Chapter 137: Free Zone
Now that the whole family had moved out, there was no need to continue living in this house.
Most residents in this neighborhood were ordinary people. Once they all relocated to the safe zones, the surrounding area would likely become deserted. Li Zhi had no intention of living alone in a ghost town.
The move was scheduled for tomorrow. Li Zhi obtained the new urban planning map from Yao Mingfeng and noticed that besides the designated safe zones in the eastern and western districts, there was also an area labeled the "Free Zone" at the border between the two.
The Free Zone was specifically designated by the authorities as a place for players outside the safe zones to exchange daily necessities. After all, with the general population and factories moving into the safe zones, those outside couldn’t just be left to starve.
The area would be maintained by official personnel. Although the outside world was chaotic with all sorts of items and abilities, the authorities now had their own arsenal of tools. If anyone caused trouble, they wouldn’t get off lightly. Unless someone was truly desperate, most wouldn’t dare to stir up trouble in the Free Zone.
Additionally, the authorities hadn’t completely abandoned control over non-safe zones. After all, the ultimate goal was to expel the system. Once [Ghosts] were driven out of the human world, everyone would want to return. They couldn’t huddle in the safe zones forever. So the official stance was: Chaos is allowed, but total collapse is not.
After studying the map, Li Zhi thought living near the Free Zone was an excellent choice—safe, resource-rich, and who knows? Maybe food delivery services would even start up there. Since the safe zones hadn’t been publicly announced yet, she needed to secure a good property quickly.
She couldn’t trouble Yao Mingfeng with this, so she called Tan Manyu instead, asking her to help find a spacious house—preferably a villa.
Tan Manyu said, "I was just about to bring this up! Now’s the perfect time to buy. You need to act fast! Properties in these areas will be in high demand later."
Li Zhi: "…………"
Who would’ve thought that even on the brink of the apocalypse, people would still be scrambling for real estate?
Tan Manyu continued, "I’ve actually got my eye on a place that fits your requirements, but the seller’s asking price is steep. Do you have the funds?"
Li Zhi: "Hold on, let me make a call."
A moment later—
"YiYi, didn’t you say you wanted to gift me a villa?"
Chi Yi: "?"
……
When the neighbors noticed the Li family moving out, those who were close came over to ask what was going on. The safe zone plans weren’t exactly a secret—anyone paying attention would’ve noticed the authorities’ large-scale preparations. Yao Mingfeng mentioned the official announcement would be out by next week at the latest, followed by surveys and organized relocations.
Li Zhi briefly explained the upcoming move to the safe zones, giving the neighbors a heads-up.
Granny Luo, holding Meng Yuhan’s hand, asked excitedly, "Does this mean our Hanhan won’t have to enter dungeons anymore?!"
Meng Yuhan claimed she wasn’t scared, but after her last dungeon, she’d had nightmares for days. Given the choice, she wasn’t exactly eager to go back—especially now that her grandmother’s heart condition had been cured.
Li Zhi checked Meng Yuhan’s follower count—only 30,000—and patted the nervous but hopeful girl’s head. "Yes, but starting today, no more livestreams. Your follower count can’t increase further."
Meng Yuhan cheered, and Granny Luo tearfully hugged her granddaughter.
By evening, a moving truck pulled up downstairs. Li Zhi went to greet them and was pleasantly surprised to see the person hopping out of the cab. "Brother? When did you get back?"
Li Feng ruffled her hair with a smile. "Heard about the move and filed for leave to help."
It had been a while since they last met, and Li Zhi noticed her brother had bulked up even more. The muscles under his jacket radiated raw power—like he could punch a cow to death.
Instantly reassured, Li Zhi looped her arm around his steel-like bicep, grinning. "Mom and ShuangShuang will be thrilled to see you."
Li Feng gave her a sidelong glance. "So, care to explain what’s going on between you and Li Jianxi?"
Li Zhi: "…………"
Li Feng’s tone turned frosty. "Weren’t you two just ‘friends’? Weren’t you ‘keeping boundaries’? Because from what I saw in that amusement park dungeon, it didn’t look very ‘just friends’ to me."
Li Zhi tried to deflect. "You just got back, and you’re already interrogating me? Guess what reward I got this time?"
Li Feng snorted. "I don’t care what you think. It’s a no. End of discussion."
"Li Jianxi isn’t an NPC."
The sudden statement gave Li Feng pause. "You’re sure?"
Li Zhi nodded. "I saw his memories. He’s probably a player from another world who lost his memories and got trapped in the dungeon by the system." She paused. "I think he might be the key to expelling the system."
Having watched his sister grow up, Li Feng could read her like a book. "You want to… bring him out of the dungeon world?"
Li Zhi nodded again.
"What if you can’t?" Li Feng’s voice dropped. "What if you’re forced to choose between expelling the system and saving him?"
Li Zhi blinked. She’d never considered that possibility.
