Forests, Fire, and a Vanishing Volcano (Part 1)
Four hours later, Han Yue finally stepped out of the mountain jeep and stretched her arms high above her head. "Ahhh~ What a long journey," she yawned.
During the bumpy ride through rugged terrain, Han Yue had been thinking: Since I'm already deep in the mountains, why not take not just the volcano... but everything around it? The dense forests, the wild fruit trees, the native plants and animals—it was all useful. Her mind raced with possibilities, and a sly grin crept onto her face.
Assistant Chen, who had been quietly observing her from the corner of his eye, sighed inwardly. That expression again... What is she planning this time?
They finally reached the checkpoint at the base of the volcano. To Han Yue's surprise, it was fully manned by their own people—black-clad, masked, and carrying firearms. No locals, no outsiders. Just them.
Her eyes sparkled. "Hehe... That means I can go wild," she muttered, lips curling into a devilish smile.
Assistant Chen narrowed his eyes. His sense of unease grew stronger.
Their team was small but tight-knit: Han Yue, Assistant Liu, Assistant Chen, their driver, and a scout. All five of them loaded into a mountain jeep and began the three-hour climb to the volcano's summit. The route was harsh, winding, and occasionally blocked by fallen trees or rock slides. They stopped often to rest, reroute, or stretch their legs.
Each time Han Yue got out, she wandered around to "survey" the land. In reality, she was using her spiritual powers to scan, map, and absorb chunks of the forested mountain terrain into her Space. Layer by layer, she peeled away the wilderness and placed it precisely in the outer edges of her mountain zone inside the amulet. The first few times took some effort, but once she got the hang of it, she didn't even need to stop walking. Even while the car moved, she silently worked, snatching acres of untouched forestry right under nature's nose.
Soon, vast patches of the mountain looked oddly bald and lifeless—completely stripped down. But no one noticed. It was already dark out.
By the time they neared the volcano, she had harvested a massive area. They parked the jeep near the target zone and paused for a final briefing. Their men were already stationed around the volcano's perimeter, scouting and keeping civilians away. Everyone was armed, masked, and dressed in black. The entire scene looked like a secret military operation.
They discussed waiting until dawn to begin the collection—after all, it was hard to see anything in the pitch-black night. But Han Yue shook her head.
"I can take it now," she said calmly. "Just give me time to concentrate."
They gave her space and moved back, continuing to patrol the surrounding area.
Han Yue stood still. She closed her eyes and activated her spiritual energy, weaving it through the entire volcano—up, down, and into its molten core. She could feel the shape, the density, and even the flow of magma deep inside. Her awareness wrapped around it like a net. Ten long minutes passed as her powers stretched thin, encompassing every grain of ash, every flow of lava.
Then—BAM!
The volcano vanished.
Though it was too dark to see clearly, everyone felt the ground rumble beneath their feet. A low vibration spread from the empty space where the massive volcano once stood. Shock rippled through the team, but they said nothing.
Han Yue stumbled, pale and exhausted. Her breathing was uneven as she took out a small cup of spring water from her Space and sipped slowly.
"Cough... It's done," she said, her voice weak but satisfied. "Let's go."
Immediately, the driver and scout began giving evacuation orders. A disappearing volcano would definitely spark investigations, emergency alerts, maybe even lockdowns. They had to leave Papaya Country by morning.
Assistant Chen and Liu checked on Han Yue's condition and helped her into the jeep. She barely had enough strength to stay awake. As the vehicle drove downhill, she slumped back in her seat and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Chen contacted Secretary Wen via encrypted message:
Volcano collected. Strong seismic reaction detected afterward. Confirmed a deep pit left in place. Proceeding with full evacuation as instructed.
Wen responded swiftly:
Understood. I'll handle the cleanup and diversion. Fly to your next stop immediately.
By the time Han Yue opened her eyes again, she was back on the jet—already landed at their next destination: Coconut Country.
"Eh...? I slept for 12 hours?" she murmured, dazed. Her entire body still felt sore, but strangely... something within her had changed.
Her spiritual powers felt stronger, denser—leveled up somehow.
While Chen and Liu monitored her condition and updated Secretary Wen, Han Yue took a shower on the jet, changed into fresh clothes, and emerged refreshed but very, very hungry.
She pulled out a burger from her Space and munched happily in the car while heading to the local warehouses.
"Don't worry," Assistant Chen assured her, "I've already ordered breakfast to be delivered to the jet. Once we finish up, we'll head back to eat."
Han Yue nodded. "Good. I'm starving. Last night drained me."
After clearing the Coconut Country warehouses, they returned to the jet. Breakfast was ready.
Han Yue ate five portions in one sitting, astonishing Chen and Liu.
They took careful note:
Using too much spiritual energy = huge appetite. Must prepare extra meals next time.
With her stomach full and energy replenished, Han Yue leaned back and rubbed her belly with satisfaction.
Just then, a text came in from Long Yi:
"Are you okay? Don't overexert yourself like that again."
Han Yue smiled. Her heart warmed.
"I'm okay now~ I used up all my power last night and got pale and dizzy, but I'm fully recovered after resting and eating a lot. Don't worry :3"
Long Yi responded almost immediately:
"Good. But be careful. Once you're done with the small islands, I'll join you for the overseas collections where the Shadow Guards are stationed."
Han Yue beamed.
"Okay! I can't wait~"
Forests, Fire, and a Vanishing Volcano (Part 2)
Their next destination was Sushi Island Country, the last stop in Secretary Wen's arranged itinerary. As the jet soared above the clouds, Han Yue received a call—loudspeaker on.
"Miss Han," Secretary Wen's composed voice came through, "this is the last country you'll be visiting for this trip. If you'd like, you can stay there for a short break. The place is rich in seafood, wagyu beef, ramen, snacks, mochi, anime, and more."
