Skinwalker Belle – Chapter 34 – The Stars Surround the Moon

Dawn was just breaking when the sound of soft footsteps outside the door woke Lin Fan.

She opened her eyes.

A sharp, distinct pain pulsed from the bandaged wound on her shoulder.

“Doctor Xiao Yao, time to get up!”

Outside the door, the voices of several girls chirped with morning cheer.

Lin Fan sat up and skillfully slipped on the pink JK uniform, black thigh-high socks, and small leather shoes.

Walking to the mirror, she tied her hair into two high pigtails.

The face in the mirror was incredibly deceptive.

At twenty-nine years old, she had the innocent face of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.

Those large eyes, small nose, and rosy lips were enough to make anyone drop their guard.

Lin Fan pushed the door open.

Several girls instantly swarmed around her, chattering away.

“Xiao Yao, is your wound any better?”

“Hurry, hurry, let’s go get breakfast together!”

Surrounded by them, Lin Fan wore a sweet and harmless smile, but her heart was a sea of indifference.

This feeling of being cherished in the palm of their hands was indeed very convenient.

The cafeteria on the second floor was completely transformed.

The mountain of corpses and the pungent smell of blood were gone, replaced by neatly rearranged tables and chairs and the aroma of food.

The biggest surprise was the large, walk-in freezer in the kitchen that had maintained its low temperature even after the power went out.

The vast quantities of frozen meat and vegetables stored inside were a hard currency more precious than gold in the apocalypse.

The moment Lin Fan walked into the cafeteria, she immediately became the center of attention.

“Doctor Xiao Yao is here!”

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“Xiao Yao, sit with me!”

“Doctor, thank you so much for yesterday. You’re our savior!”

Almost everyone greeted her enthusiastically.

Lin Fan smiled sweetly, responding to each of them in a soft, syrupy voice.

“Thank you for your concern, everyone. I’m fine.”

“I’m also very happy that I was able to save Brother Ah Hu.”

Her voice, paired with that adorable little face, was devastatingly effective.

Even a few of the male team members, who were usually aloof, couldn’t help but let their gazes linger on her, their expressions softening considerably.

Lin Fan sneered inwardly.

These people were so easy to fool.

A single surgery had earned her the prestige and goodwill of the entire stronghold.

In the apocalypse, the value of a doctor was magnified infinitely, to say nothing of a “little doctor” who was so adorable.

Everyone wanted to be on good terms with her, because no one could guarantee they wouldn’t be the next person lying on the operating table.

Just then, Lei Li walked out of the kitchen.

She was holding a tray. Today, she wore a tight black T-shirt that outlined her stunning curves, her lower body still clad in her signature black leather pants and high-heeled boots.

Her short hair was neat, and her aura was as powerful as a queen surveying her domain.

“Xiao Yao, come here.”

Lei Li’s voice wasn’t loud, but it instantly cut through all the noise in the cafeteria. She beckoned to Lin Fan.

Lin Fan immediately switched to obedient-little-sister mode and trotted over with small steps.

“Good morning, Lei-jie!”

Lei Li placed the tray on the table in front of her.

On the tray were steaming hot meat buns, a boiled egg, and a glass of steaming milk.

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This extra preferential treatment was a stark contrast to the thin porridge in everyone else’s bowls.

“You’re injured. You need to replenish your strength.”

Lei Li’s tone was uncharacteristically gentle, completely devoid of the cold, authoritative queen she usually was.

The gazes from the surrounding crowd were a mixture of envy, jealousy, and understanding.

To be favored so much by Lei-jie, Doctor Xiao Yao’s status was already transcendent.

Lin Fan’s eyes instantly turned red, as if she were overwhelmed with emotion.

“Lei-jie, you’re too good to me…”

She picked up a meat bun and nibbled on it in small, endearing bites, like a little squirrel.

Watching her, Lei Li couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from turning up slightly.

How could this little girl be so cute even when she was eating?

As Lin Fan ate, she used her peripheral vision to quickly scan the cafeteria.

After days of bloody battles, the stronghold’s population had plummeted from ninety-six to just over sixty.

But those who survived were elites, and their morale was high.

Successfully taking the second, third, and fourth floors had given everyone hope for survival.

“Everyone, quiet down!”

Lei Li stood up and clapped her hands.

The cafeteria fell silent in an instant.

All eyes focused on her, filled with reverence and trust.

“We successfully cleared three floors over the past two days. Today, we continue.”

“This afternoon, we attack the fifth floor.”

“The fifth floor is a clothing company. There are a lot of clothing samples inside.”

That one sentence ignited the crowd.

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It had been almost a week since the apocalypse began, and the clothes on many people were long soaked in sweat and blood, emitting a foul odor.

Clean clothes, especially for the women who cared about their appearance, held a fatal attraction.

“However, the situation on the fifth floor is complicated.”

Lei Li’s voice grew heavy.

“It’s an open-plan office area. The space is wide, with no cover whatsoever.”

“This means we can’t use the terrain to our advantage. We can only face the zombies head-on.”

“This operation will be extremely dangerous.”

The excited atmosphere instantly cooled, becoming serious and solemn.

Lin Fan put down her meat bun, but a glint of excitement flashed in her eyes.

The opportunity had come.

“Lei-jie, I want to go too!”

She suddenly stood up, her voice crisp and filled with unquestionable resolve.

Everyone was stunned.

A doctor, a delicate girl who had just been shot yesterday, wanted to participate in the most dangerous frontal assault?

“Xiao Yao, don’t be ridiculous. Your wound hasn’t healed yet.”

Lei Li’s brows furrowed tightly, her tone full of disapproval.

“I’m fine!”

Lin Fan raised her still-functional right hand and made a cheering gesture, her smile radiant.

“My left hand is injured, but my right hand still works!”

“If anyone gets hurt in battle, I can treat them immediately! On the battlefield, every second can be the difference between life and death!”

Her reasoning was irrefutable.

In high-intensity combat, the presence of a medic with the team could greatly increase their margin for error and boost morale.

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Lei Li hesitated.

Reason told her she absolutely could not let the stronghold’s only, and most important, doctor take such a risk.

But looking at the small face before her, etched with “sincerity” and “bravery,” she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

“I’ll protect myself! I promise!”

Lin Fan blinked her large, watery eyes, her voice as soft as if she were whining. Anyone who heard it would feel their heart melt.

“Besides, I want to do something for everyone too. When I was saving Brother Ah Hu yesterday, I was thinking, wouldn’t it be great if I could save more and more people?”

Her words flowed like a warm current into the hearts of everyone present.

In an apocalypse where everyone was fending for themselves, there was still such a kind and pure girl.

She was clearly in danger herself, yet she was still thinking about saving others.

“Doctor Xiao Yao, you’re truly an angel!”

“With you there, we’ll feel much more at ease!”

“That’s right, Lei-jie! With a doctor along, we’ll be more confident!”

The crowd spoke up one after another, their words filled with support and emotion.

Lei Li looked at Lin Fan’s sincere face, which held not a trace of impurity.

She sighed and nodded.

“Alright. But you must stay in the very middle of the team at all times. You are absolutely not allowed to rush to the front.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll listen to everything Lei-jie says!”

Lin Fan smiled happily, like a child who had just been given candy.

“Then it’s settled. All combat personnel will assemble on the sixth floor at noon.”

After making the announcement, Lei Li gave Lin Fan a deep look and turned to leave.

Her gaze was complex, filled with worry and a hint of indulgence she herself hadn’t noticed.