The majority of people entering the city through the passage appeared listless and dirty, and the narrow space was filled with the smells of sweat and blood.
After the apocalypse, humans were busy fleeing and searching for safe zones to live in. They didn’t even have enough to eat, let alone time to dress nicely or clean the odors from their bodies.
Therefore, Bai Qingqing’s beautiful and charming appearance stood out among the crowd. The female soldiers conducting the inspection glanced at her several times, their eyes filled with complex and peculiar expressions.
A woman like her who could remain clean in the apocalypse must either possess strong abilities or have a powerful background, sheltered by the strong.
Excessive beauty had its advantages and disadvantages in the apocalypse. Beautiful women could use their looks to gain resources and become playthings for the powerful, relying on them to survive.
But if they were unwilling to become playthings, their attractive faces would only bring danger and tragedy.
Bai Qingqing ignored the envious and jealous gazes, passing through the inspection point and entering the city passage.
As she walked, she surveyed the protective nets and thought to herself that they still had some use in the early stages of the apocalypse. They could block a large number of low-level zombies. However, as the zombies evolved and became more formidable, these protective nets would be of little use against them.
Moreover, the higher-level zombies had bodies as tough as monsters, and conventional weapons couldn’t easily penetrate them. It required a group of powerful individuals with supernatural abilities working together to kill them.
Time was running out for humanity. If a virus vaccine couldn’t be developed within half a year or a year, they would face a catastrophic disaster.
Although the evolved zombies had regained human intelligence, they were not the same species as humans. Humans were merely seen as food to them. Who would choose to be friends with their food?
Humans and zombies couldn’t coexist!
Monsters and humans were never on the same side!
After passing through the genetic testing instrument, Bai Qingqing entered the safe zone of Wucheng.
Since the apocalypse, Wucheng had established an independent safe zone. Although the city had been damaged, it was in much better condition than the abandoned old city outside the safe zone.
There were off-road vehicles carrying soldiers on the streets, and the well-trained soldiers patrolled the city’s conditions with indifferent expressions.
There weren’t many pedestrians on the road. The newly arrived people were directed to register in order to receive the keys to their accommodations.
Wucheng’s population was divided into several levels. Those with supernatural abilities could have their own separate rooms, while ordinary people had to squeeze into shanties in the lower areas. Supernatural ability users had to rely on missions such as collecting supplies and hunting zombies for crystal cores to obtain food.
Bai Qingqing didn’t immediately go to register but instead found a spot not far from the city gate to wait for the Thunder Squad.
Spatial abilities were rare in the apocalypse. If she exposed her ability, it would undoubtedly attract the attention and competition of various factions.
Soon, the members of the Thunder Squad entered Wucheng one after another. Bai Qingqing spotted Fu Chen and her eyes lit up. She immediately ran towards him. “Big brother!”
Fu Chen instinctively embraced her and then held her hand, raising his cold gaze to scan around. The prying gazes from various directions quickly disappeared.
Xiao Yang glanced at Fu Chen’s hand, ignoring the strange pang in his heart, and averted his gaze.
Shen Mingxuan looked at Bai Qingqing and asked, “Why hasn’t Sweetie come out? Didn’t she come with you?”
“I don’t know.” Bai Qingqing leaned closer to Fu Chen.
Shen Mingxuan’s expression turned slightly grim. “Don’t you pay attention to where your teammates are?”
With Sweetie being such a big person, she couldn’t possibly get lost. Even if she did, what did it have to do with Bai Qingqing?
Bai Qingqing internally mocked, but on the surface, she wore a pitiful expression, lowering her head and remaining silent, looking unfairly treated.
“Sweetie is not a child,” Fu Chen said, holding her hand. His voice was cold and indifferent. “She is behind you. How can you pay attention to her?”
With Fu Chen’s remark, Shen Mingxuan swallowed the rest of his words, his face solemn.
Liang Zhiyu calmly said, “Let’s wait a bit longer. If Sweetie doesn’t show up, we’ll go register and find a place to stay first, then figure out a way to find her.”
Bai Qingqing tried hard to recall if there was any information related to Wucheng in the original book. She just hoped that nothing had really happened to Sweetie, as it would delay their time in Wucheng.
