"How boring, you never come when I invite you!"
The young man pouted disappointedly, preparing to roll up the car window.
"Next time for sure!"
Ji Mengyao waved to the young man through the window, though her expression suggested otherwise.
"Well, I'll be going then!"
The young man didn't persist, adjusted his sunglasses that had gone askew while talking, and accelerated his truck forward.
The truck's engine roared as it moved ahead of the pickup.
"What's going on here?"
Ning Yu was completely puzzled - what was a survivor base doing with so many zombies?
"Hehe, this is something you wouldn't understand, these are all treasures~"
Ji Mengyao said with a cigarette between her lips, showing a smug smile that seemed to say: Finally, it's my turn to show off.
"Little sister, have you studied steam engines?"
She had a show-off attitude, clearly repeating second-hand knowledge she'd heard from others.
Ning Yu found her behavior somewhat amusing and simply nodded slightly.
"All you need is water, temperature, and some equipment, and we can harvest energy, albeit with some losses."
The unfamiliarity in Ji Mengyao's voice made Ning Yu even more certain that she was just repeating what she'd heard from others.
She cleared her throat and continued:
"Don't underestimate these zombies. Just give them some flesh and blood to eat, and they'll keep moving energetically for a long time."
"Aren't they just like walking steam engines in this apocalyptic era? One burns water, the other burns flesh and blood."
"They don't know fatigue, have no emotions, just keep jumping around doing work, and their energy conversion efficiency is extremely high!"
"You know what this is? This is unlimited surplus value! And surplus value without having to consider humanitarian concerns!"
"Old Zhuang set up some machines to use them for generating electricity! These zombies are so energetic, let them work all they want!"
Ning Yu's eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape. Even though Ji Mengyao was showing off with second-hand knowledge, it still shocked her.
What kind of crazy person would think about exploiting these monsters for their unlimited surplus value instead of figuring out how to kill them?
When she heard the word "humanitarian," Ning Yu couldn't help but imagine a comical scene:
People marching on the streets, holding up humanitarian signs reading "ZombieLivesMatter," passionately advocating for zombie rights.
She couldn't help but find this mental image hilarious.
Using zombies to generate electricity - now that's something. Let me translate what the hell this new energy source is all about.
It's truly a pollution-free, green new energy source. She definitely needed to check this out when she had the chance.
Ji Mengyao was clearly pleased with Ning Yu's surprised expression, looking very satisfied as she swayed to the music playing in the car.
They drove for a while longer, chatting about various things, with Ning Yu mainly gathering information.
Through the glass, Shen Yiyue glimpsed Ning Yu and Ji Mengyao chatting happily, feeling a bit sour and jealous, pursing her lips.
If only she had taken the front passenger seat!
"Sister, don't stop! What happened next between you and Sister Ning Yu?"
Seeing her sister suddenly staring at Ning Yu in the car and forgetting to continue the story, Shen Qianqian waved her small hand in front of Shen Yiyue's eyes.
"Oh, right, well..."
Shen Yiyue had to return to her storytelling, though her eyes kept secretly glancing at the driver's cabin.
Wu Di in his suit had returned to stand by the large box containing the chainsaw, scanning the surroundings.
They were getting closer to the Ark base, and the number of zombies had decreased again.
"It's just ahead!"
Ji Mengyao extinguished her last blueberry cigarette, finally not lighting another one.
With her excellent eyesight, Ning Yu could already see the Ark base ahead, which used to be Yida Plaza. After listening to Ji Mengyao's long-winded explanation, she was finally seeing it in person.
The base was surrounded by wire mesh barriers with spike obstacles on top, and trenches outside the wire mesh effectively prevented zombies from climbing.
In the center was a large connected shopping mall, linking several flat mall buildings through passages.
On the connected platform above, there seemed to be many plants growing, forming a buffer layer, above which were hotel-style apartments.
It was a very classic mixed commercial-residential structure, with residential areas above and shopping mall below.
The intelligence Lin Hao had provided earlier was basically accurate.
None of the surrounding buildings were connected to this place, so there was no worry about zombies jumping in from adjacent buildings.
