The Heretical Husband Is Too Good at Acting! - Chapter 12

At this moment, the female companion beside the middle-aged man spoke up: “You’d better believe it. It’s almost ten o’clock, and the lights are about to go out. That’s when those monsters start their attack. You’d be better off coming back to the base with us. Everyone resists together; another person means more strength.”

Compared to the warm and welcoming attitude of the middle-aged man and woman, Chen Mo noticed that the younger man among them remained quite indifferent, even carrying a hint of coldness and resistance.

At this point, Zhang Tao asked curiously, “Base? What’s the story with that?”

The middle-aged woman looked at the uniforms on him and Shen Junyao, then at the hoodie Chen Mo was wearing. She made an instant judgment, deciding to persuade the two adults in uniform first, assuming the kid in the hoodie would likely follow along.

So, she turned to Zhang Tao and said, “You’ve probably just arrived and aren’t clear on things yet, but you’ll find out soon enough. There are many trapped people in this supermarket. When we run into each other, we spontaneously gather together, piling up walls to build a base. Every day, we use those walls to fend off the monsters at night.”

Zhang Tao nodded, as if thinking of something, and looked at her. “Speaking of which, we passed a place during the day that looked a lot like the base you’re describing. But there were bloodstains everywhere and no people…”

A sorrowful look appeared on the woman’s face, and she murmured, “Then they most likely suffered a monster attack and failed to hold them off.”

Zhang Tao added, “But when we turned back to look for it a while later, we couldn’t find the place anymore. This area is very strange; the surroundings seem to be constantly undergoing some kind of change, making it hard to pinpoint a specific location. That’s why we haven’t been able to find a way out. If you leave your base like this, how do you find your way back?”

The woman paused, exchanged a look with her two companions, and didn’t answer the question immediately. Instead, she asked for their names.

There was nothing to hide regarding that.

Zhang Tao gave the names of the three on his side, and the three opposite them introduced themselves as well.

The middle-aged man was named Zhao Jianjun, the woman was Chen Keqing, and the young man was Cheng Wei.

Zhao Jianjun explained to them, “Our base is different from the others. Our Lord has been recognized by the God of this supermarket—the consciousness of the Inner World. Therefore, we are permitted to settle, and the location of our base does not change.”

The God of the supermarket? The consciousness of the Inner World?

Chen Mo and the other two glanced at each other.

Zhang Tao asked, “What does that mean?”

Zhao Jianjun reminded them, “There’s less than an hour until lights out. Let’s talk as we walk.”

Neither side had any objections, so the three followed the group toward a certain direction.

Zhao Jianjun and his group each had a shopping cart. As Chen Mo’s gaze swept over them, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Zhao Jianjun’s cart was filled with imported red wine, high-end cigarettes, several sets of exquisite porcelain, and some carefully selected men’s and women’s apparel. Cheng Wei’s cart was full of high-end ingredients: premium beef and mutton, seafood, fruits, desserts, and several bags of imported coffee beans and high-grade tea. Chen Keqing’s cart was piled high with a dazzling array of skincare products and cosmetics, all from expensive brands.

“Your base’s conditions aren’t bad; you certainly know how to enjoy yourselves.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the three became somewhat subtle.

Cheng Wei gave a light snort, appearing quite dismissive.

Chen Keqing remained silent, while Zhao Jianjun was quiet for a moment before smiling and saying, “These things aren’t for our own use. We are collecting them for the Lord of our base.”

“The Lord? You mean the one you mentioned who was recognized by the Supermarket God and the world consciousness?” This was a clue those who had escaped hadn’t mentioned. Zhang Tao wanted more details.

A look of pride appeared on Zhao Jianjun’s face as he nodded. “Yes. Our Lord is incredibly powerful. He can deal with dozens of monsters at once without a problem. It’s because of the Lord’s protection that our base has gradually grown. It has now developed into the scale of a small town.”

Zhang Tao was curious: “Why do you say your Lord has received God’s recognition? Is there some kind of proof?”

After all, they all came from an atheist country, and this was a common doubt for many newcomers.

It wasn’t that they were offended, but it was a difficult question to answer. Zhao Jianjun and Chen Keqing looked at each other, momentarily unsure of how to respond.

It was the young man, Cheng Wei, who had barely spoken, who chimed in with a tone of slight mockery: “It’s what the Lord said himself. In our base, he has the final say on everything because only he can protect everyone. You can choose not to believe it, and you can choose not to accept his protection or his claims—as long as you have the ability to survive the monsters on your own.”

