Volume 1, Chapter 47: The Self-Persuader, the Official Broadcast!

Liu Nainai stared at Zhang Xueqi’s well-defined waist and abdomen, and it was certainly a lie to say she wasn’t envious.

Usually, she did nothing more than take casual walks in the park, and her waist indeed carried a bit of soft flesh. In the past, this would have already passed for a good figure, but compared to Zhang Xueqi, she fell somewhat short.

She lowered her head and rubbed the vibrant, crimson fruit in her hand, suddenly widening her eyes.

"Lin... Brother Feng, isn't this the exact fruit I used to trade for food back then?"

"Precisely. This is an ability fruit; consume it, and you shall awaken an ability."

Lin Feng leaned lazily against the sofa. "Otherwise, what did you think made it worth three roasted chickens?"

A sudden wave of realization washed over Liu Nainai. So abilities weren't awakened by mere luck after all—they were eaten into existence! What was even more absurd was that Lin Feng had traded away something so precious for a mere three roasted chickens. That subsequent food poisoning incident, which forced her to trade her body for medicine, had stemmed entirely from this.

At the thought of these events, she bit her lower lip hard, feeling a mixture of shame and vexation in her heart. He truly was a wicked man, a genuine demon!

Yet, upon a second thought, Liu Nainai realized that had it not been for those three roasted chickens, she would have long since starved to death. Even if she hadn't traded with Lin Feng, she would never have dared to consume mutated fruits at random.

Now that she knew the true value of the item, however, she found herself even more perplexed. Why was Lin Feng being so generous? Could it be... that he had a secret crush on her?

Liu Nainai suddenly recalled that Lin Feng had seen her face uncovered back when he was delivering food. By trading roasted chickens for the fruit and now returning it to her, wouldn't he be taking a massive loss on the exchange?

The more she thought about it, the more plausible the theory seemed. Everything Lin Feng had done was probably to save her—the girl who had been starving back then! Perhaps this man merely possessed a fierce and domineering exterior, while hiding a warm and tender heart deep within.

Once this notion took root, it grew like wild grass. Liu Nainai suddenly found Lin Feng’s sharply-chiseled profile exceptionally handsome. Even the way he had disciplined Li Bing seemed uniquely masculine.

In this apocalyptic era, for a powerful man to be willing to take in a woman, provide food and shelter, and even share an ability fruit... Since he had given so much, she naturally had to repay him.

Blushing fiercely, Liu Nainai realized she truly had nothing else to offer besides this youthful body of hers.

Having figured this out, she bit into the fruit without hesitation, and a wave of sweet juice instantly flooded her mouth. The only thing she could do now was to strengthen her physical body and properly repay this warm-hearted, handsome benefactor who had helped her!

Through his supernatural perception, Lin Feng sensed Liu Nainai’s skyrocketing favorability and nearly choked on his own saliva. Her affection had actually surpassed that of Zhang Xueqi, who had been with him for nearly a week, with such astonishing ease.

Just moments ago, he had thought Li Bing’s self-hypnosis was extreme. He never expected this girl to self-brainwash all the way to maximum level!

Before long, Liu Nainai began to experience the changes brought by the ability. Not only was her body filled with strength, but certain areas were also undergoing rapid transformations.

For instance, her waist became slimmer and firmer. Her hips, which were already perky, grew rounder and more alluring. Her chest, already impressive, now seemed quite capable of overwhelming anyone with its generous proportions.

She turned this way and that in front of the full-length mirror.

"Wow, I've even got abs now. How magical. But... why didn't I grow any taller?"

Lin Feng surveyed the young woman’s increasingly slender and graceful curves with satisfaction; playing with her would be even more interesting from now on.

"Xueqi, go prepare dinner. The two of you should eat your fill today." With a wave of his hand, a massive quantity of supplies materialized onto the table.

Zhang Xueqi’s cheeks flushed red as she picked up a vegetable basket to select the necessary ingredients. She knew full well that she wouldn't be getting a proper night's sleep tonight. The physical enhancements brought by her ability would be thoroughly exhausted. As the senior woman of the household, she still had plenty to teach the newcomer.

Liu Nainai, not suspecting that aspect at all, stared at the ingredients with glowing eyes. Lin Feng’s display of materializing items earlier had been just like magic. Now, producing so much all at once made it seem even more unbelievable to her.

"So many delicious things—abalone, oysters, sea cucumbers, and scallops. Being able to eat these in the apocalypse is pure bliss."

She was growing increasingly fond of staying in this home. Not only was there the gentle Sister Zhang, but also the outwardly cold yet inwardly warm Lin Feng, alongside clean water and plenty of food.

However, that very night, Liu Nainai learned a fundamental truth: there is no such thing as a free lunch, and happiness comes at a price...

