The bowl on the table suddenly disappeared before everyone’s eyes. Shen Mingxuan’s face stiffened, Cheng Rui and Xiao Yang showed a look of surprise, while Liang Zhiyu and Fu Chen remained indifferent, with little reaction.
Bai Tian Tian bit her lip tightly, her expression difficult to describe.
At this moment, Bai Qing Qing revealed her spatial ability, offering a bargaining chip to redefine her value to the Thunder Squad. At least for now, she was useful to them. Even if they despised her past actions, they would keep her around.
Fu Chen asked in a deep voice, “When did you awaken your ability?”
He was born precisely at the time when Bai Qing Qing drugged him. He remembered that in the previous life, Bai Qing Qing not only didn’t lose her memory but also didn’t awaken any abilities.
Could it be that because of his reincarnation, Bai Qing Qing, by accident, awakened her ability?
Bai Qing Qing looked at him with hopeful eyes and said, “I don’t know how I gained the ability when we were at the villa. Brother, I have an ability now, and I won’t drag you down. Please don’t abandon me.”
The others remained silent, all looking at the team leader, Fu Chen. Whether Bai Qing Qing stayed or not depended on his decision.
Fu Chen had no intention of immediately abandoning Bai Qing Qing. Regardless of whether her amnesia was real or fake, he would make use of her for a while. Now that she had a spatial ability, there was no way he would leave her behind.
Fu Chen stood up and said to her, “Come with me.”
Bai Qing Qing followed him to the second floor and discovered that the space on the second floor of the vehicle was divided into three small compartments with bedding laid out as beds.
“Brother, what do you want to tell me?” Bai Qing Qing persisted with her pitiful little sister persona, looking at him with a gaze full of reliance.
Fu Chen had an unpredictable and ruthless temperament. Among the group, he was the most difficult one to deal with, and even in the later stages of the original plot, Bai Tian Tian couldn’t successfully win him over.
“Come here,” Fu Chen said to her.
Bai Qing Qing, like a small animal, swiftly ran to him, wearing a bright and radiant smile.
Fu Chen stared at the girl with pure and clear eyes and asked, “How big is your spatial ability? Can you store living things? Can people enter it?”
Bai Qing Qing honestly replied, “I can enter it myself, but I don’t know if I can store living things.”
Fu Chen said indifferently, “There are many zombies outside, and danger is everywhere. Survival is difficult for humans. Everyone in the team has to contribute to earn food.”
Bai Qing Qing lowered her head and said, “Brother, with my spatial ability, I can collect resources for you.” She grabbed the corner of his clothes and whispered, “I’ll be obedient… I’ll do whatever you ask.”
Fu Chen, like an older brother, patted her head and said, “Then you must be obedient from now on. You can only do what I ask you to do.”
Bai Qing Qing nodded and hesitated for a moment before asking, “Brother, did I do something bad in the past? Is that why the people in the team dislike me?”
Fu Chen’s pitch-black eyes turned cold. The things Bai Qing Qing did in the past were nothing more than trying to seduce men, which resulted in their disgust. She hadn’t done anything extremely wrong.
Compared to Bai Tian Tian, who often caused trouble with her excessive kindness, Bai Qing Qing was just a woman with low emotional intelligence.
“It’s all in the past,” he said calmly. “Just don’t provoke them anymore, and I will protect you.”
Bai Qing Qing followed him downstairs, resembling a sister who relied on her brother, and she stayed by Fu Chen’s side, attracting surprised looks from everyone.
It wasn’t that Bai Qing Qing’s behavior was particularly objectionable, but Fu Chen had accepted her little sister persona, treating her as if she were his real sister and allowing her to be close to him.
Fu Chen sat down and said, “Bai Qing Qing does have a spatial ability, and she is a member of our team. Pay attention in the future and don’t target her anymore.”
The team’s superhumans reevaluated Bai Qing Qing after considering everything and redefined her value.
Only Shen Mingxuan looked displeased. With a cold gaze in his peach blossom eyes, he believed that she must have played some kind of sinister plot to make the team leader lose his senses and protect her.
After finishing their meal, no one rested. They started the vehicle and set off once again.
As the vehicle traveled on the highway, dusk gradually approached. They could see the fields in the distance through the windows, and the orange hues of the setting sun lingered like bloodstains.
Unhappy with staying in the same space as Bai Qing Qing, Shen Mingxuan went up to the roof to serve as a scout and use his abilities to deal with the zombies along the way.
Xiao Yang and Cheng Rui took turns resting on the second floor, while Liang Zhiyu and Fu Chen were in the driver’s seat. Bai Tian Tian went to the kitchen to cook, leaving Bai Qing Qing alone in the living room.
Every day in the apocalypse was difficult. Besides fighting zombies, their activities consisted of scavenging for resources and trying to survive.
Before, in the villa, Bai Qing Qing didn’t have the chance to fully understand her spatial ability to avoid keeping Fu Chen waiting. She closed her eyes and entered the space once again.
