Dominion’s End V5C6: Everything’s Great

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Dominion’s End Volume 5: Zhanjiang Garrison

Original novel in Chinese by: 御我 (Yu Wo)


Chapter 6: Everything’s Great—translated by Miaka_Mei (proofread by Arcedemius, Xuan & Trespasserby; CE edited by Simone & lucathia)

Facing the brother-in-law whose leg I had personally broken, I was so nervous that my hands were fidgeting. Fortunately, Jin Zhan only shot me a glance, seemingly not interested at all, and continued eating. On the other hand, the two women at the side were filled with enthusiasm and kept on staring at me.

“Is this Xiao Yu?” One of the women, who seemed older in age, said warmly. “Come, have a seat. There’s no need to be shy, we’re all family after all.”

And just like that we became family! I inwardly chuckled. The Thunder God and Ice Emperor are one family? The whole human race is going to celebrate!

Jin Feng pulled me down to sit, and right away ordered someone to serve me a bowl of rice. I held the bowl of rice with shaking hands. I had just broken the Thunder God’s leg, and now with all these black-clothed men in the dining hall staring at me, all of my hairs were standing on end. I feel like I’m gonna get hacked apart with knives from every direction at any moment!

Jin Feng gestured at the woman seated at the round-table and introduced her. “This is my lil’ mom. You can just call her ‘Lil’ Mom.’”

Lil’ Mom? Her form of address sounds a bit odd. I looked at the person called “Lil’ Mom.” She was a woman who didn’t look like a mother at all. She was wearing a light green blouse and white long skirt. She had a slim figure and a refined and beautiful appearance, looking very much like a girl from a wealthy family. I couldn’t exactly tell how old she was, but she couldn’t possibly be Jin Feng’s mom. Considering her “Lil’ Mom” nickname, she was obviously the stepmother!

Jin Feng smiled. “Lil’ Mom is very young, but you still gotta call her ‘Lil’ Mom.’”

“Hi, Lil’ Mom. I’m Xiao Yu.” I couldn’t help but to speak in a soft voice to prevent Jin Zhan from recognizing me, but I also couldn’t exaggerate it too much or Jin Feng would wonder why I had changed my voice for no reason. This wasn’t easy to handle at all!

Lil’ Mom instantly broke into a smile and shoved something over. I looked down to see that it was actually a red envelope. What the heck? Nowadays, paper money isn’t even used for wiping one’s ass… Wait a sec, the thing inside of here isn’t flat. I didn’t dare open it to take a look, and could only sneakily rub it as I put it inside my pocket. Its size and irregular shape… an evolution crystal?

“It’s a wedding gift.” Jin Feng explained.

Say what? I was at a loss.

Jin Feng continued introductions. “That’s my bro. His name is Jin Zhan.”

Jin Zhan glanced over. This time, I readily and instantly shouted, “Hi, Jin-gē!”

Jin Zhan gave an indifferent nod. He shot a meaningful glance at the person standing behind him and they immediately handed over a red envelope to me. This is…?

I didn’t understand what was going on, but considering that I was staying in someone else’s domain, I should just obediently accept anything that was being offered to me.

“And lastly, my lil’ sister—Jin Xiaoyue.”

Jin Xiaoyue seemed to be made from the same mold as Lil’ Mom, appearing very similar to her. They’re most likely biological mother and daughter, though they look more like sisters. Jin Xiaoyue had a gloomy look on her face, so she didn’t seem as nice as the smiling Lil’ Mom.

“Feng-ér has a good eye.” Lil’ Mom said with a smile, “Xiao Yu looks like a good kid.”

“What’s so great about being a good kid—”

Jin Xiaoyue hadn’t even finished talking before Jin Zhan cut her off with a fierce glare. Lil’ Mom’s smile faded a little. She seemed a bit afraid of looking at her daughter, but still continued to talk to me.

“Come, let’s eat. I heard that Xiao Yu slept for a whole day. You must be hungry.”

The atmosphere around the dining table suddenly turned a bit odd. Jin Zhan’s expression darkened. Jin Xiaoyue had a look of fear and stubbornness. Jin Feng was frowning, but she didn’t say anything.

I was indeed very hungry, but how was I supposed to eat in this kind of atmosphere? I could only take the initiative to ease things up.

“Mm. I’m really hungry. Is dinner about to start? Lil’ Mom, can you tell me which dishes are tasty?”

Just those few sentences were enough to instantly make Lil’ Mom happy. She picked several unknown meats while saying, “You should eat a bit more meat. Look at how thin you are. Now eat up!”

I ducked my head, eagerly digging into my food. Lil’ Mom smiled even more happily. Despite her young age, this stepmother was a mother after all. She felt happy just seeing a kid gobbling down his dinner.

Jin Zhan’s face softened, and Jin Feng’s mouth curled into a smile. Only Jin Xiaoyue’s face was still gloomy. Who knows what she is so unhappy about? Don’t tell me she still wants to foist Jin Feng on Dàgē?

Oh come on, Jin Feng is totally not Dàgē’s—I peeked at the strong, long legs under the table. Shit! Jin Feng might actually be Dàgē’s type. I suddenly felt a bit depressed…

“What’s with the frowning face?” Jin Feng glanced over. “You don’t like the dishes? I’ll have someone change them.”

I quickly shook my head. “No, the food is great. I just, just thought of Dàgē and the others. They might be worried about me.”

Jin Feng coolly said, “You haven’t even finished eating, and you’re already thinking of running away? Believe me, I’ll break your legs to make sure that you don’t go anywhere. That’ll spare me the trouble of having to save you all the time. Besides, there’s no guarantee that I can save you again.”

