After distributing the day's food, Zhang Yi realized that due to the recent deaths of more than a dozen people, there was now more food left for the survivors.
Many familiar faces had disappeared.
For instance, Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining hadn't been seen for days—most likely frozen or starved to death.
Returning home, Zhang Yi saw Zhou Ke'er emerging from the kitchen, wearing an apron and flashing him a gentle smile.
"You're back, Master."
Looking at the kind and virtuous Zhou Ke'er, Zhang Yi's mood improved slightly.
Over time, Zhou Ke'er had completely adapted to her role as his servant.
She was a smart woman, fully aware that in this post-apocalyptic world, the safest path was to cling tightly to a powerful protector.
So, she did her best to fulfill Zhang Yi's every request—sometimes even anticipating his needs before he voiced them.
"What are you making?"
Zhang Yi asked while taking off his heavy winter coat.
Zhou Ke'er knelt down, handed him his indoor slippers, and placed his snow boots neatly on the shoe rack.
"Potato stew with beef brisket. You like this dish, don't you? I tried making it… but I'm not sure how it turned out."
Zhang Yi craved something hot to warm his stomach.
He settled onto the couch, and Zhou Ke'er brought over a basin of warm water for his feet.
The moment his feet sank into the steaming water, a wave of relaxation washed over him, loosening his tensed muscles.
After spending the entire day braving the harsh winds and snow, even with proper gear, the cold had seeped into his bones.
Only at times like these did he truly appreciate the comfort of having a warm home.
His mood was quite good today.
Now that he knew the exact location of the military base, he could go alone next time and dig into the weapons cache.
A military base's arsenal would undoubtedly surpass a police station's many times over.
It might even contain powerful military-grade weaponry—grenades, RPGs…
Maybe even tanks or armored vehicles?
Zhang Yi shook his head. Those weren't standard equipment for regular troops.
And considering their sheer weight, retrieving them from the snow would be a logistical nightmare.
"But I can definitely get my hands on a lot of weapons and ammo."
"With enough firepower, no one here can threaten me anymore."
However, along with his excitement, unpleasant thoughts surfaced.
Like the ambush by the Wild Wolf Gang.
Thankfully, he had been fully geared up, with a gun and ample ammunition in hand.
Otherwise, in a close-quarters fight, how could he have taken on ten men in deep snow?
"I must eliminate the Wild Wolf Gang. But they're cowards—after seeing my firepower, they've holed up and refuse to come out. I can't risk storming their base… How should I deal with them?"
Zhang Yi fell into deep thought.
"Attacking a fortified high-rise head-on would be foolish. They have plenty of space to retreat, while the attackers would be exposed in the open snow with no cover."
"On top of that, narrow stairwells and a complex interior make it difficult to fight upwards against defenders."
"If they use Molotov cocktails against me, just like I did before, I'd be either burned alive or choked by the smoke."
At that moment, Zhang Yi's eyes lit up.
"Fire attack… That's it! I can burn them out!"
He recalled news reports about apartment fires trapping residents in upper floors, suffocating them to death.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
"I might not be able to get in, but smoke definitely can. And since smoke rises, it won't matter how high they flee."
"The freezing temperatures outside mean they usually keep their windows sealed tight. That'll make them suffocate even faster."
"And if they try jumping out, I'll be waiting. One by one, I'll shoot them down."
Zhang Yi clapped his hands in excitement. It was the perfect strategy for dealing with enemies hiding in buildings.
"But for this to work, I'll need a massive fire."
"Most of the usable wood from the buildings is already gone—only the doors are left."
Then, he had an idea.
"There are plenty of trees outside. I'll chop more of them down over the next few days."
"And since they're damp, they won't burn completely—meaning they'll produce even thicker smoke. All I need is a bit of gasoline, and it's game over."
Now that he had figured out how to handle those hiding inside, Zhang Yi felt even more at ease.
Zhou Ke'er brought over dinner.
Zhang Yi took a bite and smiled. "Your cooking has improved."
Hearing his praise, Zhou Ke'er beamed with joy.
"Really? If you like it, I'll make it for you every day!"
Zhang Yi nodded with a smile.
As they ate, Zhou Ke'er sat across from him.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yi's mind was still occupied with how to deal with the troublesome neighbors in the community.
He had a plan: for now, avoid any large-scale conflicts.
If a fight was necessary, it would only happen after he had stockpiled enough firewood and looted the military base for weapons.
That way, he would have absolute certainty of wiping out any potential threats in one decisive move.
As they ate, Zhou Ke'er suddenly spoke up.
"I think too many people in our building have died in the past couple of days."
Her words snapped Zhang Yi out of his thoughts.
He glanced at her and asked indifferently, "Oh? And?"
Zhou Ke'er hesitated, then continued, "I think… some of them might be harboring resentment toward you. You should be careful."
Her gaze carried genuine concern.
Women were naturally sensitive to changes in people's attitudes.
Today, she had keenly sensed the shift in their neighbors' demeanor.
Zhang Yi chuckled, reaching out to pinch her soft cheek. "Don't worry. If I needed you to remind me of such things, I'd have been dead a long time ago."
Zhou Ke'er frowned slightly. "Their numbers are dwindling too quickly. Some might start to waver… I'm worried they'll join forces with people from other buildings against you."
Zhang Yi nodded but remained unconcerned.
"Let them betray me if they want. It's not like I ever trusted any of them to begin with."
"To be honest, I was always planning to kill them all anyway."
Betrayal from those bastards was nothing new to him.
Zhou Ke'er gasped, covering her mouth, then let out a defeated sigh. "Here I was worrying about you… Turns out I had nothing to worry about. You're even more ruthless than they are."
Despite her words, a sense of security settled in her heart.
A strong man like Zhang Yi was her best bet for survival.
Then, a thought crossed her mind.
If Zhang Yi claimed he trusted no one… what about her?
They had lived together for some time now. She had given herself completely to him, emotionally and physically.
Women were emotional creatures—even the smartest among them found it hard to resist attachment.
She wanted to be different from the others.
"Zhang Yi… do you trust me?"
Her eyes held a trace of longing, even pleading.
In a world devoid of warmth and trust, she, too, longed for something real.
Zhang Yi met her gaze and answered without hesitation.
"Ke'er, you're the only person in this world I trust."
Her eyes shimmered like stars, her cheeks flushing.
"You… You're just saying that to make me happy, aren't you?"
Zhang Yi shook his head. "Not at all. You're unique. No one else compares."
His tone was so firm it almost sounded genuine.
Zhou Ke'er's eyes moistened.
Maybe… just maybe, he was telling the truth.
Zhang Yi smiled warmly and placed a piece of beef on her plate.
"Here, eat up."
As he watched her glow with happiness, he smirked inwardly.
Women are easy to manipulate—just lie with confidence.
While he liked Zhou Ke'er, the only person he truly loved was himself.