《[BL] NEET life in the Apocalypse》 Chapter 1-I’m Back! Chapter 1¡ªI¡¯m Back! by Bocchan13 The heat was unbearable. Song Yu opened his eyes and just stared as the fan on top blew hot air in the small room. He blinked in confusion before he slowly got up. Making sure there were no sounds as he moved, he carefully surveyed his surroundings. His nerve endings were on high alert against anything, even his heart pumped lightly in tandem to the silence. Strange. It looked familiar. The bed he was sleeping on looked to be intact; the bed sheets weren¡¯t the ugly yellow-gray ones from the factory. They were luscious and plump. It smelled of sunshine and lavender. Song Yu was even more confused, his ears pricked to hear if there was any danger, but the only sound he heard was the whirring of the fan. The sudden feeling of nostalgia entered his mind when he perused the shambled desk, books on farming, botany and agriculture. The very same subjects he was studying in university. His hands trembled as he picked up the book, opening its pages and seeing his haphazard notes strewn all over. Heart clenching, ears roaring, he felt like he would throw up. ¡°Am I¡­back?¡± Looking down at his hands, they weren¡¯t the scarred callused ones he was used to, but smooth and sleek, with pink nails and slender veins. He touched his face. Not weathered by time or hardship, but plump and delicate. He tore through the small apartment and caught sight of himself in the mirror. He was back. He was back! His eyes widened in the mirror as he pressed and prodded his lean body. It looked like he had come back to the very beginning. When he was just a youth, bursting with energy and life, finishing up university. He scooped his phone from the bedside table, his fingers feeling somewhat unused to the motion. Opening the screen, it read: Sunday, March 13th XXXX A bubble of laughter erupted in his mouth, and it took all of his self-restraint to throw his hands up and shout hallelujah! This boisterous emotion, something he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time! ¡°I¡¯M FUCKING BACK! YES!¡± He didn¡¯t contain his happiness, throwing himself on the bed and rolling in its sheets. Oh! The bliss! The fluffy pillow! The springy bed! The electricity! He scurried to find the AC and turned it on full blast! He used to swelter in the heat due to the AC costs, but no more! He was celebrating! The AC whirred a bit from the non-use, but soon after, cold air spewed from the fans. Song Yu happily got under it and smelled that weird funky smell, but he didn¡¯t care! There was AC! Tears soon blurred his vision, and Song Yu had no choice but to cry. His nose soured as waves of emotions accosted his senses. The relief that he was back. The happiness of still being alive. He sobbed in front of the AC, the cold wind touching his damp face. Song Yu cried while laughing, cried while smiling. He¡­really came back to beginning. On June 13th year XXXX, the world would end. A small meteor would fall from the sky, bringing it a horrific virus. People near the crash zone started to show symptoms of lethargy, hunger and heat. The heat wave, due to global warming was a cesspool for viral infection. They thrived in the heat. After the meteor hit, the heat got stronger. And people started to die. 3 days after, the virus had already gone airborne, causing the sky to turn a deep red. Those that died from the heat started to come back to life. But this time, not as themselves, but as flesh eating monsters. The zombies broke out in small waves, annihilating everything in its path. The death count rose, the government was useless in the first month. And Song Yu, a university student, did his very best to survive. In the beginning, Song Yu was just like everyone else, trying his best to get away from the horrible monsters. He and his family of three struggled to survive. He fought against the monster, helping his younger sister and mother, whilst getting supplies. The chaos in the beginning was immeasurable. Although zombies ran amuck, it was the people that scared Song Yu. Infighting, tricking and murdering¡­all for a pack of crackers. The people they encountered were like hungry wolves, doing their upmost to survive, even if it meant stomping on others. Song Yu and his family ultimately sought shelter in B Base, in the southern district of their city. In those initial three months, Song Yu went out of the base as a scavenger, bringing back supplies, while also getting ¡®income¡¯ from the government. But, when abilities started appearing, it came as a shock and surprise. The virus that infected the zombies had also infected living people. Changing them, and granted them immense strength. It was as if God threw a stone. These abilities ranged in many uses. From elementals, to healers, to even space abilities. Song Yu did not expect that he would become one. Song Yu had a special space ability, where if you could put things in it, it would purify. So any foods that were put in and taken out, would not have the zombie virus, and would instead grant healing and leveling properties. It was a highly coveted skill. When he realized his ability, he wanted to keep it a secret from B Base, but he never expected that he would be thrown under the bus by his own family. He told his mother about his concerns; and his mother, the pragmatic, told him that he would be okay. But the next day, they immediately sold him to the base. B Base was one of the earlier bases that brought in survivors and was at least equipped with many things. One of them was a scientific research team that came from the meteor crash site. When abilities started appearing, it was a blessing and also a curse. The scientists wanted to understand how people could gain these abilities, to what extent they could control them and how to use them to counter-attack the zombies. At first, Song Yu