【Jianmengtianxia: Hahahaha, you should snatch the blade from the tiger’s mouth, hook his chin and tell him ‘Man, from now on you belong to this lady!’】
【T-zuipaotianwang: No no no, you should descend from the heavens when he’s about to die, making the Child of Destiny see the streamer as his only light!】
【Sijibushache: You are my fire, my one desire, you are my superstar!】
【Hangenaizui: Ugh, can you be any more cringey?】
The scrolling subtitles were filled with laughter, and the system was nearly depressed: Why does this feel like a comedy livestream?
Which dimension are these viewers from? Couldn’t they be more serious during such a tense moment?
Please don’t lead the host astray.
It carefully sensed Lu Zhao’s emotions, but fortunately the host remained completely unperturbed, still frighteningly calm.
Thud—another loud noise drew everyone’s attention.
The two soldiers urgently trying to close the gate had already been cut down. Shen Qi rushed outward again, but the moment his front foot stepped through the gate, a whip coiled around him and dragged him back inside. The whip pulled forcefully, dragging him away from the entrance.
Frantic, he picked up a fallen broadsword from the ground and severed the whip. As he stood up and lifted his head, the lead soldier’s blade came sweeping down toward him. The blade moved swift as lightning, arriving in the blink of an eye…
This was the moment.
Lu Zhao urged in her mind: “System, exchange 20 stamina points! Boost my combat power directly to 23!”
Hearing she wanted to spend points, the system was overjoyed and immediately processed the exchange.
Almost instantly, Lu Zhao felt strength return to her limp wrists, and her heavy body became agile again. She darted forward, twisting the lead soldier’s wrist at the moment his blade was about to sever Shen Qi’s hair, then with great force slammed him to the ground.
Crack.
The lead soldier’s whole body convulsed twice, his facial muscles contorted in pain.
The sudden change shocked the dozen soldiers. Shen Qi, who had looked up, also stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
From the high watchtower, a sentry drew his bow and released an arrow. The projectile shot through the air, its tip glinting coldly like a meteor aimed directly at Shen Qi’s chest.
It was too fast to dodge.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Qi grabbed Lu Zhao—who had just released her grip and stood up—and pulled her in front of him as a shield.
The livestream erupted in gasps. Those who had been amazed by Lu Zhao’s swift moves earlier now cursed angrily 【Shuaidebumingxian: Damn! Is this bastard even human? Biting the hand that feeds him!】
【Jianmengtianxia: Smashing my keyboard in rage! Shamelessness knows no bounds! What damn Child of Destiny—he’d rather betray the world than let anyone betray him!】
【Zuipaotianwang: Ptooey! Bring me my imperial sword! I’ll chop this scum to pieces!】
【Sijibushache: It’s over, the streamer’s gonna die again.】
【Hangenaizui: Damn! Don’t call him Child of Destiny—call him Backstabbing Blackface Ghost! In ten lifetimes combined I’ve never seen anyone so despicable!】
The system’s heart leaped to its throat: It’s over. Could it be changing hosts in less than a day?
Each system reboot consumed significant energy. Too many reboots would lead to eternal dormancy.
So unless absolutely necessary, it didn’t want anything to happen to its host.
Just as the arrow was about to pierce Lu Zhao’s back, she shifted her shoulders slightly, using skillful leverage to break free from Shen Qi’s grasp. Bending down, she reached for the whip on the ground.
Thwack!
The arrow pierced flesh.
The arrow quivered with a faint hum. Shen Qi stared from his empty right hand to his bleeding left chest, disbelief flooding his eyes: he had used full strength… How could this sickly, emaciated commoner who looked ready to be blown away by a breeze break free so effortlessly?
He then glared down at Lu Zhao, who still held the freshly picked-up whip, equally stunned: “How did you get shot?”
Shen Qi: How did he get shot?
Gritting his teeth without uttering a word, countless arrows followed in rapid succession.
Lu Zhao moved swiftly, snatched the blade from Shen Qi’s hand, and severed the reins of the slop-cart horse. Dropping the knife, he leaped onto the horse’s back, wrapped the whip around Shen Qi’s waist, and dragged him fleeing through the gate.
Rumble, rumble.
With an arrow in his chest, Shen Qi was hauled rolling out of the mining site by the horse.
Arrows rained down around his head, their chilling glints paling against the agony wracking his body.
Vile commoner!
This was revenge for locking him in!
Pain sparked stars in his vision as mounted soldiers poured out in pursuit.
