Chapter 26: The Diligent Tianba and the Carried Su Bai!

Su Bai continued to scavenge for supplies on the outskirts of Linghai City. However, after visiting several shops in a row, her mood gradually grew somber. Whether it was convenience stores, supermarkets, or small boutiques, the shelves had been picked clean, leaving behind only scattered, useless debris.

"Sigh, it seems I was overthinking it, assuming that with the people gone, the city's supplies would all be mine," Su Bai sighed helplessly, shaking her head. She realized that others were not fools; even during the evacuation, they would have taken everything of value, leaving nothing behind.

Despite this, Su Bai did not give up entirely. She believed there would always be a few "fish that slipped through the net" in the city. Thus, she continued to search the streets, hoping to find overlooked resources. Finally, in an unassuming milk tea shop, Su Bai made a new discovery. Although the milk tea machines and other equipment had been removed, she found several unopened crates of ingredients in the back kitchen storeroom, including tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, syrup, powdered milk, and various flavor powders.

"Although these are just ingredients, as long as I have enough water, I can make my own milk tea according to the recipes." A glimmer of joy flashed in Su Bai's eyes. She knew that while these ingredients wouldn't fill her stomach, being able to enjoy a homemade cup of milk tea in the midst of future scarcity would be a rare luxury. She quickly stowed the two crates of ingredients into her [Thief Space], feeling a sense of satisfaction. While not vital, they would add a bit of joy to her life.

Next, Su Bai found a few power banks in a mobile phone store. What pleased her most was that they were solar-powered, requiring no electricity at all. "However, Linghai City is currently shrouded in mist, and sunlight barely penetrates it; whether this solar charger will be useful is another question," Su Bai frowned, feeling a bit worried. But then she reconsidered: even if there was no sun now, she could use them later when traveling elsewhere, provided the networks remained intact. For now, they were still potentially useful. Su Bai tucked the power banks into her [Thief Space], feeling a sense of security. With these supplies, her survival conditions had improved slightly.

As night deepened, visibility in the outer mist grew lower. Su Bai felt drowsy, and her body began to ache with fatigue. "Let's call it a day; time to head back," she whispered, deciding to stop the search.

She led Tianba back along the path they had come, moving quickly toward home. Along the way, Su Bai replayed the day's harvest in her mind. Though the supplies weren't particularly abundant, she had at least found some useful items. More importantly, she felt more confident about her survival. "At least this will last for a while," she calculated to herself.

Back home, Su Bai organized the day's finds and placed them into the [Thief Space]. Checking the time, she realized it was already late at night. "Alright, time to rest." She stretched and walked to the window, looking out at the thick mist, her heart filled with complex emotions. "Tomorrow, I'll keep working hard."

However, just as Su Bai prepared to let Tianba enter the Beast Space to rest, the creature let out a "meow," clearly expressing its opposition. "What’s wrong, Tianba? You don't want to go into the Beast Space?" Su Bai asked with some confusion. Tianba nodded, then turned its head toward the outside of the house, its single eye gleaming with an eager light.

"You want to go out again?" Su Bai was surprised; she hadn't expected Tianba to want to head out right after returning with her. Tianba nodded again, this time unsheathing its sharp claws as if to say, "Now is the perfect time for me to hunt!"

Su Bai frowned, feeling anxious. She didn't want Tianba acting alone at night; after all, the mist outside was filled with unknown dangers. However, Tianba’s attitude was firm, even carrying an unquestionable intensity. Su Bai tried to dissuade it: "Tianba, it's dangerous out there. You should stay home." Tianba merely glanced at her, as if to say, "You underestimate me."

Seeing how persistent Tianba was, Su Bai knew she couldn't stop it. She sighed helplessly: "Alright, but you must protect yourself! If you encounter danger, come back immediately; don't push yourself." Tianba nodded, a flash of confidence in its single eye, as if promising, "Don't worry!"

In the next second, Tianba's figure vanished like a bolt of black lightning. Its movements were light and swift, almost silent, as if it had merged with the night.

Su Bai watched the direction in which Tianba had disappeared. She knew that Tianba's strength was not to be underestimated—she might not even be a match for it herself. Su Bai shook her head, turned, and returned to her room to rest.

However, not long after she lay down, drifting toward sleep, a series of system notifications suddenly rang in her ears:
【Ding! Your pet, Tianba, has successfully killed a Baby Silkworm, EXP +2! Player gains EXP +0.5!】
【Ding! Your pet, Tianba, has successfully killed a Baby Silkworm, EXP +2! Player gains EXP +0.5!】
【Ding! Your pet, Tianba, has successfully killed a Baby Silkworm, EXP +2! Player gains EXP +0.5!】
...

A dozen system alerts vanished her sleepiness entirely. She sat up abruptly, eyes wide with surprise: "Tianba went out to grind for XP?" She hadn't expected Tianba to go out hunting alone in the dead of night, and with such efficiency.

Su Bai felt both surprised and touched. She couldn't help but murmur, "Tianba, you're working way too hard..." Recalling the creature's arrogant yet reliable demeanor, she finally understood: "No wonder Tianba is already Level 5; it has been working silently all along, never stopping its quest to grow stronger."

Su Bai lay back down, the system notifications continuing. She closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep, but the images of Tianba fighting kept playing in her mind. In her half-conscious state, she seemed to hear different system prompts:
【Ding! Player EXP requirements met for level up, Level +1!】
【Ding! Congratulations, your pet Tianba has met the EXP requirements for level up, Level +1!】
...

Waking up the next day, Su Bai was swept away by a wave of pleasant surprise. She opened her eyes wide and quickly pulled up her attribute panel to check the latest data.