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

After crossing the cordon, I saw Qin Qian holding a black umbrella, pacing anxiously back and forth at the entrance of the mall.

Like an elderly father anxiously waiting outside the delivery room.

Qin Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the three figures.

"Comrade Loulan, are you alright?" Qin Qian strode up to her and looked Lou Fengyue up and down.

"No." Lou Fengyue's tone was as indifferent as if she were asking what to have for lunch. "The C-level zombies on the eighth floor and the D-level zombies in the backyard have been dealt with, and the crystal cores are mine. You can send someone to collect the crystal cores of the other zombies and distribute them to the ability users according to their contributions and levels."

"Okay." Qin Qian nodded hastily. "Then should we hold a debriefing meeting?"

Lou Fengyue glanced at the time; it was already 1:30 PM.

"Let's eat first and rest for a bit," she said. "We'll meet at seven in the evening."

"Alright." Qin Qian had no objections. No matter how many plans the command center had, nothing was more important than a single word from this ancestor. "I'll go inform them. You all go back and rest first."

Lou Fengyue nodded, then turned to look at Luo Zeyan, "We're going back. Go find your teammates."

"Okay, see you tonight."

Luo Zeyan stood there, watching the brother and sister leave arm in arm.

Just like countless times during high school.

The brother and sister walked side by side toward the residential area, sharing an umbrella.

Lou Yunzheng held the umbrella handle in one hand and had his other arm around his sister's shoulder, his eyes full of teasing: "Luo Zeyan even went up to find you after finishing his mission, nothing special happened, right?"

The twins were born just minutes apart, sharing the same umbilical cord, and never kept any secrets from each other.

When her brother asked her this, Lou Fengyue carefully recalled the events and whispered, "That C-level zombie ripped my clothes, leaving me completely naked. Luo Zeyan covered my eyes and said that his physique was better than the zombie's, and made me look at his."

Lou Yunzheng burst out laughing after hearing this, his shoulders shaking with laughter, and raindrops cascaded down the edge of the umbrella.

"What are you laughing at?" Lou Fengyue gave him a disgruntled look.

He was the one who was supposed to ask the question, but she did, and then he inexplicably laughed.

She waved her hand dismissively and said casually, "I didn't know men were so competitive, they even compete with zombies."

"He's jealous." Lou Yunzheng glanced at his silly sister, his eyes full of helplessness. "He's even jealous of a zombie, which can only mean he likes you too much."

Lou Fengyue's ears suddenly turned red. She glared at her brother, but her voice was soft, almost like a spoiled child: "What nonsense are you talking about... It's only been a few days since I reunited with him?"

Lou Yunzheng raised an eyebrow, leaned close to his sister's ear, and whispered in a low, almost coaxing voice, "Do you think it's possible that he had a crush on you in high school?"

Lou Fengyue jumped two meters away in an instant, unconsciously raising her voice: "How is that possible!"

Lou Yunzheng smiled and pulled her back under the umbrella: "I don't know if he likes you or not, but you definitely still like him."

Lou Fengyue rolled her eyes. "So what? It's the end of the world, are you expecting me to go crazy and confess my feelings to him?"

"Why not?" Lou Yunzheng said confidently. "He's quite capable and won't hold you back. Besides, he seems to care about you a lot. If you encounter danger in the future, he'll probably be the one to rush in front of you."

"No." Lou Fengyue's voice was muffled, her refusal decisive. "My liking for him is a subjective factor, whether he is trustworthy is an objective factor. I've seen too many couples stabbing each other in the back over a piece of bread. In the apocalypse, having another close person means having another vulnerability."

Lou Fengyue paused at this point and took a deep breath.

"I can't bear any more weight."

Lou Yunzheng pursed his lips, raised his hand and rubbed the back of his sister's head, without saying anything more.

As soon as they entered the house, the brother and sister were captivated by the aroma of meat.

Lou Fengyue was changing her shoes in the entryway when she peeked into the kitchen. "Mom, what's for lunch? It smells so good!"

"The braised pork is almost overcooked." Pan Quan ladled the hot braised pork from the pot and placed it on the table. "Your dad and I are hungry, so we'll eat first. We've saved some food for you two. Go wash your hands."

