The Northern District had been particularly desolate these past few days.
The number of ability users who used to frequent the mission hall had decreased by two-thirds. Upon entering, the most common sight was now first- and second-tier ability users taking on missions.
With fewer people around, newcomers stood out even more.
When Qu Wen appeared at the entrance with Ji Junzhi, they attracted quite a few glances.
In today’s world, beautiful women and handsome men were automatically assumed to be the dependents of ability users.
With just a glance, everyone knew—this was a couple where the woman was strong, and the man was weak.
Qu Wen ignored the scrutiny and walked straight toward the trading area with a clear objective.
She stopped in front of a stall filled with crystals.
The stall owner was an unremarkable-looking third-tier ability user. He was lounging in a recliner and only sat up lazily when he saw someone pause at his stall.
“What do you two want to trade? I have every kind of crystal here except for fourth- and fifth-Grade ones.”
Qu Wen raised an eyebrow. “I remember not too long ago, someone said you had Grade 4 crystals.”
“They were all traded away days ago.” The stall owner shrugged. “That night, so many ability users were injured. Everyone was scrambling to find healing-type ability users for treatment—of course, they got traded out.”
He was considered the richest in crystal inventory across the entire trading area. Occasionally, he could even get his hands on one or two Grade 4 crystals, but on the very night the zombie tide ended, someone had already come to trade away all his Grade 4 crystals.
“Oh well.” Qu Wen wasn’t too disappointed. She crouched in front of the stall, casually picking out a few crystals to examine. “Do you have any water-element crystals?”
Water-element crystals—an unspoken term used in private.
Technically, consuming crystals didn’t require selecting a specific ability type, but there were still subtle differences between them.
For instance, if a water-element ability user consumed a crystal extracted from the brain of a water-element zombie, their control over water abilities after advancing would become even more refined.
No one had ever scientifically proven how effective this was.
But whenever possible, most ability users still preferred to seek out crystals that matched their own ability type.
“I do. What tier do you need?”
Qu Wen turned to look at Ji Junzhi and stroked her chin. “One Grade 1, one Grade 2, and one Grade 3.”
The stall owner immediately understood. “Your boyfriend awakened his ability?”
“Yeah.”
Qu Wen hadn’t expected that after the zombie tide ended that night, Ji Junzhi would awaken an ability overnight.
“You treat him really well.” The stall owner smiled meaningfully. “Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3—he’s just awakened, and you’re already paving the way for his future.”
Qu Wen knew why he was smiling.
In the apocalypse, beautiful women and men were like paper blown away by the wind—
If the ability user they relied on lost power, they ran.
If they saw a better option, they ran.
After gaining abilities themselves, they ran.
In the minds of experienced ability users, there was no need to treat these people too well—otherwise, they’d just be raising an ungrateful wolf.
Qu Wen waved her hand dismissively. “I’m just going with the flow.”
She wouldn’t use these benefits to control Ji Junzhi. Since he was following her with such devotion, she wouldn’t be so stingy as to give him nothing in return.
As for whether he would get ambitious in the future… if that happened, she would just switch to someone else. She wasn’t the type to be stubborn about it.
Hearing this, Ji Junzhi suddenly turned his head and said seriously, “I won’t run.”
Qu Wen replied perfunctorily, “Mhm, mhm.”
Ji Junzhi pressed his lips together and repeated with emphasis, “As long as you don’t abandon me, I won’t run.”
The stall owner clicked his tongue in amazement.
Look at that—no wonder the guy managed to latch onto a golden backer. His emotional value was off the charts.
Qu Wen was clearly pleased. “Alright, tell me—how do we trade these crystals?”
The stall owner held up a number with his fingers. Qu Wen frowned, and the two began bargaining. As the negotiation heated up, they leaned in closer and closer.
Meanwhile, Ji Junzhi stood where he was, casually glancing around, not interfering at all—fully embodying the role of a pampered canary.
The surrounding onlookers listened for a while. Once they realized that this bold and valiant female ability user was merely paving the way for her boyfriend, they lost interest and turned their gazes elsewhere.
As soon as the attention on them waned, Qu Wen lowered her voice. “So, what’s the update?”
A moment ago, the stall owner had been talking animatedly. Now, he subtly moved his lips and said, “Boss went to the urban village to look, but couldn’t find them.”
