Xu Xi had a good night's sleep.
Upon waking, his mental fatigue had completely dissipated, and the circulation of his vital energy felt smoother than usual.
"Is it already daytime?"
The candle he had lit earlier had gone out.
The morning sun, rising with a more dazzling brilliance, illuminated every detail of the room with clarity.
With each breath, he could feel the cold air entering through his nose and mouth, circulating in his lungs, and then being exhaled.
His mind, dulled by long sleep, sharpened in the chill.
"This is..."
Xu Xi lifted the fur coat that was draped over him.
"Did Yingxue bring this?"
He glanced to the side, where the young girl was slumped over the table, fast asleep. Her small nose quivered slightly with each breath, rising and falling gently, her delicate movements barely noticeable.
Her slender arm rested on a stack of documents that had already been processed.
It didn't take long.
Looking at the scene before him, Xu Xi instantly understood what had happened last night.
"Recently, Yingxue has been improving more and more," Xu Xi thought as he pulled out the documents from under the girl's arm and quickly scanned through them, nodding in approval of her annotations.
This was a good thing.
Xu Xi genuinely felt happy for Wu Yingxue's growth.
Of course.
If the girl could take better care of herself and not fall asleep mid-task, Xu Xi thought it would be even better.
"Let her sleep a bit longer. She probably hasn't been asleep for long."
The young lady was sleeping soundly.
Her delicate features looked peaceful in her slumber.
Every now and then, her lips would smack softly, emitting faint sounds of bubbles popping, and a glistening trail of saliva shimmered at the corner of her mouth.
Seeing this, Xu Xi chuckled softly and draped the fur coat she had brought over her back.
As an innate martial artist, she didn't really need the warmth.
The roaring flow of vital energy and the resilience of her body provided her with exceptional physical capabilities, making her resistant to common illnesses.
But sometimes.
Some things are done simply because one wants to do them, because the heart desires it, regardless of whether they are useful or not.
"Yesterday, we finalized the initial plan."
"Starting today, all the people of the Survival Army must focus on martial training to ensure their ability to protect themselves when we break through the Ten Thousand Mountains."
"In addition, we need to stockpile more food."
"Along with martial techniques, weapons, armor, military formations, and medicinal herbs."
Pushing open the door, he stepped outside.
The winter morning air, despite the bright sunlight, remained cold and biting.
Xu Xi saw the withered trees swaying in the wind, snowflakes drifting down from the sky, blanketing the world in a thin layer of snow.
The scenery was serene and beautiful, but Xu Xi had no mind to appreciate it.
As he gazed at the winter scene before him, his thoughts were consumed by how to escape the Ten Thousand Mountains, to free more people, more of his fellow citizens, from the heavy and painful fate of being preyed upon.
"Sir!"
"Sir!"
"Let me help you with your coat!"
Perhaps roused by the sound of the door opening, the girl who had been sound asleep in the room woke up. She grabbed the thick fur coat and rushed to Xu Xi's side.
Without waiting for a response, she draped the coat over him.
The fur coat was brown.
Not bright yellow.
"Thank you, Yingxue," Xu Xi expressed his gratitude for the girl's kindness, brushing the snowflakes off her head and urging her to go back to sleep.
Wu Yingxue obediently agreed.
Her eyes were still heavy with sleep, and she yawned as she turned back.
...
[Simulation Year 15, age 30, Wu Yingxue age 24]
[The flow of vital energy kept your body in peak condition, and time left no trace on your face. You still looked young, still the "honest Xi" that everyone worried about.]
[To break through the Ten Thousand Mountains, you devised a detailed plan, completely transforming the Survival Army.]
[Some were confused, others were puzzled.]
[But no one questioned you.]
[Your prestige was unmatched, and the people deeply trusted you, believing that your actions must have a special meaning.]
[Under your guidance, from the able-bodied men of the Survival Army to the elderly and children in their homes, everyone began to work hard, either training in martial arts or gathering food.]
[To break through the Ten Thousand Mountains, strength was indispensable.]
[The Fool's Technique was the best choice for enhancing people's strength, but it required a large supply of food. Without it, the risk of self-cannibalization was high.]
[To prevent such a tragedy,]
[And also to create the illusion that the Survival Army still sought to overthrow the Great Qian Dynasty,]
[You and Wu Yingxue led separate attacks on two Great Qian provinces, sweeping through them like an autumn wind, swiftly seizing the stored grain of the Great Qian nobility.]
...
[Simulation Year 16, age 31, Wu Yingxue age 25]
[Regarding the Ten Thousand Mountains, you made an unexpected discovery.]
[To determine the best route for the future breakthrough, you often ventured deep into the Ten Thousand Mountains, trying to find a safer path amidst the endless waves of demons.]
[The Ten Thousand Mountains were extremely dangerous.]
[Even you, at the third level of the innate realm, felt threatened every time you entered.]
[This sense of threat was most intense during the spring and winter seasons.]
[You realized that the demon tides during these seasons were not just about demons wanting to feast on humans. There was a deeper reason behind them.]
[Through comparison and investigation,]
[You discovered that during the spring and winter demon tides, the demons that brought nightmares to the borderlands were themselves afraid of something.]
"The strong prey on the weak, survival of the fittest—this is the brutal law among demons."
"Clearly, they are not afraid of humans."
"Then the answer is obvious: what the demons fear must be a more powerful demonic entity."
"The spring and winter demon tides are not just about demons wanting to eat humans. They are also fleeing from something stronger, something they dare not face in the Ten Thousand Mountains."
[You pondered this deeply.]
[You decided to set the breakthrough time for mid-summer.]
[If your guess was correct, during this time, the truly formidable demons of the Ten Thousand Mountains would temporarily leave, only to return during the spring and winter seasons.]
[That same year, the rebellion in Great Qian intensified.]
[Even though you had reined in the Survival Army and stopped actively conquering provinces, the widespread dissemination of the Fool's Technique led to the sudden emergence of many rebel forces.]
[Some rebel armies mocked your inaction, calling you a fool for letting others take the fruits of your labor.]
[Rebel forces from all over Great Qian surged toward the imperial capital at the heart of the empire, like dragons emerging from the sea. Only your Survival Army remained motionless.]
[You faintly sensed a malevolent gaze sweeping across the thirteen provinces of Great Qian.]
"I'm really angry!"
"What's wrong, Niu?"
"Brother Xu, those people are insulting you. I won't allow it!"
"It's alright, Niu. There's no need to get angry with those who are already doomed."
Simulation Year 17.
Xu Xi, age 32.
He still looked young, his martial cultivation still at the Seeing God level. The bottleneck to becoming a Human Immortal was too stubborn, and Xu Xi struggled to elevate his inner world.
But there was no more time.
Xu Xi decided to break through the Ten Thousand Mountains this year.
Any longer, and the imperial capital and the Ten Thousand Mountains would shed their peaceful facade, revealing their true, ferocious nature to the world.
"Xi, we'll follow your lead!"
"That's right, we'll do whatever you say!"
Before Xu Xi, a sea of voices rose from the dark mass of people. Different voices, different tones, but all converging into two simple words.
Survive.