Wucheng was different from the famous apocalypse bases. The environment here was chaotic and unfriendly, especially for weak and ordinary people, especially women.
She didn’t hold any ill will towards Sweetie, nor did she particularly like her.
If it were before the apocalypse, Bai Tiantian’s innocent and kind personality, which didn’t know how to refuse, would have been very appealing to men. But in the apocalypse, it became troublesome.
And she hated trouble the most.
After waiting for about an hour, Bai Tiantian still hadn’t come out from the inspection point. The group went to inquire at the checkpoint and requested to check the surveillance footage. However, with a large number of people entering the city, it was naturally impossible to grant their request.
They then went to the registration office and searched for a long time until they saw that she had already registered her identity information and entered the city on her own.
Fortunately, it was a false alarm. The men’s faces didn’t look good. Bai Tiantian was overly kind-hearted and obedient in the team. This was the first time she acted alone.
The Thunder Squad considered her as one of their own, but she acted without saying anything, causing them to worry about rescuing her if there was any danger.
In fact, Fu Chen knew why Bai Tiantian suddenly disappeared. In the previous life, after Bai Tiantian arrived in Wucheng, she was knocked over by a child. She pitied the emaciated child and was deceived into following him to the slums.
The traffickers sold her at Wucheng’s auction, where she was bought by a powerful figure in Wucheng with the intention of having his way with her.
The Thunder Squad finally found her after a lot of effort, broke in to save her and subdued the thugs. However, Bai Tiantian pleaded for the man’s life, saying that it was still a life and asked them to spare him.
Due to her earnest pleading, no one could bear to disappoint her kind heart, so they spared the man.
As a result, that man colluded with the leader of Wucheng and planned to keep them all in Wucheng as forced labor. The Thunder Squad naturally disagreed.
In the end, the Thunder Squad won and killed the thug who had attempted to force her. What was even more mind-boggling was that Bai Tiantian cried and accused everyone of indiscriminate killing, saying that they had already begged for mercy on their knees, so why did they still resort to killing.
Fu Chen clearly realized for the first time that Bai Tiantian had some issues in her mind. The apocalypse and the present world were no longer the same. Even in the present world, wouldn’t one choose to defend and fight back when facing criminals?
But because the men in the team cared about her feelings, they had to console and coax her.
Later on, the other team members seemed to be enchanted, controlled by something, and they groveled before Bai Tiantian, willingly sacrificing everything for her.
This time, he wouldn’t let his teammates repeat the same mistakes.
Several men were ability users, concealing their true strength. When registering, they wrote themselves as second-tier ability users and obtained the keys to their accommodations.
The Wucheng area was divided into three zones. Zone A was where people with status lived, Zone B was for ordinary ability users and soldiers, and Zone C was the disorderly slum area.
The upper levels of Wucheng could provide accommodation for ability users. Ability users who weren’t on missions needed to provide money or crystal cores for trade.
Since the Thunder Squad planned to rest for two days, they exchanged money and a few low-level crystal cores at the registration office and obtained the keys. They then went together to find their accommodations.
Not everyone could have their own room. Xiao Yang and Cheng Rui shared one room, while Liang Zhiyu and Shen Mingxuan shared another.
Bai Qingqing was an ordinary person, but as the family member of an ability user, she could stay with Fu Chen.
Zone B was located in the eastern part of the city, and it took the group half an hour to walk there. When they found their accommodations and opened the door with the key, they saw a small room of about ten square meters, causing everyone to furrow their brows.
Everyone had considered the hardships of living conditions in the apocalypse, but they didn’t expect even the ability users to only have such cramped spaces.
The room was very rudimentary, with a bed, a chair, and a table. There was also a small makeshift bathroom inside, and the community bulletin board indicated the water supply schedule, with water being available for only half an hour every night at eight o’clock.
Shen Mingxuan was preoccupied with Bai Tiantian’s whereabouts and didn’t have the mood to observe the accommodations. Cheng Rui had experienced hardships during his earlier years in the military and didn’t mind.
Xiao Yang complained, “It’s better to sleep in the car.”
Liang Zhiyu patted his shoulder and said, “You, a grown man, shouldn’t be so delicate. Endure it for two days.”
