You say the cataclysm only comes after you've cleared the entire dungeon?

Lou Yunzheng went out the door, and the corridor was so quiet that only the sound of his own footsteps could be heard.

The door to 3702 wasn't locked. He pushed it open and went inside. There were no lights in the living room, only light coming in from the window.

Shen Xiaoshuang curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her eyes red, as if she had just been crying.

"You've come." Her voice was muffled and nasal.

Lou Yunzheng sat down on the edge of the bed and placed the bag of crystal cores on the bedside table. "I brought you something."

Shen Xiaoshuang glanced at the cloth bag, not asking what it was, but simply moved closer to Lou Yunzheng, leaning on his shoulder. "Is it chaotic outside? I heard gunshots, they keep going... I'm so scared."

"It's alright now." Lou Yunzheng patted her shoulder. "The authorities are clearing out the zombies. This area has been designated as a safe zone, and no more zombies will come in."

Shen Xiaoshuang was taken aback for a moment, then looked up at him. "Safe zone? Does that mean we don't have to leave? Can I stay here indefinitely?"

Lou Yunzheng did not answer the question.

He took three crystal cores out of his bag and placed them in her palm. "These are crystal cores. They can help you enhance your abilities. Try mobilizing the energy within your body to stimulate them, and you'll be able to absorb them."

Shen Xiaoshuang looked down at the three pale pink crystals in her palm, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "How do I activate them?"

"Like when you have a fever, that chaotic energy surging through your body. Try channeling it into your hands."

Shen Xiaoshuang closed her eyes, her brows furrowed, as if she were straining.

After a while, the crystal core in her palm glowed slightly, then turned into a pinch of powder.

"I did it?" She opened her eyes, a hint of surprise in them.

"Okay." Lou Yunzheng nodded. "Absorb the remaining two tomorrow. Your body can't handle too many at once."

Shen Xiaoshuang clutched the remaining crystal cores in her hand, then suddenly reached out and hugged Lou Yunzheng's waist. "Yunzheng, you're so good to me. I won't argue with you anymore, and I won't quarrel with your sister either. Let's live a good life together, okay?"

Lou Yunzheng's hand hovered in mid-air for a moment before finally landing on her back, patting her gently. "Rest first. Someone from the authorities might come to register your information tomorrow."

"Register for what?"

"Survivor information. You have superpowers, and the authorities may recruit you into their superpowered squad."

Shen Xiaoshuang lifted her head from his embrace, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. "Are you going to hand me over to the authorities?"

Lou Yunzheng's voice was calm: "The safe zone has been established, and everyone will be under unified management. Since you are not a native, the authorities may arrange for you to live in another place."

"I don't want to!" Shen Xiaoshuang sat up abruptly, tears streaming down her face again. "I can't do anything! I don't want to go to the authorities! Talk to your sister and ask her to let me move back in, okay? I promise I'll never go into her room again, I'll do whatever she says—"

"Xiaoshuang." Lou Yunzheng interrupted her, his tone not harsh, but carrying an indescribable weariness, "Yueyue said before that she would send you away once the safe zone was built. Now that the safe zone is built, you will obey the official allocation, which was agreed upon in the first place."

Shen Xiaoshuang's lips trembled: "What do you mean by 'agreed'? When was it agreed upon? When you brought me here, you already planned to abandon me, didn't you?!"

Lou Yunzheng sighed wearily, stood up, and placed the bag of crystal cores on the tea table. "Keep these crystal cores for yourself. When the officials come tomorrow, talk to them properly, and they will make the arrangements."

He turned and walked towards the door.

"Lou Yunzheng!" Shen Xiaoshuang called out from behind, her voice trembling with tears, "Don't you want me anymore?"

Lou Yunzheng's hand stopped on the doorknob, and he remained silent for a few seconds.

"I can't be by your side 24/7 to take care of your emotions and ensure your safety. Your joining the official team is the best outcome."

The door opened, then closed again.

Lou Yunzheng stood at the door, closed his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and turned to push open the steel door of 3703.

The two elderly people were sitting on the sofa watching TV. When they heard the sound, they turned their heads and glanced at him through the openwork screen cabinet.

Without asking or saying anything, he turned back and continued watching TV.

Lou Yunzheng locked the door, changed his shoes, and went straight into the study.

Lou Fengyue was tinkering with the computer in the study, downloading TV dramas and variety shows for her parents.

It seems there was a city-wide power outage, so everyone was unable to use electronic devices, and the internet speed was incredibly fast.

In two days, using two computers simultaneously, six TV series and three variety shows have been downloaded.

Lou Fengyue clicked the mouse a few times to continue downloading the new file.

When her brother returned, she didn't ask anything, and just casually said, "The computer is downloading something, don't turn it off, I'm going to take a nap."

"Okay." Lou Yunzheng smiled, but it wasn't a very nice smile.

Lou Fengyue glanced at him, sighed inwardly, left the study, and closed the door behind her.

Pan Quan quickly waved to her and called her over.

"Yueyue," Pan Quan pulled Lou Fengyue to sit down beside her and asked in a low voice, "How's your brother? Did he really break up with Shen Xiaoshuang?"

"Looks like they've broken up." Lou Fengyue took a cherry tomato from the fruit plate and popped it into her mouth.

Lou Qingjian leaned closer and whispered, "That girl is all alone; she's quite pitiful. Aren't we being a bit too heartless?"

"She's pitiful, but what about my brother?" Lou Fengyue retorted, her tone full of resentment. "In the past, my brother was capable of earning money to support her, and she didn't do any work, so I didn't say anything."

"But this is the apocalypse, and you can't just earn money to support your family by typing on a keyboard. Every time I go out to find supplies, there's danger. She still doesn't do anything, relying on my brother to find food and then I have to serve her meals."

"My brother killed dozens of zombies that day, and her first reaction wasn't to ask if he was hurt; she immediately started complaining that he was dirty. Can someone like that be considered a partner? She's not even qualified to be a friend!"

Lou Fengyue grew angrier as she spoke, feeling that Shen Xiaoshuang had gone too far just by thinking about it.

In peacetime, it's okay to be a little demanding; after all, whose girl isn't a pampered darling raised in her family?

But in the apocalypse, true partners should be willing to work together to overcome difficulties. Even without superpowers, they can do what they can at home and support each other.

If Shen Xiaoshuang could do that, Lou Fengyue would definitely not kick her out, and might even genuinely treat her as a sister-in-law.

But Shen Xiaoshuang remained the same as before, not only making no contribution at all, but also failing to meet even the simple requirement of following the rules.

They are arrogant, selfish, and only know how to take without giving.

She can't do any housework and isn't willing to learn.

Being lazy is one thing, but they can't even provide the most basic emotional support.

I really don't know what Lou Yunzheng is after with this love-struck mind!

For someone like Shen Xiaoshuang who is completely incapable of taking care of herself, handing her over to the authorities is the best course of action.

Living in a safe zone, with supplies distributed to her, as long as she behaves herself and doesn't cause trouble, the state will be responsible for her personal safety.

But if Lou Yunzheng continues to take her along, he will undoubtedly harm her, harm himself, and drag the whole family down with him.

"Alright, let's go our separate ways from now on." Lou Fengyue didn't want to talk about things that were already settled, so she got up and went back to her room. "I'm going to take a nap. Call me when it's time for lunch."

The two elders exchanged a glance, then looked at their daughter's retreating figure.

Sigh—all because of Shen Xiaoshuang, the brother and sister are unhappy.

It's better to hand it over to the authorities; otherwise, if this troublemaker stays here, it will cause chaos in the family sooner or later.