“Your demand is far too excessive! We only asked for a bit of food, yet the rumors about you are true. You are nothing but a despicable pervert!” Li Mushuang spat furiously, her eyes blazing with anger.

Bai Ze’s expression darkened. “I’m not forcing you. What you choose to do is entirely up to you,” he said coldly, his patience thinning after being labeled a pervert for the third time that day.

Measuring opened her mouth to retort, but her sister, Mu Lan, quickly intervened, grabbing her arm. “Stop it, sister!” she whispered urgently, her tone tinged with unease.

Reluctantly, she bit her tongue, though she shot Bai Ze a glare of pure defiance.

Mu Lan took a deep breath, then turned to Bai Ze with a polite yet pleading expression. “Bai Ze, may I propose a compromise? I’ll be your girlfriend for food for the both of us,” she offered, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.

“Are you serious, sister? How could you even consider agreeing to his disgusting demands? He’s a liar!” missing interjected, her voice rising in protest before Mu Lan silenced her with a firm look.

“Enough, pushing!” Mu Lan snapped, her calm demeanor cracking for the first time.

Realizing the severity of the situation, pushing fell silent, though her face revealed defiance.

“Sincere apologies for my sister’s rudeness,” Mu Lan said to Bai Ze, her tone softening. “Please reconsider my earlier suggestion.”

“Why should we lower ourselves to beg for his forgiveness? Plenty of good men would jump at the chance to be with us!” missing burst out again. “I don’t need you apologizing on my behalf! I’ll face whatever comes my way myself!”

“Enough!” Mu Lan’s voice was sharp, cutting through Sheng’s protests like a blade. She turned back to Bai Ze, her expression earnest. “My sister is young and impulsive. Please, don’t take her words to heart.”

Bai Ze’s face remained indifferent, but his patience was running thin. “I’ll give you half an hour to think it over,” he said, his voice cold. “Agree to be my woman, and I’ll take you with me. If not, you can stay here and fend for yourselves.” Without another word, he turned his back on them.

Mu Lan grabbed Sheng’s arm, dragging her to the side. “Do you understand how desperate our situation is? Stop being so stubborn!” she hissed.

“But his terms are too outrageous! He wants us both to be his women!” Measuring protested, tears brimming in her eyes.

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“What choice do we have?” Mu Lan’s voice cracked as she gestured toward the window. The sight of countless zombies shambling aimlessly in the distance sent a shiver down Sheng’s spine. “Without him, do you think we stand a chance out there?”

Sheng’s resolve wavered as fear crept into her heart. “So, what… are we supposed to just accept this?” she whispered.

Mu Lan’s eyes softened. “I know it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but survival comes first. He’s well-fed and capable of killing zombies. That’s the kind of person we need right now.” Her voice grew quieter. “I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”

After a moment of silence, pushing reluctantly nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. “Fine,” she said, her voice barely audible.

Mu Lan approached Bai Ze, her shoulders squared despite the sadness in her eyes. “I’ll agree to your terms,” she whispered. “But on one condition—I’ll be yours for three months. After that, if I want to leave, you won’t stop me.”

Bai Ze’s lips curved into a faint, amused smile. She wasn’t as foolish as her sister. The contrast between the two sisters intrigued him—the older one calm and calculating, the younger impulsive and fiery.

“Three months? Fine,” Bai Ze said with a shrug.

Mu Lan’s relief was short-lived as she pressed on. “Then… can you let my sister go? I’ll stay by your side if you promise to protect her.”

Bai Ze’s eyes narrowed, his tone icy. “Do you think you’re in any position to negotiate with me?”

Mu Lan froze, a wave of fear washing over her. She nodded shakily, unable to muster a response.

“Good. Now, convince her yourself,” Bai Ze said dismissively, leaning back against the wall.

Mu Lan returned to her sister, her expression a mix of determination and sorrow. “Sister, please… just say yes. If we’re alive, there’s still hope,” she whispered urgently.

After what felt like an eternity, pushing finally gave a tearful nod. “Alright,” she said, her voice trembling with resignation.

Satisfied, Bai Ze produced a steamed bun from thin air. “Here. Eat this and regain your strength. We’ll need to move quickly,” he said, tossing it toward them.

The sisters’ eyes lit up as they saw the food, their hunger overriding their despair. Measuring grabbed the bun, splitting it in two before handing the larger portion to her sister.

Mu Lan shook her head, insisting on taking the smaller piece. After a brief exchange, they settled for an equal share and devoured the food in silence.

As they finished eating, Bai Ze began walking toward the door. “Follow me. If you lag and get bitten, that’s on you.”

The sisters exchanged a glance filled with unease before hurrying after him, their fear of the outside world tempered only by their growing reliance on Bai Ze.

Bai Ze had already dealt with the zombies littering the dormitory. Yet, one figure stood out—a woman whom zombies had partially devoured. The mangled chest exposed her ribs, horrifying the sisters.

Bai Ze approached the reanimated corpse calmly. With a single punch, he shattered its skull, the sight leaving the sisters both awestruck and terrified.

Their journey continued in tense silence until Bai Ze suddenly stopped. “We’re heading to the campus store. Might as well grab some supplies while we’re here,” he announced.

Hearing the word “store,” the sisters felt a flicker of hope, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Following Bai Ze, they entered the ransacked store, where he instructed them to fill their bags with whatever food they could find.

As they scavenged, the sound of chaos suddenly erupted outside, and the tension in the air grew thick.