Tag: RHRPAW

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as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“Oh, look at you all, showing Boss Jiang a such a joke,” Qian Lin said, somewhat embarrassed.

“It’s fine, I’ve seen weirder things. This is actually pretty mild,” Jiang Ci reassured with a smile.

Soon, the soup was ready, and a full basket of pot helmets had been fried. Jiang Ci had Song Jinchuan continue frying pot helmets while she and three others started distributing the food—each person received a bowl of hot soup and two pot helmets.

With four people distributing the food, including Jiang Ci, the survivors were asked to form four lines.

Everyone lined up eagerly, waiting to receive their food. The first survivor in Jiang Ci’s line was a young girl with a tourniquet on her arm, her face pale.

Jiang Ci ladled a bowl of soup filled with meat and vegetables for her, then wrapped two pot helmets in oiled paper and handed them to her. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Seeing Jiang Ci’s gentle smile, the girl in front of her suddenly felt her nose tingle with emotion. She lowered her head slightly, trying to hide her moment of weakness.

Knowing that Jiang Ci was here to help, the survivors were quite self-disciplined, not causing any trouble and obediently forming a long line.

“Give us a bit more, we have children here,” a familiar voice suddenly rang out in front of Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci looked up and saw a woman in her forties pushing a frail little girl in front of her, trying to get the girl to ask for more food.

The little girl was being pushed so hard she could barely stand, while the woman was protectively holding onto a boy who looked much healthier.

“Why are you pushing her?” Jiang Ci frowned deeply.

“I didn’t,” the woman chuckled awkwardly, knowing she couldn’t afford to offend Jiang Ci. “She’s just hungry and lost her balance.”

The little girl hung her head low, her expression unclear.

“Let her stand on her own, stop pushing her,” Jiang Ci scolded sharply before handing the pot helmets and soup to the little girl.

Seeing this, the woman behind her almost drooled over the food. She quickly stepped forward, snatched the food from the little girl’s hands, and stuffed the two pot helmets into the hands of the little boy behind her.

The boy seemed used to this, tucking the pot helmets into his pocket and making a smug face at the girl.

Jiang Ci even overheard the boy mutter to the girl, “Money-losing goods.”

“I’ll hold it for you, it’s too hot and you might drop it,” the woman said dismissively, shoving the girl aside while tightly holding the boy’s hand with her free hand.

The girl, who just had her food taken away, glanced at them briefly, her eyes filled with helplessness and resentment, all of which was clearly witnessed by Jiang Ci.

“Please, remove these two from the line and don’t allow them to receive food again. The food they took belongs to this little girl,” Jiang Ci instructed a survivor maintaining order nearby.

The grandmother and grandson who had been smiling smugly the entire time, immediately changed their expressions, their smiles freezing. “What? Why? We didn’t cause any trouble.”

Jiang Ci ignored her, and the survivor naturally followed her instructions, taking the food from the woman and boy before escorting them out of the line.

Even from a distance, their curses could still be heard.

Jiang Ci pulled the bewildered little girl behind her, set up a stool, and had her sit there to eat.

The girl looked to be about eleven or twelve, so thin she was almost entirely skin and bones.

“Just sit here and eat,” Jiang Ci said before turning back to continue her work.

After the incident with the woman and boy, the rest of the survivors behaved much more orderly, taking their food quietly and leaving without a fuss.

Having finally escaped and gone hungry for so long, the survivors felt warmth spread through their bodies and hearts as they consumed the hot soup and pot helmets.

After working for a while, Song Jinchuan came to take over for her.

Seizing a moment of free time, Jiang Ci walked over to the little girl and gently patted her messy hair, “Are they your relatives?”

The girl nodded. “One is my grandmother. The other is my brother.”

“Do you still want to live with them? Or should we ask Uncle Geng, the base leader, to find you a new place to stay? But if we do, you’ll have to live on your own and earn your own crystal cores from then on,” Jiang Ci said.

The little girl nodded almost without hesitation, “I’ve always lived on my own. I earn my own crystal cores. I have to give the crystal cores to Grandma. She doesn’t let me eat everyday. She beats me too.”

The little girl probably hadn’t been systematically taught how to speak, so her words weren’t entirely fluent, but she still tried her best to express herself. When she didn’t know how to say something, she would use hand gestures.

Jiang Ci couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. Such a young child, treated so harshly by her own family. She hadn’t expected that even in the apocalypse, there would still be such a thing as favoring boys over girls.

Just then, Geng Feng arrived, and Jiang Ci briefly explained the situation to him, “Do you think you could find a place for her to stay? If she stays with her so-called grandmother and brother, she might end up starving to death.”

“That’s not her grandmother and brother,” Qian Lin interjected as he walked over. “I only just found out. That woman we just met was actually the little girl’s nanny before the apocalypse. When the apocalypse came, the girl’s parents were out and couldn’t return. The nanny hid in their villa with the girl and her own grandson for a long time. She originally wanted to kill the girl, but later she heard that bringing a child into the base would give her better treatment, so she kept her.”

Qian Lin sighed, “But after all, it’s not her own child. Everyday, she’s either beating or scolding her. Some survivors couldn’t stand it anymore, but every time they tried to say something, the woman would curse at them and beat the girl even more. Over time, no one dared to intervene anymore.”

“People like that are everywhere. Don’t worry, I’ll find her a place to stay. My Hummingbird Base is big enough, there’s no reason we can’t accommodate a child,” Geng Feng said. As the base leader, he usually wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters, but to do Jiang Ci a favor, he personality took on the matter himself.

Base Leader Geng Feng was a muscular man with a thick beard. He tried his best to smile at the little girl, “Don’t be afraid. Just follow me for now, and we’ll find you a good place.”

The little girl nodded, appearing mature and sensible for her age. After eating, she even helped Jiang Ci clean up, her movements quick and efficient.

By the time everyone had eaten, the sky was already bright. Jiang Ci rubbed her sore shoulders and, together with Song Jinchuan, finished packing everything up.

The system also indicated that her task was complete.

By then, the survivors in the square, having eaten and drunk their fill, were all sleeping in their clothes. Even Geng Feng and Qian Lin were lying on the ground, fast asleep—truly exhausted.

Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng didn’t sleep. They moved through the crowd, trying to find that familiar face. Suddenly, Cheng Jing stopped in her tracks, standing still for a moment before turning to look at her sister, Cheng Meng.

The two had been together for so long that they had long since developed a tacit understanding. With just one glance, Cheng Meng knew. She quickly took a few steps toward Cheng Jing, then stopped as she got closer.

Both of their gazes fell on the person in front of Cheng Jing.

The survivor before them had a face familiar to one from their memories, just with one notable difference—he was missing a hand.

“Is it him?” Cheng Meng asked, seemingly unable to believe it.

“It should be,” Cheng Jing replied, trying to recall her uncle’s face in her memory. It seemed to match the man before them.

As they hesitated over whether to wake him, the man slowly opened his eyes.

When two unfamiliar people suddenly appeared before him, he was naturally wary, but after his initial caution, he felt an inexplicable familiarity, a sense of closeness with them.

Wang Jin stood frozen for a moment before suddenly realizing, “You… you’re Mengmeng and Jingjing?”

The two sisters exchanged a glance before slowly nodding.

Seeing his two nieces alive and standing before him, Wang Jin’s eyes instantly reddened. “How did you get here? How’s the farm? What about your parents?”

“They passed away,” Cheng Jing said, her tone softening slightly as she noticed his enthusiastic reaction. “Our farm was seized by Yang Yan and Deng Dashan, who colluded with outsiders.”

Yang Yan and Deng Dashan were the sisters’ aunt and uncle. They had been so deeply hurt that they no longer wished to refer to them as such.

Wang Jin frowned, trying to recall the images of Yang Yan and Deng Dashan in his memory, but quickly failed. He only remembered that the two had been petty and greedy even before the apocalypse, but they had been good to the children. He never expected they would do something like this after his sister and brother-in-law passed away.

Wang Jin’s face was filled with anger, mixed with heartache for his two nieces.

Having struggled through the apocalypse for so many years, Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing had developed the ability to read people. They could tell whether his concern was genuine or not.

“I originally wanted to gather more supplies and crystal cores before going back to find you, but…” Wang Jin let out a bitter laugh, glancing at his missing hand, then lifting his pant leg to show them his prosthetic limb. “I’m a cripple now. I can’t go back and burden you.”

Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing had only noticed the missing hand and hadn’t realized he had also lost a foot.

“Your foot too…” Cheng Meng crouched in front of Wang Jin, looking down at his foot, feeling a pang of sadness.

“It was bitten off by a mutated beast during a mission. At least I survived. But now that you’re here, you can stay. Don’t look at me like this—even though I’m in this state, I can still go out on missions and provide for you,” Wang Jin added. “The base has been struggling lately, but once things stabilise, I’ll take some people back to the farm to check it out.”

Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing felt some warmth seep into their hearts, feeling a sense of being protected.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After completing their mission, Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan prepared to leave with Hui Hui and their electric scooter.

They didn’t disturb the people in the square, quietly slipping away.

When Geng Feng and Qian Lin woke up, they realized that Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan, who had been busy all night, had already disappeared without a trace.

On the way back, Jiang Ci had been talking to Song Jinchuan at first, but the next moment, she suddenly collapsed head-first onto his back.

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the translator has nothing to add ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

read up to 10 advanced chapters, now available on my ko-fi!

Jiang Ci instinctively grabbed onto the clothes at the waist of the person in front of her, only then remembering that she had forgotten to tell Song Jinchuan about the scooter’s powerful engine.

However, Song Jinchuan was a quick learner. With Jiang Ci’s guidance, he soon got the hang of controlling the speed. But at this moment, he found himself somewhat distracted, part of his senses focused on the pair of hands at his waist—warm and soft.

Seeing that the electric scooter was smoothly on its way, the survivors’ car followed closely behind, leaving the hotpot restaurant.

On the way, seeing that the two vehicles were far apart, Jiang Ci thought about revealing some inside information to Song Jinchuan. After all, they would be spending a lot of time together, and it wouldn’t be easy to keep hiding secrets.

Moreover, Song Jinchuan was bound to her by the system, just like Hui Hui, making him someone she could unconditionally trust in this apocalyptic world. To avoid feeling restricted in the future, Jiang Ci decided to share some details with him.

After some thought, Jiang Ci spoke up, “Actually, I came out this time to complete a mission.”

Her voice was scattered by the night wind, and Song Jinchuan didn’t quite catch it. Jiang Ci repeated, “You can think of it as me doing tasks to gain experience points and level up. I might receive such tasks in the future, requiring me to go out. That way, my hotpot restaurant can continue to upgrade and expand. The last time I saved you was because I completed a task, and you were the reward I drew.”

Although Jiang Ci’s explanation wasn’t entirely clear, Song Jinchuan could piece it together and roughly understand the situation. Although he had vaguely sensed that the hotpot restaurant and Jiang Ci were both quite magical, seeing and hearing it firsthand himself was another matter.

“So, I hope you can assist me well in the future. Don’t be too surprised. For instance, when we go back to the hotpot restaurant after this trip, it will definitely look different again.”

Song Jinchuan understood that this was a heads-up for him. Having experienced many ups and downs, he simply sighed inwardly and then nodded calmly, indicating that he understood.

“Don’t worry, nothing that happens to you will surprise me anymore. I’ll definitely cooperate with you fully, no matter what you do, I’ll be with you.” Song Jinchuan’s calm words carried the weight of a solemn promise.

