The Absolute Favorite in the Apocalyptic Rebirth

Ignoring Lou Shang's theatrical behavior, Lou Dian took Lou Ling's hand and said, "Second Brother, let's go back."

Lou Ling looked back at Lin Baobao. Seeing that the base was the same as usual, Lin Baobao knew that the things she worried about wouldn't happen. Unwilling to meddle, she waved at them and left with a reluctant Tan Mo.

"Baobao, we'll come find you tomorrow," Lou Ling said.

"Okay."

After bidding farewell to Lin Baobao and Tan Mo, the four of them headed towards the Lou family home.

It was nearing dusk, but the winter sky was a hazy gray. As evening approached, the sky grew darker, with fine snow fluttering down. The temperature was exceptionally cold, leaving the streets largely deserted. Many people were huddled indoors for warmth.

Back at the Lou residence, hot water and soup were already prepared. After washing their hands with hot water, they were served a comforting bowl of pork rib and yam soup. After greeting Aunt, Qiu Rong, Lou Yan, and the others, the four of them sat down and slurped their soup. A bowl of hot soup warmed them from the inside out.

Lou Tang and Lou Zhan returned soon after. Combined with the cheerful laughter of the children, the entire Lou residence was filled with joy.

After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room, sipping hot tea and discussing matters.

Lou Shang patted Lou Dian's shoulder and said, "You're really something, kid. Those people actually made their move. It's a good thing you're all alright. Otherwise, even if the base was fine, we wouldn't have been at ease." The more they interacted with Lou Dian, the more they understood his abilities, and the less they wanted anything to happen to him. Such a powerful individual was a deterrent, keeping restless factions in check and making base management easier.

Since Lou Dian arrived at the Northwest Base, Lou Tang, Lou Zhan, and the others had realized his importance to them. The various factions within the Northwest Base had indeed become much more compliant, and many measures were implemented without the usual difficulties. It was a positive development.

Lou Zhan said, "The Flying Tiger Ability User Team collaborated with the Fang family. The Blue Rose and Dawn Ability User Teams were also dragged into it. Fortunately, we detected it in time and made appropriate arrangements, preventing chaos in the base. I knew they would retaliate against you out of anger, but I didn't expect them to create an earthquake when you left." His eyes narrowed slightly.

There were four prominent Ability User Teams in the base: Flying Tiger, Blue Rose, Dawn, and Scenery. Additionally, several families held influence within the military. Before the apocalypse, the Lou family had, by chance, transferred their power to the Northwest Base in a timely manner, minimizing their losses and gaining significant authority. Due to their military background and unwavering principles of justice, they had impacted the interests of many, who now sought to overthrow them.

If it were the Lou family of the past, Lou Tang and Lou Zhan would have struggled to deal with this situation. Now, with Lou Dian's presence as a deterrent, many, having suffered significant losses, dared not act rashly. Lou Dian's sudden emergence at the Northwest Base had also made him a thorn in the side of many. Without him, no matter how powerful the Lou family was, with careful manipulation and attrition, they would pose no threat.

Therefore, Lou Dian's trip to the mountains near the base to eliminate mutated flora and fauna presented a perfect opportunity for those seeking to weaken the Lou family.

However, the Lou family was also well-informed. Upon learning of this, they formulated a plan. Lou Dian had previously pulled Lou Shang aside and given him instructions. At the critical moment, the Lou family seized the initiative. Although it took some effort, they managed to suppress those who stepped out of line. Others, witnessing the Lou family's methods, were intimidated and remained inactive. As long as they didn't interfere, the Lou family wouldn't target them. Moreover, the Northwest Base relied on these factions for stability and couldn't afford to eliminate them all.

After listening to the men of the Lou family recount the events of the past month, Lou Ling felt her mind reeling. A conflict that could have caused significant damage to the base had been resolved just like that? Only the earthquake when they descended the mountain made her realize that some people held animosity towards them.

Thinking about this, Lou Ling became conflicted. Was she being shielded too much, or was she simply too naive?

Lou Yan gave her a sympathetic look. Being kept in the dark wasn't a pleasant feeling, but this kind of thing didn't require her involvement. It seemed that whether she knew or not didn't matter.

