Chapter 85

Song Lingling coughed to rescue Xu Mei. "We met her when she was crying, also did not listen to Xu Mei…the people sold her said nothing."

Xu Mei meant to get revenge on her slag ex-boyfriend and did not intend to manage other things. Song Lingling went with her sister for revenge, who had energy to take care of others. Xu Mei had gotten rid of her boyfriend and rescued the child, but she fainted after crying too much so there was no time to ask about her family.

"Cough, you saved her anyway. Well if there is a situation, we can just ask." Luo Xun loosened the atmosphere while smiling at the two women.

Zhang Yi, seeing that there was nothing to say, stood up and pointed at the medical box. He lifted a chin at Wang Duo. "Return."

The loyal Wang Duo immediately stepped forward to lift the medical box and stood by his queen. He waved goodbye to his former good friends and went back to his sweet little nest.

Xu Mei also stood while Song Lingling came to pick up the child. "Troubled you, we will send crystal nuclei tomorrow morning."

Li Tie hurriedly waved. "No need, there's no need to be polite!"

Xu Mei smiled, "Still want to send, there's still Zhang Yi…doctor treatment fee."

She thought a while before responding, before she had heard that Zhang Yi was a professional surgeon, on the level of chief physician. But his appearance, actions and language contrasted too much with his career. Thus it took the few stitches for her to believe he was really a doctor.

Since, she and Song Lingling saved the child, they must be responsible for her care even if they have to experience with raising children. Plus the child was a girl, how could they hand her over to these men to look after?

Moreover, they needed to work during the day, the pair also went out to collect crystal nuclei and participate in missions. If the child really had an ability, she could also be brought along.

Hearing her say to pay Zhang Yi for medical treatment, Li Tie and the others stopped talking about the matter. They could not take any points or crystal nuclei, but Zhang Yi…no one dared to say anything.

While they sent the two women downstairs, one person exclaimed, "If the child really is an ability user, it would best if she had an earth ability!"

Luo Xun laughed and reminded. "How could such a lucky thing happen?"

If she was really an earth user, then she would be able to get a job on base even if she was young. Why was she going to be sold by Xu Mei's ex-boyfriend? Of course it did not rule that she was too young, her ability not strong enough or the boyfriend thought to sell her because he could not control her gift.

At night, a strange thing happened but since it occurred in the two women's home, there was not much influence on Luo Xun and Yan Fei. Early next morning, Xu Mei came upstairs to give points and crystal nuclei as compensation.

She said to Yan Fei, "We got some metal materials, I would like to ask for your help in processing them."

"Okay, can we do it after work this afternoon?" Yan Fei made a promise.

He was prepared to come back today and use the crystal nuclei to level up, so helping them process some metal should be nothing.

Xu Mei was very happy. "We are not going out the next two days. Today's we'll be at home!"

She was injured and there was a child to take care of at home. So they would take a break at home for a few days.

"Did the little girl wake up?" He Qiankun asked about the child.

"Not yet, had a little fever last night but was better after taking some medicine. I think she should be able to wake up today. We should get some information at night." Xu Mei explained, then returned to the 15th floor as to not delay the others from work.

The wall construction was going well, as Yan Fei predicted, once accustomed to the work method, everyone was able to grasp the concept and speed up work efficiency and speed. Today's work equaled that of the previous two days. Captain Guo praised Yan Fei several times for creating a large metal wall alone without exhausting himself.

Yan Fei modestly smiled. "It's only because I've done this more, we will soon be able to master it with practice."

Such a modest attitude won the affection of the three other metal users. Everyone increased their enthusiasm with his "role model" effect. Captain Guo verbally praised everyone's work efficiency for a while before letting everyone go home and rest.

Luo Xun and Yan Fei climbed to the 15th floor. Song Lingling answered the door. Although Yan Fei could directly open metal doors with his powers, ladies were living on the 15th floor and he would not break the door down.

In other words, apart from Zhang Yi, Yan Fei had never broken into someone else's home, evidently including Li Tie's apartment.

Although there was almost no furniture in the bare home, there was a different feeling in comparison to the rough men upstairs. Since Yan Fei and Luo Xun lived together, and the latter had prepared his home for the apocalypse there was a warm feeling.

But looking at Li Tie's room…although all the things were stacked where they should be, there was not the slightest bit of beauty or warmth. It looked like a student's messy dormitory.

Zhang Yi's home was not too messy, but that was because his room was empty. The living room only had the seat bench along with huge metal sandbags as decorations. There was nothing else…

But looking at the two girl's home? Xu Mei had been destitute after being betrayed by her ex-boyfriend and getting robbed by the neighbors. There had been nothing left in the room, but she occasionally brought something back from the city with cheer. As well as tidied up the house as much as possible.

