Chapter 77: A Small Warmth Before the Battle

Waking up from a restful sleep, Du Yun felt as though every bone in her body had softened, leaving her comfortable and languid, as if the apocalypse had never happened and the terrifying zombies had never existed. She stood by the window, gazing at the sun blazing in the sky, and suddenly a sense of unreality washed over her. Was this world real? Was everything she fought for, everything she strove toward, truly genuine?

“Get ready. We depart in half an hour.” The intercom by her bedside crackled to life. Du Yun picked it up and replied, “Understood,” then clipped it onto her waistband. She had found this intercom by chance while searching the armory, and it proved invaluable when the group split into smaller teams. Even when they were far apart, communication remained possible, making cooperation much easier.

Since the intercom was solar-powered, there was no need to worry about charging, which saved them a lot of trouble. However, it was only effective within two thousand meters, so long-range communication was impossible. Nevertheless, that was sufficient for Du Yun and her companions. In zombie-infested areas, they were already isolated and vulnerable; if they wandered too far from one another, being surrounded by zombies would leave them with nowhere to cry for help.

Du Yun kept her belongings in her storage compartment, so there was nothing much to pack. With half an hour left, she glanced at the ingredients she still had and, feeling the emptiness in her stomach after days of inadequate meals, decided to make a proper breakfast.

Yesterday, while clearing out zombies, Du Yun had paid special attention to the kitchen in her small apartment, and it turned out to be well-equipped. Perhaps the original owner was a food lover, for pots, pans, and utensils were all neatly in place.

The refrigerator was stocked with quite a few ingredients, and combined with what Du Yun had in her storage, she could prepare a lavish meal. This dormitory truly lived up to its reputation as the airport logistics staff quarters; even when the planet’s power system had collapsed, the building still maintained water and electricity, making cooking much more convenient.

Time was short, so Du Yun opted for something hot and simple. She took out half a bag of flour from her storage, used scallions, ginger, and tomatoes from the kitchen fridge, opened a canned box labeled “luncheon meat,” and quickly made a pot of dough drop soup.

She had learned this dish from her sister, Du Zhi; you could use either wheat or corn flour, boil a kettle of water, scoop in a generous bowl of dough drops, add scallions, ginger, and leafy greens, and it would taste wonderful. With the addition of tomatoes and canned meat, the aroma became almost tangible, making Du Yun’s stomach growl with hunger.

Whether by coincidence or thanks to a sensitive nose, the moment Du Yun finished cooking, someone knocked at her door.

“You’re here,” Du Yun said with a smile, seeing the stern-faced leader standing at the threshold. Despite his intimidating appearance, the way his nose twitched and his eyes darted inside betrayed his intentions. He must be hungry and hoping for a share of her meal, Du Yun thought secretly, a smile unconsciously curling her lips, leaving the leader momentarily dazed.

He knew his own appearance was rather frightening, but as he passed by Du Yun’s room and caught a whiff of the food, thoughts of her gentle hands made him unable to move on. Still, as a man of dignity, he couldn’t bring himself to ask directly for food, so he put on his fearsome mask instead.

“Come in. I just made something to eat. Let’s share it,” Du Yun said, stepping aside to let him in, her lips pressed in a gentle smile. The leader was taciturn and proud; asking him to admit he’d come for a meal was harder than sending him out to slay zombies. Rather than wasting time staring at each other, it was better to quietly enjoy breakfast together.

Du Yun’s door closed softly behind them, sealing in the aroma. Nearby, two figures rolled out from the corridor corner, sneaky and incredulous as they witnessed their leader’s lack of shame.

“Is that really the boss? Sneaking into her room for food?”

“Exactly! Why isn’t Du Yun afraid of him at all? The boss’s face could freeze an elephant!”

Big Zhuang and Skinny Monkey exchanged nervous glances toward Du Yun’s door, deeply impressed by her prowess.

Inside, Du Yun was oblivious to the peeping eyes outside. The leader noticed them, but merely cursed “brats” under his breath, then focused on the meal before him.

In truth, Du Yun had only cooked a pot of dough drop soup—simple ingredients, humble preparation, nothing extraordinary. Yet, in this despair-ridden world overrun by zombies, it felt precious beyond measure.

The two ate in silence, the only sound in the room the clinking of spoon against bowl, making the atmosphere even more tranquil.

“Don’t be afraid,” the leader suddenly said, looking up at Du Yun.

“Afraid of what?” Du Yun was puzzled. Eating breakfast now, there was nothing to fear. As for the future, wasn’t everything moving toward hope? In a few days, the rendezvous would come. Apart from the swarms of zombies at the airport, what else was there to fear?

“I’ll protect you. Here, you won’t be harmed. When we return to Imperial Star, I’ll watch over you there too.” His voice was resolute, his gaze intense on Du Yun.

Ever since he decided to take Du Yun back to Imperial Star, he’d been pondering how to introduce her to his family. The situation was complicated, and even after much thought, he hadn’t figured it out. Yet his fondness for Du Yun grew ever deeper, his determination to bring her home ever stronger.

What Du Yun didn’t know was that his family held a prominent position on Imperial Star. Among the direct line, he was the most promising, the focus of high society’s gaze. As someone who had never been close to any woman, and as a top candidate for inter-family alliances, bringing home an unknown woman from a low-level planet with intentions of marriage would be enough to stir a storm on Imperial Star.

Not only was he aware of this, but Big Zhuang and Skinny Monkey knew as well. That was why they had always harbored inexplicable hostility toward Du Yun. Their boss had acted impulsively and recklessly, and as his subordinates, they lacked the nerve to dissuade him, so they vented their frustration by making things uncomfortable for Du Yun.

Yet neither expected Du Yun’s nerves to be so thick, nor her lack of apocalyptic awareness. Their tricks didn’t drive her away; instead, they gradually found themselves won over.

“Alright,” Du Yun replied with a sweet smile, thinking these were merely the leader’s sudden tender words, never realizing the deeper truth beneath.

For a moment, silence fell between them again, a faint sweetness drifting through the air. This small warmth before the coming battle brought peace to their hearts.