“…No way. You spoil me so much, you definitely couldn’t bear to hurt me!”

Even if I do believe it, I still have to say I don’t! Please don’t break my legs!

Jin Feng’s lips quirked up in a smile. Hearing this, Lil’ Mom softly smiled, while Jin Xiaoyue exaggeratedly rolled her eyes. As for Jin Zhan, he was too lazy to pay any attention to me.

This took a great weight off my mind. As long as Jin Zhan doesn’t recognize me, it doesn’t matter what attitude he has!

Jin Feng probed again, “Does your family live nearby?”

I nodded with hesitation. I took a moment to gather my thoughts before saying in a low voice, “My big brother seems to know yours. I’ve heard him mentioning the name ‘Jin Zhan.’”

Jin Zhan glanced over. This time, he seemed to be looking straight at me. My heart lurched and I hurriedly ducked my head, pretending to be afraid. I inwardly muttered, Great Thunder God, please don’t recognize me.

Jin Zhan’s annoyed voice came from above, “He’s such a wimp. Feng, you better watch him closely. Otherwise, he’ll be gone before you even notice, and that’ll be hard on you.”

Jin Feng nodded and said, “I’ve told Ben to follow him.”

“Don’t let him run off again either. He’s lucky he hasn’t died yet.”

I was taken by surprise and hurriedly lifted my head, afraid that Jin Feng really wouldn’t let me leave. But it just so happened that my eyes met with Jin Zhan’s.

“Who’s your brother?” He asked, though it didn’t seem like he really believed it was someone he knew.

I said while faking timidity, “My brother’s name is Jiang Shutian.”

Jin Zhan was stunned. Jin Xiaoyue was the first to respond, exclaiming excitedly, “Your brother is Jiang Shutian?! The Ice Emperor, Jiang Shutian?”

“My big brother is indeed Jiang Shutian. But what’s an ‘ice emperor?’”

I hadn’t expected her to shout “Ice Emperor” in such a frank manner. I could only pretend to be confused. Hopefully, Jin Zhan’s eyes aren’t too sharp. I haven’t trained myself to become a top actor yet.

Jin Xiaoyue hurriedly probed, “Is your brother a mercenary leader?”

“Mhm.” I frowned. I was even more convinced that Jin Xiaoyue knew about the future developments of the apocalypse, and that she even knew a lot more details than I did.

“His special powers—”

At that moment, Jin Zhan gave her a cold look and she immediately quieted down, not daring to speak further. Beside her, Lil’ Mom was quietly eating, but her hand was trembling slightly.

After Jin Xiaoyue turned silent, Jin Zhan questioned, “What’s the name of Jiang Shutian’s mercenary troop? Do you know any of the members?”

“It’s Jiang Dominion. I know the members who have been in the group for quite a while, like Cain and Ceng Yunqian.”

I mentioned the two members whom Jin Zhan was most likely to know. Cain was a well-rounded expert, and although he was a bit of an idiot, he was actually very strong. Considering how long he had been with Dàgē, he should be quite well-known.

Meanwhile, Yunqian had the title of the strongest sniper. The two of them were talented people whom many had sought after, offering huge amounts of money. However, they were also the least likely to jump ship. Although it’s hard to find loyalty nowadays, there’s only two words that could describe their attitude toward my big brother, and that is—true loyalty!

Jin Zhan was now peering at my face closely. I just let him stare at me. Dàgē and I didn’t look much alike except for the bridge of our noses, but there was no way that people who were unfamiliar with us could tell.

“You don’t resemble Jiang Shutian—both in appearance and in character. The two of you are too different.”

I honestly explained, “My little sister and I look more like our mother, while Dàgē looks more like our father.”

Jin Feng suddenly said, “The name ‘Jiang Shuyu’ that you mentioned before, so it’s actually this ‘jiāng (疆).’ I thought it was the jiang (江) from jiānghú, river and lake.”

I looked at Jin Feng with gratitude. She had said that in order to prove that I wasn’t lying!

“Jiang Shutian’s little brother…”

Jin Zhan fell into deep contemplation. Who knows what he’s thinking about? Hopefully, it’s not anything bad. I mentioned those things because I was betting on an opportunity to form an alliance. But if he really did have ill intentions, I’d escape from here ASAP! Escaping wouldn’t be hard for me since he was unlikely to suspect that I had the ability to break his legs. After all, this face of mine was just too deceptive!

Jin Xiaoyue was looking at Jin Zhan with a hopeful gaze, even occasionally glancing at me with shining eyes. Hmph hmph! So you finally know how valuable I am.

Jin Zhan frowned and said, “Lan City is a tough nut to crack. It’s gonna be really hard to conquer it. If Jiang Shutian is here, we can consider forming an alliance. He seemed to know about the apocalypse in advance and was prepared for it. His current level of strength is likely to be quite high.”

Jin Feng nodded. “Didn’t Xiaoyue say that an aberrant king called Thirteen will come here in the future?”

Hehe. Sorry about that. Thirteen has already been redirected by me, and this butterfly effect took him who knows where to become the nanny of a little girl. As to whether or not he’ll reappear in the future, who knows?

But even without Thirteen, there’s still a bunch of scary things like the Yggdrasil Earthworm around. However, with the Thunder God here, we may be able to easily kill it. After all, the lightning ability is known for being the strongest in offense. It’s not something that you can easily defend against.

“The aberrants are a problem.” Jin Zhan frowned and said, “The humans are another problem. There’re soldiers here randomly opening fire. They didn’t seem to be here to help. They’re probably here to fight over territory, too.”

Shooting at random people even?

