When the little black cat came out with Jiang Nian, it shocked everyone. They stepped back in surprise, raising their weapons. Could it be that Jiang Nian was being held hostage?

Jiang Nian quickly raised her hand to calm everyone down and said, “Don’t be afraid; Wang Cai has decided to turn over a new leaf and be a good cat with me. It won’t harm anyone without reason in the future. By the way, those who were scratched by it before can come to me, and I will compensate them with ten kilograms of rice, ten kilograms of flour, and five cans of canned beef on behalf of Wang Cai. I hope you can forget the past unpleasantness, and let’s make amends this time.”

Originally, a few big men who were injured by the little black cat were surprised that Jiang Nian could subdue it. This was indeed a happy event because they had witnessed the black cat’s combat strength. With the addition of the black cat, their combat strength would naturally be stronger, making their community safer. They were still rejoicing when they heard that Jiang Nian was willing to compensate for the losses on behalf of the cat. They readily agreed, thinking that they were all allies now.

Other survivors who were not injured were taken aback. They thought that Jiang Nian was a bit foolish. Subduing a powerful black cat was a good thing, and in a world where strength ruled, no one would dare ask her for compensation. Moreover, it wasn’t her cat to begin with. She could have given a token amount, but she was offering so much!

Shen Ran closely followed Jiang Nian, holding onto her dress with a few superhumans who were trailing behind her. Shen Ran was considered intelligent, independent, and somewhat aloof. He spoke very little and showed no signs of being a frightened child after experiencing fear. This made the superhumans wonder if evolved individuals were all like this.

Now, he was following Jiang Nian, not only behaving like a twelve-year-old child but also showing a tendency to act even younger. After resolving the black cat situation, the people dispersed on their own. Jiang Nian’s family, along with Zhang Wei and his family, headed home. Seeing that there were no onlookers, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but say, “Jiang Nian, even if you want to compensate the injured, it’s not necessary to go this far. Who knows what tomorrow might bring? We’re all facing difficulties, and I know you have a kind heart, but you should also consider your family’s well-being.”

This fool had practically become the moral exemplar of their happy community.

Jiang Nian smiled and replied, “It’s okay; my cat, Cai Cai, will compensate me with its little fish in the future, right?”

The little black cat let out a menacing “meow.”

Zhang Wei sighed and shook his head. With zombies running amok, the hot weather could lead to an epidemic, the zombie virus was dangerous, and the unattended corpses could contaminate the soil. With most of the population gone, the major production centers might have collapsed as well. In this world, everything has become almost disposable, and using a bit means having less. Jiang Nian probably understood this, but her kindness prevailed. It seemed that they hadn’t chosen the wrong person, but they would have to watch out for her.

The injured survivors, about five or six in total, soon arrived. They brightened up when they saw the rice, flour, and canned beef. They licked their lips and, although reluctant, said, “Jiang Nian, we should take only half of these things. While you’re officially compensating us on behalf of the cat, we all know that if you hadn’t subdued it, we would be living here in fear. Getting rid of it would have probably cost us a few brothers. But we are going through difficult times now, and we have families waiting at home. We don’t know when things will calm down outside, and in the future, if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re obliged to help.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian’s mother felt relieved, and Jiang’s father smiled. Jiang Yuan touched his forehead, noting that although the world had changed, there were still many kind-hearted people.

Sitting next to Jiang Nian, Shen Ran looked at her with sparkling eyes.

Jiang Nian waved her hand and said, “You can all take these. There’s no need to plead for Wang Cai on my behalf. It owes me a lot of little fish, and it can’t escape without paying a single one. I’m just waiting for Cai Cai to treat me to a big feast!”

Wang Cai let out a “meow!”

Everyone: “…………??”

This remark further stirred the emotions of the injured families, and they became even more moved. They stopped being polite, and after thanking Jiang Nian, they carried their sacks of rice, flour, and canned goods back home. Along the way, they kept muttering that Jiang Nian was doing good deeds without seeking recognition, and they had even prepared excuses to reject her counterarguments. People who could do such things were indeed very rare, and it seemed like they had suddenly found hope for the future.

Once they left, Jiang’s mother and father went to the kitchen to start preparing a meal. This time, Shen Ran and five other superhumans had joined them, and superhumans typically had larger appetites. Jiang’s mother, aware that they were there to help, was more than willing to provide for them. She poured a basin of flour, added a few eggs, and kneaded the dough, ready to make a meat sauce to go with it. Each of them was served a generous portion.

