Author Archives: Thingyan

Lian Ou Side Story 1

May was the crucial season for crops to head and fill with grain. Yet even during this busy farming month, it did not stop the villagers from wanting to celebrate the Fifth Month Festival properly. By the first day of the month, the market at Miaoqian Village was already lively.

This market had originally been organized by the monks from the temple. During the first two years, they even invited traveling merchants and peddlers who specialized in small trade to set up stalls. But after the market grew larger, the villagers from surrounding towns became the majority instead.

Some sold unusual grains they had grown themselves, some sold homemade pickled vegetables with excellent flavor, some sold patchwork blankets sewn from beautifully arranged scraps of cloth, while others sold handwoven baskets and bamboo steaming covers…

There were always households missing a few things, so everyone could earn a bit of pocket money. The market bustled noisily with people everywhere.

The housewives and fulang of each family got up early, prepared a full day’s worth of food for the household, arranged everything properly for the men working in the fields, then wandered around the village together. Calling a few close friends, stuffing small purses with loose copper coins, they headed toward the market in groups.

“I don’t know what happened this year, but none of our relatives planted glutinous rice. I have to buy at least two jin today, or there won’t be enough rice to wrap zongzi.”

“Before I left the house, my daughter insisted on getting colorful cords woven into a bracelet. Just look at her, only four or five years old and already caring about beauty!”

“I’m going to see if there are any good reed leaves. We still had some left from last year, but when I took them out this year they smelled moldy. Can’t use them anymore…”

This year, because of the workshop Qing-ge’er opened in Lantang Village, every household had some extra money. So when people talked about buying things now, nobody was stingy. Smiles were on everyone’s faces.

Except Lian Ou.

There was not a trace of a smile on his face. He tightly clutched a small bundle in one hand while holding Lian Rong’s hand with the other, nervously following behind Lian Shi.

Today, they were not here to buy things.

They were here to sell them.

Lian Ou had visited this market many times before with Miao Hexiang and should have been completely familiar with it. Yet now that his identity had changed, the entire place suddenly felt unfamiliar. He was so nervous it felt like sneaking around as a thief.

“We’re here. Where do you think we should set up?”

Lian Shi wiped sweat from his forehead.

Once May arrived, the weather became hot. And as a young man full of energy, he had already sweated through his clothes from the walk.

When Lian Ou and Lian Rong first agreed to Shen Qing’s suggestion about setting up a stall, they were full of excitement and thoughts of earning money. But now that the moment had truly arrived, they became timid.

Miao Hexiang also did not feel reassured about a ge’er bringing a little girl alone. Since this was the first day, she had Lian Shi escort his younger siblings. Having a man around felt safer. Once Lian Ou and Lian Rong became familiar with things, Lian Shi would stop coming.

Lian Shi shielded his younger siblings behind him and stood on tiptoe to look around.

“The east side’s all food and pickled vegetables. Let’s head north a bit. I saw people selling embroidered shoe tops and hair ties there. Feels more similar to your stuff. We still came too late today. All the good spots are already taken. Maybe if we come earlier tomorrow we can switch places?”

The family headed north together.

Before they even decided where to set up, a clever-looking little monk about seven or eight years old ran over.

“Are you patrons setting up a stall here? Setting up in front of our temple costs two copper coins a day in stall fees.”

Everyone already knew that stalls in Miaoqian Village had to pay the temple. Lian Ou quickly pulled out two coins from his purse, but the little monk shook his head.

“Not for me. You give them to Senior Brother Huiming.”

The little monk pointed into the distance.

Lian Ou looked up and saw a monk surrounded by several vendors. The monk was tall, nearly half a head taller than the surrounding merchants, making him especially noticeable.

“You’re setting up a stall here for the first time, right? You can tell Senior Brother Huiming what you’re selling. He’ll help you choose a good location.”

As he spoke, the monk called Huiming seemed to sense something and glanced in their direction.

His gaze collided directly with Lian Ou’s.

The monk was unexpectedly handsome, with refined features and bright eyes. He looked slightly older than Lian Shi, but compared to Lian Shi’s rough peasant sturdiness, he carried an extra touch of scholarly elegance.

Lian Ou’s heart skipped.

He quickly lowered his head and avoided eye contact.

The monk calmly looked away again, finished speaking with the vendors, and then actually started walking toward them.

“Senior Brother, over here!”

The little monk waved toward Huiming. Seeing another group of people carrying large bundles approaching nearby, he hurried off again to greet them.

By the time they finished speaking, Huiming had already crossed through the bustling crowd and arrived before the Lian family.

His gaze brushed lightly across Lian Ou almost imperceptibly before settling on Lian Shi. Pressing his palms together, he gave a polite greeting.

“Are you patrons planning to set up a stall?”

Lian Shi hurriedly returned the greeting clumsily.

“Y-yes, Master. Here are the two copper coins.”

Though he rarely visited markets, he had been brought to temples by his family as a child to kowtow and pray. Seeing these great monks always gave him an instinctive sense of respect.

“There’s no hurry. This monk’s Dharma name is Huiming.”

Huiming did not immediately take the money. Instead, he first asked what they planned to sell and requested to inspect the goods.

Since the market was held in front of their temple, they naturally had to maintain standards.

First, they could not allow complete junk to be sold here, especially food. What if someone got sick from eating it?

Second, if the products were poor and could not sell anyway, then why let the vendors waste two copper coins for nothing?

Huiming had personally established this market from the beginning, so naturally he cared about it deeply.

Lian Ou quickly opened the bundle.

Inside were over a hundred decorative knots woven from jade cord in all sorts of styles, filling the entire bundle.

These were all his early practice pieces. Most had some flaws. Some threads had been scratched by rough skin on his hands, while others were woven slightly unevenly. Still, the flaws were minor. In the village, they would still be considered delicate goods.

Huiming reached out and picked up the topmost one.

It was a large and beautiful pink-purple lover’s knot, though one section of thread had been slightly frayed.

Huiming held the knot in silence for quite a while. His fingers gently rubbed the frayed spot as if trying to smooth it flat.

Of course, that was impossible.

Afterward, Huiming asked about the price.

How would Lian Shi know? He immediately looked toward Lian Ou.

Summoning his courage, Lian Ou named the price Shen Qing had set. Originally, he had not thought the price too high, but seeing Huiming repeatedly rubbing that flawed section made him feel strangely uncertain.

After naming the price, he softly added,

“…Is it acceptable?”

Huiming did not answer immediately. He returned the knot to Lian Ou’s hand.

Lian Ou’s heart instantly rose into his throat, terrified they would be rejected.

Only then did Huiming nod.

“It’s acceptable.”

He calculated briefly in his mind.

“There are two suitable places for you.”

Though the market looked chaotic and lively, it had actually been carefully organized long ago. The pathways would not become blocked, and Huiming knew exactly what each area sold.

“One location is beside vendors selling ribbons and handkerchiefs, with another stall nearby selling silk flowers. The other location is between people selling cloth scraps. The first location should suit you better. However, the vendors there are all women and fulang, so it may be inconvenient for a man to stay there.”

Huiming glanced at Lian Shi somewhat hesitantly.

“Are you two husbands?”

“No, no!”

Lian Shi waved his hands frantically.

“Master Huiming, this is my younger ge’er brother and little sister. Ou-ge’er, which spot do you want?”

Actually, Lian Ou also preferred the first location.

With a few adjustments, his decorative knots could become hair ornaments. Lian Rong already wore two on her head today. He had specifically tied her hair into two pretty flower-bud buns to serve as an example. Staying beside hair ornament vendors definitely fit better.

But if they chose the first spot, it would not be convenient for Lian Shi to remain.

Still, Lian Shi was not supposed to stay anyway.

Shen Qing specifically wanted Lian Ou and Lian Rong to sell things themselves as practice. Shen Qing even hoped Lian Ou might someday help manage the county shop.

If he always relied on his older brother, how would he ever improve?

Lian Ou gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

“How about… Big Brother goes back first? Rong-jie and I can stay here.”

Lian Shi was broad-minded and thought this was great instead.

“Alright. I’ll come pick you up when it gets close to dark. The fields are busy these days anyway. Going back early means I can do more farm work. Master, then we’ll choose the first spot!”

Though Lian Ou tried hard to gather courage, he still felt uneasy inside.

Just then, Huiming’s voice sounded beside his ear. At the same time, the weight in his hand lightened as the monk took the two copper coins.

“Little patron, there’s no need to be afraid. The vendors there are all women and ge’er. It’s very safe. Our temple also has novice monks patrolling around. Nobody dares make trouble. If anything truly happens, simply tell the novices and have them come find me.”

Lian Shi grinned widely, showing a mouthful of white teeth.

“These great monks are really kind people! Then I’ll trouble Master to look after my ge’er brother!”

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

Qi Zhan x Tang Wenjie Side Story

Tang Wenjie was doomed.

Once “helping each other out” happened once, there came a second time, then a third, a fourth… and eventually countless times.

At first, it was only because the healing ability moving through his body felt genuinely amazing. He got hard, half-reluctantly letting things happen. But as it happened more often, things slowly changed flavor.

Just looking at Qi Zhan’s legs made his throat itch.

Looking at Qi Zhan’s hands, no matter where those fingers brushed, even if he was only wiping a table, Tang Wenjie would remember those heart-racing sensations.

Scheming gay…

But then Tang Wenjie would look over at Shen Qing feeding Song Kaiji watermelon while Song Kaiji fed Shen Qing grapes, and he would feel a faint trace of envy.

Maybe it really wasn’t impossible…

This was already the apocalypse. Even adults struggled to survive, so who was going to raise children? If no one was having kids anyway, then what difference did it make whether someone was male or female?

Besides…

Qi Zhan was pretty good-looking.

And because he was skinny from hunger, from certain angles he even looked kind of like a big girl…

Especially his legs.

Tang Wenjie scratched his head.

When Mama Tang talked to him yet again, he no longer firmly insisted that he and Qi Zhan were “not that kind of relationship.”

“As for the future… who knows?”

That night, Qi Zhan came back very late and looked exhausted. He did not tease Tang Wenjie or fool around. He collapsed onto the bed and immediately fell asleep.

But Tang Wenjie could not sleep.

He tossed and turned until he earned himself two panda eyes. At dawn, before the sky had fully brightened, he shook Qi Zhan awake.

Qi Zhan woke groggily. Before even opening his eyes, his hands started groping around automatically, scaring Tang Wenjie into hurriedly pinning them down.

“What? Are we doing it or not? If not, stop bothering me while I sleep…”

Tang Wenjie swallowed hard.

“What do you think… our relationship is now?”

Qi Zhan was so sleepy it took him a long while to process the question. He woke up a little more and looked at Tang Wenjie.

“What relationship? Aren’t you a rock-solid straight guy? Then we’re brothers helping each other out. Satisfied?”

Tang Wenjie was not very satisfied.

Finally, one day while Qi Zhan was busy with his hands lowered, Tang Wenjie’s two heads both lost blood supply at the same time. His rationality snapped.

He grabbed Qi Zhan’s chin and kissed him.

Qi Zhan froze for only one second before relaxing completely, letting Tang Wenjie pry open his teeth.

Oddly enough, after all their “mutual helping,” this was their very first kiss.

And it felt unexpectedly good.

This kiss meant they would no longer remain in their muddled “helping each other” relationship. They were entering a new chapter.

Tang Wenjie sank into the kiss for a long time. Only after Qi Zhan’s hands stopped moving did he finally pant and pull back slightly.

His face was flushed as he stared into Qi Zhan’s eyes.

“How about… we just become partners? Like Third Brother and Boss Shen. That seems pretty good too. I think… maybe I can accept men after all.”

Qi Zhan looked at him with a half-smile.

“You sure? I’m not going to quit my hospital job and join your team just because we’re together. And are you really capable of accepting men?”

“…It’s not like I’m after your ability.”

For some reason, Tang Wenjie could not quite meet Qi Zhan’s eyes. He turned his head slightly away.

“I just mean… two people partnering up together. Things are already like this anyway, so what’s left to not accept?”

His eyes drifted toward the bed sheets he himself had just dirtied.

Qi Zhan smiled as he pinched Tang Wenjie’s chin.

Meat delivered right to his mouth. How could he not take a bite?

He turned Tang Wenjie’s face back toward him.

“Then let’s try it.”

And then, while Tang Wenjie was still in his post-orgasm sage phase, Qi Zhan pushed him down onto the bed…

That’s right.

Tang Wenjie was the one being pushed down.

He was the one underneath.

Tang Wenjie felt like his entire existence split apart just like his body.

What the hell?!

When he said he wanted to partner up with Qi Zhan, he meant treating Qi Zhan like a wife! How had Qi Zhan taken advantage of the situation and…

Tang Wenjie shattered.

His defenses broke completely.

He collapsed onto the bed like a rag doll, utterly unable to accept reality.

What made it even worse was that because he had been so emotionally destroyed during the process, he cursed Qi Zhan for quite a while afterward, with rather filthy wording.

And after that day…

Qi Zhan never! came! back!

Fuck!

You already pounded my ass open like a flower, and I can’t even curse at you a little?! You disappear just because of that? Are you even human? You’re worse than an animal!

Tang Wenjie’s mental state shattered even further.

But if Qi Zhan was not coming to him, then Tang Wenjie, the one who got fucked, definitely was not about to shamelessly go looking for Qi Zhan either.

And so the two of them gradually stopped contacting each other.

Yet Tang Wenjie slowly realized that he could no longer see anyone else, man or woman, romantically anymore.

The little magazines and videos before bed became tasteless. Even handling things himself felt nowhere near as good as Qi Zhan helping him…

He truly fell.

Tang Wenjie grabbed three mutant zombie crystal cores and absorbed them all in one go.

Normally, without actively expending power in combat, recklessly absorbing so many crystal cores at once would instantly throw an ability user’s powers into chaos.

His ability immediately spiraled out of control.

Barely holding himself together, he crawled to the bedroom door.

“T-take me to the hospital…”

Song Kaiji and the others panicked and hurriedly carried him over.

