A Serendipitous Return

She had already used her mechanical arm as a bomb against the Paoxiao, leaving only one intact mechanical leg. Her losses in the Threshold were minimal, but her gains were substantial.

So far, she had acquired thirteen distinct abilities. Four were combat-oriented: [Instant Step], [Adamantine Body], [Avalanche], and [Colossal Strength]. The rest were supplementary.

Moreover, during her time in the Threshold, she had fought numerous battles, accumulating practical experience. Her physical abilities had improved across the board, approaching—and perhaps even surpassing—those of the original body. Combined with her new abilities, she would no longer be the weak pioneer who had been pushed around upon returning to the Federation.

Xie Xu wanted to threaten her again? Not a chance.

After packing the bombs back into their original places, Tu Ran drew her long knife and began to wipe it clean. The blade was smooth, and as she wiped it, it emitted a lingering hum that echoed clearly in the quiet cave.

Fatty finally woke up naturally. Opening its eyes, it saw that it was already bright outside. It wondered why the boss hadn't awakened it today, but then caught a whiff of grilled fish. The boss was grilling fish for it.

Fatty trotted out of the cave happily. Tu Ran was flipping a vermilion fish over the fire, with several grilled fish stuck in the ground nearby. Fatty couldn't help but swallow.

Tu Ran heard the noise and glanced up. Because of its sleeping posture, a few feathers on the back of Fatty's head stuck out, making its head look like a broom that had been used for over a decade. Tu Ran looked away.

Unbearable to watch.

"Sit down and eat. We need to get going after this," she said, continuing to flip the fish.

It was now noon by Federation time, and it had only gotten light an hour ago. This had been the longest night she'd experienced in the Threshold. Good thing she'd found shelter instead of wandering outside. She'd taken a stroll earlier and seen huge footprints on the ground, along with a few unrecognizable giant skeletons with fresh flesh still clinging to them—they hadn't been dead long. Fortunately, those unknown creatures hadn't discovered the cave where she and Fatty hid; otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Fatty sat by the fire and started pecking at the grilled fish.

"In a few days, I might be leaving," Tu Ran said suddenly.

Fatty froze mid-peck, hastily swallowed the fish in its mouth, and asked, "Where is the boss going? Fatty wants to come along."

"I'm going back to the world of the two-legged beasts. You can't follow me," Tu Ran said, adding a few dry branches to the fire without looking at it.

"Why?" Fatty's small eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"The two-legged beasts' world doesn't welcome aberrants. If you follow me, they'll cut you into slices."

Fatty drooped, even the grilled fish losing its appeal. "Will the boss come back?"

Tu Ran thought for a moment. "If nothing unexpected happens, yes."

That depended on the Federal Government's stance on abilities and the decisions they would make.

"Then when will the boss come back?"

"Hard to say. And even if I do come back, I might not return to this forest." The Threshold's teleportation was unpredictable; next time she might be sent to the other side of this world, thousands of miles away from this forest. She couldn't walk that far.

So these last few days might be the final time she and Fatty spent together.

She felt inexplicably low, though she didn't show it. She flipped the vermilion fish over. "This isn't for you to worry about. You'd best find a suitable mountain for yourself. Let's head that way next."

She had to settle Fatty somewhere safe.

"Fatty can live anywhere," Fatty said listlessly.

"Is that so? Then stay here and let other aberrants eat you. Saves me from cooking you breakfast every morning," Tu Ran said coldly.

Fatty's eyes brimmed with tears. "Then the boss should take Fatty back to Grandpa Turtle's mountain. Grandpa Turtle protects Fatty there, and there are all kinds of fruits."

Tu Ran nodded; that was what she had in mind.

"Then eat quickly. We'll set out once you're done. It's still a distance away."

"Oh, okay." Fatty lowered its head to eat the grilled fish, but knowing Tu Ran would leave soon, its appetite had dwindled.

Seeing three fish left, Tu Ran raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not eating those?"

"No more," Fatty shook its head.

"Alright," Tu Ran said no more, extinguished the fire, packed her backpack, and looked at Fatty. "Let's go."

The one human, one round ball set off on the return journey.

Compared to the dangers and hardships of the way in, the way back was much smoother.

At least they didn't encounter any aberrants that could threaten her life.

Small aberrants, though, were many. For instance, a rabbit with three legs, like a small tricycle, wasn't afraid of Tu Ran and Fatty and followed them for a stretch. Since it looked tame and non-aggressive, Tu Ran allowed it to trail behind. It hopped and hopped, and Fatty said that these rabbits were stupid and easily led, always hopping after other animals. Sometimes, if unlucky, they'd hop behind a carnivore and become its snack.

That was indeed pretty stupid, Tu Ran thought.

Because its hopping made too much noise and could easily expose their position, Tu Ran used the time it was grazing to slip away with Fatty.

Besides that three-legged rabbit, they also encountered a fox with nine tails. A single glance reminded Tu Ran of the nine-tailed fox in TV dramas. Seeing one in real life was shocking, especially since this one was several times taller than her, and each fluffy tail was longer than her entire body.

At that moment, the nine-tailed fox was washing itself by the riverbank. Its snow-white fur gleamed silver in the sunlight, stunningly beautiful. Tu Ran was marveling when Fatty grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

Only after they'd put a good distance between themselves and the riverbank did Fatty explain, panting: "They're natural enemies of our Danghu race! They can eat three Danghu birds in one meal! Fatty wouldn't even fill the gaps between their teeth."

"Isn't Paoxiao your natural enemy too? Your Danghu race has quite a few enemies," Tu Ran said.

Fatty: "..."

It admitted that the Danghu race was too weak. That was why they had to live together in clans, while other species like Kangzhu, the nine-tailed fox, and even that stupid rabbit lived alone.

"It's a miracle that you managed to roam across all those mountains alone and still live," Tu Ran couldn't help but remark.

The one human and one ball continued smoothly for three days, encountering many aberrants but none with inner cores. On the fourth day, as they passed through a thicket, Tu Ran spotted a shimmer of light.

That was an ability.

Her eyes widened instantly, and she groped toward the source of the light.

The light came from deep within the dense bushes beside the path.