She had just stepped outside the gas station when an SUV rolled in slowly, its engine rumbling low in the quiet dusk. Before the vehicle had even come to a complete stop, Lin Bai pushed the door open and jumped out. Flames ignited in his palms almost instantly as two blazing fireballs forming with practiced ease before he hurled them forward without hesitation. The approaching zombies barely had time to react. The fireballs exploded against them with a heavy burst, with flames licking through the dimming air as the creatures let out hoarse, broken snarls before collapsing into stillness.
This SUV… They had noticed it two days ago, when they first left the mall. Back then, its owner had already turned—his skin gray, his movements stiff and unnatural. The moment he spotted them, he had lunged forward with a guttural growl, arms outstretched in hunger. Lin Bai hadn’t hesitated even for a second. He had killed him cleanly. Ever since then, they had been thinking about changing vehicles. The van they had taken from the supermarket was large enough, yes—but it only had two seats. Bulky. Sluggish. It was good for hauling supplies in the apocalypse… but utterly useless when it came to escaping danger. And escape ,that was what mattered most now. The highways were already completely blocked, as a graveyard of twisted metal and abandoned cars. So Lu Xi and the others had no choice but to take a longer route, weaving through villages and small towns.
So what should have been a two-day journey had stretched into four. Which meant fuel was everything. If they ran out of gasoline halfway through those deserted areas, there would be no second chances. So stopping at this gas station had been necessary. Watching Lin Bai’s flames burn through the last of the zombies, Lu Xi couldn’t help but feel a faint stir in her chest. His fire… It was noticeably stronger now. Brighter. Larger. More controlled. That night, after they left the mall, Lin Bai had absorbed the second-tier crystal core of the other zombie using the method Lu Xi had taught him. His ability had broken through smoothly stepping into the second tier without resistance.
A clean, decisive evolution. Compared to him, Lu Xi and Xu Qiaoyun were still lingering at the late stage of Tier 1. Still they had been absorbing crystal cores diligently, pushing themselves as much as they could—but that thin, invisible barrier remained just out of reach. They could feel it. Sense it. But not cross it. Still… neither of them rushed. After all, this was only the early stage of the apocalypse. Most zombies were still first-tier. Second-tier ones were rare—dangerously rare. Even the ability users they had encountered along the way were mostly at the same level as them.
In comparison— They were already ahead. As the sky had begun to darken, evening settling in like a slow, heavy curtain. Lin Bai and Xu Qiaoyun busied themselves transferring gasoline into large oil drums, the faint scent of fuel spreading through the air. Meanwhile, Lu Xi took the chance to sit down for a moment, organizing her spatial storage. Her consciousness dipped inward, carefully rearranging supplies—making more room, calculating space. As gasoline drums would take up a lot of space . She had to be precise. Not far from her— Gu Wang had already wandered off. Without a word, he headed straight into the convenience store. The inside was in complete disarray. Shelves overturned, goods scattered everywhere—whatever could be taken had already been looted clean.
Gu Wang glanced around once… then casually pulled over a chair and sat near the entrance. As if he were simply passing time. As if none of this had anything to do with him. From where he sat, he could clearly see Lu Xi and the others moving back and forth outside, busy and focused. Gu Wang rested his chin lightly against his knuckles, watching. Silently. Lu Xi: “……” At this point— She was already used to it. Expecting Gu Wang to help? That was something she had long since given up on.
So, being the “sensible” one (meaning she knew better than to rely on him), she didn’t even bother calling out to him. And after everything was packed and secured, the group split up for the night. Lu Xi and Xu Qiaoyun went upstairs to the second-floor lounge, preparing a place to rest.
Lin Bai, cautious as ever, went out alone to scout the surrounding area making sure there wouldn’t be a sudden zombie swarm attacking them in the middle of the night. And Gu Wang—
Well.
