Chapter 23: Brother Zang

Liu Yue had realized by now that since Ye Nan possessed a storage space, acquiring entertainment facilities and household appliances would be a simple task.

Ye Nan said, "I'll go upstairs first to clear out the supplies, and once that's done, I'll come back to help you set up your safe house."

Liu Yue nodded. "Alright, go ahead."

"First, a gift for you." Ye Nan retrieved a crossbow, bolts, a pistol, and ammunition from his Lightning Tower, handing them to her.

Liu Yue was startled. "How did you get your hands on these?"

"Don't worry about that. Come, let me teach you how to use them."

"Good. With a gun and a crossbow, my safety is much more guaranteed. Even if an ability user attacks, I might just be able to take them down." Liu Yue straightened her chest, revealing her ample curves, and added with a touch of resentment, "Are you really not planning to take me with you?"

Ye Nan replied, "If I took you, who would guard my safe house?"

Liu Yue flashed a fox-like, seductive smile. "I'll be very lonely by myself. Aren't you worried I might cheat on you?"

Ye Nan laughed. "Don't worry. Within these next few days, I'll find someone to keep you company."

"That's more like it. But hurry up, don't keep me waiting too long."

"Deal," Ye Nan promised.

Following this, Ye Nan spent some time teaching Liu Yue how to operate the pistol and crossbow. Afterward, he moved the bodies of Manager Wang and the others outside to feed the zombies.

If his current residence was Safe House No. 1, then this warehouse could be considered Safe House No. 2. Once he finished collecting the supplies from the mall, he would return to properly renovate it. Even if it couldn't compare to Safe House No. 1, it wouldn't be far off.

Just as Ye Nan was about to head up the stairs, he caught sight of a large door nearby. He hadn't paid much attention to it while collecting supplies earlier, but upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a walk-in freezer.

The apocalypse had only been going on for a few days, and the mall still had power, so the freezer had been running continuously. The contents were surely still intact, though he wondered if there was much frozen meat.

Ye Nan didn't want to destroy the door. He searched the vicinity and found a zombie wearing a uniform, who must have been the freezer manager in life. After dispatching it with his sword, he successfully retrieved the keys. When he opened the freezer and saw the inventory, he was stunned.

Frozen intestines, pork, beef, squid, meatballs, shrimp... everything one could want.

Ye Nan nearly laughed out loud, declaring it a massive haul. A warehouse full of frozen meat would last him years, and since items in the Lightning Tower didn't expire, he could keep them as long as he liked. He opened the tower's portal and collected most of the meat, leaving only a small portion behind to help improve Liu Yue's living standards. He wasn't worried about the meat spoiling after the power eventually cut out; his tower contained a small refrigerator and several solar panels, which would be more than enough to manage.

With everything settled, Ye Nan headed to the first floor, which was entirely devoted to clothing. He saw everything—men's, women's, winter wear, summer wear... He even stumbled upon a boutique selling lingerie, filled with translucent lace, flight attendant uniforms, and qipaos. With a mischievous smirk, he went inside and cleared out the entire stock. He imagined having his women wear them for him later; it would be a delight.

After clearing the clothes, he moved to the second floor, which housed electronics: drones, walkie-talkies, game consoles, and more. These were highly useful items—drones could be paired with phones to lure zombies away, walkie-talkies could maintain communication within a range, and consoles could kill time. He didn't hesitate to take them all.

The third floor was for maternity and baby supplies. Even if he didn't need them now, it was better to have them than not, so he took everything. The fourth floor held cosmetics and jewelry; he didn't need them, but his women certainly would, so he cleared that out as well.

The fifth floor was a food court featuring spicy hot pot, burgers, pizza, and oden. The prepared food had already spoiled, but that didn't matter. Ye Nan simply took the machines—coffee makers, bread machines, air fryers—sparing nothing.

He also collected various spices and raw ingredients. With these, he could prepare all sorts of delicacies with his women once he returned home.

The sixth floor sold hardware—hammers, wire, screwdrivers—which were perfect for reinforcing his safe house.

The seventh and eighth floors sold appliances: air conditioners, washing machines, hair dryers. He even found solar generators and panels. With these, he would never have to worry about power outages again. Overall, Ye Nan was incredibly satisfied; this trip had been well worth it.

Back in the warehouse, Ye Nan began building his safe house with Liu Yue's help. First, he reinforced the main door using the hardware he had gathered. He installed a layer of steel plating, making the already heavy door incredibly sturdy—even an ability user might struggle to break through. He also reinforced the windows with iron bars and steel pipes.

Next, they furnished the place. He placed a large bed in the center, dressed it with linens from the first floor, hung curtains, and added streamers to the walls to make it feel cozy. Ye Nan nodded in satisfaction as he positioned the fridge, washing machine, and wardrobe.

Two hours later, everything was complete. Ye Nan looked around, feeling exceptionally content. "How about it? Not bad, right?"