The two of them continued their journey towards the Hummingbird Base. Having shared a small secret, their relationship seemed to have subtly grown closer.

The survivors followed behind the electric scooter in their car, marveling for the fiftieth time at the scooter’s speed.

Even though they were driving a car, they always seemed to lag one step behind the scooter.

The bumps on the road didn’t affect its speed at all, carrying the two of them with remarkable stability.

Moreover, with Hui Hui on Jiang Ci’s back, they didn’t encounter any zombies or mutated beasts, making the journey so quiet that the survivors almost felt uneasy.

Song Jinchuan was also somewhat surprised, but after Jiang Ci’s earlier conversation, he guessed that she must have something on her that could repel zombies and mutated beasts.

Although Jiang Ci had revealed part of her secret, she never disclosed the existence of her system—that was her bottom line.

The journey was long, and the two began chatting about everyday matters. Jiang Ci learned that before the apocalypse, Song Jinchuan was a native of City J who later joined Bright Base. He had no family left; only himself, and his only close friend, Old Li, with whom he had been through life and death with.

Later, he saved some survivors one after another, forming what would become the Cheetah Squad.

As Song Jinchuan spoke of the past, although his emotions remained steady without any fluctuation, Jiang Ci knew deep down that his journey must have been far from easy.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

An hour later, the group finally arrived at the Hummingbird Base. The base was still lit up with lights, with the sound of people talking travelling to the outside, indicating that the scene inside was indeed chaotic.

The zombies and mutated beasts that had been lingering at the entrance sensed Hui Hui’s presence and scattered.

The survivors guarding the entrance were fewer than usual, with a few of them having been to the hotpot restaurant, recognising Jiang Ci. They were visibly shocked to see her and quickly opened the gate to let them in.

“Boss Jiang, what brings you here?” The survivors didn’t even bother to ask about the group of survivors pulling supplies behind them.

“We came to see if you need any help,” Jiang Ci said. “What’s the situation inside now?”

“Too many people arrived all at once. Our base leader is trying to arrange accommodations for them, but we don’t have enough nutrient solution to go around. Everyone’s trying to figure it out, but some people are still causing trouble,” the survivor said with a sneer.

“I figured food might be scarce, so I brought some supplies to cook. Is there a spacious area we can use?”

Hearing this, the survivor’s eyes lit up, and they nodded eagerly. “Yes, of course! Boss Jiang, you’re truly a lifesaver. The survivors in our base will be thrilled to see you.”

Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing got out of the car, looking at the base that was now within reach. A feeling akin to homesickness welled up in their hearts.

“Boss Jiang, can we come and help you first, that way we can also look for people along the way?” Cheng Jing asked.

Jiang Ci nodded, “Sure, you can follow me for now.”

“Boss Jiang, we’ll go deliver supplies over there first and come back to help when we’re done,” a survivor driving the car leaned out and said before following the survivors at the gate inside.

Another survivor led Jiang Ci and her group in a different direction.

The closer they got, the clearer the voices became. After walking through a few streets, Jiang Ci saw the densely packed survivors in the base’s square.

The night wind carried the smell of blood along with a thick, complex mix of odours, causing Jiang Ci to instinctively take a step back.

“Are you okay?” Song Jinchuan asked softly, noticing Jiang Ci’s pale complexion.

Jiang Ci shook her head, “I’m fine.”

“Is this spot okay? This is the largest area in our base, and currently, all the survivors from Hope Base are staying here,” the survivor who brought Jiang Ci over said. “We’ve tried our best, but even we can’t guarantee that everyone will get food. That’s why you’ve been a really big help for us, Boss.”

“This spot is fine. I’ll get ready first. Once I’m prepared, you can notify everyone to come over. Tell them not to push or crowd and that they must line up properly. Otherwise, they won’t get any food from me,” Jiang Ci needed to set some rules first. “It would be best if you could get some of your base’s survivors to come over and help maintain order.”

Jiang Ci could almost foresee how frantic the hungry survivors would be when they caught a glimpse of the food.

The survivor nodded eagerly, “Of course, of course. Boss, you go ahead and get busy. I’ll inform the base leader and get some people over soon.”

After giving clear instructions, Jiang Ci began preparing her things. She set down the backpack containing Hui Hui and started pulling out items.

A set of spacious folding tables and chairs, a huge pot, a black flat-bottomed pot specifically for cooking, and several large buckets of drinking water.

In addition to that were various ingredients she had brought along as well.

Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing, who had originally been searching the crowd for their uncle, were now inevitably drawn to Jiang Ci’s series of actions.

What kind of backpack was this? How could it hold so much?!

Soon, they realized that Boss Jiang must be a spatial ability user.

Not long after, Geng Feng, the leader of Hummingbird Base, and Qian Lin, the leader of Hope Base, arrived. Both of them were nearly moved to tears when they saw Jiang Ci, especially Qian Lin, who held Jiang Ci’s hand tightly, unsure how to even begin expressing his gratitude.

“Boss Jiang, don’t worry. I’ll make sure the order is maintained for you today,” Geng Feng waved his hand, and soon, several armed survivors came over to guard Jiang Ci’s temporary stall.

The commotion attracted the attention of many survivors, who slowly gathered around to see what was happening. However, with armed survivors stationed on the periphery, they could only vaguely catch the figures outside.

The two base leaders also pitched in, rolling up their sleeves to wash vegetables and dishes, not putting on any airs at all.

Jiang Ci first boiled a pot of clear broth in the large pot, tossing in some vegetables and meat.

With the help of the clear soup base, a rich aroma soon wafted out, stirring up the survivors who had been hungry for a long time.

Qian Lin stood in front of the crowd and informed them that it was Jiang Ci who had generously offered to cook for them. He also warned everyone not to push or make noise, or else they might drive Boss Jiang away and end up starving again.

After the warning, his tone softened a bit, “Don’t worry, everyone will definitely get a hot meal today.”

These were the exact words Jiang Ci had just told him, and he used them to calm the restless survivors.

While the soup was simmering, Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan started frying pot helmets. They unfolded the special pot helmet pan, each standing on one side, pressing the dough into the small round molds in the pan, their movements almost synchronized.

It was Song Jinchuan’s first time helping to fry pot helmets, but the steps were simple and easy to pick up. After a bit of initial clumsiness, his movements soon became smooth.

As the dough hit the pan, it sizzled, and the aroma began to spread.

Not only the survivors but even the base leader and the people he had sent over couldn’t help but salivate.

“Can we eat yet? When will it be ready?” one survivor couldn’t wait and whispered in the crowd.

“Base Leader, we have children here. Can we go first?” a voice suddenly piped up.

Soon after, the sound of a child crying was heard, and the surroundings gradually quieted down, making the voice stand out even more, “Quick, say you’re hungry and ask those uncles and aunts for some food.”

Jiang Ci couldn’t help but glance over, surprised that even in the apocalypse, there were people who shamelessly used their children to get what they wanted.

“Why should you? It’s not like you’re the only one with children,” the other survivors retorted, not letting the speaker get away with it.

“What are you doing, pinching the child? Didn’t Base Leader Qian just say we’ll all get to eat? Why are you in such a hurry? Are you not going to live much longer?”

The crowd quickly spoke up against the parent who was using their child to get food. Soon, the child stopped crying, and the adult fell silent.

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bear children have bear parents [forced smile]

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---

Jiang Ci glanced up at him, surprised that this man with thick eyebrows and big eyes was such a genuinely good guy. 

However, she couldn’t just push everything onto Song Jinchuan, so she said, “If it gets too overwhelming, we can close the shop for half a day. There’s no strict rule stating that we have to open every day. We can both use that time to take a break and get some fresh air.”

Song Jinchuan nodded while organizing things. He found it quite comfortable to get along with Jiang Ci. Whether she was speaking or doing things, she was always unhurried, moving at her own unique pace.

This rare moment of leisure made Song Jinchuan feel a sudden sense of contentment.

After tidying up, Jiang Ci ordered dinner for both of them. With more ingredients available now, the dinner options had also expanded. Jiang Ci tried to order something different every day, and today, it was a teriyaki beef bowl, with a slightly sweet and savory sauce poured over the rice and beef slices, making it look incredibly appetizing.

The two sat facing each other, each holding a bowl of rice, enjoying their meal.

Since they were both in the main hall, the shop hadn’t been upgraded yet after the task was completed.

After dinner, as the sky grew dark, Jiang Ci was about to close the shop and head back to her room to rest when more customers arrived.

It was the sisters, Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng. They had been walking all day and night, exhausted and hungry. When they saw the sign, they thought they were hallucinating. How could there still be a hotpot restaurant in the apocalypse?

But the flashing neon lights on the sign as well as the faint aroma of food told them this wasn’t a hallucination—it was real.

As they stepped inside, the smell of food became even stronger. The shop looked quite spacious, with tables and chairs neatly arranged. Everything was spotless, and the entire place had an ambience that seemed incompatible with this apocalyptic world.

Next to the counter was a small blackboard with prices written on it. Everything seemed well-organised.

The sisters looked around, their eyes filled with disbelief and curiosity.

Just as they were marveling at the surroundings, Jiang Ci walked out and greeted them with a smile, “Would you like something to eat?”

Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng were startled but quickly composed themselves. “Are you the owner of this place? Is this really a hotpot restaurant?”

“Yes, it’s a hotpot restaurant. The available soup bases, dishes, and prices are all listed on the blackboard. You can take a look and decide what you’d like,” Jiang Ci explained.

The sisters slowly sat down on the chairs. The shop had left them in such shock that they needed a moment to process everything.

After whispering to each other for a while, they finally ordered a beef tallow soup base, beef and lamb slices, a vegetable platter, and because they were curious about the pot helmets, also ordered two portions of pot helmet.

Jiang Ci took their order to the kitchen and then went to the pot helmet stall to make the pot helmets.

Just as she brushed on the oil, footsteps and voices sounded from outside the shop again.

Jiang Ci saw the survivors who had come during the day returning together. When they caught the aroma of the pot helmets, their eyes lit up, and they quickened their pace. “Boss, are you still making pot helmets? Can we buy some?”

Hearing this, Jiang Ci peeked out to count the number of people gathering. There didn’t seem to be that many, so it shouldn’t take long. She nodded, “Sure, but it’s still limited to two per person.”

The survivors were instantly delighted. They hadn’t expected to find such a pleasant surprise by coming to the hotpot store a little later than usual.

Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng, who had been whispering to each other, stopped talking when they noticed some unfamiliar survivors—mostly tall men—entering the shop. The sisters immediately became alert, their bodies tensing up.

The survivors seemed to sense this and very consciously sat at the table farthest away from them.

The group greeted the boss familiarly as soon as they arrived and then placed their orders. It was clear they were regular customers.

Soon, the aroma began to spread throughout the hotpot shop. Cheng Meng took a deep breath and swallowed hard. She quietly nudged Cheng Jing’s arm, “Sis, it smells so good.”

The aroma of food always has a way of comforting the heart and soothing the anxiety in people’s minds. At that moment, the weariness and anxiety the two sisters had been carrying seemed to be healed by that aroma.

The hotpot base and dishes were quickly served. Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng’s eyes were practically glued to the plates of meat slices. It had been ten years since the apocalypse—how could there still be such fresh meat?!

The hotpot base bubbled away, and the meat slices were tossed into the pot, mixing together with the boiling, bright red oil.

From their initial hesitation, Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing soon began eating with gusto. They had lived through the apocalypse for ten years and had no idea such a place existed. It was simply delicious.

