On the fifteenth day of the zombie apocalypse (, the power finally went out. The sudden darkness pressed in like a silent omen. Lin Bai’s mood sank noticeably. The collapse of the power system could only mean one thing—the outside world had grown even more hostile… and humanity’s chances of survival, got even slimmer. After a brief discussion, Lu Xi and the others decided to set out for the survivor base in B City. But before that— They needed supplies. “This is May Mall.” Lu Xi held a pen, sketching quickly on a piece of paper, her handwriting slightly hurried but clear. “It’s about three kilometers from my apartment. If we take this route, we can go around from here—this is a side road. There aren’t many people in this area normally.”
She paused briefly, tapping the paper. “The mall opens at 9:30 a.m., and the outbreak started at 8:30. That means there were no customers inside when everything happened.” Her lips curved into a small, confident smile. “So… it should be relatively safe inside.” She lifted her head, her gaze moving between Gu Wang, Lin Bai, and Xu Qiaoyun. When it came to gathering supplies— They still had to rely on her. “My space can only store ten cubic meters right now,” she added. “If we want enough supplies, we’ll need more crystal cores to expand it.”
She had already revealed her spatial ability the night before (a rare power that allows storage in a separate dimension). She only explained it simply—that her level was low, and the space was limited. Though Lin Bai and Xu Qiaoyun didn’t question her. But they had long sensed that Lu Xi carried secrets she couldn’t share. But since those secrets didn’t harm them—and in fact, benefited their group—they chose not to pry.
After all— Everyone had things they wanted to keep hidden. Only Gu Wang was different. When Lu Xi had “confessed” her ability, she still vividly remembered the way he had looked at her. That gaze was sharp. Penetrating. As if it could see straight through every lie she tried to construct.
His brows had been relaxed, his posture lazy… but his eyes had clearly said: Go on. Keep making things up.
Lu Xi: …This is really too difficult for her.
Still after packing everything, Lu Xi began storing all usable supplies into her spatial storage. With the power out, the elevator was no longer functional. So they had no choice but to climb the emergency stairwell. Step by step. Floor after floor. Lu Xi dragged her aching body upward, her legs growing heavier with each step. Inside her mind, she wailed dramatically, “Waaah, I’m so tired, 003, I’m really dying here—” 003 responded with mechanical calm: “…Host, please persist.” When they finally reached the basement level, Lu Xi felt like her legs no longer belonged to her. They were weak, trembling, barely able to support her weight.
She lifted her head— And saw Lin Bai gently supporting Xu Qiaoyun, his movements careful and attentive. Instantly, Lu Xi turned her gaze toward Gu Wang, her eyes filled with pitiful expectation.
Gu Wang: “…”
Without a word . He turned and walked away.
The group took a shortcut toward May Mall. Because it was located in the suburbs, the area remained relatively deserted; fewer people meant fewer zombies. Still, the moment the car screeched to a stop near the entrance, several wandering creatures lunged toward them, their jagged moans breaking the silence of the outskirts.
Lu Xi and Lin Bai reacted immediately, stepping forward to engage. Their movements were frantic, fueled by adrenaline and the raw need to survive. Behind them, Xu Qiaoyun held her ground, gripping the heavy fire axe Lu Xi had handed her earlier. She moved with a grim, practiced focus, skillfully retrieving the shimmering crystal cores from the fallen zombies as the air grew heavy with the scent of dust and decay.
Meanwhile—Gu Wang strolled leisurely through the chaos. He moved as if he were wandering through his own private garden, his expression one of utter, chilling boredom. Only when a cluster of zombies mindlessly rushed him did he bother to react. With a lazy, almost dismissive flick of his wrist, he tossed out a pulsing core of white-hot static.
It didn’t just explode; it erupted.
The compressed knot of lightning hit the center of the pack and vanished into a blinding pillar of violet discharge. There was no shrapnel, only a deafening crack of thunder that shook the windows of the mall. When the light faded, the zombies weren’t just dead—they had been vaporized into scorched shadows on the pavement.
Gu Wang didn’t even pause to look at the carnage. He simply kept walking, his hands shoved back into his pockets with effortless indifference.
At the front, Lu Xi and Lin Bai leaned against their weapons, their lungs burning and their limbs trembling with exhaustion, staring at the casual devastation he had left in his wake.
