106: Chapter 106 A Young Woman's Face

The RV drove out of the Su Family manor in the dim light of dawn.

The tires rolled over the ice-covered road, making a faint cracking sound.

Inside the Drivers Cabin, Qin Lin focused on the road conditions ahead.

Su Yuran sat in the passenger seat.

The navigation showed that Clear Water Bay was still eight kilometers away.

But in this world of ice and snow, eight kilometers could take two hours or even longer.

"The temperature has risen back to -33°C."

Qin Lin glanced at the dashboard.

"The snow is starting to melt, but it will freeze again at night, making the road even more slippery than before."

Su Yuran only gave a soft "mm."

Her gaze fell on the fleeting scenes of ruins outside the window, but her thoughts had already drifted to that villa in Clear Water Bay.

If her father was really there... if he really abandoned his wife and daughters for a mistress...

She didn't dare think any further.

"Yuran."

Qin Lin's voice pulled her back to reality.

"You need to be mentally prepared. The System scan shows there's only one life sign there, not two."

Su Yuran's heart sank. "One? Who would that be?"

"Unclear. It could be your father, it could be that woman, or it could be some other survivor."

Qin Lin didn't mention that it was a woman.

"We're here."

Forty minutes later, the RV stopped outside the gates of the Clear Water Bay residential area.

This was a famous high-end villa district in Ning City, where every villa came with its own independent courtyard and garage.

Even covered in ice and snow, one could still see the former luxury and refinement.

But now, it was terrifyingly silent.

The security booth at the gate was empty, and the barrier had been smashed, clearly indicating that a vehicle had once forced its way in.

All the ornamental plants in the courtyards were dead, and the fountains were frozen with thick ice, looking like broken mirrors.

"System, scan the target building," Qin Lin ordered.

[Scanning...]

[Target: Clear Water Bay Villa No. 5]

[Life Signs: 1 (Stable)]

[Location: Underground Level]

[Energy Fluctuations: None]

[Threat Assessment: Low]

"In the basement."

Qin Lin looked at Su Yuran and found that her face had become exceptionally pale.

"The same design as your family's shelter?"

Su Yuran bit her lip and nodded.

She hadn't expected it to really be here.

She could imagine the scene.

Her father had built a shelter for his mistress that was exactly like the one at her home, perhaps even better.

The three of them put on their cold-weather gear and prepared their equipment.

As was his custom, Qin Lin activated the Environment Modification Device, creating a warm zone with a ten-meter radius around them.

Although the temperature had risen, prolonged exposure remained dangerous.

Clear Water Bay Villa No. 5 was located deep within the complex. It was a three-story modern-style building with large glass curtain walls and clean lines.

But now, most of the glass was shattered, looking like gaping mouths.

The villa's front door was slightly ajar.

Qin Lin pushed the door open and entered; the inside was also a mess.

But unlike the Su Family manor, the level of chaos here was milder.

Although the furniture was overturned, most of it was intact.

"Someone has been here, but it wasn't thoroughly looted."

Su Yuran wasn't listening.

Her eyes were fixed on a painting on the living room wall.

It was a modern art oil painting with vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes.

She recognized this painting; her father had bought it at an auction five months ago for 800,000 yuan.

He said it was a gift for an important client.

It turned out that important client was the woman living here.

"Where is the entrance to the basement?"

Her voice was icy, like the frozen air outside.

Qin Lin activated a thermal imaging scan and quickly discovered an anomaly in a corner of the living room.

The floor temperature there was slightly higher than its surroundings.

"Here."

They moved aside the overturned sofa and found a hidden metal floor hatch.

The hatch also had an electronic lock, but the power was out.

Su Yuran crouched down, feeling around the edge of the hatch, and quickly found the mechanical backup switch.

It was exactly the same as the one at her house.

She turned the dial forcefully, and the metal door slowly opened.

The stairs that were revealed, the lighting design, the color of the walls...

They were all identical to her family's shelter.

"Exactly the same..."

Su Yuran muttered to herself, her voice full of bitterness.

"He even copied the interior design style."

Qin Lin patted her shoulder. "Let's go down and take a look first."

The three of them descended the spiral staircase.

The temperature gradually rose with the depth, significantly warmer than outside.

The layout here was also similar to the Su Family's.

Storage area, equipment room, rest area.

But what shocked Su Yuran even more was that the supplies stored here were even more abundant than at her house.

In the storage room, the shelves were neatly stacked with canned goods, compressed food, and bottled water—enough for one person to live for over half a year.

Although the generator in the equipment room had stopped working, dozens of barrels of diesel were piled next to it.

The rest area had three comfortable leather sofas and a small reading nook, with shelves full of literature, art, and psychology books.

"The supplies he prepared for us were only enough for three months."

Su Yuran's voice was trembling, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"But here there's a six-month supply... he even prepared books for this woman!"

Han Qing gently took her hand. "Yuran, calm down."

"How can I calm down?"

Su Yuran pulled her hand away, her eyes red.

"My mother shared trials and tribulations with him for over twenty years, and Yuling and I are his biological daughters. And the result? In the apocalypse, his preparations for an outsider were more thorough than for his own family!"

Qin Lin didn't speak, just continued searching.

In the innermost part of the rest area, he found a tightly closed metal door.

There was no electronic lock on the door, only a simple mechanical one.

Qin Lin signaled Su Yuran and Han Qing to stay quiet, then he gently knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, a trembling female voice came from inside.

"Who... who is out there?"

The voice was young and filled with deep fear.

Su Yuran's face instantly went white; that was not her father's voice.

Qin Lin gave her a reassuring look, then spoke to the person inside.

"We are survivors. We passed by and noticed someone was here, so we came to check."

"How... how did you find this place?"

The female voice inside became even more terrified.

"I... I don't have any food left, really, none. It's all been snatched away..."

"We aren't here to steal food."

Qin Lin tried to keep his voice gentle.

"We're here to help. It's very cold outside, and it's not safe for you to be here alone. Come with us; we have a safe place to stay and plenty of food."

There was silence inside.

Obviously, the other party didn't believe him.

In the apocalypse, such sudden kindness often hid a trap behind it.

Qin Lin thought for a moment and decided to use that name.

"Su Zhenyun sent us."

A stifled exclamation came from inside.

Then there was a flurry of footsteps, and the door lock was turned.

But the door only opened a crack; the chain lock was still attached.

A young woman's face appeared behind the crack in the door.