She didn't fall asleep until six o'clock in the morning, just as dawn broke. Though Liu Nainai didn't exercise regularly, she paid strict attention to her skincare routine. She usually went to bed very early, and staying up all night was out of the question.

As the first ray of sunlight pierced through the bedroom window, she slumped across the bed with dark circles under her eyes. For the first time in her life, she had pulled an all-nighter—and it was spent doing *that*!

Early in the morning, Lin Feng stretched lazily. With his current physique, a single hour of sleep was more than enough to restore his energy. However, Li Bing and Zhang Xueqi would likely need until mid-morning to recover their strength.

Through his [Destiny] perception, he saw that Li Bing was still kneeling crookedly by the doorway. Around three o'clock last night, the woman had already collapsed from exhaustion.

"She's got a tough constitution." Lin Feng muttered, noticing that the wound at the corner of her mouth had already formed a thin scab.

He pulled the door open, dragged her inside like a sack of grain, and tossed her onto the sofa.

"Mmh..."

The sudden movement startled Li Bing awake. She blinked sleepily, and upon recognizing the person before her, excitement altered her voice entirely.

"Brother Feng!"

Far from being frightened, she was overjoyed. Being able to see this face once more meant she had finally been forgiven!

Flustered and clumsy, she tried to climb off the sofa, but her legs had gone entirely numb from kneeling the entire night, causing her to slide down and crash onto the floor in a kneeling posture. Yet, this suited her intentions even better; she was meant to kneel and beg for forgiveness anyway.

"Brother Feng, I was wrong!" Li Bing’s voice trembled, her entire body shaking like a sieve in the wind. "I swear I'll never try any tricks again. Please, don't drive me away..."

She pressed her forehead against the floor, not daring to lift her head.

Lin Feng nodded, sensing that Li Bing’s awe and reverence toward him had reached their absolute peak. It seemed this hypnotic method was quite effective; a single night was all it took for a complete remolding.

"Get up and make breakfast."

Zhang Xueqi was still catching up on her sleep, so this chore naturally fell upon Li Bing. Having spent the last few days helping out as an assistant, her sole aim was to showcase her worth in front of Lin Feng.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng sat on the sofa and began to eat a fruit. Fortunately, the taste wasn't terrible, making it quite suitable as a pre-meal dessert.

"I'm on it!"

Granted a reprieve, Li Bing scrambled to her feet, only to catch sight of Lin Feng toying with a few crimson ability fruits in his hand. Her throat involuntarily bobbed as a flash of desire crossed her eyes.

She, too, wanted abs. She wanted to acquire an ability. Standing outside the door last night, she had clearly heard that both Zhang Xueqi and the newcomer had received rewards.

Envy and a hint of jealousy surged within her, but she didn't dare ask for one outright. Lowering her head to avoid looking, she gathered the ingredients and set about making breakfast. Li Bing believed that as long as she served Lin Feng well, rewards would naturally follow. On this point, she felt completely secure; Lin Feng had always been strict with rewards and punishments, never showing favoritism.

Lin Feng was well aware of the silent competition between Li Bing and Zhang Xueqi. He was fully conscious of their petty rivalries, but as long as it didn't disrupt his enjoyment, such healthy competition only served to elevate the quality of service.

Checking his WeChat, Lin Feng found over a dozen new messages—some private chats, others friend requests. The majority were from women offering their bodies in exchange for food.

Regrettably, not a single one met the system's standards. On this front, he understood: apex specimens like Zhang Xueqi and the others were scarce across the entire city. Managing to gather three of them within a single building was already a stroke of immense good fortune.

By noon, the master bedroom door finally opened.

Zhang Xueqi and Liu Nainai walked out supporting one another. The moment their eyes met, both immediately averted their gazes, their cheeks flushing red.

The previous night's experiences had indeed been wondrous, particularly after their physiques had been upgraded. Their physical endurance and sensory acuity had both been vastly heightened. Furthermore, they were well aware that Lin Feng had been all the more exhilarated—this was what truly constituted a two-way journey of mutual devotion.

As the two women stepped into the living room, a dull roar suddenly echoed from above.

With a sharp glise in his eyes, Lin Feng strode quickly toward the balcony. Two drones were visible approaching from the east.

Their speed was unhurried, and their altitude was low, which explained why the buzzing sound was so pronounced. Only as they drew closer did everyone realize they were drones.

Moments later, a broadcast began to emanate from them.

"Attention citizens, special chemical agents will be sprayed in fifteen minutes to eliminate mutated plants and destroy mutated animals. Please refrain from venturing outside for the next five hours. These special agents represent the latest scientific research achievement of the authorities, designed to help humanity reclaim control of the Earth. Please do not abandon hope for survival. During this special period, you may seek emergency supplies at nearby supermarkets and shops. Official aid will arrive shortly; please help maintain public order..."

The voice reverberated across the entire residential complex like a thunderclap.