Chapter 15: Important intelligence

“Wu Xiaomi! Where are you going? Why are you hiding from us… Wu Xiaomi!”

Kang Jie called out loudly again and again.

Wu Xiaomi’s head buzzed from the shouting.

Ugh, so annoying!

Stop yelling, I can hear you just fine!

“Wu Xiaomi! We’re here to rescue you! Don’t run!”

Seeing the girl ignore Kang Jie, all the Xinhua members in the area started calling out her name.

As if afraid the whole world didn’t know she was called Wu Xiaomi.

I get it, bro, stop yelling already, I’m begging you.

“Wait, did you say her name is Wu Xiaomi?” 

Bai Xiaozhi parted her cherry lips slightly, clearly confused. 

“She’s also called Wu Xiaomi?”

“Huh? You didn’t know? Unless she lied and didn’t give her real name…”

Didn’t give my real name? That’s right! I never gave my real name!

“Actually, I…” 

Wu Xiaomi quickly jumped on the excuse, starting to spin a story, “Actually, my real name…”

“Oh right,” Kang Jie suddenly remembered and slapped his thigh, cutting her off.

“When we first formed the team, her name on the roster was Wu Xiaomi! The name list doesn’t lie… her real name must be Wu Xiaomi!”

“……”

If only forgetting things could be as easy as chewing a lighter—why does your memory have to be so annoyingly good?

“What’s wrong?” 

Kang Jie sensed something off and scratched his head sheepishly. 

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s just… funny,” Bai Xiaozhi narrowed her eyes, hiding the spark of suspicion. 

“My brother’s name is also Wu Xiaomi.”

“Huh? Same name?”

“Maybe, but it’s too much of a coincidence.”

A man named Wu Xiaomi befriends another Wu Xiaomi, then entrusts Wu Xiaomi to look after his sister.

One of the Wu Xiaomis is now missing without a trace.

It sounds like a tongue-twister.

But anyone with a functioning brain would realize something’s off.

“You’re also called Wu Xiaomi?” 

Bai Xiaozhi grabbed the girl trying to slip away by the nape.

“Yeah… same name,” Wu Xiaomi feigned calm, “I was just as shocked when I met your brother. In a world this big, the odds of two people with the same name meeting… must be fate. That’s why we clicked instantly.”

“Oh~——” Bai Xiaozhi drew out the sound, “That’s all?”

“What else would it be?”

Yeah, what else could it be?

“Then why are you acting so guilty?”

“I’m not acting guilty at all!” 

Wu Xiaomi put her hands on her hips, puffing up weakly in defense.

“If you’re not guilty, why were you running?”

“I… I still had toothpaste in my mouth!”

Something’s off, definitely fishy.

Even if it’s just a coincidence, her reaction is clearly… unusual.

“Let me go! I need to rinse my mouth!”

Bai Xiaozhi thought for a long moment before finally letting go.

No matter how much the girl denied it.

The seed of suspicion was already planted in Bai Xiaozhi’s heart.

She had some vague theories, but they were too outlandish…

And if they were false, she almost hoped they were true. 

But if they were true… oh, that would be so good~!

“Uh… what exactly is your relationship?” Kang Jie asked tentatively.

Wu Xiaomi was lively and energetic—not the vibe of someone who’d been kidnapped.

Not knowing Kang Jie’s background, Bai Xiaozhi kept up her cold, villainous aura.

“She’s under my protection, for now.”

“You seem familiar… May I ask who you are?” 

Kang Jie asked with a clasped fist, full of martial flair. 

“Bian An Strategy Group, leader, Bai Xiaozhi.”

“Bian An? That group full of elite recruits from the Spiritualist Academy, and currently the top provider of strategy intel on the Boluoboluo platform, that Bian An?!”

“Probably.” 

Bai Xiaozhi leaned against the stone table without changing expression.

Kang Jie waved his hand, signaling his people to lower their weapons.

“In the last strategy mission, Wu Xiaomi did us Xinhua a great favor. We owe her a lot, so we came to make sure she was safe. We heard she’d been kidnapped, so we rushed over…”

“Thanks for coming,” Bai Xiaozhi propped her chin on her hand, lips curling with a mischievous smile, a predatory glint in her eyes. 