Qi Zhan saw him too, but did not approach. Instead, he pushed a coworker he got along with.

“You go treat him.”

The coworker looked confused.

“What’s going on? Isn’t that your boyfriend?”

Qi Zhan looked awkward.

Tang Wenjie claimed he could accept men now, but when things actually happened, he cursed so viciously…

But Qi Zhan also did not understand why the more Tang Wenjie cursed him, the more excited he became.

And then…

After Tang Wenjie fell asleep, or rather passed out, Qi Zhan treated him and quietly left.

Now, seeing Tang Wenjie again, Qi Zhan guiltily rubbed his nose.

“He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore…”

Tang Wenjie might even stab him clean through with metal spikes.

“Oh, so you’re having a lovers’ quarrel? Playing hard to get? I understand.”

Ignoring Qi Zhan’s murderous stare, the coworker grinned and went over. But before long, he came running back in panic.

“His ability’s gone berserk! I don’t know what’s happening. I can’t guide it at all. His meridians seem completely different from normal people!”

Qi Zhan froze.

Thinking about the special connection between their abilities, could it be that Tang Wenjie’s powers now recognized only him?

Looks like there was truly no escaping this now.

But human life came first. Qi Zhan no longer cared about his messy thoughts and immediately rushed over.

Tang Wenjie looked far more haggard than before. Pain made him writhe on the hospital bed, veins bulging along his arms.

Qi Zhan immediately began guiding and soothing his abilities.

The moment Tang Wenjie managed to catch a breath, he grabbed Qi Zhan’s sleeve, teeth grinding audibly.

“You fuck me and then run away afterward. Are you even human??”

“I’m guiding your abilities right now. Critical moment here, no fighting allowed.”

Qi Zhan hurriedly spoke. Looking at Tang Wenjie’s appearance, he guiltily rubbed his nose again.

“I can be… your man.”

“Bullshit. You owe me one. Just you wait!”

Well, owing him one was fine.

Back and forth.

That was how you created a future together.

––––– End of Dual Cultivation Side Story –––––

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

Qi Zhan x Tang Wenjie Side Story (Part 1)

So comfortable…

Tang Wenjie lay on the bed with his eyes closed. The faint white glow representing healing-type abilities moved through his body. The ability felt like a boneless hand, gently soothing and repairing hidden injuries, untangling and widening his meridians, allowing the circulation of his ability to become faster and smoother.

One of Qi Zhan’s hands rested on Tang Wenjie’s thigh, while scattered crystal cores lay beside his other hand. Every so often, he picked up two, transmitting ability into Tang Wenjie while simultaneously absorbing the crystal cores himself.

This was something they had recently discovered by accident, a good method for rapidly increasing ability strength.

Tang Wenjie had always differed from ordinary people from the moment he awakened his powers. Perhaps because Qi Zhan’s ability had helped him on the day of awakening, Tang Wenjie’s metal ability was stronger than other metal users. Faster speed. Greater energy. Even his bones and muscles seemed to have been reforged.

At first, Tang Wenjie thought it was simply because his awakening circumstances had been special. But after meeting Qi Zhan again, he realized Qi Zhan’s ability still had an enormous effect on him.

At the same time, it also carried a… fatal attraction.

Every session of “untangling” felt like being immersed in warm water, every crevice of his body washed over and soothed…

It really felt too good…

Actually, far too good.

Tang Wenjie’s face already carried a faint blush, but now it became even redder. He kept his eyes closed, yet one hand sneakily groped across the bed, dragging over a folded blanket to cover his lower half.

Qi Zhan let out a soft laugh. After patting him twice, he withdrew his ability.

“Is it really that comfortable? Tsk, now I’m curious. Too bad I can’t feel it myself.”

The crystal cores beside him had all crumbled into powder.

Qi Zhan sensed the abundant ability inside his body and felt quite satisfied. He was not some philanthropist who would improve Tang Wenjie’s powers for free.

What they discovered was this:

If Tang Wenjie absorbed five crystal cores himself, his ability might increase by one percent. But with Qi Zhan transmitting and guiding the energy, those same five crystal cores could increase it by two or even three percent.

Meanwhile, every ability user had a daily limit on how many crystal cores they could absorb. Usually only a little over ten. More than that risked explosive death or even partial zombification.

Under such restrictions, with Qi Zhan helping him, Tang Wenjie’s ability growth speed would not take long to surpass everyone in Hong City Base.

And during the process, Qi Zhan himself also grew stronger through absorbing the crystal cores and guiding Tang Wenjie’s power. That part was pure profit.

One set of crystal cores producing double or triple effects while both sides benefited. Qi Zhan jokingly called it “dual cultivation.”

And Tang Wenjie also paid him separately afterward, so why wouldn’t he do it?

Qi Zhan dusted the crystal powder from his hands.

“I’m hungry. After serving you all this time, my stomach’s growling. Go make something for me to eat.”

Food was expensive these days, yet this team never seemed too concerned about it. Their meals were not luxurious, but everyone could at least eat their fill. That alone was already rare.

Just for the opportunity to freeload food, Qi Zhan was willing to continue “dual cultivating” with Tang Wenjie.

Tang Wenjie hurriedly agreed and got up to leave the bedroom.

But as he stood, the blanket covering his lower half slipped down.

Both their eyes immediately landed on a very awkward place.

Qi Zhan burst out laughing.

Tang Wenjie’s entire body turned bright red. He squeezed his legs together and hurriedly yanked the blanket back around his waist.

“So you’re just going to let me starve?”

Qi Zhan blinked at him and crooked his finger.

“Come here. Want me to… help you?”

Tang Wenjie shot upright like someone had burned his backside. Clutching the blanket around his waist, he bolted out the door, leaving only one sentence echoing through the bedroom:

“I’m straight!”

Qi Zhan chuckled lowly twice and flopped backward onto the bed, staring at his own long fingers.

What an interesting “straight guy.”

He himself was different. He had been hopelessly gay from the start and realized his sexuality very early. Before the apocalypse, he especially liked Tang Wenjie’s type: slightly muscular college athlete boys.

Didn’t matter if they were actual athletes. Looking like one was enough. Add a pair of white socks, and they became the contents of his Xiaohongshu favorites folder, mandatory nightly viewing.

Originally, it had only been a chance encounter, a little flirting for fun. He never expected his ability and Tang Wenjie’s would have such a mysterious connection.

They had even tested it by having other healing-type ability users guide Tang Wenjie’s powers, but it never produced the same effect.

How was this not destiny?

Qi Zhan picked at his fingers.

He definitely had intentions.

Besides…

Was this “straight guy” really that straight?

Tang Wenjie rushed downstairs straight into the kitchen, his face still burning hot.

Song Kaiji was alone there, cutting fruit onto a platter. Every few slices, he would suddenly think of something happy and let out a “hehe” laugh.

Ever since Boss Shen returned, Third Brother had completely recovered from his previous depression and now radiated pink bubbles of happiness every day.

Tang Wenjie: ……

Help. Why was there gayness everywhere?!

Fortunately, although Third Brother had suddenly become gay, he already had a partner, so Tang Wenjie himself was still safe.

After awkwardly hovering for a while, Tang Wenjie grabbed a small plate, stole a few pieces of fruit from Song Kaiji, then grabbed two leftover cabbage-and-pork pastries from the steamer.

Song Kaiji’s gaze landed on the blanket wrapped around Tang Wenjie’s waist.

“What exactly are you doing?”

Tang Wenjie’s lips moved awkwardly.

He… under another man’s hands…

He was still straight, right??

He violently raked a hand through his hair.

“Third Brother, what does it feel like to like another guy?”

Song Kaiji revealed an expression that clearly said “I knew it.”

“Qi Zhan’s been staying with us for how long now, and you still don’t know what liking a guy feels like?”

“We’re innocent! We’re just training abilities together!”

“What kind of ability training happens in a bedroom? On a bed? And every single time afterward you come out looking disheveled like this? I believed you at first, but now you really think I’m stupid?”

Song Kaiji looked offended.

“Aren’t we brothers? The second I realized I liked Shen Qing, I told you immediately. Yet you’re still trying to play dumb with me.”

Tang Wenjie: ……

Seeing that Tang Wenjie truly looked utterly confused, Song Kaiji finally softened.

“Honestly, I don’t really know either. You know I never liked anyone before, not even girls. I like Shen Qing because he’s Shen Qing. Even if he were a woman, I’d still like him.”

He glanced at Tang Wenjie.

“As for you…”

Tang Wenjie truly had been a textbook straight guy before.

There were beauty magazines hidden beneath his pillow for “stress relief” before bed. His phone contained videos of Japanese girls. He especially liked women with pale, long legs…

Though…

Actually, Qi Zhan’s legs were also pale and long.

Once, after getting off work, Qi Zhan came straight over wearing loose short shorts. Tang Wenjie’s bedsheets happened to be dark gray-blue, making those pale legs stand out even more starkly, dazzling his eyes painfully…

Thinking about Qi Zhan’s legs, the blanket around Tang Wenjie’s waist twitched from a certain reaction.

Tang Wenjie froze completely.

He… he was str… str…

TAT

After a very long time, and even after making a trip to the bathroom, Tang Wenjie finally returned upstairs carrying the food tray with a deeply tragic expression.

Qi Zhan had once again made himself completely at home, sprawled across Tang Wenjie’s bed asleep.

His eyelashes were very long, and his skin was pale too. Because of earlier ability transmission, exhaustion and hunger caused his brows to wrinkle faintly.

Without realizing it, Tang Wenjie slowly approached.

Actually, being together with Qi Zhan would be the best outcome.

At least from a practical standpoint.

Their team would gain a healing-type ability user. He and Qi Zhan could continuously dual cultivate to strengthen their powers. Qi Zhan would also gain Tang Wenjie’s stored crystal cores and access to the team’s food…

If Qi Zhan were a girl, Tang Wenjie would have pursued him long ago.

But even if he wasn’t a girl…

Maybe… maybe it wasn’t impossible?

Third Brother’s partner was a man too…

While Tang Wenjie’s mind battled itself, Qi Zhan suddenly opened his eyes.

“What are you thinking about?”

Tang Wenjie answered blankly:

“Thinking about you.”

The instant he spoke, he realized something was wrong and immediately tried to back away. But Qi Zhan grabbed him first.

Qi Zhan’s hands were pale too, just like his legs. Long fingers. Clearly defined joints.

“I’m starving. Can’t move at all. Hurry and feed me something.”

Tang Wenjie swallowed hard.

A piece of red dragon fruit was lifted to Qi Zhan’s lips. Qi Zhan extended the tip of his tongue slightly and hooked it into his mouth. Soon, rosy-red juice stained his lips and tongue even darker.

Qi Zhan noticed Tang Wenjie staring and smiled.

“Actually, there are things straight guys can do too. Male roommates help each other all the time. Didn’t that happen in your dorm? You and Third Brother…”

Tang Wenjie’s eyes widened. His head shook furiously like a rattle drum.

“No, no!”

He and Song Kaiji were completely innocent. Pure brothers-in-arms!

Help.

When Qi Zhan teased him, Tang Wenjie only felt panicked, though his heart also raced wildly during it. But imagining himself and Third Brother that way made him feel vaguely nauseated instead.

Similarly, around normal male roommates, he never became as nervous as he did around Qi Zhan.

Sometimes roommates accidentally walked in on each other masturbating or staying too long in the bathroom. Everyone just joked about it awkwardly for a bit, but the embarrassment never ran deep.

It was nothing like being around Qi Zhan, where even the slightest reaction made him ashamed beyond belief…

Had he really been corrupted into gayness…

Qi Zhan still refused to release his hand. Blinking sleepily with freshly awakened eyes, he tugged Tang Wenjie’s hand lower.

“But I want you to help me…”

Would it feel disgusting?

Tang Wenjie didn’t know.

His brain felt dizzy and muddled. He actually wanted to try it. He never firmly refused…

More than ten minutes later, Tang Wenjie stared at his own palm, his face even paler now.

Not only did he not feel disgusted.

He felt more and more excited instead.

What was wrong with him?!

Help. Was he really turning gay?!

At that moment, Qi Zhan propped himself halfway upright. His face still carried two beautiful flushed patches of red. From behind, he hooked one finger beneath the shoulder strap of Tang Wenjie’s tank top, his gaze lowering past Tang Wenjie’s shoulder.

“Now… want me to help you instead?”

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

The Dream Fulfillment System plotted the most time-efficient route for Lu Yao: five minutes to deliver the name cards to Ping’an Community and another two minutes to reach the target clinic.

While the Willing Network could also provide optimal route guidance, Lu Yao relied on her Dream Fulfillment System instead.

Jiang Yifei had provided a detailed address, allowing Lu Yao to find their building, unit, and floor with ease. She knocked on the door, and it opened within seconds, as if they had been waiting right behind it.

Jiang Yifei greeted her enthusiastically and pulled her into the room. Inside were four people: Jiang Yifei, Zhou Mingyang, Song Xu, and Tang Anqi.

Lu Yao greeted them briefly and pulled a bundle of business cards, neatly tied with a rubber band and placed in a kraft envelope, from her bag. “Ten business cards. The first one is at a 50% discount, the remaining nine are full price, plus a delivery fee of 0.2 grams of gold. The total comes to 4 grams of gold.”

Jiang Yifei handed over her gold bracelet. Lu Yao pulled out the gold-ingesting Pixiu from her bag. The Pixiu clamped onto one end of the bracelet, “biting” off a small section and swallowing it down with a crisp snap.

Lu Yao handed back the remaining bracelet to Jiang Yifei. “Done.”

Jiang Yifei marveled, “This payment device is just too adorable.”

Zhou Mingyang, skeptical, asked, “Are you sure it just took exactly 4 grams of gold?”

Lu Yao nodded. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

Tang Anqi called out, “Lu Yao, we’d like to buy a few business cards too.”

Lu Yao replied, “Sure.”

Tang Anqi didn’t have much gold, so she purchased five cards for a total of 1.8 grams of gold.

