The lovers witnessed a group of twenty men dragging a white horse and tying it to a pole. They walked toward the group of men. One man turned around and stared at the lovers.
"Who the fuck are you?" Wastelander Man One asked madly.
"Are you new here? A woman?" Wastelander Man Two chuckled, his gaze lingering on Ping'an.
"We caught it. We eat it. Don't even try to take it away from us," Wastelander Man Three warned, a menacing glint in his eye.
When the lovers approached, they realized that the creature tied to the post was not merely a horse, but a half-woman and half-horse: a Centaur.
"You are going to eat her?" Guo Baiyu asked coldly, his voice tight with controlled anger.
"Yes. Eating Centaur flesh granted immortality," Wastelander Man One bragged, puffing out his chest.
"Ridiculous," Guo Baiyu murmured, a grimace of disgust on his face.
The beautiful young, frightened white female Centaur had both hands tied together. A leash was tied around her neck to the post. Her bleached blond hair was braided from the front to the back. Her skin was pure white. Her eyes were green. She wore a silver crystal white headband on her forehead. She wore a light-yellow dress that fell down to her waist, revealing her equine lower body.
"I have never heard of this absurd theory before, that cannibalism granted immortality," Zhao Renshu laughed, a sharp, cutting sound. "This is a truly pathetic theory."
"Release her," Ping'an demanded, her voice firm and unwavering.
"What did you say, bitch?" Wastelander Man One spat, taking a step forward.
"She said release her, dick," Zhao Renshu replied madly, his eyes blazing.
Twenty people raised their swords, then stood up and walked slowly towards the lovers, surrounding them.
Wastelander Man Two spat on the ground. "When was the last time any of you fucked a woman?"
All the men laughed, a coarse, vulgar sound.
"Let her be our bitch tonight. Ha...ha...ha...ha...ha," Wastelander Man Two leered, his eyes filled with lechery.
"Really?" Zhao Renshu smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye. He turned to Ping'an. "You already have two very handsome husbands. I can't imagine where this ugly face will fit in."
Ping'an, her face calm despite the insult, took out her whip, rushed over, and struck Wastelander Man Two across his right cheek. The whip left a long, bleeding wound.
"Yikes! You are even uglier now," Zhao Renshu mocked, enjoying the sight. "Who wants to be your wife?"
"Bitch!" Wastelander Man Two roared, enraged, and struck towards Ping'an.
Zhao Renshu sent out twenty icicles directly to the group. The first seven men instantly fell, lying dead on the ground. Wastelander Man Two lay badly injured on the ground, clutching his bleeding face.
"Tsk...Tsk...Tsk..." Zhao Renshu smirked, shaking his head. He unsheathed his sword and slowly walked towards the injured man.
"Kill them!" Wastelander Man One shouted, urging his remaining gang members.
The rest of the gang members attacked the lovers. Guo Baiyu fired many arrows, immediately killing the first three men. The rest, terrified, jumped on their horses and escaped.
"Baiyu, if we lose a battle, I forbid you to leave me behind," Zhao Renshu said, shaking his head and sighing. He swung his sword, delivering a fatal blow to the injured man. Then he sheathed his sword.
Ping'an swiftly untied the hands of the Centaur. The female Centaur lowered her head in gratitude. Ping'an loosened the rope loop on her neck and pulled the rope free. The female Centaur took a few cautious steps back.
Ping'an smiled at her, a gentle warmth in her eyes. "Quickly go home."
The female Centaur, relieved and free, immediately took off, galloping away with incredible speed.
"I have heard of these people, but never met one before," Zhao Renshu commented, impressed. "She is very fast and beautiful." He admired the female Centaur.
"Master Zhao had," Guo Baiyu murmured thoughtfully.
Ping'an watched until the female Centaur had galloped a safe distance away, then turned her gaze to the dead Wastelander men scattered on the ground, her face contorted in a look of profound disgust.
"Let's go," Ping'an urged, leading the way.
The lovers left the dead Wastelander men behind, their forms growing smaller in the distance as they advanced along the dirt road. After two hours of relentless travel, the stark, barren landscape they'd been traversing abruptly gave way. Before them lay an open area of tall, swaying grass and a small stream teeming with apple trees—a vibrant contrast to the desolate land they had just left behind.
