novelraw Chapter 337: (Extra 11)
Chapter 337: (Extra 11)
The inflatable raft wasn’t originally equipped with an engine — it was a water rescue boat, meant primarily for emergency use. Around the windproof tent, there was a twenty-centimeter-wide strip of transparent material, designed so the people inside could check the outside conditions.
Now, that transparent strip just so happened to be perfect for whoever was operating the propeller to observe the waterway and steer accordingly.
They left the residential complex just before 5:30 a.m. Although the long night had recently passed, the sky was still thick with clouds, and before the sun fully rose, the surrounding waters were pitch black. Only when the nearby buildings flickered faintly with light did the dark surface of the water shimmer ever so slightly.
The rain hadn’t stopped either, further reducing visibility. Even with her enhanced senses, Yu Xi couldn’t fully assess the conditions or react in real-time to obstacles underwater — let alone Yu Zhenzhen.
She had originally planned to keep the raft’s speed slow, rely more on the navigation app, and stick to open water routes, steering clear of submerged debris and structures.
But once the engine started, Xing Min took over the controls without hesitation. He showed no intention of switching shifts. After smoothly guiding the raft out of the neighborhood, he even glanced back and said, “It’s still early. You two should rest for a while — I’ll wake you when we get there.”
Sleep?
Forget Yu Xi — even Yu Zhenzhen found that hard to believe.
They were on the run, after all — in a city still filled with danger. How could anyone relax enough to sleep?
“It’s okay. You and Tianbao should get some rest. The trip to Qiuwang Mountain is long. Once we arrive, we’ll still have to hike up on foot—you’ll need the energy.” Yu Xi didn’t say everything outright, but her meaning was clear: she would keep watch. Yu Zhenzhen could rest without worry.
Yu Zhenzhen wasn’t completely comfortable entrusting their safety to Xing Min, but she did trust her sister. Especially after last night, when Yu Xi showed her several odd items she’d won from the watch’s lottery feature and explained their functions.
These items were powerful — things you’d only see in sci-fi movies. In a normal society, you would never dare to use them. But in this chaotic world, they might just be the key to staying alive.
Yu Zhenzhen knew she couldn’t contribute much during the journey. The best she could do was take care of Tianbao when she woke up and make sure she didn’t cause trouble for Yu Xi or Xing Min in such tight quarters.
Right now, Tianbao was fast asleep, curled up on the thick fleece blanket laid out on the raft. Yu Zhenzhen figured she should take advantage of the quiet and get some rest herself—otherwise, when Tianbao woke up full of energy, she might be too exhausted to deal with her.
“Be careful. If anything happens, wake me.”
With that, Yu Zhenzhen lay down on the blanket beside Tianbao, wrapped an arm around her bundled-up daughter, and closed her eyes to rest.
Although the tent’s zipper had been fully fastened to keep wind and rain out, the raft was in direct contact with the water, and the interior was still quite cold. Especially now that Yu Zhenzhen and Tianbao were used to the fully equipped comfort of Yu Xi’s home.
Since fuel had been plentiful, the heater at home had never been turned off. Now, suddenly moving from warm shelter to the damp and chilly outdoors, even wrapped in thick layers, lying on the raft still felt freezing cold.
Still, Yu Zhenzhen figured she could tough it out.
Yu Xi glanced at Xing Min without letting it show. If he hadn’t been here, and it was just the three of them, she could’ve taken out a small camping heater from her space, plus a self-warming blanket to cover them. She could even bring out hot coffee or milk tea… but right now, all she could do was pull two warming patches from her pocket and get ready to stick them on Yu Zhenzhen.
Just as she was about to move, faint golden fragments of light began to glow around them. She looked up and saw a pale golden glow spreading across the inside of the tent without her noticing.
The glow was subtle, clinging to the inner wall of the tent, wrapping completely around them from all directions — forming a seamless barrier that separated inside from outside, like a transparent dome.
She recognized this as his ability. She’d seen him use it before in his apartment to isolate his space from the outside — and to raise the temperature.
So now… was he using this same barrier because he noticed Yu Zhenzhen and Tianbao might be cold? Creating a protective layer just to keep the tent warm?
But didn’t he worry that using this ability so openly might expose him to Yu Zhenzhen?
Xing Min sat at the rear of the raft where the motor was mounted, one hand always resting on it to make fine adjustments to their direction. The other hand rested loosely on his knee. Pale golden flecks of light still shimmered between his fingers, flowing outward in a soft, steady rhythm, gently fusing into the glow that surrounded them like glowing fireflies, alive and quietly working.
