Space Version 2.0

The ending unfolded just as the beginning had—unexpected and somewhat hazy. In a daze, Mo Yu had completed one of life's great milestones: marriage.

Yes, with hands tightly clasped, the two of them stood together on this unfamiliar planet, holding their grand yet silent wedding. There were no guests, no bright red wedding banners, no clinking glasses, nor joyful laughter—just the two of them, quietly and sincerely, fulfilling this momentous occasion. It was exhausting yet filled with warmth and happiness, for it demanded more effort and promises than any ordinary wedding, even if it was conducted in silence.

"Mo Yu, will you love me forever?" Qing Xuan gazed deeply into Mo Yu’s dark eyes, seeking his own reflection within them.

"Yes, I will love you, and love you forever!" In this moment, Mo Yu was no longer the cold, unapproachable woman she usually was; her face and eyes were alight with happiness—she was, at last, a blissful little woman.

“And I will love you forever and ever! Belonging only to you!” Qing Xuan was so overwhelmed with happiness that he could only express his excitement and joy with a deep, fervent kiss.

“Mmm—!” As Mo Yu passively received his kiss, her vision suddenly faded to black, and both she and Qing Xuan fell into a deep sleep.

The vast wedding hall gradually shrank, its once-transparent walls becoming cloudy before turning pure white. If any servant had looked up at this magical hall again, they would find nothing—this place would never appear again.

When Mo Yu opened her eyes once more, she found herself in her own incredible space—familiar yet strange. She could sense the familiar aura, but everything else was gone: food, seeds, clothing, the hot spring—all vanished without a trace! Mo Yu panicked for a moment; those were all her survival essentials in the apocalypse!

Sensing her anxiety, Qing Xuan gently squeezed Mo Yu’s hand. He had also been inside this space before. Though not intimately familiar, he knew well from their life after the apocalypse how much Mo Yu cherished and relied on this omnipotent space.

“Don’t worry! They wouldn’t disappear without reason!” Qing Xuan led the dazed Mo Yu a few steps forward, pointing to a high-tech “house” guarded by bronze walls and iron barriers not far ahead. “Look, there’s bound to be a big surprise here!”

Mo Yu followed his gesture, remembering the old saying, “A blessing in disguise.” Since this space was an ancestral gift to the descendants of the Mo family, it would never leave them at a loss. The only explanation was another upgrade, and the surprise awaited within that “house.”

“You stay here. I’ll go take a look.” Mo Yu turned to her husband standing beside her, trying to free her hand from his much larger, cool palm.

But Qing Xuan tightened his grip, stubbornness shining in his eyes.

“We’re husband and wife now. I should be the one to protect you—not hide behind you like some pet you raised, like before.”

Mo Yu fell silent. Yes, once he was just her spirit companion, but now, he was her partner in battle. She no longer struggled, instead gripping his hand even tighter. Qing Xuan squeezed back in response. From now on, they would face everything side by side, never to be parted.

The high-tech “house” seemed equipped with its own surveillance system. As they approached, it silently dismantled itself, transforming into a wide-open platform.

“What?” Mo Yu gasped—there was nothing on it at all! Qing Xuan was also surprised. “I’ll check it out!” Mo Yu swiftly leapt onto the platform before Qing Xuan could stop her.

In that instant, an astonishing scene unfolded—a mass of gray-black shadow appeared at the center of the platform. It looked vaguely human, but on closer inspection, it was more like a human-shaped projection.

“Welcome to Space Version 2.0. Here, you’ll need to earn your food and weapons with your own hands. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. To prevent laziness, welcome to the Dimensional Trading Post. I am the steward, Shadow One.” The robot calling itself Shadow One gave no chance for interruption, continuing, “The items from Space Version 1.0 have been converted into credits on your trading panel. While they weren’t worth much, they have accumulated some wealth for you. Here—”

“Shadow One!” Mo Yu couldn’t help but interrupt the rambling robot. “Fine, you’ve taken all my stuff, but what about my dog, Meng Meng? Did you take him too?!”

Shadow One seemed momentarily stumped by the question. “For hygiene reasons in Space 2.0, I’ve placed Meng Meng in your personal trading panel.”