Step by step. They pushed forward. Finally reaching the entrance of the mall , Lin Bai used his fire ability to melt the lock on the door. The metal softened and gave way under the heat quickly . Lu Xi and Xu Qiaoyun stood guard on either side, alert and tense. “Alright—get in!”opening the door Lin Bai called in a low voice. He pulled Xu Qiaoyun inside. Lu Xi also didn’t hesitate as she grabbed Gu Wang’s sleeve and dragged him along.
This may Mall had five floors above ground and one underground level. The upper floors were filled with clothing, cosmetics, and luxury goods.And the basement was a supermarket. As they travel further in the mart few zombies in staff uniforms lunged at them, but Lin Bai dealt with them swiftly and cleanly. Lu Xi also didn’t linger. She headed straight for the clothing section, quickly gathering essentials—underwear, shoes, thick cotton-padded clothing (winter wear commonly used in colder regions). Then she rushed to the home goods section, collecting several silk quilts (lightweight but warm bedding, often considered high-quality in Chinese households). They were ssential items. Because if she remembered correctly— In about a month, a severe cold wave would sweep through. And countless people because of that would freeze to death. So after collecting these thinga, she checked her space. Only half remained available. Not enough. Far from enough.
“Be careful,” Lin Bai murmured as they made their way down toward the basement level. Lu Xi and Xu Qiaoyun nodded quietly. But—
As they descended, a strange unease crept into Lu Xi’s chest. Something felt… wrong. She instinctively tightened her grip on Gu Wang’s sleeve. Gu Wang also noticed. His gaze lowered, settling on her. Lu Xi was only tall enough to reach his shoulder. Standing so close, their proximity blurred into something almost intimate . From his angle, it looked as though he had her entirely within his arms. Thinking this a subtle shift passed through his expression and his eyes darkened— Slowly. Silently.
Unware form the tension between the Lu Xi and Gu Wang ,Lin Bai led the group toward the snack section first. Chocolate and Snickers (high-calorie energy bars) could quickly replenish strength, while canned fruit would become a rare source of vitamins in the later stages of the apocalypse. Lu Xi didn’t hesitate. She swept everything on the list into her space. Compressed biscuits, instant noodles, and other convenience foods followed. She also grabbed several packs of hot pot base (a concentrated seasoning block used for Chinese hot pot cooking), along with spices, and even a few pots and pans—essentials for cooking in the wild. They moved cautiously, step by step, into the fresh food section.
Because the power had only gone out that morning, the meat and frozen goods in the refrigerators hadn’t yet spoiled. And Lu Xi’s spatial storage was frozen in time (a storage ability where items remain unchanged, unaffected by time or decay).
Whatever went in— Came out exactly the same. So this time, Lu Xi showed no restraint. She packed everything she could. After all—
In the apocalypse, meat would soon became a luxury. Only when her space was completely full did she finally stop. Still her gaze lingered on the shelves with spicy strips (a popular Chinese snack made of seasoned wheat gluten), cola, self-heating hot pots (instant meals that heat themselves using chemical packs)— All of it still left behind. A deep, helpless feeling rose in her chest. Like a eunuch visiting a brothel (a Chinese idiom describing someone surrounded by temptation but unable to partake).
Why? Why ? Was her space only ten cubic meters? Still resigning to her fate after filling the space, the group prepared to leave. “Let’s go,” Lin Bai said quietly, taking the lead. Even he hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly. Too smoothly. The mall was shrouded in a suffocating silence. Only the faint sound of footsteps… and their breathing… echoed in the empty space. Lu Xi’s chest tightened. A faint unease crept over her— As if something cold and unseen was staring directly at her back. Her fingers curled slightly. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. It was— Too quiet.
“Run!” The moment Lu Xi’s voice rang out— A violent gust of wind tore through the space, carrying with it that familiar, nauseating stench of decay. Lin Bai reacted instantly, grabbing Xu Qiaoyun and throwing them both aside, rolling across the floor before coming to a halt. At the same time— Lu Xi felt a sudden force— And was pulled straight back into Gu Wang’s arms. As a hunched, skeletal figure shot past where she had just been standing, its movement so fast it was almost invisible. Than it leapt upward. Clinging to the ceiling.
