Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”That’s right. Besides, the base doesn’t hand out food for free. Haven’t you all known that for a while?”

”A simple meal costs twenty Contribution Points.”

Those twenty Contribution Points seemed to strike a nerve. The woman nearly leaped out of her hospital bed. ”Twenty Contribution Points? Isn’t that a total rip-off? A single meal costs twenty Contribution Points! We’re just ordinary folk—where are we supposed to get Contribution Points?”

”If you don’t have Contribution Points, you can sign a one-year labor agreement with the authorities. Haven’t many people already done that?”

”Absolutely not! That labor agreement is basically an exploitative slave-labor contract. It says that whenever the base needs it, they can assign you to any post.”

”What could I do with these old bones? What if they assign me to burn corpses or sweep up trash? How could we possibly manage that?”

”Then wait to die, I guess.” Xie Ning retorted airily, then reached out to ladle more congee for a few of the newly arrived young doctors.

”Hey, young lady, what kind of way is that to talk?” The loud-mouthed woman looked displeased. ”Since you’re here providing this benefit, why can’t you treat everyone equally? Doctors and patients should be on equal footing! You can’t play favorites.”

”That’s right. Since you’re here to do a good deed, can’t you take care of us patients, too?” A few men and women with minor injuries had already gotten out of bed and were walking over.

Although they were too embarrassed to just go up and grab some, seeing the loud-mouthed woman leading the charge and arguing, they couldn’t help but join the fray to try and secure a little something for themselves.

Xie Ning gave them a faint smile. The stainless steel spoon in her hand abruptly morphed into several sharp spikes, which shot out to hover right in front of the lightly injured men and women.

”Still hungry?”

Seeing she was not to be trifled with, the group backed away a few steps, glaring at her resentfully.

In an instant, the spikes in Xie Ning’s hand turned back into a spoon.

A Sixth-rank Superpower User’s control over metal was practically absolute.

”I’m here today to treat someone. I’m treating all the staff of this medical clinic. Everyone else should mind their own business. Don’t spend all day being green with envy, and instead, ask yourselves why you don’t get the same treatment.”

’It’s been over a year since the apocalypse began, yet some people’s mindsets are still stuck in the peaceful era before it all started.’

’They think everyone else should sacrifice for them, especially people in certain professions—medical workers, police officers, soldiers. Isn’t it their duty to make sacrifices?’

’We’re just ordinary folk with no special abilities. What’s wrong with asking others to help us out and take care of us a little?’

’These people’s minds are forever stuck in the pre-apocalyptic world, still following that old ”I’m poor, so I’m right” logic.’

Xie Ning had no intention of indulging them.

It was her treat, and she’d do as she pleased. Everything would be done her way, according to her mood and her rules.

As for what others thought—whether they were disappointed or hated her—Xie Ning couldn’t care less.

People who expected to get something for nothing and take advantage of others would have been looked down on even before the apocalypse, let alone in the current special circumstances.

The patients who had run over dejectedly returned to their beds. They sat down in a huff, muttering words like ”stingy” under their breath.

Xie Ning turned a deaf ear, treating them as if they were thin air.

The little round-faced nurse ran to her side, beaming. ”Ningning, I don’t know if it’s because I had two bowls of congee, but I feel totally energized now!”

Her exhaustion had vanished completely. It didn’t feel like she had just worked for over ten hours straight; it was as if she’d just woken up from a good sleep, and her body felt incredibly light.

Xie Ning secretly probed with her spiritual power and couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction.

Fang Yuanyuan’s stamina was fully restored. It looked like she would have no problem working another full shift.

”Xiao Xie, have you thought about it?”

Xie Ning looked at Doctor Fang blankly. ”Consider what?”

”Joining our clinic to study medicine with us.”

Xie Ning was speechless.

”Look, if you have free time, you can come by in the afternoons. I can teach you myself, step by step.” Doctor Fang had originally wanted to say, ’As long as you have a brain’.

But he suddenly remembered Xie Ning retorting that ’she didn’t have a brain’ and swallowed the words. He smiled and said, ”Don’t worry, we’ll start with the basics.”

Xie Ning rejected him with a deadpan expression. ”Tomorrow, I’m going to Gushang Base with my boyfriend to rescue people.”

”Oh, is that so.” Doctor Fang looked disappointed. After finishing the last of his congee, he couldn’t resist taking a jab at Gu Chen. ”That kid... what’s the use of having him around? He makes his girlfriend do everything.”

Xie Ning struggled to hold back a laugh and waved her hand. ”Put the rest of this congee in a container. Give it to your colleagues when they come by later.”

”And these steamed buns—Yuanyuan, take them and put them away.” Xie Ning picked up the two empty containers. ”I’m heading out now.”

”Stay and chat a bit longer! You’re not leaving until tomorrow anyway.”

Xie Ning waved and fled the clinic. ”I still have to go back and eat dinner!”

When the loud-mouthed woman saw her leave, she secretly glanced at the congee container and steamed buns on the table.

Just as she was about to open her mouth, she saw the little round-faced nurse deftly pack everything up and walk out with it in her arms.

’She’s probably going to lock it all in their break room!’

’Could she be any stingier?!’

’Making us patients smell the fragrant buns and congee for so long without giving us a single bite... How wicked can you get!’

’Besides, aren’t they all full? They won’t even give us the leftovers. Unbelievable!’

Her charity work complete, Xie Ning returned to her small partition. When she pushed open the door, she saw her sister flash her a toothy grin.

Xie Ning gave her an expressionless glance.

Song Kexin poked her own wrist, gesturing for Xie Ning to look at her wristband.

Xie Ning treated her like thin air and walked past with a placid expression. ”Is Uncle back?”

”He got back half an hour ago.” The old woman walked over briskly, carrying two plates of egg pancakes. ”Ningning, are we going with you when you leave tomorrow?”

”Yes.” Xie Ning nodded.

The people from the X Realm who had attacked her before were a ticking time bomb.

She didn’t know how long this trip to Gushang Base would take, so she wasn’t comfortable leaving her grandparents here.

No place was safer than by her side.

”That’s good.” Song You’ai breathed a sigh of relief.

This would keep her from having to worry about the two elders while she was away.

”Grandpa, Grandma, for now you’ll stay in the Farmhouse Space. Just relax and live there comfortably.”

Song Youzhi couldn’t help but ask, ”If our team is suddenly short two people, won’t that attract suspicion and attention?”

Xie Ning’s voice was indifferent. ”Then let them guess.”

’Actually, the Farmhouse Space can hold four people at once now.’

’When the time comes, if my younger uncle and his wife want to go in together, that’s fine too.’ Xie Ning didn’t mind.

Everyone knew she possessed the Space Blade Shielding Technique. Casually hiding a few people wouldn’t necessarily draw any attention.

’And so what if they did notice?’

’Would they dare to come asking questions and prying into her, Xie Ning’s, business?’

’If they’ve got the guts, let them try!’

’There’s nothing a good fight can’t solve, after all.’