Apocalypse: Last Traveler

The drone flew out, conducting reconnaissance along the way as it crossed the river. Once it reached the opposite bank, it continued moving forward until it was at the edge of signal transmission, forcing Lu Xi'an to disembark with Gou and proceed on foot.

Upon reaching the riverbank, they could finally direct the drone to scout over the hill.

Afterwards, Gou's eyes lighted up, confirming that there was no issue there as well.

This seemed to indicate that everything Chai Xin said was true, and she indeed hadn't colluded with someone in the dark.

So, Lu Xi'an continued to move forward, crossing the river and heading towards the hill.

On approach, he saw the hill covered in thick weeds, with no sign of any lair.

Lu Xi'an had no choice but to send out Gou again.

When they reached the southern side of the hill, Gou's eyes brightened, shining onto a slope on the hill.

Lu Xi'an parted the weeds on the slope to discover a slab embedded within. The slab had been concealed by weeds, making it entirely unnoticeable.

Chai Xin had disguised the lair exceedingly well.

But it was just a surface disguise; the slab was uneven and its edges jagged, revealing the opening of a cave underneath.

"Is there any danger inside?"

Lu Xi'an asked Gou.

Gou's eyes flashed twice, indicating there was none.

Only then did Lu Xi'an lift the slab.

The lair was not large, just enough for one person to crouch inside.

Seeing the lair, Lu Xi'an imagined how Chai Xin usually rested there, realizing her curled posture was due to the cramped cave.

The cave was lined with wolf pelts, spread both below and above, pinned with bones through the edges, making it soft and fluffy, more comfortable than lying on damp soil.

These wolf pelts indicated Chai Xin had hunted numerous wolves.

It was no wonder wolves fled upon seeing her.

Gou's eyes focused on the wolf pelt on the cave floor. Relating Chai Xin's words, Lu Xi'an understood and removed the bone pins at the edges, lifting the pelt to reveal a small niche underneath.

Inside the niche was another piece of wolf pelt, wrapping something within.

Lu Xi'an crawled in, retrieved the wrapped wolf pelt, experiencing an odd sensation as if he were floating up to the heavens.

What on earth was inside that could trigger such a reaction?!

Lu Xi'an's heart raced. He backed out of the lair with the wolf pelt—his size made it uncomfortable inside.

He stared at the wolf pelt, took a deep breath, and opened it.

—The immediate previous reaction was indeed strange, causing suspicion within him. If Gou hadn't confirmed earlier that it was safe, he wouldn't have dared to unveil the pelt.

Upon unveiling, what lay inside took Lu Xi'an by surprise.

It was just an ordinary stone, but it was covered in countless dense purple filaments, resembling some eerie, mysterious mycelium.

Lu Xi'an didn't touch it, but just by looking, he felt warmth in his body, as if something was changing, though he couldn't quite understand what.

He rewrapped the stone, turned back, and retraced his steps. Along the way, he felt light and airy.

As he walked, he suddenly sensed something, gazing far into the distance. His eyes spanned across the river and vehicles, seeing the vein patterns on the forest leaves with remarkable clarity.

His vision had suddenly become sharper!

Moreover, the insects and birds' calls seemed clearer in his ears, the subtle sound of the wind took on distinct modulations, genuinely distinct.

Besides this, his mind felt clearer, brimming with energy.

He was alert and invigorated.

How could this world hold something so fantastical?!

Lu Xi'an glanced at the object wrapped in wolf pelt in his hand, quickened his pace, leaped over the river, and returned to the car.

"Have you seen this before?"

Lu Xi'an sat behind the wheel, unwrapped the wolf pelt, and asked.

Yao Wei looked at the object in Lu Xi'an's hand, her eyebrows knitting together as she said, "No. It's a strange stone."

"Indeed, quite strange..."

Lu Xi'an said.

Yao Wei's frown deepened as she glanced out the car window.

"Why do I... feel something's off?!"

She asked in surprise, yet without fear.

Lu Xi'an stared at Yao Wei, saying, "You feel it too? Is your vision clearer, can you see further, and do you hear sounds more distinctly?"

"Yes."

Yao Wei nodded, carefully sensing her bodily changes, saying, "I feel more energized, more so than after waking up."

Lu Xi'an rewrapped the stone, took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and said, "I think I know why Chai Xin's body changed."

"She probably knows too, but fears we'd kill her for it, so she didn't say it outright."

Yao Wei blinked, "So it's this stone that made her stronger than other ordinary people?"

"Yes, what else could explain it? With so many ordinary people, even though I've traveled from the north to the south, only she surpasses others physically in such a way."

"Yes."

Yao Wei nodded again, agreeing with Lu Xi'an's reasoning.

And Lu Xi'an fell into deeper thought, furrowing his brow even tighter as he pondered.

Yao Wei asked, "What is it?"

"I'm considering something..."

Lu Xi'an said, "This stone can affect us, causing changes that make us a bit stronger.

"Could it be... that we're created by something like this?

"Or, to put it another way—are the Neo-Humans born because of this sort of thing?"

"Ah?!"

This time, Yao Wei was a bit shocked, not having thoughts as far-reaching as Lu Xi'an.

But Lu Xi'an's thoughts wandered even further: "Even... today's ordinary people might be more formidable than those in the old world.

"Remember the notebook we found in Fengcheng County? The one belonging to the water courier.

"His notes indicate that the world then was troubled by extreme cold, and people mostly struggled because of it.

"I think that perhaps people back then couldn't endure the intense cold we now face.

"The current ordinary people's physical abilities far exceed those of that time. Could today's ordinary people have been affected by such a thing too?"

Yao Wei pursed her lips, feeling that what Lu Xi'an said made sense, but she still couldn't verify it.

She suddenly realized that perhaps what Chai Xin said was indeed true, that she and Lu Xi'an might have wronged Chai Xin...

"Let's go."

Lu Xi'an shifted gears, turned the car around, and said, "Let's pick up Chai Xin. We need to ask her exactly what's going on with this thing, and where it came from."