20: Chapter 20 Anyway, we can't escape either.

Early morning.

Ye Qingxue woke up feeling groggy.

She felt warm and comfortable.

This was the most peaceful sleep she had had in many days.

No nightmares.

No waking up in a fright.

Her whole body felt wrapped in warmth, sinking into a deep sleep.

But... wait.

This posture...

Ye Qingxue slowly opened her eyes.

Then she froze.

Her head was resting on Lin Yuan's shoulder.

Her body was pressed tightly against Lin Yuan's chest.

She could even feel Lin Yuan's steady breathing.

And... the warmth radiating from him.

Ye Qingxue's face turned beet red instantly.

She scrambled to sit up, putting distance between herself and Lin Yuan.

Her heart was pounding wildly.

She... she had actually fallen asleep leaning on that man just now?

And slept so peacefully?

How could this happen?

Ye Qingxue bit her lip, her expression becoming complex.

She remembered last night.

She remembered that she had initially turned her back to Lin Yuan.

Her body had been stiff, wary of his every move.

But later... later she had been too tired.

Days of continuous torture had pushed her body and mind to their limits.

Under that embrace of warmth, she had unknowingly relaxed.

Then... then she had fallen asleep.

And, unknowingly rested on Lin Yuan's shoulder?

Ye Qingxue felt her face burning.

What was this?

Was this betrayal?

How could she sleep so peacefully on that bastard?

That bastard was... the one who had humiliated her and her sister!

She should hate him.

Should be wary of him at all times.

How could she... how could she be so relaxed on him?

A massive conflict and struggle surged in Ye Qingxue's heart.

She didn't know how to face this change in herself.

Could it be... could it be that she had started to get used to this life?

Could it be that she had started to accept this man?

No... impossible...

Ye Qingxue frantically denied it in her heart.

She was just too tired.

Her body just instinctively needed warmth.

It wasn't because she accepted Lin Yuan.

Absolutely not.

But... but she knew clearly in her heart.

Her hatred for Lin Yuan seemed... to have really faded a little.

Not disappeared.

But... numbed.

Or perhaps...

She had started to accept reality.

Ye Qingxue closed her eyes, tears flowing silently.

She knew she had changed.

In this cruel Apocalypse, in this desperate situation...

With her intelligence, she understood the best way for a woman in the Apocalypse to rely on a man without having any means of her own.

Of course, the character of this man was extremely important.

And now, Ye Qingxue couldn't yet see through Lin Yuan's true personality.

But she had no choice but to start compromising.

To start submitting.

To start... accepting.

This was the most humiliating moment of her life.

But at the same time... it was also her only way to survive.

Lin Yuan also woke up.

Seeing Ye Qingxue scramble to sit up, he sneered inwardly.

The effect was good.

Boiling a frog in warm water meant exactly this: slowly dismantling her defenses.

Making her, unknowingly, get used to his presence.

To get used to relying on him.

To get used to... submitting to him.

Lin Yuan didn't speak, pretending nothing had happened.

He calmly got up, took a few bottles of e-grade energy mineral water from the corner.

He handed them to the sisters.

"Drink."

His tone was very flat, as if he were doing a very ordinary thing.

Ye Qingxue took the water and drank, keeping her head down.

She didn't dare look at Lin Yuan.

She didn't know what expression to use to face him.

Lin Yuan turned and walked to the window, looking outside.

He was reflecting on his mistake from last night.

Too dangerous.

Really too dangerous.

He had actually fallen asleep in that situation.

If Ye Qingxue had malicious intent, if she had taken the opportunity to sneak attack... the consequences would be unimaginable.

He must never make this mistake again.

Must stay vigilant at all times.

Even if tired, he couldn't let his guard down.

Even if there were two weak girls beside him, he couldn't be careless.

Human hearts were the most unpredictable.

Especially in the Apocalypse.

Lin Yuan warned himself in his heart.

Then, he noticed another change.

Ye Qingyue.

Qingyue's state this morning was different from before.

After getting up, she didn't avoid Lin Yuan's gaze like Qingxue.

Instead, she took the initiative to walk to his side.

"Lin Yuan..." she called out softly.

"Is there any more water? Sister finished hers."

Lin Yuan looked at her and nodded.

He took a bottle of water from the system space and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

Qingyue took the water and gave a sweet smile.

Although her face was still a bit pale, that smile... made Lin Yuan's heart skip a beat.

This wasn't a forced smile.

Nor was it a fearful smile.

It was... a strange, dependent smile.

Just like... treating someone very close to oneself.

Lin Yuan frowned slightly.

Qingyue's change had come too quickly.

Too quickly to be normal.

For the rest of the day, Lin Yuan observed Qingyue.

He found that Qingyue had really changed.

She started taking the initiative to take care of him.

When Lin Yuan finished drinking water, she would collect the empty bottle.

When Lin Yuan rested against the wall, she would help him tidy the blanket.

Even... she would take the initiative to talk to him.

Not that kind of forced, fearful communication.

But a very natural dialogue, with a hint of closeness.

"Lin Yuan, is it still snowing outside?"

"Lin Yuan, when do you think we can go out?"

"Lin Yuan, this water is really amazing; I'm not hungry after drinking it."

Qingyue's tone was very relaxed.

