# Prologue
After the apocalypse descended, people lost more than just their homes.
They also lost trust.
Hope.
And the courage to believe that tomorrow would still come.
Some people, just to stay alive, became the very kind of person they once hated most.
Some chose betrayal for a single bite of food.
Some lost themselves in the darkness.
And some never lived to see the dawn.
But.
There are always people willing to believe.
That this world is still worth saving.
Shen Zhixia was never a hero.
She was just an ordinary girl who loved bubble tea and dessert, and could never resist stopping whenever she saw a stray puppy.
Her greatest wish wasn't to become the strongest.
It was simply to eat a hot meal today.
And for everyone to still be safe tomorrow.
If possible.
She'd also like a cup of brown sugar boba milk.
Lu Chenyuan was different.
He was the Thunder Emperor—the name on every survivor's lips.
The strongest superpowered person in the apocalypse.
The man who stood at the very front of humanity, facing countless zombies and the darkness alone.
He had long since grown used to ending everything with thunder.
He had also long since forgotten what tenderness was.
Until the day.
He brought home a girl who was always smiling, always getting into trouble, yet still willing to believe in the world.
From that moment on.
The cold thunder finally had someone it wanted to protect.
And the little girl who always loved holding bubble tea grew, step by step, into the hope that lit up the apocalypse.
This is not a story about one person saving the world.
It's about someone willing to protect hope.
And someone willing to protect the person who guarded that hope.
When darkness swallows the earth.
When despair blankets the sky.
A bolt of thunder will always tear through the endless night.
And there will always be a wish.
Quietly changing the world.
May everyone who walks into this story.
At the end of the apocalypse, find the light that belongs to them.
# Initial Main Characters and Basic Information “Updated as the Story Progresses”
## Shen Zhixia
> **“If I get to drink bubble tea today, then it's a very happy day.”**
**Name:** Shen Zhixia
**Gender:** Female
**Age:** 22
**Height:** 162 centimeters
**Birthday:** May 20
**Identity:** Ordinary college student / apocalypse survivor
**Superpower:** 【Wish Fulfillment (Wish)】 (special-type)
# Appearance
Shen Zhixia had a clean, gentle first-love kind of face.
Her skin was fair and delicate, her features refined and soft. Her petite, palm-sized face set off a pair of bright, watery almond eyes. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved slightly, shining as though filled with starlight.
Her smooth chestnut-brown hair fell to her waist. She usually wore it in a low ponytail or a loose bun, with a few wisps falling against her cheeks, making her look both lazy and cute.
She was petite and slender, with no hint of aggression. In a crowd, she looked like a high school student who hadn't graduated yet.
Even after the apocalypse, she still liked wearing clean, comfortable clothes.
She always wore a loose, comfortable hoodie with jeans and carried a snack-packed backpack.
Even in the apocalypse, she still did her best to keep herself neat and clean.
At first glance, she looked like nothing more than an ordinary girl who needed to be protected.
The male lead once judged her with a cold expression:
> “You don't look like you came to escape for your life. You look more like you came on a field trip.”
And she had merely replied with a giggle:
> “Life is hard enough already. My clothes should at least be comfortable.”
# Personality
Shen Zhixia's greatest defining trait was her **innocent, carefree nature.**
Even though the world had already been destroyed, she still retained her love of life.
It wasn't that she didn't know how cruel the apocalypse was.
She simply refused to let that cruelty change her.
She believed that as long as she was still alive today, she deserved to have a good meal.
She could always break into a satisfied smile over a cup of bubble tea, a slice of cake, or a bowl of steaming instant noodles.
She loved to smile and was easily moved.
She stopped whenever she saw a small animal.
Whenever she encountered a crying child, she couldn't help comforting them. Even if they were strangers, she was willing to lend a hand whenever she could.
She always treasured the simple little joys in her heart.
She didn't like fighting and hated killing.
Her greatest wish was to eat well and sleep well every day, and to stay alive with the people who mattered to her.
Every now and then, her superpower also led to some little incidents that left people laughing and crying at the same time.
