Chapter 38: Arrival, Hostile Crowds

**Two Yangs, Unforgettable Past Grudges**

After dinner, everyone went to sleep, and the once noisy supermarket finally settled into complete silence. Outside, however, the howls of zombies became even clearer, each cry sending chills down the spine. Whatever the others felt, Bian Changxi herself slept soundly. When she opened her eyes, it was already early morning. She stared blankly at the high ceiling for a while.

Every time she woke up, she felt a sense of unreality, as if she were still in the Yunhua Base seven years into the apocalypse. That base wasn’t big or powerful, but it bore Yunhua’s name, with him as the sole authority. Many of her ideas there had never been approved or implemented, but at least it was her refuge, a place where she could invest her ideals and hopes for a better future.

She had thought she would devote her whole life to it, living alongside Zhu Yunhua in a relationship without love but with mutual support, until either the monsters or the merciless passage of time claimed her life.

Only after waking up did she realize that the truly merciless thing wasn’t the disaster, but the human heart.

She sighed, got up, and washed up.

On Gu Xu’s side, aside from the still-unconscious Shadow and Qiu Feng, who was cooking, no one else was around. Qiu Feng stirred a long-handled spoon and greeted her with a smile, “Good morning, Miss Bian.”

“Morning.” Bian Changxi wiped her face and watched him cook porridge. He had managed to make a simple pot of rice porridge with just minced meat and corn smell absolutely delicious. Thinking back to last night’s pork rib and yam stew, she couldn’t help but admit that his cooking skills far surpassed her own.

He was using a modified induction cooker powered by a bulky battery. There was no smoke or fire, just wisps of white steam curling around him, making his movements seem even more graceful and his features more striking.

Qiu Feng was the most refined-looking of the five, different from his younger brother Qiu Yun’s handsome, brash impulsiveness. He had a scholarly air with a hint of sharpness—polite and courteous when calm, but his gaze could turn as cold and cutting as a knife when provoked.

Bian Changxi silently evaluated him. In her previous life, both Qiu Feng and the unfortunate Shadow would have already died by this time—she had never met Qiu Feng before, so she was naturally curious. Seeing how carefully he handled cooking, she thought he’d make an excellent chef or logistics expert. He probably had hidden depths.

A real talent. It was a pity he died so early in her previous life—no wonder Qiu Yun later fell out with Gu Xu.

He asked, “Gu Xu and the others went to scout the situation. If nothing unexpected happens, we’ll try to break out today and head for the new development zone. Do you have any plans, Miss Bian?”

“Pretty much. The old city is getting more dangerous by the day. The sooner we leave, the better.” Bian Changxi lifted her chin. “How’s he doing?”

“You mean Shadow? He’s physically normal, just hasn’t woken up. Do you know what’s causing it?”

Bian Changxi went over and held Shadow’s hand, feeling for a moment. The dark spots inside him had grown a bit, but instead of being as fierce and sinister as yesterday, they now seemed sluggish and weak. Another kind of power was starting to emerge.

She thought for a moment. The black power was probably some kind of virus, and the other power must be Shadow’s own. Based on her experience, he was likely awakening some kind of ability. As for why he hadn’t woken up yet—just like yesterday when his vital signs suddenly vanished—she couldn’t figure it out either.

Anyway, things seemed to be improving.

“I’m not sure, but since he’s physically normal, I think waking up is just a matter of time.” Bian Changxi stood up. “I’ll go downstairs and take a look.”

Just then, Lin Rongrong woke up too. After greeting her, Bian Changxi slung on her backpack and straight-bladed knife and headed downstairs. On the second floor, people were packing up, but no matter how they tried, there was always too much to take, leading to endless arguments over what to bring. A few people who seemed to have some status and brains were huddled together discussing something. Bian Changxi’s arrival made them fall silent and look up at her—among them were “Leopard Bro,” Yang Xiaowen, and others.

Leopard Bro was a man of about thirty-five, with a body packed with explosive muscle, cold and sinister eyes, a cigar between his fingers, and two lackeys behind him—everything about him screamed that he’d been a powerful, influential figure before the apocalypse.

At least, he was stronger than Liu Meng and Zhang Hu, who’d been mere scalpers.

