Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”Mom, you can sell ice cubes to earn Crystal Cores. If they really don’t have any Crystal Cores, you can take Contribution Points instead.”

Song You’ai beamed and nodded. ”Okay.”

”Sis, you could also sell your Metal Knives,” Song Shijun suggested from the side. ”I bet if you took your Metal Knives to the market, they’d be a huge hit.”

”You’re not wrong.” Xie Ning nodded, her expression serious. ”But as the captain of the Starfire Team, with my status, do you really think I’d go to the market and hawk knives?”

’Heh! In your dreams.’

The rest of them were speechless.

Song Kexin couldn’t stop laughing. ”Sis, Sis, how about you make a few sets of knives, and tomorrow Shijun and I can take them to the market to see how they sell?”

Xie Ning shot her younger sister a gratified look.

’Sisters are the best, little brothers are just the worst.’

”Then it’s settled.” Xie Ning waved her hand. ”The rest of you, figure out the roster for the escort mission. It has to be finalized before ten tonight.”

”We’ll be leaving early tomorrow, around nine in the morning.”

Everyone fell silent.

”Pfft.” Ji Taixian couldn’t hold it in and let out a laugh, quickly turning away.

”Your sister actually thinks nine o’clock is early,” Song Youyi said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Xie Ning’s face remained impassive as she walked toward the attic in the backyard, pretending she hadn’t heard everyone’s stifled laughter.

A short while later, Zhu Yong handed the mission roster to Xie Ning.

After discussing it among themselves, they agreed the trip to the small cotton workshop five kilometers away should be relatively safe.

So, they decided to let the two children, Zhu Nanxing and Su Xiyue, go along to build up their courage.

For the past two days, Yu Tianfeng had been holed up in his lab, obsessively studying half a basin of ”suppression grass,” with no time to go out.

When he heard Xie Ning’s group was leaving tomorrow, he immediately produced a small pickup truck for them to use for hauling goods.

The next day, after breakfast at nine, Xie Ning set out with eight people.

Reaching the courtyard gate, she looked at the tear-streaked face of Tu Hou and instructed Song Shijun, ”Give him some water and two ration biscuits. Then, get him to work. Have him help us reinforce the courtyard.”

After being exposed to the wind all night, Tu Hou, who already felt that life was not worth living, now shed tears of deep regret.

’I wonder when Captain Gu will come and save me.’

’Judging by the way Captain Gu was talking with that demoness, they seemed to know each other well.’

Xie Ning reached the gate, then suddenly turned to look at the scrawny man. ”Why didn’t you run last night?”

’A single coarse hemp rope can’t hold a Second-stage Earth Ability User.’

Tu Hou raised his head, trembling, his voice weak. ”I... I didn’t dare to move.”

Song Shijun nearly burst out laughing. He patted the poor guy on the head and untied him. ”Come with me.”

Xie Ning led her teammates out, her expression unreadable.

Song Youzhi and Wang Zongxuan both got into the pickup truck.

Xie Ning and the other six quickly boarded the ”Little Jinbei.”

Zhu Yong drove, while Housekeeper Youen politely took the passenger seat.

Cres and Song Youxuan sat in the second row, while Xie Ning took the two children to the very back.

The moment the two vehicles started, a young man peeking from behind the gate of the neighboring courtyard muttered, ”Captain Xie left with a few teammates.”

”Probably heading out of the base for a mission,” Zhou Tong added, also peering from the side.

Xiao Qi Zi walked up to the pair and flicked both of them on the head. ”What are you two sneaking around and peeking at? Isn’t it perfectly normal for them to take a mission?”

”I’m worried for everyone else,” the young man sighed. ”A Fourth Rank powerhouse is out there competing for the Contribution Points from Mission Seven. How is anyone else supposed to make a living?”

...

「Jingxin Study Room」

Its black-framed plaque seemed to be plated in gold under the sunlight.

This was the home of Huang Zhaosheng, the head of the base’s management committee.

Almost as soon as they entered the base, the Huang Family’s young lady had set her sights on this tranquil and elegant study.

Compared to the other courtyard residences in the old town, the study was superior in both its environment and size.

Huang Shi Yao, who was used to everything going her way, was now sitting at a table, sulking as she ate bread with jam.

When she looked up and saw Meng Lanfang timidly approaching her side, a flash of anger crossed her eyes.

Meng Lanfang had just taken a plate of French toast from a servant and was about to place it on the table with both hands when she was suddenly struck across the face with a heavy slap.

”Ah.” Although she had braced herself, it was still unexpected.

Meng Lanfang was knocked to the ground by the force of the slap. The plate in her hands went with her, smashing to pieces with a CRASH.

Miss Huang threw down her knife and fork, her face flushed as she shrieked, ”You useless piece of trash! I told you to look into your daughter’s affairs! How did it go?”

”It’s been a whole night, and you’ve found nothing?”

”Why don’t you just die? I really don’t know why Father even keeps a useless piece of trash like you around.”

”What good are you?”

”Is it your ugliness? Your age? Or is it your shriveled-up body that can’t even produce a child?”

Meng Lanfang covered her left cheek, where a bright red handprint was already forming. Pain and shame sent violent tremors through her body. Her lips trembled as she spoke. ”Y-Young Miss. The people I sent to... to investigate them... will be back soon.”

”Hilarious. And here I thought your motherly love was so grand. Turns out they don’t give a damn about you.”

”I... I’m sorry, Young Miss,” Meng Lanfang stammered, trembling. ”It was Song Kexin and the others who offended you yesterday. I... I will be sure to teach them a lesson. I absolutely won’t let something like that happen again.”

She had just brought up the one topic she shouldn’t have.

Meng Lanfang’s words reminded Miss Huang of what had happened yesterday in East and West Alley, and the humiliation of being surrounded and mocked by a crowd.

Rage surged within her!

Huang Shi Yao grabbed the hot milk and dumped it over Meng Lanfang’s head, cursing furiously. ”You think that little bitch you birthed could possibly offend me?”

”What a joke. So damn self-righteous.”

”Like mother, like daughter. A cheap bitch gives birth to a cheap spawn.” She smashed the milk cup on the floor, then stepped on the soggy French toast, grinding it under her heel without a second thought.

The old maidservant standing nearby kept her head bowed, the corners of her mouth turning down as she tried to hide the trace of pity in her eyes.

In the current climate, only someone in a high position like Miss Huang could afford to waste food so wantonly.

”Well now, what has our little princess Shi Yao so upset?” a crisp, laughing voice called from the top of the stairs.

Huang Shi Yao turned and shot a cold glance at the woman descending the stairs.

With her curvy figure and fair, delicate face, Wu Xuehua, who was in her early thirties, was so well-maintained that she still looked like she was in her twenties.

”Hmph.” Huang Shi Yao gave her a cold look, then brushed past her on stiletto heels.

Back in her room, Huang Shi Yao slammed the door and immediately called out to 00009425 in her mind.

When her repeated calls went unanswered, the anger on Huang Shi Yao’s face deepened.

’It’s all that little bitch Song Kexin’s fault.’

’Did she really think getting a Fire Ability after the apocalypse meant she could get the better of Huang Shi Yao?’

’A migrant worker’s daughter is still a migrant worker. She could never be nobler than me; it’s just not in her bones.’