Xiaobai didn't return until nightfall. Its pristine white fur was stained with specks of fresh blood. As Xiaobai drew closer, Jiang Zhiying felt that the aura emanating from it seemed even more powerful than before.
"Sister, there are no Mutant Beasts left in the vicinity."
She checked on Xie Anze, who was lying on the bed, and was astonished to discover that all the wounds on his body had completely healed! His disfigured face had regained its handsome appearance—sharp sword-like brows, bright starry eyes, a high straight nose bridge, and thin lips slightly pressed together.
Tsk tsk tsk, he really is handsome! Jiang Zhiying couldn't resist stealing a few extra glances.
Continuing her examination downward, she found that his broken and twisted limbs had also become perfectly intact, and the bloody, mangled wounds had regrown and sealed shut.
Now all that remained was to wait for him to wake up! Jiang Zhiying thought. She wondered just how formidable the great villain would be after his Evolution!
Xiaobai kept watch through the night while Jiang Zhiying sprawled on the bed and slept soundly. Early the next morning, she opened her eyes, yawned, and pulled a few small biscuits from her Spatial Dimension to fill her stomach.
After eating her fill, she looked out the window and decided to go out and scavenge more supplies. When she had inventoried her Spatial Dimension yesterday, she'd discovered that food was too scarce—only a month's worth—and medical supplies were also very limited.
Leaving Xiaobai to guard the still-unconscious Xie Anze, Jiang Zhiying carefully slipped out the door. Standing on the street, she saw not a single person on the empty road. At intervals, the carcasses of Mutated Animals lay strewn across the pavement. The large trees planted along both sides of the road had grown much taller—about twenty meters high—their dense canopies blocking out the sky above her head.
Though it was only early winter, the leaves on the trees were already tinged with yellow, drifting down to the ground and piling up into heaps of fallen foliage around the roots.
Jiang Zhiying took a deep breath and carefully walked along the edge of the road, observing her surroundings as she went. This street was close to the city center, lined with all sorts of shops on both sides. She looked at the fruit store before her—its glass door shattered, with several Mutated Animal carcasses lying at the entrance.
She stepped around the bodies and entered the store. Various fruits were scattered messily across the floor, some already moldy and spoiled. She collected the still-fresh fruits into her Spatial Dimension, then moved on to the clothing store next door, sweeping all the clothes inside as well.
Along this street, Jiang Zhiying cleaned out every shop. At the intersection, she spotted a shopping mall in the distance. Her eyes lit up, and she dashed over quickly. As she drew near, she suddenly halted, tiptoed behind a large tree, and poked out a little cat head to peer at the mall entrance.
Three or four Mutant Dog carcasses lay at the mall's entrance. These Mutant Dogs were over two meters long, and with their tails included, they stretched close to three meters. This was the first time she had seen such enormous Mutant Dogs.
At that moment, the Mutant Dogs were being devoured by a pack of Mutant Cats. Dense clusters of Mutant Cats surrounded the carcasses, Tearing and Biting at their flesh while letting out low, guttural growls. The leader appeared to be a big yellow cat—its body was larger than all the other Mutant Cats, with two long fangs protruding from its mouth.
Jiang Zhiying shrank her head back. The sight made her scalp crawl. She carefully concealed her tracks with Stealth. Soon, the pack of Mutant Cats had stripped the three or four carcasses clean, leaving only blood-streaked skeletons behind.
"Meow meow meow!" The sated Mutant Cats meowed a few times before noisily following the big yellow cat away from the area. After they left, Jiang Zhiying cautiously entered the mall through the main entrance. The pungent stench of blood at the door made her wrinkle her nose in disgust.
Once inside the supermarket, Jiang Zhiying was thrilled to discover that the supplies here were abundant. She grinned happily, her tail wagging behind her as she took the majority of every type of supply, leaving only a small portion behind in the store.
Perhaps other survivors would pass through this supermarket, and the supplies she left might just help them get through their ordeal. That was her small act of kindness.
She happily swept through the supermarket, occasionally encountering a few Mutated Animals. Using her Appraisal Skill, she found their strength to be extremely weak, and she killed them all without hesitation, raising her skill proficiency even higher.
After clearing out the four-story supermarket, Jiang Zhiying prepared to head back. It was almost noon—she wondered if the great villain had woken up yet.
Just as she stepped out of the supermarket entrance, she saw a convoy of trucks speeding past on the road before her. She watched the line of trucks thoughtfully—all uniformly dark green, clearly military vehicles.
