"After I arrived here, I got lucky and ran into a classmate from college. Her name was Xiao Ya, and she'd awakened a specialization too. Her ability was reconnaissance..."
At this point, her eyes dimmed.
"We worked really well together. I had a tank, and she could scout. But... then we ran into people from the Feral Wolf Guild."
"They pretended to be survivors asking for help. Xiao Ya was too softhearted... but they had an RPG. To cover my escape, Xiao Ya was..."
Su Qingqian bit her lip, her fingers clenched around the beer can until her knuckles turned white.
"That tank was my last lifeline, but it was still too hard. If I hadn't met you, I might have died at the hands of that White Thorn, or starved to death inside the tank."
Lin Hui listened quietly, neither interrupting nor offering cheap sympathy.
In the apocalypse, stories like this happened every day.
"The Feral Wolf Guild, huh?" Lin Hui said evenly. "I've killed some of their people. Consider that a little interest collected on your friend's behalf."
Su Qingqian abruptly looked up, a flicker of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
"Thank you."
Those words were more sincere than any thanks she had offered before.
"No need to thank me," Lin Hui said calmly. "Now that you're aboard my RV, you're my employee. If you ever run into the killer who hurt you two, tell me. I'll get justice for you."
After spending the day with her, Lin Hui felt that Su Qingqian was very useful.
Not only was she pleasing to the eye, but she pulled her weight when there was work to be done.
"Mm." Su Qingqian nodded gently.
Originally, she had only wanted a ride from Lin Hui, planning to leave once she found an unclaimed vehicle.
Now, her thinking had changed.
Just then, Su Qingqian suddenly remembered something.
She pulled a chip from inside her clothes and handed it over. "This is an Electronic Map Chip for the Zombie Wasteland. Xiao Ya left it to me..."
"A map chip for the Zombie Wasteland?" Lin Hui took it curiously, then inserted it into the RV.
A map immediately appeared on the fifteen-inch onboard screen, marking various important buildings. Sure enough, there was an abandoned Aviation Parts Factory closest to their current location.
No wonder Su Qingqian had been able to give him the location of the abandoned Arsenal earlier...
So she had this map all along!
With this map, he would no longer have to wander aimlessly around the wasteland.
He had already left the Gray Fog far behind, completely out of sight. He had plenty of time to gather materials and supplies.
Looking at Su Qingqian's sweet, innocent face, Lin Hui really wanted to reward her with a kiss.
Letting Su Qingqian aboard was such a smart decision!
Night deepened.
They had finished the hot pot, and the RV's interior was cozy and warm.
But a new problem confronted them.
Although the RV had been upgraded and had more space, for now... there was only one bed.
The bed was 1.5 meters wide and covered with a soft down comforter. Just looking at it made one want to sink into it.
Su Qingqian looked at the bed, then at Lin Hui, and instantly blushed all the way to her ears.
A man and a woman, alone.
Sharing one room.
And they had just had a little beer with dinner. They were slightly tipsy, and the atmosphere was suggestive...
Would he... would he...
Su Qingqian's heart began to race. She twisted the ties of her clothes between her fingers, caught in a fierce internal struggle.
If he really wants to... should I resist? Or...
After all, he saved my life and even treated me to hot pot...
And he's pretty good-looking, not to mention so strong...
Just as Su Qingqian was imagining an entire eighty-episode romantic drama, Lin Hui stood up.
He took a blanket from the cabinet and tossed it onto the thick shag rug on the floor.
"What are you thinking about?"
Lin Hui's voice shattered her fantasy.
He pointed at the rug on the floor.
"You're the employee. You sleep on the floor."
"I'm the boss. I sleep in the bed."
"..."
Su Qingqian's romantic notions instantly shattered into pieces.
She opened her mouth, looked at the comfortable bed, then looked at the rug.
The rug was thick, and there was underfloor heating, so she certainly wouldn't be cold.
But...
Could he be any more clueless?
"Oh..."
Su Qingqian answered with a hint of hurt, then obediently hugged the blanket and curled up on her makeshift bedding.
Lin Hui switched off the main light, leaving only a dim, yellow night-light.
He lay on the bed with his hands behind his head.
"Get some sleep. We have to be up early tomorrow."
"Oh, and keep an eye on the Regional Channel. See if there's any information about special upgrade materials or Gene Serum."
"Mm... got it."
Su Qingqian's muffled voice came from the floor.
Lin Hui closed his eyes, listening to the wind howling outside and the breathing of the other person inside the RV.
This was the first time he had someone else in the RV.
It felt...
Not so bad, perhaps.
On her bedding on the floor, Su Qingqian secretly opened her eyes. By the faint light, she looked at the profile of the man on the bed.
Although she was sleeping on the floor, this was the most peaceful, secure night's sleep she had had in days.
In this man-eat-man world, being an "employee" at the side of someone strong might already be the greatest stroke of luck.
Still...
This boss really doesn't know how to treat a girl gently!
Su Qingqian bit her moist, glossy lip, thinking indignantly. Yet the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a small smile as she drifted into a deep sleep.
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