Chapter 101: Taoyang Is Now Everyone’s Belief
Su Tao never imagined that a small photo frame could hold such a heartbreaking story.
As she looked at Yan Yan’s smiling face in the photo, a strange sense of familiarity arose in her heart. It felt as though she had seen him before.
But after thinking it over, she reasoned that it was probably because Yan Yan resembled Liu Panpan—after all, they were mother and son, which might have caused the illusion of familiarity.
She tried to offer comfort: “Maybe Yan Yan is still alive. Do you want to try looking for him?”
Liu Panpan choked up and shook her head:
“It’s impossible. He was already infected back then. Even if he survived the infection, he would have suffered unbearable pain from his bone tumors. The doctor said he wouldn’t live past five… At the time, I even thought that turning into a zombie would be better for him than enduring all that agony.”
Su Tao felt a pang in her heart.
A child so young, separated from his mother, struggling to survive in the apocalypse—it was indeed nearly impossible for him to have lived long.
Old Mei, who had wheeled himself out, had also overheard most of the conversation. He let out a soft sigh.
Liu Panpan only cried for a short while before wiping away her tears and forcing herself to be strong. She turned to Su Tao and sincerely said:
“Thank you, Boss Su. I came to terms with this a long time ago. The longer Yan Yan lived, the more pain he had to endure. Death was a relief—for him and for me. We’ll be mother and son again in our next life.”
With words like that, Su Tao knew there was nothing more to say.
Back in her room, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She even looked up bone tumor symptoms online.
Severe cases could cause constant pain and swelling, making movement nearly impossible.
To suffer such pain at just four years old—life had been far too cruel.
No wonder Liu Panpan had accepted Yan Yan’s death so easily. She must have spent day after day watching her son suffer, deep down wishing for his pain to end.
It was the desperate hope of a powerless mother.
Without thinking, Su Tao reached out and patted Lin Fangzhi’s head.
“You have to stay healthy. Only then can I be at ease, understand?”
Lin Fangzhi blinked in confusion but nodded obediently.
That night, just as Su Tao was about to fall asleep, Yan Yan’s familiar smile from the photo kept flashing in her mind.
She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away, and was about to lie down when her phone suddenly rang.
It was Pei Dong, the ever-busy woman.
Su Tao sat up immediately and answered the call.
There was a gust of wind in the background, indicating that Pei Dong was probably still outside.
“I received the security cameras. They’re exactly what we needed—thank you. Also, tomorrow is Ye Xiaoqing’s birthday. She asked me to invite you to her small gathering.”
Ye Xiaoqing?
Su Tao thought for a moment before remembering—she was the lively young girl in her early twenties who had once joined them for barbecue at Taoyang.
When the Taoyang office building had just been constructed, Ye Xiaoqing had admired it immensely. She once mentioned how she had never gone to school and could barely write, her eyes filled with longing for knowledge.
Su Tao agreed without hesitation: “Sure!”
Pei Dong chuckled over the phone: “Xiaoqing will be thrilled. She really likes you. I’ll come pick you up before dinner tomorrow.”
Then, her tone turned serious, “One more thing. Recently, the Blood Scythe gang has been invading Dongyang’s borders more frequently. We’ve clashed several times, and the casualties are rising. You need to be extra cautious in Taoyang as well.”
Su Tao’s heart tightened. “Got it. How’s the wall construction going?”
“Only about one-fifth is done. We’re building while fighting off attacks, so progress is even slower.”
Su Tao couldn’t help but worry. “At this rate, it won’t be finished even by next year! And I can’t help either. I recently found out that my walls can only be built inside Taoyang. Once constructed, they’re fixed to the ground and can’t be moved out.”
She had originally thought that unlocking the construction materials defense store would allow her to help Dongyang, but she had been too optimistic.
Since it wasn’t her territory, there was nothing she could do.
Pei Dong, however, seemed unbothered and replied calmly, “Don’t worry about Dongyang. The city’s defense is the responsibility of the City Guard and the Pioneering Army. Just focus on protecting your own sanctuary—Taoyang is everyone’s belief now.”
Su Tao was stunned. “Belief?”
