This night was destined to be extraordinarily protracted. Zhou Keh Er acquired the warm room she longed for. Now, after the arrival of the apocalypse, she could finally enjoy a comfortable night's sleep for the first time. Zhang Yi locked the door from the outside, keeping the sole key securely in his possession. Business is business, but certain principles must be upheld. Even though Zhang Yi knew Zhou Keh Er was a kind person, allowing her in and letting her survive was already an act of benevolence. In the short term, he couldn't relax his guard against her. After taking a shower himself, Zhang Yi returned to the bedroom to rest.
After a half-day's slumber, Zhang Yi awoke feeling refreshed, his eyes more vibrant than usual. With a woman by his side, life would gain an extra touch of delight. Living alone, he feared he might eventually suffer a mental breakdown. After all, humans are social animals.
However, the condition was that Zhou Keh Er must be obedient and absolutely harmless. Checking the surveillance, Zhang Yi found Zhou Keh Er still deeply asleep in bed. Having not rested well for a long time, she slept so soundly that she had yet to wake up.
Raising an eyebrow, Zhang Yi dressed and freshened up. After completing his morning routine, he entered the living room, prepared to have breakfast. Zhang Yi retrieved some food from his alternate space and placed it on the coffee table. Then, he went to Zhou Keh Er's door, unlocking it.
Zhang Yi knocked and said, "Come out and have something to eat!"
It might seem amusing that everything in the room was under Zhang Yi's scrutiny, yet he still maintained the courtesy of knocking on the door. After all, for a harmonious long-term coexistence, basic respect was necessary.
Softly, Zhou Keh Er's voice came, tinged with weariness, "Alright, I'll be right there."
Approaching the dining table, Zhang Yi picked up a beef and cheese burger and walked to the window. After a night, the large icy lump next door had grown even larger, covered in a blanket of snow. Faintly visible within were the twisted forms of ten bodies.
As Zhou Keh Er walked out of her room and saw Zhang Yi, a barely perceptible blush colored her face. As a medical Ph.D. graduate from a prestigious university, she had always been proud, showing no special favor to men. Hence, she had preserved her chastity until now. After all, high society placed great importance on such matters. Unexpectedly, she had given herself to a somewhat unfamiliar man in this apocalypse, as part of a survival exchange.
However, looking at Zhang Yi's attractive figure and his cold yet rational handsome face, she felt an unusual sense of security. In a woman's heart, there was always a special feeling for her first man. Zhang Yi quite liked Zhou Keh Er, mainly because she was beautiful—what man wouldn't appreciate a stunning woman with a great figure and a beautiful face? However, love was far from the current reality. Perhaps, as he gradually trusted her in the future, he might begin to invest emotions. Living alone in the apocalypse was too exhausting; there was always a need for some affection.
Zhang Yi gestured to the food on the table. Zhou Keh Er looked over and found hot hamburgers, fried chicken, and fries. These were fast food items Zhang Yi had ordered in bulk from KFC, McDonald's, and other fast-food chains before the apocalypse. Due to the preservative capabilities of his alternate space, they were still piping hot when taken out.
Zhou Keh Er swallowed her saliva, unable to resist walking over and grabbing a burger to devour. In the past, she had scorned fast food, but now it tasted so delicious that it almost brought tears to her eyes. In less than ten minutes, she had finished the entire pile of food, reclining on the chair with a satisfied belch. When she noticed Zhang Yi's amused expression, she shyly covered her mouth, a face full of embarrassment.
Zhang Yi paid no mind to such matters. He asked, "Finished eating?"
With her head tilted, Zhou Keh Er earnestly replied, "Not quite full yet. However, one should not consume too much at once, as it may lead to gastrointestinal issues."
"Done then? Come over and work."
Zhang Yi gestured towards the outside.
Zhou Keh Er obediently walked over. Zhang Yi took out two sets of winter jackets from his alternate space. Zhou Keh Er's eyes widened; although not the first time she had seen this, it still seemed particularly magical. Her determination to follow Zhang Yi strengthened.
In the apocalypse, surviving was a rare feat. Only by following powerful individuals could one increase the probability of survival. Zhang Yi tossed a winter jacket to Zhou Keh Er for her to put on, and he donned one himself.
"What are we going to do?" Zhou Keh Er curiously inquired.
Zhang Yi pointed to the icy lump on the neighboring balcony, "Go and smash that ice lump!"
Zhou Keh Er shuddered. The bodies of those people had already fused with the ice. If the ice was shattered, their corpses would also be torn apart.
"They're surely dead. Why do we need to do this?" she questioned.
Zhang Yi shrugged, "Maybe because I simply detest them! In this building, nearly everyone has tried to kill me to seize my room and supplies. I must do something to let them know I'm not to be trifled with."
He smirked, "Initially
, they thought I was a homebody. Of course, I don't mind their opinion of me."
"But after a while, it gets annoying. Let them learn a lesson. There's another reason I won't mention—I can't be bothered to tell you. I hold grudges."
Chen Zhenghao repeatedly tried to kill him three times, and Zhang Yi was quite angered by it. However, freezing them to death seemed too easy on them.
Zhou Keh Er seemed to realize something, pointing to her own nose, "You... won't make me do it again, right?"
She was utterly speechless. From start to finish, she had been the one exerting effort to deal with Chen Zhenghao and the others. Now that they were dead, was Zhang Yi still so hesitant?
Zhang Yi solemnly stated, "This is called prudence!"
Nonsense! What if I go over there, and you just close the window? What would I do then?
Though Zhang Yi's supplies were in the alternate space, he didn't want to endure unnecessary trouble.
Rolling her eyes, Zhou Keh Er found this overly cautious person beyond words. She silently complained, wondering how there could be such a cautious person! She wasn't stupid; why would she do something harmful to others and not beneficial to herself?
Ignoring her complaints, Zhang Yi made a "please" gesture and handed her a baseball bat. Zhou Keh Er noticed that when Zhang Yi handed her the bat, his body was clearly in a defensive stance. Furious, she was speechless about Zhang Yi's excessive caution.
Despite her reluctance, Zhou Keh Er received the baseball bat and climbed over the railing to reach the neighboring balcony. Meanwhile, Zhang Yi took out his phone and started recording.