"No! Don't kill me! I'm just passing through!"

The woman, throat clamped in Liu Ming's grip, wailed desperately. Her pitiful appearance tugged at heartstrings—she was the "Duan Heng's wife" Liu Ming had yanked from the villa courtyard moments ago.

Terror had stripped Liu Ming of reason. He didn't even recognize her face, just glared wildly, knife pressed to her neck as he snarled at the approaching Duan Heng:

"Didn't you hear me? Drop your gun! Stop! I said STOP!"

As Duan Heng drew nearer, Liu Ming's shouts grew shriller, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Yet Duan Heng halted—not out of fear, but curiosity. He tilted his head, studying Liu Ming with bewildered eyes, as if watching a fool.

Mistaking this pause for submission, Liu Ming puffed up his chest and barked:

"You little bastard! Scared now? Blame your useless woman!"

His snarl echoed viciously. Then, grotesquely, he dragged his tongue across the woman's cheek. She trembled violently in his arms.

"Smells delicious—a real prize! Don’t worry, I’ll *play* with your wife later. But I won’t kill her... not while I’m still scared of you. Hahahaha—"

His arrogant laughter curdled the air. He failed to notice Duan Heng’s expression remained utterly blank. Only when the laughter died did Duan Heng sigh, rubbing his temples:

"Are *you* insane, or am *I*? What exactly are you doing?"

"What did you say? Playing dumb?!" Liu Ming shrieked, shoving the knife two centimeters deeper. The woman’s face drained of color.

"I’m not joking! I *will* kill her!"

"No, see..." Duan Heng’s lips twitched into a reluctant smirk. "I don’t even *know* this woman. What exactly are you threatening me with?"

"Huh?!" Liu Ming’s eyes bulged in horror. He finally scrutinized the woman’s face—petite, pretty, but *nothing* like Bai Ling from that morning. *Wrong person!*

Rage choked him. He shook the sobbing woman:

"Who the hell are you?! Why were you lurking in someone else’s yard?!"

"I—I just heard explosions and hid here to peek! I didn’t even know about the neighborhood group chat! I moved in two days ago!" Tears streamed down her face. She was merely a bystander.

Liu Ming’s face flushed crimson. His teeth ground so hard his jaw ached. *My brilliant escape plan... ruined by this idiot!*

*Do I rush the villa for Bai Ling now? Is it too late?!*

Sweat poured down his temples. Duan Heng’s presence crushed his lungs; his legs refused to move. Death would’ve been easier. But today’s rollercoaster—leveling up by killing mutated zombies, leading the neighborhood militia, getting wiped out by Duan Heng, then this *mistake*—made him cling to life.

*Why am I so unlucky?! If not for this fool, I’d have Bai Ling! I’d kill Duan Heng! Rule the district! Feast on food and women groveling at my feet!*

*So close... just a little closer...*

His thoughts spiraled: *Duan Heng’s strength? Pure luck—he ran over zombies this morning! If I just get Bai Ling... she’s weak... I’ll break her... make Duan Heng cripple himself...*

*Just one—*

***Crack—***

"URGH—!!!"

A blade erupted from Liu Ming’s chest. His scream tore through the compound. He released the woman, twisting to see his attacker—Bai Ling.

Snow-white hair framed a face of porcelain perfection: gem-bright eyes, lips like crushed petals. Beneath her fluttering coat, the Nanotech Battle Suit hugged every lethal curve. Yet her gaze held arctic frost.

Panic seized Liu Ming. He raised a trembling hand, voice shriveling to a whimper:

"You—wait! Please! I’m sorry! I’ll never bother you again! I’ll give you all the community supplies—we can cooperate! I’m strong too, so—"

He screamed with raw desperation, more terrified than he’d ever been of Duan Heng.

Too late.

Bai Ling’s blade ripped upward—from abdomen to shoulder—splitting him clean in half.

***Squelch—***

"AAAAAGH!"

Bone and flesh tore apart. His upper body cleaved open, yet Liu Ming staggered forward two steps, more horrifying than any zombie. Blood pooled beneath him as he collapsed, eyes wide with final terror.

The last sound he heard wasn’t mercy.

It was Bai Ling snapping at Duan Heng, furious:

"Why waste words on him? I cooked dinner ages ago!"

*My life... worth less than a pot of rice...*

Liu Ming’s eyes stayed wide open in death.