By now, Chen Wan and Qin Ke had steered the battered little blue car back into the quiet residential area where the RV was parked. The streets were as still as they'd left them — no zombies in sight along the road. Chen Wan was quietly grateful she'd chosen such an out-of-the-way spot. Finding the RV again under these conditions had been far easier than it might have been.
Qin Ke brought the car to a stop, and both of them climbed out and boarded the RV in seconds. The moment Chen Wan set foot inside, something in her chest unknotted — a feeling she hadn't realized she'd been missing until it came back. She settled into the driver's seat, started the engine, and turned them toward the Funan City base.
Back at the base, the massive iron gates had been forced open — some by sheer zombie impact, some by the hands of the horde — and a far larger wave was now pouring through. Even the entrances to Zones A and B were no longer holding.
The soldiers near the Zone A gate were pulling at their squad leader's sleeve: "Captain — we can't hold this. Leadership has already run. What exactly are we dying for? And honestly? The people in Zones C and D are worth more than this crowd — at least they stood and fought alongside us. These people just want to be protected. Don't sacrifice the squad for them. We're going to lose everyone."
The squad leader looked up just in time to watch one of his soldiers get pulled down and bitten by a zombie that had broken through. He clenched his jaw and made the call. "Everyone with me — up to the office building. We'll get elevation and sweep the area from above. If that doesn't work, then there's nothing more we can do."
The squad fell back from the gate and ran for the building. Behind them, the zombies began flooding into the villa district.
It was into this chaos that Chen Wan drove the RV through the base's main gate — and through a sizable number of zombies in the process, sending bodies scattering in all directions. The impact immediately drew attention, and several zombies began scaling the sides of the vehicle. These Level 2 zombies were smart enough to avoid the front — instead of charging headlong into the path of the vehicle, they angled around and clambered up from the sides and rear.
Chen Wan stopped worrying about keeping a low profile. With a thought, she activated the RV's retractable mechanical arms — the telescoping appendages extended and began driving back the zombies surging toward the vehicle in continuous sweeping motions, clearing the path as she pushed the RV toward Zone A.
"Yi Yi — Qin Ke and I are about three minutes out. Hold on."
"Understood. We're still all right here for now." Yi Yi's villa sat toward the middle of the residential cluster, and the zombies that had breached the perimeter were working their way methodically through the outer villas first — checking for occupants before moving inward. The group of so-called elites who had gathered in the nearest villa had chosen the worst possible position. As the zombies hit the front row of residences, they came screaming out of the building and ran deeper into the zone, shouting as they went: "Help us — save us — we're Funan City's top specialists in our fields, civilization can't be rebuilt without us—"
The zombies answered them with nothing but snarling.
Chen Wan drove the RV hard, mechanical arms flinging zombies off the sides as she crashed through Zone A's gate and scattered another cluster of bodies. The impact drew a fresh wave of attention, and more zombies closed in around her.
She kept her foot on the accelerator. The mechanical arms moved like living things — faster and faster — hurling zombies away, sending them skidding across the pavement or sailing through the air.
The fleeing elites caught sight of Chen Wan and Qin Ke in military fatigues through the RV's windows and immediately assumed rescue had arrived.
"Over here — let us on, please, we're right here!"
"Save us — we're researchers, specialists, essential personnel—"
"Let us on the vehicle!"
Chen Wan glanced at the crowd blocking her path, furrowed her brow, and yanked the wheel hard to the left — driving straight past them.
"Professor Liu, run — that vehicle must be some new military prototype, zombies can't get through it, if we can just get on board, we'll survive—"
"It's enormous — it could fit dozens of us, keep running—"
"Don't let it leave—"
"Aah!"
Another scream, and another one of the so-called researchers was taken from behind by a zombie. The rest ran faster.
Chen Wan had already pulled up in front of Yi Yi's villa. Yi Yi and the others spotted the RV through the window and moved immediately. "Go — Chen Wan and Qin Ke are here!" Yi Yi called out, pulling the front door open as she spoke.
She stepped out first, chair leg in hand, positioning herself at the front of the group. Jiang Wanning came behind her with Yang Yang in her arms. Jiang Yanxin and Jiang Zhao Yuan bracketed Ye Lan on either side, and together they moved quickly toward the RV.
By now the zombies had noticed the movement. Chen Wan and Qin Ke jumped out with rifles and blades. "Get on — now!"
Chen Wan's rifle swept in continuous arcs across the rear, holding the zombie advance back as her people moved. The problem was the crowd of civilians also running toward the RV — she couldn't fire freely without risking them. She kept the path clear enough for her group to board, and the moment Yi Yi and the others were inside, Chen Wan took position at the RV door to close it.
