Bai Youwei furrowed her brow and said slowly, “From what you’re describing… quite a few people have transferred from the Combat Zone to the Life Zone?”

“Yeah, definitely quite a few.” He sighed quietly. “It’s brutal over there. People only ever transfer from the Combat Zone to the Life Zone — I’ve never heard of anyone going the other direction.”

Bai Youwei thought for a moment. “…But people who transferred from the Combat Zone to the Life Zone *and* linked a family shared inventory with someone still over there — would there really be that many of those?”

Hai Shu went silent and said nothing.

Such people would naturally be rare, and even if they existed, the linked party might not even still be alive.

Taking it a step further: even if Bai Youwei found such a person whose linked partner was alive *and* was fully willing to help her search — how long would that process take?

He had just mentioned that the mortality rate in the Combat Zone was extremely high. Could she afford to wait?

Bai Youwei pressed her temple with a touch of irritation. “Tell me about the Combat Zone. Whether or not I actually go — I’ll think about that later.”

“I can only provide information from a year ago,” Hai Shu said. “I’ll need payment.”

Bai Youwei gave a light laugh. “Doesn’t that meal I just fed you count as payment?”

Hai Shu shook his head. “One meal is too little. At least… feed me for a month?”

“A month? Forget it.” Bai Youwei said coolly. “I’m afraid you’d bring every other vagrant in the area over here. This is a children’s welfare home, not a shelter for drifters. I’ll give you 1,000 points up front. If the intel proves useful, another 3,000 — and you are not to tell anyone where those points came from.”

Hai Shu considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Deal.”

Bai Youwei tapped the table lightly with the hand she’d rested there. “Much appreciated. Please begin.”

……

After Hai Shu left, Bai Youwei returned to her room, likely lost in thought, and didn’t come out for a long while.

Youyou was playing on the grounds with Diandian and Jiujiu, their laughter drifting through the welfare home from time to time.

Ning Yao glanced at the three little ones, wrung out the freshly washed clothes in her hands, and hung them on the drying rack.

Yi Zichu was in the kitchen preparing the afternoon meal.

He walked out to the small vegetable garden, pulled a few stalks of scallions, and was heading back when Ning Yao called out to him.

“Zichu ge.”

Yi Zichu stopped in his tracks and looked at her. “…Yeah?”

Ning Yao glanced awkwardly toward Bai Youwei’s room and asked Yi Zichu: “Is Weiwei jie really going to transfer zones?”

“Probably…” Yi Zichu wasn’t certain himself. “From what Hai Shu was saying, the Combat Zone is extremely dangerous, the relief funds aren’t easy to earn, and the users assigned there are no ordinary people… Transferring is something she’ll need to think about very carefully.”

“Right…” Ning Yao set down the clothes in her hands, her face full of worry. “Over here the streams are everyday life. Over there it’s killing people and slaying monsters. How could they possibly be the same?”

Yi Zichu saw the look on her face and smiled gently. “Yaoyao, are you reluctant to let Weiwei jie go?”

Ning Yao startled, then her face flushed slightly. “Mm… a little, yeah, a little reluctant…”

Yi Zichu looked toward Bai Youwei’s room and sighed softly. “Me too. A little reluctant.”

“Zichu ge, why don’t you go talk her out of it?” Ning Yao couldn’t help saying. “Everyone staying here together, living happily — wouldn’t that be so much better?”

“But…” Yi Zichu hesitated. “Yaoyao, Weiwei jie is different from us. She has her own things she needs to do.”

Ning Yao pursed her lips. “I know… It’s not like it’s a secret — she’s looking for that person called Shen Mo. Anyway, for Weiwei jie, Shen Mo is the most important person in the world, and the rest of us are all inconsequential — all just… people who don’t really matter to her…”

Yi Zichu smiled helplessly. “Since when are you jealous?”

Ning Yao’s eyes reddened.

Yi Zichu could tell she’d genuinely taken it to heart. He sighed softly, placed his hands on her shoulders, and consoled her gently: “Yaoyao, listen to me…”

*Bang!*

Bai Youwei suddenly threw open her door and announced: “I’ve decided! Tomorrow I’m going to apply for a zone transfer!”

Yi Zichu: “……”

Ning Yao: “……”

—