Chapter 31: Evacuation Invitation, Skill Mastery!

Su Bai felt a twinge of embarrassment at Lin Wanqing’s suggestion to split the supplies equally. After all, the compressed biscuits and sausages before them hadn't been discovered by her, but by Lin Wanqing. Su Bai felt it was unfair to take half the loot when she hadn't contributed much to the effort.

Lin Wanqing seemed to read her thoughts. She smiled, her tone light and carefree. "I wouldn't be able to carry it all anyway if I didn't give you some. Let’s just split it; consider it a gesture of friendship."

Her attitude was crisp and decisive, without a hint of hesitation or calculation. Hearing this, a sense of admiration stirred within Su Bai. She hadn't expected Lin Wanqing to be so generous and forthright.

"Alright, let's split it," Su Bai agreed, her voice tinged with gratitude. Without further pretense, she quickly packed half of the biscuits and sausages into her bag.

*No wonder Lin Wanqing is the protagonist of the story,* Su Bai mused to herself. *Her character and perspective are truly extraordinary.* She began to realize that Lin Wanqing’s future success wouldn't stem solely from her talent and potential, but from her charisma and the way she carried herself.

Once the supplies were divided, Lin Wanqing extended a hand and smiled. "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Lin Wanqing. I used to be a student at a certain university in Linghai City."

Su Bai shook her hand, returning the smile. "I’m Su Bai, also a student at that university. I never imagined we’d be schoolmates!"

The realization that they came from the same institution left them both pleasantly surprised. Lin Wanqing laughed softly, a hint of sentiment in her voice. "Perhaps this is destiny."

Su Bai nodded, feeling a strange sense of wonder. She never expected to encounter the story’s female lead under such circumstances, let alone find out they were alumni. Such a coincidence felt surreal.

As they continued to search the shopping mall, the initial wariness between them gradually dissipated. Lin Wanqing’s sincerity put Su Bai at ease, while Su Bai’s calm and wit earned Lin Wanqing’s respect.

After searching for a while, Lin Wanqing asked, "So, Su Bai, what are your plans for the near future?"

Su Bai pondered for a moment. "I intend to stay in Linghai City for a while longer to gather as many supplies as I can. However, it’s going to become very dangerous here soon, so I ultimately plan to evacuate."

Lin Wanqing nodded, her expression turning somber. "I agree. You might find this hard to believe, but there’s a voice in my head constantly urging me to leave this place."

Su Bai was stunned. "A voice in your head?"

Lin Wanqing didn't offer much explanation. "My intuition has always been precise. I suspect it won't be long before Linghai City is also digitized."

Su Bai caught her breath. She only knew about the impending dangers of Linghai City because of the memories she had inherited from Li Weiwei. She hadn't expected Lin Wanqing to sense it purely through intuition. Yet, Lin Wanqing was right; eventually, Linghai City would become the "Zombie Domain," one of the top ten forbidden zones.

"I share your sentiment," Su Bai agreed. "I’m gathering supplies before I leave, so we must hurry and collect as much as we can."

As they chatted, they continued their search. Checking the time, Su Bai saw that it was getting late. Their backpacks were already stuffed to the brim, and they were each carrying additional bags in their hands.

"Su Bai, while the network is still up, let’s exchange contact information. Maybe we can evacuate to the safe zone together later."

"That sounds great!"

After exchanging contacts, they went their separate ways. Lin Wanqing walked toward the other side of the mall with her heavy pack, while Su Bai stood still, watching her figure disappear into the dim corridor.

Su Bai didn't head home immediately. Instead, she found a secluded corner and secretly tucked her backpack into her "Thief’s Space." She then quietly returned to the mall to retrieve the camping gear, tents, and sleeping bags she had left behind, storing them all in her dimension. These supplies would prove invaluable for future survival in the wilderness.

*With these, my survival conditions will be much better,* she thought, feeling a sense of relief as she walked out of the mall with a light step.

Under the cover of night, Su Bai quickly returned to her residential complex. Just as she reached the entrance to the stairwell, she unexpectedly ran into Qin Yuke’s returning team.

"Su Bai! What’s all this?" Qin Yuke eyed the supplies she was carrying, a flash of confusion in his eyes, though he didn't press for details. Su Bai simply nodded in greeting and said nothing.

She glanced at his team; there were fewer members than before. It seemed some had been injured or lost while exploring the Foggy Forest. *It looks like their mission hasn't gone smoothly,* she speculated silently.

As she turned to head upstairs, Qin Yuke spoke up. "Su Bai, our team is finishing our mission and leaving in a few days. The fog from the forest is spreading rapidly and becoming increasingly dangerous. I don't think you should stay here alone."

His tone was one of genuine concern. As a soldier, his sense of responsibility wouldn't allow him to ignore her plight, even knowing she possessed a professional class.

Su Bai paused and replied gratefully, "Thank you for the warning. I understand. I was planning to evacuate in a few days anyway."

Qin Yuke nodded. "We are leaving in three days. If you’d like, we can depart together."

"Understood. Thank you, and be careful."

Su Bai hadn't expected both Qin Yuke and Lin Wanqing to invite her to join them. It seemed she would have options for her evacuation.

Back at home, she organized the supplies and transferred them into the "Thief’s Space." Qin Yuke’s words echoed in her mind. *The fog is spreading, monsters are appearing on the outskirts, and Linghai City is about to be digitized... It seems I need to expedite my departure.* Her eyes hardened with resolve.

Suddenly, a system notification rang in her ears.

[Ding! Congratulations, player. Your pet, Pearl, has met the requirements for an upgrade. Level +1!]

[Ding! Congratulations, player. Through persistent practice, your pet, Pearl, has learned a new skill: Sonic Shock!]