"Fortunately, Xu Lu is still alive!"
Bai Hanlin was about to jump down to provide support.
But he suddenly remembered the shapeshifting potion that the elder Bai Hanlin had given him.
If he used it, Bai Hanlin could become the elder Bai Hanlin and rightfully be with Xu Lu.
If the two of them left the camp and the walled city and lived in seclusion in the apocalypse... no one would know his secret.
Bai Hanlin looked at the potion, hesitated for a long while, and finally shook his head, putting the potion back into his ring. He then jumped down from the branch without a second thought.
At this moment, most of the survivors around Xu Lu had already died.
They were originally survivors working in logistics, with limited strength.
They were entirely relying on Xu Lu, the main combatant, and the simple fortifications constructed with their building skills for defense.
The outer fortifications had all been dismantled, and over a dozen lizardmen had already broken through the last line of defense.
"Xu Lu, we can't hold on!"
"Why hasn't Doctor Bai come yet?"
"What do we do now, Xu Lu? Give us a plan!"
The last three people on the defense line shouted anxiously to Xu Lu.
"Doctor Bai isn't coming!"
After repelling a lizardman, Xu Lu said softly.
"What? What do you mean Doctor Bai isn't coming? He cares about you so much, you two are so in love, he'll definitely come!"
A survivor said in surprise.
"There are too many lizardmen, and they are different from ordinary monsters. They have intelligence, and they set traps and ambushes."
"If Doctor Bai brought people to rescue us, he would definitely fall into their traps. In that case, our entire camp would be annihilated!"
Xu Lu replied.
"You mean... you didn't follow the evacuation route agreed upon with Doctor Bai, and you deliberately led us on a roundabout path to lure the lizardmen away?!"
A female survivor keenly perceived the hidden meaning in Xu Lu's words and questioned her with disbelief.
"That's right, I just wandered onto this path, and Doctor Bai definitely won't find us!"
"This way, they will be safe. When facing the most dangerous situation, sacrificing a small portion to save the majority is the right thing to do!"
"It's like a gecko breaking its tail, or an antelope actively offering weaker members to predators..."
Xu Lu explained calmly, without a trace of guilt on her face.
"Why? Are you crazy?!"
Upon hearing Xu Lu's words, the remaining three people all bristled and questioned loudly:
"Xu Lu, how dare you make decisions for us? You want to die, but we don't!"
"That's right, why should we die while those people can live?"
"Xu Lu, what right do you have to decide whether we live or die?!"
Xu Lu frowned and said with a look of confusion:
"When I took you into logistics, you promised to give everything for the camp."
"You also promised to repay the kindness of saving you with your lives..."
"Now is the time for you to repay that kindness. I thought you all understood..."
As soon as she said this, the survivors not only showed no shame but became even more enraged:
"Understand? Can understanding be eaten? You damned woman, you've gotten us killed!"
"You think giving us some food means we have to fight for you? We were just saying that at the time, who would take it seriously?!"
"Damn it, before the lizardmen rush in, I'll kill you, you slut! How dare you trick me!"
The three survivors, with fierce expressions, charged towards Xu Lu instead.
Xu Lu was fending off the lizardmen, preventing them from entering through the damaged defenses.
Although the people in logistics had ordinary strength, Xu Lu held back, considering them as members of her camp, and didn't go all out.
However, these people were fighting with the determination to die.
Their eyes were bloodshot, and they attacked Xu Lu with more ferocity than they attacked the lizardmen.
"This is not called infighting, this is called revenge!"
"That's right, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this situation!"
"She must have intended to escape after we died, we can't let her succeed!"
The three people glared fiercely at Xu Lu.
A moment later, they all froze.
Logically, with the infighting at the last defense line, the lizardmen should have rushed in.
But it was eerily quiet outside, as if the lizardmen had all retreated.
Boom!
A large hole was smashed into the fortifications with immense force.
Amidst the dust and smoke, a figure slowly walked in.
Such great destructive power... they were all scared and stopped moving, staring blankly at the figure.
Soon, Bai Hanlin, covered in dust and grime, rushed in, anxiously asking:
"Xu Lu, Xu Lu, are you here?!"
However, after only a couple of calls, he stood there frozen as if petrified.
He saw Xu Lu. Although the previous cycle's轮回者 (reincarnator) was about 7 or 8 years older than the current one, Xu Lu had always looked young.
In her twenties, she looked like she was eighteen or nineteen.
The current Xu Lu looked about the same age as the current Bai Hanlin.
"Hanlin...?"
Xu Lu looked at Bai Hanlin, her face a mixture of surprise and joy.
She was surprised that he could find her, and happy that his strength was so formidable that he had repelled all the lizardmen.
A moment later, Xu Lu frowned, took a step back, and asked warily:
"You're not Bai Hanlin, who are you?"
Bai Hanlin wasn't this young. Although their appearances were almost identical, there were significant differences in their hairstyles, clothes, and strength.
"I am Bai Hanlin, but..."
Bai Hanlin didn't know how to explain, so he slowly raised his left hand.
"Is that... a green ring?!"
"Are you the new cycle's 轮回者?"
Xu Lu asked in surprise.
"Yes... I'm happy to see you, Xu Lu, it's good that you're alive..."
Bai Hanlin breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had exhausted all his strength, his gaze towards Xu Lu filled with complex emotions.
But soon, he noticed Xu Lu bleeding.
"You're injured? It's alright, I'll heal you!"
Bai Hanlin ignored his exhaustion and quickly cast his healing skill.
Bundles of energy enveloped Xu Lu, and soon, her wounds gradually healed, leaving no scars.
"That... was a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding..."
The big man who had cut Xu Lu said with a fawning smile.
"Yes, yes, Xu Lu, see, I told you Doctor Bai loved you so much, he would definitely come to save you!"
"I didn't expect it to be the younger Doctor Bai..."
The other two also quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Misunderstanding? So... you did this?"
Bai Hanlin's expression darkened, and he squeezed out this sentence through gritted teeth.