Apocalypse: Resources consumed by women will be returned ten thousandfold.

--Translated by likesnovel--

“Robbery?”

Hulei’s whole body trembled. His voice came out barely audible.

“That’s illegal…”

Xue Mengqian glanced at him with contempt.

“Useless.”

“You’re tall and fat, but you’re as timid as a little girl.”

She said irritably.

“So what do you want? Sit here and wait to starve to death? Or do you want me to go live with him?”

“No!”

Hulei blurted out immediately, his eyes filled with pain.

He could never allow the woman he loved to go to another man.

But at the same time…

The idea of “robbery” still terrified him deeply.

He had money, a house, and a beautiful woman.

But if he got arrested, everything would be ruined.

His assets… and even the woman he loved… might end up in someone else’s hands.

“Useless trash…”

Xue Mengqian thought coldly.

She was a very smart woman.

In normal times, she chose Hulei because he was rich and easy to control.

But now…

The world had changed.

If she stayed with a coward like him, she would never survive.

In a chaotic apocalypse, a beautiful woman without a strong backing would have no good ending.

Even starving to death… might be considered a “lucky” death.

She shivered slightly as she remembered the terrifying stories of women in apocalypse novels.

Then she pressed him further.

“Don’t worry.”

“If this works, I’ll give you half the food.”

Hulei’s eyes flickered immediately.

“Mengqian… you still care about me, right?”

But Xue Mengqian remained cold.

“So what now?”

“Are we just going to sit here and wait to die?”

Hulei fell silent.

His mind was in chaos.

For a moment, he almost agreed to really rob Jiang Fan’s place.

But fear held him back.

Another thought emerged—

Or should he let Xue Mengqian go to Jiang Fan instead?

At least she wouldn’t starve.

Just the thought made his chest tighten painfully.

Xue Mengqian looked at him calmly, then said coldly:

“I’ll go see him myself.”

Hulei instantly looked up, eyes bloodshot, veins popping on his forehead.

“Mengqian…”

He was barely holding himself together.

Xue Mengqian quickly patted his shoulder and softened her tone.

“Don’t worry.”

“I won’t let him touch me. You know… I know how to control men.”

The moment she said that, she froze slightly—realizing her mistake.

Hulei also froze.

“Baby… what do you mean? Have you… ever—”

He suddenly thought of things he had never been able to do with her.

A wave of insecurity surged inside him.

Xue Mengqian’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly changed the subject.

*Slap!*

She slapped him hard across the face.

The sound echoed sharply.

Hulei froze, stunned.

He held his cheek, confused.

“Baby… why did you hit me?”

Xue Mengqian pointed at him, eyes red.

“Hulei! What are you thinking?!”

“I’m doing all of this for us!”

“You’re useless! I’m risking myself to get food so we don’t starve, and you’re doubting me?!”

“I regret ever being with you!”

“Now you’re even comparing yourself to Jiang Fan?!”

Hulei went silent.

Right…

He wasn’t like Jiang Fan.

He was just her fiancé.

And she had never been interested in other men…

“Sorry… Mengqian… I was wrong…”

He immediately apologized.

Xue Mengqian wiped her tears, then calmly went to the mirror and started putting on makeup.

“Don’t worry.”

“I’ll bring the food back.”

“I won’t let you starve.”

Hulei watched her, feeling like his heart was being torn apart.

His girlfriend was getting ready…

To go meet another man.

Love, humiliation, jealousy, and self-loathing all mixed together.

After finishing her makeup, Xue Mengqian looked flawless again.

She put on black stockings.

High heels.

Grabbed her bag and stood up.

Hulei trembled.

“You’re really going? What if he does something to you…”

Xue Mengqian smiled faintly, deliberately provoking him.

“I brought condoms.”

“Just in case… something happens, I’ll still have options.”

Boom.

Hulei felt like his brain exploded.

He completely snapped.

His eyes turned red.

“Mengqian… I’m going with you!”

“We’re going to rob him together!”

Xue Mengqian’s eyes lit up immediately.

“Really?”

In truth, she didn’t want to face Jiang Fan alone either.

A coward like Hulei… was still easier to control than a stranger.

After all, she had been controlling him psychologically for a long time.

It had become natural.

Hulei clenched his fists.

Anger and fear mixed together.

“Fine! I’ll rob him!”

He looked at her again.

“If I get caught… will you wait for me?”

Xue Mengqian smiled sweetly.

“Of course. I’ll wait for you my whole life.”

Then she added her real plan inwardly.

