Outside the cave entrance, countless insectoid creatures crawled in dense swarms. Anyone with trypophobia would probably faint right then and there from the sheer sight.
Mu Qingyun furrowed her brows, shielding Su behind her but not rushing forward. Instead, she observed quietly from the rear.
"Let's fight these insectoids to the death!" Xiong Ruoyou snarled, clearly hating the insect tribe. Despite the overwhelming number of foes, she charged in without hesitation, her beast form activated.
Seeing Xiong Ruoyou move, Fan Xuanye immediately clasped his hands together. His snake tail swelled several times its size, and with a flick of the tail's tip, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, speeding toward the insect swarm.
"Are we not joining?" Su looked at the two quickly engaged in battle and hesitated before quietly asking.
"Wait a moment," Mu Qingyun replied calmly, her eyes fixed tightly on the fighters.
The two in beast form were indeed powerful, and with their strong mental strength, they swiftly wiped out a wave of insectoids.
This was a war of attrition: sheer numbers grinding down the enemy. No matter how strong, prolonged fighting would eventually wear anyone out.
Seeing the two grow visibly tired, Mu Qingyun tapped her toes on the ground and leapt into the air. Flames blazed swiftly in her right hand, and with a wave, she sent a torrent of fire toward the insectoids.
Using her plant ability to enhance the fire, she channeled energy into her left hand and pressed it against her right, causing the flames to swell dramatically in size and intensity. Wherever the fire passed, the insectoids instantly turned to ash.
Her plant powers didn't just summon greenery or restore life—they also boosted her fire ability to its maximum potential.
"It's over." Mu Qingyun's cold gaze swept over the burnt remains of the insectoids. As the last of them turned to ash, she withdrew her hand and landed steadily on the ground.
[My god, is she even human?][Are we sure she's really from Garbage Planet? Is the info wrong?][I've seen many fire users, but never one with such overwhelming power.][I-I don't even know what to say anymore.][No more whitewashing. I'm on the Ugly Guy's side now. Anyone who dares insult him again, we'll fight them.][I don't believe it. Someone from Garbage Planet can't have that power. There must be a helper.][Helper? Who in this situation could possibly help her?]
The live chat was ablaze with debate, but no one noticed Mu Qingyun's face had turned pale as death.
She had just unleashed a massive amount of power, far beyond what her fragile body could handle. The brief moment of glory was now being paid back in full—recoil crashing through her system.
Her organs felt like they were being torn apart, as if bound to a torture rack. A sharp needle-like pain throbbed at her temples.
This body was simply too weak.
"You're really strong," Su said, stepping forward quietly and taking her hand. "Your fire ability is the strongest I've ever seen."
Mu Qingyun had no strength to respond, but strangely, the pain that had plagued her suddenly eased, as if soothed by his touch.
"You… you really are from Garbage Planet?" Xiong Ruoyou took a few deep breaths to calm herself, her face full of shock as she stared at Mu Qingyun.
"Otherwise?" Mu Qingyun raised an eyebrow, feeling some of her strength return. She spoke calmly, "Do you think the military trial info is wrong?"
"No, no," Xiong Ruoyou hurriedly shook her head, fearing she had offended her, "I'm just amazed at your ability—it doesn't feel like something from Garbage Planet."
At that, Mu Qingyun shot her a cold glance. "Why do you think Garbage Planet can't produce capable people?"
Discrimination existed everywhere—she knew this well.
Having been an emperor in her past life, she had seen many talented but humble individuals from poor backgrounds. Because she understood the importance of recognizing talent, she utterly despised this kind of prejudice.
Where you come from means nothing. Those who cling to their birth status to build false superiority were simply ridiculous.
Xiong Ruoyou froze for a moment at Mu Qingyun's words, then bowed her head in guilt. She was naturally carefree and clumsy with words, and now she'd clearly hit a nerve.
[Why is Ugly Guy picking on Black Bear Sister? A grown man fussing like a woman—pathetic.][Pathetic? Did you see that flame just now? I bet only a handful of people on this planet can do that.][And honestly, that speech was a bit harsh, but Mu Qingyun didn't choose to be from Garbage Planet. She's here trying to prove herself, and I think she's working really hard.][Exactly. Stop wasting time complaining.][Wait, I just logged in. What happened? Why is everyone defending Ugly Guy?][Go watch the replay yourself.]
"She probably didn't mean it that way," Su said softly, glancing at the guilty Xiong Ruoyou.
"I know," Mu Qingyun replied lightly, sitting down to focus on recovering by circulating her internal energy.
She realized the energy fluctuations on this planet were very similar to the internal energy cultivation from her past life. She could convert this energy into her old-style internal power to heal.
At noon, after completing two cycles of energy flow, Mu Qingyun opened her eyes, and the first thing on her mind was finding food.
She was starving.
"Here, have some protein powder," Xiong Ruoyou hesitated before offering the packet to her. "I noticed you don't seem to carry any food."
Mu Qingyun paused, then frowned slightly. She usually spoke bluntly, and in her past life as a prince, she had needed prestige and grit to survive.
This girl appeared rough around the edges but was actually thoughtful—probably feeling bad after their last exchange.
"I'm… I talk like that, but I didn't mean it personally," Mu Qingyun said after some thought, trying to explain.
Normally, she wouldn't care what others thought or bother with explanations.
But seeing Xiong Ruoyou's guilty face made her heart soften. This girl was genuinely likeable.
"Oh, I see," Xiong Ruoyou smiled relieved but still insisted, "Please eat something. I noticed you haven't eaten since yesterday."
Mu Qingyun glanced at the powder and shook her head. Seeing the disappointment on Xiong Ruoyou's face, she added, "Want some cooked meat instead?"
"Huh?" Xiong Ruoyou frowned, confused.
"Follow me. I'll take you to get some cooked food."