Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Sheng Kai's voice was shrill and piercing, a truly jarring sound. Seeing his daughter, who had just fallen asleep, furrow her brows as if about to wake, Sheng Zhang's own brow instantly furrowed into a deep frown.

"Qin Fen, make Xiao Kai quiet," Sheng Zhang commanded sternly to the woman in the back seat.

The woman in the back had been trying to soothe the boy since he first cried out, but with little success. Sheng Kai had been excessively indulged by her and his grandmother since birth, given everything he desired, so how could she possibly calm him down now?

"Xiao Kai, there are monsters outside that eat people. You don’t want to be caught by them, do you? Let’s stay quietly in the car, okay?" Qin Fen coaxed gently, forcing patience into her voice.

Sheng Kai suddenly spotted Tang Man emerging from the villa’s yard and began writhing in his seat like a maggot. "You’re lying! If there were really monsters, why would she be outside? I don’t care! I want to get out! I want to get out! Waaah..."

Awakened by her brother’s noise, Sheng Qian, still half-asleep, started crying too, not understanding what was happening but following her brother’s lead.

The car instantly became a cacophony of wails, the two adults frantically trying to calm the children.

Tang Man glanced at the black Bentley from a distance before strolling leisurely around the neighborhood.

She had told Sheng Yao and his mother that she was checking for any remaining mutant plants and animals to eliminate potential threats and gather some crystal cores.

In reality, she was looking for a suitable house to buy with crystal cores once the area was incorporated into the safe zone—an additional safeguard for her and Tang Teng.

During their time together, she had sometimes considered settling down with Sheng Yao and his mother.

Sheng Yao might be somewhat incompetent and cowardly, but she got along well with his mother. Not only was Sheng Yao’s mother kind-hearted, but she was also an exceptional cook. Rumor had it she had hired several state-banquet-level chefs to teach her, learning various cuisines. Tang Man always learned a lot whenever they discussed cooking.

After circling the neighborhood several times and collecting a few mutant plant cores, Tang Man finally chose a villa in the northern part of the community.

The layouts of the villas were mostly similar, but the one she chose had fewer floor-to-ceiling windows and stronger security grilles, which would save a lot of crystal cores when fortifying defenses.

With her target in mind, Tang Man headed back. On her way, she saw Sheng Zhang and his family fleeing the villa in panic—all four looking utterly disheveled, completely different from their earlier pristine appearances. Sheng Zhang had lost half his hair, his clothes torn in several places.

Worse, he kept slapping at the crotch of his pants, which had been burned through, revealing bright red underwear beneath.

Clearly Zhongqiu’s doing.

Tang Man watched the scene exasperated. Had Zhongqiu developed a habit of targeting crotches?

After extinguishing the flames, Sheng Zhang hurriedly pushed the others into the car. The two children clung to the woman’s legs, sobbing uncontrollably, but she paid them no mind, roughly yanking them inside. Their cries were so loud Tang Man could hear them from afar, the noise making her head throb.

Sheng Zhang, still holding his crotch, scrambled into the driver’s seat. Before speeding off, he rolled down the window and spat at the villa’s gate.

Tang Man’s eyes turned cold. The vine of her dodder plant shot out like an arrow, its slender leaves infused with her wood superpower, sharp as knives. It pierced the Bentley’s tire, which deflated instantly, causing the car to tilt sharply left before skidding to a stop.

She retracted the vine and walked back to the villa as if completely uninvolved.

Dinner was already ready when she returned. Sheng Yao’s mother’s eyes were slightly red, as if she’d been crying. The atmosphere was even more tense than in the afternoon—both Sheng Yao and Tang Teng looked furious, as if eager for confrontation.

"I saw Sheng Zhang on my way back. Did they cause trouble while I was out?" Tang Man asked as she washed her hands and helped set the table.

"They came to manipulate my mother emotionally while you were gone. All four of them wanted to move in. Just thinking that half my genes come from that man makes me sick... The Qing Dynasty fell ages ago, and he still thinks he can have multiple wives? Even had the nerve to say my mom and that mistress would be equals—the audacity!" Sheng Yao gritted his teeth, fists clenching.

