Chapter Five: An Unexpected Meeting at the Shipyard

Five minutes before the second wave of aftershocks.

Near the collapsing edge above the sea, Fang Yun discovered a narrow gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.

She took out her flashlight and shone it inside to confirm it was accessible, then quickly called the two behind her.

“I'll go in first. If everything’s clear, I’ll call you,” she said, handing her backpack to Liao Zhaonan before turning to enter.

“Maybe I should go instead?” Liao Zhaonan suddenly spoke up.

“No time, don’t waste words.” Fang Yun didn’t even look back and stepped in.

Inside was a scene of fallen concrete; fortunately, though the gap was small, it was enough for a person to squeeze through.

Ignoring the dust, she hurried to the end, only to find the path blocked.

Fang Yun felt a wave of despair but tried pushing the concrete blocking the way.

Unexpectedly, it shifted slightly, filling her with hope.

She bit down on the flashlight, pushing with both hands. The concrete slid away, revealing a large hole.

The flashlight’s beam stretched through the opening, revealing a spacious chamber beyond.

She had no time to explore further and quickly shouted back, urging Liao Zhaonan to bring Feng Li inside.

When the two reached her side, she carefully led them down through the hole.

Once inside, they realized they had entered a warehouse for new ships. Nearby lay a massive vessel, which had blocked much of the collapsing walls, creating this sizable safe space.

“There’s a door over there,” Liao Zhaonan suddenly pointed a short distance away.

Fang Yun glanced over and saw it was indeed a door. Calculating the time, she realized they had little to spare.

“Let’s go in.” Without hesitation, she led the way toward the door.

At that moment, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

[Please check in, host!]

What kind of check-in now? She had no time for that.

Fang Yun intended to ignore it and find a safer spot first.

But the system, like a madman, kept repeating the message incessantly beside her ear, driving her crazy.

As she grasped the door handle and opened it, she finally couldn’t hold back and silently recited the check-in command.

[Check-in successful!]

---

Fang Yun paid no mind to what was behind, but the moment she opened the door, she saw flickering beams of light approaching them and heard a line of footsteps.

Instantly on guard, she raised her hand to stop the two behind her.

Just as she prepared to draw her weapon for a fight, a group of men dressed in black appeared before them.

Seeing the leader, Fang Yun was momentarily stunned.

She recognized him—Shang Xingbing, known as “Tank,” one of that person’s right-hand men.

“You’re coming with us!” Shang Xingbing said sternly, glancing at Fang Yun.

Their hostile demeanor naturally frightened Feng Li and Liao Zhaonan.

But Fang Yun remained silent, guessing she would soon meet that person.

Without hesitation, she agreed to go with them.

Only minutes remained until the second aftershock. She urgently needed to find a safe place with her companions.

And that person’s hideout was currently one of the safest spots.

“We have to hurry. The aftershock is coming,” Shang Xingbing said, glancing at her before leading the group in a run.

Surrounded by them, they passed through the shipyard and arrived at a room resembling a storage area.

An open hatch lay on the floor. Before Fang Yun could ask, Shang Xingbing’s men jumped down one by one.

“Jump down! Someone will catch you. Hurry!”

Fang Yun didn’t hesitate and leapt down. The fall lasted only two seconds before she felt her waist suddenly restrained. When she opened her eyes, she was pushed aside and stood upright.

Looking ahead, she saw a short corridor ending in an elevator, its doors still closed.

Soon, the others followed her down.

Sensing something amiss, Shang Xingbing quickly approached the elevator and fiddled with it until the doors slid open.

Everyone rushed inside. The doors shut, and the elevator plummeted rapidly.

By now, Fang Yun was numb with shock. She dared not imagine how, after two earthquakes, this elevator could remain intact, let alone still operate.

“Ding—” The elevator reached the lowest level. As the doors opened, Fang Yun saw him: Li Wangcheng.

Before she could speak, a sudden tremor shook the elevator. Standing at the front, Fang Yun was unexpectedly knocked from behind by someone who lost their footing, propelling her out of the elevator and towards Li Wangcheng.

---

Seeing the approaching face grow nearer, Fang Yun felt a surge of fear. Not daring to imagine what would come next, she simply closed her eyes and feigned unconsciousness.

The next moment, she felt herself crash into something and heard a muffled grunt. The scent near her nose made her dizzy.

At that instant, the shaking abruptly ceased. As everyone began to rise, Fang Yun frantically propped herself up, shouting, “Don’t get up!”

Before her words finished, a stronger tremor swept through.

An arm pinned her down, then she was flipped over and shielded tightly beneath Li Wangcheng.

Her heart trembled deeply. In this lifetime, they hadn’t even begun to know each other—why was this happening?

[Host, it is recommended to activate the protective shield. System scan indicates your current location cannot withstand the impact of seawater.]

The system’s mechanical voice jolted her from her chaos.

“What protective shield?” she blinked, confused.

When did she even have a shield?

[Item obtained from recent check-in.]

The system’s reminder made Fang Yun notice a faintly glowing, pale yellow object floating above her villa’s spatial area.

“How do I activate it?” The violent tremors left no time for study. Desperate, she pleaded with the system.

[Please explore activation method yourself.]

Fang Yun cursed silently at the unhelpful system. At this critical moment, it failed her.

The increasing tremors made her dizzy and panicked, instinctively trying to use the shield like her spatial abilities.

By sheer chance, a transparent dome suddenly enveloped the entire underground second level.

As the shield sealed, the shaking gradually subsided. Within five minutes, the tremors were gone.

No one dared rise immediately this time. After a long pause, some began to slowly stand.

Fang Yun was still pondering how to rouse the man behind her when the pressure on her back suddenly lifted, freeing her from the suffocating weight.

She paused in silence, about to push herself up, when a startled voice rang out:

“Boss, come quick! We’re doomed!”