Chapter 40: A Friend's Transformation

Chapter 40: A Friend's Transformation

Everything in Gu Pan’s life had been going according to plan recently. Beyond her daily routines, she was also researching how to trade supplies for gold to extend the utility of her space. Because of the many uncertain disasters that lay ahead, she had to ensure she could stay within the space for long periods.

Of course, the apocalypse had not been going on for very long, so the price of gold might not have hit rock bottom yet. She was merely scouting and observing for now, waiting for the right moment to strike. However, she needed to understand the market and build a relationship with a black-market dealer to get firsthand information.

Gu Pan had a candidate in mind for such a dealer. In her past life, when she and Lu Ruisheng were at their most desperate, a dealer had helped them, allowing them to trade a watch for two steamed buns, which helped them survive those days of total famine. Back then, a watch couldn't even buy a single bun, but the dealer had said he admired their bond as a couple. He explained that he lacked the ability to save his own wife, so he wanted to help them, hoping they could survive the apocalypse together.

Gu Pan regretted not asking for his real name; everyone around him just called him "Liangzi." She didn't know his full name, but she remembered he had a limp in his left leg and a heavy northern accent. Based on these details, she hoped to find him. She hoped his wife was still alive and that she could help them survive the apocalypse together as well.

That day, Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng asked Chen Shaonan and the others to continue their training while they set out to find these trading hubs. Gu Pan remembered there was one in front of the psychiatric hospital in her previous life.

Just as they stepped out of the iron gate, they saw a woman wrapped in a tattered quilt, stumbling up the stairs. Upon seeing them, she reached out, calling out in a weak, breathless voice, "Panpan."

Gu Pan recognized her as Dong Mingyue. Although she had long since lost hope for her, they had been friends for nearly twenty years, and Dong had never harmed her. Gu Pan hurried over to support her. "Were you robbed?"

Since Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng wore bulletproof vests whenever they went out, their close contact with others was safe. Dong Mingyue hugged Gu Pan and burst into tears. "My husband and mother-in-law threw me out. They stripped off my down jacket and pushed me out the door. They wanted to freeze me to death so they wouldn't have to share their resources with me."

Gu Pan felt a surge of frustration. "Dong Mingyue, your house was bought by your parents! Why are you the one being kicked out? Do you have any brains at all?"

Dong Mingyue nodded repeatedly. "I really had no brains. I regret it so much. Was my head filled with sewage? Why did I let them suppress me all this time? So what if I can't have children? I have a house, a car, and an education; why should I be beneath them? I didn't go back to my parents' home; I came to find you for help. Can you ask your Mr. Lu to help me throw them out? I promise I will never have anything to do with them again."

She knew Lu Ruisheng was a retired special forces soldier, so she turned to Gu Pan for help with the physical confrontation. Gu Pan felt a glimmer of hope that Dong Mingyue could still be saved. "We can help you for a moment, but not for a lifetime. If you truly have awakened, you must become strong yourself and deal with them on your own."

Dong Mingyue shook her head, not understanding. "But I can't beat the two of them. They’ve been abusing me for a while now. I thought about stabbing them while they slept, but they sleep in the same room and block the door with a table at night. I never had a chance."

Hearing this, Gu Pan felt a sense of relief—Dong Mingyue finally had a bit of sense. "If you have that determination, it’s manageable. Stay here for a few days, and I will teach you how to use a gun and self-defense techniques. You must reclaim everything yourself. In the apocalypse, don’t rely on others; strength is the foundation of survival. Otherwise, even if we kick them out now, what will you do if they come back and kill you?"

Dong Mingyue nodded vigorously. "Panpan, I understand. I’ll listen to you. I’m sorry—you were so good to me back then, but I wasted so many resources. I hate myself so much now; I was such a fool. Zhenzhen told me so many times that Wang Bin and his mother weren't good people, but I thought she was biased. If I had listened to her sooner, would I be in this state today?"

Gu Pan sighed. "At least you woke up while you were still alive. Stay in an empty room upstairs for a few days. Once you learn to shoot and defend yourself, you can go back. We have an agreement with our neighbors: no one is allowed to bring outsiders into their homes, so my help is limited."

This was indeed their rule, made for safety. Rooms 901 and 902 were for general use; if anything happened, they could go there, so there was no need to increase the risk to their own homes. Furthermore, their group wasn't trying to become local warlords, so they didn't take in new people unless they were useful, as agreed upon during their alliance. Gu Pan would not break the rules.

Dong Mingyue didn't act fragile now; she agreed immediately. "I understand. To survive in the apocalypse, you have to rely on yourself. If I hadn't gritted my teeth and torn this quilt off a dead body today, I would be dead, too. I'm not afraid of death anymore; I'm only afraid of not getting my revenge. I hate them so much. I need to take back what is mine—that was given to me by my parents."

Gu Pan turned to Lu Ruisheng. "Let her stay in 902 for a few days."

Lu Ruisheng had no objections. "Fine. Take her upstairs and introduce her to the others."

At this time, Chen Shaonan and the others were still training in 901. It was the perfect time to let them know. Leaving someone in the team for a few days was a test for everyone. This was more important than finding clothes for Dong Mingyue right now; she had a sweater and pants on, and the quilt would suffice for the moment.

Gu Pan led Dong Mingyue into 901, and everyone looked over. Gu Pan got straight to the point. "This is my friend. Her husband and mother-in-law tried to freeze her to death for resources. I’m taking her in for a few days so she can learn kung fu and marksmanship from you all. Once she’s capable, she’ll go back to get her revenge and won’t be staying with us. I will provide the weapons she uses from my own scavenged supplies; it won’t touch our shared resources. She’ll stay in 902 and won't go to the sixth or seventh floors. If anyone has objections, please speak up. I respect everyone’s opinions."

Since it involved a woman’s affairs, the eldest, Duan Shumei, spoke first. "I have no objections. I trust how Little Gu does things."

After all, Gu Pan had made it clear that it wouldn't drain their resources and that she wouldn't stay forever. Duan had no doubts about Gu Pan’s character or style. Moreover, without Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng, they wouldn't have been able to assemble those weapons, nor would they know how to use them. The fact that she offered those as public resources showed her integrity, so they unconditionally respected and agreed with her decision.

Lu Xuerong hesitated. "But 902 was where the dead bodies were kept. Can a girl stay there alone?"

Everyone in the building knew this, and if she didn't say it, someone else would. She was just giving Gu Pan a heads-up in case she had forgotten.

Gu Pan had already considered this. "If she wants to become strong, she has to start from within. If she can't even stay in a place where dead bodies were kept, she won't be able to get her revenge."

Dong Mingyue quickly assured them, "I can do it. As long as I can get my revenge, I’m not afraid of anything."

Cheng Yang added, "Your husband is a disgrace to all men."

Dong Mingyue replied, "Ex-husband. Although there is no law for us to get a divorce, the moment he stripped off my down jacket and pushed me out the door, he was no longer my husband in my heart."