Rats in the Gutter: Fragments of the Rat of the Chinese Zodiac

“Xiao Ye, just hang on for one more month. Then I can take you up to the surface...”

Lin Ye nodded firmly, his eyes full of hope.

As someone born underground, even living an ordinary life below the surface was a luxury, let alone going up top.

But he never expected that his brother would return from the surface gravely wounded. He clutched his ID card so tightly that it was smeared with blood, and managed only to say, “Don't go to the surface. Don't trust...”

He died before he could finish.

Life underground was so brutal that Lin Ye had no time to grieve. One thing after another followed: expulsion, betrayal, abuse, and a life on the streets.

He was like a rat in the gutter, and still they wouldn't leave him alone!

He didn't want to die!

He crawled up to the surface, in broad daylight...

The patrol captain planted a boot on his face and said, “A dirt-dweller like you thinks you can come out in daylight?”

Lin Ye clutched the inconspicuous jade pendant as his breathing grew weaker.

“Ding!”

“Twelve Zodiac: Rat Fragment binding in progress...”

“Ding! All Twelve Zodiac pieces collected... Host is in critical condition. Binding failed. Life countdown: 10, 9, 8...”

“Squeak?”

A mole popped up from underground and looked at Lin Ye in confusion.

“3, 2...”

“Squeak! Mousie wants it, mousie gets it!”

“System energy: -9999. Payment successful. Rescue successful.”

After exhaling a long, stale breath, Lin Ye opened his eyes.

There is endless joy in battling the heavens. He would no longer be a dirt-dweller!

He would make sure there were no more dirt-dwellers in this world!