Only after eating did Gu Nuan finally feel better. Before long, drowsiness overtook her again, and Chen Qingzhou noticed that she was about to fall asleep.
“Nuan Nuan… Nuan Nuan.”
After calling her twice with no response, Chen Qingzhou pulled the RV over to the side of the road. He carefully carried Gu Nuan to the bed in the back, tucked the blanket around her, and was about to leave when she suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand.
“Don’t go.”
A tender smile appeared on Chen Qingzhou’s face. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead before lying down beside her.
Then I’ll stay and sleep with her for a while.
Meanwhile, Wang Gang and his group arrived at the shopping mall. They reached an agreement with the security guards’ group to travel together. The security guards had three ability users, while Wang Gang’s team had two. After replenishing their supplies, they planned to set out the following day.
Gu Nuan slept very soundly. When she finally woke up, she found herself curled up in Chen Qingzhou’s embrace.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she shifted a little.
Chen Qingzhou woke instantly. Seeing that she was awake, his eyes softened with affection.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Mmm.”
Gu Nuan nodded shyly.
“I did.”
At the same time, Wang Gang’s group arranged a night watch inside the shopping mall. One of the ability users sensed unusual movement nearby and quietly warned everyone to stay alert.
A large group of zombies had been drawn in by the scent of food inside the mall.
The security guards and Wang Gang’s team immediately organised a defence. The two ability users joined forces to create a powerful energy barrier, temporarily holding back the zombie horde.
However, more and more zombies gathered outside, and the barrier began to crack under the pressure.
At that moment, Chen Qingzhou also sensed the disturbance.
“That shopping mall is being surrounded by zombies.”
“What? What’s happening?”
“There’s also a particularly powerful zombie. It actually has a spiritual ability too.”
His lips curved into a faint smile.
“Interesting.”
“Are you going over there?”
“Yes! Stay inside the RV and wait for me.”
He immediately started the vehicle and drove back towards the shopping mall.
The moment he arrived, Chen Qingzhou activated his strength ability and charged straight into the densest part of the zombie horde. At the same time, he unleashed his lightning ability, blasting open a path with a single punch.
“Run upstairs!”
Everyone immediately retreated deeper into the shopping mall, hoping the higher floors would provide a better position from which to defend themselves.
Just then, the spiritual zombie activated its ability.
Everyone froze in place, their minds going completely blank under its control.
“Damn it.”
Chen Qingzhou let out a low curse.
He immediately responded by activating his own spiritual ability, taking control of the lower level zombies and directing them to attack the advanced zombie instead.
Forced to deal with the sudden betrayal, the advanced zombie could no longer fully maintain its spiritual control over the survivors.
The pressure weakened.
Wang Gang was the first to regain consciousness.
“What happened? My mind suddenly went completely blank.”
“You were being controlled. That zombie is an advanced zombie with a spiritual ability.”
“What? Then what about them?”
Looking at the others, who were still standing motionless, Wang Gang asked anxiously.
“They’ll wake up soon.”
Watching the surrounding zombies suddenly turn on the advanced zombie, Wang Gang was completely stunned.
How was this possible?
Could it be…
He turned to look at Chen Qingzhou, his eyes filled with admiration.
He was simply too powerful.
Not only did he possess a lightning ability, but he also had an incredibly formidable spiritual ability.
A moment later, everyone else regained consciousness as well, each wearing an expression of complete disbelief.
“Everyone, hurry upstairs!”
Following Chen Qingzhou’s instructions, they all retreated together.
After the advanced zombie finished killing the zombies that had attacked it, it immediately resumed chasing after Chen Qingzhou’s group.
“Brother Chen! That zombie’s caught up! What should we do?”
“Does anyone here have an earth ability?” Chen Qingzhou asked.
“I do.”
One of the security guards stepped forward.
“Good. When I give the signal, raise two earth walls here.”
“Brother Chen, what are you planning?” Wang Gang asked in confusion.
“You’ll see in a moment.”
Just as the advanced zombie rushed within striking distance, four earth walls suddenly rose around it, trapping it inside.
Before he could understand what was happening, Chen Qingzhou activated his lightning ability.
A massive bolt of lightning struck the zombie directly.
The only thing everyone noticed was the smell of burnt flesh, followed by the heavy thud of something collapsing onto the ground.
The earth walls crumbled away, revealing the charred remains of the advanced zombie.
Everyone stood frozen in shock.
That was it? It had been defeated just like that?
