CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: BREAKTHROUGH

Ethan waved his hand, and the shadows dissolved. The lifeless bodies collapsed like puppets with cut strings.

"Alright, let’s go, brother. We should free our friend."

David’s brows knit, the memory of a certain clingy woman flashing through his mind.

"Don’t call her our friend. She’s just an acquaintance to me."

Henry only shook his head, giving David’s shoulder a firm pat before heading up the stairs without a word.

Ethan blinked at the sudden tension. With a grin, he reached out to pat David’s shoulder too, but David strode forward, ignoring him.

"Tch. No fun. Bennett has a better sense of humor than you."

David stopped, staring at him in mild puzzlement."Where did that boy come into the conversation?"

"I’m just saying. And why are you calling him a boy? He’s nineteen, you’re twenty-five. Don’t act like an old geezer."

David’s finger twitched, itching to land a punch on that smug face."Shut up. and move your twig legs. Henry’s already gone."

Ethan stared incredulously at David ascending back then, looking down at his legs.

’Twig legs, heh, I work out daily, my legs are in better shape than his, hmph.’

They climbed the stairs, Ethan rubbed his hand on his arm, feeling sudden coldness.

David’s lips tightened when he entered the second floor. Bodies stood frozen mid-motion, locked in eerie stillness, as if they never even realized the moment they died.

"Brother, looks like Henry goes all out on these unawakened ones... but I get it. If someone kidnapped my sister David, I’d do the same."

He gulped as David’s gaze darkened. Without meeting his eyes, he bolted for the upper floors.

---

Betty sat on the stairs, fists clenched, feeling an unfamiliar rush of strength surge through her arms.

’Wow... I feel like I could kill my past self in seconds.’

"Master, now you should cultivate as instructed in the technique. With this much energy, you should reach Body Refinement, fifth stage."

Betty nodded, standing and brushing dust from her back."I will... after I get back."

"Bennett, should we explore more? We didn’t find the abnormality people were talking about, and now that we’re stronger, we don’t have to worry about safety."

Betty smirked, throwing an arm over Maria’s shoulder."Heh. As if you ever cared about safety before driving that car."

Maria’s eyes went wide, her cheeks turning crimson. Betty blinked, confused, seeing Hazel’s reaction until she noticed Maria’s flushed face.

"Huh? You okay? Why are you blushing all of a sudden?"

Hazel swatted Betty’s head, making her stumble."Ouch! What was that for?"

Hazel hugged Maria protectively, burying her face into her bosom."Why don’t you know why, huh? Hmph... pervert."

Betty pointed to herself, dumbfounded."Pervert? Me? What did I even do?"

Maria quickly wriggled free from Hazel’s hug, waving her arms."N-no, nothing! Let’s just head back to base, haha..."

Hazel followed, pointing at her own eyes, then at Betty.

Left alone, Betty ruffled her hair under her hood in irritation.

"WTF did I even do? I just put my arm around her shoulder... That’s how you treat a buddy, hmph."

The ride back was quiet. Once they parked inside the base, Betty stepped out, tossing the keys toward Hazel.

"Bye, girls. Until next time."

Hazel caught them with a casual nod and a wave. Maria waved too, cheeks slightly pink.

As soon as Betty was gone, Hazel turned to Maria, pinching her cheeks and leaning in until their eyes met.

"Tell me, little girl... did you really get a crush on him just because he touched your shoulder? I’ve never seen you act like this around guys before. When did this feeling start?"

Maria’s gaze darted away, squirming to free herself, but Hazel’s grip was unyielding.

"S-Sister, what are you saying? I—I don’t have a crush on him..."

Hazel narrowed her eyes at the stammering, noting the crimson spreading across her sister’s face. She finally let go, folding her arms with a solemn look.

"I’m not telling you not to date," she said evenly. "I’m telling you, don’t rush. Get to know him as a friend first. Don’t... develop feelings too fast."

Her voice softened, carrying a faint trace of regret. "I don’t want you to repeat my mistake."

Maria’s face darkened. "Why bring that man up? I hate him. With all my guts. Yuck."

"If this apocalypse started before he did that to you, I would have killed him, and there would be no government to protect him."