A male alpha in his mid-thirties came sprinting over and shoved himself bodily toward the door, trying to force his way in without a word. Chen Wan put her boot into his chest and sent him stumbling back, leveling her rifle at him with cold, flat eyes. "Anyone who doesn't want to die — get away from this vehicle."
"You can't do this — you're soldiers, you're supposed to protect us, everyone rush them, there are more of us than—"
Chen Wan pulled the trigger. The shot hit him in the chest. He dropped and didn't get back up. The crowd fell back. Some switched tactics almost instantly — abandoning aggression for appeal.
"Please — please, we're begging you, we're just ordinary people, we have nothing, we'll die out here—"
"Anything you need from us, we'll do it, just let us on—"
"Please, take us somewhere safe — the zombies are right behind us—"
Chen Wan looked at them. Her voice came out quiet and without warmth. "The one thing the apocalypse has no use for is people who can only beg to be saved. What would you do for me? What can any of you actually do? Eat through my supplies? Turn on us the moment it's convenient? The world has ended. How are you all still this naive?"
She finished speaking, made her decision, and sealed the door. "Yi Yi — drive."
Yi Yi was already in the driver's seat. She put her foot down without hesitation and aimed the RV for Zone A's rear gate, leaving the crowd behind. Some of them chased. Some still called out. Chen Wan and the others looked away and kept their eyes forward.
Chen Wan had never claimed to be anyone's savior, and she had no interest in playing hero in a dying world. There were people she couldn't save — ordinary as she was — and she'd long since made her peace with that. Trying to save everyone would only get her people killed.
Jiang Yanxin felt exactly the same. From the beginning of this journey, their unspoken rule had been clear — only the people closest to them were allowed inside this vehicle. That had never changed, and it never would.
Ye Lan, Jiang Zhao Yuan, and Jiang Wanning had all witnessed Chen Wan's coldness with their own eyes. And in the quiet that followed, all three of them were thinking the same uncomfortable thing — they hadn't fought, hadn't contributed, had done nothing but wait for Chen Wan and the others to come for them. Weren't they the same as the people she'd just turned away? The RV fell very quiet.
Chen Wan noticed the silence and assumed it was shock from everything they'd just lived through. She tugged off her military helmet, set it aside, and looked over at Qin Ke. "Now that we're back on board, everything's fine. Go shower and get some rest. I'm heading to the back."
"Good call." Qin Ke's uniform was soaked through with sweat. A shower sounded like the only thing in the world she wanted.
Jiang Yanxin had finally had a moment to actually look at Chen Wan. She stood up and went to her immediately. "You're not hurt anywhere?"
"Not a scratch. You really thought Qin Ke and I would let something happen to us?" Chen Wan smiled and softened her voice. "Go sit with your parents. If everyone's tired, get them settled upstairs for a rest."
Jiang Yanxin nodded. "All right. Go shower — you've got blood on you, you can't hold Yang Yang like that."
"Fair point. I'll be quick." Chen Wan looked over at Yang Yang, still nestled in Jiang Wanning's arms, and gave her a warm smile. "Baby girl — Mama will come find you once she's cleaned up."
Yang Yang kicked her little legs, beaming back. "Okay~"
As long as they were back in the RV, she was content. Her tiny heart, which had been very worried for a while, had quietly settled back where it belonged. She leaned against her auntie without a care in the world, the picture of ease.
Chen Wan headed to the back to shower. Qin Ke disappeared too. Only Yi Yi remained at the front, hands on the wheel. Ye Lan tugged quietly at her daughter's sleeve, eyes a little red.
"Mom — what's wrong?" Jiang Yanxin turned to her quickly.
"I just — we can't do anything, can we? We're just a burden to you all. Do you think Chen Wan minds having us here? Is she upset?" Ye Lan kept her voice low, her worry plain on her face.
Jiang Yanxin relaxed immediately and gave her mother a reassuring smile. "Mom. You're overthinking it. She was like that to strangers. You, Dad, and Wanning are completely different — you're family. She would never treat you that way. And for the record, if she ever did, I'd set her straight on the spot."
"Still, you need to treat Chen Wan well," Ye Lan pressed gently. "After everything — you two were already talking about divorce once."
Half an hour later, the RV rolled into a small town on the southern edge of Funan City. It was a desolate place — the narrow streets held only the occasional straggling zombie, not a living person in sight. Yi Yi pulled the vehicle alongside a residential building, positioning one side of the RV flush against the wall, then covered all the windshields with steel panels and switched on the interior lights.
Chen Wan unclipped her seatbelt, passed Yang Yang to Yi Yi, and stretched with a long, satisfied groan. "Let's stop here for the night. This town didn't have much of a population to begin with — not many zombies around. It should be safe enough. We've all been pushed to the edge these past couple of days, so tonight we're going to eat well and celebrate getting out of that base in one piece."
