Bright blue sparks flew out from my skin, causing Yang to let out a small yelp before leaping back. My hands still had a small blue sheen on them, miniscule particles flying off as if my skin were burning. This must have been from my Scathing Reviewer skill.

Yang looked at me, wide-eyed and embarrassed. “S-sorry! I’m still trying to get used to the levels. I just upgraded my strength level a bit.”

“How high is your strength level for you to almost strangle me to death?!” I replied in an exacerbated tone, my hands on my hips like I was scolding him before I bent down to pick up my shield.

“It’s only at level twenty-five.”

My jaw dropped at his statement. “Where’d you get the money for that? Did you commit fraud or something during the few hours I was gone?

Wei snickered from behind us before returning to his post, slowly beginning a lap around the main entrance to the train station.

“I’ll show you around. There’s a monster farming system inside the train station that was set up when we got here. Amelia and Yue are fine, too.”

Yang led me inside, and the sight before me was astounding. Hundreds of people were gathered, sitting on the ground or leaning against the wall—which was completely typical of a Chinese subway station—but the train station had been divided to include a food and water distribution system, a cooking station, a medical treatment room, and a strange rendering of a barracks with a constant flow of armed men and women heading in and out.

“I can’t help but feel like I missed a lot when I was gone,” I muttered under my breath, feeling rather bitter that I didn’t seem necessary in my own world.

Yang let out a little laugh before picking up a glowing sword and hoisting it over his back. It was an intermediate level, not high enough to have any special functions, but Yang clearly established himself at the station.

“I want to introduce you to the other main party here. They put this all together.”

My eyebrow quirked up. “Oh, really? Seems pretty suspicious that they’re this organized.” Pausing for a moment, I leaned in closer to whisper in his ear. "Yang, I need to talk to you in private after this."

I crossed my arms over my chest before my eyes locked onto a figure polishing a blade.

Based on the wide back profile, the person was a man who regularly worked on their physique. Wearing a black compression shirt, his defined muscles were highlighted as he continued to twirl the weapon in his hands and carefully examine it.

“Hmm?” Yang lowered his head to match my eye level, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Stop it. I’m looking at his sword.” Was that a lie? Partially.

“Didn’t you mention once that your type was men like him?”

“Men like what?”

“Brooding, wearing all black, and—”

“No. Shut up or I’ll kill you.”

Yang snickered and continued to walk forward. However, as we were passing by, Yang suddenly shoved me straight into the stranger.

I stumbled and fell straight onto him, quickly pushing myself off and blinking rapidly in my shock. I stammered, completely embarrassed. “I’m so sorry!” My gaze looked up to see his face for the first time, and my jaw instantly dropped in a mixture of both horror and awe.

The straight sharp nose complemented his angular features and drew one’s eyes to his mischievous, slightly upturned lips that parted just enough to show pearly white teeth. His eyebrows were sharply drawn as if done by a single flick of an esteemed artist’s wrist. His pitch black eyes looked down in a condescending manner with his usually long lashes twinkling under the harsh station lights.

Observer ‘Socrates’: Woah.

If one were to look at him and not be immediately infatuated, then they must be blind or have something very wrong with them.

I swung forth my Shield of Truth just in time to clash against his sword as he aimed for my throat.

Who else could this man be but Qiu Feiyu?

His smile grew, and his chin cocked upwards as if observing all my movements. “Not bad.”

Yang awkwardly stood on the sidelines and brought both of his hands to cover his gaping mouth. The station quieted down at the sound of our clashing weapons before Feiyu pulled back.

“Do we really have to do this now? I was just finishing up polishing my sword,” he pouted, but his eyes were still mocking.

I panted before pulling back, holding the shield in front of me. For once, I was glad the shield was so large and clunky for it hid my trembling arm.

Yang awkwardly clapped and let out a very nervous laugh, walking between us and separating us with his long arms. “Peijin, meet Feiyu. Feiyu, meet Peijin.”

Feiyu took a step back and leaned on his sword casually, turning his head. “Your name is Peijin? You must be very ambitious then.”

Cocky bastard.

“There’s not enough room in this station for the both of us,” I remarked, my voice cold and slow.

I meant every single one of those words. Even the sword he was holding, a sharp black blade with dark purple iridescent highlights, was one I desperately wanted to snag at the station for myself, but somehow, he got it first.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Yang was burning up out of embarrassment from how poorly the introduction was going. “Ha ha, you guys are both so… intense! Peijin and I will get out of your way now.” Yang bowed his head in an apologetic manner before dragging me off.

We had only taken a few steps before Feiyu’s deep and calculating voice rang out from behind.

“Wait,” he barked, his slow footsteps approaching until he leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work. Look around at the system my party has created, and tell me you weren’t surprised,” he sneered, his eyes squinting as if he were pleased. “You can’t even replicate it, so don’t ruin it.”

I looked over my shoulder to meet his gaze, my eyes cold. “I wouldn’t need to replicate it when I could make something greater.”

“You really are ambitious.”

If I heard that phrase one more time, I would truly go insane.

