Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei said, "You drive, and we'll talk as we go."

Yao Wei frowned, asking, "What about her?"

She was still afraid that the woman she'd turned into a living stump would bleed all over the car and make it dirty.

Lu Xi'an said, "Then we'll walk and let Gou follow."

"Okay."

Only when Lu Xi'an said this did Yao Wei agree.

Gou naturally needed to control the car. It turned around and followed beside Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei, heading south.

The stump woman widened her eyes and said, "This car... this car..."

She'd already noticed that this car was extraordinary, but she only thought it was quite good—sturdy, spacious, and fully equipped, something to envy.

But upon closer inspection, she realized that no one was driving it!

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei were both walking outside the car, which was moving on its own, the driver's seat empty, the steering wheel turning by itself.

How is that possible?!

Lu Xi'an said, "We've said everything we needed to. Now it's your turn to answer questions."

The woman pursed her lips. Although filled with curiosity, she didn't insist on asking about the car.

She was on the brink of death. What was the point of dwelling on these things?

Lu Xi'an asked the first question: "The water you sprinkled on the wounds earlier, what was it?"

The woman was slightly taken aback: "You don't know?!"

Lu Xi'an asked, "Do we need to know?"

Hearing this, the woman gave a bitter laugh and said, "True, you have two Fungus Stones, one for each of you. You wouldn't need that. It's normal not to know."

She paused slightly before explaining, "It's water soaked with Fungus Stone, which has healing effects for us.

"But it can't be used by ordinary people. I don't know if you know this, but if an ordinary person touches a Fungus Stone, they'd usually die.

"Water soaked with Fungus Stone is the same. If a regular person touches it, they might not die, but they'd be seriously injured."

Lu Xi'an nodded, and asked again, "How long does the water need to be soaked?"

The woman replied, "One day is enough; any longer is a waste."

Lu Xi'an nodded, keeping this in mind.

Now that they've left Institute 923, there's no longer a need for Fungus Stone Soaked Water, but it's still useful information they could share with Luo Ping later.

What if Luo Ping manages to get another Fungus Stone?

This method would prove invaluable then.

Moreover, even if Luo Ping couldn't use it, they could share a Fungus Stone with him when they meet again to enhance their strength and learn healing techniques.

—Previously, without knowing about the Fungus Stone Soaked Water, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei would have kept both stones.

That way, facing danger, each could have a stone to heal themselves anytime and stay alive.

But knowing now that Fungus Stone Soaked Water offers the same healing effects, it seems unnecessary to keep both stones.

Usually, they enhance themselves with one stone and prepare some soaked water for battles.

Currently, they have two Fungus Stones—one specifically for Type A and one which works better for D-type, which originally belonged to Chai Xin.

If they encounter Luo Ping again, they could return the old Fungus Stone to its original owner, allowing Chai Xin to fully enhance himself.

This would maximize resource utilization efficiency.

However, all this depends on whether they meet Luo Ping again. Fungus Stones can be detected by the Resonant Gene Scanner.

If they were to treat Fungus Stones like souvenirs and bury them somewhere, others would likely benefit.

"Second question, you guys came from Jiangbei, right?"

Lu Xi'an asked again.

"Yes."

The woman answered sulkily.

Lu Xi'an further inquired, "How many people, how many Neo-Humans are there in Jiangbei, and what are their types?"

This was actually the last question.

Lu Xi'an had previously asked why they sought them out, and their real purposes, but during their interaction just now, the woman had already revealed everything, so no more questions were needed.

Now it's just about confirming the potential threats.

The woman said, "You already have Fungus Stones and whatnot, being this powerful, are you still afraid of us? This question seems unnecessary, doesn't it?"

She misunderstood the word "秘籍" (secret techniques) for "秘鸡" (secret chicken).

Lu Xi'an said, "Answer this question properly, and I'll send you on your way afterward."

"On my way?"

The woman didn't understand the phrase for a moment.

Lu Xi'an said, "Meaning I'll send you to die."

To this woman at this moment, it was a huge temptation. She immediately replied, "There are four more, one of each type: A, B, C, and D.

"They can't compare to you, as you have secret techniques.

"However, if they come together, you might find it troublesome.

"Type C's abilities can be stacked, and with the assistance of Type B and D, they can be quite challenging. Also, Type C has other capabilities, which are quite frightening."

She suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but shiver.

"What can you do?"

