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

--Translated by likesnovel--

Xiao Qiang walked in front, holding a flashlight.

Without electricity, the escalator had become nothing more than an inclined ramp.

The 3 of them slowly made their way up to the 2nd floor of Yida Plaza.

This floor was dedicated to maternity and children's products.

Baby supplies.

Toy stores.

Indoor playgrounds.

Everything a family could need for raising children.

But to starving survivors...

None of it held any value.

Liu Mengyao was about to walk past the area when suddenly—

A figure emerged from the Blood Mist ahead.

Accompanied by a faint chuckle.

"Liu Mengyao."

Liu Mengyao paused slightly.

The moment she recognized the man's face, surprise appeared in her eyes.

"Jiang Fan?"

The person standing before them was none other than Jiang Fan.

...

After returning to Yida Plaza, Jiang Fan had not immediately surfaced.

Instead, he first used his Perception ability to carefully survey the surrounding area.

With a perception radius of 100 meters, most of Yida Plaza fell within his monitoring range.

"No dangerous mutated creatures detected."

"Approximately 200 humans."

"Among them, only 1 superpowered individual."

Jiang Fan narrowed his eyes.

That superpowered individual was currently inside the underground supermarket.

Judging from the situation, he seemed to be leading a group of followers while looting supplies.

The life-force radiating from the man's body was noticeably stronger than Zhou Tianhao's had been.

However, he was still nowhere near Jiang Fan's level.

Furthermore...

The Enlightenment Fruit within the man's body also emitted a golden glow.

After confirming that no major threats were present, Jiang Fan selected a blind spot hidden from view.

Then he emerged from the floor.

The plaza was crowded with people now.

Even if a mutated creature suddenly appeared, the chances of it targeting him directly were extremely low.

The 1st floor of Yida Plaza was the main commercial area.

Luxury clothing boutiques.

Cosmetics stores.

Jewelry shops.

Mobile phone retailers.

Even automobile showrooms.

In the past, the place had been packed with customers every day.

But now...

Nobody cared about luxury goods anymore.

After Perception advanced to 5-Star Rank, Jiang Fan had effectively gained a form of night vision.

Even without a flashlight, he could see everything clearly.

The first store he entered was a Chanel boutique.

Back in the old world, he had never even dared step into a place like this.

A single outfit inside could easily cost more than his annual salary.

But now...

Anything he wanted was his for the taking.

With a casual wave of his hand—

Designer clothes.

Handbags.

Shoes.

Accessories.

Everything inside the store vanished into his personal space.

Afterward, he grabbed a backpack and stuffed a few items inside.

It was simply camouflage.

A way to make himself look like an ordinary survivor.

Next, he entered a new-energy vehicle showroom.

The 2 cars inside disappeared into his storage space as well.

Jewelry stores.

Cosmetics stores.

Luxury boutiques.

...

Jiang Fan leisurely cleared out the entire 1st floor before heading upstairs.

The 2nd floor was the maternity and children's section.

There were very few people around.

Jiang Fan didn't care whether the items would be useful or not.

As long as he could store them...

He took everything.

At that moment, he noticed 3 figures ascending an escalator on the opposite side.

One of them immediately caught his attention.

A woman.

Her legs were long and slender.

Her proportions were almost perfect.

Her arms were so long that her fingertips extended below her hips.

She looked like a professional model.

"That figure..."

"It looks familiar."

Without hesitation, Jiang Fan walked straight toward her.

Moments later, he stepped through the Blood Mist and appeared before the group.

As expected.

It really was someone he knew.

Liu Mengyao.

Age: 23

[Appearance: 9/10] (Perfect Physique)

[Morality: 10 Points] (Never had a relationship with a man)

Overall Rating: 9 Points

Ding!

[System Requirements Met.]

Jiang Fan's eyes immediately brightened.

Liu Mengyao was Song Siyin's close friend from the yoga studio.

The two frequently exercised together and spent a great deal of time with each other.

They could definitely be considered close friends.

A faint smile appeared on Jiang Fan's lips.

Then he called out her name.

"Liu Mengyao."

The young woman froze for a moment.

Clearly, she hadn't expected to encounter someone she knew in a place like this.

"Jiang Fan?"

Jiang Fan openly swept his gaze over her from head to toe.

Over the past few days, Liu Mengyao had obviously endured a difficult time.

Her long black hair, which had once been carefully maintained, now looked somewhat messy.

