Chapter 131: Your Doomsday Has Been Delivered (14)

An Changjing glanced toward the door, shuffled over to Jiang Xunchu, and whispered, "Tell me... don't you think your sister is a little... strange?"

"I don't mean anything else by it," An Changjing added, fearing a misunderstanding. "It's just that her behavior is somewhat..." He gave Jiang Xunchu a look that suggested, *You know what I mean.*

Throughout the journey, An Changjing had felt that the seemingly well-behaved and docile girl was filled with oddities; she was downright eerie.

Jiang Xunchu remained silent. He couldn't answer that question. After all, she wasn't actually his sister.

...

Ling Qiong was happily admiring the beautiful images of her "cub." She was now absolutely certain that this game was far from being a proper one. Just look at the composition, the binding poses, those eyes... It was perfect! Absolutely worth spending money on!

【Dear user, the limited-time pity event has started. Draw now and earn big!】

A bucket of cold water doused her enthusiasm, chilling Ling Qiong to the core. This opportunistic, money-grabbing system had reached a master level of annoyance.

【Pity Event: Flowers in the Mist】
【Event Rules: Participate in card draws within the specified time to receive a limited-time guaranteed card bonus.】
【Event Time: 20:00-23:00 today】
【Dear user, this pity event is a great deal. Not only is a card guaranteed, but you might also get lucky during the process—it’s much more cost-effective than usual!】

Ling Qiong didn't buy the system’s blathering. With a deadpan expression, she asked, "What if my luck is bad?" Given her track record with card draws... where was the "good" in this?

【Dear user, you are the luckiest person of all. How could your luck be bad? You must believe in yourself; you are favored by the Goddess of Luck.】

Ling Qiong scoffed, "The Goddess of Luck favoring me must be an agent sent by the Goddess of Misfortune, right?"

【...】

Ling Qiong grumbled and complained, claiming she wouldn't draw, but in reality... the temptation was too strong.

...

The probability of obtaining a card during the pity event was indeed much higher than usual; otherwise, it wouldn't be called a bonus. Ling Qiong drew an "Endless Night" card herself, and the pity system granted her a "Hug." The first card was incomprehensible, but the pity card was simple and blunt. The names of these cards were brutally blunt and inexplicably bizarre. Perhaps that was just the willful nature of a "three-no" game—no license, no regulation, no shame.

【Dear user, although we are a "three-no" game for now, we will certainly be fully licensed once we officially launch.】

Ling Qiong curled her lips in a smirk, then straightened them a second later. "Whether you can even launch is a question in itself."

【...】

Ling Qiong kicked the system offline, happily closed her collection, and wandered back into the convenience store.

...

An Changjing had a bandage on his nose and a scruffy beard, making him look rather comical. Ling Qiong sat down next to Jiang Xunchu. Between them sat a small pot, heating up instant noodles. An Changjing had managed to scrounge up a few vegetable leaves from somewhere. Though they didn't look particularly "lush," their vibrant green color floating on the bubbling water made them look incredibly appetizing.

An Changjing held his bowl, staring longingly at the pot. On the run in the apocalypse, eating a hot bowl of instant noodles was an extreme luxury. Most of the time, they were forced to eat dry rations—easy to carry, but only meant to sustain energy. Ever since he had joined this pair of siblings, however, eating cooked food had become a common occurrence. Sometimes, the little princess even had the leisure to boil porridge or steam rice.

When it came time to eat, Ling Qiong picked out all the vegetable leaves and dropped them into Jiang Xunchu’s bowl.

"Your sister doesn't eat greens?" An Changjing asked, his mouth full of noodles.

Jiang Xunchu: "..." She had eaten them before. Maybe she just didn't like this particular kind?

"These are fresh leaves I had such a hard time finding," An Changjing said. "You won't find them again once this village is gone."

Jiang Xunchu: "..." Since Ling Qiong didn't eat them, Jiang Xunchu didn't complain.

After eating, An Changjing went off to find a place to rest. Ling Qiong sat beside Jiang Xunchu, absentmindedly drawing useless lines on the ground with a piece of wire.

"I need to tell you something," Jiang Xunchu said suddenly.

Ling Qiong’s eyes lit up slightly; she tilted her head. "Go ahead."

Jiang Xunchu glanced at An Changjing, who was facing away from them and couldn't see what was happening. Jiang Xunchu lowered his voice. "It’s starting to spread."

Ling Qiong blinked. "What?"

Jiang Xunchu pointed to his thigh. Ling Qiong let out an "oh," as if suddenly realizing. "Let me see."

Jiang Xunchu rolled up his pant leg. Though the wound had healed, the scar remained. Now, however, the black veins around the scar had spread at least five or six centimeters further.

Ling Qiong measured it with her hand. "It has grown."

Jiang Xunchu pulled his pants back down. "I checked yesterday and there was nothing. It’s spread this much in just one day... At this rate, it won't be long before I mutate." He paused, then voiced his thought: "We should go our separate ways. It would be safer that way."

Ling Qiong replied, "You’re only safe if you stay with me." *If I don't spend money on you, you're going to die!*

Jiang Xunchu: "..."

Ling Qiong rested her chin on her hand, pondering. "It wasn't spreading before, why is it suddenly doing it now? Did you do something?"

Jiang Xunchu shook his head. "I didn't do anything."

"That is strange." Why would it suddenly start spreading for no reason?

Jiang Xunchu accepted it calmly. "I will very likely mutate, just like the zombies outside. Aren't you... truly afraid?" Since the apocalypse began, how many people had abandoned or even killed their own companions the moment they were bitten, simply out of fear?

"Didn't I tell you before..."

"You don't need to say it," Jiang Xunchu said, pressing his hand down. He knew she was formidable against zombies. There was no need to repeat it.

"Oh." Ling Qiong swallowed her words.

"Do you think there’s a cure?"

"...I don't know." Jiang Xunchu’s fingertips pressed against the scar on his thigh.

"Don't you want to find a cure?"

Jiang Xunchu: "Some things are destined."

"That’s true," Ling Qiong smiled. She leaned closer to him, her voice soft. "Like meeting me."

The dying embers of the fire cast a faint glow, illuminating the girl’s fair profile. Her eyelashes were long and dense, casting a curved shadow beneath her eyes. Being so close, Jiang Xunchu could even feel her breath.

When a girl said things like that...

Jiang Xunchu changed the subject. "Don't you find it strange that I haven't mutated after being infected for so long?" She had never brought this up.

*I was just thinking that if you mutated, I’d just kill you,* she thought.

Ling Qiong curled her lips. "You’re just lucky."

Jiang Xunchu: "..." He lost the desire to continue the conversation. "It’s getting late. You should rest; I’ll keep watch."

Asking her to keep watch wasn't realistic; this lady had never kept watch in her life and always slept until dawn.

Suddenly, Jiang Xunchu’s arm felt heavy as a fuzzy head leaned against it.

"What are you doing?"

The young girl said, quite righteously, "Going to sleep."