Amidst the soldier's squabbling, Bing Shi tuned in with a distant expression.

'I had my parents and brothers...so why did I give up then? Mother had father; my brothers had their girlfriends. Who would have time to take care of a heartbroken, depressed girl?'

'They were so accustomed to me handling everything that they were at a loss when it came to aiding me. It was easier to hand over the reins to the doctors employed by Xuan Mu. Not that I blame them, really.'

'Hm... '

'They had to grieve a lot, didn't they?'

Bing Shi took a sip of her water, lost in her thoughts. Oh, how she longed to possess the strength exhibited by Fu Lian.

She dashed back to her tent momentarily, returning with an object in hand. She displayed it to Wan Ke with a slight grin, "You can use this as a blindfold."

The nearby soldiers cast curious glances at the sleeping mask —  it was shaped like a dog's face with huge orange shades, "..."

(To see the sleeping mask, click on paragraph comment.)

"You actually sleep wearing that?"

Bing Shi affirmed with a self-satisfied grin, "Yup, gives me that thug vibe, hehe."

And thus commenced a playful skirmish for ownership of the dog mask. Soldiers, propelled by laughter, began to strike comical poses in front of Bing Shi, who had now taken up the role of the chief photographer.

She was slowly growing on them. If anybody tried to bully her in the future, that person would see the wrath of hundreds of deadly men.

  · · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Every soldier noticed the happy commotion on Bing Shi's side, except...

"I've heard you are fond of jade," Yi Zen's gentle smile graced his lips, "I hope these suit your taste; A token of gratitude for safeguarding my life, so don't refuse."

Delicately, he presented Fu Lian with three pure jade bangles, each boasting a different hue—red, white, and green.

Yi Zen made an investigation; Fu Lian was an illegitimate daughter of the state council. To shield her from the prying eyes of the media, he had dispatched her to a secluded location. Over the past year, Fu Lian had developed a habit of collecting jade.

Upon laying eyes on the jades, Fu Lian's cold facade shifted to astonishment.

"Thank you," Fu Lian responded, swiftly regaining her composure as she accepted the gift with a measured indifference. In her mind, it seemed only fitting for him to offer such a gesture, given that she had saved his mobility.

Those jades were just the right amount for Fu Lian to upgrade her physique. The nuclei weren't present before the apocalypse, so she used jade as a substitute.

Yi Zen's satisfaction radiated through his response; "Don't mention it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Do I get a share if I kill some zombies?" Fu Lian asked expressionlessly while thinking, 'Is it because of my looks or because I saved his life that he treats me like this?'

Yesterday he even put his hand around her waist and called her a kitten! If it were not for his face, and body, she would've hacked him to death!

Yi Zen chuckled softly and extended his rifle to her, stating, "You can have my portion." He might have added in exchange for a kiss, but he hesitated, not wanting to distress his kitten.

"Really?" Fu Lian's response was marked by skepticism. Both of them held onto the rifle, while their eyes stared at each other in a daze.

"For fūck's sake, get a room already," an exasperated voice interjected. Ziek swore, that if they didn't shut up, he was going to throw up on their gorgeous faces. No, he was not petty enough to change his spot; he'd just force the other to get lost.

'Go! Go!' resounded a silent chorus within their thoughts. Their inner rallying cry was clear: They yearned for the return of their esteemed general. Surely, something must have possessed him! They assumed. 

Fu Lian shot back, "Then don't watch, get a girl and stop being jealous. Oh, but with your face...." she sighed, "Not even a toad would want you."

Ziek let out a disdainful snort, retorting, "If all girls are like you, I'd rather fūck myself."

A chorus of whistles erupted from the surrounding men.

At this point,  Fu Lian was ready to hack him to death.

"Shh..." Yi Zen interjected, stepping in to shield Fu Lian from further escalation, positioning himself between her and Ren Han. "That's enough."

Fu Lian's gaze bore into Yi Zen. "You're defending him?"

Yi Zen gently shook his head. "No, I'm safeguarding you."

If she went against one of them, all men would gang up on her. Though Ren Han was an officer, there was something dangerous about him. Something Yi Zen couldn't pinpoint.

Suspicion shrouded Ren Han's proficiency and expertise; he positioned himself within his troop with an authority that hinted at firsthand experience in the military, a notion that defied logic. Such details weren't to be found within the confines of the database.

"Who said I need your protection? I'm fully capable of looking after myself," Fu Lian retorted, pivoting to distance herself from the overwhelming presence of men.

However, Yi Zen swiftly caught hold of her hand. If she fled, how would he ever track her down again?

"You're not leaving," Yi Zen's tone held a weighty command, sending a shiver down her spine. He deftly relieved Fu Lian of her sword, orchestrating a swift change of positions with two other soldiers.

The romantic atmosphere that had lingered moments ago now shifted to one where Fu Lian chose to disregard Yi Zen's presence. Recognizing that Yi Zen still held a certain utility for her, she opted to overlook his actions this time.

  · · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

The city full of life, was now deserted. One mile on each side of the path was cleared out. Everyone's sense was on high alert; every color was brighter, every noise louder, causing their hearts to beat more fiercely.

As the first wave of zombies emerged, panic surged within them. Those uniforms, those familiar faces—the soldiers hesitated to pull the trigger.

Ren Han's group took the lead in responding. A swift slaughter unfolded—thousands of zombies, a mix from the military base and a neighboring city, were obliterated within minutes. Not a word was exchanged amidst the gunfire, and Bing Shi refrained from deploying the crane.

After the one-sided battle, a quarter stayed back to take care of the dead bodies.

While the drones were charging up, the rest took hold of the vehicles and drove to the military base to stockpile.

Bing Shi sent Kuro to accompany Yi Zen and Fu Lian, while she and Ren Han's party drove to the city to take care of the most challenging mission.