The Absolute Favorite in the Apocalyptic Rebirth

Wang Xin brought twenty ability users with him, his face grim.

Early that morning, as usual, Wang Xin personally delivered food to Gan Jingcheng, who was conducting experiments in the warehouse on the first basement level. He planned to discuss with Gan Jingcheng how to exploit Qiu Rong and the ten others who had arrived in the city the previous day, forcing them to hand over their food. Whether they would keep them as subordinates or kill them was still up for discussion.

As for Lou Shang, whom Qiu Rong’s group was searching for, Wang Xin recalled the man he had tricked a few days prior and then thrown to Gan Jingcheng. He didn't know if Gan Jingcheng had used him for experiments and didn't care about his fate. So when Qiu Rong inquired, Wang Xin instinctively assumed they were looking for that man and denied knowing him.

Panic gripped Wang Xin when he opened the warehouse and found Gan Jingcheng missing. Although Gan Jingcheng possessed a strange ability, his physical condition was worse than an average person's, and he was extremely cautious about his life. If he needed to go anywhere, he would always ask Wang Xin to accompany him, fearing even the slightest accident. But now, Gan Jingcheng had vanished without a word.

Knowing Gan Jingcheng's cowardly nature, Wang Xin was certain he wouldn't wander off alone. There were only two possibilities: either he left willingly with someone, or someone had taken him.

Wang Xin's position of power in this strange city relied heavily on Gan Jingcheng's ability. Without Gan Jingcheng's mental power to confuse the zombies, all the survivors in the supermarket would have been overrun. Therefore, Wang Xin never allowed Gan Jingcheng to stray from his sight.

Now, with Gan Jingcheng's sudden disappearance, Wang Xin's first suspicion fell upon the group that arrived yesterday. He believed they had the capability. Although they had two younger girls, one a first-level ability user and the other an ordinary person, the rest possessed abilities of second and third-level or higher. Especially Qiu Rong, a third-level fire ability user, powerful enough to rival him, making him wary.

However, throughout the night, he had people closely monitoring them, and they hadn't detected any unusual activity. Was Gan Jingcheng's disappearance truly connected to them? And how did they discover the hidden warehouse beneath the supermarket? Because of Gan Jingcheng's ability, zombies didn't approach the area, so he had never stationed guards at the supermarket's back entrance, only locking it. If they had picked the lock, surely they would have made some noise?

Wang Xin couldn't understand, but after calming down, he made his decision. He brought twenty ability users with him, intending to find Gan Jingcheng before the zombies discovered the anomaly. The supermarket couldn't survive without Gan Jingcheng's protection.

Hearing footsteps, the people in the shop exchanged glances and looked towards Qiu Rong.

Qiu Rong finished her water, screwed the cap back on the bottle, and tossed it into her backpack. She glanced at Lou Yan and Lou Ling, signaling them to watch over Lou Shang. Then, as Wang Xin knocked, she had someone open the door.

The twenty-plus people completely blocked the doorway. Wang Xin, standing at the front, quickly surveyed the shop. It wasn't large, easily taking it all in at a glance. When he saw the man lying on a bed made of cabinets against the far wall, his heart skipped a beat. Especially when he noticed the young woman standing in front of the cabinets glaring at him with hatred, Wang Xin knew things were bad.

"What brings Big Brother Wang to us so early in the morning?" Qiu Rong asked, a forced smile on her face.

Wang Xin's expression changed drastically, and he chose to attack.

But the people inside the shop were faster.

Qiu Rong had already planned to confront Wang Xin after daybreak, so she had readily opened the door. The moment she detected his intention, she flung a fireball. While a few ability users near Wang Xin reacted swiftly and dodged, the others were startled, stumbling back and even stepping on each other. Their panicked, novice behavior was worse than even Lou Yan, the ordinary person, surprising Qiu Rong and her group. It was clear they lacked combat experience and weren't a significant threat.

