【2】Reborn in doomsday, I spent 80 million on the safest bunker—thought I’d survive quietly, but… (YouTube Video Transcript)

(00:00:00) Your YouTube transcript will appear here (00:00:00) Yanim Mo stood behind Shu Axian, (00:00:03) following her gaze to spot Yi Yuan in (00:00:05) the distance. He didn't miss the (00:00:06) fleeting murderous intent in her eyes. (00:00:08) As the two people arguing with her (00:00:10) turned away, that hint of killing intent (00:00:12) vanished almost instantly so quickly (00:00:14) that it would be hard for most to catch. (00:00:16) An ordinary person might dismiss it as a (00:00:19) trick of the eye, but Yanimo was certain (00:00:21) it had been real. Yuan was anything but (00:00:24) ordinary. (00:00:25) The emotions in her eyes and the aura (00:00:27) she projected were far too inongruous (00:00:30) with her age. Even from this distance, (00:00:32) he could sense the hostility radiating (00:00:34) from her. Though she might have been (00:00:36) trying to suppress it, traces still (00:00:37) leaked through in her every movement. To (00:00:39) think such a dangerous presence existed (00:00:41) within the neighborhood. It seemed he (00:00:43) could never afford to let his guard (00:00:45) down. This minor incident was quickly (00:00:48) forgotten as everyone's attention was (00:00:49) soon drawn to the relief supplies (00:00:51) distributed by the government. The (00:00:53) distribution was punctual. At exactly (00:00:55) 8:00, the first person in line received (00:00:57) their package. A large black plastic bag (00:01:00) concealing its contents. Upon opening (00:01:02) the package, the recipient found a (00:01:04) bundle of 10 instant noodle packs, 10 lb (00:01:07) of potatoes, 10 lb of cabbage, 10 lb of (00:01:11) rice, two bundles of dried noodles, a (00:01:14) piece of meat weighing over a pound, and (00:01:17) 10 candles. The supplies were plentiful (00:01:19) and varied. With so many items, one (00:01:22) person could easily last 7 days, even (00:01:24) with leftovers. Yet, some still felt (00:01:27) unsatisfied, greedily wanting more and (00:01:29) grumbling about the government's (00:01:31) supposed stinginess. Supplies are (00:01:33) distributed once every 7 days, and (00:01:35) whether they can still provide this (00:01:37) level of goods during the next (00:01:38) distribution is a big question mark. (00:01:41) Free supplies will only become fewer and (00:01:43) worse in quality when resources are (00:01:46) truly exhausted. who would have the (00:01:48) luxury of complaining about the quality. (00:01:50) Having anything edible at all would be a (00:01:52) blessing. With armed soldiers standing (00:01:54) guard to maintain order, no one dared to (00:01:56) cause trouble. The entire distribution (00:01:58) process went unusually smoothly. (00:02:00) Shusheen and the others were in a (00:02:02) relatively forward position, so they (00:02:04) successfully received their supplies in (00:02:06) less than half an hour. Without (00:02:09) lingering outside, they quickly grabbed (00:02:11) their items and hurried home. Despite (00:02:13) wearing raincoats, the round trip left (00:02:15) them completely drenched with not a (00:02:17) single dry spot on their bodies to avoid (00:02:20) catching a cold. The four of them rushed (00:02:22) inside to take hot showers and change (00:02:24) clothes. Afterward, they sprawled (00:02:27) comfortably on the living room sofa, (00:02:29) feeling more exhausted from that single (00:02:31) outing than from their usual training at (00:02:32) home. Going out exhausts the heart. (00:02:36) While staying at home tires the body. At (00:02:38) noon, Shuin craved the iron pot stew (00:02:41) stored in her space. After quietly (00:02:43) asking Yan Mo for permission, she (00:02:46) secretly transported the ingredients (00:02:47) from the space. Then had Yan Mo bring (00:02:50) them out, making it all seem perfectly (00:02:52) reasonable. Living together day and (00:02:54) night, the secret of the space couldn't (00:02:56) be kept for long. Nor was there any need (00:02:58) to hide it. After discussing it, Yanmo (00:03:02) and Shuin decided to reveal the (00:03:03) existence of the space to Busianguen and (00:03:05) Muimai. Both of them were absolutely (00:03:08) trustworthy and would never betray them. (00:03:10) However, after the zombie outbreak, (00:03:12) people awakened all sorts of bizarre (00:03:14) abilities. Fearing that someone might (00:03:16) have the power to read others memories, (00:03:18) Yanim Mo decided to claim ownership of (00:03:20) the space when telling them, doing (00:03:22) everything possible to ensure Shuin (00:03:24) safety, Shushin knew Yan Mo would later (00:03:27) awaken a psychic type ability. So, she (00:03:30) fully supported his proposal. Being able (00:03:32) to peek into and read others memories is (00:03:35) in essence a branch of psychic (00:03:37) abilities. As long as the other person's (00:03:39) mental strength is higher than his, he (00:03:42) simply has no way to succeed. In the (00:03:44) book, Yanmo is a highle psychic ability (00:03:47) user. At least in the part she read, no (00:03:50) one's mental strength surpassed Yan (00:03:51) Mo<unk>s. Attempting to read Yan (00:03:54) Mo<unk>s memories would be nothing short (00:03:55) of a fool's dream. She told Busyang and (00:03:59) Muimai that even if someone read their (00:04:01) memories and learned about the space, (00:04:03) they would only know that the owner of (00:04:04) the space was Yanim Mo. And Yan Mo<unk>s (00:04:07) combat prowess wasn't something just (00:04:08) anyone could defeat. As for why Shu (00:04:11) Axian wasn't worried about her own (00:04:12) memories being read, it was because the (00:04:14) jade pendant space in order to protect (00:04:17) itself and prevent outsiders from spying (00:04:20) automatically shields the specific (00:04:21) details about the space in Shuakai's (00:04:24) mind, making it impossible for anyone to (00:04:27) uncover. With Yan Mo<unk>s protection (00:04:29) and this foolproof safeguard as a safety (00:04:31) net, Shuakai could rest assured that her (00:04:34) space wouldn't be easily discovered. As (00:04:36) long as she didn't deliberately court (00:04:38) trouble or reveal the uniqueness of her (00:04:39) space, living safely wouldn't be a (00:04:42) problem at all. Once everyone started (00:04:44) awakening their supernatural abilities, (00:04:46) Shu Axen could easily disguise herself (00:04:49) as having awakened a spatial ability. (00:04:51) Taking things out from her space (00:04:53) afterward wouldn't arouse suspicion. (00:04:55) After all, spatial ability users are (00:04:58) rare, but not entirely non-existent. So, (00:05:01) in the past few days, when Yanmo, (00:05:03) Busyang, and Muimai suddenly mentioned (00:05:06) that she had a space, their ability to (00:05:08) accept such revelations had clearly (00:05:10) improved, especially after Yan Mo<unk>s (00:05:12) earlier confession about the impending (00:05:14) apocalypse. There wasn't a trace of the (00:05:16) initial surprise from before. In fact, (00:05:19) they seemed to accept it extremely well. (00:05:22) As if even if Yanmo had told them the (00:05:24) Earth would explode tomorrow, they (00:05:26) wouldn't have reacted much these past (00:05:28) few days, Shuin completely let herself (00:05:31) go, indulging in almost every meal with (00:05:33) the delicious food she had previously (00:05:35) stockpiled in her space. Not only did (00:05:38) she satisfy her cravings, but she also (00:05:40) avoided the hassle of cooking. From now (00:05:42) on, it would be much easier to bring out (00:05:45) any tasty treats. A win-win situation (00:05:48) that left Shuin utterly delighted. Wow, (00:05:50) it really is a white tiger. Surviving (00:05:54) this long can't have been easy, said (00:05:56) Busianguin, peering over as he arrived. (00:05:58) Chapter 24. Water outage. Following her (00:06:02) training schedule, Shuene got up early (00:06:04) in the morning and groggy walked into (00:06:06) the bathroom. She turned the faucet (00:06:08) handle out of habit, but no water came (00:06:10) out after waiting for a long while. A (00:06:12) not fully awake mind belatedly realizes (00:06:14) the current situation. The water supply (00:06:17) has been cut off. Water is an essential (00:06:19) element for human survival. (00:06:22) A person can only survive for 2 to 7 (00:06:24) days without drinking any water with (00:06:26) variations depending on individual (00:06:28) constitution and environment. Compared (00:06:30) to power outages, water shortages have a (00:06:33) greater impact on people. There is no (00:06:35) doubt that water is extremely important (00:06:37) to humans. It was no surprise that the (00:06:40) water supply would be cut off, it was (00:06:42) something Shu Axai had anticipated long (00:06:44) ago. Although technological advancements (00:06:47) over the past decade have led to the (00:06:49) complete reconstruction of urban (00:06:50) infrastructure to prevent emergencies (00:06:52) caused by various natural disasters (00:06:55) facing prolonged torrential rains and (00:06:56) floods. (00:06:58) Coupled with power outages, it was (00:07:00) hardly unexpected for the water supply (00:07:02) to fail once the reserve power for all (00:07:04) machinery and equipment was exhausted. (00:07:06) Anyone with a bit of common sense could (00:07:08) have foreseen this. There was plenty of (00:07:10) fresh water stored in the space, enough (00:07:12) for the four of them to use. So, apart (00:07:15) from a brief moment of reflection upon (00:07:17) learning about the water outage, it (00:07:19) didn't trouble Shu Axian much. Shu Axian (00:07:22) quickly washed her face, tied up her (00:07:24) hair, changed into workout clothes (00:07:27) suitable for training, and went (00:07:29) downstairs to join the others. When did (00:07:31) the water stop? Early yesterday morning, (00:07:33) Yan Mo pulled out the chair for Shu Aai (00:07:36) and placed the prepared breakfast in (00:07:38) front of her. Did you manage to wash up (00:07:40) this morning then? Shu Aakan had already (00:07:42) grown accustomed to her boyfriend's care (00:07:44) and effortlessly took the breakfast Yan (00:07:46) Mo handed to her. Of course, I washed (00:07:48) up. I used the water from the external (00:07:50) storage tank. Don't you remember? We (00:07:53) specifically installed a water tank on (00:07:55) the rooftop during the renovation. He he (00:07:58) my brain's just a bit foggy this early (00:08:00) in the morning. We live on the top floor (00:08:02) of the complex and there are quite a few (00:08:04) residents below us. Every time we flush (00:08:06) the toilet, the sound travels (00:08:08) downstairs. From now on, we<unk>ll need (00:08:10) to use cat litter for personal needs. (00:08:13) Let's all take some time today to get (00:08:14) used to it. Shu Axen was utterly (00:08:17) impressed by Yan Mo<unk>s ability to say (00:08:20) such words without batting an eye or (00:08:21) showing any sign of nervousness. If it (00:08:24) were her, she wouldn't even know how to (00:08:26) begin. She glanced at the expressions of (00:08:28) the other two people. There wasn't the (00:08:30) slightest hint of anything unusual. Why (00:08:32) did it feel like she was the only one (00:08:34) feeling awkward? No, she absolutely (00:08:36) couldn't let any strange expressions (00:08:38) show. Or it would seem like she lacked (00:08:40) sophistication. She struggled to (00:08:42) maintain her composure. (00:08:45) Completely unaware that the subtle (00:08:46) shifts in her facial expressions had (00:08:48) already been noticed by Yanim Mo. A (00:08:50) flicker of amusement flashed in Yan (00:08:52) Mo<unk>s eyes. His girlfriend was (00:08:54) sometimes just too adorably naive. What (00:08:57) Shuakian didn't know was that Busyangen (00:08:59) and Muimai were simply accustomed to (00:09:01) remaining expressionless no matter what (00:09:02) they heard when it came time for them to (00:09:05) actually perform the task. The looks on (00:09:07) their faces as they emerged from the (00:09:09) bathroom were quite indescribable. (00:09:11) Shu Axan couldn't help but laugh at them (00:09:14) for a long time. The two of them were (00:09:16) rather embarrassed and somewhat (00:09:17) sheepish. In the first 20some years of (00:09:20) their lives, their status had ensured (00:09:22) they would never encounter such awkward (00:09:24) situations which went against the (00:09:25) refined upbringing they had received. (00:09:27) Even Yan Mo himself found it quite (00:09:29) uncomfortable. No matter how grueling (00:09:32) his training had been as a child, he had (00:09:34) never been in a position to handle his (00:09:36) own waste. It was truly something they (00:09:39) couldn't bring themselves to do. (00:09:40) Everyone still needed some time to (00:09:42) adjust before they could fully accept (00:09:44) this practice. Muchimai observed most (00:09:46) carefully and was the first to notice (00:09:48) something off about the tiger curled up (00:09:50) in the pit. But doesn't this white (00:09:51) tiger's breathing seem a bit off? (00:09:54) Chapter 25. Being targeted. Those who (00:09:56) can afford to live in high-end (00:09:58) residential communities generally have (00:09:59) decent social status. The upper middle (00:10:02) class circle in city A isn't that large. (00:10:05) People cross paths frequently and there (00:10:07) will be opportunities for future (00:10:09) collaboration. During the initial period (00:10:11) of the water outage, everyone still (00:10:13) cared about maintaining their dignity (00:10:15) and public image. Whether they behaved (00:10:17) differently in private was unknown, but (00:10:19) at least outwardly, everyone kept up (00:10:21) appearances while with no incidence of (00:10:24) throwing objects from high places in (00:10:26) public view. With the cheatlike space (00:10:29) ability at their disposal, Shu Aakan and (00:10:31) the others had no such worries. Anything (00:10:34) discarded in the second layer of the (00:10:36) space would be automatically decomposed (00:10:38) by it. The duration of the heavy rain is (00:10:40) getting longer and the water level in (00:10:42) the neighborhood is gradually rising. (00:10:44) More and more people's homes are being (00:10:45) flooded. Some have moved from their (00:10:47) houses to higher floors and the (00:10:49) stairwells to stay temporarily (00:10:51) while others have moved into other (00:10:53) people's homes by offering money, making (00:10:55) promises of benefits or even threats. (00:10:58) Those who dare to let others into their (00:11:00) homes during such times, whether because (00:11:02) they are too greedy by nature, not very (00:11:04) smart or timid and cowardly, will (00:11:07) ultimately not farewell. The heavy rain (00:11:09) has been ongoing for a month now, with (00:11:11) no sign of stopping, with disasters (00:11:14) affecting the entire country and even (00:11:16) the world. Allowing unfamiliar people (00:11:18) into one's home is no different from (00:11:20) inviting a wolf into the house. These (00:11:22) types of people are unlikely to survive (00:11:24) long under the brutal survival rules of (00:11:26) the apocalypse. The most recent (00:11:28) government relief supplies were worlds (00:11:30) apart from the first distribution, and (00:11:32) it was explicitly stated that the next (00:11:34) batch of supplies would need to be (00:11:35) exchanged for an equivalent amount of (00:11:37) cash or gold. Ever since word got out (00:11:40) that some people had their supplies (00:11:42) snatched on the way home, the first (00:11:44) reaction of everyone who receives aid (00:11:46) now is to clutch it tightly to their (00:11:48) chest, cautiously scanning their (00:11:50) surroundings as they hurry home. (00:11:51) Terrified they might be the next victim, (00:11:53) Shuaxian and the others didn't bother (00:11:56) going to the later distributions. For (00:11:58) one thing, the heavy rain made going out (00:12:00) inconvenient, getting drenched and (00:12:02) battered by the wind. And since they (00:12:04) weren't short on supplies, (00:12:06) there was no need to suffer through it. (00:12:08) For another, they had already learned (00:12:10) enough about the situation outside. (00:12:12) There was no value left in venturing (00:12:14) out, and they'd rather spend that time (00:12:16) training for an extra 2 or 3 hours at (00:12:19) home. Another half month passed and the (00:12:21) official distribution of supplies (00:12:23) stopped. Social order completely (00:12:25) descended into chaos and the (00:12:26) neighborhood also became unsettled. (00:12:28) During this time for five groups of (00:12:32) people came knocking on the door at the (00:12:33) 24th floor stairwell. The attitude of (00:12:36) those who came shifted from polite (00:12:38) persuasion to threats and bribes, (00:12:40) eventually escalating to outright (00:12:41) coercion. Their goal was singular, to (00:12:44) move into the 24th and 25th floors and (00:12:46) seize the supplies stored there. The (00:12:48) water had already risen to the middle of (00:12:50) the ninth floor. At the current rate, it (00:12:53) wouldn't be long before it reached (00:12:54) higher levels. Saiinuan and his group (00:12:57) living on the 16th floor clearly sensed (00:13:00) the threat. The 16th floor was no longer (00:13:03) completely safe. Wanting to relocate to (00:13:06) higher floors, they set their sights on (00:13:08) the 24th and 25th floors. They had (00:13:10) observed that the residents of the 24th (00:13:12) and 25th floors had only gone down once (00:13:15) to collect relief supplies. Not leaving (00:13:17) their homes for such a long time surely (00:13:19) meant they had ample stockpiles. If they (00:13:21) could successfully break in, they would (00:13:23) undoubtedly get a good share of the (00:13:25) spoils. Moreover, (00:13:27) they had previously seen them using a (00:13:29) rubber boat during the flood. The (00:13:31) importance of a rubber boat was (00:13:33) self-evident, having one meant an extra (00:13:35) means of survival. (00:13:37) Xiinuan and his group consisted of five (00:13:40) people, all roommates from the same (00:13:42) university dorm. Just before the heavy (00:13:44) rain, it happened to be one of their (00:13:46) birthdays. Thinking it would be fun for (00:13:48) the whole dorm to find a place to (00:13:49) celebrate and stay up all night, Zashi (00:13:52) knew remembered that this house fit the (00:13:54) bill perfectly. It was spacious, usually (00:13:56) unoccupied, except for the cleaning ant (00:13:58) who came periodically, so he brought his (00:14:01) doormates here. All five of them were (00:14:04) strong young men, adapting to the (00:14:07) chaotic society much faster and with (00:14:09) greater resilience than middle-aged or (00:14:11) elderly people. The 24th floor wasn't (00:14:13) their first target. Their initial victim (00:14:15) was a single girl living on the 13th (00:14:17) floor. The guys in their dorm weren't (00:14:19) badl looking, and with a few sweet words (00:14:21) to charm her. She obediently opened the (00:14:24) door for them. This effortless first (00:14:26) success went to the heads of these (00:14:27) barely 18year-olds, fueling their (00:14:30) audacity and making them even more (00:14:31) reckless in their actions. (00:14:34) Subsequent consecutive victories (00:14:36) inflated their confidence, making them (00:14:38) feel like protagonists in a TV drama. As (00:14:41) if the chaos of society was an (00:14:42) opportunity for their rise, awaiting (00:14:45) their domination of the world. After (00:14:46) setting their sights on the 24th floor, (00:14:49) they didn't bother with meticulous (00:14:50) planning. Assuming it would be as easy (00:14:52) as the previous targets, they casually (00:14:55) decided to break in at midnight that (00:14:56) night. Treating the entire operation as (00:14:59) nothing out of the ordinary. It was just (00:15:02) past 1:00 in the morning when Zashin (00:15:03) Yuan and his group made their way up (00:15:05) from the 16th floor. They had previously (00:15:08) studied the door installed at the (00:15:09) stairwell entrance on the 24th floor. It (00:15:12) was quite sturdy and difficult to break (00:15:13) through by ordinary means. While looting (00:15:16) supplies from a previous location, they (00:15:18) had discovered a cutting machine and a (00:15:20) battery, which now came in handy. The (00:15:22) sound of the cutting machine wasn't (00:15:24) exactly quiet. Mucciimai, (00:15:27) who was sleeping on the living room sofa (00:15:29) tonight, immediately heard the commotion (00:15:31) outside the door, silently rising from (00:15:33) the sofa. He pulled up the stairwell (00:15:36) surveillance footage, then walked to the (00:15:38) bedroom doors of Yanmo and Busiang, (00:15:40) knocking to wake them both. After the (00:15:42) neighborhood became chaotic, Yanmo (00:15:44) arranged for someone to sleep on the (00:15:46) living room sofa every night so they (00:15:48) could react quickly to any disturbances. (00:15:51) The soundproofing in the rooms had been (00:15:53) too well done during the renovation, and (00:15:55) without someone on night watch, they (00:15:57) might not even hear if the door was (00:15:59) pried open. Yan Mo and Busianguin came (00:16:02) out quickly. After confirming the number (00:16:04) of intruders and the weapons they were (00:16:06) carrying from the surveillance footage, (00:16:07) each grabbed a long knife, tucked a gun (00:16:10) behind their waist, and stepped outside. (00:16:12) The stairwell door was suddenly flung (00:16:14) open, catching Zini Yuan and his gang (00:16:17) off guard. When they saw the people (00:16:19) inside emerge, they immediately snapped (00:16:22) back to attention, their expressions (00:16:24) turning fierce. "Well, looks like you're (00:16:26) pretty alert, huh? Be smart and open the (00:16:29) door now. Save us the trouble. (00:16:31) Otherwise, once we get in, you'll regret (00:16:34) it. Sai Nuan stood boldly at the front, (00:16:37) shamelessly spouting, tough talk. Such (00:16:40) foolish words actually came from someone (00:16:42) nearly 20 years old. It seemed he had (00:16:44) watched too many brainless TV dramas and (00:16:47) was thoroughly poisoned by them. Yan (00:16:49) Mo<unk>s mockery made Saiuan feel (00:16:52) utterly furious, as if he were some (00:16:54) insignificant clown. And he roared in (00:16:56) anger, "Since you don't know what's good (00:16:57) for you, don't blame us for being (00:16:59) impolite. hurry up and cut through this (00:17:01) iron gate. Let's see how arrogant they (00:17:04) can be. Then the person operating the (00:17:06) cutting machine sped up their movements, (00:17:08) cranking the power to maximum without (00:17:10) any concern for waking the people (00:17:11) inside. H the depth of the pit doesn't (00:17:14) seem right either. Yan Mo<unk>s gaze (00:17:17) shifted from the troublesome little (00:17:18) thing beside him. Immediately spotting (00:17:20) the issue. After scanning back and forth (00:17:23) twice to confirm something, he added, (00:17:25) "This white tiger should already be (00:17:27) dead. What's alive is whatever it's (00:17:29) protecting beneath its body. Chapter 26. (00:17:32) Giving them a chance. The foolish (00:17:34) actions of those outside were impossible (00:17:36) for Yanim Mo to ignore. He tilted his (00:17:39) head slightly in the direction where (00:17:40) Muimi stood. Having been by Yan Mo<unk>s (00:17:43) side for so many years. Muimi had long (00:17:47) developed a tacit understanding with (00:17:48) him. He reached out and pressed the (00:17:50) button beside him, instantly (00:17:52) electrifying the iron door in front of (00:17:54) them with high voltage. The moment the (00:17:56) current surged, an electric arc even (00:17:58) flickered across the door. Dingbo, (00:18:00) operating the cutting machine, was so (00:18:02) frightened that he immediately dropped (00:18:04) the machine in his hands and took a big (00:18:06) step back, his heart still pounding with (00:18:08) fear. From the moment he decided to come (00:18:11) to the 24th floor tonight, he had a (00:18:14) strong, ominous intuition. His sixth (00:18:16) sense had always been accurate, and ever (00:18:18) since arriving, his nerves had been on (00:18:20) edge. The slightest movement or sound (00:18:22) around him could instantly put him on (00:18:24) high alert. The slight tilt of the head (00:18:26) from the leading man inside didn't (00:18:28) escape Ding Bose's notice either. His (00:18:30) internal alarm bells rang loudly, and he (00:18:33) instinctively stepped away from the door (00:18:35) with the cutter in hand. The next (00:18:37) second, a high voltage arc flashed (00:18:39) across the door, throwing the cutter (00:18:41) aside. He felt the overwhelming relief (00:18:44) of a narrow escape. If I hadn't remained (00:18:46) vigilant all along and failed to move (00:18:48) away in time just now, I'd probably be (00:18:51) lying cold underground by now. A single (00:18:53) shock from high voltage electricity, (00:18:55) passing out would be the least of it. (00:18:57) There's a high chance it could cost me (00:18:59) my life. After living together day in (00:19:02) and day out for so long, he knew all too (00:19:05) well what kind of people his roommates (00:19:07) were. If something really happened to (00:19:09) him, no one would care whether he lived (00:19:11) or died. They'd leave him to fend for (00:19:13) himself, to survive. The only one he (00:19:16) could trust and rely on was himself. The (00:19:18) high voltage electricity on the door (00:19:20) made Saiuan's entire dorm hesitate. None (00:19:23) daring to step forward. Everyone knew (00:19:25) the dangers of high voltage. No one was (00:19:28) willing to gamble with their life. (00:19:30) Letting them leave just like that felt (00:19:32) somewhat unwilling to them. Saiuan and (00:19:35) his gang were stuck in the stairwell, (00:19:36) unsure whether to grit their teeth and (00:19:38) charge forward or retreat empty-handed. (00:19:41) Yan Mo didn't give them a choice. Once (00:19:43) they cleared the doorway, he turned off (00:19:45) the high voltage electricity and walked (00:19:47) out with Busyang and Muiimai. The (00:19:50) already cramped stairwell became even (00:19:51) more crowded with three additional men. (00:19:54) Seeing Yan Mo and the others actually (00:19:56) stepping out on their own. Ziuan (00:19:59) sneered, "Brothers, go!" teach them a (00:20:02) lesson. The five men tightened their (00:20:04) grips on their baseball bats, iron rods, (00:20:06) and other weapons, exchanged glances, (00:20:09) and charged forward together. Without a (00:20:11) word, Yan Mo and his two companions (00:20:14) stepped forward to meet them without (00:20:16) even unshathing their knives. They (00:20:18) swiftly knocked down all five of (00:20:19) Xiinuan<unk>s men, leaving them writhing (00:20:22) in pain on the ground. Ziuan and his (00:20:25) gang had never received any formal (00:20:27) training. Their success relied solely on (00:20:29) their youthful strength. boldness and (00:20:32) the fact that others had various (00:20:33) reservations about confronting them. All (00:20:35) their moves were chaotic and (00:20:36) disorganized, a complete mess. At a (00:20:39) glance, their weaknesses and fatal flaws (00:20:42) were glaringly obvious. It would have (00:20:44) been a shame for Yanimo and his team not (00:20:46) to strike. They were practically begging (00:20:48) to be taken down. (00:20:50) He beat someone up so badly that the (00:20:52) person had to stay in bed for at least (00:20:54) half a month, unable to move normally, (00:20:56) and then harshly lectured Xinuan and the (00:20:59) others before letting them go. The chaos (00:21:01) had only just begun. Yan Mo didn't want (00:21:03) to kill anyone this early. He wasn't (00:21:06) some kind of homicidal maniac who killed (00:21:08) for the sake of killing or murdered (00:21:10) anyone he saw. Once the first murder (00:21:12) occurred, the survival rules of the (00:21:14) community would be completely rewritten, (00:21:16) spiraling out of control. Although (00:21:19) things were chaotic now, most people (00:21:21) were only thinking about looting (00:21:22) supplies. No one had yet considered (00:21:25) killing, still clinging to the hope that (00:21:27) once the heavy rain stopped, social (00:21:29) order would return to normal, and thus (00:21:31) didn't dare to go too far. They all live (00:21:33) in the same building, and Yanimo and the (00:21:35) others had heard about Ziuan's group. (00:21:38) They were just a few impulsive young (00:21:40) people who had been heavily influenced (00:21:41) by TV dramas. (00:21:43) Aside from barging into others homes to (00:21:45) seize supplies, they hadn't done (00:21:47) anything truly heinous. When seizing (00:21:50) supplies, they would leave a portion for (00:21:52) the other party, not taking everything. (00:21:54) Back then, the girl on the 13th floor (00:21:57) who was robbed only had her things taken (00:21:59) before they left without any malicious (00:22:01) intent. Their actions weren't too (00:22:03) extreme, and they didn't cause any major (00:22:05) harm, which is why Yanimo chose to let (00:22:08) them off today. Hopefully, after being (00:22:10) beaten up, they'll behave themselves. It (00:22:14) should also serve as a warning to others (00:22:16) who still have their eyes on the 24th (00:22:18) floor. If anyone wants to come looking (00:22:20) for trouble, they better weigh their own (00:22:22) strength first. See if they're truly (00:22:24) capable. Yan Mo gave Muimi a look. Years (00:22:27) of tacit understanding made Muimai (00:22:29) instantly grasp the message. He (00:22:31) cautiously walked over, lifted the white (00:22:33) tiger corpse above, and revealed what (00:22:35) lay hidden beneath it. Chapter 27. and (00:22:37) accompanied to sleep. Shu Axen had been (00:22:41) sleeping restlessly lately, suffering (00:22:43) from some insomnia. She lived alone on (00:22:46) the upper floor, and for the past couple (00:22:48) of days, she had been sleeping with her (00:22:50) door open, so she could promptly hear (00:22:52) any commotion downstairs. The noise from (00:22:54) the fight between Yan Mo<unk>s group and (00:22:56) Zash Shinuan's crew in the 24th floor (00:22:58) stairwell was quite loud, naturally (00:23:00) waking Shu Axian up. Shu Axian wasn't in (00:23:03) a hurry to go out and check the (00:23:05) situation since Yanmo hadn't come up to (00:23:08) call her. The problem probably wasn't (00:23:10) serious. She threw on a coat over her (00:23:12) pajamas and went downstairs, sitting on (00:23:15) the living room sofa to watch the (00:23:17) surveillance footage while waiting for (00:23:18) them to return. As soon as Yanim Mo (00:23:20) entered, he saw Shu Axen sitting upright (00:23:23) on the sofa, waiting for him. He walked (00:23:25) over, touched her face, and asked, "Why (00:23:28) did you come down? Did the noise wake (00:23:30) you? I couldn't sleep well. Shuakai and (00:23:33) shook her head, wrapping her arms around (00:23:35) Yan Mo<unk>s lean and muscular waist. (00:23:38) She buried her face against his (00:23:40) well-defined abs, her favorite spot, and (00:23:43) answered in a muffled voice. Busyanguen (00:23:46) and Mucciimai. Upon seeing Shu Axian (00:23:48) early in the morning when they entered, (00:23:50) very consciously avoided any awkwardness (00:23:52) and quietly slipped back into their own (00:23:54) bedrooms. Living with a couple, these (00:23:57) two single dogs really couldn't avoid (00:23:59) being stuffed with dog food at every (00:24:01) turn. Not at all worried about going (00:24:03) hungry. Even if there's no food, there's (00:24:05) always dog food waiting for them. Yanimo (00:24:09) rubbed Shuxen's head, then bent down and (00:24:11) scooped her up. Carrying her upstairs, (00:24:14) he gently placed her on the bed. But the (00:24:16) clingy person in his arms wrapped her (00:24:18) arms around his waist and refused to let (00:24:20) go. Little clingy one, be good and let (00:24:22) go for now. I'm not leaving. I'm just (00:24:25) going to freshen up and come back. I'll (00:24:27) sleep with you tonight. All right, (00:24:29) that's what you said. No backing out (00:24:31) now. The moment Shu Aan heard Yan Mo (00:24:34) agree to sleep with her. She immediately (00:24:37) released her claws from around his waist (00:24:39) and kept urging him to go wash up. (00:24:41) Shuakai didn't know what was wrong with (00:24:43) her tonight, but she desperately wanted (00:24:45) to stay close to Yanmo, craving his (00:24:47) presence at every moment. As if only (00:24:49) then could she confirm something (00:24:51) important? How could Yanmo, with his (00:24:53) attentiveness and understanding of Shu (00:24:55) Axai, not notice that his girlfriend was (00:24:57) in an unusual mood tonight? He wouldn't (00:25:00) feel at ease unless he kept an eye on (00:25:02) her himself. (00:25:04) After a quick wash in Shuxen's bathroom (00:25:06) to clean off the dust and blood stains (00:25:08) from the earlier fight, he stepped out. (00:25:10) Perhaps it was the knowledge that Yan Mo (00:25:12) was in the same room using her shower. (00:25:15) Or maybe it was the sound of running (00:25:16) water. But Shu Axian found it hard to (00:25:19) suppress the indecent thoughts swirling (00:25:21) in her head. Scenes from various steamy (00:25:23) novels she'd read before, where the male (00:25:25) lead would emerge from a bath and engage (00:25:27) in all sorts of intimate moments with (00:25:29) the female lead kept flashing through (00:25:32) her mind. The most terrifying part was (00:25:34) that the images in her head (00:25:36) automatically replaced the characters (00:25:37) with herself and Yanmo. Shuakai<unk>s (00:25:40) face grew increasingly red as she tried (00:25:42) to shake off the R-rated scenes in her (00:25:44) mind, only to find her efforts utterly (00:25:46) feudal. This sense of shame reached its (00:25:48) peak when she saw Yano step out of the (00:25:51) bathroom with his robe slightly open. (00:25:53) Shu Axen felt her body temperature rise (00:25:56) so high that she could probably perform (00:25:58) an on the spot explosion. Like the (00:26:00) proverbial ostrich burying its head in (00:26:02) the sand, Shu Axen averted her gaze from (00:26:04) Yanm<unk>s exposed chest, silently (00:26:07) reciting, "Form is emptiness. Emptiness (00:26:10) is form." In an attempt to calm her (00:26:12) racing heart and the rush of blood (00:26:13) through her veins. Yet the very man who (00:26:16) had stirred her desires remained utterly (00:26:18) unaware. He climbed onto the bed and the (00:26:20) clean refreshing scent from his recent (00:26:23) shower instantly filled Shuin senses so (00:26:26) pleasant and familiar that she couldn't (00:26:28) help but subtly twitch her nose, taking (00:26:30) in a few light sniffs. He Yan Mo didn't (00:26:33) miss Shuene's little gesture, letting (00:26:35) out a soft, amused chuckle pressed (00:26:37) against Yanmo. Shuene could feel the (00:26:40) vibrations in his chest, and the sound (00:26:42) of his voice resonating through it was (00:26:43) even more captivating than usual. At (00:26:46) last, (00:26:47) Shuene understood what it meant to feel (00:26:49) like one's ears could get pregnant. (00:26:51) Chapter 28. Transformation. That night, (00:26:54) when Zashin Yuan and his group went to (00:26:56) pick a fight on the 24th floor, many (00:26:58) people sensed something was brewing with (00:27:00) a hint of Shoden Frea. They quietly (00:27:02) observed the aftermath, seeing Xin Yuan (00:27:05) and his crew supporting each other as (00:27:07) they stumbled down the stairs in (00:27:08) disarray. They couldn't help but feel a (00:27:10) twinge of fear toward the 24th floor. (00:27:14) The dark thoughts that had just begun to (00:27:16) sprout in their minds were swiftly (00:27:17) nipped in the bud, leaving them too (00:27:20) intimidated to act recklessly. Thanks to (00:27:22) Yan Mo<unk>s example of killing the (00:27:24) chicken to scare the monkey, their (00:27:26) building, at least on the surface, (00:27:28) settled into peace. In contrast, the (00:27:31) building where Yi Yuan, the original (00:27:33) novel's female lead, resided was a hot (00:27:35) bed of chaos, with one trouble after (00:27:38) another knocking on her door. The (00:27:40) protagonist's halo not only grants the (00:27:42) protagonist cheatlike advantages, but (00:27:44) also brings a constant stream of trouble (00:27:46) right to their doorstep. (00:27:48) Every one of these troublemakers saw her (00:27:50) as an easy target, a single woman living (00:27:52) alone, surely more vulnerable than a (00:27:55) single man or a family living together. (00:27:57) One by one, every person who came (00:27:59) looking for trouble was thoroughly dealt (00:28:01) with by Yi Yuan. Frequent disruptions to (00:28:03) her life, and the changes in her (00:28:05) temperament after rebirth caused Yi Yuan (00:28:07) suppressed anger to keep building, she (00:28:09) refrained from killing for the time (00:28:10) being. Wanting to temper her nature, she (00:28:14) was aware of her shifting personality. (00:28:16) While it had its benefits for surviving (00:28:18) the apocalypse, it also had its (00:28:20) drawbacks. During this period of (00:28:22) rebirth, having spent more time alone, (00:28:24) Yiuan has had ample opportunity to (00:28:26) reflect quietly, gradually gaining (00:28:29) clarity on many matters, in her previous (00:28:31) life, she was completely deceived by the (00:28:34) combined schemes of Du Honu and Wong (00:28:36) Yaun, ultimately being pushed into a (00:28:38) horde of zombies to meet a tragic end. (00:28:41) She acknowledges that she herself bears (00:28:43) some responsibility for this outcome. (00:28:45) Had she not been so naive, so quick to (00:28:48) offer her sincerity and trust to others, (00:28:50) she wouldn't have been so easily (00:28:52) manipulated by their rather unremarkable (00:28:54) tactics, foolishly believing their close (00:28:56) relationship was genuinely due to her (00:28:58) own influence. Given a second chance at (00:29:01) life, she refuses to let the hatred from (00:29:03) her past life and all the suffering she (00:29:05) endured become the main theme of her (00:29:07) existence. (00:29:09) Those unbearable days are behind her (00:29:11) now. Heaven has granted her the (00:29:13) opportunity to start a new and she is (00:29:15) determined to live a completely (00:29:16) different life. However, she would (00:29:18) avenge the grievances of Du Honu and (00:29:21) Wong Yaun. These two individuals she (00:29:23) would absolutely not let off. People (00:29:25) must always pay the price for the (00:29:27) mistakes they have made. The water (00:29:29) gradually rose to the 13th floor, (00:29:31) forcing more and more people to leave (00:29:33) their homes, carrying their bedding and (00:29:35) meager supplies of food. They moved to (00:29:38) the higher floors of the stairwells to (00:29:40) live. As the number of people crowding (00:29:42) the corridors increased, the limited (00:29:44) space led to growing conflicts with (00:29:46) minor and major disputes breaking out (00:29:48) daily. Living in such conditions for an (00:29:50) extended period visibly worsened (00:29:52) people's moods. The once elegant (00:29:54) business elites who used to stride (00:29:56) through high-rise office buildings and (00:29:58) tailored suits, exuding grace and (00:30:00) sophistication, (00:30:02) were now unrecognizable, their faces (00:30:05) twisted with anger and desperation, (00:30:07) frequently erupting into furious (00:30:08) shouting. A sight too distressing to (00:30:10) behold. Yi Yuan had only managed to (00:30:13) finish renovating the interior of her (00:30:15) apartment before her rebirth, and she (00:30:17) had overlooked reinforcing the stairwell (00:30:19) with an iron gate. As a result, the only (00:30:21) barrier at the 25th floor landing was (00:30:23) the original safety door, which provided (00:30:26) minimal defensive capability. Today, (00:30:29) someone took an ax from the firefighting (00:30:31) box and hacked open the door Yuan had (00:30:33) locked. Hearing the commotion of the (00:30:35) door being chopped from inside her home, (00:30:37) she didn't go out to look. Instead, she (00:30:40) put on the clothes placed by the sofa (00:30:42) and waited for her own door to be (00:30:43) knocked on. Just as Yuan expected, 15 (00:30:47) minutes later, the person who had (00:30:48) violently opened the stairwell door (00:30:50) banged loudly on her door. The sheer (00:30:52) force of the knocking alone conveyed the (00:30:54) leader's fury. Yiuan rose unhurriedly, (00:30:58) carrying the knife in her hand as she (00:31:00) walked to the door and opened it (00:31:01) smoothly. Before anyone could react, the (00:31:04) person who had been knocking at the (00:31:05) front was sent flying backward, skidding (00:31:07) across the ground until they slammed (00:31:09) into the wall and came to a stop. Yi (00:31:11) Yuan's kick stunned everyone else in the (00:31:13) hallway, their eyes nearly popping out (00:31:15) of their sockets. How could a woman have (00:31:18) such immense strength? effortlessly (00:31:20) kicking a grown man flying through the (00:31:22) air, shattering their perception of what (00:31:24) a normal woman should be capable of. The (00:31:27) man who was kicked away by Yi Yuan was (00:31:29) quickly helped up by others, his face (00:31:31) contorted in uncontrollable pain, (00:31:33) grimacing and nashing his teeth. His (00:31:35) bravado had diminished significantly as (00:31:37) he pushed away the underling supporting (00:31:39) him and charged forward, aiming to throw (00:31:41) a punch at Yuan. The next second, his (00:31:44) entire body froze in place, stuck in a (00:31:46) ridiculous posture. The icy sensation (00:31:50) against his neck instantly extinguished (00:31:52) the fury and impulse that had just (00:31:53) flared up, leaving him utterly and (00:31:55) completely calm. Chapter 29. The arrival (00:31:58) of extreme cold. A bead of cold sweat (00:32:01) dripped from his forehead and trickled (00:32:02) down his neck. Fay Jun swallowed hard. (00:32:05) His body twisted in an awkward position, (00:32:08) not daring to move a muscle. He was (00:32:10) terrified that a single tremor of Yi (00:32:12) Yuan<unk>s hand would send him straight (00:32:13) to the afterlife. Never show your face (00:32:16) on the 25th floor again. (00:32:18) Next time, the blade will slice straight (00:32:20) through your artery. Blood will flow (00:32:22) from the wound into the ruptured part of (00:32:24) your trachea. And as it or clots are (00:32:26) inhaled into your airway, you'll (00:32:28) experience difficulty breathing or even (00:32:30) suffocation. You'll get to feel every (00:32:32) second of the dying process. If you're (00:32:34) eager to experience what I just (00:32:36) described, by all means, come and die. (00:32:39) The icy edge of the blade pressed (00:32:41) against the man's neck, lightly grazing (00:32:43) the skin, and drawing a thin line of (00:32:45) blood. (00:32:47) The combination of Yi Yuan<unk>s frigid (00:32:48) tone and the stinging pain on his neck (00:32:50) left F Jun with no will to resist. He (00:32:53) didn't even dare to nod, frantically (00:32:55) blinking to signal his understanding. (00:32:57) Get lost. Yuan withdrew the knife and (00:33:00) watched as the men scrambled away from (00:33:02) the 25th floor in panic before turning (00:33:04) to head back home. These people in the (00:33:06) same building of the residential complex (00:33:08) posed no real threat to her, just an (00:33:10) annoyance. With the door to the 25th (00:33:12) floor stairwell broken, it was certain (00:33:15) someone would move in there. As for the (00:33:17) hallway, they'd better not even think (00:33:19) about it. She had no intention of (00:33:21) letting her doorway get cluttered with (00:33:23) all kinds of trash. However, going out (00:33:25) alone in the future would make it hard (00:33:27) to avoid being noticed. Tsk the more she (00:33:30) thought about it, the more irritated she (00:33:32) became, and the urge to kill resurfished (00:33:35) to distract herself and calm down. Yuan (00:33:38) simply took out ingredients from her (00:33:39) space and started cooking. Time (00:33:42) gradually approached the end of the (00:33:44) torrential rain disaster. Over these (00:33:46) three months, the social order built (00:33:48) over the years had crumbled to the brink (00:33:49) of collapse, and the credibility of the (00:33:52) official government had plummeted to its (00:33:53) lowest point. Amid the chaos in other (00:33:56) buildings of the neighborhood, only the (00:33:58) building where Shu Axen and Yiuan lived (00:34:00) remained exceptionally quiet. Under the (00:34:03) rigorous training of Yanmo and Muiimai (00:34:05) over these three months, the progress of (00:34:07) Shu Axen and Busianguen, though not (00:34:10) meteoric, could still be described as (00:34:12) rapid. Not an ounce of excess fat (00:34:14) remained on their bodies, while their (00:34:16) outward appearances hadn't changed much. (00:34:18) Their overall demeanor radiated much (00:34:20) more vitality. The rain was visibly (00:34:23) diminishing, and people seemed to see a (00:34:25) glimmer of hope for a return to normaly. (00:34:27) Even if Shu Axen and the others didn't (00:34:30) go downstairs, (00:34:31) the occasional excited voices heard from (00:34:34) the stairwell when they opened their (00:34:35) doors conveyed the exhilaration of (00:34:37) others. As people hoped, the torrential (00:34:39) rain finally ceased on the afternoon 3 (00:34:42) days later. When the rain stopped, (00:34:44) joyous cheers erupted spontaneously (00:34:46) across different parts of the country, (00:34:48) celebrating the end of the disaster and (00:34:50) the imminent return to normal life. The (00:34:52) flood that had risen to the 18th floor (00:34:54) receded quickly, dropping below the 10th (00:34:56) floor in just half a day. People swiftly (00:35:00) gathered their remaining belongings, (00:35:02) preparing to move back into their homes (00:35:03) at any moment. Shuakai knew that from (00:35:06) the moment the rain stopped, she needed (00:35:08) to retrieve the winter supplies for the (00:35:10) upcoming extreme cold period from her (00:35:12) space. She brought out items like (00:35:14) stoves, extra thick down quilts, (00:35:16) heavyduty bed sets, thick down jackets, (00:35:19) small heaters, and hand warmers, filling (00:35:22) an entire room before stopping. Only (00:35:25) after Shu Axen had taken everything out (00:35:28) did Yan Mo lead Busian and Muiimai (00:35:30) upstairs to move the items. The four of (00:35:33) them spent an entire afternoon and half (00:35:35) the evening reorganizing, transforming (00:35:37) all the frequently used areas of their (00:35:39) living space. They installed the largest (00:35:41) stove in the living room to provide (00:35:43) heating for the entire house. In their (00:35:45) bedrooms, they added an additional (00:35:47) smokeless stove with excellent heat (00:35:49) dissipation. (00:35:50) The beds were layered with four or five (00:35:53) ultra thick cotton quilts, and all the (00:35:55) bedding was replaced with fleece. Each (00:35:57) bed also had three or four extra quilts (00:35:59) on standby, ready to be added if they (00:36:01) still felt cold while sleeping. A thick (00:36:04) carpet was laid on the floor, and even (00:36:06) the doorork knobs were covered with (00:36:07) velvet fabric, ensuring all round (00:36:09) protection, the water level would (00:36:11) continue to recede for a day. As if this (00:36:14) was the last respit given by heaven to (00:36:16) humanity, once this time was up, people (00:36:19) would face an even more brutal disaster. (00:36:21) If someone could seize the opportunity (00:36:23) of this day to go out and find some (00:36:25) food, they would fare much better in the (00:36:27) early stages of the extreme cold. (00:36:29) Unfortunately, few could grasp this (00:36:31) chance. While people were immersed in (00:36:33) the joy of the rain finally ending, (00:36:35) celebrating their survival, no one (00:36:37) noticed that a new wave of danger was (00:36:39) quietly approaching. As soon as midnight (00:36:42) passed, the temperature plummeted (00:36:44) dramatically. (00:36:45) The house was already warmed by a stove (00:36:48) and the underfloor heating radiated a (00:36:50) cozy warmth. Wrapped in a blanket, (00:36:52) Shuene stood by the window, watching the (00:36:54) outdoor thermometer drop from above 20° (00:36:57) to single digits in just a few seconds. (00:36:59) so fast that the thermometer the (00:37:01) temperature continued to fall. Who knew (00:37:03) how many people would silently perish in (00:37:05) this quiet dark night. A thin layer of (00:37:08) frost had already formed on the rain (00:37:10) streaked glass pane in front of her. (00:37:13) Shuene had no desire to keep watching. (00:37:15) She drew the curtains, turned away, and (00:37:18) lay back down to sleep. The course of (00:37:20) the world's development had long been (00:37:22) set. She still hadn't fully adapted to (00:37:24) the survival rules of this world. Merely (00:37:26) staying alive on her own was a struggle. (00:37:29) She lacked the ability to help others (00:37:31) and even in the face of such a (00:37:32) catastrophic disaster. The authorities (00:37:35) with the combined strength and resources (00:37:37) of an entire nation could do very little (00:37:40) the next morning. People waking from (00:37:42) their sleep were horrified to find the (00:37:44) temperature abnormally cold. Shivering, (00:37:47) they pulled their blankets tighter, only (00:37:49) to turn and discover that the person (00:37:50) lying beside them had already frozen (00:37:52) stiff, lifeless whales of grief rose one (00:37:56) after another from the buildings in the (00:37:57) neighborhood. each a heartbreaking (00:37:59) discovery that loved ones had frozen to (00:38:01) death in their sleep overnight. Just the (00:38:03) day before. They had rejoiced that the (00:38:05) heavy rain had finally passed, (00:38:08) only to realize the next day that far (00:38:10) worse awaited them. After a single (00:38:12) night, the flood waters that had not (00:38:14) fully receded froze solid. A vast (00:38:16) expanse of white stretched as far as the (00:38:18) eye could see, transforming the outside (00:38:21) world into a frozen wasteland. Even the (00:38:23) most oblivious now understood that this (00:38:25) disaster might truly be the apocalypse. (00:38:27) The dual blows of lost hope and the (00:38:29) death of loved ones overwhelmed those (00:38:31) with weaker mental resilience, causing (00:38:33) some to faint on the spot. Unable to (00:38:36) accept the cruel reality, another group (00:38:39) of people who committed misdeeds during (00:38:41) the storm had entirely different (00:38:42) feelings. When the storm ceased, those (00:38:45) who had done many wrongs in the past 3 (00:38:47) months were all worried about being (00:38:48) arrested and put on trial. Their hearts (00:38:50) filled with fear for the entire day. The (00:38:53) arrival of the extreme cold put their (00:38:55) minds completely at ease. It seemed just (00:38:57) as the internet had said. The end of the (00:38:59) world had come and no one would hold (00:39:02) them accountable for their misdeeds (00:39:04) anymore. They could continue living (00:39:05) without restraint. The social (00:39:07) civilization and order built over a (00:39:09) thousand years finally collapsed (00:39:11) completely after the arrival of the (00:39:12) extreme cold. Chapter 30. Going out. The (00:39:16) temperature plummeted to overus30° C (00:39:19) located in the northern part of the (00:39:20) central region. CityA had previously (00:39:23) experienced winter lows of only around (00:39:25) minus10°. (00:39:27) The sudden drop to minus30 was (00:39:29) unbearable for its residents, (00:39:31) unaccustomed to such extreme cold. Not (00:39:34) to mention the temperatures below -30° C (00:39:37) are still dropping. The subsequent (00:39:39) cooling won't be as drastic or sudden as (00:39:41) on the first day. It will gradually (00:39:43) decrease until it reaches below -50°. (00:39:46) Global torrential rains have destroyed (00:39:48) the majority of power systems worldwide. (00:39:51) The arrival of extreme cold has (00:39:53) completely dashed any hope of repairing (00:39:55) them. Without electricity for heating, (00:39:58) people are forced to resort to the most (00:40:00) primitive method, burning fires to stay (00:40:02) warm. To withstand the cold weather, (00:40:04) people dismantled all the burnable items (00:40:06) they could find in their homes and piled (00:40:08) them together to use as fuel for warmth. (00:40:10) The greenery in their residential (00:40:12) complex was indeed quite good. It had (00:40:14) been one of the selling points during (00:40:16) the initial promotion. Now, the trees (00:40:19) that weren't completely frozen over (00:40:21) became a contested resource among the (00:40:23) residents. Within just a few days, (00:40:25) several violent clashes had erupted, (00:40:27) leaving everyone in the complex on edge. (00:40:29) None of this had anything to do with (00:40:31) Shuene and the others. They planned to (00:40:33) go out to find some supplies, acclimate (00:40:36) to the harsh weather, and