The Fierce Princess of the Apocalypse

Chapter 3

The car pulled to a halt before Ye Hanshuang, and the window rolled down.

Zhang Siqin let out a disdainful snort, waiting smugly for her to beg for a ride.

Yet Ye Hanshuang merely held her umbrella, saying nothing. Her vacant gaze drifted forward, as if lost in thought or awaiting something unseen.

Li Li was firmly against taking the spoiled young lady aboard. Still, feminine beauty held undeniable appeal for men.

A graceful girl, neat and subtly fragrant, standing alone amid the desolate end times stirred his heart. He leaned out of the window. "Ye Hanshuang, aren’t you getting in?"

Ye Baolin pushed open the car door. "H Shuang, hurry up. We can squeeze together."

Three people already occupied the back seat, leaving barely any room. Ye Baolin shifted inward, and Zhang Siqin reluctantly made a tiny space.

Ye Hanshuang glanced at the grimy seats and stepped back.

The group looked utterly confused.

"You’re turning up your nose at us? You don’t want a ride?" Zhang Siqin snapped, infuriated.

Ye Hanshuang nodded earnestly. "That’s right."

Zhang Siqin’s eyes widened in shock. She truly meant it? Then why linger by the roadside? Her voice sharpened with irritation. "This noble lady has no intention of joining us. Why humiliate ourselves?"

Dark looks clouded everyone’s faces.

Zombies gradually drew near in the distance. They possessed keen senses and superior strength, some even awakening supernatural powers, growing extremely ferocious. Mutated flora and fauna posed an even deadlier threat.

Humanity had fallen from the top of the food chain, surrounded by hidden perils everywhere. These were merely low-level zombies, yet no one knew what other dangers lurked in the shadows.

Glancing at the approaching undead and the still stubborn girl, Shao Chenyan spoke coldly. "Let’s go."

Zong Ling slammed on the accelerator, knocking a zombie aside and speeding off.

Zhang Siqin secretly rejoiced, relieved to finally shake off the troublesome princess.

Her joy faded instantly as the ground rumbled violently.

Ye Hanshuang stayed rooted on the spot, lowering her umbrella slightly. Here it comes.

Earthquakes struck Sichuan frequently, even before the apocalypse. Cataclysmic tremors became far more rampant afterward, with powerful quakes bringing catastrophic destruction. That was why the group dared not stay indoors for long, fearing collapse even more than night-time hazards.

Ye Hanshuang narrowed her eyes calmly. So much dust, utterly filthy. She brushed off specks dirtying her nightgown.

The violent quake reached magnitude seven or eight. Unfinished buildings crumbled completely in the distance. Their vehicle was tossed over violently.

Shao Chenyan conjured wind to steady the car. Everyone jumped out swiftly, and Ye Baolin stored the wrecked vehicle into her spatial dimension the moment she landed.

The trembling ground dragged them down the instant they set foot. Debris rained down relentlessly, while terrifying fissures split open beneath their feet.

They fled frantically amid curses. Seasoned survivors though they were, the two-minute tremor felt endless. All emerged battered and bruised, even Shao Chenyan sustaining minor injuries.

"Are you alright?" Shao Chenyan checked on Ye Baolin.

She shook her head, staring rigidly elsewhere. The others followed her line of sight and froze dumbfounded.

Chaos reigned all around, yet Ye Hanshuang stood untouched on a patch of unbroken ground. No falling wreckage came near her, and dust was blocked entirely by her umbrella. She remained serene, completely out of place amid the devastated wasteland.

No one believed this was mere coincidence. How had she foreseen the quake and secured the safest spot in advance? Even pre-apocalyptic major earthquakes defied accurate prediction, let alone erratic post-disaster seismic activity.

A fierce beastly roar echoed afar. Everyone tensed up at once.

"Mutated rats!" Zong Ling exclaimed in alarm.

The tremor disrupted all living creatures. Zombies got buried under rubble, while hordes of giant rats fled from underground burrows. Drawn by human scent, they swarmed aggressively toward the survivors.

Single mutated rats were manageable, yet countless numbers surged forth, sending chills down spines. Once palm-sized rodents now grew as large as cats, baring sharp deadly fangs. Humanity no longer ruled nature.

The rats charged relentlessly, screams of other survivors drifting faintly through the ruins. This residential zone housed more inhabitants, all now prey for the ravenous creatures.

"Run!" Shao Chenyan grabbed Ye Baolin and fled. Collapsed debris blocked the road ahead, forcing them to escape on foot from the pursuing swarm.

The team coordinated well, yet they soon turned back, finding their path sealed off by rubble and rats alike.

Ye Hanshuang remained standing quietly. The aggressive rodents chased the fleeing group straight toward her.

"Ye Hanshuang, run fast!" Ye Baolin shouted anxiously, pale and sweating heavily.

Even in mortal peril, Zhang Siqin sneered inwardly. Dressed in impractical nightwear and slippers, the girl stood no chance of escape. Her demise seemed inevitable.

The group rushed up close. Li Li hacked incoming rats with a machete, Shao Chenyan unleashed gusts of wind, and Zong Ling summoned blazing flames. The mutated beasts attacked fearlessly, leaping toward their targets without hesitation.

