Chapter 093: Apocalypse 8

On the other side, an ordinary-looking man arrived at General Xia’s office.

When the general saw him, the tight crease between his brows eased slightly. “Well? Did you find out?”

“Yes,” the man replied. “On the way back, Miss Meimei healed one of the team members whose leg had been broken.”

“A water-type power?” General Xia was not particularly concerned. There were plenty of water-type ability users in the base; nothing unusual about that.

“No,” the man said, shaking his head. “It was a healing power.”

General Xia stared at him. “What?”

“Within less than ten minutes, Miss Meimei healed that ability user’s leg,” the man reported. “So Miss Meimei’s awakened power is healing.”

“Less than ten minutes? Are you sure?” General Xia asked in disbelief. If that was true, then this power was far too special.

“Yes. I had already heard about it two days ago, but to be certain, I spent some more time confirming it. Many of the ability users who went on the mission together said they saw with their own eyes that the man who had broken his leg jumped up after being healed, and didn’t even need the wooden splint anymore.”

“As for why no one spoke up about such a huge matter, I heard it was because Captain Ke and Captain Yu gave orders that Miss Meimei’s healing power was not to be made public.”

He was an intelligence agent; naturally, he had ways of getting information out.

“Also, I heard that yesterday Young Master Lin sent people to inquire as well. It seems he has also learned that Miss Meimei has a healing ability.”

After hearing this, General Xia said nothing. He merely waved a hand, signaling that the man could withdraw.

Le Yixian noticed General Xia had returned while she was having dinner.

Seeing her, he even smiled and waved her over, motioning for her to sit beside him.

Le Yixian felt goosebumps rising all over her skin. Over the past few days, General Xia had indeed been kind to her, but never in this way.

So attentive. Too attentive.

A few days ago he had still harbored some resentment toward her, yet today that resentment had vanished without a trace.

Le Yixian simply sat across from him. The smile on General Xia’s face stiffened for a moment. Then he said, “I had Aunt Liu make you the braised meat you like today. Eat more.”

The braised meat sat in an exquisite ceramic pot, steaming hot. A tempting aroma drifted slowly from within. Besides the stew, there were several other appetizing dishes. Looking at the spread on the table, Le Yixian’s thoughts wavered.

This apocalypse did not feel much like an apocalypse, she thought silently.

In the world she had imagined, ability users, aside from the occasional encounter with a few uninfected animals and the rare fruit or vegetable, spent most of their time eating food produced before the end of the world.

“Gousheng, do you know what’s going on?”

“Madam, it seems the master’s consciousness has changed this world.”

“...”

Well. At least he knew to think of himself first and make sure he ate well.

“Meimei, it must have been hard for you staying alone at the research institute, surrounded by zombies all by yourself,” General Xia said, his face full of pity and concern as he urged her to eat more.

Le Yixian was even more speechless. She had been back in this house for several days already, and now he was suddenly acting this way in front of her.

“If there’s anything you usually lack, tell Aunt Liu or me. We’ll prepare it for you.”

“Dad, if you have something to say, just say it directly.” Le Yixian did not much like beating around the bush.

General Xia had not expected her to be so blunt. After a pause, he asked, “I’m just caring about you. Don’t overthink it.”

“Oh, right. I heard Jingyu, Captain Ke, and Captain Li came by today?” General Xia asked casually. “What did they come for?”

“Nothing much.” Le Yixian did not really want to bring it up, but after thinking for a moment, she added, “I’m going out in a few days.”

“Where to?” General Xia asked, his eyes fixed on her, as though calculating something in his mind.

“Today, Ke Yuandao and the others came by to invite me to join their team. It seems they want to do some kind of transport mission.”

“You, too, awakened a power?” General Xia asked.

“Yes.” Le Yixian nodded.

“What kind?”

“Just an ordinary power. Nothing special. No combat ability.”

When Xia Meimei heard that, she understood what General Xia had come to probe. He probably already had the news. She had no intention of falling out with him right now, so she answered casually.

General Xia looked at this illegitimate daughter, who had spoken the words ordinary and nothing special with a perfectly calm expression, and his grip on the chopsticks tightened a little.

A healing power. Even though he still did not know what level she was, if she could heal a broken leg in ten minutes, then in the future, could she not drag someone back from the brink of death?

At the thought of this, General Xia’s gaze toward her grew even warmer. That was equivalent to adding another life to his hand.

“Meimei, aren’t you bored staying at home? Do you want to come with me and take a look around the administration office?”

The administration office was the place responsible for managing the core of the base.

The meaning behind his words was obvious: he wanted to hand some of that power over to Xia Yixian.

“Dad, you’re taking Xia Meimei to the administration office?!” Xia Linlin strode in quickly from the doorway into the dining room and said unhappily, “I’ve never even been to the administration office. Why can she go? She’s nothing but a slut!”

She had been envious for a long time, yet General Xia had never shown any intention of taking her there.

“Linlin.” General Xia slammed the table, making the dishes and bowls rattle. “I told you, Meimei is your younger sister. You should treat her properly.”

“Who wants to treat her properly? Is she even worthy?” Xia Linlin glared, her beautiful eyes wide.

“How is she not worthy? She’s your sister,” General Xia said.

“Then why can she go to the administration office and I can’t?” Xia Linlin’s voice turned sharp.

General Xia said, “You already have your own team in the base. What would you be doing running off to the administration office?”

“Then if I give up my team, can I stay in the administration office?”

“Nonsense. How can you just abandon your team like that?” General Xia struck the table again, harder this time.

Xia Linlin’s eyes turned red. At that moment, Le Yixian had eaten her fill. She set down her bowl and chopsticks and said slowly, “I’m not going.”

“Good, at least you’re sensible!” Xia Linlin sneered upon hearing that.

“Dad, I’m full. You eat slowly.” Le Yixian greeted General Xia and stood up to go upstairs.

With Xia Linlin to compare her against, General Xia felt that the quiet Xia Meimei was much easier to deal with.

After watching Xia Meimei go upstairs, Xia Linlin stamped her feet at her father. “Dad, why are you being so good to her?”

“Finish your meal first. We’ll talk later.” General Xia pointed at the table, then froze.

Nothing else had happened—only that the dishes on the table had already been eaten to the point of near emptiness, with just one or two pieces of meat or a few strands of greens left on each plate.