Within the next half month, all the floodwater outside would completely evaporate until not a single drop remained.
The sun would seem almost close enough to touch. Merely coming into contact with the air outside the building would cause severe burns, and staying outside for even a short while would have unimaginable consequences.
The mortality rate would once again be one hundred percent.
During the final week, the acid rain would begin.
Rust coloured rain would pour from the sky, its destructive power no different from concentrated sulphuric acid.
By then, the entire world would be stained crimson.
Xiong Ji took the notebook from her hands and carefully read everything she had written.
They really couldn’t leave.
Fortunately, they had Little Sister’s gift of prophecy.
On the other hand, the harsher the conditions outside became, the safer they themselves would be.
Xiong Ji looked at her.
“Little Treasure, what exactly is this insect race you mentioned?”
Li Tong shivered slightly.
“They’re terrifying… There are countless of them, wave after wave, all of them giant insects several times larger than normal. No matter how many you kill, you can never finish them.”
“Don’t be afraid.”
Xiong Ji gently stroked her head.
“Big Brother will protect his baby.”
“Big Brother, I think it’d be better if we joined an official base when the time comes. Their defences are much stronger, and the military will all be there.”
“All right.”
He smiled warmly.
“Wherever Little Treasure wants to go, Big Brother will follow. We’ll do whatever you want, okay?”
“Then promise me that when the time comes, you won’t keep rushing to the front whenever something happens. Don’t show everyone how strong you are. Just stay hidden with me…”
The moment she remembered how all four of them had died in her dream, her heart began pounding with fear.
Xiong Ji gently wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek with his thumb.
“Don’t think about those things anymore, baby. Big Brother will be fine.”
Seeing that he still hadn’t promised her, tears immediately flooded from Li Tong’s eyes.
Heart aching, Xiong Ji hurriedly coaxed her in a gentle voice.
“All right, all right. I’ll listen to my good girl. Big Brother will stay right beside Little Treasure. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay here and protect my little treasure.”
“Don’t cry anymore, baby. Big Brother can’t bear to see you cry.”
Cradling her little face in both hands, he leaned over and kissed her soft eyebrows.
Li Tong sniffled.
“Then when the time comes… can we just hide like turtles?”
Xiong Ji couldn’t help laughing.
“All right.”
She nestled comfortably against his chest, closed her eyes, and quietly enjoyed the safety of her shelter.
Holding her close, Xiong Ji gently stroked her back again and again, patiently soothing her.
After spending another half hour together, he finally headed to the gym to work out.
Left alone, Li Tong leaned against the headboard with a small table in front of her piled high with snacks as she watched a variety show while eating.
The corridor had become much quieter over the past few days.
She no longer heard arguments or fights outside.
She wasn’t foolish.
She could already guess that many people had died.
Even those who had survived were probably only barely hanging on under the brutal cold.
She mixed spicy beef jerky together with potato crisps before placing a waterproof mat beneath herself so she wouldn’t dirty the bedding.
Next, she took out boneless chicken feet, duck feet, a cup of room temperature well water, and crispy roast pork belly cut into bite sized pieces, filling the entire tabletop.
After putting on disposable gloves, Li Tong happily began eating.
Surprisingly, the combination of potato crisps and beef jerky was absolutely delicious.
The chilli oil coating the jerky kept everything from becoming dry, though chewing so much meat eventually left her cheeks sore.
It was simply too tasty.
Carrying the bowl, she happily ran to feed Xiong Ji.
She wore a loose fitting nightdress, while her glossy black hair flowed past her waist like silk. The ends were styled into large curls that Jiang Xun had done for her the previous day.
The moment Xiong Ji saw her running over dressed like that, even the tips of his ears turned crimson.
He wiped the sweat from his face with a towel before quickly walking over, lifting her effortlessly with one arm and placing her onto a nearby beanbag chair.
“You’re not wearing your slippers again.”
“Big Brother, have a bite.”
He bent down and ate the potato crisp and beef jerky she offered him with her little hand.
“Is it good?”
She smiled as brightly as a flower blooming beneath the sunlight.
Unable to resist any longer, Xiong Ji dropped to one knee before her and kissed her.
In the end, she simply stayed curled up on the beanbag chair, keeping him company while he finished exercising.
Holding her tablet, Li Tong secretly watched him.
Xiong Ji truly possessed extraordinarily handsome features.
Whether it was his face or his physique, both were flawless.
His Slavic heritage gave him pale skin, light golden eyes, and an extremely short slicked back haircut.
He looked so perfect that he resembled a character who had stepped straight out of an illustration.
Watching her eldest brother, Li Tong couldn’t help thinking about the other three as well.
They were equally unreal, as though handsome fictional characters had come to life.
Catching her secretly watching him, Xiong Ji felt delighted.
He walked over to her like a peacock proudly showing off.
“Want to touch?”
He casually ran a hand over his eight pack abs, making no effort to hide the invitation.
If he was offering, then she’d touch.
Without the slightest hesitation, Li Tong put down her tablet and began happily feeling and poking his firm abs with both hands.
The smile at the corner of Xiong Ji’s lips grew wider and wider.
He caught hold of her little hand…
“…”
Blushing furiously, Li Tong quickly pulled her hand back and shot him an embarrassed glare.
“You big pervert!”
Xiong Ji burst into laughter.
Knowing when to stop, he simply ruffled her hair before turning back to continue lifting weights.
Two hours later, after finishing his workout and taking a shower inside the Small World, he carried his little sister back into bed and stayed close beside her.
Li Tong genuinely couldn’t understand why every one of her big brothers seemed capable of staying so energetic all day long.
“Little Treasure, can Big Brother…?”
Li Tong gently bit her rosy lower lip before nodding.
“I’m willing, Big Brother.”
Hearing her answer, Xiong Ji felt as though his heart were about to explode with happiness.
He laughed joyfully. “I was only teasing you, good girl. Big Brother can’t bear to.”
At the very least, they would wait until Little Sister…
That was something all four of them had silently agreed upon.
…
Jiang Jinghuai sighed.
“If it weren’t for freedom, staying with the main force wouldn’t actually be so bad.”
Lu Ke snorted.
“Forget it. I’m never working my life away for anyone again. Being forced to obey every order feels like living as someone’s damn dog.”
The dozen or so mercenaries sat around a bonfire, eating self heating hot pots and self heating rice, with bottles of baijiu sitting beside them.
It was simply too cold.
A few drinks at least helped warm them up.
Lu Ke looked at Nan Qi.
“So, Nan Qi, if that old bastard really comes after us, are you joining us to take him down?”
Qin Shuo let out a mocking laugh.
“As long as you’re not the first one to run away.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Lu Ke laughed as well before taking another drink and cursing under his breath.
Jin looked around.
“I’ve got to admit, though, the place you four picked is excellent. The building’s sturdy, and there are plenty of resources nearby.”
Nan Qi asked, “Where were you staying before?”
Shan Cheng answered, “Pretty far from here. That whole area was flooded, so we had no choice but to make our way over.”
Jiang Xun raised an eyebrow.
“Do you even have enough ammunition to kill them?”
Shan Cheng smiled knowingly.
“So… does that mean you’ve agreed?”
Jiang Xun shrugged. “Aren’t we already cooperating?”