Chapter 54: The Power of Little Yaxi

“Yaxi, look out!”

Chen Yi cried out desperately, his voice hoarse. His vision blurred, and though he gripped his double-edged blade tightly, he was too late to come to her aid.

He knew in his heart that his shout would not save Chen Yaxi, nor could he easily break through the encircling sharks. A wave of helplessness surged within him, memories of his former days as a sycophant mingling painfully with the resolve he’d found after rebirth. If Chen Yaxi were to perish here, regret would haunt him. He shouldn’t have brought such a young child along; he ought to have given her more time.

Meanwhile, several other team members pushed themselves to follow Chen Yaxi, hoping to help her, but were blocked by even more sharks.

Chen Yaxi stood there, her tiny fists clenched, fear and defiance mingling in her gaze, uncertain what to do. It was an immense trial for a nine-year-old.

But suddenly, her eyes sharpened, as if she’d been transformed in an instant.

With a swift motion, a delicate dart shot from her hand, streaking through the air like lightning. It pierced the attacking shark’s gills, sending up a burst of blood.

The massive shark let out a shriek, its body thrashing on the ground before collapsing in exhaustion.

Immediately, Chen Yaxi unfurled her beautiful white wings. A powerful aura radiated from her. With a beat of her wings, she soared above the crowd, hovering overhead.

The little girl, her face still childish, was now a battle angel. She wielded her dart with her mind, sending it flying again and again, cutting down her foes.

The sharks before her were no more than paper tigers, torn apart with ease.

“How…how did she do that?” Lu Kai was dumbstruck. “She’s nothing like the girl she was before!”

“Yaxi, keep going!” Chen Yi, overwhelmed by shock, steadied his voice, “Everyone, support her—let’s take out the remaining sharks and crabs together!”

The others, stunned, quickly regained their composure and focused their efforts on the mutated crabs nearby.

The crabs were enormous, agile, and their pincers sharp as blades.

Yet under Chen Yaxi’s dart, they too proved fragile.

The dart, like the scythe of death, traced elegant arcs through the air, slaying crabs one after another.

Chen Yi sighed inwardly; the girl’s genes were indeed extraordinary, allowing her to shine in this harsh apocalyptic world.

He knew such power was rare and not easily controlled. Rebirth upon rebirth, relentless training—he understood well that only unique abilities could guarantee survival in the end times.

With Chen Yaxi by his side this time, the survival odds for their base had at least doubled.

The battle soon drew to a close, the ground littered with the corpses of mutated sharks and the remains of crabs.

Chen Yaxi glanced around at the monsters she had vanquished and finally recalled her dart, descending slowly to the earth.

She looked at the others, a hint of weariness on her face, but mostly the pride that follows victory.

“Brother, I…I did it,” Chen Yaxi said, her voice still tinged with childishness, looking to Chen Yi with expectation in her eyes.

“You did wonderfully, Yaxi.” Chen Yi walked to her, scooping her up in his arms. In that moment, she was nothing like the ruthless fighter she’d just been.

Who could have guessed that this innocent-looking girl had just been so fierce?

“Yes, you were amazing, Yaxi!” Lu Kai praised her as well, clearly delighted by her performance. “You were a huge help. Without you, we might have suffered heavy losses.”

“Everyone did well.” After the brutal fight, Hu Sanhan’s voice held both admiration and relief. “This kind of combat prowess is exactly what the Light Base needs. Otherwise, we’ll only struggle more against these mutants.”

After a brief rest, everyone began clearing the battlefield.

Thanks to Chen Yaxi, the tide had turned. The team quickly regrouped, piling the corpses together.

“We need to deal with these mutants quickly, or more will come for us,” Chen Yi said after a moment’s thought. “Everyone, document the battle, especially the shark scales—see if we can find a way to counter them.”

“Alright, I’ll get on it,” Lu Kai replied.

He glanced at the shark corpses, a trace of worry in his heart. “These scales can withstand bullets and blades. We’ll need stronger weapons.”

“Yes, and more resources,” Hu Sanhan interjected. “The supplies at Light Base are running low. We have to find more supply points.”

“If anyone has specific suggestions, let us know. We’ll send people to follow up.”

“Hu, judging by your tone, you’ve got a plan?” Chen Yi asked, a glint in his eye.

Hu Sanhan nodded gravely. “Southeast of this sea lies a small island. I heard it was once a secret retreat for a wealthy recluse—there may be useful things there. We can be self-sufficient on the island without worrying about other survivors, but with so many mutations lately, we have to check it out soon. Otherwise, our resources will run out before production catches up.”

“I agree,” Chen Yi said, turning to the group. “Let’s return to base, prepare, and select some skilled fighters to join me on the island mission. There’s no time to delay.”

A cold wind swept by. Chen Yi’s gaze was sharp as a blade, fixed on the deceptively calm yet perilous sea.

In this apocalypse, there was no retreat—only forward.

“Let’s move,” Chen Yi’s deep voice echoed around them.

The battle partners exchanged looks, then nodded in unison.

Back at Light Base, no one dared relax. They immediately began sorting through the spoils of the fight.

A mountain of mutated shark and giant crab bodies lay on the ground, loot piled high.

“These shark scales finally have a use. Though bullets and blades can’t pierce them, perhaps we can turn them into armor,” Lu Kai said as he worked on the huge shark corpses.

Chen Yi nodded, “We need to test their hardness and toughness, and find suitable materials to reinforce them.”

Hu Sanhan was busy too, directing the refinement of crab shells and meat. “These mutant crab shells can be made into sturdy weapons, and their meat will sustain us for several days.”