Core Nucleus and Spatial Button

Only after confirming the Ghost Bat was dead did Dai Jiao release her dagger. Her fingertips burned with a sharp pain from the defiled blood.

But she paid it no mind, merely raising an eyebrow to ask the system about its unfinished words from earlier: "You said something about exchanging Humiliation Points for items? Tell me, what can I exchange for?"

The system crow, which had just covered its eyes in fear, was now completely awed by Dai Jiao's power, its voice clearly fawning: "[Exchange 100,000 Humiliation Points for one second of peak strength!]"

Dai Jiao: "..."

Useless. Did she even have 100,000 points right now?

"[Ding! World Salvation Mission, Stage One, complete. Mission reward: 10,000 Humiliation Points have been credited to your account.]"

The lingering effects of the mental attack still made her head ache. She swayed a few steps, her shoulder gently supported by a hand that helped her regain her balance.

It was Shen Han Qiu.

The tall Guard held the weakened Guide in his arms, looking down at her, his eyes filled with worry: "Are you alright?"

The woman in his arms was pale, her left arm covered in wounds, her ten fingertips eroded by pollution to a terrifying purplish-black.

"Do you have the strength? I'll take you back."

Shen Han Qiu carefully avoided Dai Jiao's injured spots, lifted her into his arms, and was about to leave when the Ghost Bat's corpse behind them emitted a light.

He took out his dagger and cut open the corpse. The tip of the blade touched something hard. Separating the flesh, a purple light broke through the layer of pollution, revealing itself...

...

Dai Jiao was utterly exhausted and fell into a long sleep.

When she woke, she was in an off-road vehicle. The scenery outside the window continuously receded, with only the warm sunset light lingering in her palm.

The wound on her arm had been bandaged, tied with a pretty butterfly knot at the end.

The car window wasn't fully closed, and gusts of wind blew in, making the butterfly knot sway, looking even more lively and adorable.

Her ten fingers gently clenched, feeling no pain.

Her fingers were also carefully bandaged, white gauze neatly wrapped around each digit, not hindering normal activities.

"Awake already?"

A gentle voice sounded beside her.

Only then did Dai Jiao realize she was leaning against Shen Han Qiu, the two of them sitting close together in the back seat.

Shen Han Qiu gently held her with one arm, keeping her steady, preventing her from being jostled by the shaking off-road vehicle.

Dai Jiao sat up straight, looked at her hands, then at Shen Han Qiu, who was smiling gently. Her voice was cool and distant: "Did you help me? Thank you."

Shen Han Qiu gently shook his head. "It's nothing. No need to be so polite."

With that, he took out a purple Core Nucleus, carefully wrapped in cloth, and handed it to Dai Jiao. "This was found in the corpse of the bat you killed. It belongs to you."

The sunlight from outside the window shone on the purple Core Nucleus, making it sparkle brilliantly.

Just looking at it, one could tell its preciousness.

Such a valuable item, yet he had no intention of keeping it for himself. He even waited for her to wake up to give it to her. He truly was foolish.

Dai Jiao took the purple Core Nucleus, not hesitating to praise it. "Looks like a good item."

Shen Han Qiu nodded. "This is a Core Nucleus with an extremely low probability of appearing in high-level polluted creatures. It's a very rare energy stone that can be used to forge weapons or store a Guide's Spiritual Power."

Core Nucleus?

Dai Jiao flipped the Core Nucleus in her hand, indeed feeling the Spiritual Power emanating from within it.

If she inscribed it with a spell and then forged it, it could certainly become a good Magical Artifact.

"And this, it's a Spatial Button. I noticed you don't have one. See if you like it? It's a gift for you."

Shen Han Qiu then took out a purple metal button with thin gold chains attached at both ends, bordered by an exquisite small thorny rose. One look and you knew it wasn't cheap.

Dai Jiao didn't immediately accept it but turned to look at Shen Han Qiu, silently observing him.

His goodwill was too unreasonable; she couldn't help but be wary.

The system crow beside her continuously squawked: "[Take it, Host! This Spatial Button can store items you carry, just like a Qiankun Bag in your world! It's very convenient!]"

"[Plus, this one looks very high-grade. The storage space is estimated to be S-class.]"

To survive in this kind of apocalyptic world, a Spatial Button was indeed indispensable.

Dai Jiao didn't want to take advantage of him. She thought for a moment, then held out the purple Core Nucleus in her hand. "I'll trade this for it."

The purple Core Nucleus looked like a glass marble resting in Dai Jiao's fair, pink palm, the golden sunlight from the car window reflecting brilliant rays of light.