The dark volcanic ash had already begun to engulf their fishing village, spreading down the slope towards the bay. Burning volcanic rocks fell like dropped bombs, lighting up the entire bay. They could even see the desperate, mournful faces peering out from the cave entrance.

The volcano was too close to the village; nothing within a few kilometers could escape its destruction. Even though those were their fellow villagers, she had to ask since she was now driving their boat. Yu Xi had been prepared to expose her space abilities to save people when she realized the villagers wouldn’t have enough time to move the fishing boat. This was just a stop on their journey; they wouldn’t stay long. As long as she didn’t admit it and disappeared afterward, she could minimize the danger to herself.

She didn’t expect that, while she was explaining things to Yu Qi and Ya Tong by the trees near the cliff, taking out and dropping the inflatable boat, and having them enter the water to wait in a safer spot, this scene would unfold. When she returned, she saw Sim resolutely sending off his family.

The villagers had no idea that abandoning their companion and fleeing on their own also meant giving up their only chance of survival. In times of peace, they weren’t selfish and self-centered people, but in the face of disaster, the instinct to survive led them to make choices subconsciously.

But Chuck, with a moment of kindness and compassion, had managed to save his life. The fishing boat broke through the waves and stopped once it reached a completely safe area. Everyone, including the now-awake Sim, stood on the deck, watching the village, now entirely covered in black smoke, their expressions filled with grief.

Their homes, all their belongings, the wealth they had painstakingly accumulated, and the other villagers were all gone, swallowed by smoke and flames. The hatred and pain they felt when abandoned seemed trivial now in the face of life and death…

Each person carried a heavy burden of grief. Before the forces of nature, everything seemed insignificant. Where would they go now? How would they live?

After a moment, Yu Xi restarted the fishing boat and headed southwest along the coastline.

Three days later, the fishing boat docked at a small pier. Yu Xi, Yu Qi, and Ya Tong, with backpacks, disembarked, watched by the reluctant Alicia and the grateful but worried DeNa family. According to Sim’s directions, they could head west from the pier to a fork in the road. Taking the left fork for a few kilometers would lead them back to the highway they had initially planned to take. If they needed supplies, they could head right at the fork for a kilometer or two to reach a small town.

They hoped the three would stay on the boat and travel with them to their next stop—a coastal town about two days away by boat. There, they could find plenty of supplies and a hospital for Sim’s treatment, allowing them to rest for a few days before continuing their journey.

However, the three women had had enough of eating dry food for three days and had reached their limit—especially Ya Tong, who suffered from seasickness. She had been vomiting nonstop for three days, and medication hadn’t helped, leaving her to lie groggy in the cabin. The fishing boat was old, and the sea’s wind and waves made it pitch and roll, making even Yu Qi feel uncomfortable, which left Yu Xi feeling bewildered as she remained unaffected.

To make matters worse, the coastline they passed was mostly cliffs, desolate and uninhabited. So, Ya Tong continued to suffer. When they learned there was a pier and a road that led back to their intended highway, they unanimously decided to disembark. For them, this sea journey had been a shortcut, saving them considerable time. They preferred to continue on their own for the rest of the trip.

Alicia hugged Yu Xi tightly before she disembarked. She whispered in Yu Xi’s ear, “Sister Xi, I know you saved my father and all of us… I also know you’re an angel sent by God, with other people to save and other tasks to do… Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about you. Please take care of yourself, and if you have time, visit me at night… I’ll always miss you. This is a gift for you. Thank you for saving us.”

The girl placed a small, pretty purple-red shell in Yu Xi’s palm. Yu Xi took the shell, kissed the girl’s soft cheek, and whispered, “This is a blessing kiss. May you and your loved ones always be safe and happy.”

That day, Alicia stood on the deck until Yu Xi and her companions’ figures disappeared at the end of the pier, unable to tear herself away. Her mother came to hold her and felt a hard object in Alicia’s coat pocket. She reached in, took it out to examine in the sunlight, and gasped in astonishment.

It was a diamond necklace!

“Alicia, where did this come from?”

The girl thought for a moment and then smiled brightly. “It’s a gift from the angel sister.”

xxx

Qidun Town.

It was a very small town, so small that standing at one end, one could see the other end. Life in the small town was dull and uneventful, and perhaps because of its size, the two meteor showers had perfectly missed it, which made some mischief-makers, eager for chaos, feel disappointed.

Victor and Anton were such a pair of idle brothers, always imagining that if a meteor hit the town, causing chaos and a mass exodus, they could seize the opportunity to loot the town’s only supermarket, take their guns, and go on an adventure.

But that was just wishful thinking. Even though everyone outside was panicking about the end of the world, life in the small town remained unchanged.

Well, almost unchanged. The only difference was that while they used to occasionally see travelers passing through to resupply, now even those had disappeared.

Until that day, when a silver, unfamiliar RV slowly drove into the town and stopped in front of the town’s only supermarket. The door opened, and a young foreign girl stepped out.

She was very pretty, with long, curly, dyed blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, with black roots showing. Her lips were slightly pursed, and as she got out of the car, her eyes suddenly scanned around, as if sensing someone watching her.

However, when her gaze fell on Victor and Anton, her sharp look softened slightly before turning away indifferently.

Yu Qi followed Yu Xi out of the car and, seeing her warily looking around, asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just two kids.” Yu Xi, with her keen senses, noticed she was being watched. Initially expecting some threat, she found it was just two 15 or 16-year-old boys from E country, looking fair and innocent.

The boys, mimicking adult postures, fidgeted awkwardly when she glanced their way—one tugged at his hair while the other half-pulled off his jacket, trying to show off his arm muscles, looking rather silly.

“Alright.” Yu Qi glanced at them before entering the supermarket with Yu Xi.

They had come to buy tools to reinforce their vehicle. Despite its small size, the town was well-equipped; they had noticed a repair shop soon after entering.

They had asked the owner if they could get the necessary tools, and he assured them that with the right tools, they could handle any job.

Their main goal was to reinforce their RV. While the vehicle was great, it had too many windows. The kitchen had a window above, the bathroom had one, and there were several large horizontal windows next to the double bed, the seating area, and the driver’s seat.

They planned to add iron bars over the windows, like on their SUV, and install additional bumpers at the front and rear to improve safety. In the post-apocalyptic world, looks didn’t matter; sturdiness was key.

They also intended to do a full check-up, as they had many more days of travel ahead.

They didn’t plan to stay overnight in the town. After spending most of the day reinforcing the vehicle, they bought some local food and drinks from the supermarket and then left the town.

However, not long after they left, they realized they had a tail following them.