“By the way, are the people from Hope Base okay?” The conversation from the other table clearly reached their ears.

At the mention of Hope Base, Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing’s chopsticks paused mid-air.

“How could they be okay? That was an eighth level mutated beast. Several people were sent flying and died on the spot,” another survivor shook his head, his tone filled with regret. “A few ability users died, with more than half of the ordinary survivors killed or injured. Hope Base has suffered a heavy blow this time.”

Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing’s expressions turned grave again. Although they didn’t know the details, if their uncle was still at Hope Base, he must be in some kind of danger now.

“Hope Base was attacked? It’s that severe?” Jiang Ci, who had just finished making the pot helmets, overheard the survivors’ conversation and asked.

The leader of Hope Base had come to buy mineral water twice before and had even brought her a particularly beautiful set of jewelry—sapphires and sparkling diamonds set together, dazzlingly radiant.

After spending time with these survivors, Jiang Ci found them to be straightforward and endearing. Now that she knew something had happened, it was only natural for her to inquire.

“Suddenly, an eighth level black snake appeared, wreaking havoc on the base. By the time we received the message and went to rescue them, many people had already died. The remaining survivors from Hope Base are currently staying at the neighboring Hummingbird Base,” the survivor described the scene they had witnessed, using several interjections to express their sorrow for the loss of life.

Jiang Ci could only imagine the scene of dead bodies scattered everywhere, but for people in this post-apocalyptic world, it had already become their norm. Apart from lamenting their fate, they didn’t experience the same emotional turmoil as Jiang Ci.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After finishing their meal, Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing took the initiative to approach and inquire about Hope Base.

Upon hearing that they were here to search for relatives, the survivors’ eyes showed a hint of pity, but still enthusiastically provided the location of Hummingbird Base.

“We’ll head over after eating, bringing some supplies to help. Why don’t you come with us later?” The survivors spoke with a bit of hesitation, worried that the two girls might feel scared being with a group of men.

“In that case, I’ll go take a look too,” Jiang Ci suddenly spoke up.

“Boss, you’re going too?” The survivor was clearly surprised, and even Song Jinchuan turned to look at Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci nodded, “I’ll go and see if there’s anything I can help with.”

At that moment, the survivors’ gazes towards Jiang Ci filled with emotion. They all felt that Jiang Ci was very righteous, willing to go to such a dangerous place to help without a second thought.

Only Jiang Ci herself knew the real reason. Just moments ago, the system had issued a temporary task: to ensure that the displaced survivors at Hummingbird Base have a hot, hearty meal by eight o’clock in the morning.

This meant that Jiang Ci had to go to Hummingbird Base tonight and prepare a large pot of food for the hundreds of survivors there.

Seeing that Jiang Ci was also going, Cheng Meng and Cheng Jing visibly relaxed.

Actually, the cooking part wasn’t that difficult; the challenge was cooking for hundreds of people. The system thoughtfully provided her with a large pot that could self-heat without electricity or fire.

The pot was indeed huge, big enough to fit two of Jiang Ci inside, along with a foldable pan for making pot helmets.

While the survivors were still eating, Jiang Ci filled several large buckets with water into her space and exchanged for a lot of dough to make pot helmets.

By the time she was fully prepared, the survivors had finished their meal. Jiang Ci turned to Song Jinchuan, saying,  “You can rest in the store. I should be back by tomorrow morning.”

But Song Jinchuan had already taken off his apron. “I’ll go with you. It’s too late, and with two people, we’ll be able to look out for one other.”

Jiang Ci wanted to say something more, but Song Jinchuan had already tidied up the shop’s tables and chairs as usual, turned off the lights, and headed out the door.

She had no choice but to follow Song Jinchuan.

“Are we going to hitch a ride with them?” Song Jinchuan stood at the door and turned to look at Jiang Ci. Although the survivors had come by car as they were carrying some supplies, the car wasn’t very big. With them plus Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng, it was already somewhat overloaded.

Jiang Ci quickly shook her head and then walked to the corner of the hotpot restaurant, pulling out her foldable electric scooter. “You can ride with them. I’ll take this.”

Jiang Ci had originally thought of letting Song Jinchuan ride with her, but upon comparison, it was clear that riding in a car would be much more comfortable than taking her scooter, so she didn’t suggest it and instead went back inside to fetch Hui Hui, who had been craning her neck to look around.

Hui Hui was practically a magic weapon for avoiding disasters. Bringing her along would make their journey much safer.

Since their last outing, Jiang Ci had purchased a large knitted backpack from the system store, one that could just fit Hui Hui.

To those unaware, it looked like Jiang Ci was just carrying supplies. No one would guess there was a actually large tortoise inside.

Song Jinchuan glanced at the small electric scooter and frowned slightly. He felt uneasy letting Jiang Ci ride this scooter behind them all by herself.

“I’ll go with you,” Song Jinchuan said straightforwardly. He attributed his series of mental gymnastics to the fact that Jiang Ci was his savior—after all, it was only right for him to protect his savior.

When Song Jinchuan climbed onto the scooter, he looked a bit pitiful to outsiders—his long limbs cramped inside the small scooter.

Jiang Ci sat on the back seat, hesitating for a moment before saying, “How about I drive?”

“It’s fine. Hold on tight,” he said, and as soon as he finished speaking, the electric scooter suddenly shot forward.

---

SJC’s mental gymnastics have begun

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Song Jinchuan was still cleaning up the remaining mess in the kitchen when a fragrant aroma wafted past his nose. He looked down and saw Jiang Ci holding a pot helmet out to him.

“I specially saved one for each of us. We should at least test how good it tastes,” Jiang Ci said, shoving the pot helmet into Song Jinchuan’s hand before turning and leaving the kitchen.

She needed to order some food for the two of them. It was so late, and if they didn’t eat something soon, she was going to faint from hunger.

As Jiang Ci opened the ordering system on her computer, she took a bite of the pot helmet in her hand. The crust was crispy and flaky, while the meat filling inside was wrapped in a savory broth, making it unexpectedly delicious.

Song Jinchuan stood in the kitchen, holding the warm pot helmet in his hand. He felt his heart warming up, just like the heat at his fingertips.

After eating enough to fill their stomachs, the two of them returned to their respective rooms.

For Song Jinchuan, working at the hotpot restaurant was much easier than going on missions, and there was no life-threatening danger involved. So he wouldn’t feel tired even if he had to work a few more hours.

But Jiang Ci had said that their hotpot restaurant was a legitimate business and would never treat employees like working animals. They had to clock out on time.

After returning to her room, the system issued Jiang Ci a new task: within the next 24 hours, she needed to earn one million points to unlock the delivery service.

Jiang Ci sat up abruptly from her bed. “Can I change the task reward? The restaurant is already too busy, there’s simply no time for us to do deliveries.”

[Sorry, the task reward cannot be changed. The task is closely related to the future development of the hotpot restaurant,] the system rejected her coldly.

Jiang Ci fell back onto her pillow with a thud, looking utterly defeated. Great, she hadn’t even completely mastered the pot helmet yet, and now she had to start doing food deliveries.

[Host, don’t worry. There will be delivery fees included in the takeout, which will also count as additional income for you,] the system added.

Jiang Ci rolled over, trying to block out the system’s manipulative tactics. Unexpectedly, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep almost immediately.

Jiang Ci had initially thought that Song Jinchuan had gotten up so early because he couldn’t sleep as it was his first day at the restaurant. But contrary to her assumption, Song Jinchuan had already gotten ready and prepared a lot of ingredients and stored them in the freezer by the time she woke up in the morning.

“You really don’t have to get up so early,” Jiang Ci said, somewhat helplessly.

Song Jinchuan simply replied that it was fine; after all, his body was already used to waking up at a fixed time every day.

Hearing this, Jiang Ci had no choice but to let him be.

After more than a day, Song Jinchuan had already familiarised himself with the kitchen and the dining area. Since there wasn’t much technical skill needed, Jiang Ci felt comfortable leaving it to him.

She herself headed straight to the pot helmet stall, hoping to make some in advance while it was still early.

But when she opened the stall’s window, she saw a horde of survivors waiting outside, some even with tents pitched up, as if they had slept there overnight.

“Are there still purchase limits today, Boss?” the survivors asked eagerly as soon as they saw Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci nodded. “Today, it’s still two per person. Please line up properly.”

“Boss, good morning. What are you selling?” A familiar voice sounded from not far away. Jiang Ci looked up and saw Zhong Xiaofeng walking over, followed by a few survivors.

“Good morning. This is the pot helmet that just came out yesterday. It’s five first-level crystal cores each.”

“Pot helmets! I love pot helmets!” A young woman following Zhong Xiaofeng exclaimed excitedly, then quickly lined up at the back of the crowd.

Song Jinchuan came out of the store to distribute number tags. There were only so many bases in the vicinity, and most of the ability users knew each other, including Zhong Xiaofeng. Her team had even interacted with Song Jinchuan’s team before.

While others might not know, Zhong Xiaofeng had always been aware that Song Jinchuan was actually a dual-ability user. Such individuals could thrive in any base. At this moment, Song Jinchuan was helping Jiang Ci greet customers, chopping and washing vegetables, just like an ordinary restaurant employee. Zhong Xiaofeng found it somewhat surreal to witness.

“Captain Zhong,” Song Jinchuan sensed a gaze and looked up to see Zhong Xiaofeng. He nodded at her, then immediately returned to his tasks after just a glance.

As he had said before, the affairs of this world no longer concerned him.

The line in front of Jiang Ci grew longer and longer. The news that the hotpot shop had started selling pot helmets spread quickly, with more and more people rushing over to taste this snack that had only appeared for years in their dreams.

Whenever Song Jinchuan had a moment of rest from his busy schedule, he would come over to help Jiang Ci make pot helmets, then package and hand them out.

Zhong Xiaofeng and her team found a private room to sit in. The variety of ingredients at the hotpot store had increased significantly compared to their first visit, with the flavors becoming even more diverse.

Some survivors had been here before, but for others, it was their first time. The abundance of dishes and egg fried rice made the survivors’ eyes light up.

Although nutrient solutions could fill their stomachs, it still couldn’t compare to real food.

*

Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng stood in front of the ruins of a collapsed building in City C, removing their UV blocking masks to reveal their youthful faces.

“Sis, is this City C?” Cheng Meng asked, panting.

The two had just finished killing a group of level two zombies and had only just found a quiet spot to rest.

“It should be. There are no landmarks or road signs anymore, so we can only rely on this map. According to the map, we should indeed be in City C,” Cheng Jing said as she unfolded a rather old map in her hands.

The two sisters had just escaped from a farm in City R. They were originally the owners of the farm. After the apocalypse arrived, their parents quickly built high walls around the farm.

The farm had abundant resources, which attracted some survivors. Eventually, it became a small shelter, and they had lived there for many years. Later, their parents passed away, leaving only the two sisters to rely on each other.

The base had always maintained a harmonious coexistence. Despite there being no formal management, everyone still remained quite self-disciplined.

The base had been peaceful until recently, when the sisters discovered that their uncle had conspired with a few newcomers to rally a portion of the survivors under his control, directly seizing power from them and driving them out of the home they had lived in for decades.

Their biological aunt, who had witnessed all this, remained indifferent. When they were finally driven out, she even accused them of uneven resource distribution, claiming that they, their relatives, had never once benefitted.

Those words were loaded with accusations, showing no regard for the kindness they had received during those moments they had been between life and death.

Those who tried to speak up for them were all suppressed by force, even attempting to brainwash the survivors into not taking orders from two women.

