Le Huan lay on the clean, odorless quilt, burying her face as she pretended to sleep. 1066 knew she wasn’t actually asleep—no matter how carefree a person was, no one could truly rest on their first day after transmigrating. Moreover, it had just used some of its energy and was now very weak.
1066 kept rambling on.
【I’m telling you, in the apocalypse we have to be careful. I heard from other systems that once a Host enters the apocalypse zone, it’s like stepping one foot into the King of Hell’s palace. I don’t even know who I offended to get assigned here… In this world, even if you’re useless… well… I’m not much use either…】
Le Huan rolled her eyes, too lazy to deal with this idiot. Hearing it go on and on, she directly poured cold water on it.
“If you’re useless, why are you even guiding a Host?”
【……】
【You have to be capable for me to be useful! If you work hard and help me gain energy, then the two of us can walk sideways in the apocalypse!】
She had no interest in debating usefulness with the system. Thinking of those wandering things outside, she asked, “In novels, zombies are all bloody and look a lot like humans. Why do the ones outside look like they’re about to fall apart?”
【That’s because this is already the fifth year after the apocalypse began. The stronger humans have formed teams and established survivor bases. Most people now live in those bases. The strong go out to search for supplies, while the elderly, women, and children stay inside to farm and do miscellaneous work.】
Le Huan quietly thought things through. 1066 was useless—its little bit of energy was nothing in the apocalypse.
And as for herself, she was even more of a weakling. If she relied on herself, she might as well just die early. The most urgent thing now was to find someone strong to protect her. She had a very clear understanding of her own capabilities.
1066 continued,
【Your current identity is the daughter of the Yu Family. Your parents ran a textile factory, and before the apocalypse, your family had some wealth. You have a younger brother who was adopted. When the apocalypse came, you were the only one at home, and you got separated from them. That’s your identity.】
【You are currently in the outskirts of City B. City B is the capital. The nearest base is in City H, more than 300 kilometers away. Le Huan, we must go to a base—only in densely populated places can we better obtain goodwill points.】
Le Huan’s brows drooped, her expression miserable. “I’d love to go to a base, but it’s over 300 kilometers away. Even if I had wings, I couldn’t fly that far.”
1066 lifted its nonexistent neck proudly, puffing up as it spoke with a hint of smugness.
【Hmph, I’ve already sensed humans nearby. You just need to wait for them to find you.】
Le Huan’s expression changed instantly. She immediately opened the wardrobe and hid inside.
“You idiot system! People in the apocalypse are fierce and unpredictable—you don’t even know if they’re good or bad. Young lady here is this pretty and cute—if I fall into their hands, I’ll get eaten alive!”
1066 had spent too long in the campus zone and didn’t understand how dangerous people could be. It was even more naive than Le Huan. Hearing her words, it panicked as well.
【Th-then what do we do… They’re almost here! Le Huan, hiding in the wardrobe won’t work… go under the bed!】
If someone entered this building, they would definitely check the wardrobes first. 1066 knew hiding under the bed wasn’t a great option either, but with Le Huan’s weak state, there was no way she could run. They could only gamble.
“I don’t want to, I don’t want to! It’s so dirty under the bed… Look… there’s a whole layer of dust. 66, clean it for me first before I hide there.”
1066 was utterly exasperated with this fussy young lady. While nervously listening to the sounds outside, it also had to clean under the bed for her. It felt like its superior had been too cruel—sending it to the apocalypse wasn’t enough, they even assigned Le Huan to it and made it act like her nanny.
Le Huan blinked as she watched 1066 clean the space under the bed. She quickly crawled in, then flashed a sweet smile.
“66, thank you. In the apocalypse, you’re my family now. I can only trust you.”
When she was satisfied, compliments slipped easily from her lips.
1066 blushed after hearing that. It was just a string of data, drifting through space and time—no one had ever treated it like family. This spoiled and temperamental young lady was saying she considered it family…
【Y-you… don’t worry… I’ll protect you properly.】
As it said that, Le Huan began to hear movement outside. The front door was violently broken open. Steady, orderly footsteps entered the building—clearly a well-trained team. They were cautious, with occasional faint, indistinct reports being exchanged.
Soon, someone came up to the second floor. Light footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Le Huan lay under the bed, bored. 1066, on the other hand, was extremely tense, staring at the doorway without blinking.
Suddenly, someone opened the door.
The man who entered was tall and well-built, nearly 1.9 meters in height. He wore a black combat protective suit that covered him completely, leaving only a pair of sharp brown phoenix-shaped eyes exposed as they swept across the room.
Seeing the messy bedding on the bed, Zhao Yan narrowed his eyes.
【Le Huan, this person looks really strong.】
Le Huan felt that she could come out now. The group seemed disciplined, like a team from a base—not some chaotic gang. They probably wouldn’t harm her. Besides, she was starving. She hadn’t eaten or drunk anything all day and couldn’t stay under the bed any longer.
Zhao Yan walked toward the wardrobe, about to open it, when he sharply caught a faint muffled sound. He immediately turned his head toward the bed.
From beneath it, a pair of small hands reached out.
Then, a girl slowly crawled out.
She turned to look at him.
“…I’m hungry.”
Zhao Yan looked at the girl—so beautiful she seemed to glow. Her eyes were moist as she gazed at him, her lips drooping downward. The light streaming through the window illuminated her soft curls with a faint brown sheen.
In this ruined place, she looked like an angel.
And that angel was saying she was hungry.
Le Huan watched as the man stood there motionless. She wondered if he was so stingy that he wouldn’t even give her a bite to eat. Then again, this was the fifth year of the apocalypse—most food had probably already been consumed.
Looking at his tall, strong build, she suddenly remembered something she had once heard—that during famines, people would eat women and children.
Goosebumps instantly rose on her skin.
She had been careless. She might as well have stayed under the bed—at least then she might have kept her body intact.
Zhao Yan observed the angel-like girl as her eyes darted around, clearly plotting something. That made her seem less like an angel and more like a little devil.
He reached behind him.
Le Huan immediately stared at his movements.
He paused for a moment, then pulled out a compressed biscuit. Walking forward, he placed it by the bed.
“Eat.”
Zhao Yan saw Le Huan sitting on the ground, staring blankly at the biscuit, looking a bit slow-witted. He wondered if she might actually be foolish.
Le Huan snapped out of it and climbed onto the bed. Looking at the compressed biscuit, she began complaining wildly to 1066 in her mind.
“I don’t want to eat this! I want sweet and sour ribs, Kung Pao chicken, steamed sea bass, mapo tofu, matsutake chicken soup…”
The more she listed, the hungrier she felt. With no dignity left, she picked up the biscuit and took a bite.
“Ptoo, ptoo—ugh… my teeth hurt…”
Zhao Yan frowned. Could she really be that foolish? How could someone not even be able to chew a compressed biscuit?
Seeing her pitiful expression, his brows relaxed slightly. It was a military-grade compressed biscuit—normal for a girl not to be able to chew it, especially someone as delicate as she looked.