I hacked through the chaotic world with my blade

Who could possibly be looking for me in these end times?

Suddenly.

He Mingxuan thought of Miao Yan and her brother, feeling rather helpless. Have they finally found me?

But... he truly doesn't want to make contact with others right now, nor does he want to go to Sunshine Shelter.

Everything has already ended.

Whenever he sees familiar faces, he is inevitably reminded of past traumatic experiences, haunting him like a nightmare, constantly lingering in his mind, greatly affecting his spirit.

Sigh.

There are things that must be clarified in the end.

He opened the door, about to speak, but upon seeing who was standing at the doorway, his expression changed suddenly. He stared wide-eyed, dumbfounded at the figure in front of him, as if he'd seen a ghost, lifting his hand, pointing at the person before him.

"You... how could you be here."

He Mingxuan had considered who might come, but never expected it would be He Mingxuan himself standing in front of him.

He slapped his own mouth hard, the pain reminding him this wasn't a dream, but reality.

Sun Neng didn't speak, looking softly at the panic-stricken and disbelieving expressions flashing across He Mingxuan's face, emotions that seemed most genuine after their long separation upon meeting again.

"What? Am I really that frightening to you?"

He Mingxuan's breathing gradually quickened, images of being dominated and suppressed flashed in his mind.

He had retreated to the wall.

There was nowhere left to retreat.

"He Mingxuan, seeing me..."

Woof, woof!

The little dog, Xiao He, at Sun Neng's side barked happily upon hearing its name.

Before He Mingxuan's eyes, Sun Neng squatted down and patted Xiao He's head, "Good dog, I wasn't calling for you, he also goes by He Mingxuan, your name is the same as his."

He Mingxuan stared at the dog, oh great, even the dog by his side was named He Mingxuan.

Dog Xiao He raised its head, looking puzzled at human He Mingxuan, its eyes seeming to say... Why would a perfectly good human use the same name as me, a dog?

Truly strange.

From the dog's eyes, He Mingxuan felt a sense of disdain.

But now wasn't the time to worry about such matters; in the presence of Sun Neng, he dared not even breathe, the sense of oppression all too real.

Sun Neng ignored He Mingxuan and went into the kitchen, seeing the instant noodles boiling in the pot, he slowly said, "When I'm not around, is this all you eat every day?"

He Mingxuan stayed huddled up, not daring to utter a word.

Sun Neng turned off the stove, poured the noodles into a bowl, placed it on the floor in the corner for dog Xiao He to eat, and then returned to the kitchen.

"I came back with Lin Fan to take a look, didn't expect you to have such ambition, living on your own at home instead of in the shelter."

"During our time in prison, I guess you never got to taste my cooking, but that's okay, on my way here I passed by a supermarket that still had some dried vegetables and other food, let me prepare a lunch for you."

Sun Neng busied himself in the kitchen, speaking to He Mingxuan who stood outside.

But this conversation felt more like a monologue.

He Mingxuan was already too frightened by Sun Neng to say a word.

He glanced at the busy figure in the kitchen, then at the open door, feeling the urge to run, just as he had this thought, a slow voice reached his ears.

"Run, and I'll break your legs."

He Mingxuan, who was just about to take a step, suddenly returned to standing there properly, feeling like crying inside, he's threatening and intimidating me again, just like before, always trying to bully me.

Sun Neng kept cooking while talking.

"I used to think maybe you could stand on your own, but now it seems it's a good thing you didn't; otherwise, you might not have this kind of life."

Sun Neng brought out the first dish.

It was a plate of spaghetti.

Then he carried out several more dishes.

Given the current food situation, making a decent meal is a bit difficult, but for survivors living in this post-apocalyptic world, having these foods to eat is indeed a luxury.

Very soon.

Sun Neng walked out of the kitchen, went to the dining table, sat there, looking at He Mingxuan standing in the corner, and crooked his finger.

"Come, sit down."

He Mingxuan swallowed nervously, unsure what Sun Neng was really after, but he'd already been frightened into compliance.

Sun Neng said, "I don't want to repeat myself."

Clatter!

He Mingxuan didn't think twice, quickly pulling out a chair, sitting nervously across from Sun Neng, his actions seemed very restrained, not daring to be the slightest bit impolite.

Sun Neng picked up food for He Mingxuan, as he bowed his head to eat.

The atmosphere was very quiet.

The only sound was from their chopsticks, nothing else.

He Mingxuan didn't dare move his chopsticks, staring at the food on his plate.

"Eat."

Sun Neng's words seemed softly spoken, yet the energy behind those three words was enormous, scaring He Mingxuan into immediately picking up his chopsticks without a moment's hesitation.

To He Mingxuan, Sun Neng was like a terrifying demon king.

If he didn't listen to what the other party said.

He really might get beaten up.

At least in prison, Sun Neng's unpredictable nature already made him very uneasy.

This meal for He Mingxuan was hearty.

But it was also quite trying.

Before long.

The meal was finished.

Sun Neng stood up to clear the tableware, He Mingxuan wanted to get up and help, thinking doing more could only be beneficial, but was sternly instructed by Sun Neng to sit back down.

In the kitchen, as he washed the dishes, it seemed Sun Neng spoke to himself, or perhaps to He Mingxuan.

"I used to yearn for such a life, the sense of a family atmosphere, the breath of life, but alas... it seems the heavens have always been displeased with me, never letting me truly experience it."

As he spoke, Sun Neng himself began to smile bitterly; although appearing cold and emotionless, inside he was rather softhearted, but the world didn't need people to show their softness.

He Mingxuan sat at the table, keeping his head down, wanting to muster the courage to say something, but in the end, lost his nerve.

"You really are stubborn, Sunshine Shelter is the best place for you, yet you chose to live outside, don't you think you're being foolish?"

Sure enough...

He Mingxuan knew Sun Neng was about to scold him again.

In the kitchen, Sun Neng, through the glass, looked at him sitting there with his head down, just like a child being admonished for a mistake, sighed in his heart, finishing washing the dishes and drying his hands.

Exiting the kitchen, standing behind He Mingxuan, placing his hands on his shoulders.

When his palms landed, He Mingxuan's body couldn't help but tremble.

This was a terror embedded deep in the heart.

Such feelings, Sun Neng could naturally sense as well.

"Alright, don't worry, I won't hit you, nor scold you, your future life is up to you, I'm leaving."

"He Mingxuan, let's go..."

Sun Neng walked outside.

The seated He Mingxuan suddenly jumped up, thinking he was being called, until a dog passed by him, head held high, barked and wagged its tail, excitedly trotting after Sun Neng out.

At this moment, he finally understood... the name called was for the dog, not him.

He sat back down, powerless.

He wanted to say something... but ultimately did not, he always thought he had gotten rid of such fears, but now realized, the fear had always been there, never disappearing.