Chapter Twenty-Two: The Upheaval at the Hotel (Part Two)

Bai Xing gritted her teeth, bracing herself hard against the sofa. Talking to someone so hypocritical and self-righteous made her sick to her stomach.

“Come on, everyone, put your backs into it. You folks over there, come give us a hand—there’ll be food to share in a bit,” the butler urged. Encouraged, the ones who had been hesitating joined the effort.

With more hands, their combined strength quickly overwhelmed Bai Xing. She could no longer hold the door; it was forced open bit by bit. When the crack grew wide enough, Bai Xing gave up. She clutched the two kitchen knives Fang Xia had left her and moved to stand guard at the door to the inner room.

“So much food—this could last for ages!” The first person to barge in was immediately struck by the sight of the room piled high with supplies.

The others quickly followed, eyes brightening at the bounty. The survivors, most down to their last scraps or having gone hungry for days, visibly trembled at the sight.

“Soda—my favorite!” a man exclaimed, forgetting everything else as he rushed to grab a bottle and gulped it down.

With one person taking the lead, the rest followed suit, greedily seizing whatever they could.

Bai Xing said nothing, gripping her knives and fixing her gaze on every face, determined to remember each one.

“Quick, start carrying things out!” Brother Qiang barked to his three companions. No matter how much there was, nobody would think they had enough food in times like these. Everyone wished for extra arms just to take more at once.

No pile of food could withstand such plunder. Soon, the living room was stripped bare—no one spared a thought that this was robbery.

“There must be more in the bedroom. Why else would she stand guard there?” someone called out, drawing everyone’s attention.

“There’s nothing left in the room. Anyone who comes near, I won’t show mercy,” Bai Xing threatened, raising her knives. They’d already taken plenty—surely they’d not risk their lives for more.

“Don’t joke, young lady. We’re just helping each other out. Once this crisis is over, I’ll pay you back—ten times over,” one man said.

“Yes, yes, we’ll pay! I’m the owner of XXX Corporation—you can trust me,” another chimed in.

A chorus of awkward, fake laughter followed. Having gotten what they wanted, they retreated, figuring any food left in the bedroom wouldn’t be much anyway.

In a flash, everyone had retreated to their own rooms, leaving only Bai Xing and Brother Qiang’s group of four.

“Hey girl, do you even know how to use those knives? Want Brother Qiang to teach you?” Now that the others had left, Brother Qiang’s bravado returned. He had to have her—if she hadn’t raised such a fuss, all the food would have been his.

“Anyone comes closer, I’ll cut them down.” Bai Xing was scared, but her hands were steady.

“Fatty, didn’t you want this girl? Go on, take her—she’s yours if you subdue her,” Brother Qiang goaded. But confronted by two gleaming knives, he hesitated—without even basic first aid, a wound could be fatal.

“She’s got knives, Brother Qiang. Maybe it’s best not to,” Fatty muttered, glancing nervously at the blades. Survival was more important than any woman.

“Useless.” Brother Qiang cursed, but was just as unwilling to risk it himself, so the standoff dragged on.

“We just have to starve her out, Brother Qiang. She’s out of food. After two days, she’ll come begging to us.”

“And who knows when her man will be back? We’d better go.” The mention of Fang Xia gave Brother Qiang pause—not that he feared the man himself, but those two war knives looked formidable.

“Fine, let’s go for now. The whole floor joined in taking their food—let’s see what her man can do when he returns.”

They quickly left, and only once Bai Xing heard the doors close across the hall did she allow herself to relax. After locking the door, she finally broke down, hugging her knees and sobbing in the corner.

After all, she was just a twenty-year-old girl.

The room was in chaos, evidence everywhere of the people who had come and gone. The once-piled food was gone—not even a bottle of water left. Bai Xing sat huddled, quietly weeping.

That was the scene that greeted Fang Xia when he entered.

He’d known the apocalypse would be brutal, but he hadn’t expected it to reach him so soon.

The moment she saw Fang Xia, Bai Xing was like a wronged child seeing her father. Her quiet sobs erupted into loud, wrenching cries.

Fang Xia set down his knives and crouched before her. Bai Xing flung herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest as if only there could she find safety.

He said nothing, gently patting her back.

After a while, Bai Xing’s tears subsided, though she still sniffled.

“Coke—do you want some?” Fang Xia offered her a bottle of her favorite drink, along with a box of chocolate.

She hadn’t eaten all day, and the tense standoff had drained her. Only sheer will had kept her from collapsing.

“I want to be stronger…I have to be stronger!!” she declared.

Fang Xia didn’t question her. He simply took out five first-tier upgrade crystals.

Bai Xing grabbed them without a second thought—no matter that they’d been dug from zombie brains—and swallowed them all at once.

The upgrade process was brief but required peace. Fang Xia sat quietly nearby, waiting for her to finish.

Minutes later, Bai Xing’s eyes flew open—she’d succeeded. She was now a first-tier fighter.

“Put away the kitchen knives. I’ve got a gift for you,” Fang Xia said, laying two daggers before her.

Delighted, Bai Xing picked them up and gave them a few experimental swings. She was clearly pleased.

Some people, it seemed, were born for strength.

Most women, even in the apocalypse, would be happier with a bag of chips than a dagger.

“Come on. Let’s take back what was stolen from us.”

…

“I know you can all hear me. Whoever took my things today—I’m giving you one chance. Bring it all back within five minutes,” Fang Xia declared, standing openly in the center of the corridor with his war knives, Bai Xing tense but close behind.

Minute after minute ticked by, but no one came out. Every door remained tightly shut, as though none of it had anything to do with them.