Chapter 56: Divya Changed
"Hmph. If I can’t get anything good from you, won’t I just go to Vikram instead?" Anjali said. However, deep down, she was far from convinced.
At this mont, Vikram had just closed the chat and had no idea what had transpired.
He also hadn’t expected the strength of his Territory to be discovered so quickly.
In truth, revealing the strength of his Territory had never been his intention. If possible, he would rather no one knew that his Shelter already had electricity and a stable water supply. After all, secrets were safest when kept hidden.
However, farming required soil cultivation, and that was an unavoidable step. From the mont Vikram decided to make Divya his "soil-tilling contractor," he had already ntally prepared himself for the possibility that his Territory’s advantages might be exposed.
Among all the Survivors he knew, Divya was the one he trusted the most.
To be honest, if she had truly revealed his Shelter’s secret just now, there would have been little he could do. Still, based on his understanding of her over the past few days, he believed she was kind-hearted and would not betray him so easily. That was why he had chosen to be honest with her in the first place.
"Looks like the result turned out well," Vikram murmured to himself.
"Now that I think about it, this girl has really helped
a lot — gathering information, pulling
into groups... I almost feel guilty." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I should find a chance to repay her properly. I can’t just keep letting her work for
for free."
Vikram was not an ungrateful person. He knew he should give credit where it was due.
For the ti being, however, he had no intention of returning the necklace. He was worried that the mont he gave it back, Divya might block him out of sheer annoyance.
Just as he was pondering what kind of gift would be suitable for her, another notification suddenly popped up on the Survival Platform.
[Friend Request: Anjali wants to add you as a friend.]
Vikram’s curiosity was imdiately piqued, and he accepted without hesitation.
[Vikram: Divya’s little bestie?]
[Vikram: What do you need
for?]
[Anjali: Hmph. You’re in big trouble.]
"Hmm?" Vikram raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
I barely even know this girl, he thought. If I’m in trouble, what does it have to do with her? Why is she the one delivering the news?
He quickly typed another ssage.
[Vikram: Oh? What kind of trouble? Has your dear bestie already fallen for ?]
[Anjali: Pfft. You, a lone wolf who can barely support himself, shouldn’t even dream about my bestie Divya.]
[Vikram: If you have sothing to say, say it quickly.]
[Anjali: Little Brother Vikram, you wouldn’t want the fact that your Shelter has electricity to be discovered by other Survivors, would you?]
[Vikram: ?]
"This line sounds familiar... where have I heard it before?"
But he didn’t have the luxury of dwelling on that now. The important question was whether the secret of his Shelter had really been discovered so quickly.
That shouldn’t be possible. Divya isn’t more shaless than , is she?
Still unconvinced, Vikram quickly sent another ssage.
[Vikram: Who told you? Divya?]
[Anjali: I peeked at it myself. Divya isn’t as much of a jerk as you.]
Indeed, Divya wouldn’t sell him out so easily. After all, he still had her necklace — she would have to think twice before deliberately provoking him.
[Vikram: So, what do you want to do?]
After understanding the situation, Vikram knew the other party clearly intended to extort him, so he directly prompted her to state her demands.
[Anjali: It’s simple. Return Divya’s necklace, and I won’t tell anyone.]
[Vikram: Impossible. Ask for sothing else.]
[Anjali: Nothing to discuss? Then let’s not discuss it. I’ll just spread it in the chat group.]
[Vikram: Go ahead, silly child. If you post it, everyone will think you’re crazy.]
Anjali, who had thought she held the upper hand and wanted to show off a little, suddenly fell silent. After thinking carefully, she realized that as a girl with little influence, if she suddenly claid that soone’s Shelter already had electricity, most people would indeed treat her words as nonsense.
[Anjali: Then I’ll post it in the group and tell the group mbers.]
[Vikram: That’s great. It might even help
lure a few girls into my Shelter, hahaha.]
[Anjali: You’re truly shaless.]
[Anjali: Then I’ll ask soone from the Savage Wolf Shelter to spread the word for . Surely people will believe that.]
"Shalini..."
Vikram imdiately recalled Divya ntioning that Shalini was a mber of the Savage Wolf Shelter.
If she really drags the Savage Wolf Shelter into this, that could beco troubleso.
After pondering for a mont, Vikram slowly replied:
[Vikram: Don’t waste your energy. I don’t want other Survivors to know my Shelter is developing so fast, but that doesn’t an they can do anything to
if they find out.]
[Vikram: Think about it — since I alone can develop my Shelter to this extent, would I really be afraid of those weaklings?]
His tone was extrely arrogant now, completely different from his earlier playful attitude.
[Vikram: For , staying low-key is best, but being discovered doesn’t really matter. I have my own backing. But if you try to threaten
with this, I might first think of a way to deal with you. Understand, little brat?]
