Chapter 18: We’ll Meet Again Soon

When Seraphina arrived at the isolated test field in the western sector, even she—normally calm and composed—couldn’t hide the astonishment on her face.

Just one night.

The patch of ashen-black soil she had personally classified as a “dead zone”—heavily polluted by the grey fog, barren and lifeless…

Now, had actually…

Sprouted green.

And not just that—the speed of growth had already far surpassed any normal plant’s development cycle.

A small section of what had been hardened, cracked soil had turned soft and moist. The choking stench of sulfur had also diminished significantly.

This level of change wasn’t just improbable—it bordered on the miraculous, like raising the dead, mending bones, reversing the very root of the world’s devastation…

And as if that weren’t enough, it came with an unexpectedly delightful twist.

A few delicate, pale-yellow seedlings had pushed through the cracked dirt, their tiny, barely visible leaves trembling gently in the cool morning breeze.

That burst of green, framed by the surrounding black, death-soaked wasteland, was jarringly out of place—and utterly shocking.

So small. So fragile. A single touch might snap them in half.
Yet they radiated a terrifying, irresistible vitality.

“Your Majesty…” One of the accompanying guards had also witnessed the impossible scene, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Seraphina said nothing.

She strode quickly to the edge of the test field, crouched down, and extended a gloved finger to gently touch the first sprouted seedling.

The texture was soft, tender—real.

Not an illusion?

She stared intently at the tiny sprout, complex emotions and a fierce gleam swirling in the depths of her eyes.

This little thing…

She really was special.

“What’s the data say?” Seraphina asked, trying to suppress the excitement in her voice as she turned to her adjutant.

“Soil pH has nearly reached neutral. Heavy metal content has dropped by 60%. Nutrient absorption and moisture retention have both shown dramatic improvement…” Evelyn flipped through the data quickly and continued reporting:

“At the current rate, this land could reach standard cultivation levels by… this afternoon?”

“Tomorrow’s projections… indicate it may even exceed top-tier farmland.”

No.

This wasn’t just “improvement.”

This was a complete transformation.

Seraphina’s breathing quickened.

No wonder Oasis had risen so rapidly…

Her value had already far exceeded what Seraphina had initially estimated.

The “Maiden of Abundance” wasn’t just a myth—it was real. A living, breathing miracle, capable of overturning the entire wasteland order.

Food scarcity? Solved.
The world? Would kneel at her feet.

“Bring her here.” Seraphina’s voice was hoarse with excitement, though she tried to contain it. “I want her to see this with her own eyes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Fifteen minutes later.

When Mili was brought before Seraphina, head down and walking unsteadily, her reaction wasn’t at all what Seraphina had anticipated.

Not even close.

She didn’t look amazed.
Didn’t look happy.

She simply stared blankly at the tiny sprouts poking through the soil, her pale face as expressionless and hollow as ever.

As if this miracle that could shake the world had nothing to do with her.

Well, of course.

The greater her value, the tighter the surveillance and control…

But what did it matter?

Seraphina herself would be watching her. That alone was an honor.

Seraphina frowned slightly at the girl’s demeanor—but soon smiled.

“You see that?” She stepped behind Mili, gently lifting the girl’s chin while pointing toward the seedlings with her other hand. “Amazing, isn’t it? That’s your power.”

Mili’s lashes trembled faintly, but she said nothing.

“They’re alive.” Seraphina’s voice took on a coaxing tone. “Because of you.”

“I’ll give you the best treatment. Everything you want.”

“As long as you behave…”

Mili bowed her head, eyes closed, silent.

Seraphina rose from behind her, turning to Evelyn.

“Reject all of those old bastards’ counter-proposals. From today on, none are to be considered.”

“Expand the experiments. Clear out the entire western sector. Lock down the mines and rezone it for agriculture.”

“Anyone who dares to interfere…”

“Execute them on sight.”

Evelyn nodded in acknowledgment.

“Let’s go.” Seraphina patted the girl’s shoulder, clearly in high spirits. “Today is a very good day.”

On the way back to the palace, the air was heavy.

Seraphina, still irritated by Mili’s lackluster response, wore a deep frown.

But she couldn’t stop herself from basking in her excitement either. Her steps were noticeably lighter, the corners of her lips stretched in a grin so wide it bordered on manic—so much so that people dared not approach her.

As they passed a heavily guarded supply transfer station, several figures in the Elder Council’s servant uniforms hurried over.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with a steward’s air about him.

He bowed respectfully to Seraphina.

“Your Majesty, the Elder Council requests your—”

“Out of my sight.”

Seraphina didn’t even slow down. The single icy word smashed into the steward like a brick.

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“Evelyn. Remove him,” Seraphina waved dismissively. “—Cleanly.”

The steward paled. He tried to speak, but Seraphina’s guards were already on him. They covered his mouth and dragged him away, vanishing around a corner before anyone could blink.

“Y-You can’t do this! Your Majesty! Please reconsider—!”

“One more word and you can go join him.”

In the moment Seraphina was confronting those spies, Mili had fallen a few steps behind.

Suddenly, a rough but warm hand shot out from the shadows beside her, slipping something small into her palm—and vanished just as quickly.

Startled, Mili recoiled.

She looked around—only the emotionless faces of the guards surrounded her.

No one was watching her.

Was it a hallucination?

No.

In her palm was a tiny, neatly folded slip of paper—no bigger than a fingertip.

Mili’s heart skipped a beat. She dared not speak or move too quickly, only clutching the note tightly as sweat pooled in her palm.

Who?

Who would do something like this… here?

With a casual wave of Seraphina’s hand, the guards split into two groups—one followed Evelyn to “deal with” the previous stewards, and the other surged forward to violently confront the Elder Council’s subordinates.

Mili fought to maintain her composure, even as her heart roared. Using her thumb, she slowly unfolded the paper, hiding it in her hands.

She quickly glanced toward Seraphina, who was still reveling in her triumph and not paying attention.

Only then did Mili dare to open the paper.

It held just one line, written in elegant, flowing script:

“Don’t be afraid, child. We’ll meet very soon.”

Child?

That word…

Sister Lin Lan would never call her that.

A flicker of confusion passed through Mili’s mind.

It wasn’t Lin Lan.

So then… who?

Frowning, she nervously rubbed her hands together, the small note now hidden in her palms, tearing it bit by bit.

“What’s taking you so long?”

Seraphina’s voice called out not far ahead.

Startled, Mili quickly straightened up and pretended nothing had happened.

The shredded pieces of the note slipped through her fingers, scattering among the sand and dust beneath her feet.

Her tiny hand was soon empty again.

Yet inside her, a flicker of hope rose—tinged with deep, unsettling questions.

Whoever it was, one thing was certain:

Someone out there still knew about her. Still cared.

Maybe it was time to start thinking about escape.

No matter who was coming to save her… she had to be ready.

Even if it was her first time…

With Seraphina’s nature, it would likely be her only time.

And it had to count.

She couldn’t miss it.