Chapter 30、Commander, You're Absolutely Charming!

At the entrance of the tower, the ground was littered with bodies, the acrid stench of blood thick in the air.

The women stood in silence, some casting fearful glances at Jiang Xiaoci, only to quickly avert their eyes. Her ruthlessness had subdued them.

After a moment, Sister Li broke the silence, forcing back her disgust as she addressed the women, "Hurry! Get moving, clear the bodies!"

Her reasoning was simple: Jiang Xiaoci had killed, so they had to do something. She kills, we bury—clear roles that would also show the Miss how useful they were, so she wouldn't think them useless. At worst, she might drive them away, but if they were to anger her, who knew if they'd meet the same fate?

The women feared her deeply, though none wanted to act. They pinched their noses and prepared to work.

"Enough," Jiang Xiaoci said, waving her hand calmly, her tone soft and warm—like a different person from the cold figure she had been moments before. "There are too many bodies, no need to clean them all. Keep gathering supplies, don't waste time."

"Yes, Miss!" Sister Li quickly nodded, her tone now respectful, urging the women to load the supplies onto the trucks.

Among them was a young girl, no older than seventeen or eighteen, who hesitated. As she passed Jiang Xiaoci, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss Jiang, why did you kill them all? They begged for their lives..."

The girl looked up shyly at Jiang Xiaoci, still struggling to come to terms with the brutal methods. She hadn't yet shed the peaceful values of the old world.

"Sister Li, what are you doing? Get her to work!" Sister Li barked, her voice sharp with urgency, afraid Jiang Xiaoci might strike out in anger.

Jiang Xiaoci glanced at Sister Li, then smiled and addressed the girl, "I remember you. You're Xiao Yan, right? Eighteen, a freshman at Jinling University?"

"Yes..." Xiao Yan nodded hesitantly.

Jiang Xiaoci's smile faded as she spoke softly, "Your sister, fifteen years old, died in the building. I saw her body."

Her words were cold, and Xiao Yan trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't cry! Look at me!" Jiang Xiaoci suddenly raised her voice, making Xiao Yan freeze and meet her gaze, her face filled with sorrow.

The women nearby stood tense, afraid Jiang Xiaoci might lash out.

"If you'd been brave enough back then to fight back, your sister wouldn't have met such a tragic end!" Jiang Xiaoci's tone was icily harsh.

"Miss Jiang... I couldn't fight them off... I tried..." Xiao Yan whispered, struggling to speak.

"Then die fighting! Die in the struggle! It's better than your sister dying like that!" Jiang Xiaoci's voice was relentless. Xiao Yan couldn't respond, only lowering her head.

"Your sister's death didn't open your eyes to this world. What right do you have to stand here and question me?" Jiang Xiaoci's voice dropped dangerously low.

"You can either strip down and beg a man for mercy, or pick up your weapon and fight back against those who harm you!" Jiang Xiaoci moved closer, almost face to face with Xiao Yan, narrowing her eyes. "So, Xiao Yan, what's it going to be? Will you fight with me, or go find a man to protect you?"

"I... I don't know," Xiao Yan's tears fell freely. She had only wanted to ask a question, nothing more.

"Miss Jiang, please... she's just a child," Sister Li interjected, quickly pulling Xiao Yan into her arms. She smiled nervously at Jiang Xiaoci. "Please, Miss Jiang, forgive her. I'll make sure to discipline her."

As she spoke, Sister Li slapped Xiao Yan's arm harshly, making the girl cry even louder.

"It's fine, I won't hold it against her," Jiang Xiaoci said with a detached tone. "Let her cry. This might be her last chance to do so."

Sister Li's eyes widened, her mind racing. Could Jiang Xiaoci be threatening to kill Xiao Yan over a single question?

Jiang Xiaoci didn't respond to Sister Li, instead turning to leave. She stopped midway and glanced back at Xiao Yan. "You asked why I killed them all."

"A man once told me about the Little White Bear Shelter, a psychopath who's killed more than anyone else in this city."

"Think about it—someone who kills without hesitation, do you really believe such a monster would spare a group of fragile women?"

"We've already been discovered. If we don't silence them, they will come for us."

"Xiao Yan, you can be kind-hearted, but next time you show mercy, think about whether your kindness will endanger us all."

Jiang Xiaoci raised an eyebrow, turning to the others. "Get back to work!"

"Yes, yes!" The women quickly nodded, understanding now that Jiang Xiaoci's actions were not without reason—they were necessary for survival.

But when Jiang Xiaoci mentioned "fragile women"... to be honest, the women couldn't help but think that Jiang Xiaoci didn't seem particularly fragile. She was far more like the ruthless killer they had heard about.

Sister Li comforted Xiao Yan, but the girl soon thanked her and pulled away, silently wiping away her tears. She carried a steel spear on her back and returned to the loading of supplies, working harder than before. It seemed like she wanted to carry the weight for her sister too.

Later, the warm evening breeze blew, and the hours passed without incident. By 2 AM, the group, their carts loaded with supplies, began their journey home.

At 4 AM, Yi Bai was woken from his sleep by the sound of women chatting and laughing downstairs. Intrigued, he went down to the hall.

The women had been busy, their shopping carts piled high with supplies, and they were joyfully sorting through them by torchlight, their laughter ringing out with the joy of survival.

Lin Yue stood by with a rifle, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. At one point, she lifted her head and spotted a figure in the hallway.

Clack, clack... The sound of boots on stairs echoed through the hall as a man descended slowly from the darkness.

The women saw Yi Bai and froze, their chatter fading into silence. His expression remained neutral, but his presence was enough to command attention. He didn't know how to behave—he simply kept his face stoic.

"Hurry, get up!" one woman called, and the others quickly followed suit, rising to stand behind Lin Yue.

Sister Li bowed her head, "Commander, good morning."

"Good morning! Commander, good morning!" the others echoed, their voices filled with respect, even tinged with curiosity.

Some bolder women peeked up at the young commander, scrutinizing him. He was handsome, his face youthful and fair, far from the imposing image they had imagined for a leader.

His gentle demeanor quickly won them over—he looked harmless, almost inviting, though the lack of severity made him seem more approachable than authoritative.

As Yi Bai stepped forward, Jiang Xiaoci observed him with a smile, waiting for him to speak. This was his first meeting with the residents—he should say something, at least offer a greeting.

Taking a deep breath, Yi Bai prepared to address them, but before he could speak, a voice rang out clearly from the crowd.

"Commander, you're so handsome..."