Ye Ning was Lin Ran’s high school and university classmate, and also her secret crush during her youth. He once made her so lovesick that she lost her appetite, and the situation was so widely known that even her entire family became aware of his existence.
But now, this person was long in the past for her.
Six years of post-apocalyptic life had made her forget all about him.
Now, when she thought back, the only thing she could remember about him was that he was Ye Lan’s cousin.
She was going to eliminate someone, but not Ye Ning—it was Ye Lan.
Hearing Lin Ran’s response, Lin Ze almost wanted to scream for help!
It’s over!
It’s really over!
His sister had been so traumatized that she’d lost her sanity.
She was actually telling him with a straight face about the end of the world, and in three months?
“Sis, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry, I didn’t take good care of you, boohoo—”
“How am I supposed to explain this to Mom and Dad? If they can’t count on you in the future and have to rely solely on me, how pitiful I’ll be!”
Lin Ze grabbed Lin Ran’s hand and started wailing loudly.
This intense reaction made Lin Ran’s mouth twitch uncontrollably.
What an idiot Lin Ze was.
Lin Ran shook her head helplessly, gripped Lin Ze’s hand in return, and with a single thought, they instantly appeared in Lin Ran’s Dimension.
Lin Ze only felt a blur before his eyes, then found himself incredulously transported to another place.
He opened his bewildered eyes wide, staring in disbelief at the unfamiliar surroundings—lush grass, a small stream, and a forest.
This place—
Could it be—
Lin Ze suddenly grew excited: “Sis, is this… Is this the portable space written about in novels?”
Lin Ze released Lin Ran’s hand, took several steps around, feeling the soft grass beneath his feet, then glanced at the nearby stream before having a sudden inspiration: “Sis, what I just said was wrong. This should be the Spatial ability often described in post-apocalyptic novels. You’re an Ability User, aren’t you?”
Lin Ran smiled faintly—her silly brother hadn’t wasted his time reading those post-apocalyptic novels after all.
“Yes, this is my Spatial ability.”
“Woohoo! This is awesome!”
“Heaven has eyes!”I knew I, Lin someone, wasn’t ordinary!” Hahaha!”
Getting the confirmation, Lin Ze laughed triumphantly at the sky.
His sister had Spatial ability—wasn’t that exactly like a female protagonist in novels?
As the female protagonist’s brother, even if just a supporting character, that was still pretty good.
“Hahaha, I, Lin someone, am going to make it big!” I’m the brother of the chosen female protagonist!”
Lin Ran watched her brother’s wild imagination with exasperation, not knowing what to say.
She was starting to doubt whether she should have told him about this at all.
Was it really appropriate to discuss the impending apocalypse with someone this unhinged?
Then Lin Ze did something that made Lin Ran deeply regret her decision—right before her eyes, he jumped into the stream.
He took off his shirt and proceeded to bathe his entire body.
While washing himself, he kept scooping water from the stream into his mouth to drink. This act of drinking his own bathwater nearly made Lin Ran wonder if he’d gone mad from excitement.
“What are you doing?”
Lin Ran asked, unable to bear it any longer.
Lin Ze explained with complete seriousness: “Sis, can’t you see? I’m taking a bath.”
“This is the legendary Spirit Spring Water from the novels—it has the effect of cleansing and rejuvenating the body. I need to wash thoroughly.”
“And just washing isn’t enough—I have to drink it too.”
“I need to drink more—internal regulation and external nourishment, dual approach. Purify the essence and cleanse the marrow, strengthen the body and build vitality. Sis, as the younger brother of a protagonist like you, I can’t hold you back.”
Lin Ran: “…”
She hadn’t expected him to know so much. After her Dimension upgraded to level 3, the stream water did have some effect on improving human physique.
But whether it could truly purify the essence and cleanse the marrow still required further observation.
When the Dimension reached level 4, this water could instantly boost an ordinary person’s resistance to the point of curing minor illnesses.
Now that the Dimension was at level 5, it might indeed bring more surprises.
If it could really purify the essence and cleanse the marrow, that would be fantastic.
When Mom and Dad return, they should use it too—then everyone’s chances of surviving the apocalypse would be much higher.
Might as well let Xiao Ze be her little lab rat for thorough testing. After all, there’s no harm in trying.
By the time they left the Dimension again, over half an hour had passed.
Lin Ran had to drag him out, worried he might scrub his skin raw.
Lin Ze changed into dry clothes inside before coming out. He smugly sniffed his own scent, looking utterly pleased.
“Sis, you smelled that sour stench on me earlier, right? So foul it nearly made me vomit last night’s dinner. Turns out the novels didn’t lie—the water in the Dimension really can purify the essence and cleanse the marrow.”
“Now take another whiff. After expelling all those toxins, I smell so fresh.”
Lin Ran pinched her nose and stepped away in disgust.
She’d developed a psychological aversion to Lin Ze after he nearly asphyxiated her with that stench. Not just her—even a few small fish in the stream had floated belly-up from the odor.
What a sin.
“Stay away from me.”
“Got it, you’re the female lead, you call the shots. Hehe haha!”
Lin Ze couldn’t stay still for even a minute, enthusiastically practicing his martial arts punches in the living room, convinced he felt stronger than yesterday.
After quite a while, he finally calmed down and approached her. “Sis, how did you awaken this Dimension? And how did you know the apocalypse was coming?”
Lin Ran took a deep breath, looking at his excited face. “Xiao Ze, it’s because I was reborn.”
“Reborn? Then Sis, you died?”
“Yeah, I died.”
Lin Ze jolted violently, then asked with a choked voice, “What about me? Did I not come to save you after you died?”
“Xiao Ze, you died earlier.”
Lin Ze felt his chest tighten—he’d actually died first.
But he quickly accepted it.
“Well, that’s good. At least we reunited. What about our parents?”
“Six months after you, they also died in a Zombie horde.”
Lin Ze froze again, never expecting the whole family to die so… completely.
Not a single one left behind.
After a long pause, Lin Ze finally said, “Sis, you suffered so much. With all of us gone, you endured the apocalypse alone.”
Lin Ran stared blankly ahead. Yes, those years had been truly bitter.
But fortunately, it was all in the past now. The people she loved were still alive.
Lin Ran briefly recounted some events from the apocalypse. When she finished, Lin Ze’s palms were drenched in sweat.
His voice came out hoarse. “Sis, I’m sorry I died so early… leaving you to suffer alone in the apocalypse.”
Lin Ran’s tears instantly streamed down her face.
Her Xiao Ze was just like this—both foolish and sensible, always inadvertently touching the softest part of her heart, making her ache with sorrow and tenderness.
“It should be me apologizing. As your elder sister, I failed to protect you in our past life. This time, I will definitely shield our family and ensure we survive well in the apocalypse.”
“Alright. We’ll do it together.”