Han Yue's eyes sparkled.
"You may take two days off after completing the collection. So finish the mission first… then you can go play. Take Assistant Chen, Liu, the driver, and your guide along."
Han Yue sat primly like a well-behaved child. "Okay~ I'll be good. I'll finish the mission and return in two days."
Click.
The call ended.
And then—
Her innocent face twisted.
A dark shadow cast over her features.
Her lips curled into a grin.
"…Heheheheheheheheheheheheh…"
Assistant Chen and Assistant Liu, seated beside her, broke into a cold sweat.
"…She's doing it again," Chen muttered under his breath, expression blank.
Liu trembled. "I want to go home..."
Both of them stared at Han Yue—who had returned to scrolling her phone like nothing happened. She looked peaceful. Almost cute. But the evil laughter still echoed in their minds. It was exhausting.
They were mentally drained.
They missed the calm days of boring fieldwork.
While flying toward Sushi Island Country—just a three-hour trip—Han Yue idly checked trending news.
And then—
BAM.
Her eyes widened.
All over international media, a single bizarre headline was dominating:
"MYSTERIOUS EVENT IN PAPAYA COUNTRY—A VOLCANO HAS GONE MISSING!"
Footage flooded the newsfeeds. The volcano she had claimed the night before was gone. In its place? A massive sinkhole surrounded by bald, barren mountain paths and forests stripped clean.
The report showed aerial footage—formerly lush and green terrain now resembled a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Reporters shouted over the footage:
"Officials are baffled—was it an earthquake? A sinkhole? Sabotage?"
"Satellite imaging shows forestry missing across several kilometers. Locals say they saw nothing—no explosions, no weather events."
"The volcano... simply vanished."
Online, netizens exploded:
"ALIENS STOLE THE VOLCANO!!!"
"ALIENS EXIST! THIS IS PROOF!!"
"THE END IS NEAR—THE EARTH IS RETALIATING!"
"WHO STOLE THE VOLCANO!?!?"
The story was trending #1 on Weibo, Twitter X, TikTok, and every major outlet.
Han Yue gasped exaggeratedly.
"OH. MY. GOD. ALIENS stole the volcano!?"
She even clapped her hands in mock shock, as if she weren't literally the one responsible.
Chen's eye twitched.
…So that's why I had such a bad feeling.
He finally connected the dots.
Not only had she taken the volcano...
She had secretly absorbed the forest, the mountain layers, the vegetation—everything.
"…I'm done. I'm mentally done," Chen said flatly, lying back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Let me off this jet. I want to live a quiet life."
Meanwhile, Assistant Liu was busy reporting the news to Secretary Wen.
"I believe Miss Han not only took the volcano, but also the surrounding forest terrain," he explained with a tired but professional tone. "It's all bald now. Completely stripped."
Secretary Wen paused on the other end.
"…She didn't touch it directly?"
"No. We never saw her leave the car except to 'stretch.' She must've absorbed it from a distance."
"…Her powers have evolved," Secretary Wen muttered, eyebrows furrowing. "I'll inform Long Yi."
Back on the jet, Han Yue had grown bored of the online panic.
She pulled out a sheet of paper and drew a lopsided, horribly ugly alien with a huge head and tiny limbs.
Then she scribbled:
"hello human
i alien
beep boop beep
i love volcanos
beep boop"
She colored it lime green, took a picture of it, laughed to herself for a full minute, and posted it on her Weibo with the caption:
"The culprit has spoken ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)"
Then she closed her phone and leaned back in her seat, smiling innocently.
The jet continued on toward Sushi Island.
Part 3
Just when everyone thought they could finally breathe, Han Yue suddenly sat up straight on the jet and called Assistant Chen and Liu to an "important meeting" for her upcoming two-day vacation.
The two assistants, who were barely clinging to life after days of non-stop work and chaos, jolted upright at her sudden seriousness.
"Meeting? Important? Vacation?" They were terrified.
Han Yue, with eyes sparkling like a scheming villain, announced solemnly, "In the novels I've read, the male or female protagonists always raid foreign temples and steal all the relics from Museums like they're some kind of righteous heroes!"
She slapped the table lightly. "I want to do it too!"
Chen and Liu blinked.
Han Yue continued passionately, "Since I've already experienced the joy of hoarding wholesale markets and takeouts… it's time to experience Zero Yuan Shopping! We'll raid the biggest malls, loot the museums, and—of course—bomb a few shrines while we're at it!"
Her enthusiasm was overwhelming as she referenced dozens of end-of-the-world and system novels with wide eyes and a crazed smile. Chen and Liu stared blankly, speechless.
Then Chen pulled out his phone with trembling hands and immediately reported to Secretary Wen.
Han Yue, shocked by their betrayal, pouted. "Omg! It was supposed to be a surprise! It's our vacation!!!"
On the other end, Secretary Wen went silent, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed deeply. This girl… First she makes a mountain bald, and now she wants to bomb temples and loot malls?
Still, he remained professional and replied calmly, "Understood. I'll contact our people in Sushi Island Country. We'll investigate large malls for you to zero-shop at—would five malls be enough? As for relics and museums, I'll have scouts look into them. And if you're set on bombing shrines, we'll prepare the materials for you to install them personally. Would that be satisfactory, Miss Han Yue?"
Han Yue grinned from ear to ear and clapped her hands. "YES! Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Secretary Wen~!"
After the call ended, Han Yue looked absolutely thrilled. She was already mentally preparing her shopping bags and bomb installation outfit.
As for Chen and Liu?
They sighed in despair and began working on the new "vacation" itinerary—which now included five malls to be looted, two museums to be emptied, and three temples marked for "liberation."
Their once-normal lives? Gone.
Their sanity?
On life support.