Chapter 219
“Quick, open it and take a look!”
Tang Sheng couldn’t see the drifting bottle his wife mentioned, so he urged her to open it quickly.
He had counted—eighteen days had passed since they last received a message from their son.
An An had never been away from them for so long. Even though they knew he was safe, thriving in another world, Tang Sheng couldn’t help but worry.
“Alright!”
Tang Xueyun quickly removed the cork, and soon, she heard her son’s familiar yet slightly unfamiliar voice.
Thinking about how An An had been in the other world for over two years now—his voice had even changed due to growing up—Tang Xueyun couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
Who knew how long it would be before they could see each other again…
“Mom, this time, besides supplies, we also placed a magical tent inside the spatial bag. This tent is incredible—inside, it’s actually a small house. You can eat, sleep, and bathe in it.”
“Other than people related to me by blood, no one else can enter. To outsiders, it will look like an ordinary tent.”
“There is also a magical core inside the tent, called Hei Tuantuan…”
Tang Yu’an’s words immediately caught her attention, making her temporarily forget her sadness.
A magical tent?
She listened in disbelief as her son explained, then carefully took out the light-brain and spatial bag from the drifting bottle.
“This is a solar-powered light-brain that can be used as a power bank.” Tang Xueyun picked up a golden brooch and transformed it into the small spherical form of a light-brain.
Hearing this, Tang Sheng couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“Perfect timing. My light-brain’s battery is almost dead, and I was wondering where to find a power source.”
Tang Xueyun nodded.
To last eighteen days without shutting down, this light-brain from another world was impressively durable.
Without saying more, she quickly opened the spatial bag and immediately saw the magical tent placed on top.
She tried to take it out but found that it was stuck.
“Sheng, help me out here.”
“You want to take the tent out?”
Tang Sheng was a little puzzled. While staying in a tent would increase concealment, it was really inconvenient for escaping…
However, he didn’t say much and helped move out the supplies that were tightly packed inside the spatial bag.
Once there was enough space, Tang Xueyun successfully pulled out the seemingly ordinary black tent.
She was about to set it up when Tang Sheng took over.
Soon, the tent was set up—it wasn’t very big and looked like it could barely fit two people.
Tang Xueyun recalled what her son had told her and couldn’t wait to lift the tent flap and crawl inside.
Her vision suddenly expanded, and she found herself inside a cozy wooden house filled with supplies.
Tang Xueyun froze.
For someone raised with a scientific education, this was simply too much to take in. She instinctively backed out of the tent.
Looking at the small, delicate tent from the outside, she couldn’t understand how it could contain an entire house.
“A’Yun?” Tang Sheng looked at her in confusion.
“This is a magical tent that An An sent us. The space inside is huge—come inside and see for yourself.” Tang Xueyun explained.
“Magic really exists?”
Tang Yuxin’s eyes lit up, and she was the first to lift the tent flap and crawl inside. Tang Xueyun picked up the drifting bottle and followed her daughter inside.
Tang Sheng was curious but held back from entering right away.
Instead, he repacked the supplies into the spatial bag, ensuring nothing was left behind and that there were no mutant creatures lurking nearby. Only then did he lift the tent flap and step inside.
When he saw the interior, he instinctively backed out just like Tang Xueyun had.
The space inside felt even bigger than the grocery store he used to run!
And it was entirely different from the feeling of a spatial bag—the inside was beautifully decorated with a roof, walls, wooden flooring… and exquisite furniture!
Tang Sheng took a deep breath and entered the tent again.
A warm, refreshing atmosphere enveloped him, and for the first time in over three months, his tightly wound nerves finally relaxed.
[Welcome to Tang Yu’an’s Magical Tent.]
A small black sphere flew toward him, carrying a whiteboard underneath it. A pen rapidly scribbled words on the board.
If Tang Sheng wasn’t mistaken, this was his son’s toy—a whiteboard where the writing disappeared instantly when wiped, ready to be used again.
“Hello.” He looked at the small black sphere, wondering if it was a magical creature.
The raised part of the whiteboard slid automatically, erasing the previous words before the pen started writing again.
[I am the magical core Hei Tuantuan, sent by my master to take care of you.]
