The Long-Awaited yet Unforgotten Promise

With the weapons settled, the direction for armor was also established.

Except for the chest, which was made of iron, Wang Zixiong's armor was crafted from the skulls of mutated soldier ants. Under six times the strength of the Termite Zero, the skulls were peeled off, chopped into appropriate sizes with the machete, and then sewn together with needle and thread.

The helmet, gauntlets, pauldrons, waistguard, and greaves were completed smoothly with the help of others.

After finishing, Tom let Wang Zixiong wear them himself, adapt to the weapons and armor, and then went to a corner to take a nap.

Others also wanted a set of armor like Wang Zixiong's, but as Lin Meiqi said, only those who participated in the rescue missions were entitled to it. Those survivors who had witnessed the hell of the outside world had no desire to return to the nightmare of the upper floors.

The nine rescued survivors formed a circle, not mingling with Lu Qiuman and the others.

Lu Qiuman and her close friend Zhu Yihong looked at the sleeping Tom gratefully. From the simple briefing they received earlier, they understood the tragedy encountered by the nine-person group, coupled with the plight of the two survivors with severed limbs, making them feel a sense of lingering fear.

If Tom had arrived a bit later or abandoned them and left, they would likely have fared worse than the nine-person group. After all, they were only five people, and two of them were so useless.

On the other hand, Feng Hanyun's feelings were more complicated as she looked at the sleeping Tom.

She considered herself more pragmatic than Lu Qiuman, always ready to consider the worst-case scenario. Now that people had shrunk and ants were drawn to human flesh, ordinary ants posed little threat to them at most. But thinking about the larger ants she had seen swarming out of the bushes halfway, and the large ant that blocked their path but was swiftly dealt with by Tom, she realized she had allied herself with a powerful ally.

Her career success had transformed her from a simple rural girl into an arrogant socialite in just three years, or so she believed.

Now that the world had changed so drastically, her confidence in rescue efforts, once solidified over the two months of shrinking, was wavering and turning into doubt. It was a subversion of everything she had learned over the past three years, challenging the notion that "money buys the best and most timely service."

So when Tom appeared, she vented her resentment towards the delayed service. However, Tom's rescue didn't come because of her financial power, but rather as a spontaneous act of chivalry, without any accompanying benefits or obligations.

This left a very negative impression of her in Tom's mind. Witnessing the cruelty of the world after shrinking, Feng Hanyun realized that without the protection of a "strong" like Tom, with superpowers and powerful weapons, she would become a mere extra in someone else's memory, a hapless victim devoured by monsters.

She could clearly feel Tom's unfriendliness and distrust towards her.

Looking at Lu Qiuman, who was equally arrogant, she saw that simply having the ability to "recharge" Tom's red crystal had earned her his approval. As they left the shelter and headed to the new camp, she could foresee that she would not receive Tom's care and, when attacked, would become the victim of the assault.

"I must find a way!" Feng Hanyun turned her head and saw her useless boyfriend Zhao Xifeng, who was staring at her with a strange look in his eyes. When their eyes met, Zhao Xifeng's gaze immediately softened.

"Hmph, useless man!" Feng Hanyun didn't want to see Zhao Xifeng's obsequious face anymore. This despicable man was nothing but submissive and lacked any courage. She decided to find a way herself, and the best way... She looked at Lin Meiqi, who was also wearing armor, and then at her own chest, which was mismatched with her age.

"Compared to that naive girl, I know better how to attract men's attention and how to please them. I will change Tom's impression of me, just like when I first joined the company."

Feng Hanyun silently made up her mind.

Then, she walked boldly to where Tom was.

At this moment, Tom had just laid down for 31 minutes.

Since shrinking, except for absolutely safe occasions, Tom had only entered shallow sleep. Although he was now in the Redemption Shelter, one of the few places where he could rest assured of deep sleep, there were still many survivors around who were not trustworthy, so he slept lightly.

Feng Hanyun gently nudged him awake.

The first thing Tom did when he woke up was grab the machete under his pillow and quickly sit up.

His vigilant action caught the eye of Lin Meiqi nearby, and the genius girl immediately realized Tom's serious sense of insecurity.

After seeing who it was, he retracted his hand from the machete and glanced at the time on the door, 13:21. Then he coldly asked, "What's the matter?"

"I want..." Feng Hanyun started off with a haughty tone, but realizing her decision, she immediately coughed lightly and changed to a soft voice, "Ahem... Mr. An, I want to go out and help others with you."

"Go out?" Tom's mind raced, "You mean, go outside with me?"

"Yes..."

Tom interrupted her decisively, "No! I don't need a burden."

