“How should I address you?”
Shen Yiyue asked a seemingly odd question.

In truth, she already knew the little girl’s name was Sasha. Just two days ago, Sasha had obediently called her “sister.”

Sasha had also noticed that this little girl she had transmigrated into shared her previous life’s name.

Shen Yiyue’s question arose because she had realized that the little girl before her was far from ordinary. Her terrifying abilities, her decisiveness, and her willingness to train Shen Yiyue made it hard to determine the dynamic between them.

Sasha, hearing Shen Yiyue’s question, decided to use this opportunity to explain her plan:

“You must realize that a girl my age wandering around alone in this apocalyptic world would attract a lot of attention.”

“To others, I’d look like a defenseless, mobile treasure chest.”

“Anyone who saw me would think of opening it to see what valuable resources I might carry—or how else I could be of service to them.”

“While I can kill however many troublemakers come my way, constantly dealing with pesky flies is a hassle.”

“So, I need an identity, a persona.”

“From now on, when we travel together, I’ll be your little sister.”

“You’ll pretend to be my older sister—whether blood-related or distant, depending on the situation.”

Shen Yiyue looked at Sasha’s calm, composed little face and listened to her deliberate and methodical reasoning. After a moment of serious thought, she nodded in agreement.

But soon, she raised a concern:
“Even if we’re together, wouldn’t two girls in this apocalypse still seem like easy targets?”

“You’re sharp,” Sasha acknowledged with a nod, continuing her explanation:

“What I just mentioned is the first layer of defense.”

“Secondly, under my training, you’ll grow stronger.”

“If anyone tries to target us, I’ll need you to stand in front and ‘protect’ me, just like today.”

“With that, you’ll handle ordinary threats directly.”

“For more dangerous threats, they’ll aim to take you out first.”

“Of course, I won’t let you die—I need you alive.”

“That’s the second layer of defense.”

Shen Yiyue nodded in understanding, marveling at Sasha’s bluntness about using her as a shield.

“Lastly, anyone who gets past you will likely underestimate me as a defenseless little girl.”

“This misconception will give me an opening to strike.”

“That’s the third layer of defense.”

Sasha laid out her entire strategy.

After some thought, Shen Yiyue found herself impressed. She wasn’t offended, just amazed at Sasha’s cunning.

Sasha continued:
“Also, younger children lack the stamina required for survival in this world. Adults, on the other hand, come with layers of deceit and are hard to trust. You’re the perfect age.”

“This arrangement benefits you as much as it does me. The only cost is a slight loss of personal freedom—though, in this apocalypse, you don’t really have personal freedom to begin with.”

“Whether you live to see tomorrow’s sunrise or eat another warm meal is entirely uncertain.”

“I need you as a partner and a shield. You need me to protect you and teach you how to survive.”

“Even if I’m gone someday, you’ll be capable of defending yourself and your family.”

Sasha reached out her delicate, pale hand, her voice calm:
“This is a perfect partnership. What do you think?”

Shen Yiyue stared, momentarily stunned.

Sasha’s thorough analysis and her fox-like cunning left her little room to argue.

More importantly, the deal was tempting. Shen Yiyue wanted to grow stronger, to survive, and to protect those she cared about.

She nodded slowly and extended her hand to clasp Sasha’s, signaling the start of their partnership.

As their hands touched, Sasha’s face broke into an innocent, playful smile. Her bright eyes crinkled into crescents as she sweetly said, “So, Yue-jie, to answer your question, you can call me Little Sasha!”

Her tone and expression were so childlike and sincere that Shen Yiyue felt a fleeting illusion—wasn’t Sasha just an ordinary little girl after all?

But that thought quickly passed. Shen Yiyue knew this was just Sasha stepping into her “little sister” role.

Sasha was terrifying.

If anyone opposed her, they’d end up like those two thugs from earlier—dead before they knew what hit them.

“By the way, Little Sasha, have you heard any news about your family?” Shen Yiyue, slipping into her role, asked tentatively.

Sasha thought about the golden pocket watch she’d discovered earlier, hanging from her body when she arrived.

The intricately designed watch, like her European-style dress, was clearly expensive.

Inside the pocket watch was a photo—a family portrait.

The photo featured a stern-looking middle-aged man with glasses, a smiling, beautiful woman, and two young girls in elegant European-style dresses, each holding a different stuffed toy.

One of the girls was Sasha herself. The other seemed to be a twin sister—either older or younger. She wasn’t sure.

A warm, happy family stood in an opulent outdoor setting. Clearly, they were no ordinary household.

But Sasha’s memories of this life were fragmented and chaotic.

Even seeing the photo only triggered a few vague scenes.

She’d tucked the watch away, deciding not to dwell on it.

Shaking her head, she replied, “I’m not sure. Maybe they’ve made it somewhere safe.”

Shen Yiyue nodded sympathetically. The apocalypse had struck so suddenly, no one had been prepared.

Sasha, not wanting to continue the topic, swiftly changed the subject:
“Supermarkets aren’t exactly safe. Others will eventually target this place.”

“To be safe, we should take turns keeping watch tonight.”

“I only need two hours of rest. When do you want to sleep?”

Sasha had undergone training in her past life for rapid deep sleep recovery, needing only short rest periods to regain full energy.

“I’ll go rest first, and then I’ll wake up later to take over,” Shen Yiyue suggested, planning to let Sasha sleep longer than two hours.

Sasha simply nodded in agreement.

Late at night, Sasha sat cross-legged in the living room, meditating.

Meditation, a training technique from her former organization, had become a long-standing habit.

When safe sleep wasn’t an option, it allowed her to conserve energy and stay alert.

Her mind blank, her hearing sharp, Sasha listened intently for any unusual sounds in the night.

And then, she heard a strange noise.