The Scum Shou’s Survival Guide

Yang Qian looked at Ye Ming, his face frosty, a deep-rooted hatred in his dark eyes.
The corners of his lips were slightly raised, and he said, “Why aren’t you eating? Could it be that you’re not satisfied?”

The rims of Ye Ming’s eyes slightly reddened. Do you have to humiliate me like this?

 

 

He was looking at Yang Qian’s grim and pitiless face, but what actually appeared in front of his eyes was the gentle man of the past.
He suddenly remembered back when they were fleeing, there was one time when they’d already gone hungry for several days, and hadn’t eaten enough to fill their stomachs.
Just when they’d despaired, they finally found a small, dilapidated supermarket.
But, that supermarket had already been ransacked by others.
They’d checked several times, but couldn’t find anything.

Finally, Yang Qian had found some bread in a plastic wrapper in a corner.
In order to get the piece of bread, he’d been surrounded by zombies.
In the chaos, the two people had been separated.
Yang Qian had faced the group of zombies alone and risked his life to kill them, then finally escaped, but he ran into other human beings. 

Those people wanted to take Yang Qian’s things, but they were killed by Yang Qiang, while he was also seriously injured.
When Yang Qian returned to the meeting place they agreed upon, he was almost completely covered in blood.

 

But the bread that he finally got, was well hidden in his arms.
He very carefully took it out and put it in Ye Ming’s hand, smiled, and told him it was for him to eat.

Ye Ming would never forget the look in Yang Qian’s eyes at that moment… that blood-stained face, the gentle and steady light in his dark eyes.

A sharp contrast from the current Yang Qian now.

 

When I made that decision, when I chose to compromise with Huo Yi, I already knew that you would hate me.

But I had no other choice, I wanted you to live… as long as we’re still alive, there’s always hope.
When we’re alive, there’s a future.
We’ve gone through so many hardships, so should we have just died like that?

But what I didn’t expect was, that living on wouldn’t necessarily usher in hope.

It was also possible to perish with this world. 

Anguish emerged in Ye Ming’s eyes.
He slowly bent his knees and knelt down, reached out a hand, and picked up the bread beside Yang Qian’s feet.

He held onto the bread, his fingers faintly trembling…

If this makes you happy, so be it, ba… two years ago, he’d already let go of his dignity and compromised with reality.
The person in front of him was also no longer the person who loved him… since they no longer had the relationship they used to have, then what qualifications did he have to act all hypocritical in front of Yang Qian.

There’ll come a day when they’ll all learn to pick up food on the ground. 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection.
If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Tjcu Hljc rja atfgf, kjamtlcu jr atf wjc ribkis xcfia ja tlr offa, olcjiis ralii qlmxlcu eq atf qlfmf bo ygfjv ogbw atf ugbecv.
Snfc lc atf ojmf bo remt tewliljalbc, atfgf kjr cb jcufg bg beayegra, jcv tf ralii mtbrf ab mbwqgbwlrf lc atf fcv.

This familiar, beloved face had long since lost its lively vividness.
It was just a walking corpse that could give up anything in order to live.

He didn’t believe that the Ye Ming of the past was a fake.
The person he loved truly existed before, just that he’d also changed.
Time and reality would always make people change. 

Two years of separation.
They were both no longer the people they used to be.

Yang Qian suddenly felt incomparably furious and miserable, and his heart was flooded with powerlessness and hopelessness… so what if he came back? In fact, nothing could be salvaged.
It was probably just to vent the unwillingness and resentment in his heart, that’s all.

 

Seeing that Ye Ming was about to take a bite from the piece of bread, Yang Qian reached out and knocked it out of Ye Ming’s hand!

The back of Ye Ming’s hand stung, and the piece of bread rolled further away.
In the face of Yang Qian’s capriciousness, Ye Ming actually wasn’t as surprised as he was at the beginning.
Maybe Yang Qian was just screwing with him.
Wasn’t this kind of thing also a common occurrence after the apocalypse? 

Even if it was food on the ground, it wasn’t something he could eat just because he wanted to.
Outside, there were still many people who robbed and killed for food, even eating other humans.

Yang Qian’s chest heaved for a moment, and he coldly stared at Ye Ming.
He spat out two words, “Cheap.”

Ye Ming’s complexion was already pale anyway, so there was no obvious change at the moment.

