Gu Wang flicked Cheng Hui off his leg as if she were nothing more than a nuisance, his movement sharp and impatient. When he lifted his eyes again, the slope below was already crawling with zombies—twisted bodies dragging themselves upward, their mouths open, hunger driving them forward in a frenzy. Without hesitation, he gathered his power. A surge of energy crackled in the air, and with a single motion, he struck—sending the entire wave of zombies crashing back down the hillside.
He did not kill them. After all… he still needed them right now. “To watch the show.”
“Gu Wang! Is this really necessary? We clearly have other methods…Lin Bai’s voice trembled despite his attempt to stay composed. His face, usually gentle and calm, was clouded with hesitation. He knew—he truly did—that pity had no place here. If Gu Wang chose to kill them, he wouldn’t interfere. But this… this wasn’t fair. This wasn’t even cruelty with purpose. This was something else. If they had to die, then at least… at least it should be quick. Humane.
Not like this. Not torn apart, piece by piece, by things that no longer remembered what it meant to be human. Gu Wang turned his head slowly, his eyes lifting to meet Lin Bai’s with a faint curl to his lips—something mocking, cold. “Lin Bai,” he said softly, though the softness held no warmth, “these people were planning to feed your little girlfriend to the zombies too.” These words sank in like stones. “And you’re worried about them?” His gaze sharpened. “Do you know what happens to people like you in the apocalypse?”
“The kind who can’t let go of their compassion?” His voice lowered, almost thoughtful. “They die first.” Lin Bai’s fingers tightened at his side.
“How are you going to protect her like that?” For a moment, Lin Bai said nothing. Then, slowly, the memory surfaced of Xu Qiaoyun stumbling as she ran, her breath ragged, and a zombie’s claws barely missing her by inches. That split second where she had almost fallen, almost—
Almost died. Even thinking about that his chest tightened. And the words he wanted to say dissolved before they could form. In the end, he lowered his eyes and stepped back. Gu Wang wasn’t wrong. In a world like this, someone like him… would only be a burden. “N-No… no!”
Zhao Gang’s voice broke apart as he cried, tears spilling uncontrollably down his face. His body shook as he crawled backward, his eyes locking onto Gu Wang like a man staring into the abyss.
“Please—please don’t—” The plea never finished as Gu Wang lifted his leg and kicked him without a hint of hesitation. Zhao Gang’s body flew backward, rolling helplessly down the slope. A scream tore through the air— then another— and then came nothing but the wet, sickening sounds of tearing flesh and gnashing teeth. In the stillness of the abandoned village, the noise felt louder than it should have been. Sharper. More real. More final. Then came a sudden smell. Thick. Rotting. Suffocating. Gu Wang frowned faintly and turned his head.
It was emitting from the man who had attacked them earlier. He had collapsed where he stood, his legs giving out beneath him—his clothes darkened, soaked. The sharp, acrid scent of urine spread through the already foul air. Fear had broken him completely. When Gu Wang’s gaze landed on him, the man froze. It was not the look of someone being watched. It was the look of someone already condemned.
His lips trembled. As he tried to speak—tried to beg—but no sound came out. His throat refused to obey him.
“Oh… and you too.” Gu Wang’s voice stretched lazily over the words, almost amused. Li Liang’s world fell apart in that instant.
Before he could react, a sphere of crackling lightning struck him squarely in the chest. His body jerked violently—then was thrown off the hillside like a discarded object. The screams came again. Shorter this time. Cheng Hui and the last remaining member of the Crimson Flame Squad scrambled backward, their composure completely shattered. Tears streaked across their faces as they begged, voices overlapping in panic.
“Gu Wang, I’m your junior sister! Please—please don’t kill me!” The title lingered—junior sister (a term from Chinese martial or academic hierarchies, referring to a younger female disciple or student under the same master or institution). For a brief moment, Gu Wang’s expression shifted. It was her. The flamboyant third-year who used to trail after him endlessly, her presence loud, insistent—something he had long since grown tired of.
“It’s you…” Then, almost casually “Then you deserve to die even more.” The words struck harder than any blow. Cheng Hui’s breath caught her heart seemed to stop And then something invisible slammed into her as her body lifted off the ground, weightless for a single, horrifying second, before gravity dragged her down the slope. Her world spun.The smell hit first—thick, putrid, overwhelming. Then came the pain.
As sharp nails pierced through her skin—ripping, tearing—followed by the crushing force of countless jaws closing in. She tried to scream.
She wasn’t sure if she did. Through the writhing mass of bodies surrounding her, through the blur of blood and movement, she saw him.
Standing above. Untouched. Like death itself. His gaze was cold, distant. His expression calm—almost serene. A faint smile rested on his lips, as though none of this had anything to do with him.
As though this was merely… entertainment. For a fleeting moment, his face overlapped with another memory from a rooftop. A year ago.
With his fingers around her throat, cutting off her breath. His eyes filled with that same terrifying stillness there was no hesitation, no mercy. Only a quiet, suffocating cruelty. He was the same man with the same gaze. At that point her vision darkened. And then— nothing. A few minutes later, the hillside fell quiet again. The zombies, having devoured what remained of the four men, began to stir restlessly. As hunger returned quickly. It always did.
