“Are all you men this boring after sleeping with a woman?” Grace Bennett lifted her head slightly, resting it on her forearm, her posture indescribably seductive. It was hard to imagine that such a wild, domineering woman could also display such a feminine side.

Or perhaps it was precisely this contrast between wildness and allure, the unconscious display of laziness, that gave her an indescribable charm.

“……” Jason Carter felt as if he was completely at this woman’s mercy, a sense of helplessness welling up inside him.

Fine, I really am no match for her in terms of strength… Jason Carter consoled himself inwardly. After all, he came from a civilized society, whereas here… though technologically advanced, it was undoubtedly a savage world.

“Aren’t you going to say something like you’ll marry me, or protect me for the rest of my life? Isn’t that what all those old books reminiscing about the past always say?”

“…I can’t make that kind of promise. In fact, it’s probably more realistic for you to protect me.” After a moment of silence, Jason Carter sighed and spoke sincerely, “But, I can promise to take care of you for a lifetime, if you’re willing to be my woman.”

“……” Grace Bennett stared blankly at the sincere look on Jason Carter’s face, her eyes inexplicably growing misty.

How long had it been… wandering alone in this city filled only with monsters and zombies.

Wandering, struggling to survive, and then dying—whether at the hands of monsters or her own kind, death was always the final destination for drifters like her.

Yet now, someone was willing to be her support…

“Pfft, I’m not that easy to take care of.” So many words, but in the end, all she could do was let out a soft laugh and tease him. As for such a future, Grace Bennett was uncertain if it was the right choice, for she still had a long-sought goal to pursue.

“I can afford it.”

“…I—I have quite a few enemies.” A trace of panic flashed across Grace Bennett’s face.

“I’m not afraid.”

“I—I still have things I must do.” Grace Bennett’s voice trembled slightly, and Jason Carter’s pressing momentum left her momentarily at a loss.

“I’ll help you.”

“……” A brief silence lingered between them, broken only by faint breaths.

Jason Carter felt his throat go dry. He had developed inexplicable feelings for the woman before him. Although reason told him that forming too many attachments in this world was unwise—after all, his ultimate goal was to return home with endless wealth and become a rich man…

But… to hell with reason!

Jason Carter had no regrets at all, quietly waiting for Grace Bennett’s answer.

“…So what are you waiting for, my man?” Grace Bennett suddenly broke into a smile, her allure making Jason Carter momentarily dazed.

Seeing Jason Carter remain motionless, Grace Bennett couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation, but then, as if giving up on waiting, she pressed her red lips close to Jason Carter’s earlobe.

“Feed me.” The warm breath once again scattered Jason Carter’s rationality.

With a delighted, satisfied low growl and a captivating moan, a new battle began…

……

Chapter 6: The Mountain of Flesh

The gray concrete road was covered in cracks, with unknown plants stubbornly growing in the gaps, basking in the unhealthy-colored sunlight.

None of the surrounding buildings had a single intact window; the glass had long since been shattered by the nuclear blast. Abandoned cars littered the streets, and from the cracked but unbroken car windows, it seemed the glass used for car windows was of slightly better quality than that used for building windows.

Streamlined “iron boxes” could still be seen on the street from time to time. According to Grace Bennett, those were deceleration devices used by NATO’s orbital paratroopers. However, when the city’s history of invasion was mentioned, Grace Bennett’s face showed no extra emotion. Perhaps it was because she was born in a shelter and had no real concept of a nation.

But when the war of the “predecessors” was brought up, her face still showed undisguised annoyance.

In her eyes, both sides of the war were utterly stupid.

“Is it going to rain?” Jason Carter looked up at the sky. Thick, lumpy clouds were densely packed overhead. It seemed the sunlight only looked unnatural after passing through these clouds. The sunlight had a stifling yellow-green tint—he really wondered how these plants managed to grow.

“That’s not cloud cover, it’s radioactive dust.” Grace Bennett couldn’t help but find it amusing; Jason Carter was just like she had been when she first left Shelter 071.

“So, we’re just completely exposed to radiation right now?” Jason Carter gave a wry smile. His only knowledge of radiation came from the Fukushima nuclear accident—he still remembered how, for a while, all the salt in the supermarkets had been snatched up.

Ignorant as it was, it was easy to imagine how terrifying radiation seemed to people living in a harmonious society.

But Grace Bennett seemed completely used to it, not caring at all about the Damocles’ sword hanging over their heads.