The group said their farewells and parted ways.

Before leaving, Chen Hui gave Bai Youwei a round, plump mushroom as thanks for leading them out of the maze.

Zhang Tianyang, worried about Chen Hui traveling alone and facing danger, also gave her a frog clay figurine.

Afterward, Chen Hui headed north.

Zhang Tianyang led his classmates south.

Shen Mo, Bai Youwei, Tan Xiao, and Cheng Weicai—the four of them drove toward Hangzhou—

From Yangzhou to Hangzhou was 297 kilometers total, with a driving time of approximately 3 hours and 39 minutes.

That was the time before the apocalypse.

As for now, the congested highway and endless emerging puppets were enough to overwhelm them.

The only convenience was that their physical abilities had greatly improved now. If road conditions weren’t too severely congested, Shen Mo and Tan Xiao could completely move vehicles by hand to clear the road.

Teacher Cheng’s strength had also increased considerably. Though he couldn’t compare with young strong men, his physical condition had at least grown twenty years younger—his back truly didn’t ache, his legs didn’t hurt, his head didn’t spin, and he wasn’t short of breath.

This change’s direct impact was: everyone’s mentality became more optimistic, and they seemed less resistant to puppet games as well.

Bai Youwei didn’t know whether this change was good or bad.

To call it good—perhaps everyone’s adaptability to the apocalypse had strengthened.

To call it bad—maybe this was the games’ first step in domesticating them…

The feeling of getting slapped, then given a sweet treat.

…

After entering the Changshen Expressway, the journey became smoother.

No congested vehicles, and no puppets encountered either.

At night they passed by Taihu Lake and stopped at the Taihu Service Area to rest.

With bright moon hanging high and night curtain spread across the sky, everyone built a fire in the service area’s open space to heat water and make dinner.

Tan Xiao threw branches into the fire while muttering, “The maze was still better—watermelon, roast meat, even a microwave… Now we’re back to primitive living. Sigh, wonder what the Hangzhou maze will be like…”

Teacher Cheng was cooking mung bean soup nearby, smiling as he asked, “Xiao Tan, aren’t you afraid?”

Tan Xiao blurted out, “Of course I’m afraid.”

After speaking, he paused, then grinned again. “But now that we’re out, it doesn’t seem so scary anymore… Hey! Not thinking about it anymore! We wanderers in the world must be able to weather any storm—this little thing is nothing! Just a drizzle! See Boss Mo over there—his expression hasn’t changed once. What’s that saying again? Steady as Mount Tai, unchanging face!”

Teacher Cheng laughed. “It’s ‘Mount Tai collapses before you yet your face doesn’t change; elk arise at your left yet your eyes don’t blink.’ It means Mount Tai collapses in front of you but your expression doesn’t change; elk suddenly appear beside you but your eyes don’t blink.”

Tan Xiao rarely didn’t find him pretentious, and praised, “Teachers really are different—so cultured.”

Teacher Cheng heard this and his expression dimmed slightly. “These days, being cultured isn’t as good as being capable. Besides teaching, I can’t do anything else…”

The two were chatting when Bai Youwei came out of the tent and asked them, “Who touched my rabbit?”

Both Tan Xiao and Teacher Cheng were stunned.

Shen Mo, who’d been looking at the map, also turned his head and asked, “What—your rabbit is missing?”

Bai Youwei replied with a furrowed brow, “No, it’s in the tent.”

Everyone was even more confused.

If it wasn’t missing, why ask like that?

“Never mind.” Bai Youwei frowned irritably, hobbling over on her crutch. With the other crutch she poked at the fire. “Are the sweet potatoes done yet?”

“Still early—they need more roasting to cook through.” Teacher Cheng quickly pulled her away. “Be careful you don’t get burned. Sparks can scorch a hole right through your clothes.”

Bai Youwei hobbled back and forth on her crutch. “I’m hungry.”

Tan Xiao handed her a grilled sausage. “Eat this to tide you over first.”

Bai Youwei found it too greasy and didn’t take the sausage. She hobbled around some more on her crutch, then saw the distant Taihu Lake—

Under moonlight the mountain scenery shimmered, water rippled with glimmering light, and a vast expanse of lotus leaves spread flat across the water’s surface. When the breeze blew, the lotus leaves swayed like layered waves, light and graceful.

Bai Youwei suddenly felt a craving. She unconsciously looked toward Shen Mo: “I want to eat lotus seed pods.”

Shen Mo: “…”