Just as Lin Feng's sanctuary had experienced a thrilling defense and successfully repelled the frenzied attack of the Corpse-Laughing Hyenas, temporarily gaining a chance to catch his breath.

Dozens of kilometers away, on the edge of the Misty Forest, another group of human survivors are still struggling in the mire of despair.

Yang Li, the woman who was once ambitious and tried to control everything, is now in a state of utter disarray.

On their way back, they were attacked by Corpse Laughing Hyena. With ruthlessness and luck far beyond that of ordinary people, at the last moment, she did not hesitate to push an injured woman who was trying to save her toward the oncoming Corpse Laughing Hyena, buying herself a few precious seconds to escape.

She miraculously escaped from the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood.

However, the price was heavy. Her body was covered with wounds of all sizes, the deepest one on her calf where the bone was almost visible, and every step she took was like being pricked with needles.

Her once proud and meticulously styled hair is now stained with blood and dirt, as messy as withered grass.

The clothes she wore, which were once considered decent, were now torn to shreds and barely covered her body.

Hunger, cold, fear, and a high fever caused by an infected wound tormented her like maggots clinging to her bones.

During her escape, she encountered two more female survivors who had also broken away from the group.

The two women, one named Liu Pan, was in her early thirties and had a slightly plump figure, but at this moment she was so thin that she was emaciated, and her face had a numb look of fear on it.

The other one is named Wang Lan, around twenty years old. She should be a lively age, but now her eyes are vacant, like a frightened puppet, and she doesn't say a word.

Their camps, without exception, were also massacred by the Corpse-Laughing Hyena.

Three equally destitute women, driven by a desire to live and a fear of death, temporarily came together.

With her remaining "leadership" qualities, Yang Li naturally became the leader of this small group of three.

Like frightened birds, they wandered aimlessly along the edge of the misty forest, trying to avoid the ever-present danger.

Food is their biggest problem. They can only survive by picking unfamiliar wild fruits and digging up barely edible plant roots and stems. Clean water is a luxury.

"Sister Yang...I...I can't walk anymore..."

Liu Pan collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Her lips were chapped and her face was deathly pale.

The days of relentless escape and hunger had completely exhausted her strength.

Wang Lan also leaned silently against a tree trunk, staring blankly at the thick fog ahead, having lost all hope.

Yang Li glanced back at the two of them, a hint of impatience and annoyance flashing in her eyes.

These two burdens are almost wearing her down. But she also knows that...

In this perilous environment, every extra person provides a tiny bit of "security," at least offering an extra shield in times of danger.

"Just... just a little longer..."

Yang Li's voice was hoarse, like a broken gong. She groped out half a piece of moldy, unknown animal jerky from a tattered cloth bag at her waist. This was their last food.

She herself was dizzy with hunger, but she still tore off a small strip from the half-piece of jerky and handed it to Liu Pan: "Eat this... We have to find a safe place... Otherwise... we'll all die..."

Just when the three of them were almost in despair, a faint light appeared at the edge of the thick fog ahead, along with... a broken, out-of-tune song.

"What's that sound?" Yang Li asked, perking up her ears alertly.

Liu Pan and Wang Lan also showed expressions of surprise and uncertainty.

"Let's go take a look!" A resolute glint flashed in Yang Li's eyes. Whether it's a blessing or a curse, it's better than waiting to die here!

The three of them supported each other and carefully followed the direction from which the firelight and singing came.

Parting a dense thicket of bushes, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before me.

It was a small, relatively secluded depression nestled against a massive rock wall. In the center of the depression, a small campfire burned, its flames small but remarkably visible in the thick fog.

Beside the campfire, a figure sat, poking at the fire and humming an off-key pop song, completely unaware of the dangers outside.

That was a man.

A man who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, slightly overweight, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and dressed in a relatively clean plaid shirt and jeans that seemed out of place in this alien environment.

Beside his feet was a half-open hiking backpack, stuffed with many snack wrappers.

Yang Li's heart skipped a beat!

A man! A living, breathing man! And he looks...easy to control?

She almost instantly suppressed all the negative emotions in her heart, and forced out what she thought was the most pitiful and endearing expression that would evoke a man's protective instincts.

