Chapter 56 Returning to Camp

After listening to Lin Xi's words, the officer understood Lin Xi's concerns and quickly adjusted the deployment.

"Understood." The officer nodded, not pressing the matter. "Then please have your dog maintain cover in the middle of the column, covering our mixed force as much as possible. We'll handle the rearguard action."

He immediately ordered: "First platoon leader, take your men to cover the rear, establish a defensive line, and provide alternating cover! The rest of you, protect the survivors and evacuate in the predetermined order! Be quick, you must be back at camp before dark!"

Once the order was given, the team immediately sprang into action.

The soldiers efficiently organized the survivors into a line, while the superhumans were scattered on both sides and in front of the line to keep watch.

Lin Xi and her boyfriend Yang Fan walked in the middle of the group with the mutated German Shepherd. The German Shepherd, Xiao Bai, quietly unfolded its mental field, forming an invisible barrier that enveloped the group of nearly a hundred people.

The evacuation was tense but orderly. The scattered zombies wandering the streets seemed oblivious to the team so close by, pacing around aimlessly, proving the effectiveness of Xiaobai's abilities.

But everyone held their breath, not daring to make any loud noise, for fear of exceeding the shielding range or alerting the horde of corpses further away.

Ruan Ning's squad and Lei Bao's squad were responsible for flank security. Ruan Ning kept his mental energy constantly projected, alert to any movements around him.

She could clearly sense the range and intensity of Xiaobai's mental energy field. Indeed, as Lin Xi said, the coverage was limited, and maintaining such a large-scale shield seemed to be quite taxing on the dog, whose breathing had become noticeably heavier.

Lin Xi stayed close to Yang Fan, occasionally glancing furtively at the superhumans in the rescue team, especially at Ruan Ning and Lei Bao.

Seeing Ruan Ning's calm and composed demeanor, and comparing it to her own status, which required her to rely on a dog and her boyfriend to maintain, a strange sense of sourness and comparison arose in her heart, and she couldn't help but move closer to Yang Fan.

The team moved silently through the ruins. Occasionally, a lone zombie would wander in from the edge of the shielded area, only to be swiftly and silently dealt with by the soldiers or superhumans ahead.

As darkness fell, everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the lights of the camp's watchtowers became faintly visible in the distance.

The team arrived safely at the camp checkpoint. After a brief check and registration, the survivors were led to a designated temporary settlement area. There, they would undergo more detailed physical examinations and information registration before being assigned temporary shelter and basic survival supplies.

The officer, accompanied by several non-commissioned officers, went to report to his superiors on the rescue operation and the food factory's harvest.

Ruan Ning's team and Lei Bao's team also returned to their respective rest areas.

Before leaving, Ruan Ning noticed that Lin Xi was holding a somewhat tired Xiao Bai and answering questions from the camp staff. Yang Fan stood beside her, while the other female survivors were moved to another area, their gazes towards Lin Xi still complex.

In the dead of night, the camp should have been completely silent except for the crackling of the campfire and the sound of patrolling footsteps.

Ruan Ning leaned back against the SUV, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing, but her keen hearing took in every sound and movement around her. The enhancements a superhuman undergoes are comprehensive, including those to their senses.

Suddenly, a series of suppressed, intermittent groans and gasps, mixed with heavy breathing, faintly drifted from the area where the survivors were temporarily housed. The sound wasn't loud, but in the quiet night, it was clear and somewhat jarring to those with enhanced hearing.

They were the superpowered individuals and women rescued from the supermarket.

In the post-apocalyptic world, resources are exchanged in various forms, and the body is often the easiest bargaining chip for the weak to give up.

Those women, in exchange for more food, clean water, or simply seeking the protection of a strong person, offered themselves in the darkness. And the male superhumans, under the pressure of living hand to mouth, were also happy to vent and obtain in this way, not caring whether the women were willing or not.

Immediately afterwards, several rude, low curses came from the direction where the Thunder Leopard Squad was resting.

"Damn it...it's so noisy..."

"After holding it in for so many days, it's really..."

"Tsk, those people certainly know how to enjoy themselves..."

His tone was full of frustration and a certain aroused, unvented desire.

They were quite capable, and after being on missions for so long, their physical needs naturally arose. However, military discipline was strict, and the abuse of survivors, especially women, was strictly prohibited. Although Lei Bao was arrogant, he didn't dare to openly violate military regulations, and could only vent his frustrations verbally.

Ruan Ning slowly opened her eyes, her gaze unfathomable in the flickering firelight. Her face was expressionless, devoid of disgust, pity, or shame, only a cold, calm stillness.

She understood this transaction. In the face of survival, morality and dignity are often luxuries. Those women chose what they believed would allow them to live, while those men were merely following the most primal desires under the law of the jungle.

She just felt...somewhat pathetic. For this twisted world, and for those who are forced to depend on others, unable even to control their own bodies.

At the same time, this further strengthened her belief—power! Only by mastering absolute power can she escape this involuntary fate and firmly grasp her destiny in her own hands, instead of being like those women who need to please others to earn a living, or like Lin Xi who seems detached but still relies on the protection of dogs and men.

She doesn't need to depend on anyone.

What she wants to be is a strong person whom others look up to, a rule-maker, not a pawn struggling to survive under the rules.

The ambiguous sounds in the distance were like background noise, unable to stir even the slightest ripple in her heart.

She closed her eyes again, focusing more intently on guiding the flow of energy within her body, feeling the violent energy in the crystal core being gradually tamed, absorbed, and transformed into her own power.

Every bit of improvement in her strength brought her one step closer to her goal, one step closer to true "freedom." As for those dark deals and desires, what did they have to do with her?

The night is still long, and her path is destined to be lonely, yet incredibly clear.