WMSR – QT Chapter 113

 

WMSR – QT Chapter 113

By

siofra

Chapter 113: The Senior of the Apocalypse

Yet now, everything had changed.

He had awakened a supernatural ability, transforming the once-terrifying zombies into harmless targets. He could venture out independently to scavenge provisions, support himself, and, most importantly, shoulder the responsibility of protecting the beloved youth he cherished.

He was finally capable of fulfilling the traditional duties expected of an older partner—acting as a steadfast guardian to care for the much younger youth he deeply loved, rather than hiding uselessly behind the boy's back as he had done in the past.

This complete metamorphosis quietly dissolved the deep-seated inferiority complex Lin Jiawen had harbored in the darkest corners of his heart, replacing it with an unprecedented, radiant self-assurance.

Bai Yichen was fully aware of Lin Jiawen's evolution. Yet the transformation surprised him very little; within this harsh apocalypse, absolute power served as a person's ultimate foundation. For Lin Jiawen—who possessed some of the most formidable supernatural tiering in existence—regaining his self-worth step by step following his awakening was a natural trajectory.

Not only was Lin Jiawen changing, but Bai Yichen himself had also attempted to adapt once he found himself entirely dependent on the man's provisions, though his domestic efforts met with limited success.

Disturbed by his idle status as a fully maintained dependent, he attempted to mirror Lin Jiawen's earlier domestic routines by pitching in around the house to pull his weight, only to discover that Lin Jiawen invariably rushed in to complete every chore ahead of him. Consequently, not only did he rely entirely on Lin Jiawen for sustenance, but the vast majority of routine household labor was handled by him as well.

Bai Yichen experienced initial awkwardness adjusting to this reversed dynamic; yet regardless of how many times he raised the topic or attempted to compromise, Lin Jiawen maintained an immovable stance. Following an initial period of psychological resistance, Bai Yichen comfortably integrated into the rhythm of his current life.

In truth, stripping away minor grievances, his lifestyle was remarkably luxurious. Not only were food and shelter guaranteed, but every passing month yielded a concrete reward point. Such an effortless acquisition of wealth surpassed even picking up money off the pavement.

Though Bai Yichen lacked clarity regarding the ultimate application of these reward points, factoring in the sheer lethality of this world and his total absence of abilities, he recognized that stumbling across Lin Jiawen was the sole reason he managed to stack points at all. Given their immense scarcity, their intrinsic value must be astronomical.

Thus, Bai Yichen blissfully collected his points month after month, sustaining a comfortable, indoor existence untouched by hunger or deprivation as time slipped quietly away.

Seasons transitioned smoothly; by the time Bai Yichen's accumulated balance reached sixty-five reward points, he realized with sudden astonishment that over five years had quietly elapsed within this apocalyptic timeline.

Five years was an extraordinarily substantial span of time. Looking back across the half-decade, Bai Yichen found the reality almost surreal: throughout the entire five-year duration, he and Lin Jiawen—who had started as absolute strangers—maintained a relationship of staggering harmony, without a single instance of quarreling or interpersonal friction.

The reality felt remarkably baffling when articulated aloud. Even legally wed couples experienced minor marital disputes, yet his thigh-clinging strategy had proceeded with flawless, frictionless efficiency.

Reflecting carefully upon their daily domestic routines, however, Bai Yichen understood precisely why conflict remained impossible. Over the past five years, Lin Jiawen had systematically anticipated and fulfilled every conceivable requirement—both explicit and unspoken.

The neighboring apartment unit connected directly to his original residence had long since been breached and fully renovated, expanding his living quarters exponentially. The original unit remained dedicated to food storage and private sleeping quarters, while the newly annexed apartment featured two separate rooms outfitted wall-to-wall with plush carpeting and packed floor-to-ceiling with an extensive library; whenever he felt the urge to pass the time, he simply plucked a book from the shelves and lounged comfortably against a cushion. The remaining rooms and the expansive living room had been converted into a customized home gym filled with professional exercise equipment. Every time Bai Yichen recalled the visual of Lin Jiawen effortlessly hauling hundreds of pounds of solid steel machinery back in with a single hand, a phantom ache hit his jaw, forcing him to acknowledge that the current Lin Jiawen bore zero resemblance to the frail man who once struggled to lift a single bucket of water.

Lin Jiawen's meticulous attention to his quality of life extended far beyond literary collections and fitness gear. Discovering that Bai Yichen harbored a fondness for indoor potted flora, Lin Jiawen scoured the surrounding ruins during his outings to rescue delicate, surviving houseplants.

Presently, half of the six interconnected balcony spaces spanning their combined apartments overflowed with lush, verdant greenery. The remaining balcony territory was dedicated to Bai Yichen's amateur horticultural experiments—sprouting bean sprouts or attempting to cultivate experimental crops using salvaged seed packets.

Owing presumably to a lack of agricultural expertise, Bai Yichen rarely succeeded in harvesting viable produce; the occasional pepper or stunted eggplant that materialized invariably emerged warped, discolored, and severely malnourished. Relying on those agricultural yields for survival equated to a direct sentence to starvation. Even so, every minor harvest brought Bai Yichen genuine delight. While fresh provisions were no longer scarce, savoring occasional homegrown variants added a refreshing culinary variety.

Speaking of those agricultural experiments, over half of their successful growth cycles were directly attributable to Lin Jiawen's quiet assistance. Though Bai Yichen planted the seeds, daily irrigation was primarily managed by Lin Jiawen; the household's stored rainwater reserves fell drastically short of meeting the hydration needs of six sprawling balconies, making Lin Jiawen's water-system ability an invaluable asset. Extracting pristine moisture directly out of thin air to water the decorative botany required minimal effort on his part.

Operating with the absolute dedication of an overpowered provider, Lin Jiawen catered to every whim to a degree that practically crossed into blind obedience. Under such an asymmetrical dynamic where he functioned purely as a pampered dependent, friction between them would have been a statistical anomaly. Naturally, their day-to-day coexistence remained idyllic to an extreme degree.

Over the span of those five years, profound physical transitions reshaped both Bai Yichen and Lin Jiawen.

From the youthful university student he had been at the onset, Bai Yichen had matured into a young man possessing an arresting, breathtaking handsomeness that inspired immediate awe.

Undeniably, Bai Yichen's facial architecture in this existence possessed an elite tier of perfection. While the original Ling Mengchen had certainly radiated youthful charm, he remained defined by a raw, unpolished juvenility. In contrast, the fully matured Bai Yichen had ascended into an entirely different echelon of striking, magnetic appeal.

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