“And bring cash.”

“If we can’t take the food, we’ll throw money at him. That way it won’t count as robbery.”

Hulei’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Good!”

The two made a few final adjustments to their plan before taking action.

Xue Mengqian immediately sent a voice message to Jiang Fan.

“My name is Xue Mengqian.”

“I’m coming to stay with you for one night.”

“In exchange for 5 boxes of instant noodles.”

Hulei’s mouth twitched in irritation when he heard it.

“Baby… why say it like that…”

Xue Mengqian turned sharply and snapped coldly.

“You don’t understand what ‘playing hard to get’ means?”

“We need to set a price so he thinks I’m agreeing reluctantly. That way he’ll lower his guard.”

“This is all for both of us!”

Hulei understood the logic, but still felt extremely uncomfortable inside.

Soon after, Jiang Fan replied with a voice message.

“No.”

“Maximum 1 box.”

“I want 3 boxes.”

Xue Mengqian immediately responded.

“I don’t believe you! You just took out so many steaks earlier!”

Jiang Fan replied flatly.

“Believe it or not, your choice.”

She frowned and continued negotiating.

“Then I’ll only stay for 1 hour.”

Jiang Fan responded instantly.

“One night.”

“If not, don’t come.”

“This is me giving Hulei face.”

“But if any other woman shows up… I won’t let it go.”

Hulei, listening beside her, clenched his jaw.

“Where is there any face for me in that…?”

“It’s clearly stepping all over me!”

Xue Mengqian blushed slightly. Even though she was scheming, talking about this in front of her fiancé still made her uncomfortable.

She typed again.

“Then… 2 hours.”

Jiang Fan replied immediately.

“One night is one night.”

“If you don’t come, it’s over.”

Xue Mengqian knew the timing was right and agreed.

“Okay.”

“I’m coming now. Get ready.”

Shortly after, Jiang Fan sent another voice message.

“Madam from the convenience store…”

“Dress lightly.”

“I like short skirts, black stockings, and high heels…”

Xue Mengqian’s face turned red instantly. She quickly muted the message.

Hulei, who heard everything, clenched his fists so hard they trembled.

“That bastard…”

“I’m going to kill him!”

He grabbed a kitchen knife, eyes burning with rage.

He was tall, strong, and rich—things he had always believed made him superior to Jiang Fan.

But now…

All that confidence was crushed.

“He’s disrespecting my woman…”

“He must die!”

Xue Mengqian quickly calmed him down, and after a while he managed to suppress his rage.

Then the two finally began moving.

Xue Mengqian hid pepper spray in her handbag.

Hulei gripped a kitchen knife tightly.

He slowly opened the door.

Their apartment was on Floor 19.

Outside, the red fog had already swallowed everything.

Even inside the building, faint traces of red mist drifted through the corridors—like something alive.

The hallway was dead silent.

Only their footsteps could be heard.

The flickering corridor light ahead cast weak, unstable glows in the darkness.

Xue Mengqian, usually bold and scheming, now had a pale face.

Her heartbeat was racing.

She almost wanted to cling to Hulei’s back.

“Baby… stay close to me. Don’t get lost.”

“Mm…”

Even though Hulei was scared too, he forced himself to act tough.

They slowly stepped into the red mist.

Visibility dropped to only about 5–6 meters.

Everything turned into a vast red sea of fog.

Only faint footsteps and distant strange growls could be heard.

Cold sweat dripped down Xue Mengqian’s back.

She already regretted coming out.

Along the way, Hulei tried to build courage.

“Baby… or should we just storm Jiang Fan’s place directly?”

“He’s on Floor 32, no red fog there.”

Xue Mengqian’s eyes lit up.

“Good idea! I didn’t think you had brains too.”

Hulei smiled proudly.

“Yeah, if we take him out, and he dies, no one can accuse us of robbery…”

Xue Mengqian immediately shushed him.

“Lower your voice! Do you want people to hear?!”

“Right, right…”

They quickly climbed upward.

Soon they passed Floor 21 and escaped the red fog zone.

Both of them let out a small breath of relief.

The atmosphere became slightly normal again, though tension remained.

Finally, they reached Floor 32.

Xue Mengqian stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and whispered:

“I’ll knock.”

“When he opens the door, you rush in immediately.”

Hulei nodded, his hand shaking so badly he could barely hold the knife.

“Okay…”

Xue Mengqian fixed her hair and clothes.

Then raised her hand and knocked.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

“Jiang Fan, it’s me—Xue Mengqian. Open the door.”