Chapter 40: Han Nuo, Bai Xiaozhi, Lulutina, Wu Xiaomi

Not everyone is worthy of boarding the Ark.

Unlike Kang Jie, Ark leader Han Nuo firmly believed in this principle.

“We’re here. Let’s begin.”

This was the peak of Manggu Mountain.

After a 24-hour trek, the Ark members had finally reached the planned location.

It was still within the Manggu Mountain range.

The mountain paths were rugged, and escaping from the Mirror Night’s landing site would take at least another ten days.

But Han Nuo wasn’t in a hurry.

Without so many burdens, this time he brought only fifty people.

Fifty people, five giant leather tarps, some wood, some hammers and nails, and a few ropes.

These seemingly useless items were everything the Ark had exchanged with their points.

“Time is short. Finish it as quickly as possible. The first team to finish gets a three-day vacation.”

Most of the Ark members were formerly mercenaries, skilled in mechanical assembly and highly efficient in action.

Standing at the mountain top, Han Nuo could see a golden patch in the distance— that was the wheat field of Fengshou Village.

“Sorry.”

He felt a bit of pity— regret at Kang Jie’s doomed fate tonight.

Along the way, he had heard of Kang Jie’s plan: some people hiding in the safehouse, others building walls.

He actually thought he could save everyone?!

“Still too young. Hasn’t been beaten by life enough.”

Shaking his head, Han Nuo sighed.

He didn’t like Kang Jie’s foolishness, but he didn’t mind seeing people like that.

Not because he had any expectations for him.

Just curiosity— curious how far a naïve fool like that could go.

So far, it seemed Kang Jie had reached the end of the line.

Without Wu Xiaomi’s help, the Spark team would’ve likely been wiped out in the very first mission.

That they lasted this long was pure luck.

“As for that Wu Xiaomi, still no sign of her.”

Han Nuo considered the movements of the other factions.

Among the noteworthy teams in the Manggu Mountains were [Spark], [Ark], and [Other Shore]. [Monsoon]— that group of lunatics— barely counted, and they weren’t much of a threat.

Spark’s leader was a dumb brute, and tonight he’d likely meet his end— maybe even drag Monsoon down with him.

The only real concern was the Other Shore.

Other Shore— Bai Xiaozhi.

She’d disappeared completely, whereabouts unknown…

The members of Other Shore were all students, allowed to live on campus. They could easily spend the night safely.

She had probably already hidden at the school, right?

Hmph, in the end, just a child.

No matter how fierce she acted on the surface, it was all bluster.

When it came down to it, she’d just hide in her mother’s arms and cry.

Not worth mentioning.

……

High up in the treetops, Bai Xiaozhi quietly watched Han Nuo below.

“So that’s it.”

Watching the leather tarps and wood being assembled by the Ark team, she gradually understood.

“Smart idea.”

No wonder that woman told her to follow Han Nuo.

As she watched the pieces come together—

Bai Xiaozhi silently drew her sword.

……

Dungeon, half an hour earlier.

“Hurry up, are you done yet?!”

Wu Xiaomi sat at the edge of a straw mat, trying her best to block the hole behind it with her body.

From inside the hole came Lulutina’s voice.

Whether it was the walls of the prison cell or the shackles, they were all made of matter.

And Lulutina’s ability allowed her to liquefy most non-living materials.

Escaping wasn’t hard— avoiding the guards’ eyes was.

“It’s time to enjoy the night.”

Footsteps echoed from the dungeon entrance— it was the butler.

To savor the joy of dissecting Wu Xiaomi, he had rented out the entire asylum.

Knives and saws of all sizes filled the room, coated in black paint.

“Bring her out. It’s time to begin.”

The footsteps grew louder.

“Are you done yet?!”

“Done, done!”

Wu Xiaomi quickly jumped into the hole.

The tunnel sloped down all the way to the sewers.

But it wasn’t time to relax.

“Run!”

The hole was narrow, just wide enough for two girls to barely squeeze through.

The butler couldn’t follow right away.

But the place wasn’t safe either.

The underground pipes branched everywhere, and the two soon got lost.

“We can’t even find an exit—are we going to die in this stinking place?” Lulutina wailed. “No way—!”

