“Yeah, that’s definitely a problem. We need to stockpile at least a year’s worth of food and give everyone time to level up. We also need cold weapons. Otherwise, once our powers run dry, we’ll just be waiting to die. Waaah.”
Xu Wanning stepped forward.
“Let’s go in and take a look first.”
The shop was hidden deep inside an alley.
Its architecture was ancient and elegant, like the headquarters of some hidden martial arts sect.
When they pushed open the front door, they discovered it wasn’t actually the shop.
Beyond it stretched a stone pathway.
At the end of the path stood another identical door.
Flower beds lined both sides of the walkway.
Spring had only just begun, so the beds were still empty.
Wen Shuyao clung tightly to Xu Wanning’s arm.
“Wanning… are we really going in?”
Xu Wanning patted her hand reassuringly.
“Don’t be scared. Places like this usually have the best merchandise. My guess is that these aren’t decorative replicas—they’re real weapons, the kind that can actually be used.”
Lu Zhiyu tightened her grip on Song Yunqing’s hand.
“I found this place on a forum. People said the products were excellent, just a little expensive. Then they added, ‘Those who know, know.’”
Now she finally understood why.
This place sold the real thing.
The group walked up to the second door.
There was no signboard.
Just two black wooden doors worn smooth by the passage of time.
Lu Zhiyu pushed them open.
A crisp metallic scent washed over them.
Beyond the doorway was the actual shop.
The lighting inside was dim and amber.
All four walls were covered with cold weapons of every variety.
Short daggers.
Long spears.
Tang sabers.
Crossbows.
Every weapon hung silently in place, yet each demanded attention.
Behind the counter sat a young man polishing a spearhead.
Without even looking up, he said,
“Feel free to browse.”
Xu Wanning wandered toward the display wall.
How could anyone casually browse these?
Every single piece deserved admiration.
She moved slowly from one weapon to the next.
Her gaze swept carefully over each blade.
Occasionally, her fingertips brushed across an engraved pattern.
The movements were gentle, almost reverent, as though she feared offending the craftsmanship.
Meanwhile, Wen Shuyao and Song Yunqing had already become captivated by a crimson Tang saber gleaming with a cold sheen.
It was beautiful.
Incredibly beautiful.
Neither could tear their eyes away.
Wen Shuyao grabbed Song Yunqing’s shoulders excitedly.
“Oh my God! This is gorgeous! If I carried this around, I’d look just like a wandering swordswoman from ancient times!”
Song Yunqing nodded vigorously.
“Exactly!”
Lu Zhiyu, meanwhile, had stopped in front of a crescent-shaped bow.
Her eyes were practically glued to it.
About fifteen minutes later, Xu Wanning approached the counter and lightly tapped the glass surface.
“Boss.”
The young man finally looked up.
Only then did he realize the customers were four girls.
The moment he saw Xu Wanning, he froze.
She was breathtaking.
And he recognized her instantly.
The campus beauty.
“Xu—Xu School Beauty… W-which one do you want?”
Today was supposed to be one of his days off.
His grandfather had dragged him here to watch the shop.
He’d been reluctant at first.
Now he wanted to thank his grandfather from the bottom of his heart.
He’d come to the right place.
He was actually talking to the campus beauty.
“You know me?”
Xu Wanning studied his face.
He looked vaguely familiar.
But three years had passed.
She couldn’t immediately place him.
The young man wiped his hands nervously against his jeans before extending one.
“I’m Zhou Ke. First-year Computer Science.”
Xu Wanning paused.
Then she shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you.”
Now she remembered.
Zhou Ke.
One of the major metal-element powerhouses of the apocalypse.
When she’d met him in her previous life, a horrific scar had stretched diagonally across his face.
One eye had been covered by an eyepatch.
Nobody knew what he’d gone through.
People only knew that he always worked alone.
He trusted no one.
And he hated others getting close to him.
With the apocalypse approaching, building a strong team was just as important as stockpiling supplies.
