In low energy mode, all the lights in the aircar were switched off.
After confirming that they had left the encirclement of the mutated creatures and entered the refugee evacuation route, Qian Li estimated that the journey would take another twenty minutes. She simply settled into the driver’s seat and entered a light sleep.
In a haze, she saw a pair of brilliant golden eyes.
Someone stood behind her, their face obscured by a thin mist. They called to her softly.
“A Li.”
As soon as the twenty minutes were up, Qian Li opened her eyes.
Everything from the dream faded away in an instant. She instinctively reached for the energy gun beside her, only to find her hand covered in golden powder.
Someone had been here!
The realization made her raise her gun at once, but she looked around and found nothing unusual.
It seemed the person had already left.
Qian Li pressed her lips together and hid her dagger. She did not recklessly open the door.
She pressed her ear against it and, just as expected, heard several men and women talking.
“Is that an aircar? It looks like a high end model.”
“If we can get a ride, we’ll reach the shelter faster.”
A moment later, Qian Li heard a series of knocks at the door.
She opened it. Standing before her was a disheveled woman holding a baby.
Qian Li easily sensed at least four or five people hiding among the withered bushes nearby.
Since they showed no intention of attacking, she pretended not to notice them. The woman before her stammered, “H Hello… My child and I really can’t walk any farther. Could you give us a ride?”
Qian Li glanced at the frail child, then stepped aside and pointed toward the control panel.
“The car’s out of energy. If you want to rest here, go ahead.”
The woman’s face turned pale. Then she sat down on the ground, slapped her thighs, and wailed, “Oh, how can anyone be so heartless? You’re claiming the car has no energy just so you won’t have to give us a ride!”
Qian Li could not be bothered with her. She walked a few steps forward, but the woman grabbed her leg. Several men lying in wait nearby also jumped out, all crying and shouting.
“How miserable we are! We’re all human. What’s wrong with letting a few more people ride in an aircar? You’d be doing a good deed!”
Their cries attracted even more people. Qian Li lowered her eyes to look at the woman and was just about to speak when someone called out in astonishment, “Qian Li?!”
The voice was all too familiar. Qian Li looked over expressionlessly and, sure enough, saw her cheap parents and siblings.
They had actually survived?
Qian Li suddenly remembered the white light that had appeared behind her when she fled.
The others looked her up and down. They seemed unable to believe she had survived. When they saw that she was truly unharmed, without even a scratch, a flicker of jealousy crossed their eyes. Then they forced out a few tears and joined in the shouting.
“Isn’t this my daughter? Come on, let your mother and father get in the car!”
As she spoke, she lifted Mike’s foot and pointed imperiously at the red marks on it.
“Look at your younger brother. His feet are covered in blisters.”
Qian Li pointed at the aircar and raised an eyebrow.
“If you want a ride, just get in and have the AI drive you.”
Mrs. Hans beamed with delight and was about to climb aboard when Hans grabbed her hand.
“Qian Li, how can we use AI without you granting us access? Your father hasn’t treated you badly. Helping us out is the least you should do as our child.”
What was this? Were they playing the family card already?
Did they think they could make her their free driver?
Dream on!
Qian Li flashed a toothy smile, went back inside the car, then came out again. She casually tossed the thin man’s optical brain to him.
“I’ve never even touched an optical brain. How would I know how to use it?
Besides, driving aircars has always been your main job. You’re surely better at it than I am.”
When the crowd heard that Hans’s main job was driving aircars, everyone turned to stare at him.
Under their gaze, Hans’s scalp prickled. Unable to stand it any longer, he roared, “You stole this car in the first place! Don’t tell me you can’t drive it!
You unfilial daughter! You just don’t want to give us a ride!”
Qian Li raised an eyebrow and drew the energy gun from her waist, weighing it in her hand.
“Since you’ve put it that way, I’ll tell you. The owner was eaten by mutated creatures. The aircar is following a route the owner set. Even if you want me to drive, there’s nothing I can do.”
She swept her gaze over the refugees, who had fallen silent, and pointed the gun at several of them in turn.
At some point, the woman had let go of her leg. Qian Li shrugged and gave the gun a casual spin.
“The car key is inside. If you can use it, then stop barking here.
The refugee procession was enormous, stretching for dozens of meters.
Qian Li cautiously smeared mud over her face and clothes, then blended into the crowd.
The refugees had largely avoided encountering groups of mutated creatures thanks to the soldiers of Planet Kroll and the Holy Son, Ellros, who had drawn the battlefront to the northern part of the planet.
After walking for about fifty li, Qian Li and the refugees came upon a caravan of horse drawn carriages.
At the front of the procession was a female knight riding a horse.
She wore a light, androgynous knight’s outfit and rode a white horse. Behind her was a carriage, and two burly men sat at the back of it. The whole group clearly had the air of nobility.
Perhaps because the woman’s presence was so imposing, none of the refugees dared walk close to the caravan.
Actually, that was not a wise choice. If the woman dared to openly display her distinct status, it meant she had great confidence in her own strength.
With that in mind, Qian Li kept close to the caravan and moved quickly.
By midday, they were near a small stream fed by hot spring water. The refugees began chewing on their dry rations as they continued onward.
Qian Li’s feet were already covered in blisters, and her stomach was growling with hunger. She had only drunk a few handfuls of stream water, and her frail body was swaying as she walked.
Yet her pace did not slow in the slightest.
As they traveled, she noticed several times that the female knight’s gaze had fallen on her.
After a while, the refugees began to slow down. Several strong men with broad shoulders and powerful builds approached Qian Li.
She ignored them. But as she passed, one of them splashed the water in his hand right into her face.
“How pitiful. You’re all wet now!”
Qian Li looked at him coldly. With a cheeky grin, the man took off his jacket and tossed it to her.
“Little girl, want your big brother to wipe that pretty face for you?”
“Look at that glare! Feisty, aren’t you? How about letting your big brother pop your cherry and have a little fun?”