But Bian Changxi didn’t know him.

In her previous life, she’d at least heard of all the notable figures at the Sucheng Base, but this Leopard Bro was a complete stranger.

Suddenly, she felt a hostile gaze. Looking over, she saw Yang Xiaowen glaring at her viciously. Yang was indeed beautiful—about twenty-two or twenty-three, wearing a red shirt and a floral tube top, exuding a mature and seductive charm. Even now, her curly hair was perfectly styled, and her lips gleamed with gloss.

A young man beside her patted her arm, then stepped forward and smiled gently at Bian Changxi. “Miss Bian.”

This was the man who’d suggested Gu Xu “take the lead” last night, the one Yang Xiaowen called “Big Brother.” Bian Changxi feigned surprise. “Have we met?”

“We saw you outside the supermarket yesterday. You threw a lucky cat at my sister.”

Bian Changxi suddenly remembered. “Oh, right. Someone even called me crazy at the time—that was you, wasn’t it?”

The man’s face stiffened, but he was clearly a seasoned professional, quickly regaining his composure and smiling. “Miss Bian, I think there’s been a misunderstanding between us…”

Bian Changxi didn’t let him finish. She looked around. “I remember there were several of you yesterday. Where are the others?”

Yang Xiaowen shrieked, “They were too slow and got caught and bitten. You satisfied now, you bitch? It’s all your fault for yelling and getting them killed. Just you wait—one day I’ll tear you apart!”

Her “big brother” tried to stop her, but it was too late. Leopard Bro’s face darkened as he glared at Yang Xiaowen. Bian Changxi sneered, “No need to wait for ‘one day.’ If you want revenge, you can come at me right now.”

She turned and walked away, fists clenched tight.

Yang Zong—it really was him!

That young man was called Yang Zong. Whether or not he and Yang Xiaowen were related by blood, they were definitely involved physically. He himself seemed to be a metal-type ability user. Later, when Yang Xiaowen climbed the social ladder, she brought him along, and he ended up with a decent position as a trade zone manager in the neighborhood where the Bian family lived.

There’s no need to elaborate on how important and lucrative that job was—suffice it to say, the Bian family had bent over backwards to curry favor with him for even the smallest benefits. Bian Wei and Yang Xiaowen had a grudge, and when seduction didn’t work, Yang Zong hinted that he was interested in Bian Changxi. By then, Bian Changxi had already left the Bian family, but her “for the greater good” uncle schemed to lure her back, then captured and delivered her to Yang Zong.

Yang Zong, of course, had no real interest in her—he just toyed with her like a cat with a mouse, while Yang Xiaowen and a bunch of sleazy drunks watched and laughed. The humiliation of that moment was unforgettable. In the end, it all boiled down to Yang Xiaowen’s failed pursuit of Bian Kuang, and taking it out on her.

Those two perverts!

Bian Changxi took a deep breath, hiding the darkness in her eyes, and walked out to the supermarket entrance. There, she saw a tall figure looking down from the window.

Gu Xu turned and saw her. “Come take a look.”

Bian Changxi walked over and looked down, frowning. “So many zombies.”

Below, a dense mass of zombies—at least two or three thousand—surrounded the supermarket. But unlike last night, they weren’t banging on the doors or howling. Instead, they wandered quietly, so much so that you wouldn’t even know they were out there from inside.

The stench was overwhelming. Even though she’d grown somewhat used to it, it was still nauseating. Bian Changxi, however, remained calm, showing no sign of disgust—just a slight frown. “Why is it so quiet?”

Gu Xu glanced at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He pointed at one of the zombies. “Look, the zombies have changed.”

That zombie was a head taller than the others, with a huge, hulking body covered in bulging tumors oozing yellowish pus. The other zombies seemed afraid of it and didn’t dare approach.

Bian Changxi’s voice dropped. “A second-tier zombie?”

Thank you to King Kong Lishi No. 4 for the tip! You’re so generous—thank you!

Well, since you asked so sweetly, I’ll risk my life to keep you company. There’ll be an extra update today—the second chapter will be up around six o’clock, so be sure to check it out! O(∩_∩)O~

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