His eyes stayed forward, focused on the water beyond the tent wall, carefully avoiding any shallows or debris. Even though he was handling the most important task, he could still sense the people around him — and silently act on something as minor as temperature.
From Yu Xi’s angle, the line of his profile looked clean and sharp. His eyelashes were absurdly long, and with his head slightly tilted, his jawline curved gracefully down his neck to his collarbone.
He was already the cool, ethereal beauty type, and now, sitting there quietly using his strange ability like it was nothing, he somehow looked even more stunning.
There was something serene, restrained — almost ascetic — about him.
So this was what they meant by: a man becomes more handsome when he’s focused on doing something seriously.
Yu Xi had to admit, at this moment, the eerie vibe Xing Min usually gave off had faded considerably. Even the pale golden light — once so ominous in her eyes — now seemed far less threatening.
Thinking about it carefully — even though he had these inhuman abilities, he had never done anything to hurt her. The only time he revealed his powers in front of her was to stop someone with ill intent.
Following that logic, when he suddenly moved into the complex, and rushed to reinforce his windows despite the heavy rain — was it all a deliberate act for her to see? A subtle way to warn her, to make her realize the danger and inspire her to do the same?
So…did he know the disaster was coming?
And…did he move here because of her?
…
Yu Xi rubbed her face, cutting off her wild train of thought. If things were really as she just speculated — then when exactly had he seen her, and how much must he have been obsessed with her to go this far?
The idea made her laugh.
Xing Min seemed to notice her change in expression. He turned his head slightly to glance at her.
Because this entry into her world was different from the last, some details had shifted — like how he was no longer able to communicate directly with her thoughts like before.
He could still guess what she was thinking based on her micro-expressions, but he couldn’t truly read her mind. Just like back then — when she kissed him, he had assumed she had accepted him.
But clearly, that wasn’t entirely the case. At least when it came to the issue of her “space,” she still didn’t want him to know.
That was okay. There was still plenty of time. From another angle, her caution was actually a good thing.
At most… he was a little unaccustomed to it — and perhaps a little disappointed.
After all, this was the first attempt.
In the past, she was more like a task-executor.
But now, she was more like a native.
And not just more like — she truly was one now.
**
As the sky gradually brightened, the raft glided quietly over the water. Now and then, curious eyes peeked out from surrounding buildings.
Most of the windows on the outer walls were damaged, and behind them, people had used furniture or wooden boards to block the wind and rain. The windows couldn’t be opened anymore, but that didn’t stop people from watching what was happening outside.
The raft’s engine made a soft humming noise. Anyone in the closer buildings would definitely hear it.
Their first reaction was: the rescue team had arrived again. But this early in the morning? That didn’t seem right. Could it be those raiders — who had previously gone around in boats seizing buildings with backup generators?
What were they up to now?
People were a little afraid, but curiosity pulled them to the broken windows anyway.
It wasn’t the rescue team, but it didn’t look like raiders either. It was an orange inflatable raft with a rainproof tent, slowly gliding along the water-covered road.
The floodwater was deep, and the road beneath was cluttered with debris, fallen trees, and overturned e-bikes. Even the rescue team had snagged their boats on underwater obstacles more than once. But this raft moved smoothly, steadily.
From the direction they were heading, it looked like they were going to the western outskirts.
The people remembered hearing from rescue broadcasts that a shelter was being built in the Qiuwang Mountain scenic area on the city’s western edge — but they didn’t understand. Now that the Long Night had ended, and the heavy rain had even stopped for a while, the disaster was almost over. Why would someone choose to evacuate to the outskirts at a time like this?
The rescue teams were still distributing supplies. Sure, it wasn’t like before where you could buy whatever you wanted, but at least staple foods, meat, and clean water were provided. There were even long-lasting vegetables and fruits like onions, cabbage, apples, and oranges.
Wouldn’t it be better to just stay home peacefully?
Once utilities were restored and the water receded, life would quickly return to normal. So why run off into the wilderness now?
Sure, the shelter was built on high ground — but it wasn’t finished. Everyone could imagine what a cold, empty place it must be.
And even if you had a roof over your head, how would you live day to day? Bringing along extra warm clothes would be a hassle. No matter how bad things were right now, at least they were still in their own homes — everything they needed was within reach.
Especially at a time like this — someone able to bring out a high-end inflatable raft with a tent and motor clearly came from a well-off household. After all, motors required fuel, and it wasn’t hard to guess that if they had fuel, they probably also had a generator.
