Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

# Chapter 69: Breathing Method with Bread? Food had always been a major problem plaguing them.

Due to the extremely cold weather of the ice plains, normal crops struggled to survive. In this land of ice and snow, even hunting was a luxury. The surrounding villages would typically go to a small, distant market to buy cured meat or hard bread every so often.

But they couldn’t. They were all Infected. In Ursus, the Infected had absolutely no human rights. If caught, they were either killed on the spot or thrown into the mines to die miserably in the harsh environment.

Occasionally, they were lucky enough to encounter a beast or two, which allowed everyone to have a better meal. Although Alina would go to other villages to trade for food from time to time, the amount she brought back was never enough to last long.

Furthermore.

Recently, the detestable Infected Pickets of Ursus had been conducting searches with increasing frequency. It had been a long time since Alina had gone out to trade for food, and the dry rations stored in the camp were now severely depleted.

”I’m heading back to my room, Talulah.”

After Patriot stood up and left the house, Alina also prepared to leave, but Talulah called out to her just as she was getting up.

”Wait a moment, Alina.”

”This is for you.”

Talulah smiled faintly, a touch of gentleness appearing on her dashing features. She opened her palm, revealing a bracelet of unknown material. The bracelet was exquisitely clear and translucent, obviously of considerable value.

”What’s this?”

Alina was a bit surprised. She took the bracelet from Talulah’s palm and examined it. As a child who grew up in an Ursus village, Alina had never seen any jewelry before. Even though she didn’t know its price, the craftsmanship suggested it wasn’t cheap.

”A bracelet. It was mine when I was very young, but... I haven’t worn it since. I thought... rather than letting it collect dust with me, it would be better to give it to you, Alina.”

Alina smiled happily and, without any coyness, put the bracelet on her wrist, rubbing it as if she had found a treasure.

”Why don’t you wear it yourself? Talulah.”

Talulah shook her head. ”It... doesn’t suit me anymore.”

”Heehee~ Thanks, Talulah. I’m going back to my room now.”

Watching Alina’s departing figure, the smile on Talulah’s lips gradually faded, and the clouds of worry once again gathered on her brow. She rested her chin on her right hand, staring blankly at the wall, her thoughts already a million miles away. The food problem was an issue she, as the leader, had to solve.

Upon leaving the meeting room.

Alina’s smile also vanished. She let out a heavy sigh, her left hand stroking the bracelet on her right wrist. Looking at her companions in the camp, listless and sallow from hunger, Alina’s heart ached.

She walked around the camp for a while. Senior Patriot was nowhere to be seen, and Miss FrostNova seemed to have gone somewhere as well. Were they out hunting? Or...

Due to the recent food shortage.

Miss FrostNova’s Yeti Squadron and Senior Patriot’s Shieldguard Squadron would usually go out hunting for food on their own. The remaining grain in the camp was all left for the ordinary Infected.

They... really work so hard..

Even though they usually contribute the most.

Sigh...

After wandering around the camp and greeting many of the Infected, she returned to her room.

After a moment of hesitation, Alina seemed to have made up her mind. She took the last few items of some value from her drawer, stuffed them into her pocket, slung a basket over her back, and quietly left the camp, preparing to go to a nearby village to trade for more food.

The snow outside was falling heavily. If one stood still, the swirling flakes would quickly turn a person into a snowman.

Alina walked slowly and cautiously. She was petite, and the simple clothes she wore were incredibly thin. If not for her constitution, an ordinary person would have long frozen to death in this snowy wilderness. She walked with extreme care, constantly on guard for the Infected Pickets who could appear from anywhere. Her bare ankles touched the cold snow, which had already turned her ankles and hands crimson. Her delicate face was also flushed red from the cold.

As if protected by a goddess of luck, she encountered no dangers along the way.

She followed the familiar path to a village where she rarely traded goods and, using a familiar pretext, exchanged her items. However, all those valuable things only got her some rock-hard bread and some equally dry jerky.

Although she really wanted to trade for some fresh vegetables, in this environment, fresh vegetables were more precious than gold. Even if there were any, the villagers would certainly not trade them to Alina.

Counting the full basket of bread and jerky, Alina nodded with satisfaction. Although the variety was limited, if they were frugal, it should be enough to last for a while longer, at least ensuring that no one would starve to death.

The trade went very smoothly.

If she hurried back now, Talulah probably wouldn’t find out. Otherwise, she’d likely get another lecture.

However, just a short while after Alina left the village.

Something unexpected happened.

In the distance across the snowfield, the piercing roar of an engine sounded.

That sound!!

Alina’s heart skipped a beat, and her expression grew tense.

She was all too familiar with that sound.

The sound of a snowmobile.

Ordinary villagers couldn’t possibly afford this kind of vehicle designed for traveling on snow. Only one type of person had them... military police and the Infected Pickets.

In Ursus, both groups were like hornets, disgusting and feared. Civilians might have it slightly better; a little money might get them off your back. But the Infected....

The sound grew closer, and she could already faintly see the approaching black shapes in the distance.

Alina wanted to hide.

But the surrounding area was a boundless snowfield, without even a single tree for cover.

What to do! What to do!!

Running was definitely not an option. In this environment, how could a person’s legs possibly outrun a snowmobile.

*Huuu~*

*Huuu~~*

Alina tried hard to calm herself. She had mentally rehearsed many times what she would say if she encountered military police or the Infected Pickets while trading for food. She couldn’t panic. When encountering these ’house dogs,’ she absolutely couldn’t panic, nor could she show any sign of guilt, and she certainly couldn’t run. She had to try her best to look like an ordinary villager. She felt her pocket; there were still one or two valuable items she hadn’t traded.

