152 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Everyone was still flustered from the recent events, but the RV had just begun its upgrade and required them to stay put for 24 hours. Yi Yi noticed their collective unease and quickly reassured them, "That teleportation ability can actually be avoided. Once the RV upgrade is complete, and we've patched this loophole, no one will be able to enter the RV at will, even with such powers. It’s been just six hours since the upgrade started at noon, so we'll need to stay here until tomorrow noon." "Alright, how about you, mom, dad, and Wan Ning go rest on the second floor?" Chen Wan suggested after some thought. "It's not exposed to the outside and is relatively safer." Nonetheless, Chen Wan still felt uneasy. She instructed the four Hua Huas to go to the second floor to protect Ye Lan and the others, leaving those with combat abilities on the first floor. The encounter with the military left everyone too shaken to eat. Qin Ke rummaged through the fridge and found some mutant pork, slicing it into small pieces to make a simple lean meat porridge. Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin retreated to their room to check on Zai Zai; with Yi Yi and the others outside, Chen Wan could relax a little. On the large bed, Zai Zai was sleeping soundly, her face now regained its color, and her little chest rising and falling adorably. Chen Wan leaned against the bed, her arm around Jiang Yan Xin, occasionally brushing Zai Zai’s tender cheeks. Their little Zai Zai had done them a great service today. Such a small child, yet capable of protecting those around her. Chen Wan’s gaze softened as she looked at Zai Zai. Jiang Yan Xin also leaned into Chen Wan's embrace, savoring the brief peace. Her eyes gently watched the little girl, occasionally glancing at Chen Wan. She nuzzled against Chen Wan and playfully remarked, "Good thing nothing happened. Next time there's danger, we'll need to be even more careful." Chen Wan nodded in agreement, "Yeah, next time I'll stick close to you, and no monster will get through." "Alright," Jiang Yan Xin replied, a slight itch on her neck wound. Yao Major hadn't cut deeply, and it seemed to be scabbing now, but Chen Wan's fretting left Jiang Yan Xin with little choice but to bear it. In the midst of their conversation, the little girl had recovered enough and sat up, rubbing her eyes with her chubby hands. The freshly awakened child was still somewhat dazed. She remembered confronting the 'baddie' earlier, whom she threw a meat-cutting knife at in anger when he bullied her grandfather; after that, everything became a blur. Seeing her mom and mommy there, Zai Zai quickly asked, "Where's the baddie? Beat the baddie!" Chen Wan chuckled and scooped the little one into her arms, planting a kiss on her cheek as she laughed, "The baddie ran away after you defeated him. You're amazing, little darling. Mommy's so proud of you." Zai Zai gazed at Chen Wan, puzzled by the meaning of 'proud,' but knowing she chased the baddie away made her happy! Her little mouth replied as she reiterated, "Mommy, be proud of me, be proud." Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin found Zai Zai utterly adorable. Jiang Yan Xin pinched Zai Zai’s chubby cheek, inquiring, "Do you even know what that means, little one?" Zai Zai shook her tiny head nonchalantly, leaving Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin thoroughly entertained. Jiang Yan Xin pulled the little one into her arms, smothering her round little face with kisses, "Our darling is so great, already protecting mommy. But remember, use that power only against baddies, okay?" Nodding in understanding, Zai Zai noticed her mom's injured neck and felt a pang of concern. Her tiny fingers pointed to the bandaged area, softly comforting her mom, "Let me blow on it, it'll stop hurting." The child leaned closer, her small mouth softly blowing on Jiang Yan Xin's neck. Jiang Yan Xin felt a warm rush in her heart, cuddling the little one closer before releasing her after a few more kisses. Soon, Qin Ke's porridge was ready. She knocked on the door to call them out for dinner, prompting Chen Wan to carry Zai Zai and Jiang Yan Xin out. On seeing Zai Zai, Qin Ke showered her with kisses and praise, eventually making Zai Zai the center of attention, receiving accolades from everyone around. As nightfall approached, around 7 PM, Chen Wan instructed Ye Lan's group to rest first, organizing the young ones into pairs to keep watch in the driver's cabin, wary of another possible military encounter. Meanwhile, on the military side, after losing three groups of personnel, higher-ups finally took notice. Inside a spacious office, Yang Commander had the surveillance footage from the auction area played on a large wall display, reviewing the testimonies while watching Chen Wan and Qin Ke's faces on screen. With a furrowed brow, he snorted, "Their luck is that good, huh? Not dead yet. Hasn't Xiao Sun and Xiao