Chapter 100: Obsession
"Good, then it’s settled. From now on, we move as one."
By the time the teams set out, a dozen groups had already formed, moving like thin streams down cracked asphalt roads and between hollow buildings.
Shen Ming’s group consisted of about twelve members.
A few rough-faced fighters carrying blunt weapons, two young women with sharp eyes and cautious steps, and a handful of average survivors, wary yet determined.
But it was clear who the axis of attention was.
Every few steps, glances would flicker toward Ling Yu. Some were hostile, others admiring; there were also others with wary eyes, but all were indeed drawn to her. It wasn’t just her beauty, though her porcelain skin and composed demeanor made her stand out like a moon among stars; it was also because of the way Shen Ming treated her like a goddess.
Unlike the other members, who received modest rations and had to scavenge carefully, Ling Yu and Xian Yu found food and water offered to them almost without any second thought.
"Here, Ling Yu, take this bottle. It’s purified, so no risk of contamination."
"These biscuits are a little stale, but better than nothing. You should have them."
"Xian Yu, eat this jerky. You’ll need strength for healing later."
The offerings all came from Shen Ming’s hand, his smile gentle, his tone casual, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. He wouldn’t hesitate to give up his own rations if Ling Yu were to make even the slightest move.
Ling Yu, of course, didn’t reject them.
If it were free, why not take it?
She ate with composed detachment, drinking water in measured sips, and handed the portions to Xian Yu without hesitation. The boy accepted each piece with wide, trembling eyes, as though every crumb was proof of something miraculous.
To Ling Yu, it was a simple matter of pragmatism. And to Xian Yu, it was salvation.
[System Notification: Survivor Shen Ming has provided resources to the Host.]
[Note: Suspicious generosity detected. Probability of ulterior motives: 89%.]
Ling Yu raised a brow at the system’s declaration. What kind of ulterior motives can he even have? Probably, he just wants to ride the coattails of someone stronger than him, no?
[...]
[Unknown Cosmic Deity bursts into laughter.]
["That’s right! Take it! Take it all! Drain him dry before you crush his heart, Little Streamer!"]
[Asclepius comments in relief.]
["At least the boy is eating properly. A healer cannot heal without strength. Accept this grace while it lasts."]
Ling Yu furrowed her brows further after seeing the comment. ’Does he think I won’t be able to provide the guy with some food?’
’Looks like these guys are used to looking down on us too much.’
[Bastet purrs softly at the Streamer.]
["Mmm, I like this girl. No pride wasted on refusing gifts. A true survivor knows when to take advantage."]
[Ares sneers at the streamer.]
["Look at him simpering. He feeds her like a dog, hoping for scraps of affection."]
[Fluffy, perched smugly on Ling Yu’s shoulder, squeaks indignantly: "Don’t feed my human too much, fake-smile man! She doesn’t need your crumbs!"]
[Stream Count: 52 → 67 → 80.]
Others in the team were not blind.
They whispered among themselves, side glances darting toward Ling Yu, toward Shen Ming, and most of all toward the ethereal figure of Xian Yu, who remained quietly at her side.
"That boy... he’s almost too pretty. Doesn’t look real."
"Weak guys like that pretty boy don’t last long anyway. Why is Shen Ming wasting resources on him?"
"It’s not about that boy. Don’t you know? It’s about that girl beside him. He’s been trying to take her for himself."
"...Do you think she’ll accept him?"
The speculation swirled, unnoticed or ignored by Ling Yu herself. Her steps were steady, her eyes coldly observant of the cracked streets, the shadowed alleys, the faint smell of rot that lingered in the air.
But Xian Yu noticed. His shoulders stiffened, and his fingers twitched; his lips were pressed tight. The whispers were like knives, and each one dug into the scars already carved into his heart. But every time the sting grew too sharp, he looked at Ling Yu.
And she never wavered.
She ate without any shame, accepted the rations from Shen Ming without hesitation, and walked without slowing. Her indifference was like an armor, and in her presence, the whispers slid away from him, too.
For the first time in his fragile life, Xian Yu didn’t feel completely exposed.
Meanwhile, Shen Ming’s obsession with Ling Yu grew heavier with every step.
He watched Ling Yu sip from the bottle he had handed her. He watched her slender fingers break the bread in two, handing over half of it to Xian Yu. He watched her calm expression as though none of this meant anything, as though she accepted his gifts not because of him, but because they existed.
His heart twisted. Because he also understood what she meant by this indifference.
’Lady Ling ah Lady Ling... she doesn’t care about me at all. She doesn’t even see me. She only takes because it’s convenient.’
’Well, that’s what makes me fall for her even more!’
His smile never faltered. His laughter was soft, his tone light, and his movements were perfectly calculated. To anyone else, Shen Ming was the very image of composure, a man who placed others before himself.
But inside, envy festered.
Every time Xian Yu smiled faintly at Ling Yu, every time Fluffy nestled closer to her cheek, every time her gaze passed over Shen Ming with nothing but calm indifference, it deepened.
He told himself it was for the greater cause. That tolerating this was necessary. That he could bide his time, let her lower her guard, let her eventually see him as indispensable.
But beneath the mask, the obsession burned.
From the sidelines, Ling Yu noticed everything. Of course she did.
Every lingering glance, every calculated offer, every flicker of envy directed at Xian Yu, it was impossible not to.