Xiao Yang casually glanced at Bai Qingqing and said, “Liang ge, where did you see that I’m delicate? I can lift 200 kilograms.”
Liang Zhiyu squinted his fox-like eyes and looked him up and down, saying, “Are you sure your physique can lift that?”
Xiao Yang was now very concerned about someone’s opinion of him and firmly held onto Liang Zhiyu’s shoulder, saying, “Should I lift you up?”
“Go aside,” Liang Zhiyu pushed him away.
Shen Mingxuan spoke up, “Do you have the leisure to fool around? Aren’t you worried about Bai Tiantian?”
Bai Qingqing, who had been busy all day and wanted to rest in the room, stopped when she heard this and looked up at Fu Chen.
Fu Chen’s dark eyes coldly opened, “She’s fine. We’ll be able to see her tomorrow.”
Liang Zhiyu looked at Fu Chen and asked, “Captain, do you know where Bai Tiantian went?”
Everyone looked at Fu Chen, waiting for his response and wondering when he had discovered Bai Tiantian’s whereabouts.
Fu Chen said, “I sensed that she entered the city. As long as she stays in the city, she won’t be in immediate danger.”
Through their previous battle with the bandit Zhang Qiang, they learned that Fu Chen had a mental ability. In Zhoucun, it was also because of his mental ability that they were not affected by the so-called Divine Tree Powder.
Since the captain said so, no one said anything further.
Shen Mingxuan’s peach blossom eyes flashed with a cold light. He forcefully pushed open the door and walked into the room. Liang Zhiyu followed and stood in front of him, saying something.
Cheng Rui and Xiao Yang also went to rest. Bai Qingqing looked at Fu Chen, who remained in place, and contemplated slightly. She knew that the protagonist was favored by the heavens and wouldn’t be in any life-threatening danger, so naturally, she wasn’t worried.
Even though Fu Chen’s mental ability had become strong enough to perceive things, why was he so certain that Bai Tiantian wouldn’t be in danger?
Bai Qingqing walked into the room with Fu Chen. When they saw the wooden bed in the room, they couldn’t help but furrow their brows.
What should she do tonight? Should she sleep together with Fu Chen?
In the pre-apocalyptic days, families with poor conditions would all squeeze onto a bunk bed. Should she pretend to have amnesia and endure sleeping next to Fu Chen?
Fu Chen naturally pulled open the blanket and turned to ask her, “Aren’t you tired?”
“Um…” Bai Qingqing looked at the bed and then at him, saying, “I’m not tired.”
She smiled, pulled over a chair, and sat on it obediently. Her feet rested on the crossbar of the stool, and she supported her chin with her hands, looking at him.
“Brother, let’s discuss it. Who will sleep on the bed tonight.”
Fu Chen leaned against the wall, raised an eyebrow slightly, and said, “Do we need to discuss this?”
Bai Qingqing’s little face looked pitiful. “Brother, you wouldn’t let me sleep on the floor, right? I’m your sister, can you bear to let weak and helpless me sleep on this cold floor?”
Fu Chen looked at her with a faint smile, a barely noticeable mischievousness in the dimly lit room.
“Then are you willing to let your brother sleep on the floor?” His voice was deep and magnetic.
Bai Qingqing blinked her eyes and sincerely praised, “Brother, you’re strong and sturdy. It’s no big deal for you to sleep on the floor for one or two nights.”
Fu Chen didn’t tease her further and said, “Take out the blanket.”
Bai Qingqing smiled and took out the blanket and pillow from her space, cleverly saying, “Brother, let me help you make the bed.”
She was like a young wife, carefully preparing the bedding for him.
Fu Chen watched her figure and his gaze gradually deepened. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.
Bai Qingqing raised her delicate little face and looked at him with a bewildered expression. “What’s wrong?”
Fu Chen lowered his gaze and looked at her, resembling an older brother concerned about his younger sister’s feelings. With a hint of probing, he asked, “How do you see Xiao Yang?”
Bai Qingqing spoke straightforwardly, “What’s wrong with Xiao Yang? I have a pleasant time being around him, and he’s a good person.”
