Nearly two months had passed since the world plunged into chaos.
Ruyi's perspective had shifted significantly since her near-death experience orchestrated by Wen Xinyu. No longer did she view herself as a mere guest in this apocalyptic novel, dismissing everything as fiction. The reality of her situation had firmly set in—her journey home, if it even existed, was bound to be far more treacherous and uncertain than she had anticipated.
This wasn't just a detour; it was a war of attrition, a battle she had no choice but to fight.
As the designated cannon fodder in the original storyline, Ruyi recognized that her advantages, however small, set her apart from most others. The Sovereign, with his otherworldly space and trials, gave her opportunities that few could dream of. While the novel's ending was hardly satisfying, at least she didn't have to endure the widespread misery of resource shortages.
Her plan was simple yet calculated: she would progress through the Level 20 trials and then head to Yun'an Base to confront Tong Yinyin. But before venturing to the base—a chaotic haven where morality and justice had long since eroded under the strain of starvation and lawlessness—she needed to prepare.
The first task on her list was securing food. She began by making long-lasting, portable provisions that were nutritious and flavorful. With the space as her secret weapon, Ruyi knew she couldn't afford to use it so liberally once she reached the base. Indulging in freshly cooked meals from her stash might attract unwanted attention, putting her in peril.
Her previous habits of carefree consumption had already taken a toll. The vegetables and meat she had bought before the apocalypse, though seemingly abundant, were now reduced by nearly two-fifths. Recognizing her wasteful ways, Ruyi resolved to maximize every resource.
She filled half a pot with water scavenged from nearby homes—her supply from the Wen household had long since run out. Once the water boiled, she blanched five large bowls of fresh greens. After chopping them into a fine vegetable paste, she mixed in flour, eggs, and a variety of seasonings, forming the mixture into fist-sized balls before frying them to perfection. The result? Five large bowls of fragrant vegetable fritters, which she cooled and stored in her space.
Next, she used the greenish water from blanching the vegetables to knead dough, which she steamed into vibrant green buns. Two large bags' worth.
She also made two trays of rice balls, dyed green from the same water.
The hundred or so potatoes she'd peeled and sliced were coated in flour, steamed, and then fried in fragrant peanut oil.
For protein, Ruyi took a large portion of her dwindling meat supply, seasoning it generously with salt, peppercorns, and other spices before steaming and hanging the pieces in her space to air dry with two electric fans.
Finally, she prepared some coarse-grain biscuits—sweet corn cakes with honey, sugar-coated oatmeal cookies, and mung bean pastries. Though the raw ingredients she scavenged from the town were limited, they yielded three heaping bowls of baked goods.
By the time she finished, night had fallen. Ruyi stood in her space, surveying the rows of freshly made provisions. The enticing aroma lingered as she admired her hard work over and over before finally retreating to bed with a satisfied smile.
The next morning, she woke early, her breakfast consisting of a green bun and some jerky, washed down with a cup of hot milk brewed in an electric kettle. Feeling recharged, she let out a contented sigh, stretching lazily in the warm sunlight filtering through the window.
If the zombie-infested wasteland outside was merely an illusion, if the stench of death didn't constantly permeate the air, and if Wen Xinyu miraculously self-destructed, Ruyi thought she could almost enjoy this novel-like world. After all, there was no one waiting for her back home.
But dreams were dreams, and reality loomed large. Yesterday's efforts, combined with the slow progress of her planted seeds, had drained one-fifth of her precious crystal cores. The pressure to maintain her self-sufficiency was immense, and the only solution was to keep pushing forward.
With that thought, she grabbed her blade and hopped onto her fully charged electric scooter, heading for the town center. While electricity was easier to replenish, gasoline was a finite resource she preferred to conserve.
Ruyi's improved abilities allowed her to kill up to thirty zombies in one go without being completely drained. By alternating between bouts of combat and recharging in her space, she made quick work of the undead. By noon, she had barricaded herself inside a small supermarket, sifting through her spoils.
To prevent surprises, she had developed a routine: every time she cleared a row of zombies, she moved their corpses into her space, extracted the crystal cores, and then disposed of the remains. The Sovereign, lacking a sense of smell, had no objections, but Ruyi found the stench and grotesque visuals nearly unbearable. Over time, she had numbed herself to the experience, though she still fantasized about vengeance on Wen Xinyu during particularly nauseating moments.
That morning's efforts yielded over 200 crystal cores. She knew, however, that as she neared the town center, the zombie population would dwindle. The town's proximity to Yun'an Base meant that waves of scavengers had already looted the area, leaving behind fewer zombies and even fewer supplies.
Despite this, Ruyi persisted. She rummaged through the supermarket, picking up odds and ends, including some socks to add to her collection. Pushing open the back door, she entered the residence attached to the store.
Under the bed in what appeared to be the owner's room, she stumbled upon a jackpot: two boxes of instant noodles, two crates of canned meat, and three large packs of toilet paper. It seemed the previous looters had been too hasty, leaving these treasures untouched.
Ruyi's mood soared, her fondness for the supermarket deepening with her newfound loot. She decided to remain in the store until she completed her Level 20 trials.
That evening, as Ruyi returned from her zombie-clearing escapades, the hum of car engines broke the silence outside. Judging by the sound, there were at least three vehicles.
She paid little attention at first. Convoys passing through the town were nothing new; most took one look at the barren shelves and moved on.
But this time, the cars stopped.
From the lead SUV, a boy of seventeen or eighteen hopped out. His buzz-cut hair, black tank top, floral shorts, and bronzed skin made him look like he'd just stepped out of a summer magazine. A massive, ancient sword strapped to his back added an odd but striking contrast.
What caught Ruyi's attention wasn't his outfit, but his face.
The boy's thick brows, bright round eyes, and chiseled features tugged at her memory. He looked uncannily familiar—like a real-life version of a cartoon character she couldn't quite place.
Then it hit her. The kid was a spitting image of a live-action Calabash Brother.
Amused and bewildered, Ruyi's curiosity turned to shock as more people climbed out of the vehicles—each one more familiar than the last.
Her eyes widened. "What kind of ridiculous coincidence is this?"
Overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the situation, Ruyi didn't think twice. She vanished into her space, retreating to safety.