[Welcome, master’s father!]
It was a long sentence—the pen seemed to be writing so fast it could spark flames on the board.
“Thank you.” Tang Sheng said.
The pen wrote again: [You’re welcome!]
[Master’s father, what do you need? I can prepare food, bathing water, and even do laundry for you.]
Another long sentence, written even faster this time.
“Thank you, I’ll let you know when I need something.” Tang Sheng replied.
[Okay!]
With just those two simple words left on the board, Tang Sheng let out a breath of relief.
Tang Xueyun was also exhausted, but like Tang Sheng, she didn’t rush to rest after entering the tent.
After exploring the wooden house, she plugged in her light-brain to charge and then waved at Tang Sheng to join her in watching the recordings from Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
Tang Sheng carefully stepped over the scattered supplies and sat beside his wife and daughter.
Soon, the 3D images of the two teenagers appeared before them.
With Tang Yu’an’s detailed explanation, the family of three finally understood the true function of the magical tent.
Not only could it provide a temporary place to rest, but also…
“Mom, if we stay inside the tent, does that mean we don’t have to worry about those monsters?” Tang Yuxin asked.
Before Tang Xueyun could respond, the small black sphere flew over.
The magnetic pen scribbled on the whiteboard so quickly that it almost left afterimages.
[Master’s sister, the magical tent not only has an interior-exterior spatial difference, but it can also switch to disguise mode!]
“Just call me Yuxin or Xinxin.” Tang Yuxin said.
[Okay, Xinxin!]
“Disguise mode?”
Tang Sheng and Tang Xueyun exchanged glances, seeing the excitement in each other’s eyes.
Tang Xueyun thought for a moment and said, “Xinxin, let’s step outside. You tell Hei Tuantuan to switch to disguise mode, and we’ll check the effect.”
“Okay, Mom.” Tang Yuxin nodded.
Tang Sheng and Tang Xueyun carefully stepped over the supplies and crawled out of the tent.
They stood in front of the tent, intending to use their light-brains to contact Yuxin. But before they could, the tent suddenly popped!
The originally upright tent collapsed in an instant, folding up on its own. The tent fabric rapidly became tattered and torn.
Tang Xueyun and Tang Sheng were startled.
Their daughter was still inside!
The collapsed tent looked completely deflated, showing no sign of anything being inside.
Tang Xueyun quickly lifted the fabric, and when she peered inside, she once again saw the cozy wooden house with Yuxin standing unharmed.
Seeing her mother, Tang Yuxin eagerly asked, “Mom, how is it?”
“Amazing… truly amazing.” Tang Xueyun stammered.
The small black sphere on Yuxin’s shoulder bounced happily, looking very proud.
“A’Yun, get in quickly!” Tang Sheng urged.
Tang Xueyun didn’t hesitate and crawled back inside, followed closely by Tang Sheng.
From inside the tent, outside noises were muffled. Tang Sheng didn’t dare lift the flap to peek out—he had seen a dark shadow pass by earlier, likely a mutant creature…
As the hot water washed over her, she felt her entire body and mind relax. It had been such a long time since she had felt this comfortable.
She shampooed her hair and scrubbed her body two or three times before finally feeling clean.
After changing into the clothes prepared by the magic core, she stepped out of the bathroom feeling fresh. Tang Sheng, unable to wait any longer, immediately went in.
Tang Yuxin had already fallen asleep on the sofa, hugging a pillow.
Tang Xueyun gently stroked her daughter’s cheek, then carefully picked her up and, following the magic core’s guidance, carried her to a bed on the second floor.
As soon as she lay down, Tang Yuxin instinctively pulled the blanket over herself and snuggled into it.
Only those who had struggled to survive for over three months in the apocalypse could truly understand how precious and comforting this moment of peace was.
Tang Xueyun turned on her light-brain device, letting it hover and record the scene, capturing this moment of happiness.
“An An, did you and Zhou Qi stay in this magic tent before?”
Though she was speaking to the light-brain, the small black sphere had already started writing on the whiteboard.
[Yes, my master stayed here for a while. My name was also given by him.]
[Master also raised a kitten and three puppies.]
