"Duan... Duan Ge! You killed him!"

Gai Yanlong lay slumped in the corner, blood streaming down his face and chest—a gruesome sight.

Tang Youyou clung to Duan Heng’s arm, trembling uncontrollably. Her face was deathly pale as she stammered, "If the neighborhood committee finds out, it’ll cause trouble... But thank you for saving me. I knew Duan Ge would—"

"Huh?"

Her voice cut off abruptly.

She’d just noticed Duan Heng pointing the gun at her head too.

Terror turned Tang Youyou’s legs to jelly. She collapsed at his feet, clutching his clothes, shaking violently. "Don’t! Don’t kill me! I wasn’t with Gai Yanlong! You saw that!" Tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t fathom why he’d target her. Kneeling there—a soft young woman in a scanty outfit, tear-streaked cheeks—any ordinary man would’ve softened.

And just as she hoped, Duan Heng hesitated... then lowered the gun.

"Duan... Duan Ge!" Tang Youyou gasped, relief flooding her. A faint smile touched her lips. She pressed her head against his leg.

*Just a man after all. Show a little weakness, and he caves... Thank goodness for my natural charm!*

Outwardly, she simpered like a slave: "I knew you couldn’t kill me. I’m yours now! Tonight, do whatever you want with me. Let’s just—"

"?????"

Her eyes bulged.

Duan Heng had already crouched behind her, locking his arms around her throat like iron shackles. Bone-crushing pressure slammed into her windpipe. In an instant, she was choking, clawing desperately at his arms—but couldn’t budge them an inch. Her slender legs kicked wildly in panic. Her body twisted violently, knocking a teacup off a nearby cabinet. It shattered on the floor. Yet his grip only tightened.

Her pupils dilated with despair. No sound escaped her lips—not even a plea. Warm wetness spread between her legs, shame drowned by terror. Her face flushed crimson from suffocation.

Then—

*Crack!!!*

A sickening snap echoed. Tang Youyou’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Her eyes dimmed. Tears still wet her cheeks as her body crumpled like a puppet with severed strings. Even in death, she never understood why. *He couldn’t have seen my WeChat chats with Gai Yanlong...*

Duan Heng simply stood up, stretching his neck muscles with casual indifference. His gaze held no ripple of emotion—as if he’d just swatted a Zombie. He didn’t spare her corpse a glance.

*Bullet saved.*

*Now, let’s see what supplies she has.*

He turned away from the cooling body, already searching other rooms. Strangling her had been purely practical.

*Annoying women cause trouble. Must be cleaned up.*

A lesson from his past life.

Truth be told, early in the Apocalypse, before things changed with Bai Ling—they’d only been brothers back then—a man had needs. He’d been betrayed by women more than once. Bai Ling had mocked him for it: *"An idiot who thinks with his lower body."*

*Wait... was she jealous back then?*

*Damn it. Why didn’t I realize sooner?*

Regret stabbed him. But this life was a second chance. He was clear-eyed now.

*No woman is trustworthy. Except Bai Ling.*

*Only Bai Ling and her closest friends from last life. This time, I’ll make her happy.*

Resolve hardened in his eyes.

He finished looting the apartment:

One battery. Two phones with chargers. Two boxes of ice cream bars. Cold medicine and bandages. And... piles of women’s clothes and ultra-thin balloons.

*No wonder Tang Youyou rushed to seduce me. Her place is barren.*

Even Duan Heng was impressed by the pathetic haul. Most items were redundant—he’d stocked up well at home. After weighing his options, he took only the ice cream bars. He factory-reset both phones to erase records, then left.

Outside, midnight’s gloom pressed down. Duan Heng strode boldly toward the villa. Early-stage Zombies were no threat. Human enemies? His abilities would sense them. He had nothing to fear.

Then—less than a hundred meters from Tang Youyou’s door—a shadow flickered near the distant staircase.

"Hm?"

Duan Heng turned. Too fast. He hadn’t caught its shape.

*Another survivor? Gai Yanlong’s lackey? No...*

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the spot. No hostility registered. Whatever it was hadn’t noticed him. And that speed... inhuman.

*An elite Zombie? Evolved this early?*

*Better hurry back. If Bai Ling runs into one...*

He broke into a sprint toward the safe house.

---

Meanwhile, in the villa’s second-floor bedroom.

Bai Ling lay asleep on the bed, a pillow clutched between her legs. Her delicate lips parted slightly, murmuring in her dreams:

"Duan Heng... Duan Heng... I want..."

Her voice was soft, alluring. Her defenseless sleeping face radiated innocence.

Then her brows knotted. Even in sleep, she gritted her teeth:

"I’ll castrate you, damn it. Messaging other girls naked... Unforgivable..."