Cheng Jing and Cheng Meng were almost amused by the absurdity of it all. There had never been any class distinctions here; everyone had been supporting each other to move forward. How had it come to the point where they were seen as giving orders to everyone?

Ultimately, they were concerned about the farm their parents had left behind as well as the companions they had lived together with for so long. In the end, they had no choice but to leave, driven out.

After leaving the farm, they decided to head to the Hope Base in City C to look for their maternal uncle, who had left home several years ago, and then make further plans when the time comes.

After several days, they finally reached the outskirts of City C.

“Sis, do you think we’ll find Uncle? And if we do, will he still be the same as before?” Cheng Meng pouted, already losing hope in these relatives.

“I don’t know either,” Cheng Jing replied, her eyes filled with a hint of uncertainty. “Let’s see first. Don’t rush to reconnect. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just find a base to stay in for now.”

Cheng Jing calculated her crystal cores. She had carried most of her belongings with her, and the crystal cores should last them for a while.

After resting for a bit, they heard some movement nearby and quickly got up, heading toward the urban area of City C.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Jiang Ci had been busy all day, so busy that she didn’t even have time to greet acquaintances. By the time she came to her senses, the sun had already set.

Before 24 hours had even passed, the system notified her that today’s task had been completed. This was the first time Jiang Ci felt so stressed upon completing a task.

Regretfully, the task reward arrived as scheduled, regardless of her feelings.

With no customers around, Jiang Ci opened the task reward at eight o’clock after closing the shop while Song Jinchuan was still tidying up in the kitchen.

She discovered that although the unlocked feature was a delivery service, she could control the amount herself—minimum three orders, with no upper limit. The medium through which survivors could place orders was an electronic menu produced by the system.

This menu looked no different from a paper one, except that any dishes ordered on it would be relayed back to Jiang Ci. She would prepare the food and then send it out.

Delivery would be more expensive than dining in, and whether an order could be placed depended entirely on the number of orders Jiang Ci set to accept and as well as the order in which the food would be delivered in.

The delivery vehicle was the foldable electric scooter that had been given to Jiang Ci earlier.

The shop also received some takeaway boxes, disposable pots, and insulated delivery bags.

Since there was now an additional employee in the shop, these items no longer appeared out of thin air, but arrived in the form of packages placed at the entrance of the hotpot restaurant instead.

When Jiang Ci opened the door, she saw a pile of delivery boxes stacked at the entrance. She called Song Jinchuan over to help move the pile of packages into the kitchen.

Then, they unpacked them one by one and arranged them properly.

“What are all these for?” Song Jinchuan asked, puzzled. For example, those stacked pots felt a bit soft to the touch. Were they even usable?

“These are for our future delivery service,” Jiang Ci replied, sounding utterly resigned.

“Delivery service? Our shop is going to offer delivery?” Song Jinchuan’s face showed clear surprise. To think that in such an environment and under these conditions, a delivery service could even exist.

Jiang Ci nodded, “Yes, we’ll be even busier from now on. We have to manage the shop and also handle deliveries.”

“It’s okay, I’ll take care of the deliveries from now on. I can run fast,” Song Jinchuan volunteered to take on the delivery tasks.

---

a delivery service in a zombie apocalypse is indeed quite crazyyy

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

“You’re up so early. Why didn’t you sleep a bit more? Our shop doesn’t open until eight, so you wouldn’t have been late,” Jiang Ci said, glancing at the time. It was only a little past six in the morning. She had originally thought she was already quite diligent, but this new employee was even more proactive than she was.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I just got up,” Song Jinchuan replied. “I’ve always slept less. When I was on missions, there were times when I didn’t sleep all night. Plus, as an ability user, my body is much stronger than an ordinary person’s.”

Today, Song Jinchuan spoke a bit more than he had yesterday. It seemed that he had come to terms with his current situation after thinking it over for a day and a night, .

“Boss Jiang, is it true that your place can cure people who’ve been bitten by zombies?” This was a question Song Jinchuan had been pondering for a while.

The whole world was researching a cure for the zombie virus, but there had still been no progress. Once bitten by a zombie, there was no hope—only death awaited. Yet, he was an exception. How could this not be astonishing to him?

If the outside world found out about this, the store’s doorstep would likely be overrun with people.

Jiang Ci understood what he was getting at and quickly waved her hand. “No, it’s not possible, you’re an exception. Saving you came with a condition—you had to become an employee of the shop. And when selecting employees, the hotpot store conducts a very strict screening. So right now, we basically can’t save anyone else after saving you.”

Although Jiang Ci’s explanation was a bit disjointed, Song Jinchuan understood what she was getting at. It was somewhat to be expected. Compared to others in this apocalyptic world, he was already incredibly lucky.

“Thank you,” Song Jinchuan said sincerely. No one wants to die when they can live, and his second life was indeed given to him by Jiang Ci.

“Ah, no need to say that. This shop will rely on you more in the future. Work hard, and I’ll give you a raise later,” Jiang Ci replied. After saying it, she paused for a moment. That sentence really sounded like the kind of empty promise a boss would make. Turns out she, in the end, had also become the kind of person she used to hate herself.

Jiang Ci ordered breakfast for herself and Song Jinchuan. Today, they were having beef noodles—chewy noodles in a rich, savoury broth.

The system had taken into account that Song Jinchuan, as a superhuman, had a large appetite. So Jiang Ci picked up a regular-sized bowl of noodles from the kitchen window, along with a basin.

It was a literal basin, the kind that could probably feed Jiang Ci for three days.

When she placed the basin in front of Song Jinchuan, the contrast between the basin and the normal bowl was so stark that even Song Jinchuan seemed a little embarrassed.

However, the noodles were exceptionally delicious, and Song Jinchuan finished the entire basin, even drinking up all the broth.

After breakfast, Song Jinchuan continued to work in the kitchen, while Jiang Ci opened the shop’s doors. Perhaps because it was still early as there weren’t many survivors waiting outside.

Seeing that Jiang Ci had opened the shop so early today, the survivors were pleasantly surprised and quickly entered.

“I thought we’d have to wait a bit longer today,” one survivor said with a smile.

“My employee got up early today and finished preparing everything already, so I opened early,” Jiang Ci replied.

Hearing that the shop had hired an employee, the survivors craned their necks to sneak a peek toward the kitchen. After all, getting a job here was something everyone here coveted. Many had volunteered before, only to be turned down by the boss. Now, they were all eager to see who had been so lucky as to be chosen by the boss.

The survivors placed their orders, and soon, Song Jinchuan came out carrying the dishes.

When one survivor caught a clear look at Song Jinchuan’s face, their eyes nearly popped out of their head. “Captain… Captain Song? Is that you?”

Song Jinchuan turned to take a look. The face seemed familiar—probably a survivor he had encountered during a mission.

Song Jinchuan and Old Li had both been from City J. When they were on missions, they would always lend a hand to other survivors in trouble whenever possible. As a result, he was quite well-known, so it wasn’t surprising for him to be recognised.

Song Jinchuan didn’t deny his identity and nodded at the survivor. “Enjoy your meal,” he said before returning to the kitchen.

“Damn, it really is Captain Song! Didn’t they say… didn’t they say he was bitten by a zombie and died? How is he here helping out?” The survivor looked utterly incredulous.

“Maybe you heard wrong. How could someone survive a zombie bite?” another survivor questioned.

“I don’t know. When we run into the Cheetah Squad later, we should let them know about this and see what’s really going on.”

Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan were unaware of the subsequent conversations among the survivors. They returned to the kitchen to continue their work.

Jiang Ci had overheard the earlier conversation. While slicing meat, she glanced at Song Jinchuan and asked, “Are you worried about other people knowing that you’re still alive?”

Song Jinchuan shook his head, his expression calm and composed. “No, it doesn’t matter if they find out. After all, I no longer belong to this world. So to them, I’m pretty much no different than a dead person.”

Jiang Ci knew that if she were in his position, she definitely wouldn’t be able to be as open-minded and indifferent as he was.

The newly unlocked lamb rolls were a hit among the survivors. The perfect balance of fat and lean meat, boiled and dipped in chili sauce, was so delicious that it felt like you could swallow your own tongue with each bite.

Soon, the number of lamb rolls sold reached the system’s task requirement—one hundred servings.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

In the afternoon, the store unlocked a pot helmet stall.

The pot helmet stall was connected to the hotpot restaurant, with a small area opened up at the outer window for selling pot helmets.

The ingredients for the pot helmet stall were all semi-finished products. The meat filling and dough were already prepared, and all Jiang Ci was required to do was to pan-fry them until both sides turned golden brown. Each pot helmet was priced at five first-level crystal cores.

Jiang Ci handed over the kitchen tasks to Song Jinchuan and went to manage the pot helmet stall.

The survivors outside, seeing Jiang Ci suddenly appear at the window, gathered curiously to see what she was doing.

The pot helmet stall was a small room, barely large enough for two people to stand in.

In front of Jiang Ci was a small black flat pan for frying pot helmets. Unlike the ones she had seen before, this pan had round indentations, each just the right size for a portion of dough.

The process was simple: brush a layer of oil, place the pot helmet in the pan, and after frying for one minute on each side, it was ready to serve.

Judging by the indentations on the pan, twenty pot helmets could be fried at any one time.

Jiang Ci enthusiastically began brushing oil into the pan’s indentations. She then took out the pre-prepared dough balls filled with meat from the refrigerator below and pressed them flat with a small spatula.

The pan also had a timer that would alert her when the time was up, preventing the pot helmet from burning.

“Boss, what are you making?” the survivors asked curiously. “Is the store releasing another new product?”

“I’m making pot helmets, a new item in our shop. It’s priced at five first-level crystal cores each,” Jiang Ci replied as she pressed the dough into the indentations. It was her first time making them, so her movements were a bit clumsy.

As the dough hit the pan and made contact with the oil, the familiar sizzling sound filled the air, followed by the most authentic and tantalising aroma of baked goods, instantly whetting everyone’s appetite.

The survivors were in an uproar. The smell was so enticing that it instantly transported them back to the pre-apocalyptic days. Now, the simplest street foods had now become a luxury.

The survivors couldn’t help but swallow their saliva. Even those eating hotpot caught a whiff of the aroma and came to the window to see what was going on.

Upon seeing the pot helmet, with one side already a crispy gold, they were instantly rooted to the spot.

“It’s our first day selling pot helmets, and I’m not very skilled at making them yet, so each person will be limited to only two pot helmets,” Jiang Ci announced to the survivors who had already formed a line outside.

“Two is too few! Take your time, no matter how long it takes, we’ll wait, okay?” some survivors began to bargain.

Jiang Ci shook her head with unwavering principle. “There are other things to attend to in the shop, and our staff can’t handle everything alone. Please be understanding and come back tomorrow.”

The survivors had visited a few times and had come to understand Jiang Ci quite well. Though she appeared delicate, she was firm in her principles, and no one could make her break the rules.

Thus, they stopped trying to persuade Jiang Ci to make more and instead began calculating in their minds what time they should arrive the next day to secure a spot near the front of the line.

They wanted to take advantage of the fact that not many people knew about the pot helmets yet so they could buy some to satisfy their cravings.

In the survivors’ minds, the price of five first-grade crystal cores was practically the same as getting it for free, so buying eight or ten wouldn’t hurt their wallets and make them feel bad.

Soon, the first batch of pot helmets were ready. Jiang Ci placed them in an oil-draining basket and then wrapped them in oil paper.

