Chapter 23: Identity Card

Lin Buyan raised an eyebrow. "Are you literate, or can you only write your own name?"

Eh?

"I am literate."

A century into the apocalypse, those who had received a formal education were gradually dying off. Humanity, struggling for basic sustenance, had no energy to spare for anything else. Through the government's efforts, order was being rebuilt, a new educational system was slowly maturing, and high-tech talent was emerging. Yet, the era of mandatory education, where everyone could read and write, had long since passed.

Lu Li, who had scraped by with an undergraduate degree from a key university, earned Lin Buyan’s first nod of approval for her literacy.

"Barely useful. To what extent has your strength mutated?"

Lu Li shook her head; she didn't know.

The man’s brow, which had just relaxed, furrowed once more. "Forget it. Go get tested later. Give me your ID card."

Recalling the century-old ID card she had found in an unfinished villa, Lu Li shook her head frantically. "I don't have one!"

"Lost it? Lu Li, is it? I'll look you up."

Without waiting for Lu Li to refuse, Lin Yan was already swiping across his screen.

"Lu as in land, Li as in pear?" Lin Yan asked, his brows knitting tighter. After flipping through the pages, he scanned Lu Li from head to toe. "Your identity information isn't here. Are you an undocumented resident?"

Sensing the tension in the atmosphere, Lu Li grabbed some paper and began scribbling furiously.

In short, she had been abandoned outside the safe zone at birth, surviving on scraps and scavenging. A mysterious old man had taught her to read and write, and she had grown up in a muddled, haphazard way.

It was only recently that she had found a backpack (snatched from Jiang Linyi), learned of the safe zone's existence, and rushed over, only to encounter the registration process...

She spun a chaotic, exaggerated tale, painting herself as weak, pitiful, and helpless.

Hearing Lin Yan read the heart-wrenching account aloud and seeing Lu Li—thin, pale, and fragile, cradling a child while clutching a pile of rags—the crowd was suddenly flooded with sympathy. They had all already passed their checks and were just waiting to finalize their registration to enter the safe zone. As they stood on the threshold of a new life, encountering someone whose experiences were far more tragic yet who remained unyielding stirred their sense of righteousness and overflowing pity.

"In this day and age, parents have no sense of responsibility because of the government subsidies. It’s bad enough they only care about birthing and not raising, but to abandon a child outside the safe zone? What is that?"

"You can't look at it that way! What if the parents encountered danger?"

"What situation would lead someone to bring a child who doesn't even have memories out there? Besides, she grew up outside the Qingshan Safe Zone. Have you heard of anything happening at Qingshan in all these years?"

"These parents... even if the child is mute, they shouldn't..."

Realizing his slip, the woman covered her mouth, looking at Lu Li with apology. The middle-aged man who had been annoyed by Lu Li cutting in line also forced a kindly smile.

"Little girl, you’ve endured so much at such a young age. Don't worry. Once you get your identity and enter the safe zone, life will certainly be better than it was out there."

"This comes just in time for the safe zone relief. Little girl, just tell them you’re a refugee from the Guicheng Safe Zone like the rest of us."

As the crowd chimed in, they quickly helped Lu Li shed her status as an undocumented resident, providing her with a residential address and a background in the Guicheng Safe Zone.

As the group gathered around watching the staff register her, Lin Buyan, who was about to shout "Nonsense!", had his mouth covered by Lin Yan. "Brother, won't your conscience ache if you do that?"

With her new ID card in hand, Lu Li felt lightheaded. "Little girl, you’ve been stunned silly with joy! From now on, you are a member of the Qingshan Safe Zone."

Lu Li held the ID card, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. Had she, a zombie, really obtained a human identity so easily? While she was still dazed, the card, barely warm in her hand, was snatched away.

Lu Li looked up, bewildered, her large fox-like eyes filled with confusion on her pale, palm-sized face.

"Ahem. Under apocalypse conditions, the population is chaotic, and identity registration is relatively lax. But now that you have an identity, mind your words and actions, and obey the rules of the safe zone."

Those who survived the apocalypse were mostly tough. Even those who relied on others played the role of the "damsel in distress," but Lu Li had pioneered a new path: the sickly, wretched, yet resilient survivor.

It was the first time Lin Yan had encountered someone so frail who was neither dead nor insane, and he couldn't help but soften.

Lu Li reached out to grab at the empty air, her mind still reeling, when a familiar red light swept over her wrist. A thunderous "beep" from the mechanical device struck her brain.

"Even though you just got your ID, you still have to follow the rules and undergo testing. But given how stable you seem, your pollution level shouldn't be high. Passing the inspection will be easy."

Looking at the detector in Lin Buyan's hand, Lu Li felt as if she had been struck by lightning. A chill raced through her body, leaving her mind blank.

She gritted her teeth, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she looked around. Lin Buyan was staring at the display, waiting for the results, and soldiers were patrolling in the distance. This was clearly not a place held under military suppression.

She suddenly yanked the boy, threw him toward Lin Buyan, and turned to run. Her leg muscles tightened as she pushed off the ground, but then came a "beep": Pollution level 14%, Mutation level 40%.

Her flight was cut short. She tripped over her own feet and sprawled onto the ground. The willow vine on her wrist brushed against the earth and tightened, the willow leaves poking out impatiently.

Lu Li hurriedly stuffed the tender leaves back in and pulled her sleeve down.

A shadow fell over her. Lin Buyan instinctively reached out, but upon looking up and seeing a child, he switched from pushing to hauling. His hand, holding the detector, shook so hard he almost dropped it.

With another "thud," Lin Buyan brushed the splashed mud off his face and stared at Lu Li, who had fallen flat on her face. His brow was furrowed so tightly a fly could have been crushed in the creases.

Lu Li rolled on the ground and scrambled up in a disheveled mess, kicking at the small mound of dirt she had just tripped over.

Lin Buyan sighed, a headache forming. "An intermediate strength mutant. Not bad."

He turned to look at the child in his arms and hoisted him onto his shoulder. For some reason, the child’s features looked very familiar, though he couldn't quite place who he was.

Lu Li dusted herself off and rubbed the willow vine through her collar. As dust scattered, Lin Buyan hurriedly covered his mouth, took a few steps back, and tossed the ID card to her.

"What about this kid? Can a little mute like you manage with a child? Do you want to send him to the welfare agency? Though, if you do that, you won't get the contribution points for raising a child."

Lu Li nodded and wrote, "Can you take him to the hospital first? And maybe help look for his parents?"

She had found him in an abandoned trap. He had been convulsing with a high fever, and she wasn't sure if his brain had been scorched by it.