Chapter One: Reborn Ten Days Before the Apocalypse

A man in Pei City was found with twisted limbs, bizarre behavior, and a tendency to bite others. Everyone who has ever become a zombie knows these signs mean it’s time to start stockpiling supplies...

The voice from a viral marketing account buzzed from her phone, echoing in the old, worn convenience store.

Six or seven people stood before the counter, all staring at her intently. Shockingly, they were her own relatives—ones who had died years ago!

Jiang Qiyu looked at the scene in disbelief. Just a moment ago, she had been bitten by a zombie, the nauseating stench of rot still lingering in her nose. How had she suddenly appeared here?

What was happening?

“Did you hear me? All day long, you’re glued to that useless phone. We paid for your education for so many years, and you don’t know how to be grateful. When it’s time to help out the family, you always shirk!” The old woman had always disliked this ‘money-losing’ child, her words sharp and bitter.

Second Aunt quickly tried to smooth things over. “Mom, Xiaoyu has always been the most sensible. Now that her cousin’s in trouble, she’ll definitely help.”

“It’s just a shop, isn’t it? What’s the big deal? It’s what she owes us. I raised her from a child, spent more on her than on this lousy house!” Yang Haifeng snorted, his tone full of entitlement and disdain.

Jiang Qiyu finally understood. She had returned to the day when Grandma brought Second Aunt’s family to demand the storefront!

There were ten days left before the apocalypse erupted.

“Xiaoyu, your Second Aunt even brought imported snacks for you. She really cares about you.”

Jiang Qiyu laughed. A few bags of near-expiry snacks in exchange for a house worth millions—the old skinflint would be impressed.

This house had been left to her by her maternal grandparents. It had three floors: the first was a storefront, the second and third were residential. All under one deed. Giving up the storefront meant giving up the entire building.

In her previous life, longing for family affection, she really did give it to them, thinking it would make them see her as one of their own.

But what happened?

Not long after the transfer, the zombies broke out. The city center became a fallen zone, and her convenience store was the first to be looted in the zero-dollar shopping craze. It was emptied almost instantly.

The relatives who had begged her for the shop changed their faces quickly, blaming everything on her. When food grew scarce, they pushed her out to search for supplies.

They claimed that if it weren’t for living in her house, they wouldn’t be trapped, so she had to take responsibility.

Wracked with guilt, she not only took charge of finding supplies but also protected them all the way to the base. Yet, just to save two pounds of grain, they abandoned her without hesitation in the zombie-infested outskirts.

Even though every bit of their supplies had come from her!

It was at that moment Jiang Qiyu understood: so-called family, so-called affection, were nothing but lies.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me you’re refusing to give it? He’s your real cousin! He’s the Yang family’s only heir. You’ll get married eventually, so the house would benefit outsiders. Your cousin will take care of us in old age—don’t you have any filial piety?” Yang Haifeng exploded at her silence.

“Why should I give it to you? Do you think you deserve it?” Jiang Qiyu swept him with a cold look.

Her gaze, as if forged from a sea of corpses and blood, was icy and indifferent, as if she were looking at a dead man. It sent chills down their spines.

Yang Haifeng was momentarily stunned, forgetting what he meant to say, his body rigid.

The old woman cursed furiously, “You wretched girl! How dare you talk back? You should have been strangled at birth! What use is a daughter? Whether you give it or not, you’ll still be a Yang—unless you never call yourself one again!”

“Fine, I’ll use my grandfather’s surname, Jiang, from now on.”

Jiang Qiyu agreed readily. In her previous life, after being deeply hurt by the Yangs, she had already changed her surname. Calling herself Yang Qiyu now felt unnatural.

Page (1/3)

A punch landed on cotton, and the old woman nearly fainted with rage, trembling as she pointed at Jiang Qiyu, unable to speak.

Yang Haifeng recovered and snapped, “Even if you use Jiang, this house belonged to your mother.”

Jiang Suzhen, her mother, looked weak, following her husband’s lead to coax her daughter, “Xiaoyu, your grandparents left the house to me, so it’s my inheritance. Your father’s right. When we’re old, who will take care of us?”

Jiang Qiyu looked at her with a complex gaze, pity tinged with sorrow.

In her previous life, she had indulged the Yangs largely because she wanted to protect her mother. She believed her mother, like herself, was sacrificed by this family, so she tried to save her.

But when the Yangs abandoned her for two pounds of grain, her mother said nothing, still wearing that helpless expression, as if by not participating in the decision, all blame belonged elsewhere.

Even when her own child was abandoned, she never looked back.

She finally understood: some parents are born without love for their children.

This time, she decided to stop playing savior and respect others’ fate.

