Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse

Chapter 577: Chapter 394 Qin Fu’s Black Question Mark

She answered the voice call, pushed open the door, walked out of the bedroom, and turned on the speakerphone.

”Hello, is this Lou Fei’Er?”

A somewhat casual and free-spirited voice came through.

”You’re contacting me, who else could it be besides me?” Lou Fei’Er replied a bit annoyed, ”However, the other two people are here too and can hear your voice.”

”Huh? Am I the last one to arrive?” Qin Fu was a bit surprised, ”I thought at least Zeng Tao would be later than me.”

”I arrived much faster than you.” Zeng Tao walked out from Lou Fei’Er’s room at this moment, her tone very casual.

Judging from the way she and Qin Fu communicated, the two of them must have had some exchanges before and were quite familiar with each other.

”They really arrived, huh? Then who’s the other one, it can’t be...” Qin Fu’s voice was a bit hesitant.

”That’s right, it’s me.” Xu Xin spoke, a slight smile on his lips, ”Yan Haoming. This should be the first time I hear your voice, right?”

”Ah... you’re here too...” Qin Fu’s voice turned slightly uncomfortable and helpless, ”Forget it, you’re here as you are, just don’t provoke me, let’s coexist peacefully, shall we?”

Xu Xin: ”... ’Coexist peacefully’ seems to describe married couples, doesn’t it?”

”...Ahaha...” Qin Fu paused for a moment, then laughed awkwardly, ”I said it wrong, let’s not dwell on that. By the way, Lou Fei’Er, the treehouse near the light pillar, specifically the one very close by, should be Xu Xin’s treehouse, right?”

”That’s right, that’s Xu Xin’s treehouse, what’s up?” Lou Fei’Er asked.

”It’s that close? Then when I get there, you have to explain to us how come you’re able to live so peacefully in such close proximity to Xu Xin’s treehouse.”

Qin Fu’s voice still carried a somewhat casual tone, but what he said caused both Lou Fei’Er and Xu Xin’s eyelids to twitch.

Zeng Tao also looked towards Lou Fei’Er.

However, her gaze didn’t carry any suspicion.

Instead, it seemed to carry a sense of... unsurprising understanding.

Had these two actually considered the possibility that Lou Fei’Er might have connections with Xu Xin all along?

Still, it made sense; Lou Fei’Er was his neighbor, only about a dozen kilometers away.

How could the two of them remain without any interference?

”That’s because...” Lou Fei’Er wanted to make an excuse.

But Qin Fu interrupted her: ”Hey, did you know? Just now, I saw Xu Xin by the giant pit, he really looks strong.”

Huh?

Xu Xin and Lou Fei’Er’s gazes briefly met.

”You saw Xu Xin?” Zeng Tao’s eyes suddenly lit up, she leaned over to Lou Fei’Er’s side, speaking into the watch, ”You really saw Xu Xin? What does he look like? Is he ugly or handsome, tall or short? Is he really like the rumors, with three heads and six arms?”

Three heads and six arms, really...

”I saw a person in the giant pit, wearing a suit of armor that looked extremely advanced, line with what those explorers talk about, everyone having a set of purple-grade armor, right?” Qin Fu guessed, ”And since Xu Xin’s treehouse was right next to it, that person has to be Xu Xin, right?”

Xu Xin understood in his heart.

The person he saw was likely Ji Chaoyang, currently exploring the giant pit.

So Ji Chaoyang actually jumped into the pit to explore.

Is the giant pit no longer dangerous now?

”So, can you get to the point!” Zeng Tao asked eagerly, ”Does he look like he’s really strong or not?”

Lou Fei’Er glanced at Zeng Tao, asked tentatively: ”Zeng Tao, you wouldn’t be into Xu Xin...”

Xu Xin also looked at her with a somewhat strange expression.

”What’s the matter, Xu Xin is so amazing, being interested in him is normal, right?” Zeng Tao frankly admitted, spreading her hands, ”Maybe we’ll all have to seek refuge with him in the future, so it’s best to get to know him now.”

With that, she asked Qin Fu again: ”So, what’s he like exactly?”

”Um... I didn’t see clearly, because the moment I looked his way, he noticed me, and I had to run away in a hurry.” Qin Fu’s voice carried a hint of regret, ”This is his turf, and it wouldn’t be good to get noticed by him, so I had to quickly run.”

”What, just take a look and run...” Zeng Tao was a bit disappointed, ”Never mind, after we finish our business here, I’ll sneak over and take a look myself.”

”Xiaotaozi, do you want to defect to District 188?” Xu Xin asked.

If they already had the intention of defecting, it couldn’t be better.

Zeng Tao glanced at him, initially not wanting to respond, but due to the forced amiability augmentation, she eventually replied: ”Voluntarily defecting is impossible, I wouldn’t give myself to someone else as a slave. But... I don’t think our District 187 can ultimately win against the neighboring district.”

”Indeed.” Hearing Zeng Tao’s words, Qin Fu’s voice came through the watch, ”Our District 187 is still too weak to confront District 188, there’s no hope as far as I can see.”