After leaving the apartment, the Dream Fulfillment System alerted Lu Yao, “Someone upstairs is peeking down, watching you.”

Lu Yao stepped back into the room and asked the group, “Is this community densely populated?”

Tang Anqi, who had been living in Ping’an Community longer, answered, “At first, there weren’t many people. Recently, some have started moving in. The buildings aren’t in great condition, and there’s no gate or security, so it doesn’t feel very safe overall. But the population is still pretty sparse.”

Lu Yao nodded. “I’d like to ask for your help with something.”

Tang Anqi blinked, thought for a moment, and agreed.

Lu Yao pulled two stacks of flyers for the errand shop from her bag. “I’d like you to distribute these flyers in this community. The reward is one business card.”

Tang Anqi accepted the flyers but refused the name card. “It’s just a small task, not worth such a valuable reward. This community isn’t that big; it shouldn’t take more than an hour to hand them all out.”

Lu Yao, reluctant to owe anyone a favor, thought for a moment. “The world isn’t the same as before. Just going out can be dangerous, so I can’t let you do this for free. How about this: if you ever visit Guanyin Road, drop by my shop, and I’ll give you two boxes of supplies.”

Song Xu clapped his hands. “That’s great.”

Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang also agreed. They had just purchased business cards and didn’t feel a pressing need for more, but supplies were always welcome—there was no such thing as having too much food or necessities.

This also confirmed their impression that Lu Yao wasn’t short on resources. The various situations they had encountered with her suddenly made perfect sense.

After spending a few extra minutes in Ping’an Community, Lu Yao went downstairs to find her scooter. She noticed the front tire seemed to have shifted slightly.

The Dream Fulfillment System commented, “That’s right. While you were upstairs, someone tried to steal the scooter but couldn’t move it.”

Lu Yao glanced back at the residential building, crouched to remove the sticker engraved with a protective magic array, and rode off. “When society collapses, even an electric scooter becomes a hot commodity.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “Your scooter is new and parked on the street; naturally, it attracts attention.”

Lu Yao: “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen anyone driving a car or riding a scooter around.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “Most parts of the city are without power, so scooters like yours struggle with battery life. Cars and motorcycles face similar issues. Plus, not everyone has the means to protect their vehicles. They’re too easy to steal.”

Lu Yao: “But without keys, they can’t drive it away, and even if they steal it, there’s no way to cash it in.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “…Then it’s probably just a simple case of petty malice.”

…

Ping’an Road No. 198: City People’s Hospital, Third Clinic

Zhang Shulan was locked in an abandoned examination room on the right side of the first-floor lobby. Her hands were tied behind her back, her hair disheveled after losing her hair tie during a failed escape attempt. Her cheeks were swollen from repeated slaps.

With great effort, Zhang Shulan propped herself up using her forehead against the floor, her heart full of terror and despair.

She had come to the clinic to find medicine but unexpectedly fell into the hands of “sheep traders”—human traffickers.

Her family had been eating poorly. Sometimes, to save a single piece of solid alcohol for heating, leftover meals were eaten cold. While adults could endure, children couldn’t. Since last night, Lin Shanshan, her young child, had been suffering from diarrhea and developed a fever by midnight.

Desperate, Zhang Shulan had searched her home thoroughly, feeding Lin Shanshan whatever medications seemed suitable. But by morning, the fever hadn’t subsided, and her child was barely conscious. Seeing no other option, she decided to risk venturing out for medicine.

Guanyin Road had once been filled with competing chain pharmacies, but when the zombie virus outbreak began, they became ground zero for chaos.

In the early days, pharmacies made massive profits selling supplies like alcohol, disinfectant, antibiotics, and bandages—even though none of these could effectively treat zombie bites. Crowds overwhelmed the stores, fighting over what little there was.

When the virus spread further, turning more victims into zombies, cities began to fall. Pharmacies were ransacked, their shelves overturned, and goods trampled into rubble by endless waves of zombies. Now, not even scraps could be found.

Faced with this harsh reality, Zhang Shulan set her sights on the city clinic. Unlike small pharmacies, it was a proper medical facility, likely to have better medicines—maybe even fever reducers.

She never expected that human predators would use this exact logic to their advantage, lying in wait near the clinic for lone and vulnerable targets to appear.

These traffickers primarily targeted women and children. Before the outbreak, such people were mostly found in remote, underdeveloped rural areas. But after the zombie apocalypse, they began brazenly roaming city ruins, preying on the helpless.

Their methods and morals had grown even darker, as if these men were demons unleashed from hell, unburdened by the need to mask their filth and depravity. Women they captured were taken to large survivor settlements and forced to earn supplies by servicing men who could pay.

The first time Zhang Shulan was caught, she managed to break free. With no safe place to run, she dashed into the clinic, fleeing up the stairs.

But the clinic, once a sanctuary for the sick, had become a zombie-infested trap. Many bedridden patients had succumbed to the virus, turning into the very monsters now wandering its halls.

Caught between zombies upstairs and pursuers downstairs, Zhang Shulan panicked and hid in an abandoned consultation room. There, she discovered a pen inside a desk drawer. She pulled out a business card she had carried with her, placing a desperate order.

Although she was in a panic, her mind remained sharp. Afraid the errand runner might reject a “rescue” request, she simply wrote “fetch medicine” on the card, leaving out any mention of her dire circumstances.

To buy time, she hid the card on her person and continued darting between floors, evading both zombies and her pursuers—until they finally cornered her. After a brutal beating, she was locked in the examination room.

Zhang Shulan propped herself up using her knees, struggling to move toward the corner of the room in search of a spot to gain some leverage. Fear consumed her during her earlier escape attempt—her only thought had been to find someone who could save her.

After the beating she endured, compounded by the humiliation of being groped under the guise of a “search,” Zhang Shulan could clearly envision the horrific fate that awaited her. Suddenly, regret gnawed at her—regret for writing that order on the business card.

She feared the one coming to her rescue might be Lu Yao, the young woman who had saved her once before. Zhang Shulan worried that this gang would target her as well.

Zhang Shulan had watched from her building as a violent fight unfolded outside the courier shop. The boy had been fiercer in battle, but the young woman, while capable, had seemed gentler and less physically imposing. If Lu Yao came, Zhang Shulan feared she wouldn’t be able to fend off these beasts and would suffer humiliation as a result.

She deeply regretted not being more thoughtful when placing the order. Instead of calling for someone to rescue her, she should have asked the courier to check on her sick daughter back at home.

But regrets were meaningless now. Zhang Shulan’s only wish was to tear up the card, hoping it might stop the courier from coming.

In the corner of the room, another girl—no older than her early twenties—sat with her hands bound, curled up and staring blankly ahead with empty, hollow eyes.

Zhang Shulan’s own hands and feet were tightly bound, making it nearly impossible to retrieve the card she had hidden in a small, stitched pocket inside her coat.

Panting, she glanced toward the girl. “Can you… help me?”

The girl, leaning against the wall, remained motionless. Her dark, vacant eyes showed no sign of recognition; she neither responded nor moved.

Zhang Shulan painfully inched closer on her knees, the rough floor scraping her skin raw. She wanted to persuade the girl to assist her, but the girl seemed utterly indifferent to her pleas and movements.

At that moment, the familiar hum of a scooter’s engine reached Zhang Shulan’s ears. Her heart sank, and panic gripped her. It felt as though the air had been sucked out of her lungs.

She had no options left. Her only hope was that the one coming to her rescue was the dark-clothed boy.

…

From a distance, Lu Yao spotted a battered white van parked at the clinic’s main door. She stopped her scooter far down the road and stayed put, carefully assessing the situation.

Dream Fulfillment System: “There are two men inside the van—one in the front passenger seat and one in the back. Two more are crouched near the clinic entrance, and another two are inside the main lobby.”

Lu Yao: “What’s this? An ambush?”

Dream Fulfillment System: “The first room to the right of the lobby contains two women. Both are bound and unable to move.”

Lu Yao: “So they’re not targeting me specifically but anyone who comes here looking for medicine. I see what they’re up to.”

Dream Fulfillment System: “I’ve seen this kind of scum in the world of Polaris. People like them get thrown into horror games for unending torment.”

Lu Yao dismounted her scooter, securing it carefully. Her air rifle had already been stored in her personal warehouse—unsuitable for public use here. Instead, she pulled two short swords from the cloth bag strapped to her back.

Wielding a sword in each hand, she prepared herself.

Dream Fulfillment System: “This errand is for picking up medicine.”

Lu Yao: “I know. But how can I get the medicine without clearing these obstacles first?”

Dream Fulfillment System: “…Do you really have the guts to deal with them?”

Lu Yao: “Are you doubting my resolve?”

Dream Fulfillment System: “You hesitated for days before cutting down zombies, even training in a virtual simulation first.”

Lu Yao: “I didn’t hesitate when it came to zombies. And compared to them, these beasts are easier to handle.”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Previous

Next

Si Jin and Qiu Yu also received a notification from the courier system, instructing them to accompany Harold to Ping’an Community.

Upon reviewing the orders, Harold noticed that both were placed by the same clients, Tang Anqi and Jiang Yifei. The delivery addresses were identical, and the requests were nearly the same.

The first order was to clear zombies, and the second was a routine errand to transport luggage.

Qiu Yu asked, “How do we deal with zombies?”

Harold glanced at Qiu Yu, offering no response.

Qiu Yu, puzzled, turned to Si Jin for help.

Si Jin barely held back an eye-roll, cleared his throat, and asked respectfully, “Harold, esteemed senior, could you please explain how to clear zombies?”

Harold shot a glance at Si Jin and raised his chin slightly. In a flat tone, he said, “The simplest method is to aim for the head. Those creatures may look intimidating, but they’re fragile—barely a touch, and they fall apart.”

Si Jin nodded thoughtfully. “I see. As expected of a senior, your experience is unmatched.”

With a steady stream of flattery from Si Jin, and Qiu Yu chiming in agreement, Harold basked in the praise, thoroughly enjoying his role as the experienced leader.

When they arrived at the designated location, the trio stopped on a narrow street outside Ping’an Community. The path ahead was crowded with zombies.

Ragged, rotting corpses, reeking of decay, clogged the street, blocking Harold and his team from reaching the clients’ residence.

Qiu Yu sensed the surrounding energies and pointed toward a low wall lining the pedestrian walkway. “It’s not just the street; there are zombies behind that wall as well.”

Si Jin studied the marked route on his work badge for a moment. “All four of the red dots are inside the wall. It seems our clients live here.”

Before proceeding further, Qiu Yu readied her weapon—a slender, needle-tipped black sword wrapped in a few strands of red thread at the hilt. Swinging the thread in a smooth arc, she narrowed her eyes and aimed at the approaching horde. “I don’t like getting dirty. I’ll handle it from here.”

Si Jin, meanwhile, pulled out a pair of black leather gloves from his pocket. He didn’t care about cleanliness but wasn’t keen on dirtying his hands either. As he slipped on the gloves, he said, “Let’s make it a contest. One move each, see who clears the most.”

Qiu Yu, unable to resist the challenge—especially from another dragon of comparable strength—was eager to test her skills. She nodded in agreement.

Harold, however, sighed heavily and shook his head. “Didn’t I just teach you how to think like couriers? It’s like talking to a wall. How are you supposed to be good at this job?”

Si Jin bristled at Harold’s tone. “What now?”

Harold, unfazed by Si Jin’s impatience, retained his air of superiority. As the senior courier, he magnanimously overlooked the rookie’s lack of respect and began the lesson. “The clients live here, and their first order was to clear zombies. Judging by the situation, these zombies are probably the target. But we haven’t met the clients yet, and we certainly haven’t been paid. How can you start the job without sealing the deal?”

Both Si Jin and Qiu Yu paused, realizing their oversight. For Si Jin, who was wealthy, and Qiu Yu, who lacked much knowledge of human customs, the concept of charging for such tasks hadn’t crossed their minds.

Harold, having spent considerable time with Lu Yao, had experienced lean days at the start of her ventures. Even as a mighty and wealthy dragon, he had internalized the importance of “earning” through exposure to her diligence.

Qiu Yu asked, “How do we even reach the clients with so many zombies in the way?”

Feeling constrained by Lu Yao’s instructions to act with restraint, Qiu Yu hesitated.

Harold pointed at the wall. “Climb over it. Meet the clients first, settle the payment, and then get to work. Don’t tell me you can’t even climb a wall without magic or abilities.”

Even without using any special abilities, their natural physical prowess far surpassed that of ordinary humans in this world. Scaling a wall or climbing a building posed no challenge.

Inside Ping’an Community, Song Xu lay on the hallway floor, peering cautiously outside.

Tang Anqi asked softly from the doorway, “Are they here yet?”

Last night, a sudden horde of zombies surrounded the community, completely overtaking the first and second floors.

Zombies were typically mindless creatures driven only by the instinct to consume human flesh. They lacked intelligence, reproductive capabilities, and weren’t even truly alive—they were merely human corpses controlled by a virus, hollow shells that could still move.

However, this particular horde seemed unusual. They silently converged on Ping’an Community, giving the first-floor residents no chance to escape.

The neighborhood was old, with flimsy doors and windows. Many of the ground-floor residents were elderly or physically impaired, leaving them no chance to flee when the zombies came.

Throughout the night, anguished screams echoed from below. Shockingly, some of the zombies began climbing higher, using their fellow undead as stepping stones.

The horde labored through the night, and by dawn, several zombies had indeed managed to reach the second floor.

Tang Anqi and her group of four didn’t dare close their eyes all night, constantly on alert but unable to open the door for fear of attracting the zombies with their scent.

Throughout the night, they tried multiple times to place an order with the courier service, but the shop was closed, and the business cards wouldn’t allow any writing.

The four endured until morning. By then, a few zombies had already made it to the second floor, prompting them to prepare for a desperate climb higher, taking some supplies with them to seek refuge on the upper floors.

Unfortunately, the fourth-floor residents had already barricaded the stairwell with tables and ropes, both to keep zombies out and to block lower-floor residents from climbing up.

