Zuo Feng didn’t know that shortly after he left, Yue Jiaxue and her sister knocked on his door; soon after the two sisters entered the house, a violent knocking sound suddenly rang out, and the chattering girls inside instantly fell silent, their eyes filled with vigilance. Yue Jiayu even fearfully Shrinking his neck.
“Open the door! I know there are people inside! Open the door for me, or I’ll break it down!”
Outside the door, a short, thin, and lecherous man was violently banging on the door of apartment 1302 with his hand, with two men standing behind him—one of medium build and the other round and fat.
The man knocking on the door was named Ban Gen, a locksmith who was almost thirty-two this year. Relying on his skill in picking locks, Liu Gen, who was alone before the apocalypse, lived a relatively comfortable life in the early days.
When he was in a good mood, he would post small advertisements for locksmith services in the hallway, drink some wine when he had nothing to do, and wait for people to call him for lock-picking. It was quite a carefree life.
However, as more and more locksmith companies appeared later, business became increasingly difficult to get. In addition, because there was little competition before, Liu Gen would always extort a little more money from customers each time he picked a lock.
No old customers were willing to find him again, so Liu Gen simply gave up this livelihood and went into a factory.
He now lives in the second unit next to Zuo Feng’s, in employee dormitories arranged by the factory.
It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout, but each room had to squeeze in four people, with a total of eight people living together, making the environment crowded and noisy.
When the apocalypse descended, there were only five people in the room: the three men currently standing outside Zuo Feng’s door, plus a refined young man named Dongzi and a strong man named Hai Huzi.
The arrival of the apocalypse plunged the five into unprecedented panic, especially the strongest, Hai Huzi, who developed a high fever and fell into a coma.
Fortunately, Hai Huzi woke up the next day and became exceptionally powerful—he had mutated!
Slaughtering zombies was as easy as slicing melons and dicing vegetables. This sudden power ignited hope in the desperate crowd.
Hai Huzi’s Mutant ability became the cornerstone of their survival in the apocalypse. Although the environment remained perilous, the hope of survival was tangible.
With Hai Huzi in charge, the group began to boldly collect supplies. Initially, they only honestly collected from unoccupied houses in the second unit, but the occupancy rate of the community was too low. After a day of work, they only collected a meager amount of food. The five realized that this efficiency was too low, and they had to improve it.
So, on the third day, they turned their attention to the still-inhabited households in the second unit, violently breaking in and forcibly seizing supplies.
Any resistors were instantly killed in the face of Hai Huzi’s absolute power as a Mutant.
That evening, the five, having harvested abundantly, gathered in the dormitory to count their spoils. Dongzi suddenly proposed that in chaotic times, heroes should emerge, and they should seize the opportunity to dominate the community and establish their own force. With the Mutant Hai Huzi in charge, they could fully form an Alliance, control the community, and then plan for expansion.
The five immediately agreed; this plan was brilliant! It was like building an empire in a movie. Once their power grew, they would be founding fathers!
Ultimately, Hai Huzi made the final decision, and the “Tiger King Alliance” was officially established!
There were still scattered survivors in the second unit, but they were all people they had plundered. If they tried to win them over again, who would genuinely join?
Therefore, their first step was to target the first unit where Zuo Feng lived.
However, ideals were grand, but reality was harsh.
On the fourth day, when they started to win over survivors in the first unit, they found an elderly couple in their seventies or eighties on the first floor.
What use would people of such an age be in the Tiger King Alliance? For retirement?
Ultimately, under the pretext that “the Tiger King Alliance is responsible for clearing nearby zombies,” they forcibly took half of the old couple’s food and water.
Taking only half was not a sign of conscience, but rather that since the Alliance was established, rules must be established.
Last night, Dongzi had already drafted regulations: all who joined the Alliance must contribute a portion of supplies, which would be uniformly collected, distributed, and managed by Dongzi. Afterward, they would receive the Alliance’s “protection” but must obey the Alliance.
Dongzi, being refined and the only college student in the factory, naturally became the Alliance’s strategist, responsible for formulating policies and rules. With him managing and distributing supplies, everyone naturally had no objections.
