“Yes, yes, yes…” Old He uttered three successive ‘yeses,’ tilting his head back, straining to catch Wang Jue’s voice and pinpoint the direction he stood. Realizing he was right beside Xiao Shu, he waved his hand: “Wang Jue, come here, I need a word with you. Xiao Shu, you wait outside the tent for a moment.”

So, Xiao Shu respectfully moved away. He paced back and forth outside the tent until Wang Jue emerged, his expression grave, lifting the flap, and Xiao Shu rushed forward to ask, “What did he say to you?”

Wang Jue let out a sigh, knitted his brows, and said softly, “He asked me to persuade you to go with Li Xiaohao to find Xiao Yu. He said the city is incredibly dangerous, full of thugs roaming in small groups looking to hack at anyone they see, and he hopes we can go with Xiaohao for at least a better chance of survival.”

“Didn’t you say the two great families—the one guarding the Fountain of Youth and the one guarding the Sea of the Dead—are at war? Taking Li Xiaohao along, doesn’t that equate to declaring war on the other side, stirring up even more trouble?” Xiao Shu challenged.

“Alas, you still don't grasp this issue! When you were fighting desperately against those living dead, I was probably three kilometers away, and I could hear every word you spoke. They have never considered you and Li Xiaohao as belonging to separate factions. In their eyes, you are not just a member of the Sea of the Dead family, but the weakest one, precisely because you are made of living flesh and blood. Your father, your elder brother, including your nephew Xing'er, all possess unique abilities, making you the family’s true soft spot. That is why the living dead desire you the most—just as they desired your uncle Li Taiming back then—to leverage blood ties and emotion to keep your father in check.” Wang Jue finally voiced the words Xiao Shu had always kept hidden in his heart, words he never dared confront.

Indeed, for Xiao Shu, admitting he was the weakest person in this lineage was shameful, yet as a person of flesh and blood, he found comfort in sharing the same fragile life force as Yingzi. These two conflicting emotions intertwined, leaving Xiao Shu alternately distressed and uplifted. He constantly fantasized that one day, Yingzi might achieve profound enlightenment and carve out a little bit of time from her finite existence to live a life akin to companionship with him. However, behind this simple desire stood Li Xiaohao, capable of transcending reincarnation, making even the briefest flicker of such fantasies an extravagance. Now, Wang Jue and Old He were asking him to seek out Ming Xiaoyu alongside that man. How could they know this felt like a profound humiliation to him, akin to an undeveloped child needing an adult to hold their hand just to play outside?

Xiao Shu remained silent, circling the area, watching the sun slowly sink behind the western mountains, when an idea suddenly struck him. He turned, saying to Wang Jue in a leisurely tone, “It’s very late today; we certainly can’t make any move now. We should find a tent and have a comfortable night’s sleep, and discuss this tomorrow.”

Seeing his composure and finding his logic sound, Wang Jue didn't dwell on it and agreed to stay at the refuge for the night. Thus, the two hastily pitched a temporary tent next to Old He’s, ate dinner, and crawled inside, preparing for rest. Just as he was about to close his eyes, Xiao Shu suddenly sat up and asked Wang Jue, “You can hear so many sounds; doesn't your sleep suffer badly?” Wang Jue sighed, “Ever since we left Miao Village, hardly anyone has had a decent night's sleep. Just as we begin to fall into deep slumber, we are jarred awake by the noises around us. But, I’m used to it now.”

Hearing this, Xiao Shu pulled out a pair of soundproof earplugs from his backpack and handed them to Wang Jue, a sly smile on his face, saying, “You should try these today. I was keeping them for myself, but it seems you need them more than I do.”

“Mmm, thank you!” Wang Jue took the earplugs, gently squeezing the inflatable rubber into small, flattened strips, and inserted them into his ears, letting them slowly expand. When fully inflated, the surrounding noise indeed diminished significantly. Consequently, he rested his head on the pillow and enjoyed a deep, sound sleep.