The Ancient Gods' Whisper-Chapter 766 - 369: The Chilling Little Story

Gu Jianlin had never seen her show such a bewildered expression, and for a moment, he found it a bit unsettling.

He suddenly realized something.

No matter how powerful or prestigious the woman in front of him was, she had her own unknown past, carrying her joys and sorrows, her happiness and grief.

She was a living person, not a weapon or a monster.

Thinking this way, he felt a bit of reassurance, realizing that even someone so strong had weaknesses, could show such a confused look, and could feel helpless and lonely when without a home. She was not invincible. But then he felt a heavy heart, knowing that even those who stood at the top of the world had things they couldn’t accomplish, times they felt powerless, leaving them with nothing but bitter drinks in a bar.

Compared to the sense of crisis from being coerced, he hated the feeling of impotence more.

"I’m sorry." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He felt a bit of guilt because he suddenly thought of his childhood self.

"Sorry for what?"

Skylark poured herself a glass of peach juice, holding it with both hands, sipping elegantly.

"It’s nothing."

Gu Jianlin looked at the bright city under the sunshine and suddenly asked, "Is that person important to you?"

With a thoughtful expression, Skylark softly said, "Maybe he was family? Because I clearly remember, I used to live in a small city in the south, with an old tree that had been alive for years at the gate of my house. When the sun shone on it, it looked dazzlingly golden, and there was a flower that had withered for many years."

As if recounting the most ordinary past, a mysterious aura spread out, making the flow of time seem tranquil. The sunlight shone on the girl’s porcelain-white cheek, so pale it was almost transparent.

It was like a beautiful witch reciting an ancient spell, hiding a massive secret within.

"Hmm, your accent does have a bit of a southern trait."

Gu Jianlin nodded slightly, "Do you prefer sweet or salty tofu pudding?"

"Of course, sweet."

Skylark glanced at him, "Who likes salty?"

"That’s right then."

Gu Jianlin casually said, "While I just feel like vomiting when I smell sweet tofu pudding."

Rarely did someone as straightforward as him crack a joke to lighten the mood.

Probably to adjust the woman’s mood, to prevent her from storming off.

It had nothing to do with whether she was good-looking.

"Initially, our family should have been well-off, as many in that small city respected us."

Skylark gazed at the azure sky, silently watching the swirling clouds, softly saying, "If I remember correctly, later that city was struck by a natural disaster. Well, it wasn’t a natural disaster; it was invaded by the Ancient God’s Breath, turning into a Forbidden Zone. Our city was shrouded, and the Ether Association took over."

"We?"

Gu Jianlin caught the keyword.

"Yes, I remember I had family, I was the eldest daughter, and there should be four younger brothers; they were all around my age but hard to manage. The second was the most withdrawn, not close to any family member, and the only thing I could remember was his back. The third was smart, capable of helping me share a lot of responsibilities. Little Four was lazy, indifferent about anything, still a kid who had never grown up. Xiao Wu had an eccentric personality that no one could understand."

Skylark immersed herself in memories, her gaze clear yet confused, "All five of us were not in good health, frail and often ill. The majority of the residents had evacuated, but we chose not to leave. We were waiting for our parents to return; they would come back to cure us. The Ether Association once helped us contact our parents, but there was no news."

"You have also been to Black Cloud City and should know what would happen in the Forbidden Zone, just like last night in Tokyo. Sudden disaster disrupted your peaceful life, and the past was gone forever."

Shaking the peach juice in the glass, she said faintly, "Even under the Ether Association’s control, the Forbidden Zone is still chaotic, and Ascenders from all over the world would come to investigate, causing battles to erupt every now and then. I remember; my room got smashed many times, and human heads rolled to my feet like soccer balls."

The citizens’ panicked screams and terrified expressions from last night resurfaced in her mind.

At that time, she didn’t care, only thinking those people were a bunch of ants.

After recovering some of her memory, she suddenly empathized with them.

Because she had been such a helpless ant herself.

Gu Jianlin instinctively frowned because he found it somewhat illogical here.

If it truly was the Ether Association’s style, they wouldn’t care about your own will; if you five little kids didn’t want to leave, they would just silence you and stuff you in a bag, even giving you a tranquilizer.

When you woke up, you’d be doing morning exercises at Modu Experimental Primary School.

"Sounds insane."

He remarked.

Skylark’s recovered memories might not all be reliable, so it was okay if some details didn’t match.

"Life during that time was chaotic because external supplies wouldn’t be sent in, and daily necessities had to be delivered through special channels. We five often went to the relief station to snatch food and toilet paper. The station master was a greedy bastard, embezzling most of the relief funds and leaving us with leftover scraps. Sometimes he would curse us and accuse us of stealing. Occasionally, he would hang around downstairs, wanting to sell us?"