Gaara was nowhere to be seen; his figure had vanished along with the magic formation.

As Li Jiayu was pinching the little gourd gently, he felt waves of dizziness a.s.sault his brain. His eyelids gradually felt heavier and Li Jiayu could not wait to take a nap.

"Ugh, d.a.m.n it... It seems like this particular summon consumed more spiritual energy than I had expected.’

“I’m tired. Come over here…”

Just as Li Jiayu was about to call out to Hsiao Wanqing, his eyes suddenly shone like the eyes of a cat in the middle of the night!

"20 Explosive Tags!"

After Gaara left, he had unexpectedly left 20 explosive tags in the formation!

These explosive tags were l.u.s.trous, yellow talismans and on each one, there were symbolic strokes that resembled dragons and snakes. The talismans emitted a faint yellow radiance in the darkened vicinity, as though flaunting that they were not ordinary items.

“That Legendary Expert, Gaara… Isn"t he a little bit too kind and sincere?”

Li Jiayu muttered joyously under his breath. Truth be told, when he noticed the explosion tags, Li Jiayu had instantly thought that Gaara had left 20 tags behind to murder them and was afraid the cla.s.sroom would be blown into pieces.

However, it turned out that a Legendary Tier expert like Gaara would not resort to such methods toward a mere Apprentice Summoner. Li Jiayu observed the tags and it seemed that these tags had not been used, so there was no worry of detonation.

“Gaara isn’t related to me… Giving me his “Sand Gourd” is already an act of extreme benevolence. Never would I have thought that there would also be these Explosive Tags. This makes me feel a little overwhelmed. A good person will have a peaceful life throughout…”

Li Jiayu shook his head and gathered his focus with difficulty. He picked up the 20 Explosive Tags with caution.

During his previous life, when he had still been an apprentice and intermediate summoner, he often summoned Explosive Tags and supplied them to the Demon Hunting Squad. 

After all, these tags were pretty useful for both ambush and long-distance explosion. So much so that when coupled with a trap, if one possessed sufficient skill, they could kill a Higher Second Tier insect with ease!

“Li Jiayu, are you alright?”

Upon noticing Li Jiayu"s face turning gradually pale and that he had become so fatigued that his footing was unstable, Hsiao Wanqing could tell that he had over exhausted himself.

Disregarding the suspicions that might follow, Hsiao Wanqing strode before Li Jiayu and held his waist. While holding this boy, who was 12 years her junior, in her soft embrace, she released a warm, sacred light.

"How can I be fine..."

Li Jiayu rested his chin on Hsiao Wanqing"s shoulder. Whiffs of delicate fragrance wafted toward him and before his chest, he could feel a pair of perfectly rounded and voluptuous softness. They felt different from those of young girls; this was a mature woman"s bosom, elastic with an excellent feel.

“Sister… bring me to a place where I can rest. I’m tired... really tired. I need several minutes to restore my spiritual energy…” Li Jiayu’s eyes closed shut and the words he spoke sounded extremely feeble and soft.

“Li Jiayu, your condition… I’m afraid that several minutes will not cut it. How about this... We’ll return to the 13th story to take a rest and properly adjust ourselves for one night. Then by the time you’re ready tomorrow, it won’t be too late to sweep up the worms. We do not have to rush. Your body is more important…” Hsiao Wanqing said gently, caressing his back.

“Yes, she is right, Jiayu. Take a good rest. Our harvest for today is already ample… Besides, there’s a slight drizzle outside and the weather is rapidly turning dark. It isn’t convenient to battle. It doesn’t matter if we do not clear the three lower floors. We can make a blockade at the stairway of the 13th story. That way, we will be temporarily safe…”

Ran Hongxia said with her pure. innocent gaze fixated on Li Jiayu’s face. It was only when Li Jiayu shut his eyes that she dared to take a gander at him. Usually, whenever Ran Hongxia looked at Li Jiayu, he would look away in annoyance.

“Yes, without further ado, let’s return. En, let’s bring the 4 Insect Crystals back as well…” As Chu Xiang said that, he wanted to take Li Jiayu from Hsiao Wanqing’s embrace, intending to carry him.

“No! I’ve already said it before. We must reach the students’ supermarket and the girls’ dormitory by tonight… 

“Otherwise, it’ll be a long night. Under the crisis of the apocalypse, when there are abundant casualties and no food nor clothes to stay warm, the first night is the hardest to bear!

“The majority won"t be able to stand it. I do not care if anyone freezes to death, but in any case, I do not wish for sister Hsiao Wanqing to endure the cold and starvation. The same goes for my good friends, Han Xiaoqi and Hua Xiaolu. They cannot suffer the hardship... Otherwise, everything I"ve done so far would hold no significance."

“You… Why do you insist on doing these? It isn"t as if we"re unable to bear these hardships… You do not have to force yourself…”

For some unknown reason, Hsiao Wanqing was, momentarily, slightly moved by Li Jiayu’s words. She was puzzled as they were mere strangers who had gathered together by chance and only had a plain relationship of teacher and student. So, why had Li Jiayu showed her special care again and again, time after time? 

