91 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

"You didn't sleep the whole night?" Yi Yi stretched and hurriedly sat up, feeling a warm sensation in her heart. Could someone really be so kind after just one day of acquaintance? She had taken care of her all night. Yi Yi nodded honestly, "I didn't sleep, and I'm not tired. It's good that you're awake. Let me check if you still have a fever." With that, Yi Yi reached out to touch Jiang Wan Ning's forehead. As her skin made contact with Jiang Wan Ning's forehead, her internal system instantly measured Jiang Wan Ning's body temperature. "Just a bit over 36 degrees, no fever. I have some clean clothes you can use. You can take a shower later," Yi Yi withdrew her hand and said with a smile. "Alright." Jiang Wan Ning's ears turned red. She found everything about Yi Yi wonderful, but her straightforward physical contact was sometimes quite embarrassing. Yi Yi didn't know what Jiang Wan Ning was thinking. She went back to her room and retrieved a set of clothes from her backpack, including underwear, and handed them to Jiang Wan Ning. "You can shower first. I'll take one after." "Okay, see you in a bit." Jiang Wan Ning smiled at Yi Yi. After a night of rest and an IV, she was feeling quite well. "See you in a bit," Yi Yi replied and went to her own room to shower. The reason bio-robots like Yi Yi are nearly indistinguishable from humans is due to their similar biological anatomy. Except for not eating or excreting, they're almost identical to humans in every other way. Their skin collects dust and gets oily, and they experience sensations and bodily fluids during physiological activities just like humans. However, inside they're different, with complex mechanical and circuitry constructions all made from high-precision metal. Having stronger flexibility and durability compared to human spines, the precision of the internal circuits is beyond imagination. This complexity is why reconstructing Yan Yan's body is so difficult. The young girl looked at the clothes Yi Yi brought her, smiling slightly. Yi Yi seemed like a beta? She hadn't sensed any pheromones from her. As she thought about this, she shook her head quickly, blushing, and went into the bathroom. Jiang Wan Ning had essentially slept for an entire day and night yesterday, so she awoke especially early. After her shower, she realized she was hungry and decided to look outside her room. It was just after six, and in the living room, there was a female alpha she didn't recognize sitting and drinking water. Jiang Wan Ning went over to greet her, "Hello, are you also my sister's friend?" Qin Ke nodded, slightly surprised that Jiang Wan Ning was awake. "Yes, I'm Qin Ke. Are you feeling better?" "Much better, thank you for your concern." Jiang Wan Ning replied, noticing that Qin Ke seemed a bit cold, and the living room fell silent. Chen Wan also woke up early and came downstairs after washing up. Seeing people in the living room, he smiled and greeted, "Morning." "Morning." Qin Ke nodded at him. "Good morning, Chen Wan jie jie." The young girl finally saw a familiar face and stood up, her eyes curving into smiles. "You're awake, Wan Ning? Are you still feeling ill? Any discomfort? A nurse will come by later for another IV." Chen Wan felt a bit more at ease seeing Jiang Wan Ning well. It was a small stroke of luck amidst adversity; as long as Jiang Yan Xin's family was fine, this base trip wouldn't be in vain. "I'm fine now. I felt a bit dizzy last night, but I'm okay today." Jiang Wan Ning replied with a smile. As Jiang Zhao Yuan and Ye Lan grew older, their sleep became lighter. Hearing movement downstairs, they both came down. Seeing her daughter lively on the sofa talking to everyone, Ye Lan's eyes turned red. "Wan Ning, let Mom see you. You're okay now?" "All better. Sorry to have worried you and Dad." Jiang Wan Ning felt like she was dreaming; they had moved to District A, her sister and others had arrived, and the entire family was together. Everyone gradually made their way downstairs, with Yi Yi, Jiang Yan Xin, and Cai Cai joining them in the living room. Cai Cai swung his little legs leisurely, showing his good mood, while Jiang Yan Xin, holding Cai Cai, went to speak with Jiang Wan Ning. Chen Wan chuckled and suggested, "Let's all head to the canteen for breakfast first. We never know what might happen today, but keeping healthy is most important." Realizing their current predicament, the group’s initial cheer dissipated, replaced by concern. Ye Lan anxiously clutched Chen Wan's hand, "What should we do now?" "Let's eat first. Whatever comes, comes. I'll be here, so don't worry," Chen Wan reassured her with a smile. As they were about to head to the canteen, two members from a Special Operations Unit squad appeared at the front door, both armed. Chen Wan sneered, it was like speaking of the devil, they hadn’t even had breakfast yet, and here they were. A man with a spotty face spoke first, "Who is Chen Wan, Qin Ke? Major Yao has ordered you two to carry out a mission with the first squad of the Special Operations Unit. Departure is now." Chen Wan sneered again, "Seems like there really is no free