The Absolute Favorite in the Apocalyptic Rebirth

The five major bases of China had gathered their strongest ability users in the capital base. When the Northwest base's contingent arrived, the Southeast and Central China bases were already present. The most remote, Southwest base, arrived last, just as evening approached.

The Northwest base group had been assigned accommodation by the capital base personnel, housed in a small villa in the outer city. Three adjacent villas housed the ability users from the other three bases.

Upon entering the capital base, Lou Ling couldn't help but stare, dumbfounded. Everything seemed to have undergone an earth-shattering transformation since her last visit. At least, everything she saw was a scene of thriving prosperity. Even ordinary survivors could achieve a good quality of life in the capital base. Although there were still impoverished people who struggled to eat their fill, their spirits were no longer marked by the defeated, hopeless numbness of the past. With diligence and effort, getting at least half-full was achievable.

Everywhere she looked, the capital base's infrastructure and development were impressive, clearly surpassing the other bases. Overpopulation used to be a defining feature of the capital base, attracting hordes of zombies. Now, however, the base had not only expanded but also constructed several underground cities. With scientific planning and meticulous organization, the living space for all survivors had increased significantly. The base had even established plantations and farms, managed and overseen by dedicated personnel.

Everything hinted at advanced scientific management and design, successfully impressing the ability users from the other bases. They recognized a different side to the capital base, worthy of its position as the leading base in China.

The changes in the capital base resonated deeply with those who had visited and subsequently left. They were astonished by how, in just a few years, the capital base had leveraged technology and abilities to achieve such remarkable results. Several leaders from the other four bases took note, intending to adopt similar strategies for their own bases.

Lou Ling was also deeply moved, recalling Huang Zhiling's earlier revelations. It seemed that all of this was due to Feng Shaohuang's influence. In Lou Ling's mind, Dr. Feng was a scientific madman, conducting inhumane experiments. He only survived because someone was protecting him. Feng Shaohuang, implicated by his father's actions, hadn't left a good impression on her either. Of course, despite her negative impression, in their few encounters, aside from some conflict with Lou Dian, she hadn't witnessed him doing anything truly harmful. Thanks to him, the capital base could provide a haven for more survivors.

Undoubtedly, Feng Shaohuang was a successful leader.

"So this is what the capital base is like? Amazing! We should learn from their experience."

"I heard that's the entrance to the underground city…"

"The plantations and farms are impressive too, much larger than ours…"

"…"

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Lou Ling agreed. She couldn't help but recall Feng Shaohuang's smile earlier, filled with an unspoken meaning. She had initially assumed they would be adversaries after their confrontation three years ago, but he seemed to have completely disregarded it, his attitude both friendly and peculiar.

Back at the villa, Lou Ling and Lin Bao discussed the changes in the capital base, deciding to explore it further the next day. Only after dinner did Lou Dian drag her back to their room, ending their enthusiastic conversation.

The villa was surprisingly equipped with clean bedding, a rare luxury in these times. However, Lou Dian's obsessive-compulsive tendencies flared up, and he promptly rolled up the provided bedding and tossed it into a corner, replacing it with fresh sheets and blankets from his spatial storage.

Lou Ling pouted but decided to be understanding of his quirks.

However, her composure vanished when the brooding man pulled her down onto the bed. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him softly and asked, "What's wrong? Is it because of Feng Shaohuang?" She couldn't shake the feeling that he and Feng Shaohuang were locked in a strange dynamic of love-hate. She wondered if he would be angry if she voiced this thought.

"Yes."

His frank admission surprised her. She chuckled and said, "Why bother with him? Once our mission is complete, we'll return to the Northwest base. We have nothing to do with him."

Her dismissal of Feng Shaohuang instantly lifted the gloom from his brow. He embraced her, smiling as he kissed the corner of her eye.

At midnight, a wind stirred silently over the base.

As the window creaked open, a sharp whistling sound sliced through the air towards the window. The figure on the balcony leaped swiftly onto the roof. Another gust of wind arose, blocking the attack.

Moments later, another figure darted out of the window, landing silently on the roof.

A crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a hazy moonlight that only faintly illuminated the silhouettes of the two confronting figures.

Two men of equal height and imposing presence faced off on the villa's rooftop. In a silent exchange, wind blades and spatial blades clashed and dissipated, their power negated without a sound.

