Chapter 58: A Crueler Punishment Than Death 

Huang Ming awoke to the sensation of something soft beneath his cheek and a delicate fragrance in the air. Blinking his eyes open, he found his face nestled against Liu Shuang'er's thighs. 

He thought to himself: "How did I sleep so soundly? Must be the mental exhaustion from this morning's tense mission outside campus." 

Liu Shuang'er gently stroked his hair, her playful expression showing in the soft lighting. 

"Awake? You must have been worn out." 

"Yeah. What time is it?" 

"Exactly 8 PM. You slept about three hours." 

"Why didn't you wake me? You must be starving by now." 

Liu Shuang'er pouted slightly. "Well, maybe a little." 

"Such a foodie," Huang Ming chuckled. "Where are Anqing and Yusi?" 

"One's showering, the other's in her room doing who-knows-what." 

Liu Shuang'er's thighs were incredibly soft and fragrant. Huang Ming found himself reluctant to move. But remembering the three seniors hadn't eaten dinner yet, he quickly got up, stretched his limbs, and headed to the dining table to prepare their meal. 

Tonight's menu featured five seafood dishes: 

Spicy stir-fried clams 

Scallops with glass noodles 

Steamed crab 

Steamed perch 

Braised abalone 

Plus a serving of shrimp fried rice for each. 

As he finished setting the table, the three seniors gathered around. Lu Yusi couldn't help but exclaim at the lavish spread: 

"Wow! A seafood feast! Perfect timing—my stomach's been growling." 

Huang Ming smiled and took out four ice-cold Coronas from the fridge, handing one to each. 

Gu Anqing accepted her bottle with mock concern: 

"Oh my, isn't this the legendary gout-inducing combo?" 

"Don't worry," Liu Shuang'er said with medical authority. "One bottle occasionally won't do any harm." 

"To our new workshops," Huang Ming raised his bottle, ignoring their chatter, "and to better days ahead!" 

The three clinked their bottles enthusiastically, took hearty swigs, then immediately picked up their chopsticks to dig in. 

As Huang Ming was cracking open a crab leg, Zhou Ting's message arrived: 

"Brother Ming, Wang Xue and the other two are settled in. They're cooperative—just give them instructions. By the way, that girl with golden-brown hair and red glasses you shot this afternoon was He Fang, their leader. Tan Yanmei didn't attack, so she survived." 

"Good work. So that was He Fang—no wonder she hated you so much." 

"It's my duty. Oh, have you checked the group chat? News about our 15th floor renovations has spread throughout the whole building." 

Huang Ming switched to the group chat without replying further. 

There were over 999 unread messages—impressive given how few people remained. This level of activity hadn't been seen since the early days of the apocalypse. 

The drama unfolded chronologically: 

First, Wang Gang, Ma Tao, Wang Lei, and Ji Dayong—the four surviving males—had discovered their eight companions dead and initially blamed Huang Ming and Li Chang'an. 

Then He Fang and Tan Yanmei claimed responsibility in the group, preaching about "gender equality" and "peaceful coexistence," which led to heated arguments between the two factions. 

Finally, the afternoon's events where Huang Ming shot five girls (including He Fang) sent shockwaves through the chat. 

Now the remaining seven girls were spreading exaggerated rumors—Huang Ming was some hidden boss with guns, massive resources, and an impenetrable 15th-floor stronghold. 

Wang Gang and the other males were initially skeptical until they personally came to inspect the massive metal gates on the 15th floor, after which they flooded the chat with awed messages. 

But the most interesting reaction came from Gao Weiwei. 

Regret poured from her messages. Having seen the fortified gates herself, she now desperately begged for Huang Ming's forgiveness—posting videos of herself kneeling, calling herself "trash" who "failed to recognize true worth," promising to do anything for just a bite of food. 

Seeing these messages, Huang Ming couldn't suppress a smirk. The cruelest revenge wasn't death—it was making them watch what they could never have. 

He picked up his phone and took: 

1. Partial shots of the three seniors eating (showing only their jawlines and figures) 

2. Photos of Liu Shuang'er's hand in his and her curves (carefully avoiding her face) 

3. Multiple shots of their seafood feast 

Liu Shuang'er blinked in surprise at his sudden photo-taking. Gu Anqing and Lu Yusi looked equally confused by this mealtime photoshoot. 

After uploading everything to the group chat, Huang Ming explained the afternoon's events and the subsequent chaos. 

The three seniors huddled around his phone, forgetting their food as they scrolled through the drama. 

Liu Shuang'er was first to understand his strategy. She rolled her eyes. 

"You're truly wicked. This is psychological warfare." 

Gu Anqing and Lu Yusi soon caught on too. Denying Gao Weiwei while flaunting his superior life? Far crueler than killing her. 

As expected, the group chat exploded again after the photos were posted. 

The most vicious attacks came from Tan Yanmei: 

"Gao Weiwei, so your ex is loaded? Hilarious! Weren't you broadcasting your 'love' with Wang Lei? Meanwhile, he's got THREE goddesses at home who wouldn't spare you a glance!" 

Cao Ling, one of the surviving girls, piled on: 

"First you cheated on Huang Ming for rich boy Liu Gui. Now Liu Gui's missing, and you're sleeping with his buddy Wang Lei? You're just trash that gets passed around."