2. Precious

The last rays of sunset's light were swallowed by the horizon, and the ruins of the entire city sank into a deep blue twilight. The four-man team moved swiftly among the rubble, their steps light and cautious. Lei Qing led the way, his sniper rifle always held at arm's length. A Yan brought up the rear, a tiny flame dancing on his fingertips, providing both illumination and a ready response. Mu Lin and Su Lin were in the middle, forming a perfect protective circle.

Lei Qing's figure appeared exceptionally tall and sturdy in the twilight, the muscles beneath his combat uniform tensing slightly with every step. His face was stained with dust and dried blood, but his eyes remained sharp, like a cheetah ready to pounce.

A Yan's red hair looked dim in the dim firelight, but the light in his eyes remained undimmed. He moved his fingers restlessly as he walked, the flames dancing at his fingertips, reflecting his young and slightly restless face.

Mu Lin's steps were the lightest, his short, light blue hair blending seamlessly into the night in the dim light. His expression was always calm, maintaining a strange composure even in such a perilous environment.

Su Lin, protected in the middle, wore a grayish white combat uniform that still looked remarkably clean in the dim light. His face was small, his chin pointed, and his eyes, large in the twilight, held a subtle nervousness. He pursed his lips tightly as he cautiously followed Mu Lin.

They walked through a once bustling commercial street, its broken windows gaping like black, dusty mouths. A stray cat darted out from behind a trash can, its shrill cry startling everyone.

"Damn it, I was scared to death." A Yan cursed in a low voice, and the flame in his hand suddenly jumped up for a moment.

"Quiet." Lei Qing warned without turning his head, his eyes scanning the shadows around him.

Su Lin subconsciously moved closer to Mu Lin. Mu Lin noticed his uneasiness and whispered, "Don't be afraid, we're almost there."

Their temporary base was located in a twenty-story residential building. Relatively unscathed during the apocalyptic riots, its exterior walls, though stained and cracked, remained structurally intact. The downstairs entrance was completely blocked by a collection of discarded furniture—a tattered sofa, a legless dining table, even an old wooden bookcase, all cleverly propped together to form a solid barrier.

Only a narrow passage remained, barely wide enough for one person to pass sideways. Lei Qing was the first to squeeze in, and after confirming it was safe, he signaled for the others to follow.

"Every time I walk here, I feel like I've gained weight." A Yan complained softly as he struggled to squeeze through the passage.

Mu Lin slid in gracefully, his movements smooth as if the passage had been designed just for him. "Your muscles are too developed," he said calmly.

The building was surprisingly clean, clearly having been meticulously cleaned. While a faint dust and musty smell still lingered in the air, at least it lacked the peculiar stench of zombies. A few faint bloody handprints lingered on the stairwell walls, a reminder of the tragedy that had occurred there.

They ascended, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty hallway. Lei Qing paused at each door, checking to see if there was any unusual activity behind it. Some doors were wide open, revealing a chaotic scene; others were tightly closed, leaving no one knowing what lay hidden behind.

Finally reaching the top floor, Lei Qing stopped in front of the last security door and carefully examined the nearly invisible string tied to the door handle. It was their homemade alarm device, and if anyone moved the door, the string would break.

"Safe," he said, pulling a bunch of keys from his pocket. In the end times, having a house that could be opened with a key was already a luxury.

The door opened, and a familiar breath blew in. This was their rare safe haven in the apocalypse.

The living room windows were tightly covered with thick blackout curtains, leaving only a small gap for ventilation. In the center of the room, a camping lantern, powered by a small fuel generator, lit the room. Its dim light cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating a warm atmosphere distinct from the outside world.

A few sofas and chairs that were still in good condition were placed in a circle with a faded rug in the middle. In the corner were some weapons maintenance tools and a few old books with curled edges - these were specially collected when they were searching for supplies, and they were their only entertainment in the night without electricity.

"Huh—finally back!" Ah Yan was the first to throw off his blood-stained coat, casually tossing it on a chair by the door. Then he collapsed onto an old sofa and sighed contentedly. "I'm so tired today. Those bastards are endless."

Lei Qing was the last to enter. He carefully locked the door and checked the windows and the simple alarm system. He was meticulous, not missing a single detail. After confirming everything was correct, he carefully placed the sniper rifle on a dedicated rack against the wall.

"Su Lin, is there any food in the space? I'm starving." A Yan yelled, and his stomach growled appropriately, which was particularly loud in the quiet room.

Su Lin smiled, his eyes soft in the dim light. With a thought, several boxes of military canned goods, compressed biscuits, and four bottles of water appeared on the low table in the center. "Let's get some food," he said, walking to a simple brick stove in the corner, where a small pot and a small can of precious solid alcohol sat. "I'll try to make something hot."

This sentence caused the other three people to stop moving at the same time.

"Wait!" A Yan suddenly jumped up from the sofa, an expression of near-terrification on his face, "Su Lin! Put down the pot! Let us do it! Do you want to give away our little belongings and the house together?"

Mu Lin also stood up immediately and advised gently but firmly: "Su Lin, let us do it. You should take a rest. Treating A Yan today is quite exhausting." He remembered the tragedy when Su Lin tried to heat the cans and almost ignited the blackout cloth. He is still frightened.

Lei Qing didn't say anything, but he quietly stepped forward, picked up the small can of solid alcohol and the pot, and expressed his disapproval with his actions. He looked at Su Lin with a barely perceptible hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Su Lin touched his nose awkwardly: "Uh... I just want to give it a try, maybe it will succeed this time?" He was actually a little aware of the destructive power of his cooking skills, but he always thought that he might be able to help.

