Suddenly, a sharp pain spread across her chest.
Bai Ru stumbled, her footsteps faltering. She raised her eyes, meeting a pair of intensely cold black pupils.
Those eyes were locked onto her, and within their depths lay only endless indifference and darkness.
Her heart trembled, the pain intensifying.
Finally, she collapsed to the ground, her eyes wide open in death.
Xu Qian withdrew her gaze, her expression placid.
Wasn't living better?
Everyone scrambled over her, lunging towards Xu Qian.
Xiang Jin Tian frowned, scooping Xu Qian into his arms.
His wings unfurled, and he swiftly ascended through the crowd into the air, flying away into the distance.
Most of them couldn't fly, so they drove if they could, or remained in place, trying to contact the Yu Corporation if they couldn't.
No one was willing to give up on those 3000 crystal cores.
Xiang Jin Tian's face darkened; he hadn't expected Qian Qian to be recognized even so heavily disguised.
The north was no longer safe.
Cao Jun looked at the receding figures, guilt etched on his face.
It was all his fault; otherwise, how could she have been discovered?
He could tell they were good people. Regardless of why they were wanted, he still believed they were good.
After discussion, the two decided to leave the north and head for the Central Plains.
The news had already leaked; staying here would surely lead to their capture.
Later, despite Cao Jun's efforts to suppress the news, it still reached the ears of the Yu Corporation.
Yu Yong Yi immediately dispatched people to the north to apprehend them, and Mei Yue Bai also discreetly sent out search parties.
Guan Wei Yun, however, was in no hurry. If Yu Yong Yi caught them, it would be as good as him catching them.
For a time, everyone knew Xu Qian was in the north, and many came seeking to capture her.
There was only one spot for the 3000 crystal cores; whoever seized it would be the winner.
The two traveled through H City, T Province, and A City, finally arriving in D Province.
D Province was part of the Central Plains region, leaning towards the north but not strictly considered the north itself. It was part of the Central Plains.
The zombies here were all over 1.8 meters tall, both men and women.
Xu Qian found it rather troublesome to kill them, requiring her to leap.
She opened the map in her hand and pinpointed the laboratory's location: Taishan.
Taishan was one of the most famous mountains nationwide, spanning twenty thousand hectares, a testament to its immense size.
Both the system map and the paper map indicated the location was in Taishan, but they didn't specify the exact spot.
Xu Qian felt a headache coming on and sighed inwardly.
How would she ever find it in such a vast mountain?
Seeing her distressed expression, Xiang Jin Tian tried to comfort her, "It's alright, think of it as a mountain climbing exercise."
Xu Qian's brows furrowed slightly as she asked, "We still have to climb?"
Xiang Jin Tian chuckled, "We can only drive to the parking lot. Apart from the cable car, there's no other way to reach the summit."
Xu Qian: ...
His comfort was unavailing.
Xiang Jin Tian navigated the winding mountain road, driving until the car could go no further before stopping and stowing it.
As soon as they stepped out, the air was exceptionally fresh, giving the feeling of an abundance of negative ions.
As if there were many trees on the mountain?
Looking around, the dense forest had long since turned yellow, leaving only bare branches. It was impossible to have such pleasant air.
The two exchanged glances, both sensing something amiss.
Could it be they were so lucky as to encounter the experimental base immediately after getting out of the car?
Xu Qian took a deep breath, and they cautiously moved in the direction of the more potent scent.
The mountain path was not easy to navigate. They were not on the usual tourist route and had to use their hands and feet at times.
Even with Xu Qian's automatic cleaning ability, her hands were still covered in mud.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed.
The two crouched low, hiding in the withered yellow grass.
Xu Qian narrowed her dark eyes and listened intently, unconcerned about the dirt on her face.