The system frantically urged, 【Host, stop now! Shen Qi’s about to die from being dragged!】
Lu Zhao ignored it, urging the horse onward.
The previously furious live-stream audience finally relaxed.
【Jianmengtianxia: Seriously suspect the host did this on purpose! Did you see the Child of Destiny’s face? Twisted in disbelief, like he’d been stabbed multiple times!】
【Shuaidebumingxian: Serves him right for being so ruthless. If he’d used the blade to block earlier, he might’ve avoided it!】
【King of Banter: Exactly, using the host as a human shield. Speaking of which, how did the host break free? I saw Shen Qi’s knuckles turn white gripping him—you can imagine the strength.】
【Driver No Brakes: The host must’ve learned some escape trick! This counterattack is so satisfying, have a lollipop as a reward!】
Three lollipop effects flashed across the screen. Once someone started, others followed with donations, star-shaped lollipops glittering intermittently. With limited viewers, gifts remained sparse.
Galloping on horseback, Lu Zhao sent a Scrolling Subtitle: 【An intense chase is coming up. Feel free to record exciting moments and share them elsewhere to boost the host’s popularity.】
Having dabbled in streaming pre-apocalypse, she figured this approach was correct.
Heeding her reminder, a dozen viewers promptly began recording.
The system’s electronic voice strained to the point of cracking: 【Host, forget popularity for now! Your Child of Destiny won’t survive much longer if you keep dragging him!】
Having had her fun, Lu Zhao finally yanked the dragged figure onto the horse with a flick of her wrist. The rugged mountain path jolted the horse, but lying supine on its back offered little relief.
Each jolt drove the arrow deeper into his chest.
Sweat drenched his back from the pain, nearly knocking him unconscious as blood dripped from his chest onto the grass.
“St-stop…” His left hand trembled as it clutched a corner of Lu Zhao’s sleeve, a weak plea escaping his lips.
The system blared a shrill alarm: 【Host, stop! Stop and remove the arrow to bandage the Child of Destiny! Any more jostling, and the arrowhead will pierce his heart! Stop, are you trying to get yourself killed?】
By the end, the electronic voice almost bordered on begging.
Damn it, this host wasn’t just difficult—at critical moments, she turned into a lunatic who ignored her system’s pleas.
Wahhh, Chief God, this system wants to go home!
Lu Zhao paid no heed to the desperate pleas from both the person and the system, galloping a distance until she spotted a dense forest ahead. Without hesitation, she tugged the reins and charged into it.
With a wounded companion in tow and her own stamina nearly depleted, she knew continuing along the mountain path would inevitably lead to capture. It was wiser to take refuge in the deep, ancient woods for now.
Having grown accustomed to the post-apocalyptic world, she had encountered countless mutated plants and animals. By comparison, evading the primitive forests and wild beasts of this era seemed far easier than shaking off the relentless pursuers behind them.
But the moment she urged the horse into the woods, Shen Qi could endure no longer and tumbled directly from the saddle.
Lu Zhao reacted as if delayed, only “panicking” to dismount after he hit the ground, reaching out to help him up.
Shen Qi, now upright, still bled from his chest, his face deathly pale. He fixed a cold glare on her and demanded, “How did you escape the stone house?”
Ignoring him, Lu Zhao reached to pull the arrow from his chest. “Stop talking. After I remove this, I’ll find medicine for you.”
Just as she prepared to exert force, Shen Qi seized her wrist, gritting his teeth. “You must be impatient for me to die!” Pulling the arrow now would cause immediate, uncontrollable bleeding and certain death from blood loss.
Lu Zhao’s expression remained neutral, though inwardly she felt a twinge of regret: Tch. After all that jostling, he’s still clear-headed. Impressive.
“If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have saved you.”
“Saved me?” Shen Qi laughed coldly. “You’re the one who released that cook, aren’t you?” Aside from this unpredictable variable, he couldn’t think of anyone else who would betray him.
Her earlier display of martial skill was more than enough for such underhanded treachery.
Lu Zhao didn’t respond.
Shen Qi pressed on, “What do you gain from this? Are you angry I locked you in? That lock kept you safe! Or do you think using those miners as bait was too cruel? Don’t forget—they wanted to kill you and had no intention of taking you with them when they left!” He couldn’t shake the feeling that this person harbored hostility toward him. If he couldn’t break through her defenses psychologically, he might be in grave danger going forward.
After hearing him out, Lu Zhao let out two dry laughs, abandoning even the pretense of courtesy. “If I recall correctly, weren’t you the one who alerted them that I’d woken up?”
