The Unveiling of Allies and Adversaries

Xiang Qi’s youthful and beautiful appearance only amplified her disadvantage in this regard. As the saying goes, ‘a smooth chin means an unreliable plan,’ and the words of a young woman seemed inherently less convincing.

“I’m Xiang Ke. In the real world, I’m a journalist, skilled at analyzing events based on existing intelligence.” The second to introduce themselves was the woman among the veterans, the one Xiang Qi had nicknamed Potassium Permanganate.

She had preempted the suit-clad man, clearly having noticed the subtle exchanges between the previous two. It was evident she also harbored ambitions for a leadership role.

Knowing her strengths and weaknesses clearly, Xiang Ke understood she couldn’t directly clash with the blue-haired man for now. By seizing this second opportunity to introduce herself, she subtly elevated her own standing.

“My name is Liang Qian. I’m a civil servant in real life, and I enjoy reading novels. My expertise lies primarily in my understanding of various mythologies.”

The suit-clad man followed closely, seemingly oblivious to the underlying currents, and introduced himself quite normally.

The only minor issue was his slightly verbose nature.

This was hardly a major concern, yet in Xiang Qi’s eyes, it held a deeper significance.

‘For now, I’ll assume he’s harmless,’ she thought.

Next, it was the turn of the middle-aged uncle, who had maintained a low profile throughout. He appeared somewhat irritable, having abstained from smoking for a while.

“My name is Wu Jiancheng. I’m a taxi driver, but I can drive other vehicles too, not just taxis.”

To lighten the mood, he concluded with a lighthearted joke.

“If we encounter a Hunter, maybe I’ll just drive right into it, and we’ll win!”

Unfortunately, no one offered an echo of laughter, leaving the atmosphere a little awkward.

“My name is Xia Lingxue, and I’m a student.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Xiang Qi offered the false name, then smiled apologetically, her fleeting brilliance instantly outshining the other women in the group. “I’m good at drawing. I hope everyone will look out for me.”

The unspoken message was clear: her observational skills were decent, and she was not merely a useless pretty face.

This beautiful young woman had, in fact, drawn attention long ago. Several gazes had been discreetly fixed upon her.

However, one thing she hadn’t accounted for was the jealousy women often harbor towards attractive peers.

Xiang Ke, for her part, wasn’t bothered by this, merely remarking that the girl was indeed striking. The delicate, frail girl also seemed indifferent; her own appearance was not lacking, so there was no need for envy.

But another individual lacked such magnanimity. The last woman in the group had been annoyed by Xiang Qi’s face for quite some time, convinced this ‘little b*tch’ must have seduced countless men with her looks, perhaps even engaging in countless sordid affairs in private.

This world never lacked such people—those who always used the vilest malice to slander others. They couldn’t stand anyone being better than them, yet they dared not confront the powerful, instead preying on those they perceived as equally vulnerable.

Previously, she hadn’t found an opportunity, but now, believing she held the upper hand, she began to stir up trouble.

“So, you’re essentially useless, aren’t you?” A slender woman sneered from the side. “A student who can only draw should just hide behind men. Someone will protect you anyway.”

She could tell that Xiang Qi and Xiang Ke were allied, yet she failed to notice the cold glint in Xiang Ke’s and the blue-haired man’s eyes.

No matter what, Xiang Qi was a veteran, just like them, creating a natural divide between her and the rookie group. At such times, veterans naturally shared a certain empathy, and seeing one of their own group targeted would undoubtedly cause resentment.

To this point, Xiang Qi had done nothing to provoke ill will. Thanks to her face, she still held a certain favor in everyone’s eyes, and this deliberate, obvious targeting by a fool had a very limited impact on her.

The words didn’t need to be spoken. In Xiang Qi’s mind, this person was already dead.

‘Just let me catch an opportunity,’ she thought, lowering her head, her gaze dark.

“Alright, hold your tongue.” Someone had had enough. A young man among the newcomers stepped forward, stopping the woman’s tirade. “If you want to introduce yourself, then do so. Don’t deliberately cause trouble.”

The young man caught Xiang Qi’s grateful gaze, feeling a surge of pride.

“Since that’s the case, I’ll introduce myself too.” He puffed out his chest, flexing muscles that weren’t really there. “My name is Chen Anhe. I’m a student, and I’m good at sports.”

He added as an afterthought,

“Don’t let my appearance fool you; I’ve even placed in the city marathon.”

The woman scoffed, the meaning known only to herself, then began her own introduction.

“My name is Ji Hua. I’m a freelancer, and I’ve studied Sanda.”

She then cast a provocative glance at Xiang Qi, but receiving no response, she felt foolish and shifted her attention to the others.

The self-introductions continued, but as they were all characters destined to die, they won’t be recounted individually here.

Throughout this process, the blue-haired youth, Liu Zhengxuan, listened intently to everyone’s statements, preparing to strategically assign tasks later. He paid special attention to a few distinct individuals, intending to recruit them into his own small group.

The others weren’t idle either. Out of respect for the blue-haired man, they didn’t leave, but they seemed somewhat distracted, engrossed in their own thoughts.

Xiang Ke was clearly not among them. She had also mentally selected a few candidates and then approached the middle-aged uncle, Wu Jiancheng, to negotiate.

“My name is Shu Xun. I’m a student, and I enjoy reading detective novels. I hope everyone will take care of me.”

This seemingly delicate girl with glasses was the last to introduce herself, and by then, everyone was fairly rested. The blue-haired man announced they would continue their mission, but this time, they wouldn’t proceed together. After establishing this location as a temporary base, he dispatched three exploration teams to search for supplies, agreeing to regroup in two hours.

The women in the group were left behind, and command was transferred to Xiang Ke. The other three veterans each led a team, departing in different directions.

By this point, the escapee faction had largely split into two teams. These were led by the talented veterans, the blue-haired youth Liu Zhengxuan and the journalist Xiang Ke, respectively. They had each absorbed the suit-clad man Liang Qian and the driver Wu Jiancheng, who were also veterans, into their teams, thus maintaining an overall balanced situation.