Due to the frozen water pipes, water supply in the community became a major issue. To obtain drinking water, residents had to brave the extreme cold of minus seventy degrees Celsius outside to collect snow on the first floor. However, melting the snow inside became a significant problem. With temperatures indoors also dropping to minus fifty to sixty degrees Celsius, ice remained as hard as cement in such conditions.
Some desperate residents attempted to lick the ice, only to have their tongues freeze and suffer severe damage. In the past few days, Zhang Yiru noticed through surveillance cameras that Chen Zhenghao's men came daily, likely expecting him to come out for water, intending to take advantage of the opportunity to eliminate him. Yet, they hadn't seen Zhang Yiru leave his door for several days.
They couldn't fathom the abundance of supplies in Zhang Yiru's home. As long as he wished, he could live comfortably in his room without any worries.
"Is Chen Zhenghao still alive? He's surprisingly resilient," Zhang Yiru muttered to himself. Chen Zhenghao had taken an arrow in the calf, and without proper treatment, his leg was sure to be disabled. Moreover, due to infection, his life was at risk, especially in such extreme cold, where any injury could lead to a high fever. Surviving was nothing short of a miracle.
"Could it be that the virus can't survive in such low temperatures, preventing him from dying?" Zhang Yiru, not well-versed in medicine, couldn't understand the reason behind Chen Zhenghao's continued survival. However, he didn't care much; who lived or died outside didn't have much impact on him. Chen Zhenghao's death was just a matter of time.
The next morning, Zhang Yiru, after waking up, groggily reached for his phone. Checking the chat group messages and browsing the forum to understand the outside situation had become his greatest pleasure. In this apocalyptic world, watching others struggle in extreme cold while he enjoyed a life akin to paradise gave him immense satisfaction.
At least, it alleviated his occasional boredom and loneliness. Compared to those freezing or starving to death, or those struggling on the brink of death, he felt incredibly fortunate.
Opening his phone, he unexpectedly saw messages from Fang Yuqing and Lin Cainong. Fang Yuqing: "Zhang Yiru, I'm sorry. Maybe I was too cold yesterday, so my emotions weren't good. I shouldn't have vented my anger on you."
"You're right; the past me was too naive and immature. I didn't realize who truly cared for me."
"Now I realize that you're the one who has been best to me. I actually like you a lot in my heart."
"Can you forgive me? Let's live a good life together in the future!"
"I want to be your woman. Living alone must be lonely, right?"
"I can satisfy many of your needs, hehe, you know what I mean!"
Zhang Yiru sighed. The previously aloof Fang Yuqing finally discarded all her dignity and arrogance in the face of disaster, choosing to kneel and beg him.
"Tsk tsk tsk." Zhang Yiru shook his head. He had been foolish in his previous life. If he had known Fang Yuqing was this type of woman, he wouldn't have hesitated to pursue her. A woman like Fang Yuqing was like those who demanded an 880,000 yuan dowry despite being able to settle for 800 yuan for a complete set of services. Acting pure while being promiscuous!
He replied with, "While a rotten pear can quench thirst, I'm not thirsty to that extent." As a man with inherited skills, he had various items in his spatial dimension, including high-end products developed by Sakura Country, with lifelike simulation, heating, and voice features. Well, it wasn't what Zhang Yiru wanted, but Walmart's warehouse had a wide variety.
After closing Fang Yuqing's chat, Zhang Yiru opened Lin Cainong's. This woman was bolder than Fang Yuqing, perhaps aware that she couldn't compete in appearance, so she took several daring selfies, full of suggestive poses.
"Yours is too dark," Zhang Yiru quickly replied and ignored her. He knew these women had seen the comfort and luxury in his home, and they would do anything to enter.
Fang Yuqing and Lin Cainong, upon receiving Zhang Yiru's responses, were infuriated and cursed vehemently. Even though they had abandoned their dignity and humbled themselves to beg Zhang Yiru, he still refused. Especially for Lin Cainong, who had showcased every part of her body in selfies. Zhang Yiru had the audacity to say she was too dark! It was a great insult!
Although Zhang Yiru's words made sense, the darkening of those areas was irreversible! What could she do about it?
Growing more resentful, they exchanged glances. In this hellish life, filled with hunger and extreme cold, Zhang Yiru's home was their last hope.
Gritting her teeth, Fang Yuqing's eyes displayed a ruthless determination. "If necessary, we'll charge into his house! I must live in his house; I don't want to endure hunger and cold anymore! If needed, killing Zhang Yiru won't matter as long as we can live in his house!"
As much as they thought about it, Fang Yuqing and Lin Cainong couldn't accept the reality. The current days were like hell, enduring both hunger and extreme cold. Zhang Yiru's home was their last hope!
Fang Yuqing clenched her teeth, a fierce look appearing in her eyes. "If necessary, charge into his house!" she declared to Lin Cainong. "That damn jerk Zhang Yiru is just watching us suffer from hunger and cold without letting us into his house. We can't wait to die!"
"That amazing house doesn't belong to him. Let's figure out a way to snatch it!"
"I agree with your proposal!"
"Zhang Yiru, that jerk, has no right to live in such a good house! He should get out, freeze to death, or be bitten to death by stray dogs!"
"Living in his house is the most suitable for us!"