Yang Qian’s hand was clenched into a fist, blue veins bulging from his forehead, and he looked at Ye Ming coldly for a while.
Suddenly, he turned around and walked right out.
He hadn’t eaten any of the food on the table, and just left it behind without a care! 

Ye Ming watched Yang Qian’s back as he left.
He dully stayed in the same spot, no expression on his face.

【Ye Ming: Ying ying ying, my family’s Qian Qian is trying to leave some food for me.
He didn’t touch anything on this entire table.
He was afraid I would be too embarrassed to eat, so he ducked out.】

【888: What you’re saying is correct.
He’s standing right outside.】

【Ye Ming: Although he spoke so fiercely, when he actually saw me like that, he couldn’t bear it either.】 

【Then, why aren’t you going over to eat.
If you don’t eat now, it’ll get cold.】

【Ye Ming: No rush.
This food isn’t that appealing to me anyway.
Compared to the bread on the ground, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other. Ai… post-apocalyptic words are such a drag.
If I weren’t starving, then I’d be too lazy to eat these things even if they were ditched in front of me.】

【888: …】

Ye Ming sat in place and didn’t move.
He couldn’t resist opening up the system store and browsing around a little.
He’d already been hungry, but seeing all the various cuisines from ancient to modern, Chinese to abroad, and Earth to outer space, he couldn’t help but swallow a bit. 

The more he looked, the more he felt that Yang Qian’s food was much too shabby.
It really didn’t match his standards, even if this was already the best after the apocalypse.

【Ye Ming: I don’t need bread.
What I need is a man who can make a contract with the system store for me.
pitiful.jpg】He’d never realized how truly omnipotent and powerful the system store was until this moment.
His heart gave rise to a desire for experience points again.

【888: As a person, it’s best not to aim too high.
Don’t think about impossible goals anymore, just set a small goal first.】

【Ye Ming: Like?】 

【888: Find a man who can make a contract with a fish pond for you, that’s probably a bit more realistic.】

【Ye Ming: …】Was he only worth a fish pond? Hmph!

 

No, an ambitious man like him ought to have a dream!

Not long after, Ye Ming closed the system store.
If he looked any longer, he wouldn’t be able to control himself anymore. 

【Ye Ming: 555, so hungry.】

【888: Then, go eat, ah.】

【Ye Ming: I can’t eat.
If I eat, he won’t feel sorry for me anymore… for the sake of a happy life in the future, I can’t indulge just for a moment of comfort.】

Ye Ming felt that he’d delayed long enough.
He was so hungry his legs felt weak.
He crawled over unsteadily and picked up the piece of bread in the corner and started eating it. 

【888: …】

【Ye Ming: What’s wrong, ge?】

【888: I underestimated you.
I’d like to express my apologies for the contempt I showed you previously.
You have more backbone than I thought.】

【Ye Ming: …】Why didn’t it feel like he’d been praised at all??? 

Wu, probably because he was hungry, he actually thought the bread wasn’t too bad.
Only, just eating one wasn’t especially filling.
Ye Ming was tired and sleepy, so he simply collapsed on the floor and started sleeping.

Yang Qian had been standing right outside the door, watching him through a window from an angle Ye Ming couldn’t see.

He’d watched as Ye Ming sat on the ground blankly.
Although he’d left, he hadn’t shown the slightest inclination to go eat.
In the end, he’d probably been too hungry and couldn’t stand it anymore, so he’d picked up the piece of bread on the ground and started eating it.

When Yang Qian saw Ye Ming eating the bread, he clenched his fists tightly, trying his best to restrain himself from rushing in and questioning him.
He wanted to ask him, are you really willing to live on in such an undignified way?! Is being alive really that important to you? Even giving up on yourself and giving up your self-respect are all okay? 

Have you never thought about fighting back before?!

But, Yang Qian also felt sorrowful.
Right, ah… of course being alive was important.
After the apocalypse, in this world without the slightest glimmer of hope, anyone who was still working hard to survive wouldn’t give up so easily.

The one who was wrong wasn’t Ye Ming, but his naive self.
He’d naively thought that his weak, puny self back then could protect his beloved, letting him live on while standing tall even after the apocalypse.

But, reality had given him a merciless slap.
He fundamentally hadn’t had the ability to protect the person he loved. 

So, he’d lost him.

【Ding.
Yang Qian’s Blackening Value -10.
Current Blackening Value: 80】

 

Yang Qian raised his hands and looked at them.
These hands were covered with thick calluses and were filled with strength.
He could rob people of their lives… now, he finally had the ability to protect this person.
But, why should he keep on protecting him?

