Their world of two seemed to begin anew. Under the warm sunlight, Zhang Yemiao watched Wang Qi working in the fields. She carried a teapot and offered him a cup of tea.

The crops wouldn’t be ready for harvest for a while. If they knew wood-element magic, it might speed things up—though Life Magic would be even better.

But neither had any magic proficiency, so there was little they could do.

Lately, Zhang Yemiao hadn’t been keen on blacksmithing. Due to her unique race, she feared leveling up would slow time’s mark on her body, possibly preventing her from ever growing up. She actually wanted to mature a bit more before advancing—reaching her peak, curvy prime before boosting her realm. Wouldn’t that make life perfect?

Of course, she hadn’t shared this little thought with Wang Qi. She wasn’t deliberately suppressing her level either; strong power might be needed anytime.

After all, reaching level three would make her quite strong. A plate armor with special attributes could greatly boost Wang Qi’s combat power. She’d also need higher body stats to use more techniques.

Yet peaceful days were so rare. They still hadn’t grasped this world’s true nature.

The ground shook. From Yinai City’s direction, an orange-red glow flashed. Then, a massive beam of light swept across. Wang Qi instantly tackled Zhang Yemiao, pinning her down and shielding her head tightly.

The light swept past. They stood up. A huge hole now split Yinai City in half—a devastating sight visible even from their village.

Yinai City existed as a border town. Its purpose was to guard against the endless grasslands.

They’d crossed those plains before, but only skirting the edges—from one point to another.

Even then, they’d encountered terrifying creatures.

Now, monsters appeared.

Yes, for Zhang Yemiao and Wang Qi, "monster" was the only word that fit. It felt like childhood tokusatsu shows: giant beasts crushing skyscrapers, unleashing terrifying energy beams.

Though this world had no Ultraman.

“Run!”

Wang Qi reacted instantly. He hoisted Zhang Yemiao onto his shoulder and dashed into their house.

Zhang Yemiao understood. She stored every important item from the house into her spatial inventory—all gear with bonus attributes.

Then she clung tightly to Wang Qi.

Wang Qi activated his special ability. The swiftness gained from the Swift Dragon King proved crucial. He fled at top speed, carrying Zhang Yemiao.

They’d anticipated this scenario, but facing it still felt powerless.

They’d lived here a while but never befriended villagers. Both sensed trouble might come.

Their escape route was simple: head for the capital.

Their identities were suspicious, but Yinai City’s lax border checks had granted them legal papers. Elsewhere, those documents made them legitimate citizens—exploiting that loophole erased doubts.

With Yinai City under attack, its fate didn’t matter. They weren’t the only ones fleeing. Escaping residents would face quick processing.

Magic surged. Even Zhang Yemiao and Wang Qi, with little talent, felt mana flowing toward Yinai City. It had become a vortex, devouring everything around it.

Wang Qi tensed and pushed his speed further.

Riding on his back, Zhang Yemiao felt his body burning hot. He was nearing his limit.

The ground kept trembling, signaling fierce combat.

They dared not guess what tier of beings fought. But in such a battlefield, fleeing faster was always better.

She gripped her hidden weapons without pause, scanning their surroundings. Looters might strike in the chaos.

They were wise and lucky. Only when the tremors faded did Wang Qi finally stop.

He collapsed weakly, gasping for breath.

Zhang Yemiao pulled a teapot from her inventory. She poured tea, handed it to him, then synthesized a fan to cool him.

“Yinai City’s stood so long. It should be fine, right?” Zhang Yemiao hadn’t really wanted to flee. She missed their little house.

But this was their early agreement with Wang Qi, so she hadn’t argued.

Wang Qi drank the tea, sighed, and seemed to revive. Enjoying her care, he said slowly, “It might’ve been fine before. But this time? Trouble’s coming.”

“Why?”

“Too abnormal.”

Abnormal? Zhang Yemiao pondered the word.

Wang Qi chose his words carefully. “You rarely go out, so it’s normal you didn’t notice. But think about what we’ve seen. That Elira—searching for a ring—appearing deep in the grasslands? Normal?”

