Chapter 28: Life Like an Ant

That night, there was not even half a star in the sky; the thick darkness was silent and still.

In the distance, three guards huddled around a dim, flickering campfire, talking amongst themselves.

Over at the convict settlement, everyone had already fallen into a deep sleep.

The Xin family had claimed a small, decent spot, leaning against a rock to stay sheltered from the wind.

Xin Wenyuan held his youngest son, lying close to his wife and daughter.

When the air shifted slightly and his daughter vanished from her spot, Xie Ninglan merely closed her eyes and pulled up the drooping thin blanket.

At this moment, Xin Nian's teleportation range was not very far, at most about ten meters.

However, her precise control over her ability allowed for instantaneous teleportation, and she had already figured out the knack for precise positioning.

With consecutive instantaneous bursts under the cover of night, she was already a hundred meters away.

The human eye could, at most, catch a faint afterimage of the air's fluctuation.

Standing behind a tree, she watched the several guards whispering not far away, tilting her head. Her eyes held no laughter; they were pitch black.

Following the slope of the earthen hill, Xin Nian gathered wild plants along the way as she walked.

In this season, on the slopes of Mount Tukala, things like shepherd's purse, purslane, and dandelions could be seen everywhere.

In particular, these several types could be used both medicinally and as food, making them rare finds.

The former could clear heat, detoxify, reduce swelling, and fight inflammation; the latter could be used in its entirety as medicine, with its roots, leaves, and flowers all being indispensable goods for regulating heat and the liver meridian.

Having lived through two lifetimes, the young girl's method of collecting things was quite skillful and rapid.

She harvested as she walked, collecting everything useful she saw, while paying close attention to keeping the roots, stems, and leaves intact. This was because some plants held their seeds in the roots, while others held them in the stems and branches; they had to be preserved perfectly to facilitate seed collection.

Those who had experienced the upheavals of the apocalypse knew exactly how important seed preservation was.

Especially since Xin Nian's mother was an expert grower whose own abilities were related to plants and trees—it was truly a godsend.

Things like wild berries, mulberries, Chinese yams, and mushrooms were "see and get"; she could collect a bit of each for future emergencies.

Since time was limited, Xin Nian didn't have time to dig up too much; as long as she focused on saving seeds, her mother would be able to produce them continuously in the future.

Looking around now, the hillside was lush and green, brimming with vitality.

In truth, setting aside the hard work of practicing her abilities, the family of three was enjoying this fertile land.

Compared to the scarred and devastated wasteland of the past, no matter what they saw on the road of exile, even a tiny flower or blade of grass brought immense joy.

Xin Nian felt quite grateful. In the past, she had dreamed of returning to her former carefree days.

But when faced with all this vibrant life, she often felt a sense of unreality.

If—and she meant *if*—all those natural disasters predicted by the Imperial Astronomer were fake, how wonderful would that be?

Who would want to experience it all over again? But often, many things are beyond one's control.

Seeing a brightly lit area in the distance, the young girl had a premonition: she had arrived.

Her spatial teleportation was becoming more and more proficient, and just as she had anticipated, the more energy she consumed along the way, the faster her energy circulation recovered.

Now, the distance of a single teleportation had increased. One truly had to practice their ability much more to strengthen it through practical use.

Xin Nian stood by the side gate of the magnificent Yunlin Villa, tilting her head to look up at the pitch-black sky.

*Tsk. The wealthy and powerful living in such decadence... I really want to destroy it all with my own hands.*

Spatial teleportation ignored all physical objects. Passing through the wall to stand in the shadows of the corridor, Xin Nian twitched her brow, her gaze staring eerily ahead.

A vast lawn, presumably used for polo, was surrounded by high-hanging, magnificent colored lights.

The clamor of voices rushed toward her.

To be more specific, it was the sound of screaming and wailing.

Only two people remained running frantically on the lawn, both young and strong men.

Seven or eight corpses were scattered across the lawn; most had their eyes wide open, their facial expressions twisted in death.

The high-spirited County Princess sat astride her horse, holding a bow in one hand, laughing arrogantly and triumphantly.

Around her, a dozen men and women dressed as peasants knelt, prostrating themselves with their heads touching the ground in utter humility.

Xuan Cao craned her long neck forward to help Princess Ju-ni dismount, taking a moist silk handkerchief to wipe the Princess's hands.

"I've had enough fun. Prepare a bath for this Princess."

After Xiao Ju-ni took the cloth to wipe her hands, she tossed the fine handkerchief aside, trampling it into the ground.

"As for these low-born peasants, lock them all up in the granary first." Xiao Ju-ni turned her head, looking down at them from her high perch, and added nonchalantly, "We continue tomorrow."

The group of peasants called "low-born" all burst into tears, wailing, "Princess, have mercy!"

Dozens of fierce guards rushed forward and, without a word, dragged the people away by force.

"Boring." Xiao Ju-ni lifted her beautiful chin, leaning on Xuan Cao's hand as she slowly left the field, paying no attention to the shadow lurking nearby.

Xin Nian tilted her head and popped out from the shadows. The guards on both sides only realized and turned around, starting to utter the word "Who—" when a strange floral fragrance rushed toward them, causing them to collapse limply to the ground, unconscious.

"You are the ones who are low-born." Xin Nian snorted, dealing with them without hesitation and stowing them into her Bead Graveyard.

The night was heavy, and everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion under her control.

Inside the brightly lit chamber, Xiao Ju-ni sat elegantly in a bathtub behind a colorful, gold-inlaid floral wooden screen, quietly enjoying the exquisite luxury of the night.

Xuan Cao entered with a beaming smile, holding a rouge box. "Princess, I have brought you..."

She suddenly froze, staring at the figure standing before the screen.

Xin Nian was dressed in prisoner's garb and looked disheveled; in the eyes of others, she looked no different from a ghost.

"Who are—" Before Xuan Cao could finish her sentence, she felt a chill in her neck, as if something had sprayed violently from her throat.

With a *thud*, she fell to the ground.

Inside the screen, Xiao Ju-ni immediately opened her eyes. "Xuan Cao?"

The room was filled with misty steam. Through the haze, Xiao Ju-ni vaguely saw a shadow standing right behind the screen.

Just as she tried to stand up, she realized with horror that the figure had appeared beside the bathtub like a phantom.

The newcomer had a large character for "Prisoner" embroidered on her chest!

Her hair was a messy tangle, falling in uneven clumps, revealing an exceptionally exquisite and fresh little face underneath.

"You... you?" Xiao Ju-ni was startled, but having grown accustomed to various grand spectacles, she forced herself to remain calm.

"Shh." Xin Nian pressed a slender, jade-like finger to her lips, looking at her with eyes full of mirth.

For some reason, Xiao Ju-ni felt an inexplicable sense of dread, and her teeth began to chatter involuntarily.

"Princess, how many guards did you bring on this trip?"

Guards... guards, yes, the guards. Why were those useless eaters guarding outside not reacting at all?

"Come..." Just as the word "come" reached her lips, she felt her neck gripped by a hand like an iron vise.

"Why are you being so disobedient? I told you not to make a sound." Xin Nian pressed a finger lightly against her lips and gave her a charming, seductive smile.

(End of Chapter)