incidentally (00:40:38) gather some materials to keep up (00:40:39) appearances. Even though the four of (00:40:41) them were bundled up tightly, they still (00:40:44) shivered from the cold the moment they (00:40:46) stepped out of the building. Shu Axan (00:40:49) silently tightened her down jacket (00:40:51) around herself, grateful for the extra (00:40:53) layer of heating pads inside. Otherwise, (00:40:56) she definitely wouldn't have been able (00:40:58) to withstand the minus40° temperature. (00:41:00) Bureau, it's freezing. Busyang (00:41:02) exaggeratedly shivered for effect. Let's (00:41:05) go. The place we're heading to today is (00:41:07) still a bit far from here. Change into (00:41:09) your skates quickly and let's get (00:41:11) moving. Yan Mo cut off Bishangwin's (00:41:14) antics without mercy. M the group (00:41:17) quickly found a sheltered spot to change (00:41:19) into the ice skates they were carrying. (00:41:21) Once Yan Mo confirmed the direction, (00:41:24) Shuakian and the others swiftly (00:41:26) followed. The ground was entirely (00:41:27) covered with thick smooth ice, so they (00:41:30) opted for ice skates for travel, (00:41:32) convenient and not overly conspicuous (00:41:34) with ordinary shoes, no matter how (00:41:37) careful one is. Slipping is inevitable. (00:41:39) Once fallen, the hard-earned supplies (00:41:42) would be snatched by those lurking in (00:41:43) the shadows. (00:41:45) Clinging to the supplies would only (00:41:47) invite a beating, making it a lose-lose (00:41:49) situation. Better to hand them over (00:41:51) right away to avoid a thrashing. Wise (00:41:53) men know when to yield. Shuakai and the (00:41:56) others were heading to a commercial (00:41:57) office building this time, which housed (00:42:00) many high-tech, agricultural, and (00:42:02) biotech companies. The three types of (00:42:04) businesses they were targeting in the (00:42:06) future. They would certainly need to (00:42:08) establish their own base. In the (00:42:10) apocalypse, (00:42:12) having control over one's own life and (00:42:14) safety is paramount. With the third (00:42:16) level base in Shuex in space, they could (00:42:19) skip the hassle of early stage (00:42:20) construction and focus on eliminating (00:42:22) zombies and gathering cores. The base (00:42:24) definitely wouldn't consist of just the (00:42:26) four of them. With more people, food (00:42:28) would become a major issue. Although the (00:42:31) supplies stored in the comfort space (00:42:32) were abundant, they weren't renewable (00:42:34) resources and couldn't sustain unlimited (00:42:37) consumption by an entire base. Being (00:42:40) able to produce their own supplies was (00:42:42) the only long-term guarantee. After (00:42:44) sliding for about half an hour, Shuakan (00:42:47) and the others reached their destination (00:42:49) for the day. The upscale office building (00:42:51) in front of them was far from the city (00:42:53) center with relatively few residents in (00:42:55) the surrounding area. People searching (00:42:57) for supplies usually prioritized places (00:42:59) like shopping malls and supermarkets (00:43:01) where food was more abundant. There were (00:43:04) no signs of others having broken in yet, (00:43:07) so the items inside were likely still (00:43:09) intact. Finding a blind spot, Muimai (00:43:12) took out tools from his bag and silently (00:43:14) shattered an entire pane of sturdy glass (00:43:16) with almost no noise, Shuakin watched in (00:43:20) quiet amazement. Judging by his skillful (00:43:22) technique, it was clear he had done this (00:43:24) kind of break-in more than a few times (00:43:26) before. She couldn't help but wonder (00:43:28) what kind of shady activities Muimai had (00:43:30) helped her boyfriend with in the past. (00:43:32) Could it be, "Ouch! Why did you hit me?" (00:43:36) Suddenly, feeling a sharp pain on her (00:43:38) forehead, Shuin covered the spot that (00:43:40) had been flicked, casting an accusatory (00:43:42) glance at Yenma. "What nonsense are you (00:43:45) thinking?" Silent window breaking was (00:43:47) one of our training exercises back then, (00:43:49) meant for quick and discreet exits in (00:43:51) emergencies. It has absolutely nothing (00:43:54) to do with the wild scenarios you're (00:43:55) imagining. Yinma knew Shuin<unk>s little (00:43:58) expressions all too well. The moment her (00:44:00) eyes darted around, he could tell she (00:44:03) was off fantasizing about something (00:44:05) absurd again. Oh, so that's how it is. (00:44:08) Shuene turned her head away while still (00:44:10) holding it, then quickly turned back, (00:44:12) unwilling to let it go. But are you sure (00:44:14) there was never a situation like what I (00:44:16) imagined? No. Oh, all right then. Not (00:44:19) receiving a positive answer, a hint of (00:44:22) disappointment was evident in Shuin's (00:44:24) voice. While Mucci opened the window, (00:44:26) Shuin and the other two didn't stay idle (00:44:29) after changing their shoes. Under the (00:44:32) pretense of Yan Mo using his spatial (00:44:34) ability, Shuin swiftly put away the ice (00:44:37) skates and took out the backpack (00:44:38) prepared earlier. Each of the four (00:44:40) carried a black backpack with Shu Axen (00:44:43) and Yan Mo forming one group and (00:44:45) Busianguen and Muiimai the other (00:44:47) splitting up to gather supplies (00:44:48) separately. This way efficiency was much (00:44:51) higher. If Busyang and Muimai found (00:44:54) anything too large to carry, they could (00:44:56) mark its location first and let Yan Mo (00:44:59) and Shu Axen collect it later. Most (00:45:02) items in the 3mon stockpile remain (00:45:04) unused, with the majority of consumption (00:45:06) being pre-prepared meals. Everything (00:45:08) else came from the home storage room. (00:45:10) Before heading out, Shu Aakan made a (00:45:12) special trip to restock the storage (00:45:14) room, replenishing what had been used. (00:45:17) It had to be said that immersive (00:45:18) restocking was a truly therapeutic (00:45:20) process. Shu Aaken had definitely fallen (00:45:23) in love with the feeling. They (00:45:25) reorganized the items in the space. (00:45:28) Clearing out a dedicated area to store (00:45:30) the supplies they would collect that (00:45:31) day. Shuaxian and Yan Mo were (00:45:34) responsible for searching the top 10 (00:45:36) floors. Floors 11 to 13 belong to the (00:45:39) same high-tech agricultural company, (00:45:41) which had won an award last year for (00:45:43) their newly developed crop varieties. (00:45:45) These crops boasted advantages such as (00:45:47) drought and cold resistance, pest and (00:45:49) disease prevention, and high yields even (00:45:51) in poor soil conditions. officially put (00:45:54) into production this year. The company's (00:45:57) warehouse was stocked with a (00:45:58) considerable amount of seeds, which Shu (00:46:00) Axen unhesitatingly stored away in her (00:46:03) space, related materials, books, (00:46:06) computers containing data, records, (00:46:08) research equipment, and so on. Shu Axen (00:46:11) left nothing behind, stashing everything (00:46:13) into her space. With these items, there (00:46:16) would be no worry about lacking (00:46:17) materials or tools for future research. (00:46:20) Once everything was prepared, all that (00:46:22) remained was to find a capable (00:46:24) unfortunate soul to hand the materials (00:46:26) over to and let them handle the (00:46:28) research. Some future unlucky soul. I (00:46:31) really thank you for planning so early. (00:46:33) Truly, thank you. Chapter 31. Learning (00:46:36) outcomes. As they continued upward, Shu (00:46:38) Aen and Yan Mo also discovered a company (00:46:41) preparing for live streaming. Judging by (00:46:43) the supplies they had stockpiled, it (00:46:46) seemed they were planning a mukbang (00:46:47) route. The warehouse was filled with all (00:46:50) kinds of food. Along with several fully (00:46:53) stocked large freezers, their purpose (00:46:55) for coming out today wasn't to gather (00:46:57) food, but since they stumbled upon it, (00:46:59) they weren't about to turn it down. They (00:47:01) weren't complete fools. After all, the (00:47:03) top 10 floors appeared spacious after (00:47:06) being cleared by Shu Axen and Yanmo. (00:47:08) Without lingering, the two immediately (00:47:11) headed downstairs. The lower 10 floors, (00:47:14) having been submerged in flood waters (00:47:15) for 3 months, retained few valuable (00:47:18) items. Additionally, (00:47:20) more than three layers were frozen (00:47:22) beneath thick ice, leaving Busiang and (00:47:24) Mucci Mai with only seven actual floors (00:47:27) to search. The once tidy and orderly (00:47:29) offices were now unrecognizable after (00:47:31) being soaked and scoured by the flood. (00:47:34) Some items were even impossible to (00:47:36) identify, but fortunately, these were (00:47:38) not within their search scope. (00:47:40) Otherwise, they might have gone mad. (00:47:42) Items that could be washed away or (00:47:44) soaked by the flood were inherently of (00:47:46) low value. In a company that competes (00:47:49) based on core scientific research (00:47:51) technology, (00:47:53) important items would never be casually (00:47:55) left out in the open. They would be (00:47:57) securely stored in places inaccessible (00:47:59) to the general public and absolutely (00:48:01) safe. The two of them struggled through (00:48:03) the passage piled with waste outside and (00:48:05) successfully found the safe hidden in (00:48:07) the secret compartment of the CEO's (00:48:09) office. They followed a similar process (00:48:11) for the remaining companies. By the time (00:48:13) Shushin and Yenmma went downstairs to (00:48:15) find Busiangen and Mucci Mai, they saw (00:48:19) eight or nine safes of varying sizes (00:48:21) piled up beside the two along with over (00:48:23) a dozen sealed glass containers (00:48:25) containing freshly sprouted seedlings, (00:48:27) though it was still unclear what kind of (00:48:29) plants they were. Once again, under (00:48:31) Yenm's cover, Shuene stored everything (00:48:34) in the space and also took out some of (00:48:35) the food they had found in the internet (00:48:37) celebrity company upstairs, filling four (00:48:40) backpacks as they neared the residential (00:48:42) area. The four stopped at a pre-scouted (00:48:45) blind spot to retrieve black backpacks (00:48:47) from the space for disguise, then (00:48:49) continued walking toward the (00:48:50) neighborhood, perhaps because each of (00:48:52) them carried a backpack and looked quite (00:48:54) young, making them seem easy targets. (00:48:56) They were soon stopped by a group of (00:48:58) people shortly after entering the (00:49:00) neighborhood. Most of the opposing group (00:49:02) were men holding various weapons they (00:49:04) had scavenged from their homes. It (00:49:07) seemed likely they were residents of the (00:49:08) same building who had banded together to (00:49:10) rob people returning to the (00:49:12) neighborhood, aiming to secure survival (00:49:14) supplies. Shuakan and the others halted (00:49:16) their advance. Shuakai stood behind (00:49:19) Yanimo, sizing up the dozen or so people (00:49:22) across from them. Just by the look in (00:49:24) their eyes, it was clear this (00:49:26) confrontation was unavoidable. The (00:49:28) leader of the opposing group was no (00:49:29) fool. He skipped the clichéed pre-robery (00:49:32) speech and simply turned to signal his (00:49:34) followers who raised their weapons and (00:49:37) charged forward. The between Shuin, (00:49:39) Yinma, and the other two was honed (00:49:41) through their daily interactions without (00:49:44) needing any extra words or gestures. (00:49:46) They drew the knives in their hands. (00:49:48) Facing a real fight with someone for the (00:49:50) first time, Shuin felt a bit of slight (00:49:52) nervousness and discomfort, but more (00:49:54) than that, she was thrilled. The (00:49:56) unfamiliar thrill teased her relaxed (00:49:58) nerves, sharpening her focus to an (00:50:01) extraordinary degree. After being put (00:50:03) through hellish training for over 3 (00:50:05) months without a chance to act, this was (00:50:07) the perfect opportunity to test what I'd (00:50:10) learned. Chapter 32, growth potential. (00:50:12) The disparity in strength between the (00:50:14) two sides was significant. Wearing ice (00:50:16) skates, Shusheen and the others moved (00:50:18) with greater agility on the ice. A dozen (00:50:21) opponents weren't even enough for them (00:50:22) to warm up. Soon, all were lying on the (00:50:25) ground, unable to fight back. Returning (00:50:28) home, Shuene still felt a lingering (00:50:30) excitement. It was a pity no one else (00:50:33) had been foolish enough to provoke them (00:50:35) on the way back. When they taught those (00:50:37) roadblocking robbers a lesson, a few (00:50:39) people from the same building happened (00:50:40) to pass by while searching for supplies. (00:50:43) Witnessing the entire scene, they spread (00:50:45) word of Shuene's swift and decisive (00:50:47) actions. Combined with the previous (00:50:49) incident where those who provoked them (00:50:51) were thoroughly dealt with, the (00:50:52) onlookers mentally labeled them as (00:50:54) people not to be trifled with (00:50:56) unknowingly. (00:50:58) It saved them from a lot of unnecessary (00:51:00) troubles, and life returned to its (00:51:02) original state. They still went out (00:51:04) occasionally as before. Yuan's life, (00:51:06) however, became much busier. During (00:51:09) another trip to search for supplies, (00:51:11) Yiuan accidentally discovered that a top (00:51:13) quality piece of jadeite she had (00:51:15) casually tossed into her space had (00:51:17) vanished into thin air. What was once a (00:51:19) completely packed space now had a tiny (00:51:21) bit of extra room, and by tiny, it (00:51:24) really was just a sliver. If it weren't (00:51:26) for her habit of placing items tightly (00:51:28) against the boundaries to maximize space (00:51:31) usage, leaving no gaps whatsoever, she (00:51:34) might never have noticed this incredibly (00:51:35) subtle change. A bold idea flashed (00:51:38) through Yuan's mind. The bracelet space (00:51:40) could expand. To verify her hypothesis (00:51:42) was quite simple. She only needed to (00:51:45) place jade or gemstone items into the (00:51:47) space and observe whether it reacted. At (00:51:49) the time, Yi Yuan happened to be in a (00:51:52) large shopping mall, where several (00:51:54) globally renowned luxury jewelry stores (00:51:56) were conveniently located on the top (00:51:58) floor, making it easy for her to conduct (00:52:00) the experiment. The final result (00:52:02) confirmed that Yi Yuan's conjecture was (00:52:04) entirely correct. As long as jade or (00:52:07) gemstone items were placed inside, the (00:52:09) bracelet space would automatically (00:52:11) absorb them depending on the quality and (00:52:13) quantity of the jade, the space would (00:52:15) expand to varying degrees. After looting (00:52:18) all the jewelry stores, the bracelet (00:52:21) space increased by nearly 50 cub m. A (00:52:24) larger space meant the ability to store (00:52:26) more supplies, and Yuan was well aware (00:52:29) of its significance. Knowing that the (00:52:31) bracelet space could expand, Yi Yuan (00:52:33) began venturing out more frequently to (00:52:35) search for supplies. Since most jewelry (00:52:37) stores were located on the first floor (00:52:39) of shopping malls and yielded little, (00:52:41) Yuan shifted her focus to the offices of (00:52:44) the wealthy. After rummaging through (00:52:46) four private vaults of the rich, the (00:52:48) hall was indeed substantial. Wealthy (00:52:51) people clearly loved collecting such (00:52:53) items. Three of them contained the jade (00:52:55) artifacts Yi Yuan desired, while one was (00:52:58) filled with gold bars. when she opened (00:53:00) the safe. The sight of a whole box of (00:53:02) gold bars nearly blinded her. Ugg. (00:53:04) Vulgar. Utterly vulgar. Yiuan<unk>s lips (00:53:07) curled up wildly, and his speed in (00:53:09) collecting the gold showed no sign of (00:53:11) slowing down. In prosperous times, (00:53:14) antiques are prized. In chaotic times, (00:53:17) gold is treasured. This truth remains (00:53:20) unchanged through the ages, and it holds (00:53:22) just as true in the apocalypse. In the (00:53:24) post-apocalyptic world where resources (00:53:26) are scarce, the value of all kinds of (00:53:29) items has skyrocketed and precious (00:53:31) metals like gold are no exception. While (00:53:33) Yi Yuan was busy expanding her space and (00:53:36) collecting supplies outside, Du Honu and (00:53:39) Wong Yaun in the residential area were (00:53:41) busy inciting others to take action (00:53:43) against Yi Yuan, sprinting down the path (00:53:45) of self-destruction. After months of (00:53:47) silence, the government has taken action (00:53:50) again, establishing over a dozen (00:53:52) shelters across the country. They have (00:53:54) dispatched a large number of military (00:53:56) forces to carry out rescue missions, (00:53:58) transporting those willing to go to the (00:54:00) shelters to the nearest facilities for (00:54:02) protection. Chapter 33. Reflection. City (00:54:05) A was a leading firstear city with (00:54:07) advanced economic development before the (00:54:09) apocalypse and was among the first batch (00:54:11) of cities to establish shelters when (00:54:13) news of the shelters establishment (00:54:15) spread. (00:54:16) Many people inquired about their (00:54:18) locations, packed their belongings, and (00:54:20) rushed to the shelters with their (00:54:22) families, believing that life there (00:54:23) would be well protected. They forgot (00:54:25) that