Chi Wu was relieved to hear it had nothing to do with him, and Cheng Ying said she’d get some of that stuff later to soothe things over. Cheng Ying genuinely treated the giant stone like a child needing comfort.

As for the contraptions Chi Wu invented, they were perfect for eradicating the monsters; the best part was that the trees in Cheng Ying’s space bore fruit, which could be used to brew and refine liquor—a truly endless, inexhaustible energy source. It was all too easy.

The two of them, shouldering their high-pressure flamethrowers, essentially burned their way through everything they passed, leaving scorched earth in their wake. They were a veritable butcher duo, so ferocious that not only the monsters but even people gave them a wide berth, unwilling to risk getting caught in the crossfire while scavenging for cores. What a pitiful way to go. In these times, anyone who made it through alive had a bit of luck on their side; otherwise, they would have just become monsters at the start of the apocalypse.

Cheng Ying felt her appetite had been poor lately, lacking any real desire to eat, mainly because the outside world was too unbearable to look at. Anything remotely decent to see was either a monster or a couple of disheveled, messy survivors—truly an assault on the senses.

This situation made everything taste bland to Cheng Ying.

Chi Wu paid no mind to Cheng Ying’s appetite because, following his first successful invention, he had become obsessed with creation. Currently, Chi Wu was figuring out how to collect the crystal cores. Their spraying method made progress fast and was relatively safe, but gathering the cores afterward was tedious—picking them up one by one from the ground was a long, monotonous, physical chore.

Naturally, everything Cheng Ying was unwilling to do, Chi Wu took on. So, Chi Wu was researching something, much like a magnet, that could suck up the cores.

Cheng Ying felt that spending too much time together had dulled their affection; they barely seemed to care for each other anymore.

Chi Wu genuinely didn't know what the core material was composed of; apart from the giant stone in her space, nothing else seemed to hold any attraction for him.

However, it couldn't be called a "giant stone" anymore, because there was a clear change: the stone was now the size of a washbasin, crystalline, smooth, lustrous, and incredibly beautiful, looking like a jade bi disc—though Chi Wu insisted it wasn't jade.

Cheng Ying kept stuffing the space with cores just to see what the stone would eventually become. Hopefully, not a spirit monster.

Still, Cheng Ying secretly wondered if this might be the legendary Sun Wukong, since the Monkey King was born from a stone. But since Cheng Ying had never found the Water Curtain Cave, she didn't dare voice the thought.

Chi Wu said, "All right, we should reach the provincial capital in a few days. I wonder how many descendants are left."

Cheng Ying replied, "Don't let them all die, or what will become of us?"

Chi Wu frowned, genuinely pessimistic; not even one-tenth of the population remained.

Barely anyone survived in the village, let alone a second-tier city densely packed with monsters.

Cheng Ying mused, "If any descendants are still alive, we must do something for them."

Chi Wu looked at the small town in the distance. It was built of stone structures, appearing quite sturdy, and there was a nearby grain reserve. Chi Wu had been here before; he had stored some timber for his own descendants in the warehouse here.

He wondered how it was now. "Let’s rest at the town ahead; the provincial capital doesn't look easy to enter."

Cheng Ying nodded, trusting Chi Wu’s foresight and ability. "I’m just glad our little fatty and little girl didn't live long enough to see such dreadful times."

Chi Wu looked at his wife. "Wishing your daughter and son had died early—what a first mother in history you are."

Cheng Ying was flustered by Chi Wu’s sharp retort; she had only spoken her mind. In this age, those who lived weren't enjoying life, they were suffering.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying stayed in the town for three days. They didn't clear many monsters, but they did manage to open the reserve warehouse; the grain inside had already been emptied by the army.

Chi Wu methodically cleared the monsters within the town's immediate vicinity but left those surrounding the perimeter untouched, like guarding dogs.

The few people who had been cautiously following Cheng Ying and Chi Wu were eventually cut off by the monsters.

Chi Wu re-organized the warehouse before letting Cheng Ying fill it to the brim with grain and daily necessities.

The pair re-locked the warehouse, having fought their way out of the monster horde while clad in heavy gear.

Cheng Ying asked, "What was the point of all that?"

Chi Wu explained, "They need a foundation to rely on. We can’t help much, but giving them some necessary assets is doable. If the descendants are capable, perhaps they can achieve something; if not, they can at least survive for a while with what’s here."

Cheng Ying sighed, "No wonder people throughout the ages worship their ancestors. With an ancestor like you, any form of worship is deserved."

Chi Wu was a little vexed; only his wife could find joy amidst such hardship.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying resumed their journey by vehicle, heading toward the monster-dense provincial capital.

Their passage continued to create significant commotion; they were the type who would slay gods and buddhas indiscriminately.

