Seeing Ji Qingyan's ears turn red again, he couldn't help himself. He reached out with both hands and pinched and kneaded her cheeks. They were smooth and soft, and touching them felt wonderful.
Ji Qingyan fell silent for a moment. Her cheeks went from pink to red, then bright red. Her eyes widened, her lashes fluttered, and her lips parted, but she couldn't form a complete sentence.
"W-what... what are you doing..."
Seeing her embarrassed and annoyed expression, Gu Jinfeng unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together again, unable to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
He only stopped when Ji Qingyan looked ready to explode.
One hand rose and covered Ji Qingyan's eyes. The pressure of his palm was just right, completely covering her eyes, which were filled with embarrassment and anger.
"The situation outside is unclear," Gu Jinfeng said in a low voice, his breath brushing Ji Qingyan's forehead. "Let me check what's happening outside. Keep your eyes closed for now."
As soon as he finished speaking, a thought flashed through his mind.
A moment later, the greenery outside the window receded like a falling tide, replaced by the dim, shabby interior of the antique shop.
The broken wooden frames, overturned tables, and scattered splinters on the floor made it seem as though he were still standing in the same place as before stepping into that space, with the chaos before his eyes so vivid and lifelike.
With a mere thought, he could shift his perspective however he pleased, displaying a clear view of the shop from every angle. Even movement in the distance could be seen clearly.
Gu Jinfeng's eyes gleamed with amazement. This was comparable to an all-weather radar system, combining detection, risk avoidance, and reconnaissance in a single device, making it far more practical than any external equipment.
In the dangerous circumstances of the apocalypse, this was an irreplaceable life-saving trump card.
"A-Yan," Gu Jinfeng said, his voice low and carrying a rare hint of emotion, tinged with surprise. "We're still inside the antique shop. There are no zombies outside. Try using your mental power to observe the area around the shop."
He paused for a moment.
"This place really is paradise!"
Ji Qingyan brushed Gu Jinfeng's hand aside and looked out the window at will. Wherever she wanted to look, her gaze landed on the exact object with perfect clarity, without a blind spot across the full 360-degree radius.
She pursed her lips, her heart churning with the tumult of her emotions.
This was outrageous!
The shop was now completely empty. Not a single zombie could be seen—only scattered splinters and the mess covering the floor.
Outside the shattered window, several zombies lay scattered about, their limbs stiff and sluggish as they wandered aimlessly through the streets and alleys. They no longer displayed the savage fury of their rampage the night before.
As the thick darkness slowly receded, a dim, pale light appeared on the distant horizon. It pierced the heavy clouds and illuminated the ruined streets and alleys. The long, harrowing night of the apocalypse had finally brought the dawn.
"Hey, the rain's stopped!"
Ji Qingyan spoke softly, and the two exchanged a look.
I don't know whether the appearance of the Dao was a coincidence or something else. But there was no need to dwell on things we couldn't understand. The rain had stopped, and that was good news.
After confirming that the outside world was temporarily safe, Ji Qingyan and Gu Jinfeng exchanged another look.
Ji Qingyan said nothing, but Gu Jinfeng could clearly read the slight nervousness, the hint of dependence, and the fierce refusal to say, "I'm ready," in her eyes.
Gu Jinfeng asked no questions. He simply extended his hand, fingers spread and palm facing up.
"A-Yan, come here."
Just one sentence.
Low and brief, like an unquestionable command—or a gentle invitation.
Ji Qingyan lowered her eyes and stared at that hand. His knuckles were sharply defined, and his fingertips bore thin calluses. Though dry, the hand was still strong.
She drew a deep breath and placed her hand on his.
When Gu Jinfeng closed his fist, the warmth in his palm flowed like a gentle current into Ji Qingyan's hand and all the way to her heart.
Gu Jinfeng focused his mind and activated his will. The next second, the two figures inside the personal space suddenly vanished.