I frowned. Did I save the wrong people? Has the Shangguan soldiers devolved to the point of senselessly killing humans? Or maybe it’s simply because the Thunder God didn’t seem human at all…

Jin Feng said indifferently, “The military aren’t to be trifled with. They’ve got commanders, military equipment, and likely also a large number of people. Fighting head-to-head with them isn’t worth it.”

I blurted out, “For now, it’s already good enough to be able defend against them. If they’re numbered in the thousands or even up to tens of thousands of people, sooner or later they’ll end up attracting large hordes of aberrants, and they’ll be surrounded and slaughtered. If they don’t quickly disperse, the outcome is going to be horribly gruesome.”

Although most of the military would become cancerous, and eventually collapse at the end, there was actually one main cause. In the beginning stages of the apocalypse, they had turned into warlords. Even aberrants wouldn’t actively provoke them. However, once survivors went into hiding and the aberrants started getting hungry, they wouldn’t care about how many people there were and would just swarm them. Even if they died, they would at least do so on a full stomach!

On top of that, this was Lan City, one of the most terrifying aberrant cities. There were things like butterflies, wolfmen, and Yggdrasil earthworms that had resulted after evolution. I’m afraid that the speed at which these aberrants would swarm the military would be a lot faster than I could imagine.

Jin Zhan and Jin Feng turned to look over at me. I hastily shrunk back, weakly ducking my head down.

“You seem to know quite a bit.” Despite saying this, it didn’t seem like Jin Zhan really believed me.

I was silent for a moment, then quietly explained, “I previously stayed in a military zone which was converted into a shelter. The outcome was horrible, and there weren’t many who managed to escape.”

Jin Zhan shot a glance at me. “You actually managed to stay alive. Looks like you aren’t such a wimp after all. Jiang Shutian’s little brother shouldn’t be a good-for-nothing.”

You’re the one who’s a good-for-nothing, your whole family is—you and Jin Xiaoyue are good-for-nothings! Except for Feng and Lil’ Mom. They’re good people, not good-for-nothings.

“He’s got a resentful look in his eyes.” Jin Zhan smirked and told Jin Feng, “You’ve always liked weird guys. That year when Scar cut his own face and almost split it into two, you insisted on having him saved. Now this little guy that you’ve found is also quite an oddball. He looks like a wimp, but still dares to run around everywhere.”

Jin Feng didn’t deny the “weird” part, and simply pointed out, “Xiao Yu isn’t a wimp. He’s just afraid of strangers.”

Jin Zhan scoffed, then said to me, “Next time, bring your brother to come see me. Just tell him that I’m planning to ally with him to take over Lan City.”

Fury erupted within me. Just as I was about to retort with, “Why aren’t YOU the one coming to see my brother,” I suddenly changed my mind. Why on earth should I expose our base of operations?

I nodded, and obediently said, “After I’ve recuperated, I’ll leave the day after tomorrow and inform Dàgē about it once I get home.”

It would actually be fine for me to return tomorrow since I was still able to move. After taking the red envelopes I had just received, eating my fill, and getting some sleep, I should recover my powers somewhat. It shouldn’t be a problem to get home unseen.

However, Dàgē was still in Lan City. If I returned too early, I wouldn’t be able find him anyway. Since I was already here, it would be better to stay and explore the Thunder God’s base for an extra day. When the time came, Dàgē would be able to better negotiate terms with the Thunder God.

The garrison will be fine for just a couple of days, right? Despite my doubts, I decided to stay for another day and take a look around.

“The day after tomorrow?” Jin Zhan indifferently said, “So you really did enter the city alone. Guess there’s no need to watch you too closely. I’ve no idea how much strength you’ve got, but your talent in staying alive should be pretty decent.”

…Nowadays, it’s really hard to pretend to be a weak and delicate pretty boy.

“So what’s your power?” Jin Xiaoyue excitedly asked, “The Ice Emperor was so strong, I’m sure he’s given you a lot of crystals to eat. You’ve trained up your powers, right?”

My heart jolted when I received this question. Initially, there would be no problem with revealing my ice powers, as it would be fine if I just made it seem weak and not too powerful. Unfortunately, I had just fought a battle with the Thunder God, and had even revealed the ice dagger. If I were to say that I had an ice ability, wouldn’t that be sending myself to my death?

“Just what exactly is an ‘ice emperor?’” I doubtfully looked at Jin Xiaoyue, and replied to her with a question, buying some time to think of another special power.

Jin Xiaoyue said, a bit indecisively, “Uhh… doesn’t your big brother have ice powers? He’s so powerful too, so don’t you think he’s suited to be called the ‘Ice Emperor?’”

The problem was that I hadn’t even said that my family’s dàgē had ice powers, so where did she get this information from? Considering how dumb she is, how did she get into college? Does she have an IQ of 87?

I silently stared at her, feigning a look of doubt.

Jin Xiaoyue seemed to have finally realized her slip of the tongue. Her cheeks were flushed as she fumbled for an explanation. In the end, she shifted the topic, and stubbornly said, “You still haven’t told us your powers! Are you trying to hide something?”

After buying some time, I had actually thought of a “power,” but just as I was about say it, Jin Feng interjected.

“If he doesn’t wanna say it, then so be it. My man doesn’t need to justify himself to others!”

God, now I feel like my heart might burst with happiness. What should I do now?

“Sis!” Jin Xiaoyue anxiously said, “You trust this pretty boy way too much! What if he’s got bad intentions? Don’t you realize how weird it is that he can run around everywhere even though he looks just like a weakling?”

“Xiao Yu isn’t weak.” Jin Feng looked at her and said confusedly, “I’ve already told you he isn’t weak, so why do you still think that he’s weak?”