Shen Qi defended himself, “Even if I hadn’t said anything, they would have discovered you were alive by midnight.”
“Two separate issues,” Lu Zhao retorted.
“You—!” Shen Qi tried to continue, but the soldiers pursuing them had already reached the edge of the forest.
Without a second thought, Lu Zhao hoisted him up and leaped back onto the horse, charging deeper into the woods.
The thunder of numerous hoofbeats followed them into the forest. After a short distance, the trees grew denser, the foliage thicker, and the ground littered with fallen leaves, making it impossible to ride. Lu Zhao had to dismount and haul Shen Qi deeper into the woods, carrying him in reverse—or more accurately, half-dragging him along the ground.
Within moments, Shen Qi’s originally pale face took on an ashen hue, and he could no longer make a sound.
The system was frantic with worry, repeatedly urging her, 【Host, please carry him properly! If you keep dragging him like this, he’ll really breathe his last.】
While running, Lu Zhao retorted coldly, “Blame his height compared to this body! After running all this way, you should be grateful I can still manage to haul him at all!”
The original host was young, had suffered from malnutrition since childhood, and was female—her sixteen-year-old frame only reached Shen Qi’s neck. Carrying someone while fleeing for their life was truly an ordeal.
The system whimpered, 【At least try to think of something! If he dies, we’re both finished.】
Lu Zhao: “Then why don’t you just max out all my attribute points, or inexplicably reward me with some skills so I can run far away without lifting a finger?”
The system was speechless. 【That’s impossible. Attribute points and skill points must be exchanged with Popularity Value. The host still has over three hundred Popularity Value in the backend, which can all be exchanged for attribute points to facilitate escape.】
Lu Zhao shouted, “If it’s impossible then shut up! If you keep blabbering nonsense, I’ll just abandon this person!” At worst, they’d die together.
The system trembled in fear and immediately fell silent.
With peace and quiet finally restored, Lu Zhao could concentrate on figuring out the direction.
At times like this, having a built-in Live Stream System had its advantages. Since the camera was in panoramic night vision mode, the number of people in the live stream room was like having that many extra eyes for her.
For instance, if there was a pit ahead, snakes to the left, jackals to the right, or how far the pursuers were… and other such dangers, the audience in the live stream room could promptly warn her, helping her avoid them.
The primeval forest was misty and densely complex, giving her a natural advantage. Before long, she had put a significant distance between herself and the pursuers.
After running a while longer, bear roars echoed from deep within the forest. It was likely a nearly hibernating blind bear startled by the pursuers.
Birds scattered in panic, and frantic footsteps faded into the distance.
Lu Zhao found a hidden hollow tree cavity to take temporary shelter and finally set the person down.
The dozen or so people in the live stream room were still immersed in the tense chase and quickly asked why she had stopped running.
Lu Zhao sent a Scrolling Subtitle to explain: 【The pursuers encountered a bear and probably suffered heavy losses. We’re deep in the forest, it’s midnight, and there are many wild animals around. They don’t know my location and likely won’t dare to continue chasing for now. I’m taking a break.】
Her stamina was nearly depleted. Since waking up, she had only had a few sips of water and was now unbearably hungry.
【Shuaidebumingxian: Host, aren’t you afraid of being attacked by wild animals if you stop here?】
Lu Zhao: 【I’ve scouted the area. There are large amounts of sulfur stones around this tree cavity. Most animals dislike this smell and won’t easily approach. Also, there are no traces of fierce beasts or snakes crawling around, and the sense of danger isn’t prominent. It’s suitable for temporary shelter.】
【Zuipao Tianwang: Wow, the host knows about wilderness survival too?】
Lu Zhao: 【I know a little. Where we are now has dense foliage, smooth bark, and plenty of moss, likely in the southern part of this forest. The ground beneath the dry branches is quite arid, making it hard to find water sources. To avoid dying of thirst in such situations, you can find small animals to drink their blood for hydration, which also supplements salt…】
She shared some basic knowledge.
The dozen or so people in the live stream room listened with great interest.
The system was on the verge of tears: Hey, hey, hey! Would you mind caring about whether the Child of Destiny lives or dies?!
It was a system meant to support wise rulers, not a wilderness survival science popularization live stream room!
Truly, like host, like audience.
Author’s note:
Shen Qi: Hey, hey, hey! I think I can still be saved!
It’s the end of the month, dear readers with extra nutrient solutions, please shower me with them! Love you all.