160 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

In the frigid outdoors, the fuel in their RV had dwindled to a quarter after days of travel, and the power was quickly draining due to constant use of the heater. Jiang Yan Xin, seeing no other alternative, materialized Zeus to fully recharge the RV’s electricity. However, the noise from Chen Wan and her team had seemingly attracted the attention of the zombies in the basement, as a series of rustling sounds approached the RV. Chen Wan used her abilities to control fifty zombies, setting them against the others she could not control. Amidst the dim lighting from the RV, zombies clashed in a chaotic frenzy. Those under Chen Wan's control displayed notably higher combat prowess than the usual zombies. Around the RV, heaps of disembodied zombie limbs were already accumulating. Some stray zombies lunged at the RV, but Chen Wan and Yi Yi deftly fended them off with mechanical arms, tossing them aside. After roughly half an hour, the over three hundred 2nd-level zombies in the basement were completely cleared by Chen Wan's team. Concerned about the odor and potential health hazards, Chen Wan used the mechanical arms to transport the corpses to the other side of the basement. Only then did they drive the RV back to their previous parking spot. After this task, Chen Wan returned to her room to shower, planning to change into slightly thicker clothes. A lingering fishy smell from the catfish still clung to her, although less intense than the day before. To be able to hug her loved ones, her wife and Zai Zai, she needed to eliminate it completely. Upon finishing her shower, the fishy odor had faded significantly, at least eliminating the offensive stench. When Chen Wan went out, the little one was playing in Jiang Yan Xin's arms. Chen Wan clapped her hands and invited Zai Zai, "Little treasure, want to come play with me?" Zai Zai covered his nose with his chubby little hand and refused politely, "Mommy is stinky~" "Little treasure, I really don't stink now. Come on over and check for yourself," Chen Wan insisted, approaching. Zai Zai hesitantly inhaled, verifying the truth in her words before extending his little hands for a hug. Chen Wan embraced Zai Zai, playfully patting his small bottom as she teased, "You little rascal, are you learning to disdain Mommy? Tell me, are you being naughty?" "Naughty," Zai Zai chuckled, snuggling closer to Chen Wan coquettishly. After missing a whole day of playtime with Mommy yesterday, Zai Zai clung more closely than ever to Chen Wan today. Ye Lan and Jiang Zhao Yuan, seeing everyone's safety assured, relaxed and prepared to cook a proper meal. Previously, while drifting atop the water, they were also anxious but kept silent, fearing the emotional impact on the children. Now, finally, they could breathe easy. Once Chen Wan had eaten, she thought about taking care of the building’s zombie infestation with her team and intended to scout the higher floors to assess the external situation. The entrance to the basement where they first came in was snowed over, indicating the snow had already accumulated significantly. "Let's clear out the remaining zombies in the building later and check the situation outside," Chen Wan suggested to Qin Ke and the others. "Alright. Perhaps Auntie and Uncle should stay to look after Yang Yang and have Hua Hua protect them, while the rest of us go." Qin Ke replied. Chen Wan nodded and selected some guns and machetes. She and Jiang Yan Xin each took a pistol for self-defense. Shen Ming Yan and Yi Yi opted for machetes instead of firearms. Jiang Wan Ning carried a pistol and some bullets, walking beside Yi Yi, while Qin Ke equipped two pistols and a light machine gun, along with significant ammunition. With preparations complete, they took flashlights found in a supermarket along with batteries, and disembarked from the RV. The RV's surroundings were reinforced with steel plates, maintaining a low profile to better ensure their safety. With Hua Hua as an additional safeguard for Zai Zai, Chen Wan was relieved about their protection. Chen Wan and her team made their way into the nearby supermarket. Despite the weak flashlight beams, beyond the faint yellow light, the supermarket was plunged into darkness, with only the sound of footsteps echoing within. Sweeping her light across the space, Chen Wan noticed that over half of the supermarket's contents had been removed, leaving only less essential daily items. Food and water had all been taken away. However, this was not concerning, as their current food supplies were vast, enough to last them six months to a year even if they couldn't leave. Their presence soon disturbed the remaining zombies in the supermarket, but there were only a few. Qin Ke quickly took care of them with her gun. Nevertheless, the noise echoed throughout the vacant shopping center, creating a significant commotion. Shortly afterward, a sizzling sound of electricity could be heard, prompting heightened caution among Chen Wan’s team. The