Chapter 110: Shancheng: Will He Be Handed Over to the State?

Lin Mu suddenly turned around, his cold eyes gazing at Fu Jingmo. His beautiful peach blossom-shaped eyes were slightly upturned.

He took a step closer, his lips parting lightly.

“But, why can’t I meet a very handsome mutant?”

Fu Jingmo was stunned for a moment, then, unwilling to back down, pinched Lin Mu’s face.

“When your big brother says no, it means no.”

Lin Mu’s pupils contracted slightly as he froze in place, muttering under his breath, “What you say doesn’t count.”

Then he turned around and quickly left the room.

Naturally, he didn’t see the complex emotions flashing in the eyes of the person behind him.

Like a leopard whose territory had been encroached upon.

His gaze was a mix of possessiveness, malice, and a fleeting trace of self-doubt.

——

The banquet was scheduled for two days later, so everyone had to put on more formal attire.

Between Wunan Tower and the Jiangbei team, there was a marketplace.

It used to be a shopping mall before the apocalypse, but now it was abandoned. The entire first floor had been cleared out and repurposed as a marketplace.

Purchases were made using Shancheng’s points system. Yesterday, Zhao Zhi had conveniently delivered a stack of points, explaining that Shao Yingjie had asked them to use these for procurement of necessary supplies.

The points came in denominations of 2, 5, and 10, with a few larger ones of 50 and two notes of 100.

With just 2 points, a family could afford a full meal. The nearly 500 points they received were enough to support an ordinary person’s livelihood for more than half a year.

He Ze, holding the colorful stack of points, eagerly went off to spend them.

Fu Jingmo headed to Shao Yingjie’s place, leaving Lin Mu and the other two with nothing to do, so they decided to visit the marketplace together.

Lin Mu’s space actually contained plenty of clothes, but to avoid drawing attention, they decided to browse the marketplace first.

The marketplace was much larger than Lin Mu had anticipated. It had everything from food to clothing and daily necessities, a dazzling array of goods.

Ordinary people carried baskets on shoulder poles, filled with filling crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Some of the original shops had also been rented out, with people eating and sleeping inside while displaying their goods for sale at the front.

Clothing was considered a luxury here, with few customers showing interest—especially for items like well-tailored suits and similar stylish apparel.

Who would wear such impractical clothes during the apocalypse? Outdoor gear like waterproof jackets and the soon-to-be-needed winter coats were the top priorities.

Even after walking through the entire marketplace, they only found a small shop tucked in a corner that carried such items.

He Ze rummaged through the options but still couldn’t find the right sizes. After all, none of them were short, and even the slender Shen Rangchen was 182 centimeters tall.

Instead, it was Lin Mu at 179 centimeters who was the shortest.

Not finding suitable clothes left He Ze somewhat dissatisfied.

“Sigh, we have such handsome faces, but no clothes to match us,” he muttered under his breath.

Shen Rangchen and Lin Mu, walking ahead, were already used to his occasional bouts of dramatic whining.

If they could tolerate it, they would; if not, they’d waste a talisman to deal with it.

Shen Rangchen was in a surprisingly good mood. He even found a peachwood sword at a small stall and couldn’t put it down once he held it.

“This peachwood sword may not be very old, probably just twenty to thirty years, but with energy infused into it and talismans carved on it, it could cut through zombies as easily as slicing through iron,” he remarked with satisfaction.

Lin Mu chuckled. Shen Rangchen’s unique abilities truly set him apart. “Very impressive.”

“Hmm, it is quite impressive,” Shen Rangchen nodded, unabashedly acknowledging his own skills.

“Rangchen, is your Taoist temple really legitimate…?”

“Uh, sort of. At least the previous head said we had a business license. But other Taoist temples often accuse us of practicing heretical methods,” he replied with a shrug.

Shen Rangchen shook his head, disagreeing as he said, “I believe that for those who cultivate the Tao, the most important thing is to cultivate the heart. Using the bones of the dead to create talismans is a last resort given the current circumstances, and the purpose is to save lives. I have a clear conscience.”

