71 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

The soldier named Liu Zi thought for a moment before running towards the direction Chen Wan and her companions were heading. A slightly senior officer shouted, “Liu Zi, come back!” Ignoring his teammate Zhao Lei’s call, Liu Zi caught up with Chen Wan and her group. “Please wait.” Having walked halfway, Chen Wan and her companions stopped when they heard the soldier calling them. Chen Wan turned around and asked, “Is there something else?” Liu Zi spoke in a low voice, “The Safe Zone might not be what you think it is. If you don't go there and find a place to settle nearby, you'll be safe. The zombies in this area have been cleared.” Though Liu Zi’s words weren't entirely clear, Chen Wan and her group understood immediately. Chen Wan smiled and thanked him, “Thank you for the warning, but we have to go to the base to look for our family. We can't not go. Still, thank you.” Liu Zi, a beta, blushed being thanked by a beautiful alpha like Chen Wan. His skin was dark from being on guard duty for long hours, else he would have wished to find a hole to hide in. He replied a bit flustered, “No need to thank me. It’s just what we should do. You all be careful on your way.” “Okay.” Chen Wan smiled at him, finding this young soldier with whom she’d only shared a brief encounter to be quite kind-hearted. She turned back, joining the queue at the base gate. Liu Zi ran back to the checkpoint as Zhao Lei teased him, “Liu Zi, you’re just soft-hearted. Last time, you did the same thing with two young women trying to settle inside the base. You gave them a piece of advice and they turned back to curse you as crazy.” “She’s different; she thanked me,” Liu Zi retorted, glaring at Zhao Lei. “What’s different? I saw them with a kid. They’re probably already married. You don’t stand a chance,” Zhao Lei continued to tease his partner, enjoying the break from no incoming vehicles. “I didn't mean anything else. I was just worried they’d run into trouble and wanted to give a warning,” Liu Zi explained to Zhao Lei, who clearly didn’t believe a word. Meanwhile, over at the length of the queue, plenty of people had taken notice of Chen Wan and her companions. Four beauties of varying appearances approaching, with one holding a child, inevitably sparked whispers among the crowd. An unruly man whistled at Chen Wan and her group, eliciting laughter, while the women and Omegas in the queue remained relatively quiet. Some male betas and alphas already seemed carefree, assuming safety within the base and began acting more wantonly. Chen Wan didn't spare them a single glance, leading the rest to the end of the line to queue. The Flower Arm Man, feeling embarrassed at being ignored by Chen Wan in front of so many eyes, signaled his underlings. Apart from leaving one behind to hold their place in line, Flower Arm Man mustered four robust subordinates and circled towards Chen Wan and her group. The queue ahead turned to watch Chen Wan’s side as Glasses Man, who was lined in front of Chen Wan, glanced back with slight pity. Chen Wan stood still, holding her child, expressionless. Flower Arm Man swaggered over with his henchmen, eyeing Chen Wan and company slyly. “Oh my, there's an alpha among these sisters? No problem. My brothers and I are all betas. We wouldn't clash. Even in the Safe Zone, there are dangers. Pretty women like you ought to have protectors. Let's go together; we can shield you. Besides, you’re holding a baby. How can you protect him?” Yang Yang, terrified by the man’s words, trembled in Chen Wan’s arms as she gently soothed him, “Don’t be afraid, Yang Yang. Mommy is here.” “The kid’s called Yang Yang, huh? From now on, I’m your daddy, protecting you with your mommy,” Flower Arm Man leered at Chen Wan, then glanced at Yi Yi and others, smacking his lips with admiration, “Your friends are all gorgeous. Don't be jealous, ladies.” Chen Wan chuckled lightly, stunning Flower Arm Man momentarily. She passed the child over to Jiang Yanxin. Just as Chen Wan was about to make her move, Qin Ke sprang into action first, leaping at the thug nearest her. She punched him straight in the face, breaking his nose, which began bleeding and collapsed to one side. Qin Ke didn’t relent, wrenching his neck sideways during his agony. The man struggled desperately, but he was never Qin Ke’s match, especially after her long period of consuming crystal cores and mutant beef, which significantly boosted her strength. With a resounding “crack,” the man’s head lolled down, and his limbs went limp. Qin Ke tossed the man aside, coldly staring at the rest. Everything happened so fast that Flower Arm Man and