Jiang Yuanyuan felt deeply frustrated.

The other person's reasoning seemed sound—after all, what harm was there in letting him see her in clothes? It wasn't as if she was naked or dressed provocatively. So why not let him take a look?

“If I let you see, will you talk to Wang Liang for me?”

“It’s not just about looking. It’s about appreciating your beauty from an aesthetic perspective, understand?”

“…”

“You don’t get it, do you? Think of runway models. They’re dressed in extravagant clothes, strutting down the catwalk, striking poses at the end. Why? To showcase their beauty, the beauty of the garments, and to give the audience a feast for the eyes. Do you get it now?”

“Well… alright then.”

Jiang Yuanyuan continued to console herself, convincing herself that there was nothing wrong with this. It was just a few steps and some poses, right?

She placed her phone in a fixed position and stepped back, revealing her entire figure.

Yang Mu stared at his phone, dumbfounded.

What are girls eating these days to grow up like this?

He couldn’t gauge her height through the screen, but she didn’t seem short—probably around 1.7 meters. She wasn’t wearing shoes, and her pale, delicate feet were in full view.

Those long legs were almost as graceful as a swan's, her jeans perfectly accentuating her leg shape.

Her upper body was clad in a slightly loose white T-shirt. Although it was loose, her figure was so well-proportioned that her curves were still evident, and this subtle hint of her form made her even more alluring and mysterious.

Yang Mu stared intensely, while Jiang Yuanyuan also glanced at the screen, noticing how his face was practically pressed against it, looking lecherous. She immediately wanted to rush over and end the video call.

But she resisted the urge and instead walked a few steps, striking a few poses.

Yang Mu sighed, “With a body like that, you’re unstoppable.”

There was no need for deliberate sensuality; every slight movement radiated allure and beauty, captivating the soul.

“Is that enough?”

“Yes, it’s enough. See? I kept my word. I just admired your beauty.”

“Now that you’ve seen it, will you take me to see Wang Liang?”

“I will, but not now. I never said I’d go out of my way to run errands for you. When I see Wang Liang next time, I’ll send you a video. Keep your phone with you, so don’t blame me if you miss it.”

After speaking, Yang Mu hung up, feeling quite pleased. The thought of the girl on the other end possibly smashing her phone in anger made him chuckle.

Moments later, the girl sent another video, but Yang Mu didn’t answer.

She sent a message instead: “You broke your promise!”

“You’re such a jerk, go to hell! I curse you!”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Yang Mu felt a wave of satisfaction. When Jiang Yuanyuan had been posing earlier, he’d taken screenshots. Now, as he looked at them, he couldn’t help but find her more attractive with each glance.

But as he continued to look, the smile on his face faded, his expression turning blank, teeth chattering, and a chilling coldness gleaming in his eyes.

He suddenly stood up, phone in hand, and stormed downstairs, pounding on Liu Dongfeng’s door.

In no time, the door opened, and Wang Liang stood at the entrance, clearly irritated. He had seen Yang Mu through the peephole.

“What do you want? Weren’t we free to do as we pleased?”

“I have a question—Is Jiang Yuanyuan your girlfriend?”

“How… how do you know?”

“What’s her father’s name?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“Where does she live?”

“Building 6, Unit 3, Apartment 502 in the Peaceful District… Why are you asking?”

Wang Liang answered instinctively, then suddenly realized something was off.

“Never mind,” Yang Mu replied coldly before turning to leave, heading back upstairs to lie down.

The Peaceful District was outside the quarantine zone.

He’d wait. He had to survive and pay that place a proper visit.

Yang Mu lay on the bed, completely still, his eyes vacant and his lips trembling unconsciously. No one knew how complex his emotions were at that moment.

By noon, the sun blazed fiercely, and the room became stiflingly hot.

Yelena finally turned off her livestream—not because she wanted to, but because network control had begun.

While messages from outside could still reach the quarantine zone, much of the news about the zone itself was being intercepted. The looming shadow of the apocalypse was spreading, and certain measures to maintain social order were becoming inevitable.

Yelena stomped her foot in frustration, but there was nothing she could do.

She sat by the bed and said to Yang Mu, “Brother, I’m hungry.”

“There’s food over there, help yourself,” Yang Mu said, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply, finally clearing his mind of thoughts.

The little puppy wanted to go eat, but before Yang Mu could stop him, the quirky girl had already intervened.

“Put it down. Did I say you could eat? Get lost.”

The little puppy looked at Yang Mu with pitiful eyes.

Yang Mu yawned as he got up, fully composed again.

“She’s an important figure, someone will come to rescue her. She’s a big catch. But you? What are you worth?”

“There’s so much food, can’t you just give me a little?”

“I risked my life for this. We’re not related, so why should I share with you?”

“Just think of it as a good deed.”

“A good deed? Hmph, good deeds depend on the person. I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid you’ll harass me later.”

The quirky girl burst out laughing.

The little puppy was stunned for a moment before sulking off to a corner.

Just then, Fang Hua and the others returned, bringing with them over fifty survivors, all of whom were settled on the upper floors.

Yang Mu frowned upon hearing this. After asking around, he learned that one house had been sheltering more than thirty people, all of whom had fled there when the apocalypse first broke out.

To make matters worse, the food they had scavenged was barely enough for these people for one meal. Even if they split Yang Mu and Liu Dongfeng’s stock, they’d still run out within two days.

When Fang Hua approached Yang Mu to negotiate, he had no choice but to share the food. No matter his methods, he couldn’t risk inciting the wrath of the crowd.

Yang Mu came to another realization about surviving the apocalypse—plans would never keep up with the pace of change. He had carefully laid out a strategy to secure the sixth to tenth floors, stockpiling food to wait out the chaos, yet now all he had left was what was in his backpack.

The little puppy was given some food and ate with gusto, quickly learning who was in charge and sucking up to Fang Hua.

Yang Mu didn’t care anymore. If the food ran out, he could always find more. But his goal was no longer mere survival here—he needed to get out of the quarantine zone, to find Jiang Yuanyuan.

But how to escape this zombie-infested trap?

Yang Mu had come up with a wild, reckless plan. He didn’t even know if it was possible—it would be a gamble with his life.

But that didn’t bother him. He’d been gambling with his life for years. And every time, he had won. That’s why he was still alive.

Once decided, Yang Mu sought out Chu Hong.

“There are special forces here now, so it’s relatively safe. You should stay with them. I’m leaving. If you manage to escape and run into Wen Sijia, tell her I once looked out for you.”

“Leaving? Where to? This place is surrounded by zombies!”

“Exactly. That’s why I can’t take you with me. I have to go it alone.”

“When are you leaving?”

“This afternoon.”

“…”

“Chu Hong, I’m not as petty as I seemed, nor do I hate you as much as I let on. See you outside. And don’t forget to drug Wen Sijia for me.”

With that, Yang Mu turned and walked away, his tall, lean figure fading into the distance as Chu Hong stared after him, baffled by the strange workings of this man's mind.