“The intel you brought is… very important.”

“Haha, compared to Bian An’s contributions to all strategy players, Xinhua’s nothing.” Kang Jie chuckled bitterly.

“We’re just lucky. No need for self-deprecation.”

……

Wu Xiaomi stepped out of the bathroom.

Her expression was once again calm.

The best way to conquer fear is—

To act like you don’t care~

“Wu Xiaomi! You okay?” Kang Jie waved at her with concern.

Wu Xiaomi flashed a dazzling, sunshine-bright smile. “I’m great.”

Never been better.

January 12, New Calendar—Kang Jie repaid kindness with betrayal, even if not on purpose… whatever, I’m still writing it down!

“By the way, want to come check out Xinhua’s base?”

“You guys already built a base?” Wu Xiaomi was curious.

“One person’s points aren’t enough, but if everyone pitches in, it’s easy.”

Whenever Kang Jie mentioned Xinhua, he was serious and full of hope.

“Thanks to that setback,” Kang Jie smiled wryly, “some chose to board the Noah’s Ark, others chose to enjoy life while it lasted.

Luckily, a few lunatics like me chose to stay and keep the spark alive.”

Growth always comes with pain, and Wu Xiaomi didn’t know how to comfort him.

“Wanna come? Xinhua’s base is safe. Want to live with us?”

“No thanks,” Wu Xiaomi shook her head gently, “I… don’t do well with crowds…”

She was used to being alone. In a group, it just felt noisy and cumbersome.

“In times like this, there’s safety in numbers.”

Shake of the head.

More people, more problems.

“There’s only one Wu Xiaomi, but she’s very tempting,” Bai Xiaozhi suddenly said, “If two people in your group fall for her… what will you do?”

“Huh?” Kang Jie paused to think.

“Of course, with Wu Xiaomi’s charm, two is conservative. After some time together, your whole team—men and maybe even women—might fall for her… and for you.”

In Bai Xiaozhi’s cold, beautiful eyes was a calm that even Kang Jie found intimidating. 

“Don’t deny it yet, it’s a biological instinct. So if that happens… As a team leader, what will you do? Let her become some pathetic communal release valve? Or let infighting tear you apart?”

“I…” Kang Jie was speechless.

“You’re not a tyrant. You’re not ruthless or domineering enough to make others fear you, to stop them from coveting Wu Xiaomi… So, are you sure you want her in Xinhua?”

Message delivered.

Kang Jie broke into a cold sweat.

“Looks like I’ve got a long way to go… but you seem really young, how come…”

“Read more. The materials exchange list includes books.” Bai Xiaozhi shook the Management Studies book in her hand. “I only started it last night.”

Huh? So last night when Bai Xiaozhi was on watch, she was reading something that serious?

What was I doing last night on watch again?

“……”

Blushed.

Ahem! Not thinking about it anymore!

……

After seeing Kang Jie and his crew off, Wu Xiaomi went straight back into her little nest under the umbrella, lounging and watching videos.

“Why are you… using an umbrella indoors?”

Lulutina rubbed her sleepy eyes and came out yawning.

“Look, there’s a bump on top of the umbrella,” Wu Xiaomi pointed seriously at it, “So next time a crow thief falls down…”

“Hiss—”

Lulutina jumped back in fright.

Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of ropes.

Wu Xiaomi had been hit once and was now thoroughly spooked—she wasn’t letting go of that umbrella, even indoors.

Who knows what might fall from the ceiling?

A beautiful girl from the sky? 

Ha, ask for my umbrella first.

“That’s how you’re using the Umbrella of Abundance?” 

Bai Xiaozhi rubbed her forehead, speechless.

“…You know this umbrella?”

“Our Shamanism class happened to cover the Umbrella of Abundance,” Bai Xiaozhi nodded. 

“It’s a decent spirit-source medium that enhances most Shaman-type abilities by about 10% to 20%.”

That’s it?

“Don’t underestimate it. That’s actually the highest boost for items of this grade.”

“Oh…”

So, still just that much.

Disappointed.

Wu Xiaomi didn’t care. 

