The bear meat, roasted to medium-well, was quickly devoured. Gu Lian sat back against the cliff, patting her belly, which showed no outward change. A look of unspeakable comfort was on her face.
“Burp~”
‘I’m full!’
Gu Lian let out a belch. The roasted meat she had just eaten was rapidly converted into a warm current that flowed through her body. She felt warm and incredibly relaxed.
She stretched her hands out in front of her. The red patterns on her arms seemed to be infused with vivid life. Crimson flames circulated within them, and star-like sparks drifted out, though these sparks appeared gray.
*Snap!*
She clenched her fists, and gray flames erupted from her arms. However, as soon as she opened her palms, the fire gradually vanished as if it had lost its fuel.
Like the erupting flames, a name emerged from the depths of her heart.
“Dead Silence… Fire?”
While it was strange that she knew the name of the flames, it made sense upon further thought. After her resurrection, she had suddenly become a Weiyi. No matter how she looked at it, this was likely related to the owner of the voice she heard while trapped in darkness. It wasn’t odd for her to subconsciously know the name of the skill.
*Wooosh—*
The thin morning mist was driven away by a gentle breeze. A morning sun rose to the middle of the sky, dispelling yesterday’s darkness. The entire Nanqing Forest gleamed with a vibrant golden light. Morning dew slid from the tips of the grass.
Low-flying insects rested on the grass, shaking the moisture condensed on their wings.
*Grumble—*
Gu Lian’s expression changed. The comfort inside her vanished, replaced by an intense hunger. The Dead Silence Fire erupting from her hands also gradually went out.
The hunger in her stomach urged her to eat quickly. However, she had already cleared out the largest predator in the vicinity. Finding another animal of that size right now would be impossible.
Gu Lian stood up from beneath the cliff. The physical weakness caused by hunger made her feel like she could even claw out a piece of rock and eat it.
Thinking of this, Gu Lian extended her arm. Her arm, which still emitted occasional sparks of Dead Silence Fire, pressed against the stone wall beside her. At the moment of contact, with her palm as the center, everything within a ten-meter radius began to dim and wither. The stone wall weathered rapidly, looking completely out of place with its surroundings.
With a *crack*, a large chunk of rock shattered from the wall. Before Gu Lian could react, the fragile stone broke into pebbles and fell. In an instant, it began to turn into sand, slipping through her fingers. By the time the grit hit the ground, only a small pile of ash remained.
“This…”
She raised her hand to look at the extinguished flames on her arm. Gu Lian was somewhat shocked. Even a tiny wisp of fire had such power. If the flames had been in full eruption, just how strong would that power be?
But now… she needed to find something to fill her stomach first. She was so damn hungry!
She took a deep breath. Because it was early morning, the humidity in the air was heavy, masking the scents of most animals.
Gu Lian tightened the bear skin draped over her shoulders and wandered aimlessly through the forest. The morning woods were full of life, with dew dripping from trees and bushes.
As she passed a bush of wild berries, she pulled it up by the roots. She was so hungry she was losing her mind, so she didn’t care if the berries were poisonous. With every step, she plucked a handful and tossed them into her mouth.
She was a Weiyi now; she had even eaten a calendar board before, so why would she be afraid of this?
The juice of the berries exploded, and a sour, astringent taste spread through her mouth. She didn’t see any wild animals along the way. Gu Lian snapped off a leafy branch and stuffed it into her mouth. It tasted like she had shoved a jar of tea polyphenols into her gullet. It was indeed terrible, but it could barely tide her over.
Venturing deeper into the forest, the air became increasingly damp, and the smell of rot grew more apparent. The hungrier she felt, the sharper her senses became.
*Drip-drop—*
The sound of water dripping came from ahead. Gu Lian turned her head, and her purple-red pupils glowed slightly.
A giant rat appeared in front of her. Its entire coat of fur was pitch black, and the hair standing up on its back was as sharp as a porcupine’s quills.
“Hmm? A rat?”
Gu Lian was momentarily stunned, but then she became ecstatic.
She threw away the bush branch that was now mostly just a stem and even stepped on it. When there was actual meat to eat, who the hell would eat sticks?
Besides, the giant rat in front of her was the size of a calf—enough for a good meal!
“Grrr—”
The giant rat backed away slightly, letting out a threatening growl. For some reason, it felt that the gaze of this humanoid Weiyi was wrong—very wrong!
Gu Lian licked her red lips. The giant rat stopped pretending and turned to run.
*Thump!*
Gu Lian stomped one foot on the ground. The soil cracked, and the vibration shook the nearby trees. She charged toward the giant rat like a shell fired from a cannon.
*Clang—*
Claws with a metallic luster swiped down. The giant rat opened its mouth wide and let out a mournful cry. Gu Lian’s claws pierced into its side, but the rat actually flipped over and lay on its back.
Its limbs scratched wildly. Its curved nails tore through the bear skin and then struck a series of sparks. Gu Lian yawned and then raised her leg.
*Crash!*
With a whip kick, her toes acted like five lifting knives, carving five wounds into the rat. The rat subconsciously twisted its body, while Gu Lian’s eyes were filled with bloodlust.
With a *squelch*, her other black claw pierced through its jaw and out through the top of its skull. The rat’s body twitched once, and its flailing limbs finally hung limp and powerless.
Withdrawing her blood-stained black claw, Gu Lian licked the blood from her fingertips. A unique, mellow aroma spread in her mouth.
“Truly delicious. Er…”
Gu Lian lowered her head and held her forehead with one hand. The cloudy, bloodshot haze in her eyes faded, and her clarity returned. ‘Was I just being influenced?’
‘The influence wasn’t that great, but I was actually feeling excited because of that slaughter? Damn it, did I awaken some weird attribute?’
After muttering a few words, she shook the blood off her hand. She walked over to the rat, grabbed its long tail, slung it over her shoulder, and dragged it away.
Because of yesterday’s incident, Gu Lian didn’t plan on starting a fire to cook here. If those people from the TFV forced their way back, it would be a huge mess.
Being able to evade detection once didn’t necessarily mean she could do it a second time. She had already been warned yesterday. If she was discovered again today, they would definitely become suspicious.
Using the cover provided by the dense forest, Gu Lian dragged the rat while searching for a place to hide.
The insects in the forest chirped, and the sounds of frogs seeking mates traveled far. Around the woods, sparrows let out long cries.
*Snap!*
Gu Lian stopped in her tracks. Her pupils shrank violently into pinpricks. Strange! It was way too strange!
This part of the forest had been quiet, so why were there so many insect and bird calls now?!
“Plan changed. Weiyi B-707 has discovered us. Proceed with the tactics according to the original plan. Requesting to strike now! Over.”
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*
A total of five men wearing black uniform vests and trousers rushed out from the depths of the forest.
Gu Lian dropped the food in her hand and dropped to all fours. She was preparing to run. This wasn’t like her initial encounter with the bald man. This was a goddamn planned ambush!
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