Holding Their Own Space, the Family Returns to the Apocalypse

235: They’re all dead, their bodies torn to shreds!”Now you’re looking for him? When he was following you around every day, begging you to just look at him once, why didn’t you even give him a second glance? Didn’t you say he was incredibly annoying and that you didn’t want to see him all the time? Now you’ve got your peace and quiet, so what are you making a fuss for!”

Gu Xiheng roared with a face full of fury.

Hearing her brother’s words, Gu Xitian stood there in a daze, weeping silently.

”I... I was wrong, okay? I didn’t expect him to die so... so miserably, and I didn’t think I would... would feel this terrible!”

Gu Xiheng sighed, his voice softening as he said, ”Alright, it’s getting late. We need to leave quickly.”

After watching coldly from the side, Ai Yue said expressionlessly, ”We’ve already left the mist area. It’s time for us to part ways. We’re heading back to the Songzhou Safety Tower.”

Gu Xiheng nodded at her words. ”Very well. We’ll go back to rest and reorganize first. Once we find the location of the Nameless Monster, we’ll gather again.”

”We’ll see about that when the time comes!” Ai Yue said indifferently.

Gu Xiheng fell silent for a moment. ”Fair enough! Goodbye then!”

”Bye!”

Ai Yue and Gong Qiuqiu left without looking back.

Gu Xiheng sighed softly and said, ”Let’s go too.”

Cheng Siyu supported the sobbing Gu Xitian, trailing behind as she comforted her in a soft voice.

The two of them walked for about an hour before finding the car they had left behind. They drove all the way back to the base, encountering no danger along the way.

When Ai Yue arrived home and opened the door, Da Wang rushed out. With an arrogant look, he slapped his paw onto her face and let out a low growl, as if saying it was too much that she didn’t call him for a fight!

”Ahhh, Sister, you’re back!” Hearing the commotion, Ye Rui came out of the house. Upon seeing Ai Yue, she lunged forward and clung to her, howling with excitement.

”Sister, you’re not hurt, are you? Let me see.”

As Ye Rui spoke, she started to pull at Ai Yue’s clothes to check her thoroughly.

Ai Yue caught her hands and said amusedly, ”Alright, alright. I’m not hurt. I’m perfectly fine.”

”Really?”

”Really!”

”Then I’m relieved. But next time you go out to risk your life, you can’t leave me behind. You have no idea how depressing it’s been. Uncle and Auntie too—they couldn’t eat and had no energy for anything, like they were half-dead. Don’t leave us behind again next time.”

Ye Rui’s little mouth didn’t stop for a second. Ai Yue listened patiently; she enjoyed being nagged with such concern, as it made her feel especially warm and relaxed.

”Where are Mom and Dad? Not home?” Ai Yue asked.

”Uncle and Auntie have been going out every day to spar and fight with people to vent their frustration. They should be back soon at this hour.”

Ai Yue nodded understandingly. Her parents must have felt suffocated with worry for her, so they went out to find something to do to distract themselves.

”Sister, was the mission successful? Is the Nameless Monster dealt with? What were the casualties like?”

After talking for ages, Ye Rui finally remembered to ask about the outcome of the trip.

The smile on Ai Yue’s face gradually faded.

”The Nameless Monster escaped, and...”

”Huh? Even you couldn’t kill it, Sister? It must be really powerful then,” Ye Rui said, her face scrunched up.

Ai Yue’s face darkened, and she flicked Ye Rui’s forehead. ”What do you think? Just how powerful do you think I am? Do you think I could kill such a massive monster all by myself?”

Ye Rui puffed out her chest and said proudly, ”In my eyes, you’re the most powerful. I’ve never seen anything you couldn’t do.”

Ai Yue rolled her eyes and gave a dry laugh. ”Then you really think too highly of me. I don’t have that kind of ability.”

”You’re still amazing! Didn’t you beat the monster so badly it ran away?” Ye Rui argued back.

Ai Yue pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation and asked amusedly, ”What exactly have I done to give you the delusion that I’m invincible?”

”Ever since I met you, nothing has ever stumped you. No one is stronger than you, and everything you do seems as easy as a wave of your hand.”

”Sigh... You really think too much of me. Your sister is only human; how could I possibly do everything? You can’t have this kind of blind worship! Do you hear me?” Ai Yue said, tapping her nose.

”Besides, it was pure luck that I managed to wound the Nameless Monster. I wouldn’t be sure of doing it a second time,” Ai Yue said with a shrug.

”No matter what, you’re the most powerful person in my heart!” Ye Rui said with a look of determination.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

”I’ll get it!” Ye Rui scurried to the door and opened it.

A person squeezed inside, grinning widely. ”Sister Ai Yue, you’re finally back! I just got the news and rushed over to see you. I didn’t even go see my brother first. Pretty loyal of me, right?”

The one who squeezed in was Gong Qiumu.

Ai Yue scoffed and said bluntly, ”Your brother probably went to report to your father as soon as he got back. Since this matter is currently classified, you weren’t allowed to listen in. You wanted to know the specific results, so you came to find me, didn’t you?”

Gong Qiumu sat down across from Ai Yue without ceremony and downed a glass of water. Hearing her see through his intentions, he chuckled. ”Nothing gets past you. As expected of Sister Ai Yue, how are you so sharp?”

”Hmph, cut the smooth talk. I just got back and I’m exhausted. Come back another day,” Ai Yue said, leaning back in her chair.

Gong Qiumu got anxious and quickly grabbed Ai Yue’s sleeve, acting spoiled. ”Don’t be like that, Sister Ai Yue, Sister~ Just satisfy my curiosity, please?”

Ai Yue was so disgusted she got goosebumps. She slapped his hand away. ”Speak properly! Why is a grown man putting on that squeaky voice? It’s gross!”

”Then just tell me about it. Given our relationship, right?”

”Fine, fine, I give up. What do you want to hear?” Ai Yue said helplessly.

”The beginning, the middle, and the end, of course!” Gong Qiumu blurted out.

Ai Yue murmured, ”The beginning, the middle, and the end...”

”Yeah,” Gong Qiumu nodded.

”Alright, I’ll satisfy your curiosity.” Ai Yue rested her head on her hands and said leisurely, ”As for the beginning, there’s not much to say. People from all the Safety Towers gathered, crossed the white mist area, and found the Nameless Monster.”

”Then everyone fought the monster together. It woke up and got very angry, spitting out a barrage of wind blades. Everyone died except for your brother, Gu Xiheng’s family of three, and me. The monster escaped too!”

Ai Yue’s brief words left both Ye Rui and Gong Qiumu stunned. For a moment, they didn’t know what to say.

After a long while, Gong Qiumu asked with a trembling voice, ”Everyone is dead? All three hundred-plus people?”

”All dead. Not a single intact corpse!”