Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The Door to Rebirth in the Apocalypse

As Third Brother’s boisterous laughter faded into the distance, the soldiers of the Second Company wore expressions of utter disbelief.

Suddenly, one soldier shouted, “I don’t believe she’s that good! She must have cheated!” He then sprinted to the target, examined it for a while, and returned with a dejected look, unable to say another word.

Second Company Commander Zhang Yueguo’s face was a mix of emotions, and no one dared to speak. After a long pause, he patted Zhai Jun on the shoulder and said, “Zhai Jun, you saw it. Xie Aiguo found some incredibly skilled girl out of nowhere. And from what I saw, her shooting intervals were so short, yet she still hit the mark every time. She’s definitely a veteran. In three days, the Five-Star Brigade will be here to pick people. Starting today, forget about all other training. Focus solely on shooting.”

Zhai Jun nodded firmly, “Yes, Commander!”

Someone asked, “But Commander, isn’t that girl the niece of the Third Company Commander?”

Zhang Yueguo frowned, “What niece? If he had such a talented niece, with his tendency to brag about every little thing, do you think he could have kept her hidden until now?! You all better go and ask around in Third Company. Find out where Xie Aiguo dug up this girl. Otherwise, you’ll be the laughingstock of Third Company! What are you standing around for?! Get back to training!”

Seeing Zhang Yueguo’s anger, the soldiers quickly resumed their target practice.

Zhai Jun took a firm position and didn’t move an inch.

Meanwhile, over in Third Company, the atmosphere was jubilant.

It was nearly eleven, and Third Brother had ended training early, taking the entire company to a small restaurant outside the base. The soldiers, tired of the cafeteria food, occasionally came here to enjoy a better meal and have a few drinks.

Nearly a hundred people from Third Company, including the kitchen staff, packed the small restaurant.

Zhang Xiaobai was standing there, animatedly describing Gu Ning’s impressive shooting skills and the reactions of the Second Company soldiers. Even Gu Ning, the person in question, had no idea there were so many dramatic moments she had missed.

“You have no idea! At first, the Second Company guys were all looking down their noses at us, and their commander wouldn’t even give us a proper glance. To be honest, even we weren’t that confident in Gu Ning at first. Our commander said she was his niece, just here to practice shooting. The Second Company guys were mocking her, but then Gu Ning fired ten shots! Ten hits! Ten bullseyes!” Zhang Xiaobai slapped his thigh, his face lit up with excitement. “Oh man, you should’ve seen their faces when I announced the score! They were completely shattered! Their jaws hit the floor! Even Zhai Jun, their commander’s golden boy, froze like a statue. And their commander’s face! Oh my god! It was as black as the bottom of our cafeteria pots!”

The restaurant erupted in laughter.

Zhang Xiaobai continued, “Then our commander patted their commander on the shoulder and said, ‘Old Zhang, I forgot to tell you, Gu Ning isn’t just my niece. She’s also being recommended to the Five-Star Brigade!’ You guys missed it, but it was so satisfying to watch!”

“Gu Ning! Have you served in the military before? How are you so good?!” a soldier asked.

Under the intense gaze of a hundred pairs of eyes, Gu Ning felt a bit overwhelmed. “Uh… no, I haven’t served. But I did learn to shoot at a shooting range.”

The soldier was about to say more when the owner arrived with the food.

The dishes were simple but plentiful, mostly meat.

Zhang Xiaobai joked, “Our commander really went all out today! In two years, I’ve never seen him pay for a meal out of his own pocket! This is a first!”

Third Brother snapped, “You little brat! Didn’t I treat you all during New Year?!”

A soldier laughed, “Hey, Commander! I heard that was the regiment’s money! How did it become your treat?!”

“You brats! You can’t even shoot straight! You got wiped out in field training! If you could make me proud like Gu Ning did in front of Zhang Yueguo, I’d treat you every day! Today, thanks to this girl, we humbled Second Company. But don’t get cocky! We need to keep improving. Xiaobai, Zhao Jie, Zou Ming, Zhong Xu!” Third Brother suddenly called out four names.

“Yes, Commander!” The four stood up in unison.

Third Brother said, “Starting today, you four will skip regular training and go to the shooting range with Gu Ning! Keep it up until the Five-Star Brigade arrives!”

“Yes, Commander!” The four shouted in unison.

The other soldiers applauded.

Finally, Third Brother raised his glass and said to the soldiers, “Today has been a damn good day. I’ll make an exception and have this one drink. If we pass the Five-Star Brigade’s test in three days, I’ll treat you all here again! And you can drink as much as you want!”