Yet even so...

It couldn't conceal her beauty.

Compared to Hu Lili, Liu Mengyao lacked caution and survival instincts.

Hu Lili had deliberately used makeup to make herself appear ordinary, reducing unwanted attention.

But Liu Mengyao did the exact opposite.

Not only had she made no effort to hide her appearance...

She was even wearing lipstick.

It was practically an announcement to the world that she was a beautiful woman.

Liu Mengyao frowned slightly.

Truthfully, she had never thought much of Jiang Fan.

In her eyes, he was merely a convenience store employee.

Back then, she had privately advised Song Siyin more than once to cut ties with him.

Now, seeing Jiang Fan openly staring at her without the slightest restraint...

A wave of displeasure rose inside her heart.

She turned her head away coldly.

Meanwhile, Xiao Qiang, who stood beside her, suddenly darkened.

A mixture of irritation and jealousy quietly began to grow within him.

After all...

The woman he had secretly admired for so long...

Had just become the focus of another man's attention.

Xiao Qiang immediately began to panic.

Although he stood **195 cm** tall and was far stronger than the average person, he was still just a sports college student.

The men standing before him, however...

Were clearly not ordinary people.

Each of them carried a machete, their bodies covered in dragon and tiger tattoos. Their fierce expressions made them look like hardened thugs who had spent years in the criminal underworld.

If a fight really broke out, there was no way he could match them.

The bald man didn't even spare Xiao Qiang another glance.

His eyes remained fixed on Liu Mengyao's figure as a lewd grin spread across his face.

"Not bad at all."

"A woman with a body like yours is hard to find."

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

Liu Mengyao's face turned pale.

Instinctively, she took a step backward, but behind her was nothing except the endless sea of crimson mist.

"M-My name is Liu Mengyao..."

"Liu Mengyao?"

The bald man nodded in satisfaction.

"Beautiful name. Beautiful woman."

"Come with me from now on."

"I guarantee you'll have food to eat every day."

The moment those words were spoken, Huang Qian's expression changed.

Secretly, she breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as these men weren't targeting her, everything was still manageable.

Meanwhile, Xiao Qiang clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

A burning sense of humiliation rose within him.

The woman he had secretly admired for so long was being openly flirted with right in front of him.

Yet he didn't dare say a single word.

Liu Mengyao hurriedly shook her head.

"No... I'm not going!"

The bald man burst into laughter.

"Not going?"

"Little girl, do you really think this is still the old world?"

He casually raised the machete in his hand.

A cold glint flashed across the blade.

"Right now, the people with food are the people with power."

"And the strong make the rules."

"Understand?"

Liu Mengyao bit her lip hard.

Her face was completely drained of color.

She didn't know how to respond.

At that moment—

A man suddenly chuckled.

"That's actually not a bad way to put it."

Everyone turned toward the voice.

The speaker was Jiang Fan.

Only now did the bald man notice him.

Earlier, all of his attention had been focused on Liu Mengyao, so he hadn't paid any attention to the ordinary-looking young man standing nearby.

"What, kid?"

The bald man narrowed his eyes.

"You got a problem with something?"

Jiang Fan smiled faintly.

"No problem."

"I just think..."

"The saying 'the strong make the rules' sounds pretty reasonable."

The moment those words left his mouth, Xiao Qiang froze.

Liu Mengyao was equally stunned.

Could it be...

That Jiang Fan was planning to back down and submit to these men?

The bald man laughed smugly.

"Hahaha! Finally, someone with a brain!"

"Since you understand how the world works now, get lost."

He pointed the machete directly at Jiang Fan.

"Don't stand in my way."

Jiang Fan looked at the blade aimed at him.

The smile on his face never changed.

Then he spoke slowly.

"But there's one thing you've misunderstood."

The bald man's brows furrowed.

"What?"

The corners of Jiang Fan's lips curled upward slightly.

His eyes were as cold as ice.

"The strong make the rules..."

"But you're not the strongest one here."

The atmosphere instantly turned freezing cold.

The bald man's expression darkened.

The men behind him tightened their grips on their weapons.

Yet Jiang Fan remained standing exactly where he was.

Calm.

Unmoved.

As if he were looking at a group of clowns.

Because in his eyes, the golden aura radiating from the bald man's body, while much stronger than Zhou Tianhao's, was still several levels below his own.

This battle...

Had already been decided from the very first second.

There was no suspense left at all.