Chapter Nine: Racing at the End of Days? Another Addition to the Harem

Familiar with the way, Gu Lang and his two companions made their way to the basement of the apartment complex. The building was an ordinary, old-fashioned one; the underground garage had no elevator, only stairs. Fortunately, the staircase was right next to Gu Lang’s home.

Taking the shortest route, Gu Lang quickly entered the basement. Throughout the process, he acted with utmost caution—the little girl was under Yu Qiuchi’s control, her body bound with three layers of chains to prevent her from using her abilities, leaving Yu Qiuchi no chance to free herself. Of the three, only Gu Lang could move freely, so he had to fend for himself.

Despite the building’s age, it was clear that there were quite a few wealthy residents. The garage was lined with luxury cars, all the familiar symbols of status—four rings, blue-and-white emblems—everything one could imagine. But now, these once-prized vehicles were left to gather dust in the gloom; money had become worthless in the apocalypse.

It wasn’t long before they spotted Yu Qiuchi’s car. Gu Lang’s mouth fell open. It was a top-of-the-line Mercedes G-Class SUV, market price somewhere between two and three million. Who would’ve thought Yu Qiuchi was actually a wealthy heiress? Damn! If only he’d had such a rich wife before the end of the world!

Gu Lang couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He’d finally gotten to ride in a luxury car, but only in the midst of the apocalypse.

They got in—little girl bound in the back seat, Gu Lang hidden in the front passenger seat, Yu Qiuchi at the wheel. The engine roared to life, the V8 unleashing its power. The SUV surged forward and burst out of the underground parking lot.

Gu Lang drew his pistol, eyes scanning their surroundings warily. Yu Qiuchi, being a zombie herself, radiated an aura that caused the other zombies to ignore them completely. The SUV sped smoothly out of the complex and onto the main street.

The world outside was a vision of hell—zombies crowded the streets, some wedged inside abandoned cars. Severed limbs littered the roads and shopfronts alike. Smoke rose in the distance, painting a true picture of the apocalypse.

In this world, zombies relied on their sense of smell and faint vision. Gu Lang, hiding between two zombies, masked his presence until it was barely perceptible. He gazed out the window, his expression calm. After days spent among the undead, he had grown accustomed to the end times—his heart was as hard as iron.

Soon, they arrived safely at the entrance to the scenic area. The gates were tightly shut, and at least a hundred zombies wandered just outside.

“So many of them? Looks like we’ll have to climb the wall,” Gu Lang muttered, frowning as he considered how to get in unharmed.

But before he could formulate a plan, Yu Qiuchi spoke up beside him. “Gu Lang! Let’s just ram our way through!”

What?

Before Gu Lang could react, Yu Qiuchi floored the gas, sending the SUV crashing straight through the iron gates and into the scenic area, crushing a swath of zombies in their path. The quality of the luxury vehicle was undeniable—they made it through unscathed.

But wasn’t this a bit too wild? Who would have thought that the gentle, considerate Yu Qiuchi he knew at home was so daring out here? Gu Lang quickly understood. After all, Yu Qiuchi was a fitness enthusiast and owned an off-road vehicle; her pre-apocalypse personality was starting to show.

No matter how reckless the journey, they had reached their destination. All they needed to do was row a boat on the lake to unlock the mission. Then, Gu Lang would be able to try out his King’s Authority skill.

“Fortune favors the bold—let’s do this!” Gu Lang declared. He got out of the car, had Yu Qiuchi keep the little girl restrained, and found a small, circular paddleboat nearby. The three of them leapt aboard.

Just then, the system triggered a mission.

[Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission. In the midst of the apocalypse, enjoying the scenery from a boat on the lake is indeed a kind of romance. Your favorability with the little girl has increased; your relationship is now that of a couple!]

[Reward: 10 free attribute points!]

[Congratulations, Host, you have successfully acquired the skill: King’s Authority!]

Gu Lang’s vision blurred for a moment, as if he’d gained a new organ he could command at will. At the same time, he could see the details of the King’s Authority skill clearly.

[King’s Authority: Activate instantly to randomly control up to five zombies within one hundred steps. The maximum number controlled is five; only when an old zombie dies can a new one be brought under control.]

Incredible! Though the number was small, getting to command zombies for free was already a huge advantage. Ordinary zombies were formidable enough. The key was that he could forcibly control them without any elaborate methods—saving a great deal of effort.

Ecstatic, Gu Lang reveled in having finally obtained this skill.

Meanwhile, the little girl he had bound had stopped struggling, her eyes now clear. Though her intelligence was only five, she was, after all, still a zombie. Unless Gu Lang used his points to force an upgrade, she would remain in her undead state.

Gu Lang wasn’t in a rush, though. He first allocated his new points to his attributes—only by strengthening himself could he continue to make progress. He decided to bolster his own stats first.

Currently, his strength was at thirteen points, speed at seven. He put three points into speed, leaving seven free points, which he then dumped into charisma. His charisma shot up to ten.

Now, with strength at thirteen, speed at seven, and charisma at ten, Gu Lang was well on his way to becoming a well-rounded warrior. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he dominated the apocalypse.

Once the excitement passed, Gu Lang quickly regained his composure and untied the little girl. Despite her five intelligence points, she was still ruled by zombie instincts and unable to speak. But after being freed, she no longer tried to bite anyone, allowing Gu Lang to move freely.

“I didn’t expect the mission to be completed so quickly, but now there’s a new problem—how do we get back?” Gu Lang pondered. Driving the SUV through the streets had surely attracted plenty of attention, not just from zombies but from other people. The return trip might be even more dangerous than the way there.

But having completed a system mission, a new one soon appeared.

[System Task: Due to the host’s harem progress advancing too rapidly, the system is issuing a new mission sequence. You may now attempt to kill zombies, but only kills achieved in coordination with your harem zombies will count. The current requirement: kill ten zombies.]

[Reward: 10 free attribute points.]

Gu Lang’s eyes narrowed. Killing zombies in the apocalypse was no easy task—one misstep, and he could end up dead himself. It seemed best to return first and plan carefully.

Just then, as he was preparing to leave, several figures appeared at the entrance to the scenic area. They weren’t zombies, but living survivors—thirteen strong men, each armed with some kind of steel weapon, battered and bloodstained. They must have arrived after hearing the engine roar, and now they spotted Gu Lang and the two girls beside him.

Immediately, the bald man in the lead flashed an eager, predatory grin.

“Damn! Didn’t expect to find survivors here—let alone such pretty girls!”