So the military had already mobilized. She recalled what the novel had said—after the meteorite struck, almost every capable nation had collected meteorite fragments for research. The author had hinted that within a few years, researchers would uncover something…
Jiang Zhiying watched the departing convoy, lost in thought. Though the novel hadn't said it, she couldn't shake the feeling that the country must know something. What exactly was it? She'd just have to see if fate ever gave her the chance to find out.
Keeping this key insight in mind, Jiang Zhiying quickly returned to the small cabin. The cabin was surrounded by spider webs, and she noticed with her sharp eyes that there were quite a few small Mutated Animals trapped within them.
Xiaobai was so capable!
Just as she reached the door, Xiaobai, having heard her approach, came to greet her. "Sister, the person on the bed woke up briefly after you left, but then fell back asleep."
Xiaobai's voice carried a hint of confusion, probably because she had never seen anyone who could sleep so much.
Jiang Zhiying hopped onto the bed and looked at Xie Anze. His breathing was steady, his complexion rosy. She lowered her head and sniffed lightly, but as she raised her head, she found herself locking eyes with Xie Anze, who had just opened his eyes.
Xie Anze looked at the cat standing on his chest, the corners of his mouth curving upward into a handsome smile. He sat up slightly and gently stroked her head with his right hand.
His voice, just awakened, was still hoarse and magnetic. "Maomao, I'm awake. You don't have to work so hard anymore."
Jiang Zhiying let out a relieved meow and touched his cheek with her fluffy white paw. Good, he was very aware of his situation.
Seeing the joy in her cat eyes, Xie Anze was infected by her good mood, his eyes curving into crescents as he smiled. He braced his left hand on the bedboard, intending to sit up, but unexpectedly, his left hand pressed into the bedboard, leaving a handprint in it.
He stared blankly at the handprint, not yet accustomed to his Mutated body.
Jiang Zhiying, unfazed, jumped to the ground. It was perfectly normal for one to not yet be used to their strength after just undergoing Evolution.
Xie Anze looked at his hands—still the same hands. He slowly clenched his fists, and the crackling sound of joints echoed in his ears. He could feel the immense power surging through his arms.
He got off the bed and stood on the ground, moving his body a few times. Feeling the lightness yet strength of his body, he took a deep breath, a sharp, cold glint flashing through his dark eyes.
Zhang Haozhong, I didn't die. The next time we meet will be your death!
He picked up the cat crouching on the ground, and amid her meows, pressed his handsome face against her fluffy little body, the warmth seeping through his skin and into his heart.
"Mimi, thank you!" He closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh.
For giving me a new life.
But Jiang Zhiying, upon hearing the name Mimi, was utterly displeased. She meowed and pushed Xie Anze's head away.
Mimi! You're the Mimi!
Even though Jiang Zhiying protested several times, the name Mimi still stuck to her. She could only accept it with a look of cold indifference.
Xie Anze had slept for a whole day and was already famished, his stomach growling. Jiang Zhiying took out a self-heating meal from her Spatial Dimension and tossed it to him.
Xie Anze looked at the self-heating meal in his hands and raised an eyebrow. It seemed that during the time he was unconscious, Mimi had gone out and gathered a lot of good things.
After hastily filling his stomach, Xie Anze began to familiarize himself with his body. His five senses had become extremely acute—his eyes could clearly see small insects crawling hundreds of meters away, and his ears could pick up the faintest sounds, even the subtle whisper of the wind.
Not only had his strength increased greatly, but his Perception had also become incredibly sharp, and his agility had improved by leaps and bounds.
He picked up a piece of wood and held it in his hand, slowly applying pressure with his fingers. The solid wood began to crack, bits and pieces falling to the ground. When his fist fully closed and then opened, fine sawdust trickled continuously through the gaps between his fingers.
"Meow!" Jiang Zhiying watched Xie Anze in amazement. What incredible strength.
Xiaobai immediately dragged over a section of pure white bone with her spider legs, inserting her sharp leg into the bone and raising it in front of Jiang Zhiying's eyes, all eight eyes staring intently at her, as if to show that she was also very impressive.
"Xiaobai is amazing! Xiaobai is the best!" Jiang Zhiying offered her praise without hesitation, patting her head as a reward.
Xiaobai blinked her eyes, visibly overjoyed.
"Mimi, I want to go out and find a Mutated Animal to test my skills." After a moment of thought, Xie Anze said.
"Meow!"
No problem!
Jiang Zhiying, crouching on the ground, let out a meow. She also wanted to see just how capable her newly appointed Poop Scooper was.