182: Chapter 182 A Million Fans? That's Not Even Worth a Single Food Coupon Now

Zhe City, Middle City Square.

In front of the makeshift wooden stage, the line stretched over three hundred meters.

Less than two hours after the announcement was posted, over a thousand women had gathered.

Some came on their own.

Some were pushed here by their fathers.

Others were women with their heads bowed, their arms being pinched by the men beside them, who muttered, "If you get picked, the whole family can eat their fill."

The crowd below the stage was as noisy as a vegetable market.

"Isn't this just like selecting imperial concubines in ancient times?"

"We're about to lose our lives, what is there to be picky about?"

"I heard if you get picked, you get rice. Is that true or false?"

"Even if it's fake, you have to try. My younger brother was so hungry last night he was chewing on his belt."

On the stage.

Lin Yuan sat in a chair, legs crossed.

Beside him sat an iced Americano.

Beads of water condensed on the surface of the cup.

In the apocalypse, this thing was more eye-catching than gold bars.

Feng Qingwu stood to the side, holding a loudspeaker to announce the rules.

"Those who come on stage, state your name, age, and occupation before the apocalypse."

"Mr. Lin will review."

"No appeals accepted."

"No cutting in line."

"No causing trouble."

Her voice paused when she finished reading.

Because she herself felt this scene was too absurd.

But what was even more absurd was that no one left.

The first woman went up on stage.

Twenty-four years old.

The foundation on her face was thick enough to scrape off a wall.

She wore a shortened sequined dress and walked up to Lin Yuan without stating her name.

She blew a kiss first.

Someone in the crowd immediately whistled.

The woman twisted her waist and struck a pose commonly used in live streams.

"Brother, my name is Zhao Linlin."

"I was a streamer with a million followers on a certain platform before the apocalypse."

"You should have scrolled past me."

Lin Yuan glanced at her.

[Target's beauty rating detected < 85]

Lin Yuan picked up his coffee, took a sip, and pointed to the left.

"Get lost."

Zhao Linlin froze.

"Huh?"

Lin Yuan didn't look at her.

The smile on Zhao Linlin's face couldn't hold.

She leaned forward two steps and pulled her collar down another inch.

"Brother, take another look."

"My live stream used to have a monthly turnover of three hundred thousand."

"So many men lined up to gift me rockets."

Lin Yuan put down his cup.

"For those with bad ears, do you need someone to help carry you off?"

The guards nearby immediately stepped forward.

Zhao Linlin's expression changed.

She shrieked, "I had a million followers before the apocalypse!"

"How many people dreamed of having a meal with me!"

"You, an apocalyptic upstart, by what right do you look down on me?"

"Do you know that my top fan, Captain Zhao, is my number one supporter!"

"If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't reach him these past two days, do you think I would have taken a fancy to you?!"

Someone in the crowd joined in the heckling.

"Exactly, you don't even want an internet celebrity?"

"Is there something wrong with this guy's taste?"

"What is he putting on an act for?"

Lin Yuan finally looked her in the eye.

"A million followers?"

"Right now, not even one follower can trade for half a ration coupon."

Zhao Linlin's face instantly flushed red.

"Are you humiliating me?"

She lunged forward, trying to grab Lin Yuan's clothes.

Two guards grabbed her arms and dragged her straight off the stage.

Zhao Linlin struggled and screamed.

One of her false eyelashes fell off.

Her makeup was ruined too.

She was still shouting, "You will regret this! I used to have so many followers!"

Lin Yuan picked up his coffee again.

"If you feel it's unfair, you can leave now."

"No one begged you to come."

Three seconds.

No one moved.

Even a few women who were originally standing outside the line quietly shuffled forward two steps.

A person who can drink iced coffee in the apocalypse has the right to be picky.

The selection continued.

The second one.

"Unqualified."

The third one.

"Get down."

The eleventh one.

"Next."

The seventeenth one.

Lin Yuan didn't even lift his eyelids.

The restlessness in the line rose again.

A middle-aged man stood at the front and yelled, "What kind do you actually want?"

"Give us a standard!"

"Everyone is hungry, are you just playing with us?"

Someone nearby joined in shouting.

"Maybe he only likes men."

"Putting on such a big show, I'm afraid it's to fool idiots."

"Does he really have the ability to support people?"

Half a rotten vegetable leaf flew onto the stage.

The guards drew their guns.

Lin Yuan raised his hand.

The gun barrels stopped.

