Chu Lian's lips parted from Inori's. Seeing the stunned looks on the girls' faces, she was just about to explain when the enormous zombie she had shot earlier—but not completely destroyed—let out a furious roar. Raising one massive arm, it charged straight toward her.
"Really? You pick now to attack?" Chu Lian sighed helplessly, but she knew it wasn't the time for explanations. As the monster barreled forward, a spark of excitement flickered in her eyes. She planted her feet firmly, drew back her delicate fist, and met the zombie's incoming iron fist head-on.
Boom! The impact resounded like thunder. To everyone's disbelief, the giant zombie's massive body was sent flying backward from Chu Lian's punch. It plowed through waves of lesser zombies before finally crashing to the ground dozens of meters away.
"Wha—what... Big Sis, since when were you this strong?!" Chu Chu gaped in shock. She had always known Chu Lian was powerful—but this was absurd. That colossal creature's charge must have carried several tons of force, yet Chu Lian had sent it flying with a single punch. It was downright impossible.
And yet, there she stood, her graceful figure radiant with divine might—like a true Valkyrie of the battlefield, commanding awe from all who beheld her.
"Wait... did Big Sis get possessed by Saitama-sensei or something?" Chu Chu blurted out. This world also had One Punch Man, and since it had been released even earlier than in her previous world, the reference made perfect sense. Chu Lian's current display was practically that of another Saitama.
"No, nothing like that," Chu Lian replied with a faint smile. "I just went through a few... unusual experiences, that's all." The irritation she'd felt earlier had vanished, released entirely through that single punch. The zombie wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. For now, there were more pressing matters—like calming down a certain troublesome little girl.
"Mommy, why aren't you looking at Anna? Did Anna make you mad?" came the soft, teary voice beside her. Chu Lian turned and froze. Oh no—this little one was about to cry. If she started bawling now, explaining things later would be even harder.
Quickly, Chu Lian let go of Inori's hand, crouched down, and kissed Anna lightly on the cheek. "Of course not! How could I ever dislike Anna? You're so adorable—I could never ignore you."
"Then Mommy, hug me," Anna said, her tears instantly vanishing as she reached her small arms toward her.
"Alright, alright. Come here." Chu Lian sighed helplessly and scooped the little girl into her arms. Calming her down was far more terrifying a challenge than fighting ten of those giant zombies.
Nestled happily in Chu Lian's embrace, Anna's pout disappeared. Instead, she subtly tilted her head and gave a smug little grin toward Inori and the others.
"Is... is she challenging me?" Inori muttered, torn between laughter and disbelief. The child who called Chu Lian Mommy was ridiculously childish—this kind of behavior only belonged to a four- or five-year-old.
"I suddenly feel like punching her," Chu Chu whispered, her face blank as she turned toward Li Xiu'er and Liu Yanran.
"Calm down, Chu Chu," Li Xiu'er said, quickly grabbing her friend's hand. "You saw how carefully Chu Lian treats her. That child's origin clearly isn't simple." Even as she said that, her gaze lingered on Anna, unable to fully understand why the girl seemed to be provoking them.
"I don't know," Liu Yanran said with a soft laugh, covering her mouth. "But I think life's about to get a lot more entertaining."
"What are you girls whispering about?" A moment later, Chu Lian approached, holding Anna by the hand. Seeing their awkward expressions, she tilted her head curiously.
"Nothing! Big Sis, let's head inside first—the zombies out here are too many," Chu Chu said quickly. She wanted to comment on the earlier scene but wisely decided against it.
"They can try getting in if they want," Chu Lian replied with a smirk. She glanced around and released her aura completely. Spiritual power surged outward like a tidal wave, blanketing the area. The surrounding zombies froze, unable to take another step forward.
At this point, she truly had the strength to stand above this battlefield. After all, the most powerful creature here was now nothing more than the pet of the little girl at her side. There was nothing left that could threaten her.
Chu Lian had already been secretly observing the girls' progress earlier—otherwise, she wouldn't have appeared so precisely at the moment Inori was in danger.
Now that her goal had been achieved, there was no need to push them any further. The girls were utterly exhausted. Fortunately, the coming battle wouldn't require their participation. In their current state, joining the fight would only make them a burden.
Watching their weary expressions and the way some of them looked ready to collapse, Chu Lian's heart ached. They had indeed grown stronger—but wasn't it all happening too quickly, too harshly? Yet she never considered that everything she herself had endured was far crueler still.
She understood Chu Chu's heart well. Having to watch her elder sister face powerful foes alone again and again—while she herself could only stand by as someone who needed protecting—must have been painful beyond words. If not for the current "school trip," Chu Lian was sure that Chu Chu would have already left to train alone, returning only once she felt strong enough to be of help.
