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“This news about the coffee—you didn’t just happen to know about it by chance, did you?” Jie Xi asked as she enjoyed the Blue Mountain coffee brewed by Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi recounted how he had discovered Jie Xi’s preference in the intelligence hall. “Luckily, I found out first. If someone with bad intentions had discovered it instead, who knows what they might have put in it?”
A person’s hobbies or habits often become their weaknesses. Once someone has a weakness, it becomes an easy target for precise attacks, potentially leading to their downfall.
“Thanks for your effort,” Jie Xi said in appreciation.
“Ah, you know, being a team captain isn’t easy at all. Not only are people constantly scheming against us, but we also have to keep improving our strength. Captain Jie Xi, my abilities are so weak compared to the others on my team—how can I be a good leader?” Wang Zhi asked casually.
Jie Xi looked at him with a half-smile, her gaze lingering for a long time. Seeing that she wasn’t responding, Wang Zhi couldn’t help but ask, “What is it, Captain Jie Xi?”
“So this is why you came to see me.” Jie Xi finished her coffee and set the cup on the table.
“It just crossed my mind, haha,” Wang Zhi scratched his head awkwardly.
“In the apocalypse, brute strength does give a huge advantage, but it’s not the absolute advantage. What people truly need is a leader. The most dangerous threats in the apocalypse aren’t the monsters—it’s people like us. Do you know why the Dawn Tower limits the number of members in a team? It’s because if they didn’t, one faction would keep growing stronger and eventually cause unnecessary trouble.
People are selfish by nature. What they lack the most now is trust. In this environment, the more people who trust you, the greater your advantage. They will see you as someone reliable, someone who can lead them to survive.” Jie Xi spoke slowly and deliberately.
Wang Zhi listened attentively. It was the first time he had heard Jie Xi talk this much in one go.
“Haha, Captain Jie Xi, you’re overpraising me. Someone as intelligent and courageous as you is my true role model,” Wang Zhi said humbly.
“There’s one more thing I need to remind you of—Zhao Yan, who just arrived at headquarters, is the older brother of Chiyan Squad’s captain, Zhao Yang. He saw you earlier, so be careful,” Jie Xi warned, pulling a pendant from her drawer.
“As a token of courtesy, I’m giving you this pendant. If you ever find yourself in serious trouble, you can destroy it—I will come. Even if you die, I will make sure your troubles are taken care of.”
“Well, I hope I never have to use it,” Wang Zhi said as he took the pendant and hung it around his neck.
Glancing at the pendant on Jie Xi’s chest, Wang Zhi commented, “You know, these almost look like couple pendants.”
“This is a mother-and-child pendant. Mine is the mother pendant; yours is the child pendant,” Jie Xi replied with a smile.
A mother-and-child pendant? So does that make me her… child?
“Well, with Captain Jie Xi’s words, I feel much more at ease. It’s getting late—I should head off to train,” Wang Zhi said, getting up to say goodbye.
“Leave the filter paper behind, and you can go,” Jie Xi instructed.
After leaving the filter paper, Wang Zhi departed without lingering. He didn’t belong here, so he couldn’t treat it like home and wander around. He took the elevator down to the second floor, but one thing still weighed on his mind—the pitch-black rooms. Could it be that the Dawn Tower had already…? The thought was too horrifying to continue. Since the Dawn Tower wasn’t saying anything, he had to keep what he saw buried deep inside.
Three hours later, the team gathered in the cafeteria again. This time, the fatty wasn’t making a fuss about wanting to die—perhaps he was starting to get used to things, or maybe he was just too exhausted to talk.
The moment Ying arrived, she noticed the pendant hanging around Wang Zhi’s neck. “Good little brother, where did you get that pendant? It’s quite unique.”
“Oh, this? Captain Jie Xi gave it to me,” Wang Zhi answered honestly. He had no reason to hide anything from his teammates. If they ever found out he had lied, it would be difficult to regain their trust.
“Captain Jie Xi? Why would she give you something?” Ying pressed.
Wang Zhi recounted his conversation with Jie Xi. By the time he finished, Ying’s face had turned ice-cold. She held back her anger only because they were in the cafeteria.
Clang! The fatty dropped his chopsticks onto the table. “Uh, I’m full. I think I’ll head back to the dorm.”
Old He followed suit. “I’m full too.”
Watching the two make a swift exit, Wang Zhi was left with only Liuli for company. “Liuli, you’re the best.”
Just as he thought that, Liuli tucked her hair behind her ear, took out her earphones, and asked, “Huh? Why did Old He and Fatty leave?”
“They finished eating and went back to the dorm. You’re done too, right?” Ying said with a sarcastic smile, her gaze sharp.
Liuli looked at Wang Zhi, then at Ying. Without another word, she stood up and left.
Now, only Wang Zhi and Ying remained at the table. Wang Zhi didn’t know what to say and could only lower his head, focusing on his food.
“Why did you go to her? Do you even know her? Who was it that said no one should act alone?” Ying’s icy voice cut through the silence.
Wang Zhi had no answer and simply continued eating in silence.
Seeing his lack of response, Ying grew furious. “Speak!” She clenched the dagger in her hand tightly.
“I just want us to survive in this apocalypse. You’re all strong, but what about me? I don’t want to be abandoned one day. I don’t want to be replaced. I need a path forward,” Wang Zhi admitted, his head still lowered.
Hearing Wang Zhi’s heartfelt confession, Ying loosened her grip on the dagger. “Have you thought about what would happen to the rest of us if something went wrong? Would we avenge you? Or pretend nothing happened?”
“Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
Noticing the commotion, people around them had started to pay attention.
The two quickly got up, paid the bill, and left. On the way back, Wang Zhi explained the pendant’s purpose to Ying, which finally calmed her down.
“I hope you’re right.”