became an important space ability user. He was treated with good care and his family was given an entire storage of food. But soon after, they started doing horrible things to him. They chained him to a bed and cut open his body. They took his blood, his flesh and opened his brain. Putting him in harsh environments, even putting zombies in his space to see if they would ¡®purify¡¯. If Song Yu was still a human, he would have died. They did not kill him, but killing would have been better than this torture. Song Yu survived four intense months in the hands of B Base before escaping with fellow ability users. They ran far away and settled in a colder climate area. And there, Song Yu became one of the leaders of his very small base. He didn¡¯t want this position initially, but his ability was highly needed during the apocalypse and his fellow comrades all unanimously decided on him. And so, twenty years passed. His small base became bigger, his ability levels increased and ultimately, the Survivors Base became a known paradise in the apocalypse. Song Yu had tried his best. Trying to get back to how society used to be. Making factories, opening shops, dealing with crime, and making their own leaders association. Twenty years of non-stop work. Although back-breaking, he envisioned a world of peace and happiness. And all of it went to shit. He didn¡¯t know that he was just the work horse, the slave. The person who would pile their blood, sweat and tears into forming the survivors base. No. People had to get greedy. Not even a few hours after his 45th birthday, a group of his loyal friends lured him away from the party and threw him in pit of zombies. He could still feel his flesh being ripped apart. He saw their gnawing mouths, black teeth oozing with the virus, penetrating his skin. He remembered how easy it looked. The skin slowly being shredded from his bones. Blood seeping his clothes, his mouth chocking on it. And the pain¡­the horrific pain. The last thing he saw were the very comrades who escaped with him¡­the ones that were by his side for 20 years, watch with cold¡­bitter eyes as his body was torn to pieces. Like ice water dousing his veins, he could only curse the heavens. And then he woke up 23 years in the past. 3 months before the apocalypse would occur. He came back to when everything started. The tears that fell ultimately stopped. A resolve formed in his mind. He would not go down this path again. He couldn¡¯t trust people again. You never really knew a person, and not even till the end did Song Yu understand why they did that to him. He was dispensable. He was not needed anymore. Peace had already been assured. And politics started to matter. Song Yu wiped away those tears and huffed to himself. He still had 3 months. He could do what he needed to do. But first, he wanted food. Checking the time, it was only ten in the morning; Song Yu opened the windows and watched as the bustling roadside was aloft with people. The sky was blue, the birds were singing. He got dressed immediately, smelling detergent. Oh! The smell! So used to the smell of dust and blood, he inhaled that soft scent that tickled his senses. The small things. It was these things that he needed now. He took out his wallet and checked how much he had before going downstairs. On the commercial streets, he could only look back and forth, the choking feeling coming back again. Even when peace was restored, the people were not like this. Carefree. Laughing. Happy. The people in the apocalypse soon changed into ability users. The weak and the strong. They became tougher, more alert. They didn¡¯t trust anyone. And they were lawless. So watching as a mother looked at the correct expiry date on meat, or the aunties haggling with the vendors in good fun. Or even the drunks that littered the 24/7 bars. All of it was really wonderful. Song Yu pressed his hands together. He could not save these people. He had saved hundreds of thousands in his last life. Killing himself every day for 20 years¡­just to die. Even if Song Yu was selfless, he could not go back to that time. He would not do it again. Song Yu thought that that was enough. He built an empire for 20 years. He already did his best. And now he was going to live for himself. Chapter 2-Celebration! Chapter 2¡ªCelebration! by Bocchan13 Song Yu came out of his apartment for a reason. And that reason was celebrating! However, it was after all 20 years ago. He has forgotten all about his friends. Song Yu came from a wealthy family. And most of his buddies were people in the higher echelons. The only reason why Song Yu stayed in such a dingy apartment complex was because his father insisted on him ¡®learning humility¡¯. But even that was horseshit. Song Yu looked at all of his contacts on his phone¡­yep, he definitely forgot about these people! Sighing, he put his phone away. It was okay! He could celebrate by himself! First on the list¡­food! Song Yu happily skipped to the vendors, salivating at the juicy meat skewers. ¡°Aunty! Please get me 10 chicken hearts, 3 livers, and the 5 pork bellies, and 8 pig skins! Add some of that cumin powder too!¡± The nice lady laughed at his enthusiasm and put all of it in a bag, adding an additional stick. ¡°Young boys must grow up strong! Here you are!¡± Song Yu smiled happily and immediately took a stick out. ¡°Ughhhhh!!!!!¡± The taste¡­the taste! Like heaven in the mouth, the texture and fat exploded in his mouth. Song Yu just stood there in a daze, oil dripping from the side of his lips. He was about to cry again! ¡°Mnnnnmmm! It¡¯s delicious Aunty!¡± Can u tell me the recipe for the sauce!? Its soo good!!!¡± The aunty was a kind-hearted person, her smile never leaving. Putting a finger to her lips, she exclaimed. ¡°A secret! If I tell anyone, all of my skewers won¡¯t be sold! Just keep coming to my shop and I¡¯ll keep some extra to bring back home.