Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten and while the sun had not yet risen and the temperature was still relatively cool, Liu Xu led her team members towards their mission location for the day.
The Rising Sun Base was growing more and more crowded, and the nearby supplies had been mostly scavenged. To obtain more resources, Liu Xu and the others had to venture to places further away.
They skirted the mountain. The smell of blood was strong along the way, but Liu Xu and her team didn't notice anything unusual. After all, to be frank, zombies were just highly decomposed corpses; a heavy scent of blood under the stench of decay was understandable. Furthermore, in this era, there were many mutated animals, so a strong bloody smell was also normal.
Inside the base, Jiang Ying, who had slept soundly in her newly assigned room, got up and added a drop of the genetic repair solution to a cup of water for Jiang Xiaoxin to drink. She then added another drop to a water bottle and asked Jiang Xiaoxin to deliver it to Uncle Xu.
Last night, because of the fresh cabbage, Uncle Xu had insisted on cooking the meal himself, which had left Jiang Ying no opportunity to 'administer the medicine'. Now was not too late.
Jiang Xiaoxin didn't detect anything unusual either. Water was a precious commodity in the apocalypse, and the water Jiang Ying provided was clear and transparent, obviously rare and of good quality—perfect for gifting.
Jiang Xiaoxin tucked the water bottle inside her clothes and strode confidently towards where Uncle Xu lived.
The news that Jiang Ying had become an ability user had spread throughout the Rising Sun Base, and everyone in the base knew Jiang Xiaoxin was Jiang Ying's sister. Parents of children around Jiang Xiaoxin's age had long since instructed them accordingly. Therefore, Jiang Xiaoxin's journey was very smooth.
Uncle Xu was hammering a piece of wood. After the apocalypse, plants had mutated, and even wood, once commonplace, had become a limited resource.
As time passed, pre-apocalypse furniture had mostly broken down, making furniture a necessity for life again—especially tables. No matter what kind of household, even a bachelor, after securing a small shelter from the wind and rain, would want a table.
People raised in a civilized society, when conditions allowed, preferred not to use the ground as their table.
Uncle Xu was very happy to see Jiang Xiaoxin. He had always liked children; in the past, he had even worked as a kindergarten teacher for two years. If his wife at the time hadn't thought being a kindergarten teacher had no future, he probably would have continued.
Jiang Xiaoxin took the water bottle from her clothes and handed it to him: "Uncle, my sister asked me to bring this to you."
Uncle Xu looked at the bottle, paused for a moment, then wiped the dirt from his hands and accepted it.
"Thank your sister for me," Uncle Xu said, unscrewing the cap. The sweet water flowed down his throat, feeling like a spiritual spring nourishing his heart.
He couldn't resist the temptation and took another sip. This time, he held the water in his mouth, letting it flow down slowly. He lowered his head, hiding the slight damp warmth rising in his heart.
Jiang Xiaoxin saw this but pretended not to. Who hadn't been through this? Her own reaction when drinking the water Jiang Ying gave her that morning had been exactly the same.
Jiang Ying went to the Women's Special Combat Team to find Feng Xinyue for training. Uncle Xu didn't have a mission today, and Jiang Xiaoxin didn't plan to go home either. She squatted in Uncle Xu's place, learning carpentry work with him.
As the sun rose higher, some restless children who were on good terms with Jiang Xiaoxin also began to flock to Uncle Xu's room.
Even the most troublesome children in the Rising Sun Base would listen to Uncle Xu's guidance. He didn't teach the children for free; sometimes their parents would send him a little supplies.
Before the apocalypse, Feng Xinyue was an instructor in the Women's Special Combat Team. After the apocalypse, she remained Liu Xu's best partner. To help more members of the Women's Special Combat Team survive, she began researching methods to train abilities.
To this day, she had developed her own system for training ability users, though she herself was not one.
Last night, Jiang Ying had chatted with Jiang Xiaoxin for a long time, and the more they talked, the more she admired the members of the Women's Special Combat Team. Especially after joining them herself, she immediately felt a sense of belonging.
