Fortunately, the chitterfiends were below Tier 1. Otherwise, given the boy’s physique, he might not have survived the chase.
After confirming that there were no other alien beasts nearby, Nanzhi brought him into the RV. There, she treated his wounds, gave him food, and provided a new set of clothes.
Curious about how the boy ended up alone, she asked him about his story. Eventually, she learned that they had been on their way to the city’s base.
The boy’s name was Si Hao, and his father’s name was Si Lei. His mother had left them long before the apocalypse began. Si Hao’s was searching for his half-brother, whom they hadn’t seen in three years. Along the way, they encountered a group of thugs who chased them relentlessly.
In the middle their car broke down and they ended up in this private compound.
When they thought they were safe, the weather turned extreme. They had no choice but to halt their journey and search for shelter instead. Fortunately, they found a basement in the ruined compound and a small grocery store.
With the supplies they managed to loot, they survived the harsh winter. When the weather returned to normal, they hoped to resume their journey, but strange creatures appeared. They were fast, powerful, and had magical fire abilities.
Si Hao’s father couldn’t even take down one without injury, let alone the 200 or so strange creatures. Trapped and running low on supplies, the boy’s father had no choice but to search for food for his son.
An adult could withstand hunger, but a child could not. Nanzhi understood this principle.
The boy’s father left yesterday but never returned.
Si Hao, unable to hold back the tears, clung to the hope that his father was still alive. "I’m sure he’s still around! He always keeps his promises!" he insisted, wiping away his tears.
Though he knew it was selfish to ask strangers for help, Si Hao looked up at them and pleaded, "Big Brothers, Big Sisters, please help me find my father!" His voice was filled with desperation, and his small fists clenched as he bowed his head.
Everyone exchanged glances, their minds all going to the skeletal remains they found earlier.
The silence that followed made Si Hao lower his head further. "I don’t have anything to offer, but I promise to repay you in the future…" he said, his voice breaking.
A soft rustling from the table caught his attention. Nanzhi spoke solemnly, "Do you recognize this bag?"
Si Hao’s face lit up as he looked up at the worn blue bag. He grabbed it, inspecting it carefully before confirming it was his father’s. "Yes! It’s my father’s! I knew he didn’t leave me! Where did you find it, big sister?"
Nanzhi’s brows furrowed.
Minutes later, Si Hao’s expression crumbled as he saw the small burial ground. Nanzhi, though hesitant, decided to tell him the truth. As painful as it was, it would be crueler to let him hold on to a false hope.
"Father!" Si Hao’s cries echoed into the dreary night after he learned the truth.
The atmosphere grew heavy as everyone listened to the little boy’s sorrowful cries. Si Hao cried himself to sleep holding the jar of his father’s ashes, the piece of blue shirt and the bag.
The little boy didn’t want to leave his father there.
In the dead of night, Yu Baoyin, unable to concentrate on absorbing the spars, looked for Nanzhi. "Sister Nan, do you think I’ll ever be reunited with my father?" she asked softly, deeply affected by the earlier scene.
Nanzhi, unsure how to answer, only replied, "We can only hope for the best."
Yu Baoyin sighed, her face marked with melancholy.
Later that night, fueled by the emotion of what they had just witnessed, everyone made some progress. The three debut awakeners advanced by one stage.
Nanzhi and Lin Weihao reached the Tier 2 middle stage.
[Player: Lu Nanzhi]
[Status: Tier 2 Middle Stage Telekinesis]
[Mental Power: 419]
Her mental power had grown over the past few days, mostly due to her training in the Mind Palace. A little more effort, and the shadow in the mind palace will facilitate the second stone training.
"I almost forgot…" Lin Weihao said as they were alone. He handed Nanzhi four duffel bags. "This is the payment for the first and second batches of frostbane serums… from Colonel Tang, Feng Ran, Bingwen, Hei Qian, and Wang Chul."
Nanzhi opened the bags and was surprised to find they contained more than she had expected.
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Nanzhi had been concerned about the lack of alien beasts, but the chitterfiends’ appearance made her moved. She jumped to her feet and quickly searched for their hideout.
There was still time left in the Double EXP event, and she didn’t plan to waste it.
Lin Weihao followed behind her.
The two set off to investigate where Si Hao had been hiding. They found the basement and the nearby forest. After releasing her mental energy, Nanzhi quickly sensed the chitterfiends.
"Shrrrrkkk!"
Sensing the preys that ventured their territories, the chitterfiends immediately attacked, their claws aiming for their necks.
The slaughter was swift and one-sided.
The small forest was filled with the agonizing sounds of the chitterfiends’ death throes.
After three hours, the two left, having destroyed the trees down to their roots lest they become threats in the future.
At dawn, Nanzhi once again drifted into a dream created by the fragment.
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’You’re awake. There’s soup in the cupboard. Help yourself.’
The dream showed like mirror shards floating around—broken and incomplete, but it matched the details Lin Weihao had shared with her.
Morning came, and the little boy’s eyes were puffy and red. Though he still hadn’t moved on, he wasn’t crying anymore.
Remembering Si Hao’s story, Nanzhi asked, "Do you know your uncle’s name or any other relatives? If we can find your family, we can help you."
Si Hao replied, "My uncle’s name is Si Xin. I also have an aunt. My father said their house is near Ashfall Street."
"I think I’ve been there," Feng Ran said. "Ashfall Street is near a small elementary school, a few blocks from the Elite Supermarket."
Nanzhi checked the virtual map and confirmed the location of the supermarket. After zooming in, she could also see the street. "Let’s go check it out."
If they couldn’t find Si Hao’s aunt there, they could try the City Base. Nanzhi also spotted some banks and shops near the supermarket. Perhaps she could find jade there.
Lin Weihao’s brows furrowed at the mention of the Elite Supermarket.