News from Afar

Beta was drunk, and bald.

Daoist Wang, who had successfully "scraped" a box of grafted 'herbal spiritual items', was quite happy tonight. But when Beta mentioned that their squad's plane originally carried three boxes of Spiritual Wood, and that the plane had exploded during a previous conflict, destroying those three boxes of Spiritual Wood...

Daoist Wang's mood soured.

Even if those Spiritual Wood couldn't be used for alchemy, they could be made into paper for high-level Talismans!

However, it didn't matter.

With 'Tree of Kindness' Beta now in his hands, would he ever lack Beta's connective tissues in the future?

The room next to Wu Man's dormitory.

Wang Jixuan placed the drunken Beta on the bed. Wei Na, supporting the tipsy Shaman, looked around outside the door. Zhou Zhengde, who had just arrived, was looking for nearby accommodation for Shaman.

--Wang Jixuan had been careless. He forgot that Shaman and Beta were not boyfriend and girlfriend and had only arranged a double suite.

Doctor Wei Na let out a soft sigh.

She looked two to three years younger than before, her skin more delicate, and her waist much slimmer. Her elegant black dress and exquisite makeup all proved how much she valued tonight's dinner.

"I never expected!" Wei Na panted, "that a high-end talent like you would need to socialize!"

Zhou Zhengde chuckled, "These two aren't simple guests. One is an A-Class, the other a B-Class Psionicist. Both are worth winning over."

Wang Jixuan said with a smile, "I'll leave Shaman to you two. I need to go back and prepare my lecture."

"Go on, busybody."

Wei Na waved her hand, full of exasperation:

"I thought you were setting me up on a blind date, so you specifically asked me to help entertain and take care of two guests... You actually wanted me to take care of a woman!

"Don't you understand the principle of 'like repels like'!"

Wang Jixuan smiled without speaking.

Zhou Zhengde said seriously, "Comrade Wei Na, please be mindful. Don't speak to Teacher Wang in that tone."

"What's wrong?"

Wei Na rolled her eyes in defiance:

"I specifically took a hangover pill tonight. Since there's no benefit to be gained now, can't I say a couple of words to him!"

"He recently killed a powerful S-Class Psionicist. He's already killed two S-Class Psionicists."

"Uh..."

"He's produced technology that can influence the global structure. A certain product has already manufactured 230,000 units and equipped the entire army."

"This..."

"He also has a buddy named Fu Jian now, known as the Devil Commander-in-Chief."

"Alright, stop talking."

Wei Na forced a fake smile, "Teacher Wang, please don't mind her. She spoke out of turn just now. Actually, I've always respected you."

"Then I'll give you some compensation."

Wang Jixuan took out a blank Talisman Paper he carried, quickly wrote two Talismans, then summoned two bottles of purified water, opened them, and shook the Talismans. The Talismans ignited on their own, their ashes entering the water. He shook them gently.

"One bottle to eliminate skin blemishes, and one to regulate endocrine function. Drink them more than three days apart... You two arrange Shaman, I'm leaving."

Wang Jixuan winked at Zhou Zhengde, picked up the box full of Spiritual Wood, and slipped away.

Peony was already waiting downstairs, her wrist flashing pink light.

Pink light indicated non-urgent matters.

"Wow," Wei Na couldn't help but exclaim, "Is he this cool now?"

Zhou Zhengde pointed to Shaman, who was sitting by the wall next to Wei Na, "Help her up. We've found an empty dormitory here. We need to go downstairs."

"Can't you help her? I'm almost out of strength."

"Physical contact between strangers can lead to misunderstandings."

"Hypocritical conservative."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Hey, how's it going with your political girlfriend lately?"

"I don't really know the specifics. We haven't seen each other in a long time. But she's also a conservative, and her whereabouts are monitored to prevent her from shaming my family. So I don't have to worry at all."

"Has your possessiveness become this twisted? You have to monitor someone even in a political marriage."

"I didn't arrange it. My mother did. It's mainly for the family's reputation. I personally don't care."

"Come help me. I'll prove your innocence. This girl looks like she has a good figure, but her bones are heavy... Hold her properly. Can you loosen up a bit? This is the era of fortresses... Yes, yes, put her slender arm around your neck... Good, taking a picture! Young Master Zhou taking advantage of the situation, helping a drunken girl back to her dorm. This won't be settled without three boxes of your mother's signature skincare cream!"

"I'm calling the guards!"

"Tch, can't even take a joke. My communicator doesn't even have a camera function."

