After faking her death in interstellar space, the powerful woman disguised herself as a man and went

Leng Ran froze in her seat. Xie Jingbai waved his hand in front of her eyes: "Mo Li, Mo Li? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, please continue." Leng Ran snapped out of her daze, picked up her teacup, and drank it all in one gulp. The warm tea slid down her throat, calming her down.

Xie Jingbai nodded: "Yes, the hidden quest is unique. When I went to find the mayor again, he had disappeared, and the other resident NPCs had returned to an untalkable state."

She took out the diary she had shown Leng Ran earlier and handed it to him: "As for Fengxiao Fortress... I won't say much more. I'll give you this diary; the answer is within."

"Professor Bai, this isn't something promised in the payment; it's a traded item." He took it coldly but didn't open it. "Do you have any questions for me?"

Xie Jingbai hesitated for a moment: "Our agreement was to exchange two items for one question, but now, all I have to give you is this notebook."

He said indifferently, "It's alright, go ahead and ask."

"In that case, I won't make things difficult for you," Xie Jingbai said seriously. "I want to know, which map's hidden quest did you accept?"

He replied coldly and honestly, "Apocalyptic ruins."

Xie Jingbai's pupils dilated in shock: "As expected, there really are hidden missions in the post-apocalyptic ruins. The seemingly unrelated initial maps may have connections that we haven't yet discovered."

For example, the key obtained in Dawn Town can open the door to Anwan Island Prison. And could the Soul-Severing Scythe found behind that door also be used somewhere?

"It's getting late, I'll be going now. Keep the notes for yourself and look at them at your own pace. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions." Xie Jingbai put down his teacup and turned to leave. "Oh, by the way, this meal is on me as a thank you."

Leng Ran: "Okay, get some rest. I won't see you off."

Watching Xie Jingbai leave through the door, Leng Ran coldly turned her attention back to the diary in her hands. This diary was quite old; the pages were yellowed and it was very fragile, as if it would break in her hands with the slightest force.

With a sense of curiosity, Leng Ran carefully opened the "Diary of the City-Defending General".

The title page has two lines of small, somewhat blurred text.

"Hello stranger, I am the garrison general of Fengxiao Fort, my name is not worth mentioning. If you see this diary, it means that I am already dead."

"The entire Fengxiao Fortress will fight the darkness to the very last moment! Even if it means burning our lives away, we will never retreat!"

Leng Ran turned the pages one by one, wondering what had happened to make that general write such resolute words, and the darkness mentioned here seemed to have a hidden meaning.

In the year 331 of the Nine Calendar, the first war fortress of the Yun Kingdom—Fengxiao Fortress—was completed.

In the year 333 of the Nine Calendar, the Flame Kingdom provoked a war, and the War of the Nine Kingdoms began. In the same year, I was appointed as a Grand General, responsible for guarding the borders.

Nine calendar years have passed, 338 years of constant warfare. Four kingdoms have been annexed by the Flame Kingdom, and the situation in the Cloud Kingdom is dire. Fengxiao Fortress has become the Cloud Kingdom's last line of defense. The Cloud Kingdom is weak; we may not survive until next year.

Leng Ran's fingers paused, and from 339 onwards, the general's handwriting suddenly became very messy, as if it had been written in a hurry.

In the year 339 of the Nine Calendar, a strange black mist appeared over the Flame Kingdom. Anyone who came into contact with the mist would undergo a drastic personality change, plunging into madness and ultimately death. The good news is that the Flame Kingdom has halted its external expansion, allowing us to breathe a sigh of relief.

In the first year of the Obsidian Calendar, the Flame Kingdom perished, with no survivors. The black mist continues to expand, now covering most of the sky. We have discovered that the black mist recedes slightly where there is light, which can be used as a form of protection.

In the second year of the Obsidian Calendar, the black mist transformed into a colossal beast, coiling itself around the main city of the Flame Kingdom. Darkness completely enveloped the sky, and every household lit specially made lamps to ward off the black mist. The situation in other countries is likely even worse; none of our scouts returned, their fates unknown.

In the third year of the Obsidian Calendar, many strange-looking monsters emerged from the darkness and began to attack the Cloud Kingdom relentlessly. I will stand with all the warriors and fight them to the very end.

In the fourth year of the Obsidian Calendar, we paid a heavy price to withstand hundreds of attacks, but the Cloud Kingdom's energy resources were dwindling, and the lights were growing dimmer. People didn't die under the monsters' claws, but from the encroachment of darkness. And I could only watch helplessly as it all unfolded.

In the fifth year of the Obsidian Calendar, the last light in the Cloud Kingdom went out. We may be the last humans left in this world.

In the sixth year of the Obsidian Calendar, Windfall Fortress is suffering from severe shortages of resources and near-depleted energy. Our homes are gone, our loved ones are gone. The flames of revenge burn in our hearts. We will take all our weapons and equipment and launch a full-scale attack on the behemoths of the Flame Kingdom.

There is no turning back once you leave!

......

The diary ends here; no one knows the outcome of this final battle. But one thing is certain: no one returned alive.

Fengxiao Fortress, the wind howls and the Yi River is cold.

The brave warrior departs, never to return.

He coldly closed the diary.

Although she couldn't be sure what the black mist and the giant beast mentioned in the diary were, it was clear that this was another world affected by the source of evil.

The pain and sorrow produced by war are probably the very source of evil that needs its power.

Looking coldly out the window through the latticework, he said, "It seems that the law of the jungle has actually saved the world from the apocalypse."

Unlike the people of Yun Kingdom who rely on the warriors of Fengxiao Fort for protection, everyone in the apocalypse is in danger and believes in the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak. Even "Star of Hope," which serves as a base for survivors, has a strict hierarchical system where power and influence are directly linked to strength.

Such rules and regulations force everyone to learn to be self-reliant, rather than blindly relying on the protection of other powerful individuals.

Therefore, Hope Star has grown stronger and stronger, accumulating the resources to confront powerful enemies.

Leng Ran casually ruffled the black Qilin's head: "By the way, little cat, since you want to follow me, how about I give you a name?"

The black qilin narrowed its eyes slightly and remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

“Name… let me think.” Leng Ran picked up the sleepy little black cat. “You’ve guarded the Black Sea prison for countless years, so how about we call you ‘Sheriff’?”

"Meow." Although somewhat listless, the black cat sheriff finally agreed.

Leng Ran pinched the sheriff's cheek: "Sheriff, why are you so tired? There's no pet system in Star Wars... Why don't you go rest in my mech warehouse?"

She quickly went to the mall and bought cushions, blankets, and other props. After a simple arrangement in the mecha warehouse, a warm cat bed appeared.

The sheriff was already fast asleep. He gently put it down and covered it with a blanket.

Goodnight, Sheriff.