With such good conditions, why wouldn’t they just stay inside, warm and dry? What was the point of all this unnecessary trouble?
Behind the windows of the buildings, all kinds of chatter rose, and with Yu Xi’s exceptional hearing, she caught every word.
Right now, there were plenty of people watching with curiosity or even envy, but some were clearly affected by the sight of Yu Xi’s raft. A few looked uneasy, whispering to their families — asking if they should take advantage of the lighter rain and the retreat of the Long Night to evacuate to the shelter in the outskirts soon.
What if… what if —
But most didn’t dare voice the second “what if,” afraid it might come true. After all, during that long, dark stretch, they had really believed the end of the world had come. Every day had felt like survival under a shroud of terror.
The scariest part of a disaster isn’t the disaster itself — it’s losing hope in the midst of it.
Yu Xi actually wished she could warn these people. But how would she do that?
She wasn’t 100% certain that the disaster wasn’t over. Maybe things would be fine. She could bear the consequences of making a wrong call. But others weren’t related to her — they wouldn’t believe her, and some might not even want to hear that kind of warning.
In the end, all she could do was stay quiet and still, letting the raft carry them steadily toward their destination.
….
From Yu Xi’s residential complex to the cultural park in the west, there were seven intersections to cross — not counting tangled side roads — including three river crossings.
Unlike the cultural park’s lake, the rivers were live water, with flowing currents. After days of heavy rain, water levels had risen and hidden undercurrents had formed. Before departure, Yu Xi had already marked those three rivers as the most dangerous parts of their route — completely unavoidable.
Fortunately, under Xing Min’s control, the raft crossed the rivers smoothly.
According to the navigation, their route passed directly over the bridges.
The three rivers weren’t particularly wide. The bridges were short and flat, slightly raised above street level. Because of scattered debris, Yu Xi had worried the raft might get stuck trying to go over them.
But compared to sailing through turbulent river currents with hidden dangers, the bridge route was obviously safer.
They passed the first two rivers without issue. The last one, however, was near a large shopping complex, and the area was packed with abandoned vehicles.
Many of these cars had already been damaged by hail and strong winds, some even stacked on top of one another. With the flooding, they were now submerged wrecks scattered beneath the surface like lurking reefs, making the waters here far more dangerous.
Yu Xi noticed Xing Min slowing the raft, and at the same time, more golden fragments of light streamed from his fingertips, sinking into the raft beneath them. She quickly realized what he was doing — coating the bottom of the raft where it touched the water with a layer of protective energy.
Though pale and nearly transparent, in a city plunged into blackout, this glow would’ve been obvious if it had covered the exterior of the raft. It would’ve turned their boat into a glowing, mobile beacon that drew unwanted attention.
But the way he was doing it now — one layer inside the tent, one layer beneath the water — allowed them to stay low-profile while maximizing protection.
Still, Yu Xi wondered: could such a faint, translucent shield really withstand the impact of crashing into submerged wreckage?
It turned out, it could.
Not only did Xing Min’s shield absorb the shock of impact, it made the raft — normally fragile — feel like an armored military vessel. When they scraped against a sunken car, the raft didn’t even slow down. With the help of the engine, they could shove obstacles out of the way — abandoned cars, shattered buildings — it didn’t matter.
And even under such jolts, the interior of the tent remained calm and stable. Neither Yu Zhenzhen nor Tianbao woke up.
That kind of defense quietly confirmed a previous suspicion of Yu Xi’s.
Xing Min didn’t need things like reinforced steel shutters or bulletproof glass. His modifications had all been a performance — meant for her to see.
They passed the final river, and up ahead on the right, a massive structure appeared rising out of the water: the large shopping complex.
Yu Xi had seen intermittent reports online — this place had become a self-organized shelter.
The mall was a rectangular building with seven floors above ground and three below.
Aside from a large grocery supermarket on the first basement level, several small, single-category stores also operated on the upper floors.
Inside, the mall housed all kinds of stores — clothing shops, accessory boutiques, electronics outlets, restaurants, kids’ play areas, training centers, gyms, furniture stores, cinemas, karaoke halls, outdoor camping gear shops…nearly every type of product and entertainment option could be found here.
Yu Xi had checked the surrounding area beforehand. Not far from the shopping complex, there was a large auto repair shop, spanning two to three floors. Some of these upper levels were likely not flooded, and inside she might be able to find tools suitable for modifying doors and windows.