Jiang Qiyu spoke coldly, “The house was given to me by Grandfather. It’s in my name. No one can take it unless I agree!”

“You!” Yang Haifeng was furious.

Second Aunt wiped her tears and began her lament, “Xiaoyu, your cousin’s victim is still in the hospital. If we don’t pay twenty thousand, your cousin will be arrested. Please help us—one day we’ll repay you.”

“Fine, give me Grandmother’s jade pendant.” Jiang Qiyu held out her hand.

“What?”

“If you want the house, exchange it for the jade.” Jiang Qiyu looked at them calmly.

That jade pendant was the Jiang family heirloom. When her mother married her father, Grandmother, though disapproving, gave it as dowry.

Later, the old woman took it for herself, claiming filial duty, wearing it constantly.

She rarely wore such expensive jewelry; the request was like cutting flesh from her heart. She clutched the jade fiercely, cursing, “Are you insane? It’s my jade! How can you set conditions when helping your cousin?”

“No exchange? Then I’ll sell the house to someone else.”

Jiang Qiyu had no intention of accommodating them. She pulled out her phone and called the agent. “Manager Yang, I have a house for sale, three floors with storefront at Yile Garden North Gate, asking one million...”

Her grandfather’s house was in the city center’s old district, perfect for amenities and school zones. The market value was easily three to four million; at such a slashed price, it would be snapped up instantly.

The others hadn’t expected Jiang Qiyu to be so resolute. Second Aunt hurried to stop her, “Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, we’ll exchange!”

Never mind whether the girl was acting possessed and whether the money would ever reach them; the house would never sell for so little! At worst, they could swap first, then find a way to take it back from her.

Jiang Qiyu hung up, smiling without warmth. “Second Aunt, you saw it. Plenty of buyers for my house. If you want to exchange, do it quickly.”

The old woman’s jowls trembled with rage, cursing up a storm. “Ungrateful children! I won’t give it to you! Do whatever you like!”

“Mom, come here.”

Yang Haifeng pulled the old woman aside and murmured something. When they returned, she no longer objected, though she glared at Jiang Qiyu with resentment.

Second Aunt handed her the property transfer agreement. “Xiaoyu, sign here. The jade pendant will be yours.”

Page (2/3)

Her cousin Jiang Shan silently started recording on his phone, afraid she’d renege.

Jiang Qiyu rolled her eyes, quickly signed, and snatched the jade pendant from the old woman’s reluctant grasp.

“Deal done. Now get out.”

The old woman snorted. “This is ours now. If anyone leaves, it’s you!”

Jiang Qiyu glanced at her, unhurriedly, “Fine, then when you close the store, settle the outstanding utility bills and pay for the goods you owe.”

Second Aunt smiled, smoothing things over. “You handled everything here, so let’s finish business before handing over. We’ll find time to transfer the deed.”

Jiang Qiyu replied casually, “Once I’m finished with things.”

Take it, all of it.

The zombie horde and the zero-dollar shopping spree will be yours.

Though things didn’t go quite as planned, the matter was settled. The Yangs pocketed some snacks from the store and triumphantly returned to their hometown.

As soon as they left, Jiang Qiyu closed the shop and took the deed to various online loan apps, using it as collateral.

After squeezing every possible loan, her account held six hundred and fifty thousand.

Jiang Qiyu smiled faintly. Now she could stockpile supplies without restraint.

As for repayment, if they hadn’t turned into zombies by then, she’d pay them back with a few boxes of instant noodles as thanks.

Carefully shutting off the store’s cameras, Jiang Qiyu took out the jade pendant, stroking its smooth surface, her gaze growing intense.

This jade pendant was the Yang family’s secret weapon for surviving the apocalypse!

Inside was a limitless space, able to store vast amounts of supplies.

Jiang Qiyu pricked her finger and squeezed a drop of blood onto the pendant. Instantly, it glowed with a faint light and merged into her body.

“Buzz... Binding host... Binding successful!”

“Congratulations, host, for binding the Apocalypse Lord System. Please activate the City Lord token within 24 hours. Rewards: Primary Shield x1, Basic Attribute Points x5, Primary Lottery Chance x1.”

“Newbie gift pack available. Claim now? Will auto-open in 10 seconds.”

Listening to the mechanical voice in her mind, Jiang Qiyu paused for a moment, but her eyes quickly brightened.

She immediately clicked to claim.

A pleasant system notification echoed in her mind.

“Congratulations! You’ve unlocked a timed quest for portable space: For every one thousand yuan worth of supplies collected, space expands by one square meter. Please upgrade your space as soon as possible!”

“Countdown: twenty-nine minutes, fifty-nine seconds!”

Page (3/3)