Laughing out loud.

“Have you investigated that matter with Liu Fei’er yet?” Xiaorong asked sharply, showing no politeness to Dailey.

Dailey adjusted his glasses and smiled cheerfully. “Holy Maiden, I have kept my promise and found Liu Lang for you. As for the research…”

“Cut the nonsense.” Xiaorong slammed her sword on the table, sighing with irritation. “We’ll talk about that later. I’m a bit annoyed. Any results from the investigation?”

Without hesitation, Dailey handed over the investigation report.

The more Xiaorong read, the deeper her frown grew. She read it three times over, incredulous. “Really?”

Dailey nodded. “In this world, nothing is impossible anymore.”

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. “What do you think I should do?”

“You mean about your feelings?” Dailey wore a strange expression and smirked. “This world has changed. As long as your strength is enough, everything belongs to you.”

Xiaorong rolled her eyes at him.

“Feelings come from spending time together. Remember that secret realm we discovered? You took him there under the pretense of improving his strength, and that place only suits cultivators—no vampire can enter,” Dailey advised.

Xiaorong was touched. She wasn’t a fool after all these years; she could sense her feelings were one-sided, which was why she had once considered using the Love Charm Gu.

“Will that really work?” Xiaorong hesitated, looking at him.

Dailey nodded firmly, his gaze resolute.

Xiaorong seemed to regain some confidence. She handed Dailey a talisman to wear.

“How many Fusang ninjas have you dissected? Their vengeful spirits cling to you. This will protect you.”

Dailey was startled, then breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Holy Maiden!”

Still just a child, easily appeased.

“You needn’t worry so much, Holy Maiden. You’re too anxious…”

“They’ve slept together… many times.”

Dailey’s hand trembled slightly at this.

Liu Lang had already awakened and immediately sought out Liu Fei’er.

Dailey and Orchid repeatedly assured him that Liu Fei’er was still undergoing medical checks, finally putting his mind at ease.

Xiaorong’s expression darkened.

---

“Xiaorong? Is that really you?” Liu Lang finally found her.

The usually resolute Holy Maiden was now somewhat timid.

“I knew you were okay! Watching you fly with your sword was so impressive! What happened to those ninjas?”

Xiaorong forced a smile. “Those ninjas were all dealt with. I’m pretty tough—you don’t know how scared they were of me.”

Still, she couldn’t resist stepping closer to Liu Lang. If this were before, she would have already embraced him and poured out her yearning, but there was still a barrier between them. She didn’t even dare touch the hem of his clothes.

Orchid watched from the side, heart aching.

Dailey pretended not to notice.

Dongfeng felt nothing unusual. He, Orchid, and Xiaorong had gone to investigate the ghost bride’s matter when, in the blink of an eye, Orchid and Xiaorong disappeared.

Just as he was about to mobilize the camp to search for them, the two returned, bringing along the long-sought Liu Lang.

“Well, just now we received a signal from the transmitter again, still in Tianjing…” Dongfeng hadn’t finished speaking.

Everyone fell silent, suddenly remembering the transmitter.

Xiaorong had found Liu Lang and now had new worries, naturally unconcerned with the transmitter. But the others were different. Dongfeng and Orchid were anxious precisely because of it.

Liu Lang recounted how he and Tu Ning were taken to Tianjing by the ghost bride.

After hearing his story, even Xiaorong was shocked.

Min Province lay two thousand kilometers from Tianjing!

And it was still a place shrouded in ghostly mists, cut off from the outside world!

“You’re saying the transmitter is now in Tianjing? If that’s true, the authorities must have it,” Dongfeng said in disbelief.

Xiaorong nodded. “I know how powerful that thing is. I didn’t expect it to be this powerful. The Rift Woman claims to be a rule ghost with immense spatial powers. If we control her, maybe we can break this stalemate.”

“So, what do we do now? It seems like there’s nothing left to do,” Orchid said, resting her chin on her hands. She and Dongfeng had even written farewell letters before being sent to Min Province, but now they had no clear objective.

Dailey spoke with righteous conviction, “Our priority is to protect the civilians sheltered in the camp, continuously extending the camp’s radiation range to safeguard more people. Next, eliminate the invading Fusang mutants. Lastly, gather various materials and accelerate research into supernatural abilities.”

“So, as camp commander, I’m assigning tasks accordingly.”

“Holy Maiden, you are our strongest fighter and the one most knowledgeable about cultivation. Liu Lang has great potential; I entrust his training to you. Please enhance his combat power swiftly!”

“Comrades Dongfeng and Orchid, please focus on tracking the ghost bride’s movements.”

---

“As for me, I will dedicate myself fully to researching supernatural powers! I aim to produce results as soon as possible!”

“Comrades, let’s all strive together!”

Dailey finished his speech passionately and saluted solemnly.

Dongfeng and Orchid immediately returned the salute.

Liu Lang, inspired, also wanted to salute but was stopped by Xiaorong.

She grasped his saluting hand and whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “Don’t trust him. He’s just a research fanatic.”

This touch felt natural; Xiaorong felt a certain satisfaction and silently thanked Dailey, the research zealot, for creating this opportunity.

“Should I plant the Love Charm Gu on him again?” Xiaorong pondered. “No, I’ll wait until the cultivation method is complete.”

Liu Lang had wanted to ask if they knew about the Susanoo bloodline, but recalling Liu Fei’er’s advice not to reveal his abilities lightly, he swallowed his words.

Xiaorong noticed his unease. “Liu Lang, is there something you want to say?”

“Nothing… just feeling a bit homesick.”

Home.

So many had lost theirs.

Feeling the mood grow heavy, Dongfeng changed the subject. “Liu Lang, how did you and Liu Fei’er meet?”

Dailey and Orchid’s faces darkened. That fool always brought up the wrong topics.

“We were middle school classmates, then the same high school. But the school was huge; we didn’t even meet until senior year. During the evacuation, she was shot but awakened vampire traits and saved me.”

Xiaorong listened closely and couldn’t help asking, “Our school was big, that’s true, but we were in the same middle school. Why didn’t I ever see her?”

Liu Lang scratched his head. “Let me think. You transferred in second year, she was in first year with me, but after that… I don’t remember.”

During her first year, Xiaorong’s parents died in an accident. Liu Lang’s parents, to look after her, arranged for her transfer to his middle school.

“I know! She must have transferred!” Orchid answered quickly.

“Seems like it. Anyway, she disappeared after second year.”

Dongfeng noticed a subtle change in Xiaorong’s expression and watched her carefully, hoping to glean something.