the others hadn’t even made it to help, and the man was already lifeless. Special forces training in combat and restraint isn’t about flashy, ornamental moves; it’s about teaching soldiers to subdue an opponent as swiftly and efficiently as possible. Aesthetics are irrelevant. “Shit, why the hell are you all standing there? Tear these women apart….” Before Flower Arm Man finished his sentence, he was struck by intense pain in his mouth and face. He was sent flying backward through the air, landing several meters away and coughing up a mouthful of broken teeth. Meanwhile, Qin Ke was already locked in combat with another tall shirted man. The two men who saw Flower Arm Man get punched away by Chen Wan rushed over for a come-back. This time, they were wary, having been too chaotic before without using their machetes stored in backpacks. Now they wielded their blades, charging at Chen Wan. Yi Yi remained beside Jiang Yanxin, shielding her and Yang Yang, confident that these small fry wouldn’t require her intervention. The man on Chen Wan’s left swung a blade, but she sidestepped, catching the arm that held it and yanking his other arm hard. His left arm was suddenly rendered limp as both she and the man howled, “Ah, my arm!” The other man in a green tee saw his partner subdued and lunged at Chen Wan from the side, knife poised for her. Chen Wan gripped the first man’s throat with one hand, the other securing his knife-wielding wrist, unflinching despite his struggles. In the next moment, Chen Wan used the man as a shield against the green shirt guy’s knife attack. Startled by the scene, green shirt guy froze, unable to move, as Chen Wan guided her captive’s wrist to stab the green shirt guy, who was too frenzied to evade. Blood splattered onto Chen Wan as she released her hold, leaving the men pierced through one another. She realized their clothes wouldn’t come clean easily after this. On the other side, though shorter by comparison, Qin Ke was agile, provoking her opponent into rage and then seizing an advantage to lock him in a body hold from behind, clamping him with scissors legs so he couldn’t budge. She strangled him with her arms while he desperately grasped at her to release him. But as seconds ticked by, Qin Ke steadily tightened her grip, sapping him of his strength to struggle. Flower Arm Man, back to his senses, was terrified when seeing Chen Wan and Qin Ke. Who could have known these two beautiful women would be so ruthless? Within just a few minutes, none of his men were left standing! Seeing Chen Wan coming at him, Flower Arm Man welled up with tears, barely coherent from missing teeth. “Please, spare me, sis, spare me! I’m a bastard. If I knew you were this capable, I wouldn’t have dared. Sis, I’ll kneel and beg for mercy.” “Let you go? You’ve surely pulled this stunt quite a bit. Hurt many, I wager?” Chen Wan smiled as she questioned him. Flower Arm Man shivered, eyes full of fright. “No, sis, spare me. I didn't. I didn't!” “Didn't you just scare my daughter? And now you’re chickening out?” Chen Wan pressed on. “I’ll apologize. I’ll kneel to your daughter,” the man stuttered, pulling something from behind. Lunging at Chen Wan, he aimed the blade directly at her chest and abdomen. Chen Wan barely had to shift to grip his knife hand tightly, realizing his desperation. He called to the man left in line, “Quick, help me! She won’t spare us. She won’t spare us!” The man in the white short-sleeved shirt, trembling in line, wished fervently not to be singled out, hoping he could blend in and escape unnoticed. Yet, the woman had already glanced his way. Shaking, clutching his machete, he hesitated, intending to slash at Chen Wan. But Qin Ke swiftly intercepted, kicking the weapon out of his grip. Seeing his machete gone, the man turned and bolted, aiming to reach the soldiers at the gate for help. Qin Ke picked up the dropped machete and, after the man had taken barely three or four steps, hurled it with all her might toward his back. The man felt a sudden heat in his chest, followed by searing pain, and collapsed to the ground. Meanwhile, on the other side, Chen Wan made use of the knife in Flower Arm Man’s grasp to slit his throat efficiently. Chen Wan wiped the blood from her hands, not forgetting to gather the bags left by Flower Arm Man and his cronies, intending to check if they held anything useful. Each of the six men carried a backpack, and Chen Wan and Qin Ke calmly collected them. In contrast, the ruckus at the base gate had subsided entirely; the crowd in line fell utterly silent, like startled chickens. Even the Glasses Man, who earlier pitied Chen Wan, now shook uncontrollably in fright.