Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Ruo Manni noticed Wang Miaomiao rubbing her stomach and realized that she and Liu Yang were likely starving. She took out two vials of nutrient solution and handed them to the pair.

“Drink this. It’s a nutrient supplement; it’ll fill you up.”

Wang Miaomiao hesitated at the sight of the unfamiliar vial, but when she saw Ruo Manni’s calm and encouraging gaze, she found herself accepting it instinctively. She drank it down in one go.

As she drank, Wang Miaomiao felt a strange sense of déjà vu. For a fleeting moment, Ruo Manni’s gaze reminded her of Lin Kexin’s—their resemblance was uncanny.

Seeing Wang Miaomiao drink it so decisively, Liu Yang didn’t hesitate either. He took the vial and downed it in one gulp.

This girl had used a similar vial earlier to save Wang Miaomiao’s life. If she was willing to use such valuable resources to save someone, she was unlikely to harm them now. And even if she did mean harm, what could they do to resist? Liu Yang figured it was better to just go along with it.

The nutrient solution didn’t have the typical sweet, sour, or bitter flavors; instead, it tasted slightly odd but wasn’t unpleasant.

Within seconds of drinking it, both Wang Miaomiao and Liu Yang felt a soothing warmth spreading from their stomachs to the rest of their bodies. The hunger and fatigue disappeared, and they felt refreshed and energized.

“This nutrient solution is amazing!” Wang Miaomiao exclaimed in astonishment.

Ruo Manni handed them ten more vials each. “This can temporarily stave off hunger while providing nutrition and energy, but it’s not suitable for long-term use. If you have the chance, you should eat regular food; otherwise, it might harm your digestive system.”

Liu Yang smiled bitterly. “At this point, just having something to fill our stomachs is a blessing. Since the apocalypse began, we haven’t had a proper meal in months. It’s always feast or famine—sometimes we go a whole day without eating. And we’re ability users; ordinary people must have it even worse.”

Wang Miaomiao nodded with a sigh. “It’s been so long since the apocalypse started, and the food people had stockpiled is almost gone. Today, we searched the city for half the day, but most places were already cleaned out. I really don’t know how we’re supposed to survive moving forward.”

Ruo Manni paused for a moment, then said, “There’s a saying: ‘The universe always has a way of balancing things out.’ Who’s to say what twists of fate are still in store? After all, you two met us—your saviors, didn’t you?”

“That’s true. Humanity will always find a way to save itself. It’s impossible for humans to go extinct, right?” Liu Yang agreed.

Isn’t there a saying that heaven never seals all the exits? Just like their situation earlier—at the most critical moment, this girl suddenly appeared to save them, and an entire carload of people survived.

When Liu Yang expressed his confidence that humanity wouldn’t go extinct, Ruo Manni’s eyes flickered, but she chose not to dampen his optimism.

After reading the apocalypse survival guide, Ruo Manni was eager to head to B City to investigate further. As a result, the RV drove well into the night before finally stopping to rest.

Liu Yang and Wang Miaomiao were stunned when, after the RV came to a halt, its walls began to slide outward and expand.

Initially, the small lounge they were in, combined with another adjacent space, was about 20 square meters. However, after the walls extended, the total area increased to over 70 square meters. Panels that had been tucked away unfolded automatically, forming separate rooms. Within a minute, the space was divided into four small rooms, each about 10 square meters, furnished with a large bed, a table, and two chairs.

“You two can stay in Room Four,” Ruo Manni said to Liu Yang, adding, “but you’d better hit the bathroom and clean up before sleeping.”

Liu Yang’s face turned beet red. He had long grown used to the grime of the apocalypse and had become desensitized to his own odor. He hadn’t even noticed that everyone else in the RV, including Wang Miaomiao, looked clean and tidy, while he alone was filthy and reeked.

These people, with their refined manners and noble air, hadn’t shown the slightest hint of disgust toward his disheveled state. Their tolerance and etiquette truly amazed him. They had endured his presence for the entire journey without a word of complaint.

Feeling both grateful and embarrassed, Liu Yang headed to the bathroom to shower. As he washed, he couldn’t help but marvel at the luxurious amenities of the RV. What a privilege to have such a vehicle in these apocalyptic times!

After his shower, Liu Yang carried Wang Miaomiao, who still couldn’t walk on her own, back to their room. They whispered a few words to each other before Liu Yang returned to find Ruo Manni.

“How about I take the night watch tonight?” Liu Yang offered.

“There’s no need for that,” Ruo Manni replied. “This RV is equipped with an alarm system. If anything comes within a kilometer, it’ll alert us immediately.”

Her flying car wasn’t an ordinary vehicle. Not only could it withstand attacks from zombies or mutated creatures, but even the artillery of this world couldn’t penetrate it.

Moreover, Hebrew Adam and the others weren’t pushovers. There was absolutely no need to take shifts for night watches.

Hua Deli glanced at Ruo Manni as if wanting to say something, but then he hesitated and turned away awkwardly. Mina-Olli tugged on his sleeve, and the two of them headed into Room Three.

Ruo Manni was puzzled and asked Sheila, “What’s with my brother? Why is he acting all awkward?”

Sheila gave Hebrew Adam a sympathetic look. She knew all too well that Ruo Manni was still clueless about matters of the heart. Despite being with the Second Prince for years, their relationship had never gone beyond the initial stage. Sheila often marveled at the Prince’s patience.

“Why don’t you ask the Prince?” Sheila replied with a mischievous tone, then grabbed Tamaki Kazia and headed into Room Two.

Ruo Manni grew even more confused. But when she looked at Hebrew Adam with the intent to clarify, she noticed him staring at her with an intense gaze that made her heart race. His voice, slightly husky, said, “Let’s go to sleep too.”

Her mind buzzed. Suddenly, she understood why Hua Deli had seemed so conflicted and why Sheila had teased her earlier.

Ruo Manni felt awkward now. She didn’t need to think about Liu Yang and Wang Miaomiao—they had their room. Hua Deli and Mina-Olli were a couple, as were Tamaki Kazia and Sheila. They had been together for quite a while and were likely quite close by now.

So, naturally, they paired off and shared rooms, leaving only her and Hebrew Adam. She had unknowingly set herself up for this situation when assigning rooms—how had she overlooked this possibility?

If Dean Atchison had been on this vehicle, his habit of antagonizing Hebrew Adam might have made him insist on sharing a room with the Prince, just to annoy him.

Although Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam had been in a relationship for nearly two years, their most intimate moment so far had been a brief kiss aboard a warship during an operation to intercept a great beast.

Hebrew Adam watched as the three couples entered their rooms to rest. When he turned his gaze to Ruo Manni, it appeared calm on the surface, but it was a calmness that felt deeply restrained. This made Ruo Manni even more flustered.

Hebrew Adam quickly noticed her unease. Having known Ruo Manni for so long, he understood her well—she was a very reserved and conservative girl. He knew exactly why she was panicking.

He didn’t want to push her or make her uncomfortable, but her flustered reaction also hinted at a subconscious resistance toward him. He couldn’t allow her to maintain this kind of emotional distance.

Resolving to address the situation, Hebrew Adam stood up and approached Ruo Manni. As her eyes widened in panic, he leaned down, scooped her up in one swift motion, and carried her into their room…