Su Wan sized him up, muttering to herself inwardly.
Lu Shiyan and Xiao Han were both handsome, each with their own unique charm.
Xiao Han and A Mo had that healthy, tanned skin, full of wild power.
Lu Shiyan was fairer, with a handsome, aloof, and noble coolness.
But this Jin Dongdong in front of her, once cleaned up and standing there, was simply an adorable little puppy!
His skin was fair and tender, his features delicate, with a hint of fragility from his recent ordeal, making one want to gently ruffle his hair.
No wonder the original novel's female lead protected him so much, treating him like a dear younger brother. Who could resist that!
On the other side, Lu Shiyan was already preparing breakfast.
A Mo skillfully set up a simple stove, and a dark iron pot was placed on top, with flames cheerfully licking the bottom.
Lu Shiyan was adding noodles to the pot, the morning light falling on his focused profile, softening his usual cold severity a bit.
Su Wan took out several jars of beef sauce, mushroom sauce, and a few appetizing side dishes from her space.
Once the noodles were cooked, simply mixing them with these sauces made her mouth water just thinking about it.
This team of theirs, despite being small in number, everyone was a big eater and extremely enthusiastic about eating.
Not to mention Xiao Han, even A Mo devoured food like a whirlwind.
No wonder Lu Shiyan was eyeing the supplies at Black Wind Stronghold. Feeding this group of 'human eating machines' put a lot of pressure on him as the captain.
Thinking about food consumption, Su Wan instinctively touched her cheek. Speaking of which, ever since her body absorbed that mysterious energy stone, her own appetite had significantly decreased.
Before, she alone could eat two portions of Xiao Han's, but now, her appetite was similar to Xiao Han's.
However, even though she ate less, she didn't feel particularly thin. Instead... her face seemed to have rounded out just a tiny bit?
Su Wan subconsciously touched her cheek. Hmm, the feel seemed better than before.
The first pot of noodles was quickly ready.
Xiao Han was already starving, his stomach rumbling, and he didn't care about the heat. After mixing the noodles, he grabbed his chopsticks and slurped them into his mouth.
Jin Dongdong stood to the side, holding the empty bowl Su Wan handed him, somewhat uneasy and with a hint of caution in his eyes, clearly not yet fully integrated.
"What are you spacing out for?" Su Wan saw his pitiful look and directly scooped a full bowl from the pot for him, thrusting it into his hand without question, "Eat quickly, you'll only have strength if you're full! We're a team now, don't be so reserved."
Lu Shiyan continued to guard the pot, adding water and noodles, making it hard to connect him with the decisive captain from earlier.
Su Wan looked at his tall back outlined by the morning light, and her heart suddenly softened.
This guy had to direct battles and analyze situations during the day, take turns on night watch, and even prepare all three meals.
He was simply the team's all-around ACE.
It seemed like her role in logistics, apart from providing supplies, hadn't offered much substantial help.
No, she had to think about how to help him share some of the burden later. Perhaps she could prepare some easy-to-cook semi-finished ingredients in advance, or learn a few simple quick-meal recipes herself.
Today, she would just let it be. Her injuries hadn't fully healed, and her energy was severely depleted. It was better to let him handle it.
Su Wan looked at the clearly marked outposts and patrol routes on the map, even some inconspicuous corners were drawn, and couldn't help but be surprised: "You were only caught two days ago, how do you remember it so clearly? This is drawn too detailed."
A trace of discomfort flashed across Jin Dongdong's face, then he smiled somewhat shyly: "Actually, from the moment they put a black hood over me and escorted me into that stronghold, I started paying attention. Although I couldn't see, I could still hear. I tried to remember how many turns we took, how long we walked, and what special sounds were around. Later, when the hood was removed, I kept observing in secret."
"I've had a good memory since I was little. Things I've seen, paths I've walked, I can basically remember them all. So, from the small dark room where they held me, to their kitchen, their warehouse, and then the path I finally escaped from, I remember every detail."
He pointed to a spot on the map: "For example, here is a corner where they piled up miscellaneous items. There's a broken diesel generator next to it, and it smells very strong. I slipped out from there while the guard was dozing off at night. They probably didn't expect me to remember such a secluded route."
Xiao Han listened from the side, leaned over, and clicked his tongue in wonder: "Alright, kid, you're sharp! Photographic memory? That's a rare skill. The way you drew this map, it's even more detailed than what I learned from the scouts in the army."
Jin Dongdong was a bit embarrassed by the praise and scratched his head: "I... when I was studying, I did memorize things faster than others. I just got into university this year, and I was even the top science student in our province..."
At this point, his eyes dimmed, and his tone carried some self-mockery, "Unfortunately, none of that is useful now. I can't go to university anymore."
"Who says it's useless!" Su Wan immediately retorted. She looked at Jin Dongdong with encouraging eyes, "Dongdong, don't ever think that! Being the top scorer in the college entrance exam represents top-tier learning and analytical abilities, which are the most valuable assets at any time. In the apocalypse, strong combat power can kill enemies, but a smart mind can help us avoid unnecessary dangers, find a way to survive, and even solve problems that combat power can't. Your memory and observation skills are too important to us!"
The identity of being the top scorer in the college entrance exam surprised her even more. This showed that Jin Dongdong not only had strong potential for supernatural abilities but also possessed extraordinary intelligence and learning capabilities.
Xiao Han also praised him, "That's right! Top scholar! I knew it, that brain is just different! In this world, strong fists are important, but a sharp mind is even more important! Being able to detect danger beforehand and find a way out is much better than foolishly rushing forward!"
He winked and added, "From now on, in our team, Lu Da Shao is the overall commander, Su Wan is the logistics manager, A Mo is the sniper, I'm the assault team leader and morale booster, Li Kui is... well, the strength in charge! And you, kid, you'll be our military advisor and living map!"
Jin Dongdong's cheeks flushed at his words, but the light in his eyes brightened a few shades, no longer completely dim.
He secretly glanced at Lu Shiyan, finding that the other man was also looking at him, his gaze calm, but not as cold as before.
Lu Shiyan didn't say much, only briefly scanned the map, which was indeed very detailed, then looked at Jin Dongdong again: "Your memory is indeed very helpful for our next actions." This was already an extremely high evaluation.
Li Kui listened to their conversation, silently clenching his fists. Top scholar, photographic memory... Compared to these people, he really seemed to be nothing.
He also wanted to become stronger, stronger in his own way!
Su Wan sensed the subtle change in Jin Dongdong's emotions and was secretly pleased. It seemed he was beginning to integrate into the team.
Lu Shiyan looked at Li Kui and Jin Dongdong, who had recovered much of their energy: "You two go rest first and get enough sleep. Everyone else, check your equipment and prepare to depart."
Xiao Han stretched: "Ready to go anytime!"
Lu Shiyan finally turned his gaze to Jin Dongdong: "Jin Dongdong, lead the way."