Si Ye nodded in agreement.

Knowing himself well, he understood that in a situation like that, no matter what kind of unresolved emotions stirred within him, he wouldn’t be able to say them out loud.

“Ranran, it’s time to eat,” came Bai Mei’s gentle call from downstairs at that moment.

The two of them went downstairs together.

The group downstairs was clearly stunned to see them walking down side by side.

Chen Dong and the others exchanged looks, their teasing gazes saying it all.

So much for saying he didn’t know the girl — now they were acting like a couple already.

Really, it all came down to good looks.

But before they could even voice their teasing, they were captivated by the feast gradually being laid out on the table.

What in the world: “This…?”

Was this really still the apocalypse? How could such a lavish meal even exist?

Rice and meat were one thing — but there were even fresh green vegetables.

Even the usually composed Eagle couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“Well, don’t just stand there, sit down,” Bai Mei said with a smile, beckoning them over.

After they sat down, everyone looked at the food a bit awkwardly — not because they didn’t want to eat, but because they felt too embarrassed to.

They couldn’t help but wonder: would one meal wipe out all of their hosts’ supplies?

“Eat up — staring won’t fill you,” Nan Muran said as she picked up her chopsticks and placed a slightly leaner piece of Shanghai-style braised pork into Si Ye’s bowl.

Si Ye was visibly taken aback. That was his favorite dish — and even the preference for leaner cuts was something she’d gotten exactly right.

The rich aroma of the meat combined with the fragrant rice was irresistible. The group, starving as they were, couldn’t hold back any longer.

It was the most satisfying meal they’d had since the apocalypse began.

Meanwhile, the underground lab in Mount Tai was in a state of unprecedented panic.

The botany lab at the city’s industrial park had been suddenly attacked. Both personnel and materials suffered heavy losses, and several key pieces of data were also stolen.

Ouyang Feng had barely managed to get Ouyang Yun and a few others back safely to Mount Tai, only to be faced with another crisis — experimental specimens had used the opportunity to escape.

And on top of that, Si Ye and his companions’ identities were highly problematic — they had to be brought back at all costs.

As a result, the lab’s entire security force was deployed, searching tirelessly for a whole day and night, turning over every stone — yet they found nothing.

After taking roll call, Ouyang Feng’s sense of dread only intensified.

The Centipede Squad that went out to pursue them had all disappeared, and the remaining two members of the Venomous Snake Squad, along with their guide, had not returned.

But most frightening of all — a Level 2 mental-type mutant had also gone missing.

This was the strongest ability user the underground lab had cultivated since the apocalypse — and he had vanished without a trace.

Dr. Jin, in the middle of an experiment, lit up when he heard the news. He didn’t seem the slightest bit disturbed by what Ouyang Feng said. On the contrary, he was ecstatic.

“You’re saying… someone stronger than Yu Tao has appeared?”

A Level 2 mental-type ability user being killed — it couldn’t have been done by an ordinary person.

Either the attacker was also a mental-type, or an even more powerful mutant of another class.

Whatever kind of existence it was, it would be a phenomenal breakthrough for their research.

Ouyang Feng nodded. “Do you think someone like that could exist?”

Rather than believe Yu Tao was taken down by another mutant, he preferred to think he’d been sniped by one of those who had escaped from the HB military.

Dr. Jin’s eyes grew bloodshot, his excitement bordering on madness.

“There’s no bullet that can snipe a mental-type mutant from a distance. Their powerful psychic force would be enough to detect and stop it.

Tell Black Lock — the being they’ve been waiting for has appeared.

Send out everyone in the underground lab’s security team. Spare no effort. Find whoever killed Yu Tao.”

Once everyone had left, Dr. Jin turned toward the innermost part of the lab — at the ever-twisting vine.

He laughed maniacally, thrilled. “You think it’s her? Or… has the Mist returned?”

If either of them had come back, could everything start over again? The strongest mutant of the apocalypse — he couldn’t wait to see them again.

A sinister, cackling laugh began echoing through the underground lab, making anyone who heard it shiver.

The lab’s gates opened again and again, dispatching wave after wave of armed personnel into the southern mountains of West City.

At the same time, a team of 200 soldiers headed directly toward the Southern Hills Military Base — but about 10 kilometers from the base, they were caught in an ambush.

Back at the mountainside villa, Si Ye and the others were completely exhausted, collapsed in their beds.

In the first-floor living room—

Jiawu thought for a long while, then finally voiced his concern.

“Ranran, they’re HG military — and some of the toughest among them.

They’re known to be the most strong-willed people in the world. Have you thought about how their ways might clash with ours?”

The apocalypse needed soldiers — but those soldiers needed a mercenary-like mindset to survive.

From what Jiawu knew of the Wolf Squad, he didn’t think Wild Wolf and Eagle could truly accept Nan Muran’s way of doing things.

After all, Nan Muran was more like a lone wolf, rebellious and always ready to destroy everything — kind but ruthless, sincere yet cunning.

“Brother Wu, I know what I’m doing,” Nan Muran said.

When it came to Si Ye and the entire Wolf Squad, she had her own convictions.

Even if they couldn’t continue together in the future, she didn’t want to see them die meaninglessly in the apocalypse.

The next morning, as soon as everyone was awake, Nan Muran was already waiting on the first floor.

Si Ye had already explained the awakening of mutant powers to the three of them in detail.

The three — including Eagle — were visibly excited. Seeing Nan Muran now made them even happier.

Were they really about to become mutants?

Was this… what it felt like to have a powerful ally?

“Sister Nan, can you really help us awaken mutant powers?” Chen Dong’s heart was racing just at the thought of it.

“I can’t do it alone — it also requires the boost of the mutated fruit.

You’re lucky — Xiaobai still has four of them left.”

Awakening abilities was something Nan Muran could do on her own, but she had no intention of letting them know that.

Jiawu and Bai Mei instantly understood what she was doing.

They followed her down to the basement level of the villa and were immediately captivated by the massive training grounds.

The equipment was incredibly complete — there was even a combat ring.

“Sister Nan, do you usually train here?” Chen Dong asked curiously, looking around.

Nan Muran looked at him, her expression thoughtful, then raised an eyebrow.

“Want to spar a bit?”

Her words caught Si Ye and the others off guard.

In their eyes, Nan Muran was a powerful mutant — but definitely not someone who fought hand-to-hand.

But from what she just said… had they misunderstood?

“Let’s try it. I’m also curious to see how far I’ve come,” Nan Muran said as she leapt onto the combat platform.

As she shrugged off her outer jacket, the finely toned muscles on her slender arms came into full view.

Nan Muran’s fair skin and striking features, paired with her slim figure, had made them forget — she wasn’t the delicate, frail kind of skinny.

She was lean from sweat, muscle, and power — forged through endless training.