[The kitten was very lively and liked playing with me…]
Tang Xueyun patiently read through the little black sphere’s writing, imagining Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi living and resting in the tent.
Her longing for her son eased slightly at that moment.
When Tang Sheng finished his shower and came upstairs to find them, Tang Xueyun had already fallen asleep on the bed.
The floating light-brain was still recording.
Tang Sheng tucked the blankets around them, then carefully took the light-brain device and tiptoed downstairs to the sofa, where he finally faced the camera with a smile.
“An An, Zhou Qi.”
The moment he called their names, his eyes welled up with tears.
Tang Sheng wiped his face with his hand and took a deep breath. “You two are such good kids. Even in a difficult, foreign world, you still think about us…”
“This magic tent… now that we have it, what about you two?”
Just as he finished speaking, the small black sphere floated beside him and started writing again.
[Don’t worry, the masters have another place to stay.]
“Is it another magic tent?” Tang Sheng asked.
The pen hesitated for a moment before continuing to write.
[I’m not sure. The masters rarely come to see me.]
Tang Sheng stared at those words. Although the small black sphere had no facial features and looked nothing like a living being, he could somehow sense emotion in its response.
He reached out and patted the small black sphere. “Thank you for taking care of them. Do you feel lonely being here by yourself?”
The small black sphere didn’t reply but instead rubbed against his fingers.
Then, it continued writing:
[Master’s dad, do you need me to prepare food for you?]
Seeing how much effort it took for the sphere to write, Tang Sheng said, “Just call me Dad, like Xinxin does.”
That way, it could save a few words.
[Okay, Dad.]
Tang Sheng had just eaten and wasn’t hungry, so he declined the offer from the magic core and continued recording.
“An An, your mom and I have both awakened abilities now. And with this shelter, you don’t have to worry about us anymore.”
Speaking in a serious tone, he continued, “Keep the good things for yourselves. Don’t send everything to us.”
“And if you ever need anything, or if you run into any trouble, just let us know. Your mom and I will figure out a way to help you.”
Thinking about how his two children, still in their teens, had to survive in a completely foreign world with no adults by their side, Tang Sheng couldn’t help but feel both worried and heartbroken.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions so his children wouldn’t see his concern. “Tell us more about what’s been happening to you over there.”
Tang Sheng chatted with his son for a while before finally starting to organize the supplies that Tang Yu’an had sent over.
He didn’t stop the recording because he wanted his son to see his genuine happiness while receiving the supplies.
At first, he had planned to exaggerate his reaction a bit, but as he continued sorting through the goods, he was completely stunned by the sheer quantity and variety of what had been sent.
Gathering all these supplies must have cost a fortune. Had his son really become this wealthy in just two years?
Soon, he discovered the reinforced armor, sharp claw gloves, and the floating scythe.
Tang Yu’an had even recorded a demonstration video for them.
Following the numbered files, Tang Sheng pulled up the footage on the light-brain and watched as Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi demonstrated how to use the gear. His eyes lit up with excitement.
Even though he hadn’t faced mutated creatures in combat yet, he felt confident that these tools would be enough to handle the weaker ones.
Besides, having them was certainly better than having nothing.
He hung the three sets of armor and claw gloves by the door. As for the floating scythe, even though he was eager to try it out, he decided to hold back since the space inside the shelter was too limited.
The magic core assured him that if he needed anything, he just had to ask. It even provided a list of available items, promising to retrieve anything for him instantly.
Although Tang Sheng praised the magic core, he still insisted on personally checking all the supplies.
The process of sorting through the resources filled him with immense satisfaction. Thinking back on the past three months of struggle, he felt as if he had finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel.
Most importantly, they now had a safe haven.
The fire crackling in the fireplace filled the room with warmth, isolating them from the dangers and horrors of the apocalypse outside. For a moment, it felt like they were in a dream.
When Tang Xueyun woke up, she briefly wondered if she was still dreaming.
She had slept so deeply—something she hadn’t done in a long time. When she finally opened her eyes, she was momentarily dazed.
Instinctively, she sat up, ready to flee with her daughter, until she finally recognized her surroundings and remembered everything from the night before.