Fu Chen didn’t realize that she was deliberately playing the good person card, ignoring the slight displeasure in his heart. He asked, “So, do you also like him?”
Bai Qingqing’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised by his question. Her face blushed slightly, and she pouted in a coquettish and annoyed manner, “I don’t!”
Fu Chen furrowed his handsome brows slightly and observed her expression carefully, as if trying to see through whether she was lying or not.
Bai Qingqing lowered her eyelashes and played up her acting skills, forcefully trying to pull her arm away. She spoke in a stiff tone, “Brother, let go of me. I’m angry.”
Fu Chen tightly held onto her delicate arm and didn’t loosen his grip, keeping her firmly restrained in front of him. He spoke in a deep voice, “You’re throwing a tantrum after just a few words. Who taught you that?”
His cold and stern demeanor exuded a strong sense of oppression, aggressively pressing down on others, making them feel uneasy.
“Look up,” he commanded.
Bai Qingqing, like a threatened little animal, didn’t dare to move at all. She pressed her lips together and refused to lift her head.
Fu Chen extended his slender fingers and held her chin, lifting her delicate face. To his astonishment, he noticed tears gathering in her eyes, and the slight redness around her eyes made her look pitiful.
That delicate and beautiful appearance stirred a malicious desire for destruction in him.
Bai Qingqing met the deep gaze of the man, and her heart skipped a beat. She pressed her petal-like red lips tightly and her voice choked, “Brother, I know everyone still has grievances against me, and I can overlook their misunderstandings.”
“Ugh…” A choked sob escaped her throat. “Do you also believe that I went to seduce Xiao Yang? These past few days, I have been trying my best to stay away from him.”
“What more do you want?” he asked, and tears fell from her fair face onto his hand.
The moist tears felt warm, as if they could scorch him. Fu Chen instinctively let go of her and furrowed his brow, staring at her intently.
“That’s enough,” he said stiffly, without any intention to console her. “Stop crying. Brother didn’t misunderstand you.”
Bai Qingqing sniffed and her voice turned soft and tender, “Really?”
“Get some tissue,” Fu Chen said lightly. “Wipe away your tears.”
“Oh.” Bai Qingqing took out a tissue and wiped away the tears that she had struggled to hold back.
Fu Chen pulled her to sit beside him on the bed and said, “When I asked you about Xiao Yang and how you see him, it was to let you know that if you like him, after we safely reach the Jingzhou base, you can be together with him.”
Bai Qingqing glanced at him and thought, he really treats her like a sister, worrying about her future.
It’s a pity that as the Sea Empress, she is destined to conquer everyone. The Sea Empress cannot afford to have a heart; she can only play ambiguous games and cannot reveal whom she likes.
She doesn’t have the ability like Bai Tiantian to make everyone fall for her at the same time. If things go wrong and she doesn’t have the protagonist halo surrounding her, she might end up in a miserable state.
“Brother, I don’t like anyone,” she blinked her clear and bright eyes and smiled, “There’s only one person I like now, and that’s you.”
Fu Chen was slightly taken aback. He pressed his lips together and said, “Rest early.”
The next day.
After Thunder Squad finished their meal, they split into two groups. One group went to the underground auction house to find Bai Tiantian, while the other group went to explore the city and check out the available supplies.
Shen Mingxuan, Liang Zhiyu, and Xiao Yang went together to the auction house, while Fu Chen and Cheng Rui accompanied Bai Qingqing to wander around the dock area.
There was very little traffic in the dock area. In the post-apocalyptic world, various supplies were scarce, and those who could afford to drive with fuel were people of status. Apart from the patrol off-road vehicles and a few cars, there were also some buses.
Occasionally, cars carrying empowered individuals returning from missions would pass by on the streets, carrying the smell of blood and the sour stench of decaying flesh.
The three of them wandered around the dock area and found that the items sold in the shops were exceptionally expensive, costing ten or even dozens of times more than in the pre-apocalyptic era. A loaf of bread could sell for hundreds of dollars, which ordinary people couldn’t afford.
Fortunately, Bai Qingqing had collected a lot of supplies beforehand, so she didn’t need to buy things in the city. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to afford them.