Of course, once they arrived at the Qiuwang Mountain inn or guesthouse, figuring out what excuse to use for taking out stainless steel shutters and double-paned bulletproof glass was a headache for another time.
For now, her priority was just getting the tools.
Xing Min steered the inflatable raft toward the auto repair shop across from the mall. A large fallen tree lay on the sidewalk nearby, its branches submerged and slanted — leaning right against the shop’s exterior wall.
Yu Xi examined it briefly and realized the thick trunk could be used to climb directly into a broken third-floor window.
She planned to go in alone. Aside from tools, the shop might also have spare auto parts and replacement tires. Once they got to Qiuwang Mountain, they’d likely need a vehicle, so these supplies would be useful. As long as the place was empty, she could store everything in her space.
As for the shop’s losses, she planned to leave a small gold bar in the drawer — as payment.
Just as Yu Xi was about to wake Yu Zhenzhen, Xing Min reached out and stopped her. “You stay here. I’ll go.”
“You?” Yu Xi frowned. “The tools I need aren’t exactly few — power drill, rotary hammer, sealant and caulking gun, electric saw, pliers…” She casually listed off a few. These were all standard tools and pretty universal.
Honestly, she didn’t want Xing Min to go — because if he did, he could only bring back what he could carry.
“I’ll bring back every tool I can find,” he replied calmly. He could even go into the waterlogged first floor. He understood why Yu Xi hesitated, even though she hadn’t said it outright. But how could he not guess?
Before she could come up with another excuse, he added, “It’s more convenient for me — I have a space.”
Yu Xi: ??
For a brief moment, Yu Xi felt a cold chill — as though Xing Min had completely seen through her, inside and out.
Was this a test? How could he have guessed? She couldn’t even tell if her expression had slipped and given something away.
Xing Min felt the girl freeze instantly. She stared at him like a fluffed-up kitten, her wide black eyes filled with wariness — different from the usual Yu Xi he knew, yet all the more adorable because of it.
She still didn’t fully trust him. He should be a little upset. But her innocent reaction, the way she looked at him — it was like a feather brushing the edge of his heart, sending a warm itch through him.
His fingers twitched slightly. He reached out to touch her cheek and the corner of her eye, then couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her eyelid. “Don’t be scared. I told you — I’ll only protect you. I’ll tell you anything. Yes, I have a space, and I can store things. So, I’ll go.”
**
Yu Xi zipped up the tent, watching through the narrow transparent panel as Xing Min’s tall, lean figure moved nimbly up the slanted trunk. In no time, he climbed through the shattered window into the second floor of the repair shop.
Shops like these usually had high ceilings on the first floor to accommodate vehicles, so the second floor was nearly as high as two and a half floors in a normal building.
Once he was inside, she couldn’t see him anymore.
Yu Xi withdrew her gaze and, utilizing the waiting time, took a hot latte and two chicken and cheese sandwiches out of her space. She wanted to wake Yu Zhenzhen so they could have breakfast.
But as soon as she turned around, she was startled to find Yu Zhenzhen already awake — sitting there, frowning slightly, clearly not in a good mood.
“What’s going on between you and Xing Min?” she asked flatly.
Yu Xi had expected her sister to ask about the space first — but no, this was the first question.
She could face Xing Min without flinching, could even press him down and kiss him until his eyes turned red — but she didn’t dare confess any of that to her sister.
In some ways, Yu Zhenzhen was far scarier than Xing Min.
“Aren’t you supposed to be asking about his space first?”
“You have a space too. So what if he has one?” Yu Zhenzhen’s expression was serious. “I’m asking about you two. When did you start seeing each other?”
“Uh, well, I was planning to tell you… You know, he’s good-looking and all, and so with the back and forth we kind of… um, got involved — ah, not like that! I mean, just… you know…”
Yu Zhenzhen stared at her little sister, face still stern. “You like him? If you like him, I won’t say anything. But… I hope you know what you’re doing. Feelings aren’t something to take lightly — not even in times like this.”
Yu Xi could hear that her sister was being serious for her sake. So she nodded. “Don’t worry, sis. I know what I’m doing.”
Seeing her sincere expression, Yu Zhenzhen’s face softened. She patted Yu Xi’s head. “You brought sandwiches, didn’t you? Eat them while they’re still warm. And next time, at least pretend to carry a backpack — it’s inconvenient to grab things out of nowhere.”
The two sisters quickly ate breakfast. Tianbao was still sleeping soundly. Even though Xing Min had gone into the repair shop, the shield inside the tent remained, keeping it warm and dry. She slept peacefully, curled up on the soft blanket.