She had heard that Bai Tian Tian’s spatial ability couldn’t store living things, but it could provide refrigeration to keep food fresh. She was excited to see what surprises her own storage space would bring.
“Welcome, host, to the system space,” a voice greeted Bai Qing Qing.
Standing in the empty space, Bai Qing Qing looked around at the vast expanse of white and asked, “Am I currently entering the space as a spirit, or is my physical body entering as well?”
“Host, currently, you are entering the space as a spirit, and the maximum duration of stay is one hour,” the voice replied.
Bai Qing Qing used her thoughts to imagine and improve the environment in the space. Just as she imagined, a blue sky appeared above, and the surrounding area, which couldn’t be expanded temporarily, was covered in a white mist. The ground was adorned with lush green grass, and a clear spring turned into a flowing stream.
All of this was an illusion. Upgrading abilities required consuming crystal nuclei, so she needed to quickly gather resources to fill the space and turn it into a dream-like paradise. Bai Qing Qing slowly opened her eyes.
“Awake,” Fu Chen’s voice came from beside her. Bai Qing Qing sat up straight and looked out of the window, realizing that the modified RV had stopped at an abandoned gas station at some point.
Since the outbreak of the apocalypse, gas stations along the highways had become desolate places. It was almost nightfall, and with fewer wandering zombies around, Thunder Squad planned to rest outside the city for the night and enter the city the next day.
Fu Chen stood up and said to her, “Go down and have dinner, and also store the supplies from outside into the space.”
“Okay, brother,” Bai Qing Qing followed him out of the vehicle.
After getting out of the vehicle, Bai Qing Qing glanced around. The evening sky was dyed with dark blue and crimson, creating a beautiful and colorful scene. Several barrels were placed on the empty ground of the abandoned gas station, and Xiao Yang and Cheng Rui were refilling gasoline.
Shen Mingxuan was vigilant while on lookout duty, and Liang Zhiyu and Bai Tian Tian seemed to be moving around in a small supermarket, probably collecting food.
Bai Qing Qing also wanted to go to the supermarket for supplies, but there were several unpleasant barrels of gasoline waiting for her to store them in the space. Sensing her thoughts, Fu Chen said, “Put these barrels of gasoline into the space, and you can go to the supermarket to get whatever you need.”
Bai Qing Qing smiled at him and swiftly stored the gasoline in a corner of the space. She then walked briskly into the supermarket. When she entered, she exchanged greetings with Liang Zhiyu and Bai Tian Tian, and they each went about their tasks.
The shelves of the small supermarket had been hastily cleared, creating a messy and disorderly scene.
Bai Qing Qing first went to the food section and put some instant noodles and ham into the space. She also gathered usable items like bread and pastries. Bai Tian Tian had already searched the supermarket, so there wasn’t much left.
After storing the food, she went to find essential items for women. At the feminine hygiene products shelf, she stored all the sanitary pads and tissues of various brands into the space. These items were rare in the apocalypse, and she needed to collect more as reserves for the future.
It seemed that this abandoned gas station hadn’t been searched by anyone, or else there wouldn’t be so many things left behind.
The refrigerator in the small supermarket had long stopped cooling, and the frozen and yogurt products were already expired. Bai Qing Qing walked to the spicy snack section and couldn’t resist the temptation of spicy snacks. She stored a row of preserved bean curd and beef jerky into the space.
The three of them had thoroughly searched the small supermarket, and there was almost nothing left.
Back in the RV, Bai Tian Tian took the initiative to cook. She took out tomatoes and vegetables from the space and began cutting vegetables and boiling soup.
Bai Qing Qing sat on the sofa, lost in thought. After the apocalypse, both vegetables and meat became extremely scarce. Only people in large bases who were involved in cultivation and breeding could have access to meat and vegetables, and even then, it was limited to advanced ability users and those with high status.
Fortunately, ability users had strong physical bodies and could advance by absorbing crystal nuclei, so they wouldn’t starve to death like ordinary people. Countless people had died of hunger, even if they hadn’t been bitten by zombies.
Many people couldn’t afford instant noodles, ham, bread, compressed biscuits, and other food items in the apocalypse. That’s why teams were formed to scavenge and collect resources and food from various places.
Several members of the Thunder Squad held significant positions. Fu Chen was the son of a high-ranking figure in the Jingzhou base, and the Xiaoyang family also held a prominent position in the Jingzhou base. Later on, the two of them would have considerable influence in Jingzhou.
Cheng Rui would become a Ninth Rank powerhouse and a leader in the Yaoyang base. Shen Mingxuan and Liang Zhiyu were the lord and military adviser of the Snowfield base, respectively.
Following the original storyline, the group would first go to the Yaoyang base, one of the Five Great Bases, and then pass through the Zhongzhou base to reach the Jingzhou base. The task given by the system was to conquer these five bases, so she needed to plan who to target first.