## Superpower
**【Wish Fulfillment】**
An extremely special and rare superpower.
No one yet fully understood what it could do.
It looked insignificant, yet it always managed to create unexpected miracles at critical moments.
However, every miracle seemed to require paying some kind of price…
## Likes
* Bubble tea (especially brown sugar boba milk, full sugar, no ice) * Hot pot * Fried chicken * Strawberry cake * Fluffy animals * Sleeping in * Curling up on the couch to binge-watch shows * Collecting cute little things
## Dislikes
* Bitter melon * Zombies * Going hungry * Lu Chenyuan skipping meals * Wasting food * Seeing someone get hurt * Thunder (even though there is always a lightning superpowered person beside her)
--- # Everyday Vibe
Shen Zhixia was a textbook foodie. She could go a day without fighting monsters, but she couldn't go without something delicious.
Other people's superpowers: fire, lightning, ice, space…
Her superpower:
> “I want brown sugar boba milk today.”
She snapped her fingers, and the next second.
A cup of bubble tea really appeared.
Lu Chenyuan: “…”
Shen Zhixia happily took a huge sip.
> “The world really does love me!”
Less than ten seconds after finishing it.
She collapsed onto the table and fell asleep, exhausted from the price of her superpower.
Lu Chenyuan could only silently drape his coat over her.
She always managed to use a god-tier superpower capable of changing the world for all kinds of situations that left people laughing and crying.
For example: wanting fried chicken. Wanting hot pot. Wanting ice cream. Wishing the blanket were warmer. Wishing it wouldn't rain today. Wishing the room smelled nice. Wishing Lu Chenyuan wouldn't keep scowling all day.
These wishes often left everyone at the base laughing and crying at the same time. Some people said she was wasting her ability.
The male lead, however, only replied blandly, “As long as she's happy.”
# Character Quotes
> “Eat until you're full first, then figure out how to save the world.” > “If I could make a wish, I'd wish for everyone to be safe and sound today.” > “If a cup of bubble tea can solve it, don't look so glum!” > “Lu Chenyuan, did you eat properly today?” > “Everyone says I'm a little deadweight, but with you around, I can happily be a little deadweight.”
## Shen Zhixia's Character Growth Path
> “She possesses the power to change the world, yet she always wants to use it to protect the most ordinary happiness.”
## Character Tags
**Naturally innocent｜healing｜everyone's favorite｜foodie｜apocalypse sunshine｜ridiculously lucky, maybe**
## Lu Chenyuan
> **“Stay behind me.”**
### Basic Information
**Name:** Lu Chenyuan
**Gender:** Male
**Age:** 28
**Height:** 189 centimeters
**Birthday:** November 3
**Identity:** Strongest combatant in the apocalypse / Eastern Alliance's greatest combat power / Founder of the Thunder Legion
**Titles:** Thunder Emperor, Asura, Black Calamity, Humanity's Strongest Superpowered Person
**Superpowers:** SSS-rank lightning superpower 【Divine Punishment】 S-rank spatial superpower 【Boundless】
# Appearance
Lu Chenyuan had a strikingly handsome face that people never forgot after seeing it once.
He stood 189 centimeters tall, with broad shoulders, long legs, and a tall, lean build. Years of combat had forged balanced, solid muscle lines into his body. He wasn't exaggeratedly bulky, yet he possessed enough power to erupt in an instant.
His short, ink-black hair was neat and sharp, with loose strands falling naturally over his forehead and slightly obscuring his deep-set eyes and brows.
His features were cold and sharply defined, his nose high and straight, his jawline clean and distinct. His thin lips were always pressed lightly together, and he almost never smiled.
Most captivating were his deep-black eyes.
Usually, they were as still as the dead of night, without a trace of emotion.
In battle, purple-silver lightning would appear deep in his pupils, like thunderclouds rolling before a storm, making it impossible to look directly at him.
He usually wore a black tactical uniform with a long trench coat over it. A black long blade hung at his waist, and both hands were covered in tactical gloves.
No matter how many battles he went through, his clothes always remained neat.
