"Xu Mu, from Jiangbei."
Xu Mu didn't hide his name.
"Good. I believe in your value now. I won't kill you—but you owe me a favor," Qin Ju said, pocketing the two remaining Qi-Gathering Pills.
Those were precious things; just from the earlier surge of energy, they were potent enough to help an untrained person step directly into the ranks of martial artists.
"Deal. I keep my word. If Senior ever runs into trouble, just call on me," Xu Mu replied with a polite smile.
"I won't be shy about it," Qin Ju said, picking up a small piece of stone and taking out a dagger. "Tell me your phone number. My phone's long dead."
Xu Mu nodded and gave it to him. Qin Ju carved the number onto the stone, then set it aside.
"My name is Qin Ju, from Jiangnan. You can go now. But don't worry—before long, I'll be in touch."
He waved Xu Mu off.
"Senior, do you happen to know how to get out of this formation?" Xu Mu asked.
"If I tell you that, does it mean you'll owe me another favor?" Qin Ju said with a faint grin.
"Exactly."
Qin Ju chuckled. "This formation is called the Inverse Grid. Inside the fog, directions twist back on themselves. Walk straight, and you'll never get out. You have to move sideways through it—that's the only way to pass."
"I see. Thank you, Senior." Xu Mu cupped his hands and walked toward the exit.
Outside, Xu Ningbing and the others were waiting quietly in the cave.
Dai Xingluo grew increasingly restless as Xu Mu failed to return.
Xu Ningbing wiped her tears with her sleeve and suddenly stood up. "No. I'm going back in."
Just as she prepared to leap up and open the upper tunnel, the stone above shifted first—
and down tumbled a few bottles of mineral water, along with instant noodles and sausages.
Finally, Xu Mu jumped down after them.
"Xiao Mu! You're okay!" Xu Ningbing cried, running straight into him and hugging him tightly, nearly tackling him to the ground.
"That senior wasn't so bad," Xu Mu said, patting her shoulder. "I gave him all my treasures and promised to help with a few things in the future. He let me go—and even gave me all this."
He gestured at the pile of supplies. He hadn't planned to take them out before, but now that he knew how to leave, he no longer needed to hide them. Might as well make full use of what he had.
They lit a fire outside the cave, using a hollow stone slab as a makeshift pot.
After washing it with mineral water, they boiled noodles inside.
The four of them sat around the fire, each with instant noodles and two sausages.
When they'd eaten their fill, Dai Xingluo couldn't help laughing. "Feels like we came here for a vacation."
"Vacation's over," Xu Mu said lightly. "That senior told me how to leave. The exit isn't far. You three go first."
"You're not coming?" Xu Ningbing asked.
"No. I still have things to do," Xu Mu said, glancing at his phone. "It's already past 2 A.M. Dad must be worried sick. Go let him know you're safe—oh, and Ye Tong too."
Xu Ningbing hesitated, then nodded gently. "Fine. I'll wait for you at the hotel outside."
"Good."
Under cover of darkness, Xu Mu led them back to the fog.
He explained the method: once inside, don't walk straight—move sideways instead.
They did as he said, shuffling sideways for nearly thirty seconds before breaking through the mist.
Even if someone else stumbled onto the idea, they'd rarely persist long enough to succeed.
Once through, Fan Shiyu turned back to Xu Mu with genuine gratitude. If not for him, she might have died there.
"Xu Mu, until fate crosses our paths again," she said.
As an assassin, she couldn't afford attachments. Survival depended on emotional control. She didn't exchange contact information—better to leave this as a memory.
"Alright," Xu Mu nodded lightly.
Xu Ningbing and Fan Shiyu each grabbed a chain to climb out.
Watching them go, Xu Mu turned to Dai Xingluo, who still stood by his side, unmoved. "Why aren't you leaving?"
"Did I say I was?" she replied with a small smile. "I came here for heavenly treasures. No way I'm leaving empty-handed. Now that I know how to get out, I can hunt freely."
Xu Mu nodded—he understood.
Xu Ningbing might've gained the most—after all, she'd absorbed a Divine Medicine.
Fan Shiyu had completed her mission.
But Dai Xingluo had nothing to show for it yet.
"Be careful," Xu Mu reminded.
"I know."
With that, Dai Xingluo disappeared back into the mist.
Xu Mu followed after her but soon realized something: inside the fog, destinations were random.
Even though they entered together, they emerged in completely different places.
That suited him fine—what he needed to do next was better done alone.
Returning to the cave from before, he packed the hidden bottles of mineral water into his storage space.
He hadn't dared to do it earlier with the women watching—it would've raised too many questions.
Once ready, he headed toward the site of the Golden Divine Wheat.
Along the way, he found two corpses—both shriveled from thirst.
He checked their backpacks: already opened, treasures looted.
But nearby, he found a black cloak.
Putting it on, he filled his bag with water and kept moving.
Finally, he arrived back at the clearing. Several corpses lay scattered, victims of dehydration.
The bald man in sunglasses still guarded the Golden Divine Wheat.
"Spicy strips! Instant noodles! Mineral water! No money needed—just trade me your heavenly treasures!"
Xu Mu's call broke the eerie silence.
He deliberately lowered his voice, deep and hoarse.
The half-conscious survivors jolted awake, eyes flickering with hope.
"I want water!"
A scar-faced man dragged out his backpack weakly. "Take it—all of it!"
Xu Mu checked inside: nothing high-grade, but still worth something.
Even crumbs are meat, he thought, handing the man a bottle of water.
The crowd stared in disbelief.
No tricks, no hidden cost—he'd actually given it.
This guy was a living saint.
"I want water!"
"Me too!"
One after another, people scrambled to hand over their treasures.
At this point, survival outweighed any thought of wealth.
"You—yours has some premium goods," Xu Mu said with a grin. "Here, I'll throw in a pack of spicy strips."
He could barely contain his own laughter.
Trading bottled water for heavenly treasures—this was highway robbery turned salvation.
Before long, both his arms were weighed down with bags full of loot.
He sprinted downhill, stashed the treasures in his storage space, then rushed back.
But before he could even open his mouth again, a scar-faced man lunged at him.
The others stirred too—just one bottle of water had restored enough strength to fight.
Now, everything here would belong to whoever could take it.
The bald old man in sunglasses grinned.
That black-cloaked fool was doomed.
Didn't even know what kind of people he was dealing with—handing out water like charity.
At a time like this, who cared about decency?
Those who preached courtesy were the first to die.