Lu Xi'an asked.

The woman trembled with fright at this moment, presumably because the Type C's ability is indeed not simple.

The woman said, "Our leader—Xuan Xiaocao, she is a Type C. She acquired a swarm of mutant ants—just ants, but the terrifying kind that can even nibble through stones.

"After she got those ants, she began her rise, rampaging unchecked in Jiangbei, killing many Neo-Humans. Even if it's a Type A, once entangled by her ants, they'd be gnawed to the bone.

"Previously, there was another person who used ants, but their ants weren't as fierce as hers. He couldn't compete and was forced to head north.

"We all submitted to her because of her prowess."

Lu Xi'an immediately recalled the Type C Neo-Human he encountered southeast of Pingchuan City.

That person was probably driven north by Xuan Xiaocao, whom the woman mentioned, right?

The ants in Xuan Xiaocao's hands must have also mutated, terrifyingly so. Maybe Xuan Xiaocao has been nourishing those ants with Fungus Stone.

"Your Fungus Stone, is it with Xuan Xiaocao?"

Lu Xi'an asked.

The woman nodded and said, "Yes. Although she's powerful and terrifying in her methods, she's actually not hard to talk to. We who submitted to her, as long as we obey and flatter her, basically have no trouble.

"She's pretty nice; she would specifically soak Fungus Stone in water and then distributes the water to us.

"If we can obtain a second Fungus Stone for her, she'd give us many benefits, such as lending us Fungus Stone to practice or giving us ordinary people to use as we see fit."

Lu Xi'an felt that the "ordinary people" the woman mentioned were like livestock, to be disposed of casually.

So he guessed that the good person she spoke of was only good to Neo-Humans.

But this should be the norm in this world, right? A "good person" like their leader Xuan Xiaocao is what's common, while people like himself and Yao Wei are the exceptions.

"When you came, where were the other four Neo-Humans?"

Lu Xi'an asked.

The woman said, "In Nanting County, quite far from here.

"We were sent here to guard Yangcai County, and brought the Resonant Gene Scanner. We swap out after a while.

"Whoever's lucky enough to discover a Fungus Stone first earns credit and can use the Fungus Stone for a while."

Upon hearing the woman's words, Lu Xi'an nodded and asked, "So that's why you are trying so hard?"

The woman said with a bitter smile, "I wouldn't say trying so hard. We were so full of confidence, who would have thought you would be such perverts?"

Lu Xi'an: "..."

Yao Wei: "..."

Just why are Yao Wei and I considered perverts?!

The woman continued, "But we've already sent someone back to report and informed them that Fungus Stone was discovered here. They will surely come.

"Xuan Xiaocao might personally come as well. By then, you might encounter her. With your capabilities, you might clash with our leader. But unfortunately, I won't be there to see it."

Lu Xi'an asked, "Why do you want to see us clash so badly?"

"No."

The woman gritted her teeth and laughed coldly, "I just want to see Xuan Xiaocao get killed! You have the strength, you might be able to kill her! Others probably won't have the chance to kill her."

Lu Xi'an frowned and asked, "Didn't you say she was a nice person?"

The woman said, "Ha! Nice is just on the surface. Just because she knows she can crush us, we have to endure her. How could she be nice?

"I've had enough. If there's a chance to see her die, I'd be delighted!"

Lu Xi'an: "..."

Yao Wei: "..."

The human heart and affairs are truly hard to fathom.

Luckily, both he and Yao Wei were simple and trusted each other a lot.

The woman also knew that Lu Xi'an couldn't let her live until the others arrived. Moreover, whether these two would even encounter her people was uncertain.

She said, "Alright, I've said everything I needed. Do you have anything else to ask?"

Lu Xi'an said, "Thanks, no more questions."

The woman laughed sarcastically, "You actually thanked me. You're quite a character."

Lu Xi'an: "..."

The woman said, "Can you send me on my way?"

Lu Xi'an said, "Alright."

As he said this, he prepared to act with force.

But the woman said, "I have one last request."

Lu Xi'an said, "Go ahead."

The woman asked, "After killing me, could you bury me?"

Lu Xi'an said, "You previously dealt with your arms and legs so nonchalantly, why now suddenly want to be buried?"

The woman said, "That's different. Those are just external parts."

Lu Xi'an: "..."

He really couldn't understand this woman's mindset, but he agreed, "Alright."

As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped the woman's neck, granting her release.

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