This place was a perfect choice whether for accommodating many residents or converting the mall below into various facilities.
Ji Mengyao gradually slowed down, driving toward the base's main gate, which was one of the mall's entrances.
The mall originally had several ground-level entrances between the buildings, but they had all been blocked except for this largest opening.
A gate had been constructed with wire mesh, with uniformed personnel standing guard beside it.
Though their uniforms were just ordinary matching T-shirts, presumably used to distinguish different functions.
It made sense - who would have the luxury of printing proper uniforms during the apocalypse?
The guards at the gate showed familiar expressions upon seeing Ji Mengyao's pickup truck and came over for routine inspection.
"Uncle Li, I'm back~"
Among the inspectors, one older man was addressed as Uncle Li by Ji Mengyao - they seemed to know each other.
She stretched her hand out the window to greet him.
"Oh, it's Mengyao, good to see you back safely."
Uncle Li, wearing a baseball cap, showed a kindly smile. His temples were starting to gray - he must have been at least 50 years old.
"Are these all people you rescued from today's mission?"
He glanced at Ning Yu in the passenger seat, and Shen Yiyue and the children in the back.
"Yes, they are."
Ji Mengyao nodded slightly, while another young man who had come to check with Uncle Li was already running to open the gate.
"Remember to take them for inspection and then quarantine."
Uncle Li reminded Ji Mengyao before leaving, though he cast a few extra glances at Ning Yu in the passenger seat.
This beautiful silver-haired girl - why were her clothes so clean? She didn't look like someone who had been wandering in the apocalypse at all.
"I know!"
Ji Mengyao waved casually, clearly familiar with carrying out missions here.
The pickup truck slowly entered the Ark base, and Ning Yu finally saw what it looked like inside.
Behind them, Shen Yiyue and the children also stood up to look around.
The plaza surrounded by several shopping malls had a fountain in the center, though it was no longer running.
Various people were moving about around the plaza.
Some wore uniforms of the same color and style, shuttling between different buildings, apparently busy with tasks.
These must be the staff from different groups Ji Mengyao had mentioned.
Others were dressed casually, seemingly ordinary survivors.
Some were chatting in the plaza, while others hurried about carrying things, quickly disappearing into the buildings.
If one didn't look outside, they might think no disaster had ever happened here.
[Ding! Mission: Travel to the 'Ark' gathering point has been completed!]
[Rewards issued: Physical Ability *1, Charm *1, Points *3000]
As they entered the Ark, the system's reward notification arrived as expected.
Adding the 4000 points from killing the Greedy One and the points from zombies killed along the way,
Plus the remaining 2000+ points after buying the awakening potion, it suddenly became a total of 10750 points.
Seeing her five-digit point balance, Ning Yu no longer cared about the slight deviation in charm from earlier.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
o a martial world and obtained a system that allowed him to draw one entry per year. Unfortunately, all he drew were useless white-tier entries. The probability for high-quality entries was extremely low, with the highest-tier mythic entry having a mere 0.001% chance! To increase the probability, he had to improve his martial realm, but he lacked the innate talent for cultivation. At the age of eighteen, Chen Yi fell into the hands of a gang and was forced into hard labor. Just as his life seemed destined for a bleak end, on his 18th entry draw, he actually pulled a mythic entry—Simulator! In the simulation, he could also draw one entry every year that passed, and upon ending the simulation, he would inherit all entries and his martial realm! In his first simulation, Chen Yi struggled desperately just to survive, knowing that living one more year meant one more entry draw! Finally, with hair turned white, he drew the entry he had longed for—Low-Grade Innate Talent! "Hahaha! Don't bully the old and poor! Time to cultivate and inherit my cultivation base!" ... From then on, Chen Yi continuously simulated and drew entries, his martial realm soaring higher and higher! Epic, legendary, and even mythic entries were gathered into his collection one after another! "What demon race or devil race? What dark turmoil? I don't know anything about that. They just charged at me screaming 'How can you possibly ascend to immortality?!' and got stuck to my fists, unable to be shaken off. Blind spots, speed bumps... go talk to my simulator. We're all struggling to survive out here. I'm trying so hard, so how are they still alive?"
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
