Gao Zhanxiang, with a slightly nervous expression, looked at Dream Butterfly and said, "Dream... Miss Dream Butterfly, it's been... it's been a long time."

"Long time no see, Captain Gao," Dream Butterfly replied with a faint smile, nodding towards Gao Zhanxiang. Gao Zhanxiang, feeling honored, quickly opened the passenger door for Dream Butterfly. "Please... please, have a seat!"

"I'm sorry," Dream Butterfly smiled apologetically. "I prefer quietness. Sitting in the back is fine." Without waiting for Gao Zhanxiang's reaction, she opened the back door and sat down.

Dejected, Gao Zhanxiang returned to the driver's seat. Lin Shiqi, in the back seat, chuckled inwardly and taunted Gao Zhanxiang, "What's wrong, Captain Gao? You seem to be in a bad mood, huh?"

Gao Zhanxiang remained silent, seemingly truly disheartened. Zhou Xiaohui got out of the car and sat in the front passenger seat, saying, "Big Brother Gao, let me keep you company."

"Okay." Gao Zhanxiang felt a warmth in his heart, a grateful expression on his face. He thought to himself that there were people who cared about him, that he was not unloved.

"Wishing you success on this mission!" With Li Ruobing's words from outside the car, the off-road vehicle started moving and soon left the Academy of Espers.

Lin Shiqi rarely had such an extended close contact with Dream Butterfly. She kept glancing at her, wanting to say something but feeling a bit awkward and hesitant. Most of the others in the car were in a similar situation, wanting to talk to Dream Butterfly but unsure how to start.

It seemed like Dream Butterfly sensed their thoughts. Suddenly, she smiled brightly and cheerfully greeted them, "Hello, everyone. Although we don't usually meet, I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation this time."

"Of course, we all welcome you, Dream Butterfly. With your help, this mission will surely be successful!" Gao Zhanxiang, afraid of neglecting Dream Butterfly, hastily added.

Dream Butterfly nodded, "Thank you, Captain Gao, you're too kind."

"Oh, not at all, hahaha!"

With Dream Butterfly breaking the ice, Lin Shiqi tentatively asked her, "May I ask what you usually do, Dream Butterfly..."

Before she could finish, Dream Butterfly looked at Lin Shiqi and said, "If you don't mind, you can call me sister, and I'll call you sister, okay?"

"Oh? That works too." Lin Shiqi was taken aback for a moment, not being too rigid herself, she quickly changed her address, "Then, Sister Butterfly, what do you usually do, and why do you have to practice mental power?"

Dream Butterfly gave Lin Shiqi a meaningful look and said, "Do you think I deliberately avoid you and others? Not really."

Lin Shiqi, having her thoughts revealed by Dream Butterfly, couldn't help but smile awkwardly.

Dream Butterfly explained, "I'm not intentionally avoiding you all. It's just that mental power cultivation requires a quiet environment and minimal interaction with others to prevent any disturbances that could affect my mental state."

"Ah, I see," Lin Shiqi nodded in realization, feeling that Dream Butterfly was quite approachable and easy to talk to. She then asked, "What is mental power used for, Sister Butterfly, and why do you need to cultivate it?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"You have so many questions, don't you?" Dream Butterfly chuckled softly, looking at Lin Shiqi. "But I don't want to answer that question. Shiqi, you won't mind, will you?" With that, she reached out and gently twisted Lin Shiqi's cheek. Lin Shiqi saw her gentle expression and didn't resist this intimate gesture.

"It's okay, I was just asking casually. If you don't want to say, that's fine," Lin Shiqi said, then she reached out and playfully twisted Dream Butterfly's waist. Dream Butterfly, in return, touched Lin Shiqi's ponytail. The two of them playfully teased each other, disregarding their image, and started to play around in the back seat, laughing and giggling. Qin Yan, squeezed in between them, felt uncomfortable being pushed around, but didn't want to disrupt the friendship they had just established, so he endured it in silence.

Before long, the off-road vehicle entered the city. Although it was already fully bright outside, due to the Earth being hit by a solar storm, almost everyone had sought refuge in secure, enclosed spaces. The city was deserted, with not a single person or car in sight along the way. Some areas had erupted in large fires due to the solar storm, yet no one was attempting to extinguish them, allowing the flames to spread unchecked. The entire city was eerily silent, except for the explosions from the burning fires, and there was virtually no other sound, as if doomsday had arrived.

Seeing the empty city and feeling the oppressive atmosphere, the mood inside the car became a bit somber. Gao Zhanxiang, sitting in the front seat, spoke in a heavy tone, "It's truly tragic. After this solar storm, there will likely be a significant amount of residual radiation in the air. It may take a long time to completely dissipate. Additionally, the Earth will lose a significant amount of water due to this storm, coupled with the unattended fires, it's hard to predict how many people will perish after this solar storm."

After a moment of silence in the car, Dream Butterfly spoke in a calm voice, "It's an unavoidable situation. Despite human strength, we are still insignificant in the face of nature. Fortunately, espers like us have a strong resistance to radiation and can adapt to these harsh conditions."

At that moment, Qin Yan couldn't help but recall something Li Ruobing had mentioned to him a month ago. He asked, "Is there a way to save the other humans who are not espers like us?"

Dream Butterfly glanced thoughtfully at Qin Yan and replied, "There is a way, but it's practically impossible."

"What method is that?" Qin Yan inquired.

"It involves transforming all humans into espers."

"What?! Transforming all humans into espers? Is that even possible?"

Lin Shiqi, with a touch of irritation, interjected, "Didn't Sister Butterfly just say it's not possible? Converting regular people into espers would require a significant cost that most people couldn't bear. Besides, there is a strong societal bias against espers, viewing us as heretics, leading to blockades and suppression. We don't need to concern ourselves with them; let them fend for themselves. Otherwise, we might end up in trouble if they turn against us."

Qin Yan felt that Lin Shiqi made a valid point, but Dream Butterfly countered, "No, since we have this ability, it also means we have a responsibility. Some things cannot be avoided."

"Alright," Lin Shiqi, not devoid of compassion, conceded, "But if we are to save anyone, let's only save those who have been kind to us espers, so we don't end up with ungrateful outcomes."

As time passed, the off-road vehicle continued its journey through the deserted city. Almost two hours had passed unnoticed when Dream Butterfly suddenly spoke up, "Captain Gao, it's about time. Could you explain the purpose of our mission?"

"Oh, right, I almost forgot," Gao Zhanxiang realized, then proceeded to explain, "Well, these past few days, I've gathered some special information. It's said that an extremely terrifying monster has appeared in our city. This creature is exceptionally vicious and has been attacking and consuming people. In just a few days, it has killed over ten individuals."

"What? A monster?" Lin Shiqi exclaimed, "Does that mean our mission is to find this man-eating monster?"

"Yes," Gao Zhanxiang said gravely, "This monster was last spotted in the southeastern area of our city last night. Our mission is to investigate the origin of this creature, locate its hiding place, and if possible, attempt to capture it."

"What does this monster look like? Why is it so important to capture it?" Lin Shiqi inquired.

Gao Zhanxiang explained, "Most of the information about this monster has been sealed. It is active at night, and its exact appearance is still unknown. However, I suspect it might be similar to 'Di Jiang,' a legendary ancient beast."