After a while, the wind died down.

"Lou Dian!" A magnetic male voice echoed, alluring in the night.

Lou Dian, a spatial blade flickering at his fingertips, stared impassively, his dark eyes filled with icy killing intent.

A wry smile touched Feng Shaohuang's handsome face. "I didn't expect our reunion to be like this. I knew you had returned from the beginning." Otherwise, their trajectories wouldn't have changed when the apocalypse began. He had deliberately taken Lou Ling far from the capital base, even altering the fates of the Lou and Qin families.

Lou Dian stared at him coldly, silent.

"When did you realize I had returned?" Feng Shaohuang asked again.

Lou Dian withdrew his spatial blade. "When I learned of Qin Ling's death and the Qin family's downfall three years ago." At that time, he had encountered Huang Zhiling's group in danger. Lou Ling, focused on Huang Zhiling, hadn't realized that Huang Zhiling was deliberately placed there by Feng Shaohuang to convey his message and catch Lou Ling's attention.

He wasn't surprised that Feng Shaohuang had killed Qin Ling. He even knew that Feng Shaohuang still wanted to make amends, to rectify the regrets of his past life. Unfortunately… he was too late.

A bitter expression settled on Feng Shaohuang's face. "How is she… now?"

"She's fine," Lou Dian replied with icy sarcasm. "As long as you keep your people in check, she'll be even better."

The bitterness on Feng Shaohuang's face deepened, tinged with regret. One moment of indulgence and error in his past life had cost him his best friend, the woman he loved most, and ultimately, his companions and his life. He had been terrified then, and it would be a lie to say he hadn't felt resentment. As he died, he had hated Lou Dian fiercely, blaming him for ruining his career and mercilessly killing him. The agony of being torn apart by zombies, the frustration of having functioning limbs yet being unable to escape, mirrored Lou Ling's death.

Only then had he understood the pain and unwillingness Lou Ling had felt in her final moments, his heart filled with anguish.

Then he had opened his eyes again, reborn in the first year of the apocalypse. Lou Ling was still alive. There was still time to fix everything. Yet, everything was also beyond repair because someone had returned even earlier than him, orchestrating a different outcome from the very beginning.

His breath hitched. Feng Shaohuang couldn't help but ask, "Did she also return?" If she had also returned…

Lou Dian's gaze was glacial, as if looking at a clown. "No!"

Feng Shaohuang, devastated by the answer, didn't even react when a wind blade struck him, sending him flying from the rooftop to the street below.

Lou Dian looked down indifferently at his fallen form. A spatial blade flickered at his fingertips, poised to strike, but he paused, noticing several figures rushing towards the scene. He dissipated the spatial blade, leaped from the roof, returned to the room, and closed the window.

Liu Ji, Li Chuan, and others ran several blocks, finally finding Feng Shaohuang with a bleeding gash across his chest. They were relieved but also alarmed by his condition. They knew Feng Shaohuang's strength. Someone had managed to injure him silently within the capital base, making them suspect the Zombie King had infiltrated.

"Feng Shao! What happened?" Liu Ji asked anxiously, helping him up with Li Chuan. They prepared to take him to a light ability user for healing.

Feng Shaohuang remained distraught, his gaze fixed on the closed window of the villa, his eyes filled with sorrow.

The more observant Li Chuan noticed Feng Shaohuang's gaze and was taken aback. That was the villa where the Northwest base's ability users were staying. Feng Shaohuang had come here in the middle of the night. He had a hunch it was to see Lou Dian. Having followed Feng Shaohuang for years, he knew of some of his private plans, all related to the Lou siblings, but he didn't understand his intentions.

Back at their office building, when the light ability healer, Xu Jingwen, was called to treat Feng Shaohuang, he examined the wound and said, "Feng Shao's injury appears to be caused by an ability, likely a wind blade or wind spatial blade. Moreover, the attacker intended to kill, aiming for a vital point…"

The others were shocked. Liu Ji exploded, cursing, "Who would dare cause trouble in the base and attack Feng Shao? Aren't they afraid of retribution from the major bases? Feng Shao, tell me who was so audacious, and I'll kill them…"

Li Chuan frowned, pulling the agitated Liu Ji back and having someone gag him. It was pointless for the others to make a fuss. Feng Shaohuang didn't seem to want to pursue the matter, and creating a scene wouldn't help. However, something couldn't happen to Feng Shaohuang. Regardless of any animosity between Feng Shaohuang and Lou Dian, he couldn't allow anything to happen to Feng Shaohuang at this critical juncture.

