Encounter in the Stairwell

Of course, in the end, Shen Mu still chose not to open the apartment door.

Having fifteen Swadian Recruits as backing in this monster-infested world was one thing.

But opening the apartment door and entering that dangerous world—corroded by the dead Spiritual Realm Rules, shrouded in darkness and gray mist, and filled with Undead Monsters—was another matter entirely!

The remaining memories in Shen Mu's mind still made him choose caution.

So he leaned against the headboard and waited with the fifteen Swadian Recruits in the room beside the brazier until dawn the next morning.

The first ray of sunlight appeared over the eastern horizon.

Dawn rose in the east.

The darkness that had utterly dominated this world seemed to reach its critical point in an instant, vanishing within a few short breaths.

Only the dimness of the night gradually faded beneath the pale light spreading across the horizon.

This meant the rules of the Undead World had disappeared.

"It's daylight." Shen Mu still gripped the longsword the system had rewarded him with when he loaded the Character Template.

As the darkness outside the window receded, he could vaguely make out the buildings across the road, and a smile appeared on his face.

It also meant he was safe.

Daytime.

It was no longer the domain of the Necromantic Rules and those monsters!

But before Shen Mu could celebrate, his stomach began to growl, and a faint cramping sensation spread through his gut.

He had barely dared to sleep last night. Even though he had arranged for the fifteen Swadian Recruits to take turns standing guard, watching the brazier and candles, once he relaxed at dawn, he felt deep exhaustion, drowsiness, and hunger.

"Let's make porridge." Shen Mu turned toward the corner, where five bags of wheat from the system rewards still lay. They could be used as food.

Half a bag would be enough to make porridge for all sixteen of them.

Besides, Shen Mu's predecessor had stored quite a few long-lasting cans under the bed. They could serve as side dishes while they ate wheat porridge in the days ahead.

The apartment room had a stainless steel washbasin, as well as clean water that Shen Mu's predecessor had collected and stored in plastic buckets.

The Swadian Recruits quickly found them and got to work.

They tore open a bag of wheat.

After simply sifting off the dust, they dumped it all into the washbasin, added water, and set it over the brazier to cook porridge.

As the flames licked at the stainless steel washbasin, the water began to boil from the heat, and the brown wheat kernels started rolling around inside.

Before long, a pot of thick wheat porridge, enough to fill their stomachs, would be ready.

During that time, Shen Mu personally went to the bathroom and carefully gathered up the hardened wax that had dripped from several candles burned out the night before.

These could be reused. As long as he found some cotton string, he could make candles again.

Compared with the brazier, these candles could effectively dispel darkness in a small area. They lasted longer, and their flames were more stable.

They were essential for maintaining safety in this world.

About half an hour later.

The wheat porridge was ready.

Shen Mu first opened two cans of braised pork, chopped all of it up, and mixed it into the thick wheat porridge, where each grain remained distinct.

The white fat and the scent of spices immediately blended into the basin full of porridge, adding a special fragrance.

He had opened the cans specifically to celebrate the arrival of the Swadian Recruits.

There was not much, but it was enough to add some flavor.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Shen Mu!" The Swadian Recruits smelled the aroma of braised pork mixed into the wheat porridge.

Even before eating, they were already swallowing hungrily at the scent.

Even so, they ate in batches.

After all, Shen Mu did not have many utensils.

Whether stainless steel mess tins or water cups, they all became eating tools for the Swadian Recruits, who dug in with great mouthfuls and ate with relish.

"Now that I have the Mount & Blade System and so many Swadian Recruits, perhaps I can search this apartment and see what supplies are still left."

Shen Mu pondered as he ate his wheat porridge.

The change in rules three years ago had directly caused fifty to sixty percent of Blue Star's population to disappear.

That meant supplies in many places were actually still abundant.

Especially in shopping malls and warehouses.

Sealed snacks, canned food, and even dairy products had been preserved in large quantities without damage.

Perhaps that was also thanks to the invasion of the Undead World's rules.

Blue Star, which had once had four distinct seasons, now remained at a relatively cold, early-spring-like temperature.

And people had discovered that wherever darkness or gray mist existed, time seemed to stop for the original objects of Blue Star. Even a fresh apple could remain unchanged forever as long as no light shone on it.

When someone found that apple later, it would still be just as fresh—crisp, juicy, and delicious!

"If I remember correctly, the dozen or so cans of meat my predecessor found came from a sealed warehouse in some supermarket."

