Chapter 30: The Queen Isn't So Cold

Volume 1 “Year of Calamity”

An Sheng’s escape path was destined to be rugged and arduous, for what pursued him wasn’t just Medusa alone, but also an army composed of nearly all the Mutated Creatures from City B Central Area.

Inside the World Trade Center, An Sheng could still rely on narrow corridors as cover to maneuver against these variously-shaped Mutated Creatures. But when he rushed out of the building and saw the situation outside, he completely fell into despair.

On the streets outside the World Trade Center awaited an army formed by Mutated Creatures. Yes, An Sheng wasn’t mistaken – it was indeed an army! Hundreds upon thousands of Mutated Creatures stood on the streets like well-trained soldiers, blocking all of An Sheng’s escape routes.

An Sheng knew there was no way he could escape this time. Perhaps aware that his life was nearing its end, familiar faces from the Fortress Area unexpectedly surfaced in his mind at this moment.

The adorable Cookie Sisters, Commander Zhang who treated him like both father and brother, the storytelling-loving Butcher, the gentle and culinary-skilled Su Yao, and yes, that Zhou Xiaoxiao who often opposed him… According to Butcher, that girl had feelings for him, though he didn’t know if it was true. He could only hope his companions in the Fortress could survive steadfastly in this apocalyptic world.

Thinking of this, the corners of An Sheng’s mouth unconsciously lifted slightly. Sometimes he felt inexplicably grateful to this apocalyptic world – though the previous world was safe with no worries about food and clothing, he had been utterly alone.

The family changes, his parents’ passing, his childhood sweetheart wife abandoning him – all these had caused him immense pain. Then the apocalypse came. Though he experienced many hardships and nearly lost his life several times, An Sheng had gained a warm, sweet home filled with affection.

“See you in the next life, my family…” After murmuring these words to himself, An Sheng’s gaze gradually sharpened. An unprecedented powerful Aura erupted from his body, with thick Blood-Colored Pheromone rapidly covering the surrounding area at visible speed.

Holding the Nepalese Kukri horizontally before him, An Sheng roared toward the army of Mutated Creatures: “Come on, monsters! If you want to eat your grandpa here, you’d better be prepared to become minced meat!”

“Clap clap clap…” Sudden applause rang out. Then a cool woman’s voice came from behind the Mutated Creature army.

“Not bad aura, plus one point; decent appearance too, another point.”

The Mutated Creature army directly in front of An Sheng parted to create a pathway. Medusa stepped out with seductive footsteps, her gaze toward An Sheng filled with appreciation and amusement – much like discovering a suitable and quite presentable bag while browsing a luxury store.

“Little one, you’re special, quite different from these dull-witted fellows, hahaha… How amusing.”Medusa’s laughter was as melodious as a lark’s song, complemented by her stunning beauty and a devilishly seductive figure that made An Sheng momentarily daze. However, he quickly regained his vigilance. He had witnessed this monster’s formidable power firsthand and would never be fooled by her beautiful appearance.

An Sheng remembered that in the jungle, the more vibrant the plant, the more likely it was to possess deadly toxins. This monster before him was no different—beneath her beautiful exterior lay terrifying strength.

“Hey~ hey~, you little one are quite rude. When you see such a pretty sister, you don’t even bother to introduce yourself.”

Seeing An Sheng remain silent, Medusa felt slightly displeased, but she had no intention of taking action. This Demon-like man was special. Though clearly weaker than her, he could ignore her “Domination” ability. Most importantly, he possessed the exact same Blood Eyes as she did. It was for this reason that Medusa dismissed the idea of killing him.

“Sister? How old are you to call yourself that?”

The heightened sixth sense of Mutated Creatures told An Sheng that this woman meant him no harm, allowing him to lower his guard slightly and engage in conversation.

“Adorable little one, to be honest, I was fifty-six before being infected with the Virus. So not only could I be your sister, I could even be your mom, hahahahaha……”

Hearing this, a word instantly popped into An Sheng’s mind—old enchantress. He couldn’t help but marvel at how a woman nearly sixty could maintain such a figure and beauty. If she wasn’t an old enchantress, what was she? But An Sheng quickly realized that the person before him was literally a supernatural being, not the kind of “old enchantress” crafted through expensive cosmetics and plastic surgery.

“Little one, don’t be nervous. We’re the same kind—I won’t hurt you. Put down your Saber and tell sister your name.” Medusa elegantly sat on a nearby bench, her every smile and glance captivating.

Perhaps bewitched by the woman’s unparalleled beauty or moved by the word “same kind,” An Sheng inexplicably lowered his military Saber and imitated her by sitting on the bench opposite her. Still, the thought of her monstrous strength made him somewhat uneasy. His awkward demeanor naturally provoked another peal of silver-bell-like laughter from Medusa.

“Hahaha…… I told you not to be nervous, hahaha…… A grown man acting so shy, really…… hahaha……”

“Um…… Could you please stop laughing? It’s kind of unsettling.” Though he said this, An Sheng’s tone was tentative, after all, he was under her roof and had to bow his head.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop laughing, hehe. So, what’s your name?” Medusa finally managed to stifle her laughter, her beautiful eyes carefully studying the man before her.

“An Sheng. May I ask for your name?” An Sheng unconsciously used honorifics, as deep down, he remained deeply fearful of the person before him.”Well~ I no longer remember my human name, but you can call me Medusa.”

It was indeed that name. Whether in appearance or ability, the woman before him truly lived up to the name Medusa.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“Uh… I had a failed marriage before. Currently single…”

“Am I pretty, little guy?”

“Uh……..”

A strange scene unfolded in the small square outside the World Trade Center. Within a perimeter formed by thousands of Mutated Creatures, a man and a woman sat facing each other, occasionally accompanied by the woman’s bell-like laughter and the man’s awkward sighs.

An Sheng and Medusa chatted about this and that like a couple on a blind date. By now, An Sheng had long let down his guard. He felt that this powerful woman Medusa wasn’t as terrifying as he had imagined. Instead, she was somewhat humorous and quite amiable—completely inconsistent with her queenly image. In short, this queen wasn’t too cold.