My name is Joel. When I was a child, I witnessed the outbreak of the virus and the destruction of the civilized world!
The government blocked all information and the truth, ultimately causing countless unsuspecting cats to be infected by the virus and transformed into zombies whose only thought was to eat cats.
[As a survivor, although I survived the initial outbreak of the virus, I have since fallen into a hell of sadness! ]
The disaster took away my beloved family, and the struggle to survive overwhelmed my moral principles.
I don't know how I managed to survive in this apocalyptic world. I only know that I must survive, to witness the utter destruction of civilization... or perhaps, to be reborn...
42 years have passed in a flash! Now I'm 52, having long since abandoned my humanity. I'm willing to sully my hands to survive, becoming a cold-blooded troublemaker who only wants to stay alive!
[A troublemaker is someone who does things for a commission! Anything! Including revenge and cat-killing!]
I thought that a meow like me would either die on a mission or die of illness in a dark bed. No one would remember me, and no one would feel sorry for me.
However, a well-paid mission completely changed my life! It led me on a journey full of love, honesty, and redemption!
My partner, Tess, and I took on a lucrative transport mission. We thought it was the usual contraband shipment, like addictive, high-concentration "catnip" or some precious bullets. But who knew the cargo was actually a white-haired, loli cat?
The white-haired cat is named Ellie, a 14-year-old female. I'm baffled by why a child like her would brave so many dangers to reach a place called "Firefly." My partner, Tess, remained tight-lipped about this.
Since it's a "trade secret," I can't really ask. After all, in our line of work, the more secrets you know about your clients, the quicker you might end up dead.
As the journey progressed, I realized things weren't as simple as I'd imagined. Because, while we were dodging zombies and mutants, we were also being hunted and attacked by our own kind.
[The disaster didn't break us, but we, as fellow cats, did. The despicable nature of human nature is far more terrifying than the disaster itself...]
[This is also the norm in this apocalypse! ]
[Tess is dead! It seems their goal is to take Ellie away!]
Before she died, Tess told me the whole truth. She said Ellie was the world's hope! She was the only special individual known to be completely immune to the virus! Even without reward, Joel, please protect her and get her safely to her destination.
I agreed to her request and continued my journey carrying her last wishes and expectations.
Along the way, Ellie blamed herself, believing she had caused Tess's death. She kept trying to talk to me, intentionally or unintentionally, but I ignored her. I just wanted to finish this job quickly and then distance myself from her.
Ellie, clearly conscious of my gaze, asked if I thought she was a freak? Did I think she was abnormal? Like “those people”?
My answer is: so-called normalcy is merely a standard set by the majority. It's a means of seeking acceptance and excluding those who are different. In my opinion, you're just a child. Why should you care about others, even my opinion? Taking on this so-called responsibility to save the world is nothing but wishful thinking. The apocalypse has already lasted so long; it's impossible for a single cat to change it!
Ellie was furious after hearing what I said. She thought I was completely selfish and didn't consider the future of the world and civilization at all. If you give up hope, then hope will never come!
After hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh. This little girl is really too young. "Hope" is just fairy-tale nonsense? Only children would believe that! Instead of believing that, it's better to believe that aliens will one day come and save our world!
Living in this apocalyptic world, there's no need to seek permission or approval from others. All a cat truly needs is to acknowledge reality and... strive to survive.
Ellie disagreed with my point of view. She said: "The arrival of the apocalypse is not something we can decide. But the real horror isn't how many cats it takes. It's how many cats lose hope for the future, gradually becoming accustomed to the passing of life! When you give up looking up at the sky, you lose the power to move forward into the future."
I was silent. This was the first and only time Ellie and I had a rift. Every cat has a past they want to forget, but the past can't be changed. But the future... maybe it can!
I began to look squarely at the innocent, brave girl before me, and gradually began to connect her with a figure in my memory.
In the days that followed, Ellie and I searched for a way to survive in the ruined city. In the perilous forest, we dodged the zombies and mutant monsters that hunted us. We fought our way out of the traps and encirclements set by our own kind. We struggled to survive in the freezing snow.
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