Chapter 45: Teleportation Token (Thanks to Li Yuzhi for the recommendation vote, thank you!)

Having prepared everything, Wang Keyue asked, “9538, can you set the teleport destination to eighty li northeast ahead?”

“Host, spatial teleportation will have a certain deviation, about fifteen percent,” 9538 assured her. “But rest assured, I will do my best to place you in the safest spot.”

“That’s good enough. Let’s begin!” The golden card—Spatial Teleportation Token—in Wang Keyue’s hand began to glow with radiant white light. The lines etched on the card seemed to come alive, shimmering with multicolored brilliance that danced along their patterns.

In an instant, the lines formed a mysterious design, which swiftly expanded, its center becoming a swirling black vortex that grew larger and spun with an ever-increasing pull.

The next moment, Wang Keyue was overcome by a sensation of weightlessness. Darkness enveloped her vision, and her body was seized by an uncontrollable descent, as if plunging from a cliff or soaring into the heavens.

A fierce discomfort struck, depriving her brain of oxygen. It felt as though time had frozen or flickered by in a heartbeat—she could no longer sense her own existence.

Yet, just as she was about to lose consciousness, time seemed to resume, a flash of white light passed before her eyes, and she was suddenly shoved from behind, stumbling helplessly to the ground.

The sharp pain in her hands jolted her back to awareness. She gritted her teeth against the sting and looked around, but there was no light—her surroundings were shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to discern where she had landed.

To ensure a safe arrival, Wang Keyue had chosen to teleport at dusk, roughly between eight and nine o’clock in the evening, when even the moon had not fully risen.

She dared not risk turning on a flashlight, so she activated her Eagle Eye skill instead. This ability not only allowed her to observe distant objects but also functioned as night vision—a perfect tool for scouting in the dark.

“Host, we are about one hundred sixty kilometers from our camp, with a ten percent deviation,” 9538 informed her.

Drawing on Old Zhang’s descriptions, Wang Keyue estimated the location of their village and the nearest town. Whether the teleportation had landed her precisely would depend on luck, and fortunately, luck was on her side this time, with only a ten-kilometer error.

From her observations, she was now in a mountain forest, though the trees were sparse and scattered. The terrain was not particularly steep; if she pushed herself, she could cross this forest tonight without much trouble.

Musing to herself, Wang Keyue rubbed her wrist, still sore from the fall. The palm of her hand had likely been cut by the stones on the ground, but there was nothing for it. She pulled a bottle of iodine from her storage space and sprayed it over her wound, then set off once more.

An hour passed, and she crested a hill. Suddenly, a biting cold wind carried a stench of rot and blood to her nose, choking her with nausea.

Her nearly flawless Eagle Eye night vision allowed Wang Keyue to see clearly down the slope—a pit the size of a swimming pool lay below, filled with human corpses.

She lifted her gaze, scanning the distance. The bright moon had climbed high, casting its silvery glow over the landscape. At the foot of the mountain, a small county town appeared before her eyes.

Within the town, several spots burned brightly, as if bonfires were flickering and swaying, issuing a silent invitation to Wang Keyue.

Her heart leapt with joy—this small county town must be her destination, the nearest to the Northern Peace Prefecture’s capital: Kangbei County.

According to Old Zhang, most refugees would choose one of two paths—either fleeing into the Great Qin Empire or heading toward the Northern Peace Prefecture’s capital.

Escape into the Great Qin was now impossible, for the roads were plagued by marauding Qianghu tribes, who robbed and slaughtered. If she needed a large population, only the route to Northern Peace Prefecture remained.

Judging by the time, three or four days would put the refugees only as far as Kangbei County.

Wang Keyue began to make her way toward Kangbei, carefully descending the mountain. It was easier to climb up than down, and half an hour later, she sat on a large stone, rubbing her numb, aching feet. She took a bottle of water and some prepared jerky and pancakes from her storage space, munching away.

“Host, if you’re not embarrassed, you can use the first-generation children’s safety flyer to go down the mountain!” 9538 could not bear to watch any longer and offered this suggestion. “It’s so dark, no one will see you—there’s no one to laugh at you!”

Wang Keyue paused mid-bite, suddenly remembering, “Oh! That children’s toy can be used!”

She quickly finished her food and water. With a wave of her hand, a mighty little toy car appeared in front of her. Though small, it was spacious enough for her petite frame of one meter fifty.

Following the instructions, she pressed her fingerprint against the car door to unlock it, which folded open automatically. Inside, an electronic voice chimed, “Dear little master, please name your beloved car!”

Wang Keyue hadn’t expected the car to present her with such a challenge.

“Little Ai!” she said.

“Thank you, dear master, for bestowing a name. Little Ai will always accompany you, growing and playing with you!” The electronic voice was sweet and cheerful.

“Little Ai, I need to go down the mountain,” Wang Keyue said, settling into the driver’s seat.

“Of course, little master. Please tap the place you wish to go on the live map in front of you.” As Little Ai finished speaking, a virtual map appeared to her right, showing the full view of the mountain’s base.