"During this month in the mountains, they made several attempts, but none succeeded," Lou Dian said casually. "I just didn't expect them to lie in wait in the mountains and use so many Earth Ability Users to attack us on our way down."

The Lou family men exchanged glances. It seemed that Lou Dian had truly become a thorn in their side.

Lou Dian chuckled, his expression gentle and refined. "Since they want to make a move, they must pay a price. Tomorrow, I'll accompany Uncle on a visit. Uncle won't mind, will he?"

Lou Tang's lips twitched before he burst into laughter. "What are you talking about? How could I mind? I'm just afraid you'll find the military discipline too strict." Lou Dian was carefree and disliked constraints. The only thing that could fully capture his attention was Lou Ling. This personality was strikingly similar to his father's; even Lou Ran was more so compared to him.

He then glanced at Lou Ling and noticed her staring at them in a daze. He couldn't help but smile. The little girl who used to be like a tomboy had now grown into a delicate and lovely young woman.

Next, Yan Ge spoke about Gan Jingcheng. "Unexpectedly, he's quite a genius. With his participation in the zombie virus research project, I believe we'll soon be able to develop a preliminary antidote."

Lou Ling and the others weren't surprised by this. Seeing that Gan Jingcheng could develop a potion that allowed ordinary people to develop mutated spiritual power, they knew his talent. It was just a pity that his character was flawed, and he was afraid of death. Otherwise, it would be better to let him live longer and extract more from him.

Before leaving, Lou Dian brought out the hides of the mutated beasts he had hunted in the mountains. These mutated beasts were larger than their pre-apocalypse counterparts, and their fur was warmer and more durable. A single hide was large enough to be used as a blanket. The weather in the Northwest was colder than in the plains, so these hides would come in handy.

Aunt was delighted. Being from the older generation, she had some basic sewing skills. Measuring and cutting fabric was no problem for her. She took the hides and pulled her grandson over, intending to make him a warm set of fur clothes.

Back in their own home, Lou Dian turned on the electric heater, warming the room.

After a hot bath, the two snuggled in bed and talked. Lou Ling pinched him, demanding he honestly tell her about the situation at the base. She learned a lot of inside information, things unknown to the general public. Although she was stunned by the power struggles among the higher-ups and factions, it wasn't unacceptable.

"What's there to hide? Knowing more isn't a bad thing. I won't do anything stupid!" Lou Ling pinched him angrily, on his shoulder, arm, and waist. But seeing him treat it like a massage and even ask her to use more force, she angrily withdrew her hand, unwilling to bother with him.

Lou Dian rolled over, pinning her beneath him. He kissed the corner of her eye with a smile and said, "I won't hide anything from you in the future!" Not likely!

Lou Ling studied him carefully for a moment, deciding to reserve judgment on his words. As long as everyone was fine, whether she knew or not didn't really matter. She had no ambitions and wasn't interested in those things. If she could help, she would do so without hesitation. However, judging by the behavior of the Lou family men, they probably didn't want the women in their family to worry—except for Qiu Rong, who was a strong woman capable of fighting alongside Lou Zhan.

Lou Dian smiled gently, his eyes full of tenderness. He leaned down and kissed her eyes and lips, deepening the kiss only after she wrapped her arms around his neck.

After a night of passion, Lou Ling woke up late again the next day.

The north wind howled outside the window, and the snow seemed to have intensified. Lou Ling huddled under the covers, exposing half her face. She hissed as the cold air touched her skin, but upon seeing the time on the alarm clock on the table, she quickly got out of bed.

Lou Dian had left early in the morning. She had been half-asleep at the time, heard his voice, and kicked him away without much thought, continuing to sleep soundly. So, after getting up, she didn't see him but noticed the mutton soup still warming on the stove, clearly made for her.

After two bowls of mutton soup and a bowl of rice, Lou Ling rinsed her mouth and went out with an umbrella to find Lin Baobao.

