Chapter 73 The Appearance of the Tree of Life
Xu Zhili patted his back gently with heartache, her chin softly brushing against the top of his fluffy hair, her voice light and gentle.
"An'an, you're awake? I went outside just now... um, to the bathroom. Did you go too far and not hear me calling you?"
She carefully lied, saying that she couldn't tell her younger brother about seeing their mother that night.
The little guy is very sensitive. Knowing that his mother is nearby but he can't see her, he'll definitely start overthinking and won't be able to sleep all night.
Anyway... there will always be a chance to meet again.
"No……"
Xu Zhian shook her head in her arms, tickling her neck, and said in a muffled voice, "Sister, I want to drink water. I didn't see you when I woke up."
He looked up, his big, wet eyes gazing at his sister with dependence, his little hand unconsciously clutching a button on her collar.
"Okay, An'an, I'll go get you some water."
Xu Zhili picked him up and stood up. Although the little guy was six years old, he still felt light as a feather in her arms.
She steadily carried him to the table, holding him in one arm and pouring a glass of warm water with the other. She tasted a small sip herself to test the temperature before carefully bringing it to his lips: "Here, An'an, be good, drink slowly."
Xu Wang'an took a few big gulps from his sister's hand.
After finishing his drink, he smacked his lips contentedly, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his face, as most of his previous anxiety dissipated.
The little guy was very sensible. He knew his sister was tired from carrying him, so after drinking his fill of water, he immediately slid off his sister's arms like a nimble little monkey, stood barefoot on the ground, and looked up at Xu Zhili with his little face, nodding obediently, meaning that he was very well-behaved.
Xu Zhili's heart melted when she saw his adorable face.
She knelt down and gently wiped away the last trace of tears from his cheek with her fingertips, her eyes filled with tenderness.
She took her younger brother's soft little hand in hers, and that little hand immediately and trustingly gripped her fingers tightly in return.
"An'an is such a good girl. Come on, let me sleep with you."
Xu Zhili led him to the bedside. Under the dim light, the two shadows, one big and one small, nestled closely together.
She tucked her younger brother in, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently patted his little body rhythmically, humming a tuneless lullaby that only the two of them understood.
Xu Zhian held onto her sister's finger with her little hand until her breathing became even and long, and she fell into a peaceful sleep. Only then did her little finger slowly let go.
Xu Zhili did not leave immediately. She sat on the edge of the bed, the dim, swaying oil lamp casting a warm silhouette behind her.
She gazed quietly at her younger brother Xu Zhian's peaceful sleeping face.
She couldn't help but reach out and gently brush away a soft wisp of hair from its forehead. The touch of her fingertips on its warm skin brought a sense of reassuring presence.
"Sleep well, An'an!" she said silently in her heart, "Your sister is here."
In this world, the small figure before her, along with her mother, grandfather, and grandmother who were sent down to the cowshed, represent all the warmth that Xu Zhili cherishes and longs to protect most in her heart.
Xu Zhili watched An'an sleeping soundly when suddenly, a slight fluctuation appeared in her mental space.
This fluctuation...something's not right!
It wasn't the rhythm of Xu Zhili's own spiritual power, but rather more like... an ancient life force?
Could it be that there's something wrong with my mental strength?
In an instant, before she could even react, everything went black. Her consciousness was gently pulled by an irresistible, gentle force, and when she "opened her eyes," she found herself in a completely unfamiliar place—the depths of her own mental space.
However, the sight that came into view made her hold her breath instantly, her pupils dilating in astonishment. It was a towering tree whose magnificence could not be described.
The leaves were crystal clear, as if carved from beautiful jade, and even the light that passed through them seemed to be tinged with a dreamlike color.
This tree... why does it feel so familiar?
But what about the supplies I stored away before?
She was shocked to discover.
What about her supplies?
All the food, medicine, weapons, and crystal cores that Xu Zhili had desperately collected and hoarded during the apocalypse... have vanished!
The entire space became emptier than ever before, as if it had been completely cleared out!
No wonder... no wonder I always felt the quantity was off when I took things before, that it was pitifully small.
So that's where the root of the problem lies!
"Hmph!" A low but unusually clear humming sound.
Suddenly, Xu Zhili became alert and quickly looked around, but the area was empty, with not a single person in sight.
"Little girl, don't panic, and there's no need to search."
The voice echoed slowly and steadily, carrying a strange soothing power, yet its presence was impossible to ignore: "I am the tree before you."
"A tree?" Xu Zhili looked up abruptly, staring incredulously at the magnificent, otherworldly tree before her. Her voice rose in shock, "A tree... that can talk? How is that possible?"
absurd!
This is even more bizarre than the end of the world.
"Hehe, what's impossible?" The tree's voice carried a hint of leisurely certainty. Its branches and leaves rustled without wind, producing a crisp and pleasant sound, like jade gently striking each other. "The universe is vast and the creation is mysterious. The apocalypse has arrived, and living beings have mutated, breaking countless norms. I was born in your spiritual space, absorbing the nourishment of the wood-type crystal core in your space to awaken. What's so strange about me speaking to you?"
Its tone was calm, as if it were stating something perfectly natural.
Xu Zhili took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. Even in the face of such an absurd situation, the composure she had developed in the apocalypse still came in handy.
“Okay,” Xu Zhili’s voice was deep and firm, carrying an unquestionable tone.
"Since you have sentience and can communicate, then answer me: why did you suddenly appear in my mental space? And where did my supplies—those things I risked my life for—go? Did you do it?"
Her gaze, cold as a knife, was fixed on the shimmering tree trunk.
"Haha, little girl, you're quite perceptive." The tree spirit's voice carried a hint of leisure. "Don't worry, don't worry. The supplies in your space haven't disappeared; they've moved to where the white mist is. Do you see the white mist over there? You'll see it once you pass through it."
As it spoke, in the direction the branch pointed, at the edge of space, a thick, white mist, like liquid milk, slowly began to rise.
Xu Zhili's gaze fell on the strange white mist. Her doubts had not completely dissipated, but at least the supplies were still there, which made her tense nerves relax a little.
She risked her life to obtain these supplies, so how could she not be worried?
You have to understand that in this era of extreme scarcity of resources and lack of food and clothing, these resources were the foundation for her to settle down and establish herself.
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