Chapter 52 Temporary Rest
The team, carrying the valuable supplies and wounded soldiers they had collected, quickly evacuated the eerie underground warehouse.
Back on the first floor of the shopping mall, the soldiers who were stationed outside immediately came to meet them.
The military doctor stepped forward to provide more professional treatment and stabilize the seriously wounded. After examination, the soldier who was knocked away by the plant monster was found to have several broken ribs and internal organs that had been concussed, but fortunately, he was not in mortal danger, which relieved everyone a little.
Taking stock of the spoils, they found a considerable amount of well-sealed rice, flour, canned food, bottled water, clothing, and even a lot of unopened fuel additives and tools in the undamaged area deep inside the warehouse—all extremely valuable resources in the apocalypse.
The captain arranged for the soldiers to properly load the supplies and wounded onto the trucks, then strode over to Ruan Ning, who was resting with his eyes closed by the truck. He stood ramrod straight, his expression serious, but his eyes held a soldier's unique, unspoken yet deeply sincere gratitude.
“Comrade Ruan Ning,” his voice was steady and powerful, “this mission owes a great deal to you. If it weren’t for you, these soldiers under my command would probably be…” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers who were receiving treatment and had survived the ordeal, his tone becoming even heavier, “It’s the apocalypse, enough people have died. We soldiers have long since risked our lives, it would be a lie to say we’re not afraid of death, but for the mission, we have to go even if it means death. But if we can live, no one wants to die, and no one wants to see their brothers die.”
He took a deep breath and gave Ruan Ning a solemn military salute: "On behalf of myself and on behalf of my brothers, thank you! We will remember this kindness."
This military salute represents the military's high recognition of Nguyen Ninh's strength and contributions, and also signifies a trust that transcends temporary cooperation.
Ruan Ning slowly opened her eyes, her face still somewhat pale, but her gaze had regained its clarity. Looking at the heavy gratitude in the captain's eyes, she calmly nodded: "It's my duty, Captain, no need to be so polite. We're teammates now."
She spoke calmly, without taking credit or being pretentious.
In this environment, strong abilities and reliable teammates are equally important. She demonstrated her value and gained corresponding respect and potential allies.
This might provide unexpected help to her subsequent actions at the base.
After a brief rest and handover, the convoy regrouped. The mission in Sector D7 was essentially complete. Although there were very few survivors, the supplies were decent, and more importantly, they had gained a better understanding of the situation in some areas, albeit at a great cost.
The convoy drove back to a temporary assembly point on the outskirts of Pingzhou City—a large open-air parking lot that had been cleared out.
Some of the vehicles that had returned earlier were already parked at the assembly point, and some teams were unloading supplies, taking attendance, and treating the wounded.
The air was thick with the smells of gunpowder, blood, and exhaustion. Compared to when Ruan Ning's team set off, many teams looked disheveled, with severely damaged vehicles, obvious casualties, and a somber atmosphere.
The return of Ruan Ning's team attracted some attention.
Although their modified off-road vehicle was covered in blood and grime, its structure was intact. Despite their injuries and exhaustion, the three men were still full of energy, a stark contrast to the dejected and heavily damaged teams around them.
The logistics officer in charge of registration reviewed their mission report and supply list, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Sector D7 cleared, thirty-two survivors, supply list... very high completion rate. You only took two days? What about casualties?"
“Five lightly wounded, three seriously wounded, no casualties,” Ruan Ning replied calmly.
The logistics officer couldn't help but re-examine the seemingly aloof and delicate girl in front of him and her obviously formidable teammates behind her. He ticked off a casualty list and softened his tone considerably: "Very good. The commander has ordered that squads that have completed the first phase of the mission ahead of schedule and have suffered minor casualties may rest here for the night and be assigned new missions tomorrow. There is a designated rest area over there where you can collect your basic rations."
This can be seen as a reward and a chance for them to rest after completing their mission efficiently. After all, continuous high-intensity combat is a huge test for anyone's physical and mental health.
Ruan Ning's team drove to the designated rest area. It was relatively quiet there, with soldiers patrolling and on guard. They received slightly more compressed biscuits than usual, clean water, and a basic set of toiletries.
Lin Yan plopped down on the ground, gulped down half a bottle of water, and let out a long breath: "Finally, I can catch my breath! My bones felt like they were going to fall apart these past two days."
Zhou Min leaned against the wheel, closed her eyes, and slowly massaged her temples to relieve the dull pain caused by mental exhaustion.
Ruan Ning silently checked the vehicle's condition, refueled it, and cleaned the dirt off the weapons.
As night fell, more bonfires were lit throughout the assembly area, illuminating faces that were either numb, sorrowful, or wary. In the distance, the faint groans of the wounded and the commotion caused by the return of other teams could be heard.
Ruan Ning didn't participate in the idle chatter. She sat in the driver's seat, seemingly resting with her eyes closed, but in reality, she held the jet-black crystal core she had obtained from the mutated spider, as well as other crystal cores she had acquired in the battle that day, and began to slowly and cautiously absorb their energy.
The spider crystal core's energy was cold and violent, like a cold, venomous snake coursing through her meridians, causing a stinging sensation, but it also gave her a new understanding of her water-based abilities, especially the gentle and corrosive aspects of "water."
The energy from the other crystal cores was relatively mild, quickly replenishing her energy reserves.
She could feel her superpower steadily advancing towards the mid-level of the second stage, and the range and precision of her mental perception were also improving. In the perilous Pingzhou City, every bit of strength gained meant a greater chance of survival.
In the night breeze, she heard the discussions of other teams in the nearby rest area.
"...Damn it, that office building in Zone C is a meat grinder, it's full of evolved zombies. Our team lost four good guys just to get out..."
"...I heard that the 'Thunderstorm' team also suffered considerable losses in the B District commercial street, and it seems that Thunder Leopard was slightly injured..."
"...I don't even know where I'll be sent tomorrow, this godforsaken place..."
Ruan Ning slowly opened her eyes, gazing into the deeper darkness in the direction of Pingzhou city center. Lei Bao was injured too? That's interesting news.
Tomorrow's mission, no matter where she goes, she hopes to have the opportunity to get closer to her goal.
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