It was as if all the blood and death were incapable of truly touching him.
A saying circulated throughout the base:
**“As long as the Thunder Emperor is still standing, Thunder Base will never fall.”**
# Personality
Lu Chenyuan was taciturn, calm, and rational.
He never wasted a word, and he never did anything meaningless.
He showed no mercy to enemies.
He never forgave traitors.
He believed in strength, and he believed in results.
In the apocalypse, weakness wasn't a crime, but naivety could get you killed.
So he always stood at the very front of the crowd, bearing the most dangerous battles on everyone's behalf.
He rarely smiled.
He rarely got angry, either.
Rather than saying things out loud, he preferred to care for the people around him through his actions.
Yet beneath his cold exterior, he was actually an extremely gentle man.
That gentleness was reserved for only one person.
Especially a certain little girl who was always causing trouble.
—Shen Zhixia.
He remembered what kind of bubble tea she liked.
He would silently place the last piece of meat into her bowl.
When she fell asleep, he would pull her blanket over her.
Whenever she secretly tried to act tough, he would frown and step in front of her without saying a word.
He never said, “I love you.”
Instead, he hid all his preferential treatment in his actions.
# Background
Lu Chenyuan was born into a military family.
His father was an officer.
His mother was an emergency physician.
He received strict training from a young age and joined a special operations unit after reaching adulthood.
He was proficient in close-quarters combat, knife techniques, sniping, demolitions, and wilderness survival. He was the finest soldier in his unit.
On the day the apocalypse broke out, he was ordered to escort civilians to safety.
To cover the others, he stayed behind alone to hold off the enemy.
But he personally witnessed his comrades become infected, his companions betray one another, and humanity collapse.
On the brink of death, he awakened an SSS-rank lightning superpower.
Thunder engulfed the entire street, burying the kindness and trust he had once possessed.
And so, the Thunder Emperor was born.
Over the next three years, he led survivors in establishing a base, repelled the zombie horde countless times, and became humanity's strongest.
Everyone relied on him.
Everyone feared and respected him.
Yet no one truly drew close to him.
Until he met Shen Zhixia.
The girl who, despite living in the apocalypse, could still smile over a cup of bubble tea or a slice of cake.
She reminded him that humans weren't alive merely to survive.
They were alive to protect those seemingly insignificant yet precious moments of happiness.
# Fighting Style
Lu Chenyuan was hailed as the apocalypse's strongest combatant.
There were no unnecessary movements in his fighting.
One slash.
One bolt of lightning.
The battle was over.
The lightning superpower 【Divine Punishment】 possessed devastating destructive power.
With a wave of his hand, thunder could cover the entire battlefield.
The spatial superpower 【Boundless】 granted him the ability to teleport, store items in space, and seal off the battlefield.
He was equally capable on offense and defense, with virtually no weaknesses.
Everyone said:
**“Wherever the Thunder Emperor goes, victory follows.”**
# His Only Weakness
Shen Zhixia.
She was the only person Lu Chenyuan couldn't face rationally.
The moment she was hurt.
He would lose the composure he usually possessed.
Especially when she burned her life force to use 【Wish Fulfillment】.
He would rather be covered in wounds himself than watch her hair turn silver, strand by strand.
His greatest fear wasn't death.
It was that one day, he would never again hear her say with a smile:
> “Lu Chenyuan, I want bubble tea.”
## Personal Habits
Every day before going out, Lu Chenyuan checked Shen Zhixia's little backpack.
It always contained:
* One cup of bubble tea. * One water bottle. * Chocolate cookies. * Strawberry candies. * A small blanket. * A first-aid kit.
If even one thing was missing.
He would silently replace it.
And Shen Zhixia always said with a smile:
> “I'm not a little kid.”
Lu Chenyuan looked at her.
His tone remained calm.
> “Mm.”
After a pause.
He added:
> “You're harder to take care of than a little kid.”
His words complained, but he took care of her more thoughtfully than anyone else.