Left with no choice, Tang Anqi’s group retreated to their original spot on the third floor.

This unit only had two households left—Tang Anqi’s family and Jiang Yifei’s. Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang had already moved their belongings to Tang Anqi’s apartment, so all four were now squeezed into one space.

Luckily, by morning, the cards finally allowed writing again. They hastily placed their orders and waited anxiously for the couriers to arrive.

Song Xu squinted down the road and spotted three people on electric scooters, but he couldn’t be sure they were couriers.

“There are three people on scooters downstairs, but I don’t see Lu Yao.”

Tang Anqi hurried over and crouched beside him, leaning over the railing to look. “The scooters are the same as Lu Yao’s—they should be couriers. Luckily, we placed several orders, so they sent more people.”

Song Xu remarked, “Is that guy with the ponytail a man? And what’s with the blond one?”

Tang Anqi replied, “That’s not the point. They’re just standing there, not moving. Maybe they’re scared by all the zombies.”

Song Xu couldn’t help but think of Lu Yao. “If it were Lu Yao, maybe she’d know what to do.”

Tang Anqi grew more anxious. “What should we do? If the couriers can’t handle this, we’re doomed.”

Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang, noticing Tang Anqi was missing, came out to find her. Hearing about the couriers, they crouched by the railing to look as well.

Zhou Mingyang muttered, “Are all three couriers?”

Jiang Yifei quipped, “Do couriers have to look good too?”

Zhou Mingyang added, “They all look unreliable. Why didn’t Lu Yao come?”

As the four quietly griped, the three people below finally moved.

They appeared to be backing up their scooters, setting their feet on the ground as if preparing to leave, which panicked Tang Anqi’s group.

However, the three merely repositioned their scooters under a tree in an open space, locked them up, and began walking toward the complex across the street.

Song Xu quickly shifted his tone, “The couriers seem to be pretty capable, no wonder they’re colleagues of Lu Yao.”

Tang Anqi fretted, “How are they going to get in?”

Zhou Mingyang joined in, equally worried, “They don’t even seem to have weapons. Lu Yao at least had guns and knives last time…”

Before they could finish their complaints, the trio below sprang into action. They climbed the roadside trees with ease, vaulted onto the wall, and ran swiftly along its edge. Reaching the nearest residential building, they leapt upwards, gripping the second-floor balcony’s edge.

With effortless agility, Harold swung himself onto the corridor, followed by Si Jin and Qiu Yu. The three moved deftly, avoiding zombies along the way, heading directly for the staircase to the third floor.

However, they were in a different section of the building, separated from Tang Anqi’s by a few units. The only connections between the three sections were at the ground and top floors.

Disappearing into the stairwell, they momentarily vanished from Tang Anqi’s line of sight. She assumed they’d take the top floor to cross over, but within moments, the high-ponytail youth was seen balancing on the concrete railing, leaning out into the air. He launched his two companions across the gap between the buildings, a distance of at least four meters, landing them on the parallel corridor.

Song Xu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What the—!”

Zhou Mingyang adjusted his glasses, equally astonished. “That… actually worked?”

Next, Harold stood on the railing and leapt across himself, grabbing the concrete edge with one hand and pulling himself up in mere moments. His “superhuman strength” left the college students in awe.

For the second round, Si Jin took over as the “pitcher,” single-handedly tossing his two companions onto Tang Anqi’s section of the building, before leaping over himself.

Landing smoothly, Harold spoke up, “We’re couriers from the Courier Shop. Which one of you placed the order?”

Tang Anqi was the first to react, raising her hand excitedly. “It was us! It was us!”

Then, unable to resist, she confirmed, “You’re really couriers?”

The trio was too young and too impossibly attractive to fit the image of typical couriers. Even before the zombie outbreak, with their looks, they would’ve been scouted by talent agents just walking down the street.

Harold pulled out his badge from around his neck to show her. On the front was his photo, and on the back, a slim mini-screen displayed basic order details and the route. While usually hidden from customers, the badge was proof of their legitimacy.

The badge bore no names, only numbers. Lu Yao was Courier #1, Harold was #2, Qiu Yu #3, Zhao Ye #4, Si Jin #5, and Tina #6.

“I’m Harold,” he introduced himself. “You’ve met Lu Yao, right? She’s the shop owner, and also my elder sister.”

Lu Yao had taught Harold a few tricks to quickly gain clients’ trust. These customers clearly had several of Lu Yao’s business cards, which she must have personally handed out. Given they’d placed multiple orders at once, it was obvious they trusted her.

By mentioning his connection to Lu Yao, Harold could establish immediate credibility. This simple strategy, paired with their service, was key to solidifying trust.

Satisfied he’d closed the gap, Harold moved to the next step, pulling out the gold-devouring pixiu figurine from his bag. “Let’s settle the payment first.”

Tang Anqi was still processing his words. Harold and Lu Yao didn’t resemble siblings at all—not in appearance, nor demeanor—making her a little skeptical. But the badge and pixiu looked exactly like Lu Yao’s, rare items she hadn’t seen elsewhere, suggesting they were custom tools.

Before she could dwell further, Qiu Yu leaned over eagerly. “Can I handle this? The pixiu from Jiujue sect is so cute—I want to try collecting payment!”

Song Xu whispered to Tang Anqi, “A bit unlucky, huh? Why couldn’t the boss come? These new couriers don’t seem very reliable.”

The three dragons all had exceptional hearing. Though they hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, the proximity made it impossible not to catch every word.

Harold immediately glared at Qiu Yu in annoyance, silently blaming her: See? Now they think we’re unreliable.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Next

Zhang Shu actually hadn’t been employed for long either. She had only recently joined the Ghost System Main Hub and had barely met any of the otherworldly staff members aside from Harold.

Today was the first time she encountered Si Jin, Tina, Qiuyu, and Zhao Ye—all in fully human forms—so it was natural for her to be a bit shocked.

Si Jin, Tina, Qiuyu, and Zhao Ye were also meeting each other for the first time. Being dragons by nature, they carried an inherent pride that transcended worlds. After all, they were beloved by the gods.

When they met, both sides maintained a reserved demeanor. They exchanged polite nods as greetings, but there was little else.

Zhao Ye, however, wanted to initiate a conversation, but the heavy aura surrounding the others made him retreat behind Lu Yao. The little sparrow demons perched on Zhao Ye’s shoulders and head tilted their fluffy heads, trying to look obedient.

Meanwhile, Ding Qing was still staying in the staff break room to recover.

The four newcomers were curious about the store’s layout and wanted to explore the office area. This led to a brief encounter with Ding Qing.

Harold stared at Ding Qing as soon as he entered the room. When she reacted to Si Jin and Zhao Ye with even more intense nausea—greater than when she had first met him—he felt a bit more at ease.

Lu Yao hadn’t lied; this human wasn’t just reacting to him.

With six couriers now in the store—four of whom were new and unfamiliar with the job or the area—training became a priority. However, they had only one day to prepare before everyone would need to start taking orders.

Lu Yao divided the couriers into two teams: Si Jin and Qiuyu joined Harold in heading to the east to distribute flyers, promote the store’s business cards, and familiarize themselves with the routes. Lu Yao took Tina and Zhao Ye to the west to do the same and scout for potential customers.

If any customers placed an order, Zhang Shu would assign it to the closest available courier.

The four new couriers were not allowed to take orders yet. Each had to shadow an experienced courier for at least three deliveries before attempting their own.

The task itself wasn’t difficult, especially for couriers whose physical capabilities far exceeded the norm. The real challenge lay in navigating human interactions and making sound judgments in complex situations.

Lu Yao worried they might be deceived by cunning and manipulative humans or, conversely, overreact during tasks and attract unwanted attention.

At this stage, Lu Yao wasn’t overly concerned about trouble but rather about the delays it might cause to their progress.

With a seven-day timeline to complete 300 deliveries, and only seven completed on the first day, every moment counted.

Lu Yao aimed for the couriers to fulfill each task as instructed while leaving a positive impression on customers.

Although Harold had only been on the job for one day, his extensive experience accompanying Lu Yao across various worlds gave him a better grasp of human interactions than the others.

She paired Si Jin and Qiuyu with Harold, while Tina and Zhao Ye went with her.

They all rode electric scooters to maintain uniformity. Lu Yao permitted them to discreetly use magic, mana, or spiritual energy to enhance their efficiency, provided they weren’t noticed.

After breakfast at the store, each courier took a simple cloth bag filled with flyers, business cards, a gold-eating Pixiu, and snacks.

Lu Yao led her team westward while Harold’s group headed east. Zhang Shu and Ding Qing stayed behind to manage the store.

The rumbling sound of engines echoed across Guanyin Road. Unlike before, when such noise might have scared the residents into peeking nervously from behind curtains, today’s sound seemed unusually loud, as though there were more vehicles.

Zhao Xiaopeng and his grandparents stood by the window, curious. They were surprised to see more scooters and more people.

Zhao Xiaopeng asked, “What’s with the red and gold hair? Foreigners?”

Meanwhile, Zhang Shulan was giving her daughter medicine.

Shanshan, having taken the medicine Lu Yao had found yesterday, had finally recovered from her fever.

Hearing the commotion, Zhang Shulan couldn’t resist pulling back the curtain. She saw two small convoys leaving Guanyin Road.

Lu Yao’s plan was to first sweep through all residential areas within a 10-kilometer radius and then gradually expand the range of the Willing Net’s coverage and service area.

Lu Yao’s team’s morning task was to cover Wanxin City, which was 4 kilometers away from Guanyin Road, and its surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Lu Yao, Tina, and Zhao Ye rode their scooters to Wanxin Plaza and took a lap around to get a general sense of the area.

Wanxin City was an old commercial district, with Wanxin Plaza at its center. Around it were three commercial buildings, including a large chain supermarket, clothing malls, electronics and digital stores, and a hardware market. One of the buildings housed a five-story gold shopping center.

Surrounding the plaza was a three-story farmers’ market, while the nearby areas were a mix of newly built residential buildings and older complexes from over a decade ago.

Zhao Ye’s little sparrow followers flew around the area, scouting which malls and neighborhoods were inhabited and which had the highest population density.

Lu Yao selected the residential complex with the most occupants—Golden Tai Imperial Garden.

The entrance to Golden Tai Imperial Garden featured an ornate European-style design, with four thick white columns standing at the gate. However, the decorative angel statues had toppled to the ground, and the gate’s barriers were broken and sagging onto the pavement.

There was no guard post. Beyond the entrance, three marble paths extended into the residential buildings, laid over a shallow artificial lake.

The lake’s water was murky and green, barely 20 centimeters deep, with its surface cluttered by floating corpses. Some appeared to be people who had fallen from the buildings, while others were partially decayed zombies, still moving and flailing in the water.

Zhao Ye crouched by the lakeside, curiously observing the still-moving zombies, as his sparrow companions perched on his shoulders, chirping and chattering about the scene.

Zhao Ye asked, “So, just like in the movies—if you’re bitten, you turn into one of them?”

The internet café had introduced the creatures of the Floating World—be they devils, demons, or humans—to the concept of movies. Zhao Ye and his sparrow companions often peeked at customers’ screens and had seen zombie-themed shows before.

Lu Yao nodded. “That’s right. So, when you’re working, be extremely careful. Don’t get bitten or scratched by them. And for the scouts, make sure not to get caught by stray cats or humans in the area.”

Tina leapt effortlessly across to the other side of the lake and extended her hand toward a zombie stuck in the water.

The zombie immediately lunged upward, biting down on Tina’s wrist. Lu Yao’s heart leapt in alarm.

Tina shook the zombie off with a flick of her wrist. Her skin remained perfectly smooth—no injuries, not even a tooth mark.

On the other hand, the zombie, thrown with such force, slammed against the lake’s edge, chipping its teeth and scraping off its decayed flesh, leaving half of its face as bare bone.

Tina frowned as she stood up and shook her hand. “No threat at all—just gross.”

Lu Yao handed her an alcohol wipe. “Don’t be so reckless next time—it gave me a scare.”

Tina wiped her hands nonchalantly. “Even without sensing much magic here, low-grade undead like these can’t harm me.”

Zhao Ye, unlike Tina, dared not extend his hand toward a zombie.

As a demon, his physical body was stronger than a typical human’s, but having just mastered transformation, he was far less robust than the dragons.

He looked enviously at Tina. “I wish I could be that strong.”

Tina glanced at him. “You don’t seem like a dragon.”

Zhao Ye suddenly felt self-conscious, lowering his head and muttering softly, “My true form is just an ordinary mountain sparrow. How could I ever compare to the dragons?”

Tina finally gave him a good look, then reached out to touch the small black mole under his eye. “I’ve seen sparrows—they’re always chirping, and they have little spots like this on their cheeks. So, you’re a little sparrow, huh? And yet you’ve managed to transform into a human form—pretty impressive!”

Zhao Ye lowered his head even further, his ears turning bright red.

The little sparrows perched on his shoulders tilted their heads curiously, as if relishing the scene.

Standing behind the two, Lu Yao cleared her throat lightly. “Alright, let’s go. Time to sweep the building.”

Distributing flyers wasn’t difficult work. Lu Yao led the two and their twelve sparrow scouts through three floors, then let them handle things on their own.

The three of them continued working in the same building, but each was assigned different floors.

Tina, with her swift movements, was responsible for the top ten floors. Zhao Ye and his scouts, having the advantage of numbers, handled the middle fifteen floors. Lu Yao took the first ten floors.

While Lu Yao left flyers at every single door, Tina and Zhao Ye seemed to know exactly which rooms were occupied and only left flyers in front of those doors.

Dream Fulfillment System reported this to Lu Yao, who responded casually, “They have their own talents, but I’ll rely on you.”

The system, sensing no issue, cheerfully assisted Lu Yao, pointing out which rooms were occupied and which were not.

With the system’s help, Lu Yao’s task efficiency increased dramatically. A job that would have taken her 15–20 minutes on her own was now completed in about five minutes.

