Chapter Four: The Journey Begins

After finishing her morning run, Qi An didn’t just wipe herself down with a damp towel to conserve water as usual; instead, she took a thorough shower.

She then went to a small eatery not far from the main building of the Research Department.

Due to scarce supplies, this place only sold tofu pudding and wild vegetable pancakes in the morning.

Though the price-performance ratio was far lower than compressed rations, the steaming aroma drew half the seats both inside and outside to be filled.

Qi An ordered a bowl of tofu pudding and, with a mix of respect and nervousness, took a seat at a corner table.

Facing her sat Tang Xinying—the chief purifier of the Central Plains No. 3 Base Purification Alliance, leader of the base’s mental reinforcement scientific training research team, and a distinguished figure holding honorary positions in both the Medical and Military Departments.

“How come you want to join the Windrider Squad? Is it because they were the ones who brought you back initially, and you feel attached to them?” asked the woman with short, fluffy curls and alluring red lips, who, despite nearing forty, still carried a captivating charm.

...

After burning the memorial paper, Yu Shuang and Zhao Bohan walked back under the hazy morning light.

Yu Shuang emphasized, “That purifier really is Doctor Qi, but she doesn’t owe anyone any repayment!”

Zhao Bohan, holding a basin, said, “Explain it in detail. Understanding Qi An better is crucial for us.”

Indeed, Yu Shuang hummed thoughtfully and sank into memory.

“Three years ago, before you joined the team, I was on a mission escorting a research team to find medicinal plants with Tang Long and Xiao Zhou.

That time, we went to the southeastern region, and Tang Long and I encountered Doctor Qi in the forest.

She was dressed like a wild child, filthy, chased by several corrupted insects.

And they were all large ones!

Doctor Qi was small and thin, even smaller back then. Tang Long and I thought she was a kid. Seeing the corrupted insects after her, we immediately opened fire.”

Many, especially frontline soldiers, disparagingly referred to polluters as "corrupted insects"—a contemptuous term.

“So, you saved her, didn’t you?” Zhao Bohan asked.

“Yes, but before we encountered those insects, we had already fought a swarm outside the forest. Tang Long’s contamination level had reached 50%.

You know his resistance is low. If we killed the insects chasing Doctor Qi, he would lose control.

My contamination level wasn’t low either. If Tang Long had fully mutated, I couldn’t have restrained him, and we’d all be doomed.

It was Doctor Qi who leapt in and mentally resonated with Tang Long!”

Yu Shuang couldn’t help but gesture in the cold wind, “I was like, ‘Holy hell!’

I thought she was just some wild kid lost after the apocalypse, but she could purify! And she calmly reduced Tang Long’s contamination level!”

Zhao Bohan’s handsome brow furrowed, “So who exactly is this Doctor Qi?”

...

Qi An nodded toward the senior figure. “There’s definitely a bit of a fledgling syndrome, but mainly, I think the team members have rare character and strength.

I remember Teacher Tang saying joining a good team can make life better.”

Tang Xinying smiled coyly at Qi An. “You remember that well, but I think the real reason you want to join their team is because of their numbers.”

Qi An buried her head in the bowl, whispering, “Nothing can be hidden from Teacher Tang.”

Tang Xinying had been her mentor when she first joined the base, training her as a purifier.

Back then, this was quite novel because Tang Xinying’s mental reinforcement value was as high as 8, intelligence reinforcement 7, and her brain domain rating was A.

She was both a purifier and a neurobiologist, reportedly with ties to the Central Base No. 1.

Given her status, training new purifiers was hardly a burden.

Qi An already knew how to purify, so Tang Xinying mostly supplemented her with mental training methods and base knowledge.

After training, their mentor-student relationship continued.

Now, Tang Xinying’s mental reinforcement value had surpassed 9, her brain domain rating had reached the legendary S level, yet she still cared for Qi An.

Qi An’s wish to transfer teams was largely because of this Teacher Tang.

However, since the transfer from regular purifier to emergency purifier had to be approved by Tang Xinying, the decision lay entirely with this woman.

Therefore, Qi An could not ask to refuse the transfer; she could only try to change teams.

She had planned to first probe Teacher Tang’s attitude, gain some confidence, then discuss with the second team, but a chance morning encounter disrupted her plans.

“That deputy team leader has high resistance. If you join, they won’t add members. You only need to manage the remaining four, so the workload is even lighter than at the hospital.

That’s your plan, right?” Tang Xinying asked with a smile.

Qi An lowered her head in acknowledgment.

“Though the team is small, their future missions may involve deep infiltration into the corrupted insect legion’s rear, assassinating powerful intelligent insects. Can you stay safe and relaxed?” Tang Xinying tapped the edge of the bowl; though she still smiled, her tone turned serious.

She always believed mental resilience was like muscle—strengthened through training.

She herself had served two years on the battlefield as a senior researcher.

Qi An’s reckless laziness puzzled and disappointed her.

Qi An lowered her lashes and softly said, “This kind of danger will help me grow fast. I mean growth in comprehensive survival ability, not just purification skills.”

Tang Xinying was momentarily taken aback.

...

“Qi An used to be from the Southeast No. 4 Base,” Yu Shuang said. “She told us on the way back after we took her.”

Zhao Bohan, knowledgeable, immediately recalled that Southeast No. 4 Base was destroyed eight years ago by a massive corrupted insect assault.

Qi An was twenty now; eight years ago, she was twelve. It made sense that she’d already received basic purifier training before wandering the wild.

Zhao Bohan’s frown eased slightly.

Yu Shuang continued, “Doctor Qi not only saved Tang Long back then, but once she got to the military hospital, whenever I or our team needed purification, she prioritized us.

Plus, with the third-class merit we earned, the life-saving debt was long repaid. She owes nothing. Don’t bring up repayment anymore.”

Zhao Bohan didn’t argue. “I understand.

But we still don’t fully grasp why she wants to join our team.”

Yu Shuang wasn’t hung up on it. “We don’t need to know everything. The important thing is she wants to come.

I’m just worried she won’t be able to!

Transfers of purifiers into our team require approval from the regiment commander.

And that commander is rumored to be involved with Liu Hui. If he approves it, I’ll eat dirt standing on my head!”

...

Tang Xinying pushed a bowl of tofu pudding, richly seasoned, toward Qi An.

“I forgot—you’ve experienced the destruction of your original base, survived alone in the wild at a young age. It’s normal to feel insecure.”

Disordered memories flashed through Qi An’s mind: the stark white room, cold instruments, the smell of raw and rotten flesh...

A wave of nausea and headache hit her, but she suppressed it, quietly eating the tofu pudding, which looked much like the color of wilted leaf soup.

If she couldn’t live comfortably and safely in the base, she would choose a path that maximized her strength.

Purification skills were irrelevant to her; Qi An wanted to strengthen her combat ability, to survive in the harshest environments.

She had to be the one always vigilant in safety.

Seeing Qi An bury her head in her food, her small palm-sized face revealing only a sharp chin, her thin shoulders trembling slightly, Tang Xinying softened.

She whispered, “If you want to join Windrider Team 2, go ahead.

I can approve it here in the Medical Department and just notify the Land Defense Forces through the General Command Office.

Just be careful on missions from now on, don’t build reckless walls, trust your teammates, and learn everything.”

A tear fell from Qi An’s eye into the bowl as she nodded deeply.