Feng Hanyun's face flushed with anger, but she quickly suppressed it and continued with a sweet smile, "I'm not a burden, it's really dangerous outside. But I believe you can protect me, and as for the others... the survivors, they might be injured like this group. I... I'm a nursing professional, I studied systematic emergency treatment knowledge at school. And I also worked as a nurse for two years... two years." 

Although her words were gentle and her voice was soft, they were still very clear in the quiet shelter. Lu Qiuman and her close friend looked at each other in surprise, not expecting Feng Hanyun, the arrogant company executive, to have a background in nursing.

Zhao Xifeng, who was nearby, was equally shocked. Unlike others, he was more concerned that he had no idea about this. He had been injured before, but Feng Hanyun had never shown any knowledge of nursing or taken care of him. And now... the proud her... so easily said it... in front of a stranger she had just met less than 24 hours ago.

Seeing the unprecedented tenderness of Feng Hanyun and hearing the affectionate words she had never said to him before, Zhao Xifeng clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his flesh.

Tom didn't know the inner thoughts of this couple. What surprised him more at the moment was Feng Hanyun's sudden burst of professional knowledge.

"Nursing? Emergency treatment?"

Feng Hanyun nodded with a smile.

"Then you should stay in the shelter. It's safer here!" Although the camp had Uncle Wei's medical skills and Little Tian's ability to enhance drugs, they still lacked a person with modern medical expertise. If what Feng Hanyun said was true, then she would be a valuable asset to the camp. As for her character issues, after a few trials and the camp's rules, she should be able to behave and be humble.

But the premise was that what she said was true. "How do you prove yourself?"

Feng Hanyun revealed a victorious smile and proudly said, "The way you bandaged the two injured just now, although effective, is not conducive to the blood circulation of the wound. I will re-bandage them now." With that, she walked towards the two amputees.

After returning from outside, Tom had been busy giving first aid to these two amputees, while Lin Meiqi and others assisted him. On the contrary, Feng Hanyun had been staring at him resentfully without any intention of helping.

And now, she suddenly burst out with her knowledge of emergency nursing and wanted to go out with him to rescue people?

Even the most foolish person would think something was wrong with this woman. Tom naturally could see that Feng Hanyun's sudden initiative must have a reason.

But what was the reason?

Tom looked at Feng Hanyun skillfully unwrapping the bandages for the injured, then applying the medicine from the first aid kit to the wounds, and finally wrapping them back up with new bandages.

For a moment, he couldn't figure out Feng Hanyun's intentions.

His gaze fell on Lin Meiqi.

Did she want the armor for protection?

But Lin Meiqi's armor was just simple and not as glamorous as Reynas' in the game. Why would she be interested in that?

Tom shook his head. A woman's mind was difficult to understand. If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't dwell on it. As long as he knew what impact this behavior had on him.

After bandaging the first one, Feng Hanyun began to change the dressing for the second injured person.

Tom checked it over, and the wrapping was indeed very neat and professional. At least it was exactly the same as the way he was bandaged when he was taken to the hospital after getting his head broken. It seemed that Feng Hanyun was not lying.

When Feng Hanyun wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned around, she saw Tom's silent face.

"You are indeed skilled, which makes me more certain that you need to stay in the shelter. It's safer here!"

"No! Some people may be seriously injured and unable to support themselves until you bring them back here. Many injuries need to be treated on the spot as soon as possible. Like these two, if you delay a little longer, their arms and legs will be useless!" Feng Hanyun insisted.

"Then it's just their bad luck!" Tom remained unmoved, "Just like I can't appear in time to prevent casualties, I can't let another person providing first aid take the risk of casualties just to save someone who needs help!"

"I volunteer!" Feng Hanyun's eyes burst with determination, "I swore the Nightingale Pledge. Because of life circumstances, I took another path before. Now, God has given me the opportunity to fulfill this oath again. I'm willing to take this risk. And... with you protecting me... protecting us, I think the risk is lower than we think." After saying that, she glanced meaningfully at Lin Meiqi not far away.

This girl had nothing but a mixed-race face and a pair of big breasts. Why could she get preferential treatment and be taken out by Tom while she couldn't?

Unconsciously touching her slightly hot face, Feng Hanyun didn't know how much of her words just now were acting and how much came from her heart.

With utmost sincerity,

Before God and the congregation, I pledge:

To pass my life in purity and to practise my profession faithfully.

I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous,

and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.

I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession,

and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping,

and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling.

With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work,

and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

Sworn on my honour!

Remembering the passion she had when she took the oath, and looking at Tom who had been fighting alongside them all the way, Feng Hanyun seemed to have regained the enthusiasm she had back then.