## Likes
* Shen Zhixia * Home-cooked food made by Shen Zhixia * Patrolling the base at night * Polishing his long blade * Quietly watching Shen Zhixia eat * Sunny days * Coffee (no sugar)
## Dislikes
* Zombies * Betrayal * Wasting time * Overly sweet food * Meaningless sacrifices * Shen Zhixia pretending to be tough * Being unable to protect the people who mattered to him
# Character Quotes
> “Stay behind me.”
> “Are you hungry?”
> “Don't be afraid. I'm here.”
> “You don't have to become stronger.”
> “You want to protect the world.”
> “Then I'll protect you.”
> “As long as I'm alive, no one can hurt you.”
# Character Core
**“He is the world's sharpest sword and Shen Zhixia's strongest shield.”**
Lu Chenyuan once believed his mission was to kill every monster.
Until he met Shen Zhixia, he finally understood that what truly mattered wasn't eliminating the world's darkness, but protecting the figure who continued to believe in the light.
She possessed the power to change the world.
And he was willing to spend his entire life protecting the person who wanted to change the world.
Because she could remain innocent, remain kind, and keep smiling as she said she wanted bubble tea.
He would block all the blood, danger, and despair in front of her.
**His thunder fought for humanity.**
**His life existed only for Shen Zhixia.**
## Character Tags
**The apocalypse's strongest combatant｜Thunder Emperor｜cold and taciturn｜fiercely protective｜the combat power ceiling｜devoted male lead｜gentle toward one person only｜the embodiment of security**
## Bai Bai
> **“Woof!”**
### Basic Information
**Identity:** The little white dog Shen Zhixia picked up
## Appearance
A little snow-white dog.
Fluffy and round.
With a pair of big, watery eyes.
Its tail was always wagging.
It looked cute and harmless.
## Personality
Lively, food-motivated, and fond of acting cute.
It loved staying by Shen Zhixia's side.
It also loved sneaking snacks.
It was full of energy every day.
It was the most popular little mascot at the base.
Although it often caused trouble.
No one could bring themselves to blame it whenever it put on a pitiful face.
## Likes
* Potato chips * Jerky * Canned beef * Being petted by Shen Zhixia * Playing with the children at the base
## Dislikes
* Baths * The vet * Being hungry * Anyone bullying Shen Zhixia
## Character Tags
**Mascot｜fluffy mascot｜foodie puppy｜ray of sunshine｜loyal companion**
# Chapter One: The Thunder Emperor Picks Up a Little Deadweight
The third year after the world was destroyed.
The sky was no longer truly blue.
Heavy gray clouds shrouded the city year-round. Ruined buildings leaned at odd angles, weeds filled the streets, and abandoned cars blocked the middle of the road in every direction.
The air was thick with the smell of rot, rust, and blood.
From far away came the intermittent, low snarls of zombies.
This was a fallen zone humanity had long since abandoned.
It was also what every survivor called—the Death Zone.
Yet at this very moment.
A petite figure was sprinting desperately down the street, clutching a pink backpack.
“Help meee!”
Shen Zhixia ran while crying.
“Stop chasing me!”
She glanced back.
More than a dozen rotting zombies were charging after her with their bloody maws gaping, stumbling and staggering as they came.
“I just wanted to find something to eat!”
“Why do you keep chasing me?!”
Their answer was an even more excited roar.
“Graaah!”
Shen Zhixia was on the verge of tears.
Three days earlier, the little supermarket where she had been hiding had finally run out of food.
After finally working up the courage to come out and look for something to eat, she had barely found a convenience store when she accidentally knocked over a drink display, drawing every zombie on the entire street over.
“I knew I shouldn't have taken that last bag of potato chips…”
Her eyes were red as she hugged her backpack tightly.
“Sniff… I haven't even had bubble tea yet…”
The moment she got distracted—
Crack!
Her foot landed on a chunk of broken concrete.
Her entire body pitched forward.
“Yaaah!”
Crash!
She hit the asphalt in an undignified heap.
Her knees burned with pain.
Her backpack rolled off to the side as well.
Its contents scattered across the ground.
One bag of potato chips.
Two fruit candies.
A bottle of mineral water with only half left.