Hazel’s smirk was tinged with affection as she ruffled Maria’s hair.

"He hurt me, little girl, yet you act like he wronged you."

Maria pouted, looking away. "Hmph. You’re my big sister. Of course, I hate that arrogant, narcissistic, cheating bastard."

Hazel chuckled. "Alright, enough about the past. Just remember what I said, don’t let your heart run off before you know where it’s going, it hurts more than you can imagine."

---

Bang.

Betty closed the door behind her and sighed. Dropping onto the couch, she pulled off her mask and hood, letting her head sink into the cushions.

"Calista, is Sophia asleep? Did she eat anything?" she asked, leaning back.

"Yeah, she’s sleeping in the cabin," Calista replied. "You should come and cultivate for now."

Betty cracked her knuckles with a nod.

---

"So, where should I cultivate? The pavilion, or somewhere else?"

Calista swooped down and landed lightly on Betty’s shoulder the moment she appeared in sight.

"No, silly master," she chirped. "The space has leveled up. The Phoenix Pool’s effect is much stronger now. You should refine your body there. And remember—refining the body means pain. A lot of it."

Betty started toward the cave, but her steps slowed when she spotted something new—a delicate cherry blossom bridge arching over a lake.

"Huh? When did this

appear? It wasn’t here before."

Calista tilted her head and gave her a light peck. "What are you talking about? That bridge was built the first time you leveled the space. You just didn’t notice."

Betty raised a brow. "Really? Guess I missed it."

Inside the cave, Calista glided toward a massive rock, then turned back.

"Alright, feel free to cultivate. I’ll be with Sophia."

With a flap of her wings, she shot away, shrinking into a red speck in the distance.

Betty took a deep breath, then jumped into the Phoenix Pool. The moment the water touched her skin, a sharp, searing pain shot through her body, forcing her fists to clench tight.

Ugh... it’s better than before. At least it’s not making me unconscious.’

She sat cross-legged, eyes closed, sinking deeper into the water. Parting her lips, she exhaled slowly, releasing all the air from her lungs.

A faint, green smoke seeped out from her stomach, curling upward and leaking into the water. Within moments, the surroundings turned hazy with a green mist.

Minutes passed. Sweat trickled down her face, and her hands trembled faintly against her thighs.

The flow of mist slowed, then stopped leaking from her body. Her breathing grew ragged, exhaustion weighing heavily on her limbs.

Gritting her teeth, she willed herself to guide the scattered mist. Slowly, the green vapor began swirling around her, forming a barrier that concealed her from prying eyes.

Bit by bit, the green energy condensed, its movements sharpening. After nearly an hour, a single drop of white liquid formed within the vortex, hovering just above her palm without touching her skin.

Two hours later, two more drops joined it, circling lazily over her hand. The first drop suddenly turned snow white and darted toward her stomach, sinking directly into her dantian.

Betty felt a sudden wet sensation in her stomach. Her eyes snapped open, and a wave of searing pain tore through her core.

The green vapor around her wavered, then scattered in all directions.

"BAAAAAAG!"

A freezing wave burst from her body, shattering the mist. For a moment, the air was painfully cold, but soon the haze began to gather again, slowly cloaking her form once more.

Meanwhile, Calista sat cross-legged on the bed in her human form. Her gaze shifted toward a distant point before a faint smirk tugged at her lips. She gently combed her fingers through Sophia’s sleeping hair.

"Body refinement, first stage..." she murmured. "Now... it’ll take some time before the next breakthrough."

---

Five days had passed since Betty began her cultivation. The once-dense mist had thinned, though it still shrouded half the cave in a pale haze.

Ten drops of shimmering white liquid floated gently toward her hand. As they touched her skin, her body loosened, every trace of exhaustion melting away. A peaceful smile curved her lips, soft and serene.

"BAAANG!"

Another breakthrough—her body had stepped into the second stage of Body Refinement.

The cycle repeated once more: the mist scattered outward in a slow, swirling wave, only to gather and condense back around her like a living shroud.

Twenty days slipped by in silence.

"BAAANG!"

Betty’s red eyes snapped open. The faint traces of blue that had lingered within them dissolved completely, leaving behind a pair of eyes as crimson as fresh blood.