Chapter 47: From Now On, You Are My Pet

Chang Mianmian was beaming with pleasant surprise. "Sis, you've become so amazing! Wow, what rank are you now?"

"Mianmian, let some water flow to give my mom a bath." Xin Nian rummaged through the daily necessities area and pulled out a freestanding shower curtain they used to use. After pulling it around in a circle, the outdoor bathing became much less awkward.

"Okay. Okay!!" Chang Mianmian raised her hand and placed it over the washbasin, and a continuous stream of fresh water flowed from her fingertips.

"Sis, I still can't control the water temperature. What should we do? It's hot out, but since we just got caught in the rain, I can't let my aunt take a cold bath."

"It's fine, it's fine. A cold bath is okay too." At the mere thought of washing off this grime, Xie Ninglan perked right up.

She wanted a bath so badly; she had been dreaming about it!

In the past, she felt miserable if she didn't bathe for two days. It was nothing like now, where she hadn't bathed for four, five, or six days, and her body was so dirty it was almost fading.

"I'll find a few heating spheres and toss them in. It won't be too hot, but it should warm the water enough so it's not bone-chillingly cold."

Chang Mianmian's eyes lit up.

How could she have forgotten? After the rapid development of the base, they had produced quite a few high-tech little gadgets.

These heating spheres were similar to self-heating packs, but they heated up much faster and dissolved in water without any side effects.

"Mom, once you're done washing, change into clean sanitary pants. You'll feel much more comfortable."

"Mhm, mhm, mhm!" Xie Ninglan nodded repeatedly. "Ten minutes, I'll be quick!"

"No rush." Once Xin Nian waited for her mother to pull the shower curtain shut, she brought out a small table and a thermos.

Seeing the familiar thermos, Chang Mianmian's hand instinctively reached for it.

Xin Nian brought out a few simple plastic stools.

The two sat facing each other, poured two cups of hot water, and took several gulps.

"Most of the things in this opened daily necessities area are things we used to collect from all over—various unopened daily necessities, household items, kitchenware, and so on. There are also many crates and cabinets full of clothes, shoes, and socks, but none of these clothes are suitable for use here right now."

Chang Mianmian nodded repeatedly. "I remember, we sorted through them together back then."

"I don't know if I'll be able to open other food or medicine areas once my spatial ability rank increases. It's too early to say; right now, my original space only preserves some of the old items we used to use."

Xin Nian tapped the thermos and then patted the plastic stool beneath her. "There isn't much food in this area; it's just because we organized it too well back then."

Xin Nian gave a helpless, bitter smile. In truth, everything in her space had previously been thrown in haphazardly, without any distinction between tools, food, or medicine areas; everything was mixed together.

Later, after the zombies were basically wiped out and the base began its reconstruction, she had gathered her entire team to start organizing the spatial items, donating several batches to the refugees in the base.

Now that the space was organized, there wasn't much to eat in the daily necessities area.

Xin Nian rummaged through it and found that aside from a set of common thermoses and cups, there was only a bag of whole wheat bread, two pieces of chocolate, and a few other things.

These were likely swept in along with the tables and chairs back then.

She silently took out the bag of bread, and the two of them miserably ate a few slices with the hot water.

Xie Ninglan bathed very quickly. She had to continue wearing the outer prisoner's garment, which was dirty as mud, but her daughter had prepared a small undershirt and underwear for her to wear underneath. Finally, she felt clean and refreshed.

She had originally wanted to wash her hair, but thinking about how her daughter hadn't even had a proper bath for days, she didn't want to be fussy. She would wait until they reached the county for a chance to wash properly; time was tight, and they needed to get back as soon as possible. Being clean enough was sufficient.

Xie Ninglan pulled open the shower curtain and ran out, tugging at her half-damp prisoner's garment.

Xin Nian stepped forward to meet her, handing her bread and hot water. "Eat something to line your stomach quickly. We're heading back in a moment."

After the three of them shared half a piece of chocolate to sweeten their mouths, Xin Nian withdrew the spatial barrier.

The rain came pouring down. They scrambled to hold up a straw mat to send Chang Mianmian back, then hurriedly rushed back to their original earthen cave dwelling.

As soon as they stepped inside, two bright, long blades were held right in front of their eyes.

Madam Yu cried out in panic, "Sixth Girl!"

Xin Nian narrowed her eyes and looked up, seeing about a dozen convicts sitting obediently against the walls of the cave.

Directly in front, Madam Yu and the others were surrounded by five or six bailiffs.

Her father had a child hanging from both his front and back, and he stood beside the old lady, shouting, "Officer, see for yourself! I told you, how could that mother and daughter run away? It's storming outside; where could they possibly go?"

"Right? I said it was all a misunderstanding, why don't you believe me yet?"

Xin Wen'an, holding the swaying Concubine Qiu, turned and roared at Xin Nian and her mother, "Where have you two been? Sixth Girl, someone said you hit an official and ran away with your mother. Is it true?"

Xin Nian looked at them with cold eyes, her gaze piercingly frigid as it swept over Liang Guang, Xiao Jia, Mao Hu (Bearded Man), and the others.

Finally, her gaze locked onto Liang Guang's face.

Everyone saw her turn, raise her hand, and make a downward pulling motion in the air.

It was strange, as if there were a curtain at the entrance of the cave and she was pulling it down.

Liang Guang and the others stared at her with strange expressions.

"You people are really annoying, annoying, annoying!" Xin Nian gripped her wrist, gave it a slight twist, and slowly tilted her head to the left and then to the right.

Liang Guang and the others didn't know why, but they felt their hair stand on end instantly.

It was as if they had a terrible premonition.

"Can't you just travel peacefully? Why do you have to come and bother me once, twice, three times every single day?"

"I don't want to kill people, but you are all so disobedient!"

As her voice fell, everyone felt a blur before their eyes. The young girl who had just been standing at the cave entrance appeared before Mao Hu like a ghost.

A hand, white and smooth as jade, suddenly pierced through Mao Hu's shoulder as if slicing melon or cutting tofu, heavily smashing through his scapula.

In an instant, everyone screamed in terror, staring at the girl as if she were a demon.

Someone scrambled in a panic toward the cave entrance, only to slam into something.

Only then did they realize that the entrance to the cave seemed to have been sealed by some invisible barrier.

Ah! They couldn't get out!

Mao Hu's eyes widened, staring at Xin Nian in disbelief.

"What are you looking at? Keep looking and I'll gouge your eyeballs out." Xin Nian gripped Mao Hu by the throat.

With a lift of her foot, she kicked away a bailiff who had drawn his blade, sending him flying as he spat out a mouthful of old blood mid-air.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Liang Guang shouted in terror, "Let's talk this out, let's... let's talk..."

Xin Nian's eyes were indifferent. She crushed Mao Hu's neck bone and casually tossed the slumped man to the ground like a broken ragdoll.

In the next instant, she appeared in front of the terrified, paralyzed Liang Guang.

"From now on."

"All of you are my pets."

"Do you understand?"

Xin Nian stepped on Liang Guang's thigh, applying a bit of pressure, causing him to let out a scream like a slaughtered pig.

(End of Chapter)