He knew that negotiating with Anjali couldn’t be done by playing the emotional card like he did with Divya. At this point, he could only pretend to be fierce and try to scare her.
The result was unexpected. His earlier gentle negotiations with Anjali had been completely useless, but now, by bluffing and acting intimidating, she actually fell silent.
[Vikram: Scared now?]
On Anjali’s side, she had originally only wanted to get Divya’s necklace back and maybe gain so extra benefits. Especially since Vikram had indirectly caused her to get hit by Divya several tis, she simply wanted to vent her frustration.
She hadn’t expected Vikram to be completely unafraid of her exposing his secrets — and even to threaten retaliation. Being the sa age as Divya but far more naive, she imdiately panicked.
This was no longer the peaceful Earth. As the Wasteland World grew increasingly harsh, murder and arson had beco frighteningly common.
Vikram saying he would retaliate might not be true... but it certainly wasn’t impossible. If he really rembered her over such a trivial matter, Anjali felt genuinely terrified.
[Anjali: Y-you... what do you want?]
[Vikram: Hmph hmph, what do I want?]
[Vikram: I want to fly over there and spank your bottom, little brat.]
Hearing this, she imdiately realized he was just trying to scare her. The fear she had felt monts ago vanished instantly, and she snapped back:
[Anjali: If you dare, then co! If you really co, I’ll skin you alive.]
[Vikram: Then tell
your coordinates! It would be perfect for
to rush over and visit my little Divya.]
He deliberately provoked her, hoping to trick this airheaded girl into revealing Divya’s Shelter coordinates.
[Anjali: You still want to trick
into telling you the coordinates? I’m as cunning as a monkey — do you think I’d fall for that?]
[Anjali: And stop calling her that disgusting ’little Divya.’ If anything, I should be the little darling.]
[Anjali: I’m telling you — you and Divya are impossible. She likes handso n who can give her a sense of security. A loser like you shouldn’t even dream about it.]
[Vikram: Oh? Is that what you like? Last ti she told
she prefers soone with my sense of humor.]
[Vikram: And by the way, handso n who can provide security usually hate silly won like you the most.]
[Anjali: How would you know?]
[Vikram: Because I am one!]
[Anjali: Get lost, you dog!]
---
December 25th, Temperature: ??20 °C
Vikram, now fully accustod to life in the apocalypse, had already woken up early.
Breakfast was still simple roasted at and soup, but unlike the bland food from before, thanks to the dozen Wolf Spirit Guards, he was once again enjoying salted roasted Wolf Spirit at.
"Cooking Wolf Spirit at with the salt dropped from killing Wolf Spirits... truly using the original to enhance the original," Vikram muttered.
He sat cross-legged, leisurely blowing on the freshly boiled at soup, feeling as though he already possessed everything he could ever want in this harsh world.
After eating his fill, he noticed that quite a bit of food was still left.
"Hiss... I accidentally cooked too much. I’ll just reward it to my secret agent."
Adhering to his principle of never wasting food, he decided to give the leftover roasted at to Divya.
He struck an elegant pose, held up a stone bowl, took a photo, and sent it over.
Divya, who was still diligently digging soil, suddenly received the picture of Vikram posing dramatically with his al. She was utterly baffled.
"What is this idiot trying to do now?"
[Divya: What is this supposed to an? Eunuch showing off his breakfast?]
[Vikram: You’re the eunuch! Is there such a handso eunuch?]
Ignoring her retort, Vikram continued.
[Vikram: Do you want so roasted at?]
[Divya: You’re treating ? Then of course I’d be happy!]
[Divya: Wait... you’re being so normal. There must be a catch. Are you trying to get sothing from
again?]
She simply couldn’t believe he would be kind enough to offer food for free. In her opinion, it would already be a blessing if he didn’t annoy her.
[Vikram: ...]
It seed that, in Divya’s eyes, he was soone who never acted without personal gain.
[Vikram: One "handso guy" in exchange for two skewers of Chef Vikram’s roasted at, plus soup.]
[Divya: If you have nothing better to do, go play by yourself. I’m very busy and don’t have ti to joke around with you.]
She had already anticipated how irritating it would be if she called him "handso guy," so she rejected him outright.
[Vikram: How boring.]
Without another word, he directly listed the food in the trading interface.
[Trader: Vikram — Item for Trade: Roasted Wolf, Spirit at, at Soup. Items Needed: None]
[Divya: Is this really the Vikram I know? Has he suddenly turned over a new leaf? Or has the extre cold frozen his brain?]
[Vikram: ...]
For the second ti, Divya’s words left him speechless.
He vaguely rembered that when he first t her, his impression had been that she was rather shy, soone who would only curse when truly provoked.
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