CHAPTER 150: ABBYSAL CORE

Her fingers brushed against her neck, the faint mark left there glowed subtly beneath her skin, only visible for a heartbeat before it faded again. Xian Yu’s healing might have restored her body, but that mark wasn’t physical. It was something deeper. A residue of divinity. A stain that wouldn’t wash off.

But she forced herself to exhale, forcing the anxiety away.

"Later," she muttered under her breath. "I’ll deal with it later."

When she stepped out of the bath, her damp hair clung to her shoulders, glistening in the light like strands of night silk. She tied it loosely with a black ribbon, threw on her casual military-style shirt and fitted pants, and headed back to the main room.

As soon as she opened the door, a familiar smell greeted her: savory broth simmering with herbs, grilled bread, and the faint sweetness of stewed fruit. The aroma wrapped around her senses like a comforting blanket.

She blinked once, surprised, then smiled faintly.

"Looks like they beat me to it."

In the small dining area, Song, Ye Qingxue, Nie Ziyu, and Xian Yu were already seated around the circular wooden table. The faint clinking of spoons and low murmur of voices filled the space. Even Fluffy, her ever-pampered companion, sat on the chair beside her usual spot, his soft fur gleaming in the light, tail flicking expectantly as soon as he saw her.

"Master." Song was the first to notice her, his deep voice carrying both relief and a bit of cheer up, as if a burden had finally been lifted off his shoulder. "You’re up. Finally decided to join the living again?"

Ling Yu raised a brow at him. "I was unconscious, Song, not dead."

He chuckled, standing up immediately to pull out her chair with exaggerated chivalry. "Same difference. You looked like a ghost last night."

Ye Qingxue rolled her eyes from across the table. "He’s just trying to sound cool again. Ignore him, Captain."

Nie Ziyu, the quietest of the group, simply smiled and gestured toward the food. "We made breakfast. Sit down."

Ling Yu sat down gracefully, the corners of her mouth softening as she glanced around at the people who’d once been strangers, but now, after surviving wave after wave together, felt like something dangerously close to family.

The table was modest but full, bowls of clear broth infused with dried kelp and mushrooms, rice porridge speckled with preserved vegetables, and fresh fruit slices laid out neatly. For an apocalypse, this was a luxury.

Fluffy hopped onto her shoulder the moment she sat, brushing his cheek against hers before puffing up his fur and chirping irritably.

"Alright, alright," she chuckled, rubbing his head. "I get it. You missed me."

Fluffy let out a small squeak, tail swishing indignantly, before curling up on her lap, clearly deciding to forgive her for the "abandonment."

Across from her, Xian Yu was staring at her a little too intently, his silver eyes narrowing as faint light glimmered over his fingertips. His healing instincts were apparently still in diagnostic mode.

"What is it?" Ling Yu asked between bites, pretending not to notice his furrowed brow.

He hesitated. "There’s... something in your energy pattern."

Song’s hand froze mid-air. "Something as in?"

"Undetectable," Xian Yu said quietly. "It’s not foreign energy, exactly. More like... something attached to her spiritual core. It’s asleep, but it’s there."

The room fell silent for a brief moment. Ye Qingxue’s eyes widened slightly; even Nie Ziyu’s usually composed expression wavered.

Ling Yu kept eating calmly, as though the revelation was about someone else entirely. "Mm. Probably just residue from the Divine Anchor," she said lightly. "No need to overthink it."

Xian Yu frowned. "No... this isn’t normal anchor corruption. It’s—"

But before he could finish, Song placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a look that said Drop it.

The healer hesitated, then sighed, lowering his gaze. "Alright. But if you feel any discomfort, you must tell me immediately."

Ling Yu offered a faint smile, meeting his eyes briefly. "I will."

Song leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. His sharp gaze lingered on her face, quiet but full of meaning. He didn’t say it out loud, but she knew. He’d guessed already.

Whatever had been sealed within that Divine Anchor wasn’t gone.

It had simply chosen a new vessel.

The breakfast resumed in a lighter mood after that. Nie Ziyu recounted how she’d nearly burned their dinner last night trying to fry the preserved fish, earning laughter from everyone except Ye Qingxue, who dramatically reminded them of the smell.

Song teased Xian Yu about his serious healer face, while Fluffy demanded a spoonful of porridge, chirping pitifully until Ling Yu indulged him.

For a moment, everything felt almost normal, like a small fragment of the old world had survived the apocalypse just for them.

Ling Yu leaned back in her chair, taking in the laughter that echoed softly in the room. It was rare to have this peace, warmth, and a sense of belonging. It made her chest ache a little, though she’d never admit that out loud.

Still, beneath that calm surface, her mind never stopped working. Her system window flickered faintly in her peripheral vision, updates running silently.

[Mission Log Updated]

[Quest: Divine Anchor (West) — Completed]

[Reward Received: +3000 SP, Artifact Fragment (Unidentified), Divine Favor (Tier-B)]

She focused briefly on the Artifact Fragment. When she mentally tapped on it, the description window expanded.

[Fragment of the Abyssal Core]

[Rank: ???]

[Description: The shattered remnant of a corrupted divinity. Unknown resonance detected.

Warning: Do not integrate. High probability of soul erosion.]

Ling Yu’s eyes darkened slightly.

’So this is what got left behind in me.’

The system wasn’t lying. The faint call she’d felt since last night was still there, a heartbeat just beneath her consciousness, whispering in a language she didn’t understand. Every few minutes, it pulsed softly, almost like it was testing the boundaries of her soul.

She wasn’t afraid of this, not exactly. But she didn’t trust it either.