C26 Su Wan

Upon hearing Yuen Meng's cry of alarm, Su Wan glanced over to see a large group of boys charging from the sports complex, each armed with sticks and spears.

These individuals were ruthlessly efficient, swiftly dispatching the wandering zombies they encountered.

Whenever the zombie numbers swelled, the man with the oversized backpack and longsword would signal with his left hand, halting the group's advance. After quickly strategizing, he'd lead his team straight into the fray while others formed smaller squads to flank and finish off any stragglers.

Should anyone face peril, the swordsman would launch water arrows with a flick of his left hand, aiding from a distance.

Amidst the chaos, members of the group unleashed fireballs, wooden arrows, and earth spikes. Some shone with a golden aura, taking the lead as the main tank.

The scene was reminiscent of a fantasy world come to life.

"Miss, to think so many in this group have awakened their Extrasensory Perception! They must be here to rescue the girls," Yuen Meng observed.

Su Wan replied with a smile, "Meng, surely you didn't believe we were the only ones with such abilities. The world has indeed changed."

She continued, "Most of them are from the Engineering Department. But they don't seem to be a unified force. Bai Zhengfeng and Song Yang, for instance, appear to be leading their own factions. The other leaders are familiar faces too—rich kids I've seen around. The apocalypse certainly has a way of forging people."

Yuen Meng, with her special forces background and knowledge of military tactics, added, "Miss, they're clearly split into about fourteen or fifteen groups. The main force is at the center, numbering around 150 to 160. They move and command with discipline and include several powerful fighters. They're rallying around the swordsman with the backpack. He's quite striking! And those two young women with him are formidable—one with a gun and the other with a sword, dispatching zombies with ease. The swordswoman even fired a wooden arrow—she's awakened a wood-type superpower!"

Puzzled, Su Wan mused, "Who is this dashing swordsman? To have trained such formidable warriors in such a short time, and to have gathered so many talented individuals around him... A person of his caliber should have come to our attention much sooner."

In addition to serving as Su Wan's bodyguard, Yuen Meng also took on the role of gathering intelligence for her. She cocked her head, recalling, and said, "Miss, I think I've figured out who he is."

Su Wan's interest piqued, she inquired, "And who might that be?"

With a glance at her mistress's stunning visage, Yuen Meng answered, "Miss, if my memory serves me right, his name is Lin Chen. He's a senior in the Engineering Department, majoring in International Trade. His girlfriend, or rather ex-girlfriend now, is Qiao Yilan. She was Lin Chen's classmate. Three days ago, Qiao Yilan left Lin Chen and ended up in Bai Zhengfeng's embrace."

Qiao Yilan, a beauty renowned on campus, naturally caught the eye of Su Wan, herself a woman of exceptional allure. Yet, even Qiao Yilan's looks paled in comparison to Su Wan's.

Su Wan was considered a beauty of national renown, with Qiao Yilan a tier below, at the level of the campus belle.

"Has Qiao Yilan gone blind? To cast aside such an outstanding man for a mere pretty face? Did Bai Zhengfeng resort to any tricks?" Su Wan asked gently.

"Miss, in this case, Bai Zhengfeng can't be accused of playing dirty. He simply overwhelmed Qiao Yilan with a barrage of wealth," Yuen Meng replied, clearly entertained by the topic.

Gossip, as they say, is a woman's natural inclination. While Lin Chen was engaged in a life-or-death struggle, here were Su Wan and Yuen Meng, eagerly discussing the latest scandal involving him.

"What could be going through Qiao Yilan's mind? Is money truly that important?"

"Miss, for someone born with a silver spoon like you, money is of no consequence. But for commoners like Qiao Yilan and Lin Chen, life's hardships are a constant sorrow. Moreover, Lin Chen was rather unremarkable before, just a sunny, athletic type," Yuen Meng remarked.

