Chapter 7: Strategy

As blood flowed, the power of the Spirit of Abundance surged forth.

A warm sensation gathered around her senses and skin and then, Wu Xiaomi realized that her perception of the world had changed.

An overwhelming flood of information poured into her mind.

“The breeze brushing against my skin, the wriggling of pill bugs under the stone slabs, and even the feather patterns on geese gliding across the clouds…”

Never had the world felt so vivid to Wu Xiaomi.

The most immediate change was— she could actually see the wild geese soaring in the high sky, and more than that, she had a confident clarity, a certainty that she could draw a bow and hit them with precision.

Her five senses had been greatly enhanced. 

Not only that, but her control over her body had also improved drastically.

There was no need for deliberate calculation or thought— it felt instinctual, as if this was how her body was always meant to be.

“This… this is…”

Nanalia stared at her in stunned silence, covering her mouth. 

“Shaman Sequence 79— Hunter’s Instinct!”

“Is that impressive?”

Of course it is! 

Nanalia grumbled inwardly.

“It’s… so-so,” she muttered sourly. 

“Waking up at Sequence 79 on your first awakening, your talent is just… slightly better than mine.”

“What’s your sequence?”

—Ha, just reverse 79 and you’ll get it.

Naturally, she’d never admit it aloud— not in front of her apprentice.

“Here.” 

Nanalia moved aside the statue of the Spirit of Abundance to reveal a storage box underneath. 

She rummaged inside and pulled out several new sanitary pads. 

“These are cloth strips.”

“Thank you…”

“I’ll take the blanket to wash.”

“That’s too much trouble… Isn’t cleaning the shrine my job?”

“It’s your special time, so stay away from cold water and rest properly! Hmph!”

Even though she was jealous of her apprentice’s natural gifts, it didn’t dampen the gentle heart of the shrine maiden.

……

Wu Xiaomi didn’t want to stay in the shrine to rest.

There were too many worries weighing on her heart for her to just lie around peacefully.

Like Bai Xiaozhi’s situation. 

Or how to gain more Strategy Points.

“Kiddo, someone’s here to see you!”

Huh? Who would come all the way out here?

“Said his name is Kang Jie, claims he’s from your hometown.”

Kang Jie? 

Oh, the physics teacher who gave that speech.

Why would he come looking for me?

“I’ll go see him.”

Wu Xiaomi slowly got up from the bed, wincing.

Her back was sore.

“You okay? Want me to come with you?” 

Nanalia asked with concern.

“I’m fine. No need.”

It was the first time in days that Wu Xiaomi had stepped outside the shrine.

She froze for a moment when she saw Kang Jie waiting at the gate.

—He now wore a tattered cloak, a greatsword strapped to his back, and his stubbled chin was stained with blood. 

He had the rugged air of an adventurer, completely different from the meek physics teacher she remembered.

Of course, Kang Jie was stunned when he saw Wu Xiaomi too, dazed for several seconds.

She now wore the simple ceremonial robes of a shrine maiden, the same design as Nanalia’s.

It made her look sacred and graceful—pure and soft like a divine maiden.

“Looks like we’ve both been through a lot.”

“Yeah.”

Wu Xiaomi sighed softly and stepped down the stairs.

“Come on, there’s a nice place downtown. My team’s meeting there.”

Stepping through the tavern doors felt like tumbling from the heavens into the mortal world—the clamor and familiar swearing inside made Wu Xiaomi feel strangely at home.

She had only been away from home for seven days, but the homesickness had already become overwhelming.

“This is our strategy group.” 

Kang Jie said as he sat by the tavern window, nodding to the others around the room with a smile. 

“We call it ‘Kindling.’”

Passing the flame to the next— ‘The Flame of Survival’.

Her eyes suddenly stung with emotion.

“That old man over there is an astrophysicist from the Summer Academy. He’s now a Sequence 97 magician. And the one sitting across from him is a graduate student in geology—they’re working on Earth modeling, breaking it down structurally to prepare for rebuilding in the future.”

“That over there is host Huang Xiao—you probably remember her from broadcasting the Doomsday Countdown for us. She’s now using the live-streaming function embedded in her jewelry to teach our fellow survivors the rules of this new world. She’ll also be responsible for broadcasting our future raids in real time.”

“Jewelry can livestream?”

“You didn’t know?”

Kang Jie raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Just touch the jewelry and mentally say ‘Summon,’ and you’ll bring up the function list. It includes friend messaging, quest logs, global channels, livestreaming… basically like a smartphone. It even has a Minesweeper.”

That was news to her.

Who even figured this out in the first place? 

Probably some wildly imaginative chuuni.

“As for me,” Kang Jie tapped his chest with his index finger, “I’ve been entrusted by our comrades to temporarily serve as the leader of the ‘Kindling’ strategy team. It’s my job to guide everyone to survive.”

Wu Xiaomi actually had a bit of admiration for the man before her.

To be able to step up so quickly and rally people after witnessing the destruction of their home— this was the mark of a true leader.

At least, it was something she knew she couldn’t do. 

She wasn’t good with people, let alone leading an entire team.

“You’ve received a mission too, haven’t you?” 

Kang Jie tapped his ring, bringing up a glowing interface. 

“Our current objective is to ‘Retrieve the Sacred Source Crystal.’ After a few days of investigation, we’ve finally pinpointed its location.”

“Oh?”

“It’s deep in the Misty Woodlands, guarded by a massive Beastmask creature.” 

Kang Jie sighed. 

“It’s incredibly powerful. We’ve already lost many of our people to it… Solo attempts are impossible.”

“So you’re looking for help?”

“Exactly. I still remember when you first arrived, being carried into the shrine by the shrine maiden herself.” Kang Jie gave a wry smile, his tone tinged with envy. “We later learned that she’s one of the strongest protectors of this village…”

“So I was hoping you could ask the shrine maiden to help us.”

“Nanalia is indeed strong, but she can’t defeat that massive Beastmask creature” 

Wu Xiaomi shook her head gently. 

“She wants to retrieve the Sacred Source Crystal more than anyone. If she could defeat it, she would’ve gone already.”

“I looked into her abilities— she specializes in support. She’s the most powerful Shaman Sequence user in the village,” Kang Jie said earnestly. 

“We don’t need her to fight. If she could just buff us during the raid— boost our combat power— that’d be more than enough.”

“If that’s all, you don’t need to ask me. I’m sure Nanalia would be more than willing to help on her own. You can talk to her directly.”

“Is that so? Alright, then I’ll pay her a visit before the raid,” Kang Jie let out a breath of relief. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” he smiled slightly. 

“May I ask what your combat capabilities are, miss? We’ll be launching the raid at noon tomorrow. To keep everyone safe, the more allies we have, the better… Would we be honored by your presence?”

“Of course.”

This was her goal to begin with—there was no reason to refuse.

“Then it’s settled. 10 a.m. tomorrow, we gather here at this tavern to form the raid party. Don’t be late.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

……

Not long after Wu Xiaomi left—

At a nearby table, a hooded figure in a black robe stood up.

He exited the tavern, touched the ring on his finger, and murmured quietly:

“Target located—the one and only Twin Serpent Anklet. A girl, pinkish hair, very pretty.”