Every one of them looked at Chen Qingzhou with newfound respect.
That enormous purple sphere of lightning had been unbelievably powerful.
Walking forward calmly, Chen Qingzhou chopped off the zombie’s head with a single swing.
Another red crystal core rolled out.
Only then did everyone come back to their senses and rush outside to collect the scattered crystal cores.
Seeing that all the zombies had been eliminated, Gu Nuan finally stepped out of the RV.
The moment she appeared, everyone’s attention was drawn to her.
Who was she?
She was unbelievably beautiful.
Today, Gu Nuan was dressed in a sporty outfit with her long hair tied into a high ponytail, making her look vibrant and youthful.
As soon as she spotted Chen Qingzhou, she happily ran over to him.
“Are you alright? Is everything taken care of?”
She wrapped her arms around his and looked at him worriedly.
“I’m fine.”
The security captain’s woman noticed the captain staring blankly at Gu Nuan, practically drooling.
She stamped her foot angrily.
Jealousy consumed her.
In the Apocalypse, everyone else was filthy and dishevelled.
Why was Gu Nuan still so clean and beautiful?
And why did she have such an incredibly powerful boyfriend?
She had witnessed Chen Qingzhou effortlessly defeating the advanced zombie with her own eyes.
Why?
Bitterness gradually filled her heart.
She secretly picked up a sharp stone and hid it behind her back.
Taking advantage of everyone else’s distraction, she suddenly rushed towards Gu Nuan.
Gu Nuan sensed the danger, but she had no time to dodge.
At the critical moment, Chen Qingzhou pulled her behind him.
The sharp stone scraped across his arm, leaving a cut.
“Have you lost your mind?”
The security captain angrily shouted at his woman.
“I just can’t stand her!”
the woman screamed hysterically.
Chen Qingzhou looked at her coldly.
“If you dare lay another finger on her, don’t blame me for what happens next.”
The surrounding survivors all condemned the woman’s behaviour.
Completely isolated by everyone, she could only swallow her resentment and give up.
“How are you? Qingzhou, you’re injured. Let’s get back to the RV. I’ll bandage it.”
Gu Nuan immediately pulled Chen Qingzhou back to the vehicle.
Afterwards, Wang Gang and the security guards reorganised their supplies before returning to the shopping mall to rest.
“Does it hurt? Honestly, there are all kinds of people in this world.”
Gu Nuan took out the first aid kit and carefully disinfected and dressed Chen Qingzhou’s wound.
The stone was probably dirty, so she wanted to wash the wound with the stream water from the System Space.
“Wait a moment.”
She picked up a basin and lightly touched the stream with her fingertip.
A stream of water instantly flowed into the basin.
Watching the scene, Chen Qingzhou couldn’t help smiling.
He had truly found a treasure.
Gu Nuan’s ability was simply incredible.
She carefully cleaned the wound, disinfected it, applied medicine, and wrapped it in bandages with smooth, practised movements.
Just as Gu Nuan turned around to pour out the water, a familiar notification sounded.
Ding!
“Master, congratulations! 066 has completed the upgrade. The orchard is now available for cultivation.”
“What? We can finally eat fruit? That’s wonderful!”
She turned excitedly towards Chen Qingzhou.
“Qingzhou! My System Space has upgraded. The orchard is available now!”
“What? Your space ability can actually level up?”
Gu Nuan slapped her forehead.
She suddenly realised she had never explained where her space came from.
Chen Qingzhou had always assumed it was simply another ability.
“Hehe… I should explain.”
“My System Space actually isn’t an ability.”
“It’s a jade bracelet system.”
“A system?”
“That’s right. As long as I continue stockpiling supplies, it keeps upgrading.”
She deliberately left out the part about replenishing its energy through intimacy with Chen Qingzhou.
“Every upgrade unlocks new functions.”
“Isn’t that amazing?”
“It really is.”
Chen Qingzhou smiled.
“That’s fantastic. We’ll never run out of supplies again.”
“You could say that. And everything produced inside the System Space is of exceptionally high quality.”
“Then I’ll have to rely on my wife to keep me well fed from now on.”
Chen Qingzhou wrapped his arms around Gu Nuan from behind.
“What? You’re planning to live off me?”
“Mmm.”
He rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Can’t I? I just want to live off my wife.”
“You really are something.”
“So, will my wife support me?”
He rubbed his head affectionately against her shoulder.
“Fine, fine. I’ll support you.”
She laughed helplessly.
“Now get up. That tickles.”