Cooking Gourmet Meals in the Apocalypse

Chapter 259: Chapter 256: Stirred Up a Rat’s Nest?

Chen Xing was a little worried about the black cats’ combat strength. After all, not all of them had been brought out to fight before.

However, a few seconds later, she knew she was wrong.

Even the black cats that had never fought before were incredibly powerful fighters.

A single bite was enough to kill a mutated rat, which reverted to its original form.

At that moment, sounds came not only from the bathroom but also from the room next door.

’Did I just stumble into a rats’ nest?’

Chen Xing immediately released all the black cats.

Her bedroom and kitchen, in particular, needed to be protected.

The black cats received their orders and began to exterminate the rats.

About a dozen of the black cats simply leaped from her balcony to the next, annihilating the rats that appeared there on the spot.

Soon, the seemingly intense battle was over.

The rats were completely wiped out, and the black cats even disposed of their corpses.

There was no running water in the building, which Chen Xing didn’t use anyway. She usually went to her house in the space to use the bathroom or shower.

After this incident, she simply sealed off the bathroom for good.

The cats had worked hard.

Chen Xing rewarded them with dried fish.

Afterward, she left a few to stand guard for the night and sent the rest to her space to get some proper rest.

A few more quiet, uneventful days passed.

However, the weather had turned cold again over the past few days, so she had to drain the pool.

She had to temporarily give up her favorite afternoon swims.

Early one morning, Chen Xing was awakened by shouting from downstairs.

Looking down, she saw several young people under the snow-swept hotel, staring at the small car she had parked downstairs.

’Looks like my quiet, comfortable life is over!’

Frustrated, Chen Xing went to the kitchen and started making breakfast as usual.

It would take those people some time to get up from the sealed-off ground floor.

But before she had even finished cooking, she heard that they had already opened the access door and entered the stairwell.

Chen Xing sat at the dining table, before her an arrangement of several small side dishes, a bowl of congee, and a steamer basket of shumai.

Before she could take a bite, someone was already at the door.

A polite knock came. ”We know someone’s in there. Please open the door!” They were surprisingly courteous.

Chen Xing could have hidden in her space, but if she did, her precious nest would likely be taken over.

She popped a shumai into her mouth and walked to the door.

She opened the door...

Six people stood at the entrance.

Five men and one woman, all appearing to be in their twenties.

None of them looked particularly vicious.

”You’re... alone?” Chang Yuan, the group’s leader, looked Chen Xing up and down before peering inside.

Chen Xing nodded.

Upon hearing she was alone, one of the men in the group’s eyes lit up.

He was clearly up to no good.

Just then, Meng Hu came ambling over.

Its fat, sturdy body swayed with an imposing air.

Several of them stumbled back a step in fear.

”What... What is that?” Chang Yuan now understood why this girl dared to live here alone.

’Who would dare approach her with such a huge beast?’

”My pet!” Chen Xing reached out and stroked Meng Hu.

Meng Hu nuzzled against her obediently, acting just like a cat.

The man with the lecherous thoughts suddenly got his confidence back.

In his eyes, this tiger had probably been beaten into submission at a circus and wouldn’t dare confront a person.

”We were just passing through. The snow outside is too heavy, and we’re afraid we can’t travel, so we were hoping to find a place to stay for a few days. We won’t get in your way!” Chang Yuan was quite polite.

”Whatever.” With that, Chen Xing unceremoniously shut the door.

The people outside: ”...” ’With a group our size... wouldn’t a normal person try to be a little more accommodating?’

’But... was that some kind of fragrance coming from her room just now?’

’How long has it been since we’ve smelled something so good?’

Chang Shun, the only girl in the group, tugged on Chang Yuan’s sleeve. ”Brother... I think we should just leave her alone!” She had a feeling that a girl who dared to live by herself had to be capable.

”Yeah. Let’s stay in the room next door,” Chang Yuan said, leading the way to the adjacent room.

Only Hao Jie, the one who had been ogling Chen Xing, lingered at the door for a moment before slowly following.

’In the apocalypse, lone individuals are destined to be bullied! Especially a pretty woman like her.’

This was what he thought.

Chen Xing paid the group no mind at all.

She didn’t care if they were good people or bad, as long as they didn’t get in her way.

And if they did get in her way? Well, that would just be their bad luck.

Sitting back down at the dining table, she continued her meal.

’Today’s food doesn’t taste as good as it usually does. I guess I really am better off living alone.’

For the next two days, there was no major activity from next door, aside from the occasional loud noise.

One morning, after waking up, Chen Xing noticed that one of the black cats she had let out the previous night hadn’t returned.

She sensed its location and found it was trapped in a drain in the basement.

Left with no choice, Chen Xing had to go out and find it.

Just as she opened her door, the door to the next room opened as well.

Chang Yuan walked out and asked in a friendly tone, ”Going out?”

Chen Xing nodded and headed for the stairwell.

As she descended to the eighth floor, she heard the sound of rapid footsteps from above, as if someone was in a great hurry.

Chen Xing’s brow furrowed, but she continued downward.

Before long, Hao Jie caught up to her.

He had overheard her conversation with Chang Yuan and, knowing she was going out alone, seized the opportunity.

”Where are you going? Won’t it be dangerous alone?” ’No need to use force if I don’t have to.’

’She looks like she’s seventeen or eighteen, just a naive little girl who hasn’t seen the world. She should be easy to coax.’

Chen Xing didn’t even spare him a glance, much less waste her breath replying.

Seeing that coaxing wasn’t working, Hao Jie dropped the act. He grabbed Chen Xing’s wrist with a vile smirk. ”I’ve taken a liking to you. You should be happy. It’s the apocalypse; how hard is it to find a man? Especially a tall, rich, and handsome one like me?”

’He must have some serious misconceptions about what ’tall, rich, and handsome’ means.’

With a twist of her wrist, Chen Xing made Hao Jie cry out in pain and let go.

”You dare hurt me? Do you have any idea that we’re a team? If you hurt me, they won’t let you off!” Although he was in pain, Hao Jie wasn’t afraid yet.

In his mind, the girl had just used some petty trick.

He refused to believe that a little girl could be so strong. She was clearly just using the tiger to scare people.

”Follow me again, and don’t blame me for what happens next,” Chen Xing said coldly, then continued down toward the basement.

But Hao Jie wasn’t about to let her go that easily.

He’d been secretly watching the room next door for the past few days. She was a complete shut-in and never came out.

An opportunity like this was rare.

’Otherwise, if that idiot Chang Yuan finds out, he’ll definitely kick me out.’

So, he quickened his pace and followed her.

This time, he didn’t get close. He gathered his superpower in his hand and unleashed it in front of Chen Xing.

A large iron plate appeared in front of Chen Xing, instantly blocking her path.

He drew closer with a ferocious grin, a hint of smugness on his face. ”I can seal you completely inside a metal box and make sure you never get out!”