After a day of exploration, the three of them returned to their accommodation. Shen Mingxuan’s group had not returned yet, so they had a meal and rested in their rooms, waiting for them.
Bai Qingqing entered her space. Last time, she had obtained a thousand points from completing a side quest, and she promptly exchanged them for seeds. She cleared a patch of land and planted her favorite strawberries.
Time inside the space could flow fast or slow, depending on her manipulation. In just two or three days, the mutant strawberries had already reached maturity.
Bai Qingqing looked at the large strawberries emitting a fruity fragrance from a distance, and a happy smile appeared on her face.
She was about to pick one and taste it when she heard rustling sounds. She furrowed her brows and looked over, only to see a small purple creature happily nibbling on one of the mutant strawberries.
Damn, it was stealing her strawberries.
Bai Qingqing quickly walked over and grabbed the purple grass.
“Ying ying ying,” the little purple grass struggled and wriggled.
Bai Qingqing remembered catching this mutant grass in the forest and threw it into the space. She had forgotten about its existence because she had been too busy.
After some time, the little purple grass had grown, and it had learned to steal food.
Bai Qingqing stared at the whimpering little purple grass and showed a sinister smirk. “Crying won’t help. You stole my food, so I’ll chop you up.”
“Ying ying ying, hungry…” the little purple grass looked wronged.
“…”
Grass should just absorb nutrients from the soil. Why did it need to eat?
Bai Qingqing placed it on the ground and squatted down, staring at the little purple grass lying on the ground. “I will come to feed you regularly, but no more stealing.”
“Ying ying ying,” it understood.
Only then did Bai Qingqing gently stroke it and said, “Good.”
She picked a large strawberry, took a bite, and the sweet and slightly sour taste swept over her taste buds. It was delicious.
Food that could fill the stomach was becoming scarce in the apocalypse, and there were hardly any fruits left. It had been a while since she had eaten strawberries, so she showed an expression of enjoyment.
After leaving the space, Fu Chen said to her, “Wait here. Cheng Rui and I are going to the auction house.”
Bai Qingqing immediately disagreed, “I want to go too.”
“The auction house is very dangerous,” Fu Chen frowned.
Bai Qingqing retorted, “Leaving me alone here is even more dangerous.”
After thinking for a moment, Fu Chen said, “Then you have to stay by my side at all times.”
Bai Qingqing nodded in agreement.
The auction house is located in the western part of the city, adjacent to the slums near the dock area. It’s a chaotic place where all kinds of people gather.
Since the dock area is a place where strength is respected, even the most ruthless bandits can thrive in the dock area as long as they have powerful abilities.
Bai Qingqing followed Fu Chen into the auction house, which was a former sports arena that had been transformed. Various peculiar goods for women were displayed for auction.
For some individuals in the post-apocalyptic world, it may be a chance for a new life, but for women, it is an especially cruel world.
Bai Qingqing scanned the display screen, which showed the items that would be auctioned today. Bai Tiantian’s name was prominently displayed.
In a cage in the auction house, a ragged woman knelt inside. The auctioneer occasionally used props to prod her body, filled with humiliation.
The cage was opened, and the woman wearing a collar was pulled out, stumbling and falling to the ground, her head hanging low.
Bai Qingqing keenly sensed that something was wrong.
The male auctioneer stomped on the woman’s body with his foot, his expression filled with excitement as he enjoyed trampling on her. He had just burst into laughter when he was pierced from bottom to top.
The bloody scene shocked all the spectators who had come to watch the auction or purchase goods. Their expressions changed dramatically as they screamed and prepared to escape. Panic swept through the air, spreading rapidly.
In the dock area, where most people did not possess abilities, many of these spectators were ordinary individuals.
Sounds of stomping, screaming, gunshots, and the clashing sounds of empowered individuals’ battles pierced through the eardrums, creating a chaotic and piercing noise.
Bai Qingqing was pushed and stumbled by the surging crowd, forcibly separated from Fu Chen.
“Qingqing!” Fu Chen immediately tried to grab hold of her.
However, Bai Qingqing was pushed out of the auction house and found herself surrounded by a military force wielding firearms outside. They blocked everyone from leaving.
She clenched her fist, nervously looking at the opposing side.
Was this…?
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