Alina took deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down, and continued to walk slowly across the snow at a normal pace, not deliberately quickening her steps.

The sound of the engine grew louder.

Alina’s heart gradually rose to her throat.

As expected.

The engine sound stopped when it reached her side. A snowmobile blocked Alina’s path, carrying two fully armed Ursus soldiers.

”You! Stop!!”

A rough and unpleasant voice called out to Alina.

Alina’s heart clenched, and her hand gripping the basket strap tightened involuntarily.

She feigned the fear characteristic of an ordinary person and looked at the two men, asking timidly.

”Excuse me... Officers, what can I do for you?”

One of the Ursus soldiers suddenly noticed Alina’s delicate features, and a hint of delight flashed in his eyes. It was rare to find such a pretty girl in these remote villages. They had patrolled several villages, and most of them were full of women with waists thicker than barrels. Even the young girls had skin rougher than cloth shoes. None were as lovely as the girls from the city.

To unexpectedly run into such a pretty girl on the road, their luck was incredible.

”What are you doing?! Why are you out here?”

”I’m out trading for some food for my family...” Alina acted frightened, not daring to look them in the eye.

”Oh~~”

In reality.

The two Ursus soldiers already basically believed her. After all, if she were Infected, she would have probably turned tail and run at the sight of them, not stood here.

But... who said only the Infected were their business...

A lecherous smile crossed the driver’s lips as he raised his voice, trying to scare Alina.

”We are the Infected Pickets! There have been Infected roaming this area recently. Your behavior just now was highly suspicious. We suspect you are one of the Infected! Take off your clothes! Let us properly check your body for any disgusting Originium crystals. If there’s no problem, we’ll naturally let you go. If you resist inspection, then we’ll have to take you back for a personal examination.”

”!!!”

Alina began to panic. She wanted to run, but the two soldiers in front of her were armed, and they had a snowmobile. There was no way to escape...

What to do! What to do!!

Watching the two approaching Ursus soldiers, Alina’s heart pounded with anxiety. She slowly reached for the sharp dagger Talulah had given her for self-defense, hidden in her pocket.

Just then.

A confident male voice resounded in her mind.

”You seem to be in need of assistance, lovely young lady.”

The suddenness of the voice startled Alina.

”What was that sound?!”

Alina quickly looked around. The voice had been crystal clear, as if it had sounded directly inside her head.

The two leering Ursus soldiers walked closer, smirking. ”What are you talking about, little girl? There’s no one else here but the three of us. You can scream all you...”

”Stop looking. I am in your mind. It’s a long story, but the situation is critical. If you don’t want to be assaulted, relax your mind quickly. I will resolve this crisis for you.”

Looking at the rapidly approaching Ursus soldiers.

Alina knew there was no other way. She could only take a deep breath, try to relax, and trust this unknown voice.

Suddenly...

Alina felt as if her soul had been pushed aside. For a moment, she lost control of her own body.

Though she could still think and see the outside world through her eyes, her entire body felt as if it had been anesthetized. She couldn’t move, not even a small action like blinking.

”What’s happening?!”

Amidst Alina’s astonishment, her body suddenly moved, and that very pleasant male voice sounded within her soul.

”My name is Lucas Reeve, a remnant soul that can grant wishes.”

After taking over Alina’s body, Lucas Reeve smiled faintly.

The two Ursus soldiers, who had been grinning lecherously, saw Alina, who a second ago had been like a pitiful lamb awaiting slaughter, suddenly undergo a dramatic change in demeanor. Her new aura was like that of a ferocious beast, chillingly cold. The ’heroic’ ambition that had just been kindled in the two soldiers’ hearts was instantly extinguished, and a flicker of fear even arose within them.

”What the hell! What’s with this woman!!!”

However, in the next second.

Lucas Reeve was already in front of them.

He unleashed Total Concentration Breathing.

Alina’s physical fitness was now greatly enhanced. She had no sword in her hand, but any object could be used as one!!

Lucas Reeve reached into the basket behind him, selected the longest, thickest, and hardest baguette, and, as if it were an iron rod, smashed it violently against one of the soldier’s heads.

Instantly, the soldier’s head buzzed. Despite the protection of his fleece hat, it couldn’t block the blow.

”My god! This bread is way too hard...”

Even Lucas Reeve himself hadn’t expected a baguette to have the impact of a steel pipe. A single strike knocked one of the soldiers unconscious. A bit brutal...

Could anyone even bite this thing?

The other soldier finally snapped out of his daze and started cursing, preparing to retaliate.

However.

Just as he was about to draw his weapon, the bread, imbued with the breathing technique, descended upon his forehead. With a clang, the second soldier also collapsed to the ground.

”All done~

Lucas Reeve tossed the bread back into the basket, dusted off his hands, and returned control of the body to Alina.

When Alina regained control of her body, she was still in disbelief. She thought she was dreaming, but the two unconscious Ursus soldiers on the ground reminded her that everything that had just happened was real.

”Um... who... are you?”

Alina was still in a state of disbelief as she mumbled to herself.

”Lucas Reeve.”

Lucas Reeve’s voice sounded, confirming that it wasn’t an illusion. It was real!!

However, in the next second.

Lucas Reeve’s soul form floated out of the bracelet, arms crossed, a slight smile on his lips.

”Hiss!!!”

Alina gasped. Her expression was now identical to Jessica’s when she first saw him.

”A ghost!!!”

”Um... actually, I’m a soul form...”

Fortunately, Lucas Reeve was quite handsome, with black hair and black eyes that gave him a deep, charming, and very comfortable feeling. If it were some other, less attractive soul, Alina might have already screamed in terror.

Is this what they call a world that judges by looks?