Chapter 35: After Sunset, She Resolutely Steered Toward Death
How handsome can someone look when they’re angry?
Greatness speaks for itself.jpg
After asking that rhetorical question in her livestream, the Excavation‑Princess didn’t say another word.
Instead, she clipped the segment showing Bai Fu realizing she was going to be controlled, then erupting in anger and knocking Yulia away with a single punch.
Then she replayed it on loop in the livestream.
Again and again and again.
Her furious roar marked the beginning.
By stomping the mutated Number Nine into the ground, she unleashed her anger.
Then, with the explosive “Enough,” she fused all her suppressed turmoil, unwillingness, rage, and hatred—and finally unleashed that fist capable of shattering the sky!
That punch didn’t just break through Yulia’s psychokinetic “Wall of Sighs.”
It shattered the screen in front of livestream viewers as well.
The fierce punch blast crossed time and space, crashing hard into the hearts of these players.
First it hit with a deep, spicy tang.
Then came a pleasantly lingering sweetness—this is what love feels like?
【I admit it, I’ve been captured by Bai Fu!】
【This goddamn charm—damn, it’s spilling out of the screen. I can’t imagine how immersive it would be in person seeing Bai Fu suddenly explode like that.】
【Give me more, I love watching women fight.】
【Hmph ah ah ah, I’m so envious. Digging treasure, Bai Fu pushed past her limits to save you.】
【So cool, totally flashy. This reminds me of Goku going Super Saiyan after Krillin was killed by Frieza.】
【I profited big time—Bai Fu wiped out the BOSS, I gained over 600 exp points, hahaha.】
At that moment, the Fu‑sect seemed to dominate the entire game.
Of course, “seemed” is the keyword—Fu‑sect hadn’t become overwhelmingly powerful yet.
Still, at least at this moment, Excavation‑Princess’s livestream reached a new milestone—
She was the hottest livestream in the game during that time slot, and it wasn’t close—second place didn’t even appear in her rearview mirror.
【Thanks to XXX for that XXX】
Excavation‑Princess’s lips were practically worn out from talking nonstop.
In her two-and-a-half years of livestreaming, she had never experienced a day like today.
This is the benefit of having exceptional foresight to spot Bai Fu early and cling tightly to her coattails—from now on, I must work even harder to raise Bai Fu’s favor.
Excavation‑Princess’s windfall spurred on other players.
Though she was the pioneer, Bai Fu’s storyline had just begun.
They still had the chance to overtake Excavation‑Princess and become the player Bai Fu valued the most!
Amid a burst of joy, even those who hated Bai Fu most couldn’t attack directly now.
They could only silently exit Excavation‑Princess’s livestream.
Then sneak into a less popular stream and say, “It’s not time to pop corks yet—the huge threat of the Insect Tide invasion isn’t over. Maybe Bai Fu’s doomed.”
【Maybe that’s true?】
Players watching snapped back to reality.
Although defeating Yulia was worth celebrating, it was more important to resolve the 【Insect Tide Invasion】 quest quickly.
Otherwise, both they and Bai Fu would face disaster later.
“I’m going to check it out!”
Starfish‑bro, slightly injured, hobbled toward the hidden door.
Even before he moved, Yago and Xia Shi had already taken action.
As professional agents, despite their excitement, they prioritized tasks properly.
It wasn’t too late to celebrate after completely solving the Insect Tide.
Just as they entered the hidden door, Bai Fu emerged from the lab.
“Found it!”
Bai Fu raised her right hand, holding in her palm a translucent green cylinder—the Induction Bait.
She’d searched around in the lab a moment ago.
As she suspected, there were many valuable items in the lab; the only problem was that most were useless to her.
For example, the mixing machine, cooling machine, and other equipment—all old but still valuable.
Yet they were too bulky to easily move or sell.
After scouring the lab, Bai Fu found three items useful to her.
The first was a pistol with 21–39 attack power—over 50 % stronger than the one she got from Cao Wenliang.
