The cigarettes were the cheapest kind before the apocalypse, looking wrinkled and crumpled, like the kind that old men and women in the neighborhood used to smoke while playing mahjong before the apocalypse.

The cigarette paper was soaked until it turned yellow, and it looked like it had been rummaged through some nook or cranny.

Lu Sheng's gaze shifted to the middle-aged woman with a protruding belly not far away.

The woman was slender, and her skin appeared somewhat pale due to years of lack of sunlight. Because of her thin limbs, her protruding belly was quite prominent.

Perhaps her overly prominent belly affected her movement; she kept supporting her waist with her right hand, smiling as she busied herself in the kitchen.

"Have you eaten yet? It's better to be lucky than early. Let's have lunch together. I made braised pork rice, it'll be ready soon." Qin Xiaoyue raised her hand and brushed her bangs behind her ear, warmly greeting Lu Sheng and Xu Yi.

A red enamel pot sits on the kitchen stove, simmering over a low flame.

The countertop was spotless, and the bubbling sound of simmering food could be heard intermittently from the pot. An enticing aroma wafted from the half-open kitchen door, filling the entire house with its rich, dark, and flavorful scent.

Judging from Lu Sheng's cooking experience over the past two years, the meat in the pot must be quite fresh to have such a rich meaty aroma.

Meat that has spoiled or been frozen for a long time usually loses a lot of its flavor, and even careful cooking will result in the loss of most of its deliciousness. Qin Xiaoyue and Hu Qiang seem to have a good standard of living, as they can still afford to eat fresh meat.

Lu Sheng and Xu Yi exchanged a glance and silently moved closer without making a sound.

Just then, two muffled thuds came from outside the door.

Hu Qiang immediately stood up nervously and peered out through the glass.

Because the house was originally a supermarket, Hu Qiang's security measures were very meticulous, with protective netting installed outside every window. This protected the couple and allowed them to survive in the apocalypse for two years.

"There seem to be three living people outside?" Hu Qiang turned around in surprise. "What day is it today that I see so many living people all of a sudden?"

Lu Sheng and Xu Yi followed Hu Qiang's gaze and looked outside, finding three young men in Lingfeng Base uniforms. One had blond hair, one was chubby, and the other was a tall, dark-skinned young man.

The three of them ran into two mutated wild dogs at the entrance of the alley, and had just finished disposing of the bodies.

Lu Sheng glanced at the map in the chubby boy's hand. These three people must also be here to search for survivors.

"Sigh, it's not easy to have survived until now."

Hu Qiang sighed, quickly raised the roller shutter door, and whistled outside.

The three people outside immediately noticed the small supermarket hidden in the corner upon hearing the whistle, and excitedly ran over, "Great! We've found a survivor!"

Lu Sheng and Xu Yi had only been in contact with Zhao Mujia and Su Zheng, so the lower-level staff of Lingfeng Base did not recognize them and assumed they were also survivors.

"You're not locals, are you?"

Hu Qiang warmly welcomed the three people into the door and poured them water in paper cups.

"Wow! Bro, you even have bottled water here?" The chubby boy's eyes lit up, and he picked up the cup and chugged it down in one gulp.

They haven't had clean, pure water for almost two years. The daily production of water-based ability users is limited, and priority is given to supplying the base's higher-ups. People like the three of them, who are at the grassroots level, can only get half a bottle of murky filtered water each day.

This small cup of pure water is more precious to them than gold was before the apocalypse!

Hu Qiang laughed heartily, his right hand habitually touching his bald head. "I don't have much else here, but I have plenty of rice, flour, cooking oil, and water. Don't be shy, there's more after you finish drinking."

He was enthusiastic and generous, and Lu Sheng's gaze subtly observed him.

"Brother, most people would hide their things at this time, afraid that someone would come and ask for them. It's rare to see someone as generous as you." The blond guy from Lingfeng Base gulped down his water and said with a bit of shyness.

Two years into the apocalypse, almost everything edible has been eaten up. Those who still have surplus food are the winners in life.

Hu Qiang smiled憨厚ly, "It's not easy for anyone to live. There are zombies outside now, so we living people should help each other. Besides, my wife is pregnant, so doing a good deed is like accumulating good karma for the child."

After drinking water, the three of them excitedly announced to Hu Qiang and Qin Xiaoyue that the Allied Forces had recaptured M City.

"Don't worry, we won't have to live in fear anymore. We'll soon be able to start a new life! Just like before the apocalypse!" the chubby boy excitedly introduced, with even a few tears welling up in his eyes.

They had struggled to survive in this cannibalistic apocalypse for far too long, and now they finally saw a glimmer of hope, their excitement barely contained.

Hu Qiang and Qin Xiaoyue were slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly, "That's wonderful."

Lu Sheng frowned slightly.

These three people were in such a hurry. She had already hinted to them with her eyes not to drink the water, but they ignored her and drank all the water in one gulp.

Hu Qiang chuckled and poured another glass for each of the three men. “It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to a stranger. Anyway, there are no zombies in the city anymore. Have a meal here tonight, rest for the night, and then go back to the base.”

Qin Xiaoyue chimed in from the kitchen, "I made a lot, enough for us to eat together."

“I happen to have a few bottles of good wine here. Let’s celebrate the rebirth of M City together.” Hu Qiang brought out the enamel pot containing braised meat from the kitchen and took out a bottle of fine liquor from the cabinet.

As soon as the lid of the enamel pot was opened, the enticing aroma of meat wafted out.

The aroma of melted fat mingled with the rich scents of soy sauce and fried shallots, instantly filling the air, while the steaming, glistening rice gleamed with an enticing sheen.

The three people from Lingfeng Base were immediately captivated, staring blankly at the enamel pot, unable to look away.

It smells so good, it smells amazing!

The sizzling, oily, marbled pork and the deep red broth were like a strong rope, tightly gripping the reason and nerves of the three people at Lingfeng Base.

"Is this pork?" The chubby boy asked, drool dripping uncontrollably onto his collar.

"Yes, the pure natural black pork I bought before the apocalypse is so delicious."

The other two had their eyes practically popping out of their sockets, but remembering the base's rules, they hesitated and lingered by the table.

Qin Xiaoyue took out a plate of cold radish salad from the refrigerator and said softly, "Don't be shy, you've worked so hard, you deserve to eat something good."

"Well... thank you, sister..."

The chubby boy couldn't wait to pick up his rice and scoop a spoonful of steaming braised pork onto it.

The savory meat sauce soaked into every grain of rice, and the three people from Lingfeng Base immediately began to wolf it down.

Qin Xiaoyue and Hu Qiang looked at the group with smiles, then suddenly turned their gaze to Lu Sheng and Xu Yi.