The quarantine period ended quickly.
It was hard to describe how Lu Dongnuan felt right now.
Lin Sui and those people were clearly unfriendly toward her.
After all, many of those who had been sacrificed were connected to her.
In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say she was the culprit.
If she hadn’t forced those people to take the opposite path, they might have actually escaped.
Unfortunately, the path they ended up taking was the same one Lu Dongnuan had to travel.
After the Giant Spider failed to catch Lu Dongnuan, it clearly switched targets.
Without cars or cover, and with zombies in front and a spider behind, they had managed to travel all the way to Lu Dongnuan despite facing enemies everywhere.
She greatly admired their perseverance and strength.
However, fate was fickle, and this group was ultimately assigned to her—the leader in name only.
While being assigned to the leader’s group seemed prestigious, anyone with eyes could see who the real boss was.
Lin Mo was the true leader.
Lin Mo’s move was also a subtle way of telling her to handle these people herself.
She sat in a chair, quietly waiting for them to arrive.
***
The door of the quarantine room closed softly behind them with a dull thud, temporarily locking away the continuous forty-eight hours of confinement and anxiety.
Lin Sui held the still somewhat timid girl.
Behind her followed Li Xin, Zhao Hongbo, and Wang Qiuli.
The four were led by a guard through the bustling morning camp of the safety zone.
Along the dirt road, people who had risen early were already starting their day’s work.
The clinking of wall repairs, the splashing of laundry, and low-voiced conversations mingled together.
Sunlight filtered through sparse clouds, casting a somewhat surreal glow over the dusty camp.
Many people stopped their work to curiously eye the four new faces.
Lin Sui lowered her eyes slightly to avoid their gazes, simply hugging the child in her arms tighter.
She could feel Li Xin’s muscles tensing beside her and see the stiff, forced smile on Zhao Hongbo’s face.
The injury on Wang Qiuli’s arm had been redressed with clean bandages, though his complexion remained poor.
The guard led them to a relatively secluded area on the west side of the camp.
There were several large prefab houses here, with tools and raw materials scattered in the open space out front, making it look like a small work zone.
In front of one of the houses, a person sat on a simple wooden chair.
Clad in black clothing with a somewhat cold expression, she was the woman who had stood beside the leader, Lin Mo, that day, barely saying a word.
She seemed to have just finished some task, as she was slowly wiping her fingertips with a cloth.
The sunlight hit her face at an angle, outlining her sharp features.
Hearing their footsteps, she looked up, her gaze calm.
In that moment, Lin Sui’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
The guard stopped and bowed slightly to the woman in the chair, “Dr. Lu, I’ve brought them. Brother Lin said they are to be under your arrangement for now.”
‘Dr. Lu?’ Lin Sui thought, ‘So, she’s a doctor.’
Lu Dongnuan nodded, set the cloth aside, and stood up.
Her movements were steady and unhurried.
Her gaze swept over the four of them in turn, lingering for a brief moment on Lin Sui’s face.
“I am Lu Dongnuan. I am in charge of scavenging and medical care for the safety zone, and I am also the leader here.” Her voice matched her temperament—calm, clear, and devoid of much warmth.
“Lin Mo has already briefed me on your situation. Your quarantine is over, and your physical exams are mostly clear. Welcome to the safety zone.”
She said “welcome,” but her tone didn’t carry much warmth; it was more like a formal announcement.
Then, she asked, “You are former police officers. What are you skilled in? Reconnaissance, or something else?”
Li Xin puffed out his chest and replied, “I’m in criminal investigation. I know a bit about forensic tracking, interrogation, and defensive positioning. Brother Zhao is traffic police; he’s familiar with roads and vehicles. Old Wang…”
He glanced at Wang Qiuli.
“Old Wang…”
“I studied civil engineering,” Wang Qiuli said.
Upon hearing the words “civil engineering,” Lu Dongnuan felt a stir of interest.
“Very well.” Her face remained expressionless.
“The safety zone is currently short on manpower and experience. The perimeter walls need reinforcement, patrols need strengthening, and the Supply Search Team needs experienced people for leadership and scouting.” She paused, her sharp gaze shifting to Li Xin and Zhao Hongbo.
“Your experience will be very useful.”
Her gaze then turned toward Wang Qiuli, who had just spoken.
“Civil engineering… which specific direction? Structures, construction, or design?”
Though she suppressed her excitement, the question itself revealed her level of interest.
In this safety zone with its thin walls and gaps everywhere, a professional who understood civil engineering was worth as much as an armed squad.
Wang Qiuli seemed surprised to be singled out.
He hesitated a moment before supporting his injured arm and answering, “I… I studied structures. I worked in an Architectural Design Institute for a few years, and I know a bit about construction management as well.”
Lu Dongnuan nodded, her eyes sweeping over the bandages on Wang Qiuli’s arm and asked, “How is the injury?”
“The bone is fine. It’s a flesh wound that got a bit inflamed, but it’s been treated. I just need a few days to recover,” Wang Qiuli answered honestly.
Lu Dongnuan looked at him and said, “Since your injury hasn’t fully healed, you aren’t fit for scouting or heavy labor for now. I’ll give you two choices. One, go to the medical station to help out as an assistant. Two, go to the wall. You won’t do any physical labor; you’ll just observe. You will list every structural issue you find, areas that need reinforcement or modification, and any hidden dangers in the construction process. The more detailed, the better.”
“Which do you choose?”
Wang Qiuli hardly hesitated and said, “I choose to go to the wall.”
His eyes, which had been somewhat dull, brightened.
While working at the medical station would be easier, going to the wall was where he could truly prove his value and gain recognition.
Even if he could only observe, his professional insight was a contribution in itself.
“Fine.” Lu Dongnuan didn’t seem surprised by his choice, “Big Guy is in charge over there. Follow him and tell him your ideas. But remember, only offer suggestions. Do not interfere with the actual construction, and certainly do not overexert yourself. Your primary task is to recover and observe.”
“Understood!” Wang Qiuli nodded vigorously.
“Alright, the rest of you may head back. Someone will arrange your living quarters and inform you of the schedule and rules.”
Following the instruction, the guard led Li Xin, Zhao Hongbo, and Wang Qiuli away.
After a few steps, the three of them turned back almost simultaneously, their gazes complex as they looked at Lin Sui, who was still standing there alone.
The worry in Li Xin’s eyes was the most obvious; his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.
Zhao Hongbo frowned and shook his head slightly at Lin Sui, signaling her to be careful.
He then lightly pulled Li Xin and whispered, “Let’s go.”
As they were about to leave, Lu Dongnuan called out to them.
“Wait.”
The group turned back.
Lu Dongnuan pointed to the child in Lin Sui’s arms and said, “Take the child with you.”
The men exchanged looks, took the child from Lin Sui, and turned to leave.
I hope this comes back