Just then, the slightly chubby man noticed something. He turned around abruptly and saw Yang Li and the other two suddenly appear at the edge of the thick fog. In particular, when he saw Yang Li's face, which was covered in dirt, he could still vaguely make out her former beauty.

He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up from the ground, dropping the fire poker in his hand, and his glasses were slightly askew from excitement.

His mouth dropped open, his eyes filled with unbelievable surprise and excitement, and he stammered as he exclaimed:

"Yang...Yang...Teacher Yang Li?! Is it...is it you?"

Hearing this title, Yang Li felt a tremendous surge of emotions!

Teacher? He knows me? And... he addresses me in the way students address their teachers?

She suppressed her overwhelming joy and countless fleeting calculations, and tentatively replied in a choked and surprised tone, "You...you are...?"

The slightly chubby man's face flushed with excitement. He rushed to Yang Li in a few strides. If it weren't for the miserable and disheveled state of Yang Li and the other two, he would have almost pounced on her and given her a hug.

"Teacher Yang! Don't you recognize me? I'm Zhao Defu! I... I'm your biggest fan. I always sit in the front row when you perform stand-up comedy." Zhao Defu stammered, his eyes sparkling with the excitement of meeting his idol.

Yang Li's eyes lit up.

This is simply... a godsend!

In an instant, a bright light, like that of a vampire seeing fresh blood, flashed in Yang Li's eyes.

She could already see a golden road unfolding beneath her feet.

Her heart, which had long been filled with despair and resentment, came back to life at this moment! And it began to beat wildly in a more twisted and greedy way!

She knew her chance had come!

Standing behind her, Liu Pan and Wang Lan looked at the man who had suddenly appeared and was showing such "admiration" for Yang Li, and their eyes also revealed excitement and greed.

Although they didn't know what connection Yang Li had with this man, they keenly sensed that this man would be the key to getting them out of their current predicament!

The way they looked at Yang Li now held a newfound... genuine awe and reliance.

Teacher Yang Li... is indeed no ordinary person!

For Yang Li, Zhao Defu's appearance was like a dying person in the desert finding an oasis, and in this oasis lived a fat sheep who willingly let her drain all its water.

Her acting reached its peak at this moment.

“Zhao… Zhao Defu… it really is you… that’s wonderful… sob sob sob…”

Yang Li's tears welled up at just the right moment. She stretched out her slightly trembling hand, as if trying to grasp a lifeline, and gently placed it on Zhao Defu's arm.

Her voice choked with emotion, filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and endless grievance: "I...we...we went through something terrible..."

Looking at the once radiant and sharp-tongued teacher Yang Li, now reduced to such a miserable, disheveled, and pitiful state, Zhao Defu was overwhelmed with pity.

He felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and he wished he could immediately pull Yang Li into his arms and shield her from all the storms.

“Teacher Yang! Don’t be afraid! I’m here! With me, Zhao Defu, here, I will definitely protect you!” Zhao Defu patted his chest and said firmly.

His slightly chubby face flushed red with excitement and a strange sense of mission.

Yang Li gave him a perfectly timed look of gratitude and dependence, leaning slightly towards him. This gesture greatly satisfied Zhao Defu's protective instincts.

“Zhao…you…how did you get here? It’s too dangerous here…”

With a sob in her voice, Yang Li asked with concern, while subtly observing Zhao Defu and his small camp.

Zhao Defu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I... I don't know what happened. I woke up in this area. I'm a coward and didn't dare to wander around, so I found this place to hide. Luckily, I like to stock up on snacks, and I still have a lot of food in my backpack, so I won't go hungry for now..."

Yang Li sneered inwardly. Just as she thought, a useless shut-in, all he did was hide away and eat snacks. But that's precisely why he's easier to control!

“Our camp…our camp was attacked by a terrible monster…so many of our sisters…are dead…”

At this point, Yang Li was overcome with grief again, tears welling up in her eyes, her voice trembling with fear: "We finally managed to escape... If it weren't for you... we really don't know what we would have done..."

She cleverly blamed the deaths of her "sisters" on the monster, never mentioning her past scheming or Lin Feng's ruthlessness.

Liu Pan and Wang Lan also made low sobbing sounds at the right time, matching Yang Li's performance.

Zhao Defu was filled with righteous indignation upon hearing this, and at the same time felt great sympathy for the plight of Yang Li and the others.