Qu Wen’s heart immediately sank.
That night, before Su Su left, she hadn’t said a word—just stuffed several Grade 4 crystals into Qu Wen’s hand.
Qu Wen had taken that as her cue to withdraw from the battlefield and blend back into the base.
These past few days had gone exactly as she had predicted—everyone was too preoccupied with their own matters, and no one had come looking for trouble.
To maximize the value of the Grade 4 crystals Su Su had given her, she had handed two of them to Brother Wang, asking him to hide Su Su’s relatives in the urban village.
Brother Wang hadn’t hesitated.
He didn’t dare publicly take Su Su’s side, but for small matters like this, he was willing to help.
Unfortunately, they had still been too late.
In District 44’s urban village, Granny Niu’s forge was already completely empty. According to the nearby residents, she hadn’t been seen since that night—not even during her usual monthly rent collection.
Qu Wen could only assume the worst—that the city lord had acted early and taken them away.
If that were the case… things had just taken a bad turn.
“Did your boss find any clues?”
“All they found was that some unfamiliar people had been lurking around the urban village.”
It was most likely the city lord’s people.
Had they already taken the target and were now lying in wait for Su Su, or had they not found the target and were still staking out the area?
Qu Wen frowned.
The stall owner raised his voice at the right moment. “That’s my exchange condition. If you can accept it, then we have a deal!”
“Fine, let’s trade.”
With her furrowed brows and troubled expression, it was obvious to anyone watching that the negotiation hadn’t gone in her favor, and she had no choice but to compromise.
Qu Wen took the three crystals and left the mission hall with Ji Junzhi.
As soon as she walked out, a few ability users in the crowd subtly withdrew as well.
“Junzhi, let’s head back.”
“Mm.”
The two of them strolled back at a leisurely pace. Along the way, Ji Junzhi never once asked any questions.
Qu Wen glanced at him from the side. “You’re not even a little curious?”
He clearly knew she wasn’t just there to trade crystals, yet he didn’t probe at all.
“If it was something I should know, you would’ve told me already.”
Her boyfriend was so considerate—Qu Wen was deeply moved.
She decided to go to the market tonight to buy some ox whip and properly… As she let her thoughts wander, she pushed the door open.
The moment her eyes landed on the carpet at the entrance, her expression turned sharp.
That was a wool rug she had bought from the junk market for a Grade 1 crystal. Now, there was a faint but noticeable drag mark across it.
Without hesitation, Qu Wen positioned Ji Junzhi behind her protectively. “Who’s inside? Get the hell out!”
No one answered.
But at the bedroom door, a segment of an inky-black snake tail suddenly appeared—only to disappear just as quickly, vanishing so fast it almost seemed like an illusion.
Qu Wen froze for two seconds before shutting the door immediately.
“Junzhi, I’m going in to take a look.”
Ji Junzhi had also seen that snake tail. He glanced at Qu Wen and noticed that instead of shock, her face was filled with delight. His heart settled.
“Mm.”
Qu Wen strode into the bedroom and instantly spotted a familiar figure standing in the corner.
“You’re back?”
Su Su was holding a massive python, at least ten kilograms in weight. Its tail was wrapped in bright white bandages. At the moment she saw Qu Wen, a trace of guilt flashed through her eyes.
“Sorry, I entered your house without permission.”
Qu Wen waved a hand dismissively. “What’s the big deal? Even if you barged in while Junzhi and I were in the middle of something, I’d still welcome you properly.”
Hearing those words, Su Su was momentarily embarrassed.
She had indeed almost barged in before.
Xiao Hei, on the other hand, had barged in before.
Su Su coughed twice and explained, “I only managed to sneak back into the base today. I didn’t dare go anywhere else. I came to you to ask—where is Granny Niu?”
At this, Qu Wen’s expression grew serious.
She relayed the information she had just obtained.
Now, the gravity of the situation shifted onto Su Su’s face.
Her brows furrowed. “That night’s events happened too suddenly. There’s no way Granny could have received advance warning and gone into hiding… Even if she did hide, where could she have gone?”
If even Su Su didn’t know, then Qu Wen was even more clueless.
After a brief pause, she asked, “Could it be that the city lord has locked her up?”
