She had resisted, but it had been futile. Eventually, she accepted it and started charging for her services. Some refused to pay and even beat her for it, but she endured. Still, some evolved humans would give her a few magic crystals or look out for her slightly during hunts.
Over two years, Nova evolved from a two-star to a six-star evolved.
Within the entire Ural team, her strength ranked in the top ten.
She was no longer someone to be trifled with.
Those who had taken advantage of her in the past, as long as they couldn’t defeat her, now had to give her a monthly tribute of demon crystals. Otherwise, Nova would find excuses to beat them up, leaving them injured during hunts or even unable to hunt for a while.
In this brutal post-apocalyptic world, it was almost a death sentence.
Even after the Ural team’s leader tried to mediate, it had little effect—after all, he hadn’t intervened back then and had even taken advantage of her himself.
Ultimately, Nova reduced the amount of demon crystals she demanded each month, but payment was non-negotiable. The men accepted it—what else could they do if they couldn’t beat her?
“Popov, do you want to hand over two extra level five demon crystals next month?”
Popov had immediately shut his mouth.
Nova spat, tossing the meat onto the ground, and coldly walked out of the ice house.
Even if she no longer cared who took her body, she still wouldn’t relieve herself in front of so many people. She needed to take care of it before nightfall.
The air outside was cold but refreshingly crisp.
Nova squatted behind a snow-covered rock, but she heard faint footsteps approaching within seconds. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she pulled a hidden belt from her waist.
She was going to teach these disgusting opportunists a lesson they’d never forget.
Without even pulling up her pants, she leaped out from the side, her whip lashing toward the source of the sound.
But in the twilight, her eyes widened in shock—no one was there. Only a pair of boots stood propped up by thin sticks, controlled by a young child at least ten meters away.
In this post-apocalyptic world, even the sudden appearance of a seemingly harmless child meant danger was near.
Nova tried to retract her arm, but it was too late.
From beneath the snow beside the rock, a figure burst out. A flash of blade light severed Nova’s arm.
Her silver leather armor might as well have been paper—it offered no protection.
The pain hadn’t even registered yet, but the sight of her detached arm sent panic surging through her. She instinctively tried to scream, but before her mouth could open, a silver streak shot through it and exited the back of her skull.
The lower half of Nova’s face was now a gaping hole.
As the blade and silver light struck, the child who had used the sticks to distract Nova darted forward, catching the severed arm midair before lunging again to steady the collapsing body. A dagger appeared in their hand, smoothly and swiftly plunging into the woman’s heart to ensure her death.
The entire sequence took barely two seconds.
The blade-wielder landed—it was Xiao Xuan, who had followed Ye Zhongming. He signaled into the distance, and from a snowdrift emerged an archer holding a green bow. Behind him were nearly fifty youths, gliding silently on snowshoes.
Reaching the underground ice house Nova had just left, ten of the youths split off while the others took positions near the remaining ice houses.
Xiao Xuan scanned his companions, then yanked open the ice block sealing the entrance. Two ranged fighters immediately aimed their bows and crossbows inside, unleashing a rapid barrage of attacks.
The battle erupted without warning.
Four or five of the evolved inside died instantly, caught off guard by the sudden assault at close range.
After the arrows came a volley of skills hurled inside, then, the rest of the youths produced heavy hammer-like weapons and smashed the ice house’s roof.
The coordinated assault was seamless. The ice house collapsed.
The evolved inside weren’t about to be crushed to death—they burst out, only to be met with another wave of attacks.
Few had survived the initial assault unscathed, and as they emerged one by one, the waiting youths cut them down. Only a handful managed to break free.
The skirmish drew attention from the other ice houses. Their occupants rushed out to investigate, only to be ambushed by the waiting youths. Soon, all five ice houses were embroiled in combat.
Numerically, the Ural team held an overwhelming advantage. But the surprise attack had halved their numbers before they could react. By the time they regrouped aboveground, the youths had already withdrawn, retreating swiftly without hesitation.
The Ural leader surveyed the carnage. There was no way he’d let these attackers escape. He ordered pursuit.
After a few hundred meters, he called for a halt—the distinctly Eastern features of their foes reminded him of Black Dragon City.
He commanded a retreat.