Well, never mind Jin Xiaoyue, even Ben thought that the only thing that I had going for me was my face. Although my acting skills were bad, luckily, I had this face paired with a slim body which couldn’t grow muscle… Just thinking of this makes me feel like crying. I’m not asking for too much. Can’t I at least have biceps bigger than Yunqian’s?

Jin Zhan let out a laugh. “Every part of him looks weak.”

Jin Feng lifted an eyebrow and actually challenged the Thunder God, “You might even lose to him in a fight.”

No, no, no, we only fought to a draw. I suddenly felt a bit excited. I’ve actually fought the Thunder God to a draw!

Jin Zhan lifted an eyebrow. “If you could bear to let him fight, sure, let’s see who would win.”

Jin Feng glanced at me, and I hurriedly lowered my head, pretending to be a meek and dainty daughter-in-law, I mean “weak, pretty boy!”

She withdrew her glance, and said magnanimously, “Nope, not happening. Nobody’s allowed to lay even a finger on Xiao Yu, not even you.”

Jin Zhan coldly snorted but didn’t actually say anything further. If my family’s little sister had stood up against me for another guy, and even challenged me for his sake—Oh hell no. I could already feel my heart breaking from just thinking about it. That guy must be killed and shredded into pieces. His fate has been sealed!

“Sis!” Jin Xiaoyue bitterly said, “You’re treating him even better than us. Is he more important to you than us?”

Lil’ Mom’s expression changed, and she berated her, “Xiaoyue, what nonsense are you talking about! Although Feng-ér has always been spoiling you, you’d actually get jealous of your brother-in-law over something trivial? Even going as far as to say such ridiculous things, what have I taught you?!”

I protested weakly inside of my heart, But we’re not even married yet…

Jin Xiaoyue didn’t seem afraid of Lil’ Mom at all. Instead, she was extremely afraid of her big brother. Just a glare from Jin Zhan was enough for her to shut her mouth. Her eyes swam with tears as she lowered her head.

She was young, pretty, and born with Lil’ Mom’s elegant and refined features. When she wasn’t hopping mad and instead wore an aggrieved look on her face, she looked pure and innocent to the point of being endearing.

Then again, if there was one thing that nobody could beat me at, it would be my invincible face!

I quickly tugged at Jin Feng’s sleeve and anxiously said, “Feng, it’s okay. I’ll just say it. Please don’t trouble yourself.”

Jin Feng turned and stared at me. Instead of a distressed look in her eyes, she looked as if she were enjoying a beautiful scenery. Her gaze was so frank that I felt goosebumps all over my body. There’s something off about this...

She flicked my forehead and said, “People are gonna keep thinking of you as weak if you continue pretending to be so pitiful.”

…I might not lose when it comes to my face, but when it comes to my acting skills, I’d lose to the point that my pants get pulled down.

“Anyway, it’s all up to you whether to say it or not,” she nonchalantly said.

I knit my brows into a frown, pretending to be vexed, then reluctantly held my hand out. Everyone turned to look toward my opened palm; however, there was nothing in the palm of my hand. Just as Jin Xiaoyue started getting impatient, a thin branch began to slowly extend out of my sleeve. Then, it became a somewhat chubby tree trunk, and finally two round leaves were revealed.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, the small and translucent sapling clung himself to my hand. His large and round eyes had turned flat, and he even hugged tightly onto my thumb, seemingly aggrieved and afraid of strangers.

I told you to turn small, but you actually changed yourself into Thumbelina. With your attack and defense power looking pretty much non-existent, how am I supposed to convince everyone that I depend on you to crawl around the city?

I gritted my teeth and explained, “I’d previously gotten injured and plopped myself on a tree. My blood spilled all over his body, and he suddenly ‘came to life.’ He’s also very obedient to me. Don’t judge him by his appearance. Xiaorong is actually very useful! Oh, by the way, I named him Jiang Xiaorong because he’s a banyan tree.”

Xiaorong was really, really useful. Although his intelligence was a bit lacking, expecting a tree to have high IQ was a bit over the top.

“Such a cute thing.” Lil’ Mom laughed softly and said, “Can I touch it?”

“Yes, of course you can.” I silently gave my instructions. I’d noticed it a while agoas long as Lil’ Mom was happy, Jin Zhan would also be happier. Who would have expected that the high and mighty young master of a mafia group was actually someone who respected his stepmother?

Xiaorong, behave. Us brothers are living under someone else’s roof, so we’ve gotta go with the flow. I’m counting on you to win Lil’ Mom over.

The tree sapling was still a little afraid of strangers, so when Lil’ Mom reached out a hand, he went straight to hiding behind my thumb. But after some encouragement, he soon jumped out and rubbed against Lil’ Mom’s forefinger. The sight of him acting like a dog wagging its tail made it really unbearable for me to look at him.

Lil’ Mom was very happy. If I hadn’t said that Xiaorong had no way of leaving me, Xiaorong might have even changed masters. Jin Zhan looked pretty much like a bandit. He won’t even allow any protests after robbing you!

Fortunately, Lil’ Mom seemed to have noticed this. She returned Xiaorong after playing with him a bit, then said that she was tired and wanted to get some rest.

I was relieved that I didn’t need to go through the drama of fighting over Xiaorong.

Seeing that I had eaten my fill, Jin Feng exchanged some parting words with Jin Zhan before leading me away. During this time, everyone in the dining hall was still idly eating. The bowls and plates on their tables had long been emptied, but they were still eating, taking five minutes just to finish a melon seed!

We were about to leave the dining hall when several young men approached us. One of them said with a grin, “Feng-jiě, would you mind giving us some introductions?”

