A message came from Tonsils Never Speak Again.
"Shall we head out? I’ll come find you first?"
Qi Xu glanced at the time—9 a.m. The chat lobby today wasn’t much better than last night’s.
Many players were already cursing and using Location Cards to arrange battles. Without hesitation, Qi Xu sent a reply.
Invincible Black Tornado: "Let’s both locate Green Little Flower. We only have half an hour, so let’s not waste it."
Tonsils Never Speak Again: "No worries, I have a Vehicle Lock. We can stay bound, and I can hitch a ride on your vehicle. Limited to once a day, max 10 hours per use."
Qi Xu couldn’t help but click her tongue in amazement. She’d always been envied for her luck, but now she realized… the truly lucky one was right here.
Tonsils was like Doraemon—her pockets seemed to hold everything.
Invincible Black Tornado: "Alright, come over. I’ll use the Location Card once you’re here."
Not long after sending the message, Tonsils Never Speak Again set off. Qi Xu soon received a notification that someone had used a Location Card on her.
Though Qi Xu had a good impression of her, caution was second nature. She prepared thoroughly, equipping every defensive item she had.
She even strapped a gun to her waist—just in case things went south, she wouldn’t be caught off guard.
About 20 minutes later, a white RV slowly approached. The first meeting was awkward for both sides; Tonsils Never Speak Again was visibly nervous and had also come fully prepared.
If Invincible Black Tornado decided to attack, unless she could instantly take out all three of her lives, escaping shouldn’t be a problem.
Tonsils stepped out of the vehicle and couldn’t help but swoon at the sight of the pink monstrosity before her—it looked even more imposing than in pictures.
The dreamy color paired with rugged lines created an oddly captivating aesthetic.
Qi Xu hopped down from her vehicle too. Tonsils Never Speak Again wasn’t quite what she’d imagined. Qi Xu had expected someone poised, elegant, and sharp-witted.
Instead, she looked quite young, probably under 1.6 meters tall. Her features weren’t striking individually, but together, they were pleasant and approachable.
Her large, thick-framed glasses obscured her lively almond-shaped eyes, softening her overall demeanor.
Yet, there was an unshakable calm about her. Qi Xu understood—this was someone with hidden depths.
"Hi, I’m Tonsils Never Speak Again. Tornado Boss, I’ll be in your care today."
Tonsils promptly shared her stats with Qi Xu.
[Tonsils Never Speak Again]
Strength: 19 (A weakling who can’t even wrangle a chicken)
Stamina: 20 (If you hit 20K steps today, you might not get out of bed tomorrow. Tsk.)
Agility: 18 (A clumsy little goofball)
Combat Power: 35 (Strength: Well-rounded. Weakness: Equally bad at everything.)
Qi Xu stared in disbelief, rereading the stats several times. "What’s going on? Haven’t you gotten any Stat Boost Pills?"
Tonsils shrugged helplessly. "I have, but they’re practically useless for me. For every point you gain, I only get 0.1."
"Why?"
"It’s partly my choice. I’ve never been good at fighting, and I also got a special Work Permit."
Qi Xu nodded. "Got it. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!"
"Great! Then I’ll stick with you from now on, Tornado Boss. My name’s Luo Xinpan—you can call me Bianbian or Abian."
"Bianbian it is. I’m Qi Xu."
"Alright, let’s go, Tornado Boss. I may be weak, but I’ve got plenty of defensive gear and weapons.
If a fight breaks out, don’t worry about me. My Truth Serum is a spray—just hit them in the face, and they’ll answer truthfully for 10 minutes."
Qi Xu nodded. "Understood!"
After Luo Xinpan hitched her RV to Qi Xu’s garbage truck, they boarded together.
"Wow, I love your interior! So pink and fluffy! Do you have an auto-cleaning system? I’ve got a spare if you need one."
"I’ve got one too. Manual cleaning would be a nightmare."
Qi Xu used the Location Card on Green Little Flower first, then brought over some fruit, snacks, and a specially blended dragonfruit smoothie.
Not wanting to freeload, Luo Xinpan noticed Qi Xu had a pet and gifted Little Seven a silver badge as a welcome present.
"It’s a pet protection item. I don’t have a pet egg yet, so I don’t need it. You take it."
Too much politeness would only hinder their rapport, so Qi Xu didn’t refuse. She had plenty of good stuff too—she’d find a way to return the favor later.
Whether in human society or survival games, basic social exchange worked the same way.
When the Parallel Highway appeared, Qi Xu readied for battle—tying her hair up, strapping on her pink chainsaw, and slipping anesthetic needles onto her fingers.
The smooth, practiced motions made Luo Xinpan’s cheeks flush.
"Tornado Boss, you’re seriously cool!"
"Just moderately cool."
Even Qi Xu, usually thick-skinned, felt her face heat up. She’d have to practice more with Old White Dragon later.
Green Little Flower had been on high alert the moment the Parallel Highway appeared.
Spotting the pink garbage truck, she didn’t hesitate—she activated a 100 km/h Speed Boost lasting one hour.
Qi Xu frowned. "The shortest Speed Boost is an hour. One Location Card won’t be enough.
We’ll have to wait it out."
Tonsils Never Speak Again immediately pulled out another card and tossed it out the window without a second thought.
"No problem. The Parallel Highway’s locked now."
Qi Xu couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. "You really do have everything!"
Luo Xinpan grinned and joked, "Traded weak limbs and being equally bad at everything for it. Jealous?"
Qi Xu chuckled but didn’t reply. If given the choice… she’d still prefer her own path.
She’d rather rely on her own strength than place her life in the hands of teammates or items—it felt too unstable.
But everyone had their own path. There was no single right way—only the one that suited you best.
Qi Xu glanced at the stack of Speed Boosts in her backpack and sighed. Finally, they’d come in handy!
.........
