Chapter 129: A Level 136 Big Shot is escorting my sister?

Watching his sister, who no longer simply followed his every word, Xi Yan suddenly felt that she had grown up, and he felt a deep sense of relief. Yet, even though she had matured, in his eyes, she was still the little sister who needed his protection.

Xi Yan was silent for a moment, then put on a warm smile before speaking. "Alright, I believe you. I will go to the Main City myself, and when the time comes, I’ll find out exactly what it is you’re planning."

"Brother! Anyone in this world can go to the Main City, but you are the one person who absolutely cannot!" Xi Lin’s tone was urgent; she was clearly worried about him.

Xi Yan didn't want to press her on why he was forbidden from going. He just smiled at her. "Sister, I won’t ask for the reason, but I am going to the Main City."

Knowing she couldn't dissuade him, Xi Lin decided to drop the subject. She thought to herself: *If Brother really goes to the Main City, I must improve my strength as quickly as possible. That way, when he arrives, I will be able to protect him.*

"Well... Brother, I still have a little time left. Why don't we have a meal together?" Xi Lin suggested.

Xi Yan would never refuse such an offer. Every extra moment he could spend with his sister brought him that much more happiness.

Lin Ye watched them, realizing that Xi Yan would not be collaborating with him. This was well within his expectations; after all, the person who had tasked him with persuading Xi Yan hadn't been very hopeful to begin with.

The group headed to the service area of the Eighth Survival Zone. Since it was quite late, the area was not very crowded. After all, the nights in the Survival Zones were never truly safe. Even within the service area, the habit of hiding away when darkness fell was not easily broken.

They found a table in the dining area and ordered some food. Xi Lin paid the points for everything. Xi Yan felt a pang of emotion: *I never realized my sister had so many points; she’s practically a little heiress.*

"Brother, try this. They say this meat was transported from the Main City. It’s very rare and quite delicious." As she spoke, Xi Lin placed a piece of meat into his bowl.

Looking at the meat, Xi Yan sighed. When had eating a simple piece of meat become a luxury? It was, after all, just ordinary meat. Why had the world suddenly turned into this apocalypse?

"Try this as well." Xi Lin added a vegetable to his bowl.

The dining area had only five or six simple tables, and they were the only ones occupying one; the rest were empty. The advantage of the dining area was that it was an enclosed space, providing shelter from the wind and rain, allowing for a peaceful meal.

As if on cue, it began to rain outside, and they were safely tucked away from the downpour. Watching the rain intensify, Xi Yan looked at Xi Lin with a hopeful expression. "Sister, look at how hard it’s raining. Why don't you stay until tomorrow?"

Xi Lin continued to eat while glancing at the window. Seeing the heavy rain, she showed no sign of panic and did not agree to his request. "Brother, I have Zhuo with me. She will protect me, so don't try to find ways to make me stay." She had seen right through his intentions. "And don't forget, Brother, I am an Examiner." She looked at him playfully.

Xi Yan had indeed forgotten her status. Having been in the Survival Zone for so long, he had rarely encountered any Examiners, and even fewer Hunters. He had grown accustomed to forgetting that these two types of people even existed. Yet, now that she mentioned it, he suddenly became curious about the abilities of an Examiner.

While eating his greens, he asked casually, "Sister, what exactly is so special about being an Examiner?" Although he had read the information on the "Public Board," he felt that their abilities must go beyond what was written there; the descriptions were far too superficial and didn't detail how their powers actually functioned.

Xi Lin answered readily. "Actually, there isn't any one 'special' ability, aside from the ones commonly known. The other thing is that we can level up quite quickly."

*Examiner:*
*1. Possesses special abilities, physical enhancement, card usage, the ability to traverse space at will, and the power to monitor survivors.*
*2. Rapid leveling.*

The rapid leveling was true, though few knew of it. It wasn't considered a particularly special ability, so it didn't matter if others knew.

"So... what level are you now, Sister?" Xi Yan thought to himself: *Her level shouldn't be that much higher than mine, right?*

Xi Lin swallowed her food and answered immediately, "Level 39. Don't look down on me because of my level; I really can protect myself. And even if I couldn't, Zhuo can!"

Hearing her mention Zhuo again, Xi Yan’s curiosity was piqued. Subconsciously, he asked, "What level is Zhuo?"

"This... Brother, you’re asking a bit too much now." Xi Lin stuck out her tongue.

Xi Yan realized his mistake. Zhuo was a stranger to him, and asking for her level so bluntly was certainly impolite.

"It’s alright. If Linlin’s brother wants to know, I can tell you," Zhuo replied with understanding.

"Zhuo, it's fine, my brother was just asking casually. You don't have to say." For some reason, Xi Yan detected a hint of worry and fear in Xi Lin’s tone.

Zhuo gave Xi Lin a gentle smile, then turned to look directly at Xi Yan. Her gaze felt sharp and intimidating, as if she could see right through his soul.

"I am currently a survivor above level 99. Furthermore, I am a Hunter, so Mr. Xi, you can rest assured that I will definitely keep Linlin safe."

Zhuo’s words left Xi Yan stunned. Above level 99? And a Hunter? Although he hadn't reached that level, he knew that the energy required to level up increased exponentially; level 70 was a massive threshold. Above level 70, the energy required for each subsequent level was nearly equal to the sum of all levels from 1 to 70 combined. That meant level 71 required the energy of the previous 70 levels, and level 72 required the energy of the previous 71.

Zhuo didn't look old—barely in her teens—so how could she have leveled up so fast? Even the incredibly wealthy Qing Yan was only in her 70s. Moreover, Zhuo seemed unconcerned with her own level, as if she wasn't even entirely sure of it.

Noticing Xi Yan’s skeptical gaze, Xi Lin tugged on Zhuo’s sleeve. Zhuo glanced at her and added, "Ah... I remember now. I am level 136."

When she finished, the room fell into a dead silence. Even Lin Ye, who was sitting nearby, froze, staring at Zhuo in disbelief.