"Mama, I want meat~" came Yang Yang's small, insistent voice from Yi Yi's arms, making sure her earlier request had not been forgotten.
"Mama heard you, little one. There will definitely be meat." Chen Wan pinched Yang Yang's cheek affectionately.
Ye Lan perked up at the mention of cooking and was on her feet immediately, smiling at Chen Wan. "Let Lao Jiang and me handle the cooking — it's the least we can do. We haven't been able to help with anything, we've just been slowing you all down. Please, let us do this much."
Chen Wan looked at the two of them — both visibly thinner than they should have been. Those months at the base had clearly taken their toll. There was absolutely no way she was putting them to work. "Not a chance. I'll cook tonight. Yanxin, why don't you take your parents and Wanning on a tour of the RV? From now on, your parents and Wanning will be staying on the lower level — I've already put fresh sheets and blankets on the beds down there, you'll just need to get them sorted."
"All right. Oh — Wanning can't eat beef," Jiang Yanxin added.
"I know. We'll make a few different things. It's a shame she'll miss out on the mutant beef — the flavor is incredible, and it's genuinely good for you. But there will be other animals to hunt eventually, so she'll get her turn." Chen Wan smiled, and as she spoke, a large cut of beef appeared on the cutting board in front of her, seemingly from nowhere — making Ye Lan jump nearly out of her skin.
Chen Wan rushed to explain. "Sorry — I should have mentioned this earlier. The RV is connected to my ability. I can retrieve things from its compressed storage space just by thinking about it. There's a lot about this vehicle that works in unusual ways — once you've had the tour with Yanxin, it'll all make more sense."
"I see... all right then, we'll go have a look." Ye Lan's shoulders dropped with visible relief when she saw nothing but ease and warmth in Chen Wan's expression — no impatience, no distance. She followed Jiang Yanxin down the length of the RV.
Jiang Yanxin started with the small dining area and pointed out the fold-out sofas. "Mom, Dad — see these? Pull them out and they become sofa beds. You can sleep on either of those. Here's the bathroom — hot water, available anytime. And over there is a bunk bed — double on the bottom, single on top."
Ye Lan counted heads and immediately shook hers. "Your father and I will sleep on the floor — we're not going to leave the ones doing all the work without a proper place to rest."
Jiang Wanning was already nodding along. "I agree, Sis. I'm not pulling my weight around here, the least I can do is take the floor."
Jiang Yanxin laughed at both of them. "I haven't finished the tour yet. Nobody's sleeping on the floor. There's room for everyone."
"Sis, we've walked all the way to the back — where else could there possibly be room?" Jiang Wanning looked genuinely puzzled.
"There's still a part you haven't seen." Jiang Yanxin took hold of a door handle set into the wall of the RV, turned it, and pushed it open. She flicked on the light inside and stepped back to let the others through.
All three of them stared.
After a moment, Jiang Wanning tilted her head with a small frown. "Sis... by rights the RV should have run out of space by now. How is there another room back here?"
"Most of the space in this RV is compressed space," Jiang Yanxin explained with a smile. "It expands as the RV upgrades. From the outside it only looks a little larger than a regular vehicle — nothing remarkable. But the inside is something else entirely."
"Well, this is extraordinary. With a room like this, no one has to sleep on the floor after all." Ye Lan shook her head in quiet wonder.
"Exactly. Come on, Mom — there's still more." Jiang Yanxin led them back out, and the three of them followed her to a small enclosure beside the bunk beds — barely over a square meter in size. She pushed the door open and turned to her mother with a smile. "Mom, step in and press 2. It's an elevator."
Ye Lan blinked. She looked thoroughly unconvinced, but stepped inside anyway. Jiang Yanxin closed the door. Ye Lan pressed 2. The door opened again — and she was somewhere else entirely, in a space that looked exactly like the lower level she had just left. If she hadn't been standing there completely alone, she might have thought she was seeing things.
A minute later Jiang Yanxin emerged from the elevator beside her, followed by Jiang Zhao Yuan and Jiang Wanning one after another.
Jiang Wanning looked around with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Is this... the same place we were just in? No — wait, the driving area was up front before. This has a reclining chair and a little table." She looked between the two spaces, catching the differences.
"This is a separate lower level — also compressed space. From the outside, the RV looks exactly as it always has. No windows, but there's a built-in ventilation system, so it won't feel stuffy. The three of you will sleep here tonight. Chen Wan has already set out fresh bedding — you'll just need to make the beds up."
"All three of us down here?" Ye Lan asked with a note of concern. "Won't it be crowded for everyone else upstairs?"
"Not at all. Chen Wan, the baby, and I are in the main bedroom. Qin Ke and Yi Yi take the sofa beds and the bunk — there's plenty of room for both of them." Jiang Yanxin smiled reassuringly.