During that dark night two years ago, if he hadn’t awakened his abilities, then he’d already be dead, and would’ve become food in the mouths of those zombies. 

If you’d only left me for survival, for a better life, and sought shelter under another person, I probably wouldn’t have hated you like this, ba… after all, this world is such a helpless place.
If I was fated to be unable to keep you with me, I would’ve hoped that you could live well.
Every person has the right to choose their own life.  

But why did you have to trample all over my feelings for you… why did you want to send me to my death?

Why did you have to be so heartless and cruel?

Yang Qian lifted the corners of his lips, exposing a self-deprecating smile.
He pushed open the door and walked in.
He gently picked up Ye Ming who was on the ground. 

The man’s good-looking face was a little pale, his lips lacking in color, and were a very, very light pink.
His eyes were shut, looking frail and powerless… Yang Qian bowed his head and softly kissed Ye Ming’s lips a bit.

I came back because of you, so don’t think you can get rid of me.
Since you’re willing to do whatever it takes to live on, even becoming one of those people who sell themselves.

Then you might as well sell yourself to me.
It’s no different than selling it to someone else anyway.

 

Ye Ming didn’t sleep very deeply.
He woke up hungry in the middle of the night, and found himself sleeping on the bed.
He hurriedly closed his eyes and continued to sleep, to avoid Yang Qian finding out that he was awake, and attempting to save face by tormenting him next.

Ten minutes later.

 

 

【Ye Ming: Ge, I’m so hungry I can’t sleep ahhhh!!】

【888: What do you want?】 

【Ye Ming: Please shield my sense of hunger too, ba.
I have to go back to bed.】

 

【888: …】This was truly wanting to sleep, but not wanting to live…

Ye Ming didn’t feel hungry anymore after a bit, and he happily shut his eyes and went to sleep.
This sleep lasted all the way until it was bright outside.
His mood had improved a lot.

He opened his eyes and turned over, then bumped right into someone’s chest.
After a moment, a look of forbearance and sadness surfaced in his eyes, but there also seemed to be some confusion about why he was on the bed.
Clearly, just yesterday, Yang Qian had callously drove him off of it.

 

Yang Qian’s perception was very keen, and he noticed right away when Ye Ming woke up.
He hugged him and laughed teasingly, “You’re awake?”

Ye Ming remained silent.
When Yang Qian hadn’t been here, he’d spent every hour and every moment fantasizing about him coming back alive.
But, after Yang Qian had really come back, the two of them had instead become what they were now.

Yang Qian’s indifferent gaze swept over Ye Ming’s face.
He got out of bed first, then said to Ye Ming, “Come out and eat.”

Ye Ming recalled how Yang Qian had humiliated him yesterday, his face pale, a hesitant look in his eyes, but he still got up and walked over.
To his surprise, Yang Qian didn’t seem to have any intention of messing with him this time.
Instead, he laughed lightly, “Eat, ba.
Eat well so you have energy to serve me.” 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection.
If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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When Yang Qian thought of this, his gaze chilled again.
He saw that Ye Ming had finished eating, and his thin lips opened slightly as he indifferently ordered, “Take off your clothes.”

Ye Ming’s body stiffened, the depths of his eyes reflecting sadness and self-deprecation. 

………………

After another inevitable round of plundering, Ye Ming looked at the ceiling blankly, and suddenly thought that such days were pretty meaningless.
What was he still hoping for? Hoping that this person still cared about him, loved him?

Now he knew that Yang Qian was alive.
Not only was he still alive, but he was living very well, so he could finally rest assured.

It was as if the deepest obsession in his heart had received an answer, but… what was the purpose of holding on then? There didn’t seem to be one… 

Did he really want to just live like a slave by Yang Qian’s side?

He somewhat couldn’t hold on anymore.

 

Seeing Ye Ming’s absent-minded appearance, Yang Qian ruthlessly grabbed onto his hair and forced him to raise his head.
His voice was ice-cold, “What? Am I inferior to Huo Yi? What are you thinking about?”

Ye Ming gradually focused his vision again.
But, how was he supposed to answer this question? Compare Yang Qian with that brute, Huo Yi? 

Why do you want to compare yourself to that inhumane fiend… in my heart, you’re obviously different.

There are no points of comparison at all.

