The sun of the early morning on the next day rose as expected. Xia Ruxi had sat cross-legged in cultivation the entire night, yet that single strand of spiritual energy still hadn’t reached the level required to open the first layer of her storage ring.
“As expected, with my spiritual mansion shattered, my speed of gathering spiritual Qi is practically nonexistent. Moreover, the spiritual energy in this world is truly meager; even if my spiritual mansion were still intact, I reckon cultivation in this realm would be exceedingly slow,” Xia Ruxi thought with a bitter sigh in her heart.
Extending her right hand to block the glaring sunlight shining directly into her bright eyes, she squinted slightly, while her left hand pulled out the unidentified object she had extracted from Pei Yuanxiu’s body the previous night.
“It was a bit late last night, so I didn’t ask much. Today I have plenty of time—more than enough to learn about this unfamiliar world from him,” Xia Ruxi said as she stood up, stretched her body, and walked toward the inner part of the cave.
Before she could even reach inside, Pei Yuanxiu strode out with his long legs and powerful, forceful steps.
Following her gaze to Pei Yuanxiu’s face, Xia Ruxi noticed that despite the remaining blood stains, they could not conceal his peerlessly handsome features. With sword-like brows, starry eyes, and a pair of romantic phoenix eyes, his outer garments were torn in multiple places, accentuating his sturdy, upright, and powerful physique. He exuded a strong sense of masculinity and hormones.
Xia Ruxi couldn’t help but whistle inwardly. Although beautiful female and male cultivators were everywhere in her own realm of cultivation, this man in front of her hit every single one of her aesthetic preferences—it was practically dancing right on top of her aesthetic sweet spot.
Keeping her face impassive and maintaining her usual unperturbed demeanor, Xia Ruxi spoke up: “Today is the day you fulfill your promise. Start by introducing me to your world. Oh, and what is this tiny thing in my hand? Though small in size, most of the severe injuries you suffered last night were caused by it.”
Pei Yuanxiu calmly weathered Xia Ruxi’s inspection. Her questioning only made him more certain that she did not belong to this world—was she from some other spacetime or outer space?
Though even more doubts swirled within him, Pei Yuanxiu maintained his unruffled exterior. Finding a nearby stone, he brushed aside his tattered outer garment and sat down, his posture carrying a hint of unbridled casualness.
Resting his sexy jaw in his right hand and gazing at Xia Ruxi with nonchalant phoenix eyes, Pei Yuanxiu began: “Though I don’t know why you’re asking these questions, and I won’t probe into your origins either, since I made a promise to you, I will fulfill it.
“Until half a month ago, this world was technologically advanced, with people living and working in peace and contentment, and transportation was convenient and fast…
“However, on a night half a month ago, an unknown and mysterious rain and mist suddenly swept across the entire world. Under the influence of this mist, livestock, plants, animals, and humans all underwent drastic mutations.
“Any living creature that came into direct contact with the mist mutated. The vast majority of humans turned into soul-less, walking corpses that we call zombies.
“Their attacks are infectious; if your blood is infected by them, you become one of their kind. Plants and animals gained consciousness and became extremely aggressive.
“Currently, surviving humans have established various survival bases. I come from the main base established by the national government, and I was out on a mission. As for the thing in your hand, we call it a bullet—a potent weapon of the military.”
As Pei Yuanxiu roughly explained the current state of the world, Xia Ruxi digested his words, lowering her gaze to study the bullet in her hand.
After a moment of deep thought, she inquired, “Based on your explanation, I have a general understanding now. As for where I came from, I won’t tell you for the time being, but given the current situation, I can’t go back anyway. All I can say is that your place is quite interesting, and it makes me want to explore it.”
Xia Ruxi’s eager rubbing of her hands almost made Pei Yuanxiu burst into laughter. Imagine a delicate and aloof beauty suddenly hunching over with a slightly sneaky posture, rubbing her hands together—no matter how you looked at it, it was completely incongruous.
Unaware of the hint of amusement flashing in Pei Yuanxiu’s eyes, Xia Ruxi was lost in her own thoughts about how to explore this alien world. She was simply too excited; the mere thought of it made it hard to contain herself.
If Pei Yuanxiu weren’t around, she probably would have started jumping on the spot and scrambling all over the place. If she had her spiritual energy, she would have at least flown a few rounds around the entire world.
I have no idea why she’s acting so excited. Shouldn’t a normal person be full of worry and distress? She is truly fascinating, and I’m becoming more and more curious about where she actually comes from.
Thinking to himself, Pei Yuanxiu switched to another topic: “Once my teammates spot the markers I left behind, they will definitely be able to track this place down within two days. At that time, I will fulfill the second task you set for me and take you back to the national base. But before that, our team’s mission isn’t finished yet, so Miss Xia may need to accompany us.”
Waving her hand dismissively, Xia Ruxi said, “No problem at all. This young lady might even reluctantly help you out, but keep a tab—my services are very expensive.”
A trace of a smile crept onto the corner of Pei Yuanxiu’s lips. “Then I will have to rely on Miss Xia’s assistance, especially since people are still hunting me down.”
“Oh right, what’s the deal with your enemies? Care to tell me about it?” Xia Ruxi asked with a hint of curiosity.
“Actually, I’m not entirely clear on the details, but I roughly know they were sent to block and seize the data for this mission. The full situation is quite complicated, but in short, someone within the base has turned traitor and wants to wrest power from the commander.” Pei Yuanxiu’s expression turned serious, and he even straightened his posture into a formal sitting position.
Listening with rapt attention, Xia Ruxi wore a slightly contemptuous look as she remarked, “Throughout history, political struggles have always been the dirtiest and most despicable, driven by sinister and unscrupulous means. Don’t worry, this young lady detests such behavior the most. I will definitely help you deal with this bunch of scoundrels.”
Hearing Xia Ruxi speak in such a colloquial yet heartfelt tone, Pei Yuanxiu felt a warmth spread through his chest. The solemnity between his brows melted away, transforming into a fond, indulgent smile.