"And that so-called lightning superpower of his? The bolts he shot were smaller than my fingernail—barely felt! Yet he acted so arrogantly!" Tang Teng added disdainfully.

Tang Man felt a jolt of alarm when she heard Sheng Zhang had awakened a lightning superpower—one of the most formidable abilities in the apocalypse. In her past life, lightning and metal superpower users had been the main forces against the Zombie Emperor, while her wood superpower was limited to support roles due to its weaker offense.

But her worry faded when she heard the rest. Like students in a class, abilities varied. Given Sheng Zhang’s current display, he was undoubtedly among the weakest.

With his talent, unless he gathered a large number of crystal cores to train, it’d take him at least a year or two to level up. By then, her own superpower would likely be at Level 4—far surpassing him.

"If someone attacks you with their superpower, remember to dodge. Don’t underestimate them just because their ability seems weak," Tang Man warned.

"Got it. I didn’t expect him to suddenly try to establish authority mid-conversation today. That’s why I got hit," Tang Teng said sheepishly. "But I didn’t let them off easy—I tried shaping some flying knives and sliced off their hair..."

"You’ll soon realize the world contains all kinds of monsters. Stay alert around outsiders and protect yourself... Alright, let’s eat."

Dinner was simple: a bowl of green vegetable and cured meat noodles for each, topped with a poached egg.

The greens, freshly picked from the garden, were tender and perfectly cooked—soft but not mushy. The cured meat had been stir-fried until its fat rendered, then boiled into the broth, filling the noodles with rich, savory flavor.

Tang Man inhaled deeply before slurping up a mouthful. The noodles were smooth, the wheat and meat aromas melding perfectly.

The poached egg was runny, its golden yolk oozing out at the slightest poke.

Despite the delicious food, Sheng Yao and his mother had little appetite, nibbling at their noodles slowly.

The resemblance between them was striking—even their eating mannerisms were identical.

After much hesitation, Sheng Yao’s mother set down her chopsticks, gripping the tablecloth beneath the table. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, "Manman, can you take me with you when you go out to gather supplies? I want to learn how to kill zombies."

Today’s events had made her realize how different the apocalypse was. Without strength, she and Sheng Yao would only become others’ dependents—or worse, treated as less than objects by those with power.

In the past, Sheng Zhang would never have dared say something like "allowing you and Qin Fen to be equals." His superpower had emboldened him. Without it, without the ability to kill zombies, he’d still be groveling at her feet, begging for shelter like he had nine years ago during their divorce.

Her palms were sweaty, the tablecloth crumpled in her grip. She watched Tang Man’s every move, afraid of rejection.

"Of course. We’re heading out the day after tomorrow—you can come with us. Zhongqiu can guard the house. I’ll teach you how to kill zombies these next two days. A crash course," Tang Man agreed, though slightly surprised.

While Level 2 Zombies would soon make zombie-slaying a superpower-user’s domain, Level 1 Zombies were still manageable for ordinary people with the right methods. This would let Sheng Yao’s mother gather some cores and prepare for the future.

"Meow~" Zhongqiu looked up at the mention of her name but, seeing no invitation for cuddles, buried her face back into her food bowl.

"Great! What should I prepare? Xiao Teng, I’ll find a good kitchen knife—can you modify it for me...?" She stood up, ready to head to the kitchen.

"We’ll deal with that later. Let’s eat first, or the noodles will get soggy," Tang Man said, pulling her back and handing her the chopsticks.

"Right, right, I’ll eat..." Sheng Yao’s mother stammered, eyes glistening.

Sheng Yao watched silently. He’d thought Tang Man’s protection would be enough for his mother, but now he realized she needed her own strength—at least enough to punch Sheng Zhang if he ever showed up again.

"Sheng Yao, eat up. Even if you drag it out till eleven, you’re not skipping training tonight. No slacking!" Tang Man tapped his bowl with her chopsticks.

"Mm!" He nodded firmly, eyes burning slightly, before shoveling noodles into his mouth.

After dinner, the four took a stroll to digest, then gathered in the gym an hour later, changed and ready.