In the very center of the General’s Camp, flanking the commercial street, the branch hall of the Intelligence Department had been established. Any figure of General rank, provided their clearance permitted, could access it to look up certain matters.

After the man in the colored uniform finished his message, he departed Ye Chen’s residence. Ye Chen glanced at Bai Long and the others. “You can head to Residence 58. Have Qin Feng take you to Wu Bu Luo’s quarters. Once testing is complete, residences will be allocated accordingly.”

“Got it!” Bai Long and the others nodded, rose, and walked toward Qin Feng’s home.

Ye Chen picked up the file, casually shredded it, and tossed it into the waste bin. He then turned and left the residence, making his way toward the center of the General’s Camp. From afar, he could see an extraordinarily luxurious street lined with towering buildings on both sides. Numerous provocatively dressed women stood at the street corners, soliciting clients, handing over the earnings to their bosses, and receiving a monthly commission in return.

Among these women, some were originally decent citizens, some were teachers, some were white-collar workers, and some were even the daughters of tycoons. But now, they were merely ordinary women selling their bodies to survive. Yet, no one blamed them, because their flesh was their capital—just as strength is a man’s capital for working as a gigolo or a laborer, a woman’s capital is her body.

Merely to live!

Since ancient times, survival has always been a heavy burden resting on people’s shoulders, whether they be emperors, generals, or common folk. The great figures yearn to recline on a beauty’s lap and wield the power of the world upon waking; the small figures aspire only to have a roof over their heads and food to eat… fundamentally, there is no difference between the two.

Ye Chen stepped onto the street. The clamorous sounds enveloped his figure, drawing him into this vibrant, yet agonizingly beautiful, world of prosperity.

He simply walked on in silence.

The cooing and sweet talk from either side seemed isolated in another world. Though Ye Chen knew that with a casually tossed, higher-grade currency chip, he could have several women—perhaps former supermodels or heiresses—coiled around him, sleeping with him.

Yet, he didn’t even have the interest to glance at them.

It wasn't arrogance.

In his previous life, after a day of killing in the wilderness, he too would plunge into places like this, indulging himself fully, roaring atop women before contemptuously tossing down currency chips and walking away alone into the night. At dawn the next day, he would again strap on his battle saber and head toward the desolate wilderness outside the base city to battle monsters…

However, one night, when everything was still, he unintentionally saw a woman dragging her exhausted body out of such a place. She clutched a scrap of monster meat and slipped into a dark alley, handing it to a skeletal boy. From that moment on, he never stepped into such establishments again…

Some people do not live for themselves.

Just like Ye Chen now, his spiritual anchor was his sister, Ye Zhu. Without her, he might sink into debauchery once more… The greatest tragedy is when a person can no longer find a reason to live.

“Handsome sir, care to come in and have some fun?” A girl approached, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes, yet she mustered the courage to appear casual and natural, not like a startled fledgling.

Ye Chen looked at her, frowned slightly, and was about to shake his head and leave when a tall, powerfully built man, about two meters in height with rugged muscles, strode over. He grinned at the girl. “Little lady, looking for a man?”

The girl glanced at him, fear mixed with apprehension in her eyes, and shrank back. “I wasn’t…”

The tall man burst into laughter. “Come here, let Uncle verify the merchandise. See if you’re plump enough.” As he spoke, he reached out to grab the girl’s chest. The girl tried to evade, but recalling her boss’s severe warnings, the resolve in her heart instantly crumbled. With a soft sigh, she did not dodge, allowing the tall man to paw at her breasts.

Ye Chen observed her with a calm gaze, then turned and walked away, showing no intention of playing the hero saving the damsel or meddling in affairs. After all, this was the path she chose; saving her once would only lead to a next time…

Watching Ye Chen leave without a word, the tall man snorted dismissively, tossing his head back. A Lieutenant General’s medal was pinned to his chest, and he had instantly recognized Ye Chen’s rank—only a Major General—which was why he dared to be so brazen in harassing the girl in front of him.

“Let’s go, little sister, Uncle will treat you nicely.” The tall man chuckled.

The girl let a single tear fall, filled with grievance. “Could you please not hold me so tightly?”