No one assigned him anything. Late at night. The world outside had fallen into a suffocating stillness. Xu Qiaoyun was deep in her sleep when she suddenly felt a hand shaking her shoulder. Her brows furrowed slightly as she stirred, her consciousness slowly surfacing. “…Mm…”
When she opened her eyes, still hazy with sleep, she found that Lu Xi, Gu Wang, and Lin Bai were already awake. A flicker of confusion passed through her until Lu Xi raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.” Her voice was barely a whisper. Instantly, Xu Qiaoyun’s drowsiness faded.
The air turned tense. From outside the low rumble of a car engine drifted in, followed by the creak of a door opening. Then came the footsteps.
Several. And voices. In the deep silence of the night, every word carried with unsettling clarity. “Tch… that woman was really ruthless. Her bite actually hurt.” It’s a man’s voice, irritated. Then another voice laughed, rough and unrestrained. “Hahahaha—what’s the fun in obedient ones? The fiercer they are, the more interesting it gets.”
“Careful or you won’t even know when you end up dead,” a third voice cut in lazily. “There’s no one around to save you than.” There words were Crude. Vulgar. Filthy in a way that didn’t need further explanation. Lu Xi’s expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. She didn’t need clarification.
She understood. Too clearly. In this world where order had collapsed, and strength dictated everything— Morality had become nothing more than a fragile illusion. Ability users stood at the top. And ordinary people… especially women without powers… They had fallen to the very bottom. Most chose to cling to the strong, trading whatever they had for protection. Even in the so-called survivor bases, women would sell their bodies for a single bowl of noodles—just to survive one more day.
It was ugly. Cruel. But it was real. Lu Xi felt something heavy settle in her chest. Beside her, Xu Qiaoyun’s fingers curled slightly, her face pale as she listened. Their eyes met briefly in the dim light. No words were needed. They both understood. That same sinking weight. That same quiet dread. Outside— The voices continued. “Brother Long, there’s a car here.” The moment those words fell the noisy chatter abruptly stopped.
Silence returned. But this time it was no longer empty. It was sharp. Watchful. Like something had just locked onto its prey. A suffocating silence fell over the space. So dense it almost felt tangible. Only the faint, measured sound of footsteps broke through it—slow… cautious… deliberate—as they crept up the stairs, one step at a time. Each step landed like a hammer against their nerves. “Damn it…” Xu Qiaoyun’s voice trembled as she whispered under her breath. Their car it was still parked downstairs. Out in the open. Like a beacon. Lin Bai’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t panic. Instead, he stepped closer to Lu Xi, lowering his voice.
“Lu Xi… you and Qiaoyun hide,” he said quietly, his tone steady despite the tension tightening in the air. “Gu Wang and I will go out and talk to them.” These men just from their voices alone, it was clear they weren’t good people. And in this world, anyone who had managed to cross the city alive and reach this place… They were not ordinary. More importantly— Lu Xi and Xu Qiaoyun… Their appearance was too striking. Too eye-catching. If they were seen by them trouble would be inevitable.
“Tch.” A soft, mocking click of the tongue broke the tension. “I think they are perfectly safe.” Gu Wang’s voice came lazily, as usual devoid of anything remotely pleasant. Lu Xi: “……” Her lips twitched slightly. Still .She forced a smile. Brainwashing herself that she wasn’t angry. Really. (…She just wanted to hit him a little.) Even so, Gu Wang didn’t object to Lin Bai’s plan.
“Who’s there?! Come out!” A sharp shout rang from outside, cutting through the silence like a blade. Without the slightest hesitation Gu Wang reached out and pulled the door open. His movements were unhurried. Almost… arrogant. Lin Bai followed behind him, his steps careful, alert.
The moment the two appeared— The group outside visibly relaxed. Just two young men. Pale-faced. Clean. The kind they had seen plenty of since the apocalypse began. Weak. Ordinary. Nothing special. People like these two men they had killed many.
