Thien Anh offered a faint, thin smile and signaled the start of their operation.
They swiftly scoured the hospital's pharmacy. Thien Anh didn't loot indiscriminately; he directed Lam Linh to select only the essentials: high-dosage antibiotics, anesthetics, scalpels, absorbable sutures, and multivitamins. Compact but advanced medical devices were also shoved into Thien Lang's saddlebags.
Before departing, Lam Linh used splints and elastic bandages to temporarily stabilize Thien Anh's chest. Her technique was practiced and fluid, significantly dulling the sharp stabs of pain every time he drew a breath.
"Let's move."
They stepped through the hospital's main entrance. A bone-chilling gust of wind lashed against their faces, carrying snowflakes as large as silver coins. In just a few short hours, the tropical city had been transformed into a surreal, white tundra. The snow had already piled nearly a meter high, blanketing the corpses and the jagged debris in a funeral shroud.
"So... so cold..."
Lam Linh's teeth chattered uncontrollably. Despite wearing three layers of clothing salvaged from the staff room, the sub-zero summer chill pierced straight through her flesh.
Thien Anh vaulted onto Thien Lang's back and pulled Lam Linh up behind him.
"Hold on tight."
Lam Linh didn't hesitate for a second. She threw her arms around Thien Anh's waist, pressing her face against his sturdy back to find a sliver of warmth. Azure Sky, terrified of the cold, had already burrowed into Thien Anh's inner coat pocket, drifting into an early hibernation.
Thien Anh patted Thien Lang's neck. "Home."
The massive black wolf let out a low rumble and bolted into the blizzard. His thick fur and high body temperature acted like a living radiator, making the surrounding frigid air slightly more bearable.
Along the route, a bizarre tableau unfolded. The Ghouls, normally relentless and feral, had been flash-frozen by the sudden temperature drop. They stood scattered along the streets like macabre ice sculptures—monuments of demons frozen in mid-lunge or mid-shriek.
Thien Lang trotted past a group of these frozen figures, his vibrant red tongue flickering to lick his jowls.
CRUNCH!
He casually snapped off the frozen head of a Ghoul, chewing it with a loud, rhythmic grinding—as if snacking on a meat-flavored popsicle.
"Focus on the road, kid! Stop eating trash," Thien Anh patted his head in warning. "I'll get you grilled meat when we're home."
At the mention of grilled meat, Thien Lang finally spat out the skull and accelerated toward the base.
Fortuitously, on the way back, Thien Anh discovered a 'treasure trove' of frozen livestock.
A Tier-2 mutant serpent nearly 40 meters long, a gargantuan turtle, and a pack of mutant boars were huddled together, frozen solid in the middle of the road. The cold had descended so rapidly that these ectothermic creatures hadn't even had time to find shelter.
"Heaven's bounty."
Thien Anh wasn't about to pass this up. He secured steel cables to the carcasses, allowing Thien Lang—possessing the raw power of a bulldozer—to drag the entire haul of 'frozen goods' back to the bunker.
...
Back at the wasteland area.
Thien Anh meticulously scanned for any signs of intrusion. No disturbances. His traps remained undisturbed beneath the thick layer of snow.
After inputting the electronic codes and completing the retinal scan, the heavy bunker hatch groaned open. The rush of warmth from within almost made Lam Linh weep with relief.
The door slammed shut, completely severing them from the lethal blizzard outside. The heating and ventilation systems hummed softly; the electric lights—powered by the backup generators—illuminated the space with a warm glow.
Lam Linh shed her snow-caked coat, staring at the bunker which was as well-appointed as a luxury underground apartment.
"My god... this place is incredible. It's like a five-star hotel," she marveled, a sense of absolute safety finally enveloping her mind. "When did you prepare all of this?"
Thien Anh didn't answer the question. He merely said: "A safe place to stay alive. That's enough."
Lam Linh realized she still didn't know the name of her savior (cum kidnapper). She asked hurriedly: "Right, I forgot to ask. What is your name? I am Lam Linh."
