The distant city had fallen into eerie silence.
Only a handful of buildings still glowed with faint lights, like dying embers scattered across the darkness.
The only exception was Lin Qingtang’s lakeside villa.
Warm lights shone brightly through the curtains, making it seem untouched by the ruined, chaotic apocalypse outside.
…
Inside the living room, Lin Qingtang sat before the security monitors.
Her fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of her cup as her gaze settled on the figure standing in the second-floor window of the villa across the street.
Rong Yuxuan was still there.
His back faced the camera, his tall frame standing perfectly straight like a silent sentinel.
His eyes never left the direction of her villa.
Even with an entire street and two walls separating them…
He hadn’t moved an inch.
He had stood there for nearly three hours.
“Still watching him?”
Lin Shaoan walked over carrying a plate of freshly washed fruit and set it on the coffee table.
Seeing his daughter’s distracted expression, he smiled helplessly.
Qingtang quickly looked away and took a sip of water.
“I was just checking whether it was safe outside.”
Her father chuckled.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
He sat opposite her and spoke gently.
“Qingtang… let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart.”
“I’ve lived long enough to know people.”
“That boy, Rong Yuxuan… his eyes don’t lie.”
“When he looks at you, the concern and nervousness in them are real.”
“He even treasures that old pair of knitted gloves you gave him all those years ago.”
“Not many people can cherish someone like that.”
Qingtang lowered her eyes.
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
She knew her father was right.
From rushing out without hesitation to drive away the thugs…
To quietly straightening every box afterward…
She had seen it all.
But the betrayal of her previous life still cut too deeply.
She had trusted Long Juanli with everything for four years.
In the end…
Her best friend had personally shoved her into a horde of zombies.
How could she possibly trust another person so easily?
Especially a man she’d only met twice as a child.
“I know he doesn’t mean us any harm.”
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
Her voice carried unmistakable exhaustion.
“But, Dad…”
“I’m scared.”
“What happened in my last life…”
“It’s like a thorn buried in my heart.”
“I can’t pull it out.”
“I don’t dare trust anyone anymore.”
Lin Shaoan sighed softly.
“I understand.”
“I’m not asking you to trust him.”
“I just don’t want you trapped by the past.”
“One betrayal shouldn’t make you shut everyone else out forever.”
He pointed toward the security monitor.
“The food outside has been sitting there all day.”
“If we leave it any longer, all the fresh ingredients will spoil.”
“Even if you don’t want to owe him anything…”
“Wouldn’t it be a waste to let it rot?”
Qingtang looked at the neatly stacked boxes beneath the front gate.
Fresh steaks.
Seafood.
Fruit.
Her favorite snacks and desserts from her school days.
Everything she’d desperately wished for during the apocalypse in her previous life.
After a long silence…
She finally nodded.
“Alright.”
“We’ll bring them inside tomorrow morning.”
“And later…”
“We’ll find a way to pay him back.”
Lin Shaoan smiled warmly and ruffled her hair.
“Whatever my daughter decides.”
…
After chatting a little longer, Qingtang gazed into the dark night outside.
Suddenly, she remembered the space her mother had left behind.
“Dad.”
She stood and reached out her hand.
“Let’s go into the space.”
“We should harvest the crops.”
“And see what else is inside.”
“Sounds good.”
He immediately took her hand.
Qingtang touched the jasmine pendant hanging around her neck.
Her fingers gently stroked it as she closed her eyes, silently thinking of her mother.
Warmth spread from the necklace.
It enveloped both father and daughter.
The next second…
The world spun around them.
When they opened their eyes again…
They were standing in an endless sea of golden fields.
The fresh scent of rice filled the air.
Heavy stalks of grain bent under their own weight.
Nearby vegetable plots overflowed with lush greens, ripe tomatoes, and glossy purple eggplants.
Farther away…
Chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep roamed freely beneath the hills.
A crystal-clear stream wound through the fields.
Beside it stood a white-walled, black-tiled farmhouse.
It looked exactly like Qingtang’s mother’s hometown.
“Jing’er…”
Lin Shaoan’s voice trembled.
His eyes reddened instantly.
Qingtang’s own nose stung with emotion.
…
Suddenly…
A white blur shot toward her like the wind.
It circled happily around her feet while wagging its fluffy tail furiously.
It let out soft, affectionate whines.
It was Abai.
The dog rubbed its face against hers.
Its warm tongue gently licked away her tears.
The low rumble in its throat sounded almost as though it were comforting her.
“Dad.”
She wiped her eyes.
“Let’s harvest the grain first.”
“With this much food…”
“We’ll never have to worry about starving.”
“Alright.”
Father and daughter walked toward the fields together.
…
After finishing the harvest, Qingtang watched Abai happily running circles around her.
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
“Dad…”
“Do you think Abai can leave the space with us?”
She looked at him expectantly.
“If he can…”
“We’ll have another helper.”
Lin Shaoan laughed.
“Why don’t we try?”
Qingtang immediately knelt down and gently rubbed Abai’s head.
“Abai.”
“Come outside with us, okay?”
The dog barked once.
Then affectionately rubbed its head against her palm.
Taking a deep breath, Qingtang grasped the pendant once more.
She silently wished to leave.
The familiar dizziness returned.
An instant later…
Father, daughter…
And one white dog…
Appeared inside the villa’s living room.
“It worked!”
“We actually brought him out!”
Qingtang exclaimed excitedly.
Her eyes sparkled.
Abai curiously wandered around the living room, sniffing every corner before returning to her side.
He obediently lay down beside her feet, resting his chin on her shoe.
Never leaving her side.
Lin Shaoan laughed happily.
“Wonderful.”
“Now we’ve got another companion.”
“And another pair of eyes.”
