Chapter Twenty-Three: An Unparalleled Masterpiece, Succumbing to Temptation-Endless Night Wasteland(Jiang Can)

"To be honest, I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for what you've been through. In the Wasteland Era, this is the norm; it's just that this misfortune happened to befall you. So let me give you some advice: if you can endure it, grit your teeth and get through it. If you can't, you might as well smash your head against the wall and end it—just don't die in my room." I reached out and gently lifted Han Shuqing's chin with my finger. This is the survival law of the Wasteland Era—no one has the power to change it.

Useless people will be sacrificed sooner or later. But tonight, she happened to run into me—someone who can be utterly crazy, yet extremely calm when cautious.

"Tonight, you’ll sleep here. Of course, I don’t mind if you sleep on the bed with me. But let’s set the record straight first: don’t touch me." After my shower and a good shave, I felt completely refreshed. Having been on edge for so long, I was already a little drowsy.

Now that I’d finally reached a relatively safe place, I could at last sleep soundly for a night.

I rolled onto the bed, ignoring Han Shuqing’s surprised gaze.

After a long pause, she finally spoke softly, “Actually… you look quite manly after shaving.”

“Thanks. I’ll accept your compliment. If there’s nothing else, go to sleep. Don’t just sit there like a fool.” Lying on my side with my eyes closed, I responded to her praise only out of courtesy.

“Woof… woof…” Fourth Master whimpered twice and jumped onto the bed, squeezing into my arms. It seemed determined to have me hold it while I slept. Fortunately, this little guy didn’t shed, or I’d have thrown it off the bed.

"Why is it so quiet in there? Is that outsider not up to the task? I’ve had my eye on Chen He’s wife for ages—what a beauty. I wonder what the boss is thinking, handing her over to that outsider for nothing."

"Shh, keep your voice down. What are you shouting for? The boss sent us here to eavesdrop, so listen carefully. And let me tell you, forget about Chen He’s wife."

"Why?"

"The boss said if she’s useless, just throw her and her daughter out. No point wasting resources on them in the settlement."

"Now that you mention it, Chen He really is pitiful. Feels like a case of the rabbit dying after the hound’s work is done. But just tossing them out seems a waste. At least let the brothers have some fun."

"Fun, my ass. The boss is already being humane—he hasn’t eaten them, has he? I heard some settlements have started resorting to cannibalism. Our resources are stretched thin—it can’t be helped! Besides, the reason the boss is drawing in that outsider is because he’s formidable. I heard he took down a level-three corpse beast in single combat with nothing but a knife…"

"Seriously!? Sounds like a load of crap…"

"The young lady said it herself. Could she be lying? Stop overthinking and focus on listening.”

As I lay on the bed, their voices filtered into my ears again, making me feel a bit irritable. I was about to say something to Han Shuqing when suddenly a prompt echoed in my mind.

"Task detected: Host has completed the random mission [Help the scavenger team escort supplies]. Calculating rewards..."

"Congratulations, Host. You have gained 1,000 gene points. Now randomly enhancing a physical application."

"Congratulations, Host. Your visual ability has been forcibly upgraded. Please explore the specific effect yourself."

A forced upgrade to my vision? So my earlier guess was right—maybe it couldn’t be improved with gene points, but it never said it couldn’t be improved by other means.

This time, my eyes didn’t sting, but I didn’t notice anything unusual either. I looked around the room and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Since entering the settlement, under the indoor lights, my eyesight had already returned to normal—not that eerie green vision in the dark anymore.

Apparently, this advanced visual ability comes with auto-adjustment. If everything I saw was green all the time, I’d have to figure out how to downgrade it. I have no desire to spend the rest of my life living in a world of green.

"Strong reminder to Host! This function cannot be downgraded voluntarily!!"

"Important things must be said three times. Host, stop letting your mind wander and keep a clear head."

Fine. So it can’t be downgraded voluntarily. Does that mean it might still be forcibly downgraded?

Having grown used to the system’s word games, I pondered its every hint carefully.

Wait—what’s going on? Didn’t Han Shuqing put her clothes back on? Why is she suddenly undressed?

I rubbed my eyes and looked again at the alluring woman before me—was it an illusion? She was clothed once more.

A bold guess formed in my mind. I stared intently at the wall; after a while, I started feeling dizzy, but saw nothing through it.

So the ability has its limits; thickness of the obstacle matters—a wall renders it useless. I can’t see through to the outside at all.

And staring too long gives me vertigo. I’ll have to be cautious when using it.

But seeing through clothes poses no issue at all.

I suddenly sat up and moved to Han Shuqing’s side. “If you want to survive, you’ll do exactly as I say from now on.”

She looked at me in surprise, but finally nodded softly.

“Start making sounds now—just like you do in bed. The more passionate, the better.” I smirked at Han Shuqing, whose cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.

“I never expected you… to have this kind of kink…” Han Shuqing glanced at me shyly, but still did as I instructed.

“Mm… ah… ah…”

Hearing these awkward moans, I felt like my brain was about to explode. “Is that it? You call that a moan? Even Fourth Master sounds better than you.”

Fourth Master: “Woof… woof…”

I shot Fourth Master a glare—this dog, always trying to steal the show.

Han Shuqing looked mortified. Maybe my words had really bruised her ego.

“Listen, there are two men outside the door, sent to keep watch. If they don’t hear you… well, you know, being ravished by me, they’ll throw you and your daughter out without a second thought. So do as you see fit.” I gripped Han Shuqing’s delicate shoulders and gestured toward the door.

Her expression changed. In the end, she chose to trust me; after all, I had no reason to lie or make fun of her, and she was well aware that being useless would get her abandoned.

“Mm, mm, mm… ah… Mr. Cao… harder… harder… ah!”

Her uninhibited cries made my fingers twitch and my blood race. Even though I had no intention of taking her, I was still a man.

If a man isn’t stirred by such provocative sounds, can he still call himself a man?

While listening to her sultry performance, I focused on the sounds outside. Finally, after a few minutes, new voices drifted through.

“That’s enough, any longer and I’ll catch fire! Let’s go report back. Damn, these two… their foreplay takes forever, made us wait for nothing.”

“Yeah, let’s go. Seriously though, Chen He’s wife always seemed so demure and gentle, but she’s surprisingly wild in bed.”

As their voices faded into the distance, I couldn’t suppress a laugh and interrupted Han Shuqing’s performance. “Alright, that’s enough. They’re gone. As usual, let’s get some sleep or do whatever needs doing.”

Fourth Master anxiously circled on the bed—I had no idea what it was so worked up about. Only when I lay back down did it settle obediently in my arms.

Han Shuqing giggled and said, “Mr. Cao, you remind me of someone.”

I was puzzled. “Who?”

She climbed onto the bed, looking solemnly into my eyes. “The one who stayed unmoved even when a beauty was in his embrace.”

Ha! So she was comparing me to Liu Xiahui, the ancient paragon of virtue who sat with a woman in his lap and remained untempted? I’m nowhere near that noble. “Do you know how old man Liu’s carriage broke down?”

Now it was Han Shuqing’s turn to be confused. “Old man Liu’s carriage?”

Through half-closed eyes, I looked right through her and said, “Maybe I should change my mind and show you how old man Liu’s carriage got wrecked.”

“Too much pushing? Ah! Mr. Cao, I’m going to sleep now…”