“I’m just a pest control worker.”

Feiyu let out a sound of acknowledgement. “Then you’ll be pretty good at farming.” He nodded over toward the train tracks. “Next arc starts in three hours. Get your level up. It’s very low.”

“You’ll regret saying that once my party beats yours,” I retorted, my lips trembling from a mixture of emotions.

Truthfully, there was nothing inherently wrong with Feiyu as a character. His prior occupation was as a relatively popular online streamer, and once the apocalypse started, he was incredibly cunning, cold, and calculating.

What sparked fear through me, however, was that he was created as a reflection of myself. He was equally selfish, pathetic, and looking at him caused rage to surge through me. It was as if I were staring at an alternate version of myself—but a far better one. Feiyu lacked all of the qualities that I hated about myself.

If the appearance of Wei and Yue’s argument earlier startled me, this was a punch straight to my liver.

“Peijn? Hello? Earth to Peijin…” Yang waved his hand in front of my face.

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts, jumping from the sound of his voice. “Huh? Oh, sorry.”

“You look a little pale. Do you want to get some rest before the next arc commences or before we talk?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I should level up if anything. I could use the money anyway,” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck.

“I’ll go with you. Amelia and Yue are already there, and Wei did a lot yesterday,” Yang chimed in, grabbing a sword as we walked by the armory and tossing it toward me.

The sword was relatively heavy as I inspected it, fiddling with the handle. It was by no means a very good one, but it could work for now. Yang and I headed for the train tracks in awkward silence, but just before I could jump down, a burly man blocked my path.

“Sorry, princess,” he sneered, leaning on a rundown and unimpressive ax. “We’re full here, and we wouldn’t want you to get hurt, either.”

I quirked a brow before peeking around him. The tracks were full of small monsters, but further back, it was clear that more giant and treacherous beasts weren’t being fought. The entire station seemed to tremble at their roars as they pounded against the walls.

Looking back up at the man, my cold eyes met his. “I can see how many beasts are left behind you. Doesn’t look very packed, either.”

He gave a condescending frown before leaning down to match my eye level. “Do I need to repeat myself? A little girl like you can’t fight them.”

“She’s with me. Let her in,” Yang retorted from behind me, taking a few steps forward.

“Yang, are you this girl’s babysitter or something? Did boss tell you to watch over her?”

Divinity ‘Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts’ cries out at the man’s injustice!

Another message from Archangel Michael. He was strangely devoted to my party.

Observer ‘Socrates’: Take this and I’m never giving you spiritual energy again.

I let out a humored exhale before turning around, ignoring the man’s comment. There was no point in arguing with trash like him when I could kill him in the next arc. As I began tying my cropped hair into a short ponytail, I stumbled forward as I felt two hands shove me as hard as possible.

A normal person would have gone flying, but now, it was clear to me that my level was far higher than whatever this guy's was.

I whipped my head around, but Yang was a step faster, already shoving him to the wall. Suddenly, a sword let out a loud ring as it pierced the space between the man’s wrinkly neck and the wall behind him. The man’s pupils shrunk into tiny dots as he stared at me in horror.

Divinity ‘Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts’ sponsors 3,500 stars.

Observer ‘Socrates’ sponsors 5 stars.

Yang turned around shocked to see me standing, and the sword he handed me just moments before mere millimeters away from having pierced the other man’s neck. I walked up and pulled the sword out from the wall before turning my back on him.

“I’m so sorry about that Peijin,” Yang apologized, running up behind me, “I can get rid of him and have you go in instead if you still need stars. I didn’t think they’d act like that toward you.”

At my silence, Yang grew increasingly apologetic. “Peijin? Is everything okay?” He hurried his steps to try and see my facial expression but paused when he did catch up.

I had clasped my hand over my mouth to silence my building laughter. I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as I leaned forward; my hand gripped Yang’s shoulder to stabilize myself.

“Did you see that look on his face? He won’t last another arc! God, that was hilarious.”

Yang paused in surprise at my reaction before letting out a little laugh himself, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised by your reaction.”

“I’m offended. Do you really think I need stars that bad?”

“Peijin!” A shrill voice called for me and I turned my head to see Amelia darting over, her arms outstretched. I hoisted her up and spun her in the air as Wei and Yue slowly approached.

Disciple Yue has activated 'Profiling!'

Yue let out a slow whistle as she read my new stats.

“Busy without us? Hey, you’ve even activated ‘Scathing Reviewer.’”

Before I could make a snarky retort, Yue let out a surprised gasp as sparks seemed to fly out around me, and she painfully clutched her eye, wincing.

“The fuck?!” She cried, vigorously rubbing her eyes and glaring up at me. “Since when could you disable skills like that?”

Shrugging nonchalantly, I turned away as I replied,“It doesn’t seem to like you very much. Ready for the next arc?”

The station rumbled as the sound of a shaky roaring erupted from the tunnels. A set of lights emerged from the darkness to reveal a train hurtling down the tracks, crushing all the creatures and beasts in its path.

Yue cackled from behind me, cracking her knuckles.

“Bring it on.”