"I really don’t have any Silver Energy, but I can provide you with a little bit of copper, tin, and phosphorus," Chen Bai said seriously.

"The kind I don’t have to pay for?"

"Ahem, it’s a gift! But it’s not a lot. If you need more in the future, you’ll have to get it yourself."

"I didn’t realize you were such a nice guy, Lao Bai," Gao Neng laughed.

"Heh heh..." Chen Bai almost replied, ’I’ll have to ask for your care in the future,’ but he ultimately swallowed the words.

There was no other reason.

He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

...

...

It was two in the afternoon when Gao Neng got home.

According to Chen Bai, they had to rush to the City of Hope tonight; otherwise, it would be hard to explain things, even with Gao Neng’s special admission.

What surprised Gao Neng was...

Xu Zilan was actually home.

And it looked like she had been deliberately waiting for him.

"Mom, I’m home."

"Mm, have you eaten? If not, I’ll go heat something up for you."

"No need, Mom. I’ve already eaten. I passed the exam for the Eastern Capital Military Academy, and I have to go report to the City of Hope now. Why don’t you come with me?" Gao Neng was actually a little expectant.

The City of Hope!

The headquarters of the Human Alliance!

He really wanted to see what this great capital was like. ’Does it have clean streets? Are there ten-story buildings?’

This was his dream, or rather, the dream of everyone from the Forgotten Land.

"The Forgotten Land is nice. I... don’t want to leave." Xu Zilan glanced at Chen Bai, who was standing behind Gao Neng, and shook her head softly.

"Why not? Mom, didn’t we agree? That as soon as I got into a Military University in the City of Hope, we’d move there to live? It’s safer there, and... I have money now! I have one hundred thousand Alliance Coins! Really, look... I really have one hundred thousand Alliance Coins! We can buy a big house to live in!"

"Little Neng, you can’t buy a house in the City of Hope for one hundred thousand." Xu Zilan’s gaze darkened slightly.

"We can’t? Then we can at least rent one, right? Besides, I can earn more money in the future. Mom... I want you to come with me." Gao Neng wasn’t trying to force Xu Zilan to go to the City of Hope, but he truly was unwilling to leave her behind in the Forgotten Land alone. He just couldn’t do it.

"..." Xu Zilan fell silent.

"Mom, please come with me. The Forgotten Land is really dangerous. I’m worried!" Gao Neng continued.

"Sigh..." Xu Zilan let out a soft sigh and looked at Chen Bai. "Officer, could you let me speak with Little Neng alone for a moment?"

"Of course!" Chen Bai nodded and immediately left the room.

"While you’re at it, have your people stationed around the area pull back. I don’t need protection anymore. Once I’ve packed, I’ll go with you," Xu Zilan added as she watched Chen Bai leave.

"Th-... Alright!" Chen Bai was taken aback for a second but quickly nodded.

A few moments later, a few faint sounds came from outside.

Then, silence returned.

"Little Neng, I can go to the City of Hope with you, but you have to agree to three conditions," Xu Zilan said nonchalantly, glancing at Gao Xiaomeng, who was lying by the window.

"Mom, what are they?" Gao Neng immediately nodded.

"First, I don’t need you to rent a place for me. After we get to the City of Hope, you’ll go directly to the military academy to report in. I’ll find a place to settle down on my own."

"Why?" Gao Neng didn’t quite understand.

"Because I don’t want to delay your studies. The academy has already started its term. I’ll handle the housing situation myself. If you’re really worried, just give me ten thousand Alliance Coins."

"Alright then." Hearing this, Gao Neng didn’t ask any more questions.

"Second, you can only come see me during the summer and winter breaks. At any other time, even if the academy has a holiday, you absolutely cannot come looking for me."

"But why?"

"It’s the same reason. Since you’ve gotten into the military academy, you need to be independent. You can’t always be thinking about a mother who needs looking after. Besides, I don’t need you to look after me!"

"But I just want to see you."

"If you don’t agree, then I won’t go. I’ll just stay here in the Forgotten Land."

"Alright. What’s the third condition?" Gao Neng clenched his jaw but finally nodded.

"Third, after you get to the City of Hope..." Xu Zilan trailed off mid-sentence, then shook her head. "Never mind. Just those two conditions."

"Then let’s go now."

"Okay, wait for me. I’ll go pack."

"Okay." Gao Neng nodded. After Xu Zilan went into her room, he turned his gaze to the cat lying by the window. "Gao Xiaomeng, do you want to come with us?"

"No need. You guys go ahead," Gao Xiaomeng replied lazily.

"’Go ahead’?" Gao Neng was confused.

"I’ll come find you in a few days. That’s it." After saying that, Gao Xiaomeng left immediately, giving Gao Neng no chance to ask another question.

Gao Neng was a bit speechless. ’Gao Xiaomeng has been really strange lately, hasn’t she? The area between the Forgotten Land and the City of Hope is hardly safe.’

If she didn’t travel with them... ’How could Gao Xiaomeng possibly get to the City of Hope?’

Gao Neng had genuinely intended to bring Gao Xiaomeng along, but since she refused, he naturally couldn’t force her. He could only let her leave.

Soon...

Xu Zilan finished packing.

She appeared before Gao Neng, still in her simple cloth clothes, but now she carried a large bundle on her back—a bundle Gao Neng had never seen before.

"Mom, what’s in that bundle?" Gao Neng asked, confused.

"A change of clothes," Xu Zilan said lightly.

"Clothes?" Gao Neng grew even more confused. He remembered Xu Zilan only owning two sets of spare clothes in total. Plus, it was summer now. ’Could she have packed winter clothes in there?’

He didn’t dwell on it.

Because Xu Zilan was already out the door.

"Where’s Gao Xiaomeng?"

"I told her I’d take her to the City of Hope with us, but she ran off..." Gao Neng could only answer Xu Zilan’s question this way.

"I see. It seems she’s like me and prefers the Forgotten Land." Xu Zilan didn’t ask again.

...

As dusk fell, Chen Bai drove Gao Neng and Xu Zilan toward the Forgotten Land’s military airfield. A plane was the fastest way to get to the City of Hope.

The vehicle sped down the dilapidated streets.

On either side of the road, stray cats would occasionally appear, meowing softly or waving their paws in strange gestures.

Gao Neng wasn’t looking at the scenery outside the car.

Because he was currently looking at his system’s Attribute Panel, hesitating over which skill to apply the "Skill Evolution" he’d gotten from the Middle-Level Treasure Chest.

"Eye of Deprivation (Trial Version), 23 days overdue. A double fine of 4,600 Alliance Coins must be paid to continue use. Minimum extension: 40 days."

’Evolving the ’Eye of Deprivation’ gets me the ’Eye of Deprivation (Full Version)’?’

’Evolving ’Lifeform Conversion (Beginner)’ gets me ’Lifeform Conversion (Intermediate)’.’

’Evolving ’The Third Set of Primary and Middle School Calisthenics (Youthful Dance)’ gets me ’Unknown’.’

This was all the information the Attribute Panel displayed.

’I can see the direct results of evolving the Eye of Deprivation and Lifeform Conversion, but not for the calisthenics routine—it just shows ’Unknown’... Which one should I choose?’ Gao Neng was a decisive person, but this time, he was truly at a loss.