Returning to "home" alone, Zhuo Nian was surprised to find neither her older brother nor sister present.
She inquired, and Mother Zhao explained, "This morning they asked if anyone knew medical science? Your sister volunteered before, so she went to the infirmary to help. Your brother was also called away by someone."
Zhuo Nian recalled the items they had brought back and said, "We found some food. Ah Yan will bring it out later, and we can cook for ourselves. I'll go call my sister back."
"Alright."
Upon hearing she was leaving, Chong Yan immediately sat up, "I'll go with you."
"I'll be back soon."
Chong Yan said nothing, merely watching her silently.
Zhuo Nian relented, "Then take some ingredients to my mom, and we'll go together."
"Okay."
He brought out some food, then happily took Zhuo Nian's hand and accompanied her to the medical room converted from a carriage.
Due to insufficient resources, those injured were lying directly in the carriages. Doctors and nurses were tending to them, checking and treating their wounds. The severely injured had almost no chance of survival, and those who could still lie there were not critically wounded.
Zhu Yu Jue had been pecked by a strange bird, and being thrown to the ground had only caused him some pain. The spot where he was pecked had turned a bit dark. He sat to the side while a nurse disinfected it with medical alcohol.
Seeing Zhuo Nian and Chong Yan enter, he instinctively thought they were looking for him and became a little excited, "Miss Zhao, why have you come over?"
Zhuo Nian glanced at him. Her sister turned around, surprised, "Xiao Nian, you're back!"
"Mm." She said to Zhu Yu Jue, "I'm calling my sister back for dinner. Is Mr. Zhu's injury alright?"
Zhu Yu Jue looked at the young woman in the white coat. She didn't resemble Zhuo Nian too closely, but they were of similar age. If they were sisters, they must be fraternal twins.
"It's fine, thank you for your concern, Miss Zhao. Is this your sister?"
"Mm."
After a brief exchange, seeing them return and hearing they were going back for dinner, Zhao Jiao also felt a surge of excitement. She briefly handed over her work to her colleagues and left with them.
"Did you encounter any danger outside these past couple of days?"
"No. How about you?"
"We're doing well." Zhao Jiao, a very gentle young woman, smiled at her sister and her prospective brother-in-law, "Because you awakened your abilities and gained General Zhen's attention, we've had enough food to eat every day. I don't have a specialized field or a physician's license, so being selected to help is all thanks to you."
"We are family, no need to be so polite."
Hearing this, Zhao Jiao looked at her calm and composed face and had many questions.
But she couldn't voice them. Regardless of whether the person before her was her sister or not, she had to be her sister now. Her grandparents, father, and mother probably couldn't accept what they believed to be the truth.
Perhaps they had their suspicions, but without evidence, deceiving themselves was a comfort.
"Yes, family, no need for politeness."
When they returned, Mother Zhao had already cooked the rice and was preparing the dishes. They had brought back vacuum-sealed chicken pieces. Mother Zhao cooked a chicken soup and made two home-style stir-fries. The family gathered to eat.
Halfway through the meal, a guard beside General Zhen ran over to convey his message: "The General has asked Miss Xiao and her boyfriend to attend a meeting tonight to welcome the new members who have joined us."
"Understood, we will be there."
"Comrade, please sit down and join us for dinner."
The young man naturally couldn't stay to eat. After delivering the message, he left.
Mother Zhao frowned, "Xiao Nian, you were just going to help out, why are you being asked to attend a meeting? Those who have joined us recently are not to be trifled with. I heard most of them are soldiers, but among the three leaders, only one was a soldier, and they don't have much say. Are you sure..."
"I'm just going to listen and offer some advice." Zhuo Nian's expression was very humble, "Their disputes won't affect us, Mom, don't worry."
Chong Yan chimed in, "Yes, we're not afraid of them."
"Eat your food."
Chong Yan fell silent.
They rested for a while. The convoy continued to move slowly, stopping as darkness fell. Several tents were pitched at the front, and many skilled cooks were brought in to prepare food, along with a good selection of fine wines. It looked like they were planning a party.
Zhuo Nian remembered a movie she had watched in another world: "Global Cooling." All the survivors crammed onto a train, and the difference from the front of the train to the back was like heaven and hell. Those in the front ate gourmet food, drank fine wine, read, and worked, enjoying a wonderful life, while those in the back ate food made from cockroaches.
Now, as they held a party at the front while those in the back couldn't even get a drink, it felt somewhat similar.
The only difference was that most of the people enjoying themselves at the front had also been at the front when danger arose.
It was relatively fairer.
Several tables were set up between the tents. On the main table in the center sat five or six people Zhuo Nian had met several times, along with four unfamiliar individuals.
She was more familiar with Zhen Jie and the researcher who was also a doctor.
Their table was also relatively close to that one. The tables next to them were occupied by ability users. Including the new members, the total number of ability users was just over sixty. Including other important figures, there were nine tables in total. Sudan Fiction Network.
As Zhuo Nian silently surveyed the scene, she suddenly noticed Jiang Xiao Shu staring intently at someone at the main table. She followed her gaze and saw a capable and beautiful young woman.
"Who is she?"
The system prompted: [The original female lead. It seems she has a lot of resentment, likely reborn. How chaotic.]
Zhuo Nian frowned, feeling a sense of empathy.
"General Zhen, I brought so many people here not to ask for your help. Otherwise, I would have brought all those burdens with me. My people are all young and vigorous, and we have quite a few ability users. So I have only one request: after we decide where to stop, these people, we will divide them equally."
Zhen Jie's expression was displeased, "If you were talking about dividing resources, I might consider it. People are not commodities, how can they be divided?"
"General Zhen, are you playing games with me? Then I'll be blunt. It's not about dividing people, it's about dividing power. General Zhen should have the authority to open the weapon and energy warehouses in District Three of J City. After we settle down, you will surely send people to retrieve those weapons and energy. Then, we'll each send half our people, and we'll divide the retrieved weapons equally. How about that?"
"What daydream are you having?"
A clear male voice interjected with mocking disdain, instantly ruining the mood. The man in his thirties or forties instantly turned grim and looked towards the table next to them.
Chong Yan said excitedly, "That woman is hideously ugly, yet she wants to chase me. She's as ugly as she is ambitious, a toad trying to eat swan meat!"