He looked at the crowd below, like watching a group of monkeys fighting over a banana.

Feng Qingwu gripped the loudspeaker tightly.

She walked to the front of the stage.

"You are eating Mr. Lin's supplies."

"You are living in the city that was only saved because Mr. Lin killed the Zombie King."

"And now you're throwing vegetable leaves at him?"

Someone was unconvinced.

"What do you mean 'his city'? 'His supplies'?"

"Hasn't our commander-in-chief been changed to Feng Sanhai?"

"What does it have to do with this pretentious guy in front of us?"

Feng Qingwu looked at that person.

"Have you been to the North District to see?"

"Do you know how Commander-in-Chief Wei died?"

Her voice wasn't loud.

But every word pierced into the crowd.

"My father has been distributing grain, repairing walls, and arranging housing for you these past two days."

"Why didn't the city fall?"

"Why didn't the Zombie King devour Zhe City?"

Feng Qingwu pointed at Lin Yuan.

"Because of him."

"You only see him sitting on the stage picking people."

"You didn't see him coming back from the Zombie King's nest covered in blood."

The crowd below went completely silent.

The man who threw the vegetable leaf shrank his neck.

Someone still wanted to be stubborn.

"You're speaking up for him, are you already his woman?"

"And who is your father?"

Feng Qingwu blushed slightly.

But she didn't back down.

"Even if he doesn't pick a single person, it is still his right."

"Because he has that ability."

She stared at that person.

"Do you?"

"Also, my surname is Feng."

No one answered.

Lin Yuan glanced at Feng Qingwu.

[Ding! Target Feng Qingwu (beauty rating 85), favorability +1%, current favorability 17%.]

Lin Yuan stood up.

"Mid-session break."

He raised his hand.

Spatial fluctuations unfolded.

A wooden tray appeared out of thin air.

A plate of salmon sashimi.

A bowl of miso soup.

A portion of eel rice.

A small dish of pickled radishes.

And disposable bamboo chopsticks and a packet of wasabi.

The air in the entire square seemed to stop.

Rice.

Hot.

Fish.

Fresh.

The soup was still steaming.

Someone's throat made a gulping sound.

A child's crying started, but was immediately covered by their mother's hand.

Lin Yuan handed the tray to Feng Qingwu.

"You must be hungry."

"Eat something."

Feng Qingwu looked at the eel rice.

Her eyes flickered.

These past few days, she had been helping Feng Sanhai organize refugee lists, guarding the grain warehouse, and distributing medicine.

She had been eating compressed biscuits and thin porridge.

"Thank you, Mr. Lin."

[Ding! Target Feng Qingwu (beauty rating 85), favorability +2%, current favorability 19%.]

Thousands of eyes below the stage were fixed on her.

No one questioned anymore if Lin Yuan couldn't afford to support people.

A person who can pull a Japanese meal set out of thin air doesn't need to explain.

Zhao Linlin was dragged to the edge of the crowd, still sobbing.

She looked at the rice in Feng Qingwu's hand, her lips moving.

This time, she didn't dare to shout.

Lin Yuan sat back down.

"Continue."

The line immediately went quiet.

Everyone stood straighter than before.

Half an hour later.

Feng Qingwu finished half a bowl of rice and put down her chopsticks.

She hesitated for a few seconds, then asked in a low voice, "Mr. Lin."

"Can I participate in this... transaction of yours?"

The surrounding guards all looked over.

She stood up and walked to Lin Yuan.

"Name, Feng Qingwu."

"Age, twenty-two."

"Before the apocalypse, a senior student majoring in Administrative Management at Zhe University."

"After the apocalypse, I followed my father to be responsible for the outer city grain registry, child placement, and medicine registration."

Her ears were red.

But her voice was steady.

"I know I'm not the prettiest."

"But I am literate, can do accounts, can stay up late, and can learn the rules."

Lin Yuan looked at Feng Qingwu.

[Current favorability: 19%]

Only one step away from 20%.

Lin Yuan asked, "Do you know what this transaction means?"

Feng Qingwu nodded.

"I know."

She glanced at the people below the stage waiting to be screened.

"I don't want to be pushed onto the scale by others."

"I will walk up here myself."

As these words fell.

Many women below the stage lifted their heads.

Lin Yuan smiled, not answering immediately.

Just at this moment.

A guard ran over quickly.

"Mr. Lin."

"A helicopter is heading towards us."

"Looking at the tail number, it's from the Capital."