Unwanted Attention

Xu Lian's muscles tensed as she studied the man before them. He stood under the dim glow of a streetlamp, casual but confident, his hands tucked into his pockets as if he had all the time in the world.

Chen shifted slightly beside her, his stance guarded. She knew him well enough to recognize the minute adjustments he made when preparing for a fight.

Lian exhaled sharply, eyes locked on the stranger. "You've been watching us," she said. "Why?"

The man smirked. "Let's just say I have an eye for interesting people."

Chen's voice was cold. "That's not an answer."

The man chuckled. "True. But what's the rush? We've got time."

Lian's fingers twitched. No, we don't. Time was the one thing they were running out of.

"State your business," she said, her tone sharper now.

The man studied them, his gaze lingering on Chen for a beat longer before returning to her. "Fine. The name's Yan Rui." He tilted his head. "And I think we're after the same thing."

Lian's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

Yan Rui's smirk widened. "Survival."

---

A Risky Proposition

Lian glanced at Chen. His jaw was tight, his eyes hard. She could almost hear his thoughts—Is he a threat? Can we trust him?

But they didn't have enough information yet.

Lian crossed her arms. "Explain."

Yan Rui's smirk didn't fade. "The world is changing. Most people don't see it yet, but I do. And so do you." His gaze flickered between them. "You're preparing. Stockpiling. Planning. That means you know what's coming."

Lian's stomach clenched. Just how much does he know?

"Maybe I just like being prepared," she said carefully.

Yan Rui chuckled. "Sure. And maybe I'm just a friendly guy looking to make new friends." He leaned forward slightly. "Look, I don't know how much you know, but I can see you're ahead of the curve. I am too. That makes us valuable to each other."

Chen finally spoke. "You want in."

Yan Rui spread his hands. "Smart guy."

Lian exchanged a glance with Chen. This was dangerous. They didn't know him, didn't know if they could trust him.

But he wasn't wrong. He had noticed them, which meant others could too. If they shut him out, would he become a problem later?

Lian sighed. "What do you bring to the table?"

Yan Rui grinned. "Now we're talking."

---

A Calculated Gamble

They didn't trust him. Not yet.

But they couldn't ignore him either.

Lian and Chen led Yan Rui to a quieter spot—an old, empty warehouse near the market district. The space smelled of dust and metal, the air thick with silence.

Yan Rui leaned against a crate, relaxed. "So? What do you want to know?"

Chen's arms were crossed, his eyes sharp. "What's your background?"

Yan Rui smirked. "Black market connections. I know people. People who can get things."

Lian's mind raced. If that was true, he could be useful. Weapons, medical supplies, vehicles—things that would be hard to get once panic set in.

She studied him. "And why should we trust you?"

Yan Rui shrugged. "You shouldn't. Not yet."

Lian snorted. At least he was honest.

Chen was still skeptical. "If we let you in, you follow our rules."

Yan Rui grinned. "Sure. Just tell me where we're headed."

Lian hesitated. Should they tell him?

Finally, she said, "We're securing a stronghold."

Yan Rui's smirk widened. "Now that sounds interesting."

---

Returning to Xian

Back at Yu Xian's apartment, Lian and Chen filled him in.

Xian frowned. "You brought in an unknown?"

Chen leaned against the counter. "He's a wildcard, but he has resources."

Xian exhaled. "Risky."

Lian nodded. "But if we don't take calculated risks, we won't last long."

Xian studied them both before nodding slowly. "Fine. But I don't trust him yet."

Chen smirked. "Neither do we."

Xian sighed. "Then let's hope we don't regret it."

---

Moving Forward

The next morning, the group set their next steps in motion.

Lian focused on increasing their food stockpile, expanding her space to accommodate larger supplies. She tested its limits, pushing energy into it, feeling it pulse and stretch.

Chen finalized the weapons deal, securing an arsenal that would make them dangerous even before the apocalypse began.

Xian mapped out escape routes, alternative strongholds, and supply caches in case their primary plan failed.

Yan Rui? He brought a truck.

Lian stared at the armored military-grade vehicle. "Where did you get this?"

Yan Rui grinned. "Like I said—I know people."

Chen chuckled. "I'm starting to like him."

Lian sighed. "Let's just hope this doesn't bite us later."

Because the clock was still ticking.

And they had a war to prepare for