Zhenfeng stood in a battle-ready stance, his sword raised, prepared to cut down whatever emerged from the shadows.
But what stepped out weren't monsters. It was two young people, about the same age as them. A man was supporting a woman who looked like she was on the brink of losing consciousness. Her face was pale, and blood seeped from the wound on her side.
"Help…" The man's voice cracked, full of desperation. "Please… help us…" His plea came with a pleading look as his eyes landed on Jianyu and Zhenfeng, who quickly lowered their guard.
"Get inside, quick!" Jianyu commanded, grabbing the young man's arm to help him carry the woman into the cavern.
Zhenfeng stayed back, keeping watch to ensure no threats followed them.
Inside, dim light illuminated their faces, and Jianyu froze when recognition struck him. "Qi Qi?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
The woman's heavy eyelids fluttered open. Her voice was weak, barely audible. "Jianyu… Jianyu Ge?" she murmured, her face a mix of relief and disbelief.
"Oh my god," Jianyu knelt, inspecting the wound on Qi Qi's abdomen. Blood was gushing, and the skin around the injury had already begun to bruise. "How the hell did you get hurt this bad? What happened?"
The young man who had been holding Qi Qi lowered his head, his expression shadowed by guilt. "We… we were attacked," he said, his voice trembling as if he were holding back tears.
Jianyu's sharp gaze locked onto him. "Who are you?"
"Chengxin," Qi Qi answered weakly before the man could speak. "We ran into each other… while I was looking for a place to hide."
"Oh…" Jianyu glanced toward the cavern entrance, as if expecting to see someone else. His expression grew tense. "Where is she?"
Qi Qi closed her eyes, her face hardening as if bracing against a painful memory. "Gone," she whispered after a moment of silence. Her voice cracked. "The Black Bloom… tore her apart… right in front of me."
Jianyu stiffened, a sharp ache tightening in his chest. "Oh. I… I'm so sorry, Qi Qi. I—"
"Stop," Qi Qi cut him off weakly, shaking her head. Tears slipped down her pale cheeks. "It's not your fault…"
From where he stood, Zhenfeng finally spoke, his tone pragmatic. "We don't have time to grieve. Jianyu, we need to prepare. If the Black Bloom attacked them, it wouldn't be far behind."
Jianyu nodded reluctantly, though his eyes lingered on Qi Qi, guilt etched across his face. "We'll protect you," he promised, his voice steady even as his hands trembled slightly while applying pressure to her wound to slow the bleeding.
Zhenfeng smirked faintly. "Two more mouths to feed. Fantastic," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he kept a wary eye on the cavern entrance.
Jianyu didn't respond, his attention entirely on Qi Qi. How many more people would he have to lose before this nightmare ended?
After ensuring Qi Qi's wound was treated as best as possible, Jianyu led her and Chengxin to the part of the cavern where the survivors gathered. Several of them stirred awake, their faces a mix of curiosity and caution.
Their gazes locked onto the new arrivals, some clutching makeshift weapons even though their exhaustion was evident. Jianyu raised a hand, signaling them to stand down.
"New additions to our family," Jianyu announced, his voice calm yet commanding. "You can get to know them later. For now, let them rest, okay?"
The survivors exchanged hesitant looks before nodding slowly. They trusted Jianyu—he had guided them this far.
Jianyu cast a glance toward the deeper part of the cavern, where the magical tree he had planted stood tall, its glowing leaves casting a faint light. The fruits hung low, ripe and inviting.
"If anyone's hungry," Jianyu gestured toward the tree, "the fruits are safe to eat. For now, we'll survive on that until we figure out something better."
A few survivors nodded, gratitude evident in their tired eyes. Jianyu wasted no time heading back to the cavern's entrance, where Zhenfeng sat casually, his sword resting across his lap.
Jianyu dropped beside him with a long sigh. He glanced at Zhenfeng.
"You're not usually like this," Jianyu said suddenly.
Zhenfeng gave him a sideways glance. "Like what?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"You don't usually care about extra mouths to feed. Why were you so cynical tonight?" Jianyu frowned.
Zhenfeng scoffed lightly. "I wasn't being cynical."
"Then why did you say what you said earlier?" Jianyu pressed, studying Zhenfeng's face.
Zhenfeng shrugged. "I don't know. They seem suspicious."
"They're not suspicious. They're my friends," Jianyu stated firmly, his eyes steady on Zhenfeng's.
Zhenfeng fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting into the shadows. He let out a long breath before speaking, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe I'm cynical because they're your friends," he murmured.
But Jianyu was already shifting to find a comfortable position, missing Zhenfeng's quiet confession entirely. He opened the Eden's Core interface, scrolling through the available options.
His eyes landed on one item: Guardian Plant Seed. Jianyu frowned, deep in thought. Should he spend his points on this seed, or was there something more urgent to prioritize?
"Hey, System," he called out, breaking the silence.
A mechanical voice chimed in his head. "System activated. How can I assist you, Player?"
"This Guardian Plant Seed—if I plant it, will it protect the cavern forever, or is there a time limit?"
"Limited time," the System replied without hesitation. "The Guardian Plant Seed lasts only three months."
Jianyu sighed, his brow furrowing. "Three months? That's it?" he muttered to himself.
Three months was far too short for what they needed. With the number of survivors growing and the looming threat of the Black Bloom, they required something permanent.
Still, it was the only option he had for now. Points could be earned again, couldn't they?
"You know, Jianyu," Zhenfeng's voice broke through his thoughts, "You need to start getting those people to work. We can't keep playing heroes alone. There are people here who can help—we just need to trust them."
"The survivors?" Jianyu asked, incredulous.
Zhenfeng nodded.
"They're weak, Zhenfeng. Are you crazy? Most of them are kids, the elderly, or women. Even the men in their prime are barely holding on. You really think they're ready for this? They've suffered enough. I don't know if they have anything left beyond just surviving."
"See?" Zhenfeng countered, his tone sharp. "That's your biggest problem. You think you're the only one who can do anything. You underestimate everyone else."