36: Chapter 36 My Choice Was Right

When that figure walked out from the woods opposite, Sophia almost thought she was hallucinating.

The moonlight spilled onto him without reservation.

It was a young man, looking no older than twenty-five, wearing a well-fitting tracksuit.

Not ragged animal skins, but real combat gear with seams and pockets.

The clothes were form-fitting, outlining his upright physique and smooth muscle lines.

But what shocked Sophia the most was his face.

That face under the moonlight was so good-looking it was almost unreal.

A kind of clean, resolute handsomeness.

The jawline was sharp and distinct, the curve of his lips just right.

Completely different from those men in their Tribe.

Sophia was stunned.

"My god..."

Anna murmured, forgetting even the pain in her legs.

Katya also widened her eyes.

They had stayed in Andrei's Tribe for too long, accustomed to those rude, dirty men who treated women as goods.

Yet the person before them was clean, upright, had clear eyes, and his whole being exuded an aura that was reassuring.

"Sophia?"

Qi Yun spoke, his voice calm, exceptionally clear in the silent night sky.

That voice was also very pleasant, carrying a steady magnetism.

Sophia was stunned for two seconds before she realized he was calling her:

"It... it's me. Are you the leader of 01 Tribe?"

"It is. You have suffered some injuries." Qi Yun nodded, his gaze sweeping over the three.

"We encountered pursuers on the way." Sophia explained, while unconsciously smoothing her messy hair.

She suddenly cared very much about how disheveled she looked right now.

Qi Yun didn't speak, just looked at her.

His gaze was very calm, without scrutiny or judgment, yet Sophia felt an inexplicable tension.

"Where is the food?" Qi Yun asked straightforwardly.

Sophia placed the cloth bundle in her arms on the ground and opened it.

Nine pieces of compressed biscuits, fifteen strips of dried meat.

Under the moonlight, this food looked shabby and pitiful.

Qi Yun took a look and didn't speak.

"This is all we could get. The food is guarded very strictly, we..."

Sophia's voice was a bit dry.

"Enough." Qi Yun interrupted her.

"I don't really care how much food you brought. What I wanted to see was your determination and courage."

He paused: "You did it."

Sophia and the other two breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously.

"However, according to the agreement, you need to undergo an inspection."

Qi Yun changed the subject.

The expressions of the three girls changed.

Chen Xiaolin walked out of the woods at this moment and stood beside Qi Yun.

When she saw Sophia's face clearly, she froze.

"Lin..." Sophia murmured, her ice-blue eyes shimmering with moisture under the moonlight.

"It's me." Chen Xiaolin's voice was trembling; she took a step forward, the crossbow in her hand lowering unconsciously.

"Sophia... it really is you."

The two girls looked at each other from a few steps away; three years of time and the hardships of the apocalypse seemed to vanish in the instant their gazes met.

But Qi Yun's voice pulled them back to reality: "Inspect."

Chen Xiaolin bit her lip and looked at Sophia, her eyes complex, filled with concern, heartache, and the determination to execute orders.

"Take off your jackets and pants. We need to check if you are hiding weapons, trackers, or other things you shouldn't have."

Qi Yun said it very directly.

"Don't worry, they will check."

He pointed to Xia Jin and Chen Xiaolin.

Sophia bit her lip tightly and looked at Chen Xiaolin.

Chen Xiaolin nodded at her, her eyes firm, "Trust me."

Sophia took a deep breath: "Okay."

She began to take off her jacket.

The worn-out sports jacket was thrown on the ground, revealing the faded sports vest underneath. And when the vest was also taken off, the moonlight shone fully onto her body.

In that moment, even the experienced Qi Yun had to admit.

This ice elf's figure was truly stunningly beautiful.

Not the plump kind of sexiness, but the beauty full of strength and flexibility unique to a figure skater.

Her shoulder and neck lines were smooth and graceful, her collarbones delicate and distinct.

Her breasts weren't particularly full, but they were perfectly shaped, rising and falling slightly with her breathing.

Her skin was so fair it was almost transparent under the moonlight; although there were quite a few new and old scrapes and bruises, they instead added a kind of battle-worn beauty.

What was most eye-catching were her legs—long, straight, with smooth and firm muscle lines.

They were the kind of legs where strength and beauty were perfectly combined, only seen on top-tier athletes.

Anna and Katya also took off their clothes.

Anna's figure was more petite, but the flexibility and strength of a gymnast were fully embodied in her.

Her muscle lines were more obvious, especially in her arms and shoulders, where one could see the clear contours of her deltoids and biceps.

Her core strength in her waist and abdomen was extremely strong, without an ounce of fat.

Katya was somewhere in between the two, with a well-proportioned figure and beautiful muscle lines; every part of her body revealed the traces left by years of training.

The three girls stood together; although disheveled and thin, that physical beauty belonging to top-tier athletes was fully revealed under the moonlight.

Chen Xiaolin fought back her heartache and stepped forward to begin the inspection. Her movements were light and professional, but whenever she touched the scars on Sophia's body, her fingers would tremble slightly.

"No weapons, no trackers."

She reported after finishing the inspection.

Xia Jin also finished checking Anna and Katya's clothes and shook her head to indicate no problems.

Qi Yun took out three prepared animal skin coats from his backpack:

"Put these on and come with me."

The animal skin coats were rough, but very warm.

Sophia and the others put them on silently.

"Aren't you going to take our food?" Anna asked in a low voice.

"It's yours. You risked your lives for this, keep it for yourselves."

Qi Yun said.

Sophia was stunned and looked at Qi Yun gratefully. This man was not only handsome and powerful, but he was actually willing to leave the precious food to them.

"Let's go, keep up, don't fall behind."

Qi Yun turned around.

He led Xia Jin in front, while Chen Xiaolin deliberately slowed her pace to walk side-by-side with Sophia.

"Your feet... can you still skate?" Chen Xiaolin asked in a low voice in Russian.

Sophia smiled bitterly: "I haven't skated in a long time. And there are no ice rinks here either."

"Maybe there will be in the future."

"Once we gain a foothold and build a real home, we might be able to build an ice rink."

Chen Xiaolin said seriously.

Sophia looked at her serious expression, then glanced at Qi Yun's upright figure walking in front, and a cold place in her heart quietly melted.

Perhaps in this cruel world, there really is still hope.

After walking for about half an hour, a light appeared ahead.

It was the light of torches, along with faint human voices and laughter.

The door of the log cabin opened, and several girls came out to greet them.

Sophia and the others were stunned by the sight before them.

Sturdy log cabins, mountains of food, clear drinking water, and even bathing facilities!

Sophia looked at the piles of food, then looked at the pathetic few pieces of biscuits and dried meat in her arms.

She suddenly felt that these treasures she had risked her life to steal were like copper coins in the hands of a beggar here.

Ridiculous, and pathetic.

But even more, it was relief.

Glad that she had made the right choice.

Glad that she had come here.