These words were quite blunt. An awkward expression crossed Zhao Jianjun’s face, and he couldn’t help but advise, “Xiao Cheng, it’s fine to say these things out here—I can help keep your secret—but don’t say them once we get back…”

Chen Keqing didn’t speak, but her expression as she looked at Cheng Wei was filled with worry.

Cheng Wei clearly wanted to say more, but under the stern gazes of his two companions, he curled his lip and ultimately remained silent.

It seems this so-called ‘God’ is very dubious; even their own people aren’t convinced, Chen Mo thought to himself.

“In short, if you join the base, your safety can be guaranteed. Regarding daily food and clothing, as long as the requirements of the Lord and his lovers are met, you are allowed to collect and use things for yourselves,” Zhao Jianjun said, looking at Cheng Wei with earnest words. “Actually, the Lord is quite a decent person. We receive his protection, so it’s only right that we help him with some trivial matters.”

Cheng Wei snorted but didn’t argue further.

Chen Mo caught a key point: “The Lord and his lovers? What, does your Lord have many lovers?”

The three fell silent again.

Cheng Wei gave Chen Mo a meaningful look and offered a cold warning: “Our ‘Lord’ is a very passionate man. And he isn’t picky; man or woman, as long as you’re good-looking, he won’t turn you away.”

“Is that so?”

Chen Mo couldn’t help but glance at Shen Junyao, who was following at a moderate distance behind them. He thought to himself that out of everyone present, Captain Shen was the best-looking.

But given his strength, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Shen Junyao sensed his gaze and looked over quietly.

Feeling a bit guilty, Chen Mo shifted his gaze and continued to ask Cheng Wei about the Lord.

As they talked, a high wall appeared ahead. It was also piled up using various shelves and furniture commonly found in the supermarket. It looked much sturdier than the previous base, but since it wasn’t made of professional building materials, it could only serve as a barrier at most and likely still couldn’t withstand a truly violent impact.

“We’re here!” Zhao Jianjun’s tone lightened considerably. He lifted his wrist to check the time. “Not even 9:30 yet; still more than half an hour. Let’s get inside quickly so we can prepare.”

Chen Mo noticed his watch was very new and the style was decent, though as a watch sold in a supermarket, it wouldn’t be a top-tier luxury brand.

“What kind of preparation is needed?” Chen Mo asked him.

“Everyone should pick up some weapons and change into slightly better clothes.” Zhao Jianjun looked at Chen Mo’s hoodie and jeans and said, “You can’t wear that. It won’t stand a single scratch from a monster.”

He then looked at Shen Junyao and Zhang Tao.

He couldn’t tell what material their clothes were made of, but his intuition told him they were very high-quality, much better than the outdoor clothing they scavenged in the supermarket.

However, these two were empty-handed; they needed to be equipped with a few weapons.

The group arrived at the wall. Ahead was an entrance that only one person could pass through at a time. Someone was guarding the door and registering people, with a few others waiting in line. They moved to the back of the line, with Zhao Jianjun at the front and Cheng Wei and Chen Keqing at the very back.

Cheng Wei looked at Chen Mo and the others, seemingly wanting to say something, but then gave a self-deprecating laugh and muttered something under his breath.

Chen Mo heard him clearly but asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing. Since you don’t have any other choice anyway… in short, once you’re inside, look out for yourselves.”

Chen Mo intended to gather more information, so he deliberately led him to speak: “By the sound of it, does joining the base mean facing something unpleasant?”

Chen Keqing tugged at Cheng Wei’s sleeve, her eyes signaling him not to say too much. However, she smiled and explained to Chen Mo and the others, “Everyone is trapped here; there’s just no other way! To survive, one always has to pay some price. Xiao Cheng hasn’t been here long and isn’t quite used to it yet. Once you’ve seen enough life and death, you’ll realize nothing else matters as long as you can stay alive. Besides, as long as you survive the monster attacks, life in the base is actually okay, right? No matter what you want to eat, drink, wear, or use, you can get it if you make a few trips. What else is there to be unhappy about?”

Cheng Wei snorted coldly: “Just to stay alive, just for some food and drink, you can act as pimps with a clear conscience?”

At the front, Zhao Jianjun couldn’t listen anymore. He turned his head and scolded in a low voice, “What nonsense are you talking about? We saw they just arrived and don’t know anything, so we kindly brought them back to the base for shelter. How does that turn into pimping? Besides, our Lord isn’t the type to force people. It doesn’t matter if they are unwilling; when have you ever seen the Lord force anyone?”