As for those who didn't join, they could pay half of their supplies as protection fees. The Tiger King Alliance couldn't clear zombies while others reaped the benefits, right? The five all felt that it was reasonable for non-members to hand over half of their supplies.
As for how to ensure that it was exactly half of the supplies and that no one was hoarding, the Tiger King Alliance would naturally conduct personal searches. And then, how to ensure there wasn't too much or too little taken? The educated Dongzi added another clause—all interpretation rights belonged to the Tiger King Alliance.
When the five swept to the fourth floor, they encountered a beautiful young lady. When the young lady heard that they had formed an Alliance, she actually cooperated by opening the door and inviting them in!
Upon entering, Hai Huzi immediately became lustful at the sight of the beautiful young lady. He had already decided in his heart that he would make the young lady his Alliance Leader’s wife.
But they didn’t expect that the young lady, who was initially cooperative, suddenly turned hostile for some reason, not only refusing all demands but also wanting to expel them. Hai Huzi was furious, intending to commit violence on the spot, but he never expected that the beautiful young lady would pull out a gun!
Even though Hai Huzi was a Mutant, he couldn't withstand a gun, so the helpless Hai Huzi could only retreat.
Fortunately, directly opposite the young lady lived a newlywed couple, and the couple’s looks were completely on par with the young lady’s, both possessing campus belle-level beauty.
Hai Huzi, consumed by lust, immediately shifted his target and forcibly broke into the young couple’s home.
The husband had long since shrunk into a corner, terrified and daring not to resist. How could the delicate wife be a match for Hai Huzi? Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Hai Huzi assaulted the woman right in front of the Tiger King Alliance members and her husband.
Afterward, Hai Huzi was satisfied, and Dongzi immediately announced: from now on, beautiful women also count as supplies!
This delighted Ban Gen and the other two, as it meant that in the future, if they seized beautiful women, they would also get a share!
Dongzi’s decision made the three even more diligent, sweeping from the first floor to the twelfth floor in just one day.
Unexpectedly, the twelfth floor had an ancestral hall, and Hai Huzi found it unlucky. Plus, as dusk was falling, he gave up on continuing the search.
In reality, Hai Huzi had become aroused again and was eager to return and continue his enjoyment. Moreover, they had found an even more stunning woman in this unit!
Last night, Hai Huzi made too much noise, and Ban Gen and the others didn’t sleep well. They woke up a bit late today, and they ultimately didn’t encounter the even more beautiful woman they had collected later; she was reserved by Hai Huzi. Although Ban Gen and the others were dissatisfied, they could only swallow their anger.
Only the three of them came out today. Hai Huzi was still at the base messing with the young couple’s woman, and Dongzi was at the base counting and organizing supplies. Liu Gen and the two others rushed out first, planning that if they encountered another beauty, they could act first and report later!
Because they had swept all 12 floors below yesterday, the three went directly up to the 13th floor, ready to start their sweep, which led to the scene at the beginning, knocking on Zuo Feng’s door.
“What do you want? Let me tell you, my man has a bad temper, and I advise you to leave quickly. You’re not welcome here!”
Hearing that they intended to break down the door, Yun Qianqian forced herself to remain calm and shouted; her man really did have a bad temper, it’s just that he wasn’t home.
Yue Jiaxue, hearing about the door-breaking, had already strung her arrow, aiming it at the door and poised to strike. If the other party dared to break in, she would surely kill the enemy with one arrow. Yue Jiayu, on the other hand, was curled up in a ball, terrified.
However, the seductive voice from inside the room not only failed to make Ban Gen leave but instead made him tremble with excitement—this was the voice of the Fruit Store Owner from the street! That ultimate beauty he had dreamed of countless times!
A fervent glint flashed in Ban Gen’s eyes. He looked back at the two men behind him, seeing the same greed swirling in their eyes, and knew they also recognized the owner of the voice. Their gazes met, instantly reaching an unspoken consensus: to share this woman!
“Don’t be afraid, we are members of the Tiger King Alliance, recruiting survivors. You can join us, and we will provide you with shelter!”
