Crisis (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

The short-haired youth's face flushed with anger, but after glancing at Xu Feng's hand, he remembered the terror from just a moment ago.

"Tch, let's go!"

He spat on the ground, his face beet-red, and turned to leave in a disheveled state.

The other person followed with staggering legs, clearly shaken by Xu Feng's ruthlessness.

They looked utterly pathetic.

Seeing the two leave, Xu Feng picked up his things and strode back home.

Once inside, he set the bag down, his hands trembling slightly.

He sat on the edge of the bed for two minutes to calm down, then nervously rubbed his legs. "Hoo—hoo—damn, that scared the hell out of me."

After catching his breath, he finally regained his composure.

From childhood to adulthood, he had never once laid a hand on anyone.

At most, he had only engaged in verbal arguments, and that was mostly back in his school days.

Once he entered society, he learned what it meant to be "mature."

Yet today.

An unexpected spark of strange anger and ferocity had erupted within him.

In fact, the moment he struck, even Xu Feng himself was surprised.

What kind of feeling was that?

Xu Feng thought it over and recalled a saying.

That was, "He who carries a sharp weapon will inevitably harbor a desire to kill."

No, those people didn't need to stop me just for some canned goods. Why would they be collecting them at such a high price?

Xu Feng quickly thought of various pre-war hoarding behaviors, and combined with his previous guesses, he caught the scent of danger.

Is a war coming? Or an attack? Or perhaps just a conflict?

Xu Feng muttered to himself, contemplating the current situation.

After all, this was the Sky Pit Otherworld.

Although Sky Moon Martial University was powerful, people like them were ultimately just cannon fodder and "low-value assets."

Once the tide of battle turned, they could be abandoned at any moment.

How would he and his daughter protect themselves then?

Xu Feng's current strength was nothing compared to those mutated creatures.

His throwing knives and swordsmanship were things he needed to focus on improving, but they wouldn't turn him into a god overnight.

The Nine Star Body Refining Art was a slow process that required accumulation over time.

These were the only avenues for growth he had on hand.

No, my line of thinking is wrong. I shouldn't be thinking about how to kill the enemy; temporary evasion and retreat are the most efficient and useful strategies for me.

Xu Feng paced around the room and finally stopped by the bed.

He suddenly bent down and pushed his bunk bed against the wall, revealing the wooden floorboards underneath.

A tunnel.

Thinking of a tunnel, Xu Feng immediately thought of tunnel warfare.

When facing enemies that were impossible to confront head-on, strategic relocation and guerrilla tactics were the smartest methods.

Therefore, if he could dig a proper tunnel in the room and create a basement.

Not only could he hide inside when encountering danger, but he could also use it to store valuable items during normal times!

And like the saying "a wily rabbit has three burrows," I can also create a couple more exits just in case.

Once his mind started working, inspiration kept pouring out.

He decided to act immediately.

After eating lunch, Xu Feng started working right away.

He first used his standard-issue combat knife to cut a square hole in the wooden floor.

Then, he opened the bathroom window directly opposite the bed to create a path.

Xu Feng picked up a shovel and began to dig with a "shing."

After nearly a month of cultivation and improvement.

His strength and physical fitness had increased significantly.

Manual labor like digging a pit was no problem at all.

In just one afternoon, Xu Feng dug a three-meter-deep tunnel, carving out steps along the way to make it easier to climb in and out.

The only hassle was that the excavated soil and rock had to be dumped out of the bathroom window into the backyard, which was the most time-consuming part of the process.

By the time Xiao Dan finished school, Xu Feng hurried to take a shower before heading to the school to pick her up.

Coincidentally, the teacher for this afternoon's class was Lu Fei.

"Uh, Teacher Lu, do you have a moment to talk?" With several parents watching, Xu Feng called Lu Fei to the side.

Lu Fei frowned as she looked at him. "What is it?"

Although her opinion of Xu Feng had improved recently, she still carried a hint of coldness and aversion toward him.

Xu Feng glanced at their surroundings, then lowered his voice. "Tell me the truth—has the war situation changed recently?"

Lu Fei was slightly taken aback, then raised an eyebrow. "Who did you hear that from?"