At first, the superhumans hesitated to eat because they had brought their own provisions. Jiang’s mother had already prepared the food, and they didn’t want it to go to waste. Moreover, they would have to work hard later, so it wasn’t like they were just eating for free. After this explanation, they didn’t feel right about declining and began to eat heartily.

Jiang Nian took a bite of the noodles and asked, “What’s the situation outside?”

Shen Ran replied, “Not great. We encountered many problems on our way here, and several people asked for our help. Most of them are hiding in their homes and are afraid to come out. There are a few superhumans who dare to venture outside, but it’s disorganized, like scattered sand.”

“What about the military?”

“My dad said that the virus outbreak this time resulted in significant losses among the soldiers, and some superhumans turned into zombies due to severe injuries. So, Jiang Jie, please don’t rush into danger all the time. Even though you’re a superhuman, if you get severely injured, you could also turn.”

Jiang’s father exclaimed, “What?! Is that true?”

The soldier who was happily eating from his bowl became serious and said, “It’s true. The trouble within the unit is quite substantial. That’s why we were delayed in getting here. Thankfully, you can protect yourselves, but if something really happens, we wouldn’t know how to report to our superiors and to the public.”

Wait, that doesn’t sound right. They don’t need to report on their safety to higher authorities, let alone to the public, do they???

Seeing the perplexed looks on Jiang’s family’s faces, the soldier scratched his head. “Miss Jiang is the teacher of all superhumans and a benefactor to humanity. Her ‘Twelve Stages of Superpower Training’ has taught us how to train and has saved humanity from many losses. Naturally, she is a person we need to protect. We haven’t made it public because we’re worried that too many people knowing about it might be detrimental to Miss Jiang’s safety. But this is our open secret. You… didn’t know?”

Jiang’s father was stunned, and her mother was even more so. Jiang Yuan was practically jumping with excitement!

Wow! So, his big sister, was that amazing??

Jiang Nian puffed up her chest and said, “Yes, I’m that amazing. Dad and Mom, you can set up an ancestral shrine to honor me. I’ve brought glory to our family!”

Uh…

Jiang’s father and mother: “……….!!!”

Jiang Yuan: …Uh, it’s probably not true, right?

Shen Ran chuckled and wore a satisfied expression on his face.

…

With the addition of Shen Ran and others, the community was quickly cleared of bodies. The corpses were cremated in a designated location, and incense and paper money were burned as offerings, hoping that they would find peace.

After cleaning up the Happy Community, they naturally considered whether to clean the streets in front of the community. Shen Ran’s information indicated that the whole world had suffered a major catastrophe, and they couldn’t rely on the military alone. Moreover, with a city as big as the Imperial Capital, the number of infected zombies was unknown. If humans don’t unite and take action, the situation might worsen.

With these thoughts in mind, the leaders of several buildings in the community couldn’t help but approach Jiang Nian. They wanted to discuss and figure out what to do next—whether to stay within the community and wait for rescue or venture outside.

“Once we open the community gate, the zombies might flood in, endangering our safety. If we really want to go outside, we must come up with a foolproof plan.”

“There are no foolproof plans right now; everything is a life-risking endeavor. We’re at a critical moment for humanity’s survival. If we don’t come together to eliminate the zombies, we’ll end up being wiped out by them. My daughter is only three years old…”

“Sigh, Jiang Nian, what do you think we should do now?”

Even though they were much older than Jiang Nian, her abilities in the past few days were evident to everyone, and she was also righteous, kind-hearted, and trustworthy. While others might not trust anyone else, Jiang Nian was different, and they unconsciously started looking up to her.

Jiang Nian contemplated and said, “How many superhumans do we have now? What kind of abilities do they possess? Since we plan to go out, we need to prepare. Besides our individual abilities, we should also learn to cooperate with each other to maximize our superhuman powers. Additionally, we should train regular people who want to go out to work together, reducing the chances of them dying. But before going out, we can train a bit. I have some very skilled soldiers here, and their abilities are strong. We can learn some tactics from them to protect ourselves. After all, dealing with zombies is not something to be rushed.”

The leaders of the group found this approach to be much better, as they were all ordinary people from different walks of life before the apocalypse and had no combat skills. Learning something now was more than welcome, as they knew that knowledge could make a significant difference.

The soldiers had come to protect Jiang Nian, and teaching some self-defense and zombie-fighting techniques to regular people was not a burden for them. In fact, they were quite enthusiastic, and they discussed what and how to teach. Having one more powerful ally meant one more glimmer of hope, even for self-preservation.

