"Classmates, due to the recent acceleration in the mutation speed of flora and fauna, mutated animals have gathered and launched a surprise attack on our school. We will be evacuating in seven days. The destination for this evacuation is the Yuanliang City safe zone."
Listening to the school's announcement, Xú Yáo glanced out the window.
After a moment, she decided to use the few days before the evacuation to familiarize herself with the environment of this world.
During these few days, Xú Yáo explored every corner of the school's no-man's-land and clearly felt that the mutation speed had increased. According to her previous life's game tiers, many plants and animals had evolved to Tier 1 in these few days, which also allowed her to obtain a considerable amount of Tier 1 materials. Although she only had ordinary Mortal Fire now and her mental power was insufficient to use high-level tools, she still managed to create a few pieces of equipment that could be used on the road.
In the blink of an eye, the last day before the evacuation arrived.
At this moment, Xú Yáo was in the forging room, pounding away at the materials in her hands with ringing sounds.
To avoid exposure, she hid in the school's abandoned gymnasium, where hardly anyone would come.
"Sīyǔ, look here. I've observed this place; it's very hidden."
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the workshop.
Hearing the familiar name, Xú Yáo's hammer paused mid-air as she listened to the commotion outside.
The man's voice was slightly fawning, "Xú Yáo bullied you a couple of days ago. This time, I will absolutely ruin her reputation."
"What good plan could you possibly have?" Zhū Sīyǔ snorted, gritting her teeth. "I don't just want that bitch ruined; I want her dead! Then we'll see how she seduces upperclassmen!"
"Tomorrow is the evacuation, and the school has already distributed supplies for each team. Tonight, I'm responsible for patrolling our team's warehouse. I'll move all the energy supplies from our team's warehouse here tonight, then burn the remaining ordinary supplies and frame Xú Yáo, saying she deliberately burned down the entire warehouse."
"Sīyǔ, tomorrow you can bring people here to collect the supplies. Isn't it about time for the equipment you promised me last time..."
The man's ingratiating voice gradually faded along with their footsteps.
Xú Yáo listened to the entire conversation, her mind filled with the words 'come here, collect supplies.'
This was truly a windfall from heaven.
What was she lacking the most right now? Wasn't it supplies?
People like her who didn't join the school's special ability team couldn't buy any Energy Food at all. The school cafeteria only supplied the minimum amount of ordinary food.
The so-called Energy Food is food made from items produced by Life ability users. Besides satisfying hunger, this type of food can also slowly restore the energy consumed by ability users, making it extremely precious.
Xú Yáo was doing manual labor every day. The meager amount of food from the cafeteria wasn't enough to fill her stomach, let alone restore her abilities. Without enough to eat, how could she have the strength to forge iron?
She wandered through the no-man's-land every day, not only looking for materials but also for food. Fortunately, with the increasing number of mutated animals these past two days, she could barely make ends meet.
At this point, Xú Yáo had no interest in forging iron. She wished the man from earlier would bring the supplies right now to teach her a lesson.
She hurried back to her dorm. After midnight, she put on the Invisibility Cloak she had made and sneaked back to the gymnasium.
As she eagerly anticipated, the man finally arrived with the supplies, carrying a flashlight.
Under the dim light of the flashlight, Xú Yáo got a clear look at the person. This man was named Jīn Gāoyáng, the eldest son of the Jin Family. The Jin Family depended on the Zhu Family for their livelihood, and he was Zū Sīyǔ's top sycophant.
After a rustling sound, Jīn Gāoyáng unloaded the first batch of supplies from the cart. He repeated this several times until all the supplies were transported.
From the corner, Xú Yáo silently watched Jīn Gāoyáng's actions and flicked a small sticker she was holding onto the corner of his clothes.
After waiting a while longer, confirming that Jīn Gāoyáng had left and wouldn't return, she emerged to claim the gift that fell from the sky.
Most of the supplies in the gymnasium were Energy Food, with a small amount of mutated materials.
Xú Yáo used her mental power to move all the supplies into her workshop, making her all-night vigil worthwhile.
On her way back to the dorm, Xú Yáo looked at the supplies filling half a storage room in her workshop, feeling delighted.
