The spot Xia Xinyan found was indeed a cave—spacious inside, with stone walls sloping outward at the top to form a natural rain shelter. Perfect for spending the night.
Thick weeds and shrubs clustered around the entrance, offering concealment. If trouble came, they could slip away fast. Not perfectly safe, but far better than sleeping exposed in the wild.
With the campsite settled, dinner was next. The supply crate held survival tools, but food? They had to hunt. For Xia Xinyan, no problem. Past experience, a versatile hunting gadget, and a dash of luck—she bagged their prize quickly: a wild boar.
Ling Mo trailed behind, face frozen in shock and confusion the whole time.
Earlier, when Xia Xinyan pointed out this was wilderness survival, he’d thought *his* moment to shine had arrived. He’d watched survival shows, was a firearms enthusiast who’d scored a gun, and knew animal weak points cold—from hunting sims. Headshots? Rookie mistake. Heart or lungs? Lethal. Tracking? He had skills. This segment felt tailor-made for him to flex.
—Until Xia Xinyan spotted the boar’s tracks first, tracked it down faster, and dropped it with one shot from her large-caliber handgun. His Desert Eagle hadn’t even cleared the holster.
Just… pretty disappointing.
So Xia Xinyan was *this* strong…
Noticing the flicker of disappointment in his eyes, she knew exactly what he was thinking.
Obviously. She knew every skill he had—and more. How could he compete?
She understood his quiet machismo. Everyone likes showing off. But now? One misstep meant total party wipe. She couldn’t coddle his ego.
Still… if the chance came, she’d let him have his moment.
“The boar’s dead,” Xia Xinyan said, tilting her head with a smile. “Ling Mo, help carry it back? Or shall we lift together?”
“Nah, I’ve got it alone.” Ling Mo shook off his gloom, holstered his gun, and hoisted the boar. “This weight’s still… Hiss—! Totally manageable…”
*Damn, heavy.*
Watching him wobble, she asked gently, “Sure you’re okay? Need a hand?”
“No!” He gritted his teeth. “Let’s go. I’ve got it!”
“…Okay.”
*Just showing off.*
*Hope you don’t overdo it.*
*Idiot.*
Luckily, the cave was close. After dumping the boar, next task: firewood.
“Ling Mo, grab dry wood nearby. I’ll handle the butchering.” She pulled her survival knife.
Ling Mo hesitated. “How about I do it? Are you… sure?”
*Is it really okay for a girl to handle something this bloody? Won’t she be scared?*
“My dad taught me survival skills on trips abroad. I’ve butchered wild boar before.” She smoothly invoked her all-purpose dad.
Ling Mo nodded. “Got it. I’ll gather wood.”
*Wait… she’s nothing like the elegant heiress I imagined. More like a hardcore girl.*
*…Actually, I like that.*
*Yeah. I like her.*
After watching his retreating back, Xia Xinyan bowed her head and began cutting.
She knew this “heiress with survival skills” act was absurd—but necessary. No other explanation fit.
Truth was, Ling Mo probably preferred cute, clingy girls who leaned on him. She *could* play that role sometimes. But not here. “Soft girls” wouldn’t survive this game. They’d become burdens, cannon fodder in the Great Cataclysm, or both.
Late-game survivors relied only on themselves. Trusting even close allies with your life? Risky. Character might be solid, but skill? Not guaranteed.
Ling Mo would learn this too. His pride wouldn’t tolerate dead weight. So she *had* to prove her strength now—so he’d never abandon her later.
Acting was fine off-duty. But not here. “Act too long, and you start believing it.” She couldn’t afford complacency. One slip, and vigilance vanished.
Especially for someone who’d died once.
Sometimes, “letting go” wasn’t peace—it was danger.
Still… would he even like this version of her?
She’d never dated in her past life, but she knew this: Ling Mo—*her former self*—wasn’t fond of strong women.
*Hmm… I’ll still give him chances to shine.*
[Suggestion: Host may propose mating with the original. If the original becomes infatuated with Host’s physique, abandonment risk drops to zero.]
“…”
[Rest assured, Host. This body’s experience is 100% aligned with the original’s fantasies.]
“So you engineered this body as Ling Mo’s personal ‘cup’?” Xia Xinyan muttered, venting with two sharp stabs into the boar.
[…That is vulgar language. A lady should not speak thus.]
“Then stop suggesting nonsense. I won’t do it.”
[Why refuse? Is mating not humanity’s most primal joy?]
“Why don’t *you* go mate with the glitchy system attached to Ling Mo?”
[…Unable to comply.]
“Then shut up.” She paused. “By the way—the first dungeon’s already started. Nothing to say?”
[…]
[Points Task Issued: Eliminate one Protection Association member → 100 points]
[Points Task Issued: Clear dungeon successfully → 3,000 points]
[Bonus Task Issued: Achieve S-rank evaluation → 1 lottery draw]
Xia Xinyan stared at the three notifications. Silent.
“If I hadn’t asked… would you have forgotten?”
[System delay is a normal occurrence.]
