"Don’t blame Ningning for being cold and heartless, old lady. No matter how nice these people sound right now, it’s only because Ningning is here to keep them in line. Once she leaves the village tomorrow morning, who knows what will happen," Song Yaoguo said in a low voice.

Old Mrs. Song shot him a glare. "She’s my own granddaughter. You think I don’t know that? I don’t need you to tell me."

Embarrassed, Song Yaoguo gestured for Song Kexin to close the villa’s gate.

Xie Ning sent her grandparents to bed, while she stayed busy in the courtyard, continuing to reinforce the perimeter wall.

Worried about her daughter, Song You’ai stayed by her side, witnessing firsthand how Ningning split metal plates into sharp spikes in her hands.

She thought it was absolutely incredible to watch.

Xie Ning added Metal Spikes to the top of the two-meter-plus high perimeter wall, and even installed a full ring of them around the corners.

Now, the entire top of the perimeter wall bristled with sturdy Metal Spikes.

Seeing her daughter, who had been busy for two hours and whose face was now slightly pale, Song You’ai rushed to support her. "Daughter, did you overuse your superpower?"

"I’m fine, Mom. I actually feel pretty good right now." Xie Ning smiled at her.

Song Youzhi, who was in the courtyard keeping an eye on the group from the Rescuers’ Association, heard the voices and ran over. "What’s wrong, Ningning?"

"I’m fine, Uncle." Xie Ning walked over to Song Youzhi. "Perfect timing. I have something to tell you."

"After Mom and I leave with the others tomorrow, you and Kexin are not to go anywhere. Just stay home and guard the house."

"It’s not exactly safe nearby. A lot of the zombies in the surrounding buildings have never been cleared out," Xie Ning said with a serious expression.

"These Initial-stage zombies are basically idiots. As long as no one opens a door to go in, they won’t be able to open the doors to get out by themselves."

Song Youzhi nodded, listening intently and writing down every point she made.

"Keep an eye out these next couple of days. My younger uncle and aunt... I don’t know if they’ll try to flee this way. If they show up..." Xie Ning took a deep breath, her voice heavy. "They need to be quarantined first."

Song Youzhi’s fists tightened. "You’re right. I’ll be careful."

Song Youzhi closed his notebook and looked deeply at the mother and daughter. "You two have to be careful! Especially when you pass the village committee building."

"I know." Xie Ning bit her lip. "We’re counting on you here at home, Uncle."

Song Youzhi nodded emphatically but said nothing more. Everything was understood.

Early the next morning, Xie Ning pulled her mother into the sedan driven by Xiao Huang Mao.

Ji Taixian, Annie, and four other members of the rescue association boarded a Jinbei van, while Wang Zongxuan led the remaining people into the last car.

Regardless of how many of them were reluctant to leave, they now had no choice but to follow Xie Ning’s lead.

The alternative was to die or be left behind in the village; everyone knew how to choose.

After the car started, the normally silent Xiao Huang Mao suddenly spoke. "Thank you."

He knew full well that if Xie Ning hadn’t been there to back her up, that timid woman, Zhu Huizhen, would never have dared to charge forward and get her revenge.

Come to think of it, he was probably even more useless than a frail woman like her.

’Faced with a physically strong Superpower User, I didn’t dare make a move at all.’

’In the end, someone else had to avenge me.’

"I thought you would punish someone like me."

Xie Ning tilted her chin up. "Why?"

"With the world like this, Superpower Users should be more valuable than regular people, but I schemed and got two of them killed."

Xie Ning suddenly laughed. "How absurd."

"Looks like there’s a car blocking the road up ahead. Slow down."

The car crept forward. Two soldiers stood by the side of the road, rifles at the ready, and gestured for them to stop.