After leaving the electronics store, Gu Lian took out the phone given to her by the male clerk. If the guy hadn’t been so enthusiastic about gifting her a second-hand phone, she would’ve definitely beaten him up.
After turning it on and opening the map, Gu Lian squatted at the entrance of the shop, freeloading off the WiFi as she began planning her route back.
Although humanity had formed the Heavenly Nether Federation, the former great nations still existed—they were simply united under alliances.
Among them, one of the strongest alliances within Shenzhou’s Heavenly Nether Federation stood alongside Khitan, the Free Alliance, and the Lighthouse Nation.
Under the influence of the mysterious, humanity had united. Perhaps war had been indefinitely halted, but internal competition would never cease—especially since the mysterious had so far only revealed its bizarre nature.
Though Nanjiang City was small, it was still considered a rising first-tier city in Shenzhou. Gu Lian didn’t dare underestimate Shenzhou’s surveillance network. She had just shown her face—if she casually walked into Nanqing Forest now, whether she could return next time would be questionable.
The nearest city to Nanqing was at least 1,000 kilometers away. Gu Lian couldn’t guarantee that no powerful anomalies lurked within the forest. Hunters weren’t omnipotent, after all.
Using her index finger, she circled the outskirts of Nanjiang City, then marked the sinkhole known as the “Underground Palace” west of Nanqing Forest. She drew a straight line between the two points.
After that, she circled a small hill near both Nanqing Forest and the sinkhole, tapped her current location, and marked several adjacent areas around Nanqing Forest.
Should she go through the sewers? Or find a connected forest path?
Her gaze lowered as she considered it, eventually crossing out the sewer option. Hunters wouldn’t leave sewer exits unguarded in the wilderness—there would definitely be people watching.
Taking the forest route along the outskirts was more reliable. Patrols existed, but they weren’t flawless.
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have shown my face… what a hassle…”
She circled another spot on the map—the route she had taken into Nanjiang City. She wondered if she should return the same way.
After a brief moment of thought, she decided to retrace her steps. Taking a detour would only create suspicion.
If she went back the same way, even if discovered, she could just claim she lived in the suburbs.
A person without identification living in a rundown house on the outskirts—it sounded perfectly reasonable.
She stuffed the phone into her pocket, picked up the packaged batteries and rice speaker, and headed back the way she came.
Half an hour later, in a desolate area, Gu Lian stopped. She snapped the phone she had just obtained and tossed it aside before continuing forward.
Two hours later, she reached the small hill deep within Nanqing Forest and quickly found the small house where Yaoyao and Yiyi lived.
Looking around at the trees, Gu Lian walked to a thicker one, raised her right hand, and black patterns spread across her fingers, sharpening into a blade. With a light swipe, she cut into the base of the tree, revealing hollow space among the roots.
She placed her items inside, crouched down, and casually covered the opening with dry grass. The surroundings were eerily quiet—no insects, no birds.
Walking to the door, Gu Lian picked up a stone and tossed it inside.
Clang—
The door creaked open halfway, and Yiyi’s head peeked out. When she saw Gu Lian, she immediately opened the door fully, hands on her hips, wearing a carefree grin.
“Hehe, you’re back! I thought you weren’t coming back.”
“How could I not? It’s rare to find a place to stay—why wouldn’t I come?”
Yawning, Gu Lian stepped inside. Yiyi peeked out again, scanning the surroundings to make sure no one had followed, then quickly shut the door.
Inside the dim room, Gu Lian walked straight to Yaoyao and sat beside her. As for Yiyi, she was playing with mud, shaping something with a delighted expression.
“You… got it already?”
Yaoyao spoke first, her pale blue eyes filled with confusion. She had expected Gu Lian to spend more time navigating human society before returning… but this was too fast.
“Got it.”
Gu Lian pulled out a lollipop from her pocket, placed it in front of Yaoyao, and gestured.
“Want one?”
Yaoyao didn’t respond. Instead, she took out a black crystal.
An intense desire surged from within Gu Lian as a rich fragrance filled her nose, tempting her to devour it immediately. Her pupils shrank as she forcefully suppressed the urge.
“This is…?”
“A mysterious crystal core.”
Yaoyao didn’t hide anything and stated its name plainly.
At that moment, Yiyi suddenly popped her fluffy little head next to Gu Lian’s hand.
“What are you talking about? Tell Yiyi too~”
“Don’t interrupt. Here, this candy is for you.”
Gu Lian unwrapped the lollipop and tossed it into the air. It spun as it rose, releasing a faint sweetness.
At its peak, Yiyi lunged like a hunting leopard, biting the candy mid-air—
Thud!
She slammed into the wall and slowly slid down after a few seconds.
Yaoyao closed her eyes and pressed her forehead, suddenly feeling very tired.
“Slurp~”
Sitting on the ground, slightly dazed, Yiyi licked the candy, her face lighting up with happiness.
“So tasty!”
“…Looks like you’ve had it rough.”
Gu Lian’s lips twitched. Yaoyao sighed.
“Anyway… the item?”
“Hidden under a tree. Covered it with grass.”
“Thank you. This is your reward.”
Yaoyao placed the crystal core into Gu Lian’s hand, finally showing a childlike smile.
Gu Lian looked at her deeply. Seeing that genuine smile, something in her heart trembled—despite not knowing each other long, she felt a faint bitterness.
“You’re not keeping it?”
She placed the remaining lollipops on the table, holding the crystal in one hand, her expression strange. It somehow felt… edible.
Was she developing some kind of eating obsession? Everything felt like it could be eaten…
“It’s useless to me.”
“Really?”
Gu Lian narrowed her eyes. She didn’t believe that explanation. Combined with Yaoyao’s behavior, an uneasy thought surfaced in her mind.
Shaking it off, she stood up to leave.
Suddenly, Yiyi hugged her leg.
When Gu Lian turned around, Yiyi pushed something like a deer antler into her hands and looked up, speaking softly:
“Big sister Gu Lian, you’re leaving, right? Take Yiyi’s shed antler with you—it should be worth something sweet, right? Right?!”
“Oh? You really like candy, huh? Then next time, I’ll bring you lots.”
“Really?! You promised! Pinky swear!”
Yiyi smiled brightly, extending her pinky.
“Alright, pinky swear.”
Gu Lian hooked fingers with her. After their childish promise, she walked out the door.
The moment her figure disappeared, the light in Yiyi’s eyes dimmed. Her body swayed—
Thud.
She collapsed to the ground.
“It’s starting… the final evolution…”
Sighing helplessly, Yaoyao stood up. She lifted the board beneath her feet, revealing a dark hole.
“I thought she’d come after it was over… but…”
Her small body began to elongate. Fine scales spread across her skin, fingers turning into clawed appendages. Pale blue scales covered her entirely.
A massive serpent over ten meters long, with sharp claws, coiled beside Yiyi—resembling a dragon from ancient myths.
Why could the younger sister, losing combat ability during evolution, survive so long in the forest?
Because the elder sister, Yaoyao, was strong—extremely strong. Strong enough to dominate this forest, deterring all anomalies and beasts.
Her scaled claw gently lifted Yiyi as she slithered into the dark hole. Her pale blue eyes turned cold as her tongue flicked.
“I’ll stay with you… until the very end.”
At the hill’s entrance, Gu Lian leaned against the wall with arms crossed, staring at the ground.
Her shadow spread unnaturally, blackness creeping across her body. Her pale hand transformed back into a metallic black claw.
“I don’t like owing favors… especially to… cute little brats.”