city a alone had a population of (00:54:28) nearly 600 000. Even after accounting (00:54:31) for those who died during the torrential (00:54:33) rains due to various reasons and those (00:54:35) unwilling to go to the shelters, (00:54:38) the number of people heading to the (00:54:39) shelters was still substantial. (00:54:41) Additionally, the military would bring (00:54:43) in refugees from nearby (00:54:44) disaster-stricken towns with limited (00:54:46) space in the hastily built shelters. (00:54:49) Accommodating all those seeking refuge (00:54:51) meant the conditions couldn't possibly (00:54:52) be very good. What one can obtain by (00:54:55) going to a shelter is merely the most (00:54:56) basic living conditions, enough to keep (00:54:59) from starving or freezing to death. The (00:55:02) authorities have neither the energy nor (00:55:04) the capacity to provide anything beyond (00:55:06) that. When news of the shelter's (00:55:07) establishment reached the neighborhood, (00:55:09) the oppressed residents saw a glimmer of (00:55:11) hope. Over the course of half a month, (00:55:13) people gradually left in groups, and the (00:55:16) entire neighborhood seemed to quiet down (00:55:18) all at once. During their recent (00:55:20) outings, Shuene and the others clearly (00:55:22) noticed that the number of prying eyes (00:55:24) watching them in the shadows had (00:55:26) significantly decreased. (00:55:28) Those who remained were mostly elderly (00:55:30) people who couldn't endure the back and (00:55:31) forth hassle. Those who had grown (00:55:33) accustomed to acting like petty tyrants (00:55:35) during the disaster, or those still (00:55:37) hesitating and unable to make up their (00:55:39) minds. Bang! Lost in thought, Shuene was (00:55:42) suddenly thrown to the ground by Yenmma (00:55:44) with a backdrop. The sound of her body (00:55:46) hitting the soft mat, coupled with the (00:55:48) sharp pain, snapped her back to reality (00:55:51) instantly. During combat, the most fatal (00:55:53) mistake is losing focus. (00:55:56) If that had been your enemy just now, (00:55:58) you'd probably be dead by now. Shu Axian (00:56:01) looked up at the man's handsome face now (00:56:03) tightly furrowed with displeasure, his (00:56:05) usual gentle tone completely gone. This (00:56:08) was the first time Yanmo had ever shown (00:56:10) anger toward her. Shuakai knew it was (00:56:12) her fault and didn't dare argue, (00:56:14) planning to stand up first before (00:56:16) soothing his temper. As soon as her (00:56:18) hands pressed against the mat behind (00:56:19) her, a shadow fell over her. The (00:56:22) uniquely intense heat of his presence (00:56:24) enveloped her as his scorching palm (00:56:26) pressed against her waist through her (00:56:27) clothes, effortlessly helping her stand (00:56:29) steady. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't (00:56:32) have spaced out just now. I promise it (00:56:35) won't happen again. Please don't be (00:56:37) angry. Shuaken stood obediently with her (00:56:39) hands clasped behind her back like a (00:56:42) student caught daydreaming in class by (00:56:43) the home room teacher facing the stern (00:56:46) instructor. She didn't dare to breathe (00:56:48) too loudly. (00:56:50) Sincerely bowing her head to admit her (00:56:51) mistake with an impeccable attitude, (00:56:54) Yanmo lowered his gaze to the small, (00:56:56) bowed head before him, and the anger (00:56:58) rising in his chest dissipated slightly. (00:57:00) However, he didn't relent easily. Shu (00:57:03) Aakian needed to understand the (00:57:04) seriousness of the situation. Her (00:57:07) apology now was only because she saw he (00:57:09) was angry. Your mistakes and apologies (00:57:11) come just as quickly. You admit you're (00:57:13) wrong, but you'll dare to do it again (00:57:15) next time, won't you? Go stand at (00:57:18) attention facing the wall for an hour (00:57:20) and reflect deeply on why you keep (00:57:22) making mistakes during training. What's (00:57:24) the real reason behind it? With that, (00:57:26) Yanimo walked out of the training room (00:57:28) without looking back, leaving the space (00:57:30) to Shu Axen alone. In all the time she (00:57:33) had known Yanmo, this was the first time (00:57:35) he had treated her so harshly. watching (00:57:38) Yan Mo<unk>s retreating figure. Shuakian (00:57:40) felt a lump in her throat and a wave of (00:57:42) grievance surged up inside her. She (00:57:46) stomped to the wall and stood there (00:57:47) defiantly. In another room, all three of (00:57:50) them saw Shuaken's expression on the (00:57:52) surveillance screen. Brother Mo, maybe (00:57:54) you should try a different approach. (00:57:56) Could this method make sister-in-law (00:57:58) misunderstand you? Or what if she can't (00:58:00) figure it out? Busyanguin looked at Yan (00:58:02) Mo with concern. Mucciimai remained (00:58:04) silent, but the look in his eyes (00:58:06) conveyed a similar sentiment, Yanmo sat (00:58:09) on the sofa, watching the girl's (00:58:10) slightly reened eyes on the monitor. (00:58:13) Barely resisting the urge to rush over (00:58:15) and comfort her in his arms. But he (00:58:17) couldn't do that. He could sense that (00:58:19) Shu Axai had recently become complacent (00:58:21) in her mindset. She needed to realize (00:58:24) and adjust this herself, and today (00:58:26) happened to be the perfect opportunity. (00:58:28) The brutality of the apocalypse leaves (00:58:30) no room for distraction in battle. Every (00:58:32) detail could determine victory or (00:58:34) defeat. Survival of the finished. It's (00:58:37) not just talk. Chapter 34. Awakening. (00:58:40) The emotions gradually subsided. (00:58:43) Facing the quiet room and blank walls. (00:58:45) The restless heart of this period slowly (00:58:47) calmed down and the words Yanimo said (00:58:50) when leaving flash through her mind. (00:58:52) Reflect carefully on why you've been (00:58:53) making frequent mistakes during (00:58:55) training. What exactly is the reason? (00:58:57) With a calm heart, she comfortably (00:58:59) recalled her performance during training (00:59:01) over this period, frequent distractions (00:59:03) during combat drills, no improvement in (00:59:06) shooting scores. When did the string in (00:59:08) her heart begin to loosen? Was it the (00:59:11) long-term safety and comfort of (00:59:12) post-apocalyptic life that gradually (00:59:14) made her forget the cruelty of the (00:59:16) wasteland? Or was it the victory in the (00:59:18) last group fight that filled her with (00:59:20) pride, making her believe she had (00:59:22) already gained enough strength to (00:59:23) protect herself? But is that really the (00:59:25) case? No, it isn't. Those people were (00:59:28) just ordinary individuals. The victory (00:59:30) wasn't entirely her achievement. And (00:59:33) upon reflection, there was truly nothing (00:59:35) to be proud of in the future. The (00:59:38) enemies she would face would not be (00:59:40) these weak and powerless ordinary (00:59:41) people, but zombies, creatures that know (00:59:44) neither fatigue nor pain, and will keep (00:59:46) fighting as long as their heads remain (00:59:48) intact, as well as those with (00:59:50) supernatural abilities, but ill (00:59:52) intentions. Awakening a supernatural (00:59:54) ability is equivalent to a genetic (00:59:56) reorganization within the human body, (00:59:58) enhancing all basic physical attributes. (01:00:02) The difference lies in the fact that (01:00:03) some awaken strong innate abilities (01:00:05) while others awaken weaker ones, (01:00:07) resulting in varying degrees of physical (01:00:09) enhancement. It also determines the (01:00:11) strength of an ability user and their (01:00:13) potential for future development. Shu (01:00:15) Axen was merely a canon thought or (01:00:17) character in the original story. And Shu (01:00:20) Axai couldn't guarantee whether her (01:00:21) arrival would change the fact that the (01:00:23) original body had no supernatural (01:00:25) abilities if she hadn't awakened any (01:00:27) special ability. Going out to fight in (01:00:30) her current state would be no different (01:00:32) from delivering takeout to zombies. Even (01:00:34) if she were lucky enough to awaken an (01:00:36) ability without sufficient strength to (01:00:38) face the bizarre and unimaginable powers (01:00:40) in the apocalypse or the unpredictable (01:00:43) mutated plants and animals, it still (01:00:45) wouldn't be enough. Recalling all the (01:00:47) foolish things she had done during her (01:00:48) training recently, (01:00:50) Shu Axian wished she could immediately (01:00:52) find a crack in the ground to crawl (01:00:54) into. It was just too embarrassing. (01:00:57) Having realized all this, Shuaken also (01:01:00) understood the reason Yan Mo had asked (01:01:02) her to reflect. She obediently accepted (01:01:04) his punishment of standing at attention (01:01:06) for an hour. And as soon as it was over, (01:01:08) she eagerly ran off to apologize to her (01:01:11) husband. Click. Not finding her dear (01:01:13) husband in the living room or elsewhere, (01:01:15) Shuakan pushed open the door to (01:01:17) Yanmo<unk>'s bedroom. Stealthily poking (01:01:20) her round head inside to survey the (01:01:22) situation within. (01:01:24) Seated behind his desk, Yanmo took in (01:01:27) all his wife's little antics, a hint of (01:01:29) amusement unconsciously surfacing in his (01:01:32) eyes. Seeing Shu Axai about to turn her (01:01:34) head, he quickly schooled his expression (01:01:36) back to indifference. Lowering his gaze (01:01:39) to Fain reading the book in his hands, (01:01:41) waiting for the little one to come to (01:01:42) him on her own. Spotting Yanmo, Shu (01:01:45) Aaken swiftly slipped into the room and (01:01:47) closed the door behind her. As Yan Mo (01:01:50) looked up at her, she immediately (01:01:52) plastered an ingratiating smile on her (01:01:55) face, pretending nonchulence as she (01:01:57) walked over to him and wrapped her arms (01:01:58) around his he he what have you reflected (01:02:01) on yourself? Yes. Yes, I have. After an (01:02:05) hour of deep reflection, I've clearly (01:02:07) recognized the mistakes in my mindset (01:02:09) during this period. I will definitely (01:02:11) take this as a warning and never make (01:02:13) the same mistake again. Shuaken's tone (01:02:16) was so sincere. It was as if she was (01:02:17) about to pat her chest to assure Yanmo. (01:02:21) Seeing her like this, Yan Mo couldn't (01:02:23) keep up the act any longer. He sighed (01:02:26) and following his heart, pulled her onto (01:02:28) his lap. My dear, you must already (01:02:31) understand the cruelty of the (01:02:32) apocalypse. I will do everything in my (01:02:34) power to stay by your side and protect (01:02:36) you. But this is only the most ideal (01:02:38) scenario we can imagine. In the (01:02:40) apocalypse, everything is uncertain. (01:02:42) Even if there's the slightest chance we (01:02:44) might get separated, I want you to have (01:02:46) the absolute ability to protect (01:02:48) yourself. To hold on until I can find (01:02:51) you. Chapter 35. A world where only (01:02:54) Busianguin gets hurt is achieved. I (01:02:56) can't bear the pain of losing you out of (01:02:58) my own selfishness. I wanted to make you (01:03:00) stronger without considering your (01:03:02) feelings or asking for your opinion. (01:03:04) Will you blame me for this? Will you (01:03:06) resent me? And then, stop liking me. The (01:03:09) man's voice grew low. His gaze meeting (01:03:11) hers filled with profound love. (01:03:13) Comfortable. Did Yan Mo develop some (01:03:16) incredible new way of speaking when I (01:03:18) wasn't looking? Why does something feel (01:03:20) off about this? Seeing the man's (01:03:22) disappointed expression when he didn't (01:03:24) get an answer, comfortable didn't have (01:03:26) time to think too much. Her heart (01:03:28) flustered and the words spilled out of (01:03:30) her mouth. How could that be? How could (01:03:32) I possibly blame you? Getting stronger (01:03:34) is my own idea and wish. I can't just (01:03:37) hide behind while you all fight on the (01:03:39) front lines, unable to help at all. You (01:03:41) didn't deny that you might not like me (01:03:43) anymore. Heart treasure. Have you really (01:03:46) lost interest in me? It's fine. Just (01:03:48) tell me the truth. I can take it. Yan Mo (01:03:52) stared intently at Shu Aakan, as if (01:03:54) afraid to miss even the slightest change (01:03:56) in her expression, perhaps wanting to (01:03:58) see Shuakai<unk>s expression more (01:04:00) clearly. Yan Mo leaned in so close that (01:04:02) he was completely unaware of the (01:04:04) devastating effect this had on her. No, (01:04:06) I'm super interested in you. Faced with (01:04:09) such a close-up beauty assault paired (01:04:11) with the man's inherently seductive (01:04:13) voice, (01:04:14) Shu Axan was so overwhelmed that she (01:04:17) completely lost the ability to think (01:04:18) straight, she could only go along with (01:04:20) his words, failing to notice the (01:04:22) fleeting dark glint in his eyes. Oh, (01:04:24) since Shin Bao is so interested in me as (01:04:27) your lawful husband, of course, I should (01:04:29) fulfill my wife's needs. Starting today, (01:04:32) I'll move upstairs to live with you. Mm. (01:04:35) Okay. After answering, a bit of Shu (01:04:38) Axen's runaway rationality finally (01:04:40) returned. She stared dumbfounded at (01:04:42) Yanmo, who was grinning triumphantly, (01:04:45) and opened her mouth, realizing he had (01:04:48) done it on purpose. No wonder his tone (01:04:50) and manner of speaking were different (01:04:52) today. It was all to trap this naive and (01:04:54) adorable little rabbit. Hey, Tui, what a (01:04:57) cunning and deceitful dog of a man. When (01:04:59) the two of them lay under the same (01:05:01) blanket at night, Shuin glanced at the (01:05:03) man beside her, who was clearly in an (01:05:06) extremely good mood, and at the daily (01:05:08) necessities he had already arranged in (01:05:10) the bedroom. She sighed resignedly as (01:05:13) she ran her hand over his incredibly (01:05:14) well- toned abs. Sigh. It wasn't that (01:05:17) her defenses were weak. It was just that (01:05:19) the enemy was too cunning and offered (01:05:21) too much, making it impossible to (01:05:23) refuse. He he these abs feel so good to (01:05:27) touch. I wonder if the Adonis belt would (01:05:29) feel just as nice. Stealing a glance and (01:05:32) seeing the man reading by the headboard (01:05:33) hasn't noticed her movements. Her little (01:05:36) hand stealthily inches downward. The (01:05:38) closer it gets to its target, the (01:05:40) brighter her delighted eyes become. Just (01:05:42) as she's about to succeed, the (01:05:44) mischievous hand is firmly pinned by a (01:05:46) larger one. Shin Bao, if you keep (01:05:49) touching me like this, something might (01:05:51) happen on my very first night here. Or (01:05:53) is your behavior itself a hint to me? (01:05:55) Because Yan Mo<unk>s voice carried a (01:05:57) hint of horarsseness more than usual, it (01:05:59) didn't detract from the man's tone at (01:06:01) all. Instead, it added an indescribable, (01:06:04) elusive quality. Caught red-handed in (01:06:06) mischief, Shu Aakan froze, (01:06:10) then forced a sheepish smile and no (01:06:12) nothing, Yanmo gave Shu Axai a (01:06:15) meaningful look, released his grip on (01:06:17) her, and remarked with a half smile, (01:06:19) "Little pervert, all bark and no bite." (01:06:22) Shuak Xians face turned crimson from (01:06:24) being called out. And with a huff, she (01:06:27) turned her back to pick up her phone, (01:06:29) tapping away at the digital wooden fish (01:06:31) in a rhythmic dong dong dong, trying to (01:06:33) cleanse her mind of those colorful (01:06:35) thoughts. In her heart, she secretly (01:06:37) swore that once she turned 20, she would (01:06:40) make that infuriating man pay sooner or (01:06:43) later, letting him experience the agony (01:06:45) of seeing but not being able to indulge. (01:06:47) Watching Shu Axen turn away. Yanm (01:06:50) Mo<unk>s gaze drifted downward and he (01:06:51) let out a slow exhale. Just one more (01:06:54) year to hold out. Shu Axen was still too (01:06:56) young now. Her body not yet fully (01:06:59) developed. Acting too soon could harm (01:07:01) her health. They had a lifetime ahead of (01:07:03) them. There was no need to rush in this (01:07:05) fleeting moment. The next morning, when (01:07:08) Yan Mo came downstairs, (01:07:10) he was met with intense scrutiny from (01:07:12) his two best friends. Their eyes gleamed (01:07:15) with unmistakable curiosity, especially (01:07:17) Busiangwen, who unabashedly circled (01:07:20) around Yan Mo for a closer look. Tsk tsk (01:07:23) tsk. Look at that radiant glow. Truly (01:07:26) the mark of a man with a wife while we (01:07:28) spent the lonely cold night clinging to (01:07:30) each other for comfort. Just me and (01:07:32) Chimai. How tragic. Absolutely tragic. (01:07:36) Brother Mo, do you even remember Buua (01:07:38) whom you left downstairs? (01:07:41) Since you have so much energy to spare (01:07:43) for acting, let's add an extra set to (01:07:45) today's basic training. Aw, no way. (01:07:49) Another set will be the death of me. (01:07:50) Busyang stretched out his air Kong hand (01:07:53) sorrowfully towards Yan Mo<unk>s (01:07:55) retreating figure as he turned to enter (01:07:57) the kitchen. Muchimai, having just (01:07:59) witnessed a Chyong Yao style melodrama (01:08:01) unfold beside him, walked away (01:08:03) contentedly with his black coffee in (01:08:05) hand. A world where only Busyang gets (01:08:08) hurt has been achieved. Chapter 36. (01:08:10) gunshot. The days of daily training were (01:08:13) fulfilling