C6 Lin Qingyu

Shortly after their discussion, Wang Hu and Dong Xuetine reached a decision. They each dispatched two people to collect the bodies.

Their strategy was straightforward: two individuals would scale the windows up to the fourth floor and lower the corpse, while the other two waited below to receive it.

Soon, a team of four gathered at the base of the building, eyeing the two gaping holes on the fourth floor with silent astonishment, deeming the sight utterly bizarre.

Upon their arrival, two agile and slight figures leaped up, using the balconies to swiftly reach the fourth floor.

The task seemed effortless. In the past, such agility might have earned them rock climbing titles. But now, fortified by the evolution bead, scaling a mere building was hardly a challenge.

The duo entered through the balcony without a sound, prompting a collective sigh of relief from their companions below, who were on high alert for any zombie encounters, ready to shout a warning if necessary.

The absence of noise was a good sign; it meant no zombies were present.

Minutes later, an enormous corpse was carefully lowered down.

The two on the ground, faced with the monstrous remains of what once was a pet dog, had their faces flicker with realization of the certain death they would have faced against such a creature.

Once the pair from above descended, all four quickly carried the body towards the cafeteria.

Empowered by the evolution beads, their strength now peaked between two to three hundred kilograms, allowing them to run while bearing the weight.

In under thirty minutes, Mu Chenyu watched as the group approached with the carcass of a mutated beast, laying it before him.

Wang Hu, with a beaming smile, remarked:

"Brother, your power commands respect. To take down such a formidable mutated beast is no small feat. Truly impressive."

"Indeed," Dong Xuetine echoed, her face etched with awe as she whispered in disbelief.

At that moment, the entire cafeteria crowd converged, staring at the monstrous figure before them, their exclamations of shock filling the air. Faang Jie, from a distance, observed the scene but kept his distance, still smarting from the earlier altercation and the embarrassment it brought.

Yet, even he couldn't hide his astonishment at the sight of the mutated dog's body, nor his burgeoning wariness of Mu Chenyu.

Just then, a subordinate sidled up and murmured in his ear:

"Boss, do you think that mutated beast wasn't all that strong? It was easily taken down by that guy. If it really had been powerful, it wouldn't have been cornered into jumping from the sixth floor."

"Exactly, definitely."

Faang Jie was taken aback by the comment. He naturally assumed the mutated beast wasn't formidable, conveniently forgetting how he had been repelled by Mu Chenyu's strike earlier.

In fact, Faang Jie was even tempted to hunt a mutated beast himself, coveting the one before him.

He was well aware that every part of a mutated beast was valuable.

Leaving Faang Jie's thoughts aside, Wang Hu and Dong Xuetine quickly organized a crew to clean up the carcasses, enlisting help from bystanders with the promise of meat soup to come.

Together, they made short work of the task. In under an hour, they processed over four hundred kilograms of meat and set up several large pots to boil the white flesh of the dog.

Those who hadn't eaten their fill in days had a hungry gleam in their eyes and a touch of madness on their faces, eager to step forward.

But seeing one impatient soul get kicked away by one of Wang Hu's men, tumbling to the ground unable to rise, they all held back.

After all, if they were brimming with energy and ready to fight, they'd already be aligned with one of the three factions, not huddled in the cafeteria, depending on others for survival.

This incident was merely a blip, not warranting the attention of Mu Chenyu and his group. They found the behavior of those hiding here, merely surviving, rather contemptible.

Later, Mu Chenyu had a large basin of dog meat set before him. The aroma wafting from the meat brought him comfort, and it seemed to ease the pain of his wounds.

As he watched the people around him dig in, their exclamations of delight and faces alight with pleasure, he spotted someone in the crowd.

It was her.

Clad in black, she looked considerably worn down, standing among the survivors. Her disheveled black hair fell over her shoulders, her complexion pale and listless, as if she hadn't had a proper meal in days.

Most people around were much the same, but the men's words seemed somewhat more tolerable. The girl, on the other hand, looked particularly pitiable at that moment.

In her dreams, she was always smiling, a hint of mischief playing in her sparkling black eyes.

That was the smile he remembered her by.

"Dummy," Mu Chenyu whispered under his breath.

For reasons unknown, a twinge of pain flickered in his heart, leaving him puzzled since he couldn't pinpoint the cause.

Why?

After a moment's thought, he turned to Hwa Xin at his side and said something.

Hwa Xin, with a look of surprise, nonetheless approached the girl in the crowd. After a brief exchange, he escorted her over.

Within a few steps, she was standing before Mu Chenyu, who found himself at a loss. His heart had impulsively prompted him to call her over, but now he was unsure of what to do next.

His right hand braced against the knife's hilt, his face contorted in a grimace of pain as he rose to his feet.

Lin Qingyu, who had approached, recognized the man before her. It was her first encounter with such a stoic man, one who didn't mingle with women, which made him quite unique.

Despite the openness of society, she remained a traditional girl, preferring the company of other women.

She often saw many girls happily socializing with men without giving it much thought.

But upon meeting someone with such a distinct personality, she couldn't resist teasing him, not expecting him to be so unresponsive.