…
For the rest of the evening…
The father and daughter helped Abai familiarize himself with the villa while training his reactions and speed.
“Abai is so smart!”
Qingtang laughed while feeding him dried meat.
“He’s even more amazing than I imagined!”
“Of course.”
Lin Shaoan smiled proudly.
“Your mother raised him.”
“He was always clever.”
“He could guard the house…”
“Protect his owner…”
“And even help carry groceries.”
Qingtang smiled.
Then casually picked up a disposable chopstick and tossed it into the air.
“Abai!”
“Catch it!”
The dog immediately locked onto the flying chopstick.
He leaped high into the air.
Then…
Something unbelievable happened.
A stream of orange-red flames burst from Abai’s mouth.
The fire struck the chopstick perfectly.
Boom!
The wooden chopstick instantly turned to ash before drifting to the ground.
Silence filled the living room.
Both Lin Qingtang and Lin Shaoan stood frozen.
Neither could believe what they had just witnessed.
Abai landed gracefully.
His tail wagged happily as he trotted back to Qingtang.
Tilting his head, he looked at her in confusion, seemingly wondering why she wasn’t praising him.
He even licked the back of her hand.
“D-Did…”
“Abai…”
“Just breathe fire?”
Qingtang stammered.
Lin Shaoan stared at the ashes on the floor before looking back at the dog.
“He did!”
“He actually breathed fire!”
“My goodness…”
“Our Abai can use fire!”
Qingtang hugged the dog’s head, carefully checking his mouth for burns.
Finding none, she became even more excited.
“Abai!”
“You’re incredible!”
“Can you do it again?”
She grabbed an empty plastic bottle and walked into the yard.
Throwing it into the distance, she pointed.
“Abai!”
“There!”
The dog raced after it.
His eyes locked onto the bottle.
He jumped.
Another stream of fire burst from his mouth.
This time…
The flames were even stronger.
They swallowed the bottle completely.
In an instant…
Nothing remained.
Not even ashes.
“You’re amazing!”
Qingtang laughed joyfully.
She hugged Abai tightly as he ran back.
Then kissed the heart-shaped patch of golden fur on his forehead twice.
The dog wagged his tail proudly.
Running circles around her as if showing off his new ability.
Standing at the doorway, Lin Shaoan smiled.
In the apocalypse…
Abai’s fire meant one more life-saving trump card.
…
For the next several hours…
They trained his fire breath.
First using chopsticks and plastic bottles as targets.
Then teaching him to control the size and intensity of the flames.
“Abai.”
“Smaller.”
“Gently.”
“Don’t burn the flowers.”
Qingtang pointed toward a single weed growing nearby.
Abai tilted his head.
Then carefully released a tiny flame.
Only the weed burned away.
The flowers beside it remained untouched.
“Perfect!”
“You’re so smart!”
She praised happily.
By the second half of the night…
Abai could control his fire with astonishing precision.
Whatever she pointed at…
He hit perfectly.
Nothing else was ever damaged.
His only weakness…
After breathing fire a dozen or so times…
He became completely exhausted.
Panting heavily on the ground, he needed quite a while before recovering.
Feeling sorry for him, Qingtang hugged him while feeding him water and dried meat.
Only then did she realize…
His fire wasn’t limitless.
Overusing it drained his stamina.
…
Just then…
Abai suddenly lifted his head.
His ears stood straight.
A deep warning growl rumbled from his throat as he stared toward the front gate.
The fur along his body bristled.
“What’s wrong, Abai?”
Qingtang immediately became alert.
But the dog continued growling.
His body tensed as though ready to charge at any moment.
Lin Shaoan’s expression changed instantly.
He grabbed his hunting rifle.
“Something’s coming.”
Father and daughter rushed to the security monitor.
The camera revealed three wandering zombies dragging themselves toward the villa.
They were less than fifty meters from the gate.
Across the street…
Rong Yuxuan had already rushed outside.
Without knocking.
Without disturbing anyone.
He silently circled behind the zombies…
And crushed all three heads within seconds.
From beginning to end…
He simply removed the danger.
Then quietly walked away.
Watching the monitor…
Qingtang felt her heart soften.
Her father sighed.
“See?”
“I told you.”
“That boy truly puts your safety above everything else.”
She said nothing.
Instead…
Her fingertips gently brushed across the image of Rong Yuxuan’s retreating figure on the screen.
Then she looked down at Abai.
“Abai…”
“Can you sense zombies before they arrive?”
The dog barked once.
Then affectionately nudged her hand.
Qingtang’s eyes lit up.
Not only could Abai breathe fire…
He could also detect danger in advance.
In the apocalypse…
That was an invaluable ability.
Holding Abai close, she finally felt a little more secure.
She had her space.
She had her father.
She had Abai.
And across the street…
Someone silently watching over her.
This life…
She would survive.
…
But their peace didn’t last long.
Around four in the morning…
Just before dawn…
Abai suddenly sprang up from beside the bed.
He barked furiously toward the front of the villa.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
He even lowered himself into an attacking stance.
Qingtang and Lin Shaoan jolted awake.
They rushed to the security monitor.
The moment they looked…
Both of them turned pale.
More than a dozen zombies were converging on the villa from every direction.
Their rotting faces twisted as they staggered forward, filling the air with horrifying growls.
But even more alarming…
Four SUVs had stopped outside the entrance to the villa district.
More than a dozen thugs stood beside them, carrying machetes and steel pipes.
Leading them…
Was the Scar-faced Man whose wrist Rong Yuxuan had broken the day before.
Binoculars in hand…
They stared greedily toward the villa.
Their eyes were filled with hatred.
The zombies drew closer.
The gang members prepared to move.
Enemies…
From both front and rear.