The days slipped by quietly beneath the dim yellow lights of the air-raid shelter and its repetitive routines.
Ruan Ning quickly adapted to the safe zone’s unique rhythm of life, like a drop of water merging into an undercurrent—calm on the surface, yet constantly alert and calculating beneath.
Every morning, she appeared punctually at the logistics department’s water treatment point.
She controlled the output of her water ability with perfect restraint—stable and continuous, producing clear, clean water sufficient to meet the safe zone’s urgent needs, yet never fast enough to arouse suspicion or greed.
She worked like a precision machine: silent and efficient.
Old Chen and the logistics staff grew increasingly reliant on her. “Everything’s fine once Xiao Ruan gets here!” had practically become their catchphrase.
Ruan Ning never took credit and never complained. She simply completed her work quietly, occasionally condensing an extra small barrel of water within her limits and leaving it for the overwhelmed medical team.
This “just enough” kindness earned her a reputation for being steady and reliable among logistics and medical personnel, and the contribution points she gained were enough to guarantee basic survival, with a little left over now and then.
In Cubicle No. 7 of Area B, the four female ability users maintained a fragile balance.
Lin Yan continued her lone-wolf routine, leaving early and returning late, carrying the stench of blood with her. Her attitude toward Ruan Ning was one of complete indifference—so long as Ruan Ning didn’t encroach on her space, she treated her like thin air.
Ruan Ning was happy with the peace and never pried.
Zhou Min was the most active “information hub” in the cubicle. She had tried probing Ruan Ning for details about her abilities, only to be brushed off with vague replies about a “lucky awakening” and “ordinary strength.”
After hitting a soft wall, Zhou Min didn’t get annoyed. Instead, she switched to trading information. “The Fire Wolf squad lost someone yesterday—apparently ambushed by a speed-type zombie.” “Old Chen in logistics seems to be holding onto some good stuff; you’ll need hard currency to get it.”
Ruan Ning listened quietly, occasionally offering back unimportant observations of her own—never appearing aloof, yet never revealing her true hand.
The most mysterious remained the hooded woman (ability unknown). She barely spoke, and her face was never seen, like a wandering ghost.
Ruan Ning had keenly noticed that late at night, the woman would sometimes slip out silently, only to return just as soundlessly before dawn. Ruan Ning chose not to act, merely committing the anomaly to memory and heightening her vigilance.
Outside of work, Ruan Ning devoted all her time to improving herself.
Unable to enter her space within the cubicle, she used the dead of night to repeatedly simulate the use of her water abilities in her mind, deducing different forms, variations, and tactical combinations.
She also planned her contribution points carefully. Aside from essential living supplies, she spent everything on rough materials occasionally released by the military—basic information about zombie mutations and ability fundamentals (most of which she already knew), and—most importantly—crystal cores.
Within the safe zone, the value of crystal cores was gradually being recognized by a small group of higher-ups and top-tier ability users, but circulation was extremely limited and tightly controlled.
Relying on the connections she had built through the logistics department and careful inquiries, Ruan Ning was sometimes able—through saved contribution points or rationed food—to painstakingly trade with injured frontline soldiers or ability users desperate for medicine or food, obtaining one or two Level 1 crystal cores.
Every single core was priceless.
Late at night, she absorbed them with extreme care, feeling the slow growth of her water energy and the subtle improvement in her control over the water element.
She knew this was her true foundation.
The safe zone was no paradise. Competition over resources was intensifying; friction between ability users and ordinary people, and among different ability-user teams, was constant. The military worked hard to maintain order, but unwritten rules were already taking root beneath the surface.
Ruan Ning paid particular attention to lists of newly arrived survivors and had even lingered briefly near the registration area under the pretext of familiarizing herself with the environment.
Yet she had still found no trace of Lin Jiaojiao, Lin Wanyun, or her father, Ruan Chenyang.
“Not here yet… or already dead? Or hiding somewhere else?” Ruan Ning wasn’t impatient.
In the apocalypse, surviving itself was no easy feat. She had more than enough patience to wait.
After working regularly in the safe zone for nearly ten days, Ruan Ning had accumulated enough contribution points to exchange for daily necessities—but her real goal, crystal cores, remained scarce.
Military control was strict, and private circulation was even rarer and prohibitively expensive. She knew that sitting and waiting would never allow her to grow stronger quickly.
On the morning of her rest day, before the newly risen, blood-tinged sun had fully dispelled the chill outside the air-raid shelter, Ruan Ning was already fully prepared.
She wasn’t wearing the usual logistics work uniform. Instead, she had changed into her dark gray, durable combat jacket. A well-maintained machete was strapped to her back, a dagger hung at her waist, and several sharpened metal shards—crude throwing weapons she had made during her free time—were hidden in the bindings on her calves.
Her objective for the day was clear: join a temporarily assembled team heading to a nearby abandoned industrial park to scavenge supplies—and take the opportunity to hunt zombies and obtain crystal cores.
The team was being organized by a strength-type ability user named Zhao Cheng. Broad-built with a booming voice, he was fairly well-known in Area B for his willingness to fight hard and his relatively fair distribution of loot.
Including Ruan Ning, the team totaled six people: Zhao Cheng (strength enhancement); a fire-type ability user named Sun Lei (the same one Ruan Ning had encountered before); a taciturn speed enhancer codenamed Old Cat; a young girl named Xiao Wan with a “weak healing” ability; Ruan Ning (water type); and a strong, stamina-heavy ordinary man named Da Niu, responsible for carrying heavy loads.