Furious, Wang Xin ignored the others and charged towards Qiu Rong, lightning crackling in his hand as he attacked. Zhao Wen and the others also rushed forward, engaging Wang Xin's men. Compared to their opponents, Zhao Wen and his group were seasoned fighters, each capable of handling three of Wang Xin's men. They were only holding back from inflicting serious injuries, which is why it took some effort.

Lou Ling summoned her mutant vines, directing them to lash out and trip the ability users at the doorway. Lou Dian also effortlessly dealt with those who had entered, preventing them from getting near Lou Shang.

Despite being outnumbered, the power difference was vast, making this easier than dealing with a fourth-level zombie animal.

After Qiu Rong's fireball disrupted Wang Xin's lightning attack, she lunged forward, punching him in the stomach. As he dodged, she swept his legs out from under him, then grabbed his arms, brought her knee up into his abdomen, and twisted his arms behind his back as he doubled over in pain, easily subduing him.

Qiu Rong swiftly pulled out her gun, spun it a few times, and pressed it against his temple.

Instinctively, Wang Xin froze.

By this time, Zhao Wen and the others had swiftly dealt with Wang Xin's ability users. Their abilities ranged from second to third-level, with Wang Xin, at mid-third-level, being the strongest. However, they lacked combat experience. Against soldiers who had constantly faced zombies and mutant creatures since the apocalypse began, they were utterly outmatched. Of course, their situation was understandable. With Gan Jingcheng's cheat-like ability ensuring the supermarket's safety, they had no desire to face the terrifying zombies outside, preferring to hide within the safe haven. Over time, they possessed abilities but lacked fighting skills, rendering them useless.

Held at gunpoint by Qiu Rong, Wang Xin's face was a mask of fury and humiliation, the earlier beating adding to his resentment. Bound by a mutant vine, he glared at her.

Qiu Rong tapped his temple with the gun and said, "Tell them to behave if you don't want to die."

Wang Xin's face darkened further, realizing his mistake in underestimating their strength. He addressed his men, "All of you, be quiet!"

Hearing his command, the twenty ability users, though still resentful, ceased their struggles. Except for Wang Xin's five loyal followers, the others hesitated but ultimately obeyed. This surprised Qiu Rong. It seemed Wang Xin had established absolute authority over them.

Zhao Wen and the others hadn't harmed anyone, only inflicting some pain. They now stood near the door, Wang Xin bound in the middle, with Qiu Rong and her group further inside.

"It's convenient you're here. I was just about to settle the score with you," Qiu Rong said coldly, slapping Wang Xin across the face.

"You—" A woman with an oval face glared at Qiu Rong. "How dare you hit him!"

Others, seeing her about to intervene, quickly pulled her back. "Liu Xia! Calm down!"

Liu Xia stared venomously at Qiu Rong. Seeing her standing there like a queen, with her beautiful, fair skin showing no trace of the apocalypse, filled her with envy and jealousy. She harbored feelings for Wang Xin and considered herself his woman. With her impulsive nature, she couldn't tolerate another woman bullying him.

Qiu Rong lifted her chin slightly, glancing at her with disdain. "I'll hit him if I want to!" she said, landing another slap.

"You!"

As Liu Xia furiously prepared to attack, a dark shadow lashed out, forcing her to dodge clumsily. She recognized it as a mutant vine, controlled by another young woman with delicate features. Her clean, refreshing aura, so out of place in this apocalyptic world, sparked another wave of envy and hatred within Liu Xia.

Although they could live in the safety of the supermarket, they lacked food and water, barely scraping by each day. Being able to wash their faces was a luxury, let alone having enough water to bathe daily and wear clean clothes like before the apocalypse. But these four women, despite their somewhat dirty clothes, appeared clean, especially in their demeanor and the aura they exuded. The two younger girls, in particular, seemed untouched by the harshness of the apocalypse, suggesting they had been well-protected and shielded from danger and darkness, allowing them to retain their pre-apocalypse innocence.

This kind of pampered, sheltered girl naturally evoked both envy and resentment in Liu Xia, making her wish she could taint their purity.

Lou Dian narrowed his eyes, his gentle voice carrying a chilling threat. "If you look at her like that again, I'll gouge your eyes out."