Seeing that Mo Yu was still glaring at him, Shadow One quickly added, “Just focus your mind on the trading panel, and it will appear.”

Mo Yu withdrew her sharp gaze and concentrated. Sure enough, in an instant, her trading panel appeared before her: 1000 credits and a pitiful, motionless dog.

Shadow One noticed Mo Yu’s intention to release Meng Meng and immediately spoke up. “No dogs allowed in this space!”

Mo Yu: “Damn it!”

Shadow One added, “Of course, if you must let it out, you can purchase a doghouse.” With a wave, a holographic screen appeared behind him.

The screen displayed many categories—Weapons, Common Food, Nutritional Cores, Daily Necessities, Miscellaneous Goods, and so on.

With another wave, several doghouses appeared on the screen, though they seemed rather small. Sensing Mo Yu’s concern, Shadow One explained, “They might look small on the screen, but they’re plenty spacious once deployed. The higher the grade, the larger they are.”

Mo Yu looked at Meng Meng’s pitiful eyes, then at her equally pitiful wallet. In the end, she shook off the jealous Qing Xuan’s hand and bought a mid-level doghouse for 100 credits.

Settling Meng Meng in, Mo Yu quickly learned the basics of the trading post and needed no further instructions. She grabbed Qing Xuan, and together they began browsing the holographic screen.

After a while, Mo Yu suddenly remembered something and asked Shadow One, who stood silently nearby, “Where’s my handgun?”

Shadow One: “Sold.”

Mo Yu: “What about my dagger?”

Shadow One: “Sold.”

Mo Yu shot him a murderous glare, but Shadow One dodged without a care, making her so angry she could barely stand it. If Qing Xuan hadn’t been there to calm her, she might have lost control entirely.

With no weapons left, the two had no choice but to browse the weapons category.

Katana: 300 credits
Tang Dao: 500 credits
...
Handgun: 1000 credits

Rifle: 1500 credits
Sniper Rifle: 2500 credits
Grenade Launcher: 3000 credits
...

Mo Yu didn’t have much money left, so she bought a Tang Dao and a katana for herself and Qing Xuan. With only 100 credits remaining, she purchased some basic food supplies and was left completely penniless.

She was truly at her wit’s end!

When Mo Yu and Qing Xuan stepped off the platform, it reassembled itself into a tightly sealed fortress, accompanied by Shadow One’s voice: “Each zombie is worth one credit, which will be automatically deposited into your trading panel.” Impenetrable and unbreakable.

Mo Yu looked speechlessly at Qing Xuan, who gazed back at her with deep affection, then gently patted her head. “Don’t be upset, dear. From now on, all the credits I earn from killing zombies are yours.”

Mo Yu: “...” Though exasperated, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of sweetness.

Not wanting to let these matters trouble her further, Mo Yu dragged Qing Xuan to watch Meng Meng play in their new home. The 100 credits were well spent—the vast space allowed the doghouse to take up about a hundred square meters, a two-story building complete with a garden. Watching Meng Meng run about joyfully, Mo Yu suddenly wished she could live there, too; it was big enough for a person!

After bonding with Meng Meng, Mo Yu prepared to leave the space with Qing Xuan, wondering where they would wake up next.

Would it be still on the alien planet? Or would they continue their journey, still fleeing and searching for family?

Mo Yu looked up at Qing Xuan’s face, seeing only his smooth, jade-like chin. “Didn’t you say your home planet was in crisis? Shouldn’t you go deal with it first?”

Qing Xuan bent down and kissed the top of her head. “No need to worry. My mother is recovering. By the time we return, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

“Is that so...” Mo Yu eyed him with suspicion, not quite convinced.

Qing Xuan, amused, rubbed her head with his chin again. “I was frightened at first too, but after our wedding, I learned it was all a ruse by my mother to lure my father home.”

“So that’s how it is!” Mo Yu thought of Qing Xuan’s family and could easily imagine their personalities—a bunch of proud, jealous types, nothing more.

When they exited the space, they were greeted, as expected, by a dark, eerie street, and a horde of zombies advancing slowly under ghastly white lights.