Surviving the apocalypse with a wife and a system! [GL]

[Hello guys, I have completely corrected the previous Chapters and made huge changes. Please read again from Chapter 67 to get a better idea of the Chapters.]

Bai Li quickened her pace as she breathed, and after tying several knots around Yan Cijin’s body, she leaned over and put her arms around Yan Cijin’s waist. ”Hold my back with both arms and wrap your legs around my waist, hurry up.” Her arms wrapped around Yan Cijin’s slender waist, and for a second she felt something weird hit her chest. It was not the kind of feeling that came from fighting or danger, not at all. It was softer than that, lighter, but it made her heart itch in a way she did not know what to do with. She could feel the shape of Yan Cijin’s body in her arms, thin but not weak, warm in a way that made Bai Li’s fingers want to tighten a little more even though she told herself not to. There was also that faint fragrance coming from her, very light, very clean, drifting right into her nose. It made Bai Li feel strangely uncomfortable and a little guilty, like she had done something improper just by noticing it. She felt awkward, but at the same time, she did not hate it. That was what made her even more annoyed with herself. The tips of her ears turned red almost immediately, and her face picked up a soft pink color that she could not hide no matter how hard she tried. She deliberately avoided looking into Yan Cijin’s eyes and stared toward the open air outside instead, trying to act calm, though her own body was already betraying her.

Yan Cijin stared at Bai Li when she heard those words, and the moment she saw Bai Li’s red ear tips and the slight awkwardness on her face, she could not help but smile. It was a very small smile, but it was there, hidden at the corner of her lips like she was trying not to make it too obvious. Bai Li, who looked so cold and sharp most of the time, was actually getting flustered like this just because she was holding her. Yan Cijin found that a little funny, and a little cute too, though she knew now was not the time to tease her properly. If she pushed too far, Bai Li might turn even redder, and that would be a sight worth remembering, but they were still on the rooftop, still surrounded by danger, so she held back. Even so, her gaze stayed on Bai Li for an extra second, and the look in her eyes was calm but playful, like she already knew Bai Li was trying very hard to stay focused and failing just a little bit.

Hugging Bai Li’s back was easy enough, but wrapping her legs around Bai Li’s waist was another matter. Yan Cijin tried to shift on her own first, but her feet could not reach properly, and the position was awkward. Just as she was still thinking about how to solve it, Bai Li took the lead again without saying another word. She lifted Yan Cijin slightly, and Yan Cijin immediately followed the pull, wrapping her legs around Bai Li’s waist and pressing herself tightly against her face to face. The sudden closeness made Yan Cijin blink for a moment, then her expression softened into a subtle smile. Bai Li had understood her problem without her saying anything, and that kind of silent understanding made her feel unexpectedly pleased. It was a very small thing, but in a moment like this, it mattered. Yan Cijin looked up, wanting to meet Bai Li’s eyes, but all she could really see was Bai Li’s side profile. That side profile was especially red now, and the ears were the most obvious part. Her earlobes were red enough that Yan Cijin almost wanted to laugh again. At the same time, seeing Bai Li like this made her realize exactly how close they were right now, close enough that her own thoughts suddenly went blank for a second. Bai Li’s arms were wrapped tightly around her lower back, Yan Cijin’s hands were around her neck, and her legs were wrapped all the way around Bai Li’s waist like a snake coiling around a branch. That position left no space between them at all, and the sudden awareness of it made Yan Cijin’s heart begin to pound.

For the first time in her entire life, Yan Cijin felt something very unfamiliar. It was not just embarrassment. It was not just shyness. It was something deeper, something that sat in her chest and kept growing the longer she stayed in Bai Li’s arms. Her heartbeat grew louder, so loud that she was almost sure Bai Li would feel it too if she paid attention. Her face slowly turned pink, not in a dramatic way, but enough to make her already beautiful features look even softer and more charming under the faint rooftop light. Bai Li, who was trying very hard not to look at her, almost got caught anyway. Those phoenix eyes were too dangerous. Calm, deep, and strangely direct, even when Yan Cijin was not doing anything special. Bai Li felt like if she kept looking at them too long, she really might get dragged in. That thought made her become even more careful. She took a slow breath, shut down the strange thoughts in her head, and focused on the actual task in front of her. She quickly used the rope to tie Yan Cijin to herself properly, literally binding her and fixing her face to face against her. The reason was practical, and Bai Li repeated that in her head several times. It would make the descent easier later. Yan Cijin’s hands could not be around her neck either, because Bai Li needed a better grip while lowering them down. That was all. Just the mission. Nothing else. At least that was what Bai Li kept telling herself.