For supplies. For survival. For amusement. The shift in their gazes was subtle— But unmistakable. Dangerous. Greedy. Gu Wang didn’t bother wasting words. As a faint crackle echoed in the air and purple lightning flickered into existence, dancing lazily across his fingers. Under the cold wash of moonlight, his already pale hands looked almost translucent—beautiful in a way that felt… dangerously unreal. “Brother Long… that one’s an ability user,” the man with dyed yellow hair in the newly arrived group muttered under his breath, his voice dropping instinctively. “And… he looks strong.” There were only two of them. But both were tall. Composed. The one standing slightly forward—Lin Bai—carried a gentle, approachable air.
But the other the one leaning agianst the doorframe like he owned the place. He hadn’t even spared them a proper glance. That careless indifference… It made people uneasy. Lin Bai chuckled lightly, stepping forward just enough to take the lead in conversation. “Brothers,” he greeted them with an easy smile, as if they had met under completely normal circumstances. “Fate brought us here tonight. My friend and I have already settled in upstairs, but there are rooms downstairs.” He paused, his tone polite.
“Would you mind staying there for the night?” For a brief moment silence followed . Then came “Hahahaha!” As the one named brother Long burst into loud laughter, his voice rough and unapologetically bold. “Brother, what are you saying?” he said, grinning wide. “Staying on the first floor? That’s just asking to be surrounded by zombies in the middle of the night.” His gaze flicked toward the staircase.
“The second floor seems spacious enough. There are only four of us—we can squeeze in with you two.” As he spoke his eyes shifted inside. Sharp. Calculating. The moment Gu Wang and Lin Bai stepped out, they had immediately closed the door behind them. Blocking it. Guarding it.
That alone was enough for them to be appear suspicious .
There was something inside they didn’t want to be seen. Supplies? Or… perhaps a woman? With this thought flicker of excitement passed through Brother Long’s eyes. After all— The one in the car had already grown boring. And along the way, the women they had encountered were either scarce… or disappointingly plain. But these two men— Their bearing. Their looks. Their composure. If they were hiding a woman. She wouldn’t be ordinary. “Heh.” A cold, mocking sound escaped Gu Wang’s lips. The lightning in his hand intensified, crackling louder, brighter.
The threat in it was blatant. Unhidden. He had seen that look. That filthy, greedy gaze directed toward the room behind him. And it irritated him.
Deeply. Brother Long’s laughter stopped instantly when he saw it. The smile on his face faded, replaced by something darker. “Seems like… you’re not giving me face, brother.” His tone dropped. Dangerous. The moment his words fell— He moved. Fast. But faster than him was Gu Wang as a bolt of lightning tore through the air, streaking forward with violent precision.
Brother Long’s pupils shrank seeing this so he reacted instinctively, throwing himself to the side. The lightning brushed past his cheek . And struck the man behind him. Boom. The sound wasn’t loud. But the result was horrifying. As blood burst outward with a spray of crimson mixed with pale fragments as the man’s skull shattered instantly, collapsing lifelessly onto the ground. For a split second everything froze. “A heavy, suffocating beat of silence passed as the body hit the concrete. Then, the scream came.”
“Fourth Brother!!” this roar tore through the night, grief and fury colliding in one voice. Brother Long’s eyes turned bloodshot seeing the scene, with veins bulging as he stared at Gu Wang, hatred burning so intensely it was almost tangible. “You’re asking to die!” The ground beneath them trembled. With a violent surge of power, the earth rose, forming jagged spikes that shot forward, tearing through the air toward Gu Wang.
He was an earth-type ability user. And not a weak one. He was close very close to breaking into Tier 2. Still seeing this Gu Wang’s expression didn’t change. Not even slightly. He appears cold. Sharp as always . The lightning in his palm swelled, expanding rapidly until it surged forward, colliding with the incoming spikes Shattering them into dust. At the same time the remaining two men moved with a shout .
“Kill him!” They rushed toward Lin Bai from both sides. Fire flared instantly in Lin Bai’s hands as he threw out two blazing fireballs—but before they could land, a wall of earth rose up, blocking the attack. One of them was a speed-type ability user. So in the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Lin Bai, dagger flashing coldly as it aimed straight for his throat.
