Chapter 94: Guard the Shelter, Be a Good Person
When Su Ning heard the voices of Liu Jianjun and Zhang Xing, she didn’t think much of it.
After all, both were high-ranking members of the shelter. It wasn’t unusual for them to patrol or conduct inspections.
However, the words “mysterious disappearances of women” immediately caught her attention.
She looked toward He Wentao with a questioning gaze.
“What did he mean by that just now?” she asked.
“What disappearances?”
He Wentao was startled too, then he whispered softly:
“It’s not a confirmed case yet, just a rumor for now… But recently, there’ve been more than five women in the Sixth Shelter who’ve gone missing without a trace.”
Su Ning’s face instantly turned serious.
“All within the Sixth Shelter?”
“Yes,” He Wentao nodded.
“And all of them were young women between 18 and 25.
It’s not something that can be easily explained.”
Su Ning frowned. That age range was a little too coincidental—it matched hers almost exactly.
Zhang Xing and Liu Jianjun’s voices gradually faded as they moved down the corridor.
Su Ning and He Wentao didn’t linger. They said their goodbyes and Su Ning left the research lab.
On her way back to the dormitory, Su Ning passed through a densely populated residential area of the Sixth Shelter.
She intentionally slowed her steps, observing the atmosphere.
To her surprise, the vibe of the Sixth Shelter remained calm and peaceful.
There were children playing in the streets, couples chatting softly, and neighbors exchanging greetings.
If not for He Wentao’s words, I would’ve never guessed that something sinister was happening here, Su Ning thought.
It was eerily calm—almost too calm.
Su Ning recalled something else He Wentao had said:
“If someone disappears in this world, there’s no such thing as a police investigation or surveillance cameras. No witnesses. No accountability. If no one sees or cares, it’s like that person never existed in the first place.”
And that was what scared Su Ning the most.
In this world, life had become cheap.
Even if you vanished overnight, no one would pursue justice for you—especially if you were weak.
Su Ning slowly clenched her fists.
That’s why I can’t afford to be weak, she told herself.
I have to become strong enough to protect myself—and those I care about.
When she arrived back at the dormitory, she noticed that Shang Qiu wasn’t there.
Instead, her roommate Xia Tian was standing by the window, lost in thought.
Su Ning greeted her.
“You okay?”
Xia Tian turned around, a bit startled. Then she nodded with a forced smile.
“Yeah… just thinking.”
Su Ning sensed something was off.
“Did something happen?”
Xia Tian hesitated for a moment, then said softly:
“Su Ning… I think I’m being followed.”
Those words sent a chill down Su Ning’s spine.
“Are you sure?” she asked seriously.
“I’m not 100% sure,” Xia Tian admitted.
“But yesterday, when I went to throw out the trash, I felt like someone was watching me. I turned around, but no one was there.”
Su Ning sat down on the edge of the bed and motioned for Xia Tian to join her.
“You’re not the only one. I just heard from Researcher He—several women have already gone missing.”
Xia Tian’s face turned pale.
“You don’t think it’s… the same person, right?”
Su Ning didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she reached into her backpack and took out a small dagger, handing it to Xia Tian.
“Keep this on you at all times,” she said.
“And if anyone suspicious comes near you, don’t hesitate to fight back.”
Xia Tian held the dagger, stunned.
“But… if it’s a shelter resident, won’t I get punished if I hurt someone?”
Su Ning met her gaze firmly.
“Xia Tian, remember this: In this world, you have to protect yourself first. It’s better to injure a bad guy by mistake than to trust someone and disappear forever.”
Xia Tian slowly nodded.
From that moment on, she seemed to understand just how fragile and dangerous this new world could be.
Late that night, after Xia Tian had fallen asleep, Su Ning sat by the window, watching the shelter’s patrol teams move through the streets.
Even under tight security, Su Ning couldn’t shake the feeling that something was hiding in the shadows—watching… waiting.
“I hope I’m just being paranoid,” she murmured to herself.
But deep down, she knew:
The world had changed.
And if she wanted to survive, she couldn’t just guard the shelter—she had to guard herself and her people.
(End of Chapter)
