With a loud spsh, Michael lost his bance and fell into the pool, spitting out a trail of bubbles as he resurfaced. The sight finally snapped Lin Tao out of his daze.

  “Master Lin!” Zhang Hong, freshly showered and wrapped in a lingering fragrance, walked up to Lin Tao with a shy yet pyful smile. “I hope you don’t mind me calling you that?”

  “Don’t follow Cao Mei’s lead in messing around. Just call me Lin Tao.” Sitting in the water, Lin Tao chuckled, trying to maintain composure.

  Zhang Hong tilted her head, pouting her luscious lips. “No, calling you ‘Master’ makes it easier to trigger your protective instincts.”

  “Oh? That’s a thing now?” Lin Tao ughed helplessly.

  “So, Master, can you tell me the stories behind these scars?” Zhang Hong casually sat beside Lin Tao, fshing a friendly smile at A’Xue before taking the towel from her hands and gently wiping Lin Tao’s body.

  “My scars?” Lin Tao gnced down at his battle-worn body, covered in crisscrossing scars—some long, some short, some clearly knife wounds, others from bullets, and a few with jagged suture marks. His muscur frame looked like a patchwork doll, stitched together after being torn apart.

  “Mhm.” Zhang Hong nodded, carefully tending to every inch of his skin. Her mature and captivating face carried a hint of fascination as her fingers traced the marks. “Did you notice how the girls were stunned just now? Do you think it was because they were shy? No, it was your scars that shocked them. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of battles you’ve been through.”

  “It’s nothing, really. Just battle wounds. The worst was this one on my stomach—an SVD round from a Russian bastard. Nearly sent me to hell, but I got lucky. It went straight through, and I cwed my way back from the brink.” Lin Tao smiled, as if it was no big deal.

  “You were in the military?” Zhang Hong, having fully shed her reservations, skillfully pulled Lin Tao into her embrace, resting his head against her bare chest while gently massaging his temples.

  “Something like that.” Feeling the softness pressing against his back, Lin Tao stiffened slightly. If not for Zhang Hong’s constant chatter distracting him, he might have lost control then and there. It had been over two weeks since his st release—where he had sweet-talked a supermodel with stunning legs into bed, trading an entire crate of instant noodles for her "services."

  Not far away, Cao Mei watched Zhang Hong’s every move with narrowed eyes. She had only stepped away for a quick shower, yet this seemingly reserved woman had already made her move, even pulling Lin Tao into her arms. The audacity!

  As the mastermind behind this whole situation, Cao Mei found herself momentarily speechless. Her original pn was to use words to assert dominance over the newcomers and solidify her position as Lin Tao’s top woman. Who knew these women were just as cunning? Not only were they quick to strip, but Zhang Hong even knew how to seize opportunities.

  But unlike the naive A’Xue, Cao Mei wasn’t one to sit idly by. Clenching her lip in frustration, she hastily rinsed off the soap and strutted toward Lin Tao, deliberately swaying her perfect curves to get his attention. Yet Lin Tao remained indifferent, engrossed in quiet conversation with Zhang Hong.

  Jealousy burned within Cao Mei. She couldn’t just shove Zhang Hong away outright, but then she spotted Lin Tao’s discarded pants on the side. A sly smirk curled on her lips as she climbed out of the pool.

  “Master Lin, have a smoke.” She fished a cigarette from his pocket, seductively lighting it with her lips before slipping it into his mouth, deliberately letting it touch the wetness of her lips.

  “Ah!”

  Zhang Hong suddenly withdrew her hand, revealing a fresh red welt on her fair skin that was beginning to swell.

  “Oh no, I’m so sorry! I was too focused on giving Master Lin his cigarette and didn’t realize my lighter was still hot.” Cao Mei’s voice dripped with feigned innocence, but the glint in her eyes betrayed her satisfaction. She had deliberately pressed the heated metal against Zhang Hong’s hand.

  “Are you okay?” Lin Tao straightened up, eyeing Zhang Hong’s reddened arm. “Go to the water tank and rinse it with clean water. Pool water isn’t sterile.”

  “Yes, go quickly! I’d feel terrible if it left a scar. Don’t worry, Master Lin—I'll take care of you.” Cao Mei shot Zhang Hong a smug look before inching closer, eager to continue massaging Lin Tao.

  To her surprise, Lin Tao waved her off. “I’ve soaked long enough—any more, and my skin will wrinkle.”

  Cao Mei’s triumphant expression faltered as Lin Tao rose from the water. She wanted to follow him and help him dress, but just as she stepped forward, another girl suddenly uncsped her bra and coyly approached Lin Tao, purring, “Master Lin, I can’t fasten this by myself. Could you help me?”

  “Hmph! These shameless hussies, swarming like flies!” Cao Mei spped the water in frustration, grinding her teeth. But what could she do? Too many wolves, not enough meat.

  That evening, a massive, unusually bright moon slowly ascended into the sky. No one knew when it started, but the moon had begun to change, just like the desote world around them.

  On the supermarket rooftop, Lin Tao lounged in a pstic chair, wearing a pair of garishly patterned beach shorts. A cigarette from Hu Laoda rested between his fingers, and in his other hand, he swirled a can of Tsingtao beer. Watching the women flitting around, he let out a long sigh. He never expected to fall into decadence like this—but deep down, he wished this downfall could st forever.

  Meanwhile, Hu Laoda was sweating profusely, struggling with a massive wok. His initial pn was just to show off his cooking skills at lunch, but somehow, he had ended up back in the kitchen, sving away while another rich young master lounged with a harem. The only difference? Instead of a private estate, the setting was now a supermarket rooftop.

  “Hey, girl, no! Not there! Stop rubbing! Have some decency—there are pces a man shouldn’t be touched!”

  Michael stood by the bath, soaking wet, yelping in protest as A’Xue vigorously wiped him down with a towel. Her small hands had reached his lower abdomen, sending him into a panic.

  “Pfft! Since when were you a man? At best, you’re a male dog! Now hold still, puppy, and let me clean you properly.” A’Xue giggled, rubbing even harder.

  Barely a few strokes ter, Michael suddenly stiffened, his doggy face draining of all color as he stared in horror at the towel in A’Xue’s hands.

  “…It’s over. My first time… stolen by a towel.”

  “Ew! Michael, you’re disgusting! You… you got your stuff all over my hand!” A’Xue shrieked, holding up her sticky fingers in horror.

  “You think I wanted this?!” Michael roared in humiliation before vanishing in a blur of speed. Moments ter, chaotic sounds erupted from the pza below.

  Lin Tao barely lifted an eyelid. No need to guess—Michael had clearly taken his frustration out on the unfortunate zombies outside.