Ling Cage, pick up Lu Mingfei at the start.

(This is a free chapter, so I'm putting this at the beginning in case some readers miss it. I saw some readers commenting in the comments section that it was unreasonable for Lu Mingfei to heal everyone at once in the previous chapter, because Bai Yuekui wouldn't allow Lu Mingfei to save everyone so recklessly. I think he's absolutely right! I hadn't considered that point. It really doesn't fit Bai Yuekui's character. So I've made a major revision to that part of the previous chapter. Readers who have opened the latest chapter can go back and read the previous chapter again.)

"Food...I want to eat..."

Lu Mingfei felt like he was about to melt, not into a puddle of water, but into a light, floating piece of paper that could be blown away by the wind.

He was practically leaning his entire weight on Jiuge, his legs feeling like they were filled with heavy mercury, each lift exhausting his last bit of attachment to the world.

The emptiness that swept over his entire body was a hundred times stronger than when he had been playing StarCraft for three days and three nights straight. It felt like a restless little beast was living in his stomach, scratching futilely with its not-so-sharp claws, burning with intense heat.

"I'm so hungry... I'm so hungry..." he groaned weakly, his voice trembling like a broken string on an erhu. "I feel like I could swallow a snake or dog whole, bones and all..."

The man supporting him couldn't help but chuckle.

She turned her head to look at the pale-faced boy whose steps were unsteady as if he were walking on cotton. It was really hard to completely overlap him with the figure who had not long ago been in the medical center, with eyes that seemed to melt gold and words that could be used as magic, creating a miracle of life.

Back then, he was like a god descending from the heavens, wielding a scepter; now, he's more like a pitiful stray cat, soaked to the bone and desperately seeking shelter.

Hearing that crisp laugh, Lu Mingfei suddenly realized that he was leaning against a woman he didn't know very well in such an intimate way.

A sickly blush struggled to break through the paleness of his face and rose to the surface.

Shame, like tiny ants, began to gnaw at his already dwindling energy.

"Eat, eat, eat, I'll take you to eat right away." Jiu Ge helped him steady, turned to look at him, and lingered for a moment on his face, which looked surprisingly delicate and fragile due to his weakness. "Hmm... let's go to my house, I'll cook."

Lu Mingfei was somewhat surprised. He had originally planned to obediently return to Boss Bai's place, waiting for her to come back like a fledgling bird waiting to be fed.

He and Jiu Ge... they'd only met on the street once, they weren't close enough for him to casually invite her to his house for a meal, right? At least not like with Mai Duo and Xia Dou.

"You should take me back," he said softly, trying to protect his already thin-skinned face.

Going to a woman's house for a meal when he wasn't very familiar with her was outside his social comfort zone.

"What? Don't you trust my cooking skills? Or are you just used to Boss Bai's food and look down on other people's cooking?" Jiu Ge raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of teasing, yet also a subtle hint of dissatisfaction.

"No, no!" Lu Mingfei hurriedly explained, as if his tail had been stepped on. "It's not even lunchtime yet, it's too...too much trouble for you."

"What's the trouble?" Jiu Ge said dismissively. "You saved so many people, which freed up a lot of my workload. Besides, weren't you starving? It's only right to reward a hero."

She paused, then added in a tone that was half threatening and half joking, "Besides, look at your face, it's as white as if you just came out of a grave. If you don't replenish your energy, I'm afraid you'll just die on the way."

"It can't be that bad..." Lu Mingfei tried to struggle, but Jiu Ge abruptly cut him off.

"What, you look down on my cooking skills that much?" She seemed genuinely angry, her brows furrowing slightly.

It's just a meal, why is this man so hesitant? She rarely invites men home for dinner.

Lu Mingfei's ability to read people instantly reached its peak, and he immediately admitted defeat: "...Then I'll gladly accept your offer."

He silently added in his mind: Actually, I just miss Boss Bai's braised pork a little more... Of course, he would never dare to say this out loud.

"That's more like it." Jiu Ge's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, as if he had won a small battle.

Lu Mingfei let her support him, but his thoughts were a little unsettled. How many places was this?

He'd only been in this godforsaken world for a little over a month. Needless to say, he'd eaten at Boss Bai's house, but he'd also apparently eaten at the homes of Mai Duo, Xia Dou, Xu Tong, and even a few of his gaming buddies.

This Longgu Village is like a refuge for civilization, where people from all over the country gather with fragments of their respective cultures. The name Ulanmaido reminds him of the grasslands, and the burly Russian uncle Belikov... Perhaps he should set a small goal? Like, to eat at every household in Longgu Village, taking a low-cost world tour with his taste buds?

"What are you thinking about?" Jiu Ge's voice interrupted his reverie. She looked at Lu Mingfei, whose eyes were vacant and whose steps were unsteady, with a hint of helplessness. Seriously, buddy, you can't even walk steadily and you're still daydreaming?

Even if my singing isn't breathtakingly beautiful, it shouldn't be enough to make someone so completely absorbed, right?