He felt a sharp pain in his heart as he looked at Yang Li's pale and haggard face and the shocking wounds on her body.

"Teacher Yang! Don't worry! From now on, I'll take care of you! I have some food and medicine here, not much, but it should last for a few days!"

Zhao Defu proudly opened his hiking backpack, revealing a variety of snacks inside—potato chips, chocolate, biscuits, beef jerky, and even a few packets of instant noodles and a small bottle of liniment for bruises and sprains.

These seemingly insignificant things now appear as tempting as delicacies to Yang Li and the others.

A flicker of greed crossed Yang Li's eyes, but she concealed it well, instead looking at Zhao Defu with grateful eyes: "Zhao...you are truly our savior...we...we really don't know how to thank you enough..."

"Teacher Yang, please don't say that! You are my teacher! It is my honor to see you again and to be able to do something for you!" Zhao Defu was a little flattered by Yang Lishui's big, watery eyes. He felt that his life had become meaningful at this moment because of his reunion with Teacher Yang!

Everything that followed followed naturally.

Yang Li and the other two then moved into Zhao Defu's small "refuge" with a legitimate reason.

Zhao Defu gave his only sleeping bag to Yang Li, who was "most seriously injured," while he, Liu Pan, and Wang Lan squeezed together by the campfire, barely keeping warm with some dry grass and rags.

He took out all his food and gave it to Yang Li first.

Watching Yang Li nibble on his treasured chocolates, Zhao Defu felt a sense of satisfaction and inexplicable happiness.

Yang Li fully utilized her authority as a "teacher" and her feminine charm.

She would intentionally or unintentionally tell Zhao Defu about some of their "thrilling" encounters on their escape (of course, the versions were carefully arranged and embellished), portraying herself as a great woman who, despite being in dire straits, remained strong and unyielding, and worked hard to protect her companions.

She would speak gently to inquire about Zhao Defu's health, praising his "bravery" and "kindness."

She would inadvertently reveal some "worries" about the future and a desire for "security," subtly hinting to Zhao Defu that they needed a stronger and more reliable support.

Occasionally, she would give Zhao Defu a small "reward" when he behaved particularly "obedient" or "capable".

For example, an approving look, a slightly affectionate address, or even allowing Zhao Defu to approach her sleeping bag late at night to listen to her tell some of her "secrets".

Zhao Defu, a homebody who has almost no luck with women in real life and spends most of his time immersed in the world of anime and movies, is hardly someone who can withstand the deliberate "training" of someone as skilled as Yang Li.

He quickly became completely obedient to Yang Li and devoted to her.

He volunteered to take on all the physical labor—finding firewood, collecting water,

He tries every day to find food, and although he usually comes back empty-handed or with only some unfamiliar wild fruits that taste strange, he still enjoys it.

Because every time, Teacher Yang would look at him with that gentle, slightly tender gaze, making him feel like a real man.

At Yang Li's instigation, Liu Pan and Wang Lan also showered Zhao Defu with praise and flattery, making him completely bewildered.

The three of them were like three cunning foxes, manipulating this naive and gullible lamb at will.

"Defu, you've had a tough day. Look how thin you've gotten."

In the evening, when Zhao Defu dragged his tired body back with a few plant tubers he had picked up that were barely edible, Yang Li immediately went up to him, took the things from his hands, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with her relatively clean handkerchief.

Her gentle movements and subtle physical contact made Zhao Defu's heart pound and his cheeks flush.

"No...no trouble at all! Teacher Yang! As long as you can eat your fill, I...I'm willing to do anything!" Zhao Defu said with a simple smile.

"You're so kind," Yang Li said softly, her eyes sparkling with a captivating light.

She sneered inwardly: What an idiot! But idiots like this are the easiest to exploit.

She had already begun to plan how to use Zhao Defu as a "laborer" to find a safer shelter, or... to contact other possible survivor groups.

She was absolutely unwilling to spend her whole life holed up in this little pit, living such an uncertain life.

She wants to reclaim what is rightfully hers, and even more!

Zhao Defu, a slightly chubby otaku who was immersed in fantasies of "saving the goddess" and "becoming a hero," was completely unaware of this.

He continued to serve Yang Li and her "companions" with great enthusiasm, dreaming that one day he would gain Yang Li's true favor.

He was unaware that he had long since transformed from a "savior" into a carefully tamed "prey."