043 Gu Xiaoqian Wants to Come Along? That’ll Cost Extra!

Why save them?

When she heard Xue Feng’s question, Gu Xiaoqian was momentarily at a loss for words.

Wasn’t saving others something that went without saying? Wasn’t it a universal value? Did one even need a reason to help someone in need?

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but not a single one reached her lips.

She knew all too well—this world had changed. The old rules had been overturned. Now only strength was truth; whoever held power set the law. This was an age where only the strong survived. For the weak like herself, the only path was to cling to the strong.

Xue Feng, standing before her, was her only hope.

[Information confirmed. Host has obtained the following reward:]

[Stone Skin level +2.]

Stone Skin level +2?

At that moment, a voice echoed in Xue Feng’s mind.

Did that mean his Stone Skin had reached the second tier? The immense changes brought by reaching the second tier of Divine Firmament had left him thoroughly satisfied. Surely this Stone Skin would not disappoint either. He could test this new ability once he was safely back; there was no rush.

He turned his attention to Gu Xiaoqian.

Xue Feng was well aware that this voice in his head meant Gu Xiaoqian’s psychological defenses had been completely shattered. She had submitted to him in spirit. Only after witnessing her colleagues’ brutal deaths had she finally grasped the cruelty of this world.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Xue Feng’s lips.

He decided to conquer Gu Xiaoqian completely, to let her understand her place now. She could only ever be a subordinate at his side.

“All right, our agreement is fulfilled,” Xue Feng said, striding toward the armored vehicle.

Seeing him approach the car, about to step inside at any second, Gu Xiaoqian panicked.

She knew if she were left here, her fate would be no different from that of the bald man and the others—torn to pieces by the undead. Or else she would have to find some hiding place, only to starve to death in the end.

“Wait! Wait!” Gu Xiaoqian hurried after him, calling out.

“What is it? Is there something else?” Xue Feng turned to look at her.

“You... you’re just going to leave?” Gu Xiaoqian gazed at him with tear-filled eyes, hardly able to believe it. After all, hadn’t they been through life and death together? And she had just changed clothes in front of him, everything exposed to his gaze.

And yet he was going to abandon her like this! Heartless, a scoundrel!

Of course, Gu Xiaoqian dared not voice these words aloud. If Xue Feng turned on her, she would have nowhere to cry. Even these tears were a calculated effort to win his sympathy.

“Yes, I need to go back and install the water purifier. Who knows if it’ll work properly,” Xue Feng replied matter-of-factly. He had no doubts about the information provided by the system, but this was simply an excuse to tease her.

“Please take me with you—I can help! I’m very familiar with these things,” Gu Xiaoqian suddenly remembered, raising her hand eagerly.

Just then, a breeze swept by, lifting her ultra-short skirt.

The wild tiger roared!

Gu Xiaoqian’s face flushed crimson as she quickly pressed her skirt down with her other hand. But on second thought, what did it matter? Xue Feng had already seen everything. What was left to be embarrassed about?

She let go, letting that mysterious scene reveal itself to him once more.

Look all you want!

Her mindset had completely changed. At first, she would never have allowed Xue Feng to take advantage of her. Now, all she could do was hope he’d look her way more.

“It’s just about installing a water purifier?” Xue Feng, of course, had no objection to enjoying the view a little longer.

“I can give massages too!” Gu Xiaoqian chimed in.

Previously, she had been deeply reluctant to offer massages, feeling that, as a university graduate, how could she lower herself to such work? But now she realized she had underestimated the worth of a masseuse. If it meant surviving, what did a massage matter?

“Not enough,” Xue Feng shook his head.

“Not enough? What more do you want?” Tears welled up again in Gu Xiaoqian’s eyes, this time from genuine grievance. She had already given so much, had never done anything like this before.

“There is food and electricity at my place. You won’t have to worry about dying at any moment.” He narrowed his eyes. “Think carefully—in this apocalypse, how many women dream of such a place? What would they be willing to give?”

These words nearly broke Gu Xiaoqian. If such a place really existed, knowledge of water purifiers and massage skills would hardly suffice.

She would give anything!

But a sliver of doubt crept in. In a world where everyone was in danger, could such a haven truly exist as Xue Feng described?

At that moment, the zombies had finished devouring the bald man and his companions and began shambling toward the armored car. Their hideous faces were smeared with blood. Some still had scraps of flesh clinging to them. Gu Xiaoqian even saw one with a length of intestine dangling from its head.

“It’s time for me to go,” Xue Feng said, opening the armored car door to climb in.

He was really going to leave? To abandon her here? In another second, she would become a feast for the undead.

Gu Xiaoqian was terrified out of her wits. She no longer cared about her last shred of dignity.

“I’ll do anything! Please, take me with you!” She lunged forward, clutching his arm, deliberately pressing her ample curves against him, letting him feel her softness—her only capital now, and all she could offer.

“Fine. Sit in the passenger seat,” Xue Feng said with a smile, satisfied that she had finally come to understand the law of this new world.

With his permission, Gu Xiaoqian scrambled to the front seat, even stumbling once in her haste, but managed to get inside just before the zombies reached them.

The black panther slipped in after her—though with the panther there, Gu Xiaoqian was in no real danger. The beast was intelligent now and recognized her as Xue Feng’s servant.

But for her, it was a brush with death. Gasping for breath, her chest heaving, she looked especially alluring.

Xue Feng started the armored vehicle and sped away.

Only now did Gu Xiaoqian have a chance to look out at the street. The more she saw, the more her heart trembled. All around were ruined shops, uncollected corpses, blood staining the ground—a testament to the horrors that had taken place.

Just then, she felt a hand slide onto her thigh, inching ever lower…