"Hey, handsome! Sitting so far away—how can you see clearly? Come closer! Let me give you a good show!"

  Lingling threw a flirtatious wink at the man on the hillside, raising her arms behind her head to push out her youthful chest. Her fair, well-proportioned body was on full dispy, though her complexion, like Axue’s, had a pale, malnourished hue.

  "Lingling, you—"

  Axue felt a wave of discomfort. She knew that in this cruel, man-eat-man world, their survival depended on their beauty. But such btant and shameless seduction—she couldn’t accept it. No matter how desperate life became, she believed a person should at least hold onto a shred of dignity, a final sanctuary for their soul.

  "Shh… you fool. That guy’s a fat sheep!" Lingling turned slightly, whispering to Axue with a sly, cunning smile in her eyes.

  "A fat sheep?" Axue blinked, looking up at the man on the hillside with newfound curiosity. Indeed, his clean, casual outfit made him stand out—he didn’t look like someone struggling to survive in the apocalypse. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was a wealthy young master on vacation.

  "Did you see his clothes? Even Boss Hu doesn’t dress this well. And look, he even has a dog! People here can barely feed themselves—who would waste food on a pet? Oh, he’s coming over! Stop acting all shy—show him what we’ve got before he reaches our base. Once he’s inside, we won’t have the advantage anymore!"

  Lingling’s eyes sparkled like a mischievous little fox as she stood in the water, striking seductive poses. Seeing the man rise and walk toward them, her enchanting gaze seemed almost to drip honey.

  "Good afternoon, dies."

  The young man strolled up to them, a faint, polite smile on his face.

  "Hi, handsome! You too!" Lingling waved coquettishly from the water. Axue, hesitating, bit her lip before finally dropping her arms from her chest, revealing her bare body. Her expression remained stiff, but the blush creeping across her cheeks betrayed her nerves.

  "You dies have quite the figures." The man chuckled, lighting a cigarette he pulled from his pocket—high-end 95 Supreme, a luxury even before the world colpsed. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, watching Lingling with amusement. "So, what kind of show are we talking about?"

  Lingling’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the cigarette brand. She swayed her hips coyly, feigning shyness. "The kind you’re thinking of, of course! Anything goes, but you’ll have to take good care of us. We’re just two poor students, you know? We’ll be working hard for you~"

  "Oh? And what exactly does ‘taking care’ of you mean?" The man tilted his head in mock curiosity.

  "You’re so bad, making me say it out loud!" Lingling giggled, hopping out of the water and wrapping herself around Axue. "We were top university students—real campus beauties! Even in this world, we’re still worth a lot. If you fancy just one of us, it’s fifty pounds of rice or equivalent supplies. But if you want both… well, we can offer a little discount—ninety pounds! We’ll make sure you’re in heaven. Isn’t that a great deal?"

  "Lingling—"

  Axue tensed, wanting to protest, but Lingling discreetly pinched her arm. Axue swallowed her words, casting the man an awkward gnce.

  "Wow, university students are pricey these days." The man smirked, shaking his head. "In other pces, a corporate girl costs only five pounds of rice per night—fifteen for a whole week. Are you sure you didn’t misquote your price?"

  Lingling froze. Damn, this "fat sheep" knew the market rate! In reality, they were lucky to get half a pound of rice per night, and clients weren’t always guaranteed. After all, when people were starving, who had the energy for pleasure?

  The man waved a hand. "Rex, I’m not interested in that. But if you answer a few questions for me, I’ll still make it worth your while."

  "Q-questions?" Lingling’s excitement defted instantly. She gnced at Axue, who was even more attractive than herself, and felt puzzled. Did he think they were dirty? That couldn’t be—she had just bathed! In this world, a clean woman was a rare sight. They had even pnned to raise their rates after today—to a whole pound of rice per night!

  "How big is your survivor settlement?" The man’s expression turned serious.

  Lingling hesitated at his sudden shift in tone but eventually answered, "We have over four hundred survivors… or, well, maybe three hundred now. A lot of people died from disease recently."

  "What’s the male-to-female ratio? And… have there been any cases of cannibalism?"

  "Cannibalism? No way!" Lingling looked genuinely shocked. "Our group is mostly women. There aren’t many men left. Sure, we only get half a meal a day, but no one’s started eating people!"

  "I see…" The man nodded thoughtfully. The girls’ bony frames showed they weren’t lying. Compared to other pces he had passed, where people had turned to eating human flesh out of desperation, this settlement was still holding on.

  "Do you know where the nearest survivor base is?"

  "I heard there’s one in Jiang City—some say it has over a hundred thousand people and that the government is still in control."

  "Then why haven’t you gone there?"

  "Go to Jiang City? Ha! What a joke!" Lingling scoffed. "You know how many people started out in our settlement? Over eleven hundred! Most of them died trying to reach Jiang City. People kept going, one group after another, but no one ever made it past ten kilometers. The monsters don’t care who they eat!"

  "I see. One st question." The man’s expression softened as he asked, "What was your favorite snack before all this?"

  "…Teddy Bear Cookies," Axue muttered.

  "…Potato chips," Lingling said, blinking in confusion.

  They both stared at him like he was an idiot. Seriously? This guy looked smart—was his brain broken?

  "Teddy Bear Cookies? Hmm… don’t think I have those." The man scratched his head before gesturing toward his vehicle. "Come with me. Pick whatever you like."

  The two girls exchanged wary gnces, hesitated for a moment, then followed. Clothes were the st thing on their minds now. But just as they reached the hillside, the man gnced back with a smirk.

  "Why aren’t you putting your clothes back on?"

  Axue blushed, unsure how to respond. Lingling, on the other hand, shrugged. "There’s not a single monster around—who else is gonna see us but you? And besides, you’ve already seen everything. What more could we lose?"

  "Fair point." The man chuckled, turning away.

  The apocalypse had its perks, after all—at least girls were less reserved. In a twisted way, it really had become a paradise for wolves.