Chapter 2: Seeking the Examiner

Xi Yan spent the night in an abandoned building as the rain poured down without pause. At dawn, he rose and left the structure behind. In truth, Xi Yan didn’t fully understand the situation he now faced.

The changes had begun a month earlier. A suffocating heat wave endured for half a month, causing the glaciers at both poles to melt and unleash a flood of bacteria and viruses. Many people became infected.

Xi Yan and Xi Lin had grown up in an orphanage. That fateful day had also been stiflingly hot, the air heavy with the promise of an impending storm. Everyone hoped the rain would bring relief, but all that came was hell on earth.

That night, the orphanage turned into a living nightmare. The director transformed into one of the Lost Ones and slaughtered nearly everyone inside. Xi Yan and Xi Lin survived only because they had left the orphanage that day—a day they returned, as they did once every month, only to witness the true face of hell.

At the same time, people from other dimensions began appearing. That’s how Xi Yan met Qu Ya, who told him many things and invited him to be his partner.

It was Qu Ya who explained what the Lost Ones were, and who also informed Xi Yan that the entire world had now become a Survival Zone. Having a partner, Qu Ya said, would improve his odds of staying alive.

But Xi Yan, intent on protecting Xi Lin, chose to rely on himself. He couldn’t bring himself to trust someone from another dimension.

Now, however, Xi Yan had come to the location Qu Ya had given him—a delivery depot. He surveyed the battered ruins of the place, pressed his lips together, and stepped inside. The depot was shrouded in darkness; the lights had all failed due to the heat, and the only window was a tiny sliver.

“Qu Ya, are you here?” Xi Yan called out tentatively, unsure whether Qu Ya would still be there. In times like these, who could remain in one place for long?

“Hey, I’m here! Xi Yan, it’s you!” A disheveled man emerged from an inner room, grimy from head to toe, yet the brightness in his eyes shone through the dirt.

“My sister’s been taken, I…” Xi Yan faltered, unable to continue. He’d been the one to refuse the partnership, and now he’d come seeking Qu Ya’s help, despite his earlier mistrust.

“Xi Lin’s been captured? I suspected as much. Her identity as an Examiner couldn’t stay hidden forever. After all, there are Espers in the Main City who can detect Examiners. Let’s work together this time—we’ll find a way to save Xi Lin.”

Qu Ya seemed to sense Xi Yan’s discomfort and swiftly put him at ease. Hearing Qu Ya’s words, Xi Yan bit his lip and looked at him apologetically.

“Thank you.”

Qu Ya walked over and clapped Xi Yan on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. The two exchanged a silent understanding. In this apocalypse, who could truly trust another person?

Yet Qu Ya was still willing to help, and that meant a great deal to Xi Yan. Qu Ya hadn’t told him his full secret—he was, in fact, an Esper, but had only admitted to being an Evolver. Regardless, Xi Yan was deeply grateful for his help.

“You’re an Esper, and I’m just an Evolver, so I’ll be counting on you along the way.” Qu Ya laughed heartily, and Xi Yan managed a small smile and nodded.

“How do we get to the Main City now?” Xi Yan asked.

“You need enough points or a high enough level to enter directly. Otherwise, you’re stuck here.”

“How many points do we need?” Xi Yan’s expression turned grim.

“About three thousand. Or a level of ninety-nine. Other than that, the only way is through an Examiner.” Qu Ya’s answer was tinged with resignation.

Xi Yan immediately dismissed the points option—he had barely a hundred. Leveling up to ninety-nine was hardly faster. That left only one possibility: find an Examiner.

But that was no easy task. Very few ordinary people evolved into Examiners, and Examiners could freely traverse the Survival Zones. Tracking one down was nearly impossible, as they seldom remained in one place for long.

As Xi Yan pondered, Qu Ya grinned mysteriously and said, “Actually, you needn’t worry. I just happen to know an Examiner.”

Xi Yan stared at him in surprise. Examiners were generally under the Main City’s jurisdiction, unless they partnered with powerful Espers or Evolvers—otherwise, none escaped the city’s control. Xi Lin herself was proof of that. The Main City would stop at nothing to capture Examiners from every Survival Zone.

The greatest difference between Examiners and Espers or Evolvers was that Examiners could monitor the latter two. If an Esper or Evolver violated the Rules, the Examiner would know. Whether they reported it or not, however, was up to them—hence, many people went out of their way to curry favor with Examiners.

“That’s wonderful!” Xi Yan’s voice trembled with excitement at the revelation.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take you there. Just give me a moment—my appearance after sleeping isn’t quite presentable.” Qu Ya laughed awkwardly and pulled out a card.

With that, a faint starlight shimmered over his form, and moments later, he was neat and tidy once more. The card’s power piqued Xi Yan’s curiosity—if only he had such a card, hygiene in the apocalypse would no longer be a concern.

There was no time for idle talk, however. Qu Ya led the way, and together they set out in search of the Examiner. To save time, they avoided the Lost Ones as best they could.

“Mr. Qu…”

“Just call me by my name. We’re about the same age, after all.” Qu Ya interrupted with a smile.

Xi Yan nodded, then asked, “Qu Ya, what’s the difference between Evolvers and Espers?”

Qu Ya stroked his chin thoughtfully before replying, “Evolvers have enhanced physical abilities and can use cards. Espers have that, plus unique powers—unpredictable abilities that often serve as their trump cards.”

Xi Yan nodded, understanding the distinction. Still, though his sister was an Examiner, he didn’t fully grasp what that meant.

“Careful! Main City agents!” Qu Ya suddenly reached out and pulled Xi Yan behind a derelict building.