Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

A Level 1 Psychic going up against a Level 5 Psychic is practically a death sentence—they wouldn’t even know how they died. Needless to say, Lin Kexin must have subtly uncovered all of Dai Yanping’s secrets. Ruo Manni waited for Lin Kexin to continue.

“That Dai Yanping really has an extraordinary background. She’s actually a reborn individual, having reincarnated into her own body a year prior,” Lin Kexin said.

These two sisters, bound by their strange connection, showed no surprise or doubt at the mention of reincarnation.

“According to her, in her past life, Lin Ruihai was completely alone. His parents died at the very beginning of the apocalypse, and his wife was away on a mission in the Northwest just before the end times began. She never returned, even by the time Dai Yanping died. Without your intervention in that life, Brother Song really did die in the mouth of the mutated snake on that day. Later, when our elder brother went out to find him, he also met his end, perishing together with the mutated snake. With no outstanding commanders left, the B City Base ultimately fell into the hands of the Tiger Mercenary Group,” Lin Kexin said with great displeasure. “Sister, it’s fortunate you returned just in time this life.”

“So, she means that in her past life, there was no me or you?”

“Exactly. I asked her twice, and she said our elder brother was completely alone.”

Ruo Manni grieved for her elder brother’s fate in that past life before finally speaking. “This life has already diverged from the past since your rebirth. Mother, infected by the zombie virus, was saved by you, which also indirectly saved Father’s life.”

If the two elders had been at home, one turning into a zombie would have left the other with almost no chance of survival.

“Moreover, Brother and Brother Song have trained in the martial techniques you taught them. Brother Song now stands a good chance against that mutated snake in a full fight, and our elder brother, being even stronger, would at worst suffer severe injuries if properly prepared. As for you, killing that snake would only deplete your mental energy,” Ruo Manni carefully analyzed the changes brought about by Lin Kexin’s rebirth.

Lin Kexin felt a sense of relief after hearing this, her lingering fear easing considerably. She realized she had been too immersed in the situation to see it clearly.

“Did you investigate thoroughly? Was there any foul play when Brother Song encountered the Tier 4 mutated snake that day?” Ruo Manni asked, clearly concerned about this matter.

“Before that incident, Dai Yanping’s predictions had been incredibly accurate, so they planned to sit back and reap the rewards without intervening,” Lin Kexin replied, a cold smile curling at the corners of her mouth. “But honestly, I think it’s because they couldn’t handle the Tier 4 mutated snake themselves and wanted Brother and Brother Song to pave the way for them.”

As long as they hadn’t actually taken action to harm anyone, Ruo Manni wouldn’t personally seek revenge. The rest could be left to Lin Ruihai to handle as he saw fit.

Lin Kexin continued, “These people knew there was danger outside the base, yet they neither reported it nor warned anyone. Instead, they planned to profit from the chaos. I didn’t destroy Dai Yanping’s psychic abilities, but I did implant a suggestion in her mind. Every time she tries to recall events from her past life, she’ll suffer from splitting headaches that make it impossible to think.”

“Was she the one who posted that apocalypse survival guide?”

“She said no. In her past life, she didn’t survive past the Great Winter. That post mentioned events from the third year of the apocalypse. However, she admitted that much of what was in the post reflected common knowledge from the post-apocalypse era.”

“This woman may have been reborn, but she’s merely using her past-life memories to snatch some resources. She hasn’t gone out of her way to harm others for profit. That’s why, after sealing off her memories of her past life, I still gave her the method for psychic cultivation,” Lin Kexin explained further.

Ruo Manni wholeheartedly agreed with Lin Kexin’s approach. This woman wasn’t inherently malicious. Since they were both reborn, and Dai Yanping had some level of ability, sparing her life and allowing her to grow stronger was reasonable, especially since her life was now in Lin Kexin’s hands.

After the Great Winter, the base would face numerous crises. Having one more capable person could be an additional source of support.

“Make sure to share the details of what you’ve uncovered with Brother. We’ll only step in when you encounter problems you can’t resolve on your own,” Ruo Manni said. “For now, we’ll focus on our cultivation.”

Lin Kexin nodded. With the Gumera Galaxy facing such a crisis, it was unlikely that people like Hebrew Adam and his group had much interest in intervening in this world’s affairs. The fact that they helped this time was solely because of Ruo Manni.

This assistance ensured that Song Changlong and Lin Ruihai both emerged unscathed and secured enough food and supplies to help the entire base survive the harsh Great Winter. If Lin Ruihai and Song Changlong couldn’t establish themselves as leaders even after this, they might as well give up on leading the base entirely.

Ruo Manni pondered for a moment but decided not to share Mina-Olli’s suspicions about the zombie virus’s mysterious origins with Lin Kexin or Lin Ruihai.

It was just a theory without any evidence to support it. Moreover, Lin Ruihai wasn’t yet capable of investigating such matters. Telling him would only add unnecessary psychological pressure. It was better for Ruo Manni to investigate quietly and bring it up only if she found something concrete.

However, hearing about Lin Ruihai and Song Changlong gave Ruo Manni a sense of attachment she hadn’t expected.

In her previous life, before she succumbed to illness, Lin Ruihai hadn’t even had a girlfriend, so his marriage must have happened after her death.

“As Dai Yanping mentioned, is Sister-in-law really in the Northwest now?” Ruo Manni asked.

“Sister-in-law is a military journalist. A week before the apocalypse, she went to the Northwest camp for an interview. When the apocalypse struck, she couldn’t make it back in time,” Lin Kexin said with a sigh.

“I know Brother really wants to find her, but the journey is too long—more than 4,000 kilometers filled with zombies and mutated animals. Even Sister-in-law’s family dissuaded him from going. Brother also carries a heavy responsibility and can’t just abandon everything to leave, but I think it weighs heavily on his heart,” Lin Kexin added with another sigh.

“No wonder I’ve felt like Brother has something on his mind. Has there been any news from Sister-in-law after the apocalypse?”

“On the day the apocalypse began, Brother called Sister-in-law. She said she was fine at the time, but communication was completely cut off afterward, and there’s been no news since. However, on that day, Sister-in-law was at the Northwest Military District Headquarters. As long as she wasn’t infected by the virus, her safety should be assured,” Lin Kexin said, though her tone betrayed clear concern.

The Northwest, after all, bordered a vast primal forest. Post-apocalypse, mutated animals became one of the most terrifying threats. The wild animals from the primal forest were already fierce by nature, and whether they mutated or became infected with the zombie virus, they weren’t foes ordinary humans could handle.

Ruo Manni thought for two minutes, then raised her head to look at Lin Kexin. “Do you know Sister-in-law?”

“Of course I do. Why are you asking? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going to the Northwest to find her?” Lin Kexin asked, her tone tinged with suspicion and uncertainty.

“I have a Level 7 mech. It can fly invisibly at a speed of over 1,000 kilometers per hour,” Ruo Manni said, looking at Lin Kexin.

Lin Kexin’s breath quickened instantly. A mech—let alone a Level 7 one! She had never even touched a mech above Level 5.

“I also have a Level 5 mech. When I get the chance, I’ll adjust the settings and give it to you,” Ruo Manni said with a smile.

Lin Kexin’s eyes lit up, and her heartbeat raced uncontrollably. Still, she made a token effort to resist. “But Big Brother and Brother Song wouldn’t allow us to go. And then there’s your prince fiancé, who seems to watch you like a hawk, as if afraid you’ll run off.”

“We won’t tell anyone. Once we find her and bring her back, then they’ll know,” Ruo Manni replied calmly and methodically.