The sun was setting in the west.

Carrying the newly distributed rations, Jin Hao stepped onto the scorching outdoor tiles of the Gated Community.

He entered the stairwell and climbed all the way to the top floor.

He used his key to open the door.

"Mom, honey, I’m home."

Jin Hao placed the black bag in his hand on the shoe cabinet.

The faint smell of medicine filled the living room.

The walls and windows were still adorned with "double happiness" characters, not yet removed since their wedding.

The windows of the living room balcony were wide open, and a warm cross-breeze blew from the balcony, through the living room, and into the kitchen.

The home’s layout was clean and tidy. A bed had replaced the living room sofa. An elderly woman with a wrinkled face sat on a small stool, fanning the woman lying on the bed with a cattail fan as they spoke softly to each other.

Hearing the door open, the old woman stopped and craned her neck to look toward the entryway.

"Well, look who’s home, our great young master." Jin Yu put down the cattail fan and hurried over to help with the bag. She peeked inside. "Whoa, there’s even a slab of meat in here! Your new boss is really generous."

"There’s more. A small Bag of Salt, too." Jin Hao changed into his slippers and walked over to the bed in the living room. He sat on the edge and took his ill wife’s hand.

On the bed, his wife’s lips were pale and her face was gaunt with weakness.

She tilted her head to look at her husband, a sweet smile gracing her face. "You’ve worked hard, honey."

Jin Hao’s expression turned stern. He said with feigned anger, "If you think I’m working hard, then you’d better hurry up and get well."

"Hehe," the woman giggled foolishly, taking Jin Hao’s hand and placing it against her cheek. She closed her eyes and nuzzled it gently.

Looking at his silly wife, Jin Hao felt a sting in his nose. He gently touched her forehead with his other hand.

Ever since the previous world, his wife had somehow contracted this illness. By the time they discovered it, the disease had already progressed to a certain stage. They had seen a doctor who diagnosed it as a possible fungal arthritis, but couldn’t identify the specific fungus.

They had tried treatments, but they were unlucky, and her condition only worsened.

All they could do was diligently wash and sun-dry her bedding and clothes, keep the room dry and ventilated, disinfect regularly, have her eat nutritious food to boost her immunity, and keep her joints warm and protected from the cold.

"Don’t worry, you’ll get better. I heard today that there’s a type of Card that can heal internal injuries. It can even cure that infectious disease from before, so your little illness will definitely be no problem." Jin Hao’s gaze was gentle, a tenderness that seemed completely at odds with his two-meter-tall frame.

From the kitchen, Jin Yu took a moment to glance back into the living room, muttering, "That brat... gets a wife and forgets his mother."

"We’re having boiled pork tonight!" Jin Yu called out.

Jin Hao smiled and said, "Okay."

At the dinner table, Jin Hao held his wife, cradling a bowl and feeding her.

Jin Yu asked, feigning nonchalance, "Didn’t you say you were going to be a Blacksmith’s apprentice? How did you end up assigned to the Hunting Team?"

"They were full up on Blacksmith apprentices," Jin Hao said, shaking his head.

Jin Yu’s brow furrowed. "The Hunting Team is too dangerous. If something were to happen to you, these old bones of mine couldn’t support two people. Why don’t you talk to the leadership and have them assign you to logistics, to a safer position?"

Jin Hao fell silent for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face. "It’s okay, Mom. The Hunting Team is pretty safe, too. Chairman Qin is different from the others. He hasn’t rushed to send us out to the front lines to hunt. Instead, he has us train every day in a large training ground."

"What’s the use of a little training? He’s just stringing you young people along," Jin Yu muttered.

"It’s actually very useful. Mom, don’t always assume the worst of people. I have a good sense of whether someone is good or bad." Jin Hao thought about how much progress he felt he’d made with the Long Spear in the past two days.

"Suit yourself. You’re a grown man now, you have your own ideas." Jin Yu added a slice of pork to his bowl with her chopsticks.

Jin Hao lowered his gaze, his mind on the news he’d managed to dig up. He’d heard that a family member of one of the Qin Alliance’s core members had contracted that severe infectious disease, and it was Chairman Qin himself who had personally helped secure a Healing Card to cure them.

In truth, he had lied to his mom. He had originally been assigned to the Sword and Saber Workshop. The Blacksmith master there had felt his arm and said he was prime material for forging.

But he had still asked Master Li to get him into the Hunting Team. He had asked Master Li if working in the Sword and Saber Workshop would allow him to earn the Chairman’s recognition.

Master Li had shaken his head and told him that the front lines were the only place to find better opportunities.

So he had asked Master Li for help, to transfer him to the Hunting Team. Only in the Hunting Team would he have more chances to prove himself, to more easily earn the Chairman’s recognition.

After dinner, Jin Hao stood up. "Mom, the Hunting Team offers free extra training at the practice grounds in the evening. I’m going to head over and practice."

Jin Yu looked up at her son. "Go on, then. Be safe."

After her son left, listening to his fading footsteps, Jin Yu quickly got up and went to the balcony. She watched his back as he exited the building and walked toward Building Eight. In truth, she had already found out yesterday that Jin Hao had voluntarily requested to join the Hunting Team.

’She was his mother; how could she not worry about him?’

...

"Our objective this time is the Oasis thirty-six kilometers to the east!"

On the training grounds, Qin Ziwen stood on a raised platform, looking down at the phalanx of men arranged in five rows. A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.

Ever since recruiting new manpower, he had been drilling these young men, operating on the principle of "more sweat in training, less blood in battle."

Fortunately, the training was proving to be very effective. Although these young men had never undergone military training before, their month of tempering in the wilderness had stripped them of their former immaturity.

In its place was a wildness unique to the untamed lands.

Compared to when they had first crossed over, they now dared to face beasts head-on and could follow orders completely under normal circumstances.

This was a huge improvement.

He didn’t expect to forge them into an elite force that feared neither life nor death in just over a month, plus these last few days of training.

’As long as they can follow orders, that’s good enough.’

"The main purpose of this trip to the Oasis is to secure water resources! And at the same time, to complete the mission on the Hunting Celestial List!"

"I’m sure you’ve all heard: if we fail this mission, we will be trapped here forever. While continuing to cross over doesn’t guarantee we’ll return to our original world, staying here means a future where you can see the end from the beginning. So it’s not just me—you are fighting for yourselves as well."

"Regarding the guild, I already spoke to you about it yesterday. During this expedition, I will be selecting up to five of you, based on your performance, to become new members of the guild," Qin Ziwen announced to the crowd below.

Hearing this, excitement flared in the eyes of many below.

Joining the guild, without a doubt, meant becoming a new core member of the Qin Alliance, as there were only twenty spots in total.

Qin Ziwen continued, "Of course, I said ’up to’ five. It’s possible I won’t choose anyone at all. It all depends on your actual performance. I want only the elite!"

...

...