Chapter 016: 【Stubborn】【Indecisive】【Good Fortune】


    “Wow, Zhang Su, this knife looks so cool! Can I use it?”


    In Zhang Su’s bedroom, Zheng Xinyu pulled a curved knife, shaped somewhat like a boomerang, out of its sheath and admired it from different angles.


    The razor-sharp blade reflected sunlight streaming through the window like a mirror, while its thick spine gave it a reassuringly solid feel.


    “You’ve got an eye for quality…”


    At this moment, Zhang Su’s perception of Zheng Xinyu had shifted slightly. Above her head floated three labels:


    【Stubborn】【Indecisive】【Good Fortune】


    After gaining the special ability to use Insight Tags, Zhang Su had immediately tried it on Zheng Xinyu. The tags revealed more about her personality.


    At first glance, labels like “Stubborn” and “Indecisive” seemed negative, but Zhang Su didn’t see them that way.


    Being indecisive was better than being biased—after all, as the saying goes, prejudice is scarier than ignorance. Indecisive people are more likely to listen to others, and from what he’d observed so far, that described Zheng Xinyu perfectly.


    As for stubbornness, while it might not have been a good trait in the past, in a zombie-infested apocalypse, stubbornness was better than cowardice. Zhang Su would much rather team up with someone bold and headstrong who followed orders than a scheming but timid partner.


    A dependable lucky charm.


    That’s how Zhang Su summed up Zheng Xinyu. Thinking back on recent events, the tags fit her perfectly.


    He felt very satisfied with this special ability. Although it didn’t directly enhance combat power or provide resources, in such chaotic times, understanding people was crucial.


    Zhang Su knew that in the future, he wouldn’t be surviving the apocalypse alone. If he had to interact with others, knowing their true nature was vital. And if he ever spotted someone with a tag like 【Rebellious by Nature】, it would be like being handed a lifesaver—he’d steer clear.


    Interestingly, after using Insight Tags on Zheng Xinyu, Zhang Su had tried looking in the mirror to use it on himself, but it didn’t work. He was genuinely curious to gain insight into himself, as he felt he didn’t fully understand his own nature.


    “Come on, this has nothing to do with having an eye for quality! It’s obvious that this knife is way better than a baseball bat or a giant wrench.”


    Zheng Xinyu gave Zhang Su an odd look and pointed at the only other item in the box—a massive half-meter-long wrench.


    “What’s wrong with the wrench? That’s a specially designed weapon too! What you’re holding is a Kukri, and it’s the priciest item in the box.”


    Zhang Su tapped the blade of the Kukri in her hand, eliciting a satisfying hum.


    The blade, made from L6 Bainite steel, was exceptional in hardness, shock resistance, and toughness.


    “Most expensive, huh? Why does it have such an awful name—‘Kukri’…? Oh well, it’s expensive, so that’s all that matters. I’m using this!”


    Upon hearing how valuable it was, Zheng Xinyu suddenly felt the knife grow lighter in her hand. Just as she was about to stand up and test it out, Zhang Su snatched it away.


    “This knife isn’t for you!”


    He carefully slid the blade back into its sheath and pointed at the nearby baseball bat. “Stick to the bat for now. With your current skills, using the Kukri would be suicide. Honestly, blunt weapons work great against zombies. Or go for something sharp like a spear for stabbing.”


    Recalling the harrowing moment when an axe got stuck in a zombie’s skull, Zhang Su had learned his lesson.


    “The Kukri is meant for fighting people.”


    He patted the sheath meaningfully.


    “Oh, fine…” Zheng Xinyu answered blankly. She didn’t fully understand, but Zhang Su’s explanation seemed logical.


    “If only we could get to the Eireiwen convenience store... There’s some great stuff there.”


    Zhang Su muttered in frustration. Most of his weapons collection was stored at the shop.


    “This axe isn’t good enough?”


    Zheng Xinyu pointed to a nearby axe hammer.


    Zhang Su picked up the black axe hammer, made from T10 tool steel. It was indeed excellent in quality, but after the intense fight earlier, it had sustained minor wear and retained faint scuff marks even after cleaning—a testament to the ferocity of the battle. S~ea??h the N??eFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    “It’s sturdy enough, but if we keep fighting like before… Never mind, let’s stop dwelling on it. Xinyu, you barely ate earlier. Do you want something to eat now?”


    Zhang Su heard Zheng Xinyu’s stomach rumble and asked.


    She rubbed her stomach and shook her head. “I’m hungry, but I don’t have an appetite. Maybe later.”


    “Alright!” Zhang Su glanced at the time—3 PM. Dinner wasn’t far off. Normally, he’d be heading to the store for his shift around this time, but now he was stuck at home.


    “Since we have some time, let’s… huh?”


    Zhang Su was about to suggest some light exercise—purely to strengthen their bodies and improve morale—when a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.


    The sound was gentle, not the aggressive pounding of a zombie.


    Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu exchanged glances, both grabbing their weapons as they approached the door. Zhang Su peered through the peephole, and his face twitched.


    The door to apartment 802 was slightly ajar, with a zombie shoved to the side. Standing at the door was a masked and sunglasses-wearing woman. She glanced around nervously, trembling from head to toe.


    “It’s the woman from across the hall,” Zhang Su muttered to Zheng Xinyu with a frown.


    Zheng Xinyu gave him an awkward look but said nothing.


    “Uh, hello? I’m your neighbor from 802. Can I… can I say something?”


    The woman outside seemed to sense someone inside and leaned closer to the door, speaking in a soft voice. “There’s no water or internet in my apartment. Could I borrow a phone? Do you know what’s going on with those monsters?”


    “Please, answer me. I’m willing to pay for using your phone…”


    Zhang Su shook his head at Zheng Xinyu, then quietly stepped back into the bedroom. The two closed the door behind them.


    “Why? Is there something wrong with her?”


    Zheng Xinyu asked, puzzled. Earlier, they couldn’t communicate with people from Building 4 because of the distance, but this woman was just a door away.


    Zhang Su shrugged indifferently, leaning against the bed. “Whether there’s something wrong or not, I don’t think it’s worth opening the door. We can’t really help her, and she has nothing to offer us in return.”


    “That’s true…”


    Zheng Xinyu nodded silently. It was only then that she realized Zhang Su had brought her along not because she was particularly charming or because he was especially kind-hearted. It was simply because they happened to share a roof.


    The thought made her ask, somewhat dramatically, “Zhang Su, if… and I mean … I were surrounded by zombies, and saving me was really dangerous, would you do it?”


    Zhang Su shot her a sidelong glance. Having dealt with numerous girlfriends before, he was no stranger to bizarre questions. This one wasn’t even the weirdest.


    “You women are so funny. You’ve got nothing better to do than ask who we’d save if someone fell in a river. Now it’s this nonsense. If you’ve got time to think about this, why not focus on why you missed your swing earlier?”


    “I…”


    “What ‘I’? If I hadn’t pulled the zombie closer by ten centimeters, you wouldn’t have hit anything! You really think you’re some kind of sharpshooter? Wake up, lady!”


    Shaking his head, Zhang Su stood and walked toward the window. He was well aware that the reason Zheng Xinyu had landed a hit on the zombie was probably thanks to her 【Good Fortune】 tag.