Jin Feng carelessly nodded, then pointed her thumb at me and said, “This is my man. Watch yourself. Don’t go over your head and bully him. If anyone dares to touch him, that’s the same as touching me.”

All of them turned to look at me. They initially had a look of envy, but upon seeing my face, their expressions immediately showed a look of complete understanding.

I even saw two familiar faces among them. If I recall correctly, they’re the two men who tried to stir up trouble before—Big Hulk and Mr. Spectacles. What were their names again?

While I was struggling to remember, the bespectacled man stepped forward. He gloomily smiled and said, “Feng-jiě, since Xiao Yu has returned, does that mean you no longer want the new guy that just got picked up?”

Hu Zong. I finally remembered. As for the Big Hulk, he’s Oldman Jun. The latter was just a muscle head, while the former had his eye on Jin Feng. They had come looking for trouble with me, but Jin Feng was so intimidating that they didn’t dare to cause too much trouble… Fine, I admit that I do care a little about who this “new guy that just got picked up” is.

Jin Feng fixated her eyes on Hu Zong. Under her gaze, he restrained his smile. He stiffly stood with his head lowered, and said in a loud voice, “I’m sorry, Feng-jiě. I went too far.”

Despite this, Jin Feng didn’t let him off the hook. With a wave of her hand, a long blade of fire appeared out of thin air. Chopping into Hu Zong shouldn’t be possible from this distance, but with a backhand wave, the blade swung out, and he let out a blood-curdling screech. The disgusting odor of burned human flesh could be smelled from his arm.

Everyone around us looked shocked and their faces turned pale. Surrounded by the smell of charred human flesh, with melon seeds in their mouths, they weren’t sure whether they should spit them out or swallow them down.

Even standing at the back I could sense the density of energy contained within that fire blade. It seemed so much more powerful than Cain’s. Damn that was so cool! Could the Flame King actually be this person over here? For such a fierce woman to actually exist in the apocalypse, this is a big honor for all women!

Jin Feng abruptly looked toward me. She opened her mouth, but then closed it again.

Blinking, I said with confusion, “Do you have something to say?”

She gave a smirk. “I was gonna ask if you were scared. But it turns out that your eyes are even brighter than my blade, so there’s no need for me to ask.”

Oops. I’d forgotten to act timid again. Should I just quit the “weak, pretty boy” act…

Jin Zhan walked over and coldly said, “Your subordinates are getting more and more out of hand. It’s time to put a leash on them.”

Upon hearing this, Jin Feng’s face darkened even further, and her red lips tightly pressed together. Everyone else no longer dared to even chew a single melon seed. Each and every one of them stood up with lowered heads, appearing very disciplined, pretty much like a group of cultured mafia ladies. They remained like this even after Jin Zhan left the dining hall, so as it turned out, the person they really feared was Jin Feng.

Hu Zong’s whole hand appeared black and red in color, appearing extremely painful. Despite his hand burned to a crisp, he simply gritted his teeth, not daring to let out another scream.

“You’re only allowed a crystal to take care of your injury after three days.” Jin Feng frostily said, “If there’s a next time, you won’t be needing any more crystals.”

When Jin Feng led me out the dining hall, it was completely silent behind us.

Jin Feng said with a frown, “Should I just burn him to death? Maybe that’ll be enough as a warning.”

Uh… As expected of the mafia. Going straight from burning bridges to burning people to death in one sentence! I softly persuaded, “Let’s not burn people in the dining hall. We’re still gonna eat there afterwards.”

A smile broke out on Jin Feng’s face. Instead of a smirk, it was a genuine smile.

“I really do like you.”

Hearing this, I felt awkward instead of getting overwhelmed with delight, and grumbled, “You just really like beautiful men, right? Everyone seems to think it’s a given when they see my face.”

Jin Feng tilted her head and glanced at me. She didn’t even deny it.

I felt a little angry. Don’t tell me you’re okay with any handsome man? What would happen if there were a guy more handsome than me? And the one that Hu Zong just mentioned—the guy who just got picked up—he must be quite good-looking…

Following behind Jin Feng, I’d already lost the mood to enjoy looking at her perky butt and long legs. I only felt gloom tugging at my heart. It’s not like the only thing I have is my face. I’m pretty strong myself! And my body… my body will tone up one day!

She turned around, looking at me with a searching glance, and asked, “Are you unhappy?”

“No,” I bluffed, saying the opposite of what my heart said. Jin Feng lifted her eyebrows, obviously not believing my words. I couldn’t help asking, “You just really like my face?”

She frankly nodded. “I like it.”

Having personally experienced what it felt like for ancient imperial concubines to be judged by their beauty, the feeling was both bitter and sweet. But right now, I was feeling far more bitter than sweet.

“It’s not okay to judge someone just by appearance!”

After saying this, I almost drowned in bitterness by hearing my own tone of speech. I felt somewhat off about it. I was originally just a pretty boy, counting on my face to live and mooch off food and drinks, so what am I feeling bitter for…

Jin Feng replied with a question, “Don’t you like my boobs, too?”

“…” What a good reply. Her response left me speechless. Actually, it wasn’t just her chest. Jin Feng’s thin waistline adorned with V-line abs and her firm little butt made my mouth water from time to time. Then again, mentioning these two parts didn’t seem to be any better than her chest?

Wait, there’s one! I said in a confident manner, “Compared to your chest, I like how badass you are even more!”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Jin Feng suddenly turned around to face me with a fierce expression on her face. If I didn’t know that I hadn’t done anything wrong, I’d have really thought that she was gonna strike with a fire blade!

“What, what’s wrong?” I immediately turned into a meek pretty boy. I didn’t even need to fake it.