"Observation. People in the trading zone have started hoarding canned goods, there are more soldiers in the base, and the martial artists are fully armed."

Xu Feng spoke earnestly.

"Last night, some people came to my door asking if I'd heard gunfire; they were three martial artists from the security team. These signs can only mean one thing."

Xu Feng glanced at the parents chatting in the distance. "I know there are things you aren't at liberty to say, and I won't press you. I just want to know, if something really happens, will people like us be abandoned?"

Lu Fei glanced at Xiao Dan, lowered her head, and remained silent.

Sometimes, silence says everything.

Xu Feng sighed. "I understand."

He pulled Xiao Dan into his arms. "If danger arises, can I leave Xiao Dan with you?"

Lu Fei looked up this time and answered firmly, "Yes."

Xu Feng breathed a sigh of relief and was about to thank her when he heard Xiao Dan declare resolutely, "Even if it means death, I want to die with you."

Xu Feng and Lu Fei both looked down to see the little girl with tears in her eyes, looking at Xu Feng with unwavering determination as she tilted her head back.

Lu Fei turned her head away, unable to bear the sight.

Xu Feng, however, looked at his daughter, and suddenly, everything became clear. "Alright, let's go home."

Xiao Dan gripped Xu Feng's hand tightly and smiled.

Xu Feng bent down, scooped the little girl up, and strode toward the base exit.

"Um, Mr. Xu, will you be home tonight?"

Just then, Lu Fei suddenly called out to stop Xu Feng.

The surrounding parents looked at the two of them with surprise.

Xu Feng turned back, equally surprised. "Is there something you need, Teacher Lu?"

Lu Fei said calmly, "Yes, there are some matters regarding Xiao Dan's studies that I need to discuss with you. Please wait for me at home tonight."

"Alright, see you tonight then." Although Xu Feng was puzzled, he nodded nonetheless.

After returning home, Xiao Dan looked at the tunnel in their house with great curiosity.

"Aren't you afraid?" Xu Feng asked while digging in the hole.

"Not at all," Xiao Dan said, holding a bowl while sitting on a small stool, watching Xu Feng below. "You picked me up from a pile of corpses. I wasn't afraid then, so why would I be afraid of this?"

Xu Feng: "."

He carried a basin of dirt and leaped to the surface in a few swift movements. "Speak properly from now on. What's with this 'afraid of a der' talk? Who did you learn that from?"

Xiao Dan's mind immediately drifted back to class, and she said with a smile, "Zhou Tianyu! He says that all the time; it's hilarious. Oh, right, we learned about the Gene Cultivation Method in class today. The teacher said we have to wait until we're adults to start practicing."

Listening to Xiao Dan recount the interesting things that happened today, Xu Feng's hands worked even more efficiently.

He soon discovered that even digging a hole had a proficiency level!

[Digging (598/1000)]

"Does this mean if I keep digging, I'll become a Master Digger?"

Xu Feng found the thought quite amusing.

Eight-thirty at night.

A knock sounded on the alloy door.

Xu Feng checked the peephole, saw it was Lu Fei, and opened the door.

"What exactly did you need to come to the house to discuss?" Xu Feng asked, surprised.

As soon as Lu Fei entered, she tossed a book onto the table.

Then, she set down two glass test tubes.

This time, Lu Fei did not take off her coat; she simply gave Xiao Dan a hug and glanced at the tunnel Xu Feng had dug. "If nothing happens, consider these things a loan from me, and you can pay me back later."

"If something does happen, then this is the compensation I am giving you on behalf of Sky Moon Martial University."

"This matter is classified, and I don't know the exact date either, but it should be within the week."

Xu Feng nodded and looked at the book on the table.

Only two large characters were written on it: Mind Movement, which seemed to be some kind of secret manual.

As for the test tube, he did not recognize it.

"What is this?" Xu Feng picked up the test tube and took a look; it contained about a few dozen milliliters of a pale blue liquid.

"A Blood Qi Potion exclusively for martial artists, originally priced at fifteen thousand per vial," Lu Fei said indifferently.

Xu Feng: "(ω)!!?"