The Post-Apocalyptic Rival Who Crashed My Wedding with a Baby - Chapter 1

Last night, Jiang Weiqing had another erotic dream.

In the dream, she was tangled in a feverish embrace with a woman dressed in next to nothing. They left a trail of passion across the bed, the living room, and by the windowsill; each scenario more imaginative and absurd than the last.

Yet, try as she might, she could never quite make out the woman’s face.

Having a sex dream wasn’t something she found particularly shameful, but the hollow ache of loneliness she felt every time she woke up was becoming difficult to bear. Jiang Weiqing rubbed her temples, forcing the thoughts from her mind.

After all, today was finally the day: her engagement to Lin Qitong.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Weiqing looked into the vanity mirror and let a small smile play on her lips.

Her meticulously styled black curls fell obediently over her shoulders, and her pure white, off-the-shoulder gown traced the elegant curves of her silhouette. A sapphire brooch pinned to her chest caught the overhead light, its deep blue hue shimmering in harmony with her own dark eyes. A simple silver chain hung around her neck, dangling an unassuming, plain ring. With only a light touch of makeup to enhance her striking beauty, she was a vision that commanded the room.

As a Level 5 Water-type Esper, she carried an innate pressure that gave her an air of lethal grace, like a rose that was as thorny as it was alluring.

She brushed a speck of non-existent dust from her gown and glanced at the system notification floating before her eyes.

[Main Quest: Get Engaged to Lin Qitong] > [Progress: 80%]

“Captain, you look stunning in that makeup today,” praised Lin Yunxia, who had been waiting nearby in a pale yellow cheongsam.

Yunxia was the quintessential “Southern Belle”—petite, slender, and always wearing a gentle smile. Perhaps due to her healing abilities, she radiated an aura of approachability. Even the black raven perched on her shoulder, which had been fussing over the ceremony all morning, seemed to calm down in her presence.

Jiang Weiqing smirked, holding up her thumb and forefinger to measure a tiny gap. “I’m alright. Maybe just a little bit prettier than Shen Qingyu.”

Shen Qingyu was Jiang Weiqing’s rival in love and her sworn enemy.

Back in university, the two had clashed repeatedly while pursuing Lin Qitong, a rivalry that had only soured over time. Even after the apocalypse, Jiang Weiqing couldn’t go long without “slandering” Shen Qingyu’s name.

Lin Yunxia rolled her eyes. “Captain, we’ve been on so many missions and haven’t seen a trace of her. She’s probably dead. You really should stop…”

Jiang Weiqing cut her off instantly. “You don’t know Shen Qingyu. Someone as aloof and ‘above it all’ as that young mistress always has the devil’s own luck. She won’t die that easily.” She sighed dramatically. “They say the good die young and the wicked live forever. Like that one time when I clearly…”

Seeing Jiang Weiqing get worked up, Lin Yunxia nodded dismissively. Her captain usually seemed like the epitome of calm and collected to outsiders, but mention Shen Qingyu, and she’d talk until everyone’s ears fell off. It was as if Shen Qingyu was the master switch for her emotions.

Yunxia’s gaze drifted down to the plain ring on Jiang Weiqing’s chest. “Captain, shouldn’t you wear a different necklace?”

The ring was worn thin from years of being rubbed. Of the three letters engraved inside, only the ‘Q’ was still legible.

Lin Qitong was the daughter of the Dragon City Base Commander. Her sister headed Logistics, and her brother led an A-rank Esper team. Given her status and her own Level 3 Wood-type abilities, this engagement had to be a lavish, high-stakes affair. The tarnished silver chain looked painfully out of place.

Jiang Weiqing waved her off, rubbing the ring. “I’m used to it. Besides, my own name is engraved inside, not someone else’s.”

Seeing her persistence, Yunxia dropped the subject.

As they turned to leave the dressing room, Jiang Weiqing pointed a warning finger at the black raven. “Little Black, if you dare cause a scene at my ceremony, I’m throwing away all your shiny junk.” She paused, her voice turning meaningful. “But… if you can stop Shen Qingyu from crashing the wedding, I’ll give you a reward.”

Lin Yunxia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Shen Qingyu hadn’t been seen in three years; the odds were stacked against her survival. She had no idea where her captain got the confidence that Shen Qingyu would even show up, let alone try to “steal” her.

The raven, seemingly understanding the threat, rolled its blue-gray eyes in annoyance. It flapped its wings, a shimmer of iridescent blue light trailing behind it, and turned its back on her with a distinctly human-like huff of disdain.

