The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 467 - 329: Determination and Rebellion_2

Chapter 467: Chapter 329: Determination and Rebellion_2

"In such soil, it’s no wonder a rebellion has sprouted, with residence taxes even reaching these people. How can they survive without rebelling?" Li Yi thought silently as he watched them.

Sewers extend in all directions, but not every place is suitable for living. Some areas are dangerous with industrial wastewater and toxic gases, which must be avoided. Additionally, some areas often have large quantities of sewage discharged and cannot be stayed in. Finding a suitable place to settle here is not easy; it not only requires ample knowledge of the area but also quick action. Once someone else claims a spot, you can only look elsewhere.

Ke Ni’s home is set up at the end of a sewer. She hangs a small bed on the wall and has constructed a platform using steel plates, on which she places various household items, as well as some unsold parts.

"This is my home now," Ke Ni declared proudly. "It’s the best spot in the area, found after moving five times."

Li Yi looked around and agreed.

This place was relatively cleaner and tidier than others, not so smelly. Of course, a good place naturally has quite a few neighbors, making the area rather lively.

But Li Yi’s arrival made them tense, worried that he, a stranger, might easily disrupt their hard-earned stability.

"Ke Ni, tell me about Philadelphia and your story," Li Yi said as he found a spot to sit and started the conversation.

"My story? I’m an orphan, and ever since I can remember, I’ve lived with my grandfather in the sewers of Philadelphia. My grandfather told me my parents had connections with the genetic warriors and the rebels, so they were killed by the people from the Genetic Federation... With me, Grandpa hid here, but six years ago, he passed away, and since then I’ve been living here alone. But I’ve taken good care of myself, scavenging at the dump to earn money and running errands for people. I know this place very well; I always deliver goods to the clients fastest."

Ke Ni slightly lowered her head, always feeling sad when talking about the past, yet when speaking of survival, she seemed confident, optimistic despite the tough circumstances.

Li Yi listened quietly.

To him, maybe it was just a story, but for Ke Ni, it was her life.

Ke Ni spoke a lot, especially about her grandfather, including some happy events such as how she once got lucky and made a thousand yuan, but then got robbed by thugs hired by another. She was smart, though, secretly keeping a hundred; she lived happily during that time, eating well.

She shared some sadder moments, like when her home was suddenly destroyed by erratic sewage discharges, causing her to cry for hours, or how it took her half a month to rebuild her home piece by piece.

Like her being robbed by other scavengers while returning from scavenging, unable to defend herself, even her flatbed cart was stolen. Now she takes extra care of her flatbed cart because it’s essential for her survival without which she can’t bring stuff from the dump or make money, potentially leading to starvation.

And, like today, she was excited because she found an energy source left on a car; if sold, it would be enough to support her for half a year.

If planned well, she wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry for the next few years.

Li Yi listened for a while, then after a pause, finally asked, "Have you ever thought about changing all this?"

"Changing all this?" Ke Ni blinked, looking a bit puzzled.

"Like no longer living in the sewers, no more scavenging, having a good living environment, a better future, a normal life... Basically, everything you dream of achieving," Li Yi explained.

"I don’t even have a citizenship, I’m undocumented, I can’t own property... And I don’t have a proper job; I can’t achieve any of this," Ke Ni said, looking down.

"Not being able to and not wanting to are two different things," Li Yi stated. "Would you be willing to become a genetic warrior?"

"Genetic warrior?"

Ke Ni’s eyes suddenly brightened but quickly dimmed, "I’m the lowest rung in Philadelphia, I’ll never qualify to be a genetic warrior. Plus, gene serums are expensive, I could never afford them in my lifetime."

"A tragic life has made you feel inferior, but your soul should not be weak," Li Yi calmly said. "If you still have the courage to change all this, even if it means risking your life, I can offer you a chance to become a genetic warrior, consider it a gift from fate."

"You have about a minute to think. After that, I will leave here and do my own things. We may never see each other again in this lifetime. It’s either compromise or struggle, it’s your choice."

He slowly stood up now, his eyes shimmering in the dim sewer.

Then, Li Yi did not linger any longer but walked back the way he had come.

Seeing Li Yi leaving, Ke Ni bit her lip, her expression fluctuating, seemingly hesitating, seemingly pondering.

Not everyone has the courage to abandon their familiar life and embark on an unknown path.

"Ke Ni, go with him. You are a descendant of the warrior, you should follow the path of the warrior. You’re still young and have a future; you shouldn’t spend your whole life in these sewers. Even if you die, you should die under the sunshine, not rot in the sewers."

At this moment, a lifeless old man sat on a small bed nearby and advised in an elder’s tone.

Though the old man had been poor all his life and lacked much experience, he understood some truths by virtue of his age. The opportunity given by Li Yi was something many couldn’t find in a lifetime.

Staying alive like this was hardly different from being dead.

The old man’s words seemed to prompt Ke Ni to make a significant decision as she loudly exclaimed, "Yi, I want to become a warrior, I want to change all this, I don’t want to compromise."

Her shout echoed through the sewer, seeming to travel through some gaps to the outside, drifting over the skies of Philadelphia.

"Then you need to be prepared for death. If not, don’t bother following," Li Yi said without stopping, as he continued walking.

Ke Ni hesitated for a moment but quickly made a decision this time, then without any more hesitation, she took out the energy source she had found today, glanced at her beloved tablet car placed at its special spot, tampered with the energy source a bit and then threw it toward her home.

When the energy source hit the ground, it erupted into a brilliant burst of light.

Accompanied by the discharge of energy, Ke Ni’s precious home along with her beloved tablet car were utterly destroyed.

"Wuu! I have nothing left now." Ke Ni sobbed, trembling with sadness.

At this point, Li Yi stopped in his steps, turned around and said, "I see your determination, good, come with me, I’ll let you truly live. In the future, you will be grateful for the decision you made today."

Ke Ni glanced back at her irreparably destroyed tablet car, wiped her tears and sniffed her nose before running toward Li Yi.

The two quickly left the murky air of the sewers.

And if nothing unexpected happens, they will never appear here again.

"He is truly a dangerous person, his words have the power to bewitch. Even I couldn’t help but want to follow him."

After the two had left, the old man let out a mystifying sigh.

In fact, it was not Li Yi’s words that could bewitch people, but the desperation of the underprivileged of this world seeking hope and change.

Li Yi’s appearance perfectly matched their inner desire.