Lan Shiru raised an eyebrow. “Is that not a good idea? If we ever have any outdoor activities, with this, we won’t need tents or RVs. We can set it up inside, give each person their own room—absolute comfort. Don’t you guys want it?”

“Wow, why wouldn’t we?” Yun Shuiyao was excited. She’d spent all her savings on a big villa but hadn’t even had a chance to live in it before she was forced into a life on the run. She’d thought she’d never get to live in a villa in this lifetime, but now it seemed like even fate was feeling sorry for her.

“It’s possible. We’ll stay here and start moving it tonight.” The traditional reinforced concrete foundations were too deep and heavy to move, but this one was doable. The soil layer within half a meter would be easy to manage.

Miao Miao was so excited she was practically jumping. “Can we go inside and take a look now?”

“The main door’s locked, and no one seems to be interested in it. Let’s stay low-key and just look around the perimeter.” Lan Shiru suggested.

Miao Miao’s excitement faded for a moment, but then she perked up again and began circling the villa which covered at least 200 square meters.

The factory buildings were generally more spacious than the others, and the light steel villa had been specially built as a display. In this area, it truly stood out—it was a big win for them.

The three of them and the dog were inspecting it carefully when suddenly, a woman in a suit ran out of the factory, her face full of mystery. “Quick, come with me!”

The group looked at her calmly. Did she think they were fools, just going with anyone who said so?

He Lian hurriedly explained. “I mean no harm. Someone’s following you and has bad intentions. If you don’t believe me, follow me inside and hide in the corner to watch. I’m alone, I won’t hurt you, I swear.”

He Lian looked a mess. Her suit was so dirty it was unrecognizable, and her once-perfect makeup was now smeared all over her face. In this state, she looked more like a beggar than anything else.

The three of them and the dog exchanged a glance and nodded. “Lead the way.”

He Lian was overjoyed and quickly led them into the light steel villa factory, expertly heading upstairs and into a room.

“I’m the secretary to the CEO of a construction company.” she began, her voice shaky. “The day before the acid rain, my boss asked me to come here to deliver some blueprints, check the progress, and confirm the details. We were on a tight schedule, so I had to work overtime. I didn’t get a chance to return home, and when I woke up, it was already the afternoon of the next day. I opened the door and saw the world had gone mad. I was terrified, so I hid in the room for three days, surviving on a little snack food. Once the noise outside died down, I ventured out and met some people from the surrounding factories. We teamed up, planning to go to the food district for supplies and then check the situation in the city. Unfortunately, we weren’t lucky. As soon as we reached the food district, we ran into a large group of zombies. Everyone panicked and scattered, and many died. After a few more encounters, we started getting the hang of it, gaining more courage to fight back. But only a few of us dared. Eventually, that small group decided they didn’t want to feed so many people and secretly started discussing how to exploit the situation for their own benefit. I was one of the useless ones, so I quickly fled back here. I was in such a rush I only grabbed a bag of food, which I’ve already finished.”

The three of them watched her silently. “And then?”

He Lian smiled awkwardly. “Could I have something to eat?”

Lan Shiru handed her a box of milk, a loaf of bread, and a package of jerky.

He Lian’s eyes welled up with emotion. “Thank you.”

Being a high-ranking secretary for a publicly listed company, He Lian maintained her poise even in her exhausted state. She ate with grace, not ravenously, despite her thin, pale appearance.

“This is fate,” she sighed. “Normally, I wouldn’t be the one sent to the factory, but I happened to be busy this time. I never expected something like this would happen. I must look ridiculous to you.”

Miao Miao shrugged. “It might not be a bad thing. If you were in the city, you probably wouldn’t have made it this far.”

“True.” He Lian nodded with a smile. “Fortune and misfortune are intertwined—who can say for sure? They’re coming.” She gestured toward the window for the others to look.

Outside, on the empty road, five burly men with fierce expressions were scanning the area, cursing under their breath as they searched.

“That’s them.” He Lian continued. “From what I overheard, they’ve been tracking you for days. They said you women have been holed up here without leaving, not teaming up with anyone else to gather supplies. One of you must have spatial abilities, which means you’ve got plenty of resources. They want to take you in—not just to warm their beds, but to use you as a mobile warehouse. They’re all escapees from death row, criminals who’ve done unspeakable things.”

“How did you hear all this?” Yun Shuiyao asked suspiciously. “Are you working with them? Trying to set us up?”

“Of course not.” He Lian quickly clarified. “Those people are scum, worse than animals. Any woman with them wouldn’t fare well. Just look at me—dirty, yes, but no marks on me.” She rolled up her sleeves to prove her point, even preparing to take off her clothes.

Lan Shiru stopped her. “Alright, we believe you. You must’ve awakened some auditory abilities, right?”

“Yes, yes! After I woke up from my unconsciousness, I realized my hearing was much sharper. I can hear things from several buildings away. Because of this, I’ve avoided several close calls. I may not be strong in combat, but I’m excellent at scouting. Can I join you?”

The three of them didn’t respond immediately. He Lian continued, “The world’s turned chaotic. I’ve been hiding here because I’m looking for reliable partners. But honestly, it’s been a disappointment. Strength matters now, and women without strength are just pawns for men. Even though I have abilities, they often feel useless and get overlooked. I’ve been proud all my life, but I don’t want to end up as someone’s plaything. You’re all women, and I feel safe with you. I believe you’re capable, or you wouldn’t be surviving like this in the apocalypse.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be a burden. If it comes down to it, you can leave me behind. If I’m caught, you don’t need to risk your lives to save me. But before that happens, I just want to have a chance to survive. I’ve been stuck here for over a month, and I’m close to losing my mind. I can help scout—like today, I can help prevent situations like this. Think of today as a token of my loyalty. Will you consider it?”

Yun Shuiyao took out a mirror and fixed her appearance. Miao Miao looked at Lan Shiru and smiled. “I’ll listen to you, sis.”

Lan Shiru’s expression remained calm. “My team doesn’t tolerate traitors or cowards. If you want to prove yourself, go lead them here.”

He Lian looked into Lan Shiru’s eyes, trying to read something from them, but all she saw was calm, like still water. There was nothing to be read. She pressed her lips together in silence, then nodded decisively after a few seconds. “Alright, what do you need me to do?”

“It’s not about what we need you to do, it’s about what you can do,” Lan Shiru replied.

He Lian’s face, already pale, turned a little more ashen. She wasn’t sure if it was fear, but her hands were shaking. To stop herself from looking cowardly, she clenched her fists tightly and walked out without looking back.

Yun Shuiyao giggled. “Looks like Shiru still loves me the most.”

Miao Miao pouted. “You just rely on your thick skin.” She couldn’t say she wasn’t jealous; after all, her sister didn’t love her.

>>>