Chapter 23: Who’s Bullying Who

Human nature is hard to predict. Among the 180 guests, some might choose to side with the Butler Department for a small benefit, betraying the entire team. Others might try to sit back and reap the rewards, or hide behind everyone else, not daring to lift a finger.

That’s why it’s crucial to have someone who can step up at the key moment and take charge—someone who can lead everyone effectively.

Whoever that person was, it definitely wasn’t going to be Mu Jiu—because she had no intention of getting involved.

The moment she joined, no matter her own will, that command role would inevitably be pushed onto her. People would expect her to single-handedly defeat the Butler Department, while they all stayed home to enjoy the fruits of her labor.

Best case scenario? Both sides would end up wrecked, and they’d come divide up her chickens and ducks for a feast—then rise to power themselves…

Was her food at home not tasty enough? Was her firewood not warm enough? Or was the electric grid on her fence not strong enough?

What reason could she possibly have to run out there and put herself in the spotlight?

With that thought, Mu Jiu tossed the invitation slip into the fireplace in her yard—it turned to ash in an instant.

Then, she carried the fish she brought back from beyond the mountain into the yard, closed the gate, and stored them all in her spatial warehouse.

Exhausted from everything, Mu Jiu felt a bit weary. She grabbed a new set of short-sleeve pajamas from her space and headed to the villa bathroom.

When the villa was built, she specifically asked the designer to add an indoor hot spring pool and a massage tub.

Now was the perfect time to soak, relax, and then lie on her 5-meter-wide bed and sleep until sunrise.

In the end, she slept straight through to noon the next day, waking up fully refreshed and energized.

Mu Jiu sat up, stretched lazily, and opened the second-floor curtains.

Immediately, she spotted the little girl from Villa 049 next door—the same girl who had brought her food at the start of the apocalypse.

At that moment, the girl was tending to her plants in the sunroom of her yard.

Ever since the Butler Department’s rise to power, many villa residents had stopped going outside—the little girl’s family included.

But even though they kept a low profile, they hadn’t escaped the butlers’ raids.

Her family had a relatively rich stockpile of supplies, so they weren’t among the twenty families that had vanished tragically.

From afar, Mu Jiu could see the seeds the girl had planted had now mostly bloomed. Soon, they would bear fruit.

Unlike Mu Jiu’s decorative flowers, the girl’s plants—thanks to proper temperature and spiritual spring water—bloomed quickly and stayed in bloom.

As Mu Jiu quietly admired them, she spotted the girl’s father and brother leaving the house together.

Their excitable dog tried to chase after them but was held back by the mother, barking desperately.

Mu Jiu was surprised. In all this time, that family hadn’t stepped outside once—this was the first.

Were they leaving the dog behind for fear of attracting the Butler Department’s attention?

Looking closer, she saw the father holding a piece of paper.

It looked similar to the one that had been slipped under her door the previous day.

So—they were going to the “Anti-Humiliation Alliance” meeting.

As she mulled this over, her doorbell rang. Looking downstairs, she saw it was the Gu siblings.

Mu Jiu casually threw on a flannel nightgown and went downstairs.

Before she could say anything, Gu Yang—standing outside—held up an invitation, face full of barely concealed excitement.

“Jie, did you get this too? It was slipped into our front gate this morning. It’s an invite to a meeting to fight back against the Butler Department.”

“I got it,” Mu Jiu replied.

She then realized her copy had been delivered even earlier—as if they were waiting for her to make the first move.

Their attempt to use her influence was way too obvious.

“Then… are you going?”

As two victims of the Butler Department’s cruelty, the Gu siblings desperately wanted revenge. But before acting, they wanted to ask their “sister’s” opinion.

If she joined, there’d be no doubt about the alliance’s chances—they’d win for sure.

After all, she was the kind of person who could beat up 20–30 butlers on her own.

“I’m not going. I already burned the invitation,” Mu Jiu said calmly.

Her words stunned the siblings as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on their heads.

Gu Yang opened his mouth as if to ask something but held back.

He knew he had no right to make unreasonable requests—especially ones that might put her life at risk.

“That invitation was meant for people who were bullied, abused, or harmed by the Butler Department.

Clearly, that doesn’t include me.

If anything, I’ve been the one bullying them!

I beat them up, shattered their limbs—

Stripped them naked and posted the photos in the group chat. That’s probably what you’d call abuse, right?

As for murder? I think I’ve killed over thirty of them so far.

So, strictly speaking, I don’t have the standing to join a revenge group against the butlers.

If anything, they should be forming one against me!”

Mu Jiu’s explanation left the Gu siblings speechless—because, well… she wasn’t wrong!

“Even though I’m not going, it doesn’t mean you can’t.

You two have every right to go.

Just one thing—don’t let others hype you up into being the team’s commander or second-in-command.

Don’t be the one who charges in headfirst, taking all the bullets for someone else.

Anyone who’s survived this long under the butlers’ rule is a seasoned fox. You’re both still young—it’s easy to get played.

Revenge takes patience. You can’t rush it.

If the team really manages to rally everyone and surround the Butler HQ…

Then you can charge in and fight. That would be the right timing. Don’t be the sacrificial lamb now.

In short—stay safe.”

Mu Jiu’s words were heartfelt and sincere. She glanced at her watch.

“It’s about time. You two should head over. If anything interesting happens, be sure to come back and tell me!”

“Got it! Thank you, Jiu!” the Gu siblings waved goodbye and left, heading straight for Villa 025.

Mu Jiu turned around and went back to her kitchen to make herself some brunch to feed her grumbling stomach.

Thinking of yesterday’s crucian carp, her mouth watered. She decided to make crucian carp tofu soup, pan-fried fish roe, and pair it all with white rice.

The soft tofu had been made with freshly ground soy milk from her last harvest in the space farm.

Because it was both tasty and healthy, she’d made several large trays of it, all stored in the space’s refrigerated pantry for easy access.

—

Unlike Mu Jiu’s peaceful villa, Villa 025 was packed with people, all locked in a heated debate—

Who should be chosen as commander and core leader of the Anti-Humiliation Alliance?

With no internet and prolonged isolation, few people actually knew one another—many were meeting for the first time.

But after introductions, everyone grew very respectful of the Gu siblings and the hidden powerhouse in Villa 050.

It wasn’t long before a consensus formed:

Since the powerhouse from Villa 050 hadn’t shown up, they would nominate Gu Yang, the eldest Gu child, to be the alliance’s commander.

After that, almost all objections faded away…