Chapter 45: Absurdity and the End

In the bedroom.

Half-awake, Li Changsheng sensed a leg draped across his right hip, occasionally sliding, as if teasing him.

He couldn’t resist giving it a gentle squeeze—plump and silky smooth.

Such a familiar feeling. It was Amy’s leg.

But something seemed off…

Li Changsheng opened his eyes and turned his head to the right.

There, like a statue of flawless jade, a woman lounged languidly on her side, every inch of her body unshielded by a single thread.

Was he dreaming?

He shut his eyes again, but suddenly his body tensed.

Something soft pressed insistently against his left arm.

He turned his head stiffly—again, that pale, flawless skin, exposed without shame.

Wait, that was Beth.

Oh, it was Beth.

At last, Li Changsheng recalled the wildness of the night before.

Why had he drunk so much?

What would happen when they woke? Would the world come to an end?

Trying not to make a sound, he gently supported the thigh beneath him, attempting to slide it off, but an unyielding obstacle blocked his way.

He drew a deep breath, cautiously trying to pull his left arm free, but Beth clung to him too tightly.

Once again, he was assaulted by that indescribable softness.

Li Changsheng froze, his expression a picture of helpless defeat.

Forget it.

Whether the world ended or not, he was certainly doomed.

Hmm…

Beth let out a soft murmur, twisting her body.

Why did she feel so exhausted…

She rubbed her eyes, squinting in confusion.

Where was she?

Wait, where were her clothes…

Boss…

Beth lifted her head.

She saw Li Changsheng blinking at her, holding a finger to his lips as if asking her to keep quiet.

Why?

Her gaze flicked to the side.

“Amy?”

Beth’s face went pale, then crimson, finally settling into a flush of shame and anger.

“Boss!”

Her shriek never made it out; Li Changsheng pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Beth’s small hands dug mercilessly into his side.

Li Changsheng simply ignored her struggles, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

And so, the two of them, right beside Amy, melted together like water and milk.

It wasn’t long before Beth’s eyes glistened with mist, her resistance crumbling, and she gradually began to respond.

Amy, at some point, had awakened, staring in bewilderment at the scene before her.

“Sorry to intrude,” she muttered, stiffly turning away and trying to leave, but Li Changsheng caught her hand and pulled her back.

He had made mistakes, but surely he could make amends if he worked twice as hard…

…

“Amy, where did you go?” Andrea’s voice crackled from the walkie-talkie.

Andrea had gone looking for Amy early that morning, only to find her dormitory empty.

Amy’s voice, slightly hoarse, replied, “Beth and I are helping the mayor with administrative work today. We’ll be taking the day off. Could you watch over the task hall for me, Andrea? And let Maggie and the others know too.”

“So early? Amy, take care of yourself, don’t overwork.”

“It’s fine, Andrea. That’s all, I’ll hang up now!”

At that moment, Amy and Beth were lying side by side on the bed, the white duvet pulled up to their chins.

As for Li Changsheng, he had long since been kicked out and was now showering in the bathroom.

The two women exchanged a glance, then turned away in awkward silence.

Beth buried her head beneath the covers, saying nothing.

Amy’s cheeks were still flushed; though she had drunk a lot the night before, not a single memory had been lost.

She remembered every moment of last night’s madness.

And the wildness of the morning, too.

She could hardly believe that one of the women caught up in that abandon had been herself.

…

When Beth had first arrived, they’d agreed to coexist peacefully for the duration of the apocalypse.

After all, there weren’t many men left, and who knew when they’d next meet someone they truly liked.

But she had never imagined she and Beth would wake up in the same bed.

Damn you, Boss!

…

After his shower, Li Changsheng came upstairs with breakfast to find the two women already dressed and washed, sitting close together on the sofa, deep in conversation about cosmetics in the post-cataclysm world.

The mercurial nature of women’s emotions left Li Changsheng dumbfounded.

He stood to the side, watching the two young women.

Seeing them get along so harmoniously, a deep sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

Noticing him still loitering there, Amy shot him a glare, pointed at the table, and commanded without a hint of courtesy, “Boss, put the breakfast on the coffee table and don’t bother Beth and me while we eat.”

Li Changsheng could only comply.

Beth stifled a giggle.

…

After breakfast, Li Changsheng took the opportunity to retaliate against Wichita.

The days that followed were much simpler.

During the day, he would sometimes go out on patrol, checking the area around the base for any special infected.

If he found any, he would lead a team to eliminate them.

Rick, Shawn, and the others weren’t to be outdone either. In their quest for control over the core area, they worked relentlessly to gather supplies and intelligence.

At first, Li Changsheng would accompany a squad on missions, worried about casualties.

But he soon saw that Rick, Shawn, Tara, Daryl, and the rest were all skilled fighters. As long as they didn’t run into massive hordes or particularly strong infected, they could take care of themselves.

This put his mind at ease.

In short order, every building within a kilometer of Civilized City had been swept clean. Vehicles or barbed-wire barricades had been set up at every intersection to keep out the undead.

Civilized City was finally beginning to resemble a true settlement.

Strangely enough, though Li Changsheng enjoyed his share of romantic fortune at night, he never again experienced the joys of sharing a bed with both women.

And so, a week passed.

…

One day, Li Changsheng returned from his usual patrol and headed to the outer yard of the base, only to find Rick, Shawn, and their group gathered around the radio.

The device was a makeshift affair, wires exposed as if freshly ripped from a car.

Every now and then, static crackled from the machine.

“Mayor, you’re just in time. We just picked up a broadcast from Rex Research Institute,” Rick said, rising as soon as he saw Li Changsheng approach.

“Rex Research Institute?” Li Changsheng was taken aback.

In the stories of his previous life, the only known organized group was the faction from The Last of Us, but they ruled with an iron fist.

Other worlds, like Left 4 Dead, had so-called rescue organizations that were simply machines for slaughtering civilians.

But what was this institute?

Rick spoke gravely, “A group calling itself Rex Research Institute broadcast a message. They’ve established an evacuation point in Florida and are calling all survivors to head there.”

Li Changsheng’s brow furrowed.

In this world, Florida lay south of Georgia, where Li Changsheng was based—a prominent peninsula jutting into the Atlantic.

“Where’s the nearest evacuation point? How far from the base?” he asked.

“About two hundred kilometers,” Rick replied, then added, “But we’re suspicious about the message. We’d never heard of this group before the cataclysm.”

“So what do you think?”

“There could be something wrong with this broadcast,” Rick said solemnly.

Li Changsheng nodded. “Keep monitoring. I’ll look into the authenticity of this broadcast myself.”

The Rex Research Institute’s evacuation point was only two hundred kilometers from Civilized City—just a few hours’ drive if the roads were clear.

If the institute had truly set up a base in Florida, he would have to stay alert.

After all, how could he sleep soundly while a rival power was so close at hand?

He had no intention of letting some foreign force set its sights on his flourishing city.