Chapter 119 The Rainy Season Arrives
In the morning, after everyone had a simple breakfast, Sun Hong took a headcount.
Last night, several of the less seriously injured individuals showed no signs of fever or other abnormalities after observation, and are likely to have pulled through. This is good news. However, five seriously injured individuals remain unconscious, their fate unknown.
Sun Hong selected a dozen or so women who were in relatively better condition and picked up their weapons. "Although so many of our sisters were injured yesterday, there are still zombies outside. We can't stop. Come with me, let's continue searching for supplies and practice our skills. Remember the lessons of last night; if you don't want to die, you have to become stronger."
They stepped out of the hotel again, disappearing outside the gate. The woman who remained was responsible for looking after the wounded and organizing supplies.
Around noon, a suppressed gasp and a joyful sob came from the isolation room.
A woman who had been bitten on the arm and had been in a coma with a high fever all night woke up. Her eyes were initially blank, but then they were filled with ecstasy. She was alive! She subconsciously raised her hand, and a small cluster of orange-red flames popped out from her fingertips. Although weak, it burned steadily.
"Superpowers... I... I have superpowers!" Her voice was hoarse, and tears streamed down her face.
The news spread quickly. Ruan Ning, Lin Yan, and Zhou Min came to check. When the woman saw Ruan Ning, she struggled to sit up, but was held down by the people next to her.
"Captain Ruan... thank you, thank you for saving me..." she choked up, the flames flickering at her fingertips.
Ruan Ning carefully examined her condition, probing with her spiritual power to confirm that the chaotic energy within her body had subsided, and although her newly formed fire-type ability was weak, its foundation was solid. "Congratulations." Ruan Ning's tone remained calm, but her gaze softened. "Rest more and gradually familiarize yourself with your power."
The woman nodded emphatically, clutching her hand, which was brimming with flames, as if grasping at a sliver of life bestowed upon her by fate. The others looked at her with eyes filled with envy and an even stronger longing.
Ruan Ning then went to check on the other injured. Those with minor injuries were mostly recovered, and of the five seriously injured, besides the newly awakened fire-type, one of them seemed to be slowly improving, but the other three were still in a coma, battling the virus, and their situation was not optimistic.
Time passed anxiously amidst the constant busyness and waiting. Sun Hong's team, who had gone out to search, returned in the afternoon, bringing back some scattered supplies and a few crystal cores. Some members of the team had sustained new injuries, but overall morale was higher than the day before.
As evening approached, the sky darkened without warning. Thick, leaden-gray clouds pressed low against the ground, making the air stifling. Soon after, large raindrops began to fall, initially sparse, but quickly thickening into a downpour that enveloped the entire county.
The rain was heavy, carrying a chill unusual for late spring, and quickly formed muddy streams on the ground.
Ruan Ning stood at the hotel entrance, looking at the dense curtain of rain, her brows slightly furrowed.
Memories of my past life surfaced clearly: the large-scale, continuous rainy season must have started in July and lasted for nearly two months, bringing floods, mud, more active mutated plants, and certain moisture-loving monsters, making long journeys extremely difficult.
But it's only the end of May.
The rainy season has come early.
She didn't know what had caused this change—perhaps the indirect impact of the zombie virus on the climate, or perhaps some other unknown global anomaly. But one thing was certain: the weather patterns had become disordered, and the post-apocalyptic environment was becoming more unpredictable and harsh than she remembered.
That evening, the woman whose condition was slightly more stable among the remaining four seriously wounded also awoke. As she opened her eyes, a faint but clear current of air moved spontaneously without wind, brushing against the guard's sweat-dampened brow—she had awakened her wind-based superpower.
The news brought a wave of suppressed joy and encouragement to everyone. Now, only three people remained unconscious, teetering on the brink of death. Hope seemed to be slowly growing.
After nightfall, Ruan Ning called Lin Yan and Zhou Min to her temporary room.
A floor lamp was lit in the room, casting a dim yet warm light.
The most eye-catching feature was a low table in the center of the room, on which sat a small gas stove with a deep pot on top. Inside the pot, a broth of red oil was bubbling away, and the spicy and fragrant steam dispelled the damp chill of the rainy night.
On the floor next to the table was a battery-powered electric fan, its blades slowly turning, sending out a gentle breeze carrying the aroma of hot pot.
The table was laden with an unbelievable abundance: thinly sliced meat, soaked wood ear and shiitake mushrooms, fresh vegetables, glistening glass noodles, and even several sealed boxes of luncheon meat and fish balls. A small bowl of prepared dipping sauce sat nearby.
Zhou Min and Lin Yan stood at the door, stunned. Their gazes shifted from the hot pot to the fan, then to the ingredients that would be considered a luxury in the apocalypse, and finally settled on Ruan Ning's calm face.
The question almost burst out – where did these batteries, fans, fresh frozen meat, and abundant hot pot ingredients come from? Their car definitely couldn't hold all of this, and they hadn't found such a complete set of things in the county town in the past few days.
But the words caught in their throats. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the understanding and the choice in each other's eyes.
Ruan Ning harbors many secrets, significant ones. From the seemingly inexhaustible supply of clean clothes before, to the "water" she gave them that had miraculous effects, and now... they're not fools; they've already sensed something.
But since Ruan Ning didn't speak, they didn't ask. This was a trust that transcended words, painstakingly built up in the apocalypse. Ruan Ning proved her stance and capabilities time and time again through her actions, and that was enough.
"What are you standing for? Sit down." Ruan Ning had already sat down first, picked up her chopsticks, and put a piece of meat into the boiling red soup.
Lin Yan smiled first, shook her head, and sat cross-legged at the low table: "This scene... it's been so long since I've smelled this." She took a deep breath, her face showing pure nostalgia.
Zhou Min smiled and sat down next to Lin Yan, taking the chopsticks Ruan Ning handed her: "Looks like we're in for a treat tonight." She didn't ask a single question about the source of the supplies.
The fire had already gathered around the table, sniffing intently, its tail wagging slightly, and it was making expectant growling sounds in its throat.
Ruan Ning scooped up the first slice of cooked meat, blew on it without dipping it in any sauce, and tossed it to Da Huo. Da Huo caught it precisely, swallowed it whole, squinted its eyes in satisfaction, and then obediently lay down to the side, waiting for the next bite.
The three of them picked up their chopsticks. The slices of meat were blanched in the boiling broth, dipped in the sauce, and then put into their mouths. The spiciness, saltiness, and umami of the meat exploded on their taste buds.
Simple food brought unparalleled satisfaction at this moment. After days of tension, the warmth of fullness and the familiar flavors gradually relaxed my nerves.
"Ah...that's satisfying!" Lin Yan ate until her nose was sweating, then picked up another fish ball. "It looks like this rain is going to last a long time. Ruan Ning, what do you think?"
Ruan Ning ate her vegetables in small bites and said upon hearing this, "The rainy season has come early, and the situation is worse than expected."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com