Chapter 108: Lively Stream
His hands were folded neatly behind his back, posture relaxed as if the earlier battle had not rattled him in the slightest.
"You’re very protective of him," he remarked smoothly, his eyes flicking toward Xian Yu’s amulet. "That talisman is rare. Others might say you’re spoiling him."
Ling Yu’s gaze slid to Shen Ming, cold and cutting. "Let them say it. I don’t answer them."
Shen Ming’s smile twitched, but he recovered quickly. "I admire your decisiveness. The others... well, they’ve stopped pressuring you thanks to my intervention, but don’t think their resentment has disappeared. Hatred festers quietly. It may resurface when you least expect it."
Ling Yu arched a brow. "Then I’ll cut it down when it does."
The bluntness of her words made Shen Ming’s eyes glimmer with something darker, envy, perhaps, or fascination. But he quickly smoothed it over with another smile, the picture of harmless gentleness.
"Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you."
He retreated then, leaving her with Xian Yu.
Ling Yu returned her attention to her healer. She handed him two more high-grade mana potions from her inventory, watching as the other survivors’ eyes widened in barely suppressed greed. Their hands twitched, but none dared reach forward.
"These are yours," she said simply, placing them in his hands. "Use them only when absolutely necessary. Don’t waste them. If you run dry, it’s better to conserve mana than to burn yourself out again."
Xian Yu nodded quickly, clutching them to his chest. His expression was a mixture of determination and awe, as if every gesture from her was a gift he did not deserve.
The other scavengers’ hatred burned brighter in their eyes now, but Ling Yu dismissed it entirely. She had no intention of sharing with them. Not only because their greed disgusted her, but because during the battle, when her blade had been locked against the Alpha Ape’s crushing fist, they had shouted at Xian Yu to abandon her.
"Heal us instead! Forget her, she’s already lost!"
If not for Xian Yu’s stubbornness, his refusal to withdraw his blessings from her, she would have been crushed beneath that blow. Her jaw tightened at the memory. No, she would not forgive that. And she would certainly not reward it.
Her hand brushed lightly against Xian Yu’s shoulder. "Remember this," she said quietly. "Those who shouted at you today, those are the people you cannot trust in battle. Not everyone in a team is truly your ally. Sometimes, they’ll trade your life for their convenience. Don’t forget it."
Xian Yu’s eyes widened. He swallowed hard, then nodded. "I’ll remember, Lady... no, Miss Ling."
The system pulsed again.
[System Notification: Xian Yu’s Awareness +10. Trust exclusively reinforced toward Ling Yu.]
Ling Yu finally rose, dusting off her hands. The monster cores in her inventory hummed faintly, a reminder of her spoils. The survivors were still scavenging scraps, dragging out boxes of half-rotted food and dented cans, but none of it mattered compared to what she had gained.
Her ally was alive. Equipped with artifacts and talismans and strengthened, while her enemies had been quietly marked.
The night settled over the ruined wilderness like a shroud. The wind carried the faint howls of distant beasts, the low hum of insects, and the rustling of leaves from trees half-wilted under apocalyptic decay. Shen Ming’s party had chosen the remains of an abandoned service station for their rest, its collapsed roof and broken windows at least offering some shelter from the elements.
A fire had been built in the cracked center of the lot, its orange light throwing shadows against fractured walls. Survivors sat around it, tearing into stale bread, half-rotten fruit, and whatever scraps had been salvaged earlier. Some whispered quietly among themselves, others sharpened blades or tried to clean blood from their clothes.
But Ling Yu was focused elsewhere.
She sat slightly apart, her back against a wall where she could see everyone clearly. Fluffy curled in her lap, a ball of warmth, its small ears twitching whenever someone spoke too loudly. Xian Yu sat beside her, pale but visibly recovering. His staff rested against his knees, the glow of his healing magic fading with each pulse.
Every so often, Ling Yu extended her hand, and without hesitation, Xian Yu would channel a healing spell. Her body was no longer wounded, but the system allowed "heals" to register as long as mana was expended. And with each glow of his soft magic, a bar appeared in her vision:
[Skill Progress – Divine Restoration: 18.3%]
[Requirement: Heal 10,000 wounds. Current count: 2,034.]The numbers had climbed steadily since the afternoon battle. Ling Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. If he kept up this pace, healing every scratch, every bruise, even minor strain, his progress toward unlocking his hidden potential as an S-class healer would skyrocket.
She tilted her head thoughtfully, watching the glow fade from her skin.
"Again," she said quietly.
Xian Yu blinked, then smiled faintly. "You’re not even injured anymore, Master. I can feel it. I’m just wasting mana."
"Not a waste," Ling Yu countered coolly. "Every cast brings you closer. Don’t stop until you’re drained. I have potions for recovery."
At that, several survivors nearby looked over sharply, greed flashing in their eyes. Shen Ming noticed and quickly chuckled to smooth over the tension. "Ah, Miss Ling values efficiency. Training even in rest time, hm? Admirable."
Ling Yu ignored him, eyes fixed only on Xian Yu. "Continue."
He obeyed. Another glow. Another pulse. Another flicker of progress in the system.
The System and Divine Beings
The divine stream was lively.
[Unknown Cosmic Entity: "Her foresight is commendable. She builds her pieces before the board is set."]
[God of War: "Hah! To train a healer into power this way... cold-blooded, but effective. I like her."]
[Goddess of Mercy: "That boy... he reminds me of my own followers. Such devotion. I wish to bless him."]
[Asclepius: Back off, you old guy! I discovered him first! He is going to become mine!]