Chapter 64: A Friendly Match

“So delicious!! Mmm~~!” Long Qianwen had completely forgotten about her image, holding a massive roasted boar leg over her shoulder with one hand, while the other wielded a dagger, swiftly slicing off chunks to eat.

Her current state was much like Wang Ji’s; after some mysterious stimulus, their overall strength had reached the level of quasi-second-tier battle generals, and with greater physical power came a greater need for energy.

The two wild boars, roasted by Wang Ji using seasonings he materialized along the way, were devoured almost entirely by the two of them. Professor Li Cong was satisfied after eating just a pound.

“Ah~ so comfortable.” Long Qianwen patted her stomach, which showed no sign of distortion, half-reclined on a stone as she leisurely sipped the high-energy drink Wang Ji handed her.

Wang Ji, full and content, also wore a relaxed expression, leaning on the other side of the fire, gazing at Long Qianwen’s satisfied look, feeling utterly at peace.

The morning breeze swept by, the wild grass atop the rocky mountain bowed gently, and the air after the cataclysm was incomparably fresh. Yet, with the advent of summer, the temperature became oppressively hot much sooner than usual.

“So… Qianwen, where are you going next?” Wang Ji looked at Long Qianwen with eyes full of anticipation.

Long Qianwen caught Wang Ji’s expression and was momentarily shaken. She lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, then smiled and said, “The world is vast, surely there’s a place for Long Qianwen to call home.”

Wang Ji looked a little disappointed, smiling, “Yes, now that you’re so strong, I suppose you can go anywhere you want.”

“Of course!” Long Qianwen raised her delicate fist with pride—anyone unaware could never fathom the terrifying power contained in such a petite figure.

“Well, there’s still a lot to do at my base…” Wang Ji bit a grass stem, speaking wistfully, his reluctance evident.

Professor Li Cong, who had been watching from the sidelines, could hardly bear it any longer and shouted, “Hey, you two! Can’t you just be direct?! If you want to travel together, just say so!”

“Cough, cough!” Wang Ji was startled and coughed awkwardly, forcing a bitter smile, sneaking a glance at Long Qianwen.

Long Qianwen’s pretty face turned red. “Grandpa Li! Is that any way to speak? Who said I wanted to go with him? Just because he has a base doesn’t mean anything. In these chaotic times, who protects whom is still up in the air…”

Her voice grew softer, and she stole a glance at Wang Ji.

Hearing this, Wang Ji stood tall, brimming with heroic spirit, stretched out his hand to Long Qianwen, and with newfound courage declared, “Qianwen, come with me! I can protect you!”

Long Qianwen stood up as well, her face flushed, eyebrows raised, “Ha! Who said I need your protection? Let’s see if you can even beat me first!”

No sooner had she finished speaking than she darted forward, fist raised, aiming straight for Wang Ji’s eye.

“Alright!” Wang Ji’s eyes shone. He too wanted to test his strength against a worthy opponent. His mental perception told him that Long Qianwen’s power matched his own. The urge to fight blazed within him.

He shifted his stance, skillfully dodged her punch, and leaped backward, drawing Long Qianwen along until they landed a hundred meters away, well clear of Professor Li Cong.

“Hey! You two!! Why are you fighting?!” Professor Li Cong stood up anxiously, watching the two superhuman figures erupt in bursts of shockwaves and shattered rocks in the distance.

“They’re really going at it!” Professor Li Cong shook his head, resigned, and sat back down.

As soon as they exchanged blows, Wang Ji realized Long Qianwen’s combat technique was anything but simple. Her every punch and kick incorporated the ruthless precision of Muay Thai, each move aimed at a vital spot, striving for a single lethal strike.

But precisely because of this reckless style, Long Qianwen’s openings quickly became apparent to Wang Ji.

“Qianwen, aiming to kill in one blow is a good tactic, but you have to have the advantage for it to work.” Wang Ji grabbed Long Qianwen’s arm, twisted his waist to deflect her force, and flung her aside.

The move had a touch of Tai Chi to it. With both their strengths combined, Long Qianwen was sent flying over ten meters, landing with enough force to crush several large rocks before finally steadying herself.

“Again!” Long Qianwen called out, launching herself at him with even fiercer punches.

Wang Ji’s expression grew serious. After his upgrade, he fully harnessed his mental power, locking onto Long Qianwen’s attack path and immediately spotting two or three weaknesses, shaking his head slightly.

“Attack is the best defense, that’s good, but you have to force your opponent into your rhythm!” Wang Ji shouted, closing in on Long Qianwen, breaking through her barrage to land a punch on her shoulder.

Long Qianwen’s face changed; she quickly twisted to evade, but from the outset Wang Ji had seized control of the tempo.

Each attack from Wang Ji forced Long Qianwen onto the defensive, leaving her scrambling. Soon, sweat beaded on her face, and she grew increasingly frustrated.

“Can’t he go easy on me?” Long Qianwen grumbled inwardly. Distracted, she misstepped, stumbling forward.

Wang Ji, seeing this, withdrew his fists and flashed to her side, bent down, and wrapped his arms around her waist. The two were face-to-face, barely five centimeters apart.

His heated breath washed over her cheeks, instantly coloring Long Qianwen’s face with a rosy blush. Her shy beauty made Wang Ji stare in a daze.

