In a frigid apocalypse, she fed her boyfriend until he became a zombie king.

All the survivors' personal belongings will be confiscated at the manor gate.

Wenren Lei thought for a moment, then took off the safety buckle around her neck, the ring on her hand, and the communication bracelet, and handed them to Fu Yan: "Put them in my spatial storage."

Fu Yan also took off his important belongings and put them into his spatial storage.

"Is there anything else we need to prepare?" Wenren Lei carefully considered any oversights.

Fu Yan said, "I'll temporarily suppress your ability level with the ability elimination technique. Once we get past the checkpoint at the door, I won't be worried anymore."

The two deliberately chose a time at night when the light was dim and it was difficult to spot each other, and lined up in the queue outside the manor gate.

The registration process is simpler than you can imagine.

The male staff member took away his and Fu Yan's personal belongings.

The female staff member glanced at Wenren Lei and wrote down the number 1000 in her notebook: "Go in."

Wenren Lei paused for a moment: "That's it? They didn't even register the names?"

"Names aren't needed here," the female staff member said flatly. "Once you're in the manor, you must forget your past identities. From today onward, you only have numbers. Your number is everything here. Obey the rules, train hard, and become outstanding graduates as soon as possible."

She spoke fluently, probably because so many people had asked the same questions that the woman had devised a script to shut the survivors up.

The woman placed the metal plaque on the table and pushed it towards Wenren Lei; it was engraved with "1000".

Holding their number tags, the two crossed the threshold of the manor with a dozen or so other survivors.

Wenren Lei's footsteps swayed almost imperceptibly, and his brain buzzed softly.

"Tears?"

The man next to me called out that name.

1000 blinked in confusion. Who am I? Where am I? What am I here to do?

"Hello, new recruits. I am your instructor. Please come with me to the dormitory."

Wenren Lei lifted her leg to follow the instructor, the cold metal piece in her hand poking him.

He held it up to look, 1000.

That's my name. I'm here to become an outstanding graduate.

……

Fu Yan walked into the bathroom with a glass of warm water in his hand, half-squatted down next to Wenren Lei, and raised his hand to cover Wenren Lei's back with his healing power: "I've changed that glass of wine."

Wenren Lei pressed the flush button, took the water cup, and rinsed her mouth: "What did you change it to?"

Fu Yan said, "It's just regular red wine, mixed with some blood packs I've stockpiled in my space."

Wenren Lei glanced at him palely: "Thank you so much, ugh—"

"I also find blood disgusting... Ugh..."

"Fu Yan, you just wait. I'll tell my brother when I get home that you'll have to drink my blood, ugh..."

Fu Yan gently patted his back, his eyes full of heartache: "From now on, I'll go on these kinds of missions by myself. You're suffering too much like this."

Wenren Lei shoved him: "Stop talking nonsense."

After Wenren finished vomiting, her stomach finally felt a little better.

Fu Yan used his healing powers to restore him from the inside out.

"Go take a hot bath."

"Um……"

……

Wenren Lei slumped helplessly in the bathtub, looking up at the ceiling: "Didn't you change all the food I ate? How did I become a Crystal Core Ability User?"

Fu Yan sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning over the bathtub to look at him: "The drinking water in the manor is also mixed with powder made from purified crystal cores."

Wenren Lei said, "Purifying the crystal core... I never expected that I would stumble upon the talent training academy of the Cataclysmic Research Institute by accident."

Fu Yan said, "As expected of you."

Wenren Lei gave a weak laugh: "Stop joking."

Fu Yan wrung out a hot towel and gently wiped his face: "If it's related to the research institute, then the outstanding graduates cultivated by this manor are probably all sent to the Crystal Core Ability Legion."

The Cataclysmic Research Institute only needs to provide the manor with purified crystal cores.

Wenren Lei said, "This is a good opportunity. Whether we can follow the clues to find the legion depends on us."

Fu Yan nodded slightly: "I have already contacted District 11, and Commander Liu as well."

Wenren Lei understood Fu Yan's concerns; they still didn't know who the problematic person in the alliance was.

If the alliance needs to cooperate in subsequent actions, it would be most appropriate for Liu Bingzheng to take the lead. The alliance is full of his old comrades-in-arms, and he knows who is most trustworthy.

Wenren Lei said, "If I were an outstanding graduate, and after leaving the manor I regained my memories and remembered that I was forcibly transformed into a crystal core ability user, I wouldn't go to that legion to continue suffering."

He splashed water everywhere: "I'm coming back to destroy this manor!"

Fu Yan said, "There must be quite a few people who think the same way as you. However, those who leave the manor, even after graduation, probably can't live without that glass of red wine."

Wenren Lei was taken aback: "You mean, that glass of red wine contained not only blood, but also something that could control people?"

Fu Yan said, "You could also say there are things that can be addictive."

"No wonder it smells so sweet." Wenren Lei shook her head. "Heartless and insane."

He splashed water again: "Wait, am I now a Crystal Core Ability User too?"

Fu Yan said, "After you take a bath, I'll help you clean yourself up."

Wenren Lei rested her arm on the edge of the bathtub, touching Fu Yan's cheek: "Don't purify it yet. We'll need to drink water when we get back to the manor. Let's wait until this matter is resolved before we start purifying it."

When Huang Yiyun was forced to eat the crystal core before, Fu Yan also helped him purify it. At that time, Huang Yiyun almost lost half his life.

Wenren Lei didn't want Fu Yan to suffer the pain of purification for her multiple times.

"Just replace my glass of red wine."

Wenren Lei leaned over the edge of the bathtub and looked at Fu Yan: "But why did your shielding ability stop working?"

Fu Yan's expression turned serious: "There is a high-level psychic ability user in the manor, most likely an S-rank."

"What?!" Wenren Lei sat bolt upright. "S-rank? In the mental cultivation system, S-rank is the absolute highest, right?"

Fu Yan nodded: "The coverage area and the number of people it can affect at the same time are both considerable, and it can operate continuously without interruption, so it can only be classified as S-level."

"No wonder entering this manor was so easy; it turns out there's an S-rank psychic with superpowers here." Wenren Lei frowned. "How come they always manage to research such amazing things? With that ability, wouldn't it be better to fight the apocalypse together?"

Fu Yan said, "Perhaps the apocalypse itself is the result they want."

"Alright." Wenren Lei sighed wearily, "She's really too much of a drama queen."

Fu Yan said, "If you're tired, take a rest."

Wenren Lei, soaking wet, hugged Fu Yan and nuzzled against his neck: "There's so much to do. I wish I had some help. How long will it take for Yi Yang and the others to arrive?"

Fu Yan said, "Soon, but they will also lose their memory once they enter the manor, and the risk is greater with more people."

Wenren Lei suddenly opened her eyes: "Wait a minute, that 1030, he seems to be Liao Xingwei."

Fu Yan was momentarily dazed: "I really had forgotten about him."