The Absolute Favorite in the Apocalyptic Rebirth

In the distance, the salt lake shimmered, still beautiful, though the vibrant tulips that once adorned the surrounding tourist areas had long withered, devoid of life. Occasionally, large birds, likely mutated after the apocalypse, soared across the lake's surface.

The vehicle sped along the highway, occasionally attracting airborne zombie birds. Before they could approach, however, someone inside the vehicle would dispatch them with a single shot to the head. Taking advantage of the zombie birds' momentary distraction, the vehicle accelerated.

Inside, someone scanned the sky with binoculars, vigilant for any aerial threats, seeking to avoid flocks of zombie birds and mutated avian creatures.

Lou Yan's fingers flew across the keyboard, inputting information. Complex lines crisscrossed the screen, finally converging on a single red dot.

"I found Second Brother!" Lou Yan exclaimed, a joyous smile illuminating her face. "Second Brother is alive!"

Hearing this, Qiu Rong breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he was alive. Otherwise, she wouldn't know how to face her in-laws, nor could she bear to see the disappointment and grief on her husband's face.

Lou Yan pulled two small devices from her backpack, handing one each to Qiu Rong and Lou Dian. "Sister-in-law, Little Brother," she said, "these are reactors. I only made two. Wear them on your ears. When you get close to Second Brother, they'll give you a signal, making it easier to find him."

Lou Dian accepted the device. Although it looked crude, it was intricately crafted. Worn on the ear, it resembled an earring. Lou Ling, seeing the small metal device attached to his jade-white earlobe, found it novel, as if it gave him a unique, almost stylish look.

Noticing her interest, Lou Dian said, "If you like it, I'll find you some jewelry when we get back. You can be decked out in gold and silver!"

Lou Ling responded, "=__=! No thanks!"

After traversing the smooth highway, a cluster of buildings came into view on the plains.

"Did Ah Shang enter the city?" Qiu Rong asked in surprise.

Lou Yan studied the screen in her hand, her fingers swiftly swiping. After a few moments, she said, "It shows that he did. Second Brother seems to have escaped into the city."

Qiu Rong's expression darkened. "Those who returned said they were first attacked by zombie birds, then by mutated animals, which separated them. Logically, Ah Shang was injured at the time, and then who knows what kind of monster attacked him. How could he have the strength to run into this city?" If he were in the tourist rest area near the salt lake, she would have found it more believable.

"Maybe Second Brother was rescued by someone?" Lou Yan remained optimistic, hoping her second brother had encountered kind people who saved him.

Looking at the zombies wandering within the city, Qiu Rong pondered for a moment, then instructed the driver to enter.

As the vehicle entered the city, it was immediately assaulted by zombies. The occupants swiftly dispatched the approaching zombies with gunshots, maintaining their speed and quickly leaving them behind. Upon reaching an area with fewer zombies, Qiu Rong ordered everyone to disembark.

Each person carried a backpack, clad in camouflage. The backpacks contained three days' worth of food and weapons, demonstrating thorough preparation.

Qiu Rong's expression was serious as she addressed the group. "I have only one requirement: while searching for our companion, prioritize your own safety!"

"Yes!"

Qiu Rong's gaze swept over the young faces of her soldiers. None were older than thirty. In terms of human lifespan, they were all young, and they were the elite of her troops. She valued her soldiers and naturally didn't want them to perish in such a place.

At Qiu Rong's command, everyone began to move. She kept Lou Yan by her side, ensuring her safety and relying on her detection device. Lou Yan's tinkering had yielded useful results, such as the zombie detection device. Not only had the research institute in the capital base developed one, but Lou Yan had also created her own, although it hadn't been deployed yet. The one she was currently using was her latest creation.

"About two thousand meters ahead, there are one thousand two hundred zombies!" Lou Yan announced.

Qiu Rong immediately redirected the group, listening to Lou Yan's readings while simultaneously monitoring the reactor on her ear for any activity. Soon, she heard a faint rustling sound from the reactor, which gradually grew louder, indicating they were approaching Lou Shang's location.

Lou Dian also noticed the change in the reactor's signal. After a while, he realized they were circling the same area.

"Stop!" Lou Dian called out.

Qiu Rong looked at him inquiringly.

Lou Dian said, "It's getting dark. Let's find a place to rest."

Qiu Rong glanced at the sky. Indeed, dusk was approaching; the sun was setting.

Lou Yan then spoke, "Three thousand meters ahead, turn left. There's a safe place there, no zombies!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Rong led the group forward at a run, eliminating any zombies that lunged at them from the roadside. When they reached the location Lou Yan had indicated, they saw someone leaning out of a second-story window, waving a red scarf to attract their attention.

Qiu Rong led the group closer and discovered it was a small, two-story supermarket. The metal gates were locked, with only a small door open for them to enter. After they entered, the person who opened the door quickly locked it.

Qiu Rong observed the person who had opened the door. It was a thin, fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, likely having gone hungry for a long time, his face gaunt, his eyes appearing unusually large. His complexion was poor, his expression numb. After opening the door, he led them to the second floor of the supermarket.

