Millie

This woman, as Lily described, was indeed very beautiful. Her long, jet-black hair was tied up, and her skin was fair. While her individual features might not be perfect, together they formed an exceptionally pleasing visage, making her look particularly striking. Her most captivating feature was her eyes, almond-shaped with a hint of cool sharpness.

From a distance, Long observed, "She looks to be around twenty years old. For a young woman to survive and make it here alone is quite impressive. She even managed to find a kayak. Intriguing."

Simon noticed how swiftly she rowed, maintaining a consistent speed, which required considerable arm strength. Her courage to venture here alone indicated significant strength and bravery.

As she drew closer, the woman finally slowed her rowing. She had noticed Simon and his companions standing on the balcony. She put away her oars and slowly stood up in the kayak.

Despite their recent experience with Ni Jianrong, Long couldn't hide his excitement upon seeing this beautiful woman. His demeanor, lacking the maturity expected of a nearly forty-year-old man, was animated as he waved enthusiastically and called out, "Hey, beautiful! Hello! My name is Long. What's yours?"

Simon glanced at him, noting how Long had only introduced himself, ignoring both Simon and Lily. Previously, he had introduced all three of them to Ni Jianrong, but now, faced with a beautiful woman, he only mentioned himself.

The woman, however, did not respond with the excitement they had anticipated. Instead, she scrutinized the trio on the balcony with a cautious expression. Her kayak remained five or six meters from the balcony.

Understanding that a lone woman would naturally be wary of three strangers, Long was not offended by her silence. He chuckled and continued, "No need to worry, we're not bad people. I've been here alone from the start. Simon and Lily arrived later, much like you, from other places. Now, we all live here together."

"Yes, sister," Lily suddenly chimed in.

Simon glanced at her in surprise. Lily rarely spoke, so her initiative now was unexpected. He thought to himself, "This girl is quite considerate for her age, trying to ease the woman's apprehension."

Indeed, as Lily spoke, the woman's gaze softened. She looked at Lily, and the wariness in her eyes diminished considerably. Compared to Long and Simon, Lily, a small girl, seemed far less threatening. Her words were more likely to be believed.

"My name is Millie," the woman finally spoke. Her voice, like her demeanor, carried a sharp edge. Simon sensed an inherent, strikingly aloof elegance about her, distinguishing her from an ordinary woman.

"I'm Simon, and this is Lily," Simon introduced, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder. Despite Millie's evident wariness, he understood her feelings. A lone woman suddenly arriving here, confronted with two unfamiliar men, would naturally be on guard.

After the recent encounter with Ni Jianrong and his companions, Simon became acutely aware of human malevolence. Not every survivor could be trusted. Millie appeared vastly different from Ni Jianrong and his associates, likely having come here alone, just as he had. Nevertheless, Simon remained vigilant, not letting his guard down merely because she was a woman.

"Come on up. We mean you no harm," Long said, sensing Millie's heightened caution. She still stood on her kayak, hesitating to approach the balcony. With a resigned gesture, he stepped back.

Simon gently patted Lily, saying, "Lily, why don't you talk to her? She seems quite wary of us." As he spoke, he also stepped back.

Millie's cautious demeanor reassured Simon that she had no ill intentions, at least not like Ni Jianrong and his group.

Hearing Simon's straightforward suggestion, Millie looked slightly embarrassed, her expression softening. "You misunderstand. I'm just not very good at interacting with strangers," she said. She then began rowing, and the kayak slowly approached the balcony.

Lily stood at the edge of the balcony, taking the initiative, "Sister, Uncle Long and Brother Simon are good people."

Millie nodded slightly at Lily, a gentle smile appearing on her face. Clearly, she had a favorable impression of Lily and relaxed considerably.

Long cleared his throat and said, "Lily, Simon and I aren't that much older than each other. We're both your brothers, so why do you call me 'Uncle'?"

Lily responded with an "Oh," glancing at Long. She seemed to consider calling him "brother," but as she opened her mouth, it felt too disingenuous to say, and the words wouldn't come out.

Simon watched quietly, inwardly amused. The kayak came to a stop, and Millie tossed a rope from it up to them. Long enthusiastically caught the rope and helped stabilize the kayak.

With her left hand, Millie lifted a bag filled with supplies from the kayak, while her right hand grasped a baseball bat that had been lying inside. Simon's gaze fixated on the bat in her right hand, faintly noticing dried blood stains on it. He thought to himself that she must have dispatched quite a few monsters to survive and reach this place.

Millie agilely swung over the balcony, displaying impressive dexterity. Lily moved forward to assist her with the bag in her left hand, but Millie smiled and thanked her, politely declining the help.

Simon climbed onto the kayak and helped lift the remaining two bags of supplies onto the balcony. Millie glanced at him and also thanked him, though unlike with Lily, there was no smile. It was clear that she maintained a certain distance from Simon and Long, apart from Lily.

Simon shook his head at her. "There's no need to thank us. We've all faced similar hardships; helping each other is only natural."

The three of them escorted Millie towards the rooftop. Long collected the axe and machete left behind by Fang You and Wang Kaikang after their deaths. With weapons in short supply, these items were valuable resources.

"Lady Millie, could you share your story with us? How did you manage to acquire a kayak when we've been using makeshift rafts?" Long looked at Millie, flashing what he considered a charming smile. He was curious about this somewhat aloof-looking young woman before him.