The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 12

When Han Ning entered, he merely raised his eyelids and glanced at him, his gaze indifferent, exuding a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.

The other was relatively thin, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled down low, covering most of his face and only revealing his chin.

He sat quietly in the carved wooden chair, sipping his tea.

The survivors outside looked pale and sickly, while this guy could still enjoy expensive black tea.

He seemed completely unresponsive to Han Ning's arrival, not even raising his head.

"Come, come, Brother Han Ning, let me introduce you."

Liu Feng warmly invited Han Ning to sit down.

"This is Mr. Chen Yan. He has awakened a superpower related to strength. His skin is incredibly hard and he has tremendous strength. He is a resident of the neighboring building C-3."

He pointed to the burly man with a middle parting.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yan merely snorted through his nose as a greeting.

"This is Mr. Lu Minghu. He has awakened a speed-type superpower, making him exceptionally agile and capable of scaling walls and rooftops with ease."

Liu Feng then looked at the thin man sitting on the inside.

Lu Minghu stopped drinking his tea, looked up, and revealed a relatively young face.

He nodded slightly to Han Ning: "Hello."

"As for Brother Han Ning... he can manipulate vines, and his binding and attacking abilities are both excellent, possessing extremely strong control capabilities."

Han Ning's main attack method is currently launching vines, which is pretty much what Liu Feng described, so he didn't add any further explanation.

Liu Feng briefly introduced Han Ning to the two men, and then took the initiative to talk about himself:

"Finally, it's me. I can use my mind to control objects to attack or defend. I guess it's like the telekinetic abilities in the movies."

"Hello you two."

Han Ning nodded to the two of them as a greeting and sat down on the south side of the coffee table.

"Oh, right, there's another piece of good news."

"The last Awakened I found also accepted my invitation. She has the ability to observe and lock onto targets from an extremely long distance, making her an invaluable scout. She's currently delayed by something, but she should be here soon."

Upon hearing Liu Feng's introduction, Han Ning remained silent on the surface, but felt inwardly very strange.

These people's special abilities seem to focus on only one direction.

For example, it can enhance physical strength, increase speed, and provide superhuman vision.

His ability was to directly awaken a professional skill, which included vine attacks, healing to recover from injuries, and the ability to accelerate plant growth.

Now, a new ability to make contracts with animals has been awakened.

He's practically an all-rounder.

"Don't they have an awakened class panel, or do they only enhance a specific ability individually?"

Han Ning felt puzzled, but did not ask aloud.

Just as the group was talking, the door was gently pushed open.

A woman wearing glasses, who looked refined and appeared to be in her early thirties, walked in.

She had an ordinary appearance, with a neat ponytail, a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead with raindrops, and a well-fitting windbreaker.

"Sorry, I had some things to take care of, that's why I'm late," the woman said calmly.

"Not too late, not too late, just right!"

Liu Feng clapped his hands.

"Now that everyone is here, let me introduce you to each other."

After Liu Feng's introduction, Han Ning learned that the woman who seemed to be in a stable emotional state was named Zhou Wan, and was also a resident of the neighborhood.

She did not know Chen Yan and Lu Minghu before.

"Alright, now that we all know each other, I'll get straight to the point."

Liu Feng's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.

"I plan to set off around noon tomorrow, when it will be brightest and visibility will be clearest."

"The target is tentatively set as the road leading to Bailugang, with the primary task being to explore the route first."

"The purpose of gathering everyone today is twofold: first, to get to know each other, and second, to finalize the division of labor and cooperation."

He walked to the coffee table, where a simple hand-drawn map was spread out. Although it was a bit rough, it roughly marked the location of the apartment building and the route to Egret Harbor.

The five people examined it closely by the bright candlelight.

Chapter 12 Outside the Building

"I've roughly planned three routes. We'll decide which one to take tomorrow based on the actual situation and Zhou Wan's observations. The principle is to avoid open waters and known areas with high concentrations of monsters, and choose routes with tall buildings for cover."

"Brother Han Ning." Liu Feng looked at Han Ning.

