Yun Tutu booked two tables at a restaurant to treat all the people who had helped out, and after a hearty meal, the four of them drove back to the villa.

“I really hope I get a chance to travel with you someday,” Zhang Yang said as he lounged on the sofa, looking at Yun Tutu with hopeful eyes.

Zhang Yaowen and Chen Yuxi had the same thought, but they were more reserved and didn’t voice it as bluntly.

“There will be chances in the future,” Yun Tutu said, feeling just as ambitious. “I plan to make more trips and level up. You guys don’t know what it’s like to be alone in a strange world. It can be pretty terrifying. It’s the feeling of home that brings you comfort.”

Chen Yuxi, sitting next to Yun Tutu, gently patted her on the shoulder. “You’ve done incredibly well. There’s a reason why you were chosen.”

Despite Yun Tutu’s sometimes brash attitude, she had many admirable qualities. Faced with such extraordinary circumstances, few would handle it with the same composure as she did, let alone think of reporting the situation or remain calm when dealing with piles of gold.

“I think so too,” Yun Tutu said, accepting the praise. “But what worries me is that future transactions won’t be as simple. Take this ancient world, for example. The first time, I was dealing with Liu Ziqi one-on-one. The second time, her mother, the Lady of the Marquis Mansion, got involved. While she isn’t a bad person, she had a clear agenda.

“The third time, the Marquis of Pingyang himself showed up, along with Liu Ziqi’s uncle, who’s apparently a royal merchant. Each time, the stakes get higher. I’m worried about who I might have to deal with next.”

She may have the power to protect herself physically, but mentally, dealing with these cunning people was exhausting. Negotiating with them took a toll, and she constantly had to be wary of getting the short end of the stick.

“That’s a real issue,” Zhang Yaowen said, not underestimating anyone, especially the shrewd people from ancient times. Their tactics and intelligence far exceeded those of people in their modern, comfortable world.

“I’ll put in a request for more training sessions,” he added. “The only solution now is to help you level up faster.”

“I’ll do my best to attend all the classes,” Yun Tutu agreed. She had survived three years of high school—what was a few more years of learning? The more knowledge she gained, the better prepared she’d be for any situation.

It was a relief to see Yun Tutu cooperating. At first, they had worried that she might not take well to the intensive training, so they had only arranged for two teachers. Now, it seemed time to ramp things up.

When Yun Tutu woke up the next day, her world had completely changed. Apart from eating and sleeping, her schedule was packed with lessons.

“…I just wanted to improve a little, not “this” much,” Yun Tutu muttered, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the workload.

A week passed, and Yun Tutu noticed her companions acting a little off, like they had something on their minds but weren’t saying it.

She privately asked Song Song, “What’s going on? It’s been a while since we’ve heard from anyone. Are you slacking off?”

Song Song, who would have rolled its eyes if it had a body, replied, “You think collecting energy is easy? I’ve been working hard on it.”

Yun Tutu glanced at the flickering screen. “It does seem like you’ve been working hard… How many games have you beaten this week?”

There was a brief silence before Song Song’s smug voice returned, “Just one more level, and then I’ll focus on getting us some work. I didn’t want to disturb you while you were busy studying.”

Yun Tutu sighed. “You’re “so” considerate. I should thank you.”

Song Song, not catching the sarcasm, happily replied, “No need for thanks between us. Once I finish this game, I’ll find us some real work, I promise.”

This time, Yun Tutu didn’t walk away like usual. Instead, she pulled up a chair and sat next to Song Song. “By the way, have you heard anything from the Qin Dynasty recently?”

“Qin Dynasty?” Song Song asked, recalling Yun Tutu’s strange behavior last time. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going back there?”

It still remembered how close they had come to disaster during their last trip to the Qin Dynasty.

“I wonder how Emperor Qin is doing now,” Yun Tutu mused. “I’m sure I could bring more resources this time.”

“How would he be doing? Didn’t I tell you that you’ve already altered that timeline? It’s branched off into its own separate dimension now,” Song Song grumbled, still shaken by the experience. It had no intention of revisiting such dangerous periods in history.

“So, even though it’s now a different timeline, it doesn’t affect us, right? Can’t you try to contact them again?” Yun Tutu asked, genuinely curious to see how far Emperor Qin had gone.

“There’s no way to reach them unless they place another request or show a need for assistance. Otherwise, it’s a waste of energy—and I don’t have the power to make that kind of trip right now.”

Yun Tutu latched onto one part of the conversation. “So, you’re saying it might be possible later?”

“Yeah, but it would require extra energy, which you’re saving up for your upgrades, remember?”

Yun Tutu went silent, realizing that it wasn’t worth the cost.

Song Song seized the opportunity to stop engaging with her and went back to its game. Yun Tutu, with nothing left to do, went to her classes, leaving Song Song in peace.

When Yun Tutu walked downstairs with a dejected look on her face, Zhang Yang immediately rushed over. “Why the long face? Did something happen?”

Yun Tutu shook her head. “I just asked Song Song about our next task. It’s been too busy playing games, but it promised to get back to work soon.”

“That’s good news,” Zhang Yang said, rubbing her hands together. “Any idea what the next world will be? Maybe we can prepare ahead of time.”

“There’s only so much space.” Yun Tutu reminded her. “Preparing too much would just be a waste.”

Zhang Yang leaned in and whispered, “I’ve been thinking, what if we added a couple of extra racks to your motorcycle? You know, to carry more supplies.”

Yun Tutu tilted her head, considering the idea. “You mean like a sidecar? Or better yet, how about we add a trailer?”

Zhang Yaowen and Chen Yuxi, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, exchanged glances. “…We’re definitely getting old. Our imagination just can’t keep up with these youngsters.”