Hua City, Qinshan Base.
A colossal supply helicopter gradually descended onto the letter "H". With the release of a burst of pressure, the survivors glimpsed away from Ning Tianlang’s waist where Divine Armor No.1 was attached, and disembarked from the helicopter one after another.
Many of the survivors had just been relocated from Lin City safe zone. Their gazes were drawn toward a corpse-proof wall over ten meters tall, expressing their astonishment!
Just as Ning Tianlang alighted from the helicopter, Ning Yu’er’s voice could be heard from beside him.
"Dad, you finally arrived."
She immediately hugged Ning Tianlang, her swollen eyes telling him that she had been crying not too long ago.
"What happened? Crying again? And why are are you carrying this? Throw it away, toss it!"
Ning Tianlang gently patted his daughter on the back, then his gaze shifted to the crowbar in her hand, a gift from Tang Ye.
At his words, Ning Yu’er’s face turned slightly red, and she stammered nervously: "This is... important to me!"
"Oh? Why is it so important? Have you gotten a boyfriend? Did he give it to you?" Ning Tianlang asked teasingly.
"No...it’s not. It...it was given by a friend...not a boyfriend!"
As Ning Tianlang continued the playful questioning, Ning Yu’er’s face grew even redder. Seeing this, a mischievous smile appeared on Ning Tianlang’s face.
"Ah, so he’s just a friend. Where is he now?"
"He...he’s in...he was in Lin City when he gave this to me...No, no, that’s not it. He gave me food every day, then...then he brought me to the safe zone. When we were halfway there, he was no longer with me."
Addressing her father’s questions, Ning Yu’er quickly wove a lie to sidestep prying. Yet, seeing such a delighted smile on Ning Tianlang’s face, her cheeks turned even redder, making her look like a shiny red apple.
Feeling that her answer was full of holes, she hurriedly tried to shift the topic. She raised her eyes to scan the survivors coming down continuously from the helicopter, glancing around as if she was looking for something.
The last survivor from the helicopter landed on the ground. The hatch was closed. A look of confusion emerged in Ning Yu’er’s eyes.
"Hey, dad, where are the soldiers? Why didn’t they come?"
All of a sudden, the smile froze on Ning Tianlang’s face. A shadow of grief crossed his eyes and then vanished. He cleared his throat and said, "They are behind. They’ll be here soon."
"That seems odd. When I left, there were only two helicopters, how will they get here?"
"No, there’s one more. They’ll be here soon. Alright, alright, don’t worry. Those soldier bros are going to be fine."
Ning Tianlang didn’t know what to say. The fate of those soldiers was brutal. He couldn’t bear to tell his daughter the harsh reality. He wanted to keep her living in a beautiful world, away from the darkness of the world, even though they were in the apocalypse!
"Fine. Will you wait with me for them to return?"
"Uh..." Ning Tianlang was frozen, his head racing. He stared at his daughter’s innocent face, trying to come up with a plausible reason to get her out of there.
Those soldiers were probably torn up by zombies by now. How could they return? It was better if they didn’t. If they did, that would truly be terrifying!
Just as he was trying to devise an excuse to leave with his daughter, a soldier jogged up to him and saluted, "Commander Ning!"
The soldier saluted Ning Tianlang, and he nodded his head in acknowledgment. "What is it?" he asked.
"The commander has asked you to attend a meeting."
"Alright, I’ll be there in a moment. Go about your duties!"
Ning Tianlang nodded and watched the soldier jog off. Then he turned to Ning Yu’er and said, "Alright, they will return. Let’s head inside, it’s cold out here."
With that, Ning Tianlang started off towards a building, pulling his daughter with him. Ning Yu’er didn’t resist. She looked up at the sky in the direction of Lin City, her eyes drooping, lost in her own thoughts.
The father and daughter walked into the lobby where a scientist in a white coat approached them.
"Hey, Brother Ning is here! Here is your room. Someone will show you around later. This must be your daughter. I haven’t seen her in years, and she’s already grown up so much!"
The researcher was quite familiar with Ning Tianlang. Gazing at the statuesque Ning Yu’er, his face was full of emotion.
"Mhm, Yu’er, do you remember who this is?" Ning Tianlang greeted the researcher and then turned to Ning Yu’er.
Ning Yu’er shook her head. She felt that the man looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall what to call him. "I don’t remember."
"Call him Uncle Bai. He used to bring you out to buy dolls."
"Oh! Hello, Uncle Bai." Ning Yu’er pretended to have just remembered, and replied, then fell silent.
"Mhm, hello there." Bai Jindong responded amiably, then turned to Ning Tianlang and said, "Go ahead. Many people are waiting for you in the meeting room!"
"Alright. Is the antidote for the virus ready yet?"
Bai Jindong hesitated for a moment, then said, "The virus is a bit complicated. That’s what the meeting is for. Dr. Huang will explain in detail."
Ning Tianlang’s brows furrowed. He had also done research on the zombie virus before, but to no avail. Then he unaccountably became an Evolver and was assigned by the provisional government to establish a safe zone in Lin City.
"Okay, could you lead my daughter to the office and let her stay there for a while? I appreciate it!"
"No worries at all! We’ve been friends for many years. What is there to fuss about!"
Bai Jindong chuckled at Ning Tianlang, then turned to Ning Yu’er and said, " young girl, come with me."
"I’m not going. I want to attend the meeting with you."
"Huh? Why do you want to attend the meeting?" Ning Tianlang asked, taken aback by Ning Yu’er’s refusal.
"I want to learn something. I know you are researching a cure to turn zombies back to humans. I want to go there as well. If I don’t understand anything, I can learn."
Ning Tianlang was stunned. He stared at his daughter’s bright eyes, lost in thought. He never planned to make his daughter do anything. Since Ning Yu’er’s mother passed away when she was young, she had experienced pain that others didn’t have to. The moment he had held his newborn daughter in his arms, Ning Tianlang had vowed not to let her suffer in any way. He wanted the world to know that she had a powerful father. Even if he raised her to be a precious vase, unattainable to others, Ning Tianlang would have no regrets. As long as he was alive, his daughter would never be harmed!
But when she said those words, Ning Tianlang seemed to see his wife, who had been dead for many years. She was a very stubborn woman.
"Haha, alright, alright. Stay with me and pay careful attention – but don’t speak. I’ll have Uncle Bai teach you everything later!"