Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”If only Brother Xiaobei were here,” a young woman muttered. ”I feel like his Healing Ability is way better than that red-headed pretty boy’s.”

Xie Ning frowned. ”Xiao Fei’s mother, Xiao Fei’s low-grade fever came back. Have you not taken her to the clinic at all in the past two days?”

Yu Xiaofei’s mother shook her head, looking crestfallen. ”We didn’t dare.”

”It’s because the clinic has been packed lately. Xiao Fei’s mother was worried she’d run into acquaintances and it would be awkward,” Lin Yiyi interjected coolly. ”After all, when they left A-3, they had a bit of a falling-out with a group of old neighbors.”

”If she ran into them again at the clinic, another shouting match would probably break out.”

Xie Ning remained noncommittal.

’If it were me, I would’ve charged over there with the child long ago. Part of that is just my personality. The other part... is the advantage of overwhelming power.’

’Then again, Xiao Fei’s mother is just an ordinary person.’

”Come on. You’re coming with me to the clinic.”

Just then, a skinny man with a buzz cut squeezed through the crowd, bowing and scraping with a fawning smile at Xie Ning. ”Captain Xie, why don’t I handle this little matter for you? I can take them to the clinic.”

Xie Ning’s gaze shifted to him. ”It’s just a few steps. I’ve got nothing better to do, so I’ll take them myself.”

The man’s smile grew even more sycophantic. ”Oh, but we couldn’t possibly trouble you with such a trivial thing, Captain Xie.”

Xie Ning just stared at him in silence. The skinny man immediately froze and cautiously took half a step back.

The onlookers watched him as if he were a joke, their eyes filled with mockery and scorn.

’Look at that. His bootlicking totally backfired.’

’She already made it clear she didn’t need help, but this guy still tried to sidle up to Captain Xie. How obnoxious.’

”Captain Xie.” A familiar, laughing voice approached from a distance.

Xie Ning looked up to see Mr. Li Weide himself approaching, flanked by several bodyguards and grinning from ear to ear.

”What a coincidence, running into you here, Captain Xie. This must be what you people from Country C call... destiny, isn’t it?”

Xie Ning offered him a fake smile. ”Destiny is the sort of thing that’s often man-made. Isn’t that how it always plays out in the movies?”

”You have people with ulterior motives trying to latch onto some rich patron, pulling out all the stops and using every trick in the book. They manufacture all sorts of ’chance encounters.’ Some even deploy entire teams or get influencers to post all kinds of nonsense to stir up drama.”

”Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Li Weide?”

It turns out smiles really can freeze and disappear. Li Weide’s gentle expression, for instance, was now fixed stiffly on his face.

”Heh heh.” Li Weide forced a dry laugh. ”You have quite a sense of humor, Miss Xie.”

”Whether or not I’m joking is something you know better than anyone, Mr. Li Weide. Anyway, enough nonsense. We’re in a hurry, so if you’d please get out of the way.”

Li Weide felt an overwhelming urge to fly into a rage.

’If it weren’t for the fact that she’s a Sixth-rank Superpower User, I would... I really would...’

’But what’s the use of thinking about it? After all, they couldn’t find a single Sixth-rank Superpower User in all of Country A.’

’That’s where the arrogance of Country C’s people comes from.’

’The one and only Sixth-rank Superpower User in the entire world is from Country C.’

Li Weide managed a strained smile. ”Perhaps Captain Xie would be willing to sit down and talk with us?”

”It seems your friend’s condition has reached a rather critical point.”

Xie Ning blinked. ”You really came prepared, Mr. Li Weide. Yueyue!”

”Okay!” Su Xiyue understood immediately, stepping forward to easily lift the tall, thin girl, Yu Xiaofei, who was curled up on the sofa.

”A pity I have no interest in talking further with you, Mr. Li Weide.” Xie Ning tilted her head and beckoned to Su Xiyue behind her. ”Let’s go.”

Seeing this, Wang Gangfei and his large, bearded face strode forward to block her path. In a stilted but forceful Country C dialect, he said, ”Captain Xie, I think you should stay and hear what our Mr. Li Weide has to say.”

”It’s alright.” Li Weide, however, just smiled gently, as if he couldn’t be bothered by any of her impolite gestures.

”We’ll just accompany Captain Xie to the clinic.”

”After all, you have an old saying in Country C, don’t you? Something about not giving up until you’ve reached the end of the road. Correct?”

Xie Ning raised an eyebrow but ignored the group from Country A behind her, leading Su Xiyue and the mother and daughter toward the clinic.

The moment she pushed open the clinic’s heavy doors, she nearly collided head-on with Doctor Fang.

Doctor Fang, looking completely overwhelmed, grabbed her arm. ”Quick, go next door and bring me those two boxes.”

Xie Ning nodded silently, turning to leave. ”Take a look at the child first,” she said as she went.

”Where is she hurt?” Doctor Fang waved Su Xiyue over, pointing to an empty examination couch. ”Put her down over there.”

Su Xiyue set Yu Xiaofei down, and only then, as she glanced around, did she realize the entire clinic was packed with patients.

”No external injuries, no wounds at all. She just has this persistent low-grade fever that won’t break, and she coughs in the middle of the night.” Yu Xiaofei’s mother hurried over, sticking close to the doctor. ”Doctor, could there be something wrong with her lungs?”

”She looks extremely weak. We’ll examine her first, then get her on an IV and run an X-ray if needed.”

”Oh, okay, okay!” Yu Xiaofei’s mother trailed after Doctor Fang, following his every step.

Xie Ning returned, carrying two large boxes. ”Where do you want these?”

”Just put them over there. Yes, right in the corner.”

Li Weide, Wang Gangfei, and their men, who had followed them in, all stared at Xie Ning for a long moment with expressions of utter disbelief.

’The high-and-mighty, unyielding Captain Xie was actually being ordered around by some low-level doctor.’

Wang Gangfei couldn’t help but snort. ”Captain Xie, isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? All you have to do is say the word, and we can have a Healing Ability User treat your friend.”

Xie Ning ignored him, continuing to let Doctor Fang run her ragged.

The nurses in the clinic all knew her well, so as soon as they saw her, they started asking her to move things here and there.

Li Weide was dumbfounded.

’Is this the same cold, aloof Captain Xie I know?’

’The contrast is just too great!’

’I’ve been nothing but polite and courteous, yet Captain Xie is always so cold to us from Country A.’

’But now a bunch of nurses in white coats are ordering her around left and right, and she doesn’t seem to mind at all!’

’These medical workers are treating her like a beast of burden!’

’To these ordinary doctors and nurses, a mighty Sixth-rank Superpower User is just a pack mule with inexhaustible energy to help them move things!’

’It’s outrageous!’

”I’m telling you, you should just come by and help whenever you’re free. I was just thinking about you yesterday, wondering why you hadn’t been by in two days. We’re about to be worked to death over here,” Doctor Fang grumbled, his hands never ceasing their work.