Jiang Ying thought this might be because, right after she transmigrated, she was protected by the Women's Special Combat Team during a mission. People have a hero complex; otherwise, tales of heroes saving beauties wouldn't have been passed down through the ages.
And in the beginning, this hero wasn't defined by gender.
During a break after practicing her abilities, Jiang Ying sat down in the shade by the building's foundation. Glancing at Feng Xinyue walking towards a teammate whose training wasn't going well, she sent a message to the group chat friends.
Especially to Lin Xi. She firmly believed that with a father like Lin Zhongxun, who could tear through space-time, Lin Xi must also be amazing.
Lin Xi was at the guesthouse at that moment. She read Jiang Ying's words and replied:
[Admin] Earth Girl Lin Xi: I've sent you the Yi Shu Thirteen Classics. Try having your friends practice it. The air over there has ability particles; they might develop abilities very quickly.
Jiang Ying slapped her forehead: I've had too many mind-blowing messages filling my brain today, I completely forgot about this cultivation method.
Jiang Ying had genuinely forgotten. With the shocking news about the snake spirit possessing someone and being infatuated with its original master, and then being busy asking Jiang Xiaoxin about past events, it had slipped her mind.
[Apocalypse Zombie World Jiang Ying: Thanks, Xiao Xi. I really completely forgot about this.]
[Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland Lin Duxi: That's normal. With so many messages flooding your brain in one day, it's bound to slip your mind.]
[Primitive World Ahuahua: Yeah, it's really mind-blowing. Especially the snake possession—I'm so curious about this 'master-pet love'.]
[Entertainment Industry Slacker Control Group Hang Xingyue: Truly shocking. It made me so hot and bothered I dreamed of being chased by snakes all night last night.
The impact of Feng Qingqing being possessed by a snake spirit was lasting for the group chat friends.
[Mistakenly Switched Real Heiress Qin Suyuan: Don't even mention it. Now when I eat, I inexplicably remember it, and my appetite plummets.] Qin Suyuan was abroad, and the food wasn't very palatable to begin with.
Having finally managed to make something edible herself, now she was being forced to diet. Qin Suyuan didn't know what to say. She really felt her imagination shouldn't be so vivid.
Reading her words, Jiang Ying shuddered. Just then, she heard Feng Xinyue call for everyone to assemble. She hurried over.
The group chat continued talking about the snake spirit topic for a while before quickly moving on to other things. Lin Xi didn't participate; she was chatting with Lu Shenzhi.
Lu Shenzhi didn't bubble up in the group chat, but he often replied to Lin Xi's messages. The interaction between the two was becoming increasingly close.
Especially now, Lu Shenzhi said he had accompanied Prince Yu to a banquet. The host's osmanthus flower pastries were particularly refreshing and delicious, so he had requested a portion to send over for Lin Xi to try.
Lin Xi looked at the white rice cakes dotted with osmanthus flowers in the wooden box, took a piece, and put it in her mouth. It was fluffy, soft, fragrant, and sweet—the taste was indeed excellent.
Speaking of which, Lu Shenzhi's world was actually quite developed. Foods like white sugar had already been invented there. However, due to scarce production, it was only supplied to the nobility.
She thought for a moment, then went to the newly opened specialty shop next door, bought two jin of small roasted beef jerky, and sent it over to him. They often exchanged items of equivalent value like this, so Lu Shenzhi now lacked for nothing.
They were chatting idly when a message came through, causing Jiang Ying to be genuinely taken aback for a moment.
[Reborn Time-Traveler Gu Nuanyang: Xiao Xi, can you get me some anti-inflammatory medicine, fever reducers, and common medications on your side?]
After Gu Nuanyang exchanged her golden finger with the system, she settled down contentedly as a farmer and rarely made requests in the group chat. However, she participated in every topic the group members discussed.
This was the first time she had privately messaged Lin Xi asking for medicine. Lin Xi immediately asked: [Has something happened on your side?]
[Reborn Time-Traveler Gu Nuanyang: Yes. Because Zhao Juanqing died, his brothers can no longer restrain themselves. The princes are now fighting fiercely. The third prince, Zhao Juanzhou, is a man without morals. He found a doctor specializing in poison and put it into the water source of the first prince Zhao Juande's fiefdom. Unfortunately for us, our area is part of Zhao Juande's fief.]