While the survivors struggled desperately, Ye Hanshuang folded her umbrella unhurriedly. Witnessing this, everyone assumed she was courting death. Her flimsy attire offered no protection, and the rats would tear her apart instantly.

Sure enough, several rats darted straight for her. Ye Baolin forced herself to look away, heart heavy with certainty that the girl would perish.

Abruptly, Li Li froze mid-battle, eyes bulging with disbelief.

Everyone instinctively glanced over during the brief lull. Just as the rat lunged within striking distance, two delicate crystal wings unfurled from slits opening on Ye Hanshuang’s gown. She lifted off the ground gracefully, still holding her umbrella.

Her iridescent wings shimmered brilliantly under sunlight, making her fair skin glow like jade, resembling a celestial maiden straight out of fairy tales. Despite her spoiled demeanor, the breathtaking wings fit perfectly with a royal princess image.

The crowd stared in utter shock.

Ye Hanshuang cast them a casual downward glance, regarding them no differently than tiny insects. Her wings fluttered gently, carrying her back toward the residential area.

"Follow her!" Shao Chenyan ordered promptly.

The mysterious girl held countless secrets. Her water manipulation ability, earthquake foresight, and now flight capability were extraordinary gifts. Flying mutants held massive survival advantages, safe from ground-bound zombies and most beasts. Such power would greatly benefit the entire team.

The group chased after her swiftly. They fled frantically from relentless rat hordes, appearing utterly wretched compared to Ye Hanshuang’s effortless graceful flight.

All sustained wounds, yet they finally shook off most pursuers and reached a drivable road. Ye Baolin retrieved their vehicle. They sped away hastily, leaving the vicious rodents far behind.

The cracked terrain was safely crossed with Shao Chenyan’s wind assistance, clearing their path back to City M.

Ye Baolin tended to everyone’s injuries using medical supplies from her spatial storage. Li Li kept gazing out the window, others also staring thoughtfully at the distant sky.

Her graceful bearing starkly contrasted their miserable state. Li Li rubbed his eyes doubtfully. "Did I hallucinate? Those wings looked impossibly gorgeous."

He turned to his companions. "This feels surreal. It’s like we live a harsh apocalyptic story, while she belongs to a fairy tale."

Zhang Siqin could not accept what she saw. How could someone wield water powers and possess wings? Could she command dual abilities? She remained deeply skeptical.

The car traveled steadily on land while Ye Hanshuang flew leisurely overhead. The team faced relentless zombie hordes and countless hazards, their vehicle badly damaged. Meanwhile, Ye Hanshuang stayed spotless and unharmed throughout the journey, moving along at a leisurely pace as if sightseeing. Her slow flight speed was the only reason they managed to keep up.

The earthquake cleared previous threats, leaving broken roads and rampaging creatures as their main obstacles. Supported by wind and spatial abilities, they safely navigated all dangers and returned to her residential compound.

"Why has she come back?" Li Li wondered aloud, curiosity overriding his pain.

"Does she intend to stay here instead of traveling onward?" Ye Baolin pondered.

"City M suffered severe quake damage. Local temporary bases must be heavily ruined. Staying here is suicidal," Zhang Siqin scoffed.

"I’ll try persuading her," Ye Baolin offered.

Shao Chenyan nodded in agreement. "We chased after her hoping to recruit her into our team."

Their motive shifted entirely. Stronger teammates meant higher survival odds on the long dangerous journey to Sichuan Base. They willingly sought to gain such a powerful ally.

"Her spoiled attitude will only drag us down," Zhang Siqin protested unwillingly.

"Her abilities are extremely valuable. Dual powers make her worth tolerating," Zong Ling reasoned. Survival outweighed petty grievances.

Reluctantly, everyone stepped out of the car to invite Ye Hanshuang to join their party.

Her residence survived repeated earthquakes yet stood structurally unsafe. She cared little about the ruined house itself. Frowning at the messy interior, she brushed dust off her dress and walked inside.

Ten minutes later, the group entered the house as well.

"H Shuang?" Ye Baolin called softly.

Ye Hanshuang emerged completely transformed. She wore an elegant long dress paired with polished leather shoes. A wide-brimmed aristocratic hat adorned with a large bow sat atop her head, sheer white veil covering half her face. A lace folding fan rested in her hand.

Her graceful footsteps echoed softly across wooden flooring. Every elegant gesture captivated onlookers. The refined attire seemed more suited for a grand ball than the brutal apocalyptic wasteland.

An uneasy premonition crept over everyone.

"H Shuang… what brings you back here?" Ye Baolin asked cautiously.

Ye Hanshuang tilted her head slightly, her exquisite red lips parting gently.

"I came home to change clothes."

The group fell speechless.

They endured countless hardships and dangers traveling all the way back merely to follow a young lady returning home just for an outfit change? Even peaceful pre-apocalyptic days saw no one traveling hundreds of kilometers solely to switch dresses.

"Is there any problem?" Ye Hanshuang asked calmly.

No words could properly express their speechless frustration.