Its grayish-blue skin stretched tightly over its bones, bloodshot eyes glaring down at them, saliva dripping from its open mouth as it let out low, threatening growls. “Host! This is a Tier 2 zombie!” 003’s voice rang sharply in her mind. A second-tier zombie— It had evolved. “Lin Bai, Qiaoyun—it’s a Tier 2 zombie!” Lu Xi shouted. But before her words had even fully fallen. The creature lunged at her . Gu Wang pulled Lu Xi behind him in one smooth motion, lightning already crackling in his palm as he hurled it forward.
At the same time, Lin Bai threw a fireball. But— Before Lu Xi could even track its movement— The zombie had already dodged both attacks.It was too fast. It moved like a shadow and its target was Gu Wang. As their eyes met midair. Gu Wang’s gaze sharpened, lightning gathering violently in his hand as he prepared to meet the attack head-on. “Gu Wang, watch out!” Lin Bai, Xu Qiaoyun, and Lu Xi shouted at the same time, because there were two of them . From behind a nearby shelf, another figure slipped out.
Dressed in a security guard’s uniform, its body thin and twisted it was another Tier 2 zombie. It had been hiding there all along. Laying a trap.
And instinctively these creatures recognized the strongest among them. And their hunger for the flesh and blood of the powerful drove them both toward Gu Wang. In an instant he was pinned. Unable to disengage. Lin Bai reacted immediately, gathering a fireball and hurling it at the zombie behind him. Lu Xi didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. She pulled a baseball bat from her spatial storage and rushed forward. That was her lifeline.
How dare they touch him?!
But the impact of these zombies power came the moment her bat met the zombie’s arm— Crack. The bat snapped clean in half.
As a powerful force slammed into her. Her body was thrown backward, crashing heavily into a refrigerator. “Host!”
“Lu Xi!” 003, Xu Qiaoyun, and Lin Bai cried out at the same time. But that single moment was enough for Gu Wang . With Lu Xi’s intervention, Gu Wang broke free of the encirclement. Lin Bai also rushed forward to assist him. As Gu Wang stood upright. Still. His gaze shifted landing on Lu Xi. The girl’s delicate face was twisted in pain, her hand clutching her chest as she coughed violently. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of her lips. Xu Qiaoyun had already rushed to her side, channeling her healing ability. Her own face, already pale, now looked even more drained.
Gu Wang’s lips pressed into a thin line. His gaze darkened fixing onto the attacking zombie. Something inside him twisted. Violently. A surge of emotion he couldn’t quite name rose in his chest with only one thought remaining clear: Destroy it.
Lightning gathered in his hand. Violent. Unstable. The purple current crackled wildly as he hurled it forward without restraint. The zombie dodged— But before it could even land— Another bolt came crashing down. And another. And another. Gu Wang didn’t stop. Didn’t care about the drain on his power.As lightning rained down relentlessly, sealing off every possible escape route for the zombies .
The zombie was trapped— Encircled by a storm of crackling purple rain . Still in his hand, the lightning grew larger and larger from a fist To the size of a football. Then he slammed it down toward them . The explosion generated from it was blinding. As the zombie’s roar cut off abruptly.
Smoke filled the air. And when it cleared a charred, unrecognizable mass fell from the ceiling. Dead. On the other side the second zombie, engaged with Lin Bai, sensed the shift. So it tried to escape and leapt onto a shelf .But before it could flee A bolt of purple lightning exploded in front of it. Followed immediately by a fireball wrapped in lightning. Gu Wang and Lin Bai attacked in perfect succession. The zombie was struck midair. Falling hard. As another lightning strike Directly to his head.
Which silenced him completely . It didn’t move again. The moment it died— Lin Bai dropped to one knee. Sweat poured down his face in heavy drops. His strength now completely drained. Than he looked up at Gu Wang. Still standing straight. Lightning still flickering faintly in his hand. His dark eyes— Locked onto Lu Xi. “Lu Xi, are you alright?” Xu Qiaoyun’s voice trembled slightly as she continued healing her. Lu Xi grasped her hand weakly and shook her head. “I’m fine… Qiaoyun… don’t waste your energy…” But when the zombie had struck her— She had truly felt it.
