Apocalypse: Last Traveler

The three of them never expected the old tree to ask such a question; indeed, this old man has an unexpectedly youthful spirit.

But that's fine; it's better to have demands than to have none at all.

If the old tree desires something, it will be easier to persuade him to go to Pingchuan City.

"Master Shu, I've already told you, I've never been there myself, whether or not there are any old ladies, I really don't know."

Lu Xi'an laughed, "But according to what Luo Ping said, he has been trying every way to recruit people. They're constantly expanding there, so maybe they'll end up recruiting some old ladies from elsewhere?

"Why not go and see for yourself? Otherwise, if there really are some, and you don't go see them, wouldn't that be a pity?"

Unexpectedly, after saying just these few words, the old tree seemed bashful, waving his hand and saying, "What are you talking about?! Old ladies or not, at such an age, still talking about old ladies! A wife is a wife!"

Lu Xi'an: "..."

Yao Wei: "..."

Chai Xin: "..."

The old man behaved as if he had already found a wife, speaking on her behalf as the head of the family.

Lu Xi'an thought no wonder this old man could live alone for so long, constantly enduring hardships, and yet managed to persist for decades till now.

"Alright then, that's settled, Master. Go back, pack up a little, and you all set off."

Lu Xi'an knew it was a moment to strike while the iron was hot and didn't want to give him more time to hesitate, so he urged the old tree to get in the car.

The old tree noticed a keyword in Lu Xi'an's words and asked, "We?!"

"Yes, you all."

Lu Xi'an had already thought of how to phrase it, and said naturally, "I made it clear just now, but you probably didn't understand. Yao Wei and I have other matters, so we won't be going. Chai Xin will go with you; that way, you'll have company on the road."

The old tree's next question surprised them as well as Lu Xi'an: "Does that mean we won't have a car? How far are we walking?"

This time, before Lu Xi'an could respond, Chai Xin gave the old tree a disdainful look and said, "Big brother already said it, we're walking. Even with my small arms and legs, I can walk by myself. Can't you, Master?"

The old tree chuckled awkwardly, saying, "No, no! I've never seen a car in all these years. Every time I've gone up and down the mountains, I've walked. I can walk! I can walk!

"Let's go back and pack; we'll walk there. The elder mentioned Pingchuan City, right? My old mind recalls it's not that far. I can walk, I can walk."

Lu Xi'an said, "Don't rush. First, get some water; wait here, I'll get the water."

He said, taking out two bottles of mineral water from the trunk, distributing some to Yao Wei and Chai Xin, gulping some down himself, and then pouring the rest into a bucket.

The old tree quickly said, "Just one bottle is enough! Just one bottle is enough!"

Lu Xi'an replied, "What are you saying? I said two, so it's two. Would I not keep my word?"

Now the car had both a bucket and a cooking pot full of water, so they didn't need that many mineral water bottles, and sparing two wouldn't affect things.

He felt like he was a parent entrusting a child to someone else.

This feeling was quite strange, as he had never been a parent in his past life.

Holding two empty bottles, he went behind the dilapidated temple, filled them in a pit with a thick, green liquid, and planned to hand them to the old tree upon returning.

Unexpectedly, the old tree waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Let this little girl hold them. When I need some, she can give me a sip."

Good heavens, the old man was aware, intending to voluntarily hand the handle over to Chai Xin!

One wonders what he's thinking, lowering his stance so much in this manner.

Just as Lu Xi'an was about to refuse, Chai Xin stepped forward, grinning, and said, "Master Shu, you carry them yourself. I won't. You can drink when you need to; you're a good man anyway, I'm not afraid of you, no need to scare you with this."

The old tree was taken aback, looked at Chai Xin, then at Lu Xi'an, and then, still uneasy, glanced at Yao Wei. Seeing no reaction from Lu Xi'an or Yao Wei, he sighed in relief and cautiously asked, "Then I'll... hold them?"

"Hold them, get in the car."

Lu Xi'an said.

He felt like a parent again, seeing Chai Xin's handling and the old tree's reactions, feeling truly relieved, yet also a bit gratified.

This girl clearly knew how to interact with her travel companions and had the experience to survive on her own. Now she had learned Type D Neo-Humans' invisibility skills, and as they were parting ways to Pingchuan City, he could finally be completely at ease.

However, despite having a parental mindset toward Chai Xin, Lu Xi'an never considered keeping her in the car.

Parting ways now, even though it made Chai Xin seemed pitiable as if abandoned, it was the most responsible way for her life.

Yao Wei was on a revenge mission, a journey full of unpredictable dangers.

On the other hand, Luo Ping had a secret base, guarding treasures without losing them, likely safe enough.

Even though Luo Ping seemed unreliable, he was a Type B Neo-Human and was willing to risk his life repeatedly for a newly met friend, making him trustworthy.

Going to Luo Ping's place was the best choice.

Yao Wei likely thought so too.

As to why Yao Wei wanted Lu Xi'an to accompany her for revenge instead of trusting Chai Xin to follow, Lu Xi'an couldn't say, nor was it his place.

The human heart is complicated and hard to explain, and how many things can be clearly said?

In any case, going with Yao Wei was what both of them felt and wanted, an unalterable fact.

Driving down the mountain, crossing East Mountain County, lifting the car over Xijian River, they reached Xiaogang Village.

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei asked Chai Xin to showcase the abilities she had finally mastered, seeing her disappear completely, clothes and all, in front of them, they were finally relieved.

Then they spent half a day explaining maps to the old tree and Chai Xin, confirming the roads to Pingchuan City's Shanyang County, teaching Chai Xin how to identify directions, and only then were they satisfied to sleep.

Early the next morning, Lu Xi'an ignited a fire and cooked a pot of rice, accompanied by dehydrated vegetables and sausages, an incredibly sumptuous sight that made the old tree's eyes red.

It had been ages since he'd seen such a meal.

So when Lu Xi'an gave him a portion, he took it directly with his hands, complaining about the heat, "ss sss" as he transferred it between his hands, and wolfed it down.

Yao Wei gave her bowl to Chai Xin, eating only after Chai Xin finished.

After this meal, it was time to part ways.