Chapter 7: Come, Play with Fire? It’s Yours to Play With

Beizhou Border.

After their off-road vehicle drove through the most dangerous abandoned urban areas, they chose a relatively safe suburban villa to rest.

Ji Mingchen went in first to clear the area. After he killed the three mutated zombie corpses inside, Mei Yasha helped Wen Yao enter.

Di Dahu had fallen from the stairs earlier and injured one of his legs. After they went inside, he carried his gun, limping as he opened the trunk to unload supplies.

This was a small villa hidden behind the mountains. It was clear that not many people had come to loot it. Perhaps everyone who came here was eaten by the mutated creatures, as the furnishings inside were mostly intact, just covered in a thick layer of dust.

In the apocalypse, there was no safe place except for the survivor zones in the bases. For convenience in observing the situation outside, they decided to rest in the small hall on the second floor near the balcony.

That night, Mei Yasha went to the kitchen on the second floor to prepare food. Halfway through, she came out and said to Ji Mingchen, “All three lighters are broken, and the matches are damp, so… Boss, can I borrow a light?”

Ji Mingchen had already changed into clean and tidy clothes. He was leaning back on the sofa in a lazy and elegant posture, his demeanor relaxed and at ease, without any trace of distress. He seemed like anything but a fugitive in a chaotic world.

Seeing Mei Yasha approaching with two wooden sticks, he lazily raised his hand, and a fingertip flame instantly ignited the sticks.

Mei Yasha: “Thank you, Boss!”

Wen Yao, sitting on the sofa beside him: “…”

There was such an operation…

Ji Mingchen noticed Wen Yao’s gaze and smiled as he extended his hand towards her: “Come, want to play with fire? It’s yours to play with.”

“…”

Wen Yao retracted her gaze and waved her hand in refusal: “No, thank you.”

Someone who looked so handsome, why was he like a freak?

His crazy behavior made her understand why she had misunderstood him so much in the past, and every time she saw him, she wanted to draw her sword.

However, Ji Mingchen didn’t mind. He used the flame on his fingertip to touch Wen Yao’s hand. Wen Yao watched as her finger was ignited, and she gasped in fright, instantly retracting her hand.

But even after she panicked for a while, she didn’t feel any heat.

The fire on her fingertip… wasn’t hot?

Wen Yao stared at her hand with a strange expression, and Ji Mingchen was amused by her appearance. He chuckled softly.

Wen Yao: “…”

She used another finger to touch the flame on her index finger, and the other finger was also ignited. After a few attempts, all ten of her white fingers were emitting small, bright yellow flames, like ten candles, but without any heat.

Ji Mingchen’s smile didn’t fade: “Fun?”

As if truly surprised, Wen Yao extended the fire in her hand towards Ji Mingchen’s clothes, but the flame still didn’t have any effect and didn’t ignite his clothes.

“Why…” Wen Yao said, watching Di Dahu walk past from the side. She extended her finger and touched his forearm.

The next second, Di Dahu jumped up in pain: “Ouch!”

Wen Yao was so startled that she quickly retracted her hand, extinguished the flame on her fingertip, and asked with concern: “Are you alright?”

Di Dahu looked at the smoking hole on his arm, then at the boss who was laughing hysterically, silently swallowing his grievance and forcing a smile that was uglier than crying: “I… I’m fine.”

“My skin is thick and rough, how could I possibly be hurt? Hahaha, as long as Miss Wen and Boss are happy, haha.”

“…”

Wen Yao was full of guilt: “… Sorry.”

Ji Mingchen: “Hahahahahaha…”

Wen Yao took a deep breath and turned to look at the culprit beside her: “What’s going on?”

Ji Mingchen: “He’s just unlucky.”

Di Dahu, who had already rolled far away: “…”

But Wen Yao pointed out directly: “You can control the temperature of the fire.”

Ji Mingchen raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying it.

Wen Yao was actually quite surprised.

There were no fire-type ability users in the various districts of the Beizhou for now. She had never seen one before, and she only now realized that this fire-type ability could not only attack with flames but also control the temperature of the flames…

Seven years into the apocalypse, the number of mutated zombies and various mutated plants and animals was increasing. It was not difficult to predict that they would become stronger and stronger in the future.

Looking at Ji Mingchen, Wen Yao couldn’t help but think, if only she could awaken an ability.

In that dream, she died without awakening any ability. She didn’t know if she would have another chance…

…

Mei Yasha brought over dinner: beef toast rolls, and fresh milk with cereal.

In the apocalypse, being able to eat such food was beyond luxurious, it was a feast.

However, just as Wen Yao was moved by the food, Ji Mingchen looked at the porcelain bowl in his hand with disgust: “Why did you put cereal in it?”

Mei Yasha was puzzled: “Boss, didn’t you always want it this way?”

Ji Mingchen “Oh”ed and said with a matter-of-fact tone: “But I dislike cereal tonight.”

Wen Yao: “…”

This man was really hard to please. Even after so many years in the apocalypse, he was still as leisurely as a young master. He even had to consider the time, place, and people when eating.

Wen Yao actually liked this milk and cereal. After silently finishing the last mouthful, a hand with distinct knuckles extended towards her: “Finish it for me.”

Looking at the small porcelain bowl in the man’s hand, Wen Yao raised her head in confusion. Ji Mingchen raised an eyebrow and said in a leisurely tone: “Don’t waste food.”

“…”

She didn’t know who was wasting…

The bowl wasn’t big, a few mouthfuls would finish it. Wen Yao didn’t mind having an extra snack. She silently took the bowl.