Chapter 25: Refined Linglong

Wang Zhi looked at the menu on the table and ordered six servings each of high-nutrition compressed cheese, special milkshakes, and steak rice from the ordering device.

After placing the order, everyone sat quietly at the table, waiting. Because of Jiexì’s presence, the atmosphere became awkward. The usually talkative Fatty also kept his mouth shut.

Wang Zhi noticed that the gazes around them occasionally landed on him. The reason was obvious—Jiexì, the team leader, was sitting with him for a meal. He finally understood the meaning behind her words earlier—this meal was anything but comfortable.

Ten minutes later, their food arrived, breaking the awkward silence.

“Boohoo…”

As everyone was eating, a sudden sobbing sound was heard. Wang Zhi looked up to see Fatty eating while tears streamed down his face.

“What’s wrong, Fatty?” Wang Zhi asked in confusion.

“Nothing… It’s just so delicious, I’m touched. I haven’t had a proper meal in a month. This feeling… is amazing! Boohoo!”

Damn, this drama king. How can eating a meal be so dramatic?

Wang Zhi ignored Fatty.

“Is this the new team member you recruited?” Jiexì asked while staring at Jia Liuli.

“Yes, it’s her,” Wang Zhi replied.

“Not bad.”

Jiexì’s evaluation was brief.

Jia Liuli instinctively moved closer to Wang Zhi upon feeling Jiexì’s gaze.

Noticing her reaction, Wang Zhi reassured her, “No need to be afraid. Captain Jiexì is our friend. Don’t be nervous, just eat.”

“Your training is intense. Don’t skimp on food. Try out the high-grade nutritional meals here. It’s about time for me to go.” Jiexì finished speaking, picked up her milkshake, and walked out.

And with that, the meal ended.

Wang Zhi walked to the counter and told the staff, “Hello, I’d like to pay for Table 07.”

“Please wait a moment… Six servings of high-nutrition compressed cheese, six special milkshakes, and six steak rice meals, totaling 50 survival points.”

Wang Zhi took a sharp breath—this meal had been quite costly. Fifty points gone just like that, and Jiexì even advised them not to skimp on food. The pressure was real.

“That woman was terrifying,” Jia Liuli suddenly spoke up.

Wang Zhi recalled her earlier fear and asked, “Why do you say that?”

“When she looked at me just now, my instincts screamed that she was an extremely terrifying person,” Jia Liuli whispered.

“She is the captain of the guards. It’s normal for her to be strong. She won’t harm us for no reason,” Wang Zhi reassured her.

“I heard from another team that Captain Jiexì once unleashed a full-force punch during training, and it had an explosive force of over a thousand kilograms,” Ying added.

“Hiss~ Is she even human? If she hit me with that, I wouldn’t just be sent flying—I’d be punched right through,” Fatty gasped.

“Alright, everyone, get some rest. We’ve been exhausted for days. Take a day off. I’ll take Jia Liuli around to get familiar with the place,” Wang Zhi said as he stood up.

He planned to get Jia Liuli a weapon. In the apocalypse, having a handy weapon was crucial.

“Come on, let’s get you a weapon,” Wang Zhi said as he arrived at a weapons shop.

“Thank you, Captain,” Jia Liuli replied as she followed him.

“No need to be so formal. We’re all on the same team now,” Wang Zhi said as they entered the store.

“Hello, what can I do for you two?” A staff member greeted them as soon as they walked in.

“We’ll look around first, thanks,” Wang Zhi replied.

The store had a system that allowed them to browse weapons, so he let Jia Liuli choose on her own.

A short while later, Jia Liuli picked a standard steel blade. Wang Zhi checked the system’s description of the weapon.

Price: 50 survival points…

Jia Liuli had been considerate, choosing a relatively inexpensive weapon.

“Pick a better one. This blade won’t last long—it’ll break after a few uses.”

Since they were buying one, Wang Zhi figured they might as well get a good one.

After flipping through a few more pages, he finally settled on a blade named Refined Linglong. It cost 500 survival points, was made of tungsten alloy, and was virtually indestructible. Most importantly, it came with after-sales maintenance, so they wouldn’t have to worry about chipping the blade.

“Hello, we’ll take the Refined Linglong,” Wang Zhi said, handing over his payment card.

“Alright, the weapon will be delivered to your residence within three days. Please be patient.”

Unlike firearms, which needed to be stocked due to high ammunition consumption, cold weapons were usually custom-made upon order.

Although 500 survival points were quite an expense for their team, Wang Zhi saw it as a long-term investment. For now, they still had pistols and daggers, which would suffice until they could earn more points to upgrade their equipment.

“Let’s go, I’ll show you around.”

“Mhm!”

Jia Liuli’s joy was evident—getting a good weapon had clearly lifted her spirits.

As Wang Zhi guided Jia Liuli through the second floor, he recounted how he met Lao He, Ying, and Fatty, as well as the events that transpired after arriving at Dawn Tower.

Jia Liuli listened with keen interest, treating it like a fascinating story. When Wang Zhi mentioned how the Chi Yan team had caused trouble, she couldn’t help but interrupt, “Captain, will they retaliate?”

After thinking for a moment, Wang Zhi replied, “Given Zhao Yang’s personality, he definitely will. However, internal conflicts are forbidden in Dawn Tower unless both parties agree to settle things in the arena. Otherwise, the guards will intervene.”

“I really want to become as strong as Captain Jiexì… So I can protect everyone, and protect you, Captain…” Jia Liuli clenched her fists, her eyes full of determination.

Hearing her say she wanted to protect him, Wang Zhi felt his face flush. This girl might be small, but when it came to saying embarrassing things, she was a master. And the worst part—she didn’t even realize it.

“From now on, don’t go anywhere alone. Always bring someone with you. In the apocalypse, there are no laws, no real justice. The only person you can truly trust is yourself. Understand?” Wang Zhi cautioned.

“Then, does that mean I can’t trust you either, Captain?” Jia Liuli looked up at him.

“Well… not completely. After all, I don’t even know if I’ll end up falling into darkness in this apocalypse,” Wang Zhi said, his voice tinged with sadness.

“That’s okay. Even if you sell me out, I’d accept it willingly. After all, you all saved me,” Jia Liuli said with a smile.

Wang Zhi glanced at her but didn’t respond. In this apocalyptic world, the future was bleak, and he dared not think too far ahead.

“We’re back,” Wang Zhi said as he opened the door.

“Oh? Back from a romantic date with your little sweetheart? If you took any longer, I might have gotten jealous,” Ying teased lazily from the bed.

Hearing this, Jia Liuli blushed furiously and dove under the covers.

“What are you saying? I was just showing her around and getting her a weapon. Jia Liuli, aren’t you going to deny it?”

“Oh? What weapon? Show me,” Ying asked, grinning.

Jia Liuli peeked out from the blanket and muttered, “It’ll arrive in three days.”

“Mhm, I got her a blade. 500 points,” Wang Zhi replied nonchalantly.

Thud! A cup fell to the floor in the bathroom. Fatty picked it up and said, “Ah, nothing, carry on.” Silence filled the room.

“Hahaha! Good little brother, come here. Let big sis show you something special,” Ying suddenly laughed.

“Huh? What special thing?” Wang Zhi asked as he walked over.