Apocalypse: I'm the Landlady of the Refuge

"Ji Wanwan—"

The ethereal voice at her ear was somewhat unreal.

Ji Wanwan opened her mouth in a daze, "Who?"

"I am the System."

The voice by her ear gradually became clear, and Ji Wanwan’s consciousness also gathered bit by bit. However, that floating sensation was still present, and her consciousness had still not returned to her body.

It seemed as if there was a shadow moving in front of her, but Ji Wanwan couldn’t see it clearly, "System?"

The System had never called her by name before, always referring to her as the Host. Why had it changed its manner of speaking today?

"It’s me."

Accompanied by the voice, a glimmer of light appeared in Ji Wanwan’s chaotic world, and the blurry shadow gradually became clear.

Upon seeing the System she was talking to, Ji Wanwan was stunned, "You’re the System?"

The girl in front of her, looking exactly like herself yet with a completely different expression, smiled gently, "Yes, it’s me."

As Ji Wanwan looked on in shock and bewilderment, the girl slowly approached her, raising her hand to gently caress her cheek, "Don’t be afraid, don’t be anxious, I am the System, and I am also you."

Ji Wanwan was full of confusion but not a hint of fear.

It wasn’t just because the girl in front of her bore a striking resemblance to her, but also because she could feel the goodwill in the other’s gaze.

She relaxed her body, allowing herself to drift like the sea in the chaos, "You are me?"

No matter where she drifted, the System always followed like a shadow, "Yes, I am your obsession, your dissatisfaction, and also your hope."

As the System spoke, scenes from Ji Wanwan’s previous life flashed before her eyes.

These scenes, like a movie, whizzed past her rapidly.

After the apocalypse came, she had struggled desperately, but ultimately she could not escape a tragic death.

She was unwilling, she was regretful, but she had never given up hope for life. Before her death, what she wanted most was to return to the past and hold her parents and Xingxing once more.

The System’s eyes reflected Ji Wanwan’s silhouette; she was Ji Wanwan, and thus understood all of Ji Wanwan’s grievances and heartache.

She looked at Ji Wanwan with eyes full of pity, "Wanwan, Baize is not only the Zombie King, but he is also the child of luck for this world. As long as he wishes, this world can change because of him. You are the little fish he deliberately let go; whenever he wishes, he can easily catch you back."

Ji Wanwan knew that her rebirth was only due to a careless act in her previous life that aroused Baize’s interest.

Baize could grant her the chance to start over, as well as take it all back. They were never beings of the same dimension. Fighting against him was truly a futile attempt, like an egg striking a rock, but to give up so easily, that feeling was really intolerable.

She gave a bitter smile, "Is there really no way to contend with him?"

Perhaps surrender was indeed the best choice.

As long as she remained the pleasing little fish in Baize’s fishbowl, continuing to amuse him, she at least could keep herself and those relatives and friends she cared about safe.

But was this still the world she wanted?

In such a world, even if she survived, what meaning would there be?

System: "Wanwan, do you know the relationship between Baize and Wang Youde?"

Ji Wanwan shook her head, "I don’t."

The System continued, "Baize, an ancient auspicious beast, capable of speech, understands the emotions of all things and knows the affairs of ghosts and gods. It appears only when the ruler is virtuous, able to expel all evil spirits from the world."

Ji Wanwan suddenly realized, "The ruler is virtuous... The ruler is virtuous... Wang Youde!! So Wang Youde is Baize, and Baize is also Wang Youde!"

The System nodded in satisfaction, "Yes, Baize’s body gathers all the evil spirits of the world, while Wang Youde is just the opposite. Baize and Wang Youde coexist; when the world’s foul air becomes stronger, Baize becomes the master of the body; otherwise, it is Wang Youde."

Ji Wanwan was somewhat puzzled, "Then why can Baize switch to Wang Youde at any time without being affected?"

The System explained, "Because Baize’s spiritual power is strong enough, strong enough to completely suppress Wang Youde, leaving Wang Youde’s spiritual power with no chance to resist, to be manipulated at will."

After thinking for a moment, Ji Wanwan asked again, "Does this mean that if I can secure even a slight chance for Wang Youde’s spiritual power to fight back, we might have a chance to defeat Baize?"

The System nodded, "Yes, but it’s difficult."

Ji Wanwan lowered her eyes.

She of course knew it was difficult, but as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she should fight for it, right?

Hope ignited in Ji Wanwan’s eyes, "System, do you know what to do?"

The System smiled faintly, a trace of resolve in its eyes.

Seeing the change in its eyes, Ji Wanwan was slightly startled, "Will it require a tremendous sacrifice, will you... disappear?"

The System’s laugh was carefree, "You’re very smart, always so smart."

Ji Wanwan felt a sourness in her heart, but amidst the confusion, not a single tear could fall.

The System, seeing her distress, consoled her, "No need to be sad for me because I am you. My disappearance is just a return to where I originally belonged."

After a prolonged silence, Ji Wanwan spoke with difficulty, "What do we need to do?"

The System took Ji Wanwan’s hand, "I will sacrifice myself to boost your spiritual power tenfold momentarily. At the moment of enhancement, you will comprehend all of Baize’s superpowers, but it can only be maintained for ten seconds. Wanwan, you have just ten seconds to defeat Baize."

"Ten seconds?!" Ji Wanwan was astonished for a moment but swiftly accepted reality.

The gap between her and Baize was enormous, so much so that to describe it as a chasm was no exaggeration. For the System to secure her ten seconds was the limit; she should be content.

She clasped the System’s hand in return, "System, thank you..."

The System gently stroked Ji Wanwan’s hair, reassuringly, "Go for it, Wanwan, you can definitely do it!"

As the words fell, the System’s figure gradually blurred.

Ji Wanwan felt the white hand she was holding in her palm pulling away bit by bit, an unstoppable pain rising in her chest.

This pain slowly spread until it reached every limb.

Her body felt grounded again, her nostrils filled with a faint scent of fresh cedar, exceptionally soothing and greatly alleviating the discomfort in her body.

Gradually, Ji Wanwan was finally able to control her body. She slowly opened her eyes, and what met her gaze was the man’s enchantingly beautiful peach blossom eyes, as stunning as ever, but causing her breath to catch and her whole body to tense up in an instant.

Ji Wanwan almost instinctively sat up and pushed away the man, no, the Male Zombie King, embracing her. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Tch..." Baize frowned unexpectedly, somewhat hurt, "To think you’d resist me like this."

Ji Wanwan ignored Baize but quickly surveyed the surroundings.

She had floated in the chaotic world for so long that she’d almost forgotten everything; she thought that much time had also passed in reality, but everything before her was exactly the same as before she had passed out, seemingly unchanged.

Had she not been unconscious for long?