"Whether there will be a future is still uncertain."
"On this sea, surviving tonight is already a problem."
"You’re talking to me about the future? About influence?"
"If I give you this bow now, and I get eaten by a Sea Monster tonight because I have no weapon, what use is your so-called future to me in the underworld?"
These words were like a bucket of cold water, harshly poured over Gu Yihan’s head.
She froze.
Right.
Surviving tonight is already a problem.
In this place where death could come at any moment, any promise is pale and powerless.
Only the strength in one’s hands is the most real.
"You..."
Gu Yihan bit her lip, looking at Lin Ji with a complicated gaze.
This man...
Is too rational.
Rational to the point of being almost cold-blooded.
But precisely because of that, in this world, he will definitely live longer than anyone else.
Gu Yihan’s eyes flickered.
She was a smart person.
Since force doesn’t work, and softness is useless.
Then try a different approach.
"Alright, you’re right."
Gu Yihan took a deep breath, her tone softening.
"The bow is yours."
"But I have a proposal."
"Let’s team up."
She looked at Lin Ji, her eyes sincere.
"Although I don’t have a weapon, my talent is [Wind Listening]."
"I can help you scout, help you warn of dangers."
"And..."
She paused, straightening her proud chest.
"I’m considered a beauty, right? Teaming up with me is much more pleasing to the eye than teaming up with those smelly men."
"Classmate Lin Ji, what do you think?"
Lin Ji raised an eyebrow.
Looking at Gu Yihan with some surprise.
"You know my name?"
A nobody like him, actually remembered by the campus belle?
"Of course."
Gu Yihan brushed aside the wet hair by her ear, revealing a confident smile.
"During the freshman orientation, you helped my roommate carry her luggage."
"She kept talking about you for a long time then, saying you were really handsome, but it’s a pity your family didn’t seem to have much money, dressed a bit plainly..."
"I always remember handsome guys."
It must be said.
This young lady really knows how to talk.
Clearly trying to get close, yet making it sound pleasant.
The corner of Lin Ji’s mouth lifted slightly.
But only for a moment.
The next second, he raised the bow in his hand again.
"Team up?"
"Sorry, not interested."
"Right now, apart from that face and those legs, you’re useless."
"Bringing along dead weight will only slow down my arrow-drawing speed."
After speaking.
Lin Ji controlled the raft, turning it around.
"Goodbye, Campus Belle Gu."
"I hope I can still see your name in the Chat Channel tomorrow."
Gu Yihan: "..."
Watching Lin Ji’s retreating figure, she angrily stomped her foot.
"Bastard!"
"Serves you right for being single!"
"You’ll regret this!"
Although cursing verbally, a strange light flashed in Gu Yihan’s eyes.
This man...
Is very interesting.
Much more interesting than those bootlickers who only circle around her.
"Lin Ji, right..."
"I’ll remember you."
...
Not far away.
Su Qingyue’s raft slowly drifted over.
She had seen everything that just happened.
Looking at Gu Yihan’s furious and flustered appearance, Su Qingyue actually felt a bit... pleased?
Hmph!
Serves you right for being so arrogant all the time!
Still ended up hitting a wall with Lin Ji, didn’t you?
But...
Even someone as stunning as Gu Yihan took the initiative to ask to team up, and she got rejected.
Then what about me...
Su Qingyue glanced down at her own legs—though quite nice-looking, they were clearly not as impossibly long as Gu Yihan’s.
Then she touched her own chest—though not small either, it was nowhere near as exaggerated as Gu Yihan’s.
Suddenly, she felt a deep sense of crisis.
This guy...
He wouldn’t really ditch me, would he?
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Su Qingyue quickly steered her raft, desperately chasing after him.
No matter how much Lin Ji disliked her.
No matter how cold-blooded he was.
At the very least...
In this ruthless world, following behind him offered a glimpse of hope for survival.
...
Lin Ji toyed with the Storm Hunter Bow in his hand, leisurely drifting forward on his raft.
He wasn’t in a hurry to leave, nor did he pay any more attention to Gu Yihan behind him.
Playing hard to get.
Though an old trick, it often worked wonders on proud, high-and-mighty young ladies like her.
Right now, he wasn’t the anxious one—they were.
Especially Gu Yihan. That bow was something she had been determined to get.
Now that he had snatched it away, she definitely wouldn’t take it lying down.
Moreover, her talent was [Wind Listening], making this bow an almost fatal temptation for her.
As long as she still wanted the bow, or wanted to survive in this world, she would definitely come looking for him again.
Sure enough.
Not long after, the sound of flowing water came from behind.
Lin Ji glanced sideways out of the corner of his eye.
Two rafts were approaching side by side.
Su Qingyue and Gu Yihan.
These two former stars of Haicheng University now huddled together like two aggrieved little wives, whispering to each other.
"Qingyue, why are you following him too?"
Gu Yihan steered her raft while looking at Su Qingyue with some surprise.
In her memory, Su Qingyue was famously aloof, never showing the slightest warmth toward boys.
So why now...
Did she seem almost afraid of that Lin Ji?
And even shamelessly tagging along behind him?
Su Qingyue gave a bitter smile, glancing at the cold, indifferent figure ahead.
"What choice do I have?"
"My talent is too... ordinary. E-grade Refrigeration—can’t do anything except make ice water."
"Just now... I even had to trade him chilled water for food."
As she spoke, she pointed to the half-eaten box of self-heating hotpot in her hand.
Gu Yihan frowned slightly at the clearly leftover scraps.
"He gave you this to eat?"
"That’s just bullying!"
"Having something to eat is already good enough."
Su Qingyue sighed. "You don’t know how dangerous it is around here."
"I just checked the Chat Channel, and so many girls have been..."
She paused, not finishing her sentence, but Gu Yihan clearly understood what she meant.
The two fell silent for a moment.
A sense of shared hardship unexpectedly sparked a flicker of mutual sympathy between these former rivals.
"By the way, Yihan."
Su Qingyue suddenly thought of something and lowered her voice.
"Did you know? Lin Ji said..."
"He said he can evolve talents."
"What?"
Gu Yihan was stunned, thinking she had misheard.
"Evolve talents? How is that possible?"
"Didn’t the system settings say talent grades are fixed, unless there’s some kind of rare opportunity..."
"But..."
Su Qingyue hesitated for a moment, then recounted what had just happened.
"Although I think he was bragging, but..."
"Look at how calm and composed he was."
"I think... maybe it’s true?"
Gu Yihan’s eyes instantly lit up.
Evolution Talent!
If this was true, what would it mean?