They walked down a desolate road.
Nhan Ny Ny followed beside Lam Pham, her gaze constantly sweeping around. The once bustling streets had turned into this... leaving her with a strange, unspeakable discomfort.
How did it all become like this?
She truly wished everything could return to the way it used to be.
She didn't know why, but she had this unreal feeling — as if everything around her was fake, like a dream. Maybe one day she would wake up, and the city would be just as it once was.
"Have you always been wandering around like this?" Nhan Ny Ny asked.
Lam Pham smiled and said, "Yes, that's right. Ever since the apocalypse started, a lot of things became inconvenient. I have to make a living. Don't be fooled into thinking I'm just some broker — my real job was a security guard. I used to tidy up the environment a bit, run errands for the survivors, and earn some extra income."
"Huh?" Nhan Ny Ny widened her eyes. "You sure make it sound nice."
"Really? Not many people have said that about me." Lam Pham laughed. He felt that this livestreamer girl from the internet was very polite — much better than most of the people he'd encountered before.
Nhan Ny Ny stared at Lam Pham, trying to figure him out, but she couldn't. That sword strapped to his back — even if she had never played DotA World, she still recognized it: Frostmourne.
She didn't know why, but this man seemed completely unafraid of the world around him.
From beginning to end, he wore a calm, gentle smile.
Suddenly—
Nhan Ny Ny spotted a zombie lurking in the shadowy alley. She squealed like a frightened kitten and clutched Lam Pham's arm, trembling all over.
"There's... there's a zombie! I saw it over there!"
Lam Pham glanced toward the alley — sure enough, there was a zombie.
"Haha, don't panic. It probably hasn't noticed us yet. Let's just walk away quietly. If it charges at us, I'll handle it."
He spoke softly, comforting her.
Even though Nhan Ny Ny was pressing a very soft part of her body against his arm, Lam Pham didn't pull away. He believed she wasn't doing it on purpose. People startled by fear would naturally react like that.
Nhan Ny Ny stared fixedly into the alley. She remembered hearing that gazing at someone — even if invisible — created a real, tangible connection. If you stared at someone long enough, they would sense it.
When you look at others, they look back at you.
And so, the shuffling zombie's gaze locked with Nhan Ny Ny's.
Rooaaar!
A guttural roar echoed out.
The zombie, looking feral and terrifying, rushed out of the alley like a madman. Nhan Ny Ny's mouth hung open in horror, her legs trembling violently.
"It's... it's coming!"
Lam Pham calmly drew Frostmourne from his back. Under Nhan Ny Ny's terrified gaze, he swung the sword with a graceful arc, and a dazzling flash of steel shimmered in the air.
Splat.
Nhan Ny Ny gaped as the zombie's upper half flew through the air, landing with a heavy thud. Its lower half collapsed separately onto the ground.
Lam Pham murmured to himself, "Honestly, killing zombies isn't that troublesome. The real hassle is cleaning up after. They bleed so much and make such a mess... Maybe when I have time, I'll find a water truck and clean up the surrounding streets."
"Alright, let's go. I'm in a good mood today."
He really was in a good mood — business was going quite smoothly.
Nhan Ny Ny blankly followed Lam Pham.
Now she understood why he could walk so casually through these streets. He simply didn't regard the zombies as any real threat at all.
Tan Phong Brokerage.
Nhan Ny Ny stared at the storefront ahead, utterly confused.
This... is supposed to be a safe house?
Lam Pham smiled and said, "Come on in. Let's get your paperwork sorted first."
Along the way, Nhan Ny Ny's entire worldview had been shattered by Lam Pham. She felt like a puppet on a string, swaying helplessly along.
Paperwork?
He... he really was a broker?
Lam Pham pulled out some pre-prepared forms. "Miss Nhan, may I have your ID card?"
"Ah... ah..."
Nhan Ny Ny quickly handed over her ID.
Lam Pham smiled warmly and began filling out the form with swift strokes.
Nhan Ny Ny stared blankly at him, her mind a complete blank. She truly couldn't understand why — why would he still go through all this trouble? The world had ended, yet he still insisted on registering everything. Did it even mean anything anymore?
Maybe sensing her doubts, Lam Pham spoke while writing.
"Miss Nhan, you're probably thinking that paying rent and signing contracts in the apocalypse is a bit strange, right? Actually, there's nothing strange about it. I still have hope for the future."
"I believe the apocalypse is temporary. Civilization will return. The bustling cities will rise again."
"No matter how terrible life becomes, how hard things get, we should still face it with courage and kindness. Holding onto our order and dignity is important."
"Wouldn't you agree?"
Lam Pham looked up, smiling. His bright, clean eyes were incredibly comforting.
"Ah... yes." Nhan Ny Ny found herself unconsciously nodding, her heart flustered.
"Now then, Miss Nhan, how long would you like to rent for?"
Still drawn in by Lam Pham's gaze, Nhan Ny Ny hesitated before asking, "How long can I rent?"
"That's entirely up to you. But personally, I suggest starting with a year. If you find it doesn't suit you, you can always move somewhere else later," Lam Pham said gently.
"Okay. I'll follow your suggestion... But I don't have enough cash. I only have my bank card," Nhan Ny Ny explained. As a young person, she adapted quickly to Lam Pham's bizarre sense of order, even though it still felt strange.
Lam Pham nodded. "No problem. I'll help you withdraw the money. The rent is 1,800 a month. For a year, that's 21,600. Plus the brokerage fee of 1,800 — the total comes to 23,400."
"Oh." Nhan Ny Ny nodded obediently.
What came next was simple: they needed to withdraw the rent. Luckily, Nhan Ny Ny had just enough cash on hand to pay the brokerage fee.
Lam Pham tucked away 900 for himself and put the other 900 into the brokerage's fund.
"Come, I'll introduce you to your neighbors. They're all good people. I think you'll get along just fine."
After handling the paperwork, Lam Pham led her deeper into the residential complex.
Nhan Ny Ny felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She knew Lam Pham wasn't a bad person — but then again, bad people didn't wear signs saying they were bad. She would soon find out whether she was right or wrong, beyond these two steel gates.
The door opened.
The first thing she saw were two kindly-looking old men.
"Xiao Pham, you're back," they greeted warmly.
"Yeah," Lam Pham answered.
The old men noticed the young girl behind him — and immediately thought she was lovely. They chuckled inwardly, thinking Lam Pham was finally blossoming — saving such a pretty girl!
That's how it should be.
Young folks ought to mingle with young, beautiful people.
By the time you're old like us, well...
Imagine:
Old man: "Young lady, want to hang out?"
Young lady: "Grandpa, I'm just getting started in life — you're practically ready for retirement!"
Old man: "I have social welfare benefits."
Young lady: "..."