Chapter 57 Preparing to Return to the City
The campsite gradually awoke in the early morning, the air still carrying the chill of the night.
Ruan Ning finished her nightly cultivation and opened her eyes, her gaze subdued. She saw Lin Yan stretching her limbs, while Zhou Min was taking notes in a notebook. They had no missions today, a rare day of rest.
Not far away, activity began to stir in the temporary resettlement area. The survivors rescued from the supermarket gradually woke up and began to collect the small breakfasts distributed by the camp—usually porridge and half a compressed biscuit.
Several women huddled together, their eyes frequently glancing in the direction where Lei Bao's team was resting. After a night of "exchange" and some inquiries, they already knew that this team was formidable, and their leader, Lei Bao, was a rare lightning-type ability user.
In the apocalypse, clinging to the strong is an instinct for survival.
A woman who looked to be in her early twenties, with a fairly pretty face but tired and shrewd eyes, hesitated for a moment before walking toward Lin Xi, who was carefully feeding water to the German Shepherd puppy.
"Sister Linxi..." the woman's voice was ingratiating, "Um... could I borrow some water? I just want to wash my face a little." As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted towards the Thunder Leopard Squad, her intention was clear—she wanted to tidy herself up, to increase her chances of being noticed by the powerful.
Lin Xi paused slightly as she stroked Xiao Bai. She looked up at the woman in front of her, then followed her gaze to the direction of the Thunder Leopard Squad. A barely perceptible smirk appeared on her lips, carrying a hint of contempt.
Last night she was with that power-type ability user. Now she's trying to use the same trick again to seduce the stronger members of the Thunder Leopard Squad?
A sense of disgust welled up in Lin Xi's heart, not only because she disapproved of this behavior, but also because she felt her "privileges" were being challenged. In her view, these women only relied on their bodies, while she herself relied on her superpowers and her precious mutant dogs to establish herself—they were completely different.
"There's not much water," Lin Xi said in a detached tone. "Xiao Bai needs water too, and I need some for myself. Doesn't the camp provide some water for washing up every morning?"
The woman's face stiffened, showing embarrassment and disappointment. The limited amount of water provided by the camp was far from sufficient for proper care.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing that Lin Xi had already turned her head away, focusing on taking care of her dog, and clearly didn't want to talk anymore, she could only walk away sullenly, returning to the group of women, and muttering complaints under her breath.
Lin Xi watched the woman's retreating figure and let out a soft snort. She would never lend water to someone with such impure motives.
She patted Xiaobai's head and whispered, "Xiaobai, we're different from them, right?" She enjoyed the special status that came with her own "value," which distinguished her from other women, and subconsciously maintained this boundary.
Ruan Ning took in the whole scene, her face expressionless.
In the apocalypse, everyone struggles to survive in their own way, whether by selling their bodies or relying on superpowers and pets. There is no inherent superiority or inferiority, only different choices leading to different outcomes.
The sunlight grew increasingly intense, and the campsite began to buzz with activity.
Teams that had been out on missions returned to their temporary assembly point one after another. The atmosphere was noticeably more somber and oppressive than the day before.
One team lost nearly a third of its members. The wounded were hastily carried off the trucks, their painful groans and the stench of blood filling the air. They brought back few supplies, and everyone's face bore the weariness and sorrow of surviving a disaster.
The other team fared slightly better, but they had also lost several skilled members. Their vehicles were covered in signs of intense fighting, and the front of the vehicles was even somewhat deformed. They silently unloaded the collected medicines and some industrial parts, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
In contrast, teams like Ruan Ning's squad and Lei Bao's squad, which completed their missions ahead of schedule with minimal casualties, stood out conspicuously.
In particular, Ruan Ning's team was not only fully staffed, but also rescued dozens of survivors and a dog with special abilities, which attracted many envious or inquisitive glances.
In the open space in the center of the camp, new body bags were being neatly arranged and covered with the distinctive military green tarpaulins. Logistics personnel were busy checking the supplies brought back by each team, registering casualties, and arranging treatment for the wounded. The atmosphere was heavy and hectic.
As evening approached, the last reconnaissance team that had ventured deep into the city center returned in a sorry state. They had encountered an extremely troublesome group of mutants and paid a heavy price to break through, bringing back intelligence about the high-level mutants in the city center.
The commander stood atop the command vehicle, scanning the entire camp through binoculars, his face grim as he observed the newly wounded and body bags. He picked up a megaphone, his voice amplifying through the electrical current to resonate throughout the camp:
"Attention all personnel! All outposts have returned. Given the current casualties and the fact that a large group staying here could attract a large horde of zombies, I have decided that everyone will rest here for one day to treat the wounded and gather supplies. We will depart promptly the day after tomorrow morning to return to Dawn Base!"
The order was given, and a slight commotion arose in the camp, which quickly subsided. No one objected; the continuous high-intensity fighting and the casualties of their comrades had left everyone exhausted, both physically and mentally, and they desperately needed rest.
Moreover, everyone understands that carrying so many wounded soldiers and supplies through the perilous outskirts of the city at night is tantamount to suicide.
Ruan Ning leaned against her car, looking at the busy yet oppressive scene around her. The cries of the wounded, the red-rimmed eyes of soldiers who had lost their comrades, and the bewildered looks of the newly joined survivors... all of this silently spoke of the cruelty of the apocalypse.
She knew this day of rest was crucial. It wasn't just about physical recovery, but also about relaxing her tense nerves. She also needed time to fully absorb the mutated spider's crystal core and attempt to break through to the advanced second level.
The Thunder Leopard Squad seemed to be working hard to recover as well. Their members sat together, discussing something in hushed tones, occasionally glancing in the direction of Ruan Ning's Squad with unfriendly looks, but without taking any further action.
Lin Xi and her dog were placed in a tent relatively close to the core area of the rescue team. She seemed to enjoy this "special treatment," carefully keeping herself and Xiaobai clean, standing out from her surroundings.
Night fell again, and the campfires in the camp were brighter than the night before. Some people were silently cleaning their weapons, some were tending to the wounded, and others were just sitting there, staring blankly at the flickering flames.
Ruan Ning closed her eyes, holding the pitch-black crystal core in her palm, feeling the cold and violent energy within, and began to guide it into her meridians.
The journey home the day after tomorrow might not be easier than the journey there. She must become stronger.
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