The second was a small med kit containing one bottle of painkiller, two bottles of recovery potion, and one bottle of standard anti-mutant toxin medicine.
The third was two bottles of enhancement potion.
【APT‑011 Prototype (progress 92.257%)】
【Quality】: Purple
【Additional Effect】: A new drug using mutated beast extracts, developed by Yulia under the Truth Society’s top-tier engineering.
Using it has a 90% chance to activate the special talent 【Blood of Evolution】, and a 10% chance to cause the user to mutate.
【Blood of Evolution】: Special talent template. Strength +2, Agility +2, Constitution +4, Inspiration +3. Constitution-to-HP conversion rate increased by 100%. Mutation infection resistance +30%. Unlocks special skill 【Psionic Boil】.
【Psionic Boil】: When attacking, converts 10% of psionic value into the same amount of base physical damage, which benefits from critical hit bonuses.
【Note】: After acquiring the alien bloodline, you will be automatically viewed as hostile by the 【Human Alliance】, which upholds "Human Supremacy" and "Pure Blood Theory". Please consider carefully.
Bai Fu’s eyes lit up the moment she saw the description of the enhancement potion.
A special template?
Wasn’t this exactly what she had been pursuing all along?
Even though the bonus from this special template wasn’t exactly heaven-defying, it was enough to significantly boost her combat power.
Just the 【Constitution-to-HP conversion rate increased by 100%】 would allow her HP to double, greatly increasing her survivability.
However, two problems stood before her now.
First, the drug carried a 10% chance of turning her into a mindless mutated monster. While the probability wasn’t high, she couldn’t afford to gamble recklessly. Unlike the Players, she had no chance to restart.
Second, the drug’s production progress was only at 92.257%. Although the number was slowly climbing, it would take at least five or six more hours to reach 100%. During this time, if the two agents from the Gene Primordials outside discovered the potions, she might not be able to claim them for herself.
At that thought, Bai Fu decisively picked up the induction bait and walked out of the lab, blocking Yago and Xia Shi outside.
She needed to stall them first, then look for a chance to come back and take the enhancement potion away.
The first step of her plan had succeeded. Yago and Xia Shi’s attention was fully drawn to the induction bait, leaving them no time to monitor the lab.
“Luckily, that woman wasn’t lying.”
“With this, we can lure away the insect tide?” Party Big Star asked curiously.
Xia Shi shook her head. “She only said there was a chance. Whether it’ll work depends on whether those amoebas give us the opportunity. Let’s go. Time is tight. We need to scout the insect tide’s condition first.”
At first, the Players didn’t quite understand what Xia Shi meant, but after following Yago and Xia Shi to the outskirts of the Abandoned Cooling Plant, they understood.
“Th-th-this...”
“Holy crap, my trypophobia is flaring up.”
“There’s slime everywhere. Ugh~”
Outside the fence, swarms of gray-brown bugs, each about the size of an adult husky, were madly ramming against it.
They piled on top of each other, tumbling, scattering left and right, constantly making a screeching creaking noise.
Just watching this nauseating scene made the Players’ scalps tingle. And hearing that harsh sound made them feel physically ill.
The reactions in the livestream weren’t much better.
【Turn the camera away! I don’t want to see bugs—I want to see Fu‑fu】
【Stop filming, or I’m unsubscribing】
【Tsk, those bugs are kinda cool】
【Bruh, we’ve got a perv in here】
Bugs seemed to have some kind of special curse. One on its own was manageable, but when there were so many of them, swarming and packed tightly together, it sent chills down your spine.
“This is bad.”
Yago looked around.
Under the effect of the insect tide, the Abandoned Cooling Plant had fallen into utter chaos.
The residents living on the outskirts were fleeing like mad toward the center. Several roads had been completely blocked off, and even small stampedes had broken out.
That was not good news.