Jīn Gāoyáng gave her such a grand gift. She hoped her return gift would also bring Jīn Gāoyáng happiness.
The next morning.
The emergency assembly signal blared throughout the school, and the broadcast announced for everyone to gather in front of the warehouse.
Xú Yáo joined the others at the front of the warehouse. It wasn't completely light yet, but the area in front of the warehouse was brightly lit.
The school was divided into twenty teams, and each team had its own warehouse.
The warehouse of Xú Yáo's team had its doors wide open, with thick smoke billowing from inside.
Several leading teachers stood in front of the warehouse, one of whom was holding Jīn Gāoyáng, who was struggling uncontrollably.
Xú Yáo yawned. After hearing Jīn Gāoyáng's plan during the day, the first thing she thought of was this piece of equipment she had just made.
The equipment was originally called Gift of the Fire God and looked like a small sticker. Its function in the game was: if an open flame appeared within 2 meters of the wearer, the wearer would automatically be granted a protective barrier for 30 seconds. However, perhaps the materials in this world differed from the game, because after Xú Yáo made it, its attribute became: if an open flame appeared within 2 meters of the wearer, the wearer would automatically be restrained for 30 seconds.
Last night, while Jīn Gāoyáng was focused on moving supplies, Xú Yáo flicked this little gift onto the corner of his clothes. When Jīn Gāoyáng returned to the warehouse with the sticker to set the fire, the 30-second restraint caused him to be caught on the spot by patrolling team leaders.
Looking at Jīn Gāoyáng, who clearly had burn injuries, Xú Yáo clicked her tongue. This item could no longer be called Gift of the Fire God; from now on, it would be called Fire God's Happy Gift Pack.
Xú Yáo's thoughts drifted. Jīn Gāoyáng, in front of her, also saw her. He stopped struggling and shouted loudly to the crowd, "It's Xú Yáo! She made me do this!"
"Me?" Xú Yáo looked at Jīn Gāoyáng in front of her and snorted. "You'd set the fire just because I told you to? Would you go die if I told you to? Do you listen to me that much? Am I your mother?"
Hearing Xú Yáo's mockery, Jīn Gāoyáng struggled even harder.
"We've been together for a long time. She even personally gave me her badge as a token of our love."
"She told me Zhū Sīyǔ was bullying her, so she asked me to burn all the supplies and frame Zhū Sīyǔ."
"Pfft, me? With you? Are my eyes blind?" Xú Yáo heard this and burst out laughing. After mutation, badges were equivalent to ID cards and were unique. She took out her badge from her pocket.
"My badge is right here. Who knows what you have?"
"Impossible! Hers must be fake." Jīn Gāoyáng looked at the smug Xú Yáo in front of him and blurted out without thinking, "Yáng Yuè already stole her badge for me."
"So it was you who stole my badge." Xú Yáo returned the badge she had taken from Liú Fāngfāng in the confusion and turned to look at Yáng Yuè with a cold smile. "Didn't I tell you? If you bother me again, I'll cripple you."
Yáng Yuè shivered at the scene before her, immediately knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful.
"Jīn Gāoyáng threatened me. He also asked me to come out and testify, to frame Xú Yáo for burning the supplies. Yáo Yáo, I'm sorry. I didn't want to, but he threatened me with my family."
"Slap!"
Xú Yáo reached out, grabbed Yáng Yuè, used her mental power to directly sever Yáng Yuè's weak ability, and then slapped her hard across the face.
"If there's a next time, I'll kill you directly."
"Ah!"
Feeling the loss of her ability, Yáng Yuè's body limped, and she fell to the ground.
Her face turned pale from the pain, and a hint of hatred flickered in her uncertain eyes.
With the truth revealed, the teacher who was holding Jīn Gāoyáng stopped listening to his sophistry. After returning the badge to Xú Yáo, he dragged Jīn Gāoyáng away towards the teaching building.
The remaining teachers arranged for others to return to their dorms to pack their belongings and prepare for departure. Xú Yáo also walked back with the crowd.
Suddenly, she saw a familiar face in the crowd. Wasn't it the person she had saved that day?