Although I knew that Jin Feng wouldn’t really shoot me with a fire blade, her slightly frowning brows and tightly pursing lips had caused her queenly aura to be released in full force, making my heart so nervous!

Jin Feng seemed to have realized that she had frightened me and adjusted her expression. She gravely asked, “What you said just now, was it for real?”

“Huh?” I wasn’t able to respond immediately. Which sentence are you talking about?

Jin Feng stepped closer, and pressed me for an answer, “You said that you like how badass I am the most. Did you mean it?”

I was stunned. But after seeing how serious her expression was, I stopped bluffing, hurriedly nodded, and said, “I mean it. I really like your badassery. There’s plenty of girls with big boobs, but I didn’t fall for any of them, only you. You’re the only one that I like!”

After saying this, I was suddenly hit with realization. In regards to big boobs and a good figure, Lily didn’t actually lose out to Jin Feng…

Maybe she was a bit lacking. Lily had a pear-shaped figure with a plump and ample butt while Jin Feng had a firm and tight—AHHHHHH! The hell am I thinking, comparing these things? Could I get any more perverted?!

Anyway, although my eyes had never glued onto Lily’s chest and butt, my mouth would drool anytime I saw Jin Feng’s body.

Shit, is this actually my “first awakening of love”? So it turns out that my type isn’t only big boobs. She also has to be a domineering big sis, and most importantly, has to have the capability to burn people to a frazzle! My preferences are a bit too much, aren’t they?

In the past, there was Miao Xiangling, the person that I did have some favorable impressions of, but my preference hadn’t been this hardcore. That said, I wouldn’t have been able to find someone like Jin Feng among the students.

Among the students of my high school, Miao Xiangling was actually the bold and passionate type of woman. In fact, she was so bold that she had incited dislike from many people. But no matter how “bold” she was, once you compared her to Jin Feng, she was a lot milder!

At most, Miao Xiangling was the bold type who would actively pursue a boyfriend, while Jin Feng was actually the “attacking” type, directly taking the person home and making him her husband. Are they even comparable?

This must be a side effect from regaining my previous life’s memories. Jiang Shuyu likes beautiful women with big boobs, while Guan Weijun likes strong men with long legs. When the preferences were mixed together, it became strong women with big boobs and long legs!

“I like you, too. Not just your face, I like everything about you.”

I said with dissatisfaction, “That answer is almost the same as not answering. I already said that I really like your badassery, but you didn’t say which part of me you like the most!”

Jin Feng didn’t say anything even after we returned to her room. I was feeling a bit vexed, though I wasn’t sure what I was getting angry about. In any case, I was just someone who relied on his face to get rescued!

I forcefully jumped onto the bed, deciding to sleep and recover more quickly. I covered myself with the blanket and buried my face in the pillow. I must be tired from exhausting my powers, which is why my mood is so gloomy. Anyway, I’m just a pretty boy freeloading on food and drinks, so isn’t it fine for me to go to sleep after I’ve eaten my fill?

“I really like the way you look at me.”

I started, and lifted my head from the pillow. Jin Feng was sitting at the bedside, playing with a strand of my hair. Her fingers were long and slender, but weren’t thin and delicate like a girl’s hands. Her fingers looked strong with large joints and neat and short fingernails. You could easily tell that she was someone who worked her fingers to the bone.

Jin Feng noticed that I was staring at her hand, and casually explained, “My hands look a lot better now after I’ve started eating crystals. Some of the scars have even disappeared. But they’re still not pretty though, not as much as yours.”

Upon hearing this, I sat up and held Jin Feng’s hand with both of mine. Although Jin Feng was a strong woman, I was a man, so my hands were still a lot bigger than hers. I was able to completely wrap my hands around hers.

Jin Feng said with amusement, “What are you doing?”

Even I don’t know what I’m doing… I could feel my heart slightly fluttering. If Jin Feng wasn’t so serious, I might have decided to test out the waters by dating her, just like how I’d told Miao Xiangling about giving it a try. But it was not possible to only give it a try with Jin Feng.

I held Jin Feng’s hand. It was very warm. She didn’t have the commonly cold hands and feet that girls usually had, which was probably related to her fire powers.

She appeared to be outwardly cold and unapproachable, but internally, she was like a ball of fire. So warm that she could melt people even in the winter.

Seriously, I like everything about her.

“Can you wait two years for me? I’ve promised someone that I wouldn’t date within two years.”

Jin Feng’s face immediately darkened. She said unhappily, “Was it your ex-girlfriend?”

“…” Imagining the Ice Emperor as my ex-girlfriend—it’s simply too much for me to bear! I hastily shouted in denial, “No! I’ve never had a girlfriend!”

My past life boyfriend doesn’t count!

Jin Feng stared at my face with some disbelief, “With a face like this, you haven’t dated yet? Your bro didn’t let you?”

“No, that’s not it.” I shook my head and said, “That guy has gone messing around who knows where, so he’s got no right to decide that for me. If it weren’t for me and my little sister at home, who knows what kind of mess he’d turn out to be? Even I don’t wanna think about it!”

Jin Feng chuckled. “He’s a lot like my bro. He’s got some restraint cuz he likes Lil’ Mom. Otherwise, he’d probably be a lot looser, too.”

I looked at her with utter disbelief and exclaimed, “Your brother? With Lil’ Mom? That shouldn’t be possible, right?”

Jin Feng nonchalantly said, “It’s no big deal. In any case, Dad died long ago. Gē never told Lil’ Mom before, since she would get scared half to death.”

“So he’s just gonna stay quiet about it and remain chaste?” My heart began to pound in my chest, excited for some juicy gossip. Who would have thought that the Thunder God was actually a lovestruck fool?

Jin Feng looked at me, and said, “You think he can restrain himself?”