The two childhood friends bantered and playfully shoved each other.

Poor Shaman, in her drunken state, felt a sliver of the world's malice and her own superfluity.

"Commander, there are two messages that require your attention. They are from Commander Dongfang Zhenghong."

"Are they urgent?"

"Not urgent."

"Let's talk back at the office," Wang Jixuan glanced at the residential buildings not far away and handed the cardboard box to Peony. "There really have been a lot of things lately, I barely have time to heal."

Peony said with a grin, "The capable are always busy. The Commander-in-Chief sent some materials to the studio. You'll need to help sort them out tomorrow too."

"Alright."

Daoist Wang stretched, not complaining much.

No matter how many things there were, they had to be dealt with one by one, and all plans had their priorities.

There were actually only three things to handle recently: making the Demon Suppressing Grand Formation to deal with the Spiritual Cultivation Slate, attempting to refine elixirs, and teaching at the academy.

A few minutes later, Wang Jixuan saw the two messages, his expression rapidly turned cold, and he sat in his armchair for a long time without speaking.

[Message One] was about Xing Tian.

Xing Tian's Snow Mountain Base had large transport planes landing and taking off recently, and the base had increased its armed forces. The Psionic Capital dispatched two teams, but the specific situation could not be ascertained.

It was speculated that this S-Class Psionicist, who had lost an arm and a leg, had now received resource injections from the Six Elders.

Xing Tian might truly have a chance to break through to SS-Class.

Xing Tian was a huge threat, possessing many escape skills, and was ruthless and vicious. He could also humble himself to act as a scout, which earned Wang Jixuan a bit of respect.

I can't let him successfully reach SS-Class. Otherwise, I'll have to hide in Fortress No. 76 and even set up the Mountain Protection Grand Formation here.

The Daoist made up his mind to prioritize eliminating Xing Tian. He didn't think much about other matters.

What truly affected his mood was the second message.

It contained a piece of text and a video.

[Dongfang Zhenghong: Yesterday, in a large scavenger camp on the edge of the D5 Comprehensive War Zone, we found traces of Kong Nu's wife and daughter. Since you previously said you wanted to find them, I immediately dispatched an additional special operations team into the camp. We eventually found Kong Nu's daughter. Her mental state is already somewhat abnormal. After the soldiers interrogated her, she has now been sent to a scavenger camp under our control. The interrogation content is all here.]

Peony clasped her hands together and spread them like an accordion, revealing a three-dimensional projection screen that began playing a video.

The video's background was the interior of an armored vehicle. The girl with smoky makeup, piercings in her ears and nose, and a thin body, was pursing her lips, frowning, and looking indifferent.

Wang Jixuan had seen her photo before. She was a 'young lady' who exuded a quiet disposition and had been pampered since childhood.

The two temperaments were now completely different.

A female soldier asked:

"Are you Kong Nu's daughter?"

"Yes. Are you here to hunt me down?"

"The laws of the current era do not have collective punishment. You did not participate in your father's crimes, and you are still a minor. Where is your mother?"

"Dead."

"When did she die?"

"About ten days ago? She got sick and couldn't stand being casually insulted by the people here, so she committed suicide."

"You're lying!"

The female soldier tapped an instrument beside her:

"This is a lie detector... We've been observing you for half a day. You've been seeing clients, exchanging your body for some supplies. If you don't think this lifestyle needs to change, then you can continue lying. We can't do anything to you. But if you want to change, or even if you want to enter a prison-like institution with ample food, a private room, and respected dignity, then please tell us the truth."

The girl froze, then suddenly covered her face with her hands and sobbed, lowering her head.

The female soldier waited quietly.

Some useless content was cut from the video, fast-forwarding directly to when the girl's emotions stabilized and she began to speak:

"I sold my mother. About ten days ago, she caught a cold and fainted. I was too hungry, I didn't know what to do, so I learned from Ye Zi and sold us... I thought my mother was being sent to another place as a black slave or a prostitute... They killed my mother and took her organs..."

The girl trembled, hugging her arms tightly:

"It wasn't intentional... I really... I just wanted to live, I didn't want to starve to death... There isn't even a drop of clean water here...

"It's not my fault..."

The female soldier frowned tightly: "You mentioned Ye Zi just now? Who is she?"

"She, she's the sister who came out with me," the girl sniffled. "Dad liked her a lot, and Mom did too, so we always brought her with us before."

"Is it this person?"

"Mm, it's her, Ye Zi."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. She sold us to the human traffickers here over half a month ago."

The young woman pursed her lips tightly.

