Because of the woman’s violent actions, the security robots quickly surrounded her.
Miao Suisui hurried over to check, only to realize that the person the woman had grabbed was actually Auntie Zhou. Her head had been slammed hard against the ground, causing serious injury.
At this moment, an unknown fluid was flowing from Auntie Zhou’s mouth and nose. Her eyes rolled back, and she looked as if she had a concussion.
“Please do not harm others in the town!”
“I didn’t hurt a person, I hurt a beast!” the woman’s voice remained hoarse, calm on the surface yet filled with overwhelming fury.
“Pan Tong! Where’s Xiao Wei? Where is he? I’ll make him divorce you!” Auntie Zhou still shouted despite her condition.
“Xiao Wei is already dead, I killed him. Soon, you’ll go join him,” the woman said, tightening her grip. A faint smile curved her lips, carrying a strange sense of satisfaction.
“You lunatic!” Auntie Zhou’s eyes widened, her face flushed red.
At that critical moment, the security robots moved, forcibly separating the two and restraining the woman’s hands.
Their movements were smooth and efficient, leaving the nearby team stunned.
“What’s going on with her? Why did she start attacking people right away?” Miao Suisui asked, frowning.
“We only met her halfway. We’re not familiar with her,” the team leader replied calmly.
Even with her hands bound, Pan Tong stared intently at Auntie Zhou, scaring her so badly that she trembled.
“You lunatic! Give me back my son! Give me back my son!” Auntie Zhou cried, tears and mucus streaming down her face.
“Give you back your son? Then what about my Ruoruo? Who will give me back my Ruoruo?” Pan Tong’s voice trembled with grief. “She was only six years old! Your own granddaughter! Zhou Dawei’s own daughter! You two beasts, just to have enough to eat, you sold my Ruoruo to another group of beasts! When I found her, there was only a head left. You deserve to die!”
Her voice was not loud, yet it struck everyone like thunder.
Miao Suisui froze, her chest tightening, her nose stinging with emotion.
“This is the apocalypse! Ruoruo was just a child who couldn’t do anything but hold us back! You had to save half your food and water for her. Were you trying to starve me and Xiao Wei to death?” Auntie Zhou still tried to justify herself.
“Damn old monster!” the red haired woman in the group suddenly cursed.
Pan Tong laughed, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head.
“My Ruoruo was so well behaved. She would never drink more water than necessary and always said to save it for her father and grandmother. She was a good child. I was the foolish one. I shouldn’t have gone out on a mission and left her alone with you two heartless monsters.”
The sorrow radiating from Pan Tong could be felt from a distance.
As Miao Suisui listened, a tissue was suddenly handed to her. She looked up and saw the red haired woman. Only then did she realize that she was already crying.
“Thank you.”
After wiping her tears, Miao Suisui stepped forward and said to the security robots, “Let her go.”
The robots immediately released Pan Tong.
Pan Tong looked at her in confusion.
“I’ll leave this person to you. Handle it however you see fit,” Miao Suisui said seriously.
She had not been in the apocalypse for long and had not seen much of the world’s cruelty. Most people who came to the town were decent, so her understanding of evil had been shallow. Only after encountering the cannibal brothers and Auntie Zhou’s family did she truly realize that some people were worse than beasts.
Auntie Zhou’s previously smug expression instantly turned into panic.
Pan Tong thanked Miao Suisui, stood up, and walked straight toward Auntie Zhou. Grabbing her by the hair, she dragged her toward the town entrance with surprising strength.
Auntie Zhou’s pleas and screams echoed in everyone’s ears.
A young girl in the team tried to follow, but the red haired woman pulled her into an embrace and comforted her softly.
Pan Tong needed some space, so Miao Suisui led the others into the town first.
“Captain, aren’t you worried this might be a trap? What she said sounds too unbelievable. And we still don’t know what’s going on with those people at the entrance,” the cheerful man whispered.
“I’ve seen some of those people before. You have too, that incident at the B City mall,” the captain replied.
“Damn, it’s those bastards!” the man exclaimed. “We even clashed with them back then, but still couldn’t save that child. The mayor did the world a favor.”
“And that old woman too. Not a single good person among them. I think the mayor handled it perfectly,” the red haired woman added.
Miao Suisui did not hear their discussion.
When they reached the farm produce shop, the lights inside were already on.
