Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

He looked down at her. ”These Crystal Cores?”

”I’m not sure what’s going on, but it seems I can purify these Crystal Cores. Then they become absorbable.”

Xie Ning spoke of it nonchalantly, but Gu Chen’s mind was reeling!

”Besides your brother, who else knows about this?”

Seeing his unusually serious expression, Xie Ning’s lighthearted tone faltered. ”Just... just you, I think.”

When he continued to stare at her, Xie Ning quickly added, ”My mom and the others... they’ve used the Crystal Cores I gave them, but they probably just assume all Crystal Cores are absorbable...”

Gu Chen resisted the urge to grab her shoulders and shake some sense into her.

”Wh-what’s with that look?” ’Does he think I’m an idiot?’

”You didn’t tell them anything. What if they accidentally let it slip? Do you have any idea what an ability like yours represents?”

”Endless trouble and conflict,” Gu Chen said, practically grinding his teeth.

”You’re always so careful. How could you overlook this?” Gu Chen grabbed her hand. ”Why did you tell me?”

His grip was a little uncomfortable, and Xie Ning shifted. ”I-I’m not an idiot. I would never tell anyone else something so important. But I think... you’re a good person.”

”Oh, thanks.” Gu Chen was at a loss, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

’I can’t believe I’m getting friend-zoned by her right before I leave.’

”Now, you listen to me and get this into that little head of yours. Pin this whole thing on me. No matter what weird abilities you have, just say I’m the one who gave you the Crystal Cores. Got it?”

”Tell your mother and the others the same thing.”

”That way, no matter what happens, even if one of them lets something slip, everyone will just think it’s my purification ability.”

Xie Ning thought for a moment before nodding cautiously. ”Won’t that cause trouble for you?”

Gu Chen looked amused. ”Do I look like the kind of guy who’s afraid of trouble?”

’He really doesn’t!’

Xie Ning pouted. ”Don’t worry. My family won’t just go around telling everyone.”

”It’s just a precaution,” Gu Chen said with a smile, accepting the small bag of Crystal Cores she offered. ”I’ll trade you a huge bag for them next time.”

Xie Ning nodded. She then took out two bags of pre-made Golden Needles, golden cones, Metal Spikes, and Metal Yo-Yos. She had him charge them with lightning before putting them away.

”Come on, I’ll walk you back.” Gu Chen gently squeezed her small hair bun and took her hand, heading toward Bamboo Orchid Garden.

They walked to the entrance of the garden under the faint moonlight.

Gu Chen suddenly remembered something. He pulled her under a street lamp and took a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

”I almost forgot. Take a look—is this who you’re looking for?”

”I stumbled upon a file this afternoon while looking through the base’s Superpower User records. The name Song Youxuan was listed in the spouse field. I wasn’t sure if it was your aunt, but I remember you telling me your aunt’s husband’s last name wasn’t Zhu?”

Xie Ning quickly took the crumpled paper and scanned it.

She frowned slightly when she saw the registrant’s name was Zhu Yong.

But when she saw the name Su Xiyue in the ”Children” field, she nearly jumped out of her skin. ”It’s her! It’s them!”

There was no way it could be a coincidence—a mother named Song Youxuan with a daughter named Su Xiyue.

When so many coincidences lined up, it meant it wasn’t a coincidence at all.

Gu Chen was happy for her, too. He squeezed her arm. ”Want me to go with you?”

Xie Ning shook her head. ”I’ll go tell my family first. You have to leave at five tomorrow morning, so you should go back and get ready. You should go.”

”If you can, wait until tomorrow morning to find your aunt.” Gu Chen glanced up at the dark sky. ”It’s too late now. The shantytown is a rough area, and I’d be worried.”

Xie Ning tilted her head. ”I’ll ask my uncles.”

She gave him a little wave and turned to run. ”You should head back.”

Gu Chen grabbed her arm and pulled her back, looking amused. ”You heartless little thing, trying to run off just like that. Who knows how long it’ll be until we see each other again after I leave? Hurry up and say goodbye to me properly.”

Xie Ning could only give another little wave and bid him a solemn farewell.

”Go on,” Gu Chen said with a smile. ”Eat well. I’ll wait for you to grow up.”

”Oh, right. And next time, don’t give me a bento box as a gift.” ’The symbolism is just awful!’

’Ever since Ningning gave him that bento box, she’d been ignoring him. Gu Chen genuinely felt he was developing a complex about bento boxes...’

Xie Ning froze for a second, then couldn’t help but giggle before darting back to the iron gate.

’That guy is kind of ridiculous. He’s become completely obsessed with that bento box.’

As Xie Ning entered the house, she was still wondering, ’What does he mean, wait for me to grow up?’

She couldn’t figure it out. But then she looked up, saw Song Youzhi, and immediately remembered the urgent matter at hand.

Song Youzhi took the crumpled paper and scanned it from top to bottom, his hands trembling slightly. ”It’s her. It’s Xiao Xuan and Yueyue. Tent 1126. I’m going right now...”

”Uncle, I’m going with you.”

”No,” her younger uncle, Song Youyi, said, walking over with a serious expression and shaking his head. ”Your older uncle and I will go have a look. It’s late, and there are so many tents in that area. Who knows where 1126 even is?”

”We’ll go scout things out first. It would be best if we can find them and bring them back now.” Song Youyi sighed, calm and composed. ”But I’m afraid we won’t find anyone this late. If not, we’ll just have to keep searching tomorrow.”

Xie Ning could only nod. She reminded her mother not to tell her grandparents yet, lest they get their hopes up for nothing and suffer a huge emotional swing.

Fortunately, her grandparents were already asleep by this time, so they were unaware that their sons had left.

”Who is this Zhu Yong? Why would Xiao Xuan be with him?” Song You’ai paced anxiously around the living room. ”Where did Su Tang go? Why isn’t he with her and Yueyue?”

”That’s right, where’s our brother-in-law? Don’t tell me something happened to him...”

”Mom, Aunt, please don’t work yourselves up and scare yourselves over nothing,” Xie Ning soothed.

”That’s right, maybe everything is fine.”

Xie Ning saw that aside from her grandparents, everyone else was present in the living room.

So she took the opportunity to tell them about the Cultivation Crystal Cores, explaining everything and instructing them not to reveal Xiao Gu’s special ability to anyone.

Everyone nodded in understanding.

They waited anxiously in the living room for over an hour.

A glance at the wall clock showed it was already a little past ten.

Seeing that her two younger brothers still hadn’t returned, Song You’ai couldn’t help but start pacing anxiously again.

Just then, the lock on the gate clicked. Song Kexin leaped up and ran to open it, immediately crying out in alarm, ”Uncle, what happened to your head?”