Chapter 68: The Crimson Core and a Dire Warning

By this point, Qiao Xia had encountered two distinct colors of crystal cores.

One was the white crystal core, extracted from the bulging foreheads of zombies. These served as the most rudimentary power sources, inedible, and incapable of awakening any supernatural abilities.

The other was a black crystal core, harvested from mutated plants, which offered a certain probability of awakening an ability.

Now, however, observing the red crystal core retrieved from the ghoul rat’s skull, Qiao Xia’s spirits soared. He was utterly intrigued, wondering what new purpose this crimson core might hold.

“The crystal cores found within mutated creatures’ brains are incredibly valuable,” Duan Yulan explained. “They serve as materials for upgrading abilities. You simply need to hold one in your palm to absorb its inherent energy. Once the energy is fully depleted, the core will shatter into dust.”

Noticing Qiao Xia’s bright, eager gaze, Duan Yulan extended her hand, placing the red crystal core directly into his palm after speaking.

Her casual demeanor showed she held no particular regard for the red crystal core.

Such an act of wealth allowed Qiao Xia to forgo any politeness with Duan Yulan. He already owed her a considerable debt, so adding another item to it was inconsequential.

As long as she didn’t demand he offer himself in return, he vowed that one day, when he grew stronger, he would repay Duan Yulan handsomely.

Though the red crystal core originated from a ghoul rat’s head, it was remarkably clean, completely free of grime. It gleamed brilliantly, much like a flawless ruby, appearing exceptionally beautiful.

As Qiao Xia tentatively tightened his grip, a surge of warmth coursed through his arm, rapidly spreading to every part of his body. It was a sensation of such blissful ecstasy that he felt himself floating, wishing to lose himself in it completely.

Yet, the pleasure was fleeting.

Once the hot current swiftly dissipated, Qiao Xia opened his tightly clenched palm. All that remained was a pile of crimson dust.

*Pop.* The joy was gone.

‘It’s already absorbed?’

Aside from a brief moment of pleasure, he didn’t feel any discernible difference within himself.

“To advance a rare elemental ability, you’ll require a significant number of red crystal cores; a single one isn’t particularly effective,” Duan Yulan clarified.

Noticing the confusion etched on Qiao Xia’s face, Duan Yulan offered an explanation, indicating that he still had a long journey ahead if he wished to elevate the level of his healing ability.

For now, he needed to remain grounded.

There was no need to dwell on unnecessary fantasies.

Compared to those who hadn’t even awakened an ability, they were already a significant step ahead. To desire an ability upgrade speed like a rocket would be truly too greedy.

Having endured a decade of struggle and survival in the apocalypse, Duan Yulan felt little novelty regarding these matters. Thus, she couldn’t fully grasp Qiao Xia’s inquisitive mindset, experiencing them for the very first time.

Her brutal dispatch of the ghoul rat this time was primarily to bolster Qiao Xia’s confidence.

These were merely low-level ghoul rats. She wondered what expression Qiao Xia would wear if they encountered a more formidable mutated creature.

Upon hearing Duan Yulan’s words, Qiao Xia simply nodded, reminding himself that haste makes waste.

Judging by the current situation, the chaos wouldn’t subside anytime soon, leaving him ample time to enhance his ability.

Qiao Xia felt that if he could bypass the conditions for using his ability, he would be more than willing to invest any amount of time and effort.

As he scattered the crimson dust from his palm into the air, Qiao Xia’s gaze involuntarily fell upon the mangled corpse of the ghoul rat. He gained a new appreciation for Duan Yulan’s combat prowess.

Duan Yulan was stronger than he had imagined.

And more mysterious.

Having kicked the ghoul rat to death with just three blows, Qiao Xia felt that as long as he stayed with Duan Yulan, he wouldn’t have to worry about his own safety.

“Before the chaos erupted, my friend Zhou Li called me,” Qiao Xia began. “Due to a sudden outbreak of infectious disease in U City, which is far more severe than in other cities, the government is considering a destructive strike on U City within a week to prevent the virus from spreading.”

As they continued walking towards the school gate, Qiao Xia decided to explain the situation simply to Duan Yulan.

He wanted to prevent Duan Yulan from making a wrong decision, such as staying in U City to await rescue, due to a lack of awareness.

If a missile truly launched after seven days, no matter how powerful Duan Yulan was, they would both meet the same fate.

It would be like an ant trying to shake a tree—utterly futile.

Although following Duan Yulan felt safe now, Qiao Xia didn’t want to pin his hopes on others. If Duan Yulan intended to find a safe place to wait, then he would need to be prepared to leave alone.

This thought stemmed from the fact that Li Lin Guan and his group had chosen to wait for rescue in a safe place rather than risk leaving U City.

Presumably, most people shared this sentiment.

Compared to unknown dangers, retreating to a relatively safe area offered a greater sense of security.

Even though Duan Yulan’s combat power was formidable, her personal thoughts remained unknown.

Perhaps she wouldn’t appreciate the trouble of rushing around just because of a phone call!

Despite the allure of a wealthy patroness, Qiao Xia still felt that earning money through hard work was better.

At least, it felt more solid.

And he wouldn’t have to worry about trivial matters.

“How much time is left until the week is up?”

“Counting today, four days.”

“Alright, I’ll leave U City with you.”

Just as Qiao Xia had mentally prepared himself for her refusal, Duan Yulan merely inquired about the time. Without another word, she declared her intention to leave U City with him.

Her expression was one of certainty, as if she had long been ready to accompany Qiao Xia.

“If you don’t want to leave, I… Wait, how can you not even think about it? You know, we might encounter many dangers while leaving U City; we could even lose our lives!”

However, this was vastly different from Qiao Xia’s expectations. His impulsive words made Duan Yulan turn her head to look at him.

‘This fool.’

Based on his shocked reaction after she killed the ghoul rat, Duan Yulan had assumed Qiao Xia understood he was perfectly safe with her and wouldn’t consider going off alone. Yet, his current words clearly pushed her away.

She had never met such a foolish man.

But then again, who could compare to him, the man who had inexplicably found his way into her heart?

“It’s alright, I’m not afraid. Besides, taking my life would likely come at a significant cost.”

Breaking character, Duan Yulan offered Qiao Xia a rare smile. Her natural movement highlighted her exquisite features, her eyes sparkling like a myriad of stars, making Qiao Xia feel as if he couldn’t look away.

He knew Duan Yulan was a goddess-level beauty, but now, with that smile, her allure was simply invincible!

She was truly captivating!

Indeed, humans were visual creatures.

Qiao Xia admitted he was no exception, momentarily lost in Duan Yulan’s stunning appearance.

*Buzz, buzz.*

Fortunately, his vibrating phone suddenly brought Qiao Xia back to attention.

Still, he was perplexed.

‘Who would be calling at a time like this?’