Chapter 49 Explosives? I've kept them for you.

Su Ze's voice was light, yet it felt like a massive boulder crashing heavily into Qiao Yunge's heart.

Dormitory 404, a tenant slot, and the very last one...

Her face, which had appeared even more radiant due to her anger, instantly turned pale.

Become his tenant?

What a joke!

She herself was the landlord of Dormitory 100 on the 10th floor.

Her tenants were her younger brother, two male cousins, and a cousin's girlfriend—all trusted family members.

She knew better than anyone what it meant to become someone else's tenant.

Once the novice period ended, one's life would be entirely in the hands of the landlord.

One-click eviction, one-click kill—those weren't just virtual settings in a game, but actual power over life and death!

Moreover, this person was Su Ze!

A pervert who, on the very first day of the apocalypse, had openly recruited 'goddesses' on the public channel, even specifying 'no beauties, no entry'!

A monster who was whispered about by countless people, rumored to be ruthless and perhaps even a cannibal!

Handing herself over to such a person as a tenant?

How was that any different from sticking her neck under a guillotine?

“I refuse!” Qiao Yunge blurted out almost instinctively.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down as she looked directly at Su Ze.

“I won't be your tenant. However, I was in the wrong earlier, and I'm willing to pay the price.”

She didn't want to make the relationship too strained; after all, her brother and the others still needed to rent weapons and trade for food here.

“I can give you materials or copper coins as an apology.”

She attempted to resolve the current predicament by paying her way out of trouble.

Upon hearing this, Su Ze let out a sneer, as if he had heard some grand joke.

“Materials? copper coins?”

“Do you really think I'm lacking those things of yours?”

Qiao Yunge's expression darkened several shades further.

It was true; this man controlled the largest material trading market in the entire building. How could he possibly care about her meager stockpile?

The smile on Su Ze's face slowly faded. He took a step forward, and the invisible pressure caused Qiao Yunge to subconsciously take half a step back.

“I'll say it one more time: I only want you.”

His tone was flat, yet it carried an indisputable firmness.

“You...”

Qiao Yunge's blood boiled at his blunt words, leaving her both humiliated and enraged.

She looked at the man before her, seeing his determined expression, and the humiliation and anger in her heart finally overrode her reason.

Since the soft approach wouldn't work, she'd use force!

“You forced my hand!”

Qiao Yunge gritted her teeth and suddenly pulled something out of her player inventory!

It was a cylinder haphazardly wrapped in tape with a crude fuse attached, looking like the most poorly made homemade explosive from a movie.

Her other hand pulled out a lighter.

The moment this item appeared, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

Someone in the queuing crowd with sharp eyes spotted this and let out a cry of alarm, causing the line to instantly descend into a commotion.

“I'm telling you, Su Ze!”

Qiao Yunge gripped the explosive tightly with both hands, her palms drenched in cold sweat.

But her eyes held a desperate madness, holding the explosive in one hand and the lighter in the other.

“If you dare touch me or my family, or if you dare make a move on my Dormitory, I'll blow up your 404! At worst, we'll both go down together!”

She actually didn't want to completely burn bridges with Su Ze.

She had gone out of her way to get this explosive from a friend.

It was also her greatest trump card.

She had originally intended to keep it as a deterrent against other ill-intentioned survivors.

Unless absolutely necessary, she would never use it.

She was bringing it out now only to force Su Ze to back down and reach a settlement.

She really didn't want to become completely antagonistic toward this unfathomable man, especially since she still needed to rent weapons and buy supplies from him.

“I'll say it again: I can pay the price—double, triple, whatever! Just give up on that ridiculous idea!”

Qiao Yunge emphasized again, trying to pull the negotiations back on track.

However, Su Ze raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his mind.

Explosives?

It was only the second day of the game; how had such a weapon of mass destruction already dropped?

“I think... Hm?!”

Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed and he snapped his gaze toward the stairwell!

Su Ze's movement caused Qiao Yunge's nerves to tighten violently.

Almost instinctively, she followed Su Ze's gaze toward the stairwell.

It was empty?

Oh no!

The moment she realized she had been tricked, a gust of wind rushed toward her face!

Whoosh—!

An afterimage flashed before her eyes!

Qiao Yunge felt her wrist lighten; the explosive she considered her final trump card had vanished into thin air!

She slowly lowered her head, looking at her empty hands. A chilling despair instantly rushed from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

It's gone...

Her last trump card... just like that... was gone?

“Tsk, just this little thing?”

She looked up to see Su Ze playfully tossing the explosive in his hand, having already returned to his original spot, as if inspecting a novel trinket.

He looked up at the deathly pale Qiao Yunge, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

“My dear campus belle, it's not safe for a girl to be carrying this around.”

Su Ze's tone was light, but it felt like a heavy hammer smashing into Qiao Yunge's heart.

“How about I keep it safe for you?”

His tone became playful yet indisputable. Just as he was about to put the explosive into his player inventory, he took a closer look at it.

The relevant data panel quietly floated before his eyes.

【Crude Explosive】

【Level: 0】

【Damage: 150】

【Quality: Poor】

【Range: 3 meters】

【Durability: 1/1】

【Decomposition: Yields Gunpowder*5, Scrap Metal*3】

【Description: The pride and joy of a certain The player surnamed Chen from Jinghai University. Though crude, its power is decent—just be careful not to blow yourself up with it.】

150 Damage!

Su Ze's eyelid twitched.

This power was even greater than he had imagined! It was enough to insta-kill the vast majority of players at this stage.

However, what surprised him even more was the final part of the description.

【Created by a certain The player surnamed Chen from Jinghai University...】

Player... created?

Su Ze's breathing paused for a moment, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

He suddenly looked up, his gaze moving past the explosive in his hand...

...and landing once more on the soul-shattered Physical Education goddess who was lost in despair.

The playfulness and mockery on his face unknowingly vanished, replaced by a deep, unprecedented interest.

“Hey.”

Su Ze's voice pulled Qiao Yunge back from the brink of collapse.

She looked up blankly, meeting a pair of profound eyes.

Su Ze gestured with the explosive in his hand.

“This person surnamed Chen... who is it?”