“Cheers!” The soldiers shouted, raising their glasses.

The restaurant owners smiled broadly.

This was the first time since the apocalypse that Gu Ning had seen such a lively scene, and she felt a wave of emotion.

Third Brother raised his glass to Gu Ning, “To Gu Ning!”

The soldiers followed suit, raising their glasses and shouting, “To Gu Ning!”

Gu Ning felt both flattered and invigorated. She raised her glass, smiled at everyone, and downed it in one go.

The soldiers then sat back down, chatting and eating.

One by one, the soldiers put down their bowls. Some were so full they leaned back in their chairs, rubbing their stomachs. Gradually, all eyes turned to Gu Ning.

Gu Ning was still eating.

Considering the soldiers’ appetites, the restaurant used large bowls. Normally, a girl not on a diet would eat one bowl. But Gu Ning had already refilled her bowl five times.

She also scooped up all the leftover meat slices into her bowl.

She ate with such relish and focus, as if nothing else in the world mattered. She stuffed her mouth full and chewed vigorously. The food was good, but not *that* good. Gu Ning’s eating made several already full soldiers want to eat more.

Finally, Gu Ning put down her bowl after the last bite.

Her stomach was only slightly bulging, and she felt no discomfort. In fact, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction. This was the first time since her “transformation” that she had eaten to full satiety, and it felt incredibly fulfilling.

“Gu Ning, are you okay? Do you need some digestive pills from the infirmary?” Zhang Xiaobai asked.

“No, I’m fine,” Gu Ning stood up easily. “Let’s go.”

“Incredible! Absolutely incredible!” Zhang Xiaobai said, amazed at how effortlessly Gu Ning stood up.

After the meal, the soldiers gathered outside the restaurant.

When Third Brother handed the money to the owner, Gu Ning clearly saw his hand tremble, though he tried to hide it, maintaining a calm expression.

The group then marched back to the base.

Gu Ning was surrounded like a celebrity, with soldiers eagerly asking her for tips. Third Brother was pushed to the outskirts, feeling somewhat neglected.

A middle-aged soldier with thick eyebrows and big eyes approached with a few young soldiers. He greeted Third Brother with a smile, “Hey, Old Xie! What’s all the commotion about?”

“First Company, hello!” the soldiers greeted enthusiastically.

From their warmth and smiles, Gu Ning guessed they had a good relationship with the First Company Commander.

Third Brother also smiled, “Old Zhou! I just took them out for a meal. We’re heading back now.”

First Company Commander Zhou Zilai laughed, “Wow! Even you, the iron rooster, are willing to pluck a feather?”

The soldiers laughed good-naturedly, and Gu Ning couldn’t help but smile.

Zhou Zilai then noticed Gu Ning, her golden hair standing out among the green uniforms.

“Hey, you’ve got a guest in your company. Old Xie, introduce her.”

Third Brother laughed, “My niece.” He paused, then added proudly, “And also the one I’m recommending to the Five-Star Brigade, along with Xiaobai and the others.”

Zhou Zilai was slightly surprised, giving Gu Ning a few more glances. Suddenly, he understood, “So that’s why Second Company was going crazy at the shooting range today! They were spurred on by this girl?! Even you, the iron rooster, are willing to spend money. You must have really struck gold!”

He continued, “So, how confident are you this time?”

Third Brother replied, “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure yet. It depends on who comes from the Five-Star Brigade. If it’s the same people as last year, then we’re golden. But I doubt it’ll be the same group.”

Zhou Zilai was surprised, “Last year, that group wiped out all three of our companies. You must really have faith in this girl.”

“Good luck. Make your uncle proud. If you get selected, it’ll be a win for First Company too,” Zhou Zilai said to Gu Ning. It seemed the Five-Star Brigade had made quite a few enemies.

Third Brother said, “Alright, Old Zhou, I know you. You’ve got a few secret weapons up your sleeve. You won’t reveal them until the last moment. We’ll see on the battlefield.”

“Alright, alright! We’ll see on the battlefield! Whoever wins, it’ll be a redemption for us all,” Zhou Zilai said with a smile.

They then parted ways.

“Commander, do you really have secret weapons?” Zhang Xiaobai asked.

“That old fox Zhou Zilai probably does. But who it is, we’ll only know when the Five-Star Brigade arrives in three days,” Third Brother said, then added, “But that’s not your concern. You four, take Gu Ning to the shooting range and practice.”

Gu Ning wasn’t in a hurry to leave. She had no confidence in her shooting skills against the formidable Five-Star Brigade, so all she could do was try to improve.

She followed Zhang Xiaobai and the others to the shooting range.