As if her organs had shifted out of place. A surge of blood had rushed up her throat . Forcing a painful cry from her lips. Even now .The lingering ache spread through her body, heavy and suffocating. But she endured it. Quietly Even though she reassure every one Gu Wang’s gaze lingered for a moment on Lu Xi’s tear-streaked face, the faint traces of moisture still clinging to her lashes. Then, without a word, he turned. He walked over to the corpse of the zombie that had attacked him earlier. Lightning gathered silently in his palm before he flicked it forward.
A sharp crack of electricity split the air. After the brief flash faded, he bent down, retrieved the transparent crystal core from the zombie’s head, and wiped it clean against the creature’s tattered clothing. Then he walked back. A slender, pale hand extended in front of Lu Xi. His fingers were long and distinct, the lines of his palm clean and sharp and resting in it’s center was a crystal core. Slightly larger than a first-tier one.
Lu Xi froze. Her mind blanked for a second as she stared at it, then slowly lifted her gaze toward Gu Wang, her expression dazed and uncertain.
“Don’t cry.” His voice came out low. A little stiff. Almost… awkward. As if he had deliberately lowered his tone, unsure of how to say such words.
Even he hadn’t expected it— That someone as timid as Lu Xi would step forward again and again… to protect him. “For me?” Lu Xi asked softly, her voice hesitant. She raised her small, pale hand and pointed at herself, as if needing confirmation. “Yes.” Seeing her hesitate, Gu Wang’s brows shifted slightly. He assumed she was too embarrassed to accept it.
“I killed the zombie,” he added flatly. “I decide who gets the crystal core.”
“Yeah… Lu Xi, you should take it.”
Lin Bai, supported by Xu Qiaoyun, forced himself upright, his body swaying slightly from exhaustion. In truth— There was nothing to argue about. Gu Wang had practically killed that zombie alone. And now that they had formed an alliance, there was no need to be overly formal about distribution. But what truly shocked Lin Bai— Was Gu Wang’s strength. He had always known there was a gap between them. But only now did he realize . That gap wasn’t just about levels. Even if they stood at the same level .Gu Wang could bring out one hundred percent of his ability.
While he could only manage eighty. This wasn’t something effort alone could close. It was talent. Raw, overwhelming talent. Something he would never catch up to. Lu Xi on the other hand blinked her wide, watery eyes— Then, without hesitation, reached out and took the crystal core from Gu Wang’s hand.
A second-tier crystal core. Worth one hundred points. That meant— Another ten cubic meters of space! Her earlier pain, her lingering fear.
All of it was instantly pushed aside. “003, upgrade my space again!” Her voice rang brightly in her mind. The moment her space expanded, Lu Xi practically skipped away, heading straight toward the snacks she had been eyeing earlier. Spicy strips (a popular Chinese snack made from seasoned wheat gluten), cola, self-heating hot pots (instant meals with built-in heating packs). This time she wasn’t leaving anything behind.
She was going to fill everything. “Ding, current world stability progress is 36%. Please keep up the good work, host~” The system’s mechanical voice echoed again. Lu Xi paused slightly. Then turned her head. Behind her— Gu Wang leaned casually against a shelf, arms crossed. His features were sharp and defined, carrying his usual air of aloof arrogance. His dark, deep eyes were fixed on her, unreadable. Lu Xi frowned slightly. She didn’t understand.
They had been together for several days now. But Gu Wang— Was nothing like the one described in the original novel. He wasn’t coldly insane.
He wasn’t ruthlessly detached. Aside from his initial indifference toward life and death he was simply quiet. Reserved. Distant. Like a normal …Introvert. He hadn’t even cursed once. At most, he would occasionally cast her a mocking glance— The kind that made her want to punch him.
“003… are you sure there’s no bug in Gu Wang’s character settings?” Lu Xi asked inwardly, a little confused. “He really seems… normal. Is your ‘darkening value’ (a system metric measuring how close a character is to turning villainous) even accurate?”
003 replied immediately, its tone firm: “Host, please rest assured. There is no issue with Gu Wang’s character.And future plot developments require your continued unlocking.” Lu Xi fell silent for a moment. Then a realization struck her. Ah. So he was just that good at pretending?
If that was the case… Then Gu Wang wasn’t just powerful. He was a walking Peking opera. Lu Xi nodded to herself internally, secretly giving him a thumbs-up. As expected of a villain. He excelled at everything he did. Even pretending to be normal.