Long Qianwen pinched the flesh on Wang Ji’s waist, twisting it counterclockwise.

“Ah~” Wang Ji cried out in pain, helping her up before letting go.

“Hmph~ pervert, how long are you planning to hold me?” Long Qianwen adjusted her clothes, wiping sweat from her brow.

Wang Ji could only laugh awkwardly, rubbing his waist and grimacing at the pain—her strength was no joke!

Noticing this, Long Qianwen felt a twinge of guilt. “Hmph~ are you alright? I saw you’re so tough, it’s just a little twist.”

“No problem! Twist away, twist boldly!” Wang Ji patted his chest.

“As if I’d care to!” Long Qianwen steadied her breath, heading back toward Professor Li Cong first.

Wang Ji was left scratching his head with a bitter smile—women are truly unpredictable!

“Grandpa Li, what do you think? Let’s go to Wang Ji’s base. It’s got the conditions for you to continue your research,” Long Qianwen whispered as she returned to Professor Li Cong’s side.

Li Cong glanced at her and sighed, “Ah~ it can’t be helped~ girls grow up and can’t be kept close. Since that’s the case, this old man will go with you.”

Long Qianwen stomped her foot in embarrassment. “Grandpa Li, what are you saying!”

“Hahaha~ what did I say? I agreed to go to the base,” Professor Li Cong said with a smile to Wang Ji as he approached. “Young man, Long Qianwen is the daughter of my student, but I treat her as my own. You must take good care of her, understood?”

Wang Ji was mortified. What was going on? Even though he was fond of Long Qianwen, and their paths had crossed in unexpected intimacy, it all felt rather sudden.

“Grandpa Li! If you keep saying that, I’ll leave!” Long Qianwen’s face was flushed as she glanced at Wang Ji, then looked down, too shy to speak. From the moment she’d awakened, she’d felt a strange sense of closeness to him.

“Uh~ Professor Li, well, Qianwen and I… let’s just let things happen naturally,” Wang Ji said, scratching his head and smiling. “But if you both agree to come to the base, I’m really happy! I promise I’ll keep you safe!”

“That’s good, young man. I have high hopes for you.” Professor Li Cong patted Wang Ji’s shoulder.

Long Qianwen felt a surge of joy, though she didn’t show it on her face, only muttering, “Alright, we know you’re impressive. Hurry up and pack—aren’t you eager to leave?”

“Got it!” Wang Ji quickly bundled up all usable resources from the giant spider, wielding the saw-chain sword and carrying several two-meter-long spikes on his back, looking every bit the formidable warrior.

Then, the fragments of the blood cocoons were lifted by Wang Ji with minimal mental effort, trailing behind him. Everything was ready.

“Qianwen! Professor Li! Let’s go. We’ll head that way—right now we’re outside the signal range, but once we’re in range, I’ll contact them to pick us up.”

Wang Ji fiddled with his headset and tactical smart tablet—resources salvaged when his armor broke.

To accommodate Professor Li Cong’s speed and stamina, the three could only walk slowly, finally exiting the rocky mountain area near nightfall.

On the way, Professor Li Cong worried about holding them back, repeatedly urging them to go ahead and find a vehicle, then return for him. Long Qianwen refused.

Wang Ji, for his part, enjoyed every moment, feeling especially happy walking with Long Qianwen—classic symptoms of love lowering his IQ by half.

As darkness fell, for safety and Professor Li Cong’s visibility, the three found a sheltered spot, built a fire, and rested.

……

At the direction of the campsite, after the Independent Company returned to base, Mouse took the lead, commanding the communications center to track Wang Ji’s signal around the clock. Meanwhile, Li Chengming and his entire reconnaissance platoon were sent to support Wang Ji's escape route.

Mouse led his men to drag the half-dead Cao Muhua to Third Company. Then he surrounded them all, and with the company leader gone, the remaining Third Company personnel on base duty were disarmed and locked in the labor camp.

Chen Yukai, seeing the situation escalate and fearing for the base’s stability, approached Mouse to negotiate.

Mouse left only a message: “Wait till Captain Wang returns to deal with it,” leaving Chen Yukai with a headache.

By this time, Li Chengming’s team was already within several dozen kilometers of Wang Ji.

“Report, Wild Wolf 01, Wolf 4 has reached the designated position, target not found.”

An Independent Company reconnaissance soldier lay beside a rock, recovered the drone, set down his tablet, and pressed his headset.

Li Chengming’s reconnaissance platoon had followed Wang Ji’s trail, fanning out in a sixty-degree arc, searching every clue in a carpet sweep.

“01 received. Rest ten minutes.” Wild Wolf 01, the reconnaissance platoon leader, was sitting with Li Chengming in the armored scout car, watching the drone feed.

“Deputy Captain, we’ve searched nearly three hundred kilometers. The signal with HQ is at its limit,” the platoon leader said quietly.

Li Chengming’s face was grim. “Let them rest, then keep pushing forward!”

“But… we’ve been advancing non-stop for days. Three reconnaissance soldiers have already been injured. I worry they can’t handle this intensity.”

Li Chengming slammed the table. “Stop whining! If Captain Wang hadn’t risked his life for us, we’d be dead, not just injured! If he’s alive, we find him; if dead, we recover the body! Keep searching!”

“Yes, sir!” The platoon leader saluted and hurriedly ordered the reconnaissance troops to continue their advance in shifts.