I Can't Eat

Texas led Bai Ye into the crowd. For now, they had escaped the enemy's sight.

"After some time, I'll activate the safehouse's self-destruct sequence."

As she spoke, Texas took out her wallet. Though the Texas Family had enormous deposits and gold in Columbia Bank, withdrawing them now would be practically suicidal. It would undoubtedly expose their whereabouts.

"Are we going to buy tickets?"

Without a doubt, Bai Ye and Texas needed to leave the territories controlled by those families. On Terra, buses were the main means of travel between mobile cities. Usually, transportation companies would consult catastrophe forecasts for the coming days and arrange their bus schedules accordingly.

"No, we're driving ourselves."

At the mention of driving, Bai Ye felt that Texas seemed excited, though the girl still wore her usual expressionless face.

Next came Bai Ye following Texas around on a shopping spree. They bought a secondhand pickup truck and Originium on the black market, then purchased piles of canned food and water from a department store.

"We're heading for a city in northern Columbia. That's Columbia's new technology district."

Texas spread a map over the hood of the pickup, her slender finger tracing across the city names.

By the way, perhaps because of the system—or perhaps it was some benefit bestowed by God—Bai Ye had directly mastered the languages and writing systems of every region in Terra after transmigrating. That was why he could communicate with Texas without any difficulty.

Bai Ye leaned closer. The map was densely marked with the locations of cities—maps like this were usually reprinted very quickly, because cities constantly moved along with catastrophes.

"Blacksteel International... Rhine Lab... The place we're going isn't simple."

Bai Ye blinked. The southern cities of the Columbia Federation were dominated by powerful old families, while the north belonged to corporations and modern research institutions.

"So their reach won't extend there."

Texas nodded, then folded up the map and patted the hood.

"Get in!"

Though it was a secondhand pickup, it was sturdy enough. As soon as Bai Ye got in, he saw the cigarette dangling from Texas's mouth in the driver's seat.

"Cough, cough..."

Texas did look cool like that, but the next moment, the girl was coughing violently from the smoke.

"First time smoking?"

Amused, Bai Ye took the cigarette from Texas's mouth and handed her a bottle of water.

"My father always smoked when he was in a bad mood..." Texas took the water and gulped down a few mouthfuls before starting the Originium engine.

"Maybe you should try chocolate cookies... I always ate sweets whenever I was in a bad mood."

"Can you set up a tent?"

"No."

"Can you start a campfire?"

"No."

"...Can you set traps?"

"...No."

"So what can you do?"

Texas looked helplessly at the boy sitting in the passenger seat, staring back at her with an innocent expression.

"Does eating count? The kind where you cook and I eat..."

After a long pause, the boy blinked and timidly raised his hand as he asked.

"..."

A large # appeared on Texas's forehead. She sighed and opened the door.

"Get out. We're setting up camp."

Bai Ye jumped out of the truck. After successfully leaving the city behind, they drove all the way toward the northern cities.

As for the journey, Texas did all the driving. Bai Ye would never admit that he had fallen asleep because he was too bored.

When they bought the secondhand pickup, the enthusiastic—cross that out—black market owner had also tried to sell Texas military rain tarps and a windproof tent.

Bai Ye lifted the tarp, took the tent and sleeping bags from the truck bed, then stood to one side and watched Texas set up the tent bit by bit.

"Camping in the wilderness is quite dangerous," Texas explained as she worked. "So we'll take turns keeping watch."

Because they lacked materials, Texas did not set up any traps. Instead, she started a campfire beside a massive boulder.

With their backs against the rock, the two sat on the ground. Texas handed Bai Ye a can.

"I... can't eat..."

Bai Ye accepted the can but did not open it. He had not eaten or drunk anything since last night, yet he had no desire to eat at all.

Texas said nothing. She opened another can and took two bites, then raised her head toward the deep night sky. After a long while, she suddenly spoke.

"Do you remember how many people you killed?"

"Nine."

Texas nodded, setting down her can before slowly speaking.

"I still remember the first time I killed someone. I was twelve that year."

Texas's voice was calm. Her dyed-white hair hung naturally down, gleaming in the firelight.

"No one likes killing people, unless they're insane or perverted."

As he spoke, Bai Ye added a lump of charcoal to the fire to make sure it would keep burning until morning.

Texas patted Bai Ye on the shoulder. "Don't dwell on it too much. The people you killed were all vile criminals who deserved to die."

Bai Ye smiled. He knew Texas was comforting him. In truth, he was much better now. The discomfort of killing for the first time was gradually fading with time. His inability to eat was more of a physical discomfort; even now, Bai Ye still felt the smell of blood lingering at the tip of his nose.

With nothing else to do, he leaned against the rock and silently said,

"System."

A faintly glowing screen appeared before Bai Ye. Earlier, he had ignored the system's notification sounds.

Killing the family's armed personnel had not given Bai Ye any so-called "killing experience," which meant grinding monsters could not level him up.

However, the system had issued him a mission when Bai Ye encountered the enemies. He simply had not had the time to check it then.

[Mission Issued]

Mission Name: First Blood

Mission Description: Kill Evildoers (5/5)

Mission Reward: One "After-School Tutoring," Skill Point *1, EXP

Failure Penalty: Priest Level -1

Note: O agent of God, sweep away the evil from this earth!

Without a doubt, Bai Ye had completed the mission. His experience bar had risen by a large amount, and reaching level two was not far off.

However, a priest's class only underwent a qualitative change every five levels, so Bai Ye did not pay too much attention to experience. For him, simply knowing how to obtain experience was enough.

"Skill points?"

Curiously, Bai Ye opened his personal status panel. A "+" sign had appeared behind several of his skills.

"I see."

Bai Ye rubbed his chin. After weighing the priority of several skills, he chose to upgrade [Cold Weapons] first.