She curled up under the umbrella and kept watching her videos.

In her mind, strategy is one thing, rest is another.

This three-day break between missions was clearly meant for relaxing~

So of course it was time to chill out~

Only then would she be in perfect condition for the next mission.

……

Everyone had their own way of unwinding. 

Wu Xiaomi preferred lazily watching videos.

Listening to creators tell jokes while absorbing strategy intel—very chill.

Bai Xiaozhi, on the other hand, thought reading was relaxation.

To her left was a Management Studies book, to her right a copy of Yandere Demon Lord Training Guide.

When the dense Management Studies became too much, she would switch to reciting the tactics and traits of a yandere demon lord to give her brain a break.

“Hoo—ha—”

Lulutina was practicing her Wall Softening spell.

[A strategy event is about to begin. Countdown: 3 minutes.]

The sudden pop-up alert gave everyone a scare.

What the hell?

They were supposed to have three full days of rest—only one had passed. 

Why was the countdown already hitting zero?

Did I time-travel to the future?

“Ah—did you guys see that?” 

Lulutina pointed at the notification in panic.

“We saw.” Bai Xiaozhi nodded.

It felt just like that first day of summer break, sleeping in, only to be woken up by the head teacher’s call saying—Haha! School’s starting two months early! Surprise!

Your blood pressure just spikes.

“We’ve all added each other as friends. Contact me if you run into danger,” Bai Xiaozhi strapped on her sword. 

“Stock up on food, water, and weapons—prepare for unexpected situations.”

They scrambled to get ready, but another message popped up.

[This is a special strategy event. Return in 24 hours.]

[During this strategy, any method of earning points will yield double, with a chance for special rewards.]

“Double points? Special rewards?”

Now that got my attention… not!

Her stomach still ached with phantom pain from being impaled by a spiked club.

Wu Xiaomi had zero desire to go through another life-or-death ordeal.

All she wanted was to lie flat in peace.

Let someone else be the hero.

[Teleportation commencing.]

The notification changed.

That familiar weightless sensation returned, the world quickly dissolving from sight.

It felt like her soul traveled through endless galaxies before landing on another world’s surface.

Wait, wait… isn’t this landing impact a bit too strong?!

……

Dull. Damp.

When Wu Xiaomi woke up, it was pitch black.

She tried to move, but was surrounded on all sides by hard walls.

The space was so tight she couldn’t even lift her arms.

The wall in front of her pressed right against her nose, smelling faintly of wood.

She couldn’t budge it and there was no room to turn.

No exit above or below either.

Wu Xiaomi finally realized—she was sealed in on all sides.

“…Where… is this?”

The extreme claustrophobia quickly triggered rising panic.

But she forced herself to breathe slowly and steadily, conserving oxygen.

Her back felt uncomfortably lumpy.

It seemed like a pile of sticks or branches had been scattered beneath her—hard, rough, poking her from underneath.

“Is anyone there… help… anyone…”

She didn’t know how long she’d been stuck here before waking up.

Already soft-spoken, Wu Xiaomi now felt dizzy and weak—she could barely raise her voice.

Her cries for help came out barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

“Whoosh—thud—whoosh—thud—”

Wu Xiaomi heard noises from outside.

Rhythmic. Even. And deeply unsettling.

The sound of a shovel slicing into dirt, followed by soil and gravel falling onto the box around her.

A wooden box buried in dirt?

No—a coffin!

I’m being buried alive!

Despair clenched her heart like a vice, squeezing out every last drop of blood.

“That should seal it properly,” came a familiar voice from outside the coffin.

The village chief?

The one burying me… is Village Chief Muxi?

“Can’t be careless,” said a woman’s voice, “This is just one of them.”

Nanalia? Why would she be burying me…

Wait—the village chief said it’s a seal.

What are they sealing?

Me? No—that doesn’t make sense. 

If they meant to harm me, they would’ve done it long ago.

Which means…

They’re not sealing me.

Then what?

Click-click—

A cold breeze brushed the nape of her neck.

Then came a strange cracking sound, like bones being crushed underfoot.

The sound came from directly behind her.

Twisting.

As if… something was being pieced together.