There was actually a heat preservation device nearby, but given the current situation, it seemed a bit redundant.

The survivors’ eyes were practically glued to the pot helmets, following Jiang Ci’s every move with eager anticipation.

As soon as the pot helmets were out of the pan, the first survivor quickly pulled out a second-grade crystal core and handed it to Jiang Ci. “Boss, I’ll take two.”

Jiang Ci pointed to a box specifically for collecting crystal cores. “Please put the crystal core in here.”

Once the crystal core was placed inside, Jiang Ci packed the oil-paper-wrapped pot helmet into a bag and handed it to the survivor in front of her.

The survivor took the pot helmet and stood to the side, immediately starting to eat. That crisp, crunchy sound was unmistakably delightful.

Seeing the survivor’s eyes light up, those still in line were even more desperate to get a taste.

Twenty pot helmets were sold to the first ten survivors in line.

While selling the pot helmets, Jiang Ci took the time to prepare the second batch of dough, her movements becoming increasingly proficient.

Midway through, Song Jinchuan came over to check if she needed any help. The moment he saw the pot helmet stall, he paused. He had been here since yesterday, so when had this stall suddenly appeared?

“It’s not too busy here. You should keep an eye on things outside,” Jiang Ci said when she noticed Song Jinchuan approaching.

Song Jinchuan nodded blankly and then turned to leave. It seemed he had stumbled upon something truly extraordinary.

Jiang Ci had initially intended to just try her hand in making pot helmets, but once she entered, she found she couldn’t leave. She ended up staying there, frying pot helmets amidst the smoke and heat, until she finally felt like she herself had become a giant, walking pot helmet.

---

the translator has nothing to add ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Jiang Ci was busy in the kitchen when she noticed a shadow approaching out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw Song Jinchuan, now clean and tidy. 

He was wearing the black short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants Jiang Ci had given him. His tall frame, long legs, broad shoulders, and narrow waist gave off a cold, imposing aura. The shirt, which should have been loose, clung tightly to his abdomen, outlining the shape of his abs.

His short hair was neat and clean, and his dark eyes were deep-set, giving him the image of a ruggedly handsome man.

If Jiang Ci’s socially bold colleague had been here, they probably would have whistled like some sort of rogue.

“Do you need any help?” Song Jinchuan asked as he entered, immediately looking for something to do.

Jiang Ci nodded eagerly. “Absolutely. Start by peeling the potatoes. If you have time, slice them too. That would be great.”

Song Jinchuan nodded silently and began working. His mind was still a bit muddled, but it didn’t affect his efficiency. His movements were quick and precise. Even when slicing the potatoes, he did it skillfully, and he even found time to help Jiang Ci carry dishes out.

The sudden appearance of a tall, imposing man in the shop drew curious glances from the survivors.

Some of the nearby survivors thought Song Jinchuan looked familiar, but upon deeper thought, they dismissed the idea.

“Boss, is this your new employee?” one survivor couldn’t help but ask.

Jiang Ci glanced at Song Jinchuan, who was still focused on peeling potatoes. She wasn’t sure if he had heard the question, but since he had come out to help her, he was probably willing to stay as an employee. After all, who would choose to die when they could live?

So, Jiang Ci nodded. “Yes, he’s my new employee.”

“Boss, what are the requirements for hiring here? Are you still looking for more people?” another survivor asked eagerly. After all, working here must come with great benefits, and they wouldn’t have to brave the elements every day. They might even get to eat hotpot for free every day.

“Not for now,” Jiang Ci shook her head. After declining, she hurried back to the kitchen to continue her work.

However, it had to be said that with Song Jinchuan’s help, Jiang Ci felt much more at ease. She even found time to take the survivors to the warehouse.

She was almost moved to joyful tears, but in front of Song Jinchuan, she still had to maintain the demeanour of a boss.

Song Jinchuan also got a deep sense of just how busy the hotpot restaurant was. Both of them worked quickly, not even having time for lunch until three in the afternoon.

Since she had taken on a new employee, the number of portions for the staff meal had increased to two.

Jiang Ci temporarily closed the main door; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to enjoy a quiet meal. She also wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Song Jinchuan about what would happen next, to probe his thoughts and whether he was willing to stay at this hotpot restaurant.

Sitting in front of the computer, Jiang Ci checked today’s menu and turned to ask Song Jinchuan, who was quietly tidying up in the kitchen, “Can you handle spicy food? Does having sour and spicy beef stew for lunch today sound good to you?”

This was today’s new dish, and just looking at the photo made it seem delicious. Plus, the portion was large enough for the two of them.

Song Jinchuan turned off the kitchen faucet, dried his hands, and walked into the dining area. “I don’t need to eat so well. I can just eat whatever’s convenient.”

“This is part of the benefits you get for working here, no need to decline,” Jiang Ci said. Just then, the food from the kitchen arrived. “Go ahead and get a bowl for the rice.”

Song Jinchuan looked at Jiang Ci’s departing back and silently went to get a bowl.

Jiang Ci brought in a large bowl and placed it on the dining table, and the sour and spicy aroma soon began to fill the air.

The two sat opposite each other at the table, a faint awkwardness lingering between them.

Jiang Ci cleared her throat, picking up a piece of beef for herself as she spoke, “So, you’ve made up your mind, right? Once you decide to stay, you no longer belong to this world or your team, but to me. Of course, we’re not so heartless to deny you from visiting your team members if you miss them and will give you time off.”

Song Jinchuan had calmed himself down over time and gradually accepted the reality of his revival.

“To the outside world, I’m already a dead man. It was you, Boss, who saved me. From now on, I’m an employee of the hotpot restaurant, and I won’t have any second thoughts,” Song Jinchuan said solemnly. Having already died once and handed over his team to Old Li, he naturally didn’t have any other lingering attachments left.

Jiang Ci nodded in satisfaction. She was actually quite pleased with this efficient employee whose looks also happened to match her aesthetic preferences.

“The restaurant provides food and accommodation, and you’ll receive a monthly salary in the form of our restaurant’s universal points—5,000 points per month. You can use these points to buy what you need in the mall,” Jiang Ci explained. This was something the system had just informed her about. Song Jinchuan would also have access to an employee mall, though the items sold in the restaurant wouldn’t appear there; it would only have personal clothing and daily necessities, etc.

Although Song Jinchuan didn’t quite understand what Jiang Ci meant by the mall and points, he still hadn’t expected such good treatment.

“By the way, I also need to bind to you,” Jiang Ci said, instructing the system to send a binding invitation to Song Jinchuan.

Song Jinchuan was in the middle of eating when a 3D screen filled with a sense wall of text suddenly appeared in front of him, startling him.

“That’s all the relevant information for the binding. You can take a look before accepting it,” Jiang Ci explained.

Then, Song Jinchuan actually put down his chopsticks and began to read the document carefully. It contained restrictions on him, such as not disclosing the shop’s secrets, not harming the boss or damaging the shop, among others. It also listed his benefits, which were numerous and irresistible temptations for anyone from the post-apocalyptic world.

There was no mention of the system’s existence in the document; all the initiative was left to Jiang Ci.

Song Jinchuan hadn’t expected to receive such treatment. His life had been given by Jiang Ci, and even without these benefits, he would have stayed.

Moreover, he had always found the shop to be quite magical, and that was even more the case when he ended up joining. He was even more astonished by its operations and rules, though he kept all his emotions hidden and didn’t show them.

“Finish reading and eat first, or it’ll get cold,” Jiang Ci said. “Your room is next to mine, a small extended bedroom. Go check it out tonight and see what’s missing. Since you don’t have a salary yet, I’ll buy whatever you need. Oh, and I’ll teach you how to use the system mall later.”

“Thank you,” Song Jinchuan’s voice was hoarse. After so many years in the post-apocalyptic world, he had mostly been the one protecting and taking care of others. As a superhuman, people accepted his help without hesitation. However, encountering survivors like the one who had lost a hand had left him somewhat disheartened. This was the first time in many years that he felt like someone had taken him under their wing.

“It’s nothing. The store will rely on you from now on,” Jiang Ci said with a smile. “Since you arrived today, I’ve felt much more at ease.”

Song Jinchuan nodded, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle most of the work from now on.”

“But we can’t leave everything to you. Let’s work together. Isn’t it said that when men and women working together makes the load becomes lighter?” Jiang Ci made a small joke, lightening the atmosphere between them.

Jiang Ci didn’t even finish a third of the large pot of sour and spicy beef stew before she was full. The rest went into Song Jinchuan’s stomach.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After the meal, Jiang Ci reopened the hotpot shop’s doors, and the waiting survivors immediately rushed in, holding the number tags they had received that morning.

One of them moved a bit too hastily and bumped into another survivor. Just as the two were about to start arguing, a tall and imposing man appeared before them and said in a deep voice, “No fighting allowed at the hotpot store’s entrance.”

It must be said that Song Jinchuan’s stern face was much more intimidating than Jiang Ci’s gentle demeanor. The survivors immediately stopped arguing.

Song Jinchuan stood at the entrance, collecting the number tags one by one. Once the shop was full, he stopped the remaining people from entering.

Although it was his first day on the job, Jiang Ci noticed that Song Jinchuan handled everything with ease, making her workload much lighter.

Previously, she had to run between the kitchen, the dining hall, the courtyard outside, and the warehouse. Now, she stayed mostly in the kitchen. After finishing his tasks outside, Song Jinchuan would come in and take over the kitchen work, ensuring she only had to do the lighter tasks.

Jiang Ci felt like giving the system a million thumbs up—this employee was truly a great choice.

Today was another busy day, and it wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that all the survivors were finally sent off.

Jiang Ci was so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes open. While they were busy, the bedroom had quietly finished upgrading.

Originally, there was only one bedroom, but now it had been transformed into two. Jiang Ci’s bedroom was slightly larger, while the other one was smaller.

The two bedrooms were connected, with a single door leading in and out. A small corridor had been added to separate the two rooms, though for someone as tall and broad-shouldered as Song Jinchuan, the corridor could feel a bit narrow.

[Host, don’t worry. Once we upgrade and expand the backyard, the rooms can be moved there, and it will be much more spacious,] the system reassured Jiang Ci.

At night, Song Jinchuan lay on his own bed, his arms resting behind his head. He was wearing the new clothes Jiang Ci had provided for him, and the soft bedding beneath him was something he hadn’t experienced in nearly a decade. The blanket and pillow carried the faint scent of sunlight, as if they had been dried in the sun.

He had also taken a long-awaited shower earlier, letting the hot water pour over him from head to toe, completely relaxing his body

Song Jinchuan reached out and turned off the light switch beside him, plunging the room into darkness.

Moonlight slowly spilled in through the window, casting a silvery glow on the floor. It was so quiet here—no growls of zombies, no vibrations from mutated beasts running around.

This unfamiliar peace made Song Jinchuan feel somewhat uneasy.

While Song Jinchuan tossed and turned, unable to sleep, Jiang Ci fell asleep almost instantly. She had been so exhausted lately that she had mastered the skill of falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next day, Jiang Ci woke up at her usual time.

After getting up, she noticed that the lobby had already been cleaned spotlessly. Sounds came from the kitchen, and when she went to check, she found Song Jinchuan already peeling and slicing potatoes, with the refrigerator already stocked with quite a few.

---

the translator has nothing to say ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Jiang Ci didn’t pay attention to the update going on outside. Instead, she went to freshen up first, especially her hands, which she washed several times until they were spotless. Only then did she sit cross-legged on her bed, ready to draw the lucky wheel.