Ban Gen tried to make his voice sound gentle. This door had to open today, whether they liked it or not! But if he could trick them into opening it, why bother with violent forced entry?
“You leave. My man can protect me; we don’t need you!”
Yun Qianqian was not foolish; she knew her fatal allure to men. In the apocalypse, falling into the hands of others often meant becoming a plaything.
Hearing this, a hint of urgency flashed in Ban Gen’s eyes. He gave a look to the two behind him, signaling that he was about to pick the lock.
“You don’t have to join, but we’ve cleared all the zombies outside, so you’re safe. You can’t just enjoy the benefits, right? Our Tiger King Alliance has rules: if you don’t join, you hand over half of your supplies. Open the door, and we’ll take half the supplies, and we’ll regularly clear the surrounding zombies from now on!”
As he spoke, Ban Gen had already taken out his tools and began to pick the lock.
“No need! I told you my man will protect me! My man also kills zombies; we don’t need you. Please leave quickly!”
Yun Qianqian was secretly anxious. She had already heard that the people outside didn’t seem to intend to give up, but her Xiao Nan Ren wasn’t home right now.
Anxious, Yun Qianqian didn’t notice that golden light had already colored the pupils of Yue Jiaxue, who was holding a bow and arrow.
Ban Gen’s lock-picking skills were indeed professional, especially knowing that the ultimate beauty was behind the door. Ban Gen felt that at this moment, his lock-picking skills had reached their peak, and the lock in his hand was easily picked open like a toy.
“Clang!”
Ban Gen kicked open the door violently. The fat man and the medium-built man, hiding by the door, instantly rushed in, their eyes filled with greed and possessiveness.
With a “whoosh,” a golden flash streaked past, and the bodies of Ban Gen and his two companions stiffened. Ban Gen’s scalp tingled; that golden shadow had flown past right next to his scalp! The medium-built man, who had rushed in first, was now clutching his throat and falling straight to the ground, blood gushing out, his eyes filled with shock.
“Gulp”
Stiffly swallowing his saliva, an unprecedented panic surged in Ban Gen’s heart. He twisted his head with difficulty to look, finally seeing what that golden shadow that had flown past his scalp was: an arrow. That arrow was now stuck in the doorframe of 1304 behind him, its fletching still trembling slightly.
Looking back into the room, the fat man had already collapsed to the ground, having wet his pants in fear, his face ashen, his lips trembling uncontrollably.
With just one glance, Liu Gen was stunned. Of course, Liu Gen knew the Fruit Store Owner; it was just that the Owner didn’t know him. How many men in this community didn’t know this beauty?
The key was that there was also a pair of twins next to her whose beauty was completely on par with the Owner’s!
At this moment, one of the twins was holding a bow and arrow aimed at him. Clearly, that golden shadow just now was a shot arrow. That girl was too ruthless; an arrow through the throat!
Especially the girl’s golden pupils. With just one look, Liu Gen’s legs went weak. Hai Huzi’s eyes also changed color after mutating, though the color was different. This girl might be the same type of person as Hai Huzi! He couldn’t afford to provoke her!
A chill ran through Ban Gen’s heart. He hastily raised his hands and said tremblingly, “No, no, no, we’re leaving right now! Our Tiger King Alliance leader is also a Mutant; there’s no need to make things too difficult.”
Liu Gen’s soul was almost scared out of him. At this moment, he had no mind to think about any beauties or exquisite twin girls. Saving his life was paramount! Didn’t he see that one person was already dead on the ground? This girl killed without batting an eye!
“Get out!” Yue Jiaxue was not a bloodthirsty person after all. She had already killed one, and having taken a life for the first time, though she held the bow and arrow, she could not muster the courage to kill a second time. After all, that was a living person!
“So-sorry, we disturbed you.”
Ban Gen was as if granted a great pardon. He didn’t even bother with the fat man who had collapsed on the ground, scrambling and crawling away directly. The fat man also shakily got up, not daring to even look at his companion’s corpse on the ground, and fled in disarray. Yue Jiaxue watched their frantic backs, her mood complex, and the bow and arrow in her hand slightly lowered.