The second floor wasn't large, yet it housed over a hundred people, huddled together, emitting an unpleasant odor. Their clothes were ragged, their faces sallow, their bodies emaciated. Seeing Qiu Rong and her group arrive, their eyes lit up, particularly noting their healthy complexions, a sign of adequate nourishment.

With this thought, their gazes hungrily fixed on the backpacks.

Lou Yan, unnerved by their starved stares, quickly hid behind the others, peeking out to observe the people in the supermarket.

"I'm the leader here, Wang Xin. May I ask who you are and what brings you here?"

The man who spoke, although thin, was more robust than the others and appeared cleaner. His skin was pale from lack of sunlight, his features somewhat delicate, yet with a hint of effeminacy. His gaze lingered a little too freely on Qiu Rong and the other women, but he quickly averted his eyes when he met the warning glances of the men in green camouflage, adopting a friendly demeanor that inspired a degree of goodwill.

Qiu Rong exchanged names with him and explained, "We're here looking for someone."

Wang Xin smiled enigmatically. "Looking for someone? I'm afraid that will be difficult. Doesn't Miss Qiu Rong know that this city is strange? It's easy to enter but impossible to leave. And if someone disappears in this city, it's more likely than not that they've met an unfortunate end."

Qiu Rong smiled. "We have to try. Could you tell us about the situation in this city, Brother Wang? Our companion wandered in here by mistake, and we had no choice but to follow."

Wang Xin gestured, inviting Qiu Rong and the others into a break room in the supermarket. It had a window, allowing for fresher air. Inside were a few metal bed frames, the wooden planks having been removed, likely used as firewood.

Only Qiu Rong, Lou Dian, Lou Ling, Zhao Wen, and Lou Ling entered, while the other five remained outside. Wang Xin also had five people with him, three men and two women, all possessing abilities.

There weren't enough chairs in the room, so everyone except Wang Xin and Qiu Rong stood.

"We were originally residents of this city. After the apocalypse, the world changed. Outside, there are not only man-eating zombies, but also zombie animals. Even plants and animals have mutated. This is the safe haven we finally found with great difficulty. For some reason, the zombies don't like to come near here, which is a relief…"

From Wang Xin, they learned that shortly after the apocalypse, they had gathered in this supermarket to hide. They also discovered that the area around the supermarket was somehow immune to zombie intrusion, making it their base. Later, when they realized the zombies were evolving, they considered leaving the city for a nearby base. However, they were shocked to discover that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't leave the city.

Afterwards, many ability users came to the city to gather supplies, but they too were trapped. Some persistently tried various methods to escape, only to end up as zombie food. This terrified the survivors in the supermarket, and they no longer dared to attempt escape.

As for Lou Shang, Wang Xin stated with certainty that they hadn't seen him and weren't even aware that anyone had entered the city a few days ago. Although they only operated near the supermarket during the day, if someone had entered the city, the zombies would have reacted, and they would have noticed.

"If you don't mind, you can rest here for the night," Wang Xin offered politely.

Qiu Rong looked at him intently and smiled. "Thank you, Brother Wang. However, there are ten of us, and I'm afraid we'll overcrowd you. We'll just stay in the building next to the supermarket."

Wang Xin's smile faltered slightly. "If you're not afraid of zombie attacks, then that's fine."

Qiu Rong glanced at Zhao Wen, who stepped forward with a smile. "If the situation is as Brother Wang described, we don't know when we'll be able to leave. We may need to rely on your help in the future. This is a small token of our appreciation." She then signaled the people outside to bring in some of the food from their backpacks, mostly biscuits. "We only brought a few days' worth of food, thinking we'd find our companion quickly. We apologize for the meager offering."

Wang Xin quickly replied, "You're too kind, Miss Zhao. I hope Miss Qiu and your group can find a way out and help us as well."

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Xin finally accepted the food, and Qiu Rong led her group to the neighboring building to rest.

Once they left, Wang Xin's smile vanished, his expression turning sinister as he stared at the doorway.

A female ability user with a sharp, pointed chin said jealously, "Brother Wang, that woman is lying. How could they only have this little food? They must have a space ability user. If we can make them hand over their food, we won't have to care about their lives anymore!"

She felt a surge of envy towards Qiu Rong, Zhao Wen, and the others. They were all women, all ability users, so why did these women look so radiant? Even their loose camouflage couldn't hide their good figures. Only ample food could allow them to maintain such a healthy appearance. Moreover, Qiu Rong was clearly the leader of the group, and there were six men who obeyed her commands. Were those men blind to follow a woman's orders? That was what irked her the most.

The others echoed her sentiments, believing Qiu Rong's group to be a prime target.

Wang Xin smiled. "Don't worry. They can't leave for now. They'll eventually come begging us, and then…"

Author's Notes: Today's goals:

Lou Ling's goal: Roar! Rescue, rescue!

Lou Dian's goal: Can't let my sister get excited over another man!

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