Whether they were ready or not was uncertain—what was clear was that everyone was trembling. Kong Fenglin didn’t have time to coddle or prepare them further. With a commanding shout, he ordered the door to be removed and hurled it outward with force.

Lan Shiru gently patted Little Le Bao, her motions unhurried. The little guy wasn’t scared at all, instead, he peeked out curiously from his mother’s arms, fascinated by the commotion. Even though he couldn’t see much, it didn’t stop him from enjoying the lively scene.

“Sis, what did you mean earlier?”

“Nothing. Just a piece of advice for a good man.”

“Oh,” Miao Miao muttered, sneaking a few glances at Lan Shiru. After a moment of hesitation, she mustered the courage to speak. “Sis, don’t worry. From now on, I’ll be Little Le Bao’s dad.”

Lan Shiru froze mid-pat, giving Miao Miao a strange look. “Little Le Bao already has a dad—a very good one.”

“Huh?”

And where was Little Le Bao’s very good dad right now?

He was sound asleep in the desert.

“Quack doctor, can you do anything or not? Big Bro has been out cold for ages! Give us a straight answer already!” Ding Jiajia fumed, pacing back and forth as if itching to take matters into his own hands.

Duan Jianghe’s tone was calm and steady, but beneath the composure lurked a hint of mischief. “If you want to find out if I’m capable, why not test it yourself?”

What the hell?! Ding Jiajia’s hair stood on end, alarmed at the old man’s scheming tendencies. “Listen here, don’t you dare mess with me, or the boss will take you out.”

“Call me brother, and I might reconsider.” Duan Jianghe said with a sly grin.

“Why the hell should I? You’re only a month older than me.”

“A day older is still older.”

“Over my dead body!”

“Enough, you two!” Feng Tao snapped, his small, beady eyes narrowing at the squabbling pair. “The boss is still sleeping! Can’t you keep it down for once?” His grumbling trailed off as he muttered to himself. “Ugh, this godforsaken desert. I’d kill for some water.” A sudden thought struck him, and his face twisted in discomfort. “Damn it, I haven’t peed in ten days. Is that thing even still working?”

“We’re trying to wake the boss up, you idiot.” Ding Jiajia shot back, transforming into a combative rooster, ready to argue with anyone.

“Hey, you damn sissy, want me to shut you up for good?” Feng Tao growled, his brows furrowed in fury.

“Ugly freak!” Ding Jiajia snarled, gritting his teeth. “You’re just jealous of how good-looking I am!”

“You’re gorgeous, alright—so stunning that every man wants a piece of you.” Feng Tao sneered. “But me? My rugged, manly looks? That’s on another level. You can’t even dream of competing.” Feng Tao’s face with its intimidating features was a textbook example of a frightful mug.

“Compete with that nightmare-inducing face of yours? Go eat dirt!”

Feng Tao who was unfazed, tilted his chin smugly, not bothering to retort. His expression screamed envy me if you can, which only made Ding Jiajia’s face flush red with fury.

“Stop it, stop it! I think the boss is waking up.” Guo Zi said, his simple, honest face lighting up with excitement. The group immediately crowded around Ao Chengyi, craning their necks to get a closer look. Despite their boss’s rugged life of braving storms and sand, his face was surprisingly clean—cleaner that a woman’s, even. Sure, his skin was tanned, but his long lashes made him look a little too refined. His sharp features and defined jawline were undeniably masculine, but his lips were thin—almost too thin. “They say men with thin lips are cold and unfeeling, but that doesn’t seem to fit the boss.”

Their big brother who has been dreaming of finding his long-lost little sister for years, could never be cold-hearted.

“Maybe being ‘cold’ means not being promiscuous? Like, super loyal?”

“In that case, it does suit him.”

“I don’t like the boss’s eyebrows, though. Every time he raises them, I get chills.”

“Same here.”

“Count me in.”

“Same here, +1.”

“Make that +2.”

“Should we just shave them off?”

“Great idea.”

A low chuckle escaped, and then the infamous eyebrow arched.

The brothers met a pair of deep black eyes. “Big, big, big brother, you’re awake?” As expected, their hearts trembled with fear.

Ao Chengyi’s cold gaze swept over them. “How long was I out?”

“Three days and three nights.”