When they landed again, they stood upright in the same place where they had been when they entered the space. The surroundings were still a wreck, filled with debris from the previous night's battle, and the stench of decay still hung thick in the air.
Nothing had changed.
Gu Jinfeng released her hand, but he did not let go completely. Instead, he slid his hand slightly upward and grasped her wrist.
The pressure had to be just right—not too loose or too tight, so her pulse could still be felt.
"Stay close to me." He glanced at Ji Qingyan, his gaze as calm as a deep pool, undisturbed yet reassuring.
Ji Qingyan nodded and did not pull away.
The two of them walked out of the shop, moved along the wall, and headed toward the corridor.
Ji Qingyan kept scanning her surroundings from the corner of her eye—the mottled walls, the half-rolled-up windows, the overturned trash cans by the roadside. Everything was quiet. Too quiet.
Gu Jinfeng's footsteps were so light they were almost inaudible.
Ji Qingyan followed behind him, doing her best to imitate his steps, but every so often the sole of her shoe still stepped on broken glass, producing a soft, crisp crunch.
Whenever a phone rang, her heart would jolt, and Gu Jinfeng's fingers around her wrist would tighten slightly, as if saying: It's okay.
As soon as they stepped out of the alley, the view suddenly opened up.
Across the street was a two-way road with several cars parked haphazardly, their doors hanging wide open. Suitcases and several overturned strollers were scattered along the roadside, creating a chaotic scene, as though someone had fled the area in a hurry.
Yet there was no one there.
There were no zombies, either.
Ji Qingyan stared at the empty car windows for several seconds as a chill traveled down her spine.
This silence was more unsettling than any commotion, like the calm before a storm.
"Look over there." Gu Jinfeng lifted his chin and pointed toward the end of the road.
Ji Qingyan looked where he was pointing. About three hundred meters away, a blue sign with white letters stood by the roadside against a blue background. The letters were somewhat crooked, but still legible: "Supermarket Jiajiafu."
Ji Qingyan's eyes lit up.
"Let's check the supermarket first," Gu Jinfeng said in a low voice, pulling Ji Qingyan along the storefront awnings while remaining alert the entire time.
When they reached the supermarket entrance, Ji Qingyan's heart began pounding again.
One of the glass doors had been shattered, with fragments scattered across the floor. Inside was pitch-black, the shelves tilted haphazardly, and several emergency lights cast a faint green glow, making the entire place resemble an underwater world.
Gu Jinfeng released her wrist and drew a dagger from his waist. Ji Qingyan hadn't even seen where he had pulled it from.
He leaned against the doorframe, glanced inside, then gestured for Ji Qingyan to "stay close."
They crouched down and crawled inside one after the other.
The supermarket was not large, roughly the size of a neighborhood grocery store.
Most of the shelves had already been emptied. The biscuit and instant-noodle sections were bare, and only a few bottles of mineral water remained scattered in the drinks section.
Ji Qingyan did not panic. She quickly walked behind the register and opened a cabinet. Inside lay several unopened packages of dry biscuits, two chocolate bars, and a box of adhesive bandages. Without saying a word, she stored everything in her personal space.
Gu Jinfeng called softly from inside the supermarket. "Over here."
Ji Qingyan walked around to take a look and found that it was a storeroom.
The door was slightly ajar, revealing dozens of cardboard boxes piled inside beneath a thin layer of dust.
She crouched down and opened one. Inside were cans of braised pork, still more than half a year away from their expiration date.
The other boxes were labeled self-heating rice, instant noodles, and various snacks. Two rows of bottled mineral water were stacked against the wall.
Ji Qingyan almost burst out laughing. With a single thought, the canned food and instant rice vanished one after another.
Gu Jinfeng stood behind her, his gaze fixed on the doorway like a silent wall.
When she had collected roughly two-thirds of the supplies, Gu Jinfeng suddenly raised his hand.
Ji Qingyan immediately stopped what she was doing and held her breath.