That’s right. They were safe now. They didn’t have to run anymore.
The aroma of food drifted up from downstairs, making Tang Xueyun’s stomach growl.
Footsteps echoed up the stairs, and soon, Tang Yuxin appeared at the top, beaming with excitement.
Seeing her mom awake, the little girl happily ran over and threw herself into her arms. “Mom! Come downstairs and eat! Dad made so much delicious food!”
When Tang Xueyun came downstairs, she saw that Tang Sheng had already prepared a table full of delicious dishes.
Braised beef with potatoes, curry chicken, red date and lotus seed soup, stir-fried greens… And most importantly, three bowls of steaming white rice!
“It’s been so long since I’ve had a hot meal,” Tang Yuxin said.
“You and your brother both don’t like eating plain rice,” Tang Xueyun teased, ruffling her daughter’s hair.
“I like it now!”
After going hungry for so many days, anything tasted delicious.
Tang Xueyun gently touched her daughter’s thin cheeks, her heart aching. “Eat up, make sure to get your nutrition back.”
“Yes, you’re still growing, so eat more,” Tang Sheng said as he placed meat and vegetables onto their plates.
The vegetables and potatoes were fresh, while the meat came from canned food. Although the texture wasn’t great, in an apocalypse where resources were scarce, just having meat at all was already a luxury.
The three of them sat around the table, enjoying a rare, hearty meal together.
“If only Brother and Brother Qi were here too,” Tang Yuxin suddenly said. “I miss them so much.”
Tang Sheng and Tang Xueyun both froze for a moment.
Then, swallowing their emotions, they gently said, “After dinner, you can use the light-brain to talk to them more. They can hear you.”
“Okay!” Tang Yuxin nodded eagerly.
After finishing their meal, Tang Yuxin cuddled the light-brain and chatted with her two brothers, while Tang Sheng and Tang Xueyun suddenly found themselves with nothing to do.
“I’ll go take a look outside,” Tang Sheng said. “I wonder how much damage those two mutated creatures did out there.”
Tang Xueyun grabbed his arm. “Now that we have the magic tent as a safe house, we don’t need to take unnecessary risks.”
Though she said this, Tang Sheng had his own thoughts.
“We can’t just stay inside forever and live here for the rest of our lives, can we?”
Supplies would eventually run out. Were they supposed to rely on An An to take care of them forever? As a father, Tang Sheng couldn’t accept that.
“We need to figure out a way to survive on our own,” he said seriously.
Tang Xueyun agreed with him, but she didn’t think there was any need to rush. “Let’s take a few days to rest first and then plan.”
Over the past three months, not only had she and their daughter lost a lot of weight, but Tang Sheng, who used to be a strong and sturdy man, had also become gaunt and unrecognizable.
They were all too exhausted and worn out. They needed time to recover.
Tang Sheng nodded but still lifted the curtain slightly to peek outside. A moment later, his expression turned serious as he lowered it again.
“What’s wrong?” Tang Xueyun asked.
“There’s a mutated creature outside. It doesn’t seem to be leaving,” Tang Sheng said. “It probably devoured another mutant and is staying here to digest.”
In this situation, they really couldn’t leave even if they wanted to.
Tang Sheng sighed. “Alright, we’ll do it your way. Let’s rest here for now and stay put.”
Tang Xueyun smiled and nodded.
While Tang Sheng continued sorting through their supplies and preparing to grow some vegetables, she had the magic core retrieve some yarn and sat on the sofa to knit a sweater.
From the video, she could see that An An and Xiao Qi’s clothes were very thin. They had grown a lot, and their old clothes probably didn’t fit anymore.
So, she decided to make some clothes to send to them next time.
After finishing her conversation with her brothers, Tang Yuxin came over to help as well.
Tang Xueyun placed the light-brain into a floating message bottle, along with a space bag—since they already had one and were staying in the magic tent, they didn’t need an extra for now.
She sealed the bottle, whispered a few words to it, and watched as it vanished.
At that moment, she saw her daughter pick up a ball of yarn, smiling brightly. “I’ll knit a hat for Brother!”
Would her brother send her something fun in return when he received it?