At Lin Baobao's apartment, everyone was there except Grandpa Mo and Chen Kaiwei, who had gone out to work. Chen Luosheng and Mo Yingying excitedly surrounded her. Lou Ling generously pulled out a bag of coconut candy from her backpack and shared it with them. Then she took out a cantaloupe seed, instantly ripening it for everyone to enjoy.

"Dianxia came over earlier and delivered our hides," Lin Baobao said, munching on the cantaloupe and pointing to the pile of hides in the corner. "Sister Yi said she knows some needlework and will make you a coat. What color do you like?"

Lou Ling looked at Yi Zheng in surprise. Still dressed in leather, with a stunning figure, she looked like a modern woman. It was hard to believe she knew such a traditional skill.

Yi Zheng patted her chest and said, "Little Sister Lou shouldn't underestimate me. I grew up in the countryside and learned a lot from my grandmother. Making a coat isn't difficult."

Lou Ling was genuinely worried that her forceful patting would burst her ample bosom. She quickly nodded and dug out a set of cosmetics from her backpack as a thank you gift, which Yi Zheng happily accepted. Seeing her joy, Lou Ling felt no guilt towards Lou Dian. Even if these things were prepared by him for her, makeup wasn't her thing. It was better to give them to Yi Zheng, who clearly enjoyed such things.

"It's so cold. We're not planning on taking any more missions outside the base. We'll wait until after this winter," Lin Baobao said, huddled on the sofa. She asked Lou Ling, "What about you? Will you go out with Dianxia like last year?"

Lou Ling shook her head. Lou Dian was currently busy dealing with the factions in the base that had plotted against them and wouldn't have time to go out for a while. Of course, Lou Dian wouldn't allow her to go out alone either.

Lin Baobao thought for a moment. "It's quite boring with nothing to do. Why don't we go to the breeding farm?" She glanced at Tan Mo, who was listlessly eating candy with the two children. Tan Mo had a deterrent effect on mutated beasts, making him perfect for keeping the unruly ones in check at the breeding farm.

After the apocalypse, technology advanced rapidly out of necessity. For survival, much research was conducted on mutated flora and fauna. It was now proven that mutated beasts could serve as food for Ability Users. Therefore, the base began breeding some weaker mutated beasts. However, as mutated beasts were still quite strong for ordinary people, they weren't easy to raise. With Tan Mo's presence, it would make the work of the farm staff much easier.

Thus, Tan Mo's job for the winter was settled.

As for Lou Ling, she went to the plantation to help accelerate plant growth. The crops in the plantation were all fast-growing vegetables, relatively easy to cultivate, and provided some fresh produce for the people in the base. After the apocalypse, land pollution was severe, and many surviving plants had mutated. Ordinary vegetables were actually difficult to grow. Fortunately, scientists collaborated with Earth Ability Users to purify the contaminated soil, creating land suitable for growing ordinary fruits and vegetables. However, the area wasn't large enough to supply the entire base.

Therefore, in the base, apart from offensive Ability Users, other types were also highly sought after. With proper application, every ability had its uses. Only those who didn't understand the application of abilities would call non-offensive abilities useless.

During the cold winter, with heavy snow blocking the mountains, no one wanted to leave the base to suffer. They all helped with the construction, bringing a thriving atmosphere to the base.

Lou Dian was busy scheming with Lou Tang, so Lou Ling went to the plantation every day, accelerating the growth of many fruits and vegetables. This made her popular with the ordinary people who managed the plantation. Coupled with her good temper and straightforward personality, and being a member of the Lou family, she blended in perfectly.

Lou Ling spent the entire winter at the plantation, accelerating the growth of fruits and vegetables every day. Her ability usage became increasingly proficient and refined. Unconsciously, her ability had accumulated to a certain point, and the transition from a Level 1 to Level 2 Ability User seemed to be a natural progression.

After a winter, Lou Ling had become a Level 2 Wood Ability User.

Like Lou Ling, Lin Baobao and the others also made gains. As long as they diligently practiced their abilities and helped the base, their abilities would improve after a winter of forced application.

Author's Notes:

Today's Goal:

Lou Ling's Goal: Work hard for the food supply of the entire base!

Lou Dian's Goal: Whatever my sister says, goes!

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