"My dear, don't rush, let me finish speaking," the woman soothed the man, then triumphantly swished her sea-like waist-length hair. She continued smugly, "Among space ability users, there's an open secret: when a space ability user accidentally dies, if someone with the same space ability is present, they can easily take over her space while she's barely conscious."
"There's such a thing?" the man's astonished voice rose several decibels. Fearing he'd be overheard, he quickly covered his mouth.
"Of course, I've heard several people say it. I just sent everyone else away precisely to make it easier to seize her space," the woman said, then let out a charming, light laugh before leaning in and confidently hugging Fu Xin Ci's body tightly.
As long as she could make this waste's space her own, what did it matter if she killed someone?
Fu Xin Ci felt a wave of nausea. She knew this woman was Liu Xian You, the girlfriend of their vice-captain, a woman as enchanting as a fox.
Many people in their mercenary team secretly called her a fox spirit, saying she did nothing but charm men all day.
But now, she felt this woman wasn't just a fox spirit, but a born villain.
However, this wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts. A deep sense of unwillingness welled up from the bottom of her heart.
She was unwilling to die at the hands of this fox-like woman, and even more unwilling for her space to be snatched by this ambitious woman.
What to do? She didn't want to be a lamb led to the slaughter.
But as the villain tightened her embrace, the pain in her body intensified.
Fu Xin Ci was burning with anxiety, and suddenly a daring idea sparked in her mind.
This villain didn't hesitate to kill to take her space! So, could she also take this villain's space?
With this thought, Fu Xin Ci, armed with a spirit of burning bridges and desperate courage, and fueled by all her unwillingness, stubbornly clung to her consciousness.
She was unwilling for her space to be taken by this born villain. She desperately held on, even forgetting the pain in her body.
But as her consciousness plunged into endless darkness, she thought she heard the villain's hysterical roar: "How could this be?"
How could this be? She was equally perplexed. Perhaps heaven itself couldn't stand it and lent her a hand.
...
As the first hint of dawn light peeked from the east, Meng Qing Huai and his two sons were already up.
Meng Qing Huai was now different from before. Besides being deferential to his second brother, he could stand tall and proud in front of outsiders.
This made the Meng clan members no longer dare to look down on their family.
"Dad, what are we doing today?" Meng Qi Shan asked while washing up.
"First, we'll prepare the land. We'll do whatever we can, listening to your second uncle."
"Okay."
After their brief exchange, the three men, carrying shovels and hoes, headed to the land allocated to them by the garrison.
It was the first time the three father and sons had done farm work. Although it was tiring, their eyes were filled with hope.
Until Qi Ren's call came from across the river: "Dad, Mom wants you to come back for a meal."
Last night, after the communal kitchen was set up, Meng Qing Ping had told the three families to prepare their own food.
They didn't object, as they couldn't always impose on their second brother's household, which wasn't wealthy at the moment.
Meng Qing Huai automatically ignored the compensation the emperor had given his second brother; even with compensation, it was what his second brother deserved.
Fu Xin Ci's mood was in a constant state of apprehension and longing. Being able to face the green hills and clear waters and fresh air here was more than she could have asked for.
However, thinking of her companions still struggling in the apocalypse made her feel deeply uneasy.
Especially the thought that all the supplies were in her space, which had come here with her.
She had transmigrated here for a month, and she didn't know how her companions were doing.
While Fu Xin Ci was in a state of disquiet, she heard someone calling her: "Little Sister Fu."
"Brother Qi, you're here."
"Yes. Little Sister Fu, I have something to tell you." Qi He took Fu Xin Ci's sleeve and recounted his thoughts from the previous day. Finally, he took out a small piece of silver from his belt and tried to press it into Fu Xin Ci's hand.
"Brother Qi, wait, we need to discuss this with Grandfather."
"Yes, let's go talk to Grandpa Meng."
The two ran to Meng Qing Ping's side, and Fu Xin Ci helped Qi He explain what he had just said.
After listening, Meng Qing Ping smiled. "Good boy, you're a filial child. However, Xiao He, you should listen to Grandpa Meng's plans first."
"Grandpa Meng, what are your plans?"
Meng Qing Ping glanced at his granddaughter, recalling that his granddaughter had mentioned many white rice and white flour at the immortal elder's place.
They dared not eat the white rice for now, but the white flour was fine. Mixing it with other flours would only improve the taste for those eating it, and no one else would be able to tell.
Besides, he was considered a prominent figure now, and it was only fitting to give the young men helping with the construction a good meal.
Thinking of steamed buns or dumplings made with a mixture of white flour and cornmeal, or sorghum flour, would also be possible.
The old man, as if making a firm decision, said, "Xiao He, don't bother buying steamed buns. After your father finishes building houses for Yu Tang and the other two families, it will be our turn to have our house built. When that time comes, Grandpa Meng will have your aunt make a big batch of steamed buns for them. They'll be mixed with white flour and cornmeal, with a generous meat filling. What do you think?"
"Grandpa Meng, you're too kind." Upon hearing Grandpa Meng say they would have large meat-filled steamed buns when building his house, Qi He immediately ran off joyfully to inform his father.
It was foreseeable that these young men, upon hearing Qi He say they would eat large meat-filled steamed buns when building Uncle Meng's house, were also greatly excited.
They worked even harder, wanting to finish building for these three families as soon as possible so they could then work at Uncle Meng's house.
Taking advantage of the cool morning weather, Fang Shi also came to help prepare the land.
Alas, Fu Xin Ci felt anxious too. Grassland was equivalent to wasteland. Turning grassland into fertile land was no easy feat.
Watching her grandfather, father, and mother tirelessly dig up grass roots with their hoes, Fu Xin Ci wished her wood element ability could help with weeding.
Sigh, once this thought sprouted in her mind, it began to take root and grow.
With an idea, she wanted to try it.
She pondered for a moment, observing what everyone else was doing. Seeing that they were all busy with their own tasks and no one was paying attention to her, a little girl, she felt reassured and crouched down.