They traveled north the entire way.
Humming a cheerful tune, Cen Yi drove the modified off-road SUV, bringing her husband and daughter back to their home.
The two-story house stood more than a hundred kilometers away from Base No. 9, where Cen Wu had originally been staying.
It was a distance that could never be crossed on foot in the apocalypse.
Cen Wu gave up all thoughts of escaping.
She obediently let her new mother hold her hand as they entered the large, weathered villa.
“Baby, come pick your room.”
There were four rooms on the second floor.
The master bedroom already had its permanent occupants. Of the remaining three, one had its door tightly shut.
Cen Wu immediately understood.
There was someone else living in the house.
A strange feeling welled up inside her.
It was no less unsettling than when her scumbag father had brought her home, only for her to discover there was already a substitute adopted daughter living there.
Cen Yi knocked on the closed door.
After a long while, a little boy with a messy cowlick and sleepy eyes appeared before them, rubbing his face.
“Mom?” he mumbled.
“Xiaoxing, this is your younger sister!”
Cen Yi excitedly pulled Cen Wu in front of her like she was presenting a treasure.
Cen Yuxing instantly woke up.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he covered his mouth.
“Mom… when did you give birth to her?”
Cen Yi seriously thought about it.
“To be precise, around 11:50. Isn’t she adorable? Do you like her?”
Cen Wu felt that no one would ever understand the thought processes of this mother and son, even in the next hundred years.
She took the initiative to introduce herself.
“My name is Cen Wu.”
Cen Yuxing liked her immediately.
He enthusiastically insisted on helping his younger sister choose a room.
“This one doesn’t get enough sunlight. This one’s too small. How about this one?”
Standing at the doorway, he grinned brightly.
“It’s the closest to my room!”
Cen Wu had no objections.
As long as it was a place to sleep, it was good enough.
“Xiaoxing, did you ask your younger sister what she wanted?”
Cen Yi put her hands on her hips and raised one finger.
Embarrassed, Cen Yuxing tugged at his clothes before turning to Cen Wu.
“Younger Sister, which room do you want?”
“This one is perfect.”
Cen Wu answered obediently.
The little boy, who had suddenly been promoted to an older brother, immediately cheered and dragged his younger sister away to decorate the room.
Meanwhile, Cen Yi remained outside the door, deep in thought.
She went downstairs to the kitchen.
Originally, she had intended to say something, but when she saw Xie Yuanchuan wearing an apron and cooking with complete concentration, her words turned into silent admiration.
A man cooking was the sexiest thing imaginable.
Xie Yuanchuan still carried his usual lazy demeanor.
He looked carefree, yet the kitchen counter had been organized with impeccable neatness.
“So, did the two little ones get acquainted?”
Cen Yi snapped out of her daze and frowned slightly.
“Doll is very timid. I think she’s unhappy.”
Anyone would be unhappy after suddenly being kidnapped.
She’s probably just missing her old family, Xie Yuanchuan thought.
But what he actually said was,
“Maybe she misses her family. Why don’t we bring them over too?”
“Great idea!”
Cen Yi adored how clever her husband was.
She immediately rewarded him with a kiss.
Xie Yuanchuan had no objections.
It was already the apocalypse.
Who knew how much longer anyone had to live?
Whatever his wife wanted to do, he would support with both hands.
“We’ll ask Cen Wu what her family looks like later, then we’ll head to Base No. 9 and bring them back.”
…
“My family?”
Holding a large bowl filled to the brim with mixed vegetable rice, Cen Wu secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
“They’re all dead.”
“I see…”
Cen Yi looked somewhat disappointed.
She had wanted to collect Doll’s entire family.
Since her daughter was so beautiful, her relatives must have been attractive too.
What a pity.
Cen Yuxing shoveled food into his mouth with a spoon, yet his eyes kept drifting toward his younger sister.
No matter how much he looked at her, it never seemed enough.
It was impossible for Cen Wu not to notice his gaze.
She turned and blinked at him.
