190 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

In the dimly lit operating room, agonizing screams filled the air, echoing the excruciating pain of their source. Dr. Wu, however, seemed unfazed by the distressing cries. His eyes shone with a strange excitement as he expertly made a long incision in Shitou's chest. He located Shitou's still-beating heart and, drawing a small vial of liquid from a bottle with a syringe, injected it slowly and deliberately into the heart. "Please, no, let me go, please," Shitou whimpered, tears streaming down his face, his strength reduced to a feeble murmur. Once the entire syringe was emptied into Shitou's heart, his body began to convulse. His face was taut with bulging veins, hinting ominously at the onset of zombification. "Administer the blood transfusion," Dr. Wu instructed his assistant. "His survival depends on himself now. If he doesn't turn into a zombie within half an hour, we'll replace his skeleton's main framework, otherwise, all this effort would be in vain." "Yes, Doctor." The assistant retrieved blood matching Shitou's type and started the transfusion. Meanwhile, Shitou's body trembled incessantly as his immune system battled the zombie virus, the outcome teetering in uncertainty. The entire sixth floor was steeped in a heavy metallic scent, mingling with Shitou's anguished cries for half an hour. Gradually, the turmoil subsided. Dr. Wu, having thoroughly washed his hands and donned a fresh pair of sterile gloves, returned to Shitou's side. Shitou had fainted from the pain, yet his heart continued to beat with a bluish tinge. Dr. Wu regarded Shitou's heart with the admiration one might reserve for a work of art. He chuckled softly, "Survived after all, interesting. Prepare the human steel skeleton and anesthesia. Now, we just need to replace his bones, and the transformation will be complete." The assistants scurried into action. Dr. Wu took the lead, meticulously cutting into Shitou's flesh. The surgery continued from the afternoon until 3 a.m., with Dr. Wu taking three brief breaks, finally completing the bone replacement procedure by dawn. Eyeing the still-unconscious Shitou, Dr. Wu chuckled softly, "What a perfect creation. After a three-month recovery, you'll have new life." An assistant helped Dr. Wu out of his surgical gown. "Doctor, you've worked hard all day. You should rest." "Alright, keep a close watch on Shitou. Also, keep an eye on that woman. Tomorrow we have another experiment to conduct with her," Dr. Wu said with a benevolent smile. "Yes, Doctor, we'll be careful," the assistant replied swiftly. As dawn broke, Shitou awoke to an all-encompassing pain, as if his body had been dismembered and his bones shattered. He tried to scream but lacked the strength. The searing agony overwhelmed him once more, and he fainted. Dr. Wu returned to the laboratory by noon. Keqing was strapped to the operating table, her tears dried up from exhaustion, her voice hoarse beyond use. She shook her head slightly, eyes wide with terror. Dr. Wu gave her a comforting smile, "Don't worry. I'm just making a few adjustments to your baby. Trust me, I'll make the child within you stronger." The more Dr. Wu smiled, the more fear etched into Keqing's face, her body trembling uncontrollably. But clearly, Dr. Wu wouldn’t halt. He performed a minimally invasive surgery on Keqing, crafting three incisions around her abdomen for the procedure. To ensure the normal development of the fetus, Dr. Wu eschewed anesthesia, causing Keqing to faint yet again from the pain. Dr. Wu drew a vial containing genes extracted from a level 2 zombie and injected it into the embryonic fetus within Keqing. He then used a drainage tube to remove blood and fluid, sutured the remaining small wounds, and, satisfied with his handiwork, removed his surgical attire to sit and enjoy some tea. Meanwhile, Chen Wan and her companions thrived on the bounty from Jiang Yanxin's feat of taking down a level 3 mutant animal, earning 2000 points in the first district for herself, allowing Chen Wan to savor the benefits of her spouse's success. The RV hadn't been upgraded yet but Qin Ke and Shen Mingyan returned with mutated fish, just in time for Chen Wan to prepare a flavorful fish dish for lunch. The tangy, spicy fish accented with rice filled the children's cheeks. By around four in the afternoon, Chen Wan and Yi Yi entered the RV, which had completed its 30-hour upgrade, reaching level six. "The RV has upgraded to level six," Yi Yi announced within the vehicle. "The glass, body, and tires have been reinforced to some extent. The system's scanning range has expanded to 160 meters, storage space increased to 480 square meters, and fuel and water tank capacity to 44,800 liters. The host receives an opportunity for ability enhancement, and the RV can enter an aerial mode." Chen Wan chuckled, nodding, "With