He was too fast. Too close. There is no time to dodge. Lin Bai’s jaw tightened as he prepared to take the hit head-on when suddenly —Whoosh!
A sharp ice spike shot through the air. It pierced straight through the attacker’s palm. A cry of pain ripped from his throat as the dagger fell from his grasp. “Lin Bai! Take the speed-type—I’ll handle the other one!” The voice was Clear. Firm. Lin Bai froze for a split second before turning his head. Behind him— Lu Xi stood. At some point, she had already come out. Her soft, slightly curled hair fell loosely over her shoulders, catching the pale moonlight. Her skin looked almost translucent, her delicate features so refined they seemed unreal.
Her eyes— Still wide. Still gentle. Yet now filled with unwavering determination. Under the night sky she looked almost like something out of a dream. Like a fleeting illusion. Even Brother Long couldn’t hide it. That brief flicker of amazement in his eyes. Followed immediately by naked greed. “Idiot—what are you doing causing trouble? Get back inside!” Gu Wang’s voice turned sharp as he shot her a look, his dark eyes laced with suppressed hostility seeing the greed in brother Long’s eyes. Lu Xi didn’t even respond. As if she hadn’t heard him at all.
Cold air gathered at her fingertip ice forming rapidly as she stepped forward, rushing straight toward her target without hesitation. Meanwhile—
Brother Long continued launching wave after wave of earth attacks at Gu Wang, his movements growing more vicious, more unrestrained. All restraint was gone the moment he laid his eyes on LuXi
“Heh…”
A low chuckle slipped from his lips, dark and cruel. “I was planning to play with you slowly… A faint smirk curved along Gu Wang’s lips. His narrow eyes lifted slightly, locking onto Brother Long with a cold, almost amused focus—as if what stood before him wasn’t an opponent… but something barely worth his attention. As lightning surged in his hands. Not just one— But several dense, violently compressed spheres of crackling purple energy gathered in his palms, humming with terrifying force. The air around them trembled, ripples of energy spreading outward, stirring the dust at their feet into restless motion.
Brother Long’s expression changed instantly. For the first time he felt fear. Real, instinctive fear. “Damn it—!” He gritted his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead as he poured every ounce of his ability into defense. The ground roared as layers upon layers of earth surged upward, forming a thick, towering wall in front of him. Solid. Heavy. Unyielding or at least, it should have been. But the wind screamed as the lightning spheres shot forward.And boom! They slammed into the earthen wall with explosive force .They didn’t stop. They didn’t scatter. They didn’t weaken. They pierced straight through. Like the defense had never existed at all. For a single, frozen second— Everything went silent.
Then— Splatter. Flesh burst apart. Blood erupted into the air, mixing with shattered earth and dust, scattering outward in a grotesque spray before falling heavily back onto the ground. Thick. Sticky. Clumped. What landed on the earth was no longer just soil. It was mud. Mud made from blood. Gu Wang didn’t just kill him. He obliterated him. Brother Long was reduced to nothing more than a drifting mist of crimson.
“Brother Long—!!”
“Ah—!”
Two screams rang out almost simultaneously but they also didn’t last long. Because in the very next second— Fire and ice moved together. Lin Bai and Lu Xi didn’t hesitate. Didn’t falter. They struck cleanly. Decisively. Ending the remaining two lives without leaving even a chance for struggle. Than silence returned. But this time it was heavy with the lingering scent of blood. “Are you alright?!” The moment the sounds of battle faded, Xu Qiaoyun rushed out, her voice trembling with urgency as she looked between Lu Xi and Lin Bai. As a healer (an ability user focused on recovery rather than combat), her role in battle was limited. She hadn’t dared step out earlier, afraid of becoming a distraction so she could only wait inside, heart clenched tight with worry. Now that it was over she couldn’t hold back any longer. Lin Bai immediately reached out, pulling her into his arms, his hand gently pressing against the back of her head.
