Chapter 49: You Sleep First, I'll Keep Watch

The provisions Kong Jianming brought were meant for the people in his team and these survivors.

For those like Su Nian and Jing Mo who joined the mission, they could only eat the dry rations they brought themselves.

The survivors, who had been huddled in various corners, had now gathered around waiting for their food. Su Nian and Jing Mo found a corner near the door and sat down.

Being close to the door meant it was cold, and the survivors were reluctant to stay there. There wasn't much here.

Su Nian placed her backpack by her side and took out some compressed biscuits from it. Just as she looked up, she saw Jing Mo also taking out a bag of compressed biscuits from his backpack.

They exchanged a glance and silently opened the packages to eat.

This was the first time Su Nian had eaten compressed biscuits since the apocalypse arrived.

When Su Nian bought the compressed biscuits, she bought every brand and flavor available on the market. The one she took out now was salt and pepper flavored.

They were crispy and tasted good, making it easier to swallow.

Su Nian was about to pour some water when a steaming cup was handed to her.

Looking up, she saw Jing Mo holding the cup.

"Drink quickly, or it'll get cold," Jing Mo urged.

Su Nian didn't say much and took the cup, taking a small sip.

On such a cold day, it was already difficult enough not to have hot meals; not drinking hot water would only make one freeze.

The compressed biscuits were quite filling, and after eating one, drinking some hot water made their stomachs feel full.

But even when the stomach was full, the mouth wasn't satisfied.

Su Nian remembered seeing a post online before the apocalypse. Someone said they always suspected they had two stomachs: one for meals and one for snacks. How else could one eat fruit, snacks, and drink beverages right after a meal?

Su Nian agreed with this suspicion.

Just like now, even though she knew she was already full, her mouth still craved something.

Su Nian unwrapped a fruit candy and quietly popped it into her mouth.

She didn't pay attention while unwrapping it, only realizing it was orange-flavored after putting it in her mouth.

Su Nian liked oranges.

She liked fresh, juicy, and fragrant oranges, canned oranges, and orange-flavored fruit candies.

Eating something she liked naturally improved her mood.

Even though she didn't like the environment she was in right now, surrounded by so many people, Su Nian's mood slightly improved.

Su Nian sucked on the fruit candy and looked around.

This place used to be the lobby of a holiday resort, spacious enough with a relatively broad view. However, the elegant and classical decor of the lobby was now almost unrecognizable.

Anything that could be dismantled was taken apart and used for heating.

The pillars and the roof were all charred black, with no trace of their original appearance.

The entire lobby should have been around five to six hundred square meters, with only a few people near the door, while the rest were crowded together elsewhere.

Roughly estimating, there were at least three to four hundred people. With the newcomers like them, nearly five hundred people were crammed into this space.

Just thinking about so many people staying in such a confined space made one shudder, let alone being here like Su Nian was at the moment.

After getting their food, those who had gathered to eat went aside to enjoy their meals.

The room was filled with the sound of slurping porridge.

Kong Jianming stood by the large pot, the firelight casting a clear shadow on him.

"Don't eat too quickly! Be careful not to burn yourselves! There's still food left, so just relax!" Kong Jianming repeated this, but not many paid attention to him.

These people were obviously famished; having finally gotten something to eat, they only wanted to devour it as quickly as possible, disregarding the possibility of getting burned.

After all, only what was in their stomachs truly belonged to them!

About ten minutes later, the aroma of food in the lobby gradually dissipated, and everyone had finished their portion.

Su Nian noticed many people licking their bowls, making them cleaner than if they had been washed with water.

These people, having finished eating, looked at Kong Jianming eagerly, continuously complaining of hunger, hoping he would cook more for them.

But Kong Jianming refused.

Their supplies were limited, and they still had to stay here for two or three days. If they ate everything now, they would all go hungry later.

However, Kong Jianming's words were still soothing.

"It's late today; let's all sleep after eating. We'll cook more in the morning! I'll make sure to serve everyone more!" Hearing that there would be more tomorrow, many felt relieved.

Still, some were not reassured and sat closer to Kong Jianming, holding onto their belongings, afraid he might sneak away in the night.

Although Su Nian knew their concerns were unnecessary, she understood why they did it.

People who had experienced near-death situations would definitely cling tightly to any lifeline they could find!

The lobby was crowded, but everyone was quiet.

Having eaten their fill and with the night outside completely dark, it was time to sleep.

Su Nian opened her backpack and took out a blanket.

Jing Mo did the same, wrapping himself tightly in his blanket.

Su Nian had a sleeping bag with her, but it was utterly impractical in this situation.

With so many people curled up to sleep, using a sleeping bag would draw too much attention.

Luckily, she was dressed warmly enough. Before getting off the car, Su Nian had even used a new hand warmer on herself.

Now, wrapped in a windproof blanket, she didn't feel cold.

Su Nian and Jing Mo placed their backpacks together and leaned against them to rest.

"You sleep first; I'll keep watch," Jing Mo whispered to Su Nian.

Su Nian looked at Jing Mo in surprise. She was just thinking about this!

Being away from home and surrounded by so many people, Su Nian couldn't bring herself to sleep peacefully. How could she?

Since Jing Mo brought it up first, Su Nian didn't hesitate and agreed directly, "I'll take over in the latter half of the night."

Instead of arguing about who would keep watch first, it was better to seize the time and get a few more minutes of sleep.

The comfortable life of the past year hadn't dulled Su Nian's vigilance.

People might be asleep, but she only dozed lightly.

Estimating that the time was about right, Su Nian opened her eyes.

She took out her pocket watch and glanced at it. It had just passed midnight, perfect timing!

Su Nian looked at Jing Mo, and their gazes met in the dim light.

In the dim light, Jing Mo's eyes were shining black.