the aerial mode, we're even safer. If conditions worsen, we can escape via the skies. However, the enlarged fuel tank presents a challenge in obtaining gasoline." "We can gradually collect gasoline from nearby towns. No rush," Yi Yi replied with a smile. With the RV capable of aerial mode, Yi Yi felt relieved. Next time there was a flood, the RV had an additional survival option. "Yi Yi, after the RV upgrade, how many vehicles and cores do we have left?" Chen Wan asked thoughtfully. "After deducting the used vehicles and cores for this upgrade, we have 133 small cars, 123 large trucks, 4 armored vehicles, 6241 level-2 zombie cores, 8000 level-1 zombie cores, and 24 level-3 mutated animal cores remaining. Overall, our resources for upgrading are abundant, but we are running low on small cars," Yi Yi reported, giving Chen Wan a clear picture. Chen Wan nodded. Each RV upgrade increased their survival chances in this post-apocalyptic world. She allocated the skill points she gained from this upgrade to speed, resulting in 2 points each for strength and speed, with agility and vitality receiving 1 point. Together, they gathered some vegetables and fruits to take back home. Meanwhile, Cao Wei and Shang Nuan were feverishly working to reinforce the defenses of the first district, screening the surrendering soldiers for any disloyal elements, removing from the district anyone who could be a threat. Shang Nuan and Chai Guanfeng had spent a full night and day organizing matters in the first district. They approached Cao Wei to report their progress. "Commander, we've conducted individual inspections as per your instructions. Several questionable soldiers have been expelled from the district. To prevent any remaining soldiers from forming cliques, Shang and I re-assigned them into existing small teams within the first district, facilitating their integration and allowing veterans to monitor any signs of disloyalty," Chai Guanfeng reported. "Great job. Now go rest. It's a relief having you two by my side. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Chen Wan and Jiang Yanxin—Jiang helped deal with the level 3 mutant lion and even took a bullet for us. We really must thank them properly." Having been awake all night, Cao Wei rubbed her temples lightly before continuing, "Chai Command, get some rest. I need to discuss something with Shang." "Yes, ma'am." Chai saluted and left Cao Wei's office. With only Cao Wei and Shang Nuan left in the vast office, Shang stood with her head down, ready to accept reprimand, not meeting Cao Wei's eyes. Cao Wei found her demeanor amusing, "Playing the obedient soldier now, are you? It's no use. Who asked you to take a bullet for me yesterday? Do you realize how dangerous it was without Jiang Yanxin's intervention? You wouldn't be standing here now." "Protecting the Commander is my duty. I'm willing to take a bullet for you," Shang responded, slightly lifting herself while still avoiding eye contact. "Brave words, ignoring my orders now, are you?" Cao Wei stepped forward, demanding, "Look me in the eye." Cornered, Shang reluctantly complied, meeting her gaze. Cao Wei intended to scold her further, demanding she never risk herself again or take a bullet for her. However, upon seeing Shang's tired, pleading eyes and dark circles, the words caught in her throat, unable to escape. In the end, Cao Wei merely sighed heavily, muttering, "You wouldn't listen anyway. Just go rest; look at those dark circles of yours. I'll grant you a day off, go and sleep." "Yes!" Shang Nuan replied firmly now that her crisis was averted. She then added, "Commander, you should rest too. The first district has stabilized, and knowing your temperament, you probably didn't sleep a wink last night." "Hmm, I know. Oh, I forgot to mention to Chai Guanfeng, you've both accomplished great things this time. Is there any resource or reward you'd like? As long as it's within my power, it's likely yours," Cao Wei said, her gaze steady on Shang Nuan. Shang Nuan's normally tranquil eyes rippled with a hint of emotion. She met Cao Wei's gaze, lips parting softly as she whispered, "You." Though the words were softly spoken, in the quiet office, with only the two of them present and standing close, Cao Wei heard them clearly. Her ears flushed as she frowned at Shang Nuan, asking, "What?" Shang Nuan's heart fluttered with a hint of panic as she hastily corrected herself, "I meant, can I have the dagger you always carry? I want that." Relieved yet feeling a swirl of unplaceable emotions, Cao Wei watched Shang Nuan for a moment before responding, "If it's the dagger you want, then it's yours. But can you not pause like that when you speak?" "I can," Shang Nuan replied obediently, displaying a demeanor completely different from her defiant attitude towards Yang Commander, akin instead to a loyal and attentive dog.