Breakfast only took two or three minutes, but the smell of coffee lingered in the tent. Yu Xi unzipped the entrance of the tent to air it out.
Xing Min’s shield was fascinating. When the tent opened, the light layer stretched naturally along with it, allowing air to circulate and people to move in and out freely — while still blocking the cold, wind, and rain.
It behaved totally differently from the shield under the raft. This one, it seemed, could take any form or function he wanted.
Just as she opened the tent, something in her peripheral vision caught her eye—two black inflatable rafts were approaching from the mall. One had a motor, the other was being towed by a rope.
They were headed straight toward her.
A figure in a raincoat on the leading raft waved in her direction.
“Who is that?” Yu Zhenzhen also noticed the rafts and watched them warily.
“I’ll go check. Zip up the tent,” Yu Xi said. She didn’t want anyone to see Tianbao or the shield, so she took out an umbrella, opened it, and stepped outside onto the fron tof the raft.
Behind her, Yu Zhenzhen cooperatively zipped the tent and continued watching from the viewing strip.
The rafts quickly crossed the flooded street. This area had fewer submerged vehicles, so the lead raft made it right up to theirs before stopping.
That raft was bigger, with no canopy — but a makeshift waterproof cover protected the large pile of supplies stacked on it. Clearly, they had just come from the mall and were hauling gear.
The people onboard wore heavy raincoats. Some even had helmets on — probably just in case of hail.
The young man who had waved took off his helmet, revealing a bright, handsome face. He was around her age.
Even with rain splashing down, he grinned in surprise. “Xixi! It really is you! I saw you through my binoculars! I’m so glad you’re safe! You have no idea — my plane had to make an emergency landing in the next city because of the typhoon. Then my parents drove to pick me up, but we got hit by a hailstorm near H City! Luckily, we’d just left the rest stop or we would’ve been trapped! My phone broke then — I couldn’t reach you at all!”
“After the hail stopped, we went home, only to find the windows shattered. We couldn’t stay there, so we moved to the mall. My family owns a camping gear shop there. My dad said that stuff would come in handy…”
“The disaster never stopped, and I didn’t have your new address — it was all on my phone. I had no way to find you… I can’t believe we ran into each other here, just as we’re about to head out!”
“Oh — by the way, we’re going to Qiuwang Mountain in the west. My family owns a lodge out there. It’s on high ground — definitely safer than staying in the city. Are you heading there too?”
He was clearly excited. He’d really been worried about her. He’d even once tried to sneak a raft out to her school — but his dad caught him, and his mom cried and begged him not to go. So he stayed.
Yu Xi had recognized him as soon as he started talking.
His name was Pang Yuqing. He was technically her first love.
Back when she was still in high school in S City, they’d held hands, hugged… Pang Yuqing was a rich second-gen, handsome, smart — one grade above her.
He’d transferred to H City in his second year due to his dad’s business. They’d been reluctant to part and promised she’d apply to university in H City.
They stayed in touch off and on, but during Yu Xi’s brutal senior year, she’d focused on exams and hardly messaged him. Slowly, their contact faded. Technically, though, they’d never broken up.
He was now in his second year of college. He’d gone to study abroad during summer. When she arrived in H City, he was still overseas, but had messaged her, saying he’d be back soon and wanted to meet.
Then she fainted during military training — and everything changed. She never followed up.
She hadn’t expected to bump into him like this, on the verge of evacuation — and apparently, heading in the same direction.
Pang Yuqing, seeing her again in such circumstances, felt like fate. He stepped forward, stood at the edge of his raft, and reached out to hold her hand. “Xixi, I’ve missed you so much. Let’s never be apart again…”
“…?” Yu Xi felt… weird.
Yes, the guy was handsome. She remembered holding his hand, hugging him. She even remembered that it was probably because of him that she’d applied to H City and decided to settle down.
But… was that really her?
The memories felt disjointed.
Did she really come to H City — buy a property, plan her future — just for this one boy?
That… didn’t seem like her at all. It felt absurd.
If she hadn’t run into him here, she might’ve completely forgotten he even existed.
As she stood dazed, still holding his hand, her raft suddenly shifted.
She turned.
Xing Min had returned. He was already out of the repair shop, a compact pack in hand. He landed gracefully back on the raft from the slanted tree trunk.
His originally clear and gentle blue eyes were now deep and solemn, fixed on the hand that was being held by Pang Yuqing. His gaze was cold and intense, as if a storm was about to arrive.