Apocalypse: Reborn with a Soul Sync Farming Space System-Chapter 172 That’s Their Problem

Ling Xuan did not look back after stepping into the cave. Her steps were unhurried as she explored the cave.

The faint echoes of their voices faded behind her, little by little, until there was nothing left but the quiet drip of water and the soft sound of her own footsteps pressing into the wet ground.

For the first time since they fell into the cave, the tension that had been lingering around her eased in a way that made her chest feel lighter without her even realizing it.

A faint curve touched her lips as her gaze remained fixed ahead, her grip on the sword loosening just slightly, not because she had lowered her guard, but because the two people she disliked the most were no longer beside her.

Now everything felt quieter, and far easier to manage without unnecessary noise or distraction.

’Finally.’

She thought as she continued walking, her eyes scanning the passage ahead while her mind remained sharp and focused, taking in every detail.

The narrow walls that seemed to close in at certain points, the uneven ground that shifted slightly under pressure, and the faint moisture clinging to the surface of the rocks that reflected the dim light in dull patches.

Ahead of her were three passageways.

Ling Xuan slowed slightly as her gaze moved from one passage to another. Her expression was calm and unreadable as she observed each one, noting the slight difference in the flow of air, and how dark each entrance was.

Her gaze lingered on each entrance for a moment longer than necessary.

Then a soft glow illuminated the space around her. She noticed it was coming from the crops panel on her wrist.

[Routes redirected and formed.]

The routes on its screen expanded, and lines formed and shifted across the surface before settling into a single direction that pointed clearly toward the middle passage.

[Snow Lotus location detected.]

Ling Xuan’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at it for a brief moment, her fingers lifting slightly as she moved the screen with her fingers to see how far the distance was.

She lowered her hand and continued forward taking the middle entrance. She walked for almost ten minutes, and the path stretched endlessly further down with no hope of reaching its end.

"...how much longer will it take?’

She thought. Her pace was not too fast or slow as she didn’t want to miss any details. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

She followed the direction shown to her, her senses remaining alert as she observed the surroundings carefully, noting how the ground beneath her feet felt more stable with each step and how the air grew cooler the deeper she went.

The silence deepened around her. No sound beyond the steady drip of water somewhere further inside the cave.

The wet walls slowly became covered with green moss, and at the edges of the mountain were red and purple flowers in the shape of stars.

Her brows furrowed slightly, as she noticed the path led towards a thriving plant area, instead of the muddy area with no plants.

She wondered, if she could find a way out.

"Laurel." She called out.

After the fight with her, she was sure Laurel was still recuperating inside the space system, even though the injuries she sustained would have disappeared in the real world.

A brief pause followed before a soft voice answered, quieter than usual.

"Yes?"

Ling Xuan’s expression remained calm as her gaze stayed forward, her steps not slowing as she spoke. "Those vines..."

She paused slightly, her eyes narrowing as the memory of them surfaced clearly in her mind, the way they moved, the way they attacked, and the way they suddenly stopped.

"...did anything like that happen before?"

"No..." Laurel replied slowly, her voice carrying a trace of uncertainty. "The plants were not affected in my past life, but I’m not really sure as we didn’t venture much into the woods, and considering the fact I lived for only one and a half years in the apocalypse there is a lot I don’t know about."

Ling Xuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her grip on the sword tightened just a little.

"Are you sure?"

A pause followed. "No... I’ve never seen anything like that."

Ling Xuan’s gaze lifted slightly as her thoughts connected what she had seen earlier with what Laurel had just said, the way the vines had acted with purpose, the way they had avoided certain areas, and the way they had stopped as if something had restrained them.

Then Laurel spoke again. "Where are the others?"

Ling Xuan’s expression did not change, her steps remaining steady as she continued deeper into the cave, her gaze fixed ahead as the passage stretched further into darkness.

"Separated."

"Separated?"

Ling Xuan’s voice remained calm. "Yes, but I’m one hundred percent sure Alexander and Chris are together."

"You what?" Laurel’s voice was no longer calm, carrying clear surprise.

"Alexander and Chris are together, alone." Her gaze remained forward as she stepped over a slightly uneven patch of ground.

"They can handle themselves," she added.

Laurel’s voice was softer, but the concern in it was clear. "You shouldn’t have done that..."

Ling Xuan’s brows furrowed slightly, though her expression remained composed. "Why?"

"They might end up killing each other."

Ling Xuan continued walking further down the path, but her expression shifted just slightly before returning to normal. Her gaze scanned her surroundings as her grip tightened faintly around her sword.

"That’s their problem."

Laurel fell silent, she had nothing to say... There was nothing she would say that would change the outcome or make Ling Xuan go back for them.

"Almost all the trees are either burnt to ashes and dead... could it be some were also infected by the red mist? And if they are, why is it only in this area closer to Snow Lotus?" Ling Xuan paused.

"Could it be that the Snow Lotus is more important than we thought?" Ling Xuan added.

"It could be. But we can ask the system more about its characteristics." Laurel replied.