Starting from the first unit near the gate, they made their way through six buildings. Tina and Zhao Ye quickly grew accustomed to the work and even began feeling bored.

For rookie runners, endlessly distributing flyers without immediate results could indeed be demotivating.

It was around this time, in the sixth building’s first-floor corridor, that they encountered three zombies. Oddly enough, they weren’t wandering aimlessly but were instead strapped to wheelchairs, shrieking with open mouths.

These zombies had been elderly in life, and their arms and legs were now securely bound to their chairs with belts. Completely zombified but unable to move freely, they seemed deliberately placed there as obstacles.

The scene was eerie and pitiful at the same time.

Lu Yao decided not to go upstairs, calling Tina and Zhao Ye to move on to the next building.

Just then, the door to an apartment near the stairwell opened, and a man poked his head out. “Who are you people?”

Lu Yao initially didn’t plan to respond, but the man wheeled himself further into the hallway.

He was thin, seated in a wheelchair, with an old jacket draped over his legs.

Following the group’s gaze toward the “obstacles” at the stairwell, the man lowered his head slightly. “They were residents of this floor, like me, unable to walk. They were older than me, though. When the zombie virus broke out, the people caring for them died first, and they couldn’t survive on their own either.

“Now, only my family and I live here. My wife and child went out to gather supplies, leaving me here alone. They didn’t feel safe leaving me behind, so they set up this… barrier.”

Lu Yao was silent for a moment. She handed him a flyer across the “barrier” and turned to leave.

It was a tragic situation, but the sight was simply too gut-wrenching.

The man quickly scanned the flyer and called out to them. “Wait! I want to place an order.”

Lu Yao stopped and turned back. “You want to place an order?”

The man nodded repeatedly. “It’s gold you need, right? Just a moment. I’ll get it.”

He maneuvered his wheelchair backward into the apartment, but with a sudden clang, a kitchen knife fell from his wheelchair onto the hallway floor.

The man hurriedly bent down to pick up the knife, his face flushing red with exertion, but no matter how he reached, he couldn’t grab the handle. Suddenly, he realized the silence around him was too oppressive.

The three young people at the door were staring at him, their expressions neutral.

He gave up trying to pick up the knife, sat upright, and forced out a strained smile. “My wife and kid went out to look for supplies. It’s been two days, and there’s been no news. They’re probably not coming back. The knife wasn’t for you—I was just about to use it on myself. I’ve been a burden to them while alive; I figured I should at least be decisive in death. But since I met you, I’d like to place an order. No matter what, I have to try and find them.”

Lu Yao: “Do you know where they went?”

The man nodded. “To Wanxin Plaza. The gas and electricity at home are out, so they went to look for solid fuel and a portable stove. There’s a store in Wanxin Plaza that specializes in outdoor camping equipment. That’s probably where they went.”

Lu Yao recalled the store advertisements she had seen earlier while scouting around Wanxin Plaza and had a good idea of their location. She pulled out a card from her bag and handed it to the man.

Meanwhile, Harold’s team was assigned to sweep the area around Jinbo Road, approximately five kilometers from Guanyin Road.

Before the outbreak, Jinbo Road was a bustling new commercial district in Gaosheng City. It was always packed with people during breaks and weekends.

After the zombie virus outbreak, this dense population quickly led to the area’s collapse.

Although the malls in the Jinbo Road area were stocked with vast amounts of supplies, the sheer density of zombies around the square and commercial zone made it too risky for anyone to venture inside.

Early on, some bold and confident individuals organized groups to storm this treasure trove of resources. However, none of them returned.

Within days, people began spotting what seemed to be these same adventurers among the zombie horde. Their appearance and clothing matched the group that had entered earlier. Compared to the other zombies, these individuals appeared “fresher.”

Unsurprisingly, those people had either become part of the undead or served as their food.

Harold’s team circled the perimeter of Jinbo Road, scouting for residential buildings with significant populations to distribute flyers. Harold, the seasoned leader, was about to deliver an educational lesson to his two new recruits when he received a dispatch from the store.

Two customers in Ping’an Community, three kilometers away, had placed orders—four in total and in quick succession.

Zhang Shu had assigned all four orders to Harold’s team.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Ding Qing’s physical condition was very poor. She fainted shortly after arriving at the courier shop and began to run a high fever.

The two doctors from Bai Jing’s hospital were from the Bai family’s direct line. Before entering the shopping street, they signed a confidentiality agreement and brought with them equipment for basic physical examinations.

The doctors first examined Ding Qing, prescribed medicine, and after starting an IV drip, they began treating her external injuries.

The doctors told Lu Yao that Ding Qing had endured extremely cruel treatment. She had multiple bruises and contusions, was malnourished, and had a miscarriage not long ago.

Her body had been badly mistreated and needed to be carefully nurtured, or she might develop irreversible long-term effects in the future.

In addition to the physical pain, her mental state and psychological health also needed to be monitored. If her condition worsened, a professional psychologist would need to examine her and help relieve her emotions, but only if she was willing to open up.

Lu Yao took note of everything.

The two doctors stayed at the shop for nearly two hours. As the day grew darker, only two sets of medicine were left, so Lu Yao escorted them to the door and let them leave.

Ding Qing needed continuous IV drips, so the doctors would have to return later.

By the time the shop’s working hours ended, Zhang Shu had already left, leaving only Harold and Lu Yao still in the shop.

Ding Qing had finished her IV, the fever had subsided, but she still hadn’t woken up.

Lu Yao ordered porridge and some light side dishes from the snack shop and placed them by Ding Qing’s bed, so when she woke up, she could eat.

After more than half an hour, Ding Qing still hadn’t woken up.

Lu Yao wrote a note and attached it to the food box by the bed. The box from the snack shop had thermal insulation, so no matter when Ding Qing woke up, the food would be as fresh as when it was made.

With only one light left on in the office, Lu Yao opened the door and stepped out.

Lu Yao could use magic to heal Ding Qing’s external injuries and even erase the last two months of her memory, but in the end, she did nothing.

Harold had ordered seafood barbecue, grilled beast steaks, and special drinks from the second floor of the snack shop. He was sitting in the lobby, eating heartily.

Seeing that Lu Yao had finally come out, he called her over to eat, but his face still looked somewhat displeased.

Ding Qing had been fine with everyone in the shop, but she would gag when she saw Harold. It frustrated and annoyed him. However, it was a human who looked like she was on the verge of death, and so he could only stew in his anger.

Lu Yao, thinking of Ding Qing’s situation, felt upset as well. She sat down and spoke with Harold in detail.

As a dragon, Harold had a rough childhood, but he had never been humiliated like this.

The dragon race had many different values from humans. They were born stronger than humans, so Harold couldn’t completely understand Ding Qing’s situation, but he wasn’t as angry anymore. He asked Lu Yao, “Once she’s healed, she won’t throw up when she sees me anymore, will she?”

Lu Yao sighed, “It might take a long time.”

Harold didn’t dwell on the matter any longer, instead saying, “Tina heard that you plan to use those from the Internet cafe as couriers. She’s a little upset.”

Lu Yao asked, “Tina wants to come too?”

Harold replied, “Since you left the Alexander Continent, you’ve rarely brought everyone along. Not just Tina, but everyone else is upset, especially now that you’re planning to bring Xiong An’an and the others along.”

In the eyes of the otherworldly staff, wherever Lu Yao stayed the longest, it meant that she enjoyed spending time with those staff members.

Whether Lu Yao was running the shop or busy with tasks, they always found it fun.

Lu Yao looked at Harold. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d say. It sounds more like something Ambrose or Edward would teach.”

Before Ambrose changed to become a Necromancer, he had been a human mage, more knowledgeable about human emotions and weaknesses than others.

Edward, having lived for an exceedingly long time, had witnessed almost everything and maintained deep connections with the human race.

Harold slammed the table in frustration. “What they say is useless!”

Lu Yao, with a serious expression, replied, “Coming here to gain experience or work requires payment. Among the manicurists, only you and I have signed soul contracts. If the internet café kids want to come, the same rule applies. You can tell them that signing a contract is the minimum requirement—everything else is secondary.”

Harold suddenly perked up. “Not only do they have to sign contracts, but they also have to acknowledge me as their team leader. The older ones might hesitate, but Tina and Si Jin probably won’t.”

The thought of the little golden dragon and the little fire dragon becoming his subordinates made Harold’s tail figuratively wag in delight.

Lu Yao couldn’t help but lecture him again, “Being a team leader isn’t just about enjoying the glory. It comes with responsibilities, including protecting the staff under you.”

Harold became even more smug.

After all, being strong enough to protect others signified strength, and he would ensure the safety of the staff under his charge.

Once Harold finished his meal, he returned to the Alexander Continent. Lu Yao closed the shop and waited for Ding Qing to wake up.

Qiuyu messaged Lu Yao, expressing her desire to start work at the delivery shop the next day.

Qiuyu, a thousand-year-old demon dragon, was far more powerful than Xiong An’an and the others in terms of cultivation. Transforming into a human form posed no difficulty for her.

Since she already had a contract with Lu Yao, she could follow Harold through the time-space portal without being bound by the star gate.

Considering the recent task goals and the need for more staff, Lu Yao agreed for Qiuyu to join the next day.

Unlike others limited by the stargate’s rules, Qiu Yu was solely bound by her contract with Lu Yao. At the time, Lu Yao didn’t think too much about this, nor did the Dream Fulfillment System remind her.

After arranging things with Qiuyu, Lu Yao also communicated with Jiao Niang.

Jiao Niang informed Lu Yao that the sparrow demons, who treated the internet café like their “happy retirement home,” had heard about Qiuyu joining another shop for work and were pestering her to contact Lu Yao. They wanted to contribute to the new store.

In the eyes of most creatures on the Floating World Continent, Lu Yao and her human staff seemed to live in the world of the internet, which they referred to as the “small illusory realm.”

To the beings from the Six Realms and mortal worlds, the acceptance of the small illusory realm was quite high.

Among the sparrow demons, one had already mastered the ability to freely transform into a human form, while the others were still unstable in their transformations. In a low-magic, low-tech world like the Golden Kingdom, even with the Regulation Rod, likely only their leader could maintain a human form.

Lu Yao didn’t agree immediately, telling Jiao Niang that she would personally assess them later at the internet café.

In the staff office, Ding Qing woke up.

The Dream Fulfillment System promptly notified Lu Yao.

When Lu Yao entered the room, she found Ding Qing lying on the simple wooden bed, staring blankly.

Lu Yao approached and sat by the bed, uncovering the clay pot of porridge on the bedside table. “You’re awake. Get up and eat something. The doctor came by earlier. Your body is very weak and needs rest to recover.”

Ding Qing, not one to dwell on negativity, was faintly aware of her surroundings even while unconscious. She obediently sat up without resistance.

Lu Yao unfolded a small table in front of her, setting down a bowl of porridge and a few side dishes. “This porridge is light and watery—just have a little to fill your stomach. Your stomach is in poor condition, so you shouldn’t eat too much or anything too thick.”

Ding Qing picked up the bowl and took a sip. The rich aroma of rice flooded her senses, instantly awakening the hunger she had suppressed. She drank several mouthfuls in quick succession and reached for the side dishes.

After finishing half a bowl of porridge, Ding Qing set the bowl down and asked, “When can I start working?”

Lu Yao picked up the long, rectangular bag she had carried earlier, containing the two short swords.

“I’m giving this to you. For now, you’ll work in the store as a bodyguard. Your main job is to protect our system engineer, Miss Zhang Shu—you met her when you arrived.”

Ding Qing nodded and asked, “Why are you being so good to me? Like you said, I have nothing left.”

In just two months, Ding Qing had endured experiences more brutal than most face in a lifetime. She no longer believed that anyone would help her selflessly, without expecting something in return. Those who loved her without conditions were long gone, claimed by the apocalypse.

Lu Yao replied, “The reason is both complex and simple. For me, saving someone isn’t a burden. But I’m not a bleeding heart either. You’re young but possess courage and decisiveness far beyond your years and experiences. I believe you could be of use in my shop.”

Ding Qing’s tense shoulders slowly relaxed, though she remained cautious. “You said I could become a courier.”

Lu Yao nodded. “That depends on how well you recover. Based on your current physical condition and abilities, you’re not yet fit for the job.”

Ding Qing clutched the two short swords tightly. “As long as I have these, I’m not afraid to go anywhere or do anything.”

Lu Yao couldn’t help but smile. “Tomorrow, we might have one or two new couriers in the shop. There will be both men and women. You can observe them then.”

After ensuring Ding Qing had eaten and taken her medication, Lu Yao watched her lie down to rest before leaving the shop.

She headed to the internet café first.

Xiong An’an, Little Ginseng, and Kang Kang had all heard that Qiuyu was going to work in the Golden Kingdom. When they also learned that the sparrow demons wanted to join, Xiong An’an was both shocked and aggrieved.

The moment Lu Yao stepped in, Xiong An’an started acting up, rubbing against her, hugging her, and whining incessantly. He stopped just short of throwing himself on the floor and rolling around.

Lu Yao didn’t avoid them and began assessments in the break room.

Qiuyu and Little Ginseng both transformed with ease, while the sparrow leader was more skilled in shapeshifting than Xiong An’an and Kang Kang.

Lu Yao solemnly announced the selection of Qiuyu and the sparrow leader, whose name she gave as Zhao Ye (Illuminating Night). Little Ginseng had a primary role as a consultant in the café and couldn’t leave for now. Xiong An’an and Kang Kang needed more practice. Only when they could reliably maintain their human forms without revealing themselves could they join the courier shop.

There were 13 sparrow demons remaining in the café, all of whom volunteered to sign contracts with Lu Yao and expressed a strong desire to work in the Golden Kingdom.

Zhao Ye, the most adept at shapeshifting, served as the leader of the sparrow demons. He explained to Lu Yao that while the younger sparrows weren’t skilled at transformation, they could still act as scouts, providing invaluable assistance. Lu Yao agreed.

After leaving the café, Lu Yao visited the nail salon.

