novellhall Chapter 139 Ingratitude
Chapter 139 Ingratitude
Chapter 139 Ingratitude
The day that was destined for us has arrived.
This immense disaster, later known as the "Unprovoked Natural Disaster," was the most heinous event to destroy almost the entire city of Gwangyang, turning it into a living hell.
It was almost dusk, and there was still some light on the horizon. Everything was so peaceful.
Then, the vibrations and roars tore it all to shreds.
Collapse—the world's lament in an instant. A violent explosion, an earth-shaking tremor.
Completely unprepared for this unexpected change, Su Qingyuan was utterly stunned.
What happened?
The next second, the ceiling collapsed, countless bricks and rubble fell, and the sturdy walls cracked.
After the breakdown, she struggled to crawl out of the rubble and debris, surrounded by wails and screams that made her panic.
Transform into a magical girl! Then fly away!
That familiar power was surging within her body; with just a thought, she could transform into a magical girl, gain the ability to fly, and escape this hellish place.
but----
[You must never transform outside of experimental settings.]
The rule that adults had repeatedly emphasized suddenly echoed in my mind.
Even in this life-or-death situation, the inertia stemming from long-term obedience still bound her. Su Qingyuan didn't realize that in such an emergency, those formalities were long since meaningless.
And so, covered in wounds and dust, she wandered aimlessly through the ruins.
What came into view was hell.
There were many familiar faces around. The girl who had once arrogantly dumped the basin of water on her head now lay there, her body cold and lifeless.
Those companions who always huddled together, mocking her with vicious words, now lay quietly in pools of blood, no longer able to utter a sound.
Su Qingyuan stared blankly at the corpse lying on the ground.
There was no fear, no sadness, and no sense of satisfaction from revenge.
She just found it ironic.
Why was I the one who survived?
Why did someone like me—a dark, cowardly, and annoying person who only knows how to hide behind others—survive?
If I were the one who died, perhaps only Sister Lu Yue and Brother Zi Xin would shed a tear or two for me.
But what happens after that? They'll soon forget me and go on living their own sibling lives.
And even if I survive, I will still be that detestable Su Qingyuan.
It would be better if he were dead.
I envy Lu Yue so much—I envy her for being able to stand so naturally beside Zi Xin's younger brother. If only—if only I could be her.
The thought resurfaced, making her begin to loathe herself. Su Qingyuan then shook her head, intending to dispel her current chaotic thoughts.
—Zixin's younger brother, and Lu Yue——How are you? So many people around us are dead—
I hope you will all be safe and sound.
Su Qingyuan dragged her battered body and wandered aimlessly through the ruins.
Just then, she seemed to kick something. She looked down and saw a shattered piece of mirror.
She bent down as if possessed, picked up the shard, and wiped away the dust.
A strange face was reflected in the mirror.
That wasn't her.
The girl in the mirror no longer had those annoying freckles; her features were delicate and soft, as if she were full of sunshine and confidence.
That was—Lu Yue's face.
My face—has turned into Lu Yue's?
Su Qingyuan stared wide-eyed in horror, her trembling hand gently touching her cheek. The "Lu Yue" in the mirror mirrored her gesture.
Heart and mind —
She remembered her mind-reading ability. The mind-reading ability she had awakened in the laboratory—the ability to copy other people's minds. This made others hate her even more, calling her a "thief."
She also tried to replicate the mind of another companion who could create clones, wanting to use the clones to take her place in being bullied. However, she didn't expect that the clones created by that ability would also suffer the same pain as the original, so in the end she had to cancel the clone ability.
She thought she could only copy other people's "mental appearance" — but it turns out that even appearance can be copied?
In a daze, she heard a faint groan coming from not far away.
Following the sound, they saw a familiar face beneath the collapsed concrete blocks—it was Lu Yue! She was still alive!
A surge of ecstasy instantly dispelled all the numbness and despair in Su Qingyuan's heart, and she practically tumbled and crawled over.
"Lu Yue?!"
Although her breathing was weak, Lu Yue was still alive!
The joy of knowing her family was still alive gave her renewed encouragement; all she had to do was move the rubble and rescue her.
if only----
However, just as she was about to pick up the rubble covering Lu Yue, a voice deep within her voice asked, "What are you doing?"
Su Qingyuan stopped moving.
[Save her? Why save her?]
Haven't you always wanted to be her?
Now is the best opportunity.
Look, your face has already taken on her likeness. Once she disappears from this world—you can become "Lu Yue."
[At that time, you'll be all alone by Zixin's side.]
No—no—she—she's my family—
[Family? She stole Shen Zixin's brother's family? She helped you before only to cultivate her "helpful" persona.]
And now, you have the chance to replace her.
No—that's not how it works—
But—but—
You can possess her appearance, her identity, and the sibling bond between her and Shen Zixin.
No longer the disliked "Su Qingyuan," but the radiant "Lu Yue."
Isn't this exactly what you've always longed for?
That's right—as long as she disappears—as long as she disappears—
From Zixin's younger brother's side, I'm all alone now.
This thought extinguished the last shred of reason in Su Qingyuan's heart.
Looking around, not far away, there was an iron pipe more than half a meter long on the ground.
She walked over, picked up the iron pipe, and returned to Lu Yue.
Then, she raised the iron pipe with both hands and aimed it at the face she had once longed for.
"I'm sorry, Sister Lu Yue."
"I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry—!!!"
She kept apologizing, swinging the iron bar down again and again. With each swing, she used all her strength, determined to kill the person in front of her.
His face was wet—it was impossible to tell whether it was tears or splattered blood.
She just kept smashing it until that familiar face was completely disfigured.
Finally, Su Qingyuan stopped, her hand holding the iron pipe trembling from the excessive force she had used earlier.
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha"
Is that... laughter?
Su Qingyuan was stunned.
Then, the laughter grew increasingly manic, echoing through the ruins.
She finally realized that the laughter was coming from her own throat.
- Exactly.
Su Qingyuan felt an unprecedented sense of pleasure from the bottom of her heart for killing her "family".
She casually tossed the blood-stained iron pipe aside. Then she grabbed a few bricks and buried the body under the rubble.
Finally, Lu Yue revealed a confident smile and turned to walk towards her new life.