All the things in the kitchen were neatly laid out and there were a few pieces of tile carefully places on the stove. Luo Xun did not know where she picked that up from.

There was a sitting mat "table" in the living room along with several wall pieces stuck together with decorative, temperature insulating fabric.

Some of the tattered boxes were labeled for storage. Even if the bedroom, they covered the peeling walls with free collected newspapers, it was a work of art better than other homes.

Luo Xun was sure that one of the two women was previously engaged in art-related work, despite not knowing much about the two women.

The two women warmly welcomed the couple. Yan Fei asked a question after entering. "What kind of things do you want?"

"We want to reinforce the bathroom window and make a table, just like Li Tie and the others." Song Lingling quickly pointed at a heap of metal material placed in the corner.

Each time they went out, they could collect a limited amount of metal. Because they often worked with others, if was not cost effective to have their own cars with only two of them. Using another person's car, it was difficult to bring back materials. It took a while for them to save up.

Xu Mei was relatively experienced but it was only last time they worked together with Luo Xun that there was a way to bring back a lot of metal materials.

At that time Yan Fei had used those materials to strengthen their door, windows and other key places. There was not a lot left after creating a bed so they could only slowly save up the materials.

Yan Fei nodded and went to the bathroom in order to check the window structure, ready to form a guardrail.

Luo Xun did not see the little girl in the living room, must have been inconvenient for her to be in the room. He asked Xu Mei, "What about the child?"

Xu Mei pointed at the bedroom. "Woke up during the day, we played and talked for a while. She's currently asleep."

"What's her situation?"

Xu Mei lead Luo Xun to the bedroom door and opened it a little. Luo Xun saw a small figure asleep in the bed that Yan Fei had built. The figure was thin, if not for her head on the outside, one would simply think the quilt had bunched up.

"Her name is Yu Xinran." Xu Mei gently closed the door and walked back to the living room. "From my ex-boyfriend's prostitute."

Prostitute? Luo Xun raised an eyebrow. "His brother's daughter?"

Xu Mei nodded with a touch of irony. "She's his cousin's daughter, when he was driven out he went to his cousin. Not long after his cousin suddenly died, leaving the child behind. He was selling the child when I saw him."

Xu Mei naturally hated her ex-boyfriend from the bottom of her heart. Without personally killing him it would be impossible for Xu Mei to put down her hatred and live a normal life on base.

Luo Xun and the others did not understand how much Xu Mei had helped the man establish his prestige, the joys and sorrows during the escape. How much had she sacrificed for their future? Only she knew best that her devotion had been deeply betrayed, and that her pain and hatred were more than usual.

She had been investigating the man's situation since she had recovered but had not been able to act because the authorities had stabilized the situation on base.

But she found it strange that the man's cousin and wife had died. However it was not her business, until she found a good opportunity last night. Song Lingling was willing to help with her plan to cut his life. They also ended up saving the child.

Luo Xun sat across from her. "His cousin died? So the child has no guardian?"

Xu Mei nodded and whispered. "His cousin was a distant relative, his matter is not related to the girl, I want to take care of her."

In some ways, the man she had killed was likely the murderer of the girl's parents, and also was about to sell her to a group of lunatics that drank blood.

Luo Xun nodded in understanding. He could understand the emotion behind Xu Mei being willing to adopt the girl. After all, he had done this in his past life…only the results…anyways it was similar.

While the two were speaking, Yan Fei had already completed the bathroom window. He walked back with Song Lingling to the living room in order make the table.

Yan Fei controlled the heap of metal materials in the corner, the metal fused, twisted and transformed in the air. The bedroom door suddenly opened, the little girl came out rubbing her eyes because she had heard someone talking.

She stared wide eyed at the deformed metal table in the air, her hand frozen. She stilled as the table slowly returned to the ground.

"Little Ran, you woke up?" Xu Mei rushed towards the bedroom door.

Yan Fei put down the table and looked over.

The little girl stared with wide eyes and an open mouth at Yan Fei.

Luo Xun smiled and squatted in front of her. "What happened? What are you looking at?"

The little girl looked timidly at Luo Xun while leaning against Song Lingling and hugging her thigh. She glanced at Yan Fei before hiding her head in Song Lingling's legs.

This caused Luo Xun to stay in place for a while, he did not realize that a smile would scare the girl.

Xu Mei embarrassingly apologized to Luo Xun. "Sorry Luo Xun, she is afraid of…people."

