Jiang Ye’s scalp went numb, but fortunately, she quickly realized it was just a zombie that had already been shot in the head.
Judging by its state, the zombie had been resting in peace for a long time.
The air was foul, so she didn’t dare breathe too deeply. Closing the door, she groped her way to the final cubicle, which turned out to be relatively clean.
She slid the bolt shut and gave the door a push; it didn’t budge, feeling quite sturdy.
Jiang Ye felt relieved.
“System-jun, hit me with that shower water.”
【Host, would you like to activate your single-use 10-Minute Hot Bath Card?】
“Activate.”
Instantly, space-time warped around her.
Jiang Ye had still been nervously wondering where the water would come from—even harboring a horrified suspicion that it might sprout from the squat toilet—but when she opened her eyes, she unexpectedly found herself in a fully equipped bathhouse.
A soaking tub… showers… a complete array of toiletries and skincare products… an endless supply of running water…
“Woah~ (⊙o⊙)”
Looking at the bright, clean, steam-filled room before her, she couldn’t help but make an awestruck sound.
These things were everyday items in the normal world, but in the post-apocalyptic era, they were rare, priceless luxuries.
【Ten minutes. Countdown commencing.】
A massive countdown light appeared in the air above.
Ten minutes wasn’t enough time to enjoy a nice soak in the tub, so she could only take a shower.
Jiang Ye hurriedly stripped off her clothes, asking as she unbuttoned: “System, you’re not going to peek, right?”
【Of course not~ Our system is very humane! Whenever you take a shower, my vision is blockaded, and I won’t see any of your private moments in the future either~】
Jiang Ye: “…”
It really gives off a sketchy vibe.
Thick white steam drifted through every corner of the bathhouse.
Jiang Ye scrubbed her skin with a washcloth from the side, watching rolls of dark dirt peel away. It was a sight she could barely bring herself to look at.
“System-jun, can you give me a bottle? I want to save some water.”
She tried negotiating while scrubbing.
This was clean freshwater, after all; saving some in a bottle meant having something to drink later.
Most of the water sources outside had been corroded by acid rain, and natural lakes or rivers had long been contaminated by zombies.
Drinkable water was extremely scarce, though fortunately, a few people had awakened water-element abilities, saving quite a few lives.
One of Jiang Xing’s abilities was water manipulation, though it was low level—only Level 1. The water she could generate daily was limited, but it was still enough for everyone in the squad to get a few sips each day.
The original owner hadn’t just wanted to drink it; she had insisted on using it to wipe her body down. Jiang Xing had ‘spoiled’ her by letting her use the water first, which forced the others to go through immense trouble searching for outside water sources. The original owner had naturally drawn a massive amount of hatred for it.
Having not had a single drop of water all day today, the original owner’s body was nearly parched to a crisp.
That was why, right before stepping into the shower, Jiang Ye had opened her mouth and gulped down plenty of water.
At this point, she couldn’t care less whether it was shower water—as long as it was fresh and drinkable, it would do.
The system rejected her request.
【No can do~ Bath time is just for getting squeaky clean, no outside activities allowed.】
It really can’t see me.
Jiang Ye’s eyes flickered. She thought to herself that she had already snuck several big gulps of water anyway, and only regretted not bringing a water bottle in with her.
Her mood dipped for a brief moment, but the movement of her hands didn’t slow down in the slightest.
The bright red countdown timer was still ticking away.
【Host, how do you like this place?】
“It’s great. How could it not be? Just this endless stream of water alone is enough to make anyone drool with envy.”
【Would you like this place to belong to you permanently?】
Jiang Ye’s hand paused, a surge of excitement rising from the depths of her heart.
“I would.”
【Then work hard! Everything you desire will slowly be realized! I have full faith in you~ Sending hearts sending hearts!】
Jiang Ye: “…”
That’s basically saying nothing at all.
Here she had thought the system was going to gift it to her on the spot, wasting her momentary burst of joy for nothing.
Still, coming back to reality, she really did need to start planning for her own future.
Jiang Xing was the novel’s female lead and undoubtedly had the protection of the Main God behind her. According to the book’s ending, she would eventually build a safe city for humanity that was no different from the world before the apocalypse.
However, having inherited all of the original owner’s memories, Jiang Ye knew all too well that her twin sister wasn’t nearly as pure, kind, and selfless as the book portrayed her.
Staying by Jiang Xing’s side would inevitably bring endless trouble, and she might even end up meeting the exact same tragic demise as in the original story.
