Yue Yue didn't stay awake for long. The massive energy drain from purifying the S-level soil and growing the fruit had left her exhausted.
As a tiny white snake, she curled into a tight coil deep inside Han Soi's pocket and fell into a dreamless sleep.
She didn't feel the rhythmic jarring of Han Soi's movements as he fought. She didn't hear the thuds of mutated monsters being sliced apart or the low, tactical whispers of the three S-rank orcs.
When she finally blinked her gemstone eyes open, she was disoriented. She peeked through the tiny holes in the fabric and realized the sickly sky had brightened...it was morning.
She immediately felt a wave of anxiety. How long was I out? Did they find the core?
Outside, the atmosphere was suffocating. There was no talking now, only the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional whistle of a blade. She could feel the tension in Han Soi's muscles;