That night, the broadcast wasn’t just heard by ability users—nearly every ordinary person inside the iron fence had heard it too.
For He Heng to tear off his mask in front of so many people, throwing away his reputation just to capture Su Su and the giant python alive—there had to be a deeper plot behind it.
Qu Wen leaned toward the theory that the city lord had sent people in advance to capture Granny Niu, waiting for Su Su to take the bait.
“Did you come back alone? What about the other ability users from that night?”
“They couldn’t get in. They’re waiting outside.”
A few days ago, the Southern Base had closed its entry routes, leaving all incoming survivors stranded outside. Sneaking in by blending into the crowd was no longer an option.
Su Su had only managed to enter thanks to her previously registered identity as an ordinary person—the guards at the base gate had never fought in the zombie tide firsthand. They still assumed she was just a regular civilian. After receiving some bribes, they let her through.
Qu Wen grew even more worried. “Then how do you plan to take on the city lord alone? And how will you rescue Granny Niu?”
Su Su remained calm. “I’ll lie low and search for Granny’s whereabouts. Once the base eases its vigilance, I’ll gradually bring the others in.”
“That’s one way to go about it.”
Right now, there were no better options. They could only take it one step at a time.
“For now, stay at my place. It’s at least a two-bedroom apartment.” As Qu Wen spoke, she turned to leave the bedroom, stepping one foot outside—then suddenly froze.
Su Su, following behind, couldn’t see what was happening outside and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
Qu Wen didn’t answer.
Realizing something was off, Su Su instinctively took a step back.
Just as she retreated, an unexpected voice drifted through the air.
“Miss Su, since you’re already here, why not come out and say hello?”
It was He Heng!
Su Su immediately turned and bolted for the balcony.
But in the next second, several burly figures leaped onto the balcony—towering, muscular men, all of them formidable fourth-tier ability users.
Wolves in front, tigers behind.
Su Su’s escape route was completely blocked.
She decisively pushed Qu Wen aside and turned her gaze toward the living room—
The front door was half open.
He Heng had swaggered into this private residence as if it were his own. At this moment, he was seated comfortably on the sofa, surrounded by several ability users who had already subdued Ji Junzhi, firmly covering his mouth.
“You followed me?”
He Heng shook his head. “I was simply waiting for the rabbit to fall into the trap—and sure enough, you came back.”
At this point, Su Su remained utterly calm. “Do you really think you can catch me?”
That night, even with more than half of the base’s ability users taking action, they had still failed to capture her.
Today, He Heng had only brought four or five fourth-tier ability users—what made him so confident that he could succeed now?
Even though she was caught red-handed in enemy territory, Su Su’s presence didn’t falter in the slightest.
He Heng narrowed his eyes.
Even if Su Su had consumed that Grade 5 crystal, she posed no direct threat to him.
The real threat was that vicious giant python.
If not for the snake, he wouldn’t have lost so many men that night.
“I can’t capture you,” He Heng admitted frankly. “But I can make you stay.”
“What makes you so sure?”
He Heng smirked with absolute confidence. “Granny Niu is in my hands.”
Su Su’s expression shifted for a long moment. Perhaps finally accepting this reality, she took a deep breath and asked, “What do you want in exchange for releasing her?”
In front of everyone, He Heng raised a hand.
His index finger pointed toward the giant python in Su Su’s arms—
In that instant, Su Su’s entire body tensed.
But soon, that finger slowly lifted higher…
Until it pointed directly at her.
“I want you.”
The unexpected demand made Su Su frown. “What do you mean?”
“I want you to cooperate with me.” He Heng’s smile was both amused and calculating. “Why fight until we’re both ruined? If you’re willing to give me part of this python’s blood, flesh, and scales, and tell me exactly how to control a war pet, then we can wipe the slate clean.”
“Granny Niu will be released. I won’t go after Qu Wen or Wang Qingnian anymore.”
“And as for you… you and your companions can leave, go wherever you want—never again having to worry about me going back on my word.”
Su Su lowered her gaze.
She silently stared at the python in her arms.
Without a healing ability user, its wounded tail had only been treated with some basic medicine and was still far from recovered.
Just a bit of its blood, flesh, and scales…
Su Su lifted her head again.
“Alright. I agree.”