Ruyi blinked in disbelief after entering her space, then suddenly realized: why was she even hiding? With her current strength—faster than a world-record sprinter, able to break bricks with her bare hands and crush rocks on her chest without so much as a bruise—not to mention her secret weapon, there was absolutely no reason to cower.
Besides, this wasn't Wen Xinyu she was dealing with.
With that thought, she stormed out of the space with newfound determination, only to time her exit perfectly as the supermarket door creaked open.
She froze in surprise, her gaze darting to the small glass door. Behind it stood a checkout counter that had been slightly shifted, pushed back by about twenty centimeters from its original position. How? Did these people move it from the outside? Unless this was some kind of magic trick, there was no way. Then again, this world was full of strange and powerful abilities.
The first to enter was none other than "Calabash Brother." He stood in the middle of the supermarket, staring blankly at Ruyi. "There's someone here?" he asked dumbly.
Ruyi shot him a sharp glare. "What do you think? Did you even knock before barging in?"
Calabash Brother blinked, taken aback, then awkwardly turned and walked out. In the process, he nearly collided with a yellow-haired man trying to step inside.
The yellow-haired man opened his mouth, clearly ready to curse, but upon recognizing Calabash Brother, he swallowed his words with a visible effort.
"Excuse me, can I come in?" Calabash Brother asked politely, knocking on the door with exaggerated formality.
Ruyi stared, dumbfounded. In both her previous world and this one, she had encountered her fair share of idiots, but this one took the cake. She could confidently say she had never met anyone quite so uniquely... simple.
Even Yellow-Hair twitched slightly at the absurdity, though he seemed used to Calabash Brother's peculiar nature. With a resigned shove, he pushed past him and stepped inside.
Upon seeing Ruyi, Yellow-Hair froze, his expression shifting to one of disbelief. A moment later, he bolted out the door, shoving Calabash Brother aside again. Grabbing a man who looked like the leader of their group, he pointed at Ruyi through the glass, both men glaring at her with barely restrained fury.
Ruyi responded with an unapologetically provocative smirk.
Meanwhile, Calabash Brother, still waiting for permission to enter, grew increasingly anxious. "Can I come in now, big sister?" he called loudly.
Ruyi, utterly exasperated, waved him in. With a delighted grin, he bounded through the door like an overgrown puppy.
Following him were two familiar faces: the gang leader, known as Quan-ge, and Yellow-Hair. But Ruyi's attention was drawn to the last person to enter—a young man holding a woman close to his side.
Ruyi squinted, testing the waters. "Li Ziyu?"
The woman, Li Ziyu, glanced at her coldly, her eyes brimming with disdain and hostility, but she said nothing.
"Well, well, don't get too chummy just yet," Quan-ge sneered, gripping his weapon tightly as he stepped forward. "We've got some unfinished business to settle."
The young man holding Li Ziyu, evidently their leader, finally noticed Ruyi. His eyes lit up, his gaze appraising her with unabashed interest.
"What's going on, Quan?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.
"That woman," Quan-ge growled, his eyes blazing with anger, "is the reason we almost died back at the supermarket. She deliberately damaged the doors and lured the zombies in. If you and Xiao Dou hadn't shown up in time, we'd all be corpses right now!"
The leader, whom they addressed as Yu-shao, raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of surprise and skepticism as he studied Ruyi. The idea that such a delicate-looking beauty could be so ruthless seemed implausible to him.
"Miss," he began, his voice smooth and polished, "is there some misunderstanding here? Surely, there's more to the story than what my friend has described."
Ruyi's lip curled in disdain. Why was it that every man Wen Xinyu encountered was either rich, handsome, or coldly domineering, while she got stuck dealing with sleazy degenerates like this one?
Yu-shao appeared no older than twenty, though his demeanor was oddly mature. His skin was unnaturally pale, giving him an eerie, almost spectral appearance that made Ruyi's instincts scream caution.
"Misunderstanding? None whatsoever," Ruyi replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I did want them dead. It's just unfortunate they managed to survive." She exaggerated her disappointment with a sigh. "Pity about the bald guy and Band-Aid Boy, though. Are they dead? If so, I'd consider that time well spent."
Her words sent Yellow-Hair over the edge. With a roar of rage, he swung his iron rod at her, only for it to halt mid-air.
Yellow-Hair turned, his face contorted in confusion and anger, to see Calabash Brother holding his arm back effortlessly.
"Xiao Dou, why are you stopping me? That b**** almost got me killed!"
Calabash Brother scratched his head awkwardly. "She's so small—barely reaches your shoulder. You're a grown man; just let it go. If she's in the wrong, can't we settle it without violence?"
Ruyi stared at Calabash Brother in astonishment, her annoyance softening slightly. His earnest expression and upright demeanor were a refreshing contrast to the scum around him. Despite traveling with this unsavory group, he somehow remained untainted.
Yellow-Hair, however, was less impressed. "The hell, Xiao Dou! I've put up with your crap long enough. You keep ruining my plans, saving useless tagalongs—"
Before he could finish, Quan-ge kicked him to the ground. "Shut up already! How dare you talk to Xiao Dou like that?" He turned to Calabash Brother, immediately adopting a conciliatory tone. "Apologies, Xiao Dou. He's just riled up; don't take it to heart."
Ruyi watched the scene play out, piecing together the dynamics. It seemed Calabash Brother was an ability user, likely the one who had moved the counter earlier. The two scumbags were clearly relying on him for survival.
Grinning mischievously, Ruyi beckoned Calabash Brother over. "Hey, kiddo, come here."
Blushing furiously at being addressed so sweetly by such a beautiful woman, Calabash Brother hesitated before shuffling closer.
"I'm Ji Ruyi, from C City. What's your name?"
"Jiang Xiaodou," he replied, his tone shy but honest. "I'm from Y City. I'm heading to Yun'an Base to find someone."
As the two chatted, six more people entered the store. Among them was another familiar face—the shifty-eyed man she had once held at gunpoint.
"Wang… something, wasn't it?" she teased, a wicked smirk playing on her lips.
The man flushed with embarrassment. "It's… it's Xu Xiaohu," he muttered sheepishly.
Ruyi ignored him, her attention shifting to the others. They were a motley group of elderly and frail individuals, including a grandmother-grandson duo, a petite young girl, and a delicate-looking woman.
No wonder Yellow-Hair had been so resentful earlier—dragging such a vulnerable group through the apocalypse must have been a nightmare.
Ruyi's gaze lingered on Calabash Brother. So, this is what a "Saint Father" looks like in action. After encountering her fair share of Little White Flowers, meeting the male equivalent was almost refreshing.