For the time being, Zhang Yi didn't need to do anything complicated. He only had to go out every day, pretend to gather food, and hand it out to the neighbors. After that came the best part: sitting back and laughing as the other buildings tore themselves apart from within.
The fastest way to wear down an enemy was always from the inside.
Back home, Zhang Yi checked the security cameras as usual, confirming everything was normal and Zhou Ke'er was safe in her room before entering. He unlocked her door, then went off to take a long, hot shower. After a full day outside, even his cold-weather gear couldn't stop the chill from creeping into his skin, and only the rush of warm water could finally relax him. He scrubbed his face hard, feeling utterly content.
This won't last forever, he thought. Once I take out all those bastards, I'll find a way to leave this place and start over somewhere comfortable.
It had only been a month since his rebirth, and he had already killed most of the people who had murdered him in his previous life—far more cruelly than they had ever treated him. Next, he would clean up the entire complex, then figure out how to dismantle his safe house and move it elsewhere. The house was made of aerospace-grade metal, strong enough to withstand spacecraft reentry, so his plan was to use explosives to demolish it and store everything else in his space.
Almost there. It won't take long to finish them off.
A smile touched his lips. Soon, he would bury his hatred and pain here and begin a new life.
After showering, wrapped in a towel, he opened Zhou Ke'er's door. She was sitting on the bed, blushing faintly, her long legs clamped tightly together, clearly holding something in. The moment he opened the door, she lowered her head and rushed into the bathroom.
Zhang Yi scratched his chin, confused, until he heard the sound of running water and realized what had happened. He had locked her up all day, and she must have been desperate to use the toilet. He smiled. She was too proud to use a bottle.
When she came out, flushed and exhausted, he put an arm around her waist and took her hand.
"Are you really that weak?"
Zhou Ke'er rolled her eyes. "Want to try it?"
Zhang Yi shrugged. "I'm not that picky. I'd just use a bottle if I had to."
Then his stomach growled.
Back in the warm room, hunger hit hard. "Make me dinner. Lots of meat. I've been burning a lot of energy lately."
Zhou Ke'er smiled. "I'll make braised pork for you."
She hurried into the kitchen, looking just like a gentle, devoted wife.
While Zhang Yi enjoyed his comfortable life at home, the leaders of the other buildings received the food collected by their subordinates. Most looked disappointed. Ten portions was barely enough for a day, and everything fit into a single plastic bag.
At the Mad Wolf Gang, Wang Qiang tore open the bag and found a pack of Jinling cigarettes. His eyes lit up.
His men stared at the pack, practically drooling. They had been chain smokers for decades, and going a month without cigarettes in the apocalypse had driven them half-mad.
"Boss, can I have one?" his second-in-command, Xiao Lu, asked.
"Us too, boss!" the others begged. "We're going crazy without a smoke!"
Wang Qiang's face darkened. A full pack was barely enough for him, and giving half away would leave him with almost nothing. But seeing his men's bloodshot, desperate eyes, he finally relented.
"This smoke was hard to get. I had to force Zhang Yi to bring it back for me!" he announced. "You're my brothers, so I'll let you have a taste. Work hard for me from now on!"
The men no longer cared about anything else. They would do anything for a cigarette. Wang Qiang handed them out one by one, his hands trembling and his heart bleeding. The gang lit up, tears of joy in their eyes, savoring every puff.
But the moment didn't last long. The cigarettes were gone in minutes. Wang Qiang stuffed the remaining half-pack into his pocket and ignored the resentful glares.
"Alright, let's split the food!" he said.
He opened the bag and found cheap bread and crackers. To him, though, it was still a luxury. They had been eating roasted meat for weeks, and now they actually craved something normal.
He swallowed hard, then waved over a subordinate.
"Xu Yi, you're the weakest here. You eat first."