91: Friendship for life

"Ai Yue!" Cheng Siyu was covered in wounds and in a wretched state, but she was happy because she had won her gamble.

As expected, Ai Yue was a powerful woman, and as expected, she was not the type to stand by and watch someone die!

Ai Yue looked at Cheng Siyu expressionlessly; she wasn't so naive as to not know what this ice-cold beauty was planning.

Ai Yue had already discovered her when she first appeared near her home, and she had seen everything that happened afterward.

She also understood Cheng Siyu's purpose in suddenly running toward her with Gu Xitian.

Ai Yue had been nearby while they were fighting the Ancient Centipede; the only reason she hadn't saved them sooner was because she saw the calculation in Cheng Siyu's eyes.

In the end, Ai Yue still had to step in and save them.

So at this moment, she was extremely annoyed—annoyed to the limit with this woman.

"Miss Ai Yue, thank you so much for appearing in time to save us," the ice-cold beauty Cheng Siyu said to Ai Yue with a radiant smile.

Seeing the look of thirty percent gratitude and seventy percent triumph in her eyes, Ai Yue replied dryly, "You're welcome. Saving such a great beauty makes me very happy indeed!"

"Siyu, are you alright? You're so badly injured, why haven't you sought treatment yet? Come, I'll carry you over." Just then, Gu Xiheng, having settled Gu Xitian, came over and spoke with dissatisfaction upon seeing the wound-covered Cheng Siyu still chatting leisurely.

Seeing the genuine concern in Gu Xiheng's eyes, Cheng Siyu felt that her injuries were worth it.

"I know, I know. I'm just thanking my savior," she said, already obediently leaning against Gu Xiheng's back.

Gu Xiheng carefully carried her, stood up straight, and said to Ai Yue, "Ai Yue, thank you so much this time. If it weren't for you, I don't know how badly they would have been hurt. Things are a bit chaotic today; I'll definitely come to your door to thank you properly another day."

With that, Gu Xiheng walked away with Cheng Siyu on his back... Ai Yue only felt her teeth set on edge. Hmph... showing off their affection right in front of her.

Ai Yue turned around and looked at the incredibly familiar corpse, her heart filled with a mixture of emotions as her thoughts were suddenly pulled back to her distant past life.

Back then, Ai Yue had been like a lone wolf in the Apocalypse, wandering from place to place until she met the person she thought she could entrust her life to, finally ending her solitary survival... On that occasion, Ai Yue had fled wretchedly from the hands of an Ancient Centipede and met her, who was also fleeing for her life. Even in such a desperate moment, she was still smiling brightly.

"Hey, what's your name? I'm Tao Zhi." The girl's smiling face was like a bolt of lightning that split open Ai Yue's gray world, letting in a ray of light.

Charmed by that smile, Ai Yue, who hadn't laughed in years, couldn't help but curl her lips into a stiff smile. "Ai Yue!"

"Ai Yue? What a beautiful name!"

"Yours... is also beautiful!"

And so, two people with completely different personalities struggled to survive together in this desperate Apocalypse.

Life outside the Safety Tower was far too difficult; there was no food, no clean water, and even the people they encountered were full of malice.

Every day and every moment, Ai Yue and Tao Zhi had to do everything they could to get food, whether it was through robbery or theft!

They were constantly being hunted and attacked, but fortunately, both were skilled enough that they didn't starve to death.

The days passed one by one in their struggle for survival, and their relationship became inseparable. They grew increasingly dependent on each other, and smiles gradually began to appear on Ai Yue's face.

When did they become life-and-death friends?

It was that time when Tao Zhi risked her life to save Ai Yue from the mouth of an Ancient Centipede and got injured. From then on, Ai Yue trusted Tao Zhi completely and placed her life in her hands, which eventually led to her tragic death.

As for why this kind of centipede was called an Ancient Centipede and what its weaknesses were, Tao Zhi was the one who told her.

She was foolish back then and didn't realize Tao Zhi's extraordinary nature at all, assuming she just knew a bit more than her and was an ordinary person like herself.

Thinking back now, she finally realized.

Tao Zhi's knowledge, speech, and behavior were not things an ordinary person could possess; she was definitely not as simple as an ordinary person.

Her active life in the Apocalypse and her sweet smile were just a mask she wore... "Tao Zhi, oh Tao Zhi, I actually miss you a little." Recalling the events of her past life, a cold smile curled at the corner of Ai Yue's mouth. At this moment, Ai Yue looked both dangerous and charming.

Ai Yue looked down.

A blood-stained transparent stone appeared in her hand. This gem-like object was the very thing hidden deep beneath the black armor plates of the Ancient Centipede.

She had discovered it in her past life as well, but back then she didn't believe in supernatural abilities at all, so she had no idea what this transparent stone was for.

In this life, Ai Yue's perspective was no longer comparable to her past self.

The moment she touched it, she felt that this thing was extraordinary and secretly hid it away.

Now, she took it out and held it up to the sunlight, judging at a glance that this transparent stone grown inside the Ancient Centipede was definitely not simple.

Ai Yue turned and went home, took a bath to wash off the scent of blood, cleaned the transparent stone, and threw it into her space.

As expected, the transparent stone disappeared, and the house in the center of the space underwent a change—it actually had running tap water!

This tap water was not simple; it had a sweet aftertaste, and drinking it could wash away all exhaustion.

Ai Yue unceremoniously drank her fill and left the space satisfied.

At this moment, she was certain that the transparent stone from the Ancient Centipede was a treasure!

Even if she hadn't discovered its other functions yet, the fact that it could upgrade the space made it the greatest treasure of all.

Since there were treasures that could upgrade her space right at her doorstep, Ai Yue couldn't just sit at home doing nothing.

She was going out to hunt monsters and "pick up" stones.

Underground Experimental Base.

Secret Research Lab.

A group of people surrounded a white-bearded old man.

"Old Fei, the experiment results are out."

"Great, yes, good, so that's how it is!" Old Fei took the experiment result report, nodding while clicking his tongue in excitement. "It's amazing, simply too amazing. I can finally say I haven't lived this life in vain. Quick, go notify Gu Yan."

"Yes, Old Fei. Please don't get too excited; I'll go right now." A middle-aged researcher beside him helped the agitated Old Fei into a chair and hurried to the surface to notify him in person.

Soon, Gu Yan arrived in a hurry with Gu Xiheng.

"Old Fei! I'm here. Are the results out? How are they? Can it be used? What effect will it have?"

Upon seeing Old Fei, Gu Yan was like a machine gun, rattling off several questions in a row.

At this moment, Gu Yan didn't look like the top leader of the base at all; his hands were even trembling slightly with excitement.

"Don't worry, it's good news! Look at you, acting so undignified. Calm yourself down before I tell you." Old Fei's initial excitement had passed; seeing someone else so excited, he felt like watching a bit longer—especially since it was Gu Yan, who had become increasingly majestic after becoming the Patriarch of the Gu Clan.

After all, it was rare to see the base's top leader make a fool of himself.