Thien Anh looked at her, his gaze pensive and deep. He didn't fully trust this girl yet. In the underworld, a true name was a vulnerability.
"Van Huy," he fabricated a pseudonym. "Van as in civilization, Huy as in glory."
"Van Huy... It's a beautiful name." Lam Linh smiled—a rare, radiant expression on her gaunt face.
Suddenly, her stomach let out a loud, embarrassing rumble. Lam Linh blushed, clutching her midsection. "Mr. Huy... is there anything to eat? I'm about to faint from hunger."
Thien Anh pointed toward the pile of carcasses they had just dragged in. "Meat's right there. Cut it up and cook."
Lam Linh looked at the gargantuan serpent and the spiked turtle, her face turning pale. "I... I don't know how to cook. And... they look terrifying."
Thien Anh sighed in exasperated disbelief. A pampered lady through and through.
"You don't know how to cook? How did you expect to survive?"
"Well... normally I just eat takeout..."
Thien Anh rubbed his temples. He was starting to doubt the wisdom of bringing this 'liability' home.
"Follow me. I'll teach you once. After this, you do it yourself, or at least act as a sous-chef. I don't harbor useless people here."
...
In the kitchen.
Thien Anh intended to prepare a hearty meal to bolster their health before his surgery. He retrieved a slab of mutant boar meat and instructed Lam Linh on how to prep it.
And then, the disaster began.
Lam Linh held the chef's knife with hands that shook like a leaf in a storm.
"Grip it firm! You hold it like that, you'll cut your own hand off before you touch the meat!" Thien Anh barked.
CLATTER!
Lam Linh jumped, dropping the knife onto the floor. It narrowly missed Thien Lang's paw as the wolf lay nearby, waiting for scraps. The wolf bolted upright, staring at the girl with intense suspicion: Is this woman trying to assassinate me?
Next came the vegetable washing. Lam Linh somehow fumbled and managed to crack the plastic strainer. When it came to seasoning, she confused the sugar with the salt, nearly turning the soup into seawater.
"Stop! Stop right there!"
Thien Anh snatched the ladle from her hand, shoving her two meters away from the stove.
"Are you a 'Kitchen Assassin'? You break everything you touch!"
He looked at Lam Linh with deep skepticism:
"Look, lady, I'm asking you seriously. You're this clumsy, your hands are as tangled as a bird's nest... Are you absolutely sure you can perform surgery on me? Don't tell me you're going to drop a scalpel into my heart or sew my intestines to my lungs during the operation."
Lam Linh's face turned bright red. She hung her head, twisting her fingers together in embarrassment.
"This... this is different! I've never cooked before, that's why. But I'm very skilled with a scalpel. Truly! Mr. Huy, you have to believe me! I swear on my honor as a doctor!"
Thien Anh looked at her earnest, flustered expression and shook his head wearily.
"I hope so. My life is in your hands."
He banished Lam Linh to wait at the table, taking over the cooking duties himself. It was better to be a bit more tired than to let her burn down the entire kitchen.
An hour later.
A lavish spread was laid out: grilled boar meat, a bone broth with tubers (from the stockpile), and stir-fried serpent with lemongrass and chili.
Thien Anh cooked in massive quantities, filling the refrigerator. He knew that after the surgery, he would be bedridden for a while. If he left the cooking to Lam Linh, the entire group would likely die of food poisoning or starvation before his wounds even began to knit.
"Eat up. Eat your fill so you have the strength to work."
Thien Anh placed a piece of grilled meat into Lam Linh's bowl.
"Thank you, Mr. Huy."
Lam Linh took a bite. The rich, savory sweetness and intoxicating aroma exploded in her mouth, making her eyes light up.
"This is incredible! You cook better than a five-star restaurant!"
Thien Anh didn't reply, quietly focusing on his own meal. In his mind, he was calculating for the upcoming surgery. This was the biggest gamble of his life—betting his existence on a clumsy lady who had just broken her second bowl of the day.