SSS-level catastrophe? That's my wife!

The middle-aged man's voice suddenly turned serious: "Don't underestimate her just because she's young; her hands have... probably no less tainted than yours."

"Once he becomes an Awakened One, he will surely become a god of death."

As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, Xiao Li and the little monk gasped at the same time—it was actually delivered by His Majesty himself?

How pitiful.

It must be one of the survivors from some other city that was massacred...

Jiang Shuwan ignored the middle-aged man's words and went straight to an empty bed to sit down.

She sat down with her back straight, still gripping the short knife tightly in her hand.

After a moment of silence, she looked up at Xiao Li and the little monk, her voice cold:

"My name is Jiang Shuwan, and I like cleanliness."

Her gaze swept across the room, where clothes were scattered about—

Several pairs of shorts hung casually on the edge of the bed, as if silently provoking her bottom line.

She paused, then added, "Starting tomorrow, don't let me see these things again."

"It doesn't matter what you call me, you can call me Mom."

"Um?"

The young monk raised an eyebrow, his round face filled with confusion, as if he hadn't quite grasped the abrupt request.

Xiao Li, like a firecracker that had been lit, strode up to Jiang Shuwan, his eyes blazing with fury: "You brat, you're in such a hurry to be reborn on your first day on this island, aren't you?!"

Jiang Shuwan raised her eyes, her dark pupils completely calm.

She slowly drew her dagger, the blade gleaming coldly in the dim light: "I think life is meaningless, I don't want to live anymore."

"So, are you coming down with me?"

Xiao Li's hand, which was pointing at her, trembled violently. The angry curse that was on the tip of his tongue got stuck in his throat. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and in the end, he could only swallow back a mouthful of dry saliva.

Seeing that he had fallen silent, Jiang Shuwan sheathed the dagger with a click, her tone still calm: "If you don't know what to say, just call me 'Mom,' and I'll respond."

"Damn it! Don't push me, you brat!" Xiao Li clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Not far away.

The middle-aged man and the young monk were barely able to contain their laughter, their lips twitching as they struggled to suppress their amusement.

The little monk looked at Jiang Shuwan with eyes full of curiosity.

The middle-aged man stepped forward, trying to ease the tension, and said in a gentle tone, "Xiao Wan, we'll be living under the same roof from now on, so let's be friendly with each other, okay?"

Jiang Shuwan looked up at him, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and nodded gently: "Yes, I understand, old dog Fang."

"Pfft—" Xiao Li and the little monk could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

After all, Fang Laogou was not just their roommate, but also one of the Venerable One's direct subordinates, whose strength was unfathomable.

"you……"

This time, it was the middle-aged man's turn to turn pale, with veins throbbing on his forehead, his fingers clenching and unclenching, clearly trying his best to suppress his anger.

The middle-aged man was named Fang Shi, and he was the person in charge of this small island. He was now a powerful expert at the middle level of the seventh rank.

Xiao Li and the young monk were seven and five years older than Jiang Shuwan, respectively, and their faces still showed signs of immaturity.

The people on this island were all brought here before they were fully awakened.

They understand nothing; their only knowledge of the world is killing.

There is an assessment that takes place every few days, but only 10% of the people ever return.

Countless young people are sent to the island every day; death is as omnipresent as the air.

The killing test never stops.

In the evening, Jiang Shuwan made her bed spotless, with the headboard pressed against the cold wall.

Although the four of them were under one roof, their beds were separated by walls, which barely preserved a bit of privacy.

She leaned against the wall, the dagger still tightly gripped in her small, fair hand.

She stared blankly at the ceiling.

She seemed to be seriously contemplating the meaning of life.

She felt that the world was terrible, so terrible that everyone was turning against each other.

From the time she could remember, her only feeling towards the world was hatred.

She couldn't understand why life was so fragile, like a candle flame in the wind, easily extinguished.

In her mind, no one had ever told her that.

In fact, most people in the world are pampered and cherished by their parents after birth.

She often heard the word "happiness" from the people who died by her own hand.

But what is happiness?

She didn't realize that this was a blind spot in her understanding.

She was very young, but her bright eyes seemed to have seen all the ugliness of the world.

On some level, she was more like a little girl who knew nothing.

They don't understand warmth, they don't understand love, they only know how to use a knife to protect themselves.

"happiness……"

She murmured softly, "Will I ever have happiness in the future?"

After a few seconds of silence.

She gave a self-deprecating twitch at the corner of her mouth, her eyelids drooping to hide the blankness in her eyes: "How boring, who cares about this kind of thing?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of very light footsteps approached from afar.

Her body tensed instantly, and the short knife was drawn with a "whoosh," its blade gleaming coldly as it was pressed against her.

"Little girl, it's me, your brother Li."

Xiao Li's voice came through a tattered old curtain, carrying a deliberately lowered gentleness: "May I come in?"

"No." Jiang Shuwan's response was devoid of any warmth.

But the curtain was still lifted directly, and Xiao Li's figure suddenly came into view.

She sprang to her feet almost instinctively, the cold-gleaming blade pointed directly at Xiao Li's throat, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Get out, or you'll die."

Xiao Li chuckled, put his hands in his pockets, and raised an eyebrow as he sized up her tense posture: "You little brat, if you lived somewhere else, maybe this aura would actually intimidate others."

"But this is the very center of the walled area, and it's the most luxurious room inside the wall."

His gaze swept over the drafty walls of the room again: "Hmm...it is indeed the most luxurious room within the walls."

"Then guess again, why are we two brothers allowed to live here?"

Jiang Shuwan looked up at him, her voice flat: "A nagging man, just like a woman."

"I... him..."

Xiao Li's lips twitched, and he swallowed back the swear words. Then he slowly extended his right hand.

Jiang Shuwan's expression hardened, and she suddenly raised the blade—

At this moment, Xiao Li had already opened his palm, and in his palm lay a lollipop wrapped in colorful candy wrapper.

Jiang Shuwan paused, the blade hovering in mid-air, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes: "What is this?"

"This is a lollipop, haven't seen one before, have you?"

A hint of smugness flashed in Xiao Li's eyes, but he then waved his hand dismissively, feigning magnanimity: "Although your attitude during the day annoyed me."

"But since we live under the same roof, and your brother is seven years older than you, of course I won't stoop to your level."

"Lollipop?"

Jiang Shuwan's gaze was fixed on the candy, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the knife handle. After a moment of silence, she asked, "What's a lollipop?"

"And why give it to me?"

"What do you want in exchange?"

"Oh my god..." Xiao Li looked at her wary and bewildered expression and suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

This child is so young, what could he have gone through to treat giving as a transaction?