Chapter 60: 60, I like you

The dense forest looked grim, and no one dared enter last night, yet after a morning's journey, no danger was encountered.

Only a wild boar that might pose a threat to everyone crashed into a tree and died.

Ren Xiaosu wanted to observe if there were any large predator droppings along the way but found nothing.

However, Ren Xiaosu did not relax his vigilance, for he still did not understand how the fish meat, fish bones, and Xu Xia's body had vanished.

The group found a small clearing in the woods and gathered firewood to camp here; last night, no one had slept, and today they must rest early, or no one could endure.

Xu Xianchu, by the side, used a military knife to dissect the pork, blood spreading across the clearing. Ren Xiaosu warned, "Don't think you can leave leftovers for tomorrow; most dangers in the wilderness are drawn by the smell of blood."

As he spoke, Ren Xiaosu pointed to the ground, where swarms of black ants had arrived, each the size of a palm, looking exceptionally terrifying. "During the day, they won't attack you as you move about; they merely seek food and the source of the blood scent. But at night, if you sleep within the range of the blood smell, you become their prey. A single bite, and the ant acid they secrete will make you suffer unbearably."

Xu Xianchu nodded, "Understood, thank you for the warning."

"Thanks from Xu Xianchu, +1!"

Ren Xiaosu paused, surprised by Xu Xianchu's sincerity.

At noon, everyone devoured the roasted pork, desperately hungry. As Ren Xiaosu ate, Luo Xinyu suddenly sat beside him.

Luo Xinyu, with an innocent and enchanting face, said, "I feel like you're living a rich and flavorful life in the wilderness; it seems quite romantic."

Ren Xiaosu shook his head, "This is survival, not romantic at all."

In the wilderness, he had never heard the word "romantic," and such things could never be associated with it.

Sometimes, Ren Xiaosu felt a vast chasm between his mindset as a refugee and those inside the barriers.

Luo Xinyu ignored his rebuttal and suddenly said, "Do you know, you're quite charming."

Ren Xiaosu frowned—was this because he had clashed with Xu Xianchu and now she sought him out?

He pretended not to hear, but Luo Xinyu sat by his side and didn't leave.

In truth, Luo Xinyu had her own plans; following Ren Xiaosu at least meant she wouldn't starve.

Others might not have noticed, but Luo Xinyu had long realized Ren Xiaosu was no ordinary person—how could a normal youth carry a grown man to escape? Perhaps Xu Xianchu himself lacked such ability.

Thus, Luo Xinyu believed that during the youth's impulsive phase of adolescence, whether in the settlements or the barriers, it was likely the same.

She only needed to show a little favor, and this youth named Ren Xiaosu would surely risk fire and water for her. In fact, if Ren Xiaosu took advantage of her, she wouldn't mind much.

Such things were not uncommon within the barriers.

To put it bluntly, she now lacked security and sought someone to exploit.

In truth, Luo Xinyu could also try to win Xu Xianchu's favor, but during the journey, she had approached him multiple times, only to meet with cold indifference.

In Luo Xinyu's impression, Xu Xianchu was a mentally resolute adult who knew what he wanted; in times of danger, he might abandon her at any moment.

As for Liu Bu, there was no need to mention him—he was a waste...

Moreover, she had noticed that Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin had formed a temporary alliance; joining Ren Xiaosu meant joining Yang Xiaojin.

Many assumed Yang Xiaojin was her assistant, but in reality, there was no employment relationship between them. Instead, Yang Xiaojin had given Liu Bu some money, claiming she wanted to take a detour to Barrier 112.

Luo Xinyu didn't know Yang Xiaojin's identity; Liu Bu only said she was a common girl seeking relatives in Barrier 112.

However, after entering the wilderness, Luo Xinyu gradually realized Yang Xiaojin was slipping out of control, and when Yang Xiaojin drew a gun and pointed it at Ren Xiaosu, she knew this couldn't be a normal girl.

Now, Luo Xinyu's plan was to join this alliance and form a small group with Yang Xiaojin and Ren Xiaosu.

In her view, how could a naive refugee like Ren Xiaosu resist her temptation?

In fact, Luo Xinyu and Liu Bu had an inherent arrogance when facing refugees; they considered refugees as appendages of the barriers, not people, but objects.

Ren Xiaosu considered his tone and said to Luo Xinyu, "Sis, stay away from me."

"..." Luo Xinyu decided to be direct, smiling, "Perhaps there were some misunderstandings along the way, actually, I..."

Ren Xiaosu paused, "What's wrong with you?"

Luo Xinyu moved closer to Ren Xiaosu, as if whispering a secret, her breath fragrant as she said, "I like you."

Ren Xiaosu's face changed drastically, "Watch your mouth!"

Luo Xinyu: "???"

Pfft! Yang Xiaojin, who had been drinking bottled water, spat it out, as if realizing her reaction was odd, quickly pretending nothing had happened.

Luo Xinyu never expected Ren Xiaosu to react this way! Was this a normal person's response? Who had an unclean mouth?

Was his brain ill?

At this point, Luo Xinyu began to doubt if she had made the wrong decision.

What Luo Xinyu didn't know was that Ren Xiaosu had seen countless seduction attempts since he could hunt; from the number of women who had tried to cling to him, this was why Yan Liuyuan had initially been wary of Yujie.

So, while Luo Xinyu thought he was inexperienced, the experiences Ren Xiaosu had seen could frighten her.

Ren Xiaosu sneered inwardly—women like Luo Xinyu were not worth his time, even if they were free; they were a waste of food!

Previously, he had believed those inside the barriers were all clever, for as Teacher Zhang had said, most books were stored within the barriers, so he thought the more one read, the smarter they should be.

But Liu Bu and Luo Xinyu had truly shattered his perception.

Of course, there were clever people within the barriers, such as the two officers, Wang Chengyang and Xu Xianchu.

Luo Xinyu's tone calmed, "Help me get out, back to Barrier 113, and I'll secure three entry permits for the barriers."

Ren Xiaosu stood and walked away, "Who are you trying to fool? As if you're in charge inside the barriers."

Ren Xiaosu wasn't foolish; he figured if he used his skill learning map on Luo Xinyu now, he might gain a high-level boasting skill.

...

Thanks to Luo Bo Xi for becoming the new alliance leader of this book.