To be honest, she had no desire to crowd around other people anyway. If she could build a secure base that belonged exclusively to herself, that would be ideal.
Thinking of the bountiful rewards the system had mentioned earlier, Jiang Ye’s heart throbbed with anticipation.
Such a wonderful bathhouse—according to the system’s tone, she really could own it in the future.
It looked like she truly had to put in the work.
Now possessing a clear goal, Jiang Ye felt an extra surge of motivation, even humming a little tune as she scrubbed herself clean.
Avoid the guaranteed death sentence! Create a safe base of her own!
Jiang Ye wants it! Jiang Ye gets it! No one is going to stand in her way!
Meanwhile, inside the gas station breakroom.
Time ticked away second by second.
The remaining group had no sleepiness whatsoever, their eyes darting toward the door with increasing frequency.
Lin Hui was viciously imagining Jiang Ye being gnawed on by zombies right at this moment, feeling more elated the more she thought about it.
Wu Lin, on the other hand, was somewhat worried.
Under such a suffocating atmosphere, Zhou Yan stood up.
Like a startled bird, Lin Hui snapped up right after him, asking in a panic: “Brother Yan, where are you going?”
“I’m going to look for her. You all get some rest; we still have to travel tomorrow.”
The moment his words left his mouth, the other three men breathed a collective sigh of relief.
With Brother Yan going out, Jiang Ye would be fine.
“Brother Yan!”
The door opened and closed.
Lin Hui’s dissatisfied yet helpless voice was shut inside the room.
“Alright, Lin Hui. Let’s just listen to Brother Yan and get some rest quickly,” Wu Lin said as he went over to lock the door. He then sat down beside it with his legs bent so that he could hear and open up immediately whenever the two returned and knocked.
“Who asked for your input!”
Lin Hui didn’t appreciate the gesture at all, even shooting him a glare while her mind wrestled with whether to chase after them.
If she didn’t chase after him, she feared Zhou Yan would actually find Jiang Ye and bring her back safely.
If she did, she was terrified of putting herself in danger.
She stared outside with eyes full of unwillingness, her mind racing. Wu Lin rolled his eyes at her and stopped paying her any mind, closing his eyes to rest alongside the other two companions.
Getting a peaceful night’s sleep in the apocalypse was far too precious; none of them were willing to waste a single second.
After hesitating for a long while, Lin Hui ultimately sat back down.
Even though she sat back down, the inner turmoil in her mind didn’t lessen one bit.
She hoped Zhou Yan would return alone and announce Jiang Ye’s death—that was the outcome she truly wanted to see.
While Lin Hui was harboring bitter thoughts in her mind, her body couldn’t help but shiver from the cold. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked around, hoping to find something to keep warm. Unfortunately, there was nothing; this breakroom had clearly been looted clean beforehand.
Sniffling, she began cursing Jiang Ye in her mind again, completely forgetting that she was the one who had insisted on having the woman go out to wash her clothes in the first place.
Right now, Lin Hui was cold, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, yet her eyes remained fixed menacingly on the direction of the door, looking quite creepy in the darkened room.
Having finished her shower, Jiang Ye put her original clothes back on.
She couldn’t help but feel fortunate that the original owner had been so dramatic; while others wore the same filthy clothes for a month straight, she used to swap her outfit almost every two days.
The only drawback was that all her clothes were sexy-style dresses.
To differentiate herself from the pure and innocent Jiang Xing, the original owner loved big wavy curls, red lipstick, and bodycon dresses—the sexier, the better.
Jiang Ye pumped two squirts of hair oil from the bottle next to the mirror onto her palm. Pressing her fair, full-fleshed hands together, she rubbed her hands vigorously and interwoven her fingers to spread the oil evenly across her hands.
Tilting her head, she let her waist-length wavy hair drape over one side. Her fair fingers continuously laced through the silky tresses; a simple gesture, yet executed with effortless, boundless charm.
The system was briefly entranced by the sight, finding it thoroughly pleasing to the eye.
The hair oil carried a subtle citrus scent that was exceptionally fresh.
Jiang Ye was in a great mood. Her absolute favorite fruit was oranges—especially Shatangju mandarins during the New Year. They were cheap, came in huge quantities, and she could devour half a basket in one sitting. The only downside was that eating too many turned her yellow.
Once she builds her safe base in the future, she’ll definitely plant an orange tree.
The supplies in front of the bathroom mirror were very complete.
Adhering to the mindset that leaving things unused was a waste, and using them meant using them thoroughly, Jiang Ye applied toner, lotion, facial masks, body lotion, and essence creams across her face and body.