The white stone doors opened at her touch.
They did not creak.
They did not resist.
They recognized her.
Liú Tiānyuè stepped inside.
The air changed immediately.
Cooler.
Cleaner.
Still.
Before her stood a polished metal door framed by smooth walls of white stone. Symbols glowed faintly beside it.
An elevator.
She did not know how she knew the word.
But she did.
When she pressed one of the glowing symbols, the doors slid open silently.
Interesting.
Seven levels.
Seven opportunities.
She stepped inside.
The doors closed.
The world shifted upward.
*****************************
First Floor — ResidenceThe doors opened into something entirely foreign to Heze Village.
An apartment.
Not crude.
Not simple.
Luxurious.
Soft light illuminated a wide living space. A large rectangular black screen hung against one wall — she instinctively understood it was a television.
A couch sat in the center of the room — plush, deep, upholstered in fabric softer than silk yet stronger than leather. It looked obscenely comfortable.
A low table rested before it.
To the side, an open kitchen gleamed.
Metal appliances.
A large cold storage unit.
Cooking devices she had never seen yet somehow understood how to operate.
Cabinets stocked with tools and utensils.
A hallway stretched further inward.
She walked through it silently.
A bedroom awaited at the end — the bed massive, layered in thick blankets and pillows that looked like clouds captured and stitched into fabric.
A dresser.
Wardrobe.
Mirrors clear as still water.
Adjacent stood an immaculate bathing room.
A shower that rained water from above.
A porcelain bathing basin large enough to submerge completely.
A toilet.
Shelves stocked with toiletries — soaps, oils, brushes, cloths.
Clean.
Organized.
Abundant.
Another door led to a spare room.
Inside—
A gym.
Machines and equipment designed to strengthen the body in ways this world had never conceived.
Weights.
Resistance devices.
Training apparatus.
Her lips curved slightly.
A ruler must remain strong.
This floor alone could sustain a life of comfort beyond anything in Suikoku Kingdom.
But she was not finished.
*****************************
Second Floor — Clothing HallThe elevator carried her upward.
The doors opened to rows upon rows of garments.
It resembled a grand marketplace — but orderly. Perfect.
Clothing arranged by size.
Infant to elder.
Peasant cotton.
Rough linen.
Thick winter padding.
Rain cloaks.
Work garments.
Travel wear.
And then—
Silk.
Layered robes suitable for nobility.
Fine embroidery.
Delicate stitching.
Clothing appropriate for every season.
Every status.
Shoes lined the walls.
Boots, cloth slippers, leather footwear.
Accessories neatly displayed.
Hair ornaments.
Belts.
Gloves.
Even bolts of plain cloth for tailoring.
She ran her fingers across a silk sleeve.
Impeccable quality.
This floor could alter appearances.
Status.
Perception.
Power is often decided by what others see.
*****************************
Third Floor — ProvisionsThe next level resembled a vast grocery hall.
Shelves stretched endlessly.
Non-perishable grains.
Flours.
Rice.
Salt.
Sugar.
Dried fruits.
Spices.
Snacks and candies of colors she had never seen.
Oils.
Preserved meats.
Items that could not grow even in her fertile fields.
Products derived from livestock.
Milk powders.
Cheeses.
Honey in sealed containers.
There were toiletries.
Cleaning supplies.
Soaps.
Brushes.
Laundry products.
Everything required to maintain hygiene and order.
All neatly arranged.
All abundant.
She opened one container.
It refilled instantly.
Replenishing.
Like the crops outside.
Infinite supply.
Her red eyes gleamed faintly.
No famine could touch her.
*****************************
Fourth Floor — ArmoryThe doors opened to steel.
Rows of weapons lined the walls.
Swords forged with flawless balance.
Daggers.
Spears.
Crossbows.
Bows crafted from materials stronger than anything in this world.
And firearms.
Pistols.
Rifles.
Ammunition neatly organized.
There were no weapons designed to annihilate cities.
No bombs.
No artillery.
But every weapon present was precise.
Efficient.
Superior to anything a village militia—or even a kingdom army—could wield.
She lifted a blade.
Perfect weight.
Perfect edge.
A thought flickered through her mind:
If necessary, she could conquer more than a village.
She set it down calmly.
Not yet.
*****************************
Fifth Floor — Medical WingThe scent of antiseptic greeted her.
Clean.
Sterile.
Orderly.
Beds lined the walls.
Cabinets filled with medicine.
Herbs both familiar and foreign.
Over-the-counter remedies.
Prescription medications.
Devices for measuring pulse, temperature, internal conditions.
Surgical tools.
And in the center—
A machine.
Humanoid in shape but clearly artificial.
Its surface gleamed softly.
Its eyes lit up when she entered.
"Welcome," it said calmly.
Its voice neutral.
Pleasant.
She understood it immediately.
A medical robot.
Capable of diagnosing illness.
Prescribing treatment.
Performing surgeries with precision beyond the greatest physicians of her former world.
Her mind immediately assessed Zhào Dàfēng's legs.
Fixable.
Easily fixable.
Her claws nearly extended in satisfaction.
*****************************
Sixth Floor — Library of WorldsWhen the elevator opened again, silence greeted her.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Books.
Thousands upon thousands.
Languages she did not recognize—
Yet understood perfectly.
Knowledge from multiple worlds.
Farming techniques.
Engineering.
Medicine.
Martial arts.
Governance.
History.
Cultivation manuals.
Strategic warfare.
Philosophy.
Magic systems unfamiliar even to her undead reign.
She removed one at random.
The text flowed into her mind effortlessly.
The universe had not only given her tools.
It had given her comprehension.
Her lips curved faintly.
Ignorance would never be her weakness.
*****************************
Seventh Floor — The Spiritual PoolThe final ascent.
The doors opened slowly.
The room was vast.
Empty except for a large circular pool at its center.
The water shimmered with faint silver light.
Energy radiated from it — dense, pure, ancient.
She stepped closer.
The air hummed.
Spiritual energy saturated the water.
It could accelerate healing.
Strengthen the body.
Detoxify poison.
Speed plant growth even further.
Nourish vitality.
Even refine flesh beyond mortal limits.
She dipped her fingers into the surface.
Power surged gently up her arm.
Compatible.
Perfectly compatible.
This was not random.
This space had been made for her.
Or perhaps—
For what she would become here.
*****************************
Liú Tiānyuè stood in the center of the seventh floor, overlooking her domain.
Fields without famine.
Clothing without poverty.
Food without scarcity.
Weapons without equal.
Medicine beyond imagination.
Knowledge without limit.
And water that could reshape destiny.
A slow, deliberate smile spread across her face.
The villagers of Heze believed she was a mute, unwanted bride.
Zhào Dàjiàn believed Dàfēng discarded.
The village believed power belonged to lineage and sons.
They were wrong.
Very wrong.
The Zombie Queen had not been exiled to obscurity.
She had been given a kingdom folded into her palm.
And now—
It was time to decide how to use it.