The big wheel soon appeared before Jiang Ci. The orange section for an employee was still there, not having been refreshed yet. Jiang Ci closed her eyes, silently praying three times in her heart before cautiously reaching out her finger to tap the center of the wheel.

The wheel spun from slow to fast and then gradually came to a stop. Throughout the process, Jiang Ci didn’t dare to look, covering her eyes with her hand. It wasn’t until the wheel stopped that she moved her hand away from her eyes.

To her great surprise, the pointer stopped at the edge of the orange section. By sheer luck, Jiang Ci had won the reward she had been longing for. She was so happy she almost jumped up.

The next second, a white light flashed, and a figure slowly appeared before Jiang Ci.

From blurry to gradually clear, Jiang Ci watched with anticipation, only to find that the person appearing before her was actually someone she knew.

“Captain Song?!” Jiang Ci’s eyes widened in disbelief. How could the store’s employee be him?

“Boss…?” Song Jinchuan’s eyes were bloodshot, and everything he saw was just a blur in front of him. He only felt that the light here was warm, and there was an indescribable fragrance.

Then, he fainted.

Jiang Ci was startled by this sudden turn of events and shrank back. “He… isn’t dead, is he?”

[He just fainted. This is the employee the system has found for the host, a dual-elemental ability user with level seven fire and wind abilities. He can not only help the host with the store’s work but also protect the host,] the system explained.

“You just brought him over like that, aren’t you afraid he isn’t willing? We’re a legitimate hotpot restaurant, not some human trafficking operation,” Jiang Ci said earnestly.

[Don’t worry, host. This ability user had already been infected with the zombie virus. I brought him over when he was on the verge of death,] the system said. [After the system repaired his body, he no longer belongs to this world but to the host and the hotpot restaurant.]

Hearing that this person now belonged to her, Jiang Ci pursed her lips in slight embarrassment. The novels she had read about forced possession flashed through her mind, but she quickly shook her head, dispelling all those inappropriate thoughts.

“Is he really okay? He seems seriously injured. What if he doesn’t want to stay in the hotpot restaurant after he wakes up?” Jiang Ci frowned as she looked at the man lying on the floor.

[If the survivor refuses to stay in the store, his body will be restored to his previous state and returned to his original location,] the system’s voice was devoid of emotion. [If that happens, the system will select a new employee for the host.]

Jiang Ci turned her head to look. Song Jinchuan lay on the floor of her bedroom with his eyes closed. There were clear bite marks on his arm, which were slowly healing due to the system’s intervention.

[Considering the addition of an employee to the store, the host’s living quarters will now include a small bedroom for the employee to live in,] the system added.

Jiang Ci nodded. Having a place to stay was good. Although there was a foldable bed in the warehouse, it was still too small for a tall and burly adult man like Song Jinchuan.

But for tonight, Jiang Ci had no choice but to let Song Jinchuan sleep on the floor. After all, he was too heavy for her to move alone, so she kindly placed a pillow under his head.

With an unfamiliar man in the room, Jiang Ci didn’t sleep well all night. The next morning,  she noticed obvious dark circles under her eyes when she was washing up.

Song Jinchuan was still asleep, so Jiang Ci didn’t wait for him. Instead, she went to the main hall to see how the upgrade had turned out.

As soon as she stepped out of the bedroom, Jiang Ci paused. The once modest hotpot restaurant, which only had two wooden tables, had been completely transformed. The hall had widened significantly, with the number of tables increasing from eight to twelve, and the private rooms doubling from two to four.

The brick-and-tile house had been upgraded to a modern bungalow. The floor was now covered with clean, shiny anti-slip tiles, and the walls were no longer plain white. Upon closer inspection, there were subtle patterns, making the place much more refined.

Standing in the center of the hall, Jiang Ci thought to herself that it finally looked like a proper hotpot restaurant.

[Next task: sell one hundred portions of lamb rolls to unlock the pot helmet stall,] the system’s voice suddenly rang out.

At these words, Jiang Ci couldn’t help but swallow. She couldn’t help it—she thought of the crispy, flaky pot helmet, steaming hot and flaky with every bite.

In her hometown, pot helmet was a popular street food, representing the bustling and lively atmosphere of the local markets.

She remembered that outside her elementary school, there was a pot helmet stall that had been around for over a decade. The dark, flat griddle sizzled with oil, and the pot helmet, stuffed with meat, was placed on it. The sizzling sound was like a signal, triggering the aroma to immediately spread.

When she was young, it only cost one yuan each. The last time Jiang Ci went back, the price had risen to five yuan, but the taste remained largely unchanged. The person making the pot helmet had changed from an older man to a young man.

As she thought about it, she started drooling again, as if she could still recall that delicious flavor.

Soon, the sound of voices outside broke through her memories and brought her back to reality.

The survivors outside had already started lining up. Jiang Ci opened the door and began handing out number tags.

The number tags were something she had come up with on a whim yesterday. She had written numbers on pieces of paper and handed them out one by one to prevent cutting in line or people having to stand for too long.

She had started using the number tags yesterday afternoon, and they had worked quite well.

When the survivors saw Jiang Ci come out, their faces visibly lit up with joy.

“Those here for meals, please stand on the left. Those here to buy water, please stand on the right,” Jiang Ci called out to the crowd in front of her.

Since the mineral water had gone on sale, the surrounding bases had quickly caught wind of it and came with their crystal cores to make bulk purchases. Jiang Ci had stocked hundreds of thousands of boxes in the warehouse specifically to sell to these bases.

The survivors obediently formed two lines. In their eyes, Jiang Ci, who held a vast amount of resources, was a mysterious and powerful figure. Naturally, no one dared to cause trouble. Even the most unruly individuals had to behave themselves here.

Jiang Ci noticed that there were more survivors from the base coming to buy water today, and that there were a few familiar faces among the crowd.

“Base Leader Zhou, didn’t you just buy some the day before yesterday?” Jiang Ci asked, recognizing the familiar face in the crowd. She remembered that this Base Leader Zhou had to bring three large trucks to haul away the mineral water.

“I brought people from the White Horse Base today. I thought I might as well buy some more while I’m here. After all, who would complain about having too many supplies?” Base Leader Zhou chuckled.

Now, the backyard of the hotpot restaurant was mostly used for parking by the survivors. As the shop upgraded, the open space outside grew larger, able to accommodate more and more vehicles, making it increasingly convenient for the survivors.

Gasoline had become an extremely scarce commodity, something that can’t be bought even with crystal cores. The base was now in the midst of developing a new energy source, primarily made from crystal cores, but it was very expensive. Therefore, apart from the large trucks representing a base, it was rare to see private any privately owned cars.

Jiang Ci started distributing the numbered tags to the survivors based on color—black tags for those eating, and blue tags for those buying water.

With the numbered tags, people didn’t have to wait at the door; they could find a seat and wait for their number to be called.

After settling the survivors, Jiang Ci got busy—chopping vegetables, washing them, cooking rice, exchanging points for hotpot bases, while also finding time to deal with the survivors buying water. She was so busy she wished she had a few more hands.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

It was almost noon when the system informed her that Song Jinchuan had woken up.

Only then did Jiang Ci remember there was a man in her room, a ready source of labor. Her eyes lit up as she thought of the spinning top she had become, and without even putting down the rag in her hand, she hurried into the bedroom.

Song Jinchuan had just woken up, his mind still in a haze. Gradually, his memories returned. He remembered being bitten by a zombie, then seemingly turning into one. In his final moments of life, he thought he saw the boss of the hotpot restaurant. So, was he in heaven now?

Song Jinchuan’s vision slowly cleared, revealing a clean and tidy room, with a faint and pleasant fragrance lingering in the air.

What astonished him was that the bite marks on his arm had completely disappeared, and the burning heat that had seemed to consume his insides was also gone, as if it had all just been an illusion.

Just then, the bedroom door opened from the outside. Song Jinchuan looked up and saw Jiang Ci peeking her head in.

“You’re awake?” Jiang Ci said with a smile. “How do you feel? Are you feeling better?”

Song Jinchuan stared blankly at Jiang Ci’s porcelain-white face. Was this heaven? But why would Boss Jiang be in heaven?

“This is my hotpot restaurant. You were… saved by me. Now you’re an employee of my shop. You can’t return to the outside world anymore. If you’re unwilling, you can only go back to where you were yesterday, and the zombie virus will return to your body.” As Jiang Ci spoke, her voice unconsciously softened, feeling a bit like a bully forcing a man into submission, those threatening words flowing out smoothly without a hint of a stutter.

She didn’t mention the existence of the system; explaining it would be too troublesome after all, and Jiang Ci hated bringing herself needless trouble the most.

Song Jinchuan still didn’t speak, seemingly still digesting Jiang Ci’s words.

The sound of voices outside made it impossible for Jiang Ci to stay here for long. She tossed the rag in her hand to Song Jinchuan. “Clean yourself up here. There’s a set of clothes next to you, and the bathroom is inside. Freshen up and then come out quickly to help. I’m swamped.”

With that, Jiang Ci got up and left the bedroom, leaving Song Jinchuan behind with a bombshell of information.

He had never known that one could survive after being infected with the zombie virus. He looked at his palm and then pinched himself hard. It wasn’t a dream. His supernatural abilities were still intact, and his body was healthy enough to crush the skull of the zombie that had bitten him.

Song Jinchuan, who had risen to the position of squad captain, naturally had a strong mindset. He quickly composed himself, cleaned up at an impressive speed, changed his clothes, and walked out of the bedroom.

---

DROOLING SO HARD RN i’ve never had such a craving for pot helmet so bad

i think if i could pick one food i can’t live without it would definitely be malatang — no joke i have it at least 3x a week i can’t get enough of it

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

“We’re here to rescue you, but there are too many zombies outside, so we’ll have to find another way,” one of the team members explained.

Their mission was to save people—the more they saved, the greater the rewards they would receive.

The survivor from Song Jinchuan’s team suggested the route they had just taken. Although it was difficult, it was much safer than going outside.

“How can that work? What if we fall? Can’t you think of another way?” one of the survivors spoke up.

This statement caused a moment of silence, but soon, other survivors also hesitantly expressed that it was too risky and suggested waiting for the zombies below to disperse before leaving.

“Waiting for them to leave is like waiting for your food to run out and starve to death,” said the hot-tempered blond from Song Jinchuan’s team, his tone full of sarcasm. “You should know, we don’t have to save you. It’s up to you whether you come or not.”

At these words, the survivors fell silent. If Song Jinchuan’s team really didn’t rescue them, they could only stay trapped here, waiting to die.

Seeing that the survivors had quieted down, the blond snorted coldly, and the team began discussing how to get these people out.

After reaching an agreement, a sudden, clear sound of shattering glass came from downstairs, followed by the familiar growls that sent chills down their spines.

The survivors’ faces paled. “This is bad, the zombies have broken in.”

“We need to move faster, or once we’re surrounded, we’re doomed.”

With that, the survivors, who had been moving sluggishly with a hint of reluctance before, instantly quickened their pace, even leaving behind Song Jinchuan’s team, who had come to rescue them.

The blond guy standing next to Song Jinchuan frowned. “Captain, why are we even saving people like this?”

“Think about the mission rewards you’ll get once this is over and stop complaining. I’ll treat you all to a hotpot meal when we get back,” Song Jinchuan said, his dark eyes gloomy and inscrutable.

Hearing this, the blond guy’s eyes lit up. “Really? Then I’m ordering the most expensive stuff. I wonder if the hotpot place has any new dishes.”

