Evolving infinitely from ground zero

After celebrating the coming-of-age ceremony for the two children.

The parents of both families, as if by prior agreement, gathered in the living room and began playing mahjong amidst laughter and chatter.

Xiao Chen and Shen Qinghan found it a bit noisy, so they went outside for a walk.

They came to a tree-lined path not far from home, walking slowly with the evening breeze, enjoying the tranquility of the night.

Shen Qinghan, in her light pink dress, showed off her slim and fair legs as she walked along the path, quite eye-catching.

Xiao Chen couldn’t help but glance over several times with his peripheral vision, but each time quickly looked away.

“Xiao Chen, how long did it take to make that specimen frame?”

Walking along, Shen Qinghan suddenly asked.

“It took almost half a year.”

Xiao Chen lied without blinking an eye.

With his exceptional natural talent, it had taken him less than a week to finish the specimen frame.

Furthermore, during that week, he spent only an hour each day working on it.

However, it was best to keep such things to oneself.

There was no need to tell her.

Saying that it only took a week would seem careless.

Shen Qinghan might feel let down hearing that.

The evening breeze was gentle.

Feeling it on one’s face was very comforting.

After walking a while, they saw two low parallel bars ahead and went over to sit and chat.

Swinging her legs leisurely, Shen Qinghan said sweetly,

“When I get back, I’ll hang that specimen frame in my room. That way, I can see the flowers you gave me every day.”

“When I get back, I’ll also hang the watercolor painting you gave me in my room.”

As he said this, Lin Zichen’s gaze inadvertently fell on Shen Qinghan beside him, and he started to appraise her intently.

At 1.68 meters tall, with lean and straight legs that had grown quite a bit longer, and the once unremarkable front and back now full and rounded, she looked alluring and graceful.

Her facial features were still petite and delicate but had become more defined and three-dimensional than before.

Especially those bright, peach blossom eyes that used to appear naive and cute now held a mix of innocence and maturity, captivating the soul.

Shen Qinghan at eighteen was becoming ever more enchanting.

Prettier than those celebrities on TV with their thick makeup and beauty filters.

“Xiao Chen, you’ve been staring at my face more and more frequently lately,”

Noticing Lin Zichen’s lingering gaze, Shen Qinghan turned her head towards him, her charming peach blossom eyes glimmering with a smile.

Now, when facing Lin Zichen’s stares, she no longer felt as embarrassed and shy as before.

Sometimes, she would act more playful and adorable, filled with a young girl’s quirks and zest.

“No, I just feel time has flown by so quickly.”

“Just like that, we’ve turned eighteen and grown up. We’ve matured a lot in appearance, losing the childishness of our younger years.”

“Sometimes, thinking about these changes makes me want to look at your face now and compare it with the you from my memories,” Lin Zichen said reflectively.

Suddenly, a question popped into Shen Qinghan’s head, and she asked curiously, “So, which do you like more, the younger me or the current me?”

“I like both.”

Lin Zichen answered without hesitation.

He wasn’t lying; he truly liked both.

He liked Shen Qinghan who used to be giggly and neat, the self-doubting, introverted Shen Qinghan of a few years ago who was timid and too compliant, and the now more lively and cheerful Shen Qinghan.

Each phase of Shen Qinghan had left deep and wonderful memories in his heart.

Perhaps this was the affection that came from being childhood friends who grew up together.

Hearing Lin Zichen’s response, Shen Qinghan’s smile grew sweeter, her legs swinging under her dress became more buoyant, and she even started humming a song happily.

“What about you? Do you prefer the younger me or me now?”

Lin Zichen asked the same question.

Shen Qinghan replied without thinking, “I really liked you at every stage.”

After finishing, she added another sentence, “If I really had to say which version of you I like more, it would definitely be you right now.”

“Why’s that?”

Lin Zichen was very curious.

Shen Qinghan looked into his eyes, her beautiful eyes curving slightly, as she said with a smile, “Because I like you more with each passing day.”

Lin Zichen was momentarily stunned.

After snapping back to his senses, he replied with a smile, “Then I’d have to revise my earlier answer, I’m the same as you, liking you more with each day, and hope that our friendship lasts forever.”

“Mm, may our friendship last forever.”

After saying this, Shen Qinghan reached out her slender and pale little finger to Lin Zichen, her voice filled with nostalgia, “When we were little kids, we used to make pinky promises not to change for a hundred years, every day. Do you want to relive that now?”

“Sure, let’s relive that.”

Lin Zichen also extended his own little finger and hooked it with Shen Qinghan’s.

Just as they were about to recite “pinky promise”…

Suddenly, the ground began to shake!

The two sitting on the parallel bars could both clearly feel the significant tremor.

“Is it an earthquake?”

Shen Qinghan’s face was filled with shock and uncertainty.

Lin Zichen replied, “It seems like there’s been an earthquake.”

As soon as he spoke, he noticed that several lines of text information had appeared in the air.

[You have survived an earthquake.]

[Achievement: Survive 100 times in different “extreme harsh environments” or “disasters”.]

[Reward: Gain Biometric Attributes—Survival of the Fittest.]

[Number of Survivals: 1/100]

An achievement task had been triggered?

Lin Zichen’s eyes widened slightly, feeling somewhat surprised.

He truly had not expected that something like an earthquake could trigger an achievement task; it was quite unexpected.

“Xiao Chen, it really was an earthquake just now. Lots of people are talking about it on social media, and our classmates in the group chat are discussing it too,” Shen Qinghan said, looking at her phone.

Lin Zichen was about to respond when his phone inconveniently rang.

It was a video call from Zhang Wanxin.

As soon as he answered, Zhang Wanxin’s worried voice came through the phone.

She mentioned the recent earthquake and asked if the two of them were okay.

Lin Zichen directed the phone’s camera at himself and Shen Qinghan and told Zhang Wanxin they were fine.

Once she confirmed that both were safe, Zhang Wanxin let out a sigh of relief and told them to get home early and not to stay out late.

After ending the video call…

To avoid worrying their parents, Lin Zichen didn’t linger outside and quickly brought Shen Qinghan home.

When they arrived home, the TV was broadcasting news related to the earthquake.

The speed of the report was so fast that it was startling.

Lin Zichen sat down on the sofa and watched the news with his parents.

The relevant departments explained that it was just a minor earthquake and not a big deal, stating that Shanhai City’s geological location was not at the junction of tectonic plates, and significant earthquakes were unlikely to happen, advising the public not to panic.

Deep beneath Shanhai City.

Twenty thousand meters down.

The temperature here had soared into triple digits, and in some areas with particular geological features, the temperature even broke into quadruple digits, capable of cooking any ordinary creature from the surface.

Yet, in this extreme and hostile environment, at this very moment, there were hundreds of high-temperature, high-pressure-resistant gigantic Mutant Rats engaged in intense burrowing.

The once solid ground had been turned into something resembling an anthill by them, without anyone noticing when it happened.

A glance would reveal a maze of intersecting tunnels.

PS: Holding out my bowl, asking for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!