That night, as Mi Beibei lay in bed, her thoughts drifted back to everything that had happened while expanding the passage to the apocalypse world.
She had actually stepped into the apocalypse.
The overwhelming stench of decay that had hit her the moment she crossed over, along with the distant growls echoing through the ruined streets, were etched into her memory like thorns piercing her vision.
She had been so frightened that she immediately retreated.
Yet now, recalling the experience, she felt a strange thrill.
She had never imagined that one day she would actually set foot in the apocalypse.
Then her thoughts turned to the passage itself.
The special operations personnel could only return from the apocalypse if she was touching the doorway.
But what about the opposite direction?
If someone from the apocalypse grabbed her hand, could they cross into this bright, peaceful world?
The thought made her heart skip a beat, and she unconsciously clenched the bedsheet.
A moment later, however, she laughed at herself.
Those kinds of problems were for Director Shi and the others to worry about.
She was just an ordinary employee.
As long as she did her own job well, that was enough.
Feeling relieved, she gradually fell asleep.
…
The next morning, after breakfast, Mi Beibei went to Xingcheng Residential Community as usual and opened the dimensional passage.
To her surprise, Director Shi, Political Commissar Su, and several others were still gathered around the conference table, discussing something intensely.
Steam still rose from Director Shi’s thermos.
The ashtray in front of Political Commissar Su was already piled high with cigarette butts.
Fragments of their conversation drifted into Mi Beibei’s ears.
“…spatial anchor point…”
“…energy fluctuations…”
Instead of leaving immediately as she normally did after opening the passage, she quietly found a corner and sat down.
…
Meanwhile, in the apocalypse world…
Inside Xiangyang Base’s conference room, the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead beneath the metal ceiling.
The base commander twirled a steel pen between his fingers, its tip leaving a cold streak of light across the holographic display.
The sleeves of Liu Jingming’s combat uniform were still stained with dried brown blood—the remains of the zombie horde they had cleared from District Five that morning.
He pushed his optical computer forward.
The screen displayed rows of weapon statistics.
“The new quantum pistol has a 47% higher armor-piercing capability than the previous laser model.
“The powered exoskeletons we received in the last trade have increased our soldiers’ operational time inside radiation zones to three hours.”
His voice was filled with exhaustion.
Yet when he mentioned supporting the other survivor bases, a faint glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.
The base commander poured more murky liquid into his insulated cup.
It was soup that had been boiled three separate times using the bones of mutated beasts.
“The fact that Old Zhang accidentally discovered that passage…”
He sighed.
“…was probably the luckiest thing that’s happened to our base in the past three years.”
Although the words were directed at Liu Jingming, they were also intended as a warning to the logistics officers whispering among themselves in the back.
Zhang Minglang sat quietly in the shadows.
His fingers unconsciously tapped the sheath of the dagger strapped to his tactical boots.
Hearing the commander’s words, he raised his eyes and glanced at the faded slogan painted on the wall.
Humanity Will Prevail.
When Liu Jingming mentioned that the people on the other side wanted military technology, the base commander’s pen paused over the item labeled Antimatter Grenade Blueprint for three full seconds.
The fireflies inside a nearby glass jar suddenly flickered together, making the wrinkles around his eyes appear even deeper.
“Package the encrypted basic parameters of the mech core.
“Add the maintenance manual for the C-12 All-Purpose Robot.”
He suddenly turned toward a holographic display cabinet in the corner.
Inside rested half of a rusted fountain pen.
“Retrieve the digital teaching materials from the universities before the apocalypse.
“Especially the physics and bioengineering courses…”
“Everything.”
Zhang Minglang suddenly interrupted.
His cold voice echoed sharply through the silent conference room.
The base commander rubbed the stubble on his chin.
Outside, the distant roar of a railgun shook the air.
Three hours earlier, reconnaissance footage had confirmed that Shelter No. 3 had already been completely swallowed by vine-type mutated plants.
“How much faster is time flowing in their world compared to ours?”
he suddenly asked.
No one answered.
His pen struck the words Higher Education Materials heavily.
“While we’re still ahead…
“…give them everything we can.
“Maybe one day…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
Instead, he simply rubbed his tired eyes.
The room became noticeably heavier.
After a while, Zhang Minglang finally spoke.
“Li Yan’s storage space isn’t enough anymore.”
Liu Jingming nodded.
“That’s right.
“This trade involves much more cargo than before.
“Li Yan’s space ability has reached its limit.
“We need another spatial ability user to help.”
The base commander nodded.
“Fine.
“Go select someone.
“Once you’ve made your decision, notify Assistant Zhou.”
…
After the meeting ended, Liu Jingming and Zhang Minglang headed straight for the Ability Registration Office to look up information on space-type ability users.
Unfortunately, all known spatial ability users were currently away from the base on missions.
The two could only hope that the database would reveal someone still stationed inside the base.
Just then, a thin, sharp-faced man approached them.
“Captain Liu.
“I heard you’re looking for a spatial ability user.
“I’m a Level Two spatial ability user with seventy square meters of storage space.
“Is that enough?”
Liu Jingming looked him over before frowning.
“Wait here.
“If we need you, we’ll call you.”
He then turned away and continued speaking with the staff.
The man’s expression stiffened briefly before he forced a smile and stepped aside with exaggerated politeness.
After checking the records on the optical computer, the staff member shook his head.
“At the moment, Zhang Lao’er is the only remaining spatial ability user in the base.”