Liu Yanran, on the other hand, had once experienced death itself—her heart torn from her chest. After reincarnating, she hadn't even had time to rest before being thrown into this zombie apocalypse, fighting for over two hours straight. To believe she wasn't tired would have been absurd. And yet, this quiet, gentle girl had never once complained, choosing instead to adapt and persevere. That resilience had fueled her astonishing growth.
As for Li Xiu'er, Chu Lian already knew her story. If Ayase hadn't intervened at the last moment to pull her back from the brink of death, she would never have reached this level—she'd either have perished in the zombie tide or fallen long before. The shy girl now showed more courage than ever before—perhaps her truest, most precious nature. But still... wasn't it all happening too fast?
These thoughts swirled in Chu Lian's mind, but she voiced none of them. There was no need to burden them with her worries.
Finally, she turned toward Ruriko Nana and Lux Lyle and gave a small nod. "It seems you've started to truly fit in with everyone. Keep working hard—your efforts will be rewarded. Remember this: only when you pay an equal price can you receive a fair exchange."
The two girls instantly understood. Tears welled up in their eyes, their hands rising to cover their faces as silent sobs escaped them.
Yes—they had finally earned her acknowledgment. That meant she had agreed to help them break the curse that had haunted their family for generations—to complete the mission they had carried all their lives. Freedom was finally within reach.
Though Chu Lian had mentioned it before, they had never known when she would act. But this time, her words carried the weight of a promise.
Seeing them cry, Chu Lian's heart softened. They had already sacrificed so much. Had she not deliberately made things difficult, they wouldn't have suffered nearly as much.
During this brief moment of calm, Anna, surprisingly, caused no commotion. She didn't speak either—she merely held Chu Lian's hand gently and watched the other girls' faces with quiet curiosity.
Just as Chu Lian turned to say something, a massive tiger—over two meters tall—suddenly leapt toward her. Midair, it shrank, transforming into a small cat barely fifteen centimeters long. It landed softly on her shoulder like a falling leaf, stretched lazily, and promptly fell asleep.
This time, Chu Lian could clearly hear its voice in her mind: "Flat-chested Master, I'm tired. I'll take a nap now. Don't expect me to help in the next battle."
"Flat-chested Master," huh? Chu Lian couldn't help but laugh softly. She didn't mind Tina's teasing—it had clearly exhausted itself. Letting it rest was the least she could do. She gently patted the little spirit cat's head, and when it settled into slumber, she withdrew her hand.
Then, holding Anna by the hand, she stepped forward and said to the girls, "This is Anna Shiva Relus Tírnas, the daughter of a mighty being. As for how powerful her parent is... let's just say they could easily destroy our entire world."
"Mommy, aren't you my mommy? Why are you saying I'm that scary person's daughter?" Anna's teary eyes looked up at her accusingly. Then, without warning, she bit down gently on Chu Lian's hand—her own little protest against being "disowned."
"Ahem... yes, she's my daughter," Chu Lian said at last. With that, the girls finally understood what was going on. The little girl named Anna Shiva Relus Tírnas was the daughter of that godlike being—and Chu Lian was the one chosen to care for her.
"She's unable to look after her personally, so I'm taking her place," Chu Lian explained. "For certain reasons, Anna's mind is currently that of a four- or five-year-old child. She'll need time to mature, so please forgive her if she acts a bit spoiled." As she spoke, she looked down at the small girl—barely twenty centimeters shorter than herself—with a gentle smile of affection that carried a warmth she'd never shown before. It was the unmistakable smile of a mother.
"Big Sis wouldn't actually treat her like a real daughter, would she? She might look sweet now, but I've got a feeling she's going to be a handful," Chu Chu whispered, covering her mouth as she leaned toward Li Xiu'er.
"I don't know," Li Xiu'er replied softly. "But honestly, I think it's a good thing. Having someone to care for will make Chu Lian more cautious with herself. She won't throw her life away so easily anymore."
Her words reached the nearby Liu Yanran and Chu Chu, who both paused to think—and then nodded. It was true. Chu Lian had always been reckless with her own safety. But now that she had someone depending on her, she might finally learn to cherish her own life.
Chu Lian, of course, heard every word—but she chose not to respond, merely rolling her eyes good-naturedly before continuing, "These zombies came from a planet called Tyrael—a realm that could be called a paradise for the dead. Almost all life there has perished. Only the undead remain active. Right now, that world is in the midst of a war that has lasted for decades—and it's reaching its climax." She didn't go into too much detail; the others could grasp enough from her tone.
"As for that monster—I've already taken care of it. Without their leader, these zombies will soon lose direction. And very soon, this place will become completely cut off from the outside world. We have to break through before that happens, or we'll be stuck living here with them forever."
Her words lit a spark of hope in the girls' eyes. Finally—they could leave.
But just as relief began to spread, a series of thunderous crashes echoed across the battlefield, interrupting Chu Lian mid-sentence. The defensive field she had deployed trembled under the force of the impact. She turned sharply, eyes narrowing.
"How interesting," she murmured, her lips curving into a faint, dangerous smile.