“By the way, Miss Bai Cheng, everyone in the channel is worried you might have run into danger,” Liu San explained.

He then stood by the door and signaled the men in the vehicle to start moving the supplies, adding:

“These are magic crystals everyone risked their lives to gather out in the wild; we just want to help you grow stronger with everything we've got.”

Although everyone knew the settlers and Survivors in the channel were simply afraid that any harm to the girls would drag them down as well,

it was still a gesture of goodwill.

Looking at the resources that had been transferred over—ready for her to accept with a single tap—there were nearly five thousand magic crystals, countless unknown blueprints for both daily-use and special buildings, plus food and fuel.

Bai Cheng didn't tap “Accept”; she chose “Decline.”

Yu Nian at her side was bewildered. “Eh?”

Leng Ningxue, however, understood Bai Cheng's intention ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ and smiled faintly.

“Miss Bai Cheng, what...?” Liu San was full of doubt.

“I don't need these things; take them back,” Bai Cheng said. “You made it here without channel support—that's not easy. You need the supplies more than we do.”

Of course, this was also her way of repaying Liu San for the heart of immortality he had given her last time.

Had Liu San used that heart of immortality himself, the showdown against those Special Channel people in Cloud Sea Heaven would have gone much better.

But Liu San was shocked. “Miss Bai Cheng, that's absolutely out of the question!”

“These were given to you so you can grow stronger—how could I possibly take them?”

Yu Nian caught on and backed Bai Cheng's decision.

Hands on hips, she retorted, “So you think you're stronger than us?”

“No, no...”

“Then accept it. These crystals are almost useless to king-rank powerhouses; the journey ahead of you is the tough one.”

Bai Cheng spoke with finality.

“But...”

“Why so wishy-washy?”

Bai Cheng shot him a glare, then rummaged in a nearby crate and pulled out several employee cards—every one of them purple Epic Level.

These cards had originally been hoarded to trade for magic crystals, but after a huge one-time restock they'd become almost negligible.

Now that she needed astronomical numbers of crystals to advance, Bai Cheng had simply held onto them instead of trading them away.

Purple employee cards were worthless to her current self.

To Liu San—who had lost nearly every employee—they were priceless.

So Bai Cheng casually handed the cards over to him.

“Here, take these too. Use the crystals to build up your strength,” she said. “Don't die so easily.”

Seeing this, Liu San was overwhelmed; eyes reddened, he dropped to his knees in gratitude.

“Whoa, whoa, no need for that.”

“Exactly, just some junk—why so emotional?”

Though the three girls seemed to mock him, Liu San knew he could never repay their kindness in this lifetime.

With these resources he wouldn't become a powerhouse overnight, but at least he could protect himself.

The purple employee cards would fill the vacancies left by his losses, and the crystals could be poured into cultivating one employee into a genuine expert.

Bai Cheng and the others didn't try to persuade him to become a settler; that choice was his alone.

“Thank you, ladies. With these supplies, I, Liu San, will definitely go farther along this path and won't let you down.”

He bowed deeply, unaware that Bai Cheng's gifts weren't finished.

A train's upgrades also affect daily life and strength; Bai Cheng next handed over some stored star diamond ore.

“Take these ores too and upgrade your train.”

She shoved everything into Liu San's arms, leaving him completely dazed.

Only after a long stupor did he remember he hadn't come begging—he'd wanted to pass on intel about other leaders.

Liu San then continued talking about the pursuit.

Although Bai Cheng's group wasn't worried about the Survivors from the Special Channel, they still needed to know what was happening in Cloud Sea Heaven.

“Miss Bai Cheng, because of those guys' hunt, many leaders who've arrived at Cloud Sea Heaven have started moving at night,” he said.

“These leaders are teaming up on their own; the biggest group already has eight leader trains banded together to resist the pursuit.”

It was valuable information, but Yu Nian looked puzzled; before she could speak, Liu San hurried on.

“Someone's already confirmed that if trains meet at night they can keep traveling together even after Silent Night lifts.”

“How do you know that?”

After all, the system doesn't support cross-channel communication or even adding friends.

So how could anyone contact other leaders, let alone gather intel?

Liu San explained, “Last night I ran into two other leaders heading to form a team; they told me everything.”

“Then why didn't you join them?” Yu Nian asked. “Wouldn't that make the road ahead much safer?”

Liu San shook his head and voiced his concerns.

“I think a small team of three or five might work, but too many people will still draw a concentrated hunt from the Special Channel...”

“More importantly, I'm only a tiny Survivor, not a leader, and I can't speak for #2 Channel.”

Once he said that, everyone understood.

The first leader to block others from forming teams must have tied them to some benefit-sharing scheme; joining would probably cost resources.

And those resources would be at a level a single leader couldn't afford, requiring the entire channel's reserves.

Yu Nian looked at Bai Cheng, but her first words weren't about teaming up.

“Xiao Cheng, why don't we just rob those guys? Their supplies must be huge!”

Liu San was startled and also turned to Bai Cheng.

“Miss Bai Cheng, this...”

But realizing their strength, he felt it was feasible and quickly added, “Not at night—you'd have to wait until daytime, use a detection platform to locate them, then make contact.”

“The leading leader has an ability to control swarms of flying insects; those bugs have already spread everywhere.”

Bai Cheng rubbed her chin. “Not impossible, but daytime routes are pure luck, and nighttime is like finding a needle in the sea. No point wasting time—let's leave it to chance.”

With that, she looked back at Liu San.

“Forget teaming up with them; just travel with us. We'll keep you safe.”

Thank you, Miss Bai Cheng!”