He Ze quickened his pace, catching up to them. He threw an arm around Shen Rangchen’s shoulder.

“Exactly. Those self-righteous people—when it really comes down to risking their lives to save others, they all run away like cowards.”

The three of them chatted as they strolled along the riverside, slowly making their way back home. However, the issue of clothing didn’t bother them for long.

By evening, when Fu Jingmo returned, Li Zhou also arrived shortly after.

Several neatly folded suits were placed in exquisite gift boxes and delivered to their place. Fu Jingmo, having met Li Zhou before, calmly accepted the clothes without much reaction.

He Ze couldn’t wait to take out the clothes and try them on. He was already good-looking, with a sunny and cheerful demeanor.

Since the apocalypse began, his muscles had become more toned and solid. Compared to his previously flashy but superficial appearance, he now exuded true strength and power.

The others, however, weren’t as enthusiastic. They simply put the clothes back in their rooms, planning to wear them on the day of the banquet.

After dinner, Lin Mu returned to his room. Outside their building stood a very large tree, about four stories tall.

Even in winter, its leaves were lush and green.

Its vigorous vitality inexplicably brought a sense of calm to anyone who looked at it.

Occasionally, someone would step outside from the building below, and for a brief moment, it felt as though the apocalypse had never happened.

The matter Xiao Yuan mentioned lingered in Lin Mu’s mind. He leaned against the window, his elbows resting casually on the frame.

If the apocalypse was caused by the R-virus carried in the rain, which turned people into zombies, then the R1 element was the opposing force capable of countering the R-virus.

Xiao Yuan had said that if the storage sphere became full, it would grow and bear fruit, potentially changing the state of the apocalypse.

As for how it would change things, that was still uncertain.

If it were all true, then his future path would involve seeking mutated zombies to obtain energy cores?

How could such an absurd, savior-like mission fall on someone as ordinary as him?

Surely, it should be entrusted to someone outstanding, like Fu Jingmo and the others.

Lin Mu couldn’t understand it at all.

He was too ordinary—neither possessing a strong heart nor unwavering determination.

He didn’t take the news as well as he thought he would.

He was just a selfish and fearful person who could help others only within the limits of his own ability.

The previous two times he faced mutated zombies:

How much of it was to save people?

How much of it was out of necessity?

And how much of it was because of… Fu Jingmo?

He had even considered whether, if he didn’t tell anyone about this news, he could just keep it as a secret.

With Xiao Yuan and the space, he wouldn’t have to worry about food or drink. He could live comfortably in the apocalypse without having to deal with those mutated zombies.

What exactly was Xiao Yuan?

And why, of all people, had he been chosen?

Footsteps sounded behind him as Fu Jingmo returned to the room, his gaze briefly sweeping over the figure by the window.

After both had showered, they lay down on the bed as usual.

Although Lin Mu always appeared calm and aloof, after spending so much time together, Fu Jingmo could easily tell when something was on his mind.

But he didn’t ask, waiting for Lin Mu to speak on his own.

“Going to sleep?”

Lin Mu, staring blankly in a daze, nodded absentmindedly at the question.

Fu Jingmo reached out to turn off the light, and the room instantly fell into darkness.

The person beside him turned over, facing the window, continuing to stare blankly into the night.

A sliver of moonlight poured in, appearing cold and distant. Behind him, the steady and strong rhythm of breathing came from the person lying straight and motionless.

Lin Mu was completely unable to sleep. After a while of dazing, he turned back around, lowering his gaze, unable to drift off into slumber.

He lifted his eyes to look at the person beside him, lying utterly still. Even in the dim light, he could make out the sharp bridge of his nose and the cold, defined brow.

What if he told him?

Fu Jingmo belonged to the state, to the government.

Lin Mu had never known the exact mission Fu Jingmo carried on his shoulders, but he was certain it was significant.

To Fu Jingmo, their ultimate goal was always to eliminate the R-virus and prevent humanity’s extinction.

If he found out Xiao Yuan’s secret, what would he do?

Would he turn him over to the state?

Protect him, or study him?