Pei Dong’s tone softened. “The apocalyptic conditions are worsening—food shortages, water scarcity, extreme heat, powerful zombies… Everywhere, people feel despair. But at least, the people of Dongyang have a sliver of hope. They know that if they keep working hard, there’s a chance they can escape this hellish world and live in the paradise you built.”
“Our suicide rate in Dongyang is much lower than other bases. Even in the prosperous Changjing, people’s morale isn’t as stable as ours.”
“Su Tao, this is all thanks to you.”
Su Tao’s heartbeat quickened, a rush of warmth spreading through her chest.
Pei Dong rarely spoke so gently. “It’s late. Get some rest. Goodnight.”
After hanging up, Su Tao rubbed her nose, lay down for a moment, then got up and hugged White Sesame tightly, taking a deep breath of her fur.
*
The Next Day
Zhuang Wan, unable to handle the endless questions and urging from tenants, blocked Su Tao at her door.
“Boss, my dear, kind, wonderful boss! The month is almost over, and we haven’t released a single vacant room. I’m getting asked at least eight hundred times a day—I can’t take it anymore! Please, open at least one single or double room!”
Su Tao’s first instinct was to check her balance.
Just over 100,000 Federal Coins left.
Finishing Panliu Mountain would take about 50,000-60,000.
That left 40,000+, which could be used to expand housing.
But that meant she’d have to install an elevator—with so many floors, climbing stairs would be too much of a hassle.
She asked Zhuang Wan, “Which room type is in highest demand?”
Zhuang Wan answered without hesitation. “All of them, but if I had to choose, two-bedroom apartments are the most sought-after. They’re the most cost-effective—perfect for a family of three or even four.”
Su Tao wanted to cry.
With only 40,000, she could only afford to build 1.5 two-bedroom units.
“I’ll give you the room count tomorrow. I need to do the math first.” The broke boss had to be frugal.
She then teleported herself and her three clingy little ones to Panliu Mountain.
She immediately built the fifth floor of the inn, sealing the rooftop.
Next, she built a public restroom that could accommodate six people at once.
She also added a staff dormitory—right above the security office, accessible by a ladder, making it a double room.
Lastly, in the employee housing area behind the inn, she built two more double rooms—meant for the chef and two housekeepers.
With Panliu Mountain nearly complete, only minor finishing touches remained.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting for Ma Dapao’s team to arrive.
She checked her balance again—60,000 Federal Coins left!
Enough to expand housing.
But there was no time today—Pei Dong’s car was already waiting outside Taoyang.
She quickly teleported everyone (humans, dog, and cats) back, freshened up, grabbed Ye Xiaoqing’s birthday gift, and jumped into Pei Dong’s car.
Guan Zining had been waiting in the back seat for a while. Seeing Su Tao rush in, she raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been impossible to track down lately. What have you been up to?”
Su Tao brushed it off. “Busy saving the world. What about you? No gift? Just here to freeload?”
Guan Zining scoffed. “Do I look like that kind of person?”
Then, she pulled out a small bucket from under the seat. When she opened it, cold mist escaped, revealing colorful scoops of ice cream.
“I bought every flavor and dumped them all together. Big ice cream bucket. Xiaoqing’s gonna love it.”
Su Tao was silent for a moment. “…Classic you.”
Ye Xiaoqing’s birthday gathering was in a military dormitory—a tiny, less-than-10-square-meter room housing six girls.
It was as cramped and bare as could be.
When Su Tao arrived, the birthday girl was still on duty, stationed three kilometers away.
Since the west side of the city had no wall yet, the soldiers had to act as “human shields”—both to prevent Blood Scythe from attacking and to protect the unfortified citizens of Dongyang.
Su Tao looked around. On the uneven dorm walls, there were photos of Ye Xiaoqing and her fellow female soldiers—all so young, yet carrying such heavy burdens.
While waiting for Ye Xiaoqing, her roommates excitedly set up the cake, blew up balloons, and hung streamers.
Then, they started whispering and giggling, discussing how to blindfold Xiaoqing and what to say to surprise her.
Despite the simple setting, the atmosphere felt festive.
Su Tao, caught up in the excitement, couldn’t help but look forward to it too.
But as they waited and waited, nearly an hour passed—and the birthday girl still hadn’t arrived.