After the rope was tied securely, Bai Li took a few deep breaths to steady her breathing. She forced herself to stop thinking about the warm body in her arms and the way her heart felt a little strange. Then she released her hold at the waist for a second, stepped out into the open space, and tested the weight. Yan Cijin probably weighed around one hundred pounds, maybe a little more with the clothes and everything else, but Bai Li still felt relatively comfortable carrying her like this. Even without the serum effect, her body was already at the limit of what an ordinary person could bear. She had been trained for things much harder than this. If she had to, she could still carry Yan Cijin down safely. It would put pressure on her arms, her back, her legs, and especially her palms, but pressure was not the same as impossibility. Bai Li could endure pressure. She had always been able to. She just had to be careful and not make one stupid mistake. Once she confirmed the rope lines were secure and the knots were strong, she tied a safety rope around her own waist too, then wrapped the two descent ropes around her waist twice. The coat she had tied earlier also helped reduce the friction from the ropes pressing too hard against her body. Every movement was quick and efficient, because time was running out and the longer they stood there, the more dangerous everything would become.

Then Bai Li checked the time again. It was time for them to leave.

She glanced down at Yan Cijin in her arms and gave her instructions in a low, firm voice. ”You can only hold onto my back with your hands, and remember not to hug the back of my neck.”

Yan Cijin nodded immediately. ”Okay, I got it.”

But even after saying that, she still looked up at Bai Li and asked in a quiet voice, ”But is this really okay? You’re too heavy carrying me.”

The question was sincere, but it made Bai Li’s face heat up a little more because of the exact way Yan Cijin was looking at her. Bai Li did not answer the question directly. Instead, she just kept her focus on the important thing, because if she answered honestly, the answer would probably sound a little awkward. So she simply said, ”There’s no time. We have to go. If you’re scared, just close your eyes and bear with it. Also, don’t shout or scream later, it might cause trouble. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you home safely.”

The last part came out more naturally than Bai Li expected, and after she said it, even she felt a little pause inside. It sounded reassuring, almost too gentle for her own taste. But Yan Cijin heard it clearly. She did not make a big deal out of it, though there was a faint change in her expression, something warmer hidden under her usual calm. She looked at Bai Li for a second longer than necessary, then gave a small nod. Bai Li did not wait for her to say anything else. She adjusted her hold, made sure the rope was steady, and prepared to move. Her palms were sore, yes, and the pressure of holding Yan Cijin against her did make her body tense up more than usual, but the feeling was manageable. What mattered more was that Yan Cijin trusted her enough to keep still like this. That trust sat quietly between them, and even though Bai Li did not say anything about it, she felt it.

The rooftop wind brushed past them again, not strong enough to shake them, but enough to make Yan Cijin feel the height all over again. Bai Li looked forward, jaw set, eyes cold and focused now, completely back in control. She had already pushed away the distracting thoughts from earlier and replaced them with something harder, sharper. The descent was going to be difficult. Very difficult. But that was fine. She had done difficult things before. She tightened her arms around Yan Cijin just a little more, not enough to hurt, just enough to keep her steady. Yan Cijin could feel the firmness of that hold, and strangely, that made her feel secure instead of trapped. Bai Li had a way of making even the most dangerous situation feel like it could be handled, as long as she was the one leading. So Yan Cijin stayed still, kept her hands where Bai Li had told her, and waited for the first movement downward, trusting that Bai Li would do exactly what she had said she would do, bring her home safely.

After saying that, Bai Li walked straight toward the edge of the rooftop without any more hesitation. The moment she reached the side, the cold wind brushed across her face and arms, even though it was still summer. Up here, the height made everything feel sharper. The air was stronger, the space looked wider, and the ground far below seemed unreal, like another world entirely. Bai Li gripped the two descent ropes tightly, testing them once more with a hard pull before stepping closer to the edge of the fourteenth floor rooftop. She had climbed, fought, and survived enough already today, but this part was different. This was the kind of thing where one mistake would not just mean injury. It would mean death. And she knew that very well.

Because of her previous life as a soldier, Bai Li had learned all kinds of survival skills. She knew how to skydive. She knew how to fly helicopters. She had also gone through rope descent training before, but back then the conditions had been much simpler. The buildings were only five stories high, and she had only needed to take care of herself. That kind of descent was hard, but manageable. This time was completely different. She was not descending alone. Yan Cijin was in her arms, tied close against her body, face to face, and that alone made everything more difficult.

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To be continued.