Dolly

"We're off course." Shen Que studied the map. When the mutant beasts had chased them earlier, they had not only lost their horses but ended up heading in the complete opposite direction. "We can't go back the way we came. Wolves really hold grudges. We just killed a Hidden Wolf, so its pack might be waiting for us right where we left them..."

"Let's detour around the back of the canyon." Ajiasi, who had been silent the whole time, pointed at the map. "We won't reach any towns along the way, but the destination is the same, and it'll take less time. The road's just a bit rough."

"Aili, what do you think?" Shen Que was worried Aili might not be able to handle it.

"I don't mind. I can manage." Yuqing wasn't afraid of hardship. In the apocalypse, there had been no easy roads, but she had walked them for ten years all the same.

"All right, let's go."

By the time they reached the abandoned mining town, it was already noon on the third day.

The town lay deep in a valley. A sign stood at the entrance, so rusted that its writing was illegible. Small mountains of slag stretched away on either side, and the wind carried the smell of rust, making their throats tighten.

Most of the town's houses had half collapsed, their windows shattered. In the distance, the mine's hoisting frame jutted crookedly into the sky like a dead skeleton.

"This place is a total dump." Xilaier carried his sword over his shoulder as he looked around and kicked a thoroughly rusted gear at his feet. "They call this a mining town, but where's the mine? Looks more like a junkyard to me."

"Fifty years ago, this was the largest hematite mining area. Then the vein ran dry, and everyone left." Shen Que unfolded the map and tapped it with a fingertip. "There's an abandoned mecha repair station farther in. The mine used it to repair mining mechas back then. We should be able to find plenty of useful parts."

"A mecha repair station?" Xilaier's eyes lit up. "Does that mean we might find some good stuff?"

"That depends on our luck." Shen Que put the map away, his voice steady. "Be careful. Places like this are perfect hiding spots for mutant beasts. Mine Rats, Mine Scorpions, and the like are all low-level mutant beasts, but they're extremely fast."

As Shen Que spoke, he led the way while consulting the map. After they had walked for a while, he suddenly stopped and raised a hand for everyone to be quiet.

"There's something up ahead," he said in a low voice.

They lightened their steps and followed the sound around the back of a half-collapsed factory building.

In the open space at the center of the factory, an abandoned mining mecha half a person's height lay tilted against a wall, its casing rusted beyond recognition. Three sentinels in military academy uniforms stood beside it, cursing at something they had surrounded.

"Hurry up, Dolly! Can you do it or not?"

"Yeah, it's just an energy core. What's taking so long? If you don't fix it soon, we'll leave you here to feed the Mine Rats."

"We never should've brought you. All you can do is take things apart and put them back together. You're dead weight."

The person surrounded by them was a girl.

She was short, wearing an old military uniform washed pale. Her hair was tied messily behind her head, and coal dust covered her face, leaving only a pair of large, round eyes visible.

She crouched on the ground, clutching a small screwdriver as she took apart the energy compartment in the mecha's chest. Her fingers were slender but steady, and her movements were practiced.

"I... I'll try to hurry." Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito's hum. "The core's too badly worn. I need to replace a part..."

The tall sentinel leading the group kicked over a parts box beside him, sending components clattering across the floor. "I'm telling you, if you can't fix this mecha before dark, you can stay here by yourself. We don't have time to wait for you."

"Exactly. I said we shouldn't team up with a female sentinel in the first place. It'd be one thing if her spiritual power level was low, but she can't fight either. All she does is tinker with this scrap metal. What good is that?" Another chimed in, reaching out to shove her shoulder. "Hurry up, will you?"

The girl stumbled forward from the shove, nearly striking her forehead against the mecha's casing.

She bit her lip, her eyes red-rimmed, but she didn't cry. She simply climbed to her feet. "What's wrong with female sentinels? Didn't Sister Yao beat you all into the ground?"

"Are you asking for a beating?" The sentinel had been stung where it hurt, and his embarrassment turned to anger.

"What the hell?!" Xilaier was furious at the sight and cursed under his breath. "Bullying a teammate? Have they no shame?"

He couldn't stand seeing the strong bully the weak. He grabbed his sword and was about to charge out when Shen Que's gaze sharpened, and he pulled Xilaier back.

A sudden rustling came from deep inside the factory, like countless claws crawling across the ground.

"Damn it, it's a swarm of Mine Rats! There are so many!" The sentinels' faces changed, and everyone scrambled for the exit.

"Damn it, how did we attract Mine Rats?" the tall sentinel cursed. A Mine Rat wasn't hard to deal with on its own, but they were small and agile, hiding in gaps and catching people off guard.

Especially when facing a swarm, they would come one after another and gnaw a person to death.

Dying in the game had no consequences in reality, but the pain was real, and nobody wanted to suffer through it. "Run!"

"Head for the open ground!" Dolly shouted to her teammates.

Countless Mine Rats darted out of gaps and corners among the piles of junk. Only in the open could they fight back.

"It's biting me!" A sentinel had been bitten. He shook his arm frantically, and after he finally managed to throw the Mine Rat off, several more pounced on him.

A ruthless look flashed in the sentinel's eyes, and he reached out and shoved Dolly, who had been covering the squad's retreat beside him, straight into the pursuing swarm of Mine Rats!

Yuqing was startled. She hadn't expected him to actually throw a teammate into danger!

Without stopping to think, Yuqing formed a spiritual power shield in her hand and protected Dolly beneath it!

"Damn it, I really can't take this anymore!" Xilaier had finally reached his limit. He charged out with his sword, cutting down Mine Rats one by one. "You're so afraid of dying that you stab your teammate in the back! Why are you even at a military academy?!"

Yuqing continued protecting Dolly. Ajiasi and Shen Que didn't intervene; Xilaier could deal with these low-level mutant beasts on his own.

Besides, Xilaier had spent the past few days being chased and beaten by high-level mutant beasts, and his frustration had been building. This was a good chance to let him kill to his heart's content.

"Hahahahaha, now this is how strong mutant beasts in the newbie village should be!" Xilaier was having the time of his life killing them, and the shadow of being chased and beaten over the previous few days vanished. "I almost thought the game was targeting me."

Before long, Xilaier had dealt with the swarm of Mine Rats. Yuqing walked over to Dolly and only then noticed the many scratches on her. She took out a medical kit and asked gently, "Let me bandage those for you."

"N-no need, that's too much trouble..." Dolly looked at Yuqing, a little dazed. The girl in front of her didn't look like a sentinel. Could she be a guide?!

No, that couldn't be right. Who could find a guide in the newbie village?

"It's no trouble." Yuqing took out disinfectant and bandages, deftly cleaned her wounds, and wrapped them. During the apocalypse, as a healing-type ability user, she had also been the one to treat her teammates' external injuries.

"Th-thank you." Dolly stared blankly at the bandage on her hand, tied in a pretty bow, feeling somewhat at a loss.