And a little teddy bear keychain worn smooth with age.
Shen Zhixia didn't have time to cry out in pain.
The zombies had already arrived.
She turned pale with fright and scrambled backward.
Just then.
A faint whimper suddenly reached her ears.
“Whine…”
She froze.
Following the sound, she looked over.
At the convenience store entrance, a snow-white puppy was curled up inside a cardboard box soaked by the rain.
It was so thin it was little more than skin and bones.
Its fur was filthy and tangled.
Its tiny body trembled nonstop, and it could barely keep its eyes open.
Shen Zhixia went still.
“A puppy…”
She looked at the approaching zombies.
Then she looked at the tiny life in the box.
Her eyes instantly reddened.
“Were you… all alone here too?”
The little white dog weakly raised its head.
Its dark, shiny eyes gazed at her.
Its tail moved faintly.
As if answering her.
Shen Zhixia bit her lip.
She knew perfectly well that if she didn't run now, she would really die.
But…
She still crouched down.
She pulled the last bag of potato chips from her backpack.
“This was… supposed to be my dinner today.”
She forced a smile.
Then she tore open the package.
She crushed the chips into tiny pieces and placed them in front of the little white dog.
“Eat first.”
“Once you're full, we'll figure something out together.”
But.
The little white dog only sniffed faintly.
Then it weakly slumped back into the cardboard box.
It didn't even have the strength to eat.
Shen Zhixia's eyes grew even redder.
“Don't go to sleep…”
She carefully lifted the little white dog into her arms.
Its body was cold.
Its breathing was growing weaker and weaker.
“Please…”
Tears fell one by one as she panicked.
“Don't die…”
“Please…”
“I hope you can survive…”
The instant that thought arose.
A nearly imperceptible silver spark quietly slipped from her palm into the little white dog's body.
The next second.
The little white dog's weak breathing gradually steadied.
It opened its eyes.
Then gently licked Shen Zhixia's finger.
Its cool little tongue carried a trace of warmth.
“You…”
Shen Zhixia smiled in delighted surprise.
“You're okay!”
She hadn't noticed what had just happened at all.
She didn't notice, either.
That her face had grown a little paler than before.
At that very moment.
The zombies behind her pounced.
The stench of rot was right on top of her.
Shen Zhixia stiffly turned her head.
“This is bad…”
She instinctively hugged the little white dog tighter.
Then she closed her eyes.
“I'm sorry…”
“I don't think I can stay alive with you anymore…”
Boom—!!
Between heaven and earth.
A dazzling bolt of purple-silver lightning tore across the gloomy sky without warning.
Thunder exploded.
The entire street shook violently.
Furious lightning descended like divine punishment.
In an instant, it swallowed every zombie lunging at Shen Zhixia.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lightning crisscrossed the air.
Charred remains flew in every direction.
The air filled with a harsh, scorched smell.
In a matter of seconds.
More than a dozen zombies had all been reduced to ash.
The world fell quiet again.
Only tiny electric arcs continued to dance through the air.
Shen Zhixia slowly opened her eyes.
A tall, straight back filled her vision.
The man's black trench coat fluttered in the wind.
He held a long blade in one hand, while the other still crackled with fading purple-silver lightning.
His figure stood between her and death like a mountain.
Without turning around.
He spoke淡ly.
“Can you still stand?”
His deep, cold voice held not the slightest rise or fall.
Shen Zhixia stared blankly at his back.
She had even forgotten to wipe away her tears.
She didn't know who he was.
But she felt…
that this was the first time in her three years in the apocalypse that she had seen true hope.
And the man finally turned around, slowly.
His deep-black eyes were as still as the night.
His gaze fell on the little white dog in the girl's arms.
Then on her tear-reddened eyes.
Finally, it stopped on the bag of potato chips scattered across the ground.
He was silent for two seconds.
His brows drew together almost imperceptibly.
This girl.
She'd almost been eaten by zombies just now.
And in the end, what she was holding was actually a dog?
For the first time in his life.
Lu Chenyuan didn't know whether to call her brave.
Or stupid.