Inside, most of the fresh vegetables, meat, and eggs had already been sold. A few lively chickens, ducks, and geese remained. With the addition of dairy cows, a glass container filled with milk had been placed near the entrance, about half full.
Families with children and Yu Juan, who was pregnant, especially liked buying milk. The milk from the town had already been sterilized and could be drunk directly or heated. It had no unpleasant taste and was very smooth.
Just this shop alone left the group in awe.
They stood outside the glass door, hesitant to step in.
“This… this isn’t a mirage, right…” the cheerful man muttered, pressing against the glass.
“Of course not. You can buy anything with crystal cores. These are all produced in our town, completely natural,” Miao Suisui said.
A bespectacled young man walked straight in, checked the prices, and bought a potato. Turning back, he said, “These are indeed normal crops.”
“Mingjie has earth abilities. If he says so, it must be true! I haven’t had roasted potatoes or boiled corn in ages,” a petite girl in the group said, swallowing her saliva.
“Why don’t we keep going? There are more shops ahead,” Miao Suisui suggested.
“Let’s go,” the captain said, and the group eagerly followed, their hearts filled with anticipation.
At the bakery, the petite girl could not resist buying bread. The soft, fragrant bread filled her with happiness the moment she took a bite.
The little girl in the group kept glancing anxiously toward the entrance, until someone stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth. The sweetness made her eyes widen, making her look especially adorable.
When they reached the restaurant and heard Miao Suisui’s introduction, they decided not to leave. They spent crystal cores to order a large spread of dishes. Since the prices were affordable, they ordered almost everything, filling several tables.
During the meal, aside from occasional exclamations, no one spoke. Everyone was busy eating.
In the end, every plate was completely clean, and the group let out satisfied sighs.
“I’ve fallen in love with this town,” the petite girl said, rubbing her stomach. “Since the apocalypse began, I haven’t had such a full meal in years.”
Miao Suisui had already eaten earlier and was not hungry. Sitting at a separate table with her chin resting on her hands, she watched them with a sense of accomplishment. “The town is great, right? Do you want to settle here?”
The petite girl grabbed the arm of a muscular man beside her. “Tang Tong, I don’t want to go back to the old base. Let’s stay here. Captain, what do you think?”
All eyes turned to the captain expectantly, but he remained calm. “You said there are houses, right? Let’s take a look first.”
Miao Suisui quickly led them toward the residential area.
The farm animals were roaming freely under the management of robots. The crops were growing vigorously. In this resource scarce apocalypse, it was a heartwarming sight.
She brought them directly to Building A. Room 102 was vacant. As they arrived, they ran into Su Qingqing’s family of four taking a walk. Su Lanlan, already familiar with Miao Suisui, ran over enthusiastically to greet her.
Su Qingqing’s parents also smiled warmly.
Seeing the harmonious life of the town’s residents made the group even more eager to stay.
A short haired girl in the group showed great interest in the robots. She mentioned that before the apocalypse, she had worked in robotics development, yet had never seen machines this advanced.
With temporary access granted, Miao Suisui opened the door to A102. The group crowded into the small room.
“This is… clean water! There are no mutated organisms in it!”
“This bed is so soft.”
“There’s even hot water.”
Voices of amazement filled the room.
Miao Suisui explained the facilities one by one. When they learned that they could cook and that hot water was available twenty four hours a day, they were even more incredulous.
“How many houses are left? Is there enough for all of us?” the captain asked.
“There are nine units left. Enough for everyone. You can live alone or share,” Miao Suisui replied, silently relieved that the town had upgraded in time.
“I’ll take one unit. The rest of you decide. Those who want to live alone can do so, others can share. We’ll stay here for now,” the captain said, paying for one month immediately.
The others cheered and gathered around Miao Suisui to choose rooms.
The captain, Meng Ye, took Building E, Room 101. The red haired woman, Li Mengrui, and the short haired girl, Zhong Anqing, shared Building F, Room 101.
To Miao Suisui’s surprise, the petite girl, Xia Tao, and the muscular man, Tang Tong, were a couple. They took Building F, Room 102.
The bespectacled Yu Mingjie and the cheerful Tao Mo shared a room next to Meng Ye.
Only one remained, a timid five or six year old girl. She refused to follow the others and insisted on waiting at the entrance for Pan Tong.
Miao Suisui let the others return to settle in, while she stayed outside to keep the little girl company as they waited.