Handsome to the Core

The new black combat suit exuded the fresh fragrance of lilies. It was designed for men, lacking extra space for the chest. Since mine wasn't particularly large, it fit perfectly. The material of the combat suit was highly elastic, featuring a stand-up collar, a fitted waist, long sleeves with adjustable cuffs, and an overall neat appearance. There were pockets for knives and guns on the thighs, and plenty of pockets and buckles on the top for carrying various items.

I tightened the waist, throwing a few punches and kicks into the air. The suit's elasticity was excellent, providing comfort without any strain. Satisfied, I patted my chest, then casually removed the headscarf, similar to the ones worn by Emery and the others, from around my neck before stepping out of the room.

"Swish!" As the door opened, I lifted my face, gazing confidently at everyone. Their expressions immediately turned to surprise, with Emery staring at me as if I had suddenly become a stranger."Edmund." I called his name, and he was still lost in thought. "Aren't you working?"

Edmund snapped back, his face turning red. He hastily turned around, sketching intricate lines on a glass panel. "Um, will I be bothering you? And, you're sleeping here, and I... I..."

"It's okay," I said, watching his somewhat stiff back. "Having someone nearby makes me feel at ease." Yes, hearing Edmund muttering to himself there made me fall asleep quickly. In this unfamiliar world, nights became particularly difficult, and what I needed during the apocalypse wasn't silence but the sound of a living person. Fortunately, Edmund would stay up late.

"Okay, okay...""After I get used to it, I'll move out. I apologize for the disturbance during this time." I finished speaking and closed my eyes.

The entire machine repair warehouse fell silent for a moment, with only a faint "hum" as if an electric current flowed through the circuits. In this hum, Edmund's voice echoed again, "Um... I washed your clothes."

"What?!" I abruptly lifted my head from under Second Sister's wings.

Edmund turned in panic, blushing as he looked at me. "No, is that not allowed? I saw them, and they were just too dirty... I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive. When I see clothes that dirty, I can't concentrate, I can't control myself..."

In his incessant explanation, I started to feel dazed. When Edmund got anxious, he would keep talking, turning small matters into long strings of theories.

I stared at Edmund's androgynous and delicate face. At this moment, his face was pink due to anxiety, making him look even more like a shy girl. Suddenly, washing clothes seemed normal for him. He resembled a young girl quietly washing fabric by the stream, and it didn't feel out of place. I found myself not rejecting the idea, which I would have done if it were any other guy saying this. 

However, facing someone like the timid Edmund, I couldn't say that. He had been taking care of me since Second Sister and I occupied this place. I could sense that he considered taking care of us as his responsibility, like when he mistook me for Emery and tried to kick me out.

"I looked at them for a whole hour, hesitating the entire time. But, they made me really uncomfortable..." He said with flushed cheeks, and his gray-blue eyes were filled with "anguish," making me feel that my dirty clothes were truly tormenting him.

"Thank you," I interrupted him directly, or he would keep going. He paused, finally stopping his words.

I smiled at him. "Thank you, Edmund." After saying that, I lay back down. Regardless, I had to thank him; those school uniforms were indeed very dirty.Edmund also breathed a sigh of relief, "Underwear... you can wash them yourself..." he muttered, and without looking, I knew his face must be turning as red as a beet.

"Um," my face turned slightly red too, there was no need for him to say it!

Edmund was really diligent. While busy restoring the life pod's circuits, he also took the time to wash my clothes. It felt a bit strange, but it warmed my heart. Thanks to everyone for taking care of me, allowing me to feel the warmth of a big family here.

"Shua shua shua." In the quiet machine repair warehouse, the sound of Edmund writing once again echoed, accompanied by his soft muttering...

After handing over the sunflower seeds to Edmund the next day, I began to integrate into life in Noah City.

Since falling into this world, I've cried, been scared, panicked, and felt lost. But I told myself, "Yvette, you must survive in this world. Crying won't take you home or reunite you with your family, and it won't bring you any miracles."

So, I had to pull myself together, face reality, and use busyness to get through the most agonizing adjustment period. I used fatigue to forget the pain of longing and the separation from my family. Because my dad taught me that no matter where you are in the world, you have to be strong; only the strong can survive.

Thanks to Celeste for letting me be an instructor, allowing me to focus all my energy on teaching various martial arts and close combat techniques. Thanks to Ominic Instructor for giving me the opportunity to join the reconnaissance team, allowing me to be busy with training, learning to use the guns here, and learning to drive hovercrafts and spaceships, leaving no time to be distracted.

I also have to thank Emery for being annoying. When I was free and starting to lose focus, he would appear on time to give me something to dislike, to scold, to beat up, preventing me from falling into sadness and hopelessness.

Gradually, my life here started to become more regular.

Every day, I would wake up at five, take Second Sister out for a walk. She only went to the bathroom twice a day, and each time she went out, she would howl for a while, as if summoning companions. I took advantage of her walks to get some fresh air and go for a run. Running is the best way to forget worries.

Then, at seven, I would go to collect a day's worth of rations and water. Training would start at eight and continue until the evening. A day of high-intensity training allowed me to fall asleep quickly next to Second Sister, avoiding the pain of missing my home in the quiet of the night.

As training progressed, my desire to go outside became stronger.

However, Emery and the others didn't go out to search for supplies every day.

Because before every mission, they had to do a lot of preparation. They had to cross the outer perimeter of the radiation zone, sometimes covering hundreds of kilometers or even more, similar to traveling from one city to another in my world. Moreover, there was no guarantee that they would find ruins that they could enter. Among them, only Emery could withstand Level 5 radiation; the others could only handle Level 4.Once they find ruins that they can enter, they have to go inside to search for needed items or explore to find even larger ruins. This process is very time-consuming, usually taking ten days to half a month for regular missions, and around a month for exploring new ruins.

Therefore, Edmund has to inspect and maintain their hovercraft and spaceship, prepare an ample supply of energy. The existing energy sources can't sustain them outside for more than a month and a half. They must return before the energy runs out, as there are no readily available gas stations outside for them to refuel.

The day Uncle Ominic and Emery saved me happened to be the day they returned. In this world, people don't pass by you at any time. If it weren't for the coincidence, I would probably have been taken back by Edmund for further questioning. If Edmund hadn't found me, I would have become a corpse in the wilderness.

Edmund always says that my rescue was a one in a hundred thousand chance, and it was due to my great luck.

I feel fortunate, expressing my gratitude for the first time to the gods here for sparing my life. I will never forget Uncle Ominic and Emery's lifesaving grace, but that doesn't mean I won't dislike Emery anymore.