The stark beauty of the new landscape rendered the lovers utterly speechless. They stared, lost in wonder, at how such a short distance could separate two entirely different worlds. Just moments ago, they had trekked through a desolate land of sand, where nothing grew. Now, they were surrounded by flourishing trees, vibrant wildflowers, the cheerful chirping of birds, and an air so fresh it felt like a complete rebirth for their senses.
"Wow, look at all these apple trees!" Zhao Renshu exclaimed, surprised by the sudden oasis. "Apples, anyone?" Zhao Renshu picked two apples from a tree. He took one bite. "Unbelievable, this apple is very sweet. I am saving some seeds. Once we go home, I will plant it with the peach tree." He continued to pick the apples, delighted.
"Who would have thought that there would be such a place like this outside the wasteland," Guo Baiyu mused, looking around.
Guo Baiyu and Ping'an sat on a small rock.
"Soon our house will be occupied by apple, mango, and peach trees," Ping'an smiled, imagining their future home.
The tall grass made a moving sound, and Guo Baiyu and Ping'an turned around to face the source. Ping'an slowly walked towards the moving tall grass. She carefully parted the grass. There, she saw a white female Centaur lying on the grass. The female Centaur looked scared and tried to stand up, but she could not.
"Are you hurt?" Ping'an asked gently. The female Centaur used her four legs to back up nervously. "Baiyu, come here," Ping'an called out.
Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu ran to Ping'an.
"Baiyu, I think she is hurt," Ping'an said, her voice filled with concern.
Guo Baiyu looked at the female Centaur closely. "She is not hurt. She is birthing."
"Birthing?" Zhao Renshu repeated, his eyes wide with surprise.
Ping'an looked up at Zhao Renshu with a long face, "She is having a baby."
Zhao Renshu became nervous, his composure momentarily faltering. "Huh... Oh my, what are we going to do?"
Ping'an slowly stretched out her hand. "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you." She held Guo Baiyu's hand. "He will help you. He is a doctor. Don't be afraid."
Ping'an slowly moved to the Centaur's head, supporting it gently. "Renshu, go get some water so I can wipe her face," she instructed.
Zhao Renshu ran to the side of the stream, filled his bota canteen with water, and ran back quickly. He poured some water onto Ping'an's hands. Ping'an slowly patted the water onto the face of the female Centaur, who was clearly in a lot of pain.
"Hang in there, just a little bit longer," Ping'an encouraged softly.
The female Centaur screamed in pain, and she grabbed Zhao Renshu's left arm with surprising strength. Every time she was in pain, she would instinctively grip Zhao Renshu's arm. Every time the female Centaur squeezed, Zhao Renshu stopped and held his breath, enduring the intense grip.
Guo Baiyu slowly massaged the female Centaur's abdomen. He saw a child's head emerging. "My lady, give me a hard push," he instructed calmly.
The female Centaur pushed and squeezed Zhao Renshu's arm hard. Zhao Renshu yelped in pain but held firm.
Guo Baiyu saw the two arms and hands emerging. "My lady, when you are ready, give me another push. In two pushes, you will see your child," he encouraged.
The female Centaur was breathing heavily, exhausted.
"Do you hear that?" Ping'an encouraged. "Push twice and you will see your child."
The female Centaur took a big breath and pushed hard.
Guo Baiyu saw the rest of the child emerging. "My lady, push hard again. You did great. Give me the biggest push you can," he urged.
The female Centaur screamed, "Ahhh....." She squeezed Zhao Renshu's arm so hard that Zhao Renshu was also screaming with her in sympathetic pain.
Guo Baiyu gently picked up the child and placed the newborn next to the female Centaur. He smiled. "It's a boy." Guo Baiyu wiped the blood from the child's face.
Zhao Renshu grabbed his Bota Canteen and offered some water to the female Centaur, who gratefully took several sips to quench her thirst.
After carefully wiping the blood and body fluid from the newborn's face, Guo Baiyu stood and walked to the stream to wash his hands before return to the mother and the newborn child.
