137 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Chen Wan and her companions each carried a backpack filled with biscuits, canned luncheon meat, and other essentials—enough to last them two to three days and share some with Wei Si Yu and her group. Once they were ready, Qin Ke was the first to step out and search for a vehicle nearby. They decided against taking the RV for this trip, as there was a refrigerated truck trailing behind, making it too conspicuous. Wei Si Yu's group had a car, and Qin Ke found another that could fit four to five people comfortably. Having stayed in Jeolla City for some time, Wei Si Yu's group was familiar with the area. They led the way with their vehicle, driven by the muscular male alpha, Shi Tou. Half an hour later, Shi Tou carefully pulled up in front of "Tomorrow." The rain in the sky gradually ceased, but the clouds hung heavily above as if ominously foreshadowing an impending storm. The eight members of Chen Wan's team climbed out of the cars. Awaiting them at the gate was a unit of young security guards, armed and ready. The leader paused upon seeing an Omega and two Betas among the group but quickly ushered them into a room to check for any contraband like weapons. After a thorough inspection, they were handed number tags and keys and informed of their accommodations. The "Tomorrow" encampment had amalgamated four residential complexes alongside two midsection office towers, all enclosed within a tall wall, leaving only two main entrances armed with guards. Chen Wan's group was assigned to a six-story building. They were allocated two apartments on the third floor. Though the place was a bit messy, it was safe, with no zombies lurking about. But they weren't there for leisure. Splitting into two teams, Wei Si Yu led her team to gather information about the monitor and Li Yue, while Chen Wan took Jiang Yan Xin and the others to seek people at a nightclub. However, they were accosted en route by troublemakers. A young man, wearing sunglasses and flanked by a group of teenagers, blocked their way. "Hey, newcomers, huh? An Omega among you, and such a beauty at that! How about coming with us?" said the young man. Despite being referred to as a man, he looked under twenty. "If you don't want to die, get lost. We need to get to the nightclub. Don't waste our time," Chen Wan replied icily, her gaze piercing straight at the man. His demeanor changed upon hearing that they were heading to the nightclub during daylight—something only those with a bit of clout in "Tomorrow" dared to do. One of his followers sneered at Chen Wan's group, "You think you can just go to the nightclub?" Chen Wan retorted with a laugh, ready to be done with the conversation. "Why not? Anyone who can pay can go. Besides, I'm quite familiar with Ming Feng and his crew. We were in the same circles before the apocalypse." The man in sunglasses lowered them slightly, appraising them anew. Noticing their clean, possibly new clothes and the openly parading Omega, he was inclined to believe her—regular folks would hide any Omega or Beta companions, not parade them around, let alone en route to a nightclub. "Oh, well, if you're friends with Brother Feng, then I'll show respect. See you around." With that, the young man and his crew retreated. A crony asked, "Brother Yu, just letting them go like that?" "Yes, Brother Yu, that Omega is really something, and those Betas too. It’s a shame to let them slip by," chimed another. "You heard the woman; she knows Brother Feng. By her demeanor, there's a good chance she wasn't bluffing," said the man, known as Gong Yu, strolling lazily and ever on the lookout for opportunities. Hearing "Gong Yu," Chen Wan's gaze sharpened. She turned to the man and asked, "Are you Gong Yu?" A lackey promptly boasted, "Our Brother Yu's name isn't something you can toss around! He's a favorite with both Brother Feng and Brother Jue. Heard of them?" Gong Yu preened, arrogance dripping from him. Chen Wan's face grew cold, her voice sharp as ice. "Are you the one who sold out friends for fame?" "The hell you just say?" Gong Yu's face twisted, struck at a sore spot. "Betray your friends, even killing them yourself, only to become Ming Feng's lackey. Isn't that right?" Chen Wan taunted. "To hell with it, get them!" Gong Yu's command was cut short by a well-aimed fist to his jaw, sending him reeling. Blood dripped from his lopsided nose, soon followed by gasping breaths as Qin Ke's iron grip tightened around his neck. Qin Ke loathed traitors and saw this as an opportunity to improve her combat skills. Her swift action left Gong Yu unable to utter a sound, his body convulsing before going utterly still. His gang didn’t