Days passed, and Oasis City regained a semblance of normalcy, with trains stopping at Oasis carrying passengers with varied expressions—ranging from hopelessness to subtle hope that things would return to normal.
The streets bustled with people ard or accompanied by large beasts, all heading to the dungeon. They were all dungeon explorers who read the notice and were brave enough to apply for the surface project.
"Will the surface be overrun with poison and monsters, just as the history books described? Should I still apply to go, before it’s too late?" the man asked his partner with a fearful tone, growing more nervous as they neared the dungeon entrance.
"If you want to go, then go! As for , I’d rather die beneath a monster’s claws than be deprived of air in my lungs." The other man’s voice trembled. He was terrified of the unknown, but he feared suffocating even more.
He knew the project was a way to find another place where humanity can survive before the breathfordge runs out.
"But...." The man trailed off weakly before resigning to his fate, but inwardly, in hope, they weren’t picked.
Selina pushed her way through the crowd, grateful to be away from Caiden’s ho, as she had been so suffocated and frightened every single waking hour.
She recalled yesterday when the butler told Caiden about the notice regarding the space project.
Selina had quickly told him that she was joining. Caiden had looked at her blandly and nodded, but his tone was indifferent.
"Survive long enough, so I’ll see the use of that ring, or I’ll take it instead from your lifeless body."
Selina shuddered unconsciously as his voice drifted through her mind.
Hugging herself, she moved further into the crowd.
Eva, on the other hand, was in her space, enjoying the spring, her body toned and free from baby fat.
She had trained as if the next day was her last, painfully absorbing monster core to boost her strength, just for today.
"Haa....To be a protagonist isn’t an easy thing. Tsk, I feel like my passer-by script is changing—nah!" Eva quickly shook her head; everything in her rejected the idea.
She was never going to beco one of those pitiful protagonists who appear to have a deep, loving relationship with danger.
Eva splashed water on her face, a wave of relief washing over her. She was grateful to the transmigration God for placing her in a passerby’s body.
"Thank you, and make sure I never stray from the passerby role." She clasped her hands and prayed with a devout expression.
"Eva! Are you done yet?! We need to leave!" Julian called out from a distance. Eva yelped in response and hurried towards the bank.
"Coming!"
Eva wrapped herself in a towel and walked towards the spot where Julian’s voice was coming from.
Her foot snapped a twig, alerting Julian to her presence. He turned, then froze, his gaze caught by a bead of water sliding from her nape, tracing its way slowly down her chest.
Before his eyes could follow the droplet, a cold palm suddenly pressed over them, blocking his sight.
"Don’t look at like a piece of fat at you’re ready to devour. We need to leave," Eva muttered, her expression helpless.
She had noticed Ethan and Julian’s hungry gazes on her throughout their stay at her parents’ house, but there was nothing she could do; every minute of the day, she was either training or hunting in the dungeon—today’s bath was the only free ti from her training.
Sigh...
"Let’s go. You won’t escape the first chance I get," Julian murmured the last part under his breath. Eva patted her cheeks, a blush creeping in. ’It isn’t my fault for being so irresistible~ (￣▽￣)ノ’ she thought proudly, before placing her hands on Julian and reappearing in her room.
They discovered Ethan fully clothed and leaning against the wall, and he gazed at them from head to toe, his expression brightening slightly as if he’d confird sothing in his mind.
Julian’s gaze t Eva’s questioning stare, but unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything about Eva and could only check on the planted crops. However, it irked him when he caught the relief in Ethan’s gaze.
"We’ll wait for you to get dressed," Ethan said, pressing a kiss on Eva’s lips before leaving the room.
Julian scoffed as he stared at Ethan’s back before trailing behind him.
Eva shook her head, not understanding their unspoken interaction, her mind focused on the surprise test they would be taking—a fight to secure the surface project quota. The rest of the dungeon explorers didn’t realise they were about to face a tough battle amongst themselves due to the limited number of suits.
Today was the mont of truth; she had to find out the result of the gruelling training she had endured just to be strong. After putting on her trousers and a top, she tied her hair up and blew a kiss at her reflection in the mirror.
’Thank God I didn’t turn into a King Kong Barbie after all that training. Still cute as ever. She gave herself one last admiring glance in the mirror before leaving her room in hurried steps, rembering they were waiting for her.
Reaching the entrance, she released their beast from her space. She paused, staring at its shrunken height, still not used to the change.
"If not for your ability to expand back to your enormous size, or the fact that your strength hasn’t waned, I would have thought the tower test was a scam," she muttered with a frown, eyeing her cute fox. At tis, it felt less like she was raising a battle beast and more like a pampered pet.
Foxy shivered under her master’s gaze, but still rubbed her ankle as if to comfort herself and appear sweet — she now had beautiful silver fur.
Sigh...
"Let’s go." Eva rubbed her forehead and stepped onto the bus. Aaron shut the door; a small crow flew over and landed on his shoulder, cawing loudly.
"Sister, are you ready for today?" Aaron asked, his tone tinged with concern, though he remained confident. His sister was now a dungeon conqueror, albeit a beginner, and that was enough to handle regular people.
"I’m ready... but why did my beast turn cute! I want it to be deadly, capable of frightening soone to death at first sight, but now, I’ll heart, oh so cute! Is this your beast? Whoa, so beautiful! Why (ノ｀Д´)ノ彡┻━┻" Eva heaved, letting out her pent-up frustration, Aaron and her husbands watching her with twitching lips, trying hard not to laugh.
"It’s still powerful. Imagine when your enemy underestimates you because of its cuteness and you slap them in the face with real strength." Julian’s tone was filled with seriousness as he tried to convince her that her beast’s cuteness was a good thing.
It was just like Eva herself, who appeared petite and charming but was strong and sowhat unhinged, though he would never dare say it to her face. The mory of her gutting a monster’s hide with a smile while it was alive, because the fur would keep its powers.
Eva huffed and closed her eyes to rest, ntally saving her strength for the upcoming battle while her mind replayed the mory of when her beast suddenly transford.
-Flashback-
Like any other day, Eva’s legs trembled, her body drenched in sweat as she dodged Grace’s attack. ’Mum...are you trying to kill your beautiful daughter you just recognised?!’ Though she scread inwardly, she dared not lower her guard, certain her mother would land a precise hit.
Leo and Aaron were too soft-hearted to train her, giving in to her whims whenever she begged them to let her rest. When Grace found out, she banned them from ever training n and took it upon herself to train her while radiating motherly love.
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