The tall man squeezed her chest heavily twice and roared with laughter. “Little sister, you’re out here to be given to people. I’ve killed pigs for most of my life, it’s rare to have a status like this. Little sister, you must have been a pampered lady before, right? Haha…”

“No…” The girl regretted it, a panic rising within her. Her constitution had been enhanced by her boss to possess the strength of ten men. If the man had been gentle, there would have been no issue, but looking at the brute, he clearly wasn't the type to cherish a woman. If her body couldn't endure it, she might lose her very life…

“What? Changing your mind?” the tall man sneered triumphantly. “Look at my rank, much better than that pretty boy. Treat me well, and I’ll give you a bonus.”

“No, I don’t want to…” The girl struggled desperately, tears streaming down her face.

“Giving face and not taking it!” The tall man’s expression darkened, and he slapped out. Just then, a slender, white hand shot out from the side, seizing the man’s arm. A cold voice rang out: “If you don’t stop now, this hand will leave you!”

The voice was like eternal ice, causing the burly man to shudder. He instinctively turned his head, only to see the stern, black-haired man who had been walking away now standing there again. He struggled against the hand, finding Ye Chen’s grip like an iron vise, wrenching his arm in pain. Shock bloomed in his eyes—he hadn't expected a mere Major General to possess such formidable strength!

“Who are you?” the tall man’s voice was strained.

“You don’t need to know.” Ye Chen looked at him coldly, then released his grip. He spared the girl a brief glance, then turned and walked away, under the astonished gaze of the onlookers, heading toward the Intelligence Branch Hall in the distance.

The girl stared at Ye Chen’s retreating back, momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected this outwardly cold man, who had initially chosen to ignore her, to suddenly turn back. Watching his silhouette vanish from sight, she finally regained her senses. She looked at the burly man before her and quickly apologized, terrified he would take out his anger on her.

The tall man glanced at her; the mood for fun was entirely gone. He waved a hand dismissively, then turned to look at Ye Chen’s retreating figure, his eyes filled with gravity.

...

Ye Chen arrived at the Branch Hall and found it vast but sparsely populated. Most Generals were either resting at their residences or hunting monsters in the wilds; few remained within the base city.

After all, only through relentless effort could one avoid being eliminated by this era.

Ye Chen approached a nearby window and inquired, “Are there any missions suitable for a Major General that require short completion times?”

The girl behind the window smiled faintly, her eyes curving like crescent moons, exceedingly beautiful, with fair skin and slender, long fingers. Ye Chen suddenly recalled she seemed to be a former hugely popular actress, now reduced to a receptionist after the apocalypse. If she were lucky enough to be kept, life might be manageable; otherwise, she would spend her days subsisting on mere bread and instant noodles…

“There are several of the newest, highly efficient missions. On North Ring Road, a horde of monsters breached out of an underpass. The numbers are significant and urgently require a General to suppress them. No military merit is awarded for killing the monsters, but if all creatures are driven back into the underpass, the mission is complete, rewarding 8,000 military merits!”

“There is another mission at the western entrance of the West Ring Road, where a small ant swarm has appeared, according to intelligence from the Detective Department. There are approximately a hundred thousand of them. Many soldiers are already rushing to assist. If a General successfully eradicates the swarm, the reward is 20,000 military merits!”

“A third mission, about 30 li south of the base city, has discovered over a dozen Blood Wind Hounds. The Detective Department collected some residual hair, and research by the Science Department indicates these creatures are around level 20. They must be killed quickly before they approach the base city and cause mass casualties. The reward for completing this mission is 15,000 military merits.”

“And one more…”

The girl listed four or five missions before pausing, tired, and looking up at Ye Chen. “Are these acceptable?”

Ye Chen nodded. “Accept them all for me!”

The girl was momentarily taken aback. “All of them?”

“Yes!” Ye Chen affirmed.

The girl gave him a strange look but ultimately said no more, completing the registration for him. Ye Chen turned and left the base city, taking the location and target files from the missions, and hurried toward the designated areas.

...

Over the next few days, Ye Chen continuously claimed missions from the army. In one week, the accumulated military merits reached over two hundred thousand—a truly staggering amount even for a Lieutenant General.

This particular day, Ye Chen did not pick up any new missions because early that morning, he had received one assigned directly from higher command, offering a staggering military merit reward of 100,000 points!