Chapter 158: Flashback III

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How much evil can exist in the heart of a person?

At such a young age, Ye Zi didn't know. But now, the evil he had witnessed was like a black mist, slowly seeping into his mind, corrupting his perception.

His little sister was being treated as the next experiment subject. He didn't know exactly what kind of experiment it was, but it was definitely not good. He knew he had to escape this terrible orphanage with his sister.

February had already passed by several days. The snow had intensified, covering the land in a blanket of white, and the symbolic Spring Festival was just around the corner.

Many of the orphanage staff had already left to celebrate the new year with their families, leaving just enough people behind to keep the orphanage functioning.

Over the course of several days, he managed to figure out where the keys were kept. One night, he decided it was time to escape the orphanage and expose what was happening there.

Waiting patiently until midnight, Ye Zi snuck out of his room with a branch he had prepared beforehand and quietly made his way to the guardroom near the entrance.

An old radio on the table was playing the sound of a Beijing opera, and the middle-aged guard was lying back in his chair, snoring lightly. A small heater nearby emitted a warm glow and heat.

Standing on his toes, he silently entered the room and used the branch to carefully hook the keyring hanging on the wall. Glancing at the guard to make sure he was still asleep, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. His eyes then fell on a plate of apples on the table, where he noticed a folding fruit knife.

Ye Zi's eyes flickered with a hint of resolve. He took the fruit knife along with the keys and quietly left the guardroom, quickly sneaking back to his room.

His heart was still racing as he returned to the room with the keys.

Ye Zi gently woke Rui, who was still groggy.

He said, "Rui, how about we go out and play?"

Rui, pouting and not fully awake, replied, "But it's so cold."

"There will be lots of yummy food. But you have to be a good girl, stay quiet, and don't make any noise, okay?"

"Okay, okay!" At the mention of food, Rui clapped her hands excitedly.

"Good, then put on your clothes, and we'll go," Ye Zi said.

"Alright." Rui nodded eagerly.

Once Rui was dressed, Ye Zi was about to open the door when it suddenly opened on its own. Standing in the doorway was the large matron, blocking their path.

"And where do you two think you're going?" The matron stood there with a big smile on her face.

A few drops of cold sweat appeared on Ye Zi's forehead as he hastily replied, "I was just taking my sister to the bathroom."

The matron's eyes scanned their clothes, her smile turning eerie. Without warning, she kicked him hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground. The pain in his chest was intense.

After knocking Ye Zi down, the matron raised her hand and slapped Rui hard.

With a loud smack, Rui, still confused and unaware of what was happening, was knocked unconscious. Her delicate face immediately swelled and reddened.

Seeing this, rage welled up in Ye Zi's eyes.

"So, it seems you've figured out something. Well, no choice then. I'll have someone come take you both away tomorrow." The matron kept her smile as she looked at the furious Ye Zi.

Ye Zi clenched his fists and, ignoring the pain in his chest, suddenly charged at the matron.

Her expression turned cold, and she lifted her leg, ready to kick him again.

But this time, Ye Zi dodged her powerful kick and threw himself at her.

Thud...

The matron's expression changed immediately. She felt a sharp pain in her chest, and when she looked down, she saw the fruit knife embedded there.

Ye Zi took a step back and, seeing the shocked look on her face, said, "Go to hell, you monster."

The matron opened her mouth, but before she could speak, she collapsed to the ground.

He didn't look at the matron again. Instead, he hurried over to check on his sister. Her small face was already swollen and red.

Clenching his fists tightly, Ye Zi struggled to pick up his unconscious sister and began his escape.

Fortunately, the matron had come alone, confident in her strength and authority. She had never expected Ye Zi to have a fruit knife, nor had she imagined that a six-year-old boy would be so decisive in killing her.

Carrying his sister on his back, he managed to escape the orphanage.

The cold wind was like knives cutting across his face, and the snow swirled all around them. In the vast, white expanse, it was nearly impossible to see where they were going.

But the six-year-old boy, carrying his two-year-old sister, ventured into the snow, heading toward the unknown.

The icy wind bit into him like countless blades, chilling him to the bone.

Ye Zi gritted his teeth, pushing himself with a will far beyond his years, refusing to collapse.

In such weather, wandering out into the snow was practically a death sentence. But he hadn't thought that far ahead—after witnessing the horrors of the orphanage, his only thought was to get away from it.

He didn't know how long he had been walking, but eventually, exhaustion overwhelmed him. Luckily, he stumbled upon a large, bare tree with a small hollow at its base.

Carrying his sister, he crawled into the hollow to shelter from the cold. Exhausted, he fell asleep.

When Ye Zi awoke, the sky was just starting to lighten, and he realized that his sister had developed a high fever.

Panicking, he quickly picked her up and headed toward a distant cluster of low buildings, faintly visible in the early morning light.

The snow had finally stopped after falling all night, making his journey slightly easier.

Ye Zi walked along the main road with his sister on his back. He was starving, and his legs, having been buried in snow for so long, were completely numb.

As the buildings drew closer, he encountered an old man pulling a shabby sled. Ye Zi blocked his path.

"Please, help my sister," Ye Zi begged, his small body bent under the weight of his sister, like a camel about to collapse.

The old man, with a face full of scraggly beard and clothes patched all over, looked like a scavenger. He stared coldly at Ye Zi before saying, "Move aside."

"Please, help my sister," Ye Zi repeated, his lips trembling as he stood in the middle of the road, refusing to budge.

"I can barely feed myself. How do you expect me to save you?" the old man replied coldly.

Ye Zi, his mind clear despite the cold, quickly responded, "If you save my sister, I will take care of you."

The old man was taken aback. He looked Ye Zi up and down, unable to believe that this small boy had just said he would take care of him.

"Haha." The old man laughed, but his laughter soon faded when he saw the earnest expression on Ye Zi's face and the desperation in his eyes.

After a moment of silence, the old man finally said, "Put her on the sled."

Ye Zi, afraid the old man would change his mind, hurriedly placed his sister on the sled and gently covered her with his own jacket.

Since they had left the tree hollow, he had wrapped his outer coat around his sister, and now, after removing another layer, he was left with just two thin garments, offering little protection against the cold.

"This little brat..." The old man glanced at Ye Zi and, to his surprise, began to believe that maybe this boy really could take care of him.

He took off his smelly, tattered coat and threw it over him, saying coldly, "Put this on. If you collapse too, who will take care of me?"

Ye Zi was stunned for a moment. Despite the coat's filthy smell, he put it on without hesitation.

That's right—if he collapsed, what would happen to his sister?

The sled turned around and headed back toward the distant buildings.

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Currently on Chapter 211 - Sasori Joining the Akatsuki and his Requirements