Zhou Ke absolutely had to be recruited.
“School Beauty, which weapon did you like?” Zhou Ke asked nervously, unconsciously using his T-shirt to wipe away sweat.
“I… I’ll give it to you.”
By then, Lu Zhiyu and the others had wandered over.
Wen Shuyao grinned mischievously.
“Our Wanning really is irresistible. Since we’re her best friends, can you give us some too?”
Zhou Ke immediately turned bright red.
“I—I… these belong to my grandfather… I…”
He had intended to pay for a gift himself if Xu Wanning picked something.
But if he gave away his grandfather’s merchandise for free, his grandfather would kill him.
And he didn’t have much spending money left.
If he bought gifts for all four girls, he’d be living on water for the rest of the month.
Wen Shuyao burst out laughing.
“I’m teasing you. You’re adorable, junior.”
Zhou Ke’s face turned even redder.
He’d heard rumors that all the girls in the campus beauty’s dorm were gorgeous.
Apparently, the rumors were true.
Each had a completely different style.
All beautiful.
Still…
The campus beauty was the prettiest.
Xu Wanning rescued him from further embarrassment.
“The weapons on the walls, the ones on the racks, and everything in storage.”
She placed the bank card onto the glass counter and slid it toward him.
“I’ll take all of them.”
Weapons were critical during the early stages of the apocalypse.
Without powerful connections, obtaining firearms was nearly impossible.
Until zombies evolved to Level Three, cold weapons were more than sufficient.
These had to be purchased.
The entire shop fell silent.
The bow in Lu Zhiyu’s hands nearly hit the floor.
Wen Shuyao whipped around.
Song Yunqing opened her mouth but couldn’t find any words.
Zhou Ke’s hand froze mid-motion.
He looked like he’d misheard.
“W-what did you say?”
“I said,” Xu Wanning replied clearly, “I’m buying everything.”
Panic immediately flashed across Zhou Ke’s face.
“I—I need to call my grandfather.”
He hurriedly pulled out his phone.
“School Beauty, this place isn’t cheap. It’ll cost at least two hundred thousand yuan.”
Xu Wanning nodded.
“I know.”
With craftsmanship like this, anything cheaper would have been strange.
Honestly, two hundred thousand sounded low.
While Zhou Ke called his grandfather, Xu Wanning walked over to a Tang saber she’d noticed earlier.
Blue patterns were etched along its blade.
In her previous life, Lu Chengyue had carried a Tang saber just like this one.
Three minutes later, an elderly man emerged from the rear entrance.
He wasn’t tall, but his presence was formidable.
A saber hung casually from one hand.
The moment he entered, his eyes locked onto Xu Wanning.
“You’re the young lady who wants to buy every weapon in my shop?”
“Yes.”
Xu Wanning met his gaze with a smile.
Not a trace of hesitation or fear showed on her face.
“Why?” the old man asked.
“Because I like them.”
Her smile widened.
What else could she possibly say?
The apocalypse is coming?
“That’s it?”
The old man blinked, clearly surprised.
Xu Wanning’s eyes curved into crescents.
“I have a flaw.”
“When I find something I like, I want all of it.”
She glanced around the shop.
“I like every weapon here.”
“So I’m buying them all.”
Silence descended once more.
Zhou Ke picked up the bank card from the counter and handed it to his grandfather.
“Grandpa, Senior gave me her card already. Can you give her a discount?”
The old man shot his grandson a look of utter disdain.
No backbone.
Sure, the girl was beautiful.
But what made the idiot think she would ever be interested in him?
The boy had zero self-awareness.
When the old man’s gaze returned to Xu Wanning, however, his expression immediately softened into a smile.
“There are forty-seven weapons hanging on the walls.”
“Thirty-five displayed on the racks.”
“And another thirty-two in storage.”
He sat down behind the counter and began writing up an invoice.
“Twenty-seven hundred thousand yuan in total.”
Then he looked up at her.
“Little girl, are you sure you want them all?”