Chapter 295: Volume 1 Chapter 295 You Are My System (5)

Sitting in the rear seat, she was merely a faint phantom; only the boy could see her, no one else could, and she had no weight, using her weak energy to drive the electric scooter faster.

The return trip took only an hour; upon reaching Pinminku, the boy hid the dilapidated little electric scooter, climbed over the high wall, avoided the residents' gazes, and returned to the shabby narrow shed where he and his grandfather lived.

It kept out wind and rain, the interior of the shed was tidy, unlike the filthy, foul-smelling state of other Pinminku residents.

"Grandfather." He called out softly.

Grandfather lay on a bed made from cardboard boxes, covered with a faded blanket; his whole body was reduced to skin and bones, his eyes cloudy, bloodshot, wide open, responding vaguely.

"Gouzi, are you back?"

When Grandfather picked him up, he gave him the name Gouzi, because dogs are easy to raise, and he hoped it would let him live out this life smoothly.

In a world like the apocalypse, people will do anything to survive, especially living in such a Pinminku; along the way, human bones are scattered everywhere, showing how cruel and hopeless it is.

The name Xie Xunze came from a dead hunter's identification tag he found; he simply took the name from the tag.

The boy helped the old man up and fed him the medicine he had brought, bit by bit.

But the old man could no longer swallow; gripping the boy's wrist with all his strength, he whispered haltingly: "Good, good, stay alive, Gouzi, Grandfather in heaven will bless—"

Having said that, Grandfather breathed his last.

Grandfather had held on until now just to say this to him, fearing that after he left, the boy would collapse and couldn't bear it.

The boy remained motionless until outside grew completely dark; then he vigorously wiped his eyes with his arm and immediately dragged Grandfather outside.

The night in Pinminku was silent and lightless, like a barren wasteland, devoid of any vitality.

Jiang Zhi followed behind him, asking: "Where are you going?"

At that moment, countless monsters roamed outside the high wall; without the fearful sunlight, they boldly searched for humans.

Xie Xunze had no mood to speak, walking ahead on his own.

Until he dragged Grandfather's corpse up the high wall.

Jiang Zhi released her perception, detecting that within a kilometer nearby there were over ten monsters lying in wait.

"Xie Xunze, it's dangerous out there! Are you going to get yourself killed?"

After a long while, Xie Xunze finally said lowly: "They'll eat Grandfather if he stays inside."

Jiang Zhi froze for a moment.

She almost forgot that Pinminku was full of starving people; once they discovered the old man had died, they'd likely drag him to a pot and eat him.

He came out under the cover of night precisely to avoid being discovered inside; now is the best time to bury Grandfather.

She stopped trying to dissuade him and instead gave him directions.

Try to avoid places with monsters.

But even so, he carrying the corpse would inevitably be discovered by monsters.

After completely dragging him out of Pinminku, Xie Xunze arrived at a nearby vast, dense, and deep forest.

He found a patch of ground and buried Grandfather there.

After finishing, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times.

Jiang Zhi stood beside him keeping watch, looking around; upon hearing a sharp roar, she quickly warned the boy by the grave.

"The monsters are coming!"

Xie Xunze rose from the ground and immediately drew the steel blade tied at his waist.

These were the ones he had picked up; there were two in total.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhi exclaimed in surprise: "You're going to fight them?"

Night monsters are far stronger than daytime ones; at least five are nearby, and if he makes a move, they'll all be drawn over.

Xie Xunze gripped the steel blade tightly, nimbly leapt onto the monster's head, swung down, and the tip viciously stabbed into its eye.

The monster's massive body crashed to the ground, a hole in its eyes gushing crimson blood, the ground trembled, and the five monsters all ran toward this side.

Jiang Zhi looked at the boy standing on the monster's body, blood smeared all over him; his posture was as agile and fierce as a black panther, nimbly leaping among the five monsters.

Although these few monsters were low-level, the boy alone easily slaughtered them; ordinary people seeing it would have their eyes pop out.

From the initial shock to her present calm, Jiang Zhi took two hours.

The boy killed nearly ten monsters in this spot, his level jumped straight to 23; with zero luck, he only dropped a D-rank item.

Unable to bear it, she followed behind and advised: "Add some luck attributes."

After so many monsters only dropping a D-rank item, if she told others, they wouldn't believe it.

Too absurd.

Utterly ridiculous.

After venting his inner emotions, Xie Xunze went to the clear river nearby, took a wash, and rinsed off the bloodstains on his body.

"Attack and speed are more important."

He replied.

Jiang Zhi wondered: "You don't want items?"

Xie Xunze looked at her as if she were an idiot: "The higher the monster's level, the greater the chance of dropping items."

His meaning was simple: these low-level monsters now are just for grinding levels; once his level is high, killing high-level monsters will yield many drops.

Jiang Zhi: I believe you.

With zero luck, he will surely obtain good items.

…

Xie Xunze returned to the shed to sleep.

The summoned card had a time limit; shortly after he fell asleep, she vanished from the spot and returned to the card.

The boy had strong self-control; he woke at seven in the morning, had no intention of sleeping in, tidied up his belongings, and prepared to leave.

Jiang Zhi became a system again, asking him: "Where are you going?"

Xie Xunze's luggage was minimal: aside from the ragged backpack he always wore, he only had two sets of clothes and the small electric vehicle outside.

"Survival."

In Pinminku it was safe, with the high walls left by the base providing defense, able to resist monster attacks.

But this was only temporary.

The walls will eventually collapse, food in Pinminku is extremely scarce, and if he wants to survive he must find a way out.

Jiang Zhi had become human again yesterday, not wanting to be a system, urging him: "Quickly summon me, I want to come out for some air."

Xie Xunze refused: "No."

Jiang Zhi was puzzled: "Why?"

Xie Xunze's expression was slightly awkward: "No reason."

Jiang Zhi thought a moment, then understood: "You don't want to kiss my card, do you? The card isn't me, what are you embarrassed about?"

Xie Xunze pretended to be mute and ignored her.

Jiang Zhi pestered him for a long time, but the boy remained resolute, refusing to summon her no matter what.

She gave up and issued today's mission to him,

【Daily Mission: Kill 20 D-class monsters.】

【Mission Reward: Freely raise the Character Card level once.】

Xie Xunze saw the mission and asked: "Must it be done?"

Jiang Zhi was still angry at him, speaking sarcastically: "Otherwise? You think binding me is all benefits?"

Xie Xunze coolly replied: "Obviously there aren't any benefits."

Jiang Zhi: "?"

Decided, tonight I'll assassinate the villain!!