Their heads lifted. Their eyes locked onto the figure standing above them. With guttural roars, they charged again . Gu Wang didn’t move at first.
Then, slowly, he raised his hand. As lightning gathered in his palm bright, violent, alive. With a flick of his wrist, the bolts rained down. Than the world flashed white. And just like that silence returned. Lin Bai exhaled softly, the sound heavy with everything he chose not to say.
He stepped forward, releasing his own power. Flames spread outward, consuming the corpses where they lay. The fire burned clean, leaving behind only scattered crystal cores , glinting faintly against the scorched earth. For a moment, he stood there. Then he looked at Gu Wang.
When their eyes met. No words were exchanged. None were needed. In the end, Lin Bai lowered his gaze, turned, and walked down the slope—quietly accepting what this world demanded of him—as he began to gather the cores, one by one.He really had grown used to relying on Gu Wang standing there as if everything would naturally be handled for him.
Gu Wang on the other hand turned away casually, fingers brushing his collar as he adjusted it with an air of indifference, as though what had just happened meant nothing at all. But the moment he lifted his eyes— He froze. Lu Xi was standing behind him. Her face was pale, almost bloodless, yet her gaze remained steady as she looked at him in silence. For a split second, something unfamiliar surged through Gu Wang’s chest. Panic. Had she seen it? Had she seen everything—him throwing those men down the slope, watching as they were torn apart by the zombies? She was so timid… so fragile. Would she be afraid of him now? Would she look at him and see nothing but cruelty—someone cold, someone who took pleasure in bloodshed…?
His thoughts spiraled for only a moment before something in him hardened. His expression cooled, shadows gathering in his eyes as he looked back at her. What did it matter what Lu Xi thought? This was who he was. Cruel. Ruthless. A man who had long since stopped caring about life and death. As their gazes locked in silence. Behind them, Xu Yiyi and Xu Qiaoyun lingered awkwardly, sensing the invisible tension tightening in the air, yet not daring to step forward.
“Gu Wang…”
Lu Xi’s voice drifted out, soft and weak, carried faintly . She had only just awakened from the aftermath of exhausting her powers, falling into a brief coma and her body still felt unbearably heavy. Gu Wang didn’t move. He stood there, unmoved, his eyes distant almost indifferent as if placing a wall between them. Seeing this, Lu Xi let out a quiet sigh. Slowly, she forced her weak legs forward, each step unsteady, as though the ground might give way beneath her at any moment. A faint, sweet fragrance followed her—light, almost unnoticeable, yet somehow lingering.
Than she stopped in front of him. Up close, her exhaustion was impossible to ignore. Her face was pale, with a thin sheen of sweat clinging to her skin, her breathing shallow.
She was clearly at her limit. So why hadn’t she gone back to rest? A faint, almost mocking smile tugged at Gu Wang’s lips. Fine. If she had come this far, then he would listen. He waited. Waited for the accusation. For the fear. For her to recoil from him, to curse him, to confirm what he already believed that no one could accept who he truly was. But instead a soft touch brushed against his right hand. Gu Wang’s expression shattered in an instant. His eyes flickered with unmistakable surprise. “Gu Wang… you’re hurt.” Her voice was gentle. Only then did he notice several shards of glass were still embedded in his hand, as thin cuts lining the pale skin across the back of it. Lu Xi looked different.
Gone was her usual playful, slightly ingratiating demeanor. In its place was something quiet… something steady. Something tender. Carefully, she took his hand in hers. “Don’t be so impulsive next time,” she murmured softly. “At least protect yourself.” From within her spatial storage , she took out a pair of tweezers. Her movements were slow, deliberate, as she began removing each shard of glass, one by one. Then came the iodine cool against the skin, stinging faintly. She worked with quiet focus. She knew Gu Wang disliked being touched by others. That was why she hadn’t called Xu Qiaoyun over to treat him… though she didn’t quite understand why he never seemed to reject her.
Gu Wang lowered his gaze. His long lashes cast faint shadows as he looked at the girl standing so close to him. Her hair rested lightly against her chest. Her face—soft, delicate—was filled with concentration, every movement careful, as if she were handling something precious. That faint, familiar sweetness drifted into his senses again. Her touch was warm. Too warm. His fingers curled unconsciously. “Does it hurt?” she asked, noticing the slight movement. “I’ll be gentler.” Thinking she had caused him pain, Lu Xi lowered her head slightly and blew softly over the wound, her breath light and warm against his skin. That single, simple gesture sent something burning through him. As warmth spread from his hand, rushing through his veins like fire.
For a moment, even his breathing felt unsteady. Then, almost without thinking he asked “Aren’t you afraid?” The words slipped out, low and husky, his voice rougher than usual. Even he didn’t quite know why he asked that.
