same age, and both..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.
“My mother died in a car accident, very suddenly.” Qin Li continued, his brows furrowing slightly, clearly also quickly processing and connecting the information. “Among the things she left behind, there were no last words or letters that directly mentioned her sisters. There was only that photo and the necklace, as well as those vague instructions in the notebook.”
He leaned forward slightly, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the dusty table. "According to you, the time and age seem to match. If my mother were still alive, she would be fifty-two this year."
Ruan Ning's eyes flickered: "If my mother were still alive, she would be fifty-two years old."
“My mother rarely talks about her childhood. My maternal grandparents probably know more.” He looked at Ruan Ning, his eyes filled with a shared sense of inquiry. “They are currently at the Northwest Base.”
The air fell silent again, but the previous standoff was replaced by a shared mystery.
Two identical necklaces, two mothers born in the same year, possibly both losing their childhood memories, and both dying young. Human traffickers, car accidents, deliberate concealment, mysterious instructions... the fragments seem to be pieced together, yet the most crucial connecting point is missing.
“So,” Ruan Ning murmured, as if summarizing her thoughts, “our mothers were very likely sisters, or even twins. They were separated in childhood for some reason; one was abducted, while the other may have been protected by her family, or perhaps she had other experiences. The necklace may be a family keepsake, or perhaps more than just a keepsake.”
Qin Li nodded, his expression serious. "My grandparents are getting old and their health isn't very good. There are some things they don't want to talk about. But this matter, perhaps we must get to the bottom of it." He looked at Ruan Ning, "Are you also going to the Northwest Base?"
"Yes." Ruan Ning did not hide anything.
“Then let’s go together.” Qin Li said decisively, with the efficiency of a soldier making a decision. “You can look out for each other on the way. Once we get to the base, I’ll arrange for you to meet. We need to find out the origin of this necklace and about our mother.”
“Okay.” Ruan Ning finally nodded. Traveling with this military team had its advantages and disadvantages, but right now, figuring out the truth about her mother and the necklace was the mystery she wanted to solve. Moreover, the fact that they offered it first showed a certain openness.
"We'll set off once the rain stops." Qin Li stood up. "I'll send someone to coordinate with you and discuss the cooperation and arrangements along the way."
"good."
Qin Li turned and left the restaurant, his figure disappearing into the rain outside.
Ruan Ning sat alone, her fingers unconsciously touching the necklace pendant beneath her collar. The touch was still cool, but now it seemed to carry an unresolved warmth and a heavy past.
The heavy rain continued for a whole week.
The sky remained gray, and the rain, sometimes heavy and sometimes light, never truly stopped. The ground was already muddy, and the low-lying areas had accumulated into murky puddles.
The atmosphere in the hotel grew increasingly somber.
Although the newly awakened superhumans were working hard to adapt and practice their abilities, and Sun Hong was also leading people to continuously reinforce their dwellings and collect supplies, the long-term confinement and damp environment still caused unease and anxiety to spread among the people.
More importantly, Ruan Ning knew that this rain would not end soon, and that the world would become even more dangerous after the rainy season.
On the afternoon of the seventh day, the rain finally subsided, turning from a downpour into a light drizzle. Ruan Ning walked out of the hotel, wading through the mud, and went to the factory next door again.
Qin Li's troops were also waiting. Aside from guard duty and necessary maintenance, most of the soldiers were resting. Upon seeing Ruan Ning, the soldiers on guard had clearly received instructions and did not stop her, pointing instead to the second floor of the factory building.
Qin Li was examining a map in the temporary command post, which marked routes and potential obstacles. He looked up when he heard footsteps.
"Major Qin," Ruan Ning said, getting straight to the point without any pleasantries, "Given the current road conditions, if we set off immediately, how long would it take your convoy, with its equipment and speed, to reach the Northwest Base?"
Qin Li put down his pencil, his gaze sweeping across the still gloomy sky and muddy ground outside the window. He frowned slightly: "You want to set off now? The rain hasn't stopped, and the road conditions are extremely poor. Ordinary vehicles can easily get stuck. Although our military trucks and armored vehicles have strong off-road capabilities, they won't be able to go fast in this kind of continuous rain and the roadbed may be softened, increasing the risk of breakdowns."
He walked to a larger regional map on the wall and drew a line with his finger: "From our current location to the Northwest Base, the straight-line distance isn't very far, but we need to bypass several known large city ruins and dangerous areas. Normally, with good road conditions and the convoy traveling at full speed, it would take about four or five days. But now..."
He estimated that "if everything goes smoothly and there are no large-scale landslides, floods, or insurmountable mudflats, it will take at least eight to ten days, or even longer. Moreover, supplies and vehicle repairs along the way will be problems."
He turned to look at Ruan Ning: "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Although supplies are scarce here, it would be safer to wait until the rain subsides or stops before setting off. My mission is to safely transport this batch of equipment back to base, and I must be responsible for the personnel and equipment."
Ruan Ning knew his concerns were reasonable. She couldn't directly say things like, "I know this rain will last for two months and that zombies and plants will evolve on a large scale after the rain." The dangers on the road would be greater then, and she might even encounter large hordes of zombies.
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