Yao returned yet? They took fifty to sixty soldiers and four ability users, right? Why haven't they dealt with Chen Wan's group? Head over there with a few men. If something unexpected happens, hold off on taking action. Come back and report to me first." "Understood, I'll head out immediately." Xiao Sun, another major under Yang Commander's command, responded, promptly gathering six soldiers to accompany him. During the ride in a military vehicle, Sun Major found it hard to respect Yao Major. "Just a few ordinary people, perhaps a few abilities among them, so what? For Yao to fail given how many she brought along, it's pathetic, especially when she’s an ability user herself." "Sir, she can't compare to you. In my opinion, those flashy powers are useless. It's true power, like yours, that reigns supreme. In hand-to-hand combat, no one stands a chance against you," replied a soldier, enthusiastically flattering Sun Major. "Well, perhaps. Though there's talk among the abilities that mental powers are the most advanced, personally, I don't see the edge they claim. It feels better having strength in one's own hands," bragged Sun Major, dismissing the threat posed by Chen Wan's group as he continued with only six soldiers. Meanwhile, in the driver's cabin, Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin were on watch, with Chen Wan cradling Zai Zai. The little one pretended to steer, her small legs swinging joyfully. Amused, Chen Wan gently pinched Zai Zai's legs and touched her tummy, receiving smiles and no objections. Around family, Zai Zai was all sweetness. But soon enough, her playful legs stopped. Instinctively, she sensed ‘baddies’ approaching and pointed to a direction, telling Chen Wan, "Mommy, more baddies coming." Chen Wan switched on the RV’s high beams but saw nothing in the pitch-black night. "Yang Yang, can you tell what's coming?" Chen Wan’s heart raced, facing an unknown night attack. Rubbing against Chen Wan, Zai Zai replied obediently, "Some people, all baddies, coming in cars." Chen Wan relayed this to Yi Yi on the second floor, prompting Yi Yi to alert Qin Ke and Shen Ming Yan. Soon, those capable of fighting assembled on the first floor. Despite initially wanting to hide Zai Zai, Chen Wan decided against it, realizing the small child was now an invaluable asset, so she kept Zai Zai with her in the driver's area. Following the beam, Qin Ke also saw nothing, but none dared let their guard down. It had been Zai Zai who first sensed the enemies earlier in the day. Chen Wan dimmed the RV lights, blending it into the night completely, save for the wind as the only audible sound. Three minutes later, the silence broke with the roar of an approaching vehicle. Disregarding Yang Commander’s advice, Sun Major assumed Chen Wan's group posed no real threat and drove forward, using the high beams to scour the area, spotting the aircraft wreckage and a neighborhood filled with stone figures. Cursing under his breath at the eerie sight, Sun Major, despite his vast experience, was thoroughly unnerved. The night was too strange; helicopters and their occupants were reduced to cracked statues, and the armored vehicle beside numerous statues hinted at a grim fate — precisely the number Yao Major had taken. Chilled to the bone by this scene, Sun Major found himself unable to move. Beside him, soldiers stood paralyzed with fear, one cracking, his voice quivering, “What do we do, Major? This place is cursed.” Sun Major bit his lip hard, the acrid taste of iron seeping into his mouth. Forcing himself to calm down, he shouted to his subordinates, "Get back in the car and report to the commander. Do not act recklessly!" "Right, right." The soldiers, already terrified, carelessly rushed to retreat. Zai Zai, using her telepathic senses, detected a rectangular piece of metal not far from them. It appeared to be some debris from the aircraft crash. Using her telekinesis, Zai Zai levitated the metal, positioning it across their only route back to the vehicle, at just the right height to trip them. In their panic, Sun Major and his team failed to notice anything underfoot as they desperately tried to flee, stumbling over Zai Zai's metal trap. Each of them fell hard, ending up in a disgraced heap, with Sun Major's head suffering a significant cut. Their cries of "Ouch, ouch" quickly reached Chen Wan and her team's ears. Confused about the commotion since they hadn't even engaged yet, they realized who was behind it when the delighted little one in Chen Wan's arms waved her small hands, pointing and proudly declaring, "Mommy, I got the baddie!" Surprised it was her little one taking action, Chen Wan hugged Zai Zai tightly and kissed her, "Well done, you little bundle of power!" Thrilled with the praise, Zai Zai beamed even brighter. She had become comfortable with using her psychic powers, and, as the time taken was brief, she didn’t feel any aftereffects. Meanwhile, Sun Major and his team could only retreat in embarrassment!