lunch, huh? Let's go." He glanced at Jiang Yan Xin, indicating for her to stay calm, and mentally reminded Yi Yi to adapt to the situation and keep in touch with him. She should also lead everyone to eat, as you can’t be useful on an empty stomach if anything unexpected happens. Chen Wan and Qin Ke followed the two to the first squad’s training ground, where Xing Feng stood giving a briefing. Despite his dismissal, he still fulfilled the captain’s role temporarily. The squad was substantial, with twenty members excluding the two injured yesterday, leaving eighteen. Xing Feng sternly directed his glare at Chen Wan and Qin Ke, “Action’s about to begin, don’t be so lax. Go change your gear quickly.” Chen Wan eyed Xing Feng disdainfully, "We were just notified. Who’s to blame for that?" "You think I wouldn’t punish you? Major Yao ordered you to join this mission; you're just burdens holding us back," Xing Feng glared intently at Chen Wan. Chen Wan, unfazed, scoffed lightly, "We know who the real hindrance is." "You!” Xing Feng, aware of the surveillance cameras, begrudgingly held back. There would be plenty of chances to deal with them once they were out of the base; patience wasn’t a virtue here. A female alpha escorted Chen Wan and Qin Ke to the locker room. They exchanged knowing looks, checked their outfits for tampering, and stepped out once satisfied. Next, the female alpha handed them firearms. Chen Wan quickly spotted issues with the weapons. Several crucial parts were missing. “Didn’t realize the military’s equipment was this shabby. I should ask your higher-ups about this,” Chen Wan remarked with a sneer. Taken aback, the female alpha, aware they had met with those higher-up leaders yesterday, quickly replaced the faulty weapons with functioning ones. Chen Wan, maintaining an enigmatic smile, secured the weapons, checked the bullets and knives, ensuring they were intact, and then went out with Qin Ke. The same female alpha relayed a message to Xing Feng, who chuckled coldly at them, barking, “Fall in line!” Chen Wan and Qin Ke joined the team without haste, boarding an armored truck with the others. Xing Feng had intentionally prepared compromised gear for them, but alas, it was discovered, making his scheme futile. Settling into the truck, Xing Feng began a briefing: “This mission is critical. The south-west of Funan City, near Linki City, houses a large grain depot. The area hasn’t been cleared of zombies due to its distance from Funan City, so stay alert.” His eyes locked on Chen Wan, continuing, “Especially with burdens like these in the mission, I expect everyone to give their all and rid the base of these impostors.” “Understood!” The soldiers, excluding Chen Wan and Qin Ke, responded in unison. The squad shared a tight bond, frustrated by yesterday's events when Chen Wan and Qin Ke injured their members and overstepped their station. “Some are all talk; I’ll see soon what you’re capable of,” scoffed a male alpha with a broken brow. “Exactly, talking your way into District A. If they really have skills, pigs might fly,” a short male alpha jested. Satisfied with the disparagement, Xing Feng finally intervened, reminding them, “We’re on a mission, not a chat room. Stay vigilant.” He relished the squad’s obedience, his instructions followed even after his dismissal. How could they not comply? Pleased with himself, Xing Feng’s gaze shifted to Chen Wan and Qin Ke. Seeing them unfazed and indifferent only added to his frustration, like punching a soft pillow, he felt even more stifled. The truck rumbled along, with soldiers assigned to keep watch taking out any zombies they encountered. Chen Wan took the opportunity to relax during the journey. Knowing full well that unexpected troubles could arise at any moment, he prepared himself mentally for whatever lay ahead. After roughly two hours on the road, the zombies around the truck were sparse, appearing in small groups easily dispatched by the soldiers. Eventually, the truck pulled into the courtyard of the grain depot. Once the driver stopped, everyone got off to rest. But Chen Wan sensed something wasn’t right—on the road, there had been a few zombies visible, yet the courtyard was completely devoid of any. It was too abnormal. Xing Feng swept the area with his eyes, realizing something was amiss. He aimed his gun at Chen Wan and Qin Ke, ordering, "You two, go ahead and check what's going on. Report back immediately." Chen Wan snorted, "Captain Xing Feng, you've got it all figured out, don’t you? Not wasting any of your own men, sending outsiders like us into danger." "Less talking, more following orders. Refuse, and I’ll charge you with disobedience," Xing Feng threatened, raising his gun. Chen Wan nodded, "Alright, we’ll go take a look. What’s the saying? 'Under the eaves, one has to bow their head.'" "Then quit chatting," Xing Feng snapped, glaring at Chen Wan. With rifles in hand, Chen Wan and Qin Ke headed towards the grain depot, wary of any treacherous shots from Xing Feng's group. Xing Feng ordered his team to stay by the truck, ready to abandon Chen Wan and Qin Ke at the first sign of trouble and leave quickly—hence no shots fired at their backs yet.