In my memories, even in desperate situations, you had willpower and a bottom line in your heart.
But right now, you’re just like another Huo Yi, letting yourself fall into depravity… gradually becoming a person who’s suited to live in this post-apocalyptic world, a wild beast dominated by viciousness. 

Yang Qian looked into Ye Ming’s eyes.
He wasn’t sure why, but it was like his actions were despicable and ridiculous, as though he was being pitied. 

But, clearly you’re the one who’s despicable.
You abandoned me first.

Yang Qian sneered, “If you don’t want to say it, then forget it.
It’s not like I’m interested in knowing anyway.
All you need to do is be obedient.
For people like you, only your body is of any value anyway.”

The corners of Ye Ming’s lips moved.
Right, ah, his body was the only thing left that was worth something.
After the apocalypse, who knew how many people wished that they had something of value.
Even if it was their bodies, that’d still be fine.
Many people didn’t even have this bit of value, and had nowhere to sell it to even if they wanted it.

But, why was he not the least bit happy at all… 

………………

Yang Qian treated Ye Ming with indifference from start to finish.
He summoned and dismissed him at will, and spoke to him disdainfully.
Ye Ming endured it all silently.
Several days passed by quickly.

【Ye Ming: The blackening value won’t drop anymore.
Things can’t go on like this.
I have to let Yang Qian know that I’m definitely not the kind of person who likes to exchange my body for food.
I didn’t do it voluntarily before ah, it was because there was no other way!】

【888: Wu…】 

【Ye Ming: As a man, how can I be so feckless?! awe-inspiring righteousness.jpg】

【888: …】No, so it turns out you actually know you’re feckless.

Every day, Ye Ming thought about how he could break the status quo and showcase his strength of character and masculinity, when finally, the opportunity he was waiting for arrived.

On this day, Shi Yang came to find Yang Qian.
They were preparing to go search for supplies, a daily routine in the base.
Whenever they set off, usually an ability-user would lead each team with ordinary people split among them. 

Since Yang Qian had taken over this base, and enjoyed his privileges, of course he wouldn’t do nothing.
If he couldn’t bring enough benefits to this base, the stability here wouldn’t last long.
After all, supplies and food were all consumables.
Once the supply of food was disrupted, it would inevitably create chaos, which was something he couldn’t allow.

This kind of trip usually took several days, and the time varied according to the distance they traveled while searching.

 

Yang Qian asked Shi Yang, “Have the others arrived?”

Shi Yang said in a booming voice, “Everyone’s here.
We’re all just waiting for you, boss, to set out together.
Some time ago, Xiao Ba sent news that he found a small town with what he suspects is a grain storage warehouse.
There are many zombies in that small town.
Normal people shouldn’t be able to get in, so there should be some stuff left.” 

Yang Qian nodded, his voice low and steady, “Very good, let’s go take a look.”

After a pause, he turned to Ye Ming and said lightly, “Just stay at home, ba.”

Ye Ming clenched his hands.
Seeing that Yang Qian was about to leave, he seemed to have made up his mind, and suddenly said, “I want to go with you guys!”

Yang Qian’s footsteps paused, and he looked at Ye Ming with a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Shi Yang also heard it.
He took one look at Ye Ming’s small frame, and disdainfully said, “Don’t joke around.
I’m not interested in taking along a liability like you.” 

Ye Ming’s face turned pale, shame and anger in his eyes, but he still said firmly, “I, I can kill zombies too.”

Why can I only exchange my body for food? If it wasn’t necessary, who’d be willing to exchange their body for food? He just hadn’t been given a choice… he was also a man.
Why should he be locked up in here? Why couldn’t he go out to work in exchange for food like the others?

Shi Yang felt even more impatient, “You, kill zombies? Have you even killed a zombie before?”

Ye Ming stubbornly continued, “Of course I’ve killed them before.” Although in the past, it was mainly Yang Qian doing the killing, how could he not have killed a zombie before along the entire way here? If it hadn’t been for Huo Yi’s coercion… was he supposed to be willing to stay by Huo Yi’s side and live such a life, then? 

Shi Yang looked down on Ye Ming.
He thought he’d be a hassle no matter what.
He was about to speak again when Yang Qian stopped him.

Yang Qian watched Ye Ming meaningfully, the depths of his eyes suffused with a slight chill, and raised his hand to stop Shi Yang from speaking.
He said with a faint smile: “Okay, ah.”