”So,” Zeng Tao sighed and continued, ”if it really is as Boss Daoguang said, there’s a rivalry between regions, then the only choice to survive eventually is probably to defect to District 188.”

”So, my idea is not to offend these explorers, but also not to get too close to them.”

Zeng Tao looked toward the light pillar outside the window, and the treehouse beside it, voicing her choice.

”Although in the end, we might likely have to turn to them, but... let’s delay it as long as possible. My abilities can still allow me to survive in this world, and I wish to have some freedom for a while longer, not wanting my life controlled by others so soon.”

Xu Xin then remained silent for a moment.

This was her choice?

Admittedly, compared to Yan Haoming’s choice, hers does seem much more realistic.

And also more clever.

No matter what, District 188 is the most likely to last until the end.

Moreover, even if the final winner isn’t District 188, it definitely won’t be District 187.

Survivors in Zone 187, the best way to survive until the end is to seek refuge in another zone, preferably Zone 188.

In fact, currently most zones envy Zones 187 and 189, simply because these two zones are close to Zone 188 and can directly seek refuge there.

And ordinary survivors in these two zones have even asked on the world channel if explorers would accept them if they cut down their treehouses to join Zone 188—these kinds of questions.

After all, because of the region crossover, some of the remaining survivors in these zones are also very close to the light pillar.

These survivors actually have the idea of joining Zone 188.

Zeng Tao and Qin Fu happen to be among these survivors.

It’s quite normal for both of them to have this thought.

It’s not common for people to have a stubborn idea like Yan Haoming’s.

After all, is anything more important than life?

Freedom?

Ridiculous.

Without life, there’s not even the right to breathe freely, less so any so-called freedom.

They still want to return to their original world, so they definitely can’t die here.

”Hello? Why aren’t you guys talking? I’m about to arrive.”

At this moment, Qin Fu’s voice came through the watch.

”By the way, along the way, I’ve been feeling a bit unsettled, like there’s some danger approaching... Could it be that Xu Xin is catching up?” Qin Fu’s voice was somewhat hesitant.

That’s impossible, though.

Because he had just secretly contacted Ji Chaoyang.

Ji Chaoyang told him that he indeed saw someone, but that person ran upon seeing him, so it was very unlikely they were from Zone 188.

Not from Zone 188, but appearing here, and escaping at an unnatural speed, with considerable strength.

It was highly likely that they were the strong ones from Zone 187 searching for Lou Fei’Er.

These people could be left for Xu Xin and the others to handle.

So, Ji Chaoyang didn’t pursue them but continued exploring in the giant pit.

”So, you can sense danger? Is your sixth sense reliable?” Xu Xin asked.

”Hmm... it’s okay, I do trust my intuition quite a lot; it’s saved me numerous times. I constantly feel like something big is about to happen.” His voice was no longer as casual, but had become somewhat serious.

Is there really danger?

Xu Xin frowned slightly.

Could it be...

A statue?

”He’s here.” Lou Fei’Er glanced out the window.

”Is this the place? Are you Lou Fei’Er?” Qin Fu’s voice came up from outside the treehouse, ”You have way too many heavy crossbows.”

Lou Fei’Er manipulated the roots of the treehouse, pulling him up.

A tall, slender man over six feet in height stepped into the treehouse.

Without having a haircut since arriving in this world, his nearly shoulder-length hair hung freely, giving him a carefree yet slightly casual demeanor.

A short stubble adorned his face, yet it did not give off a slovenly or defeated vibe, rather it exuded the charm of a mature man.

He was wearing a set of blue-grade leather armor.

Blue-grade leather armor sets seemed to be the typical attire of major figureheads from other zones.

”Finally here.” Qin Fu sighed with relief upon stepping into the treehouse.

”Hello Qin Fu. With everyone here, we can finally proceed with the next step of our plan.” Lou Fei’Er clapped her hands.

”So, you’re Lou Fei’Er?” Qin Fu glanced outside the treehouse, ensuring there was nothing abnormal, then relaxed and turned to Lou Fei’Er,

”I just arrived, having slid through the snow all morning to get here, shouldn’t I get a break? At least have lunch before we go? Can’t do anything on an empty stomach.”

As Qin Fu spoke, he turned to look at Xu Xin and the others.

”You’re finally here.” Zeng Tao said, arms crossed over her chest, looking at him.

”Zeng Tao?” Qin Fu looked at Zeng Tao, who was over a head shorter than him, eyebrow raised, mouth agape, ”You...”

”Shut up! I’m eighteen!” Zeng Tao said, somewhat irritated.

She already knew what he was about to say.

She just knew, with every new person, she’d have to explain!

”Ah hahaha, I didn’t say you weren’t eighteen.” Qin Fu laughed awkwardly, ”However, you certainly look much younger than your age.”

Actually, it would be more accurate to say youthful.

He then looked towards Xu Xin.

”Whoa, this handsome guy... Hmm?? Are you Yan Haoming?”

He widened his eyes at Xu Xin, then tilted his head, showing a puzzled expression akin to a meme.