I was stunned. “But you just said that he likes Lil’ Mom?”

“He does like her, but that won’t stop him from finding relief with other women. He just won’t bring them home.”

What the fuck. I’d decided to hate the Thunder God. He’d made me remember that fucker, Xia Zhengu. Back when he started cheating on me, he’d also talk his way out like this. Even though he loved me, those pitiful women liked him so much that he couldn’t bear to reject them, so he had no choice but to accept all of them. However despite all that, I was still the woman that he loved the most.

But now… just remembering those words sets my heart aflame. Guan Weijun hadn’t died from excessive anger in the past, probably only because of my strong body which had been tempered by the apocalypse!

When I came to my senses, Jin Feng was engrossed in staring at me, though I couldn’t guess what she was thinking about.

Feeling anger rising up in me, I furiously said, “So you’re like that, too? You like me, but you also wouldn’t mind finding relief with some other guy?”

Jin Feng stared blankly for a moment, then replied with a smile, “No. I’ve never looked for anyone.”

“…” Is this the confession of a virgin, or did I just misunderstand?

“You never had a girlfriend before, then did you ever get yourself a woman?”

I blankly shook my head. How’s that even possible? Where would a normal high school student have even gotten himself a woman…

“So you’re a virgin?” Jin Feng seemed to be in a great mood. She was looking very pleased.

“…” I refuse to answer!

“Don’t worry.” Jin Feng ruffled my hair and made a promise, “If you don’t go looking for a woman, then I won’t go seeking a man either.”

“Then, what would happen if I looked for one?”

Of course I didn’t plan on cheating, nor would I become the second Xia Zhengu. I was just interested to know what a woman like Jin Feng would do to deal with a cheating partner.

Jin Feng stopped ruffling my hair and moved her hands to my neck, grabbing my neck with both hands.

I was filled with fascination and great admiration. Why hadn’t I seized the opportunity when Xia Zhengu hadn’t become stronger yet, and just strangled him to death?! It would have been the greatest satisfaction in my life! Ah, Feng, everything about you is so, so great. Even your method of sorting out a cheating man pleases me!

Jin Feng moved her hands off my neck, gave a very faint smile, and proceeded to touch my lips…

49 Responses

    • Spike Leona

      But I want him to also be with Xia Sha, the mercenary in dage’s troop. :(

    • JanKisa

      I ship all x shuyu!!!
      XiaoSha, JinFeng, ChenYanqing,
      I feel wrong but I still want all of them!
      Although I think its certain now who will Shuyu choose now
      But can’t we just have then alllllll

  1. Abbe

    Finally….. I’ve been waiting for almost a month to read this. Gosh…… Can’t wait to read the next chapter.

  2. oooOOO

    Thanks for the chapter!!
    Jin Feng 2nd best girl, followed by Shutian’s lil sister

  3. Silver

    Jin Feng is the best waifu for Jiang Shuyu. 3 Bs. Beauty, brain and brawn. Thank you for the early update, PR!

    • haukness

      5 Bs… you forgot butt and boobs… I know you said beauty but they are so fabulous they get their own place.

  4. KeKe

    Jin Feng further cementing her place as female lead <3
    Thanks for the chapter~!

  5. Blub the Blob

    YES I SHIP! I was unsure before, leaning towards positive, but now I’m sure. I 110% ship! They’re perfect for each other, is it weird I find them kind of cute/sweet together?

    I can’t wait to see how meimei, dage, and literally everyone else will react!

  6. Mahina

    Wooooo!! True love in the apocalypse!

    Seriously, loving every word of this. Thank you for the excellent translations!

  7. MondSemmel

    Thanks a lot for the chapter!

    I like this development. It’s a waste of a character to have the romantic love interest be a meek damsel in distress; much better to make them powerful and give them an attitude to match.

    • Hans

      Honestly, you won’t find a meek-damsel-in-distress heroin in any of Yu wo’s work. Dont worry.

  8. midnight2630

    She is just like how Shuyu wanted to be.

    Did the Thunder God srly did not recognize the masked ice monster? =p

  9. Andi

    This was seriously too cute! (which is a weird way to describe a chapter where someone implied strangling another person) But they really do just seem to match so well. In a way, Jin Feng is right, Shuyu is weary about strangers. Although, there was a little more to it in this particular case, which is that Shuyu didn’t want to remind Jin Zhan that he looks like the guy who broke his leg. I feel like Jin Feng should know that Shuyu has ice powers though. Wasn’t he surrounded by ice shards when she first found him? I feel like I remember reading that somewhere.

    I also wonder if Shuyu’s hair was an absolute mess when he encountered Jin Zhan before. He had been rushing as fast as possible to get there. I feel like it’s also been noted a few times that Shuyu’s hair just kinda keeps the shapes it gets pushed into when Dage ruffles his hair. It is kinda possible that that some angry dude with an absolute messy mop of hair and a freezing aura in a handmade vest just didn’t feel related at all to the well cleaned up pretty boy throwing timid looks around who sat at the dinner table. I do wonder if Shuyu over thought it though. It doesn’t seem like Jin Zhan would have thought badly of him for being able to hold his own in a fight. That said, the little mother might not have felt too comfortable hearing about that situation. So it’s probably better to not bring it up at the dinner table. I really look forward to seeing how things develop between these families though.

  10. Darkness of light

    I totally ship them! , it’s been a while since I shipped a two characters so hard

  11. Citarra

    Thanks for the chapter.

    What is the cultural reference I am missing in regards to red envelopes? I thought they were a new year thing. Are they the normal wedding gifts?