Lu Mingfei subconsciously blurted out the "grand" plan of feeding a hundred families.

"Huh? Hahahaha! That's ambitious!" Jiu Ge was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter without any regard for his image, his eyes curving into crescent moons.

This guy is really interesting. He just saved dozens of lives like a god, but the next second he's thinking about how to achieve his cultural research goals by freeloading meals.

Their laughter carried not far.

"Hey, Amur, isn't that Jiuge? Why is he with Lu Mingfei? What's got him so happy?" Ertong, with his sharp eyes, nudged Amur next to him with his elbow.

Amur looked in that direction and saw Jiu Ge affectionately supporting Lu Mingfei; the two were almost touching, smiling brightly. His heart sank.

"Could they... be dating?" Er Tong lowered his voice and voiced the speculation that Amur least wanted to hear.

These words were like a needle, piercing precisely into Amur's heart.

It's no secret in the base that he likes Jiuge, but hasn't Jiuge always claimed that she's not interested in men?

Why are you standing so close to this new kid now? Lu Mingfei was making headlines a few days ago, but you, Jiu Ge, weren't there. You can't just be the one rescued by a hero, can you?

A mix of jealousy and curiosity compelled him to follow, and Er Tong naturally followed with great interest, his eyes burning with gossip beneath his mask.

However, when they got closer and saw Lu Mingfei's bloodless, pale face, they were both stunned.

The previous romantic notions vanished instantly; something was clearly wrong.

"What's going on? What happened to this kid?" Amur's tone was more concerned than jealous.

The wine song was explained in a few simple sentences.

Upon hearing that "all the wounded at the medical center have been treated," Amur and Ertong both gasped, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Wow! Dude, that's awesome!" the two exclaimed in unison.

Lu Mingfei forced a smile, trying to maintain his almost completely shattered air of composure: "It only took a little effort, nothing to mention, nothing to mention..."

"I think it's a tiny bit." Jiu Ge stretched out her finger and gently poked Lu Mingfei's cold cheek. The touch from her fingertip was unusually smooth, and she couldn't help but open her palm and gently touch it again.

"His skin...it's amazing!" A hint of surprise and curiosity flashed in her eyes, and she secretly decided to interrogate him about his skincare secrets later.

Seeing Jiuge's unabashed actions, Amur understood what was going on, but the old vinegar in his heart was inevitably overturned.

"Let me help you up; you're a girl and not strong enough." He stepped forward, trying to intervene between the two.

Lu Mingfei nodded frantically, as if he had been granted a pardon.

He had long been made uncomfortable by Jiu Ge's poking and touching "harassment," his face burning, and he didn't know whether he was being taken advantage of or getting the better deal.

"Alright, support him properly. Boss Bai said he's now a 'key protected animal' in our village." Jiu Ge didn't think much of it and handed over Lu Mingfei, this "burden," to him. Her arms were indeed a little sore from supporting him all the way.

Lu Mingfei's face turned even redder, and he muttered under his breath, "What animal..."

"Where are you going?" Amur asked casually, supporting Lu Mingfei.

"My home."

"Your home?!" Amur's voice rose instantly.

"What's wrong? Do you have a problem with that?" Jiu Ge turned around, his eyes scrutinizing her.

Er Tong kept his mouth tightly shut, trying to minimize his presence, but he was so excited he was practically rubbing his hands together.

"No, no!" Amur quickly waved his hand, "I just wanted to ask... why would I go to your house?"

"He's exhausted, so I'll cook him some food to replenish his energy and reward him," Jiu Ge replied matter-of-factly.

It turned out to be just a meal... Amur breathed a sigh of relief, but then she realized that she had never eaten a meal cooked by Jiuge before!

A surge of courage welled up within him, and he cautiously asked, "Um... can I come along? I'm a little hungry too."

Jiuge looked him up and down suspiciously, a gaze that made Amur feel uneasy.

"It's not even mealtime yet. Lu Mingfei's situation is a special case, so what's wrong with you?"

"We haven't had breakfast yet!" Er Tong jumped out at the right moment, raised his hand and reported loudly, perfectly playing the role of the best wingman.

Amur gave him a grateful look.

Jiu Ge glanced at the two clowns and sighed helplessly, "Alright, you two, go buy some groceries and come back."

"I'll go!" Er Tong volunteered, turned around and ran, his movements incredibly agile.

Amur watched his brother's retreating figure, his heart filled with emotion.

Lu Mingfei, who had barely spoken throughout, glanced between Amuer and Jiuge, a knowing smile creeping onto his face. Oh, so that's how it is... This loser, who had repeatedly failed in the battlefield of love, always had an unexpectedly keen sense for these kinds of things.

The three walked quietly back. The village remained peaceful, unaware that soon, a shocking piece of news would be thrown into a lake, creating ripples across the water.

At this moment, for Lu Mingfei, there was only one most important thing: eating. Nothing is more important than eating; this was the unchanging survival rule of this lazy bum.