"At first, we thought this human trafficker was her friend. That was until they sent two men to tear my clothes... That's when I realized she had betrayed us and taken all the supplies we carried.

"She also uses a lot of guns. I heard them say she killed a dozen people in a gang here and left with seven or eight people."

The female soldier asked, "Weren't you heading to Fortress No. 82 when you left Fortress No. 76? What happened in between?"

"I don't know the specifics. I was asleep. I was woken up by an explosion. The situation was chaotic. The psionicists escorting us seemed to be having an internal conflict, arguing about some accounts... Then the vehicle overturned..."

The young woman's body trembled uncontrollably.

"It was Ye Zi who saved us then. She pulled me and my mother out of the vehicle and used a handgun to kill two severely wounded psionicists who were unconscious.

"My mother and I were terrified. Ye Zi seemed scared too... but I think she was faking it...

"Then, my mother drove the car, taking me and Ye Zi to escape. We didn't dare go to Fortress No. 82 anymore. Ye Zi took out a map from the briefcase she was carrying. It was said to contain those accounts, but they needed a codebook to read them...

"Ye Zi said that to cover up the scandal, the fortress officials would definitely kill us... We fled all the way like this, and the rest is what I described above.

"You didn't lie this time. Good. Thank you for your cooperation."

The female soldier raised her hand and rubbed her forehead. She raised her handgun and placed it against the girl's forehead. The girl tensed up, her eyes pleading.

The female soldier beside her whispered, "Mind the discipline."

"She sold her own mother to organ traffickers!"

"We must follow the law. We don't have judicial power. Take her back and wait for higher-ups to handle it. She will face a court trial."

"These unnecessary procedures are just a waste of precious resources in the apocalypse!"

The video abruptly ended.

In the dormitory, Wang Jixuan raised his hand and wiped his face, exhaling softly.

As expected, she had returned to her old ways.

Furthermore, the Daoist realized he had underestimated the upper limit of a normal person's abilities.

He muttered, "So, Ye Zi has recruited seven or eight vicious individuals, taken some supplies, and left D5."

"Yes, Peony's extracted information is the same."

"Send Commander Dongfang a message. If you find any trace of Ye Zi, consider it a favor to me and give her a missile."

Wang Jixuan then thought of something and frowned deeply.

Just as Peony finished sending the message, Wang Jixuan suddenly said, "Something's not right."

"What's not right?"

"Kong Nu's daughter mentioned the map Ye Zi had. They followed this map to a scavenger camp in the border area of D5."

Images flashed through Wang Jixuan's mind.

It was his brief time with Ye Zi in the wooden house.

Ye Zi's preparations for escape were a bit too thorough;

That night was chaotic. After Thomas killed the old landlady, where did Ye Zi find the time to prepare all this?

Accounts, a map, and even a plan for how to leave the D5 Comprehensive War Zone... Was this something a young girl who had never left the lowest level of a fortress could have known?

She must have planned this long ago.

This plan was likely not hers.

*'I have to learn many things every day, like arithmetic and world geography...' *

Ye Zi's words echoed in Wang Jixuan's ears.

She wanted to learn world geography?

At the time, Wang Jixuan had only thought that since the landlady had profound knowledge and a large library, she wanted the children to develop a yearning for the world above.

The scene of praying at the dinner table flashed into Wang Jixuan's mind.

But now... things didn't seem so simple...

"Peony, notify Zhou Zhengde and ask him to send a team of law enforcement officers to the Lower City to re-investigate all information related to Kong Nu's mother, Kong Meilian."

"Understood, Commander. Peony notes that the Lower City was hit by a Blade Beast tide, so there might not be much information left."

"It doesn't need to be too formal. This is ultimately a minor matter. I'm just a bit curious."

Wang Jixuan shook his head slightly.

When individual strength is enough to crush everything, any conspiracy or trickery is merely nothingness.

Continue healing and cultivating. I still need to prepare the formation base and refine pills.

It's just...

This vast mortal world is a bit too cruel.

Meanwhile.

Outside an agricultural fortress in War Zone D3, near the frontline.

A truck slowly advanced towards the fortress.

Inside the truck's cargo hold.

A dozen or so boys and girls, aged fourteen to nineteen, dressed in patched clothing, sat hand-in-hand in a circle, chanting with their heads bowed:

"As long as we help each other and support each other forward, we can light up civilization's flame step by step in the darkness."

"Alright, let's begin eating."

"We must remember our mission. Sister Ye Zi is waiting for our good news."