“And you?”

“One day.”

Ao Chengyi extended his hand, and a fiery red flame flickered to life in his palm. What was this? The dragon bracelet on his wrist had vanished, leaving behind a tattoo of a flying dragon coiled around his wrist.

He experimentally touched a piece of nearby fabric, and it disintegrated instantly.

“Boss, when did you learn magic?” His companions stared in wide-eyed disbelief.

Ao Chengyi furrowed his brows. “You don’t have anything like this?”

“Heh, actually, we do. Boss, I think I’m wind.” Ding Jiajia waved his hand, and a swirl of sand erupted into the air.

“I’m wood,” said bespectacled Lü Chaoyang as he approached a withered desert shrub. Placing his palm against it, the scorched plant miraculously sprang back to life.

“And I’m lightning,” announced Guo Zi with a grin, promptly striking the revived shrub with a bolt of electricity, turning it black once more.

Lü Chaoyang’s gaze held a profound weariness.

Guo Zi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

“I’m light,” Duan Jianghe interjected calmly. “I can heal.”

Ao Chengyi nodded at each one of them, then turned to Feng Tao. “What about you?”

Feng Tao stayed silent, his expression unreadable. Ding Jiajia snickered. “Boss, he’s fog. Just fog. Useless, really. Well, maybe not entirely—he can make it hard for people to see where they’re going. Still, super weak.”

Feng Tao’s single-lidded eyes narrowed. “You looking for a fight?”

Ding Jiajia laughed and darted behind Ao Chengyi, sticking out his tongue and making a silly face, completely unafraid.

Ao Chengyi rubbed his temples. “Every ability has its purpose. You’ll figure it out in time. The question is, why are these abilities appearing? Have you looked into the cause?”

“We have. Boss, look at this.” Lü Chaoyang spread out satellite images on the ground. “These were captured two days ago. The same phenomenon is happening worldwide. It all started after the acid rain. Many people fell into a deep sleep—some woke up as normal humans, others turned into monsters, and some developed abilities like ours. Animals and plants have been affected too.”

Ao Chengyi’s brows knit tighter. “What’s the latest update?”

“There isn’t any. This is as recent as it gets. Besides a compass, all other communication devices are useless—probably fried by the acid rain.”

“Prepare to leave immediately. We’re heading to B City,” Ao Chengyi ordered, his voice tense with urgency. A wave of unease gripped him. Please, let nothing have happened. He waved his hand, storing all their supplies and equipment, making their load much lighter.

Lu Chaoyang’s eyes widened. “Boss, is that space manipulation? How big is it?”

“Well, I’m not sure how big it is, but probably infinite.”

“Can it hold anything?”

“Not living things.”

“Boss, flying is way faster than walking. Plus, don’t we need weapons for fighting monsters? I heard there’s a Q country military base up north in the desert, and they have plenty of supplies.”

Ao Chengyi raised an eyebrow. “We’ll head to the northern desert.”

At the B City library warehouse, Kong Fenglin led a large group of people charging out, taking the majority of the infected zombies with them. The remaining stragglers were handled by Miao Miao and Jiang Xiang.

Yun Shuiyao smiled and patted her aunt on the back. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from now on. Whether it’s the child or the dog, as long as I’m alive, nothing will happen to them.”

Lan Shiru glanced at her coldly. “You’re an actress. I’ve watched your dramas before. They were good. Are you still acting?”

Yun Shuiyao’s long, untidy curls gave her a messy, yet alluring look. Her figure was stunning, exuding a sensual vibe from head to toe. She gently pinched Little Le bao’s little hands. “Whether in the past or now, in front of you, I’m not acting.”

“We’re not that familiar, are we?”

Yun Shuiyao smiled. “We’re not, just met once. Let me think, three years ago… tsk, I was in a miserable state, like a street rat, everyone wanted to kill me. People were constantly throwing rotten eggs at me. I really wanted to die. I was on the edge of breaking down, and then one egg came flying my way—one that would’ve shattered all my remaining strength. In that moment, I had already prepared my last words, but the egg never hit me. When I opened my eyes, I saw you. You were dressed in designer clothes, and one egg couldn’t ruin you. You frowned and smiled at me, saying, ‘Just wash it off.’”

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