Liu Xia's gaze shifted from Lou Ling to Lou Dian, her expression changing from anger to stiffness, then to shame and self-deprecation, before finally settling on intense hatred. Before the apocalypse, seeing such a handsome man would have made her swoon, eager to take his picture and share her "male god" online. But in these precarious times, she had no such inclinations, only focused on survival.

Wang Xin was the man who ensured her survival, and she would naturally defend him.

Seeing that Lou Dian wasn't joking, the others, fearing Liu Xia's foolishness, quickly pulled her back, preventing her from further provoking him.

Lou Ling's vine attack had been purely for show, to support Qiu Rong. Having achieved its effect, she retracted it with a grin, twirling one of the vines playfully, indifferent to the curious gazes of the ability users.

After delivering two resounding slaps, Qiu Rong withdrew her hand. "Just two slaps. I'm sure Mr. Wang won't mind, right?" she said, her smile not reaching her eyes.

Wang Xin's face was swollen and turned to the side. As a mid-third-level fire ability user and a trained soldier, Qiu Rong possessed considerable strength. His face burned with pain, but he remained silent.

"Is Gan Jingcheng here?" Wang Xin asked.

"Yes," Qiu Rong replied, signaling Zhao Wen to bring out Gan Jingcheng, who was locked in a small room.

Ever the pragmatist, Wang Xin immediately said, "We were wrong this time. I admit defeat. But if you want to leave this city, you can't kill me!"

Qiu Rong didn't respond. Zhao Wen returned, dragging Gan Jingcheng with him. The others saw Gan Jingcheng, also bound by mutant vines, a rag stuffed in his mouth, his eyes red-rimmed as he looked at them pleadingly. They fell silent.

Qiu Rong continued, "Whether we kill you or not depends on your sincerity." She glanced menacingly at the ability users. "With your level of combat ability, even if we don't kill you, the zombies in this city will. Why dirty our hands?" As a soldier dedicated to protecting people, even in the apocalypse, her ingrained principles remained.

Her words caused panic among the others, fearing she would throw them to the zombies. However, some of the more astute ones thought of Gan Jingcheng. If he died, the supermarket would lose its protection, and they, trapped in the city, would face certain death under the zombie horde.

Gan Jingcheng, terrified, began to whimper, believing they were truly going to kill him.

Zhao Wen sneered. "What are you crying about? Think about all the ordinary people who died at your hands. Your life is precious, but theirs wasn't?"

"Bullshit!" Liu Xia finally exploded, her voice filled with indignant self-righteousness. "They were just useless pigs, wasting food! They had no abilities and needed our protection, consuming our resources. It's better to put them to good use! What's the point of keeping such waste alive…argh—"

Liu Xia went flying, crashing into the ability users by the door, preventing her from falling. But as they helped her up, she coughed up blood, her face pale. The others were shocked, not even seeing who had attacked.

Only Lou Ling glanced at Lou Dian, quietly retracting the vine she was about to unleash. Lou Dian patted her head. Such tasks shouldn't dirty her hands.

Qiu Rong stood up and had someone drag Wang Xin and Gan Jingcheng away, leading the others towards the supermarket.

Not all the ability users present were completely loyal to Wang Xin. Some held grudges against him and wouldn't care if he died. However, Gan Jingcheng's capture left them helpless. They understood his importance, the reason for their survival in the city. Even though Gan Jingcheng was physically weaker than an average person, they had to protect him.

Because of Gan Jingcheng, they abandoned any ulterior motives, fearing these newcomers would kill him and expose the supermarket to the zombies.

Qiu Rong entered the supermarket. The same young man from yesterday opened the door. Seeing the bound Wang Xin, his blank face registered surprise as he watched Qiu Rong lead the group inside.

After everyone entered, the young man mechanically closed the metal gate, watching them ascend to the second floor. A flicker of something akin to life finally appeared on his dull, numb face.

Author's Notes: Today's Goals:

Lou Ling's goal: Maintain her principles in the apocalypse!

Lou Dian's goal: Protect what his sister wants to protect!

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