In fact, she was afraid of men because the ones who sold her and drank her blood were all men. This little girl and the two women of 1502 were suffering different degrees of androphobia.

Song Lingling squatted down and patted the girl's back with comforting words. "Don't be afraid, Luo Xun is good, not at all like those villains!"

After a while, the little girl loosened her hold and secretly glanced at Luo Xun. In order to not scare her, he got up and walked to Yan Fei's side.

The little girl looked at Yan Fei and then whispered into Song Lingling's ear. "Big sister, this brother is really beautiful."

The little girl's voice was small, but in the quiet room, her words were clearly heard by all parties.

He had to sensible, could not be angry that the child had said beautiful. Yan Fei's heart did hurt, couldn't she have said handsome?

Luo Xun snickered, he lightly laughed before coughing. "Xu Mei, does the child have an ability?"

Xu Mei also held back a laugh, but did not dare show. She did not know how Yan Fei would react since he wore a mask every time he was out in base. He seemed to not like outsiders commenting on his appearance.

She nodded and gently smiled at the little girl. "Little Ran, could you show these uncles what you did this afternoon?"

Song Lingling also whispered to her.

The little girl once again hid behind Song Lingling seeing that the two men were looking at her. Song Lingling helped block her view of the couple.

Luo Xun's heart hurt finding himself seen as a monster in the eyes of a little girl – he actually really liked children…

Yan Fei upon seeing the timid girl behind Song Lingling and her arm wrapped in white bandages. He raised his right hand to reveal a small piece of metal.

The metal made exaggerated twisting motions in the air, stretched open and then kneaded together.

Sure enough, the constantly changing metal in the air attracted the eyes. The little girl stared in surprise at the transforming metal.

This was a piece of stainless steel that under Yan Fei's control changed and twisted until it slowly transformed into a cluster of silvery, white metallic flowers.

With soft eyes, Yan Fei bent down with the flowers and said, "I'll give this to you, could you change something for uncle?"

The girl looked timidly at Yan Fei, then looked at the flowers floating in midair. Then she turned to Song Lingling, who smiled and gave an encouraging nod.

The little girl whispered, "I cannot make flowers…the things I make are not good looking…"

She was an ability user.

Luo Xun and Yan Fei were surprised. There had been speculation but realizing that they were right was still a shock.

"Never mind, no matter what you make, uncles will love it." Luo Xun also said softly with a harmless smile at the little girl. He ignored that the little girl had called Yan Fei "brother", which painted him as older.

Fortunately, it seemed that the two uncles were very kind, there was no strange behavior. The little girl was not so afraid of Luo Xun as she carefully looked at him.

She stretched a finger and pointed at the wall. "Splinters…"

The two started at the sudden hole, exposing the inside of the reinforced concrete walls. "Desertification!"

This was not the kind of power that the team needed but her ability was very powerful! This was a special ability to turn objects into sand!

Yu Xinran was startled from the pair's outcry. With an expression as if she had done something wrong, she started trembling.

Luo Xun turned his face and pleasantly smiled at the girl. "How strong! Can turn the walls into sand!"

Yu Xinran's trembling subsided and looked confused. "Not afraid?"

Luo Xun shook his head. "Why would this be scary?"

"But mom and dad said, I ruined the house, there was no place to live…and sand was useless…" She did not know how to control her ability after getting it, so whatever she touched would turn into sand.

Although she has the ability to desertify things, she did not have the ability to change the things back!

Her parents were ordinary people, would have no idea of how to use this ability that could destroy houses. Sometimes after work they would come back to find the walls and floors turned into sand, but also thought Yu Xinran had done it on purpose. In anger she would be beaten and denied food.

As far as this was concerned, they could see no use for this "useless power" on base. Her parents found that her ability did not give them benefits but problems. They shoved life's hardships on the child and complained that she did not have a useful ability.

Even if she was a water user, could get some clean water out of it. What use of this ability to turn the floor into sand other than naughty mischief?

"How could it be useless?!" Luo Xun had never heard of sand ability user in his life.

However multiple uses for her power flashed through his mind – for example, instead of Yan Fei digging, they could turn the target area into sand. When they were outside digging traps, the sand power could replace a earth user. Another example was that the sand could cooperate with Zhang Yi to spell disaster on zombies with a sandstorm!

There are many indirect uses of sand powers, such as limiting zombie movements, enemy sight and so on!

Of course, most of the time, sand abilities would be classed lower, more suitable for battlefield use than base construction. So ordinary people would not understand the the variability, coordination and flexibility. But since Luo Xun and company went out hunting zombies for crystal nuclei, they understood Yu Xinran's value!