Chapter 26: An Act of Trust

Anna reached out and patted Qi Yan's shoulder, smiling softly. "The world isn't entirely full of bad people, is it?"

"That…" Qi Yan was left speechless by the question, her anger deflating. There was a strange kindness about Anna, a feeling that seemed to transfer to anyone she was near.

Gritting her teeth, Qi Yan said in a deep voice, "If anyone's drinking it, I'm drinking it first!"

She took two steps forward, snatched the bottle of Mineral Life Water, and took a long, hard swallow.

The clear, sweet liquid flowed down her throat, past her esophagus, and into her stomach. Instantly, she felt her previously exhausted body surge with new vitality. Even her dry, aching throat felt soothed and lubricated.

She stared blankly at the liquid sloshing in the bottle, a look of utter astonishment on her face. When she looked at Chen Yuan again, the previous scrutiny and suspicion were completely gone.

"You silly girl, what was the need for that..." Anna stumbled forward and took the bottle from Qi Yan's hands.

"Sister Anna… I think this might actually be able to cure you," Qi Yan said, her expression complex. Only after experiencing the miracle for herself could she believe in it.

Anna, however, hearing this, now had a look of suspicion. That wasn't your attitude a moment ago. Could this antibiotic really be that powerful?

"It's true! Hurry, try it!" Qi Yan urged, her voice filled with anxiety.

Anna nodded. Forgetting all about her image, she took the bottle and drained the remaining liquid. Her throat worked as she swallowed, a blissful sensation like a long drought meeting sweet rain. She was like a traveler in the desert, with no resistance to the liquid before her.

Anna tilted her head back slightly, revealing her pale, slender neck. Even after drinking the very last drop, she gave the bottle an extra shake, as if wanting more.

Hooo...

She let out a soft breath, wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, and then froze on the spot.

The dizziness was gone.

The aches in her body had vanished.

Not only had the symptoms of her illness disappeared, but her entire body was now filled with a sense of strength. Even the deep, unshakable chill that had settled in her bones was gone without a trace.

"This… this is really an antibiotic?!" she exclaimed, her bright eyes wide as she looked at Chen Yuan, her face a mask of disbelief. Are you kidding me? You think I don't know what an antibiotic is?!

Chen Yuan grinned. "Better than the ones you've been using, right?"

Anna nodded vigorously. She no longer cared what she had just drunk. It was enough that it had cured her.

She looked at Chen Yuan, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have died here…"

Chen Yuan just waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, both of you are in good shape now. If you leave with your supplies tomorrow morning, you might just be able to find a camp."

Hearing the word "camp," Anna was reminded of what the man had said earlier. She asked, a puzzled look on her face, "You said you're not going to a camp. Then where are you planning to go?"

Chen Yuan smiled. "I have other things to do."

Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Anna didn't press. Instead, she offered, "Why don't you stay here for the night? We have a small wood stove for warmth."

"Yes, yes! The three of us together will be warmer at night," Qi Yan, her attitude having done a complete 180, chimed in.

Chen Yuan scratched his head. He hadn't planned on staying with them, but now... "Alright, then. Just for one night."

"Okay! Let's go inside quickly, it's cold out here," Qi Yan said, tugging on Anna's sleeve.

The latter nodded, smiling. "It's warm inside. Let's go in."

"Alright…" Chen Yuan nodded and stepped toward the conference room. Just then, Tiedan beside him also began to move.

"Huh? That robot dog of yours…" In her nervousness earlier, Qi Yan hadn't even noticed the motionless robot dog standing beside the man. She had assumed it was remote-controlled.

"Oh, it's an AI robot dog," Chen Yuan replied casually. To be fair, as long as the two of them kept their mechanical arms and claws retracted, they didn't look particularly noteworthy.

"Is that what you majored in? Where did you get it?" Anna was feeling much better now, and her curiosity was piqued.

Chen Yuan rubbed his nose. "Mm, I like to tinker with things."

The two women exchanged a glance, both with many questions in their hearts. However, neither of them continued to ask.

The three of them entered the conference room. Chen Yuan scanned the area and saw that the conference tables had been chopped into pieces. In a cleared circular space in the middle sat a small wood stove. Wisps of black smoke rose from it, and with the enclosed space, the air quality was poor. Still, it was a decent setup.

"You're quite well-equipped," Chen Yuan said with a smile, pointing to a nearby tent, sleeping bags, and a set of pots and pans.

Anna nodded. "We usually enjoy camping and exploring, so we have a full set of gear."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly. No wonder. A woman who would charge out with a fire extinguisher had the personality of an explorer.

"Here, compressed biscuit. Have something to eat," Qi Yan said, ducking into the tent and emerging with three biscuits. She offered one to Chen Yuan.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry right now. You two keep it," Chen Yuan said, shaking his head decisively.

"How can you do that? Even if you're not hungry, you have to take it. You saved Sister Anna. This is to thank you," Qi Yan said, her expression serious.

Thanking someone with a single compressed biscuit… before the Ice Age, that would have been an insult. But now, this stuff was hard currency. You couldn't buy it even if you had the money.

Chen Yuan looked at her earnest expression and finally accepted it. "Thanks."

"We're the ones who should be thanking you," Anna said, sitting down beside Chen Yuan. She raised her hands and tied her chestnut-colored hair back.

Chen Yuan glanced over. Hmm, she's quite well-endowed. Even under layers of thick clothing, her curvaceous figure was impossible to hide. If only this wasn't the apocalypse…

Whoa, what am I thinking?! he chided himself, shaking his head to clear the strange thoughts that had sprouted in his mind.

"Which camp are you planning to go to?" Chen Yuan asked, changing the subject.

Anna thought for a moment. "The closest one to us is run by the Fenghuo Squad. We heard about them on the radio. They have requirements for new members: you either have to be from an explorer's guild or a fighting club, or be a doctor, nurse, or have some other special profession."

Qi Yan nodded in agreement beside her. "Sister Anna and I are both from the explorer's guild. If we go there, we should be accepted. Once we're in a camp, our survival will be guaranteed!" A look of anticipation appeared on Qi Yan's face as she spoke. For the two of them, joining an established camp was far better than wandering around outside on their own.

However, Chen Yuan, listening from the side, scratched his head, his expression becoming a little strange. He glanced at the two women and finally spoke.

"The Fenghuo Squad… I'd advise you not to go there."

"Huh? Why not?" Qi Yan asked, instantly confused.

Anna also pressed her lips together, watching Chen Yuan without a word.

Left with no choice, Chen Yuan recounted the story of Jiang Nan, and while he was at it, he also told them about the zombies.

After he had finished, the only sound in the conference room was the soft crackle of the burning wood.

After a long moment, Qi Yan finally swallowed hard and looked at Chen Yuan in disbelief. "Are… are there really zombies?!"

Chen Yuan nodded. "There are… but I haven't gotten a close look at one yet."

"Then… then what do we do now?" Qi Yan was in a full-blown panic now, her earlier composure gone.

Anna patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. We're in an office building. We're very sa—"

「Report, Master. A moving object is approaching. Temperature: zero.」

Tiedan suddenly spoke from beside them. Chen Yuan shot up from the ground in an instant.