The chaotic fleeing of the residents meant that no one was left to guard the fence. It was easy to foresee that the fence would be torn down by the bugs much faster than expected.
What’s more, since Number Nine had spilled the induction bait near the entrance to the Wildfire Gang, the residents flocking to the center of the Cooling Plant wouldn’t be saved—instead, they would become prime targets for the amoebas.
“Alright, you few go inform the residents of the situation. The rest follow me to stop those bugs from getting in. We need to wait for the right moment—when there’s a gap in the insect tide, we’ll send out the induction bait we found in the lab.”
Yago issued commands with practiced ease. But none of the Players responded to him. Instead, they all turned their eyes to Bai Fu.
Yago: “……”
He could only cast a pleading glance at Bai Fu.
Bai Fu said, “Everyone, just follow Mr. Yago’s orders for now. I know you want to protect me, but right now, the top priority is to defend the Abandoned Cooling Plant.”
As soon as she spoke, the Players acted at once.
Yago’s lips twitched. Well, what could he do?
After all, Bai Fu had once furiously turned against the Truth Society and destroyed two of their members just to protect these people.
Honestly, he hadn’t expected them to really be able to hold back the insect tide.
The fences at a small place like the Abandoned Cooling Plant were too flimsy—they couldn’t withstand the amoebas’ tearing and corrosive venom.
He just hoped to stall as long as possible. That way, even if the tactic of using the induction bait failed, he might still live a bit longer—maybe long enough for Lynn’s reinforcements to arrive.
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
“Damn it! This insect tide is way too massive!”
Staring at the wall in front of him, which had been crushed under the sheer weight of the bugs, Yago’s scalp went numb.
Even though some Players rushed to block the breach immediately, how could they plug up just one wall? Could they hold off dozens, even hundreds, of collapsing sections?
“Help!”
“I don’t want to die yet, mommy!”
“This is divine punishment! It’s God’s retribution for the impure—hahaha!”
The fleeing residents became even more panicked.
Some even gave up escaping altogether and dropped to their knees, eyes shut in prayer.
Pray your ass!
Bai Fu’s expression grew grave.
This was the critical moment—things couldn’t keep spiraling like this.
Otherwise, everyone would be squeezed toward the Wildfire Gang. If that happened, she’d miss her chance to get the enhancement potion.
That was the special template she had longed for ever since she crossed into this world.
There was only one tactic left. As long as she pulled it off, she could secure the enhancement potion and also win a massive wave of Player favorability.
“Listen to me—we can’t just sit here and wait!”
“Huh?”
Xia Shi, Yago, the Excavation‑Princess and the others all turned their heads.
Bai Fu explained, “If we just keep waiting like this, when will we ever get the chance to rush out with the induction bait? We must take the initiative, lure those bugs ourselves, and force them to expose a weak point.”
Everyone agreed with her suggestion, but—
“Who will carry the induction bait and rush out?”
Yago asked this.
This mission was extremely dangerous—staying behind at the Abandoned Cooling Plant to resist the insect tide still left a sliver of hope, but whoever accepted this mission was basically being handed a death sentence.
Convert to My Fu was the first to jump out: “Let me do it.”
“No, this isn’t a task you all can complete.” Bai Fu immediately stopped him. “To lure away the insect tide, the induction bait must be thrown far from the Cooling Plant. With your current strength, you might die on the way—if that happens, everything will be for nothing.”
These words were a bit hurtful, but they were the truth.
The Players weren’t afraid of death, but their current strength truly wasn’t enough to complete this mission.
That meant, among everyone present, the only one capable of carrying it out was...
A bad feeling suddenly welled up in the hearts of all the Players.
“I’ll carry out this mission myself.”
Bai Fu stood up.
“No!”
In that instant, all the Players around her shouted in unison.
A faint smile curled on Bai Fu’s lips. “I know. I know what’s in your hearts. But right now, only I can do this. Mr. Yago and Miss Xia Shi are good with firearms—I'm different. I’m skilled in melee combat. Don’t worry. Ordinary amoebas can’t hurt me.”