Li Feng sighed and ruffled her soft hair again. "Giving up a casual friend is one thing. Giving up someone you love is entirely different. ZhiZhi, if it comes to that, the choice will destroy you. Listen to me—until we find a definitive solution, don’t invest your heart."
After a long silence, Li Zhi smiled at her brother. "I understand."
Back inside, Shang Jinru and Li Shuang were overjoyed to see Li Feng. Shang Jinru even lamented packing the kitchenware too early—otherwise, she could’ve cooked his favorite dishes.
With the whole family reunited, even the exhausting move felt lighter. Though truthfully, aside from Shang Jinru, the Li siblings were all physically robust. They hardly needed the movers Li Feng had brought—the three of them could’ve handled it alone.
Once everything was loaded onto the truck, Shang Jinru teared up at the sight of their now-empty home of over a decade.
Li Zhi lingered in the house, testing whether she could retrieve the [Black Tortoise Shell] item she’d used here earlier. The item description hadn’t mentioned reusability, but to her surprise, it worked.
The two shells had merged into one, smoother and lighter than before.
By the time they headed downstairs, night had fallen. The streets, already quiet during the day, were now utterly deserted. The once-bustling city felt like a ghost town. Shang Jinru and Li Shuang, who hadn’t been outside in ages, were shaken by the desolation.
Li Zhi reassured them, "Once everyone’s relocated to the safe zones, things will gradually return to normal."
Li Feng added, "The authorities are pouring massive resources into building the safe zones. Aside from being more compact and tightly regulated, life won’t be much different. You can still go downstairs for square dancing after dinner."
Shang Jinru laughed at that. Li Feng then turned to Li Shuang. "You might not have graduated yet, but you can start job-hunting in the safe zone. With everything being rebuilt, opportunities will be plentiful. No slacking off."
Li Shuang saluted. "Yes, sir!"
Shang Jinru gripped her children’s hands, eyes glistening. "When will our family be whole again?"
High-popularity players couldn’t enter the safe zones—their presence would damage the magnetic shielding devices. Given Li Zhi and Li Feng’s current fame, neither could go in. They wouldn’t know how their mother and sister were settling in, whether they’d face any difficulties.
Li Zhi squeezed her mother’s hand. "Though Brother and I can’t enter, you and ShuangShuang can come out. The process is just stricter, with more paperwork. When the New Year comes, Brother and I will fetch you. We’ll have reunion dinner together, stay up for the countdown, and after the holidays, we’ll send you back."
She glanced at Li Feng. "Right?"
Li Feng smiled. "Right. I’ll file for leave in advance. With us around, you’ll be safe outside."
Shang Jinru finally saw a glimmer of hope.
The truck rumbled toward their new home as Li Feng gave Li Shuang a long list of instructions. Though they couldn’t meet in person, as long as they avoided dungeons, communication would remain unchanged. The shielding devices only blocked the system’s interference, not phone signals.
Plus, given Li Zhi and Li Feng’s status—and Yao Mingfeng’s assurances—their mother and sister wouldn’t face mistreatment in the safe zone.
Two hours later, the truck stopped outside a sturdy iron fence. Yao Mingfeng himself came to receive them. Stepping out, Li Zhi surveyed the surroundings, but in the darkness, all she could see were layers of fencing and occasional red scanning lights in the distance.
Beyond this point, she and Li Feng—as high-popularity players—couldn’t proceed.
Yao Mingfeng said, "Leave it to me. Everything’s arranged."
Shang Jinru fought back tears as she hugged each of her children. She knew entering the safe zone was the only way to ease their worries. If she couldn’t help, at least she wouldn’t be a burden.
Li Shuang burst into tears, clinging to her sister. "JieJie, DaGe, you have to stay safe! Mom and I will be watching from inside! I’ll work hard to get you more votes, JieJie!"
Li Zhi closed her eyes, kissing her sister’s forehead gently. "I promise. Every single time, I’ll come back safely."
Li Shuang bawled.
In all their lives, they’d never faced a separation like this.
Yao Mingfeng’s vehicle carried their mother and sister away.
Only when the taillights vanished into the night did Li Zhi and Li Feng return to the moving truck, where Li Zhi’s personal belongings were stored.
Li Feng asked, "Where are you staying tonight?"
Li Zhi composed herself. "I’ll crash at Chi Yi’s place. Tomorrow, we’ll start moving into the new house."
Li Feng nodded. "Better to relocate early. I’ll drop you off before heading back to report in."
As they chatted about recent dungeon experiences, Li Zhi tried to give him some items, but this time, Li Feng declined. He’d acquired enough tools from a recent dungeon run. By the time they reached Chi Yi’s apartment building, the night was deep.
Li Zhi’s luggage was minimal—just two suitcases of clothes and daily essentials. Everything else had gone into the safe zone with Li Shuang.
Chi Yi currently lived in a high-end complex popular among celebrities. Having called ahead, Li Zhi spotted her waiting outside the moment they pulled up.
The moment she saw Li Zhi, Chi Yi pounced. "Finally! The day has come for me to sleep with ZhiZhi!"
Li Feng: "…………"