The sky darkened as night approached.
Zombies roamed the streets in growing numbers; living humans had all but vanished.
Bai Ling had been curious about that neighborhood mutual-aid group after lunch, but she hadn’t seen them since.
*Thud—thud—thud—thud—*
Muffled gunfire echoed from the villa’s second floor. Outside the compound, zombies dropped one by one.
Bai Ling lay flat on the balcony floor, sniper rifle braced firmly. Her short skirt rode up slightly, revealing smooth thighs glistening under the fading light. Strands of silky hair spilled over her clothes; her bare feet dangled carelessly against the tiles. Oblivious to her own exposure, she pressed her body tightly against the rifle stock, eyes locked on the scope.
Target. Sight. Pupil. Three points aligned.
Her gaze turned icy, sharp as a professional assassin’s. Her slender finger squeezed the trigger—*thud*. The bullet carved a perfect arc through the air, exploding a wandering zombie’s head on impact.
*Splatter—*
Its skull burst like an overripe watermelon. Crimson brains and gore splattered the pavement.
Bai Ling barely flinched anymore. The system’s chime in her mind mattered far more:
*「Zombie eliminated. Attributes increased by 1.5%.」*
*「Combat Power: 21. Zombies slain: 72. Current Level: 4.」*
*「Yes! Level up again!」*
A triumphant smirk curled her lips.
*「Duan Heng, you lazy bum…」*
*「I’m almost at the in-game shop. Once I swap for powerful gear, I’ll crush you in a duel! When you’re begging on your knees—that’s when I become head of this household!」*
*「Let’s see who’s the real housewife then! Mwahaha~」*
Her eyes narrowed with villainous glee.
She reached behind for another bullet—but her fingers groped empty floor.
*「Tch. Just when things were looking up…」*
*「Guess I’ll have to ask Duan Heng for more.」*
Annoyance flashed across her face as she stood.
One step toward the bedroom—then she froze. Her foot retreated. A dark, resentful stare fixed on the door.
*「“Hmm? Want more bullets? Then obey my orders!”」*
*「“Wear this maid outfit, and I’ll generously reward you.”」*
*「“Sah! Cast aside your useless male pride. Become my servant! Sah!”」*
*「HE’D ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT!!!」*
*Thump—*
Bai Ling collapsed onto the living room floor, clutching her head in despair.
Duan Heng’s mocking voice already echoed in her ears—*before she’d even entered the bedroom*. Such humiliation was unthinkable!
*「But… but!」*
She bit her lip hard, frustration burning in her eyes.
No man could tolerate his little brother outclassing him so completely. Strength was worth any price.
*「No choice… I’ll have to do it…」*
Her body trembled slightly, but her resolve hardened.
*「I’ll just… flirt a little. Get him to hand over the bullets naturally. No need for fishnet stockings!」*
—
Thirty seconds later.
"Duan Heng~"
Bai Ling slipped into the bedroom, beaming. She bounced to the bedside, radiating sugary sweetness.
Duan Heng lay sprawled on the bed, scrolling his phone, utterly oblivious. Her smile twitched.
*「Doesn’t matter. Bullets first.」*
She nodded to herself, then leaned closer. Her wide, innocent eyes blinked up at him. One small hand tugged his sleeve like a needy kitten. Her voice dripped with saccharine loli charm:
"Duan Heng~ Where do we keep the weapons again~?"
"Hmm? Weapons?"
He didn’t look up. Tone flat. "All in the basement. Locked. Too dangerous. Don’t go near it."
"Tch."
Disgust flickered across her face—gone in an instant.
When the loli act failed, she scrambled onto the bed. Both hands clung to his arm, shaking it playfully. Her grin stayed dazzlingly cute.
*「This is for leveling up… to escape Duan Heng’s tyranny!」*
*「Yes. For my manly dignity, selling a little soul is fine!」*
Inside her mind, tears of righteous fury streamed down her cheeks.
Duan Heng remained unmoved.
He kept scrolling, voice cool. "Nothing you need down there. Just flammables. Be good. Stop pestering."
He pulled his arm free, rolled over, and faced the wall.
Bai Ling’s eyes widened in disbelief. Her hands hung frozen mid-air. Something vital—her dignity—shattered inside her.
*Crack—*
Tears flooded her eyes instantly. She seized Duan Heng’s shoulders, shaking him violently.
"No! You can’t treat me like this!"
"Huh? What?!"
Duan Heng spun around, dizzy and bewildered. Bai Ling’s flushed, tear-streaked face finally registered.
"I wasn’t ignoring you! I was checking the Resident Group!"
"Your Resident Group matters more than me?!" she wailed, shaking him harder. "I ran out of bullets! You don’t care about me anymore!"
"Okay, okay! I’ll give you some later!" He sighed, handing her his phone. "But this is urgent. I just got distracted. See?"
"*Sniffle…*"
Bai Ling took the phone, wiping her nose. Her eyes widened at the screen.
—The WeChat interface glowed brightly. The *Tianhe Compound Resident Group* chat exploded with messages:
*ShenCaiFeiYang: Anyone have food left? Toss some through my inner courtyard window! Zombies block my front door—I can’t get out!*
*QueenGuo: I got bitten! I got bitten! What do I do?!*
*CommitteeMemberLi: Stay calm! Trust the government! Trust the Party! The army will rescue us!*
*CommitteeMemberLi: Please DM me your address, household members, and supplies. I’ll coordinate aid. The Mutual-Aid Team departs soon!*
*ArrogantDude: Don’t listen to her. I saw them running from zombies all afternoon. Trapped in Building 3 for hours.*
"………………"
Bai Ling’s mouth hung open. She wiped her tears, stunned.
*「The internet’s still up? And so many survivors…?」*
Makes sense. Only 90% turned. Thousands lived here—anyone alone at home likely survived.
*「So Duan Heng was monitoring the compound…」*
*「Right. That mutual-aid team clashed with us this morning. Staying updated prevents trouble… I misunderstood him. Damn…」*
Her chest eased. She still shot Duan Heng a glare.
Then—a private message notification flashed above the group chat. *MiaoLuLu* had sent multiple texts. Bai Ling’s eyes narrowed. She tapped it open.
The chat window revealed a woman in skimpy sleepwear, posing provocatively in her living room.
"………………"
"*This* is your ‘urgent matter’? Die, Duan Heng!"