Zhai Jun and a few Second Company soldiers were still practicing, seemingly having skipped lunch.

Zhang Xiaobai and the others, full and satisfied, approached. Zhang Xiaobai patted his bulging stomach and called out, “Hey, you guys haven’t eaten yet, have you? Your commander is so cruel, not even letting you eat.”

The Second Company soldiers ignored Zhang Xiaobai’s taunts, their eyes fixed on Gu Ning.

Zhai Jun glanced at Gu Ning a few times, then returned to aiming at the distant target.

The range officer handed Gu Ning a gun. She took it, lay down, and focused on the target through the scope, beginning her practice.

Seeing Gu Ning’s seriousness, Zhang Xiaobai and the others stopped joking and found their spots to practice.

The recoil was strong, and the loud gunshots were hard on the ears. After about thirty or forty shots, they had to take a break.

But Gu Ning didn’t get up once.

Zhang Xiaobai and the others were stunned.

The Second Company soldiers kept glancing over. Zhai Jun, seeing Gu Ning not moving at all, had a complex expression. He adjusted his shoulders and continued shooting.

It wasn’t until 4 PM that Gu Ning finally ended her afternoon practice, standing up to stretch her stiff body. She had only occasionally adjusted her position but otherwise remained prone the entire time.

Zhang Xiaobai, Zhong Xu, and the others looked at Gu Ning with something akin to horror.

Zhang Xiaobai struggled to find words, finally blurting out, “You’re a monster—”

When Gu Ning asked Third Brother for a loan, he initially refused. But considering Gu Ning was Third Company’s hope for redemption and her promise to repay, plus her trustworthy appearance, he reluctantly pulled out a few hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and handed them to her solemnly, saying, “Gu Ning, this is all my pocket money for the month. Use it wisely.”

Gu Ning was amused by this unexpected side of Third Brother and said, “Don’t worry, Third Brother. I’ll pay you back soon.” This money was for her next trip here; she was currently broke.

Third Brother waved her off, “Alright, alright, go on. Come back early tomorrow.”

Gu Ning boarded the military truck.

Strangely, it was the same truck she had ridden in the apocalypse.

The driver was Luo Long.

Gu Ning closed her eyes and rested, silent the entire way.

A block away from home, Gu Ning called for a stop, “You can drop me here. Thanks.”

She then bid farewell and walked home.

At home, her father had just returned from a day of teaching.

He put down his book and asked, “Did you eat? How was the interview?”

Gu Ning had prepared her story, “I ate out. The place I interviewed at didn’t work out, but Method introduced me to another one. Good conditions. Full-time tutoring, includes lunch, 300 a day.”

Her mother, washing dishes in the kitchen, rushed out without drying her hands, “Such good pay?! How long will it last?”

Gu Ning vaguely replied, “At least three months.”

Her father said calmly, “Are you sure it’s not a scam? Scammers are getting more creative these days.”

Her mother slapped his shoulder with her wet hands, “Oh, stop it! Didn’t you hear? It’s Method’s recommendation. He’s a cop! Would he introduce her to a scammer?” She happily counted on her fingers, “300 a day, 30 days is 9,000! Three months is nearly 30,000!”

Her father asked, “No days off?”

Gu Ning calmly replied, “None.”

Her mother said, “Oh, Method is such a good guy! How does he always have such great connections? He found such a reliable job for Ningning so quickly. Ningning, why don’t you invite him over for dinner tomorrow? We should thank him.”

Gu Ning had her lie ready, “Method’s a cop, he’s really busy. And I’ll be busy too. I already thanked him by treating him to a meal today.”

Her mother was a bit disappointed, “Alright then.”

Gu Ning went to the bathroom to wash up, then took a shower and changed into her pajamas.

“I’ve been running around all day, I’m exhausted. I’m going to bed,” she announced and headed to her bedroom. Once inside, her feigned exhaustion vanished, replaced by energy and excitement. She put on her dirty workout clothes, focused her mind, and entered her space, then stepped through the door back to the apocalypse.

She was back in the abandoned small restaurant.

Though she had mentally calculated the time difference, she instinctively checked her watch.

According to her calculations, it should be between 1 and 2 PM here.

But her watch showed 11 AM.

If it wasn’t the next day, then the time ratio had changed from 1:2 to 1:3.

Before Gu Ning could process this change, several sharp gunshots snapped her back to reality! The shots came from the direction of the gathering place’s gate! At the same time, a faint, rotting smell reached her nose. Her instincts screamed danger, and without hesitation, she darted toward the side door! Simultaneously, a pair of glowing green eyes in the shadows lunged at her!