“Order whatever you want,” Song Jinchuan replied with a slight smirk, his steps never faltering.

The zombies coming up from downstairs were clearly not the ordinary level one or two ones. Their movements were swift, already having reached the second floor in no time, while Song Jinchuan and his team were only on the third floor.

Chaos ensued as everyone scrambled to move forward, paying no attention to those around or behind them.

Several squad members were pushed out of the crowd and slammed into the walls.

“Everyone, calm down! Don’t push! There are people holding them back, the zombies can’t get close for now,” a survivor shouted.

But fear had already completely taken over the survivors’ minds, their ears deaf to anything anyone said, only capable of frantically rushing forward.

Song Jinchuan and his team had no choice but to do their best to clear the way both in front and behind.

Soon, they reached the room they had come from. The window here was larger, and they had already set up ropes to cross over. But the survivors needed to go one by one.

Their moving pace slowed down, and as the survivors heard the growls getting closer, their anxiety grew, causing their movements to become frantic and careless. One survivor even tripped and fell.

The other survivors didn’t stop; instead, they stepped right over him.

By the time Song Jinchuan and the blond man managed to drag the fallen survivor out, his arm was severed, his face white as a sheet, and he couldn’t even cry out in pain. Song Jinchuan told the blond man to catch up with the main group while he hoisted the injured man onto his back.

Soon, they reached the room, and one by one, with the help of the squad members, the survivors crossed over to the opposite rooftop using the two ropes.

The door to the room had been closed, but the zombies had already reached the third floor. Hearing the commotion inside, they began scratching at the door, refusing to leave.

The sound of the door being pounded on only heightened the survivors’ fear. In the chaos of pushing and shoving, several survivors accidentally fell to the lower floor, where they were quickly surrounded by zombies and devoured in moments.

As the team leader, Song Jinchuan stayed behind to help guide the crowd and assist the survivors in getting through.

He didn’t notice that the survivor with the broken arm, whom he had just carried over, was gradually pushed toward the door by the crowd.

At that moment, the door was suddenly smashed open from the outside, and a grayish arm grabbed the injured survivor tightly.

Seeing the survivor in distress, Song Jinchuan frowned slightly and hurried over to help.

Whether out of fear or something else, the survivor, once freed, suddenly shoved Song Jinchuan hard from behind. Caught off guard, Song Jinchuan stumbled and fell onto the already damaged door.

The zombies outside instantly overwhelmed him, but in the next second, an orange flame erupted from the midst of the zombie horde, blasting away the zombies surrounding Song Jinchuan.

“Holy sh*t!” Upon witnessing this, the squad members ignored the survivors still running out and rushed to Song Jinchuan’s side to help.

“Why aren’t you helping us? Hurry up and help us!” The survivors’ anxious voices rang out.

“Help my ass! We helped you, and look what you’ve done to our captain! I don’t give a f*ck about the mission rewards anymore. Figure it out yourselves,” the blond-haired guy snapped back.

Without the squad’s assistance, the survivors instantly descended into chaos. Everyone scrambled to escape, and many were pushed off the building, immediately swallowed by the zombies.

After clearing the zombies in the hallway and before more could come up from below, the team finally found an empty room to take shelter in, truly abandoning the survivors outside.

“Are you hurt, Captain? Let me heal you,” the long-haired girl in the team approached Song Jinchuan, nervously eyeing his bloodstained clothes.

Meanwhile, the other team members were still cursing the ungrateful survivors, while outside, the cries and curses of the survivors mingled with the growls of the zombies.

Amid the chaos, the team suddenly heard Song Jinchuan speak, “No need to heal me.”

The blond-haired guy stopped cursing and turned to look at Song Jinchuan. “Why not? Captain, are you still thinking about those survivors? Forget them! People like that aren’t worth saving. Just heal yourself. We’ll wait for you here.”

Song Jinchuan shook his head. “No need to heal me.”

As he spoke, the team watched as Song Jinchuan slowly rolled up his sleeve, revealing a deep bite mark that had managed to reach the bone.

The team’s eyes instantly reddened. The blond-haired guy’s lips trembled. “When… when did this happen?”

“Just now. There was a level five zombie. It moved too fast. I didn’t notice,” Song Jinchuan replied, his eyes slightly closed, his face sickly pale.

“F*ck!” The bald guy punched the floor, his fist venting his frustration and heartache.

When an ability user is bitten by a zombie, they turn into one just as quickly. There are no exceptions, and no cure.

“You all need to leave,” Song Jinchuan’s voice was hoarse, laced with suppressed pain, veins bulging on his forehead. “I won’t last much longer.”

“We’re not leaving. We came together, and we’ll go back together!” The blond-haired guy’s voice was thick with tears.

“Yeah, there’s no way we’re leaving you here alone. Most of us in this team were saved by you and Brother Li. If we live, we live together. If we die, we die together.”

“Don’t be willful.” The boy with blond hair was the youngest in the team and often clung to Song Jinchuan, who treated him like a younger brother. “I can’t hold on much longer, Old Li.”

Old Li was a tall and steady man in the team, usually quiet, and he served as the deputy captain.

Hearing his name called by Song Jinchuan, he lifted his head, his gaze landing on him.

The two had been comrades even before the apocalypse, good brothers from the same district. Their mutual understanding was so strong that a single glance was enough for them to understand each other’s intentions.

Old Li turned his face away, and after a long pause, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Alright, don’t worry.”

After saying that, he turned and strode out, using his plant-based ability to bind the reluctant team members and haul them away.

“Old Li! How can you leave the captain alone?!” a team member shouted angrily, unwilling to accept it.

“Put me down! Even if my ability is completely exhausted, I’ll definitely cure him!” The long-haired woman’s eyes were red like a rabbit’s. 

Song Jinchuan was not only their captain, but also the person she admired and secretly liked from the bottom of her heart. How could she watch him die just like that?

“Captain said to take you away. If you stay here, he won’t be able to leave without regrets,” Lao Li said, pausing for a moment, “That’s it.”

Everyone knew that once bitten by a zombie, there was no chance of survival. But they were unwilling to accept it. How could such a powerful person die at the hands of such a despicable villain?

If it weren’t for that survivor with the severed hand pushing the captain, how could he have died? Even when facing a scoundrel like Zong Tao and high-level mutated beasts, the captain was always in control, so how could they swallow this anger and frustration?

Once Old Li’s words were spoken, it was like a wake-up call, and everyone fell silent. After a while, soft sobs could be heard from the crowd.

Listening to their fading footsteps, Song Jinchuan slowly exhaled a breath of foul air. The wound on his arm was becoming increasingly painful, accompanied by a burning heat that seemed to spread throughout his body.

He tilted his head back, unable to bear it any longer. If someone were here, they would notice that his eyes had now turned a bloodshot red.

Just as Song Jinchuan was about to transform into a zombie, a beam of white light suddenly enveloped him.

The light grew brighter and brighter, and when it disappeared, Song Jinchuan’s figure was no longer able to be seen.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Meanwhile, in the hotpot restaurant, Jiang Ci had finally completed her eighth task, selling twenty sets of vegetable platters with orange juice.

After sending off the customers, the sky outside gradually darkened. She simply locked the shop door and returned to her bedroom.

The moment she entered her bedroom, the shop’s upgrade began.

---

still stand by my point that during times of disaster, the scariest thing is testing human nature. most of the time, during natural disasters, there’ll be heartwarming news reports about neighbours helping each other and donations but i can’t imagine once infrastructure and governments collapse, what else could possibly hold the line of morality?

like reading this, i can’t exactly blame the survivors because it’s human instinct to fend for yourself when you’re in danger—not to mention all that adrenaline and the limits the human body can push itself to in times of need—but at the expense of those rescuing u? big sigh…

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Soon after, there were the sounds of thudding as people collapsed, followed by a few sharp and panicked cries.

Jiang Ci quickly put down her kitchen knife and rushed out to see what was happening.

As she pushed open the door, she saw twenty to thirty survivors standing outside. They all looked disheveled, their clothes tattered, and their bodies bearing wounds all over their body.

The group resembled refugees fleeing disaster, all crowding around the shop entrance.

At that moment, a few survivors had collapsed for unknown reasons, and the panicked cries Jiang Ci had heard came from the crowd around them.

Just then, the system reminded her in her mind that this was the task Jiang Ci needed to complete.

Jiang Ci was stunned. She hadn’t expected her task to involve not just one person, but an entire group.

Without wasting time, she hurried over to check on the survivors who had collapsed.

“What happened?” Jiang Ci asked.

“They fainted. We haven’t had any nutrient solution for almost three days,” a young woman replied softly.

Jiang Ci noticed that the survivors didn’t seem overly concerned about their collapsed companions. Their faces were mostly numb, much like what the system had described—they seemed to have lost hope in life.

“Rest here for a while. This area is safe. There are no zombies or mutated beasts around. I’ll boil some water and prepare some food for you,” Jiang Ci said to the survivors in front of her.

The shop couldn’t accommodate so many people, so she had to let them stay at the entrance for the time being.

The question now was, what should she prepare to feed so many people and help them regain their hope in life?

No matter how Jiang Ci thought about it, her ingredients were limited. She could only start by preparing the food for the customers outside. She boiled a large pot of water, and once it was ready, she took paper cups from the shop and poured a cup of hot water for each person, distributing them one by one.

Holding the steaming cups, the survivors were still lost in a daze until they felt the warmth from their fingertips.

The survivors, who had initially thought they would die here, felt the chill in their palms gradually dissipating as they held the steaming cups of hot water.

Jiang Ci prepared another large batch of egg fried rice and set up a pot to cook a clear hotpot base, adding plenty of potato slices, meat, and the recently unlocked vegetables.

Because there were so many people, Jiang Ci cooked in two batches, then scooped everything into a large stainless steel basin she usually used for washing vegetables.

The fried rice was also poured into a large iron basin. She set up a table outside and placed both basins on it. Then, she went back to the kitchen to exchange for some disposable bowls and utensils.

Kitchenware could still be exchanged for points, and thankfully, the prices weren’t too high either.

The survivors outside continued to drink water, and with each sip of hot water, their fatigue began to fade. Just then, they suddenly caught the rich aroma of food. Unable to resist, they turned their heads toward the source of the smell and saw the kind shopkeeper who had given them hot water earlier now carrying two basins that were wider than her body.

Jiang Ci arranged the basins and utensils neatly, then turned her gaze to the survivors outside. “Everyone, line up to get your food. No matter what’s happened, what we need to focus on right now is eating and drinking our fill—only then can we keep on living.”

Jiang Ci wasn’t good at comforting people, and after a few awkward words, she ran out of things to say.

However, her words, combined with the earlier hot water and now the food, clearly had a profound effect. Jiang Ci noticed that many of the survivors had tears in their eyes.

At first, everyone seemed a bit hesitant, but soon, hunger got the better of them, and they began to line up.

They had expected something like ordinary nutrient solution, but they were stunned by the feast before them. The first survivor in line nearly had their eyes pop out of their head. This… this was clearly the kind of expensive food that ordinary survivors in the base couldn’t afford.

“We… we don’t have any crystal cores. We lost them all along the way,” the woman in front stammered in explanation.

“It’s fine. You’re all in such a state—how could I ask for crystal cores now? We’ll talk about it when things get better,” Jiang Ci said. Truthfully, using so many ingredients without getting paid back was quite painful for Jiang Ci, who had evolved into a bit of a miser because of the system. However, the circumstances called for it. It was all for the mission, and these people were truly pitiful.