"Your vine control is crucial. When encountering monsters, especially multiple monsters, your first task is to restrict their movement and create a safe output environment for the rest of us. Prioritize controlling fast and threatening targets."

Han Ning nodded: "Understood."

"Chen Yan, you are the forward. You are responsible for withstanding the frontal pressure and drawing enemy fire."

"Lu Minghu, you are responsible for roaming and providing support, looking for opportunities to deliver a fatal blow to key targets, or clearing out any stray monsters that are getting close."

“Zhou Wan, your eyes are our radar, providing early warnings and locking onto targets, especially threats hidden in the shadows.”

Chen Yan gave a faint "hmm" to indicate that he understood.

“Those crocodile lizards have very thick hides, and I lack weapons, so I’m afraid it will be difficult for me to inflict effective damage on them.”

Lu Minghu frowned slightly.

"No problem. To complement your special ability, I've prepared a chainsaw for you. With this, you should be able to break through the monsters' scales relatively easily."

Liu Feng pointed to a toolbox in the corner of the living room and smiled.

"A chainsaw? How did you get that?"

Even the usually aloof Chen Yan showed curiosity and couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe, it was luck, really. My people found it in the green belt downstairs. I guess there were workers repairing the landscaping trees down there when we were crossing it."

In fact, Han Ning felt that someone like Chen Yan, who was strong and had a warrior-like role among the awakened beings, could also wield a chainsaw.

But then he thought that the chainsaw was a weapon with "fixed" damage, so the power of it would be about the same whether Chen Yan, who was strong, or Lu Minghu, who was fast.

Lu Minghu's superior mobility would actually make him more intimidating.

Thinking about this, he believed that Liu Feng's plan was flawless.

The only drawback is that the chainsaw might be quite heavy, and it's unclear whether this will affect Lu Minghu's speed.

"Okay, that's the basic situation."

Liu Feng didn't explain further, but asked the others,

"Does anyone have any further questions or anything to add?"

Everyone was silent.

In this environment, no plan can keep up with changes; tacit understanding and on-the-spot adaptability are key.

"Then it's settled. Get a good rest tonight and recharge. Meet at the fourth-floor stairwell at 10 a.m. tomorrow." Liu Feng slammed his hand on the table and finalized the decision on the spot.

……

The following morning at 10:00 AM.

The torrential rain showed no signs of abating; on the contrary, it intensified.

The five-person team had already assembled at the fourth-floor stairwell.

Everyone was wearing thick raincoats, covering themselves up completely except for their eyes.

Beneath the oversized raincoats, they concealed their respective prepared equipment.

Chen Yan held a thick metal baseball bat in his left hand and a sharp fire axe in his right, looking like a berserker in a game.

Lu Minghu carried a portable oil can on his back and a small chainsaw in his hand.

Zhou Wan carried a waterproof quiver slung across her shoulder and held a sleek black composite bow steadily in her hand.

Liu Feng had a fire axe tucked into his waistband and wore thick leather gloves.

Finally, there was Han Ning, who was unarmed, with a kitchen knife bearing the name "Wang Mazi" tucked into his waistband.

Apart from Lu Minghu, everyone else carried a backpack containing food and first-aid supplies.

"Check your equipment, get ready to go!" Liu Feng's voice pierced through the rain, carrying a hint of solemnity.

The guards struggled to move the obstacles blocking the entrance.

A cold, damp air, mixed with the smell of earth and decay, rushed in instantly.

Five people walked down the damp building to the first floor.

Below the stairs on the first floor, murky water had already overflowed several steps, with various kinds of garbage and suspicious floating objects on the surface.

"go!"

Chen Yan was the first to step into the murky water, followed by Lu Minghu, Han Ning, Liu Feng, and Zhou Wan.

The icy sewage instantly submerged their thighs.

The biting cold sent a shiver down everyone's spine.

After exiting the stairwell on the first floor, you are in the lobby of the apartment building.

At this time, the lobby on the first floor had been flooded by the torrential rain.

Numerous pieces of debris floated on the yellowish water.

Zhou Wan cautiously observed the water ahead, while signaling everyone to continue forward.

The hall was relatively safe, and they quickly waded through the water to the hall entrance.