Apocalyptic Rebirth

105.It is advisable to attack with fire

After distributing the day's food and seeing several familiar faces missing, presumably frozen or starved to death, like Fang Yuqing and Lin Cainin, Zhang Yi returned home. Welcomed by Zhou Keyi's gentle smile and the words, "You're back, master," he felt a bit better. Over time, Zhou Keyi had adapted well to her role as Zhang Yi's servant, understanding that clinging to a powerful figure in this apocalyptic world was the key to happiness. She fulfilled his demands, even those unspoken, striving to satisfy his every need.

"What are you cooking?" Zhang Yi asked as he took off his cold-weather gear.

Zhou Keyi, who was helping him with his slippers, said, "I'm trying to make beef stew with potatoes, your favorite. I'm not sure how it'll taste, though."

Zhang Yi, craving something warm, sat on the sofa as Zhou Keyi brought him warm water to wash his feet. The comfort and relaxation he felt at that moment eased the tension from his day spent braving the snowstorm. Despite his protective gear, the cold had seeped through. Only now did he truly appreciate the comfort of a warm home.

Pleased about pinpointing the military base's location, Zhang Yi planned to return alone later to excavate the weapons cache. He knew the arsenal there would far exceed the police station's. Though he wouldn't find tanks or armored vehicles practical in the snow, the prospect of acquiring more ammunition and powerful military weapons like grenades and RPGs excited him.

However, the recent ambush by the Krazy Wolf Gang nagged at him. He was lucky to be well-armed and protected; otherwise, close combat with ten men in the snow would've been disastrous. "I must eliminate the Krazy Wolf Gang," he thought, "but how?"

Intrigued by the idea of using smoke to flush out his enemies, Zhang Yi recalled news stories of high-rise fires trapping residents. He envisioned filling their hideout with smoke, leaving them no escape. With the surrounding doors and windows sealed against the cold, the smoke would suffocate them even faster.

Yet, there was another issue: he needed a large fire. With most combustible material already stripped from the buildings, he decided to chop down the moisture-laden trees outside, which would produce thick smoke when burned with some gasoline.

Pleased with his plan, Zhang Yi's mood lifted. As Zhou Keyi served dinner, he tasted it and complimented her, "Your cooking has improved!" Zhou Keyi beamed with joy at his praise.

"Really? If you like it, I can make it for you every day!" Zhou Keyi offered as they ate dinner, with her sitting across from Zhang Yi.

During the meal, Zhang Yi's mind was occupied with how to handle the troublesome neighbors in the community. He had a preliminary plan to avoid major conflicts with them for the time being. He would only consider acting against them after he had gathered enough wood for a fire and excavated a large quantity of weapons from the military base.

As they were eating, Zhou Keyi suddenly mentioned, "These past few days, it seems like a lot of people in our unit have died."

This comment broke Zhang Yi's train of thought. He looked at her and responded indifferently, "Oh? And then?"

Zhou Keyi continued, "I feel like they're starting to resent you. You should be careful."

Her eyes showed concern for Zhang Yi. As a woman, she had keenly sensed the change in the neighbors' attitudes.

Zhang Yi smiled gently and reassuringly rubbed her soft cheek. "Don't worry. If I needed you to remind me of such things, I would have died many times over by now!"

Zhou Keyi, still concerned, said, "With the recent high death rate, some people might change sides. I'm worried they'll collude with people from other units to harm you."

Zhang Yi nodded but appeared unconcerned. "It doesn't matter. Let them betray me if they want. I never trusted any of them anyway. In fact, I plan to get rid of them sooner or later."

Zhou Keyi gasped in surprise and then deflated, saying, "And here I was worried about you. Turns out you're much colder than them!"

Although she sounded regretful, she felt reassured knowing she was with such a dependable man.

Then, Zhou Keyi thought of something. If Zhang Yi trusted no one, what about her? Living together, she had developed a deep dependence on him. Women, being emotional creatures, often find it hard to extricate themselves from such feelings. She hoped she was different from others in his eyes.

"Zhang Yi, do you trust me?" Zhou Keyi looked at him with hopeful, almost pleading eyes, yearning for some affection in these heartless times.

Zhang Yi looked at her and said without hesitation, "Keyi, you are the only person in this world I trust."

Zhou Keyi's eyes sparkled, and her cheeks flushed. "You... you're just lying to make me happy, aren't you?"

Zhang Yi shook his head. "Of course not. You are unique. Without you, nothing works!"

His gaze was firm, as if he meant every word.

Zhou Keyi's eyes moistened, partly believing his words, and felt moved.

Zhang Yi smiled gently and offered her a piece of beef, "Here, eat something!"

Watching her blissful expression, Zhang Yi thought to himself, "Women are so easy to deal with. Just don't feel guilty when lying."

Indeed, Zhang Yi liked Zhou Keyi, but the only person he loved was himself. However, he needed to make her believe in his love for her. Just like in a company, where bosses talk about 'family' but are ruthless when firing employees, he knew leveraging emotions was the best way to ensure loyalty and stability.

After dinner, Zhang Yi decided to take a bath. Zhou Keyi, her cheeks still red, offered, "Do you want me to scrub your back?"

Zhang Yi looked at her, noticing a deeper affection in her eyes than usual, and nodded, "Sure, it's indeed inconvenient to scrub my back alone. Let's take a bath together."

Zhang Yi, intrigued by the idea of a couple's bath, began to help Zhou Keyi undress before carrying her into the bathroom.