The system had told her that they wouldn’t last much longer if she didn’t help them regain their will to live. So she decided to treat it as accumulating good karma for her parents.

“Get better,” the woman in front murmured, repeating the words, “will things really get better?”

“Of course they will. The fact that you’re still alive is the best thing, isn’t it? As long as you’re alive, there’s hope,” Jiang Ci said softly, her tone unusually gentle as she scooped rice into a bowl.

The woman took the steaming, lavish meal in front of her, her nose tingling with emotion as her tears nearly fell into her food.

One by one, the survivors lined up to receive their meals. Those who were unconscious were given some warm water to drink, allowing them to eat once they regained consciousness.

Each person took their food from Jiang Ci and returned to their spot.

Jiang Ci also noticed a pair of siblings in the crowd. They looked very young—the sister was around ten years old, and the brother was about seven or eight. It seemed they had no family left, as the sister held onto her little brother’s hand tightly.

Jiang Ci’s expression softened immediately. Seeing children in the apocalypse was truly a rare sight.

When serving them food, Jiang Ci deliberately gave them a little extra.

“Thank you, sister,” the girl said politely, though she still maintained a hint of caution. She quickly pulled her younger brother to an open spot to sit down.

The portions in the two bowls were just right. After serving the last person, the food was completely finished.

As the survivors began to eat, Jiang Ci’s tasks were being completed one by one.

While the survivors were eating, Jiang Ci learned that they had ended up in this situation because their base had been overrun by zombies.

“It was level eight psychic zombie,” one survivor recalled, still shuddering at the memory of that evening that had seemed like a nightmare. “It led tens of thousands of zombies and toppled the base gates. So many people inside the base died. The base leader was immediately killed with a headshot by that level eight zombie before he could even say a word.”

“It wasn’t just zombies,” another survivor added. “Mutant beasts also took advantage of the chaos and rushed in.” That day was indeed something the survivors would never forget. The screams and the heavy darkness of the night blended together, and even now, the memory still sent chills down their spines.

“Why don’t you all come to our base?” one of the survivors who had been eating inside spoke up. “It’s not far from here. We can explain your situation to our base leader. He’s a good person, and you can owe the crystal cores for now if you don’t have any.”

He went on to describe their base in a few sentences. Although the facilities weren’t particularly advanced or luxurious, it still sounded like a warm welcome to people who had just escaped disaster.

By the time they decided to go to this survivor’s base, Jiang Ci had completed all her tasks.

After resting for a while and regaining some strength from the meal, the survivors prepared to leave with the man who had invited them.

One by one, they came to thank Jiang Ci before dragging their battered bodies out of the hotpot restaurant.

Although this task involved a lot of people and was somewhat tiring, it was completed in just half a day, also unlocking the mushroom platter.

The mushroom platter contained a variety of mushrooms—shiitake, oyster, enoki, matsutake, and tea tree mushrooms, among others—all exuding the unique and earthy fragrance of fungi.

Jiang Ci was quite satisfied with the speed at which she had completed this task on the first day and urged the system to issue the next one.

[Sell twenty vegetable platters and orange juice combos to unlock the lamb rolls,] the system’s voice chimed.

“Got it,” Jiang Ci replied after glancing at the specific task details.

Perhaps because vegetables were nearly extinct in this world, the newly introduced vegetable platter and mushroom platter were both extremely popular.

The mushroom platter, in particular, whether cooked in clear or spicy soup, made the broth even more fragrant and rich.

The orange juice wasn’t the artificial, flavor-enhanced drink from Jiang Ci’s world either, but real juice squeezed directly from fresh fruit.

Inside, there were still some bits of orange pulp, making the drink taste exceptionally good. As soon as it appeared in the store, it immediately caught the attention of the survivors.

Therefore, promoting this combination wasn’t too difficult for Jiang Ci.

In a way, the system had indeed provided her with a bit of a shortcut, as these two tasks were relatively simple to complete. If she had encountered the previous ‘big eater’ task, she might not have been able to complete it in three days.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

On the other side, Song Jinchuan and his team had expended considerable effort to finally reach the center of the city.

Just this one action had taken them several days, and their team included several survivors, giving an idea of how severe the situation in the city was.

Song Jinchuan and his team were currently taking a temporary rest in a small, unoccupied house. Before long, a dark figure flipped in through the window on the third floor. His movements were light and precise, making no sound that would attract the attention of the zombies or mutated beasts.

“I just went to scout. The survivors are trapped in that building over there, about forty of them,” the man in front whispered. “The path over is blocked by zombies. We might have to go through the rooftops.”

The houses here were relatively low but uneven. Getting across the rooftops to reach that building would be quite a challenge.

The group huddled together and eventually came up with a plan.

Before it got completely dark, they climbed out the window onto the roof and began moving toward the building.

Without any protective measures, with zombies below and their stamina severely depleted after so many days, beads of sweat formed on everyone’s foreheads.

Finally, they reached the building. In the hallway, there were clusters of zombies and some mutated beasts.

After a chaotic battle, they finally arrived at the place where the survivors were hiding.

One of the survivors from Song Jinchuan’s team knocked on the door. After explaining their purpose to the wary eyes inside, the door was opened slightly, and they were let in.

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our shop is about to gain it’s first staff member!

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Yesterday, it was already evident that Wang Dong was truly unreliable. However, there was nothing they could do to help him shoulder the blame now. After a few vague words, they hurriedly packed their things and left, without even considering looking for Wang Dong again.

After the survivors left, Lin Fei quickly composed herself, hiding her initial panic. She leisurely packed her backpack and then calmly walked out of the clinic.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Jiang Ci had been busy in the shop all day, finally closing the doors a little past one in the morning. After washing up, she noticed that her task progress had finally advanced to (8/10). Just two more people, and this task would be complete.

Though it was tiring, the income was quite substantial. Jiang Ci checked her points which had already surpassed thirty million, even after deducting material costs.

“System, can all these points really be exchanged for money?” Jiang Ci asked again.

[Of course, host. Since I’m bound to you, the system naturally ensures your maximum benefits,] the system replied.

Jiang Ci rubbed her sore arms. Well, at least the hard work was worth it.

In the middle of the night, Jiang Ci was awakened by knocking at the door. Strangely, she wasn’t too surprised this time. She got dressed quickly, putting on her shoes, and turning on the lights to open the door.

Outside were two unfamiliar faces, a man and a woman, likely visiting the hotpot store for the first time. Their eyes betrayed their shock, though they quickly calmed down.

After ordering, the two sat together, deep in discussion about something serious.

Jiang Ci overheard bits of their conversation. They seemed to be talking about another city that had been overrun by high-level zombies and mutated beasts. The base there had fallen, and many survivors had lost their lives.

The two appeared to have accepted some kind of mission and were discussing how to enter that city.

Jiang Ci found it all quite familiar. Wasn’t this the city Song Jinchuan and his team had mentioned they were heading to? The situation there sounded even worse than she’d imagined.

After serving them their food, Jiang Ci sat behind the counter, playing a small game on her computer while half-listening to their conversation.

Just as they were getting to the crucial part, Jiang Ci noticed they had suddenly gone silent. She turned to see them completely engrossed in the hotpot in front of them, devouring it with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

They ate quite a lot, and after she discovered the man was a spatial ability user, they even took some food to go, following Jiang Ci’s suggestion.

They packed mostly fried rice and meat. Jiang Ci started cooking two portions at a time, and if the pot hadn’t been so small, she might have even tried five portions at once.

Her only regret was that they hadn’t completed her task, just falling short of becoming true big eaters.

By the time all the food was cooked, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

After seeing off the two survivors, Jiang Ci didn’t even have time to claim her task rewards before collapsing into bed.

When she woke up again, it was already broad daylight. The sound of bustling chatter came from outside, as if many people were queuing up, yet they were considerate enough not to wake Jiang Ci.

As Jiang Ci opened the door, she was stunned by the scene before her. Outside the hotpot restaurant, there was a dense crowd of people, all packed together but still maintaining a queue.

Upon seeing Jiang Ci, they began to talk all at once. It was then that Jiang Ci learned that the news about the hotpot restaurant had been spread by the Crimson Base.

They had also seen the mineral water and heard about the experience of the survivors who had tried the hotpot once, making their mouths water with desire. Unable to resist the temptation, they had rushed over overnight.

Among the crowd were also the base leaders who had come to buy mineral water. Jiang Ci could only let the survivors at the front of the queue enter first. During the lull in ordering, she had the survivors buying water form a separate line.

After all the hustle and bustle, the back of her clothes were already soaked with sweat.

However, when the aroma of the hotpot wafted out, the survivors, who had been somewhat anxious from waiting, instantly quieted down, feeling that the wait wasn’t such a big deal after all.

By morning, Jiang Ci had completed the last two quotas in her task. She couldn’t even tell which two survivors had helped her complete the tasks since she was so overwhelmed.

It wasn’t until late at night that Jiang Ci finally had time to check her task rewards.

The vegetable platter was unlocked, containing several types of vegetables. The portions looked substantial, and the greens appeared to be fresh and vibrant.

This was the sixth task Jiang Ci had completed, so the shop was also upgraded alongside it. While the exterior was upgrading, Jiang Ci simply closed the door, washed up, and lay down on the bed.

She watched the system skilfully reveal the large lucky wheel. Having already experienced landing on green items twice, Jiang Ci didn’t hold much hope for the wheel. With a casual click, she watched the wheel start to spin, gradually picking up speed.

Thankfully, her luck this was slightly better than before, drawing an orange juice from the blue section.

After drawing from the lucky wheel, Jiang Ci finally saw that the only orange section had contained the employee she had been longing for!

She sat up abruptly from the bed, pointing at the orange section and asking, “How can I win this?”

[The host can try getting the chance to spin again. The refresh time for this wheel is 72 hours. As long as the host completes two more tasks within 72 hours, you can spin again,] the system replied.

Jiang Ci fell silent. Completing two tasks within three days would be quite challenging, and with her luck, would she really be able to win it even if she tried drawing again?

But for now, there seemed to be no other way. Jiang Ci could only ask the system to issue the next task.

[Special task: Allow the refugees have a full meal, feel warmth, and rekindle their faith and love for life,] the system’s task this time was indeed peculiar, truly special. [Upon task completion, unlock the mushroom platter.]

“And the refugees? Are they coming now?” Jiang Ci looked out the window, feeling a sense of despair since she hadn’t even had the chance to sleep yet.

[Not yet, the host can rest first. When the task target appears, there will naturally be a reminder for you,] the system said.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ci closed her eyes almost instantly. She was truly exhausted and fell asleep in no time.

The next day, Jiang Ci woke up and pushed open her door to inspect the upgraded shop. The main hall remained unchanged, still with eight tables and chairs, but two new private rooms had been added, each capable of accommodating about ten people.

This way, larger groups could sit together without needing to split into two tables.

The shop’s area had increased visibly, and in the refrigerator beside Jiang Ci, two additional rows of orange juice had appeared.

Every upgrade to the shop left Jiang Ci amazed and intrigued, and she never tired of discovering what had been upgraded.

Shortly after she got up, the shop welcomed its first customers of the day. Since discovering this hidden gem, the survivors had grown fond of coming to the hotpot restaurant to eat. The nutritional drinks they were accustomed to had become bland in comparison.

While she was busy in the kitchen, Jiang Ci suddenly heard the sound of chaotic footsteps along with some voices.

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almost at chapter 30 !! almost 1/4 of the way through the novel ^v^