Just like chatting with a familiar friend.

Completely devoid of that previous fear and rejection.

Lin Yuan looked at her, becoming vigilant in his heart.

This girl... what exactly was she thinking?

Was she trying to use this method to paralyze him?

Then take the opportunity to escape or sneak attack?

But looking at her eyes, it didn't seem like she was acting.

That look of dependence couldn't be faked.

Lin Yuan wasn't sure.

But he remained vigilant.

No matter how "well-behaved" Qingyue acted, he wouldn't let his guard down.

In the afternoon.

Qingxue sat by the bed, watching her sister busy in the room.

A chill surged in her heart.

Qingyue... had changed.

She could feel it.

Her sister's attitude toward Lin Yuan had completely changed.

From the initial fear, rejection, humiliation... to now... dependence?

Submission?

Even... carrying a hint of closeness?

How could this be?

It had only been two days.

Clearly Lin Yuan had done such excessive things to them.

Why would Qingyue have this kind of change?

Qingxue couldn't understand.

She only knew that this change made her feel afraid.

"Qingyue..." she called out softly.

"Come here, sister has something to say to you."

Qingyue walked over obediently and sat beside her sister.

"Sister, what's wrong?"

Her tone was natural, her eyes clear.

Not at all like she had any ulterior motives.

Qingxue bit her lip and lowered her voice: "Qingyue, you... are you..."

She didn't know how to say it.

"You... toward that man... are you..."

Qingyue tilted her head, seemingly understanding her sister's meaning.

She revealed a sweet smile, leaned into her sister's ear, and whispered:

"Sister, since we can't escape, why not adapt?"

This sentence was like a basin of cold water poured over Qingxue's head.

She froze completely.

"You... what did you say?"

"Sister."

Qingyue grabbed her sister's hand and said seriously: "I've figured it out."

"We can't go back."

"Dad can't save us, and we can't contact the police."

"It's so dangerous outside, monsters are everywhere."

"We can only survive because of Lin Yuan."

"He has food, water, and that magical ability."

"In this Apocalypse, following him is actually the safest option."

"So... rather than always being in pain, always hating him... why not... enjoy the present."

"Anyway, we can't escape, can we?"

Qingyue spoke very calmly.

But that calmness sent a chill through Qingxue's heart.

Was... was this still the simple and kind sister she knew?

How could she say such things?

"Qingyue, have you gone crazy?"

Qingxue grabbed her sister's shoulders, her voice trembling.

"He... he humiliated you! Humiliated us!"

"How can you... how can you be like this?"

"Sister."

Qingyue looked at her sister, a flash of complex emotion in her eyes.

"I know you can't let go."

"I can't either."

"But... survival is more important, isn't it?"

"In the Apocalypse, surviving is the most important thing."

"Everything else... doesn't matter anymore."

She spoke very softly, but every word was like a knife, stabbing into Qingxue's heart.

Qingxue let go, collapsing on the bed.

She felt her worldview completely collapse at this moment.

Her sister had changed.

Completely changed.

Turned into someone she didn't recognize.

And what was even more terrifying was... Qingxue realized she couldn't refute her sister's words.

Because... because what her sister said was right.

In this Apocalypse, surviving really was the most important thing.

Everything else... didn't matter anymore.

Lin Yuan, by the wall, watched all of this quietly.

He heard the sisters' conversation.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Qingyue's change was unexpected.

But it was also reasonable.

Some people would choose to resist in desperate situations.

While others would choose to submit.

Qingyue was clearly the latter.

She had accepted reality in her own way.

And, had started to actively adapt.

This was a good thing for Lin Yuan.

At least, he didn't have to worry about Qingyue suddenly lashing out to hurt him.

And Qingxue...

Lin Yuan looked at the woman on the bed holding her knees, her eyes hollow.

She was close too.

Although she was still struggling and resisting now.

But one day, she too would be like Qingyue... accept reality.

Accept him.

This way, Lin Yuan wouldn't need to guard against them like guarding against wolves every day.

He would have the energy to research the system and how to live luxuriously in this Apocalypse.

Yes, luxuriously.

After understanding the system's functions, Lin Yuan understood its purpose.

As long as he kept collecting Goddesses and then unlocking supplies, he would have no problem living luxuriously.

Time was on his side.

Outside the window, snow was still falling.

The world was still so cold.

But in this small room, the atmosphere had undergone a subtle change.

Lin Yuan looked out the window, thinking.

The survival problem was temporarily solved.

But this was just the beginning.

Next, he needed to consider long-term development.

Should he continue hiding here?

Or... go out and explore?

If he kept hiding here, although safe, it also meant no development.

No new supplies.

No new Goddesses.

No... getting stronger.

And if he went out to explore... the risks would be huge.

The mutated creatures outside were no joke.

But at the same time, there would be more opportunities.

Lin Yuan needed to weigh the pros and cons.

He looked at the snow outside, starting to evaluate the risks and rewards of going out.

How threatening were the mutated creatures?

Were there other survivors?

Was the government still operating?

What was the situation outside exactly?

All of this required intelligence.

And the only way to get intelligence was to go out and see.

Lin Yuan made his decision.

Wait a few more days.

Wait until his body completely recovered.

Wait until the sisters' states stabilized.

Then he would see...