Though the window for looting had been brief, Lu Er's search yielded another prize: a pill.

  [Imoogi-horse Marrow Pill: Increases endurance by a small fraction.]

  ‘Makes sense, they do have monstrous endurance to be used as common transport. Though I’m surprised it’s a stamina boost and not a speed enhancement.’ He swallowed the pill without hesitation.

  He had already consumed the senses-boosting pill, and its efficacy was undeniable; he had dodged that dagger mid-conversation earlier with preternatural ease.

  After scavenging more food, water, and arrows, the two set out toward the western sector of the map.

  Their journey was a relentless run through a changing landscape. The terrain unfurled: abandoned farmsteads with sagging roofs, vast cultivated fields and seas of wild grain, and occasional stretches of broken earth.

  “What was that explosion earlier?” Lu Er asked between measured breaths.

  “Some kind of artifact, most likely,” Xia Sahui replied.

  “Artifact? Not treasure?”

  “That looked like a treasure to you?”

  “No.”

  They exchanged a few more words before lapsing into a focused silence, conserving their breath for the run.

  Surprisingly, they did not meet any Unawakened in the entirety of their journey.

  After nearly three hours, they agreed to a brief respite in a small cluster of grassy mounds and gnarled trees.

  Lu Er drank deeply from his waterskin and ate some hardtack biscuits. Apparently, dipping them in water made them a bit more palatable, less like chewing on dried clay, more like chewing on wet clay.

  Across from him, Xia Sahui upended her gourd over her head, violet-hued hair cascading in a dark waterfall that caught the afternoon light like spun amethyst. Water droplets clung to each strand, refracting the sun into a hazy corona. She drank deeply, then tore into a strip of jerky with methodical precision, seemingly oblivious to how the moisture darkened her tresses to the color of midnight plum.

  He watched for a heartbeat too long—mesmerized by the languid way she wrung water from her braid—before forcibly redirecting his gaze.

  “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he began, “since you might know… why have I not seen a single fragment skill since I arrived here?”

  “You haven’t?” she replied, a hint of surprise in her voice.

  “No.”

  “Well, your luck must be truly abysmal. I found one.”

  “Oh? Which skill?”

  “It improves concentration and aids in archery aim.”

  “Hoh. Just that?”

  “What do you mean, ‘just that’?”

  “No, I meant… nothing like fireballs or elemental control?”

  Xia Sahui stared at him, her expression hovering between disbelief and amusement. “Are you genuinely that foolish, or are you performing for my benefit? Where did you hear such nonsense?”

  “Eh, from storybooks. And no, I'm genuinely asking."

  “We are unawakened, you dolt. Even if we possessed such skills, how would we possibly channel the energy required to use them?”

  “Oh. That… makes an unfortunate amount of sense.” A smirk tugged at his lips. “So that means your telekinesis is actually your soul gift. Wow. That’s… impressive.” He couldn’t help a quiet snicker.

  She was visibly flabbergasted, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. She had deliberately avoided confirming whether it was a skill or a gift, and having him pry it out so casually clearly rankled her.

  “You think you’re clever?”

  “Whoa, easy there,” he said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “I was only jesting. Running for half a day isn’t my idea of a fun activity, so a little humor helps.”

  His gaze drifted back to her half-drenched hair, still perfectly tied and strikingly beautiful despite the disarray.

  “Also… I wanted to ask…

  ...What routine do you follow for your hair to be that smoot—”

  “Ahhhh—!”

  It was a raw, feminine sound—terror and outrage woven into a single note—that ended as abruptly as it began, cut off by what might have been a hand clamped over a mouth or something far worse.

  The sound catapulted them both into a state of high alert. Lu Er exploded into motion, diving and rolling into the cover of a thick bush. Xia Sahui, with her head low and hands protecting her pack, sprinted to press herself against the broad trunk of a nearby tree.

  Silence descended once more, thick and heavy. They waited, ears straining, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement. There was nothing. No further cries, no rustling of leaves, no clue of any living being. It was as if the scream had been a phantom, a trick of the wind.

  Stolen story; please report.