Su Wan gave Yuen Meng a measured look and commented, "That's because it was a time of peace. How could the common folk stand out? They say that chaos breeds heroes. Now, with the apocalypse upon us, Lin Chen's true colors are shining through. If Qiao Yilan failed to recognize Lin Chen's potential, she's truly short-sighted. I have a premonition that Lin Chen will make a name for himself in this new world."

With a hint of concern, Yuen Meng ventured, "Miss, surely you're not suggesting an interest in Lin Chen... given your status..."

Su Wan spoke with a hint of playful annoyance, "Meng, you really don't need to remind me all the time. I'm perfectly aware, and I'm not about to fall for just any guy. I should at least have the freedom to form my own opinions about them, right?"

Yuen Meng felt a pang of sadness.

She never intended to dampen Su Wan's spirits with her constant reminders, but it was part of her duty to do so.

Su Wan's enthusiasm waned.

Despite her stunning beauty and luxurious lifestyle, Su Wan had little say over her own destiny.

She prided herself on her intelligence, yet she felt powerless to alter her circumstances.

She had learned that her family had arranged for her to marry Qin Zheng, the prodigy heir of the Qin family.

She had met Qin Zheng a few times; he was certainly handsome and gifted. But beneath his modest exterior was a man of immense pride, and rumor had it that several unparalleled beauties vied for his attention.

To Su Wan, Qin Zheng was merely tolerable. The idea of being smitten with him was out of the question.

Had the apocalypse not occurred, she would have been on her way back to the Imperial Capital to get engaged to Qin Zheng, followed by marriage.

But now, in the wake of the apocalypse, having awakened her wind-type Extrasensory Perception, a sliver of hope emerged: could she possibly reclaim control over her life?

Lost in their thoughts, the two women snapped back to reality only when the rescue team arrived, prompting tears of relief from the surviving girls.

The boys, spurred on by the prospect of a female enclave ahead, had their adrenaline pumping. They managed to clear the zombies from the seven-story building's corridors in mere minutes, escorting the surviving girls to the safety of the rooftop.

Out of the building's original occupants, 260 girls had survived, a rate just over ten percent.

The boys fared slightly better, with a survival rate of around twenty percent. The grim fate of the girls was enough to bring anyone to tears.

Most of the boys remained on the lower floors, methodically drawing out the zombies from the 28th floor. Those with girlfriends in the building made their way to the rooftop to join their leaders.

Amidst the chaos of the rooftop, there were tears from those who had learned of their significant others' misfortunes, and laughter from reunited lovers who had narrowly escaped death's clutches.

During the recent skirmish, Lin Chen seized a perilously rare chance to 'trigger' his water-type extrasensory abilities. Now, he observed the unfolding post-apocalyptic drama with a serene detachment.

Once the crowd had a moment to express their emotions, Lin Chen laid out his criteria for team selection. He would only accept girls who had the courage to fight or a deep-seated desire to do so. Any girl joining his team would be required to undergo combat training. Lin Chen pledged to do everything in his power to ensure their safety and treat them with the respect they deserved.

Even for those who chose not to join, he promised to escort them to safety.

This announcement was met with hidden delight from the boys not in Lin Chen's team. It seemed clear that the girls were looking for male protection—how many of them truly wished to fight? This meant that more girls would likely join their ranks, presenting an opportunity for the boys on his team.

Despite the shock this decision caused among his male teammates, Lin Chen's resolve was unshakable.

Ultimately, over thirty intelligent and brave girls decided to join Lin Chen's team. These were girls who yearned to take their destiny into their own hands, unable to erase the memory of their powerlessness against the zombies.

Since her arrival on the rooftop, Su Wan had been nonchalantly swatting away the pesky admirers buzzing around her while covertly keeping an eye on Lin Chen and the formidable individuals by his side.

It was only after most of the girls had aligned themselves with Lin Chen's team that Su Wan, with Yuen Meng in tow, made her way over to join them.

Simultaneously, from the opposite side, two stunning beauties emerged and headed towards Lin Chen's group. The two sets of beauties paused, taken aback for a moment, before a sultry voice broke the silence.

