Chapter 58 Departure

As dusk settled, the campfire in the camp crackled and burned.

Ruan Ning slowly opened her eyes, a deep blue light and a faint purple hue seemed to flow within them before disappearing.

She successfully broke through, and both her water-based and mental abilities were stabilized at the advanced level of the second tier.

Relying entirely on her own willpower and precise control over energy, she withstood the violent energy impact of the mutated spider crystal core. At this moment, she felt the energy surging within her body, and her perception and control of water and spirit reached a new level.

She had just finished meditating when she noticed several figures hesitating not far away. They were the women she had rescued from the supermarket. They were shoving each other, and finally, one of the bolder women was pushed forward, cautiously approaching Ruan Ning's SUV.

“Um… Miss Ruan… Miss Ruan Ning?” The woman’s voice was weak, filled with flattery and fear. “We heard… you are a water-based ability user… We… we would like to ask for some water, just a little bit… just to wash our faces…”

They looked even more haggard than yesterday, their hair greasy and matted, their faces stained with dirt and sweat, and their clothes emitting an indescribable odor. Clean water was a scarce resource at the camp; the daily rations for ordinary people were barely enough to sustain basic drinking, let alone for hygiene.

Seeing their cautious, almost humble demeanor, Ruan Ning's icy heart was unusually stirred.

She seemed to see herself in her past life—an ordinary woman who hadn't awakened any special abilities, was unwilling to sell her body, and could only hone her skills by being more ruthless and desperate than others, serving as a scout and cannon fodder in the team to draw fire.

She had once humbled herself before those high and mighty superhumans for half a bottle of clean water.

After a moment of silence, amidst the increasingly desperate gazes of the women, Ruan Ning reached out her hand. She didn't take any container, but simply opened her palm, and with a slight thought, activated the water-based supernatural power that had just stabilized within her.

The thin water vapor in the air quickly gathered above her palm, condensing into a clear, gently flowing water ball, about the size of a basketball.

"That's all." Ruan Ning's voice remained calm, revealing no emotion. She manipulated the water sphere, slowly floating it towards the women. "Go get some containers to collect it!"

The women were stunned at first, then their faces lit up with unbelievable joy! They hurriedly went back to get water bottles and basins to fill with water.

"Thank you! Thank you, Miss Ruan Ning!" they thanked her incoherently, carefully taking turns drinking the water from their bottles.

Ruan Ningjing looked at them quietly, said nothing more, and turned back to the car.

What she offered was merely a convenient favor that wouldn't expose her own secrets.

This small amount of water is negligible for her current level of supernatural abilities. This insignificant act of kindness may not change the fundamental fate of these women, but at least for this moment, it allows them to feel a sliver of dignity as "human beings" rather than mere "objects," just as in a past life, someone had unintentionally given her a glimmer of light.

The women left with profuse thanks, still looking disheveled, but there seemed to be something different in their eyes.

The next morning, before dawn, the camp was already bustling with a somber atmosphere of activity.

A sharp whistle pierced the cold air as the commander issued concise instructions over the loudspeaker: "All personnel assemble! Check equipment and vehicles, proceed in the designated order, depart in fifteen minutes!"

Without any unnecessary mobilization, everyone sprang into action in the shortest possible time. The soldiers silently and swiftly dismantled the tents, inspected weapons and ammunition, and secured important supplies to the vehicles.

The superhumans were also organizing their personal equipment.

Ruan Ning's team was already ready. Lin Yan gave the battle axe a final check, Zhou Min confirmed the range of her mental perception, while Ruan Ning stood against the vehicle, her gaze sweeping across the entire camp. Her mental power acted like an invisible radar, taking in the surrounding energy fluctuations and personnel movements.

After breaking through to the advanced level two, her perception of energy became more acute. She could clearly "see" the restless lightning energy within Lei Bao's body and also noticed that Lin Xi's mutated German Shepherd seemed somewhat uneasy and restless.

The survivors were organized and placed in a relatively safe location in the middle of the convoy.

The women who received water from Ruan Ning last night secretly glanced at her in the crowd, their eyes filled with mixed emotions, including gratitude and a hint of barely perceptible envy.

Lin Xi stayed close to Yang Fan, holding her dog, seemingly a little uneasy about leaving this temporary "safe zone".

"Get on the train! Let's go!"

As the order was given, the roar of engines filled the air. Military trucks led the way, followed by supply vehicles and a convoy of survivors. Ruan Ning's off-road vehicle and the vehicles of the other superhuman squads were positioned in the middle and rear, with elite soldiers bringing up the rear.

The convoy, like a giant steel python awakening, slowly drove out of the temporary camp, rolling over the gravel road, and headed towards the Dawn Base.

Unlike the journey there, the atmosphere on the return trip was even more somber.

Having experienced the brutality of Pingzhou and witnessed the casualties of their comrades, everyone became more silent and more vigilant. The car windows were tightly closed, most people gripped their weapons tightly, and their sharp eyes scanned any corners along the roadside that might conceal danger.

Ruan Ning sat in the driver's seat, steadily controlling the steering wheel. Her mental energy remained constantly projected, sensing energy fluctuations within several kilometers ahead. Occasionally, small groups of zombies would rush out from the streets and alleys, but before they could get close, the heavy machine gun in the lead vehicle would spit fire, quickly eliminating them.

When encountering slightly troublesome mutants, there will be superhumans who will step in in time to cooperate with the military to resolve the issue.

The convoy proceeded with extreme caution, at a slow pace, prioritizing safety. The commander had clearly learned from the experience of the journey there, avoiding unnecessary fighting and noise, with a safe return as the top priority.

Ruan Ning could sense that the Lei Bao team's vehicles maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far from them. She could clearly "hear" the scrutinizing and slightly resentful mental fluctuations coming from the other vehicle.

The dispute over crystal cores from the previous two days has clearly not been easily dismissed by the other side.

She didn't care. Faced with absolute power, any resentment is nothing but impotent rage.