It would be fine if Li Jiayu treated Han Xiaoqi and Hua Xiaolu that way, seeing as they were best friends, after all. However, who was Hsiao Wanqing to Li Jiayu? Strictly speaking, Hsiao Wanqing and Li Jiayu had only gotten to know each other starting today.

Honestly, Li Jiayu did not need to do that much… After all, his shoulders were like everyone else’s; he did not need to place so much responsibility on himself.

“Say no more! The things that I’ve decided aren"t up to you guys to object!”

Li Jiayu’s eyes opened slowly. He then lifted his head and said,

“Bring me to the cla.s.sroom next door… There are no corpses and its relatively clean there. Go there, I want to rest… Do you hear me?”

Hsiao Wanqing and Chu Xiang exchanged looks, then revealed a wry smile and agreed helplessly,

“Alright, we’ll do as you said.”

Having said that, Hsiao Wanqing patted Li Jiayu’s back gently, supported him softly, yet slightly strenuously, and brought him to the clean cla.s.sroom next door. The Axe-Wielders pushed away the desks swiftly and a.s.sembled several chairs into a makeshift bed, implying that Hsiao Wanqing should place Li Jiayu up there.

However, Hsiao Wanqing shook her head. Instead, she casually found a chair and sat down with Li Jiayu beside her, his upper half resting in her warm embrace.

 “Everyone, go out. During this time… I don’t want anyone to interrupt.”

After they heard Li Jiayu’s command, Chu Xiang and the several other boys looked at each other with strange expressions. Tacitly, they thought that the strong had privileges. If this had been in the past, they would gossip about a man and woman living under the same room. However, their hearts now had a slight antic.i.p.ation for something to happen.

Silently, the boys left with Lan Xiaoyue who dared not remain. At the moment, Ran Hongxia was the only one who stood rooted before Hsiao Wanqing. She whispered,

“Oh… Aunty Hsiao, let me stay. I can protect you guys! If insects appear, I have to ability to fight them."

As Hsiao Wanqing was about to reply, Li Jiayu’s weak voice interrupted her,

“Get out! Did you not hear that I don’t want anyone to interrupt? Dark Octopus, you get out as well!”

After Dark Octopus and Ran Hongxia had been shooed away, Hsiao Wanqing sighed softly. She stroked Li Jiayu’s bloodstained face lovingly. Her palms emitted a sacred light as she said gently,

“Sleep well… Don’t dwell too much on matters… Treat my embrace as your refuge. You don’t have to worry anymore…”

“Sister, don’t touch my face. It"s ticklish…” Li Jiayu groaned with his eyes still closed.

“Why are you calling me sister? The relationship between the two of us… Are we distant relatives? Do I perhaps look similar to your sister?” Hsiao Wanqing caressed Li Jiayu’s back gently, making him feel comfortable.

“Both are wrong.”

Li Jiayu leaned his body slightly and shifted into a more comfortable sleeping posture. He then smiled and said,

“I want to call you, Sister, so I’ll call you, Sister. Why, do you have any objections?”

“None, you can call me whatever you want… I’m at an advantage, attaining such a handsome little brother as a bodyguard.” Hsiao Wanqing smiled warmly. Her expression was gentle, yet pitiful, with a soul-stirring appearance.

“En… Being able to sleep in your embrace had been my greatest wish in the last two years…”

Unconsciously, Li Jiayu"s breathing became drawn-out. His expression was tranquil while he muttered sleep talk inadvertently,

“I"m afraid of being left alone... I don"t like being left alone in the world. My heart feels cold every time it rains. I had no one to talk to, so I could only head to your memorial markers and stare blankly at them from a distance. I beg you, please... don"t leave me. Please stay by my side. Be with me, I promise to take good care of all of you..."

These words that were spoken during his sleep startled Hsiao Wanqing greatly! She gazed blankly at the slumbering Li Jiayu. The despair, as well as the hope and expectation in his voice and words were obvious. With both emotions intertwined, they gave one the impulse to tear up which caused Hsiao Wanqing to be at a loss.

“He… What kind of sleep talk is this? This child… keeping so many secrets to himself... Does he not know that keeping so many secrets bottled up will make one feel exhausted?"

Hsiao Wanqing shook her head gently. Her arms continued to exude a milky white light. Even though the light was of minimal help to Li Jiayu, all that mattered was that she could be of a.s.sistance.

The clouds outside flashed and lightning streaked across the darkened skies, illuminating Hsiao Wanqing"s flushed face. The lightning caused her face to shine brightly like the l.u.s.ter of gems as well as tenderly and gorgeously like spring flowers.

“Who knows what direction we’re heading in after this... I can only hope for the survival of the students. Additionally, my husband, who is in the very distant Yangcheng, should be unaffected, right? And Li Jiayu, this child…”

Hsiao Wanqing lowered her head and as she was stroking Li Jiayu’s cold supple white hair, there was a gentle smile on his pale face. However, there appeared to be sparkling, translucent droplets leaking out of his eyes.