The Happy Community became livelier. While they were concerned about not alerting the zombies outside, not only did the men come to participate, but even children and elderly individuals who could still move joined in. They were reviving the square dances from peaceful times. Apart from martial arts, they also practiced their superhuman abilities. The zombies roaming the streets became their prime targets. Although their efforts seemed like a drop in the bucket, they believed that with determination, they would ultimately succeed.

Survivors from nearby communities also noticed the situation in the Happy Community. Seeing that they were still surviving and able to move around, they couldn’t help but want to seek help. However, the distance was quite far, and they had to cross a major road filled with zombies. Could they make it? Even if they had the intention, they lacked the means.

Nevertheless, this development sparked innovation among many people. If others could go out, they could too! So they began trying to clear the zombies in their vicinity. Just like Jiang Nian and her group, they started by clearing the area near their homes. As more survivors gathered, their strength and courage grew, and they began clearing the streets around the community.

In this way, the Happy Community unintentionally became a source of inspiration. People naturally had their fears, but once they took that first step, they realized that the challenges ahead weren’t as insurmountable as they seemed. They regained their confidence to face these difficulties.

…

…

Jiang Nian, of course, didn’t stay idle. The vegetable seedlings she had planted had grown well. She spent her recent nights planting vegetables, separating them into individual seedlings, and burying them in the soil, waiting for them to grow. She also buried apple seeds in the ground, hoping to grow apple trees.

As for her beloved cat, Wang Cai, it hadn’t brought her much fortune after coming to her house. Instead, it ate a lot and was quite lazy. It would lounge by the window for no apparent reason and come over to her for attention when it was hungry. This cat, which she had adopted, had transformed into a foodie!

“Where are my fish snacks? You must bring back some today, or I’ll have nothing to eat!”

“Meow!”

“Hmph!”

“Meow!!”

Wang Cai could only endure the storm of scolding and headed out early in the morning. By noon, it returned with a fish almost as big as both its paws combined. It proudly placed the fish at Jiang Nian’s feet and raised its head, saying, “Meow!”

Jiang Nian noticed the plump fish and instantly thought of grilling, braising, steaming, and boiling it. Her mouth watered as she asked, “Wang Cai, how much did you steal? Why is there only one? It’s not even enough to get stuck in my teeth.”

“Meow!”

“Woof-meow!!!”

When Qin Yue returned to the rooftop, Wu Jiang and the others were no longer there. His eyes were bloodshot, and he brandished a machete wildly, but he didn’t see Li Ming’s figure.

With the loss of the anchor, these regular zombies posed no threat to him anymore, but their sheer number consumed a lot of his strength.

“Yue Ge, is that really you?”

A weak voice came from behind him, and Qin Yue turned around abruptly to see Li Ming climbing up the stairs to the platform above. Li Ming appeared to be seriously injured, his face pale and covered in cold sweat, and he looked at Qin Yue with an expression of pleasant surprise.

Li Ming was overjoyed. He had thought that Qin Yue falling from the high building was certain death. In that moment, he had been in utter despair. He also deeply resented Wu Jiang. He had been across from Wu Jiang, witnessed Wu Jiang pushing down the wooden ladder, and watched him walk away without looking back. Those people they had rescued and helped had not returned to save them.

Li Ming found it ironic. Others wouldn’t make him feel this miserable. It was Wu Jiang, his childhood friend. Yet, in the face of life and death, all their bonds had become meaningless.

He had never thought of surviving since the moment he decided to stay behind and delay the anchor. However, Qin Yue was different. He was loyal and honorable, a principled man. Why couldn’t he survive?

His mind wandered for a moment, and a zombie bit off half of his arm. He crawled to this platform with all his strength to temporarily escape the danger. But he had not expected Qin Yue to not only survive but also come looking for him. He cried and laughed at the same time, feeling grateful that heaven had its eyes. Good people always receive good fortune. Suddenly, he was alarmed. “Yue Ge, be careful behind you!”

Qin Yue immediately turned around and swung the machete. At that moment, a water blade suddenly struck, directly severing the zombie’s head!

It was Yao Xiaoyue, dressed in black, who had unexpectedly appeared on the rooftop! Following that, several water blades flew out, and the remaining zombies all had their heads severed swiftly and cleanly, leaving no trace.

“Qin Yue, long time no see. Are you okay?”

Qin Yue glanced at her with a blank expression, then climbed up to the platform and helped Li Ming.

Yao Xiaoyue: “??????”