Chapter Thirteen: The Temptation of the Fruit

Page 1/3

Mu Chen leaned against the sofa, the faint blue glow from his phone screen casting light on his face as he focused intently. Outside the window, dark mist roared, yet inside the room was eerily silent, broken only by the soft swipe of his fingertips across the screen.

“How many exactly are you planning to recruit?” Chen Jiahe curled up on the opposite side of the sofa, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, her voice tense with restrained emotion.

Without looking up, Mu Chen sent message after message: “Seeking beauties, generous terms, interested parties please private message.”

“As many as possible,” he said calmly. “In times like these, the more hands you can use, the better.”

Chen Jiahe’s nails dug deep into her palms. She understood that Mu Chen was speaking the truth, yet the words pierced her ears and weighed heavily on her chest, making it ache.

“Ding dong, ding dong.” The notification sounds of friend requests chimed repeatedly.

A faint smile curved Mu Chen’s lips. The plan seemed to be working well.

Suddenly, he turned toward her. “Do you have anyone in your WeChat contacts you could introduce?”

Chen Jiahe was taken aback. “Introduce whom?”

“Young women, preferably those who live alone,” Mu Chen replied with a calm, unshaken tone, as if discussing something utterly ordinary. “You must know quite a few suitable classmates from Jinhai University, right?”

Her face immediately fell. “I won’t push them into the fire!”

Mu Chen set down his phone and rose, stepping slowly toward her. “Fire?”

“Isn’t it?” Chen Jiahe’s voice trembled uncontrollably. “You call them over, and then... then it’s the same as with me...”

“How have I treated you?” Mu Chen stopped before her, looking down at her from above, his voice low but laden with undeniable pressure. “Fed you? Gave you a place to sleep? Or kept you alive all this time, so those monsters outside didn’t drag you away for snacks?”

Chen Jiahe shrank deeper into the sofa, lowering her head, unwilling to meet his gaze.

In her mind, the system’s prompt sounded coldly.

“Ding! Chen Jiahe’s favorability -5, current favorability: 47/100.”

Mu Chen’s brow twitched barely perceptibly.

Appeasement clearly wouldn’t work.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Chen Jiahe’s chin firmly, his grip unyielding, forcing her to lift that stubborn little face.

“Chen Jiahe, understand your place,” Mu Chen said flatly, each word striking hard. “Here, I’m in charge. Don’t cooperate? The door’s over there, you can leave anytime.”

Chen Jiahe’s eyes instantly reddened, her lips trembling. “I…”

“Smack!”

Page 2/3

The crisp sound resonated sharply in the dead silence of the room.

Mu Chen’s palm landed squarely on her buttock.

The force was well controlled—not heavy, but saturated with humiliation, enough to make her cry out in shock.

Chen Jiahe shuddered all over, a short startled cry escaping her, her face drained of color.

“Have you thought it through?” Mu Chen released his hold, leisurely returning to his seat on the sofa, reclining with a lazy posture.

Chen Jiahe clutched the stinging spot, burning with shame and anger. Tears swelled in her eyes but refused to fall. She bit her lower lip so hard it nearly bled, and after a long moment, she forced out a few words through clenched teeth, her voice thick with nasal tone: “I... I’ll help you make contacts.”

“Ding! Chen Jiahe’s favorability +3, current favorability: 50/100.”

The faint smile on Mu Chen’s lips deepened. He took a brand-new iPhone from the system space and casually tossed it to her.

“Use this. I’ll give you access to distribute supplies. From now on, when these people come in, managing their food, drink, and everything else will be your responsibility.”

Chen Jiahe instinctively caught the phone, the cold metallic texture causing her to pause. Looking at the pristine device in her hand, she hardly dared believe it. “Really?”

“Mm.” Mu Chen’s tone softened slightly. “On one condition—you must obey. I’ve said it before, I need capable partners, not pretty but useless ornaments.”

“Ding! Chen Jiahe’s favorability +8, current favorability: 58/100 (Trust).”

The system prompt chimed again.

Just then, Mu Chen’s own phone vibrated lightly.

A new friend request appeared.

Sender’s nickname: Sunny Darling.

The profile picture was of a woman heavily made-up, scantily clad, posing provocatively.

Mu Chen accepted.

The woman responded swiftly, sending photos almost instantly.

In the pictures, she wore a fiery red slip dress, her fair skin dazzling, the pose dripping with seduction.

The angles were clearly calculated.

“Handsome, this is just how I am~ If you want, you can come find me~”

Then another message followed: “I’m in real trouble right now, need food and water. If you’re willing to help, I’ll do anything~”

Mu Chen’s brow twitched.

This woman was unusually direct.

He had planned to close the chat, but his fingers hesitated at the top of the screen.

In the corner of the photo background, on the windowsill, sat a small potted plant.

Page 3/3

A short shrub with finely serrated leaves and several glossy black berries adorning its branches.

This plant matched perfectly with the one Pan Han had sketched in his illustrated guide!

Mu Chen’s heart tightened sharply.

A supernatural fruit!

This woman actually had supernatural fruit in her possession!

Suppressing his surging thoughts, he tapped out a message, feigning interest: “You’re quite something, beautiful. I’m very interested. Why don’t you send a few more photos? Let me see what your place looks like.”

The reply came almost immediately: “Sure, sure! Handsome, just wait a moment!”

Within seconds, photos of the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and various angles flooded in.

Mu Chen scrolled quickly, meticulously examining every corner of each photo.

Finally, in one bedroom picture, the plant was fully visible!

No mistake—it was the mother plant of the supernatural fruit, with several ripe black berries hanging from it!

“How’s that? Handsome, my place isn’t bad, right?” Zhang Qing’s message popped up again, tinged with urgency.

“Quite impressive,” Mu Chen replied swiftly. “But I’d rather see you in person. Which building do you live in?”

“Building 6, 18th floor,” she responded, then sent another message with a coquettish tone: “But if you live far away, could you come pick me up? It’s so scary outside, I’m just a weak woman, really afraid to go out alone~”

“No problem, I’m leaving now.”

“Really? That’s great! I’ll wait for you at home~”

Mu Chen set his phone down, an uncontrollable thrill surging through him.

Chen Jiahe was still fiddling with the brand-new iPhone. Noticing Mu Chen suddenly stand, she looked up, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“Come with me.” Mu Chen dropped the words and strode toward the bedroom. “Target: 20th floor.”

“20th floor?” Chen Jiahe hurried to follow. “What are we doing there?”

“Meeting someone.” Mu Chen pulled two thick coats from the wardrobe, tossing one to her. “Put this on, and bring your knife.”

Chen Jiahe caught the coat, her mind swirling with questions she couldn’t suppress.

“Who’s so important that we have to risk going out now?”

Mu Chen didn’t answer, merely bending down to inspect the military knife at his waist.

That pot of supernatural fruit—he was determined to get it.