For the next three days, Lu Wanqing and the young Zhongli Yi hid in the cave, enduring the entire period within its confines, attending to all their needs—eating, drinking, and relieving themselves—all within the cave. They dared not venture out, fearing the presence of more insectoids.
However, for the entirety of these three days, apart from the initial wave, Lu Wanqing never again spotted a sawfish, nor did she encounter any other insectoids. The area seemed to have returned to its previous tranquility, much like when she and Yi first arrived.
Their emotions gradually shifted from initial fear to a subtle descent, and now, Lu Wanqing found herself contemplating, looking down at the light-brain in her hand, whether to activate it and contact Zhongli Feiyu.
Lu Wanqing fell silent for a long time, before finally looking up to consult with the young Yi beside her.
"Yi, should Mommy turn on the light-brain and contact your daddy?" Lu Wanqing asked.
Inside the giant panda mecha, young Yi looked at his mother and, upon hearing her question, nodded eagerly. "Mmm!"
Lu Wanqing still harbored some hesitation. If sawfish were still lurking outside, would activating the light-brain and its electronic emissions attract them?
But…
Hiding like this indefinitely was not a solution.
Although she had brought plenty of supplies, nutrient solutions, and various snacks, even the most abundant food would eventually run out if they continued to endure. If Zhongli Feiyu hadn't arrived by then, what would become of her and Yi?
They needed to contact Zhongli Feiyu and his group as soon as possible and escape.
Lu Wanqing took a deep breath, then suppressed her anxious emotions and carefully powered on the light-brain.
The boot-up was quick, taking only a few seconds before the light-brain illuminated.
She dared not waste any time and quickly found Zhongli Feiyu's contact, initiating a call.
*
Space.
Zhongli Feiyu's light-brain suddenly vibrated. He picked it up, his eyes widening, and quickly accepted the communication.
Lu Wanqing's projection appeared on the spaceship. Judging by the background, it was evident that Lu Wanqing was still inside the mecha. However, her complexion appeared good, suggesting she was unharmed.
"Wanqing," Zhongli Feiyu said urgently, his voice tense. "How are you and Yi? You... those insectoids..."
On the battlefield, Zhongli Feiyu had never known fear. Yet, at this moment, he found his throat trembling, many words stuck in his throat. He was truly afraid. For the past few days, he had been consumed by anxiety, unable to sleep, desperate to locate their position, but despite his best efforts, he still couldn't find any clues!
"We're fine," Lu Wanqing quickly replied.
Lu Wanqing swiftly recounted the incident of the sawfish's arrival and subsequent departure, as well as their three days of hiding in the cave. She assured him they were safe and had not been discovered by the sawfish.
Upon hearing her account, Zhongli Feiyu's mind finally began to calm down.
"Admiral Feiyu, have you... found our direction?" Lu Wanqing asked after a long pause.
Zhongli Feiyu froze, and after a moment, his face darkened as he shook his head. "We can't..."
Previously, when Lu Wanqing had her communication and livestream active, they could at least use the signal to triangulate their general direction.
But for these three days, to avoid the insectoids, he had instructed them to shut down all electronic devices, effectively cutting off all signals. They were now relying on the most primitive methods, deducing their possible galaxy and direction from the space environment Lu Wanqing and Yi had traversed during their earlier livestream, and then searching galaxy by galaxy.
This was a laborious and time-consuming process.
The result was that even now, they hadn't pinpointed their exact location.
Lu Wanqing also fell silent. If they couldn't find them, what then?
"Admiral Feiyu, do you have any information about sawfish? Such as when they are active, when they rest. I recall..."
Lu Wanqing hesitated, then continued, "More than three thousand years ago, sawfish were nocturnal creatures, generally more active at night. I don't know if they are still more inclined to activity at night after three thousand years? Have their living habits changed?"
On the spaceship, Zhongli Feiyu was taken aback by Lu Wanqing's words, his surprise evident. "You know about sawfish?"
Lu Wanqing nodded. "Yes. In our era, sawfish were aquatic animals. When I was a child, I went to an aquarium with my family to see them."
Zhongli Feiyu: "..."
Zhongli Feiyu was silent for a moment, then asked, "Why are you asking these questions?"
Lu Wanqing was also silent, then explained, "Feiyu, although I brought plenty of nutrient solutions and food, these are ultimately limited. For just the two of us, I can't guarantee that this food will last until you find us."
"So you want to venture out to find food during the intervals when the sawfish are inactive?" Zhongli Feiyu furrowed his brow, worried.
Lu Wanqing nodded. "Yes, Yi and I have been in the cave for three days now. The sawfish haven't appeared during these three days, so I don't think they are that frequent. If we can quickly go out and find something to eat, that should be fine."
"That's too dangerous!" Zhongli Feiyu instinctively disagreed.
If the ones trapped on the insectoid planet were soldiers, Zhongli Feiyu would have supported their actions without hesitation. But the individuals involved were Lu Wanqing and young Zhongli Yi—a woman who had never undergone training, and a child of only five. He couldn't bring himself to be at ease!
"You both just stay in the cave and wait for us. I will find your direction as quickly as possible and rescue you," Zhongli Feiyu said in the next moment.
"Zhongli Feiyu!" Lu Wanqing couldn't help but interject, her tone serious. "I know you're worried about us, but we should both be rational. You know it's difficult to pinpoint our location on this insectoid planet, and there's also magnetic interference."
"I can turn on the livestream, just like before. You can arrange for someone to watch through the livestream projection. If there's danger in the distance, tell me immediately, and I can retreat right away," Lu Wanqing suggested.
"That's extremely dangerous!" Zhongli Feiyu's brows knitted tightly, his disapproval evident.
Zhongli Feiyu suddenly felt weary. He looked at Lu Wanqing and said sternly, "Wanqing, please hold on a little longer, you and Yi. Trust us, I will bring people to rescue you as soon as possible."
"Zhongli Feiyu!!!" Lu Wanqing's voice rose in displeasure, calling him by his full name.
"Lu Wanqing, you trust me!" Zhongli Feiyu said in a cold tone.
Lu Wanqing knew it was indeed very dangerous, but... could she truly trust Zhongli Feiyu? Could he really arrive before their food supplies ran out?
"Calculate your remaining food supplies and estimate how long you can last. I will find you!" Zhongli Feiyu said, his voice almost commanding.
Lu Wanqing remained silent for a moment, then after a while, she agreed, "Alright."
She knew venturing outside was perilous, and if not for extreme necessity, she wouldn't consider it. She and Yi both wanted to live, to survive this ordeal and return to the Federation, to continue their peaceful and happy lives.