So, with the basic intro out of the way, let’s get back to the main theme of this Apocalypse and talk about the core setup—how do you power up in a world overrun by Zombies?

Of course, the answer is: kill Zombies to boost your stats.

Since everyone has a system and skills, anyone can increase their combat power by killing monsters. Roughly speaking, killing one Zombie gives you a 10% boost to all stats. But the more Zombies you kill, the smaller that bonus gets, until it’s not even 0.1% anymore—unless you can take down higher‑tier elite Zombies.

What’s interesting is that this stat increase is based on your pre‑Apocalypse base stats. For example, if you’re a kid, then the strength you gain from killing a Zombie is “kid’s strength × 0.1.” If you’re an athlete, then it’s “athlete’s strength × 0.1” for each Zombie you kill. (Which is why the army’s full of elite Zombies now. They’re doomed…)

On top of that, Duan Heng had already put himself through special training before everything went to hell, so his base stats are seriously high. And Bai Ling’s skill might look like it’s just a transformation with no real effect, but its true purpose is to push her base stats to an absurd level. That way, the stats she gains from killing Zombies get completely maximized.

That said, why was Duan Heng so strong right from the start? Why could he one‑shot a Zombie with a casual swing?

Obviously because, before the Apocalypse even began, he’d already planted timed explosives on over a dozen high‑rises. The moment the Apocalypse kicked off, those buildings went boom. He’d already stacked the stats you can get from normal Zombies to the cap.

So, back to the present. In front of such a powerful, such a towering Duan Heng... there’s no need to spell out what’s going to happen, right?

From the second floor of the safe house, a soft, teary, almost coquettish sob drifted out.

“Mmph… don’t… don’t shoot…”

“Relax. Leave it to me. I’ll hit bull’s‑eye for sure.”

“No… don’t…”

…

“Ah❤~”

Thud——

The suppressed shot whispered from the sniper rifle’s barrel. Right after that, Bai Ling actually dropped the gun in terror and went flat on the floor. She hugged her head with both hands, curling up like a shivering kitten. Seeing this, Duan Heng could only stare speechlessly and complain:

“Come on. There’s a stock and a tripod holding it up for you. The recoil’s basically nothing. What are you even scared of?”

“That’s not it!”

Still sprawled on the floor with her butt sticking up, Bai Ling turned her head indignantly. Tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes as she snapped back:

“Didn’t you see that Zombie’s brain splatter just now? Who can get used to that right away? Just thinking about it makes me… makes me… urk—”

“Hey, don’t you dare puke on my carpet!”

Hearing that sound, Duan Heng panicked and rushed over to support her. Luckily, Bai Ling only dry‑heaved. After he helped her up, she stared at him with a face full of wounded resentment, like her eyes were saying, “Idiot, not everyone had some prophetic dream like you.”

“Alright, alright, that’s on me.”

Seeing those pitiful, accusing eyes, Duan Heng let out a guilty little laugh and quickly patted her back to comfort her.

“But either way, you pulled the trigger. You hit your target. Since you did so well, I’ll treat you to milk tea.”

“Ooh, I want pearls.”

Bai Ling answered almost without thinking. Duan Heng only gave her a fond smile, then turned and headed for the kitchen to make it. All the tools were already there; he’d prepared everything in advance. All he had to do was add the ingredients in the right ratio.

He took out the ceramic mug with practiced ease, pulled the milk‑tea machine with practiced ease, added the toppings with practiced ease—every movement smooth and natural, like he’d done this countless times before.

He still remembered: in their last life, at the final camp they stayed in, they’d managed to get their hands on some milk‑tea ingredients by sheer luck. After a simple mix‑and‑match he made a drink that tasted pretty average, but it was enough to keep both Bai Ling and him happy for a long time.

So after he was reborn, the first thing Duan Heng decided was that he would never let Bai Ling go hungry with him again. Whatever she wanted to eat, she’d have it.

…

Right now, as she watched that smooth, relaxed profile of his, Bai Ling silently muttered in her heart:

“This guy’s way too considerate. He can even make milk tea?”

“Wait? Looking at him like this… his side profile is actually kinda handsome…”

“Hmm?!”

The second that thought slipped through her brain, Bai Ling’s eyes flew wide open. She clutched her head in disbelief.

“Wait! Hold up!”

“Did I seriously just think that for a second? How could I?!”

“Don’t tell me I’m already getting influenced by this body’s hormones. If this keeps up, something’s gonna go wrong sooner or later! I don’t want that kind of thing!”

As she panicked, Bai Ling hugged the sofa’s armrest and kept smacking her head against it, but even that couldn’t fully express just how mentally broken she felt.

And just as she was wracking her brain for ways to resist the assault of her own estrogen, a sudden knocking came from downstairs—dong, dong, dong.

“Huh?”

Hearing the knocks, Bai Ling froze for a moment. Duan Heng, who had just finished making the milk tea, also paused.

The two of them might look a bit goofy on the surface, but at critical moments they were dead serious. Almost at the same time, they glanced at each other.

“Shh. I’ll go check.”

Duan Heng made a hush gesture. Bai Ling nodded cautiously. Then he walked down the stairs.

Outside, not hearing any response from inside, the woman at the door sounded like she was getting anxious. She had no choice but to shout:

“Hey! Duan Heng! You’re home, right? I’m your neighbor!”

Her voice was sharp, and you could hear the panic in every word. Bai Ling had come downstairs by now too, and she saw Duan Heng standing by the front door, just standing there quietly, with zero intention of opening it.

Then the woman’s voice came again from outside:

“Duan Heng! There are so many Zombies out here, let me in! I saw the renovation crew a few days ago, I know you’ve got a dedicated safe house! We’re neighbors, just let me hide here for a couple days, okay? Just two days!”

As she spoke, her tone broke into sobs. With the streets outside crawling with Zombies, it was already impressive that she’d managed to dodge the hordes and make it to the bottom of his building.

But in response, Duan Heng’s gaze only grew colder. He spoke through the door, voice icy:

“You have your own place. What are you doing at mine? Go back to your own home.”

His tone was sharp, and that chill on his face made even Bai Ling jolt a little. She hadn’t expected him to be this ruthless when dealing with someone else.

Even so, the woman still didn’t leave. Instead, she pounded on the door even more frantically:

“My father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law have turned into Zombies! My husband’s not back either, I don’t dare go home! I’m begging you, open the door! The Zombies out here look like they’ve already spotted me!”

“Oh.”

Faced with her cries that had turned into full-on sobbing, Duan Heng only gave that one flat syllable. His eyes stayed cold and calm, not a ripple in them.

“Then you’d better give it your all. If you don’t beat them, you’re gonna get eaten.”

With that, under Bai Ling’s stunned gaze, Duan Heng silently turned and walked back upstairs, dragging Bai Ling along with him.

And the woman outside?

All they heard was her helpless screams growing farther and farther away:

“Duan Heng! Open the door, Duan Heng! The Zombies are really coming—aaah!”