The following morning, Mu Qingyun turned her head and spotted Su Qi and Yi Beixuan huddled together in whispered conversation. An anger as fierce as a sudden flare of flame surged within her. She and Yi Beixuan had been locked in battle with a monstrous virtual lion, and here these two had been gossiping as though they were in a teahouse—utterly oblivious to Mu Qingyun's life-or-death struggle.
"What on earth are you two whispering about? Come over here and assist me immediately!" Her voice, cold and tight, cut across the cave's interior.
Startled, Su Qi and Yi Beixuan exchanged a hurried glance. They had heard the intensity in her tone and rushed forward.
Su Qi swiftly manipulated his water energy, coils of fluid spiraling around the lion's thick, scaled body in an effort to bind its legs. Yi Beixuan, standing beside him, brought his right hand down in a sudden arc. From the clear morning sky overhead, a crack of thunder sounded—pure electricity arcing through the air.
So his ability is electric-based. Mu Qingyun noted this as she shifted her stance and sidestepped another powerful swipe from the lion's paw. Lightning crackled, illuminating her determined face. She surged upward, dagger gleaming in hand, and plunged the blade into the lion's skull with a resounding crack.
With one final, tormented roar, the virtual beast's colossal form dissolved into golden sand that blew away on the breeze. Instantly, both Mu Qingyun's and Su Qi's wristbands lit up with a new point added to their tallies—visible, glowing digits hovering overhead.
Breathing heavily from exertion, Mu Qingyun turned her attention to the two young men now standing sheepishly at the cave's edge.
"Who are you?" she asked, surprise softening her tone as she examined Yi Beixuan's composed features.
"I am Yi Beixuan," he replied courteously, bowing his head in a subtle gesture of respect. "I am Su Qi's close friend, also a fellow traveler from Garbage Star."
Mu Qingyun's gaze lingered on Yi Beixuan's calm, scholarly demeanor. Something about his polite, well-mannered manner evoked a glimmer of warmth within her—an echo of the teacher she had once known in her previous life. That mentor had possessed no martial skill, yet had taught her countless lessons about strategy, loyalty, and emotional resilience. She had guided Mu Qingyun through an ocean of childhood resentment, helping her overcome bitterness and focus on a truer path.
"Mu Qingyun," she said, offering Yi Beixuan a nod of acknowledgment. "Where is your teammate? Where is Su Qi?"
He glanced at Su Qi, who still stood clearing residual water energy from the lion's wounds. "I—I am not entirely certain. We became separated during the scuffle. He must be all right, however. Otherwise—well, I myself would have been disqualified."
As soon as Yi Beixuan spoke, the livestream administrator, after persistent urging from viewers, reactivated the three closed broadcasts. Comments shot across the virtual feed in a frenzy:
"Oh my, I have never seen this handsome gentleman before!""Indeed—so handsome, such a gentle soul. Yet I have never stumbled upon his stream anywhere!""There are so many contestants on this wasteland island; you cannot expect to have seen them all.""Still, it is unbelievable that someone this attractive escapes notice. One would think someone would have recognized him by now!""Who says that? I have seen him—ever since Beixuan first launched his livestream.""Yes, I have watched him too. You all simply must have missed him.""I have been following Yi Beixuan's channel since he started streaming. There is nothing unbelievable here; you just have not seen him before."
Su Qi shot Yi Beixuan a wry glance, raising an eyebrow in a silent exchange: Did you hire fans?Yi Beixuan responded with an almost imperceptible shrug: Otherwise, how else could they not have noticed me, only to suddenly see me here?
Mu Qingyun watched the playful camaraderie between the two men, her brow furrowing slightly in mild exasperation. In her former life, such gestures had carried a different meaning, but she understood: she belonged to an era when certain affections had remained unspoken. Her mind traveled back to the countless stories of hidden bonds, and she felt no shame in accepting it.
"Come back to the cave with us," Mu Qingyun offered. "As long as you remain in the trial, Su Qi and I can look after you."
Yi Beixuan smiled in gratitude. "Thank you. I appreciate your kindness."
"There is no need to thank me. You two have much to discuss, having been apart for so long," she said, stepping back to allow Su Qi and Yi Beixuan some privacy. "I will take my leave, then."
A sudden flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks. Only a moment ago, she had clung to Su Qi for warmth—an intimate gesture unwittingly made. Now, with Yi Beixuan's presence, she realized how awkward it might appear. If she had known they were more than mere acquaintances, she might never have acted so intimately.
With a curt nod, Yi Beixuan and Su Qi took one last glance at Mu Qingyun before moving off into the depths of the cave together.
"Let us speak openly rather than sneaking off," Su Qi grumbled. "It is annoying to be pulled aside without explanation."
He reached up and pressed the switch on his wristband, extinguishing the broadcast that had ignited the viewer frenzy. He gently slapped Yi Beixuan's wrist to silence the other man's stream at once as well.
"Why is the stream closed again?""This is nonsense.""At least we have Mu Qingyun's channel to watch.""I just caught a glimpse of a handsome fellow—and then the screen went dark!""I want to know what they were talking about. Why do they hide it from us?"
Mu Qingyun glimpsed the sleeping forms of Xiong Ruoyou—curled up like a bear in hibernation—and Fan Xuanye—eyes closed in profound meditation—unaware that a stranger had joined them without drawing any attention.
Moments later, Mu Qingyun reentered the cave, carrying a small bundle of food—thin slices of pale, glistening meat whose origin she did not at first disclose.
"What are those?" Su Qi asked, his brows lifting at the unexpected talk of meat.
"Meat carved from a bug beast," Mu Qingyun answered evenly, as though it were the most ordinary of observations.
At this revelation, both Su Qi and Yi Beixuan's eyes went wide. They exchanged a look of stunned disbelief. Few on this polluted planet realized that bug beasts—those chitinous, insectoid predators—could yield edible flesh. They had only ever discussed the possibility in hushed whispers, yet neither had possessed the appetite to try it. Less still had they thought that, in times of desperation, they might be willing to test its flavor.