"Hey, Sister Wan, so you're up for the fight too? Aren't you worried about zombies marring that delicate face of yours?"

The speaker was Tang Yuanyuan from the Imperial Capital, followed by her bodyguard, Zheng Han. The offspring of the elite, with generations of genetic refinement, were naturally attractive. Tang Yuanyuan, however, had always been overshadowed by Su Wan's beauty, leading to a longstanding rivalry with her.

"Sister Tang Yuanyuan, if you, the younger sister, aren't afraid to fight, then I, as the older sister, must set a good example. Wouldn't you agree?"

Su Wan responded with a calm and soothing voice.

The two guards exchanged glances, maintaining their composure without daring to intervene.

The young noblemen surrounding the two beauties were visibly disappointed, yet they didn't dare interfere. Within their social circle, it was common knowledge that these women were of significant stature, and their families had cautioned them to curry favor but never to offend. They couldn't even entertain the thought of pursuing them, for fear of bringing calamity upon their own families.

The boys on Lin Chen's team were ecstatic to see such stunning beauties joining their ranks. After all, they already had Lin Ya and Lee Ying, two charming girls, and now four more had arrived. While they might not get the chance for a closer encounter, just having them around was a delight to the eyes.

Moreover, among the thirty-plus girls who had joined the team, only a handful were considered 'in need'. It appeared that the team's perks were quite impressive.

Lin Chen greeted the addition of the four girls with a nonchalant nod, directing them to their places in the lineup.

While Su Wan remained unfazed by the situation, Tang Yuanyuan couldn't hide her irritation. "Hmph, I join your team and you show no appreciation, just a stoic expression. Just wait, I'll show you," she muttered under her breath.

Little did they know, Lin Chen was inwardly grappling with their arrival. Drawing from his past life experiences, he recognized these ladies as distinguished figures from the Imperial Capital.

In his previous life, these women had carved out significant reputations for themselves. Su Wan and Yuen Meng were dubbed 'Thunder and Wind', Tang Yuanyuan earned the title 'Fire Queen', and Zheng Han was revered as the 'Sword Master'.

The two noblewomen had been entangled in a series of romantic disputes with Qin Zheng, the 'Brightright Emperor', and Ouyang Moxie, the 'Darkness Emperor'—two prominent Awakened ones from the Imperial Capital—adding a touch of romance to the otherwise grim apocalypse.

Knowing he couldn't keep such prodigies tethered, Lin Chen chose to adopt a detached approach, resolving to handle things as they came. After all, it wouldn't be long before they were retrieved by representatives from the Imperial Capital.

Behind the scenes, Lin Chen instructed Lin Ya and Lee Ying to keep a watchful eye on Su Wan and Tang Yuanyuan.

Lin Chen didn't shy away from these two potential complications. To do so would be to admit fear, wouldn't it?

He didn't want any harm to come to the two girls while they were part of his team. An incident with them could lead to a feud with a powerful faction in the Imperial Capital.

He wasn't scared of making enemies, but he knew that sometimes less trouble was better.

Lee Ying pouted, "Boss Chen, you're playing favorites. With all the girls here, why are you only looking out for those two?"

Lin Ya was somewhat displeased too, yet she wasn't inclined to challenge her brother.

In a gentle tone, Lin Chen responded, "Lee Ying, don't make a fuss. These two have significant status. Any trouble with them on our team could spell big problems for us. You're the ones I trust most, and since you're girls, who better to help me with this?"

Lin Ya's spirits lifted immediately.

Hearing 'you're the ones I trust most,' Lee Ying's cheeks turned pink, and she murmured bashfully, "Okay, I'll do as you say, Boss Chen."

Lin Chen didn't read too much into Lee Ying's reaction, but Lee Jun, with his protective brother instincts, saw everything clearly.

"This is bad, my little sister is falling for him. I'm feeling so jealous. But... if it's Boss Chen, maybe... just maybe it's okay..." Lee Jun lamented internally.