Campus belle: How could you be so selfish?!

(I'll eat shit if he survives past Chapter 4!)

"...Could you lend me some supplies?"

Liang You spoke, then glanced at Fan Shang's expression and immediately launched into an explanation.

"Of course, I'm not asking you to give them to me. It's just that my girlfriend hasn't eaten all day. Once I get some supplies, I'll definitely pay you back..."

But before he could finish, Fan Shang gave him an indifferent look and spoke coldly.

"Get lost!"

The big man froze, then his entire face flushed bright red.

"Fan Shang, you..."

He was about to say more when he saw that the bone cleaver Fan Shang had already been holding slightly raised was now lifted all the way.

"I don't want to say it again."

A trace of fear flashed in Liang You's eyes as he stared at the cold gleam of the blade in Fan Shang's hand.

Comparing himself to Fan Shang, he was tall and muscular, with eight-pack abs, while Fan Shang stood only around five foot seven and wasn't muscular-in fact, he was rather skinny. He had the advantage...

...Like hell he did!

Even if all eight of his abs merged into one, they couldn't withstand a cleaver.

So Liang You gave a couple of awkward chuckles and backed away warily.

Only after Liang You had put some distance between them did Fan Shang slowly lower his blade.

As for what Liang You had just said, Fan Shang merely smiled without a word.

He would pay him back once he had supplies? Honestly, Fan Shang had no idea how he could even say that.

For starters, Fan Shang barely had any supplies himself, and with his feline upperclassman to look after, there already wasn't enough to go around.

But even if he had enough, Fan Shang would never lend him any.

Promises to pay him back would only fool a three-year-old.

They were living through the apocalypse. Did he even know what an apocalypse was?

As down-and-out as Fan Shang looked, he was already considered wealthy in their group. After all, he still had food to eat, while a huge number of people in the convoy had nothing at all.

In this eerie world, supplies were no longer merely supplies. They were life itself!

That was why Fan Shang was a little stunned that Liang You could even say such a thing.

How did he have the nerve?

He had risked his life going into those supply sites to gather everything he had, and now this guy thought he could just open his mouth and ask for it?

"Meow!"

As those thoughts crossed his mind, a sudden meow caught Fan Shang's attention.

It came from Little Black, his feline upperclassman, who was looking off in one direction.

Following Little Black's gaze, Fan Shang's expression instantly darkened.

Two figures were walking toward him. One was Liang You, whom Fan Shang had just chased away. As for the other...

It was a woman Fan Shang knew.

Wang Xiaoxue, from Software Engineering Class Two next door back in college. She had fair, cool-toned skin, a pretty face, and long legs, and was widely recognized as the campus belle. But Fan Shang had once heard his astonishingly well-connected roommate mention that she was supposedly involved with several men.

Looks like she's the girlfriend Liang You mentioned.

That was what Fan Shang thought.

Then...

"Little Black, get behind me."

At his words, Little Black ducked behind Fan Shang, watching the two hostile newcomers with mismatched eyes.

"Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue, why don't we just forget it? I'll see if I can borrow some supplies from someone else..."

Liang You held Wang Xiaoxue's hand as he tried to persuade her.

"Fan Shang looks like someone we shouldn't mess with..."

"Borrow, borrow, borrow! Liang You, is that all you know how to say? You've been trying to borrow supplies for ages. Have you actually gotten any?"

"Boo-hoo, I only agreed to be your girlfriend because I thought you were a decent guy. And what happened? Since getting together with you, I haven't even had a single full meal! Are you even a man?!"

Wang Xiaoxue spoke with reddened eyes.

"You're so big, yet you don't dare go into the supply sites to gather anything. Fine, whatever. But now you can't even borrow supplies when I ask you to! What use are you?!"

As she spoke, Wang Xiaoxue looked as though she was about to burst into tears.

Seeing this, Liang You panicked. He gritted his teeth and immediately said,

"All right, the next one-at the next supply site, I'll definitely go in. I, Liang You, swear I won't let you go hungry..."

"Next time, next time! I'll starve to death by next time! Go borrow some! If you can't borrow any, take them! You're so big-are you telling me you can't beat him? I just saw Fan Shang eating instant noodles. He definitely has supplies!"

As she spoke, Wang Xiaoxue glared at Fan Shang.

It was as though he owed her millions.

"But Xiaoxue, I..."

"Stop dithering! Liang You, are you even a man?! Didn't you want to hold my hand before? Get us some supplies this time, and I'll let you hold it as much as you want!"

Liang You's face went from livid to pale. He gritted his teeth and finally stepped forward.

"Um, Fan Shang, buddy, could you..."

"No."

Without waiting for Liang You to ask, Fan Shang answered outright.

After watching that little performance between a simp and a manipulative girl, Fan Shang honestly felt rather grateful to them.

After all, there wasn't much entertainment in the apocalypse. Before the black tide swallowed everything, a show this good would have required a paid subscription at the very least.

But gratitude was one thing. Supplies were another.

Fan Shang had no interest in becoming part of their little game. Again, he had risked his life for these supplies, and now they thought they could just open their mouths and claim them?

What a joke!

Still, for the sake of their connection as fellow students, Fan Shang offered an explanation.

"I don't have many supplies left either."

Hearing this, Liang You's stiff expression relaxed considerably, and he tried to persuade Wang Xiaoxue again.

"See, Xiaoxue? I told you Fan Shang doesn't have much left either. Why don't we just forget it? I'll ask some other students or teachers, or at the next supply site, I'll... go in..."

"Forget it, forget it, forget it! That's all you ever say! Do you want me to starve to death? Just because he says he doesn't have much, does that make it true? I just saw him eating instant noodles! He simply doesn't want to lend us anything."

Wang Xiaoxue refused to let it go, shooting Liang You a disgusted look as she spoke.

She cursed him inwardly.

Useless trash. It's bad enough that you always stink of sweat, but now you're dragging your feet over taking a few supplies, too. And you want to hold my hand? Who the hell do you think you are?!

Men are useless.

With that thought, Wang Xiaoxue immediately stepped forward and planted both hands on her hips.

"Hey, your name's Fan Shang, right? We're fellow students, at least. How could you be so selfish?! You don't care about that bond at all! We're practically starving to death. What's wrong with lending us a few supplies? It's not like we said we wouldn't pay you back!"

Wang Xiaoxue straightened her back as she spoke, looking utterly self-righteous.

Only then did Fan Shang turn his gaze toward Wang Xiaoxue. He had to admit, there was a reason so many men at school had chased her and called her the campus belle.

Although the apocalypse had left her dirty and covered in dust, traces of her delicate features were still visible beneath it.

But Fan Shang had no interest in a woman who'd been passed around. In fact, her words only irritated him.

So, after sweeping his gaze over Wang Xiaoxue, Fan Shang spoke in an icy voice.

"Get lost. I told you I don't have much left. I'm not lending you anything!"