Silence, oppressive and absolute, descended upon the vehicle immediately after Shangguan Bing Xue extinguished the life of everyone within. The former mayor of Baiquan Subdistrict, and one of the two leaders of Baiquan Camp, lay lifeless.

A breath of wind, carrying a faint chill, wafted from the nearby woods. It was impossible to discern if the coolness stemmed from the air itself, from ice particles suspended in the frigid atmosphere, or from the pervasive aura of murderous intent that seemed to permeate the very world.

“You—why did you kill him?” Shen Mei cried, her eyes wide with shock, fixed on Bai Yong.

Bai Yong’s expression, in the face of impending death, betrayed no fear. Instead, surprise and disbelief were etched upon his features. He had clearly not anticipated that the silver-haired woman who had blocked his escape, who had accepted his surrender, would strike him down without hesitation. From a certain perspective, the events unfolded so swiftly that Bai Yong did not even experience pain before his heart ceased its rhythm and his blood congealed within his veins.

Bai Wei, on the other hand, was consumed by terror. Her gaze was locked on the window, where Shangguan Bing Xue stood outside. This terror, eternally imprinted on her face, was not born of the fear of death, but rather of the oppressive situation, and the fear of confronting such a formidable foe barring their escape route.

Shangguan Bing Xue regarded Shen Mei with indifference, offering no response to her question. She paid no heed to the corpses within the vehicle. With a flick of her wrist, accompanied by a soft whisper, several ice shards materialized and flew towards the surrounding vehicles and their drivers.

The drivers, mere mortals working for Bai Yong, had no chance against the attack of such a powerful and skilled Soul Evolver as Shangguan Bing Xue. Their fate was sealed the moment she targeted them.

Shangguan Bing Xue’s expression mirrored the icy Mana and Magic she wielded. The massacre she orchestrated did not faze her in the slightest.

Many might deem her actions wicked or cruel. After all, Shangguan Bing Xue had just taken the lives of drivers who, to some, were innocent of Bai Yong’s crimes. Yet, from her perspective, accomplices were as culpable as perpetrators, and excuses held no weight.

Why such fury? Why such a brutal act?

She silently approached the various trucks, opening the cargo containers one by one.

Though she discovered a vast array of supplies—large sacks of rice, frozen meat, bottled water, milk cartons, cigarette packs, bandages, assorted medicines, Soul Record treasures, a few forged swords and armor of undetermined rank, and strange plants—none of it was what she sought. Despite a flicker of satisfaction, she continued her search.

It was within the ninth cargo truck that she found what she desired.

The container’s sealed doors, reinforced with the bones of some unknown creature, yielded to her touch. Initially, darkness enveloped her. As sunlight streamed into the interior, illuminating the space, Shangguan Bing Xue’s blue eyes flickered with a hint of pity, but more so with a chilling intent.

Two girls, approximately fourteen years old, were nestled within the container. Their clothing, styles reminiscent of ancient belly dancers, was utterly inappropriate for their age.

The two were virtually identical; only a keen Soul Evolver’s eye could discern the subtle differences between them. Both possessed jet-black hair cascading down their backs. Their meager attire hinted at their developing bodies. But what most captivated Shangguan Bing Xue’s attention was the profound fear etched in their eyes, directed outward.

The fear in their eyes was so intense that even Shangguan Bing Xue was momentarily startled, suspecting a terrifying monster lurked behind her. However, as she recalled the cruelties these girls had likely endured during these past two months, her initial shock dissipated. Pain and regret filled her usually cold and unfeeling heart.

On the journey, Shen Mei had revealed that Bai Yong had rescued these twin girls sometime after the apocalypse. Precisely when, Shen Mei couldn’t say; these girls had been with Bai Yong since her arrival at Baiquan Camp.

The problem was that, unwittingly, Shen Mei had informed Shangguan Bing Xue that these beautiful twins were not with Bai Yong by choice, and that their association with him could not be considered a benevolent act.

“Are you Wen Yun and Wen Yan?” Shangguan Bing Xue asked, her voice so soft it could melt the bones of any man who heard it.