“Listen up!” Zhao Cheng stood at the gathering point, sweeping his gaze over everyone. “The industrial park was partially cleared before, but there will definitely be leftover zombies—maybe even mutant types. Our targets are the hardware warehouse and the small cafeteria. Tools and food are the priority. If you can avoid zombies, do so. If not, finish it fast. Loot will be distributed based on contribution. Any objections, speak now!”
No one said a word. In a temporary team like this, strength was authority.
The squad left the safe zone’s perimeter silently and stepped into the perilous world outside. The blood-red sunlight fell on barren fields and abandoned buildings, making everything look especially eerie.
The industrial park was about fifteen kilometers from the safe zone—a thirty-minute drive before the apocalypse, but now, with unknown road conditions, it would likely take one to two hours.
Along the way, they encountered scattered zombies. Everyone chose to conserve abilities and stamina, simply running them over with the vehicle.
Near the park, they got out and continued on foot.
Ruan Ning walked in the middle of the formation, her mind highly focused as she sensed every subtle movement in the surrounding wind and grass.
Although Ruan Ning’s water ability wasn’t specialized in perception, she was far more sensitive than ordinary people to subtle changes in moisture in the environment, allowing her to detect certain dangers hidden in the dark ahead of time.
“Left alley—two,” Old Cat warned in a low voice, gliding soundlessly to the front of the group like a true feline.
Zhao Cheng made a hand signal, and the team immediately stopped, taking cover behind the ruins.
Sure enough, two zombies wearing work uniforms staggered out of the alley.
“Sun Lei, the one on the left—quick and clean! Old Cat, the right one. Ruan Ning, provide support and watch for surprises!” Zhao Cheng issued orders rapidly.
Sun Lei curled his lip, clearly a bit displeased at taking orders from Zhao Cheng, but he still raised his hand and condensed a fireball, hurling it at the zombie on the left. His aim seemed a little better than last time—the fireball struck the zombie’s chest and set it ablaze.
Almost simultaneously, Old Cat’s figure darted out like a phantom. A cold flash of steel—his military spike pierced the right zombie’s temple, leaving a bloody hole as it collapsed without a sound.
Ruan Ning didn’t move, simply observing. Sun Lei’s fireballs had decent power, but his energy control was still crude; Old Cat, on the other hand, was clean and efficient—a textbook assassin style.
After clearing the scattered zombies, the squad reached the industrial park’s main gate without incident. Inside, the area was deathly silent. Shattered glass and scattered parts lay everywhere, and the air was filled with rust and a faint stench of decay.
According to plan, they headed straight for the hardware warehouse. The warehouse door was ajar, the interior dimly lit.
“Careful,” Zhao Cheng growled, pushing the door open first.
Hiss—!
The moment the door opened, three or four zombies hidden in the shadows of the shelves lunged out, roaring!
“Move!”
With a furious shout, Zhao Cheng charged forward instead of retreating. His palm, as large as a fan, seized the head of the first zombie and smashed it brutally into a metal rack!
Bang! The sound of a skull shattering was enough to make one’s teeth ache.
Sun Lei’s fireball followed, striking another zombie and sending flames leaping up.
Old Cat slipped between the shelves like a shadow, taking down the third.
The fourth zombie was a bit faster. It slipped past Zhao Cheng and lunged straight at the slightly panicked Xiao Wan in the middle of the team!
Just as Xiao Wan shut her eyes in terror—
A tightly condensed water arrow tore through the air! It was incredibly fast, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound!
Pshhk!
The water arrow pierced cleanly through the zombie’s eye socket. The powerful impact snapped its head back, and it crashed heavily to the ground.
It was Ruan Ning, standing beside Xiao Wan, who had struck. Her expression was calm, as if she had merely done something trivial.
Xiao Wan looked at Ruan Ning in shock, gratitude filling her eyes. Zhao Cheng also glanced back at her, a trace of approval now in his gaze. Sun Lei, however, snorted coldly, clearly feeling that Ruan Ning had stolen the spotlight.
“All clear. Da Niu, start hauling! Look for useful tools, metal parts—especially cutting tools!” Zhao Cheng ordered.
Everyone immediately began searching through the warehouse. Ruan Ning didn’t join the hauling. Instead, she took the initiative to stand guard at the entrance, her eyes sweeping over the zombie corpses on the floor.
While the others were busy, she quickly crouched down and deftly pried open the skulls with her dagger.
Her luck wasn’t bad. Out of the four zombies, there was actually one pale-white crystal core. Without drawing attention, she wiped it clean and slipped it into a pocket close to her body. This was her primary objective for the trip.
After collecting a batch of tools—wrenches, hacksaws, cutting machines, and the like—from the hardware warehouse, the team moved on to their next target: the small cafeteria.
The situation there was worse. Seven or eight zombies were gathered inside, seemingly feasting on a corpse that had long since rotted.
This fight was more intense.
Zhao Cheng held the front like a tank. Sun Lei’s fireballs created chaos and damage. Old Cat filled in the gaps. Ruan Ning maneuvered along the flanks—sometimes using water arrows to pick off zombies at range that tried to slip past Zhao Cheng, other times blasting them with surging water to slow their movements during gaps in Sun Lei’s firepower. Her water-control techniques grew increasingly polished in real combat, and she always seemed to appear exactly where she was needed most.
When the battle ended, Ruan Ning “looted the bodies” once more and gained another crystal core.
In the cafeteria, they found some unopened seasonings, small amounts of vacuum-packed rice and flour, and several crates of expired but still edible canned food. The haul was fairly decent.
On the return trip, they were even more cautious than on the way out. Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any large zombie hordes or troublesome mutant variants.