It was already dark, but the staff were still there.

When Si Jin saw her, he asked, “Harold said that as long as we sign a contract with you, we can go to the Golden Kingdom?”

Lu Yao nodded but hesitated. “You’re not all planning to go, are you?”

The others shook their heads.

Si Jin said, “Only Tina and I want to go. Tina returned to the dragon nest tonight to seek her parents’ permission. My parents have long passed, so there’s no one to stop me.”

Lu Yao asked the Dream Fulfillment System, “Is signing contracts with three dragons at once really okay?”

The system replied, “If it were before, we might have hesitated. But now, with the Abyssal Goddess backing us, we could sign contracts with a hundred dragons, and it wouldn’t matter.”

Lu Yao was surprised. “She’s that powerful?”

The system explained, “…She’s said to be just one tier below the highest god, entrusted by the Creator to govern the night. You’re the first human she’s favored in millions of years. Even I don’t know why she chose you.”

Late that night, Tina’s parents accompanied her to the Emerald Town nail salon, along with an elder from the dragon clan. In the presence of three adult dragons and the other non-human staff, Lu Yao, Si Jin, and Tina signed mutual soul-binding contracts as a pledge of coexistence.

The next day, the courier shop welcomed four new couriers: Si Jin, Tina, Qiuyu, and Zhao Ye.

When Zhang Shu arrived at the shop, she was stunned. The couriers weren’t just young; they were breathtakingly beautiful.

There was a regal young man with golden hair and eyes, a striking girl with red hair and eyes, a commanding woman with black hair and red eyes, and a handsome boy with symmetrical moles under his eyes. Add Harold and the shopkeeper herself, and Zhang Shu could barely catch her breath as she walked into the office.

These couriers didn’t just look better than idol groups—they carried an air of unapproachable strength.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Chen Fu propped himself up on the floor, struggling to crawl toward the main entrance. His voice trembled as he called out, “Qingqing, Qingqing, I’m sorry. I apologize. Please, don’t do anything rash.”

The girl, referred to as Qingqing, strode up to him. Without hesitation, she drove her sword through his hands, which were feebly attempting to shield his lower body. The blade pierced through with ease, and Chen Fu’s face turned ashen, cold sweat dripping down his face and soaking his skin.

Qingqing’s expression was icy as she pulled the sword out and stabbed again—each thrust delivered with fierce resolve.

With every strike, Chen Fu let out a blood-curdling scream, each more desperate than the last.

From outside came the distinct sound of an engine roaring to life. The three men with the van were preparing to flee. Qingqing pulled her sword free and bolted out the door after them.

Chen Fu collapsed onto the floor, dark red blood pooling around him and quickly spreading.

“Krrrrk… krrrrk…”

A hoarse, rasping noise echoed faintly from the stairwell. It was fragmented, uneven, and ominous.

Chen Fu froze, his back drenched in cold sweat. He turned his head to see the source of the noise, but the sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. He tried to get up, but his legs were still bleeding profusely, rendering him unable to stand.

“Bang! Thud! Clatter!”

A zombie tumbled down the stairs, rolling several times before crashing into the hallway wall. It landed face-up, its exposed neck bones stark against its decaying flesh. Its shriveled face housed two bulging, bloodshot eyes that stared unblinkingly at Chen Fu, who was less than twenty meters away.

Chen Fu locked eyes with the zombie, and a terrified scream burst from his throat. Scrambling like a desperate dog, he crawled across the floor, pleading, “Save me!”

The zombie slowly turned its neck, as if testing its movements, before attempting to stand.

“Thud… Thud…” More zombies began tumbling down the stairs, piling atop the first one.

Drawn by the fresh scent of blood and the anguished cries, the undead seemed to have discovered an effective way to descend. More and more of them began rolling down the stairs in a gruesome cascade.

Hearing Chen Fu’s first scream, the three men outside initially stepped out of the van, thinking to help. However, upon entering and seeing the chaos inside, they fled back to the van. They believed Chen Fu could make it out, so they sat in the vehicle and waited at the entrance for about thirty seconds. When he didn’t appear, they decided to leave.

By the time Qingqing rushed out of the clinic’s main doors, the white van was already heading toward where Lu Yao had parked her electric bike.

She gave chase, sword in hand, but her frail body couldn’t keep up. She could only watch helplessly as the van sped farther and farther away.

Standing at the entrance, Lu Yao watched Qingqing’s stiff, desolate silhouette. She let out a soft sigh, gently released Zhang Shulan, and raised the short sword in her hand. With precise aim, she hurled it like a javelin toward the van.

The moment the blade left her hand, a transparent layer of sword energy enveloped it, transforming it into a missile-like projectile that streaked toward the vehicle.

Inside the van, the elderly man who had been complicit in deceiving Lu Yao was sitting in the back. He leaned slightly to observe what was happening behind the vehicle. When he saw Lu Yao’s throwing motion, he scoffed dismissively. A mocking smile spread across his face—he didn’t believe for a second that a simple sword could do any harm.

But as the blade closed in, his smile froze. A faint flicker of astonishment replaced his disdain, though he still didn’t feel the need to worry. “It’s just a sword, not a bullet,” he thought. “What’s the worst it could do?”

The answer came in the next moment. The sword’s tip struck the van’s rear bumper. The accompanying sword energy effortlessly sliced through the vehicle’s glass and metal chassis, cutting the van cleanly in half.

The elderly man’s mocking grin turned into a blood-curdling scream as the sword energy severed four of his fingers and both of his kneecaps.

The van screeched to a halt, the rear half sliding a few meters away before tilting and collapsing on its side.

Qingqing reached the vehicle just as it came to a stop. Ignoring the wails of the mutilated elder sprawled across the backseat, she intercepted the two men in the front as they tried to climb out.

The short sword Lu Yao had thrown hadn’t managed to slice through the entire van—it remained lodged in the front section of the vehicle. The weapon’s energy had dissipated after traveling such a great distance, leaving it embedded in the car’s metal frame.

Still, it had done enough damage.

If Harold had thrown the sword, the blade would have barely grazed the vehicle before the entire van exploded.

But even without such force, those men were not escaping.

The two men trapped in their seats panicked as they saw the girl—her sword still smeared with half-dried blood—approaching them. They immediately began pleading for mercy.

The girl’s real name was Ding Qing. She used to be neighbors with Chen Fu.

The old man in the back seat was Chen Fu’s biological grandfather. Chen Fu’s parents had abandoned him when he was young, leaving him to live with his grandfather. Ding Qing’s mother, out of kindness, often helped the pitiful pair.

But this kindness didn’t earn their gratitude; instead, it invited a nightmare that left scars on Ding Qing’s family.

The year Ding Qing was accepted into university, the old man approached her mother with a twisted proposal: he wanted Ding Qing to marry Chen Fu and insisted there was no need to send “a little girl” to college.

Her mother was utterly disgusted and immediately refused.

She thought the matter had ended there. But soon after, malicious rumors about Ding Qing began to circulate in the neighborhood.

Ding Qing’s parents, though kind, were no pushovers. They gathered evidence of slander and hired a lawyer.

Faced with legal action, Chen Fu and his grandfather cried, wailed, and played the victim, but none of their antics worked against the evidence presented.

Although the rumors were cleared up, Ding Qing’s parents no longer felt at peace living in that neighborhood. They sold their home, bought a new one, and moved away. For two years, life was quiet.

Then, the zombie virus outbreak began.

When the outbreak hit, Ding Qing was in university. She and her boyfriend fought tooth and nail to return to her family, only to arrive at her parents’ house to a scene of horror.

Her parents lay in the living room, stabbed multiple times, their blood pooling across the floor. Her mother’s face was especially horrific—sliced dozens of times, down to the bone, leaving it a bloodied mess.

Standing in their home were Chen Fu, his grandfather, and two unfamiliar men—none other than the driver and front passenger of the van.

Chen Fu had planned to find Ding Qing eventually, and encountering her here was a twisted stroke of luck for him. Without hesitation, he restrained her and dragged her out of the house.

Ding Qing screamed for help, but the other residents, already terrified by the zombie outbreak, locked their doors and windows, offering no aid. Her boyfriend tried to intervene, but Chen Fu shoved him into a nearby horde of zombies.

From that moment on, Ding Qing’s life plunged into unrelenting darkness, consumed by boundless hatred.

Now, standing at the van, Ding Qing began her vengeance. She first severed the legs of the man in the front passenger seat. As he wailed in agony, a faint smile broke through her otherwise numb expression—a smile full of grief, anger, and bitter hatred.

The driver reached out to grab the short sword lodged in the car’s frame, but Ding Qing swiftly swung her blade, slicing off his right hand. His scream echoed through the air.

Retrieving the sword embedded in the car, she methodically severed the driver’s hands and legs before mercifully opening the car door to let them fall out. Blood and urine pooled on the ground as they writhed in pain, dragging their maimed bodies toward the distance.

Ignoring them, Ding Qing moved to the back of the van, where Chen Fu’s grandfather was dragging himself toward the roadside bushes, his leg already severed.

Without hesitation, Ding Qing severed the old man’s remaining limbs. He rolled on the ground in pain, screaming profanities, “You little b—AAAAHHHH!”

A sharp swipe of her blade silenced him, cutting off a chunk of his tongue and part of his mouth. Blood filled his mouth, reducing his cries to muffled gurgles.

Ding Qing left him there, knowing the surrounding zombies would finish the job within half an hour.

That’s how they had killed her parents and her boyfriend.

Carrying her sword, she turned back toward the clinic. She still had unfinished business with Chen Fu.

The punishment he had suffered so far was far from enough to quell the overwhelming humiliation and searing hatred that consumed her.

Zhang Shulan leaned against the doorframe of the clinic entrance, watching Ding Qing approach. She wanted to speak but couldn’t find the right words.

Ding Qing didn’t spare Zhang Shulan a glance as she walked back into the clinic lobby, just in time to see Chen Fu crawling out of the hallway, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.

The zombies had descended from the upper floors and now crowded around the entrance to the examination room.

The two men who had been inside earlier had tried to flee, but the zombies caught them, ripping open their stomachs and pulling out intestines to feast on.

Chen Fu crawled as fast as he could, glancing back in terror at the carnage, before turning forward—only to meet Ding Qing’s eyes.

“Spare me! Save me!” he wailed.

Ding Qing burst into laughter. She stepped on his head, crouched down, and grabbed his tongue, then stabbed her sword through it. After slicing off half of his tongue, she viciously stomped on his mangled mouth.

“Louder!” she taunted, her voice icy. “Don’t you love hearing screams? Let’s hear some more.”

By the time Lu Yao emerged from the left hallway, the zombies had already finished devouring the two men and were beginning to shuffle toward the clinic lobby.

Chen Fu lay on the blood-soaked floor, his mouth and lower body mutilated, trembling violently as he stared at the approaching zombies. He looked as if he were already dead, except for the sheer terror in his bulging eyes.

Ding Qing stood motionless in front of him.

Lu Yao frowned slightly, hurried over, grabbed Ding Qing by the arm, and pulled her along.

Ding Qing instinctively tried to pull away, but when she realized it was Lu Yao, she shook her head. “I don’t want to leave. I’ve had enough of living.”

She extended both swords toward Lu Yao. “Thank you.”

Lu Yao took the swords, then turned around, scooped Ding Qing up in her arms, and ran for the door. “Let’s go!” she called to Zhang Shulan. “Head for my electric bike!”

Out on the main road, zombies were beginning to appear. Attracted by the blood and noise, they swarmed toward the men who had escaped the van. They wouldn’t last long and would soon end up like the men at the examination room door.

Pain-filled screams echoed from behind them as the zombies closed in on Chen Fu.

Ding Qing leaned against Lu Yao’s shoulder, her eyes slowly closing. In a faint voice, she said, “You shouldn’t have interfered. I’ve lost all hope. Staying there would’ve been better. But… thank you. I didn’t know that all it took was a knife to make them so terrified. I have no regrets.”

A warm dampness spread across Lu Yao’s chest. She slowed her pace slightly, motioning for Zhang Shulan to keep up, then spoke softly to Ding Qing. “That weapon you used? It’s mine. That makes me your accomplice. You have nothing, so you can’t repay me. From now on, your life belongs to me.”

Ding Qing immediately raised her head, her sharp gaze locking onto Lu Yao.

Lu Yao remained calm. “I run a delivery service on Guanyin Road. I handle errands for the nearby residents. You’ve got good stamina and mental resilience. If you pass the assessment, you might become one of my runners.”

Ding Qing stared at her in stunned silence, her expression complicated and unreadable.

Lu Yao didn’t press her. Once they reached the electric bike, she set Ding Qing down and pulled a plastic-wrapped package from the hood of her sweatshirt. She handed it to Zhang Shulan. “I didn’t have much time, but I managed to grab these. There’s some fever medicine suitable for children in there.”

Zhang Shulan’s face was filled with disbelief. When Lu Yao had left her at the door and ran back toward the hallway, she thought there was something urgent she had to do. She never imagined Lu Yao had gone to find medicine for her.

Zhang Shulan lowered her head. “I’m sorry. When I placed the order, I was trying to ask for help.”

Lu Yao stuffed the medicine into Zhang Shulan’s hands and then pulled out the Pixiu. “Settle the bill, and we can leave. No need to say anything else.”

Zhang Shulan slid a gold bracelet off her wrist. “This was part of my wedding jewelry. It’s over 30 grams of gold—take it all.”

Her initial business card had been given to her free of charge when Lu Yao delivered it last time.

Based on the distance from Guanyin Road to the clinic, the service fee amounted to 1 gram of gold. Since the delivery had also involved bringing Zhang Shulan back for safety, Lu Yao added an additional 0.2 grams as the return fee, totaling 1.2 grams of gold.

The Pixiu bit through Zhang Shulan’s bracelet, extracting the appropriate amount of gold.

Lu Yao handed the remainder of the bracelet back to her, then gave her a promotional flyer. Before the encroaching zombies could gather, she rode off with Zhang Shulan and Ding Qing on her electric bike.