Shen Mu took a big gulp of wheat porridge, then shoved a piece of rich braised pork into his mouth. He could not help but sigh at how plentiful the supplies his predecessor had left behind were.

At least his predecessor had not decided to enjoy all the good supplies before slitting his wrists.

But at that moment, a new dialogue box appeared on Shen Mu's retina.

Ding! A Temporary Mission has detected an event!

Mission issued: Clear the floor.

Mission description: You are currently the only resident on the seventh floor of this Apartment Building. Now that there are many more Swadian Recruits, more rooms are needed to accommodate them. Therefore, you need to clear the floor and its rooms.

Mission requirements: During the daytime, completely clear the floor and its rooms, ensuring there are no enemies.

Mission reward: Bread ×5 portions; Wheat Field ×1 mu; Recruit Upgrade Scroll (10 people) ×1.

Looking at the contents of the dialogue box, Shen Mu was slightly stunned. "Another new mission!?"

But this time, Shen Mu's eyes lit up.

"Bread, a Wheat Field, and an Upgrade Scroll?"

Were these not exactly the food he lacked most right now, a continuous source of food, and something to improve his soldiers' combat strength?

For Shen Mu, this was help in the nick of time!

And the requirement for completion was simply to search and clear the seventh floor of this Apartment Building!

Very soon, the Swadian Recruits assembled again.

Long-handled Sickles, one-handed axes, and Long Wooden Shields had once again appeared on the bodies of these young men, all filled with hope for the future.

"Let's go." Carrying his longsword, Shen Mu came to the apartment door.

As he opened the door outward.

The dim apartment corridor of early morning appeared before them, accompanied by a breeze carrying a faint stench of rot.

Two Swadian Recruits rushed out first with Long-handled Sickles in hand, followed by the remaining three recruits filing out behind them.

"Safe," came a Swadian Recruit's voice from outside.

"Mm." Shen Mu nodded, then led the remaining ten Swadian Recruits out with him.

The Apartment Building Shen Mu's predecessor had found had a total of seven floors.

Its overall layout was rectangular.

It resembled the character "sun."

Shen Mu's room was located in the upper-right corner of that "sun."

The horizontal line in the middle was where the Elevator Room had once been.

But because the dead Spiritual Realm Rules had descended, the physical laws that had vanished included electricity produced by humans and electrical appliances.

Perhaps the only electricity that still worked now was naturally occurring lightning.

"What a pity." Shen Mu had already led his team through all the corridors on the seventh floor. Standing in the Elevator Room and looking at the tightly shut elevator doors, he felt deeply moved by the thought of humanity's former technology.

"My lord, everything is normal. No abnormalities found," a Swadian Recruit beside him reported.

The other Swadian Recruits nearby also wore puzzled expressions.

They had all seen zombies and skeletons last night, so the terrifying Undead Creatures had left a deep impression on them.

But when they left the cramped apartment this morning, intending to come out and fight.

They found nothing at all.

It did feel rather strange.

"Relax. There'll definitely be a chance to fight soon." Shen Mu understood the thoughts of these eager young men, who wanted to make a name for themselves through battle in these troubled times.

He looked up at the neatly arranged apartment floor, with forty rooms surrounding the Elevator Room, and pressed his lips together.

The system had not notified him that the mission was complete after they inspected the floor.

Then it was obvious.

They would also need to open the dusty, long-sealed doors of these forty apartment rooms and go inside to take a look!

"Who's over there?!" A Swadian Recruit standing at the side suddenly shouted furiously, instantly alarming everyone.

Shen Mu included.

Following the direction of the Swadian Recruit's raised Long-handled Sickle, aimed at the fire escape—the stairwell.

"Stay alert!" Shen Mu said in a low voice.

Whoosh!

Beside him, all fifteen Swadian Recruits immediately aimed their Long-handled Sickles in that direction.

The gleaming sickle blades were highly intimidating.

Especially as the Swadian Recruits stood shoulder to shoulder in a Pike Square, they looked even more imposing.

"Easy there, little brother." From the stairs came a surprised male voice.

A middle-aged man wearing Chainmail and carrying a longsword raised his hands first as he walked out of the stairwell.

Behind him followed two thin, hunched creatures carrying rusty scimitars. They had jackal heads and glared with ghostly green eyes as they emerged together.

"Spiritual Realm... soldiers!?" The term immediately surfaced in Shen Mu's remaining memories.