A Character Status Panel suddenly appeared.
[Congratulations. Through Plunder, you have obtained a new Innate Ability: Absolute Strength.]
[Absolute Strength: Physical strength can increase without limit. Pure aesthetics of overwhelming violence.]
Cen Wu quickly realized something.
The dwarf was already dead.
Was tetanus really that effective?
She became worried that, before dying, the dwarf might have reported her to her scumbag father’s subordinates.
She knew exactly how those people operated.
They were her scumbag father’s personal Cleaners.
Every filthy deed that couldn’t see the light of day was handled by them.
More importantly, every single one of them possessed an Innate Ability.
They were powerful and extremely difficult to deal with.
Cen Wu glanced at her stunningly beautiful mother.
Although her fire ability was powerful, it was enough for self-defense but not necessarily enough to eliminate enemies.
Then she looked at her refined, scholarly-looking father, who had all the appearance of a well-dressed scoundrel.
She had no idea what his Innate Ability was.
If the Cleaners tracked them down…
Cen Wu herself would probably survive.
But her new family might not.
A huge look of worry appeared on her tiny face.
…
That night, after taking a bath and thoroughly scrubbing away all the grime, Cen Wu looked like a completely different person.
She wore one of Cen Yuxing’s old pajamas.
The fabric was soft and comfortable.
They were clean and carried a faint scent of fresh grass and trees.
“Goodnight, Baby.”
Cen Yi casually kissed Cen Wu on the forehead with an audible mwah.
Xie Yuanchuan twirled several strands of Cen Wu’s hair around his fingers.
After discovering that her hair was soft and fragile—and unsuitable for transplanting onto his own receding hairline—he returned to the master bedroom in disappointment.
“Younger Sister, my room is right next to yours!”
“If you’re scared, just come find me.”
Like a little grown-up, Cen Yuxing patted his chest confidently.
“I’ll protect you!”
Cen Wu obediently nodded.
At twelve years old…
She had somehow gained a six-year-old older brother.
It was… a rather strange feeling.
Everyone returned to their own rooms.
Cen Wu reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.
Less than five minutes later, she fumbled around and switched it back on.
The warm yellow light illuminated the room.
It felt…
Like home.
Cen Wu snuggled deeper into her blanket before opening the Character Status Panel once more.
[Cen Wu]
[Age: 6]
[Innate Abilities: Plunder, Absolute Strength]
[Halo Points: 0]
Earlier, in the urgency of the situation, she had drawn the Plunder ability without having time to carefully read the notification.
Now she finally understood.
As long as she participated in killing a target, Plunder gave her a 30% chance of obtaining that person’s Innate Ability.
Didn’t that mean…
As long as she inflicted damage on someone, regardless of whether they ultimately died by her own hands, she still had a chance to obtain their Innate Ability?
Right.
There was another notification.
The moment Plunder was activated, her identity would automatically be registered on the Bounty Hunters’ Hunt List.
Cen Wu chuckled to herself.
From awakening her Innate Ability to being wanted by the Bounty Hunters in less than twenty-four hours…
Who could possibly be more impressive than her?
…
Because of her experiences in her previous life, Cen Wu had always been an extremely light sleeper.
Sometimes she even slept with one eye half-open, keeping watch.
In her hazy state, she vaguely saw a figure standing beside her bed.
The instant her brain registered danger, Cen Wu shot upright.
Only after the initial fright did she realize that the person standing there was Cen Yuxing.
Taking a deep breath, she asked,
“Why are you here?”
The small bedside lamp did not fully illuminate him.
Half of Cen Yuxing’s face remained hidden in darkness.
“Who are you?”
he asked indifferently.
Before Cen Wu could answer, Cen Yuxing suddenly leaned in, forcing their eyes to meet.
His amber-colored eyes resembled a boundless black hole capable of drawing people in, making them sink into its depths.
It felt as though every fold in Cen Wu’s cerebral cortex had been instantly smoothed flat.
Her vision went black.
After that…
She knew nothing.