After Shen Jin leisurely finished his steak, he discovered that Li Moxiao had already polished off half a basin of rice with soy sauce.
Seeing Shen Jin's astonished look, Li Moxiao's cheeks reddened, but she stubbornly said, "I haven't eaten rice in days. You're not planning to fight me over this little bit of rice and soy sauce, are you? No way, right?"
Then she stuck out her little tongue and licked the rice grains from the corner of her mouth.
Shen Jin pondered for a moment, then, as if performing a magic trick, pulled a packet of Wujiang Zhacai from his pocket.
"I originally went to find some pickled mustard greens for you. Looks like you don't need them now."
"Hey, don't—"
Right before the little girl's shocked eyes, he stuffed the pickled mustard greens back into his pocket.
After teasing Li Moxiao, Shen Jin noticed that she had turned on the old-fashioned radio in the basement.
It was exactly noon.
After a burst of static—"shhhk, shhhk"—a clear, proper broadcaster's voice came through.
Shen Jin and Li Moxiao's attention instantly shifted. Their expressions also took on a hint of solemnity and hope.
"Dear listeners, hello. Today's official channel brings you today's news broadcast. First, all friends listening to this radio broadcast, please make sure to find a safe location and keep the volume as low as possible. According to current statistics, ordinary Zombies generally possess hearing far beyond that of humans."
"Latest data: according to satellite statistics, less than 20 percent of our nation's population remains. All other humans have turned into Zombies, but the rate at which the Zombie population is increasing has begun to slow."
"Current research from the First Academy of Sciences indicates that Zombies are not fixed and may undergo genetic mutations. Several types have now been discovered, including defense-enhanced, strength-enhanced, and hearing-and-speed-enhanced Zombies. The cause of these mutations is unknown, though it is suspected to be related to flesh and blood as food. Citizens, please protect yourselves. Do not come into conflict with Zombies. Wait for official rescue."
"Regarding the Apocalypse Law, Article 101 has been revised: under circumstances threatening survival, one possesses unlimited rights of self-defense against anyone. For actions threatening official or civilian Gathering Places, one has both the duty and right to prevent them in advance. All actions must prioritize the protection of humanity. For any anti-human action, soldiers have the right to execute the offender on the spot. Citizens, unite your front and your thoughts, and fight the Zombies together!"
"..."
"Finally, the routine broadcast of five common facts about the apocalypse: 1. Zombies are active during the day and extremely aggressive. Their abilities decline at night, and they are quietest around 1 a.m.; 2. Do not be scratched or bitten by Zombies, and do not consume unsafe water or food; 3. Early symptoms of human infection with the Zombie virus include dizziness, blurred vision, rotting skin and external tissue, and bleeding from the facial features; 4. Zombie transformation is currently irreversible. Do not harbor any wishful thinking toward those already infected; 5. A Zombie's weakness is its brain tissue. Destroying the brain tissue will temporarily deprive a Zombie of mobility. To kill a Zombie, the brain tissue must be completely destroyed. Burning Zombies is recommended."
"Today's noon broadcast ends here. Please remember the official government's only radio frequency: 66.6. At 10 tonight, we will bring you the latest expert interviews and wilderness survival techniques."
"Lastly... I hope all compatriots will give it everything they have... and survive!"
"Shhhk, shhhk."
Shen Jin turned off the radio, a trace of nostalgia in his eyes.
Li Moxiao crossed her hands and softly said, "That host's voice sounded a lot like the man from Xinwen Lianbo back then, right?"
Shen Jin nodded with some emotion. "Yeah. It used to sound so boring, but now... I really want to watch it again."
"Things will return to normal someday."
Would they? It had been three months. The speed at which the Zombies were spreading was terrifying.
At present, 80 percent of the humans on this land had already turned into those man-eating Zombies. Only 20 percent were still struggling desperately.
But there was still hope, wasn't there?
Shen Jin believed that with humanity's wisdom, even if all thermal weapons had failed, they would eventually defeat the Zombies.
