Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”Ever heard of a ruse?”

”You’re cheating!” Mary roared. ”You! You...”

”Enough with the ’you, you, you’ already,” Zuo Li said, rolling her eyes. She bounced forward energetically. ”First match goes to Golden City Base! Second match! Hurry up and send someone out, and cut the chatter.”

Xie Ning stood in the arena, grinning at the grim-faced Zhou Jiangye. ”Base Chief Zhou, you’re not going to be a sore loser, are you?”

”You’re the ones who set the detailed rules. You specifically called me out to fight and forbade the use of any superpowers!” Xie Ning raised her K30 and waved it vigorously over her head. ”Did I use a superpower?”

”No!!” A roar of laughter erupted from the Golden City Base side.

”That’s right, I didn’t use a superpower.” Xie Ning spread her hands. ”So what business is it of yours how I won? Calling it cheating is just shameless of you. You never said guns weren’t allowed.”

Mary was so angry her eyes were bloodshot.

”Heal her,” Zhou Jiangye said flatly.

A tall, willowy white woman with long legs and a narrow waist walked forward. She gave Xie Ning a seductive smile and blew a kiss in her direction with two fingers.

Xie Ning paid her no mind, ignoring the stunning beauty before her.

’Flirting like that is so tacky. And it’s not like I, Xie Ning, am the type to be swayed by a pretty face.’

’Supplies are far more practical than pretty faces!’

’Don’t think a honey trap will make me go soft. Hmph!’

”Oh, you poor thing,” the white woman sneered at Mary, then suddenly pressed a slender finger onto the wound on Mary’s shoulder.

”AHH!!” Mary shrieked, glaring daggers at the woman in front of her.

”Shh, don’t make a fuss. You wouldn’t want to affect my healing, would you?” The white woman smiled faintly and threw another flirtatious glance at Mary.

Xie Ning silently turned her head, glancing at the youth Beichen, who stood behind her as if he were invisible.

Beichen must have thought she was worried about something, because he spoke up icily, ”Don’t worry. Even if you have one foot in Yama Hall, I can still drag you all the way back.”

’Basically, he was saying, ’Go wild.’ As long as I’m not dead and still have a breath left, he can make sure I won’t die.’

’Xie Ning got the feeling that Healers were a strange breed. Every single one was bizarre, ridiculous, and not quite right in the head.’

’Maybe being a Healer makes you crazy?’

Soon, Mary’s muffled groans died down.

Pushed out by the healing ability, the bullet floated out of the wound and fell to the ground with a crisp CLINK.

Xie Ning was very curious and glanced over again.

Beichen said flatly, ”A mere parlor trick. I could do that when I was just at the Initial Stage.”

’So high and mighty, so incredible, the best of the best among Healers,’ Xie Ning snarked internally. Outwardly, she said nothing, merely turning to look toward the Chaoyang Base group.

Their second pick had now walked out from the Chaoyang Base crowd and stopped in the middle of the arena, not moving an inch.

”Got any last words?” Xie Ning asked as she walked slowly forward, then abruptly changed direction and leaped away.

A thin, emerald-green vine shot out of the ground without warning, trying to wrap around her ankle.

Xie Ning couldn’t help but laugh. ”Excellent. I like your decisiveness.”

’It’s rare to see someone who attacks the moment they see you.’

’Zhou Jiangye, Teng Hongming, and that Mary were all so long-winded. They talked way too much.’

’This guy is much more straightforward. He comes up, says nothing, and just fights.’

’A proper duel to settle scores should be this exhilarating.’

’Chaoyang Base is truly full of talent. This Wood Element Superpower User has already reached the Third Rank. The speed at which his superpower energy surges is, without a doubt, among the fastest.’

’Plus, his movements are incredibly nimble, with a speed comparable to a Speed Superpower User.’

’No, he’s definitely reached the speed of a Speed Superpower User.’

’This person is a Dual System.’

Xie Ning leaped out of the grasping vines’ reach. With a flick of her wrist, two golden thorns shot out and pierced straight through the plant’s root system.

The sudden turn of events caught the Wood Element Superpower User off guard. He quickly retracted the plant, and when he sent it out again, his timing was clearly a beat slower.

By now, Xie Ning had already closed the distance. She swept her leg out, kicking the man hard in the shin.

’Her shins, wrapped in sharp metal spikes, were harder than steel plates.’

The kick snapped the Wood Element Superpower User’s leg on the spot. He let out an agonized howl and fell backward.

”Jia Wu!” Teng Hongming cried out in horror.

THUD! Jia Wu hit the ground and thrashed about, unable to get back up.

Zhou Jiangye made a snap decision. ”Healer!”

’One match, one person carried off, each one injured.’

’This helper Zuo Li found... I have to admit, she’s quite formidable.’

Zhou Jiangye narrowed his eyes, and now finally gave Xie Ning a proper look.

’Before, he hadn’t understood what that madwoman, Zhang Biyun, had been screaming about. Now, he finally did.’

’Zhang Biyun must be terrified of this woman from the very bottom of her soul. That’s why she completely lost her composure the moment she saw her.’

And now, Zhang Biyun’s pupils were wide, her face showing she’d been dealt another heavy blow. She couldn’t stop her whole body from shuddering.

’Only now did she understand how foolish and laughable she had been.’

’She’d actually thought about taking her alive? Capturing her, then slowly torturing her to death with lingchi?’

’How was that even possible?’

’This woman, this Devil, Xie Ning... she should have been executed on the spot, dealt with immediately.’

’Any hesitation would only put them at a greater disadvantage.’

Without even looking, Zhou Jiangye could feel Zhang Biyun trembling beside him. He was filled with utter contempt for her cowardice.

But he kept a gentle expression on his face. ”Miss Zhang, there’s no need to be so alarmed.”

”No matter how strong she is, she’s only one person. How could she possibly compare to the Jingji Zhang Family?”

”Right. Yes, you’re right,” Zhang Biyun muttered, nodding repeatedly. ”There’s still the Jingji Zhang Family. The Zhang family is my backer. My eldest uncle’s family is in the Capital. I, Zhang Biyun, still have powerful people behind me.”

”Don’t be afraid. I can’t be afraid,” Zhang Biyun murmured, though it was unclear if she was speaking to others or just trying to reassure herself.

Xie Ning stretched her arms and legs and let out a breath. ”Third match!”

Zhou Jiangye turned his head to whisper a few words to the vice base chief. The latter glanced grimly at the arena and nodded repeatedly.

At the same time, Chaoyang Base sent out their third person.

The two hadn’t even started fighting when the WHIRR of helicopter rotors echoed from nearby.

A sudden gust of wind sent everyone’s hair flying.

Xie Ning looked up at the sky, her face blank. A faint sense of guilt inexplicably rose in her heart.

’Uh...’

’Maybe I shouldn’t keep fighting? Maybe it’s better to just cut and run?’

’I’ve got a bad feeling this helicopter is here for me.’

The helicopter whirring in the sky flew straight overhead, and then...

It dropped a rope ladder!

Xie Ning immediately recognized the person leaning out of the helicopter’s cabin.

She immediately bolted, turning to make a run for it!

”Captain, cover for me! We’ll continue the match tomorrow.”