Fortunately, the provincial capital wasn't entirely without safety measures; there were always capable people. Several factions had united to establish a secure zone within the city.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying were fortunate enough to find what they considered their great-grandson there, along with what they considered a younger granddaughter.

Cheng Ying was relieved that two remained. When the two elders stood there, there was no need for introduction; their descendants came right over to acknowledge kinship. The younger generation explained that the elders must be illegitimate children from the outside, as their appearances needed no DNA testing.

Moreover, it was clear that both youngsters were quite capable, not useless burdens.

Chi Wu was inwardly comforted; they were his descendants, after all, capable of carving out a living path no matter the circumstances—their efforts hadn't been in vain.

Chi Wu, as the ancestor, felt rather odd being treated as an illegitimate child being taken care of, but Cheng Ying rejoiced that their bloodline continued. These unfortunate children had no idea how many monsters existed outside; they waited patiently in the safe zone, but Chi Wu and Cheng Ying knew the supply of monsters was practically endless.

After a brief explanation of the situation to the two youngsters, Chi Wu stated, "Come with us right now."

The children wanted to pack some things, but Cheng Ying shook her head, saying it wasn't necessary. It felt as if the elders were taking charge again.

The two youngsters, more popular than their ancestors, brought along their closest friends before leaving, and they introduced the new situation to the leaders of the safe zone, offering a small gesture of goodwill to the others who had survived.

Cheng Ying mused that this wasn't her personality; apparently, her descendants had been well-raised. It had little to do with her genetics.

The means of transport Chi Wu had created were luxurious. The road had been cleared during their journey; Chi Wu’s armored vehicle could shoot flames directly.

After witnessing the power of these two, the two unfortunate youngsters were stunned—they had relatives this formidable.

Cheng Ying had made sure of that when introducing them, simply telling the children to refer to them as relatives.

The group of friends was even more dumbfounded. If this technology could be widely deployed, why worry about eradicating monsters?

Chi Wu merely smiled at this; he had no such grand ambition. He was here to take his two unfortunate descendants away. However, he didn't mind sharing the basic principles of his creations.

Only a couple like them could afford such extravagant use of raw materials; few others possessed such capability.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying brought the children to the vicinity of the small town. This time, with the youngsters in tow, they cleared the area around the town completely and constructed defensive fortifications based on the terrain.

It could be described as a relatively ideal haven, a place difficult to find in this era where one could rest and rebuild.

Seeing the two youngsters manage the affairs here and arrange things well, the elders simply handed over the keys. "The ancestors left some things behind; live well and use them wisely."

Then the pair departed, having done their duty, with an air of detachment befitting true masters.

The two youngsters' eyes nearly popped out when they saw the entire reserve filled with grain and daily necessities.

A friend asked, "Your ancestors are truly remarkable; they left all this for you?"

Relatively, the two calmed down. "It's not that valuable, just useful because of the current times. Remember, the things our ancestors left decades ago were precious lumber, worth far more than these common goods."

The others shook their heads. "In this age, you can't even rely on your parents, yet you can rely on ancestors—you are incredibly fortunate." They were jealous of not having such an ancestor.

The two youngsters simultaneously recalled the legends about their ageless ancestors. Perhaps their family practiced cultivation; perhaps the two weren't just relatives but truly ancestral figures. But they dared not speak of it aloud.

Chi Wu’s status as a 'good father' had upgraded to a 'good ancestor.' Cheng Ying remained composed; her man was just like that—as long as it was within their sphere, he would protect it.

The minor commotion caused unintentionally by the couple gave hope to those struggling in the apocalypse, especially the descendants of the Chi family, who now saw a path to better survival.

Thus, this small, hidden haven became the genesis of a growing hope base for humanity, increasingly valued not just because people lived there, but because they possessed hope. The people here were cultivating; they weren't waiting for death.

The fire of hope burned in their hearts. Legends spoke of someone who could eliminate the monsters, and legends told of how their patient effort could eventually clear the outside world.

Having given these people hope, Chi Wu and his wife rarely reappeared.

However, Chi Wu did take Cheng Ying to a small weapons base. After acquiring some gear and learning how to use it, they felt confident enough to truly handle such things. Cheng Ying had once told Chi Wu, "We should have gone to military school."

Then, in their spare time, they would target the most monster-dense areas for large-scale massacres—a small gesture, perhaps unintentional, but it meant less hardship for their own children.

Cheng Ying remarked, "At this rate, I wonder what the sea is like. Perhaps that’s where people can truly start anew."

Chi Wu replied, "You just want a change of scenery, don't you? I don't know when we'll ever get to die, it's getting quite dull." Cheng Ying pouted, "Are you tired of me?"

Fine, Chi Wu continued to placate his wife, since she was clearly tired of staying put.