Gu Nuanyang sat in the Zhou family's small wooden cabin, looking at the setting sun outside the wooden window. It hung red and round high in the sky, watching all the disasters on earth with an expressionless face.
Actually, in Gu Nuanyang's previous life, this same event had occurred, but the poison was released in Zhao Juanqing's fiefdom back then. At that time, Gu Nuanyang had the Finger-Tip Spirit Spring. Once Zhao Juanqing showed weakness and cried before her, she gave him several days' worth of spirit spring water.
Thinking back now, Gu Nuanyang felt she had been truly foolish back then. But upon careful reflection, she didn't regret it. In this era lacking medicine and doctors, a simple cold could take a person's life.
For an illness causing both diarrhea and vomiting, without the proper medicine, if she hadn't given the Finger-Tip Spirit Spring, many people would likely have died.
Gu Nuanyang had been thinking lately that the reason she was reborn after death and luckily joined the group chat might also be because she had saved a county's worth of people back then.
So, upon hearing about this situation, she still wanted to help.
Lin Xi looked at the messages Gu Nuanyang sent one after another, which seemed like explanations to Lin Xi about why she wanted to save people, and also seemed like she was trying to convince herself.
Otherwise, she could have exchanged for this medicine with the modern society friends in the group chat and then used Lin Xi as a relay. After all, for large-scale medicine purchases like this, it would be much more convenient to ask Ye Bingbing, who had long since offered herself to the state, than to ask her.
With a sigh, Lin Xi took out a bottle of Finger-Tip Spirit Spring from her space.
[Earth Girl Lin Xi: This is Finger-Tip Spirit Spring I exchanged from the system.]
In the small wooden cabin, seeing these words and the clear water in the plastic bottle, Gu Nuanyang's eyes instantly reddened.
She thanked Lin Xi and sent Lin Xi some flowers she had picked in the mountains.
There was a large bouquet of pink, white, and red azaleas. Just looking at them, one could feel their vibrant passion.
Lin Xi found a few pretty vases, arranged the flowers, and placed them around the guesthouse. Not long after, she saw guests had already posted them on their social media.
In the post-apocalyptic zombie world, Jiang Ying, after finishing a day of training, found Feng Xinyue. Once she explained the existence of the "Yi Shu Shi San Jing," Feng Xinyue shot to her feet.
"Jiang Ying, can it really cultivate supernatural abilities?" Feng Xinyue was extremely excited. After all, those who awakened abilities were ultimately a minority; about eighty-five percent of the soldiers in the Sunrise Base had no abilities.
Artillery shells, like gasoline in this era, were items that ultimately could not be reproduced, used up bit by bit. If supernatural abilities could truly be awakened through human intervention, this could undoubtedly change the world!
"That's what the person who saved me said." Jiang Ying attributed everything to Lin Zhongxun. She had also learned from the group that the "Yi Shu Shi San Jing" was created by Lin Zhongxun. So, pinning it on him felt perfectly reasonable to Jiang Ying.
Feng Xinyue looked at Jiang Ying for a long time. Finally, with trembling hands, she began to flip through the manual of the "Yi Shu Shi San Jing."
"Jiang Ying, whether or not we can cultivate abilities, I thank you!" Feng Xinyue saluted Jiang Ying with a standard military salute.
Jiang Ying was suddenly moved, as if she saw the soldiers from before the apocalypse.
Feng Xinyue quickly gathered several special forces team members without abilities to begin practicing. Jiang Ying didn't leave and joined them.
They practiced just the first form for an entire day. By late afternoon, as the sun set, Feng Xinyue wiped the sweat from her body with a towel, feeling as if the heavy dampness accumulated in her body had been swept away, leaving her feeling incredibly refreshed.
She started sparring with her team members right there in the training room.
Meanwhile, not far away at the foot of the great mountain, Liu Xu, leading a team of ordinary people returning from a resource-gathering mission, came face to face with a strangely shaped giant snake.