"Okay." Lou Fengyue slipped on her slippers and ran into the bathroom to wash her hands and face.

I sat down at the dining table, took the bowl and chopsticks from my mother, and started shoveling food into my mouth.

Lou Yunzheng also washed his hands and sat opposite his sister. Seeing her eating like a starving ghost, he sighed.

"You eat so much at every meal, how come you haven't gained the weight back?"

Pan Quan slapped him on the back of the head, not hard, but it still made him nod. "Your sister is out all the time, burning so much energy. One bowl of rice isn't enough. She should eat three bowls to gain weight."

Lou Yunzheng pouted, feigning grievance, "Mom, she's the biological daughter, and I'm the freebie that got you a freebie, right?"

"Yes," Pan Quan replied with a smile, sitting down on the sofa. "If you hadn't run so fast, I wouldn't have wanted it."

Lou Fengyue's mouth was stuffed full of rice, making it look like a steamed bun. She covered her mouth and smiled, her eyes crinkling.

After the meal, Lou Fengyue wanted to help wash the dishes, but Pan Quan chased her out of the kitchen and told her to quickly take a hot shower and change into dry clothes.

The brother and sister took turns showering and then sprawled on the living room sofa like old men, while an old movie from many years ago played on the TV.

The sound of rain hitting the windowpane was pattering, yet it made the indoor space feel quiet and peaceful.

After watching for a while, my eyelids started to droop, and I fell asleep soon after.

Pan Quan glanced at the brother and sister who were fast asleep leaning against each other and couldn't help but smile.

I remember when they were little, they were inseparable. They would often fall asleep on the sofa when they were tired from playing, and they would always have to be next to each other.

I tried a few times to carry them back to their room while they were fast asleep.

As soon as I picked up my daughter, before she even opened her eyes, she reached out and grabbed something, then burst into tears.

Then my son started crying too, even in his sleep.

Pan Quan used to not believe in the idea that twins of different sexes could have a telepathic connection, but later she had no choice but to believe it.

Pan Quan went into the bedroom, took out a blanket, and gently covered the two children with it.

Then I sat on the windowsill, gazing at the rain outside, and sighed inwardly.

The world has changed, and the two kids are fighting and killing each other every day, but luckily they have each other's company and support each other, so they can always get through it.

The rain didn't last long; by 5 p.m., when Lou Fengyue woke up, the rain had already stopped.

The city was damp, and a humid wind blew in through the windows, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible sour smell.

The smell was all too familiar; she had smelled it countless times in the game of natural disasters. It was a smell mixed with the virus. Lou Fengyue immediately went to close the windows tightly.

Lou Qingjian came out of the master bedroom and saw her closing the window. He asked in confusion, "Yueyue, why did you close the window? Open it to let in some fresh air."

"poisonous."

Lou Fengyue simply said two words, and Lou Qingjian immediately turned around and went back to his room, closing the window he had just opened.

-

Next door, 3702.

Luo Zeyan sat on the sofa, staring at his phone.

The wallpaper is a family photo of three people, with a traditional-style pavilion in the background.

This photo was taken during a trip with my parents last National Day holiday.

The woman looked young, no more than forty years old, with curved eyebrows and gentle features.

The man was tall and thin, with dark skin and muscular arms honed from years of heavy labor.

Her face shape and features are clearly identical to Luo Zeyan's.

Luo Zeyan stroked the screen and sighed inwardly.

The last time we made a phone call was when the rain stopped; after that, my phone was always switched off.

They said everything was fine and he didn't need to worry.

But my parents always report good news and never bad news, so I don't know how they are doing now, or if there's any food left at home.

Or... is that old neighborhood safe? Have any zombies gotten in?

When Li Yichen came out of the bathroom, he saw him sitting on the sofa in a daze.

When her gaze fell on the group photo on her phone screen, her eyes couldn't help but dim slightly.

"Zeyan, is there any way to go back?"

He was also worried about his parents, wondering if they were doing well in Yulin City.

Luo Zeyan turned off the screen, remained silent for a few seconds, and said, "The day after tomorrow, borrow a car from Qin Qian."