Hearing him accept so gravely, Zhao Yuan felt the need to further explain how everything would work going forward.
"So you will be the administrative head of the compound and everything in it, while I will be the custodian making sure the resources are enough," she explained smoothly, wanting to clear up any misunderstandings. After all, she had already seen the list of different territories the System would eventually require her to visit and oversee. Staying tied down to a single shelter as a hands-on ruler was never an option for her.
Liu Han lifted his head, a flicker of genuine shock crossing his features as her words registered. He had prepared himself to be demoted to a mere figurehead—or worse, a prisoner in his own office—forced to execute a stranger's tyrannical whims. Hearing that he would retain full operational authority over his people, the compound's daily affairs, and its internal hierarchy felt as if a crushing boulder had suddenly been lifted off his chest.
"You're... leaving the daily management to me?" Liu Han asked, his raspy voice laced with disbelief.
"Naturally," Zhao Yuan replied, her expression calm and businesslike. "I have no interest in mediating your residents' squabbles or managing your guard rotations. You built this place, and you know your people best. As long as you enforce the rules we agreed upon—absorbing refugees and clearing the surrounding infectees—I will ensure your compound stays expanded, fortified, and fully fed."
For Liu Han, the dynamic instantly shifted. She wasn't an invading warlord stripping him of his life's work; she was an almighty benefactor offering him unlimited backing while letting him keep his dignity and command. The sting of defeat in his heart evaporated, replaced by a surge of solemn gratitude.
"I understand, Custodian Zhao," Liu Han said, his tone carrying a newly found, profound respect. "I will make sure my men execute your mandates without question."
"Good. Let's complete the transfer now so I can initiate the compound expansion," Zhao Yuan said, tapping the sleek gadget on her wrist to pull up the System's territorial protocol.
A pale blue holographic panel projected into the air between them, shimmering with crisp, glowing text:
[Territorial Authority Transfer Protocol Initiated]
[Target Sector: Sub-District 4 Residential Estate]
[Current Administrator: Liu Han]
[Proposed Custodian: Zhao Yuan]
Liu Han stared at the floating interface in awe, his breath hitching slightly at the flawless tech.
"Place your hand over the screen and state your full name and consent to relinquish master territorial rights," Zhao Yuan instructed smoothly.
Swallowing hard, Liu Han stepped forward and pressed his dirty palm against the cool, light-woven surface of the holographic display.
"I, Liu Han, hereby transfer senior territorial control of this shelter to Custodian Zhao Yuan," he declared firmly.
Ding!
A soft, resonant chime echoed through the office as the floating screen flashed bright gold before dissolving into particles of light that absorbed directly into Zhao Yuan's wrist gadget.
[Transfer Complete!]
[Sub-District 4 Residential Estate successfully integrated as a Secondary Custodial Branch.]
[Custodian Zhao Yuan registered as Master Authority.]
[Administrator Liu Han registered as Branch Manager.]
Standing beside Zhao Yuan, Tom offered a polite, formal nod toward Liu Han. "Congratulations, Manager Liu. System integration is complete."
Liu Han looked at his own interface gadget—which had just automatically updated with a new administrative menu, showing direct supply quotas and structural mapping options—and let out a long, humbled breath.
Zhao Yuan stood up, smoothing down her official trousers, ready to turn this shabby, overcrowded estate into a true fortress.
"Hold onto something!" Zhao Yuan told Liu Han before pressing the upgrade button on her wrist interface.
Liu Han barely had time to process her warning before the ground beneath them bucked violently. A low, thunderous roar vibrated through the foundation of the administrative building, making the walls groan. Panicking instinctively, Liu Han lunged forward and braced himself against the heavy wooden desk, his knuckles turning white as he prepared for a structural collapse.
Instead of destruction, a blinding wave of soft, golden light swept through the office.
Before Liu Han's wide, disbelieving eyes, the decaying, dust-caked room began to peel away its own age. Water stains on the ceiling vanished in a flash of blue pixels; the cracked plaster repaired itself instantly, re-emerging as polished, reinforced concrete; and the yellowed window panes expanded into floor-to-ceiling, reinforced glass. The stale, muggy air was instantly replaced by a cool, fresh breeze circulating through hidden vents.
Opposite him, Zhao Yuan and Tom remained completely unbothered, their feet planted firmly as if standing on solid ground, watching the terrifying transformation with total serenity.
Outside, absolute chaos erupted.
The shelter residents—having received no warning whatsoever—screamed in terror as the earth trembled. "Earthquake! Get out!" someone bellowed, prompting hundreds of ragged survivors to pour out into the streets, shielding their heads.
But as they looked around, their screams died in their throats, replaced by a suffocating, collective gasp.
The cramped, trash-littered alleys were stretching. Metal scraps and rotten wooden shanties dissolved into shimmering particles of light, replaced instantly by wide, immaculate stone avenues that swept clean the years of accumulated post-apocalyptic grime. The dirty, foul stench that had hung over the compound for months vanished, purged by automated environmental filters.
Before their very eyes, the short, crumbling two-story residential blocks groaned as they elongated upward, shooting skyward until they formed sleek, modern apartment complexes equipped with secure doors and glowing hallway lights.
On the eastern edge of the compound, empty dirt lots folded in on themselves, spawning state-of-the-art facilities out of thin air: a massive hydroponic greenhouse block, clean communal bathhouses, and a sprawling secondary restaurant branch that materialized right in the center of the newly expanded courtyard.
Survivors fell to their knees, some weeping, others crossing themselves or clutching their neighbors in sheer, paralyzed awe. The overcrowded, desperate slum they had woken up to that morning had been reshaped into a pristine, high-tech sanctuary in less than sixty seconds.
Inside the quiet office, the trembling finally subsided.
Liu Han slowly unclasped his white-knuckled grip from the desk, his legs trembling as he stared out the pristine window at the transformed world below. His mind was utterly numb, the lingering fragments of his warlord pride completely crushed by the sheer, godlike display of power he had just witnessed.
Zhao Yuan smoothed down her grey blouse, her tone as casual as if she had just adjusted the room's lighting.
"Also, I will be sending my assistant, Ben—one of the new assistants—to operate the restaurant branch here," Zhao Yuan explained, her voice pulling Liu Han out of his stunned trance. "If anything comes up or you need any help, go directly to him. He will hold assistant custodial authority over this entire region."
Liu Han swallowed hard, his throat dry as he managed a stiff, respectful nod. "Understood... Custodian Zhao."
"Good," she replied simply. "Let's go, Tom."
Without another word, Zhao Yuan turned on her heel and walked out of the office, Tom following a half-step behind her like a silent, formidable shadow, leaving a silent, awestruck Liu Han behind in his newly upgraded command center.