Cheng Wei said sarcastically, “He doesn’t have to force anyone. It’s just that those who don’t obey him get thrown to the monsters. What’s the difference between that and him doing it himself?”

Zhao Jianjun stalled for a moment, then raised his voice: “What do you mean ‘thrown to the monsters’? The Lord just doesn’t protect them. Who says he is obligated to protect those who refuse him? You think this is still the outside world? Is the Lord some kind of public servant? Don’t be naive. Keep blabbering, and if no one protects you tonight, whether you live to see tomorrow’s sunrise will depend on your own luck.”

Cheng Wei grumbled, “Living this miserably, I might as well just die and get it over with!”

Chen Keqing slapped him in annoyance. “A miserable life is better than a good death. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll get lucky and find a way out?”

Having listened this far, Chen Mo had a rough idea of the situation in the base.

He smiled at Cheng Wei and said, “Thanks for the warning. But it’s alright; the three of us are decent fighters. Self-defense shouldn’t be an issue.”

Zhao Jianjun was dismissive but said nothing, leading them to register their names at the entrance.

Once they were inside the walls, he finally spoke: “Since today is your first day, stay in the base to hide for the night. But starting tomorrow, you’ll need to earn the right to stay through labor or by handing over supplies.”

Of course, if one caught the Lord’s eye through other means, they wouldn’t have to do those things.

Since Zhao Jianjun had just been mocked by Cheng Wei for being a “pimp,” he didn’t bring that up again. It didn’t matter whether he mentioned it or not; he had brought the people back, and they were already registered at the door.

Newcomers to the base indeed didn’t have to pay anything on their first night, but they also wouldn’t receive any special protection. They would experience a soul-shaking night, narrowly reclaiming their lives from the brink of death. By dawn, they would completely abandon any thought of leaving the base.

Because no one would be willing to face a monster siege alone.

To stay, and to receive the Lord’s protection, they would be willing—willing to give everything they could offer.

Or so Zhao Jianjun thought.

The so-called base was an area of relatively enclosed living space formed by high walls that separated the inside from the outside.

Outside the walls was still that endless labyrinth of shelves, while the layout inside had been simply adjusted. It was divided into a wide central open space serving as a communal activity area for everyone, and several relatively enclosed living quarters.

Because the “walls” themselves were fragile and they faced monster attacks every night, the base’s area wasn’t very large. While ensuring basic living space for members, the walls had to be kept as small as possible to ensure that any angle under attack could receive a timely response.

After the three entered, Zhao Jianjun took them to the management office to collect clothing and weapons.

In a corner of the central open space, a dazzling array of supplies was stacked neatly. Piles of bottled water reached high, and various foods were categorized and organized. It looked very prosperous.

Zhao Jianjun introduced: “These were all collected by us during the day. The Inner World mostly connects with the outside; the dates on the goods are updated. For example, with fresh bread that only has a shelf life of three to five days, we can always collect the latest batches.”

It had to be said that this sight provided quite a sense of security.

They noticed that the people in the base seemed to be living in a decent state. Aside from the fear of the coming night, there seemed to be no other worries.

Chen Mo received a set of brand-new clothes and changed in a nearby tent. He came out wearing a form-fitting T-shirt and a sharp windbreaker, with black trousers highlighting his straight, long legs and a pair of well-fitting, lightweight sneakers.

When he emerged, Zhang Tao, who was picking out weapons, had his eyes light up and let out a whistle: “Yo, looking sharp, kid!”

It wasn’t that Chen Mo’s previous outfit looked bad, but the hoodie and jeans looked more like a student. Changing into these made him look instantly more energetic.

Shen Junyao stood to the side without speaking, but he also took a few extra glances.

Chen Mo felt a bit flushed and could only speak to divert attention, asking them, “How’s the weapon selection going?”

“Nothing much to choose from,” Zhang Tao said matter-of-factly.

Chen Mo looked over—good grief!

Various kitchen knives, wrenches, mops and brooms, baseball bats, dumbbells, frying pans, gardening shears…

Indeed, there wasn’t much to choose from.

“What are you guys picking?”

Chen Mo picked a baseball bat just for the sake of it. Zhang Tao took a mop handle with the mop head removed, and Shen Junyao…

Shen Junyao hadn’t planned on choosing anything, but under the persistent gazes of his two companions, he picked up a fruit knife.

They planned to hide their true strength today and infiltrate the base to investigate what this so-called “Supermarket God” and “Inner World Consciousness” were all about, and see if they could find a way out through this lead.