His eyes shifted toward the man who had just volunteered.
Liu Jingming frowned.
“Isn’t anyone else returning soon?”
“They’re all tied up with their current missions.”
Liu Jingming glanced toward Zhang Minglang.
The latter remained expressionless.
“Use him.”
Liu Jingming sighed.
There really wasn’t another choice.
He waved Zhang Lao’er back over.
Holding Zhang Lao’er’s ability registration form, Liu Jingming gripped it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“Level Two spatial ability.
“Seventy square meters of storage.
“Mental strength…
“Barely acceptable.”
Suddenly, Zhang Minglang pressed down on his wrist.
His finger pointed toward the remarks section at the bottom of the document.
“Recorded for privately hiding supplies two years ago.”
The base commander, who had been tapping the table with his fingers, stopped.
Outside the window, flashes of light from ability users reinforcing the defensive line streaked across the sky.
He suddenly opened a drawer and removed a crystal core engraved with Xiangyang Base’s emblem.
“Have him wear this.”
The metal badge reflected a cold gleam.
“If any abnormal spatial fluctuations occur during the mission…
“Captain Liu…
“You know what to do.”
“Report!”
A communications officer rushed into the room and whispered urgently into the base commander’s ear.
The old man’s expression darkened instantly.
His fingers slammed down on the supply manifest.
“Tell the transport team to depart three hours earlier.”
“Commander?”
Liu Jingming looked puzzled.
The commander’s face was grim.
“We’ve just received intelligence.
“A herd of mutated beasts is moving toward City C.
“They’ll pass near the trading site.
“You must leave immediately, complete the trade before they arrive, and withdraw at once.”
Liu Jingming and Zhang Minglang immediately straightened.
“Yes, sir!”
…
Soon afterward, Liu Jingming and Zhang Minglang led their trading team out of Xiangyang Base.
Zhang Lao’er accompanied them.
Along the journey, Zhang Lao’er repeatedly sidled up to Zhang Zeyu, asking in a lecherous tone,
“I heard the first trade was with some woman.
“What happened?
“Did they get rid of her already?”
Zhang Zeyu frowned and ignored him.
Instead, Li Long, standing nearby, spoke with obvious disgust.
“Watch your mouth.
“Boss Mi is doing just fine.
“Worry about yourself.”
Zhang Lao’er’s mouth twitched.
He fell silent.
But a sinister look flashed across his eyes.
The journey remained surprisingly smooth.
Only a few slow-moving zombies appeared, and they were easily eliminated.
Not even a single mutated beast crossed their path.
Perhaps because the massive beast horde approaching from afar had already driven everything else away, the area around the trading point seemed unusually quiet.
…
In the real world, Mi Beibei stood beside the dimensional doorway with one hand resting firmly against the metal doorframe, quietly waiting for the reconnaissance team to return.
After one special operations officer came back, he immediately reported,
“The Xiangyang Base trading team will arrive shortly.”
Director Shi nodded.
“Recall all reconnaissance personnel.
“Prepare for the trade.”
Soon, the special operations personnel returned one after another.
Only after the final officer crossed back did Mi Beibei remove her hand from the door.
Not long afterward, Liu Jingming and Zhang Minglang’s trading team came into view.
Director Shi and Political Commissar Su were already standing beside the doorway waiting.
From a distance, Liu Jingming and the others were visibly shocked to discover that the familiar window had become a full-sized door.
When they met Director Shi’s group, they subtly tried to inquire about the change.
Director Shi simply replied that the window had been too small and inconvenient for trading.
The explanation satisfied them, and no one pursued the matter further.
Soon, amid the sounds of metal containers being moved around, both sides began checking the inventory lists.
Mi Beibei’s gaze absentmindedly swept across the carts piled high with supplies.
She failed to notice Zhang Lao’er hiding among the apocalypse team’s members.
Standing in the shadows, his eyes were filled with venomous malice.
Like a snake waiting to strike, he stared fixedly at her.
When Zhang Lao’er replaced Li Yan in collecting the supplies, he waited until everyone else had turned away to move cargo and Mi Beibei was momentarily standing alone.
Suddenly—
He viciously reached for the back of her neck.
But the instant his hand moved toward her…
A transparent barrier suddenly expanded like an invisible shield.
Bang!
Zhang Lao’er was violently thrown backward.
“AHHH!”
He screamed as he flew several meters through the air.
Liu Jingming and Zhang Minglang instantly spun around with their weapons drawn.
Their tactical boots screeched across the ground.
At the same time, the special police officers in the real world also raised their firearms.
They immediately surrounded Mi Beibei and the bureau personnel, forming a tight protective circle while aiming all their weapons toward the disturbance on the opposite side of the doorway.
Zhang Lao’er curled up helplessly on the ground.
His body twitched violently.
Gurgling sounds escaped his throat.
The hand that had struck the invisible barrier now hung limply at his side.
Director Shi turned toward Liu Jingming.
His eyes were as sharp as blades.
“Captain Liu…
“What exactly is the meaning of this?”
Liu Jingming’s face darkened.
His clenched fist rested tightly against his waist as he forced himself to suppress his anger.
“I’m sorry.
“This was our oversight.”
He suddenly turned toward Zhang Lao’er, who was still screaming in pain.
“This man was only temporarily assigned to help transport supplies.
“Please rest assured.
“We will absolutely give you an explanation that satisfies you.”