“Wait, I have an idea.”

Wu Xiaomi carefully examined the water flow.

There was a channel where the water was barely moving.

“Remember? Last night when we dug the escape tunnel, the dirt we removed blocked a pipe.”

“So this one…”

“This must lead to the museum!”

Once they confirmed the direction, they ran toward it.

Thank goodness— Shilin City’s sewer system had two walkways.

They didn’t have to wade through sewage, or even dirty their clothes.

“Bless whoever designed this.”

Unfortunately, even at full effort, Wu Xiaomi’s frail body couldn’t run fast.

By the time they reached their destination, only five minutes remained before Mirror Night began.

“Into the tunnel.”

They followed the same path from last time, crawling to the underground of the museum.

Wu Xiaomi pulled a water bottle from her inventory.

She twisted the cap halfway open.

And suddenly— she ascended into the museum.

“Don’t move!”

Wu Xiaomi stood in the center of the museum, holding the water bottle high.

“You escaped?”

At first, the guards were only a little surprised.

Wu Xiaomi had already been defeated by them once—if they could catch her once, they could catch her again.

Until they saw the water bottle in her hand.

“You, you, you, and you— all guards, out!”

Her childish voice tried its best to sound firm.

It would’ve been laughable— Except for that bottle in her hand.

And suddenly, it was terrifying.

“Less than… three minutes left until Mirror Night begins. If I pour this water on the museum’s smooth floor, you all know what will happen.”

The water would fill in the fine cracks in the floor and create a mirror-like surface.

The monsters of Mirror Night would crawl out of it.

And drag away every living thing inside the museum.

Bang—!

Seeing the guards hesitate, Wu Xiaomi slammed a bottle of water onto the ground.

Then quickly pulled out two more bottles.

“You… are you insane?!”

The expressions on the guards’ faces twisted visibly.

“Only three minutes left now~” Lulutina added, patting the dust off her small black hands. “With your strength, you still have time to run home and hide. But if you don’t leave now…”

The museum was no longer safe. If they didn’t leave, they’d be spending the night with Mirror Night.

The museum did have a Resonator, but its owner had strictly forbidden anyone from using his collection.

No matter the reason— using it without permission would be treated the same as theft.

But under these circumstances, surely using it to protect the artifacts wouldn’t be blamed… right?

“Have any of you used a Resonator before? Seen one in action? Do you even know what it does, how to operate it? Betting your life on some mysterious device you don’t understand… doesn’t seem worth it, does it~”

“Leave tomorrow morning, escape the Manggu Mountains, go into hiding for a few years. In the future, if you ever meet someone from Spark, Monsoon, or Other Shore— they’ll help you.”

Help from raiders?

“With your group? Barely at Sequence 90?”

What help could you possibly offer?

“Don’t underestimate raiders,” Lulutina stood back-to-back with Wu Xiaomi, both holding up water bottles. “Unlike you, you fight for a better life. We fight to survive. And in order to survive, humans can unleash terrifying imagination and potential.”

“…” The guards said nothing.

Just a bunch of refugees—where did their confidence come from?

“Whoever orchestrated tonight’s chaos must be some kind of twisted deity,” one of the guards muttered, slowly backing toward the exit, “but… you won’t get far. You’ll die soon enough, in the endless dangers out there.”

“No need for your concern. Two minutes left.”

The guard’s expression shifted—and finally, he made up his mind.

They bolted, one after another, racing home.

In the blink of an eye, only Wu Xiaomi and Lulutina were left in the museum.

They lifted the cloth covering one of the display cases and opened it.

Inside was the Resonator.

As Wu Xiaomi reached out, the ribbons on the Resonator automatically wrapped around her wrist and tied themselves in a knot.

“Since we’re here, we can’t leave empty-handed.”

She looked around at the many display cases.

Though all covered in black cloth, she remembered— they were full of valuable items.

“Lulutina.”

“No need to say it! Don’t underestimate the professional pride of a Crow Thief!”

There were plenty of priceless, powerful artifacts in those cases— leaving them here would be a waste.

If stealing one is a crime…

Then stealing ten makes no difference.

So why not… steal them all?

[Mirror Night descends. The carnival begins.]