…

Zhang Shulan carefully examined the flyer as they traveled. Once they stopped, she decided to purchase ten additional business cards from Lu Yao.

Though the staff of this peculiar courier shop acted rough, it unexpectedly gave her a sense of security.

After thanking Lu Yao at the roadside, she carried the medicine and hurried home. Her residence was in the neighborhood directly across Guanyin Road from the delivery shop. From her apartment, she could see the shop on the opposite side of the street.

After watching Zhang Shulan enter her complex, Lu Yao rode back to the shop.

Harold stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. “Why are you back so late?”

Lu Yao parked her bike and led Ding Qing inside.

Harold gave Ding Qing a quick once-over and curled his lips. “Another stray you’ve picked up?”

Ding Qing, noticing Harold, abruptly turned toward the door and began dry-heaving.

Harold’s face darkened instantly. “What’s that supposed to mean? She sees me and wants to vomit?”

Lu Yao patted him on the shoulder. “It’s not about you. She’s feeling unwell. I’ll contact Bai Yi to have a doctor come and take a look. Now, tell me how you managed to get the clients back.”

Harold, clearly feeling a bit guilty, replied impatiently, “The job’s done. Does it matter how?”

Later, Lu Yao got the full story from Zhang Shu. Still, she didn’t reprimand Harold after learning about his inventive methods.

Two Hours Later, an ambulance arrived at the shopping street with two female doctors. After Lu Yao explained the situation to Bai Yi, he contacted Bai Jing, who arranged for medical staff from their family hospital to assist.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

On the deserted highway, dozens of different car models and an oil tanker were crowded by the roadside. The tanker driver’s upper body hung out of the window, his face a grotesque mess of decayed red and white flesh, exposing the fresh bones underneath. A thick swarm of green flies buzzed and scattered as the wind swept past.

Inside the compact cars, neither drivers nor passengers had survived. The worst was a gray sedan crushed against the back of the oil tanker, flattened like a squashed tin can. Flesh and dark red viscera were smeared across the ground, now dried into a tarry black crust, nearly blending into the asphalt.

Harold rode his electric scooter slowly past the scene. Around his waist was a thick rope, the end of which was tied to five enormous garbage bins. The bins had been emptied of trash, and each now held a full-grown man standing inside, clutching backpacks filled with supplies. At their feet were several cans of oil, bottles of purified water, bags of rice, and various other items.

Harold had put considerable thought into this. Since Lu Yao forbade him from using magic in front of others, there was no way the scooter alone could carry five grown men. Fortunately, there were several large garbage bins nearby with wheels conveniently attached at the bottom for easy dragging.

Harold proposed the idea to the group, suggesting they ride in the bins back to the neighborhood. The men, reluctant to be left behind for another 10 or 20 minutes, reluctantly agreed.

Though skeptical of the scooter’s horsepower, they were even more afraid of being left alone. Resigned, they each emptied and cleaned a garbage bin for their own use, even ensuring they were as spotless as possible before climbing in.

Yes, the passengers cleaned their own “carriages.” Once done, they wheeled them to Harold, who attached them to the back of the scooter.

The bins, each perforated with holes for the ropes, were strung together like train cars. To maintain balance and safety, Harold discreetly used a bit of magic to stabilize the contraption, ensuring the bins wouldn’t tip over or come apart.

The scooter itself lacked the power to pull such a heavy load—Harold was the one actually doing the work. For him, the weight was negligible; the scooter was just for show.

The passengers, however, were unaware of this and were visibly uneasy. The tall, narrow bins seemed precarious, and the idea of being pulled by a small electric scooter didn’t inspire confidence. Still, they said nothing.

Harold’s striking appearance added to the surreal experience. His youthful, finely sculpted features were a rare sight in the Golden Kingdom. When he arrived at the back of the supermarket to pick them up, he had faced a group of zombies head-on, dismounting the scooter and punching them down one by one with explosive force. Brains and blood splattered like crushed watermelons, mingling with the rancid trash around them.

The passengers were left with an indelible (and traumatic) impression. Harold’s savage efficiency had terrified them even more than Lu Yao’s precision with a gun.

As the passengers climbed into their bins, the scooter began its journey back to the neighborhood. Despite their initial doubts, the trip was surprisingly smooth. Even at steep inclines and sharp turns, the bins remained stable, much to their amazement.

At one point, they encountered a massive horde of zombies. A dense wave of undead surged around the corner, resembling a displaced refugee crowd. The passengers held their breath, afraid to make a sound and risk spooking Harold, who might abandon them halfway.

To their surprise, the scooter suddenly sped up, its engine buzzing louder. Within moments, Harold had left the zombies far behind.

As they approached Guanyin Road, Da Liu hesitated, swallowing hard before summoning the courage to speak. “Uh… how about you let us off here? The neighborhood is just up ahead. We can walk the rest of the way.”

The other four immediately nodded in agreement.

Though the world had changed, many of the remaining residents spent their days peering out from windows. No one wanted to be seen riding garbage bins home—it was too embarrassing.

Harold didn’t even look back. “No. If I drop you off here, it doesn’t count as a safe delivery. If Lu Yao finds out, I’ll get an earful. The store policy is to ensure every delivery reaches the client safely.”

Da Liu: “…”

Clients?

This would likely earn him a lecture from Lu Yao too.

Before they could protest further, the scooter turned onto Guanyin Road. Left with no choice, the passengers lowered their heads, trying to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible.

The main road was empty, with no cars or pedestrians in sight. Harold’s scooter chugged along, slow but steady, pulling a colorful string of garbage bins that resembled a row of mismatched traffic lights trailing behind him.

Zhang Shu noticed the trajectory of the electric scooter on the map in the backend system and realized Harold was almost back. Curious, she got up and walked to the shop entrance, only to see Harold pulling a string of garbage bins as he passed by.

Zhang Shu: “…”

At the main gate of Guanyin Community, Da Liu and the others disembarked from their unconventional “carriages.”

Family members, who had been eagerly waiting at their windows upon hearing the sound of the scooter, rushed downstairs to greet them once they arrived.

Da Liu threw his backpack of supplies to the ground and quickly climbed out of the garbage bin. He then turned back to retrieve the remaining items. Some of the others, lacking strength, had to rely on their companions to help them out of the bins.

Harold parked the scooter and walked over to assist. With his effortless strength, he held the bins steady with one hand and easily lifted grown men out with the other.

One of the passengers, startled by being hoisted out so unceremoniously, stiffened in shock. The rest, seeing this, hurriedly called for their companions to help instead.

The five families received their men back safely, marking the successful completion of all five orders. Harold even made two additional trips to carry the heavier supplies upstairs before returning to the shop.

By then, the residents of Guanyin Community were well aware of the peculiar but capable “courier shop” operating outside their neighborhood. The shop’s runners were not only efficient but also didn’t take any of the customers’ supplies.

Whether or not they needed errand services, many people mentally noted this information. Some residents finally opened their doors and retrieved the flyers left hanging on their doorknobs.

…

Ping’an Road 198, City People’s Hospital, Building 3 Clinic

Lu Yao walked slowly toward the van parked at the entrance. Perhaps wary of the weapons in her hands, the people in the van didn’t step out.

Lu Yao ignored them, circling around the vehicle to head straight into the clinic.

The Dream Fulfillment System had detected two women tied up inside, one of whom was likely the customer who placed the order. Lu Yao needed to find them first.

Just as she stepped onto the first stair of the clinic’s main entrance, a weak voice called out from behind her.

The system had earlier detected two people hiding behind the van. The voice belonged to an elderly man, his face deeply wrinkled, skin weathered and darkened, with white-streaked facial hair. He wore a tattered, army-green long-sleeved work jacket and leaned against the van door, his eyes half-closed, groaning in a drawn-out, pained tone.

Next to him squatted a young man in his early twenties with a buzz cut, wearing an oversized, once-white T-shirt now yellowed with age.

The young man seemed to be caring for the old man. Noticing Lu Yao’s gaze, he glanced at her briefly, then lowered his head timidly. A few seconds passed, and seeing Lu Yao had no intention of speaking, he hesitantly called out as she turned to walk away.

“Wait!”

Lu Yao stopped and turned back. “What is it?”

The young man replied, “My name is Chen Fu, and this is my grandfather. He’s old, and during our escape, his chronic illnesses flared up. He needs medicine for stomach issues and high blood pressure. We finally found this hospital, but there are so many zombies inside. Can you help us?”

Lu Yao widened her eyes, feigning a look of disbelief. “Are you talking about me? I’m just here to find medicine too, but I’m scared of those things. To give myself courage, I brought these two props my brother used for cosplay. They might look impressive, but they’re completely harmless.”

Her voice was calm but carried a hint of naive innocence.

The young man crouching beside the old man almost failed to hide his gleeful expression. He quickly looked down, pretending to comfort his grandfather before standing up and walking toward Lu Yao. “I’ve actually been inside once. I found the pharmacy, but there were too many zombies for me to go in. I can accompany you if you’d like.”

The Dream Fulfillment System nearly rolled its metaphorical eyes. “Idiot.”

Lu Yao replied silently to the system, “Don’t be so harsh. Who knows how many people he’s already deceived like this? Ordinary people without someone like you to help them wouldn’t even guess the traps in his mind.”

The system was momentarily flustered by the unexpected praise, sensing something different about its host this time.

Lu Yao didn’t nod or refuse the young man’s offer. She simply stood in place, waiting for him to approach. Then they walked side by side toward the clinic entrance.

Once inside, the two men stationed at the entrance were nowhere to be seen. The young man confidently led Lu Yao down the right corridor, stopping in front of a door with a plaque reading “Examination Room.” He kicked the door open and shoved Lu Yao from behind.

Inside, two men were waiting by the door, grinning lecherously and preparing to grab her as soon as she stumbled forward. They weren’t worried—she was holding what they believed were harmless props. Besides, she looked clean, gentle, and obedient, the type of woman who wouldn’t resist.

But as Lu Yao reached the doorway, she didn’t stumble. Instead, her eyes scanned the room, noting the two women cowering in the corner and the two men standing ready to pounce.

Without hesitation, she flicked her wrist.

“AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

Screams filled the air as both men’s hands were severed cleanly at the wrist, falling to the floor one after another. They staggered backward, clutching their bleeding stumps, their faces contorted in pain. Tears and cold sweat poured down as they collapsed against the walls, howling in agony.

Zhang Shulan, recognizing Lu Yao, was too shocked to speak. She hadn’t even had time to warn her to run before witnessing the grisly scene: vivid red blood sprayed across the walls and floor, pooling around the two severed hands lying in the doorway.

The girl huddled in the corner, her face previously blank, slowly turned her gaze toward the commotion. Her dark, lifeless eyes glimmered faintly as she shifted her attention to Lu Yao, who stood calmly at the entrance.

Outside, Chen Fu froze, stunned by the sudden turn of events. He had thought this woman was gullible and naive, easily tricked by a few casual words. But those swords in her hands weren’t props—they were sharper than any weapon he’d ever seen. With a mere flick, she had sliced through bone and flesh as if cutting tofu.

Fear overwhelmed him. Without a second thought, he turned and bolted.

Lu Yao, still adjusting to the sight of blood and violence, hesitated briefly. But recalling the other three men outside, she quickly gave chase. With a swift thrust of her short sword, she struck his leg, sending him crashing to the floor with a cry of pain.

Chen Fu’s knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground with a scream of pain.

The Dream Fulfillment System chimed in at the right moment: “The zombies upstairs are moving down.”

Lu Yao paid no further attention to Chen Fu and turned back into the examination room to find Zhang Shulan.

With a flick of her sword, she cut through the coarse rope binding Zhang Shulan’s wrists and ankles. Zhang staggered, grabbing onto Lu Yao for support. “Thank you,” she murmured.

Lu Yao then used her blade to cut the bindings of the younger girl. As she bent down to help her, the girl flinched away, her gaze fixed on the sword in Lu Yao’s hand.

“I’d like to borrow your sword,” the girl said softly. Her voice was hoarse, her expression icy. Standing up, she was a little taller than Lu Yao, though gaunt and frail.

A pang of pity stirred in Lu Yao’s heart. Without hesitation, she handed the girl one of her swords, then turned to steady Zhang Shulan.

The sound of zombies shuffling closer hinted at the urgency of their situation. The commotion and the scent of blood had likely drawn them downstairs.

Suddenly, blood-curdling screams erupted from the examination room.

“AAAAHHHHHHH—”

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH—”

The wails were louder and more heart-wrenching than before, piercing the air.

Both Lu Yao and Zhang Shulan froze, then instinctively turned toward the source of the cries.

The two men who had lost their hands now had dark red stains spreading from their crotches, soaking their clothes. They writhed on the ground, clutching themselves, tears streaming down their faces as they howled in agony.

The young girl stood over them, her expression cold, the blade of her sword stained crimson. Without hesitation, she plunged the sword into them again and again, each strike fueled by a raw, unrelenting hatred. Her teeth clenched as she delivered every blow.

Lu Yao steadied Zhang Shulan and walked toward her, cautioning softly, “The zombies are heading down. We can’t stay here any longer.”

The two injured men heard this as well. Between sobs, they began pleading desperately, “Please, save us! We know we were wrong! We’re nothing but beasts! Please, have mercy!”

But Lu Yao remained unmoved. She guided Zhang Shulan out of the examination room, her mind heavy with thoughts. Deep inside, she felt a twinge of irritation, but she had no regrets.

Saving people like them would only harm the innocent.

In the hallway, Chen Fu leaned against the wall, leaving a long trail of blood behind him. When he spotted Lu Yao, a glimmer of hope lit up his eyes—until he noticed the young girl following behind her, still holding the bloodied sword. His face turned ashen with terror.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Previous

Zhao Xiaopeng and Feng Bing moved sluggishly, their energy completely drained after being trapped in the warehouse for a day and a night. They dragged their backpacks toward the electric scooter with great difficulty, as if every step required their last bit of strength.

