In the early morning, sunlight quietly spilled in through the window.
Xu Qian woke to see the bouquet of vibrant red roses. Her eyes lowered slightly, obscuring the sadness within.
She hadn't intended to get entangled, it was just a mission, not a real boyfriend, so there was no need to be so serious.
But a knot of frustration still lingered in her heart.
After washing up, she opened her door, and a wave of aroma greeted her.
Two exquisite breakfasts were laid out on the dining table.
"Ms. Xu, please dine."
The figure was tall and well-built, standing in the living room. He was dressed in clean white pants and a black shirt, but wore a pink little pig apron over it. With sharp eyes and well-defined brows, his features were handsome and refined, completely at odds with his usual aloof demeanor, creating a strangely humorous effect.
Xu Qian gritted her teeth and smiled, "You made this yourself?"
"Mm, try the taste."
Xu Qian knew Tang Zhiyuan was trying to appease her, so she played along, sat down, and began to eat. Though the taste was rather indescribable, she still ate it bite by bite.
The knot of anger in her heart finally dissolved.
Xu Qian's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she pondered, had she really started to fall for the first mission target? What about the subsequent six targets? But did she have a choice?
[Ding, Host, it is normal to develop feelings for a mission target. You only need to complete the mission.]
Tang Zhiyuan lowered his gaze. Her expression was as usual, making it impossible to tell if she was angry or not.
Last night, after Xu Qian had slammed the door and left, Tang Zhiyuan had intended to continue his discussion with Cross. However, his mind couldn't settle, and he ended up forcing himself to knock on flower shops one by one in the middle of the night to buy flowers.
Tang Zhiyuan's deep eyes fixed intently on Xu Qian, filled with caution and carefulness, "I'm sorry, I had a bad attitude last night. I'm not used to being disturbed when discussing work."
Xu Qian's heart fluttered. She lowered her eyes, "Then remember to let me know next time. I won't disturb you."
A smile spread across the man's eyes, "As you wish, Ms. Xu. Don't be angry after eating. Let's go swimming. You like it very much, don't you?"
"Mm!"
[Ding, Tang Zhiyuan's favorability +10, total favorability stable at 58. Condition 58 met, second mission target unlocked.]
[Name: Mei Yuebai]
[Age: 18]
[Height: 180 cm]
[Occupation: University Student]
[Character Profile: The unchallenged king of a prestigious university in B City, arrogant and self-important, the sole grandson of the most powerful figure in Country Z.]
Mei Yuebai would later become the leader of the largest base in the post-apocalyptic world. Xu Qian knew little about him. In her past life, she had spent years in the base in G City, while Mei Yuebai's base was in A City, a two-thousand-kilometer drive that would take at least three days, let alone in the apocalypse.
Xu Qian's expression darkened slightly. She couldn't afford to drag this out any longer. After favorability reached 40, it increased very slowly. It required something extraordinary to boost it, and she couldn't possibly pick fights with Tang Zhiyuan every day.
The weather in the morning was not as scorching as in the afternoon. The two lay on beach chairs, basking in the warm sunlight.
Xu Qian narrowed her eyes slightly. She needed to find an excuse to go into the water, and Tang Zhiyuan couldn't accompany her.
"Ring ring..."
Tang Zhiyuan's phone rang.
A glint flashed in Xu Qian's eyes. She gestured towards the sea, indicating she wanted to swim.
Tang Zhiyuan nodded. Xu Qian was a strong swimmer. Although F City was not a coastal city, she had been on the school swimming team in middle school and even competed for the school, which was why he felt at ease.
"Brother."
"Are you having fun?" the man's voice was particularly captivating, deep and magnetic.
Tang Zhiyuan tilted his jaw slightly, his voice cold, "What do you mean?"
"You spent two years in Country D. As soon as you returned, you went to F City. What do you think Mom and Dad will think?"
Tang Zhiyuan's expression turned grim, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
"Understood."
"Come back tomorrow! Beep beep beep..."
The call ended.
Tang Zhiyuan's lips curved into a sarcastic arc. Father, mother, brother, everyone in his family opposed his pursuit of scientific research. Regardless of his willingness, they forcibly kept him in S City to take over the business. He had fled to Country D for two years to fully dedicate himself to his passion. His return to China this time was at his mentor's request; otherwise, he would never have come back.
Here, there wasn't even an inch of breathing room.
Tang Zhiyuan sighed, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the sea for Xu Qian's figure.
However, she was nowhere to be seen on the water, and a sense of foreboding settled in his heart.
The moment Xu Qian saw Tang Zhiyuan hang up the phone, she took a deep breath, held it, and dove beneath the surface.
During her training days at school, she could hold her breath for up to five minutes.
She hoped Tang Zhiyuan could reach her in time to save her within five minutes.
The beach only became deep further inland. For her own safety, she found a spot that was neither too shallow nor too deep and descended to the bottom.
Upon reaching the seabed, she saw a pale blue hand nestled in the white sand.
Xu Qian's pupils widened. Just as she was about to swim closer to investigate,
A wave washed over, pushing her body forward and momentarily blinding her. When she opened her eyes again, the sand on the person had been blown away, revealing their entire body.
It was a middle-aged woman, her eyes a dull grey. Her body was intact, with no signs of bloating despite being submerged in water...
Xu Qian's eyelids twitched. The grey eyes indicated she was a zombie, and her head was still attached. Was this zombie still alive?
Could these zombies be controlled by someone?
Xu Qian's mind was filled with unanswered questions.
[System, do you know about this?]
[Ding, this disaster was indeed planned. For future missions, the system cannot provide further information at this time.]
[...]
The situation in the ocean was unpredictable, for example.
The sudden, massive wave.
"Cough, cough."
The instant the massive wave rolled in, water rushed into her nose and mouth. Amidst the gurgling sounds, she could only hear the frantic beating of her heart.
Everything around her seemed to shrink, as if a light were guiding her forward. The most beautiful moments of her life flashed through her mind: she saw her parents holding her hands, she holding Nian Nian, the four of them basking in warm sunlight; she saw her mother running to the hospital with her high fever; she saw her father pushing a swing, and herself flying towards the sky, holding onto the rope, and so on.
Xu Qian couldn't even tell if it was reality or a dream.
None of it seemed to matter anymore.