“Don’t worry, Captain, I’ll keep an eye on him,” Yunxia said with a chuckle. Then, she added somewhat sheepishly, “Brother Yu and the others are still out on a mission at Changchun Base. They probably won’t make it back in time.”

“It’s just an engagement,” Jiang Weiqing said, dismissing the concern.

Natural selection, survival of the fittest. Since the day the endless black rain began, the world had been unrecognizable. But human adaptability was a terrifying thing. In just three years, humanity had mapped out the new rules of existence, huddling together in bases to fend off zombies and mutated monsters.

Bases had sprouted like bamboo shoots after a rain, but four stood above the rest: Dragon City, Chonghai, Changchun, and Yuanfeng. Changchun was the most isolated, its mountainous terrain making infrastructure nearly impossible and leaving it a vast distance from Dragon City.

Jiang Weiqing rubbed her temples. She couldn’t understand why Little Black and almost all of her teammates except for Yunxia, disliked Lin Qitong so much.

******

8:00 PM, Star-Moon Hotel.

The news of the engagement had swept through Dragon City and even reached the smaller surrounding outposts. In the apocalypse, powerful pairings were highly sought after. Gender mattered far less than the ability to watch each other’s backs, and same-sex couples were common.

With the blessing of Lin Qitong’s father, Lin Yue, the two were hailed as the ultimate power couple.

Inside the sprawling 200-square-meter banquet hall, Espers had traded their tactical gear for tailored suits and gowns. After offering high-grade soul crystals as gifts, they mingled with champagne in hand, whispering and networking as if the world hadn’t ended at all. Many young Espers looked at Jiang Weiqing with eyes full of envy. Everyone knew that after tonight, her status in the base would be untouchable.

In the center of the hall, a long T-shaped runway was lined with pots of pure white gardenias. Their pale yellow centers peeked out from lush green leaves, and droplets of water shimmered on the petals, filling the air with a delicate, persistent fragrance.

If one looked closely, they would see ten Water-type and ten Wood-type Espers stationed along the path, their subtle energy leaks nourishing the fragile flowers. In a world where air, soil, and water were poisoned, growing such pristine gardenias was an exercise in extreme luxury. They were beautiful, and they would die by morning.

Above them hung a massive three-tier chandelier. Silver pendants cascaded down like a frozen galaxy, reflecting off the ceiling in a breathtaking display.

Lin Qitong had always been a fan of Western-style ceremonies, so a formal MC had been hired to lead the buffet-style gala. Every twenty meters, a mahogany table draped in embroidered white linen offered a global feast: Chinese, Japanese, French, Thai. A nine-tier champagne tower stood ready for guests, and fresh fruit—bananas, apples, grapes—was served in abundance.

The sheer decadence made one hallucinate that the apocalypse was a dream.

The MC worked the crowd with practiced ease. “Jiang Weiqing, a Level 5 Water-type powerhouse and a pillar of Dragon City. Her S-Rank team boasts a 100% mission success rate. She and Miss Lin Qitong met on campus, their love forged through letters…”

“Now, we invite Miss Jiang Weiqing to the stage for the exchange of rings.”

A soft piano melody filled the room. At the far end of the runway stood the bride, Lin Qitong, in a matching white gown, clutching a bouquet of lilies.

As a Level 5 Esper, Jiang Weiqing’s vision was impeccable. She took in every detail of Lin Qitong’s face—the bashful flush on her cheeks, the innocent, doe-eyed gaze, and the way her sapphire earrings swayed against her pale, graceful neck.

To Qitong’s right stood the stern Lin Yue. As the Commander of Dragon City, his presence was naturally imposing. He had been a district chief at the start of the collapse, moving quickly to secure food and fuel with his military contacts to build the foundation of the base. He was a man who seemed to have pruned away his own emotions, but today, looking at his youngest daughter, his expression softened slightly.

“Tongtong,” he whispered, “if you want to back out, it’s not too late.” In his eyes, she was still too young for this.

Lin Qitong’s sister, Lin Qing, frowned. “Father, how can you say that?” Backing out now would be a humiliation for the Lin family.

Her brother, Lin Wenguang, nodded in agreement. “Little Sister, even if you’re engaged, I won’t let anyone bully you.” He shot a fierce glare at Jiang Weiqing.

Lin Qitong shook her head with a light laugh. “Father, Brother, thank you. But…” Her eyes flashed with a sudden, sharp determination. “I must get engaged to Weiqing.”

