-10- Escape from Peril

As the corpse of the Snake King sank beneath the water and vanished from sight, Yvette exhaled deeply, feeling as if a great weight had finally lifted from her heart. Indeed, killing the Snake King would yield no loot, but she had long regarded it as the greatest obstacle to leaving the volcanic crater lake.

Now that the obstacle was gone, her path to departure suddenly stretched out smooth and unobstructed.

Moreover, decades ago, her magical energy had already reached the threshold required to recharge her arcane device, and from the scattered debris she had repaired a still-functional flying board.

So, if she wished, she could even set off immediately, leaving behind this lake-bound prison that had confined her for nearly two centuries.

But…

After some thought, Yvette turned back into the facility.

Partly because she wanted to review the gains from this mission and further refine her Thunder’s Wrath spell.

And partly because, since she could leave at any time, there was no need to rush.

A little more preparation wouldn’t hurt!

…

In the decades following the fall of the giant serpent, the lake area centered around the ruined platform grew noticeably calmer. Whenever Yvette appeared in the sunlight—whether meditating or practicing magic—the mutated creatures in the shallow waters instinctively kept their distance.

These low-intelligence beings seemed to sense through some primal instinct that the slender figure had replaced the giant snake, becoming the new ruler of this domain.

Of course, challengers occasionally appeared.

Compared to ordinary mutants, these challengers bore far less exposed flesh and sported unique offensive organs—chitinous shells or electrified tendrils—that vividly displayed biological diversity.

But to Yvette, they were all merely matters for Thunder’s Wrath.

Her latest improved version of Thunder’s Wrath had slashed its mana consumption from 240 points to just 100, while retaining 60% of its original power—a refinement she took considerable pride in.

Notably, her mana pool had recently approached the 500-point mark.

In the age of the Origin Civilization, a fully automatic two-meter-tall arcane combat automaton used an energy core around that size.

From this perspective, after more than two centuries of solitary cultivation, Yvette’s mana reserves were truly abundant, and her signature spell, Thunder’s Wrath, had indeed reached military-grade specifications.

“With my current combat strength, I’d be considered a top-tier expert even before the apocalypse. In the end times, resources and weapons would certainly be scarce… hmm, that suggests that once I escape this Five-Finger Mountain, I can immediately become one of humanity’s strongest assets…”

With such hopes buoying her spirits, Yvette trained with renewed vigor, imagining herself descending like a divine warrior, saving a collapsing world, turning the tide of chaos, and earning the admiration of thousands, with beauties vying for her favor.

---

Until the day finally arrived.

…

On a mist-shrouded morning, standing before the sealed metal door leading to Level -11, Yvette lingered silently for a long while before shaking her head in resignation.

After breaking through the 500 mana point barrier the previous night, she had resolved to depart. She had no luggage, no special attachments to hold her back—only the regret that she still couldn’t open this sturdy alloy door, made of some unknown material.

“Forget it, open or not is your choice.”

Leaving those words behind, Yvette ascended the stairs. The sound of her heels striking the metal steps echoed through the empty shaft.

In over two hundred years, she had traversed this ruined abyssal base countless times, as if every bolt were etched into her memory. Though once she viewed this place as an endless prison, sometimes she even thought of it as a refuge—a rare haven of peace amid a world overrun by mutated monsters.

And now, she was finally about to close the chapter on those long years of captivity with her own hands.

…

Standing on the water platform, Yvette activated the flying board.

This simple magical vehicle’s energy storage plate was surprisingly potent—it could hold 100 mana points and support roughly 50 kilometers of range.

By comparison, even with her 500 mana points and her proud “Wind’s Mastery” skill, she could only fly about one kilometer on her own power. The difference was stark.

But Yvette was not surprised; as a technological marvel of the Origin Civilization, this device appeared ordinary but contained at least a million runes within its arcane circuits.

Comparing the effect of Wind’s Mastery to this was like comparing an abacus to a quantum computer.

She extended her hand, and a transparent handle forged from magical energy took shape in her palm. Leaning forward slightly, the flying board surged ahead, carving a fleeting wake across the deep blue water’s surface.

Wherever she passed, mutated creatures in the lake and shallow waters scattered in panic, clearing a path for the airborne visitor.

In less than three minutes, she completed the short flight of under three kilometers, arriving before the smooth rock face she had first glimpsed over two centuries ago.

Due to height restrictions, she could no longer use the flying board here. Lightly, Yvette leapt onto a protruding rock and stored the board at her waist. Pale cyan energy swirled around her body, lifting her to ascend swiftly along the rock face.

When her fingertips finally touched the summit of the volcanic crater, the entire world suddenly unfolded before her eyes.

The sapphire sea stretched to the horizon, blending with the clouds and sky. Along the coast, skyscrapers entwined with vines merged seamlessly with the forest, like towering ancient trees. Nearby foothills swayed with a forest sea, emerald waves rippling in the mountain breeze.

She instinctively glanced back toward the path she had come. From this vantage, the once vast volcanic crater lake looked like a clear pond, with the metal platform at its center no larger than a toy floating in a bathtub.

This was the post-apocalyptic world… she thought, standing quietly as the fierce wind at the peak whipped her silver hair, scattering faint rainbows in the sunlight.

---

What to do after escape?

Yvette had pondered this question two centuries ago but found no answer, for she could not foresee what awaited beyond. Would it be a barren wasteland, a hellscape crawling with mutants?

Might there be human survivors gathered somewhere, fighting for survival and rebuilding their homes, sounding the anthem of courage?

So far, the answer was no.

…

Following a road that still showed faint traces of its former self, Yvette entered Ish Island’s capital, Ish City.

Compared to the island’s other two ruined human cities, this one’s landscape was far more magnificent, for it housed an important branch of Black Tower Pharmaceuticals. Even from tens of kilometers away, she could see the city center’s obsidian tower piercing the sky.

It was coated in verdant hues, like an ancient sword entwined with vines—though its wielder had long since died, it still stood firm, pointing heavenward.

This was humanity’s sword, and also the tombstone of human civilization… Yvette gazed upon the ruins, as if crossing time to witness Ish City’s former prosperity and glory—around the Black Tower skyscraper, countless high-rises packed tightly; holographic advertisements flowing over glass facades; swarms of flying vehicles weaving through the air; neon lights turning the night sky into a dreamscape… all now vanished without a trace.

Crossing a clear underground river formed by collapsed sewers and passing through streets blooming with wisteria, Yvette moved like a ghost through the alleys.

Butterflies landed on her shoulder then flew away; a deer raised its head warily near a shattered storefront. Mutated creatures occasionally lunged from shadows, only to be reduced to charred remains by her fiery magic.

Thus, she strolled through countless perilous streets and arrived at the city center, finding no smoke, footprints, or any signs of human activity along the way.

At the square, looking up at the weathered outer walls of the Black Tower, she reached a firm conclusion: at least on this island, there was no other living human besides herself.

In fact, even ignoring Ish Island and looking toward the three main continents on Origin Planet—Black Tide Continent, Emerald Continent, and Silver Mirror Continent—it was unlikely any other survivors remained.

Otherwise, how could humanity’s technology and wisdom have failed to rebuild civilization in nearly six centuries?

Struck by this grim realization, she sighed softly. As a visitor from another world, she had once believed that escaping the prison would open a new realm, allowing her to meet diverse people and experience vastly different cultures and customs. But instead, the long road ahead would only be accompanied by loneliness, stretching on until countless aeons passed and the stars themselves faded.

If that was the case…

Then!

She might as well start by farming.