Lu Ning grew more and more upset as she thought about it.
“I won’t let them hurt me. If I can’t escape… I’ll kill myself.”
After hearing Lu Ning’s experience, Gu Cheng thought of herself in the book. In that version of the story, she had also been pushed out by Jiang Li and the others in exchange for food. She had desperately resisted, but in the end, she had been beaten to death.
When she looked at Lu Ning again, her eyes carried more sympathy. In the original story, Chen Chuan had been alone and likely unable to save his younger sister. Fortunately, she had arrived—she had not only changed her own fate, but also saved this pitiful girl.
Wang Che glanced at Gu Cheng and knew she was thinking of her dream self.
“Since you’re here and you’ve chosen to trust the brothers, just stay here in peace. We lack nothing here. Our next plan is to follow the military sent by Capital City and head to Capital City Base. The journey won’t be safe, but we’ll try to support and protect each other.”
After saying that, he did not want to pressure them further.
Gu Cheng quietly placed tablets in their rooms. Each tablet already had downloaded e-books, games, movies, and dramas to pass the time.
She also prepared several sets of clean clothes for them, but did not hand them over directly—because on the first day, she still did not want to expose the secret of the Storage Space.
After leaving their rooms, Wang Che waited at the door.
“Don’t reveal it yet. Let’s observe a bit longer.”
Gu Cheng felt like he knew everything without saying a word.
“Do you have mind-reading powers or something?”
Wang Che ignored her and went to the gym.
Gu Cheng followed. It was their daily routine—physical training and combat practice. Downstairs, Lu Ning was applying medicine to Chen Chuan’s injuries.
The two of them had also traveled for several days under harsh conditions and needed proper rest.
After nearly three weeks of consistent training, Gu Cheng and Wang Xin’s physical strength had clearly improved, and their fighting power had also increased slightly.
Gu Cheng even felt that her punches were powerful and impressive—but every time, Wang Che would take her down in one move.
Looking over, she saw that Fu Zhe and Wang Xin were much more coordinated. They exchanged moves smoothly, and Fu Zhe even patiently corrected Wang Xin’s posture.
The comparison made her feel frustrated.
She wanted to go back and lie down—but Wang Che grabbed her again and knocked her down once more.
“I’m not training anymore! You’re just bullying me on purpose! You don’t teach me patiently at all. I’m going back to lie down—I’m not learning anymore!”
Seeing her lying on the ground and refusing to get up, Wang Che didn’t rush her. He simply looked down at her.
“I don’t keep useless people in my team.”
Gu Cheng struggled to her feet.
“Then I’ll leave! I won’t stay in your team anymore. I’ll go to the opposite team and lie down instead!”
Before she even took two steps, a punch came at her.
She quickly dodged, blocked, and countered with a kick—but it was evaded. In the next moment, her foot was swept out from under her, and she fell flat onto her back.
Wang Che looked down at her coldly.
“There is no parting alive in my team. Only death.”
Gu Cheng simply lay there motionless, completely giving up on life.
Seeing her like that, Wang Che didn’t call her again.
“Lie there as long as you want. You’ll make it up later.”
Gu Cheng truly couldn’t win against him, so she resigned herself to getting up and continuing.
Her whole body ached, but she said nothing and kept training. The “devil instructor” insisted on a full hour before finally letting her go.
Wang Che deliberately ignored her emotions. If she ever truly encountered zombies, they would not stop attacking just because she was tired. She did not have much time left to improve.
Gu Cheng returned to her room in silence. Even when Wang Xin called her, she did not respond. The door shut—she blocked out the world.
Wang Xin immediately knew it was her brother again.
“Gu Cheng is a girl. Can you not be so harsh with her? Don’t you understand the harm of forcing growth? Starting tomorrow, don’t teach her anymore.”
Wang Che glanced at Gu Cheng’s closed door.
“Zombies and criminals won’t treat women differently. In the apocalypse, women have a harder time surviving. Only by constantly training and becoming stronger can you survive. You too.”
“I understand the logic, but who can withstand your method? Gu Cheng is already strong. Anyone else would’ve broken down in a day. She hasn’t even met zombies yet and you’re already injuring her. I’ve seen the bruises all over her body—she can barely lift her chopsticks. At this rate, she won’t even be able to raise a knife when zombies come. Do you think everyone is as abnormal as you?”
After saying that, Wang Xin left to rest.
Wang Che absorbed her words and reflected. Time was limited, and he had indeed ignored Gu Cheng’s physical limits.
After returning to his room and washing up, he took a bottle of medicine and knocked on Gu Cheng’s door.
No response.
He knocked again.
The door finally opened from inside. Gu Cheng looked furious.
“What do you want!”
Wang Che glanced at her pajamas.
“Come here. I’ll help stretch your muscles. If you lie down right after training every day, of course you’ll be sore the next day. Stretching will reduce the pain.”
“What’s the point? If I don’t train, I won’t be in pain.”
“Don’t swear.”
He pushed her into the room.
Gu Cheng stared at him.
“Lie on the bed.”
Feeling exhausted, she collapsed face-down on the bed in defeat.
Wang Che pulled her closer, positioning her so he could work on her limbs.
If it had been before, she might have thought this posture looked intense and attractive—but now she only wanted to stay dead.
He began massaging her arms and legs.
The pain made Gu Cheng scream uncontrollably. Some spots hurt so badly she screamed like she was being slaughtered. The noise was so loud that people in nearby rooms opened their doors in confusion.
Wang Xin rushed over and knocked, but the screams were too loud and Wang Che didn’t hear it. She turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Inside, Gu Cheng was being held down while being massaged. She struggled desperately, the bedsheets were messy, and their positions looked highly ambiguous, with parts of skin exposed.
Seeing someone enter, Wang Che instinctively pulled the blanket over Gu Cheng to prevent exposure.
But in the eyes of others, it only looked even more suspicious.
Gu Cheng looked like she had been thoroughly “tormented,” and both girls immediately blushed. They quickly pushed everyone out and shut the door.
Silence returned.
Wang Che glanced at Gu Cheng’s calm expression. As a man, he felt there was no need to be embarrassed, and continued massaging as if nothing had happened.
In reality, Gu Cheng was not calm at all—she was in so much pain she felt like her soul had left her body.
After finishing her limbs, he gently massaged her shoulders and neck. This part felt extremely comfortable, and Gu Cheng slowly relaxed.
By the time he finished, she had already fallen asleep.
Even in sleep, her expression carried a hint of grievance.
Only then did he notice the bruises all over her arms and legs under the long sleeves.
It made him feel a bit guilty.
He reflected inwardly over and over, even feeling like punching himself.
Tomorrow, he would make her something good to eat as compensation.
Gu Cheng, meanwhile, had no idea about his guilt. In her dream, she was still being tortured by training. As she ran, Wang Che’s face turned into a demon chasing her. When she could no longer run, the demon caught her and swallowed her whole.
She jolted awake in fear.
Morning had already arrived.
When did she even fall asleep last night?
She slowly sat up, stepped onto the floor, and moved her arms and legs.
Huh?
After being massaged, her body really did not feel as sore as before.
That annoying man… his technique was actually pretty good.