Chapter Thirty-Nine: Source Crystal

"This... this is... a source crystal!" Little Blossom cried out in shock.

"Source crystal?" Qin Yu held the crystal core up to Little Blossom, asking in confusion.

Little Blossom gazed at the crystal core, her initial astonishment gradually subsiding, and she said softly, "Mm... it's a source crystal~ But this one isn't pure, and it's rather small. Still, its attribute is the rare poison type, so it's a little treasure~"

Qin Yu still didn't understand what exactly Little Blossom meant by source crystal. Was a crystal core the same thing as a source crystal? Thinking this, Qin Yu took out a second-rank crystal core and handed it to Little Blossom, asking, "Is this also a source crystal?"

Little Blossom glanced at it and replied, "No~ This one is the crystal core you humans talk about, right? The energy inside isn't pure either~ Absorbing it over a long time is very harmful to the body~ And there's not much energy in here~"

Qin Yu picked up the so-called source crystal again and asked, "So this is a source crystal? Why is it called that?"

Little Blossom looked at Qin Yu, then turned to glance at Little Shadow, and answered, "Master is so silly~ Even sillier than Little Shadow~ Of course this is a source crystal! Why is it called a source crystal? Because that's what it is!"

At this moment, Qin Yu's expression was like this: →_→

Excuse me, your master is not silly at all!

Now Little Shadow, upon hearing this, was unhappy. "You're the silly one! Your whole family is silly! Hmph~"

Little Blossom immediately retorted, "You're silly! You're silly! You're the silliest!"

"No, you're the silly one!"

"You're silly!"

...

Qin Yu watched this scene helplessly, then reached out and gathered Little Blossom into her arms, coaxing her gently, "Little Blossom is the smartest of all! Now, tell me, where did you learn this is called a source crystal? How do you know it's a source crystal? And also~ how do you know it's poison-attributed?"

Feeling the warmth of her master's embrace, Little Blossom threw Little Shadow a triumphant look. At Qin Yu's question, she paused to think before replying in her soft, sticky voice, "Mmm... I've always known since I can remember that this is called a source crystal... It's easy to tell if it is one—just feel the energy it gives off~ As for how I know it's poison-type, that's obvious because it's green~ Green means poison, just like red means fire, and blue means water~"

Qin Yu's mouth twitched. The first two answers were basically nothing, but the last at least gave her something; at least it matched the criteria for identifying crystal cores...

Little Blossom then continued, "Master, you're really too silly! You don't even know this basic stuff! Back in the day... back in the day..." Suddenly, Little Blossom fell silent.

What happened back then? Why couldn't she remember anything at all...? Little Blossom shook her head, feeling an unusual discomfort. She had the sense that she'd forgotten a great many things since waking up this time...

Qin Yu watched the suddenly silent Little Blossom, concern showing on her face. "What's wrong, Little Blossom?"

Hearing her master's voice, Little Blossom slowly lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and said in a choked voice, "Master, I've forgotten so many things, wah... Little Blossom feels so useless... Waaah—Master—"

And so, she suddenly burst into tears, startling Qin Yu, who had never had to comfort a child before.

Who could tell her what she ought to do now?

Little Shadow, seeing Little Blossom break into sobs, felt a pang in his chest. He often teased her, but he had never seen her cry so miserably!

He walked over to Little Blossom, patted her on the shoulder, and said sternly, "Who bullied you? I'll go get revenge for you!"

Looking up at Little Shadow's serious face, Little Blossom felt even more aggrieved. Without a word of explanation, she threw herself into his arms, crying as he patted her back with one hand and held her waist with the other, murmuring comfort all the while, "Don't cry, don't cry! Little Blossom is the cleverest! Little Blossom is a good girl! Please don't cry anymore..."

Qin Yu watched this scene, a knowing smile curling at her lips. It seemed there was a story between Little Shadow and Little Blossom...

For a moment, Qin Yu seemed to see herself, once upon a time, just as small, throwing herself into another little boy's arms and wailing her heart out... The boy had worn an expression full of distress, clumsily trying to comfort her, muttering who-knows-what under his breath...

How odd. When had that happened? And who was that boy?

Qin Yu shook her head, forcing herself to break free from the unknown memory.

As she watched Little Blossom gradually calm down, she patted her head and said, "Little Blossom is the best~ The things you've forgotten will come back to you one day! So don't worry so much~"

Yes, those lost memories would return eventually—and when they did, the truth behind everything would be revealed.

Little Blossom nodded with a sniffle, "Mm."

Qin Yu looked at the awkward Little Shadow and ruffled his hair as well, saying, "And our Little Shadow is the best, too~"

Little Shadow immediately lifted his chin with pride. "Hmph~ Of course! I'm the best, after all!"

Qin Yu couldn't help but laugh—these two really were adorable treasures...

Here, Qin Yu felt the joy of surviving a catastrophe, but at the base, chaos reigned.

It was common knowledge that a mysterious person had taken on that mission, and certain factions had even started betting on the outcome...

It had been two days since the mysterious person left. Those returning from missions outside all said they'd seen no sign of him, sparking heated debate...

Some said the man had died in that strange place; others believed perhaps he had encountered some unexpected event and been delayed...

Of course, the former theory had more supporters. For a time, the atmosphere at the base grew unbearably tense...

The official fourth-rank ability user was rarely seen. At times, people even suspected that the so-called fourth-rank ability user was nothing but a story spread by the authorities to calm the populace! After all, not one among them had ever actually seen him!

But this time was different. They might be witnessing the birth of a genuine powerhouse! This prospect thrilled them—did it mean they might be able to follow such a person and live the lives they desired? Did it mean humanity was truly powerful? Did it mean the apocalypse might finally end?

One could say, the appearance of the mysterious figure not only entertained the masses, adding a dash of flavor to their dull and perilous lives, but more importantly, he brought them hope—the hope that true strength really did exist among them!

Perhaps, after so many years of living in constant fear, their nerves had become exceedingly fragile and sensitive. They longed for a savior to rescue them from this hell...

Within the base, as always, all manner of voices called out, but now, woven among them were far more sighs than before...

And at this moment, no one inside or outside the base noticed the wisps of green mist slowly drifting toward the outskirts. Before long, it would seep into the base itself...