yet monotonous. There was (01:08:15) always a need for other things to serve (01:08:17) as seasoning to balance it out, lest (01:08:19) one's mental state become stifled. From (01:08:22) a young age, Yanimo, who underwent (01:08:24) special training, and Muimai, who (01:08:27) endured rigorous training, found their (01:08:29) current life far from dull or (01:08:30) monotonous. (01:08:32) Compared to their previous training (01:08:34) routines, their present life was nothing (01:08:36) short of heavenly. The ones who needed (01:08:38) proper adjustment were Shu Axai and (01:08:40) Busianguen. So they took a day off every (01:08:42) week. On these rest days, all the (01:08:45) entertainment facilities Shu Axai had (01:08:47) stockpiled and the movies and TV shows (01:08:49) she had downloaded came in handy. (01:08:51) Whether it was tabletop games, various (01:08:53) esports, or puzzle games, Yanmo was (01:08:57) always the most sought-after player. (01:09:00) Securing him as a teammate meant the (01:09:01) game was already 80% won. The remaining (01:09:04) 20% chance of victory only existed (01:09:06) during the first round of a new game (01:09:08) when Yan Mo wasn't yet familiar with it. (01:09:10) Then there was still a slim possibility (01:09:12) of beating him. In the evening, the four (01:09:15) of them would end their game and work (01:09:16) together to prepare dinner while a (01:09:18) projector played various (01:09:19) post-apocalyptic movies nearby. At (01:09:22) first, Shu Axen and Busianguin were very (01:09:25) resistant to watching bloody horror (01:09:27) movies during meals. The gory scenes (01:09:30) intense, terrifying background music (01:09:32) made it hard for them to swallow their (01:09:34) food. But now they've adapted so well (01:09:36) that they can casually eat while (01:09:38) criticizing and mocking the zombie (01:09:40) actors makeup with the others. It has to (01:09:42) be said that human adaptability is (01:09:44) terrifying. Bang. Early in the morning, (01:09:47) a gunshot shattered the quiet sky above (01:09:49) the neighborhood. Yanimo and Shuakian, (01:09:52) who had been lying in bed without (01:09:54) getting up, instantly woke up and opened (01:09:56) their eyes. (01:09:58) Yan Mo quickly rolled out of bed and (01:10:00) lifted a corner of the curtain to (01:10:01) observe the situation outside. (01:10:03) Shuaken<unk>s eyes were open, but her (01:10:06) mind was still stuck in a dream, not (01:10:08) fully awake. The second gunshot rang (01:10:10) out, accompanied by a woman's agonized (01:10:13) scream, startling Shu Axen and making (01:10:15) her heart race. Her mind became crystal (01:10:18) clear as she abruptly sat up in bed, (01:10:20) turning to look for Yanmo. Seeing Yan Mo (01:10:23) standing by the window, her racing (01:10:25) heartbeat gradually slowed and her mind (01:10:28) began to function again. What's going (01:10:30) on? It must be some riers from elsewhere (01:10:33) who fled into our neighborhood. They're (01:10:35) armed with guns and from the sound of (01:10:37) it, there's still some distance away (01:10:39) from our building. It's unclear how many (01:10:41) people are left in the complex. Get up (01:10:43) and get ready just in case they come our (01:10:45) way. We don't want to be caught off (01:10:47) guard. Yan Mo closed the curtains again. (01:10:50) Walk to the bed. and bent down to kiss (01:10:53) his wife's soft little face before (01:10:55) explaining the situation outside. (01:10:57) Following Yan Mo<unk>s lead, Shu Aakan (01:11:00) buried her face in his abs, rubbing (01:11:02) against them contentedly before finally (01:11:04) getting up to get dressed. He he taking (01:11:06) advantage of Yan Mo<unk>s indulgence. (01:11:09) Knowing he wouldn't do anything about (01:11:10) it, the two of them living together (01:11:12) meant Shu Axen had plenty of (01:11:14) opportunities to accidentally cop a (01:11:16) feel. Yan Mo was more than happy to (01:11:19) spoil her, which only encouraged Shu Aen (01:11:22) to grow bolder and more blatant in her (01:11:24) antics. Shuakian and Yanmo went (01:11:27) downstairs and ran right into Busiang (01:11:29) and Mucciimai, who had just finished (01:11:31) packing up and stepped out of their (01:11:32) bedroom. The group exchanged glances and (01:11:35) with unspoken understanding headed to (01:11:37) the armory to grab their weapons before (01:11:39) going out. Nearly everyone in their (01:11:41) building had already left. People knew (01:11:43) the world had changed. And as they (01:11:45) descended the stairs, they no longer (01:11:48) bothered to hide as they once had, (01:11:50) fearing the judgmental staes of others. (01:11:52) Gunshots still rang out intermittently (01:11:54) in the neighborhood, pinpointing the (01:11:56) direction. Yan Mo and the others moved (01:11:59) swiftly and silently toward the source (01:12:01) of the gunfire. Chapter 37. The first (01:12:04) kill. The rampaging thugs chose to enter (01:12:06) the residential area from an entrance (01:12:08) closer to Shuax inside, and the gunfire (01:12:11) was relatively far from the unit (01:12:13) building where Yi Yuan lived. However, (01:12:16) having survived the apocalypse for (01:12:18) several years, Yi Yuan was highly (01:12:20) vigilant and extremely sensitive to (01:12:22) gunshots. She quickly gathered her (01:12:24) belongings, armed herself, and stepped (01:12:26) out. When Yan Mo led Shu Axai and the (01:12:29) others to track down the thugs, the gang (01:12:31) had already looted one building. Several (01:12:33) fresh corpses were carelessly discarded (01:12:36) at the entrance, and two or three (01:12:38) young-looking girls had been tied up and (01:12:40) thrown into their vehicles. The group (01:12:41) consisted of about a dozen people. With (01:12:44) three vans parked nearby, five of them, (01:12:47) armed with guns, were scattered around (01:12:49) the vehicles to stand guard and keep (01:12:51) watch, while the rest rampaged through (01:12:53) the neighborhood, plundering supplies (01:12:55) and abducting women. I wonder if there (01:12:57) are any better goods to bring back. The (01:13:00) trash at home has been played with too (01:13:01) much. It's boring now. Hey, these three (01:13:05) might not look great, but they're young. (01:13:07) Who knows? They might even be virgins. (01:13:10) Virgins are way more fun. You know what (01:13:12) I mean? Haha. Didn't expect you to be (01:13:15) into that kind of thing. The men leared (01:13:17) shamelessly at the three newly brought (01:13:19) back girls, their mouths spewing vulgar (01:13:21) remarks. Terrified, the already (01:13:23) frightened girls turned pale, trembling (01:13:25) as they huddled together, trying to make (01:13:27) themselves as inconspicuous as possible. (01:13:30) Yanimo and the others showed no (01:13:32) emotional fluctuations, not to mention (01:13:34) Yanimo and Muimai, who had long been (01:13:37) exposed to the gray and black areas of (01:13:39) society. Even Busianguen, (01:13:42) a young master born into a wealthy (01:13:44) family, had seen his fair share of the (01:13:46) darker side of life. The only one who (01:13:49) hadn't witnessed much of the dark side (01:13:50) was Shu Aakan. But from the moment she (01:13:53) realized she had transmigrated into a (01:13:55) post-apocalyptic world, she began (01:13:57) mentally preparing herself for (01:13:58) everything she would face. This was (01:14:00) still the early stages of the (01:14:02) apocalypse. Yet, society's malice toward (01:14:05) women was already beginning to show. The (01:14:08) vast majority of women are naturally (01:14:10) weaker than men in terms of strength and (01:14:11) physique, making their ability to resist (01:14:14) male oppression almost negligible. Along (01:14:16) with the elderly and children, they (01:14:18) became the three most vulnerable groups (01:14:20) to abuse in the post-apocalyptic world. (01:14:22) Fortunately, after awakening their (01:14:25) abilities, they were able to escape the (01:14:27) fate of being bullied. Unfortunately, (01:14:29) they couldn't survive the early stages (01:14:31) of the apocalypse and were tortured to (01:14:33) death. never getting the chance to (01:14:36) awaken their abilities, change their (01:14:38) fate, or seek revenge. In such a harsh (01:14:41) environment, we can't change the world. (01:14:43) We can only change ourselves. Equip (01:14:45) yourself with the power to resist (01:14:47) injustice and the right to fight against (01:14:49) fate. One person walked out alone. At (01:14:51) the front, Yan Mo made a gesture, and (01:14:54) Muimi understood, quietly, shrinking his (01:14:57) figure to follow that person as they (01:14:58) left. In less than 3 minutes, Muimi (01:15:01) returned to his original position. The (01:15:04) person who had just gone out had already (01:15:06) been taken care of. The remaining four (01:15:08) individuals were dealt with swiftly and (01:15:10) efficiently, one bullet each. The guns (01:15:12) had been fitted with silencers in (01:15:14) advance, so they didn't alert the others (01:15:16) looting in the building, using her wide (01:15:18) sleeves to discreetly cover her slightly (01:15:20) trembling hands. Shu Axai was far from (01:15:22) as calm as she appeared. It was the (01:15:24) first time she had personally ended a (01:15:26) living person's life. (01:15:28) The trembling hand holding the gun was (01:15:30) suddenly enveloped by another pair of (01:15:32) warm, dry hands, raising her head (01:15:35) abruptly. Her gaze collided directly (01:15:37) with a pair of deep, dark eyes. The (01:15:39) concern and tenderness reflected in (01:15:41) those eyes instantly soothed the (01:15:43) confusion and helplessness in Shuene's (01:15:45) heart. It felt as though her heart had (01:15:47) been immersed in a warm spring, and her (01:15:49) fingers, stiffened and chilled from the (01:15:51) act of killing, gradually regained (01:15:53) sensation. In just those few seconds, (01:15:57) Yinmma conveyed immense strength to (01:15:58) Shuene. Shuene curved her lips into a (01:16:01) reassuring smile, signaling that she was (01:16:04) fine now. Yinma scrutinized her with his (01:16:06) eyes, confirming repeatedly that she was (01:16:08) truly all right before proceeding with (01:16:10) the next steps. Chapter 38. Mished. The (01:16:13) scene Yuan arrived at was one of corpses (01:16:16) strewn across the ground. Faint voices (01:16:18) and muffled sobs could be heard coming (01:16:20) from the adjacent building. After (01:16:22) confirming there was no immediate danger (01:16:24) around, Yiuan climbed through a broken (01:16:27) window on the side of the building. At (01:16:29) the very moment Yiuan entered the (01:16:31) building, Shuakian successfully (01:16:33) descended via a safety rope on the (01:16:35) opposite side and slipped away, (01:16:36) completely missing Yiuan, Shuakian and (01:16:39) the others dealt with those thugs to (01:16:41) avoid further complications, taking all (01:16:43) their guns and leaving not a single (01:16:45) bullet behind. These people must have (01:16:47) raided some police armory as they didn't (01:16:49) have many firearms or bullets. But even (01:16:53) a mosquitoes worth of meat is still (01:16:54) meat. Firearms have become a (01:16:56) non-renewable resource. No matter how (01:16:59) much they hoard, it can't match the (01:17:01) sheer numbers of the zombies. Zombies (01:17:03) don't remain in their initial form (01:17:04) forever. They evolve. To put it plainly, (01:17:07) zombies, like superhumans, are the (01:17:10) result of humans being exposed to (01:17:12) certain external stimuli to adapt to (01:17:14) their environment. Their genes undergo (01:17:16) rapid mutation and recombination. (01:17:19) A small portion of people with (01:17:21) sufficiently strong physical (01:17:22) constitutions endured the shock of (01:17:24) sudden genetic changes, survived the (01:17:26) agonizing high fever period, awakened (01:17:29) special abilities, and became (01:17:30) superhumans for the majority with (01:17:32) average physical conditions. Their (01:17:34) bodies simply couldn't withstand such (01:17:36) abrupt and drastic changes. They died (01:17:39) midway through the transformation, (01:17:41) though the people perished. The altered (01:17:43) genes within them remained active, (01:17:45) continuing to evolve along another eerie (01:17:47) path, giving rise to zombies. The (01:17:50) remaining individuals were neither (01:17:52) particularly fortunate nor unfortunate. (01:17:54) They didn't awaken as the one in 10,000 (01:17:56) superhumans, nor did they tragically (01:17:58) turn into the universally despised (01:18:00) zombies. They remained ordinary, normal (01:18:03) people as products of genetic mutation. (01:18:05) Both superhumans and zombies rely on the (01:18:08) crystal cores formed in zombie brains (01:18:10) for advancement. Superhumans are no (01:18:12) exception. By devouring human flesh and (01:18:15) the crystal cores of their own kind, (01:18:17) zombies evolve, becoming more powerful. (01:18:20) The higher their evolutionary level, the (01:18:22) more their appearance resembles that of (01:18:24) humans. Without special inspection (01:18:26) methods, it's impossible to distinguish (01:18:28) them from humans with the naked eye. As (01:18:30) the level of zombies increases, so does (01:18:33) the number of bullets required to kill (01:18:35) one. Bullets being consumable items are (01:18:38) an essential resource for building their (01:18:40) own forces in the future. Except for the (01:18:42) four people downstairs who were shot. (01:18:45) The rest were killed at close range. (01:18:47) Using bullets on these scum would be an (01:18:49) insult and a waste of ammunition. From (01:18:51) the way this group barged into the (01:18:52) residential area today, it's clear that (01:18:55) the outside world has already descended (01:18:57) into chaos. The neighborhood they lived (01:18:59) in was far from the city center during a (01:19:01) time when gasoline was extremely (01:19:03) precious. (01:19:04) The fact that the gang chose to rob such (01:19:06) a remote place indicated that other (01:19:08) areas outside had already been looted (01:19:10) clean or were occupied by other forces, (01:19:13) leaving them no opportunity to act (01:19:15) elsewhere. What happened outside didn't (01:19:17) affect them, so they didn't pay much (01:19:19) attention to it. Closing their doors and (01:19:21) living their own happy little lives was (01:19:23) more important than anything else. (01:19:24) However, Yi Yuan on the other side (01:19:27) wasn't in such a good mood. She hadn't (01:19:30) seen who had taken out that group of (01:19:31) people, and the survivors she asked also (01:19:34) said they hadn't seen their figures. (01:19:36) This set off alarm bells in Yuan's mind. (01:19:38) She had examined the bodies of the (01:19:40) residents killed downstairs. The bullet (01:19:42) wounds on them were not the same type as (01:19:44) those on the four people who had been (01:19:45) shot dead downstairs. So, there was no (01:19:48) possibility that the other side had (01:19:50) seized the gangs weapons and turned them (01:19:52) against them. The only possibility is (01:19:54) that within this community, someone (01:19:56) possesses firearms and extraordinary (01:19:59) skills capable of taking down so many (01:20:01) opponents in such a short time and (01:20:03) retreating and scathed without knowing (01:20:05) whether the other party is friend or (01:20:07) foe. One must remain vigilant at all (01:20:09) times. Chapter 39. The Armory. In just 2 (01:20:13) months, the number of refugees taken in (01:20:15) by shelter A has reached over 7000 (01:20:19) 0, far exceeding the shelter's capacity. (01:20:22) The shelter was practically overflowing. (01:20:25) Yet every day more refugees continued to (01:20:27) pour in. Each hastily converted (01:20:29) dormatory, originally meant for 100 (01:20:32) people, now crammed in no fewer than a (01:20:34) thousand, with only a narrow path left (01:20:36) for staff to distribute daily rations. (01:20:38) At first, when the shelter had fewer (01:20:41) occupants, providing three meals a day (01:20:43) for everyone was manageable. But as the (01:20:45) numbers swelled, both the quantity and (01:20:47) quality of the food steadily declined. (01:20:50) Now each person received only a packet (01:20:53) of bread or a pack of compressed (01:20:55) biscuits plus one bottle of mineral (01:20:57) water per day with thousands packed into (01:20:59) a single room. The place became a (01:21:01) melting pot of all sorts good and bad (01:21:04) alike. The food provided by the (01:21:06) authorities only ensures they won't (01:21:07) starve to death. Forget about eating (01:21:09) until full to get more food to fill (01:21:12) their stomachs. Some people became more (01:21:14) cunning, either sneaking to take others (01:21:16) saved food while they slept, or forcibly (01:21:18) taking food from the weaker ones, (01:21:20) avoiding the eyes of the official (01:21:22) management. When the situation escalated (01:21:24) and reached the shelter staff, both (01:21:26) sides stuck to their own stories without (01:21:29) solid evidence. And in the end, the (01:21:31) matter was simply dropped with limited (01:21:33) staff and a large number of people to (01:21:35) manage. Conflicts arise constantly. The (01:21:38) staff often know exactly what's going (01:21:40) on, but choose to turn a blind eye. (01:21:42) Otherwise, (01:21:44) if every trivial dispute were brought to (01:21:45) them, they'd get no work done all day in (01:21:48) a corner of a certain room in the (01:21:50) shelter. Brother Honchu, let's leave the (01:21:52) shelter and go back to the neighborhood. (01:21:54) I can't stand this kind of life for even (01:21:56) one more day. Wong Yain hugged Du (01:21:58) Honu<unk>s arm and