“What should i be afraid of?” Lu Xi looked up at him, with a trace of confusion in her clear eyes, as if the question itself didn’t quite make sense to her. “Are you talking about what happened just now?” She paused for a moment, then shook her head gently. “Gu Wang, you didn’t do anything wrong. So i’m not afraid.” Her voice was soft but steady. There was not a hint of hesitation. Gu Wang said nothing. His dark eyes reflected her small figure, standing so close to him, so unguarded… and for once, he found himself without a response. His lips pressed together slightly, as if holding back something unspoken.
At that moment—“Ding. Current world stability progress: 48%. Please keep up the good work, host~”A light, mechanical voice rang out in Lu Xi’s mind. She blinked, momentarily confused. All she had done… was treat his wound. “Could it be? Was Gu Wang… actually moved by this?”
The thought lingered for only a second before she lowered her head again, quietly focusing on finishing the last of his treatment. If people don’t let me down, I won’t let them down.
Just a little more… She was one step closer to going home.
_________________________________________________________________________________They found a temporary place to stay in the village—a quiet, half-abandoned house that still held the faint traces of its former life. There, Lu Xi and the others rested, slowly recovering their drained abilities, while discussing how to bypass the zombie horde and reach the laboratory safely.
“003, open the system shop.” At her command, a translucent panel unfolded in her mind, page after page of items scrolling past like an endless catalog. She flipped through carefully, her eyes scanning each entry until— She found it. [Zombie Detector: 2000 points. Although it appears to be an ordinary flying detector, its battery life is exceptionally strong! One charge allows continuous flight for sixty hours.]
This was exactly what they needed. Right now, they had no clear understanding of the zombie distribution in the city. If they accidentally ran into another horde like before… there was no guarantee they would survive a second time. They needed reconnaissance. Since Xu Yiyi hadn’t awakened her mental-type ability yet , they could only rely on the most basic, physical methods. And that was the problem. Lu Xi frowned slightly. She had no points left. Before setting out, she had spent everything exchanging for protective talismans to keep everyone safe. Now, her system balance was completely empty. She is Penniless. The thought alone made her sigh inwardly, with a faint trace of gloom settling over her expression.
Just then a cool, subtle scent drifted through the air. It smell like Pine. She turned her head instinctively. As moonlight slanted across the courtyard, pale and quiet. Under it stood Gu Wang. Dressed in a black windbreaker, his tall figure cut sharply against the shadows. Half his face was hidden in darkness, as the other half brushed by dim silver light. His features looked distant… almost untouchable. His gaze, however, was fixed on her. Unwavering. Something about it made her feel oddly uneasy. Gu Wang had been standing there for a while, silently watching her. Only after a moment did he speak.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was low, calm—almost casual. Lu Xi hesitated, her brows easing slightly as she thought it over. Then, cautiously, she spoke: “Gu Wang… could you lend me some crystal cores?” Seeing the flicker of surprise in his eyes, she quickly added “I’ll pay you back. Right away, I promise!” Silence fell. The courtyard seemed to grow even quieter, as the night stretching between them. Lu Xi lowered her gaze slightly.
“If not, then I’ll just—”
“Sure.” The answer came before she could finish. Her head snapped up immediately, eyes lighting up with unhidden delight. “Really?”
“You don’t need to pay me back,” Gu Wang said, his tone effortless, almost indifferent. “Use them however you want.” His voice was low, carrying a natural ease as if such things meant nothing to him. Yet somehow, the way he said it felt… closer than it should have.
“Okay! Thank you, Gu Wang ,I’ll go back now!” Lu Xi beamed, her entire face brightening instantly with her eyes curved into soft crescents, and two small dimples appeared on her cheeks, giving her an almost childlike warmth.
She turned and left quickly, her steps light. Gu Wang watched her go. “She’s cute,” he thought. The realization came quietly. And lingered longer than expected. The next morning, Lu Xi brought out the detector. A sleek black metal device rested on the table. Its surface was smooth and cold, with a high-definition display screen capable of projecting three-dimensional models of the surrounding area. Aside from Xu Yiyi who stared at it wide-eyed—the others remained relatively composed, though their attention was clearly drawn to it “Lu Xi… where did you get this?”
Xu Yiyi couldn’t hide her shock. Even without technical knowledge, she could tell the device was far beyond anything ordinary. “Uh… I happened to find it while gathering supplies.” Lu Xi laughed lightly, brushing past the question without confirming or denying it. Whether Xu Yiyi believed her or not didn’t really matter. “This detector can operate for sixty hours,” she continued smoothly. “We can use it to map out zombie distribution across S City and avoid getting trapped like last time.”
Lin Bai thought for a moment, then nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Gu Wang? Qiaoyun? Yiyi?” Lu Xi asked, glancing at them one by one. Xu Qiaoyun folded her arms. “No objections.” Xu Yiyi nodded quickly. “I’ll follow your lead.”All eyes turned to the last person. Gu Wang. He remained silent for a brief moment, then gave a faint response.
“…Mm.” It was enough. Relief softened Lu Xi’s expression, as a small smile forming on her lips. She really was the backbone of this group.
Their strongest support. Doraemon Lu Xi (a playful reference to Doraemon, a famous Japanese robotic cat known for producing useful gadgets from his pocket). What would this little “family” do without her… and 003?