Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Women's Army

She hadn’t planned on bringing so many people with her. She just wanted to take her two roommates out, but unexpectedly, nearly a dozen ended up following.

“No, I…” Bai Xing grew anxious, uncertain how to explain herself. She’d already decided: if Fang Xia refused, she wouldn’t bring anyone at all. Compared to Fang Xia, even her two roommates would have to be left behind, apologetically.

Fang Xia could clearly hear Bai Xing's inner thoughts and his expression softened. As long as she wasn’t the type to help everyone out of pity, it was enough. In this apocalypse, such kindness was forbidden.

Taking just two roommates was acceptable. If it were Fang Xia, and he encountered his own brothers in the apocalypse with the ability to help, he would probably turn away and leave. Six years into the apocalypse, Fang Xia had seen all kinds—even siblings turning against each other for food. He had no intention to harm others, but caution was essential.

It was only the beginning of the apocalypse; most people's humanity remained as before. But after three months, they would realize that such pitiful kindness only brought disaster upon themselves.

“You can bring your two roommates if you wish, but let me be clear: if they cause any trouble or danger, I’ll leave immediately,” Fang Xia said, not making things difficult for Bai Xing. Caring for these two would be easy, but she needed to understand the gravity of the situation.

Hearing Fang Xia’s words, Bai Xing brightened instantly and called out to the girls behind her.

“Liu Rui, Xiao Chun, come quickly!”

The two girls who had been walking beside Bai Xing hastened over.

“This is the benefactor I told you about—Fang Xia. You should call him Brother Fang, just as I do.”

On the way, Bai Xing had already explained much of her situation to them, praising Fang Xia to the skies.

“Brother Fang, hello. I’m Liu Rui, Bai Xing’s roommate.”

“Brother Fang, I’m Li Xiao Chun, also Bai Xing’s roommate.”

These names sounded so familiar.

In his previous life, at Dawn City, besides the lord’s mansion, there were three top factions. One was a team composed entirely of women—its leader was Liu Rui.

If there had only been one Liu Rui, Fang Xia might not have been certain. But there was also Li Xiao Chun.

Li Xiao Chun wasn’t the leader, but in Dawn City, she was even more notorious than Liu Rui, her reputation built atop piles of corpses.

A team made up solely of women—one could imagine the consequences. Back then, countless small groups coveted their beauty, attempting to recruit them. But in the end, the female army only grew stronger, while those who challenged them vanished from the world.

Every time someone provoked them, it was Li Xiao Chun who acted. Whenever she struck, none survived. She earned the nickname Poison Beauty.

Without his intervention, Bai Xing, once she grew strong, would have sought out her roommates and eventually led them all out. Though he didn’t know why Bai Xing ended up alone in the end, with Liu Rui as the leader, the female army’s rise was certainly tied to Bai Xing.

These two were worth recruiting.

Fang Xia had no grand ambitions or interest in managing a team, but survival in the apocalypse required building a strong force. These two could fulfill that need.

Knowing their identities, Fang Xia changed his initial decision. He would take all twenty or so people with him.

Most likely, these were the founding members of the female army.

Right now, they were just ordinary university students, far from the ruthlessness and cunning of their future selves. Fang Xia’s rescue at this moment would guarantee their gratitude towards him.

After Liu Rui and Li Xiao Chun introduced themselves, Fang Xia didn’t respond immediately, making them uneasy. Their eyes sought help from Bai Xing.

But Bai Xing was helpless; she’d just been scolded by Fang Xia and dared not speak.

“I can take you with me, and even those behind you. I can give you food. But—”

That “but” signaled Fang Xia had conditions. At a time like this, the two didn’t care what those conditions were; survival was all that mattered.

At worst, they’d just have to sleep with him.

“I’ll provide one week’s worth of food. The rest of those people will be your responsibility to manage. After one week, prove your worth to me.”

The two looked at each other and finally nodded.

Fang Xia wasn’t a saint. Offering shelter for a week was already generous. One couldn’t expect him to feed a whole group on his own—it would be overwhelming.

“Bai Xing, take them back to where you were before. When we finish clearing the campus, we’ll take them with us.”

They’d only just started today; it couldn’t end so hastily. Figuring out how to bring them back later would be troublesome enough.

Soon after, Bai Xing returned alone, her face full of grievance as she looked at Fang Xia.

“All right, I won’t scold you anymore. Collect more upgrade crystals today—consider it payment for the trouble you caused me.”

Bai Xing’s little schemes were transparent to Fang Xia; he could hear her inner calculations clearly.

In the battles that followed, Bai Xing was relentless, fully unleashing her potential. Fang Xia became a bystander, munching on sunflower seeds and cheering her on.

Seeing Bai Xing’s delighted expression, Fang Xia knew the harvest was abundant.

As expected, after this round, they’d killed thirty-four zombies, and she’d found six first-tier upgrade crystals—her chances were four or five times higher than Fang Xia’s.

“Brother Fang, with these six, we now have one hundred and two first-tier upgrade crystals, right?”

After more than five hours of battle, the zombies at the Normal University had been mostly cleared, and their cache of upgrade crystals finally surpassed a hundred. Yet, not a single supply drop box had appeared.

“Brother Fang, upgrade yourself. I’ll keep watch.”

A hundred upgrade crystals could raise one to the second tier. Fang Xia had told Bai Xing this already. If they wanted to bring those female students safely back to the hotel, reaching the second tier was necessary.

Fang Xia didn’t hesitate. Strengthening himself was the most important thing.

Without delay, he took out a hundred upgrade crystals and placed them together, sparkling and beautiful.

Bai Xing vigilantly scanned the surroundings. Although the campus had been cleared, in the apocalypse, the most terrifying thing wasn’t zombies—it was people.

Second tier.

In his previous life, how long had it taken him to reach second tier? Two years, perhaps? Now, from the first day of the apocalypse, it had only been ten days.

Fang Xia couldn’t help but sigh—this was how the apocalypse worked: survival of the fittest. The strong only grew stronger, while the weak faced elimination every day.

At second tier, all his attributes doubled again. Now, if he encountered a second-tier zombie, he would have no fear.

“Go gather everyone. I’ll wait for you at the campus gate.”