Perhaps it was her beauty that disarmed them, perhaps the gentleness in her voice, perhaps the absence of malice they sensed, or some other reason; but after hearing her question and gazing at her silently for more than ten seconds, the fear in the girls’ eyes lessened slightly.

“I-I… I am Wen Yun,” the girl on the left responded, her voice soft and hesitant, as if fearful of offending someone. Unlike her sister, a faint beauty mark adorned her left eye.

The other girl remained silent, clutching her sister’s hand tightly, her gaze fixed cautiously on Shangguan Bing Xue.

“I see…” Shangguan Bing Xue nodded softly, finding herself in a complex predicament, unsure of what to say or do next.

Shangguan Bing Xue had never been adept at words, especially in such delicate situations. Her past isolation, and even her present detachment from most people, made it difficult for her to gauge the atmosphere.

The two girls before her had endured abuses no child should ever experience. They should have been enjoying their first years of high school, but the arrival of the Soul Record had shattered everything. Even after losing their parents, Wen Yun and Wen Yan had endured a living hell at Bai Yong’s hands.

It was precisely the knowledge of Bai Yong’s heinous acts, his apparent intelligence and resolve notwithstanding, that had prompted Shangguan Bing Xue to act decisively, to freeze him in an eternal ice prison without allowing him to speak or surrender. How could she allow such a vile creature to continue polluting the air she breathed?

In fact, if possible, Shangguan Bing Xue would have wished to kill Bai Yong a hundred times over. Unfortunately, time was of the essence, and she could not afford to make him slowly pay for the suffering he inflicted on these two girls.

Just as Shangguan Bing Xue, the girls, and Shen Mei stood silently, each lost in thought, Shen Mei, having left Luo Ning resting on the ground, approached the girls, her gaze filled with a mixture of emotions.

But what followed completely escalated the situation.

When the girls saw Shen Mei, it was as if they had encountered the devil’s emissary. Terror returned to their eyes, and tears welled up as they held hands tightly.

“Wen Yun, Wen Yan, it’s all right now. We—”

Shen Mei was about to speak, but she had no time. Shangguan Bing Xue swiftly moved, her left leg striking directly at Shen Mei’s head!

Shen Mei’s expression abruptly changed, her face paling as she realized the opponent’s incredible agility, surpassing even her own. Instinctively, fueled by experience, she raised her right arm to block the unexpected attack.

But Shen Mei underestimated Shangguan Bing Xue.

Boom!

Shangguan Bing Xue’s leg, encased in her treasure boots, connected with Shen Mei’s wrist guard. The resulting explosion reverberated through the air, cracking the ground.

Shen Mei felt as if a colossal beast had struck her, not a human. Her mind went blank, her vision blurred, and her body flew backward like a severed kite.

Boom!

Her body slammed into a cargo truck, nearly tipping the massive vehicle. The added weight of modifications and cargo prevented a complete overturn.

Shen Mei coughed up blood several times, her arm shattered in three places. Only her high Soul Power and its purity had prevented a fatal blow, leaving her brain in a state of disorientation.

“Big Sister Mei!”

Luo Li, hidden in the shadows, cried out in terror. With bloodshot eyes, she drew a long sword and lunged at Shangguan Bing Xue, intent on slaying her!

Shangguan Bing Xue’s eyes flashed with icy resolve. With a swift, unseen motion, she unsheathed her sword and delivered a downward-upward strike.

Bang!

Luo Li, barely surpassing level 25, was no match for Shangguan Bing Xue, who had already reached level 46 and could easily contend with opponents of higher levels.

The clash of swords shattered Luo Li’s blade into fragments. The force sent her flying tens of meters, crashing into a house, collapsing a section of the wall.

She never rose again. Her fate remained unknown.

As the two girls watched in stunned silence, Shangguan Bing Xue approached Shen Mei, extending a hand towards her.

***

A heartfelt thank you to all who have gifted the novel and supported it with valuable Golden Tickets. I hope we can continue this journey together. <3