Liang Zhiyu, who was mysterious and unfathomable, and Shen Mingxuan, who she disliked the most, could be dealt with later. Xiao Yang, the little puppy, and the silent Cheng Rui should be the easiest to approach. As for Fu Chen, he was temporarily off the list.
After all, she was a good little sister. How could she have any feelings for her brother?
While Bai Qing Qing was considering who to target first, she heard Shen Mingxuan’s annoying voice, “Some women are still lazy even after losing their memories, huh?”
She looked at Shen Mingxuan, who had returned to the RV at some point. This man had probably grown up in twisted love and had biased views of women. He had a sharp tongue.
Shen Mingxuan stared at her and raised an eyebrow. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
Bai Qing Qing smiled and said, “No, actually, I’m not incapable of cooking. It’s just…” She showed a slightly hesitant expression. “If you don’t mind, I can also cook.”
“Huh, nice words,” Shen Mingxuan sneered.
Bai Tian Tian approached with the soup and said, “Qing Qing has never cooked before. She doesn’t know how to cook. Mingxuan, I don’t mind, so don’t make things difficult for her.”
“Can’t she learn if she doesn’t know?” Shen Mingxuan’s expression was cold.
The men gathered around the table remained silent. Bai Qing Qing and Bai Tian Tian both had spatial abilities, yet they still acted delicate. While they risked their lives fighting zombies and gathering supplies outside, they naturally hoped that the two women could take care of basic hygiene and household chores.
Bai Qing Qing ignored Shen Mingxuan’s mockery. There was no way she would be doing the cooking and household chores when she had several men to conquer. Besides, she had never seen a woman who excelled at housework being cherished by men.
The dish Bai Tian Tian made was plain and watery. She looked at Xiao Yang, who was eating heartily, and pushed a bowl towards him. “Here, it’s for you.”
Xiao Yang looked at the bowl of soup in front of him, surprised and puzzled.
The men furrowed their brows, clearly interpreting Bai Qing Qing’s behavior as a tantrum. Fu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, his lips pressed with displeasure.
Bai Qing Qing smiled innocently and said, “I’m not particularly fond of tomatoes, and I’m not hungry since I have a small appetite.” She pushed the bowl a little closer to Xiao Yang. “You’re still growing, so eat more.”
Xiao Yang met Bai Qing Qing’s clear and innocent gaze, his face slightly reddening with nervousness and embarrassment, especially with the others watching.
“You really won’t eat it?” Xiao Yang hesitated to ask.
Bai Qing Qing nodded. “Really.” She joked, “It’s worth more than pearls. Hurry up and eat.”
Food couldn’t be wasted in the apocalypse, so they never cooked more than necessary. Sometimes, when Xiao Yang couldn’t eat enough, he had to find some snacks. Seeing Bai Qing Qing’s sincere expression, he picked up the bowl and started eating heartily.
The atmosphere at the table was strange, but he didn’t sense it at all.
After dinner.
Fu Chen and Xiao Yang went out for duty, Liang Zhiyu and Bai Tian Tian went to the kitchen to clean up, while Shen Mingxuan and Cheng Rui went to rest, preparing for the night shift.
Since Bai Qing Qing hadn’t eaten dinner, she was naturally hungry. Instead of going upstairs to rest, she couldn’t go up there with Shen Mingxuan around. The cool moon hung in the sky, casting a silver glow and a refreshing breeze blew. The desolate air was clearer and more pleasant than the putrid smell of the city. Bai Qing Qing took out a biscuit from the space and stood at the back of the car, taking small bites.
Halfway through, she took out a grape-flavored drink from the space and enjoyed it with the biscuit, savoring the flavors.
“Is it tasty?” a voice came.
Bai Qing Qing froze and quickly hid her food, looking around but couldn’t find anyone.
“We’re on the roof,” Xiao Yang’s cheerful voice came, mixed with suppressed laughter.
Bai Qing Qing immediately took a few steps forward and turned around, with crumbs of biscuit still clinging to the corners of her mouth. She looked up at the two people on the car roof, her face filled with embarrassment and awkwardness.
Fu Chen raised an eyebrow slightly and said, “Look, we caught a sneaky mouse.”
Xiao Yang couldn’t help but laugh. “Qing Qing, didn’t you say you weren’t hungry?”
Bai Qing Qing wiped her mouth, looking like a child caught in the act by her older brother, and replied, “Brother, I really wasn’t hungry before, but now I am.”
Fu Chen noticed a trace of fear in her eyes and said calmly, “No one blames you.”
Bai Qing Qing breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the two of them, asking, “Can I come up?”
When Bai Qing Qing first joined Thunder Squad, she had an arrogant and superior attitude, behaving like a spoiled rich girl that everyone found annoying.
Now, with her amnesia, the air of superiority had disappeared. Her bright eyes were clear like water, and her lively appearance brought joy to people’s hearts. Her sweet and charming smile was irresistible.
Xiao Yang couldn’t help but take a few more glances, and Fu Chen felt a touch of compassion for this poor girl who had lost her memories. “Come up,” he said.
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