store's lights flickered on with a series of pops, the sudden brightness momentarily blinding them until they adjusted to the new lighting. "Be cautious, there are people nearby," Yi Yi warned from behind Chen Wan. "Understood, everyone stay alert," Chen Wan replied. Under normal circumstances, the city's power grid would have ceased functioning long ago. However, large shopping centers usually have their own generators. It seemed someone intended to scare their group. Given the city's size, it wasn't surprising if refugees had taken shelter within the large supermarket. Though cautious, Chen Wan’s team wasn't overly concerned and decided to use the elevator to ascend to the first floor for a look at the external conditions. Meanwhile, within a warehouse behind a metallic door, a group of individuals were conversing quietly. "How come those women outside didn’t react when the lights suddenly turned on?" "Who knows? But did you see, one of them had a gun. Do you think they might be military sent to rescue us?" "Unlikely. Typically, the military has more male alphas, and they only have two, who are both women. They're probably not with the military." "Do you think they might be dangerous? Should we go out and apprehend them?" "How would we do that? One of those women is armed." "What are you afraid of? Qi Jing is an esper. Those people outside are nothing to worry about." They spoke in hushed tones while retreating towards a disguised entry to a store warehouse. After knocking, the door opened from the inside, admitting three of them. Once inside, their eyes turned to a pale woman huddled in a corner. A tall man with a crew cut began addressing the gathered individuals, "Outside, there’s a group of six women, with two alphas among them. One is carrying a rifle. Without knowing their capabilities, should we seize them for questioning?" A bespectacled man in his fifties interjected, "Carrying guns and not being military? They’re certainly not the good sort. Qi Jing, you’re an esper, you should be protecting us ordinary folks." "Exactly! My darling grandson is only five, I can’t let anything happen to him," added an elderly curly-haired aunt, clutching a small boy protectively. As the voices of agreement grew within the warehouse, the crew cut man looked to Qi Jing for leadership, "So, should we gather some people to bring them in for interrogation?" Calmly, Qi Jing shook her head. "I'm still recovering my strength. They haven't attacked us, so there's no need to stir up trouble." "How can you call it trouble? You’re an esper; protecting us ordinary people is your duty. Who knows who those women are?" grumbled a quiet, bookish man with glasses, expressing dissatisfaction. "Exactly. Just admit it, you think we're burdens," echoed the curly-haired aunt, her tone dripping with sarcasm. They seemed to have forgotten that without Qi Jing’s aid, their prolonged survival in the warehouse would have been impossible. "I said I’m not strong enough now and have no wish to provoke trouble. Anyone else interested can go handle it themselves," Qi Jing concluded, reclining for rest. Nearby, a red-haired man with crafty eyes proposed to the crew cut man, "Bro, if she won’t go, why don't we gather some more guys? Those alphas, and their beauty—wouldn’t it be a waste to let such a chance slip without interrogating them?" Mulling it over, the crew cut man agreed. They had been through thick and thin together, feeling a bit different about taking advantage of the Omega in their warehouse. Given that the prettiest Omega there was Qi Jing, they dared not provoke her due to her esper abilities. Thus, they set their sights on Chen Wan's group outside. Cun Tou pondered for a moment, then grinned as he scanned the warehouse's alphas, saying, "Alright then, since Qi Jing isn't feeling well, we can't rely on her for everything. We've got to fend for ourselves. Are there any alphas here up for some real training outside? The women out there, both Omegas and Betas, are quite the lookers. We can't touch our own, but those outside deserve a proper 'interrogation'. Anyone interested in joining us?" Cun Tou's words were blatantly suggestive, casting the warehouse's Omegas into a tense silence, fearing they might become collateral damage. Even though the capital's law and order had remained stronger than other chaotic zones post-apocalypse, it was, after all, the end times, and none wished to become victims. Cun Tou, Red Haired, and the Bald Guy exchanged gleeful glances with the men in the warehouse. Initially, people hesitated, as Beijing was unlike other places where laws had completely broken down, leading to rampant chaos. Here, military control kept some semblance of order, and basic decency hadn't entirely crumbled. Yet, with a heavy snowfall cutting people off, no one knew how long this veneer of civilization would last before it might collapse, much like the current situation. Amid Cun Tou and his companions' zealous incitement, five male alphas succumbed to temptation, standing to join the venture.