Volume 1, Chapter 12: Tell Me, Aren't You Going to Thank Me?

Wang Tao staggered backward from the kick, nearly falling over.

But he dared neither resist nor lose his temper; instead, he forced a flattering smile.

“Baby, be gentle. If you hurt your foot, I’d feel so heartbroken.”

Li Bing was his goddess, whom he had pursued relentlessly for three years, spending countless hours and a fortune to win her over.

Their wedding was set for the next month, yet Li Bing wouldn’t even let him touch her.

She insisted that, as a traditional girl, her first time should be reserved for the wedding night, allowing at most a handhold before then.

When Wang Tao heard this reasoning, he was ecstatic.

To marry such a pure and virtuous beauty was truly a blessing few could hope for in several lifetimes.

Yet Li Bing was not appeased by his soft words; instead, she grew even more furious.

She suddenly stood up, pointed a finger at Wang Tao’s nose, and scolded him fiercely.

“You bastard, you’re so fat you never feel hungry, but look how much thinner I’ve become!

There’s nothing left to eat at home. Do you want me to starve to death with you?”

In recent days, Wang Tao had taken only a bite or two of bread, giving the rest of the food to Li Bing.

He clung stubbornly to his body fat to survive, having lost nearly twenty pounds.

But now, even that food was gone.

That afternoon, they finished the last piece of bread.

If they couldn’t find more to eat soon, they would starve to death within days.

“No, baby, I won’t let you starve!” Wang Tao looked at Li Bing’s increasingly pale face and felt unbearable pain.

He grit his teeth and pulled out his phone to make a call.

On the other end, Lin Feng glanced at the caller ID, a smile playing on his lips.

Wang Tao had caused him plenty of trouble, always coming up with various excuses to raise the rent.

But the fiancé was attractive, so how could he refuse?

Lin Feng recalled Li Bing’s aloof demeanor.

The flame he had just extinguished with Zhang Xueqi now reignited.

Wang Tao’s father had bought several buildings nearby, earning over thirty thousand yuan from rent every month.

That was why Wang Tao, though unemployed, could win over Li Bing.

Every time he collected rent, he brought Li Bing along to flaunt his beautiful girlfriend, especially in front of the handsome Lin Feng.

Li Bing was indeed beautiful, slender, and not at all inferior to Zhang Xueqi.

“Your fiancée will soon be mine,” Lin Feng said with a smile as he answered the call.

Getting a woman likely to meet the system’s standards delighted him immensely.

He wondered what resources he might unlock this time.

“Hey, Fat Wang, what do you want?”

Hearing this, Wang Tao’s face darkened instantly.

He hated being called that, especially since Li Bing had repeatedly urged him to lose weight; he was particularly sensitive to the word “fat.”

In the past, he would have raised the rent on Lin Feng in response.

But now, needing a favor, he swallowed his anger and tried to keep his tone even, hiding his intentions.

Humph! Just wait until I buy all your food; let’s see if you still dare talk to me like that.

“Xiao Lin, I see you flaunting food in the group chat every day.

How about selling some to me? I’ll pay top price.”

Wang Tao chuckled inwardly; as long as the price was right, this poor guy would surely sell most of his food.

Lin Feng almost laughed out loud. Was Fat Wang starving to the point of madness?

Who would sell food in the apocalypse? Was he out of his mind?

Still, he had his own reasons and played along.

“How much can you pay?”

Hearing this, Wang Tao sensed hope and quickly replied,

“We’ve known each other for years. How about I pay double the market price? Whatever you have, I want it.”

Lin Feng thought, anyone who could stay calm hearing that must be a Buddha.

Ten thousand yuan couldn’t even buy a single burger now.

Besides, what good was money? Could it buy food—or women?

“Fat Wang, you’re a damn fool.

I’ll give you ten times the market price if you go buy a hundred thousand jin of rice for me.

Do you have any idea what’s going on outside with the white fog disaster?

If you want to buy food with money, you might as well dig up a cesspit—you’d at least get a few warm bites.”

Wang Tao was stunned by the insult, then his anger flared to the point of exploding.

When had a tenant ever cursed him like this?

Before the apocalypse, Lin Feng had always been polite to him—except for the time he was caught installing cameras.

“If I hadn’t rented you a place, you’d probably be devoured by mutated beasts to the bone!

Rent’s low; haven’t I saved you money?

And if you’ve managed to get food with money, isn’t that thanks to me?

Just say if you want to thank me or not!”

Lin Feng laughed angrily. Besides Fat Wang, no one else had property to rent here.

Every few months, Wang Tao threatened to raise the rent.

If it weren’t for splitting the cost three ways and the busy food delivery orders nearby, Lin Feng would have moved to a cheaper place long ago.

“I really thank you—thanks to your whole family!

Didn’t Li Bing tell you to lose weight?

Now’s your chance to shed a few hundred pounds.”

Wang Tao had never been so roasted before. His face turned ashen, fists clenched tightly.

He took a deep breath, then threatened through gritted teeth.

“Lin Feng, don’t push me.

If you don’t sell me food, I’ll expose your address to the group.

Let’s see how you protect your stash.

You think your security door will keep you safe? I have a spare key!”

Lin Feng’s eyes suddenly grew cold, but a mocking smile curved his lips.

Luckily, he had long since moved in with Zhang Xueqi and gained the “Dominion” ability.

Even if a dozen people came, he could handle them all.

He had felt some guilt about trying to steal someone else’s fiancée.

But with Fat Wang’s threat, he felt resolved.

“Fine, expose me.

At worst, I’ll throw away all the food and starve with everyone else.

If you want food, that’s not impossible.

Bring your wife to my bed, and I might consider it.

Otherwise, get the hell out of here as far as you can!”

Wang Tao was about to curse when the call abruptly ended.

He stomped his foot in anger, his face darkening.

His fist slammed hard against the wall, making a dull thud.

Li Bing was his treasure; he wouldn’t even touch her often.

Yet Lin Feng dared to covet his fiancée!

“You bastard, if you want to starve, I’ll make sure you get your wish!”

Wang Tao growled through clenched teeth, a ruthless gleam in his eyes.

Li Bing sat silently nearby, listening to the call, but her mind was already scheming.

She never truly liked the good-for-nothing Wang Tao.

Initially, she was attracted only to his family background and his weak, controllable nature.

Her original plan was to marry, then gradually transfer the Wang family assets before kicking Wang Tao aside.

But the sudden outbreak of the white fog disaster ruined all her schemes.

Now money was worthless paper; only food and powerful people were truly supreme.

A man like Wang Tao—weak and without food—was bottom-tier in this world.

Li Bing looked down at her slender fingers and sneered inwardly.

I’m this beautiful; how could I starve to death with someone like him?