“It’s alright… Qiaoyun,” he murmured softly, his voice warm, steady. “Don’t worry. It’s over.”
Lu Xi: “……” Standing a short distance away watching this perfectly timed display of affectionby the leading couple of the novel she fell silent. (…Being single in the apocalypse was already hard enough, did they really need to add this kind of emotional damage on top of it?) “Heh.” At this time a familiar, faintly mocking chuckle drifted over. Of course. It belong to Gu Wang. Under the pale wash of moonlight, he stood tall and straight, his black windbreaker fluttering lightly in the night breeze, outlining his slender, upright figure.
Blood had splattered across his face with sharp streaks against pale skin. His eyes, still carrying the remnants of killing intent, looked darker than usual. Colder. More dangerous. There was something almost… unhinged about him in that moment. Like a blade that had just tasted blood. “Wow, 003…” Lu Xi whispered inwardly, her thoughts lighting up instantly. “The villain is so handsome.”
“……” A brief pause. “…I agree.” 003 responded, its usually mechanical tone carrying the faintest hint of reluctant approval. Lu Xi’s gaze lingered on the blood staining his face. Then, with a soft sigh, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a wet wipe. “Master Gu,” she called gently, stepping closer. “Wipe your face.” (“Master” here is a teasing form of address, like calling someone “boss” or “sir” in a slightly playful way.)
Gu Wang lowered his gaze. His eyes settled on her dark. Unreadable. He didn’t move. Didn’t take it. Lu Xi: “……” Alright. Understood. She smiled faintly, taking the wipe back into her own hand. A working person should have the awareness of a working person. (Meaning: she accepted her “role” in this strange team dynamic without complaint.) Standing on her toes, she leaned in close enough that their breaths almost brushed—
And, with quiet resignation, began wiping the blood from his face herself. Carefully. Gently. Gu Wang’s eyes lowered further. From this angle
he could see her clearly. Too clearly. Her face it was small. Delicate enough that it felt like it could be covered entirely by his one hand. Her eyes were large, bright, carrying that familiar mix of innocence and hidden cleverness. Her skin was pale and smooth, her dimples faintly visible when she moved. And her lips they looked so soft. Lightly tinted, like fresh cherries. They were too close. Close enough that her scent drifted toward him, carried by the faint night breeze. Sweet. Subtle. Like peach candy. Gu Wang’s gaze darkened slightly.…This fool.
She was actually quite pretty. “Ding—current world stability progress: 40%. Please keep up the good work, host~” Lu Xi froze. Her eyes widened instantly. Wait ,what?!
It increased?!
Four whole points?!
And all she did— Was wipe his face?! Her mind spun rapidly. Could it be… The villain liked this kind of thing? A dangerous thought flashed through her mind— And immediately took root. Without hesitation, Lu Xi grabbed Gu Wang’s hand. Pulled it toward herself. Then took out another wet wipe. And began wiping his fingers. One by one. Slowly. Meticulously. Even the spaces between them. After she finished, she lifted her head, blinking her wide, watery eyes at him expectantly.
Gu Wang: “……”
003: “……”
Lin Bai & Xu Qiaoyun: “……”
…What exactly was she doing? Lu Xi waited. One second. Two seconds. Three… Silence. No notification. No “Ding.” Nothing. Her smile stiffened slightly.…Damn it. So this trick didn’t work. Afterword they didn’t stay any longer. As everything that had just happened, leaving was the safest choice. Even though they had cleared the nearby zombies, the intense battle—and the deaths—had filled the air with the thick scent of blood. And in this world That smell was like a beacon. By morning, it could easily attract a swarm of zombies which they couldn’t risk it.
The SUV that Brother Long and his group had driven was still parked downstairs. Before heading down, Lu Xi had already braced herself mentally. But even so— The moment she opened the door— Her heart still skipped. Under the pale glow of the moon, the inside of the vehicle became visible. Xu Qiaoyun saw it too. And in that instant— Both of them fell silent. Completely.