"Sister Yue, why the long face? Something on your mind?"
Today, Wan Qianya didn't go out and there was no zombie threat, so Jiang Yue and Li Jingyin were enough to handle things.
"No...nothing. Where's Brother Jun?"
"Haven't seen him all day, no idea what he's up to. Looking for him?"
"No!"
Wan Qianya gave Jiang Yue a puzzled look, feeling like she was acting a bit different from usual, but was soon engrossed in the comic book she was reading.
"Oh, and where's Jingyin?"
It was just a casual question, but Jiang Yue's body trembled slightly.
Luckily, Wan Qianya was completely absorbed in her comic book and didn't notice this small detail.
"She, uh, she had something to do. She'll be back in a bit."
Wan Qianya didn't suspect anything, just gave an "mm" and went back to her comic book.
After sitting in the living room for a while, Li Jingyin still wasn't back, but Xiao Jun returned first.
"Have dinner without me, I'm a little tired. I'll go take a nap."
Xiao Jun looked exhausted, even with a few traces of blood visible on his body.
Did he go kill zombies this morning?
Before the question could be asked, Xiao Jun had already gone back to his room, apparently really tired.
Jiang Yue wanted to say something, but seeing Xiao Jun go straight to his room, she hesitated and it turned into a sigh.
"I'm going for a walk."
After Jiang Yue left, Wan Qianya closed the comic book she hadn't turned a page of for over ten minutes, a hint of disappointment flashing across her face.
Leaving the villa, Jiang Yue hurried in one direction - where the Ladies Army usually lived.
"Hello, Sister Yue."
Seeing Jiang Yue approach, many of the ladies who were about to take a break and have a snack stood up again.
"Have you seen Li Jingyin?"
"Saw her, she went out with Li Jie."
One of the ladies answered.
"Just the two of them?"
Jiang Yue hurriedly asked.
"Seems like just the two of them, didn't see anyone else."
Getting a definitive answer, Jiang Yue felt even more anxious.
She had clearly told Li Jingyin to keep an eye on Li Jie, so why did they go out together?
If Li Jingyin didn't go willingly, Li Jie alone couldn't overpower her.
Jiang Yue was confused, it seemed things had taken an unexpected turn.
Earlier today when Li Jie came to her, she tried to persuade her to become independent, saying things like why should a capable woman like her in the Ladies Army follow a man's lead?
Especially after they found that Top-Grade Airdrop Box, Li Jie became even more insistent, constantly inciting her.
Li Jie was her childhood friend she'd known since before the apocalypse, their friendship no less than with Wan Qianya and Li Jingyin.
After much agonizing, Jiang Yue still didn't harm Li Jie, only secretly arranged for Li Jingyin to keep an eye on her to prevent her from causing trouble.
But now there was a hitch - Li Jingyin actually went out with Li Jie.
Following the direction the ladies pointed, today was supposed to be Li Jie's squad's patrol shift?
After walking some distance, there was still no sign of anyone, going further would mean leaving the territory.
What's more, there was not a single patrol lady to be seen in the territory today, too strange.
Something must have happened, Jiang Yue felt uneasy.
"Bang!"
A loud crash came from somewhere.
Jiang Yue instantly ran towards the sound.
"Jiang Yue, I knew you'd come."
The sight before her made Jiang Yue tremble.
Li Jingyin, one of the few tough ladies with Superpowers in the team, and the only Fourth Order, had already used up her triple skill at dawn.
Now there were several bloody wounds on her body, especially her leg with a dagger piercing right through, and she was tightly bound to a chair with ropes.
From her constant struggling, the ropes only got tighter.
The loud crash just now was from her suddenly thrashing about, the consequence being more blood flowing from her pierced right leg.
"Li Jie, what are you trying to do?"
Jiang Yue was furious.
"Hand over the Mutant Serum you got today, or I'd like to see if a Fourth Order Variant can die from too much blood loss."
Li Jie held a steel blade, gesturing menacingly at Li Jingyin as if considering where to strike.
"Li Jie, after you joined the team, we treated you like a sister. Why betray us?"
"Betray? Heh."
Li Jie laughed.
"Jiang Yue, why be a lapdog to a man? This is the apocalypse, might makes right, what betrayal are you talking about?"
"You had the chance to become stronger, to be a queen, yet you chose to submit?"
"Well, since that's the case, let me take charge. With that Mutant Serum and my Tough Superpower as a Variant, unstoppable defense plus boosted attack speed, not just some petty team leader, I could even go for Future City's Governor."
Looking at the familiar face, Jiang Yue barely recognized her.
Hearing Li Jie's crazed ravings, seeing the dozen or so ladies next to her who seemed to have fallen under her sway, Jiang Yue was at a loss.
A Serum appeared in Jiang Yue's hand - the high-grade Mutant Serum from the Top-Grade Airdrop Box that morning.
Li Jie's eyes flashed with greed, if she could get that, then subdue Jiang Yue too, let's see what Xiao Jun would do.
Not to mention, she had a backup plan.
The Serum disappeared as quickly as it appeared, immediately replaced by a steel blade in Jiang Yue's hand.
"Jingyin, I'll avenge you."
The calm words made Li Jie a little afraid.
"Kill her, spatial equipment becomes unowned goods that anyone can use."
Jiang Yue's pupils contracted, how did Li Jie know this? Or was she just bluffing?
But there was no time to ask further, the dozen or so ladies were already charging with blades.
Jiang Yue's fracture hadn't fully healed yet, although she could move normally, she was at a disadvantage in combat.
Then, a familiar voice rang out.
"Kill them all."
A ghostly figure appeared, rapidly weaving through the crowd, and before they could react, Wan Qianya had already killed all but two.
A vicious glint flashed in Li Jie's eyes as she swung her blade towards Li Jingyin beside her.
If she died, at least she'd make sure this woman didn't get off easy.
If only she had listened to her, how could this have happened?
But just as she raised her arm, she realized it was lying on the ground.
Why was her arm on the ground?
The next second, the delayed pain spread through her entire body.
Xiao Jun calmly used his dagger to cut the ropes binding Li Jingyin and quickly fed her a Second Order Variant Crystal.
Wan Qianya had also killed the last two and came over.
"You could have died too, since I already knew who was behind this."
The casual words even made the screaming Li Jie go silent for a few seconds.
"If I'm not mistaken, it was the Lone Wolf Group, right?"
No amount of excruciating pain could hide Li Jie's shock - how did he know?
"Take Li Jingyin back for treatment."
With a casual swing of his blade, he eliminated the source of the noise, then Xiao Jun turned his gaze towards the Lone Wolf Group's direction.
Time to settle the score.