complained, "We (01:22:00) can't<unk>t go back. Going back would be (01:22:02) a death sentence for sure. Have you (01:22:04) forgotten that crazy woman Yi Yuan is (01:22:06) still in the neighborhood? She already (01:22:09) knows it was us who instigated those (01:22:10) people to cause trouble for her. So many (01:22:12) men couldn't handle her. What difference (01:22:14) is there between going back and walking (01:22:16) right into a trap? Duh Honu<unk>s face (01:22:19) turned pale with anger, his eyes wide as (01:22:22) he growled in a low voice. After hearing (01:22:24) Du Honu<unk>s words, Wong Yain recalled (01:22:27) what she had witnessed that day. Her (01:22:29) lips trembled slightly, and she lowered (01:22:31) her head. Earlier, they had persuaded (01:22:33) the leader of their building in the (01:22:35) neighborhood to deal with that little (01:22:36) [ __ ] Yuan. Wanting to see her (01:22:38) miserable state with their own eyes, (01:22:40) they found a hidden corner in advance to (01:22:42) observe the ambush. To their surprise, (01:22:46) Yiuan seemed like a completely different (01:22:48) person, nothing like the weak and (01:22:50) helpless girl they remembered. Her (01:22:52) expression was cold, her movement swift, (01:22:55) and with each strike of her blade, (01:22:56) people fell one after another. Warm (01:22:59) blood splattered onto her face. Yet her (01:23:01) expression remained utterly unchanged. (01:23:03) Witnessing the entire process of Yi Yu (01:23:06) and killing people, Du Honu and Wong (01:23:08) Yaun, hidden in the shadows, felt as if (01:23:11) they had been plunged into an icy abyss. (01:23:14) Despite the sub-zero temperature of (01:23:16) minus40°, (01:23:18) their backs were drenched in cold sweat. (01:23:20) Afraid that Yuan might cause trouble for (01:23:22) them, Duh Honu and Wong Yain didn't dare (01:23:24) to go back to pack their belongings. (01:23:26) They immediately left the neighborhood (01:23:28) and fled to the shelter. Wong Ya<unk>s (01:23:30) words touched a nerve in Du Honu (01:23:32) sensitive and fragile psyche, having (01:23:34) grown up in a privileged environment, Du (01:23:36) Honu had never experienced such hardship (01:23:39) before, going hungry, living in a room (01:23:42) filled with mixed odors and sleeping on (01:23:45) a large communal bed with thousands of (01:23:47) others. During the day, his ears were (01:23:49) filled with the rise and fall of (01:23:51) quarrels and the cries of babies. At (01:23:53) night, he fell asleep to the sounds of (01:23:55) snoring, teeth grinding, and (01:23:57) sleep-talking all around him. For two (01:23:59) months, there wasn't a single moment of (01:24:01) peace around him. Everything that (01:24:03) happened kept irritating Du Honu<unk>s (01:24:05) fragile nerves. Just now, Wong Ya<unk>s (01:24:08) words were like the last straw that (01:24:10) broke the camel<unk>s back, unleashing (01:24:12) the emotions he had been suppressing. (01:24:14) I'm sorry, brother Honchu. I didn't (01:24:16) think carefully before speaking. Wong (01:24:18) Yaun put on a pitiful look, lowering her (01:24:21) head to hide the fleeting resentment in (01:24:22) her eyes. If it weren't for hoping that (01:24:24) the Dw family would take her along when (01:24:26) they came for him, why would she have (01:24:28) endured and followed him all this time? (01:24:30) Just bear with it a little longer. I've (01:24:33) already asked the soldiers from the (01:24:34) shelter who go out on rescue missions. (01:24:37) If they can contact my family, we'll be (01:24:39) able to leave this place and live a good (01:24:41) life. Duh Honu was in a terrible mood, (01:24:43) and it was unclear whether his words (01:24:45) were meant to comfort Wong Yaun or (01:24:47) himself. I'll always stay by brother (01:24:49) Honu<unk>s side. Wong Yaun seemed (01:24:51) oblivious to the impatience in his tone (01:24:53) nestled in Du Honu<unk>s arms. Her whole (01:24:56) demeanor radiated complete dependence on (01:24:58) him. Offering his restless heart a (01:25:01) sliver of comfort. At a time like this, (01:25:03) having a woman still devotedly following (01:25:05) him was proof enough of his charm. Some (01:25:08) residents had returned from the (01:25:09) shelters. Through her binoculars, Shu (01:25:11) Axen secretly observed them. Their (01:25:14) salow, exhausted faces made it clear (01:25:16) that life in the shelters had been far (01:25:18) from easy. The living conditions in the (01:25:20) shelters were something Shusheen could (01:25:22) roughly imagine. The original book had (01:25:25) some brief descriptions of the (01:25:26) government established shelters, but (01:25:28) those were all set in the later stages (01:25:30) of the extreme heat. This time, with Yan (01:25:33) Mo<unk>s warning, the government wasn't (01:25:35) completely unprepared. The shelters were (01:25:37) established much earlier than before. (01:25:39) The earlier timeline meant more (01:25:41) survivors and more people seeking (01:25:42) refuge. With limited resources and more (01:25:45) mouths to feed, the conditions naturally (01:25:47) had to be downgraded, it was likely that (01:25:51) aside from rescuing victims outside, the (01:25:53) military was also tirelessly searching (01:25:55) for supplies. Shin Bao, are you all (01:25:58) packed? Almost done. Coming right away. (01:26:01) Shuakai swiftly gathered her hair and (01:26:03) put on her hat before heading out to (01:26:05) join Yanmo and the others. The intruder (01:26:07) from last time was armed with a gun, (01:26:09) which gave them a new lead. They had (01:26:11) guns on them which couldn't have been (01:26:13) obtained abroad in advance like theirs. (01:26:16) The only possible source was the police (01:26:18) stations in various districts of city A. (01:26:21) All police stations constructed (01:26:23) according to functional zones are (01:26:25) equipped with armories and a certain (01:26:26) number of firearms based on the number (01:26:28) of officers. The number of guns they (01:26:30) carried also matched the standard (01:26:32) allocation of a single police station. (01:26:34) The police stations were scattered (01:26:36) across different locations, and the (01:26:38) quantity of firearms and ammunition in (01:26:40) each was limited. There would be time to (01:26:43) collect them gradually later. Their main (01:26:45) targets were several large armories in (01:26:47) city A. The importance of city A before (01:26:49) the apocalypse goes without saying, the (01:26:52) weapons stored in those armories must be (01:26:54) the latest and most comprehensive. Due (01:26:56) to family reasons, Yanmo was intimately (01:26:59) familiar with the locations of armories (01:27:00) in every district of city A. Today, (01:27:03) their target was the nearest armory to (01:27:05) their residential area, which also (01:27:07) happened to be the largest in city A. At (01:27:10) the same time, a special forces team (01:27:13) drove into city A from another (01:27:14) direction. Their objective also being (01:27:17) the largest armory in the city. Chapter (01:27:19) 40. The original male lead makes his (01:27:21) appearance. The sudden flood and the (01:27:23) rapidly dropping temperatures stripped (01:27:25) the bustling, ultra-developed city of (01:27:27) its usual vitality. Looking around, the (01:27:30) entire world seemed frozen in ice and (01:27:32) snow, devoid of any trace of human (01:27:34) warmth. The sky was so gloomy it seemed (01:27:37) about to collapse. (01:27:39) Weighing heavily on people's moods and (01:27:41) making them particularly irritable. The (01:27:43) ground was entirely covered in ice, and (01:27:45) even with snow chains, the car couldn't (01:27:48) move quickly. The driver had to stay (01:27:50) extremely focused, as the slightest (01:27:52) lapse in attention could cause the (01:27:53) vehicle to skid on the icy surface. This (01:27:56) road is truly hard to navigate. Who (01:27:58) knows when these days will finally come (01:28:00) to an end? Lon Jing Ming sighed from the (01:28:03) passenger seat. Exactly. (01:28:05) To suffer such a disaster out of (01:28:07) nowhere. 3 months of heavy rain followed (01:28:10) by a drastic temperature drop into (01:28:12) extreme cold. When will things return to (01:28:14) normal? It's been nearly half a year of (01:28:16) calamities. Yet, it feels like an (01:28:18) eternity. I really miss the old days. I (01:28:21) just hope this disaster ends soon. Kufu (01:28:24) Guuang, sitting in the back, chimed in (01:28:27) while the others remained silent, (01:28:28) nodding slightly in clear agreement with (01:28:30) what the two had said. Suddenly, the man (01:28:34) seated in the middle of the back row (01:28:35) spoke up. What if the calamities never (01:28:38) end, the other four froze, except for (01:28:40) Jeang Cho, who was driving and couldn't (01:28:43) turn his head, only able to glance (01:28:45) through the rear view mirror. Lon Jing (01:28:47) Ming, Kufi Guang, and Li Honging all (01:28:49) turned in unison to look at Shaolu, who (01:28:52) sat in the middle with his eyes closed, (01:28:54) seemingly resting. Sensing their gazes, (01:28:57) the man slowly opened his eyes. As if (01:29:00) stung by the glare of the eyes, he (01:29:02) narrowed them slightly. His dark pupils (01:29:05) were as deep and still as an ancient (01:29:07) well, occasionally flashing with a sharp (01:29:09) glint that sent a chill down the spine. (01:29:12) Kufuang couldn't hold back and was the (01:29:14) first to ask, "Captain, what did you (01:29:16) mean by what you just said? Did you (01:29:18) receive some inside information?" "Yes," (01:29:21) Shaolu rubbed his slightly throbbing (01:29:23) forehead and shared the message he had (01:29:25) just received from his family. According (01:29:26) to information from above, there are (01:29:28) rumors that we're about to enter an (01:29:30) apocalyptic era, with the natural (01:29:32) disasters being the omens and beginning (01:29:34) of the end times. (01:29:36) The core group is currently in heated (01:29:38) debate over this matter, roughly divided (01:29:40) into two factions. One faction believes (01:29:43) we shouldn't abandon the people and (01:29:44) should provide as much rescue as (01:29:46) possible. The other thinks we should (01:29:48) gather existing resources, preserve (01:29:50) strength, and prepare for what's to (01:29:52) come. Shaolu sat up straight, his (01:29:54) expression grave. The four fell silent (01:29:56) after hearing Shiaol<unk>s words, and (01:29:59) the carriage became quiet for a moment, (01:30:01) the atmosphere heavy. They had stood out (01:30:04) from thousands of outstanding soldiers (01:30:06) to become members of the special (01:30:07) operations team, not only because they (01:30:09) were the most skilled, but also because (01:30:11) they were the smartest, observing things (01:30:13) more carefully and thinking more deeply (01:30:15) than others. They had not failed to (01:30:17) notice the anomalies of this year's (01:30:19) natural disasters. But they still held (01:30:21) on to a sliver of hope, or perhaps were (01:30:23) unwilling to believe that the world had (01:30:25) truly changed. (01:30:27) Shaolu<unk>s words were like a direct (01:30:29) puncture to the illusions they harbored. (01:30:31) It wasn't that they found it hard to (01:30:33) accept. After all, they had long been (01:30:35) prepared, but rather that they couldn't (01:30:37) shift their mindset all at once. The (01:30:39) silence was finally broken by an (01:30:41) unexpected event. Thud, thud, thud. The (01:30:45) sound of heavy objects hitting the car (01:30:46) continued relentlessly, and a group of (01:30:49) figures appeared ahead while Shaolu and (01:30:51) the others were delayed. Yanimo and his (01:30:54) team safely arrived at the armory's (01:30:56) location first. Tisk tsk tsk. This place (01:31:00) is built solidly enough. The outer walls (01:31:03) are so high, topped with barbed wire and (01:31:06) electric fences. If it weren't for the (01:31:07) lack of electricity and guards now, who (01:31:10) would be foolish enough to cause trouble (01:31:12) here? Isn't that just asking for death? (01:31:14) Busiang gazed at the heavily fortified (01:31:17) armory before him and sighed in (01:31:18) admiration, "The question is, how do we (01:31:21) get in?" Shu Axen followed closely (01:31:24) beside Yanmo and voiced her doubt. Yan (01:31:27) Mo reached out to touch the wall, (01:31:29) surveyed the area, and found a suitable (01:31:31) spot. He then pulled out explosives from (01:31:34) his bag and said, "Blow it open. Such a (01:31:36) simple and brutal method. Simple yet (01:31:39) effective." Huh. Shuakian was (01:31:41) momentarily taken aback, never expecting (01:31:44) her usually resourceful boyfriend to (01:31:45) resort to such a straightforward and (01:31:47) violent approach. H the upper echelons (01:31:51) of city a forgetting about the armory is (01:31:53) only temporary. After all, they're not (01:31:56) fools. Sooner or later, someone will (01:31:58) realize its importance. Before they act, (01:32:01) we should get our hands on it first. Shu (01:32:03) Axian wasn't stupid. With just a slight (01:32:06) hint, she immediately grasped the key (01:32:08) point. The armory was located far from (01:32:10) the city with no residence within a 10 (01:32:12) km radius. By carefully calculating the (01:32:15) amount of explosives, (01:32:18) they could blast open the wall without (01:32:19) causing too much disturbance. The armory (01:32:22) inside remained perfectly intact, (01:32:24) showing no signs of flood damage. (01:32:26) However, the inner door couldn't be (01:32:28) dealt with as roughly as the outer wall. (01:32:30) The contents stored inside were (01:32:32) militarygrade weapons where even fire (01:32:34) had to be used with caution, let alone (01:32:37) explosives. Yan Mo gave Shu Axan a look, (01:32:40) and she immediately understood. (01:32:42) Retrieving from her space the items Yan (01:32:44) Mo had prepared the night before they (01:32:46) left. Bending down to pick up the items (01:32:49) from the ground, Yenm and Mucciima each (01:32:52) worked on one side of the door in front (01:32:54) of them. A gap large enough for one (01:32:56) person to pass through appeared on the (01:32:57) sturdy armory door, which was as solid (01:32:59) as a bank vault door. This maneuver left (01:33:02) Shu Axen and Bianguin watching from (01:33:04) behind, utterly stunned, as they had (01:33:07) never seen anything like it before. What (01:33:09) are you standing around for? Come in, (01:33:11) Muimi Ma called out to the two behind (01:33:14) him. Following Yan Mo<unk>s footsteps (01:33:16) into the armory. Wow. Wow. Shu Axai and (01:33:20) Busianguin quickly followed and as soon (01:33:22) as they entered, they were struck by the (01:33:24) sight of various weapons neatly arranged (01:33:27) before them. It must be said this truly (01:33:29) lives up to being the largest armory in (01:33:31) city A. The space inside is estimated to (01:33:34) be the size of five or six basketball (01:33:36) courts with a height of about 5 m. (01:33:39) Crates of guns, bullets, and explosives (01:33:42) are stacked together, and there are even (01:33:45) some newly developed advanced weapons. A (01:33:47) few people roughly counted the number of (01:33:49) weapons, getting a sense of their hall (01:33:51) this time, and Yan Mo led Shu Aakan (01:33:54) around the area to collect items into (01:33:56) the space. In less than 15 minutes, all (01:33:58) the weapons inside were stored away by (01:34:00) Shu Axan into the space. The four of (01:34:03) them had just emerged and hadn't gone (01:34:05) far when they heard the sound of (01:34:06) vehicles approaching in the distance. (01:34:08) Exchanging glances, they quickly hid to (01:34:10) the side. The surrounding area was lush (01:34:13) with vegetation, and the sudden drop in (01:34:16) temperature had frozen everything over, (01:34:18) forming a natural icy barrier. Hidden (01:34:20) behind it, Shu Aaken and the others were (01:34:23) completely concealed. The people in that (01:34:25) car were clearly also heading for the (01:34:27) armory. If they left directly, they (01:34:29) would inevitably run into the newcomers. (01:34:31) With the armory emptied and them (01:34:33) appearing here at this exact moment, (01:34:35) suspicion would naturally fall on them. (01:34:38) The military off-road vehicles slowly (01:34:40) came to a stop and five men stepped out. (01:34:43) Their expressions darkened as they saw (01:34:45) the violently breached outer wall. (01:34:47) Captain, the walls been blown open. (01:34:49) Looks like someone beat us to it. We've (01:34:51) been scooped. Li Honging frowned. Shallu (01:34:54) remained silent. He walked over to the (01:34:56) blasted wall, examined it carefully for (01:34:58) a while, and concluded, "This was done (01:35:01) today." "Chapter 41." "The Cub." The (01:35:04) wall was blown open today. "The marks (01:35:06) are fresh. The person might have just (01:35:09) left not long ago," he analyzed calmly, (01:35:12) examining the shattered fragments in his (01:35:14) hand. Lon Jing rushed out to report. (01:35:16) "Captain, the armory has been completely (01:35:19) emptied. What should we do now?" (01:35:21) Clearly, they came prepared. Their (01:35:23) target likely isn't just this one (01:35:25) armory. Let's head to the next one. (01:35:27) Shallu decisively made the call. The (01:35:29) five people got back into the car and (01:35:31) drove away. Only after the car had (01:35:34) disappeared from sight did Shuene and (01:35:36) the others emerge. (01:35:38) However, they didn't retrace their (01:35:40) original path, fearing that the group (01:35:42) might be waiting for them along the way. (01:35:44) Instead, they took a longer detour back. (01:35:46) On the detour, they caught a distant (01:35:48) glimpse of the newly built wildlife (01:35:50) conservation park in city A. Suddenly, (01:35:53) Shushin remembered a passage from the (01:35:55) original book. During the apocalypse, (01:35:57) not only were human genes mutating, but (01:36:00) animals and plants were also undergoing (01:36:02) changes. Some flora and fauna even (01:36:05) awakened much earlier than humans. The (01:36:08) mutations in animals and plants were (01:36:10) different from those in humans. There (01:36:12) was no distinction between good and (01:36:14) evil. Animals after mutation become (01:36:17) exceptionally intelligent. Their size (01:36:19) increases to two or three times their (01:36:21) original size, and their attack power (01:36:23) more than doubles. A small portion of (01:36:25) them can even awaken supernatural (01:36:27) abilities. Just like humans, some (01:36:30) people's pets, carefully protected (01:36:32) before the apocalypse, survived the (01:36:34) disasters. After the mutation, those (01:36:36) animals with owners became extremely (01:36:38) loyal. For those who haven't awakened (01:36:40) any supernatural abilities, (01:36:43) having a mutated animal by their side (01:36:45) for protection provides a layer of (01:36:47) security in the perilous (01:36:48) post-apocalyptic world. Back then, when (01:36:51) Shu Axian read in the book about (01:36:52) someone's cat mutating and carrying its (01:36:54) owner to escape from zombies, she was (01:36:57) deeply envious. She even fantasized (01:36:59) about what it would be like to ride on a (01:37:01) giant cat. As they walked along, Yanimo (01:37:04) noticed that Shuin had stopped in her (01:37:06) tracks, staring blankly at the wildlife (01:37:08) conservation park ahead, lost in (01:37:10) thought. Shin Bowo, "What's wrong? Are (01:37:14) you feeling unwell?" Yan Mo turned back (01:37:16) and asked patiently, lowering his head. (01:37:18) "Let's<unk> go in and take a look. What (01:37:20) do you say?" Shuene looked up with (01:37:22) sparkling eyes, brimming with (01:37:24) anticipation. "All right, but you have (01:37:26) to tell me why you suddenly want to go (01:37:28) in." Yan Mo could never refuse Shuene's (01:37:31) requests, especially when she looked at (01:37:32) him with those eyes, but he still wanted (01:37:35) to know the reason. I know my wife well. (01:37:37) She's usually a bit willful about (01:37:39) trivial matters. Both delicate and fond (01:37:42) of acting spoiled, but when we're out, (01:37:45) she always follows arrangements (01:37:46) obediently and behaves very well. Now, (01:37:49) suddenly insisting on visiting the (01:37:51) wildlife park must have some reason (01:37:53) behind it. I want to go in and see if (01:37:55) there are any animals still alive. I'll (01:37:57) explain the specific reasons to you when (01:37:59) we get back. All right. I really can't (01:38:02) do anything about you. Yan Mo went over (01:38:04) to inform Busianguen and Mucciimai and (01:38:07) neither of them had any objections. (01:38:09) After discussing, (01:38:11) the four of them stepped into the long (01:38:12) neglected wildlife conservation park. (01:38:15) This conservation project was highly (01:38:17) valued by the authorities, aiming to (01:38:19) develop it into a famous scenic spot in (01:38:21) city A and make a profit from it. Not (01:38:23) only were various species of protected (01:38:25) wildlife from across the country (01:38:27) introduced, but a significant amount of (01:38:29) money was also spent to create suitable (01:38:31) habitats for animals with different (01:38:33) habits. The partially exposed structures (01:38:36) and overall layout still faintly (01:38:38) reflected the meticulous planning that (01:38:40) went into its construction. The reserve (01:38:41) covered a large area. Shuaken and the (01:38:44) others walked along the main road for (01:38:46) quite a while. Since Yanmo was her (01:38:48) husband, it wasn't a problem. But with (01:38:50) Busiang and Muimai also tagging along, (01:38:54) she didn't want to drag them around (01:38:55) unnecessarily. After circling around (01:38:58) without any success, Shuakai gave up, (01:39:01) walking ahead with her head down. She (01:39:03) looked utterly dejected like a (01:39:05) frostbitten eggplant. Shin Bao, there (01:39:08) seems to be some movement over there. (01:39:10) Yan Mo couldn't bear to see his wife (01:39:12) unhappy, so he had been carefully (01:39:14) observing their surroundings the entire (01:39:16) way. Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling (01:39:18) sound coming from the right where (01:39:21) hearing the noise, Shuin immediately (01:39:23) perked up. Sounds like it's coming from (01:39:25) the right side. Without bothering about (01:39:27) the people behind her, Shuene quickly (01:39:30) walked towards the obscured area on the (01:39:32) right. With Yanmma closely following, (01:39:35) Busiang and Muimai looked utterly (01:39:37) confused, but followed along without (01:39:39) understanding why. There really are (01:39:41) still living animals here. It's a big (01:39:43) white tiger. The words big white tiger (01:39:46) made Yenma tense up. He grabbed (01:39:48) Shuin<unk>s arm, stopping her eager (01:39:50) impulse to move forward. Tisk. Upon (01:39:53) seeing the scene inside the usually (01:39:55) reserved much gasped sharply, drawing in (01:39:58) a cold breath, "What's wrong? What's (01:40:01) wrong?" Busiang, who had been standing (01:40:04) behind, had been burning with curiosity (01:40:06) as he watched Muimi walk over. Unable to (01:40:09) hold back any longer, he rushed forward (01:40:11) and froze in shock upon seeing what was (01:40:13) inside. This. This. This. What? What? (01:40:17) Why are both of you speaking in half (01:40:18) sentences? You're driving me crazy. I'll (01:40:21) see for myself. Shu Axene broke free (01:40:23) from Yan Mo<unk>s grip and trotted over. (01:40:26) After confirming there was no danger, (01:40:28) Yan Mo didn't stop her again and let go (01:40:30) of her hand. Is this five cubs? There's (01:40:34) even a wolf lying beneath them. Shusheen (01:40:36) exclaimed in surprise. Hm. It seems two (01:40:39) mothers chose this method to keep their (01:40:41) young warm, sacrificing themselves to (01:40:43) ensure their survival. Animals love for (01:40:45) their offspring is no less than humans. (01:40:48) Some people aren't even as good as (01:40:49) animals. Daddy Yen Shuin had come here (01:40:52) specifically to find animals to raise. (01:40:54) And now that she had finally found five (01:40:56) cubs, she wasn't about to let them go. (01:41:00) She wrapped her arms around Yan Mo<unk>s (01:41:02) waist and skillfully began to weedle. (01:41:04) Want to keep them? Hearing this term of (01:41:06) endearment, Yan Moai twitched. After all (01:41:09) this time, he still couldn't get used to (01:41:11) it, Emlet<unk>s take them home and raise (01:41:14) them. I promise. It<unk>ll bring us (01:41:16) benefits, no downsides, Shu Aakan (01:41:19) pleaded with Yan Mo, her eyes brimming (01:41:21) with such earnestness that it seemed (01:41:23) she'd burst into tears the next second (01:41:25) if he refused. Fine, then hurry up and (01:41:28) let go of me so I can put them into the (01:41:30) space. Otherwise, they might really (01:41:32) freeze to death soon. Great. With Yenm (01:41:35) Mo<unk>s promise, Shuakai's eyes lit up (01:41:38) and she cooperated with him to store the (01:41:40) five cubs into the second layer of the (01:41:42) space. Chapter 42 roast whole lamb. That (01:41:45) day, after obtaining the five cubs, Shu (01:41:48) Aan was so happy that she couldn't stop (01:41:51) smiling all the way back. In the (01:41:53) evening, she used Yan Mo as a mouthpiece (01:41:56) to explain to the other two why she (01:41:58) wanted to raise animal cubs. It's (01:42:00) unclear how Yan Mo conveyed it to the (01:42:02) other two, but they didn't ask further (01:42:04) questions afterward. Instead, they all (01:42:06) took care of the five cubs together (01:42:08) diligently. All five cubs must have been (01:42:10) born not long ago. At the time, I didn't (01:42:13) look closely, but upon returning, I (01:42:16) noticed that although they all had white (01:42:18) fur, they were actually different (01:42:19) species. Three snow wolf cubs and two (01:42:22) white tiger cubs. (01:42:24) Thinking back to the pit where the (01:42:26) bodies of a mother tiger and a mother (01:42:28) wolf lay, it made sense and wasn't too (01:42:30) surprising. Unfortunately, despite their (01:42:33) meticulous care and careful feeding, not (01:42:35) all of them survived. On the third day, (01:42:37) the weakest snow wolf cub, whose (01:42:40) breathing had been the most fragile, (01:42:42) ultimately didn't make it. This left (01:42:43) Shushin heartbroken for several days. (01:42:46) The remaining four cubs were slightly (01:42:48) healthier and could now leave the space. (01:42:51) The four of them held a small meeting (01:42:53) and decided that each would take (01:42:54) responsibility for raising one. The (01:42:56) probability of animal mutation is very (01:42:59) high, almost reaching 85%. These four (01:43:02) cubs are highly likely to become their (01:43:04) future companions in battle, so it's (01:43:06) best to nurture their bond and from an (01:43:08) early age. In the end, Shuakai got the (01:43:10) long coveted big cat, a little white (01:43:13) tiger female. While Yan Mo chose a small (01:43:16) snowwolf male, Busianguin also preferred (01:43:20) a little white tiger male. And Mucci Mai (01:43:23) couldn't put down his small snow wolf (01:43:25) male. All four cubs are still in the (01:43:27) nursing stage. Everyday, Shuaken would (01:43:31) fetch fresh milk from the cows kept on (01:43:33) the second floor of the space and place (01:43:34) it in the kitchen. She also prepared (01:43:36) four bottles of different colors, one (01:43:38) for each person to make feeding easier. (01:43:41) During training, the four of them would (01:43:43) let the cubs play together. Among them, (01:43:45) Mucci Mai was the closest to his small (01:43:48) snow wolf, almost inseparable except (01:43:50) during training baths. Or when going (01:43:53) out, every time Shuin spends too much (01:43:56) time getting close to the little white (01:43:57) tiger, the jealousy from her own vinegar (01:44:00) jar starts to waft through the air with (01:44:02) complaints like, "I'm not as important (01:44:04) as a little white tiger." Or, "On such (01:44:06) cold, long nights, I'm left alone in an (01:44:09) empty room." and so on. To make matters (01:44:12) worse, that person wears an incomparably (01:44:14) handsome face while speaking in a (01:44:16) pitiful, dejected tone, making Shuin (01:44:19) question herself each time as if she (01:44:21) were some heartless, fickle scoundrel, (01:44:24) unable to resist Yanmo, she has no (01:44:26) choice but to abandon her new favorite (01:44:29) to accompany her old love. After (01:44:31) encountering that team in the armory (01:44:33) last time, Shushin and the others (01:44:35) decided not to visit armories in other (01:44:37) areas anymore. Instead, they focused on (01:44:40) raising their cubs, training, and (01:44:42) improving themselves at home. Muimai (01:44:45) often interacts with military personnel (01:44:47) and is quite familiar with special (01:44:49) forces soldiers. The team was dressed in (01:44:51) civilian clothes, but subtle details in (01:44:54) their movements made it easy to tell (01:44:55) they were soldiers with formal training. (01:44:57) Given the nature of the special mission (01:44:59) they were assigned to and their numbers, (01:45:01) it was straightforward to deduce they (01:45:03) were a special forces unit. Since (01:45:05) higher-ups dispatched a special forces (01:45:07) team to secure the armories. (01:45:09) Once they discovered the contents of (01:45:11) one, they would undoubtedly check the (01:45:13) others immediately and enforce strict (01:45:15) defenses, leaving no opportunity for (01:45:17) interference. They might even set traps (01:45:20) in advance, waiting for the next move to (01:45:22) catch them all in one sweep. Naturally, (01:45:25) they wouldn't be foolish enough to (01:45:26) confront the military headon over a few (01:45:28) small armories worth of weapons. That (01:45:31) would be no different from suicide. Shu (01:45:33) Axian and the others were right that (01:45:35) day. After Shaolu and his team returned, (01:45:39) they immediately contacted their (01:45:40) superiors through a special channel and (01:45:42) had the remaining armory completely (01:45:44) emptied within a day. They deliberately (01:45:46) left one untouched, hoping to lure Shu (01:45:49) Axai and the others into making another (01:45:51) move. However, after waiting for a week (01:45:53) without seeing any sign of them, they (01:45:56) finally gave up. Days passed one after (01:45:58) another. If it weren't for the abnormal (01:46:00) temperatures outside, (01:46:02) Shu Axian might have mistakenly believed (01:46:04) that the apocalypse had never arrived. (01:46:07) The four little creatures were gradually (01:46:09) growing up. In just under 2 months, they (01:46:11) had completely shed their initial frail (01:46:13) and nearly lifeless appearance from when (01:46:15) they were first brought home. Every day, (01:46:17) the four little ones were bursting with (01:46:19) energy, destroying quite a few things (01:46:21) around the house. Shuaken and the others (01:46:24) had no intention of spoiling them once (01:46:26) they reached 3 months old. (01:46:29) They plan to start training them. (01:46:31) Recently, we've started removing the (01:46:32) heaters from the living room, gradually (01:46:34) letting them adjust to the outdoor (01:46:36) temperature. Another weekend arrived, (01:46:38) and Yanmo got up early in the morning to (01:46:40) handle the sheep that Shu Aakan had (01:46:42) taken out from the space. Last night (01:46:44) before bed, Shu Aaken was binge watching (01:46:47) a drama and happened to see a scene (01:46:49) where people gathered for a feast (01:46:50) featuring a whole roasted lamb. This (01:46:52) made Shu Axian, who had had roasted lamb (01:46:56) in a long time, crave it so badly that (01:46:58) she even drooled in her dreams, (01:47:00) helpless, Yanimo had to get up early to (01:47:03) marinate the lamb so they could enjoy it (01:47:05) in the evening. The sheep Shuakian (01:47:07) provided was one raised in the second (01:47:09) level of the space, and it was quite (01:47:10) large. When Yan Mo dragged the sheep (01:47:13) downstairs, Mucci Mai and Busianguin (01:47:16) happened to come out and helped hold (01:47:17) down the fiercely struggling sheep. (01:47:19) Finally managing to slaughter it (01:47:21) successfully. (01:47:22) Roasting a whole lamb is an extremely (01:47:24) intricate process, but the result is (01:47:27) undeniably enticing, the lamb, skewered (01:47:30) on an iron rack sizzles over the (01:47:32) charcoal fire with drops of hot oil (01:47:34) slowly trickling down the plump, (01:47:36) well-marbled meat. Gradually, the entire (01:47:38) living room fills with an irresistible (01:47:40) aroma. The four playful little ones were (01:47:43) also lured by the scent and squatted (01:47:45) beside the roasted lamb with shusheen, (01:47:47) their eyes unblinking. The eldest could (01:47:49) still somewhat control their drool. But (01:47:52) the four little ones beside them left a (01:47:54) puddle of saliva on the floor, leaving (01:47:56) Yenma both amused and exasperated. When (01:47:59) Busyang came over to pour water and saw (01:48:01) the scene, he couldn't help but burst (01:48:03) into laughter. Flustered and (01:48:05) embarrassed. Shu Xin Sha Bianguin a (01:48:08) glare before running off to prepare (01:48:09) other dishes for the evening meal. If (01:48:11) she stayed any longer, she truly (01:48:13) wouldn't be able to hold back her own (01:48:15) drooling. All the waiting and patience (01:48:18) were worth it the moment the roasted (01:48:19) lamb entered my mouth. With the first (01:48:21) bite, a wave of warmth and richness (01:48:24) filled my mouth, bringing overwhelming (01:48:26) happiness. The lamb, already fragrant (01:48:28) from the charcoal fire, became even more (01:48:31) flavorful with the addition of spicy (01:48:32) salt and chili sauce. Tender, crispy, (01:48:36) savory, and spicy. All these sensations (01:48:39) danced and surged in the mouth at once. (01:48:41) The delicious taste reaching the very (01:48:43) tip of the tongue, leaving a mouthful of (01:48:46) rich meaty aroma. The lamb had a deep (01:48:48) reddish brown hue, spicy and savory, (01:48:51) glistening, but not greasy, free from (01:48:53) any gy taste. Crispy on the outside, (01:48:56) tender on the inside. The meat was (01:48:58) exceptionally delicious, offering a (01:49:00) unique and delightful flavor. Eating (01:49:02) just roasted lamb would surely become (01:49:04) overwhelming. So Shuene had thoughtfully (01:49:06) prepared some refreshing side dishes to (01:49:09) cut through the richness. Along with (01:49:11) thin flatbreads to wrap the lamb in a (01:49:13) secret dipping sauce paired with a (01:49:16) little alcohol, everyone's appetite was (01:49:18) thoroughly wetted. They were too busy (01:49:20) eating to talk earlier. Fully focused on (01:49:22) savoring the delicious food. Once their (01:49:24) cravings were satisfied, they chatted (01:49:27) while eating and the meal lasted a full (01:49:29) 3 hours before it ended. While the group (01:49:31) enjoyed their feast, the four little (01:49:33) ones weren't neglected either. They were (01:49:35) already able to eat some meat for (01:49:37) nutrition. (01:49:38) So, a tender piece of lamb was set aside (01:49:41) for them without any seasoning and (01:49:43) divided into four portions. They (01:49:45) devoured it with great relish.