Chapter Sixty-Three: Someone Leaves Without Permission

“So you really swing both ways, don’t you, A Di?” Jiang Miaomiao laughed, tapping the deep, cheerful dimples on A Di’s smiling face.

A Di’s gaze never strayed from the shapely Qin Sheng, and she casually brushed off Jiang Miaomiao’s hand. “No one can refuse a beautiful woman, and I’m certainly not one to try.”

Jiang Miaomiao raised her eyebrows in mock exasperation and teased, “Since you like looking at beauties so much, maybe I won’t introduce you to Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu—two of the hottest guys around.”

“That won’t do!” A Di immediately tore her gaze away and looked plaintively at Jiang Miaomiao. “I like women, sure, but I’m not about to pass up a handsome guy, either. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a fateful encounter…”

A Di was already picturing herself falling in love with a handsome man in the apocalypse, fighting side by side in a male-female duo, beating up zombies together.

Just the thought was delightful.

Qin Sheng had just finished packing up when she overheard A Di’s daydream.

“A male-female duo is probably out of the question, but a zombie duo might actually happen,” Qin Sheng remarked dryly.

A Di pouted and said nothing.

“Shengsheng, be careful out there. We’ll be right here, waiting for you to come back,” Jiang Miaomiao said worriedly, handing Qin Sheng her bag.

Qin Sheng took the backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t let myself get into danger.”

Jiang Miaomiao nodded, though the concern lingered on her face.

“It’s time. Let’s go,” Qin Sheng said, turning to A Di.

A Di shrugged and strode out the door.

“Shen Mei’s in your hands now. I’m off, Miaomiao.” Qin Sheng patted Jiang Miaomiao’s shoulder and strode out of the dormitory.

“I know this road well, but I’m not sure if anyone’s fixed it up lately,” A Di remarked as she walked arm in arm with Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng pursed her lips. “It’s fine. If the wall’s low, I can climb over.”

Mentioning climbing walls made A Di recall her own disastrous attempt—she’d almost broken her neck. The memory made her even more determined to learn some martial arts from Qin Sheng. Even if she couldn’t take down many zombies, at least she’d be able to get over a wall without failing.

“Qin Sheng, when you get back, could you teach me some martial arts too?” A Di clung to Qin Sheng’s arm and asked softly.

Qin Sheng raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Didn’t you give up yesterday? Why the sudden interest again?”

A Di recalled the painful early morning horse stance and grimaced. “Is there any kind of martial arts I can learn that doesn’t involve holding a horse stance?”

Qin Sheng shook her head, giving a resigned smile. She’d known A Di would never agree to morning training.

There really wasn’t any martial art that skipped the basics, but perhaps a superpower didn’t require a horse stance. Qin Sheng glanced at the shorter A Di—if she awakened powers, she could skip the basics. Unless, of course, her abilities were attack-based—in which case, never mind.

Lost in thought, they soon reached the previously damaged wall A Di had mentioned.

But the wall was now perfectly repaired—and even two meters taller. What on earth had happened?

A Di released Qin Sheng’s arm and stepped up to the wall in disbelief, reaching out to touch it. “What the—? They actually made it taller?!”

Qin Sheng shook her head, exasperated. She touched the wall herself; the repairs were obvious. The extra two meters wouldn’t be a problem for her.

“Think you can get over this higher wall?” A Di pointed at it, uncertainty in her eyes.

The wall had always been five or six meters high. Now, with the new addition, it was nearly impossible for anyone to climb over. A Di was already preparing to return with Qin Sheng.

“Well, looks like you’ll have to come back with me…” But before she could finish, a sudden gust of wind swept past her ear. When she turned to say more, Qin Sheng had vanished.

“What the—? Qin Sheng? Where did you go?” A Di looked around in confusion. She couldn’t spot Qin Sheng anywhere.

“Up here.”

Qin Sheng’s voice came from above. A Di looked up and saw her sitting casually on the wall’s edge. A Di’s eyes went wide with shock.

“How did you get up there?”

“Like this.” Qin Sheng lifted her hand and, in the next heartbeat, leapt down from the wall, landing neatly in front of A Di.

A Di’s astonishment was beyond words. She stammered, “Didn’t your feet hurt jumping down like that?”

Qin Sheng shook her head, then sprang back up to her perch on the wall.

“Unbelievable!”

A Di craned her neck so far it almost hurt.

“All right, be careful on your way back. I’m off,” Qin Sheng said, turning and melting into the darkness.

A Di left the place, still reeling.