"Oh—" Jiang Wanning's expression shifted almost imperceptibly at that. Yi Yi was a beta, and betas and alphas could certainly be compatible — in her quiet, flustered way, she had half-convinced herself that Yi Yi and Qin Ke might be together. The thought had come with a small, inexplicable pang that she hadn't quite known what to do with.
"Not like that," Jiang Yanxin said, reading her sister's face with the ease of long familiarity. "They each sleep on their own. Qin Ke has someone she's waiting for."
Jiang Wanning latched onto the opening before she could stop herself, ears already beginning to warm. "So... does Yi Yi have anyone?"
Jiang Yanxin caught it immediately. Her normally composed expression softened into something quietly amused. Her little sister was very interested in Yi Yi's relationship status all of a sudden. Something had definitely happened that night Yi Yi spent looking after her.
Jiang Yanxin raised an eyebrow at her younger sister, a smile playing at her lips. "Yi Yi? Not that I know of — she's never mentioned anyone. Why? Interested?"
"Sis! Don't say things like that — Mom and Dad are right here!" Jiang Wanning went pink to the tips of her ears, shaking her head firmly.
Jiang Yanxin's smile only widened. "What's wrong with it? You're twenty-four. Finding someone to be with is perfectly natural — especially now, when none of us know what tomorrow looks like. When you meet someone you like, you hold on. It's not easy to find someone worth holding on to."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Jiang Wanning grabbed her sister's arm and shook it with the practiced helplessness of a younger sibling running out of options. "Yi Yi and I are just friends. That's all. You worry about holding on to Sister Chen Wan."
Jiang Yanxin laughed — her sister's face was so red it was practically glowing. She was now almost entirely certain something had passed between those two. "Oh, I've got Chen Wan very well in hand, don't worry about that. She's very obedient."
"Ugh. I'm not listening to this." Jiang Wanning had discovered, to her dismay, that she did not have her sister's capacity for shamelessness. She had no choice but to retreat. "I'm going downstairs to see if I can help with anything."
She escaped. The moment she was gone, Jiang Yanxin and her parents dissolved into quiet laughter.
Ye Lan's stiffness from earlier had finally fallen away entirely. Watching her elder daughter this relaxed, she understood clearly now that Chen Wan must treat Jiang Yanxin very well day to day. The knot in her chest loosened a little more.
She thought of the look on Jiang Wanning's face just now and suspected Jiang Yanxin might actually be onto something. She smiled at her elder daughter. "Yanxin — what do you think of Yi Yi, honestly? You said it yourself: in a world like this, if you find someone you like, you should be proactive about it."
"Yi Yi is wonderful. She talks a lot, but that's honestly her only flaw. She's an android — brilliant mind, excellent instincts, good in a fight. She and Wanning would suit each other well." Jiang Yanxin gave a small, thoughtful smile.
"An android?" Ye Lan frowned slightly. "What is that exactly?"
"Not so different from us, really. And in a world like this, as long as they like each other, what does it matter what she is? All the normal things — daily life, all of it — are perfectly possible." Jiang Yanxin cleared her throat delicately. She was, after all, talking to her parents, so she left the more specific implications tastefully unspoken — though she had no doubt they understood her meaning.
"You're right," Ye Lan said, exhaling quietly. "In a world like this, what's the point of making things complicated."
Jiang Yanxin sensed the mood growing heavy and quickly moved to brighten it. "Mom, it's all right. Things are chaotic outside, but inside this RV we're safe. As long as our supplies hold, nothing is going to happen to us. You and Dad don't need to worry."
"Your father and I are old — we've made our peace with that. It's you and your sister I can't stop thinking about. And Yang Yang — she's not even four yet. If she gets sick out here, there's no doctor, there's no medicine, there's no—" Ye Lan stopped herself before she finished the thought.
Jiang Yanxin understood exactly what she hadn't said. "It will be fine, Mom. I promise — not just Yang Yang, but everyone on this RV. We'll all get through this."
Not wanting her parents to spiral further into worry, Jiang Yanxin guided them back downstairs to join the others.
On the main level, Chen Wan had already sliced the beef into two portions — part of it going into the pot with seasoning to braise slowly, the rest cut into chunks and arranged on a grill pan with a generous coating of barbecue seasoning before being slid into the oven. The RV was already beginning to fill with the deep, savory fragrance of braising meat.
Chen Wan glanced over at Jiang Wanning. "Wanning — the smell isn't giving you any trouble, is it?"
She was worried the scent alone might set off a reaction. Better to ask.
"I'm fine, don't worry. It's only a problem if I actually eat it." Jiang Wanning smiled back at her from the sofa, where she had settled in beside Yi Yi to keep her company while Yi Yi entertained Yang Yang.
"Good." Chen Wan turned her attention back to the stove and began working on Jiang Wanning's portion first.