Chapter 63: Don’t Cry, An; We Have a Sniper Rifle Now

The torrential rain had finally stopped.

At dawn, Su Miao gazed out the window at the sky, a strange feeling rising in her heart.

Last night, two students arrived and took away the potent hallucinogenic toxin. She wondered whether they would succeed in getting those villains to ingest it.

Retracting her gaze, Su Miao drew bread and milk tea from her magical space for breakfast. After eating, she began to study the Fireball Spell.

So far, her Fireball Spell inflicted damage by instantly releasing high-temperature thermal energy in an explosive burst. Su Miao hoped to adjust the spell so it would ignite the target upon impact, burning it to ashes quickly but in a gentler manner. If she could vaporize the target outright, that would be even better.

Xia Xiao'an glanced at Su Miao, now immersed in research, and hurried to study herself. Su Miao had saved her; she wanted to become more useful to repay that kindness. At the very least, she must not become a burden.

Through several battles, Xia Xiao'an had noticed something. Su Miao was not truly socially anxious; after killing enough people, she became excited, almost unable to resist venturing into the darkness to hunt. Yet, with Xia Xiao'an present, Su Miao stayed, always mindful of her safety.

Xia Xiao'an rubbed her face and opened “Military Friends from Two Places.”

Close to noon, someone knocked on the first-floor window.

Su Miao withdrew her right hand; the large fireball dissipated, and the magic circle vanished.

Xia Xiao'an said, “Sister, it’s the man who got the sniper rifle. He’s here to exchange it for the AK47 and rice.”

Su Miao nodded, “Alright, let’s go down.”

They had barely started down the stairs when Su Miao stopped mid-step. Meeting strangers was still deeply uncomfortable for her. Since the apocalypse began, her symptoms had worsened. If not for Xia Xiao'an, it might be even worse.

Xia Xiao'an said, “Sister, just imagine strangers as pumpkins. Everyone in the resort is basically afraid of you now; you have no reason to fear them.”

Afraid of me?

Su Miao’s body trembled involuntarily. She couldn’t imagine so many people fearing her; the thought itself was terrifying. Yet, picturing them as pumpkins made everything oddly amusing.

“Let’s go.”

They reached the first floor.

Su Miao unfolded the magic space array in front of her.

Hearing footsteps outside, Old Song called, “Hello, I’m here to deliver the sniper rifle. How should we trade?”

“Wait a moment.”

Su Miao placed her hand on the cabinet blocking the door. Wrapped in a Waterball Spell, she tugged gently, and the cabinet toppled over.

Boom!

The loud crash startled Old Song outside and Xia Xiao'an as well. She hadn’t expected Su Miao to open the door herself and face a stranger.

[This is the apocalypse; I have to change a little!] That was Xia Xiao'an’s inner voice.

Su Miao, you can do it!

“This is the sniper rifle.”

Once he confirmed there was no danger, the man outside placed the sniper rifle on the fallen cabinet.

“This gun was your spoils of war. I just happened to pick it up…”

Hmm?

Seeing Su Miao’s face clearly, Old Song froze noticeably. His expression grew agitated.

“It’s you, you saved me! Miss Su Miao! My name is Song Yourang, everyone calls me Old Song. I’ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life!”

Su Miao blinked and suddenly recalled: this was the severely injured man she’d found near her villa last time. She’d thought he was a corpse and meant to push him into the rain, letting the flood carry him into a sinkhole. Unexpectedly, he still had a breath left, so she couldn’t treat him as a corpse. After some thought, Su Miao moved him to the neighboring villa to let fate decide.

Who would have guessed the man who found the sniper rifle was the one she’d saved?

Xia Xiao'an struggled to carry over the AK47 and 120 rounds, placing them on the cabinet. She then fetched four bags of rice from the adjacent room, each weighing five pounds, and added an extra large bag.

For some reason, Xia Xiao'an’s diligent rice hauling seemed especially adorable.

Su Miao came to herself and said, “These are yours.”

Old Song hurried to reply, “These supplies are precious. I can't accept them, especially since you’re my savior, Miss Su Miao.”

Su Miao said, “Saving a pumpkin… Saving people is saving people; trading is trading.”

Old Song looked at the gun and rice, saying, “Alright, I’ll take the AK47 but just one bag of rice. Miss Su Miao, you’re still dealing with those company people, right? Is there anything you need me to do?”

The trade completed, Xia Xiao'an went over and took the sniper rifle.

Su Miao looked at the pumpkin in front of her… No, at Song Yourang.

“You can go join Chang Jieming from the security team and take all this rice to him.”

Su Miao added, “In a few days, the company people might be poisoned. Many will die. Then you can act as you see fit, but remember: don’t eat anything from the company people. If you do, you might die.”

Old Song nodded, “Alright, Miss Su Miao!”

He hoisted the rice and left.

Su Miao sighed in relief—the pumpkin had finally gone…

Xia Xiao'an stood nearby, a little worried. Would Su Miao start seeing everyone as pumpkins from now on?

Bang!

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.

Two figures in black cloaks fired from a distance.

Xia Xiao'an was terrified, her face pale, unable to hear anything just now.

Su Miao felt her heart stop; time froze. The bullet sped directly toward her face, but at less than fifty centimeters, her magic space array swallowed it.

Reverse!

She drew her M416, and the bullets consumed by her magic space array returned along their original path.

Two muffled pops—both attackers took rounds to the chest.

Staggering, the assailants fell into the rain, but within three seconds they got up as if nothing had happened and fled into the distance.

By the time Su Miao aimed to shoot, they had vanished around the corner, leaving no chance for a headshot.

“Miss Su Miao, are you alright?”

Old Song, who had only just left, rushed over with the AK47, worried.

Su Miao nearly shot the pumpkin’s head off. “I’m fine.”

It was bizarre! How could those two run so fast after taking bullets?

Old Song said, “Miss Su Miao, those people probably followed me here. I’ll find them and take care of it.”

He bid farewell again.

Su Miao blocked the door once more and, with the fearful Xia Xiao'an, returned to the third floor.

“Sister, I’m sorry, I… I didn’t hear anything just now.”

Tears slid from Xia Xiao'an’s eyes—she’d been frightened to cry.

Su Miao herself was scared, but seeing Xia Xiao'an like this, she couldn’t help but find it adorable.

No, she shouldn’t be thinking that.

Su Miao patted Xia Xiao'an’s head. “Don’t cry, Xiao’an. We have a sniper rifle now.”