Liu Yue breathed in deeply. Despite having helped set it up, the transformation from a cold warehouse to a warm, livable home felt surreal. In the apocalypse, such a safe house was the dream of most survivors.

"Thank you, I love it," Liu Yue said excitedly.

"Don't thank me, you did your share," Ye Nan replied.

"This is our little home now. It's a pity I have to live here alone. You must visit often, and don't forget your promise to bring other women to keep me company," she said.

"No problem." Ye Nan flopped onto the soft mattress. It was a high-end piece worth over a hundred thousand; in the peaceful era, it would have taken him years to afford one. Now, he could experience the joys of the wealthy without spending a cent. He found himself growing fond of this apocalyptic life—he wouldn't want to go back to the old world even if he could.

Liu Yue lay down beside him, exhausted from two hours of labor. Ye Nan caught the scent of her, felt his desire stir, and pulled her into his arms. "You're so tired, want a massage?"

"You know how to give massages?"

"I do, I do," he said.

"Fine, but I'm warning you—no funny business."

"Of course, I'm the most honest person you'll meet." As he massaged her, he channeled his ability, allowing faint electric arcs to tingle against her skin, sending waves of numbness through her body. As time passed, her eyes grew hazy, her face flushed, and she found herself unable to resist. Ye Nan chuckled inwardly—he knew she wouldn't be able to hold out.

Naturally, they ended up entangled once more.

An hour later, Liu Yue was truly exhausted. She closed her eyes, feeling a mix of resentment and helplessness; men were all the same, always finding ways to take advantage of her. But she lacked the energy to argue.

"Rest well. I'm leaving, but I'll be back to see you soon," Ye Nan said, kissing the woman on her cheek before stepping out and locking the door.

He didn't bother clearing the zombies in the mall; leaving them there would effectively deter other survivors from bothering Liu Yue.

Outside the mall, he found a Hummer with its door ajar and a young female zombie sitting in the driver's seat, bobbing back and forth. He walked over, finished off the zombie, climbed into the car, and started the engine.

Time to head home.

On the way, if he encountered stray zombies, he simply ran them over. If he ran into a pack, he would step out and dispatch them with a few swipes of his blade. With his Level 2 ability, as long as he didn't encounter a Level 2 zombie, he was in no danger. Along the way, he even collected a few Level 1 crystals, intending to absorb them later.

Suddenly, he spotted the Donglin Grand Hotel by the roadside.

This restaurant was famous, specifically for its braised intestines, which were touted as the best in Donghai City. Ye Nan had visited once for a company dinner and remembered the taste well. Since he had collected so much frozen meat—most of it being intestines—if the chefs were still alive, he could trade some food for their services to cook him a feast. He could keep the food in the Lightning Tower, where it would stay fresh indefinitely.

The plan seemed perfect. He parked the car, summoned his lightning sword, killed a Level 1 zombie, and cautiously entered.

On the second floor of the hotel, a group of bleached-blonde thugs were sitting around a table. They had been delinquents before the apocalypse, often eating at this restaurant and refusing to pay. When the outbreak began, they were quick to grab weapons and clear the zombies. They assumed the disaster would be short-lived and that help would arrive soon, so they wasted food recklessly.

The owner, a chef surnamed Huang, and another chef surnamed Liu were still alive, forced by the thugs to cook for them. In just a few days, the restaurant's food had been depleted.

The thugs were at a loss. They wanted to scavenge, but the zombies outside were growing in number, including a massive, muscular brute over two meters tall that they were terrified of—though it was only a Level 1 zombie.

The leader, nicknamed "Brother Zang," had an absurd, "chicken-nest" hairstyle. He loved the attention he got from strangers, thinking it proved how cool he was. But now, he didn't care about being cool; he just wanted to eat.

*Slap!*

Brother Zang slammed a hand against Chef Huang's face. "Damn it, did you hide the food? How could a restaurant this big run out in just a few days?"

Chef Huang was furious. "You people eat twenty dishes a meal and throw away the leftovers! No amount of food could sustain that!"

"We're really out, Brother Zang. Please, spare me. I'll even forgive the money you owed me over the years, how's that?" the chef asked tremulously.

"You dare negotiate with me? You're asking for death!" Brother Zang began beating the chef.

"Please, Brother Zang! If I die, who will cook for you?"

Brother Zang sneered. "We still have Chef Liu. His cooking isn't any worse than yours."

Chef Liu, hiding in the corner, said, "Brother Zang, keep us alive, and we can go out and help you scavenge. If we die, you'll have to do everything yourself. Isn't that a hassle?"

Brother Zang kicked him. "You think I can't function without you two losers?"

A henchman leaned over and whispered to Zang, "Boss, keep them alive for now. If we really run out of food, they can be our food."

The two chefs shared a look of pure horror. These monsters were truly depraved.

Brother Zang nodded. "Fine, keep their miserable lives for now."

Suddenly, a henchman ran in, breathless. "Brother Zang, we've got a situation! Someone's coming, and they just killed the big brute outside!"

"What?" Brother Zang froze.