Qin Sheng slipped swiftly through the darkness toward the perimeter of the safe zone.

“Who’s there?!”

She was just about to leave the last line of defense when she accidentally snapped a branch underfoot, making a noise.

“Is someone there?” A soldier guarding the safe zone heard the sound and immediately raised his gun, heading toward the tree Qin Sheng was hiding in.

Qin Sheng held her breath, not daring to move a muscle as her heart pounded with tension.

She was ready to dive into her pocket dimension at a moment’s notice.

“Did you hear something just now?” another soldier whispered.

“I heard something in the tree. Do you think someone could be up there?” The first soldier was skeptical—even with their training, climbing such a tall tree was no small feat. Subconsciously, he believed no one could get up there.

“No way, the tree’s too high. You’re just nervous.”

“Maybe. Let’s keep watch.”

As the armed soldier finally walked away, Qin Sheng let out a silent sigh of relief. Glancing around, she saw surveillance cameras everywhere. She had no choice but to hide in the tree’s branches to avoid the cameras. This meant she could only sneak out at night; once daylight came, the tree would no longer shield her.

Qin Sheng quickly left the dangerous tree, slipped into a blind spot, and used cover to exit the safe zone.

The night passed in peace.

A Di and Jiang Miaomiao were awakened early by a loud knocking at the door.

“Open up! Open up! Someone has reported that a member of your room has left without permission. Please submit to an immediate inspection.”

The man’s voice outside chased away the last traces of sleep from both A Di and Jiang Miaomiao.

“What’s going on? It’s only Shengsheng’s first night away and someone’s already reported her?” Jiang Miaomiao was filled with worry, her heart sinking as she looked at Qin Sheng’s neatly made bed.

A Di was bewildered, too. It had been so late when she and Qin Sheng left—how could anyone have seen them? Where had things gone wrong?

Neither could come up with an answer.

“Could there be a traitor?” A Di asked as she got dressed.

Jiang Miaomiao thought of the still-unconscious Shen Mei, then the meek, honest Zhao Tiantian. If there was a traitor, the only suspects were herself and A Di.

She dressed quickly and said to A Di, “If there is a traitor, it’s either you or me.”

A Di got up as well and shook her head, dismissing her own theory. “No way. You and I are the least likely. Could it be Shen Mei?”

Jiang Miaomiao shook her head. “She’s still unconscious—you shouldn’t underestimate Shengsheng’s medicine.”

A Di was at a loss.

“If you don’t open up now, we’ll break down the door!” The voice outside pulled them out of their thoughts.

“We can’t let anyone search this room before Shengsheng comes back. I’ll go deal with them. You stay here,” Jiang Miaomiao said, heading for the door.

A Di grabbed her arm helplessly. “There’s no point in me staying if Qin Sheng isn’t back. Let’s both go out and stall as long as we can.”

Jiang Miaomiao agreed, and they both went out together.

As soon as they opened the door, they nearly bumped into Zhao Tiantian, who emerged looking nervous.

“Has Qin Sheng come back yet?” Zhao Tiantian hurried over and whispered to A Di.

Jiang Miaomiao shook her head, her gaze turning critical as she looked at Zhao Tiantian.

Zhao Tiantian knew someone had leaked Qin Sheng’s departure, but since it wasn’t her, she wouldn’t confess. “It wasn’t me—I’d never say anything about Qin Sheng,” she said earnestly.

Jiang Miaomiao turned away and quickly went to the main entrance.

“Anyone in there? If you don’t open up, we’ll—”

“We’re coming!” Jiang Miaomiao called out loudly, opening the door with clear reluctance.

“What’s with all the dawdling? If someone really left without permission, you’re all accomplices!” A pot-bellied man in military uniform stepped inside—it was none other than Zhao Jun, the officer who’d clashed with them before.

Zhao Jun recognized Jiang Miaomiao at once and laughed. “Well, if it isn’t the girl from the truck the other day?”

Seeing who it was, Jiang Miaomiao clenched her fists in nervousness. If Zhao Jun was here, this was no routine inspection—he was clearly after Qin Sheng and the rest.

“And where’s that feisty girl who was with you? Still sleeping, or is she the one who sneaked out?” Zhao Jun stood before Jiang Miaomiao, hands clasped behind his back, smiling slyly like a fox.

Jiang Miaomiao clenched her fists tighter, forcing herself to stay calm.

“So it was you disturbing our sleep, Captain Zhao? Didn’t expect you’d have time to check the girls’ dorms in person.”