Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

He didn’t even know what was happening. He just felt his entire body turn sideways... and go flying!

With a blank expression, Xie Ning stepped on his hand. Her Gold Ability surged into the Satellite Bracelet, destroying it completely.

「Meanwhile, at Jingji Base」

Gu Chen was completely numb, staring dumbly at the large screen in the conference room as it suddenly filled with static. He couldn’t process what he’d seen for a long moment.

”Cap-Captain, was, was that...” Zhai Ruobai had just started to speak when Lu Wei shot him a cold glare from the side, silencing him.

Everyone’s minds were still fixated on the girl’s sudden glance back over her shoulder—a look so cold it chilled them to the bone.

’So unbelievably cool.’

An old man with graying temples suddenly shot to his feet, his face flushed with excitement. ”A Fourth-rank Gold Ability User! Our country has produced a Fourth Rank from the civilian population!”

”Captain Gu, you have to recruit a talent like that.”

”Yes, Captain Gu, we have to recruit this girl.”

”She’s a T0 Rank Superpower User, just like you guys! You could search the entire world and you probably wouldn’t find another Fourth-rank Gold Element, right?”

”Unbelievable! She even has her own Gold Wings. That kind of combat power... she’s a mega-talent!”

Gu Chen and Lu Wei glanced expressionlessly at the excited, boisterous crowd in the conference room.

To be honest, Gu Chen still hadn’t fully snapped out of it.

Just five minutes ago, Secretary Chen had suddenly halted the emergency meeting about Lanshan Tower Lake being overrun by mutated creatures. He had turned on the screen, and there she was—the girl Gu Chen couldn’t stop thinking about.

’My girl is just that incredible. She can flatten foreigners in minutes...’

’But what’s surprising is, I haven’t even had time to warm my seat back in the Capital, and she’s already escaped from Lanshan Tower Lake and entered Golden City territory?’

’It would have been so much better if I’d just brought her back to the Capital from the very beginning!’

Gu Chen was filled with regret. He regretted acting too slowly.

’And more importantly, did I just see that bastard Yu Tianfeng trailing behind her on the screen?’

’She took Yu Tianfeng with her when she escaped!’

’What does that mean?’

’It means that guy, Yu Tianfeng, holds some importance in her heart!’

’If I keep dragging my feet like this, it’ll be too late...’

And so, Gu Chen abruptly stood up. He looked at the numerous high-ranking base officials with a blank expression. ”You’re right. We can’t let a promising talent like this slip through our fingers. I’m going to Golden City to bring her back now.”

Everyone: ”...”

’Is Captain Gu out of his mind? He just got to the base this morning, and now he suddenly wants to leave again? Isn’t this a bit too rushed?’

”Wait, Captain Gu. You and Xiao Lu just got back; you haven’t even warmed your seats yet. We meant that you could send someone from your team to Golden City...”

”That won’t do.” Gu Chen’s face was grim. ”Do you think just sending any random person over will be enough to persuade a Fourth-rank Gold Ability User?”

”Besides, we don’t know what’s become of Tu Hou now. It’s questionable if he’s even still alive.”

”Ah? No way.”

Tu Hou was one of the special liaisons dispatched to the major bases to scout for talent.

His bracelet had just been crushed, and he was likely being detained. Captain Gu was right—that poor, unlucky bastard Tu Hou was most likely in grave danger...

”That settles it.” Gu Chen felt an urgency like an arrow loosed from a bow. He wished he could sprout wings and fly to Golden City Base right now to see her.

”Captain Gu, what about this meeting?”

Gu Chen didn’t even let the man finish his sentence before leading Lu Wei and Zhai Ruobai out the door.

He left behind a room full of people staring at each other in bewilderment.

”Young people are so impatient, haha.” Secretary Chen chuckled and adjusted his glasses. ”Well then, let’s continue with the previous topic: solutions for dealing with the mutated creatures.”

”The fact that Lanshan Lake Base was overrun by mutated creatures in just half a month is something we must take seriously.”

”We must also pay attention to the large safe zones we’ve worked so hard to establish and issue a notice as soon as possible...”

Gu Chen, Lu Wei, and Zhai Ruobai walked out of the conference building with its tinted glass facade.

”Tell me,” Gu Chen began, ”is it too late to invite Ningning to join our squad?”

Zhai Ruobai scratched his head. ”I don’t think that’ll work. Would Ningning just abandon her whole team to join ours?”

Gu Chen nodded. ”You’re right. So what if I joined them instead?”

Lu Wei: ”...”

Zhai Ruobai’s mouth fell open in shock. ”Bro, you’ve got to be kidding, right?”

Gu Chen pursed his lips. ”Do I look like I’m kidding? I think Ningning’s team is great. It’d probably be even better with me in it.”

”Don’t even think about it,” Lu Wei said, his face a mask. ”I’ll only agree to you joining if you take us with you.”

Zhai Ruobai: ”...”

’Nope. I think there’s something wrong with my hearing.’

’Aren’t these two afraid their old men will beat them to death for talking like this?’

”Actually, I think joining Ningning’s group would be pretty great. We’d get to eat delicious food every day!” Zhai Ruobai thought for a moment, then nodded in emphatic agreement.

Gu Chen smacked him on the back of the head. ”All you think about is food. Go tell the others we’re leaving soon. We can make it to Lake View Villa to spend the night just before dark.”

”Chen! You’re all here.”

The words were carried on a clear, bright laugh.

A girl in a green uniform, about five-foot-seven, came running towards them with a smile.

”Chen. Lu Wei. Xiao Bai. I came to see you all the second I heard you were back. How’s that for a good friend?” Feng Jiamin grinned, rising onto her tiptoes and raising a hand to sling an arm around Gu Chen’s shoulder.

Gu Chen frowned and sidestepped closer to Lu Wei, deftly avoiding her familiar gesture.

”Jia Min, I heard you joined the Women’s Superpower Second Team?” Lu Wei sized her up. ”Don’t you have training today?”

”Well, I heard you guys were back, so how could I possibly sit still?” Feng Jiamin said casually, stepping forward and giving Lu Wei a slap on the waist.

Gu Chen quickly pulled Lu Wei back a few steps and scolded her with a frown, ”Stop being so grabby all the time. Where’s your brother?”

Feng Jiamin pouted. ”My brother went to Zone C. There was some trouble there today. A small group of people from the shanty area are protesting, demanding the base open its stores and distribute food.”

”But it’s fine. My brother took plenty of people with him, he can handle it.”

”Chen, where are you guys heading?” Feng Jiamin asked, looking at the three of them curiously. ”Is the meeting over?”

”We’re planning to go to Golden City Base...” The rest of Zhai Ruobai’s sentence was cut off by a cold glare from Lu Wei.

”Why are you going to Golden City Base?” Feng Jiamin’s jaw dropped, and her voice grew loud. ”I’m telling you, it’s not safe outside lately. I heard some plants and animals are slowly mutating or something. Our instructor said our training expedition to the mountains, which was supposed to be the day after tomorrow, has been temporarily canceled.”

”With our captain’s combat power, things like that are trivial,” Lu Wei said with a faint smile, nodding politely to Feng Jiamin. ”We still have things to do, so we’ll be taking our leave.”

”Ah, you’re leaving right now? Then wait for me, okay? I’ll go to Golden City Base with you. I’ll just treat it as my training expedition.”