Chapter 25: The Master Thief and the Memory Orb

Su Bai never expected to run into Li Weiwei and her group here.

Li Weiwei’s eyes flickered, and she immediately asked, "Su Bai, why are you here?"

Su Bai raised an eyebrow and replied calmly, "My home is nearby. Why shouldn't I be here?"

Li Weiwei frowned, her tone tinged with accusation: "But most of the people in Linghai City have already evacuated. Why didn't you leave?"

Su Bai found Li Weiwei’s words rather amusing. "Aren't you here as well? Why do you think I stayed?"

The verbal sparring caused the atmosphere to grow increasingly tense. Li Weiwei was clearly dissatisfied with Su Bai’s response, while Su Bai was becoming impatient with her questioning. Their relationship had never been particularly good to begin with.

Just as the tension was about to escalate, Mi Yao suddenly interrupted them.

"Why do you still have the energy to argue?" Mi Yao’s tone was anxious and helpless. She looked at Su Bai, her eyes pleading: "Su Bai, Xie Yu is injured. Do you have any medical supplies? We’ve run out, but Xie Yu still has wounds that won't stop bleeding."

Hearing this, Su Bai shifted her gaze to the injured Xie Yu. His clothes were tattered, and his left arm was a mangled, bloody mess; the skin around the wounds had turned an unnatural grayish-black, clearly the result of the corrosive phosphorus powder from a Fog White Moth.

"It's that severe!" Su Bai felt a jolt of alarm, her brows knitting tightly. She hadn't expected his injuries to be this grave—far worse than those of Qin Yuke’s teammates she had seen before.

Mi Yao’s voice choked up, her eyes filled with self-reproach: "If it weren't for protecting me, Xie Yu wouldn't have been hurt so badly..."

Xie Yu’s face was as pale as paper, his forehead beaded with cold sweat. Yet, he forced a smile, his voice weak but firm: "Don't blame yourself. We’re a team now; protecting you is my responsibility. Besides, none of us expected to encounter such terrifying monsters on the outskirts."

Watching Xie Yu struggle to maintain his composure, a sense of admiration stirred within Su Bai. She knew that if his wounds weren't treated promptly, the consequences could be disastrous. They were classmates, and as a class cadre in university, Xie Yu had helped her many times.

Su Bai opened her backpack and, shielding the movement, retrieved the disinfectant and bandages she had prepared from her "Thief’s Space." She handed them to Mi Yao: "This is all I have. Use it to treat the wounds; it should temporarily mitigate the corrosive effect."

Mi Yao accepted the supplies, a flash of gratitude in her eyes: "Thank you, Su Bai."

Su Bai nodded, her tone calm: "We’re all classmates."

Seeing this, the hostility in Li Weiwei’s eyes softened slightly, though her tone remained stiff: "Su Bai, it’s too dangerous for you to be here alone. Why don't you come with us?"

Su Bai shook her head firmly: "Thank you for the offer, but I have my own plans. Besides, I have a companion; I won't easily fall into danger." As she spoke, she glanced at Tianba, who stood nearby.

Tianba’s single eye glinted with a cold, sharp light, as if warning Li Weiwei and the others not to act rashly. Upon seeing Tianba, a look of realization crossed Li Weiwei’s face, and she thought to herself, *So it’s true—Su Bai has already acquired that profession!*

Seeing this, Li Weiwei said nothing more, merely nodding: "Take care of yourself, then."

However, no one noticed that while everyone’s attention was focused on Xie Yu, Tianba had brushed past them with lightning speed.

Mi Yao and her teammates quickly treated Xie Yu’s wounds before rushing off. It was clear that only a professional doctor could handle injuries of this severity. Su Bai watched them go, her feelings complex.

"Alright, it's time for us to move on," Su Bai whispered, preparing to lead Tianba toward her next objective. Just as she stored the remaining disinfectant into her [Thief’s Space], a system notification rang in her mind.

*Ding! Congratulations! Your beast companion, Tianba, has successfully used the "Master Thief" talent!*

She suddenly noticed something new in her inventory. It hadn't been placed there by her; it had appeared out of thin air. It was a transparent glass orb, inside of which a faint mist seemed to swirl, looking mysterious and eerie.

"What is this?" Su Bai asked, picking up the orb in surprise and examining it closely. She had never seen anything like it. Recalling the system prompt, she immediately used her [Appraisal Eye] to check its attributes. A string of information appeared in her mind:

*[Memory Orb: Li Weiwei’s Most Important Memory]*

*Description: Tianba used the [Master Thief] talent to steal what Li Weiwei considered her most important possession, not expecting it to be a memory.*

After reading the description, Su Bai was too shocked to speak. She realized at once what had happened: Tianba’s actions were the result of its "Master Thief" talent working in tandem with the "Thief’s Space." Anything stolen by the talent would automatically appear in that space.

She turned to look at Tianba, who stood beside her with an expression of smug triumph, as if to say, "Who told that woman to be hostile toward you? I just took something from her—though I didn't realize it wasn't edible."

Su Bai froze, then understood Tianba’s intent. It was protecting her in its own way, even going so far as to "steal" from Li Weiwei to vent her frustrations. A wave of warmth washed over her, and she couldn't help but crouch down and gently pat Tianba’s head: "Thank you, Tianba. But the friction between Li Weiwei and me hasn't reached the point of enmity. Doing this makes me feel a bit embarrassed."

Tianba snorted and turned its head away, seemingly indifferent to her "embarrassment." It flicked its tail, as if to say, "I just didn't like the look of her. It has nothing to do with you."

Su Bai smiled and held the Memory Orb. Curiosity bubbled up within her: *It’s fortunate that it’s just a memory, but why would this be the most important thing to Li Weiwei?*

She longed to view the memory immediately, but reason told her it wasn't the right time. Her scavenging mission for the day wasn't finished, and running into Li Weiwei was merely a minor detour. She had to hurry and continue searching for supplies.

"Alright, Tianba, let's keep going." Su Bai stored the Memory Orb back into her [Thief’s Space], stood up, and brushed the dust off her clothes.

Tianba nodded and began walking ahead of her with an elegant gait, as if clearing the path. Su Bai followed, still filled with curiosity about the memory.

*I'll study it properly once I get back,* she decided.

She and Tianba continued to search the empty streets. The nocturnal fog made everything look extra eerie, but with Tianba by her side, Su Bai felt a sense of comfort.