fare any better. Chen Wan took them down with single punches each, hurling them afar with no strength left to retaliate. Equally, Yi Yi dispatched two with kicks before using her fists to subdue another. And Shen Ming Yan, filled with loathing for such people, unleashed all her strength, the targets quickly subdued by her relentless blows. In just a few short minutes, the group of seven, once arrogant, lay lifeless, and every bystander pretended not to notice—a common occurrence. But Chen Wan's daring display against the Ming Brothers’ clique had some onlookers yearning to cheer; these thuggish enforcers were universally despised. As soon as they handled Gong Yu, Chen Wan glanced at the surveillance cameras. "Let's move swiftly to the nightclub now." Her group set off toward the nightclub managed by the Ming brothers within "Tomorrow," as the scene was streamed live to the compound's guards. Discovering seven slain, all of their own, the security team leader rushed to the seventh floor to inform Ming Feng but was halted by his personal bodyguards. "The masters are in a meeting with Dr. Wen. No interruptions," declared one guard, a towering figure of six feet three, blocking the way. "But someone died outside," the captain pressed, eager to report, fearing reprimand. "Deaths happen daily here—now that would be unusual. The meeting with Dr. Wen is critical. The masters left express instructions: no disturbances from anyone, no matter the cause," the guard said. Without further ado, he resumed his post, the captain nervously retreating. "Fine, I'll report back later. Inform me as soon as they’re free," the captain conceded, biting his lip. "Sure. Once the meeting concludes, I’ll let you know," confirmed the guard. Inside Ming Feng's office, he, Ming Jue, and Dr. Wen sat discussing over tea. "So, Dr. Wen, what's new in your lab?" Ming Feng inquired, sipping his tea. "Research is ongoing. Currently, we've determined there's a daily limit on zombie crystal consumption. Consume too little, and efficiency drops; consume too much, and it’s wasteful. After repeated verifications, I've concluded a maximum of ten crystals per person daily to avoid wastage," Dr. Wen replied with a smile. "Alright, from now on, my brother and I will adhere to ten crystals daily. We squandered too much before. What about the speed-enhancing serum's progress?" Ming Feng queried further. "The serum is still under development. I've compared several samples from ability users and both zombie and level one mutated creature crystals, identifying a common element that could boost power. But I’ve yet to definitively pinpoint it. Most tested crystals were from level one creatures, so results aren’t universally applicable. We only have a single level three mutated creature crystal in the lab, and I haven’t dared to experiment on it yet," Dr. Wen explained. "Indeed, level three mutated creature crystals are hard to come by," Ming Feng mused, tapping his knee with his fingertips. "To get the one in your lab, we lost four ability users and twenty guard members, and that was sheer luck. They’re extremely rare. However, I’ll have my men scour the outskirts of Jeolla City daily. Should they find one, they'll ensure it's brought back to you immediately." In "Tomorrow," Ming Feng's word was law. He possessed power and Omegas, but now his greatest desire was to enhance his strength. The stronger he became, the more "Tomorrow" could expand—hence his collaboration with Dr. Wen. Without the consent of the Ming brothers, the security captain had limited authority to mobilize forces to capture Chen Wan and her group. He could only muster a small team of ten armed guards to head to the nightclub shown in the surveillance feed, now entered by Chen Wan and her companions. Inside the nightclub, the flashing dance floor lights and blaring DJ music were deafening, making it nearly impossible to overhear any conversation. Despite it being daytime, the place was packed with people aimlessly moving to the beats, as if trying to fill the void with hedonism. Chen Wan and her group’s entrance attracted the attention of the bar staff. Their group's composition was unusual, but the staff had seen all sorts of eccentric patrons. Noticing their decent attire and fearless demeanor, the staff assumed they were there to enjoy themselves and quickly approached to offer assistance. "Hello, and welcome. I'm a server here. Would you like a table or a private room?" the server inquired of Chen Wan's group, discreetly glancing at Jiang Yan Xin, puzzled. Such a striking Omega, yet she wasn’t with the Ming brothers—a rarity since, as per his experience, any attractive Omega in the compound usually ended up with them.