163 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Upon hearing the plan, Chen Wan and her companions quickly and seamlessly assisted Jiang Yan Xin and Jiang Wan Ning in climbing to the top of the shelves, where they stood. Chen Wan grasped the upper shelf with both hands, pushed off with her right leg from the middle shelf, and nimbly ascended to the top. Yi Yi and the others followed suit, swiftly scrambling to the top of the shelves as well. Seeing Chen Wan and her group climb onto the shelves, the people emerging from the storeroom followed their cue, filling the supermarket with chaotic noise. Meanwhile, Qi Jing leaned against a shelf, still plagued by an unbearable headache. She instructed the two Omegas supporting her to climb up the shelves on their own, knowing they wouldn't be able to lift her as well. Reluctantly, the two Omegas decided to climb, lacking the strength to help Qi Jing. In an instant, swarms of oversized rats, several times bigger than normal and as large as cats, charged at the people. Their eyes were a menacing red, and they ran wildly and fearlessly. A curly-haired aunt, who had just hoisted her grandson onto a shelf, turned around at the commotion and shouted, "Qi Jing, save me! I don't want to die...!" With her shout, Qi Jing's already pale face became completely bloodless as a mist of blood sprayed from her mouth. Around her appeared five doppelgangers, identical to her in appearance, that began attacking the encroaching red-eyed rats with whatever they could find at hand. The real Qi Jing, however, seemed too weak to stand, as if drained by blood loss. On the other side, Jiang Yan Xin, witnessing the chaos, quickly summoned Zeus and commanded him to attack the mutated rats. At the moment Zeus appeared, the once bold rats retreated as if terrified. Zeus didn't spare them a chance; with a simple flick of his spear, he electrified the rats until they crumbled into dust. A brief silence fell over the supermarket before cries and wails ensued. Among those who hadn't managed to climb the shelves, seven or eight had been bitten by the mutated rats, including the curly-haired aunt. The aunt continued to scream blamefully, "Qi Jing, you could have saved all of us by coughing up more blood, but now we've been bitten. Are you happy now? I swear even in death I'll take you with me." The bitten individuals were frantic, the aunt especially, neglecting her grandson as she advanced towards Qi Jing, shouting, "Fine, Qi Jing! Since you've left me to die, I'll infect you before I go down." Her leg wound was still bleeding, but she wasn't fully overtaken by the virus yet. Like a madwoman, she lunged with open jaws towards Qi Jing. Fortunately, Qi Jing's five doppelgangers were still standing, forcibly blocking the aunt, while Qi Jing herself lay helpless on the ground, vulnerable to any attack. Her energy drained away steadily, sapping her doppelgangers' strength too. The aunt began to transform, her face contorting as veins bulged with malice. Chen Wan calmly raised her pistol and ended the aunt with a single shot. "Those bitten will turn into zombies, everyone stay away from them," Chen Wan warned, scanning the people below. To avoid mistakenly harming the uninfected, she tasked Yi Yi with the job. "Yi Yi, identify and eliminate the infected," Chen Wan ordered, handing Yi Yi her gun. A man who had been bitten on the thigh shouted desperately, "We're not transformed yet; you powers should save us; we don't want to die!" The infected became increasingly agitated, their veins bulging and faces distorted with rage. Upon Chen Wan's warning, the uninfected scattered, leaving the infected isolated. Yi Yi and Qin Ke dispatched the infected with rapid fire, and all fell where they stood. Still present, Zeus was directed by Jiang Yan Xin to incinerate the corpses before being sent away. After the mutated animal attack, only about thirty individuals remained from the warehouse group. Chen Wan leaped down from the shelf, gesturing to Jiang Yan Xin to follow. Jiang Yan Xin jumped into Chen Wan's waiting arms, who reluctantly set her down with lingering fondness. Chen Wan checked Qi Jing, noting her frightening pallor and sweat-drenched face. "It's related to her power; every blood doppelganger use drains her blood significantly," Yi Yi explained to Chen Wan. Chen Wan thought of Wei Si Yu, both kindhearted even in the apocalypse, risking their lives for others. Qi Jing's goodness, which led her to excess blood loss, reminded Chen Wan of Wei Si Yu's noble spirit. Qi Jing had saved many, yet the very person she helped most, the aunt, was quickest to betray her, a tragic irony that weighed on Chen Wan. Understanding that none would help Qi Jing left alone, Chen Wan scanned the group for allies. Among them, some were still in shock, some quietly weeping. The aunt's grandson sat on a shelf, accusing Chen Wan through tears, "You killed my grandma! I want revenge!" Ignoring the child's cries, Chen Wan addressed the two Omegas who'd assisted Qi Jing, "Would you help care for Qi Jing? We have supplies. It's up to you." The two Omegas hesitated briefly before agreeing, knowing well Chen Wan's power and sense of safety among them, unlike sticking with volatile types like the bald man. Quickly climbing down to aid the barely conscious Qi Jing, they prepared to move. Cautiously, the bald man approached Chen Wan, hoping to curry favor, "Thank you for saving us from the rats. If you're rescuing Qi Jing, take us too. You have guns and powers; please help us." Chen Wan's steely gaze pinned him, "Weren't you with the buzzcut? Weren't you part of the plan against us?" Caught by her question, the bald man trembled, regretting his attempt to appeal to Chen Wan. He believed he'd remained unnoticed back then, yet her memory was sharp. "Sister, they forced me; it wasn't my choice. I left, right? I meant no harm," he pleaded. Chen Wan scoffed, "Don't get in my way if you want to live. I'm not Qi Jing; I won't risk myself for ungrateful leeches. None of you helped Qi Jing. I won't babysit backstabbers. Keep your distance and consider this a warning—mess with me and you’ll join those ashes on the ground." She glanced around, then turned to Jiang Yan Xin and the others, "Let’s move out. We need a car with fuel for Qi Jing to rest in." "On it," Qin Ke volunteered, taking the lead towards the basement. Her final words echoed a stern warning, leaving the remaining people silent, anger restrained by fear as Chen Wan's group departed. "What do we do now?" a man with a goatee asked the bald man, breaking the tense silence. "What to do? We'll follow her instructions. These women aren't to be trifled with; they've clearly seen blood. If you don't want to die, do as she says and quietly stay in the warehouse," the bald man muttered in frustration, careful to keep his voice low in case Chen Wan and her group were still nearby. "What about that little kid?" the goatee man asked, gesturing towards the little boy still perched on the shelf. "What else? Take him back. If he doesn't listen, we'll just throw him out. If he ends up outside and gets himself killed, those women can't blame us," the bald man sneered, leading the group back to the warehouse. Meanwhile, Chen Wan and her group had selected a mid-size bus with a full tank of gas. Qin Ke started the vehicle and turned on the heater. Chen Wan gently lay Qi Jing on the long seat at the back, which was just big enough for Qi Jing to lie down comfortably with her legs slightly curled. Jiang Yan Xin, along with Yi Yi, retrieved three blankets from their compressed space, distributing them to Qi Jing and the two female Omegas for warmth. Returning inside, Chen Wan prepared the IV supplies, finding some iron supplements and oral tonics in the medicine box to support Qi Jing's recovery. She administered a glucose drip; while not as effective as a direct blood transfusion, the glucose provided necessary nutrients to help replenish Qi Jing's strength. Once all this was settled, Chen Wan and her group started preparing a meal, planning to bring some to Qi Jing and the Omegas later.