She wasn’t lying.
With 26 points in Constitution, she completely outclassed the amoebas.
Unless a huge group attacked her with venom at the same time, she had nothing to fear.
Even if she really was surrounded, she still had the Psionic Restraint Device she had gotten from Number Seven.
But the Players didn’t know that.
All they saw was Bai Fu trying to sacrifice herself.
How could this be allowed?
They had only just crossed the hurdle that was Yulia. What awaited them should’ve been happiness and peace—not parting and death!
“There has to be another way!”
Bai Fu shouted lowly, “Stop being stubborn. We don’t have time. The sun has already set. After dark, the insect tide will become even more dangerous. We have to lure it away immediately.”
“But...”
Even after being scolded, the Players didn’t back down.
Bai Fu locked eyes with them for a long time before sighing.
She stepped away from the crowd and walked under a streetlight, looking out toward the chaotic crowd of refugees.
She spoke in a calm tone, “This is the place I once lived. There are many familiar smiling faces here. And there’s all of you—the Heroes of legend. Do you remember what I said when I came looking for you that day? I could never sit by and watch this place become a monster’s paradise.”
Excavation‑Princess originally wanted to say something, but when she saw that lonely figure standing beneath the streetlight, something suddenly stuck in her throat.
That day—it must have been the day Bai Fu risked her life to warn them about the Wildfire Gang’s attack.
—“I’m beginning to understand why you’re qualified to be called the Heroes of legend.”
—“You don’t understand. You don’t understand anything!”
Line after line from the past echoed in Excavation‑Princess’s mind. She had played many games, but this was the first time she’d experienced something so unique.
Here, she was just herself—not anyone else. Here, she didn’t peer into another world through a screen. She was truly part of it.
Excavation‑Princess suddenly felt a little annoyed. Why did this game have to be so immersive?
And she wasn’t alone.
The other Players felt the same. They wanted to do something—but what could they do?
“I can’t accept this!”
“But that’s life. It’s full of disappointments.” Bai Fu smiled, then turned to Yago. “Mr. Yago, could I borrow your vehicle?”
“Ah, the car? N-no problem. But... are you really going?”
Bai Fu said, “Mr. Yago, I think you know very well that this is the best solution right now.”
Yago didn’t say anything.
Yes, from a rational standpoint, this was the best plan—it only required sacrificing a few.
But the one being sacrificed was Bai Fu.
She was someone uniquely interesting in this wasteland. Someone who made people instinctively want to be her friend.
He gritted his teeth for a long time, then finally threw over the car keys.
“I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Xia Shi immediately followed and handed all her weapons to Bai Fu. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”
“Thank you.”
Bai Fu jumped into the car.
Just as she was about to start it, Party Big Star suddenly rushed up.
“Take me with you! At a critical moment, I can jump off and lure away some of the bugs.”
“I can do it too!” Convert to My Fu was the second to dash forward.
A crowd of Players blocked the car like that. Bai Fu looked helpless, but in the end she still picked five to go with her.
The only reason she didn’t bring more was because the car couldn’t hold that many.
The operation finally began.
Under Yago’s command, some Players began intentionally provoking the amoebas to lure them elsewhere.
Their efforts were successful—a gap soon appeared in the insect tide.
Bai Fu raised her right hand high and waved side to side.
Farewell, everyone!
At the edge of the Abandoned Cooling Plant after sunset, Yago, Xia Shi, over a hundred Players, and countless viewers in the livestream all looked at that not-so-tall silver-haired girl.
For love.
For the land they loved, for the people who lived on it, and for the Players who had placed their hopes in her.
As the engine roared to life, the silver-haired girl resolutely drove toward the high wall of death in the wilderness.
At that moment, the first comment to float across the livestream screen was—
【My heart was taken by Bai Fu. Perhaps I will never feel joy or sorrow again in this life】