Brush Your Teeth First

Just as Xu Wanting was frightened into tears and about to break down, Shen Yi opened the door and let her into the dorm room.

He also picked up the snacks and backpack from the floor and brought them in.

Strange noises did occasionally come from the stairwell.

But he had heard them long before the Black Fog descended, so he wasn't worried they came from a monster.

It was probably just an old window.

He shut the door and locked it behind them.

Shen Yi looked at Xu Wanting, who sat on the bed hugging her knees and sobbing softly. He had no intention of comforting her.

If she couldn't get past this, she wouldn't survive long.

This was the apocalypse!

The dangers ahead would be far worse than what she had faced today.

Xu Wanting wasn't crying just because Shen Yi had slapped her or thrown her out.

She was crying because she had seen a living person carried off in a monster's jaws.

The terror had been too intense for her to cry then. But once she reached somewhere relatively safe, she could no longer hold herself together.

She fell apart all at once.

For days, she had hidden alone in her dorm room, listening to the occasional screams from downstairs. Then she had seen someone eaten by a monster. It was too much for her young mind to bear.

Growing up in peaceful Xia Country, she had never seen anyone die before!

In truth, Xu Wanting wasn't the only one who had been afraid. Shen Yi had been badly shaken when he saw the man-eating monster in the video.

He was simply better at taking it in and had recovered quickly.

He couldn't fall apart. If he did, there would be no one to save his grandmother and little sister.

For now, Shen Yi wanted to gather supplies as quickly as possible. If he could get his hands on a gun or something similar, he would feel confident enough to go outside.

He refused to believe mutated monsters could withstand firearms!

As long as they were carbon-based life-forms, firearms could hurt them!

Of course, Shen Yi didn't put blind faith in guns.

The country still hadn't dealt with the fog or sent troops to rescue them. That proved conventional methods weren't enough to handle it.

Still, having a gun would make him feel at least a little safer.

"Um, could I... could I have a bottle of water?"

Xu Wanting had cried for a long time, then sat silent for just as long. She seemed to have recovered somewhat from her fear when she quietly asked Shen Yi.

There were several bottles of water on the desk, but she didn't dare reach for one without permission. She was afraid he would throw her out.

Shen Yi glanced at her swollen eyes and finally felt somewhat satisfied.

He casually tossed her a bottle of water.

At the same time, Shen Yi took a closer look at Xu Wanting.

She really did live up to her reputation as the foreign languages department's sexiest beauty. At over five-foot-seven, she had long legs that put many other women's to shame.

Xu Wanting was slim to begin with, even a little on the thin side, which made the proportions of her legs and waist all the more striking.

As she drank, Xu Wanting noticed Shen Yi looking her over without the slightest attempt to hide it. She felt awkward and embarrassed.

Other guys had looked at her before, but they had always stolen glances or taken photos on the sly. None had ever looked her up and down as openly as Shen Yi.

It was as if he were inspecting merchandise. Along with her embarrassment came a faint sense of discomfort.

But knowing his temper, she didn't dare complain.

After all, the moment she chose to come to the men's dormitory, she had understood what she might have to face.

At first, Xu Wanting had thought she could use her charm to wrap Shen Yi around her finger, making him provide food and water while keeping her safe.

After what had just happened, she no longer dared entertain that idea.

Shen Yi wasn't handsome, and his family background was ordinary. But in the apocalypse, she couldn't afford to be picky...

As long as he fed her and kept her safe, she would swallow her misgivings and accept it.

Looks didn't matter in the apocalypse. Strength was what kept people alive.

Judging by how easily Shen Yi had restrained her and the force of his slap, he was strong enough to protect her.

As Xu Wanting thought this, Shen Yi walked toward her.

Her cheeks flushed, her breathing grew heavy, and her heart began racing for no apparent reason.

"Brush your teeth first."

Shen Yi looked at Xu Wanting's lips. He had wanted to kiss her, but she had been without water for the past two days and probably hadn't brushed her teeth. Her breath might not be pleasant.

Xu Wanting understood what he meant. Her face reddened. He was actually put off by her.

But when she looked at the two bottles of water left on the desk, she hesitated.

"There are only two bottles left. Shouldn't we save them?"

She suddenly regretted what she had done.

She had drunk a whole bottle in one go. If she had known, she would have saved some.

But she had been so thirsty that she hadn't been able to stop herself.

With only two bottles left, the two of them would have enough to drink for three days at most. How could they waste any on brushing their teeth and rinsing their mouths?

"It's fine. Drink as much as you want. I told you we won't run out of water."

As Shen Yi spoke, he raised a hand, and two bottles of water appeared out of thin air in his palm.

"Th-this... Is that a superpower too?!"

Xu Wanting stared in shock at the water Shen Yi had produced from nowhere.

A superpower!

She had seen a classmate post a video in the group chat claiming he had a superpower.

She hadn't quite believed him then. But seeing Shen Yi conjure water from thin air immediately made her think of superpowers.

Had Shen Yi awakened a superpower too?!

"More or less. My power lets me produce food and water. So if you stay with me and do as you're told, you won't have to worry about either ever again," Shen Yi said.

He had thought it over carefully and decided it was best to show her what he could do.

Only then would the proud Xu Wanting become more willing to stay with him.

If he relied on force alone to make her submit, she might keep quiet, but she would resent him.

Only a firm hand paired with a reward could truly keep this proud woman by his side.

If Xu Wanting understood that staying with him gave her a future, she wouldn't betray him easily.

Once he had unlocked more supplies and gained enough strength, Shen Yi wouldn't need to fear her betrayal anyway.

If she ever turned against him then, he would kill her outright!

Naturally, Shen Yi had no intention of telling anyone about the system.

Whether the system was a superpower he had awakened or not, no one else could know about it. That was a line he would not cross.

"There's a superpower like that? That's amazing!" Xu Wanting's eyes brightened with a smile despite her surprise.

If he could produce food and water, she would never have to go hungry or thirsty again!

With that thought, the way Xu Wanting looked at Shen Yi changed.

He still wasn't handsome, but now he seemed dependable!

"You should understand how important my power is. Don't tell anyone about it without my permission. Understood? If I die, the power disappears too," Shen Yi warned her sternly.

"I understand! I'd never tell anyone else! Not even my parents!"

Xu Wanting nodded earnestly.

She wasn't stupid.

If she were, she could never have gotten into this prestigious university.

Shen Yi's words were both a warning and a threat.

"Then... I'll go brush my teeth and rinse my mouth first..."

Xu Wanting's cheeks reddened as she spoke.

She knew what would happen after she finished brushing her teeth.