  ‘I didn’t see anything,’ Lu Er thought. ‘The enemy isn’t targeting us directly.’ He cautiously emerged from the bushes and approached Xia Sahui.

  "What do you think that was?", she asked.

  "Sounded like a girl screaming, then someone yanked her into silence." Lu Er replied.

  “It feels like a trap. You hear a damsel in distress, you rush to investigate, and you spring the mechanism that kills you.”

  “Hmm. You’re probably right… but do we just leave? This seems like a prime opportunity for kills and loot.”

  “You’re right,” she conceded, a cunning glint in her eyes. “Even if it is a trap, we’ll spring it on our terms. The whole point of this detour is to gain an advantage.”

  She looked at him, a slow smile spreading across her face as she tilted her head slightly. “But we can’t just charge in recklessly…”

  “…What? If you have a plan, just say it.”

  “It’s your turn, clever boy. Go and scout ahead. I’ll provide cover from the shadows. If things turn ugly, I’ll even the odds.”

  “So, I’m the bait now?”

  “No,” she replied coolly, closing her eyes as if the matter were settled. “I’m simply the better archer.”

  He sighed, checking his equipment. “Fine. Complaining won’t get me anywhere.”

  Lu Er advanced in increments; sprint five paces, freeze, observe, repeat. The terrain gradually opened into a clearing dominated by five huts arranged in a loose semicircle, their thatch roofs sagging like the backs of old men.

  Smoke curled from one chimney, carrying the greasy scent of rendered fat. Xia Sahui flanked him from the treeline, moving through the canopy with disconcerting silence.

  Lu Er heard the murmur of hushed voices. He followed the sound, his steps silent on the soft earth, leading him to one of the smaller structures. Seeing nothing through the grimy windows, he slipped inside through a broken pane.

  Click. Thud. Tuk.

  A small, metallic sphere appeared directly in front of his face, hovering in the air.

  ‘Crap! Barriera!’

  Boom!!

  The concussive force hit him like a physical blow.

  Thwack.

  Thud. Thud.

  He was flung backward through the window, landing in a heap outside. Simultaneously, three figures erupted from the shadows, converging on him.

  “Be careful! There’s another one with him!” one of the figures yelled as he leaped toward Lu Er, expecting to find a half-dead victim.

  Instead, he found a young man with minor injuries and a face contorted with pure fury.

  ‘Why does everyone except me have a bomb?! Where are they finding this loot?!’ Lu Er’s mind raced as he pushed himself up, stabilizing his footing.

  The explosion had been unexpected, but at the critical moment, he had deployed his wooden barrier spell at full power.

  The thick, hastily formed plank of spiritual wood had absorbed the brunt of the blast, leaving him with only superficial wounds, though the effort had nearly drained his soul energy—an expenditure that would normally require three or four uses.

  'Having a Soul Gift here is a genuine cheat. Otherwise, I'd be half-dead. As for Xia Sahui… I'll get even someday.' His burning gaze found the ambusher who had planted the trap.

  With no choice, Lu Er was nearly spent; if he didn't merge, he'd collapse mid-fight.

  He snatched up his rusted dagger and moved.

  The lead assailant, a swordsman, was momentarily confused by his target’s resilience but quickly adapted, unsheathing his blade.

  A second figure, a swordswoman, flanked from the side, while the third, a male archer, melted back into the shadows.

  'Probably wary of Xia Sahui. This'll be difficult, but manageable even if I stick to Lu Zhiheng's fighting style.'

  He sprinted toward the male swordsman, closing the distance aggressively.

  Swish! Swish! Swish!

  His dagger slashed through the air, but the swordsman expertly retreated, countering with a swift thrust of his own blade.

  Hap!

  Lu Er twisted to the right, only to meet the swordswoman’s stabbing attack from his flank.

  Clang!

  He barely managed to parry with his dagger, using the momentum to roll away.

  Thud. Thud.

  In that fluid motion, he switched the dagger to his left hand and his fingers closed around the familiar, reassuring grip of his stout oaken cudgel. The entire maneuver, closing the distance, creating a feint, had been a springboard to reach his preferred weapon. Fighting dagger against sword was suicidal; he needed the cudgel’s reach and crushing power.

  He had succeeded.