The ring that made Wang Qi cough up over three hundred mouthfuls of blood. Zhang Yemiao remembered it well.

“Or Deep Blue showing up at our home? Reasonable? And Linne—she’s a beastkin princess, you know. That nobleman, barely level four or five, owning a Life Cube?”

Zhang Yemiao had learned those details that night.

Listing these, she understood. “You mean Yinai City was already on the brink?”

“Yes. And it might involve us—like releasing Deep Blue…” Wang Qi gave her a meaningful look.

Zhang Yemiao tapped his arm. “Don’t scare me!”

Her small shoulders couldn’t bear such weight. She glared at him, annoyed.

Wang Qi found her adorable—even when angry. Obedient or fiery, she charmed him. He ruffled her hair. “Relax. Even if we’re involved, it’s minor. Wars like this were inevitable. Deep Blue’s strength? Insignificant. This attack was bound to happen.”

“That makes sense.” Zhang Yemiao nodded. “So you think Yinai City won’t survive?”

Wang Qi glanced around. “It’ll survive. The King of All Spells isn’t a joke. The Arcane Principality has the most Sky Cities. Survival’s guaranteed—it’s just whether they’ll rebuild.”

He looked utterly confident.

Zhang Yemiao thought he looked cool. Then she remembered their house. “What now? Our home’s gone. Build another?”

Wang Qi thought.

“After this, building above ground feels unsafe.” His eyes held deep thought.

Zhang Yemiao pondered. “I know! Like in Minecraft—when zombies roam, you dig a hole, hide inside, block the door, and stay safe all night.”

…

Wang Qi stared at her.

Zhang Yemiao blinked innocently.

“Miao, you’re even more of a survivalist than I expected,” Wang Qi said, giving her a weird look.

Zhang Yemiao blushed. “Well, what’s your plan?”

“Dig a hole, obviously.”

… Zhang Yemiao kicked him and turned away, ignoring him.

Of course, Wang Qi easily won her over with hugs, kisses, and lifting her high. She surrendered instantly.

Held like a doll, Zhang Yemiao savored the warmth. Her regret faded. She realized—home wasn’t a place. As long as they were together, it was home.

“But for now, we’ll stay in the shelter.”

Zhang Yemiao pulled out their old shelter.

Large crafted items like this could enter her spatial inventory. But their hand-built house? She couldn’t store it all at once—that’s why they’d left it behind.

“We’ll start digging tomorrow. Then find a city to register our identities. And hire someone to send a message spell to Zou Moan about this. Such a hassle.” Wang Qi listed their tasks.

He smiled. “Honestly, I’m more upset about our crops. I worked so hard on them.”

Zhang Yemiao set up the shelter quickly. They scouted the area. It wasn’t far from Yinai City, but felt barely safe.

Wang Qi’s stamina was drained, not yet recovered.

So no work today. Zhang Yemiao hunted two small animals with hidden weapons. She built a fire, cooked, and they ate. By then, the sun was setting.

“Today flew by.”

“Well, surprises happen.”

Neither entered the shelter.

They sat by the fire, adding wood now and then. They’d learned this skill slowly; early on, their group often let campfires die on the grasslands.

Night fell. The starry sky unveiled itself like a curtain lifting.

Zhang Yemiao leaned against Wang Qi. “Should we really get stronger? I feel our transmigration isn’t simple. Something’s pushing us forward.”

Wang Qi looked at her, surprised. “You might be right. Why else would we get skills after crossing over?”

He saw doubt flicker on her face.

“But who cares?” he said. “Must I obey whatever ‘it’ wants? That’d be lame. Besides, it never told me what to do. I didn’t beg to be transmigrated.” He grinned shamelessly.

Zhang Yemiao laughed, curling into his arms. “Spare me. You’re ungrateful. Without this, you’d still be a lonely bachelor!”

“Oh?”

“Oh what? Thank my generosity for saving you from the tragic fate of becoming a mage.”

“Stop groping me!…”

“I said no—okay, I’m sorry~”

“Hmm~~~”