    • [PR]Trespasserby

      Not an expert on this, but from what I know:
      Yes, New Year’s what I think of for red pockets! Unmarried people (although I feel like it’s more like not-working-yet people) getting red pocket gifts from their married (working) elders. Or kids getting chocolate coins instead of real money. =P

      But relatives of the couple to be wed give out red pockets to the couple on their wedding day to wish them well (and you know, for the expenses of living alone together and moving out of their parents’ houses). Think of a red pocket like a gift card, I guess?

    • jthedino

      From how my family does it, red envelopes are given at special events too for well wishes, good luck, and good fortune for both parties. They are often given at weddings. At my grandpa’s 80th birthday celebration everyone was given a red envelop and I believe my parents told me it was the well wishes, luck, and fortune for both my grandpa and myself. We also give red envelopes at birthdays. And on Christmas, my grandpa fills them up with money and writes all our names on it and hangs it around the tree.

      So, kind of like a gift card yes, but also with much more meaning. I’ve been told that it’s bad luck for the giver if they give out an empty red envelope. My grandma can be forgetful sometimes so we always have someone check them before she gives them out on New Years.

  12. Kamui

    Welp, she is going to die. Or at least she would if this was a normal apocalypse book. She is to good and things are going too well. A conflict is needed and some major crisis is coming. Her death would be a perfect catalyst.
    I am frankly more terrified right now for characters’ safety than when we were going into the lab with 13.

  13. Ori

    Comments are already full of shipping but I’ve come to add one more: I ship them!!! XD

  14. Tins

    Holy moly this badass power couple is gonna rule the world. I’ve never shipped anyone so hard until now. Their dynamic is perfect

  15. Moe_Ronn

    Do they have a food shortage or something right now? I get that kind of feeling from the dinner table. Which one of them is the reincarnator on the Jin side again?

  16. jthedino

    As always, thank you very much for the chapter. The updates are always appreciated ❤️

  17. jthedino

    Ah, also forgot to mention but I’m a little worried that the other little stray picked up is Xiao Sha! I really hope my worries are baseless but isn’t he also pretty good looking? Maybe I need to reread. I can’t seem to remember :/

    • Molly

      That was my thoughts too! It’s going to be interesting if that really is the case.
      As far as looks go, He was described as having average looks but considered a cool guy because of his reserved/stealth personality. Personally I would consider that handsome but to each their own.

  18. Sweet

    I was shipping shuyu with the soldier.. but halfway reading this chapter i changed my mind.. they really complement each other!

  19. shushushu

    i originally wanted this to be BL since i like reading BL apocalypse novels but i now kinda ship shuyu with jin feng. they’re perfect for each other. ice and fire. they remind me so much of ice fantasy’s ying kongshi and yanda. xD though if they don’t end up together then i hope shuyu ends up with a boy lol. anyways, i also hope that jiang shutian doesn’t end up with guan weijun. not even sleep with her. for some reason it bothers me so much. guan weijun was like double his didi. shutian said that no matter who was the soul in shuyu’s body, shuyu is his didi. now if shutian doesnt mind shuyu’s soul being guan weijun, doesnt that mean that he accepted the real guan weijun as his didi. so imagine when he sleeps with guan weijun- not only the soul in guan weijun his original didi but even the body (guan weijun’s body) is the original body of his current didi. like, it’s so twisted and kinda disturbing. IF shutian really do bed guan weijun. and imagine if guan weijun suddenly remembers her past as shuyu too, then what would happen if she ended up becoming his dage’s wife or mistress? if shutian truly loves guan weijun and never cheats on her, then i won’t have a problem. but i prefer more if guan weijun remembers his past so then i wouldn’t have a dilemma. btw, i hope shuyu doesn’t hide his strength for so long. i prefer that he kicks ass rather than hiding his strength. haha.

  20. Abbe

    When the next chapter? I have waited for long time already. It been a month now. I can’t wait anymore. Want to know next chapter. Brother sister please update faster. Okay? 😭

  21. Jessica

    I am torn, I kind of wanted him to get with Xiao Sha.. but this is surprising sweet. Hopefully we can go slowly and develop a couple of different avenues to keep it interesting lol.

  22. Rin

    I’m not really a fan of Harem but good lord I ship Shuyu with Xia Sha , Ah Qing and Jin Feng! Jiang Shuyu! You’re a sinful man!

  23. Blub the Blob

    I just realized that this might be the first time romance HASN’T ruined a non-romance themed novel for me. I want this ship to sail so bad, and it’s sailing!

  24. M

    Arghhh I KNEW IT! I ship them since book 2! I was afraid our mc will end up with someone else but reading this made me screamed. Please tell me this is going to be a real thing. Don’t you dare teasing us with this!

  25. Rainbow tail

    I’m kind of really sad.. I expected something else. By confusing us so much with sexual orientation but all along he’s been straight. The only guy he/she was interested in was dage & that was only looking at abs. It’s evident by how the soldier has done the same as this girl but got 90% ignored and used instead sadly unlike where he falls 100% heads over heels for this girl.

    I liked the soldier so so much ):

    The author also mentioned Jiang shuyu saying “I would never be topped by anyone” so yeah he’s basically utterly straight. Period. All those jumbled up mess of thoughts is just a confused woman from past that chose to be only Jiang shuyu and no more, that includes probably not marrying or being “topped” by a guy ever.

    So thirteen, the soldier or that one guy under his Dage. I think we should all forget about it & so as to not be disappointed. The author has to stop teasing us pls.. lol.

  26. Eka

    You know, my fujoshi side really wanted him with another guy, but – gotta say – I like this chick.

  27. Eue

    Ok i like her so much. I actually wanted an ML bec it would seem like BL but jin feng is just rly rly likeable.

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