  Now armed properly, he moved with intent to dominate.

  He ran at full speed.

  The male swordsman, desperate, slashed horizontally. Lu Er didn’t block blindly, instead he expertly angled the cudgel to meet the flat of the blade, deflecting the strike, and instantly riposted with his dagger, slashing a deep gash into the man’s forearm.

  Shlick!

  “Guh!” the man grunted in pain.

  Lu Er gave him no quarter. He knew the swordswoman would interfere if he gave her an opening; thus, he pressed the attack, a whirlwind of cudgel and dagger. The swordsman retreated, but Lu Er matched his every step, his assault a relentless storm of blows.

  The sharp clang of steel on steel and the dull thud of wood on sword filled the air.

  The swordsman couldn't keep pace while backpedaling; overwhelmed, he stumbled over his steps.

  ‘Opportunity!’ Lu Er lunged to crush his skull.

  Swish!

  An arrow sliced through the air, forcing him to jerk backward. In that split second, the swordswoman closed the gap.

  A dozen possibilities flashed through his mind—a backward flip, a pivoting slam of his cudgel—but he chose differently.

  Slash.

  He stepped forward slightly and deliberately took a flesh wound.

  A cold sensation followed by the warmth of the blood. The sensations registered distantly.

  “Sahui! Are you just here to watch?!” he bellowed in frustration.

  High in the trees, Xia Sahui let out a mental sigh. ‘Sigh. It seems I overestimated his close-combat prowess.’ She nocked an arrow, drew, and released in one smooth motion. The projectile screamed toward the swordsman, who was just regaining his footing.

  The man sensed the danger and tried to twist away, but the arrow still found its mark, embedding itself in his other arm. Now, both his arms were wounded, rendering him nearly useless.

  ‘Tch. He’s taken a sense-boosting pill too,’ she thought with annoyance. This was the third time her attacks had been anticipated.

  She immediately dropped from her perch, landing softly in a bush below, and began to relocate. The enemy archer was still out there, and staying put was an invitation for a retaliatory shot.

  And she was right, seconds after she had moved an arrow passed straight through the tree she was hiding in.

  Back on the ground, spurred by his wound, Lu Er surged forward. The injured swordsman, driven by adrenaline, still tried to fight, but Xia Sahui’s arrow had crippled his effectiveness.

  Lu Er once again tried to finish him, but the swordswoman once again intervened, her blade a flurry of stabs and slashes that kept him thoroughly occupied.

  The fight settled into a desperate, three-way stalemate.

  The breakthrough would come from the archers. Whichever one landed a hit first would decide the victor.

  Xia Sahui found a new vantage point. She nocked another arrow, her breathing stilled. She observed the chaotic dance below for a few precious seconds, waiting for the perfect confluence of movement. Then, she let the arrow fly.

  Swish. Swish.

  Two arrows materialized from opposite directions, streaking toward the battlefield.

  One aimed at the female; it missed completely.

  While the other one, from the enemy archer, traveled with deadly speed toward Lu Er. In a heartbeat, it crossed the distance and appeared before his eyes.

  He dropped the cudgel and dagger, and threw both hands up—

  ‘Barriera!’

  A thick wooden plank materialized in his grasp.

  Thok!

  The arrow slammed into the wood with such force that its steel tip punched through the other side, stopping a hair’s breadth from his forehead.

  Meanwhile, Xia Sahui's arrow, seemed to fly harmlessly past the swordswoman. But it did not drop.

  In mid-air, it executed a slight turn.

  It was never meant for the woman on the ground. It was a guided missile. It shot into the dense foliage where the third figure was hiding and found its mark with a sickening crunch, lodging itself directly in the hidden archer’s brain.

  There was no scream, only a brief look of terrified confusion before the light died in his eyes and he became a wooden box.

  Just as the chime of a notification rang in Xia Sahui’s mind, a wave of absolute exhaustion crashed over her.

  Not even a full day had passed since the last time she had used her soul gift four times, and now she had pushed it to its absolute limit.

  Her vision swam, her limbs turned heavy, and she tumbled from the tree, the bushes below cushioning her fall as she spiraled into a deep, immediate sleep.