This was the inexplicable confidence of humanity—the most intelligent species on Earth!
After listening to the broadcast, Shen Jin was no longer in the mood to tease Li Moxiao. At the very least, she was an old acquaintance whose background he knew.
"It's just that the security measures need to be improved. Add three more touch-triggered alarms, two more drop traps, four more pop-up traps, and install a few 360-degree rotating cameras."
Huh? That seemed to have mixed in some strange ideas.
Li Moxiao had been running since morning, and by now, she had already fallen asleep sprawled on the sofa.
Once the tension holding a person together loosened, exhaustion would quickly flood the brain.
Shen Jin looked at Li Moxiao's delicate face and slender, long legs. Her top did not fit quite right, and its loose collar revealed a large empty expanse beneath it.
Shen Jin curled his lip. What was there to look at in a little girl like this? Getting down to business was more important.
He entered through a hidden door in the basement, sorted out his mining tools, and prepared to begin the day's work.
Time rewound to the first hour after the Zombie virus outbreak.
Shen Jin had been holed up at home, watching the overwhelming flood of "the apocalypse has arrived" news, when his vision suddenly blurred and he found himself in an empty place covered in lush grass.
Three obsidian pedestals stood before him, each holding something.
A sword, a pickaxe, and a ball of fire.
"Please follow the choice in your heart."
A gentle, ethereal female voice came from every direction, completely jolting the bewildered Shen Jin awake.
As a qualified internet user of the twenty-first century, he was naturally familiar with anime and web novels.
A situation like this could only mean he had encountered a fortuitous opportunity!
"Follow the choice in my heart... The sword symbolizes slaughter, the pickaxe symbolizes gathering, and fire symbolizes grilled skewers???"
"Mm, fire might represent food, civilization, inheritance, magic, superpowers, and so on."
Fire had far too many symbolic meanings. Shen Jin could not figure it out for the moment.
If he followed the choice deep within his heart...
"Miss, may I ask if there's a keyboard?"
"Get lost."
"Sure thing~"
Since he could not add an item he was good at, then he obviously had to choose the one with the greatest potential!
It was already certain that Earth had fallen into an apocalypse. The choice appearing at a time like this would be crucial for the future!
Ever since Shen Jin was young, his grandfather had told him, "Always choose the path with more information. Simplicity is for ordinary people."
Thus, Shen Jin strode forward with absolute determination and hugged that ball of fire. The pickaxe beside it.
"I've never listened to my grandfather since I was little. Swords and fire are both too dangerous. One look tells you they're for going out and fighting. That's reckless brute behavior!
Why go out and work when you can lie low?
There are plenty of places in life where I can find a hole to hide in. If I don't want trouble, I'll just stay home.
As long as I don't leave the house, I'm the perfect undefeated war god.
What's the point of chopping people up? Won't they just come looking for me afterward?
Wouldn't it be wonderful to hide comfortably at home and be a salted fish?
As for Zombies and all that, believe in the government's power!
One artillery battalion could wipe out all the Zombies in an entire city. That's not even an exaggeration at all!"
His vision blurred again, and Shen Jin returned to his own room, with something extra appearing in his mind.
"My World Auxiliary System": The host possesses the ability to Blockify all items and can create limitless possibilities.
That was right—it was the Minecraft game Shen Jin often played.
He possessed most of the original game's functions, though some recipes and crafting had been made much more realistic.
Using the system's Blockify Ability, Shen Jin began his long-term preparations.
When it came to lying low, only Senior Brother Li could surpass him by half a step in this world.
And he had lain low for three whole months.
Before starting today's trip down into the tunnels to mine, Shen Jin hesitated for a moment, then returned to the basement and sat beside Li Moxiao.
His gaze traveled deeper and deeper through the empty space beneath her loose top, and his breathing gradually grew heavier.
Then he saw it.
A red belt!!
"Σ(°Д°; Ah! My eyes have gone blind!"
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