Xu Lin took the water, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.
His physique was good, and the action of tilting his head back highlighted his prominent Adam's apple. His bronze skin looked healthy.
Especially the lines of his arm muscles, they exuded a sense of power that made one feel incredibly secure.
After drinking half a bottle of water, Xu Lin, sweating profusely, looked at Su Ling and said, "I'm good. Ask the others."
His facial features were delicate yet masculine. Sweat beaded on his face, and the way he looked at Su Ling was somewhat alluring.
But Su Ling was no young girl; she was a survivor of the apocalypse, and outward appearances were fleeting to her.
"Alright." Her calm eyes shifted from Xu Lin to Fatty and Skinny. "Going down a few floors?"
Fatty and Skinny were drinking water and didn't speak, but they gave Su Ling an OK gesture, indicating they were willing.
Several floors down were residential units with fewer zombies.
Even so, by the time Xu Lin and the other two finished clearing them out, it was already noon.
While they were busy honing their skills on zombies, Su Ling had already left and returned to the rooftop alone to prepare lunch.
Su Ling was lazy. She put rice on the portable stove to cook, then washed some vegetables, preparing to make hot pot.
Enough for four people, especially since they all had hearty appetites, would be troublesome to stir-fry.
With hot pot, all the ingredients could be thrown in to cook, saving time and effort while ensuring everyone was full.
The weather was hot, and the small amounts of meat and seafood brought up last night had started to develop a smell.
This was nothing to Su Ling.
In her past life during the apocalypse, she had eaten food that was rotten and infested with maggots. After removing the bad parts, she'd still eat the good parts.
A slight smell was nothing; washing it clean and boiling it in the pot, the richness of the hot pot broth would mask any odor.
Dipped in the sauce, it would still taste delicious.
Of course, Su Ling had ready-made hot pot ingredients in her space, but she had no intention of using them.
This was because, at present, she couldn't be sure if Xu Lin and the other two were trustworthy.
When Xu Lin and the other two returned with only a few spirit stones, their clothes were soaked with sweat.
Meanwhile, Su Ling was nearing the completion of her hot pot preparation.
The hot pot base was from the supermarket. She poured oil into the pot, tore open the packaging for the hot pot base and put it in. She stir-fried it over low heat until fragrant, then added ginger, garlic, and stir-fried them until aromatic. Next, she added water and brought it to a boil. During this time, she added potatoes, pork ribs, mushrooms, and tofu, which took longer to cook.
Then, she covered the pot and waited for it to boil.
The weather was hot and humid, perfect for cold drinks to relieve the heat.
Unfortunately, conditions were limited. Having water to quench their thirst and rehydrate was already a great relief.
The heat was strong, and the broth in the pot quickly boiled, filling the air with fragrance.
Su Ling lifted the lid and added the remaining ingredients to the pot, while Fatty and Skinny were in charge of serving rice.
Despite the heat, it didn't affect their appetites.
With high physical exertion, they were ravenously hungry, wishing they could have several bowls of rice to replenish their lost energy.
Su Ling scooped a bowl of rice and, with her homemade dipping sauce in front of her, picked up a piece of well-cooked shrimp paste, dipped it, and took a bite of the broth. Although it was scalding hot, it didn't dampen her enthusiasm for eating.
However, she clearly wasn't a fan of excessively hot food.
She prepared an empty plate and put some food on it to cool down.
They ate heartily, but fate had other plans. Halfway through their meal, uninvited guests arrived.
With a loud "bang," the rooftop door was forcefully pushed open.
Then, Xu Daqiang, armed and accompanied by his brothers, made his entrance.
"Nobody move."
Xu Daqiang, carrying a rifle on his shoulder, made a stylish appearance. His brothers spread out, their guns pointed at Su Ling and the other three.
Su Ling picked up a cooled piece of pork rib from her plate and began to gnaw on it with her hand.
Xu Daqiang's gaze locked onto Su Ling. He admired her composure in the face of danger. He walked towards her and stopped in front of her, tapping the table with his gun. "You were quite something last night, weren't you?"