Lu Yao couldn’t stand watching them struggle, so she walked over, grabbed their backpacks, and carried them to the scooter herself. With the clients rescued, she was eager to complete her first two delivery orders and return quickly.

Meanwhile, Da Liu’s group of five sat on the ground in a daze, their gazes tinged with envy as they watched Zhao Xiaopeng and Feng Bing. Like them, they had been trapped in the warehouse, terrified and desperate to escape. Now they faced a long, perilous trek of several kilometers home, dreading the possibility of encountering zombies along the way.

Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang, the first two to exit the warehouse, had been petrified earlier. Hiding behind Song Xu, they finally mustered the courage to approach Lu Yao. Standing in front of her, they spoke in unison, “Thank you so much for saving us.”

Lu Yao glanced at them, then at Song Xu, who was walking over. She shook her head indifferently. “No need to thank me.”

Song Xu took a step closer. “Really, we’re so grateful. You saved Anqi and me last time, and now you’ve saved our friends.”

Jiang Yifei’s eyes widened in realization. “Ah, so it was this lady who saved you last time? Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”

Song Xu replied helplessly, “You two were busy saying, ‘I was so scared!’ over and over. I couldn’t get a word in.”

Jiang Yifei chuckled awkwardly. “Can you blame us? Escaping death is exhilarating! I thought we were done for. That zombie was so close, I could smell its foul breath. But then, in the next second, a sword tip pierced through its mouth, and half its head was sliced off.”

Having spent some time in the dark warehouse, their eyes had adjusted to the dimness. Even though their flashlight had fallen to the ground, they could still vaguely make out what had happened.

Zhou Mingyang, more thoughtful, interrupted Jiang Yifei and looked at Lu Yao. “If I may ask, what exactly does ‘courier service’ mean?”

Jiang Yifei chimed in, “Yes, yes! I wanted to ask that too.”

Lu Yao pulled out a few flyers from her bag and handed one to each of them. “We’re running a promotion for our opening: all orders are half-price for three days.”

Zhou Mingyang and Jiang Yifei took the flyers and read them carefully. Song Xu also grabbed one.

The flyer was more detailed than the business cards. Jiang Yifei quickly finished reading it and began rummaging through her belongings.

Zhou Mingyang frowned. “What are you doing?”

Jiang Yifei replied, “Didn’t my bracelet break? I might as well trade it for some business cards since I can’t wear it anymore.”

Zhou Mingyang reminded her, “You left it at home because you didn’t want to carry it.”

Jiang Yifei suddenly remembered. The bracelet, which she used to like a lot, was tucked under her pillow at home because it was broken and she was worried about losing it during their trip. She sighed with regret. “Everyone says gold is useless now, but who knew it could be this useful? If I’d known, I would’ve brought it.”

Lu Yao said, “If you decide to buy, you can leave an address. Our couriers can deliver it later for an additional 0.2 grams of gold as a delivery fee.”

Jiang Yifei brightened up. “I want to buy it! My bracelet was originally 18 grams, and even with wear and tear, it’s at least 15 grams now. I’ll take ten cards to start.”

Zhou Mingyang hesitated. “Isn’t that a bit much?”

Jiang Yifei pulled him aside and whispered, “It’s half-price for the opening! Why not stock up? If we hadn’t encountered this courier today, we’d be dead by now.”

She lowered her voice further. “Besides, gold is useless now. You can’t eat it or use it. Better to trade it for something that might save your life.”

Lu Yao overheard and said calmly, “Our shop specializes in errands and deliveries, not rescue missions.”

Jiang Yifei grinned at Lu Yao. “You might not officially take rescue orders, but you wouldn’t ignore someone in need either.”

Unfazed, Lu Yao pulled out a black-and-gold special courier card and a pen. “The promotion only applies to the first card. Any additional cards are full price. Please confirm the quantity and provide a delivery address.”

The courier cards were black with gold edges. The back had spaces for the buyer to fill in their name, address, and the number of goods purchased.

The courier business cards were currently the only tangible product offered by the errands shop, as well as the only item eligible for home delivery service.

Jiang Yifei eagerly took the card and filled in her name, address, and the quantity of ten cards in the respective fields.

Lu Yao took it and placed it in her bag, kindly reminding her, “Our courier will deliver it within an hour. Please prepare the payment in advance. It’s best not to default on the order.”

She didn’t elaborate on the consequences of a failed payment.

Jiang Yifei nodded quickly. “We’ll head back and wait right away.”

Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaopeng and Feng Bing had mostly recovered after resting for a few minutes.

As Lu Yao moved toward the electric scooter, Da Liu jogged over to her. “Excuse me.”

Lu Yao turned to him. “Yes?”

Da Liu asked, “Could we also have a few flyers?”

Lu Yao pulled out a stack from her bag and handed it to him.

Another man stepped forward from behind Da Liu. “I’d like to place an order too.”

Someone pulled him back and whispered, “Do you even have gold?”

The man shook his head and pointed at Jiang Yifei. “We can do what she did. Place an order for the cards to be delivered home, and then have my wife pay and write the details. The courier can come back and pick us up.”

Though this method was slightly more complicated and required an additional delivery fee, it was still preferable to trekking five kilometers through zombie-infested ruins in their current exhausted state. Given the option, they would choose the former without hesitation.

It was peculiar, they thought. This courier only wanted gold—no food or water.

Lu Yao turned to Da Liu. “Count how many people want to order. Those interested, come forward for a card.”

The five men quickly gathered around, including the one who had cursed at her earlier. He lingered at the back, hesitant and cautious.

He expected Lu Yao to take the opportunity to humiliate him further, but she simply handed him a card and walked away.

The man stood frozen, lowering his head as his face flushed with embarrassment.

Da Liu urged him to fill out the card quickly. Once all the orders were written, they handed them collectively to Lu Yao.

With everything settled, Lu Yao got on the scooter, carrying Zhao Xiaopeng and Feng Bing away.

…

At Guanyin Community, Cao Xiuhong and her husband were anxiously waiting by the window. It had been nearly an hour since the young courier had left, and there hadn’t been any news. They felt restless but could do nothing except stare out the window.

The old man, tired of standing, waved his hand and moved to sit on the sofa, lightly patting his stiff knees.

Cao Xiuhong glanced at him, hesitating to speak.

The old man reassured her, “Don’t worry. Xiaopeng will come back.”

At that moment, the faint hum of an engine reached their ears.

The sound was unmistakable—the new young courier downstairs was the only one with a vehicle. That noise had to be her electric scooter.

Cao Xiuhong leaned out the window and saw the black two-wheeler approaching. She got so excited she almost strained her back. “Old man, quick! They’re back, they’re back!”

In apartment 703, Ren Juan also saw the scene. Overcome with excitement, she jumped and cheered inside her home before rushing to the window. Seeing her husband sitting at the back of the scooter, she threw open the door and dashed toward the entrance, completely forgetting about the danger of zombies.

Lu Yao stopped the scooter at the gate of Guanyin Community. Looking up, she noticed a woman running toward the gate, with two zombies trailing behind her.

Feng Bing’s face turned pale as a sheet as he shouted, “Juan’er, run faster! There’s something behind you!”

Ren Juan’s expression shifted, and she quickened her pace, not daring to look back.

Lu Yao raised her air rifle, aimed behind Ren Juan, and fired. The air bullet zipped past the woman’s wind-blown hair, hitting the zombie squarely in the forehead.

Startled, Ren Juan froze, crouching down instinctively. Lu Yao seized the opportunity, firing another shot to take down the second zombie.

The two muffled sounds of impact broke the tense silence. Ren Juan glanced back and immediately felt her legs give out.

Feng Bing, now seemingly energized, ran over to support his wife.

Zhao Xiaopeng, carrying his belongings, quickly made his way toward the residential complex, with Lu Yao following behind.

…

At the door of apartment 705 in Building Four, Zhao Xiaopeng threw himself into the arms of his grandparents, sobbing loudly. Alarmed, Cao Xiuhong and her husband initially thought something had gone wrong. After questioning him, they learned he had been trapped by zombies in a warehouse and narrowly escaped thanks to the timely arrival of the courier.

Meanwhile, Feng Bing and Ren Juan, leaning on each other for support, made their way upstairs. Upon seeing Lu Yao at the door of 705, Ren Juan hurried over to express her gratitude.

Several other residents opened their doors after hearing the commotion, hoping to see their own family members return. Instead, they only saw Zhao Xiaopeng and Feng Bing, which led to a chorus of disappointment and chatter.

Jin Hua stood in the hallway, her expression particularly complicated. She had harbored a faint hope: if Cao Xiuhong’s grandson and Ren Juan’s husband could return, then her husband Da Liu should also have made it back. But the reality was harsh—only those two had come home.

Lu Yao pulled five delivery cards from her bag and handed them to the family members of the remaining five individuals, explaining the situation clearly.

Feng Bing and Zhao Xiaopeng served as living proof that the courier shop was legitimate and capable of pulling people out from the zombie-infested chaos.

The five families, now reassured, eagerly discussed the next steps with Lu Yao. They quickly retrieved gold jewelry from their homes and placed their orders.

Each delivery card incurred a 0.2-gram gold delivery fee. Five cards amounted to 1 gram of gold.

Each family also placed an additional order for the runner service, purchasing both the cards and the delivery at a discounted price of 1 gram of gold per person. For the five families, the total came to 5 grams of gold.

Lu Yao collected the filled-out delivery cards, turned, and headed downstairs. She realized that in just this one round on the seventh floor, she had taken on seven orders and collected a total of 8 grams of gold.

System Notification:

Successfully completed one courier task within 24 hours. Task complete!

Reward: +100 Popularity Points, 1 World Truth Fragment.

New Task: “The reputation of Lu Yao’s Courier Shop has begun to grow. Please complete 300 courier tasks within seven days. Rewards: +30,000 Popularity Points, 3 World Truth Fragments.”

The system’s notifications appeared promptly, along with a new task.

Three hundred tasks in seven days seemed challenging but not impossible. However, the special circumstances of this world made it difficult. Within a 10-kilometer radius of Guanyin Community, the population density was far from that of a normal city. The demand for courier services might also be low.

As a new business, the shop’s recognition and credibility among potential clients were practically nonexistent.

Then there was the efficiency problem. While there were no typical rush hours in Gaosheng City to slow them down, the runners might encounter zombie hordes or human-made roadblocks at any time.

For example, completing the two recent tasks—accepting the orders, locating the targets, and safely delivering them—had taken nearly an hour.

Boosting efficiency drastically in the short term wasn’t feasible. The simplest solution was to increase the number of orders and hire more couriers.

Lu Yao was mentally calculating the possibilities when she received a message from Zhang Shu.

Wearing the runner’s dedicated communication device—a gadget powered by her willpower—Lu Yao was able to communicate in real-time with the shop and other couriers within the coverage of the Willing Network.

The principle behind the willpowered communicator is similar to the holographic communicators of Mingshi City. During her visit there, Lu Yao not only brought back the system but also witnessed many intriguing technologies and innovations.

Zhang Shu’s voice came through the communicator: “Boss, Harold is near the supermarket. I’ve assigned all five pickup orders to him. But there’s a new order that requires your attention.”

Lu Yao: “Harold’s taking the electric scooter to pick up five people?”

Zhang Shu: “He said he could manage.”

Knowing Zhang Shu couldn’t do much about Harold’s insistence, Lu Yao replied, “Alright, I’ll ask him later. Send me the details of the new order.”

The new task was to pick up medication from a nearby clinic for a customer named Zhang Shulan, with the delivery address located in the neighborhood across from the courier shop.

Lu Yao decided to have the system check the map for the best route so she could deliver Jiang Yifei’s order of name cards along the way.

This delivery was originally assigned to Harold, but since he was busy with the pickups, Lu Yao would handle it instead. Following the order assignment rules, Jiang Yifei’s task had priority as it was placed earlier, so delivering it first made sense.

Fortunately, it was just a quick delivery and wouldn’t take much time.

Lu Yao hopped on her scooter and contacted Harold.

Lu Yao: “How’s it going?”

After a brief pause, Harold responded, “I’ve picked them up and just left the back of the supermarket.”

Lu Yao, surprised: “All five of them together?”

Harold: “Yeah. By the time I got there, they were surrounded by zombies. Two of them almost got bitten. If I didn’t take them all at once, they probably wouldn’t have survived for me to make a second trip.”

Lu Yao: “… Could you phrase that a little more gently?”

Harold: “They’re busy crying in relief right now, celebrating their narrow escape. They can’t hear me.”

Lu Yao: “… So, you’re carrying five people on a scooter?”

The communicator fell silent.

Lu Yao: “Hey? Say something.”

Harold reluctantly replied, his tone less confident than before: “Ah, well, let me drop them off first, and we’ll talk later.”

Lu Yao frowned, a bit worried that Harold might resort to using magic. However, considering the black dragon’s capabilities, even if he did, it was unlikely to be detected.

…

Ping’an Community

Song Xu and Tang Anqi lived on the third floor, next door to Zhou Mingyang and Jiang Yifei.

Compared to Guanyin Community, Ping’an Community was much older and less maintained. Most of the original residents were elderly. When the outbreak happened, many couldn’t escape, leaving large sections of the community empty.

Song Xu and Tang Anqi had initially fled to this area and found it relatively safer. The low occupancy and unassuming appearance of the buildings meant fewer conflicts and trouble, so they decided to settle there.

Upon returning, Song Xu immediately sought out Tang Anqi to tell her about his encounter with Lu Yao.

Tang Anqi wasn’t feeling well and had been lying on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, too uneasy to sleep soundly. When Song Xu mentioned that Lu Yao was running errands and had saved Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang in passing, then added that Jiang Yifei had bought name cards from Lu Yao and expected a delivery soon, Tang Anqi sat up abruptly.

Tang Anqi: “Did Lu Yao say when she’s coming?”

Song Xu: “She said within an hour. Jiang Yifei went back to get her gold bracelet for the payment. Why?”

Tang Anqi looked at Song Xu incredulously: “It never occurred to you that we should stock up on a few too?”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Next