With the light ability user's help, the flesh wound healed completely within half an hour. Coupled with a high-level ability user's robust regenerative abilities, Feng Shaohuang was soon as good as new.

After the others left, Li Chuan poured a glass of water and placed it before Feng Shaohuang. He said sternly, "Feng Shao, you don't owe Lou Dian anything!"

Feng Shaohuang snapped out of his daze. He was momentarily stunned by Li Chuan's words, then said, "You think I held back on purpose?"

Although Li Chuan didn't speak, his expression confirmed his suspicion. In just three years, Feng Shaohuang's ability level had surpassed rank six. Although he publicly claimed to be a rank six ability user, only his closest confidants knew that his true power was far greater, making him the undisputed strongest human and the ideal candidate to fight the Zombie King. Therefore, Feng Shaohuang's injury tonight must have been due to restraint.

Feng Shaohuang glanced at him, offered no explanation, and waved him away.

After a frowning Li Chuan left, Feng Shaohuang stood by the window, gazing at the dimly lit streets of the base. An unbearable ache pulsed in his heart. He closed his eyes, slamming his fist against the wall, creating spiderweb cracks.

His visit tonight had been to confirm one thing. The confirmation brought a wave of pain so intense he wanted to destroy everything in sight.

Lou Ling truly no longer loved him. She would never belong to him again!

In his past life, they had been so close. Lou Ling had almost agreed to be with him. They would have been the happiest couple, they would have had children, the apocalypse would have ended, and they would have returned to a normal human life…

But everything had been ruined by his one moment of carelessness! He had known Qin Ling wanted to kill Lou Ling, yet he had been too soft-hearted to intervene! Why hadn't Qin Ling died sooner?!

In the darkness, a low sob echoed, then silence.

In the morning, Lou Ling awoke to the sounds of the bustling base and found Lou Dian sitting by the bed.

"You didn't sleep last night?" Lou Ling sat up, leaning against his back and poking him with her finger. Suspiciously, she asked, "Where did you go last night?" She sniffed him, detecting a faint scent of blood.

Lou Dian turned to look at her, the corners of his eyes slightly red, but a smile spread across his face. He pulled her into his arms, cupping her face and kissing her haphazardly. His unshaven stubble scratched her skin. She tried to endure it, but his kisses became increasingly insistent, and she finally pushed him away with a frustrated punch.

His antics made her forget her question about his disappearance the previous night. By the time she remembered, personnel from the capital base had arrived to summon them to a meeting at the military headquarters.

I'll deal with you tonight!

Lou Ling glared at him, conveying her warning.

However, her glare appeared more like a harmless kitten's to him. He simply smiled back, unfazed.

Arriving at a conference room in the capital base's military headquarters building, they found the ability users from all five major bases assembled, numbering around a hundred. Only twelve rank six ability users were officially registered. The rest were rank five, and only two, including Lou Ling, were rank four. Consequently, the two rank four ability users were subjected to several disdainful glances, the contempt extending to their respective bases.

Lin Bao's face darkened. If not for the inappropriate setting, she would have blasted those who dared look down on Lou Ling with a water bubble. She glared fiercely at several ability users, committing their faces to memory.

Lin Bao remembered them, and so, involuntarily, did Tan Mo.

Then the meeting began.

Feng Shaohuang appeared with several high-ranking officials, his expression calm, his bearing radiating the subtle power of his high ability level. No one dared question his presence. Seeing him standing alongside national leaders, figures previously only seen on television, felt entirely natural.

Feng Shaohuang's gaze swept over the attendees, pausing briefly on the Northwest base contingent before moving on.

The meeting was straightforward, conducted with projected images. It primarily outlined the current situation in China, highlighting the provinces and cities that had become dead zones, and finally, pinpointing the Zombie King's location.

Author's Note:

Today's goals:

Lou Ling's goal: Keep an eye on the weirdo!

Lou Dian's goal: Change fate!

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