Now, even though she knew the man before her held a high status—evident by his ability to slay such a formidable mutated beast, a marker of prestige in this post-apocalyptic world—her first words to him were an inadvertent:

"Woodenhead."

The word slipped out, and immediately she sensed it was amiss. The people around them looked on in astonishment, assuming Mu Chenyu had shown interest in a woman.

It was a common assumption; many women longed to catch the eye of a powerful man, knowing that such attention could secure their safety in the days to come.

Even Hwa Xin had that impression.

But recalling Mu Chenyu's mention of an acquaintance, it dawned on him that the woman before them might know Mu Chenyu.

Yet, upon seeing Mu Chenyu, she appeared somewhat nervous, leaving him puzzled.

When she blurted out "buddy," it seemed off.

Indeed, Lin Qingyu realized her mistake as soon as she spoke. She knew him as Mu Chenyu, but inadvertently let slip a nickname she often mused to herself.

"Shua!"

Her face flushed a deep red, radiating charm like a perfectly ripened apple.

"Haha, come join me for a meal."

Mu Chenyu's cheeks reddened with a touch of embarrassment, touched by the fact that she remembered their single exchange. It stirred something within him.

Without understanding why, he quickly ushered her to sit and signaled Hwa Xin to fetch another serving of meat.

A generous bowl of meat was soon handed to Lin Qingyu.

"Thank you."

Her words were a muffled murmur as she fought back the saliva pooling in her mouth.

"Dig in! There's plenty more where that came from."

Mu Chenyu took his seat, mindful of his injuries. His legs had already gone numb from standing; any longer and he might have made a fool of himself.

Lin Qingyu wasn't the most graceful eater, her face and hands smeared with grease, yet it only added to her charm.

To the other survivors, she was the object of intense envy.

In this post-apocalyptic world, a full meal was a rare indulgence, let alone the meat of a mutated beast—a true delicacy.

The sight of Lin Qingyu eating her fill sparked their jealousy.

For a long time afterward, women who believed they were just as attractive as Lin Qingyu would linger around Mu Chenyu, hoping to catch his eye. They suspected him of being a lecher, a running joke among the group.

But now, as Lin Qingyu tucked into her meal, Mu Chenyu cast aside all other thoughts and joined her with gusto. The meat of the mutated beast was a treasure indeed.

With each bite, a rich vitality spread through him, rejuvenating his muscles and soothing his organs, bringing a profound sense of comfort.

Having become a cultivator, his physical strength had increased dramatically, and his digestive system had become incredibly powerful. The meat he consumed was swiftly converted into energy and digested.

In no time at all, he had polished off three or four kilograms of meat. Hwa Xin, who was by his side, promptly served up another plate. In the end, he devoured five plates of meat before he had to stop, his stomach temporarily unable to digest any more.

He felt a warm glow throughout his body, as if he were basking in a hot spring, and the pallor on his face gave way to a touch of rosiness.

Hwa Xin had finished his meal much earlier. His physique had surpassed that of an ordinary human, but he wasn't quite at the level of an evolver yet. Only those who had practiced cultivation methods were truly beyond ordinary and on the path of evolution. Currently, the only ones who had attained this status, aside from Mu Chenyu, were Wang Hu, Dong Xuetine, and Faang Jie.

Hwa Xin had managed only half a plate of meat, roughly one or two kilograms, before he was full. Given his large stature, an ordinary person wouldn't have been able to eat even a few pieces.

Noticing Lin Qingyu's restlessness, it was clear she had overeaten. Her lovely face was drenched in sweat, and the previously pale and cracked corners of her mouth were slowly healing.

"Take a little exercise; you've eaten too much," Mu Chenyu suggested kindly.

It was hard to tell whether it was Mu Chenyu's kind treatment or just her nature, but Lin Qingyu was feeling uncomfortable after the meal. At Mu Chenyu's suggestion, she wrinkled her nose and gave him a playful glare, retorting, "As if you haven't eaten more than me."

"Uh, well, I'm a cultivator; it's different," Mu Chenyu tried to explain, but seeing her frustration, he didn't have the heart to argue. Instead, he came up with a helpful idea and offered, "Come here, I'll show you a quick way to aid digestion."

"Okay!" Lin Qingyu, recognizing the concern in Mu Chenyu's expression, accepted his offer without hesitation. She could sense his kindness towards her and nodded in agreement.

Approaching Mu Chenyu, she leaned in with her petite head. The enticing fragrance that Mu Chenyu caught a whiff of stirred something within him.

Nonetheless, he leaned in closer and whispered into her ear the technique for cultivating the Horse Stance.

Mastering the Horse Stance was straightforward, hinging on the rhythm of one's breath, making it easy to pick up.

But while it was simple to learn, achieving true proficiency was another matter entirely, as martial artists could spend their whole lives perfecting the Horse Stance.

Still, the basics were quite accessible. Lin Qingyu quickly committed the instructions to memory after a few repetitions.

Finding a secluded corner where she wouldn't be disturbed, Lin Qingyu began to practice the Horse Stance.

With each inhale and exhale, her body undulated rhythmically, her organs working in unison to digest her recent meal and convert it into vital energy that nourished her body.