Jiang Weiqing pretended not to hear them. As she walked toward the stage, her system interface refreshed.

[Main Quest: Get Engaged to Lin Qitong] > [Progress: 90%] > [Reward: Level 6 Water-type Soul Crystal] > [Penalty: Power regression to Level 4]

Jiang Weiqing raised an eyebrow. A Level 6 crystal just for getting engaged? This stingy system was finally being generous, but the penalty was equally severe.

As if sensing her hesitation, the metallic voice of the system rang in her ear: “This is a critical main quest. It will determine the trajectory of your fate.”

Jiang Weiqing’s deep blue eyes narrowed. Fate, she thought, testing the word silently.

She reached Lin Qitong’s side.

“Weiqing,” Qitong whispered shyly. When she saw the plain silver ring hanging from Jiang Weiqing’s neck, her pupils shrank for a split second before she regained her composure. She held out her left hand, her ring finger slightly raised.

Two flower girls ran up with a velvet box containing a pair of rings. These weren’t ordinary diamonds; they were set with Level 3 Fire-type crystals. The energy within them flickered like trapped flames, breathtakingly beautiful.

The crowd erupted. “Captain Jiang, your dream is finally coming true!” “Take her home, Captain!”

The cheers were a mix of genuine well-wishing and bitter jealousy. In three years, much had changed, but the human tendency to worship the strong remained. Lin Qitong was beautiful, powerful, and well-connected. If she hadn’t pursued Jiang Weiqing herself, half the base would still be vying for her hand.

Some still were. Xu Banmeng, captain of the A-Rank Minglin Team, was glaring at the stage with eyes like a starving wolf. A Level 4 Earth-type Esper, she was as dangerous as she was infatuated with Qitong.

Jiang Weiqing caught Xu Banmeng’s eye and gave her a deliberately provocative smile, pulling Qitong closer. As expected, Xu Banmeng’s face turned a thunderous shade of black.

“Put the ring on her,” Lin Yue prompted, his voice indifferent.

Jiang Weiqing nodded and picked up the ring, but her eyes instinctively darted toward the entrance, her body tensing with a sudden alertness.

“Weiqing? Are you waiting for someone?” Qitong asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Jiang Weiqing didn’t deny it. “I’m just worried Shen Qingyu might suddenly show up and steal you away.”

“That’s impossible!” Qitong’s voice spiked. Realizing she had overreacted, she softened. “Weiqing, you’re the only one I’ve ever loved. Besides, Shen Qingyu hasn’t been heard from in years. She’s likely dead.”

Jiang Weiqing’s expression darkened instantly, her eyes turning a sharp, icy blue. “Qitong, a woman like Shen Qingyu doesn’t just die.” Realizing her tone was harsh, she forced herself to relax. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you today.”

“It’s okay,” Qitong said with a strained smile. “Just… let’s not talk about her anymore, alright?”

Jiang Weiqing fell silent and nodded. Qitong held her breath, waiting for the ring.

In her white gown, Lin Qitong was undeniably beautiful. Yet, for some reason, that beauty felt hollow to Jiang Weiqing like a stiff, lifeless porcelain doll. She couldn’t find even a spark of the heart-fluttering attraction she used to feel.

When the warm touch of the ring failed to reach her finger, Qitong looked up. “Weiqing?”

“It’s nothing,” Jiang Weiqing replied. But just as she moved to slide the ring onto Qitong’s finger, the magnificent chandelier overhead shattered with a deafening bang.

The hall plunged into a semi-darkness. The sound of glass splintering under gunfire echoed through the room, followed by a piercing scream.

“Enemy attack!”

Jiang Weiqing’s eyes sharpened. She drew the pistol hidden against her inner thigh, her water energy surging beneath her skin as she scanned the room.

The next second, a woman holding a two-year-old child dropped from the ceiling. Before Jiang Weiqing could react, a cold gun barrel was pressed firmly against her forehead.

“Jiang Weiqing, you are not getting engaged to Lin Qitong.”

The woman’s voice was like ice. “If you try, I’ll blow your head off.”

That striking face, that cold elegance, and that hauntingly familiar voice… Jiang Weiqing felt a jolt of pure, electric excitement shoot through her nerves.

A smirk she couldn’t control spread across her face.

Shen Qingyu!

Her rival. Her enemy.

She knew it. She knew Shen Qingyu wasn’t dead. And she knew she’d come to crash the wedding.

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