"No, please don't!" A Yan clasped his hands together and pleaded, "Your precious ability is used to save lives, not to set fires. Just sit still and wait for food!" He walked quickly to Su Lin and pushed him to sit on the sofa.

Su Lin smiled helplessly and compromised. He watched Lei Qing roll up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms, and begin to expertly prepare the food. This usually cold and stoic man displayed unexpected meticulousness when preparing the food.

Lei Qing silently opened the can and poured the contents into the pot, his movements precise and efficient. He even asked Su Lin for some precious dehydrated vegetables and seasonings from his space and sprinkled them in carefully. Soon, the aroma of real food began to fill the room.

Ah Yan was stunned: "Boss, you have this trick? You're hiding your true strength!"

Mu Lin smiled as he divided the heated food into four bowls. "Lei Qing always ranked first in wilderness survival training."

"That's in the past." Lei Qing said lightly, continuing to stir the food in the pot with concentration.

As they shared the food, the atmosphere in the room became warm and peaceful. Ah Yan devoured the food, his mouth full, yet he couldn't help but mumble praise: "Delicious! Boss, you're awesome! This is much better than canned food!"

Mu Lin ate politely but quickly, and was obviously very satisfied with the hot meal.

Su Lin scooped up the warm bowl and ate in small sips. It might have been just a simple canned stew, but in the apocalypse, it was a rare delicacy. The warm food dispelled the night's chill and eased the fatigue of a long day of fighting. He looked up and met Lei Qing's gaze. Lei Qing's eyes remained deep, but under the flickering dim light, they seemed much softer. Seeing him looking at him, Lei Qing quickly looked away.

Ah Yan was enjoying his meal and accidentally nudged Su Lin with his elbow. He immediately apologized with a chuckle: "Sorry, sorry, I didn't notice."

Mu Lin carefully and silently put a larger piece of meat from his own bowl into Su Lin's bowl and smiled at him gently: "Eat more, you've consumed the most today."

After dinner, A Yan took the initiative to clean up the dishes and took them to the bathroom at the other end of the floor to wash them—there was a homemade rainwater collection and filtration system there. Mu Lin began his routine inspection of everyone's equipment, carefully wiping and maintaining it.

Su Lin wanted to help, but Lei Qing pushed him back onto the sofa. "Rest," he said in an unquestionable voice. "Recovering your abilities is more important than anything else."

Su Lin could only lean back on the sofa, watching his teammates busy themselves. His eyes fell on the old books in the corner. The cover of the top one was worn, but the words "One Hundred Years of Solitude" could still be made out. He had stumbled upon it during a search.

Before the end of the world, he was a student of literature, dealing with these words every day. But now, these books have become his only connection with the past world.

"What are you thinking about?" A Yan came back after washing the dishes, sat down on the carpet next to Su Lin, and looked up at him.

"Nothing," Su Lin shook his head, "I just feel that... moments like this are really precious."

Ah Yan grinned and said, "Of course, with me here, there's no time for me not to be precious."

Mu Lin chuckled when he heard this: "Your narcissism is the most precious thing. You can maintain it so well in this environment."

"That's called confidence!" A Yan retorted unconvincedly and reached out to grab Mu Lin, but the other party dodged him easily.

Lei Qing watched them fighting and did not stop them. Instead, an almost invisible smile flashed in his eyes.

As the night deepened, the faint roars of zombies could be heard from beyond the blackout curtains, sometimes far away, sometimes close, reminding them of the danger outside. But this sound only served to highlight the tranquility within the house.

According to the duty roster, Mu Lin was the first to take the night watch. He sat down by the window, carefully opened the blackout curtains a crack, and vigilantly observed the movements outside in the faint moonlight. A Yan and Lei Qing lay down on the mats behind them and seemed to fall asleep quickly.

Su Lin curled up on the sofa, covered with a slightly worn but clean blanket. He closed his eyes, but didn't fall asleep immediately. The image of Ah Yan injured in the battle today was still replaying in his mind, and the fear of cardiac arrest lingered.

After a while, Lei Qing, who was supposed to be resting, opened his eyes. He stood up quietly and walked to Mu Lin's side by the window.

"You go and rest," he whispered, "I'll come in the middle of the night."

Mu Lin shook his head: "I'm not sleepy, I'll stay here for a while longer. Boss, you've been consuming the most energy today, so get some more sleep."

Lei Qing was silent for a moment, not insisting. He simply sat down in the shadows beside Mu Lin, observing the silence together. Their eyes simultaneously swept over Su Lin's peaceful sleeping face on the sofa. He curled up, breathing evenly. In the dim light, his face seemed remarkably gentle, a stark contrast to this cruel world.

After a long moment, Lei Qing's low voice was barely audible: "We must protect him."

In the shadows, Ah Yan, who should have been asleep, turned over and muttered in his sleep, "...Of course...I'll fight anyone who touches him..."

Mu Lin's breathing remained steady, but his fingertips moved almost imperceptibly.

Three pairs of eyes, some in the light, some in the dark, all fell tacitly on the sleeping figure.

Outside the window was a dark world teeming with danger. Somewhere in the distance, a pair of eyes were observing this residential building through night-vision binoculars. The corners of the mouth behind the lens curled up slightly.

"I found you..." A hoarse voice whispered in the night and then disappeared in the wind.

Inside the window, people, unaware of the impending danger, were still enjoying this rare moment of peace. Mu Lin gently adjusted the blackout curtains, allowing a ray of moonlight to fall on Su Lin's sleeping face.

Lei Qing's gaze lingered on that face for a moment before returning to the dark city outside the window. His fingers unconsciously stroked the butt of his sniper rifle, his eyes gradually sharpening.

No matter what awaits them in the future, he will protect this small home and the people around him.

The night is still long.