The female Centaur took out a small piece of white jade and placed it right on the child's forehead. The silver jade immediately turned into a beautiful headband around the child's head. Then the child blinked and shook his head, looking around. The female Centaur held Guo Baiyu's right hand. She kissed his hand, put his hand on her forehead, and nodded at Guo Baiyu in profound gratitude.
"I think she said thank you," Zhao Renshu smiled, watching the exchange.
"I am Ruilin. Thank you for your help. May I know your names?" the female Centaur, Ruilin, said, her voice weak but clear.
"I am Renshu. This is Baiyu," Zhao Renshu said, pointing at Guo Baiyu. "This is Ping'an."
Ruilin said with tears in her eyes, "One life has disappeared, and another life has appeared."
"Lady Ruilin. We set her free," Guo Baiyu clarified.
"What do you mean?" Ruilin asked, confused.
"The young lady of your kin, we set her free," Guo Baiyu explained.
"That's my daughter, Ziyi. Thank you," Ruilin said, tears of relief now joining her tears of pain.
"We told her to go home. Now is your time to go home," Zhao Renshu encouraged.
"You can rest tonight, and tomorrow we will send you two to your home," Guo Baiyu offered. "We will protect you until you two are home safely."
"Savior, please give my child a name," Ruilin pleaded.
"If the father gives the child a name, I think it is the best," Guo Baiyu suggested gently.
"Please give my child a name," Ruilin insisted.
"This kind of opportunity rarely occurs," Ping'an smiled at him, urging him to accept.
Guo Baiyu considered, then said, "Ping'an... Ping... Yuping. How about Yuping? Peaceful in the universe. I hope he can bring peace to this wasteland one day."
"Thank you so much. I like the name," Ruilin said, a gentle smile on her face.
"Mother," Yuping suddenly said, his tiny voice clear.
"He... he... he talks?" Zhao Renshu screamed and freaked out, pointing to Yuping.
Guo Baiyu had a long face and shook his head in exasperation. "If you open Master Zhao's journals at least once and read just a little bit, you will understand why this newly born is able to talk."
Zhao Renshu, embarrassed, muttered, "It's a bit late now, isn't it?"
"Centaur can speak at birth," Guo Baiyu explained patiently. "They learn to speak in the womb. Female Centaurs can only give birth three times in a lifetime, and each pregnancy is ten years long. They can live up to five hundred years old..."
"Wow!... very fascinating!" Zhao Renshu exclaimed, genuinely interested.
"Don't tell me you have never read these books?" Guo Baiyu asked, a hint of accusation.
"Nope. I only study how to craft talismans," Zhao Renshu admitted sheepishly.
"And you call yourself a disciple of Master Zhao?" Guo Baiyu sighed, shaking his head.
"I remember that he once taught me about all living things on the earth, and he never taught me again," Zhao Renshu countered defensively.
Guo Baiyu shook his head. He frowned, "No wonder the chest box was dusty and hidden away under the bed."
"Well, you found it. You read it. If I have questions, you can explain to me. Apple?" Zhao Renshu offered an apple to Guo Baiyu, trying to change the subject.
"Let me go wash myself and change clothes first," Guo Baiyu said, looking at his blood-stained garments.
"Right... You are soaked in blood and sweat," Zhao Renshu agreed, finally noticing.
Guo Baiyu turned to Ruilin. "My lady, it is best if you also wash."
Zhao Renshu began to take off his shirt. "Then everyone should just wash themselves."
Ruilin and Yuping walked to the stream with Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu. Sitting on the bank of the river, Ping'an was calmly washing Guo Baiyu's shirt.
"Come here, Xiao Yuping," Zhao Renshu waved at Yuping. "Sit down, and I will wash your hair for you." Yuping sat down, and Zhao Renshu began to wash his hair.
Ping'an watched the four people in the stream entertain themselves. She realized that there were all kinds of people in this world. In this world, there were both good and evil people. The strongest people had to stand firm; to show the rest of the world that we should not distinguish one clan from another based on its origin or race.
"Ping'an!" Zhao Renshu called out. "The water is perfect. If you wait until sunset, the water will be cold."
Ping'an smiled. "Coming," she replied.