¡± Song Yu nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Thank you Aunty!¡± Song Yu bought food after food. Food that he hadn¡¯t eaten since the apocalypse. All of those greasy fast food joints¡­eat! Canned peaches? Eat! Sourdough bread? Eat! Song Yu was like a buying machine, buying all of the foods he saw in sight. By the time he left the commercial street, he was hauling over ten bags of food. Song Yu smiled happily and went back home. Laying everything on the floor, he touched each and every one of them, coveting them in his hands tightly. Looking at his palms, he hesitated before touching the skewers. A small light emanated from his palms, and the skewers disappeared. They were in his space. He sighed in happiness. He probed into his subconciousness and saw the skewers in there. But not only that¡­his space was a lot bigger. It was like an endless vortex of galaxy blue. ¡°I could fit an entire house in there, huh.¡± He scoured his spiritual space, the familiar feeling of peace and numbness engulfed him. Not only did the space get bigger¡­it seemed purer? Song Yu could not exactly pinpoint the exact difference, but it seemed that he had reached a higher level than his previous life. Abilities were graded by power levels. When people started to get abilities, the grade always started at the base level 1. Upgrades happened when you got a better handle of your power, were able to manipulate it, or create divergent abilities. It ranged from 1-10 before becoming A and S. The highest level from his last life was a grade A fire user in the north. They were on polar opposite sides of the country, but Song Yu remembered that the ability user was on the verge of upgrading to level S before his death. Sadly, he didn¡¯t know his name. Song Yu controlled his spacial ability, turning the skewers apart. Each component lifted itself out, like cooking in reverse. Until the ingredients became its most purest form. Oil. Salt, cumin, balsamic, pork shreds, garlic the wooden stick, all separated from itself leaving the raw ingredients like it was before cooking. Song Yu smiled happily in glee as the spicy sauce concoction was indirectly unveiled to him. The one downfall to his spatial ability was that even though he could break down the component in the space, it was still intact when he took it out. This helped Song Yu a lot during his time as the base leader. He was able to tear down components from medical equipment, military arsenal, even fertilizer for food consumption. All leaving it in even better condition than how it was before it came in. But it didn¡¯t help if only he could see it. Describing the tools needed to the people, delegating raids every day was the leading factor to his busy 20 year life. Since his ability was ranked 10 in his previous life, Song Yu realized that if he upgraded to grade A or even S, then not only would his space get bigger, but the amount of break down could become¡­clearer. And maybe¡­just maybe¡­the breakdown could stay permanent to his own specifications. The possibilities were limitless, and now that he wasn¡¯t a sleep deprived 45 year old, he could take this time to learn more about his ability. Song Yu ate the skewers and food vigilantly, and rubbed his belly in happiness. He laid on the bed like a salted fish and stared at his ceiling while a food coma set in. The AC was still on full blast, and he sneezed before sourly turning it off. The day was still early, so Song Yu took this time to go out once more. He was celebrating! He stood in front of the mirror and slicked back his black hair. It was slightly long, dangling over the side of one eye. He used to be very introverted and used his hair as a sort of curtain to hide from people¡¯s gazes. He slicked it back and stared at his youthful face. He still couldn¡¯t believe it. Was he always this good looking? He patted his plump cheeks and sighed. He still had a baby face even when he was 45, but it was weathered by too much sun and strife. The harshness of the apocalypse did that to you. Song Yu ultimately smiled at himself. He was 22 years old, an age where you should just go wild! Song Yu got out of his apartment, and took a bus to the high-so neighborhood. Looking at his phone, he dialed a salon that featured many celebrities and made an on the spot appointment. ¡°We are currently full today, would you like to schedule for one tomorrow?¡± ¡°It has to be today please.¡± ¡°Well¡­there is a late scheduling fee of XXX$ would you be willing?¡± Song Yu looked at his credit card his old man said to use only for emergencies; a slow smile crept up on his face as he laughed. ¡°Yeah, no worries.¡± ¡°Alright sir, please come to the salon at 5:00pm. We will await your presence.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Yu closed the call and couldn¡¯t help but smile sarcastically. The card was his savings for 3 years, and his father only ¡®contributed¡¯ some money. Luxuries were meant to be spent, and the apocalypse was looming over. Money circulation died in the apocalypse. It was just glossy paper now. Song Yu waited until 5 before entering the salon doors. As a rich second generation, a scene like this would have surely been normal. But Song Yu had never really used his father¡¯s influence for any materialistic means. Watching the fashionista surround celebrities that he had forgotten about, and the lively atmosphere, resulted in Song Yu once again cowering in unfamiliar territory. A hand grabbed his shoulder suddenly. Instinctually, Song Yu condensed his aura into a blade before grabbing the hand. Twisting the wrist, a body sailed over him. If people blinked, they would not have seen this scene. ¡°Oof!¡± Song Yu¡¯s was on guard, the aura surrounding him becoming colder and ruthless. His breathing lessened as his heartbeat slowed down extremely slow. A habit that all people in the apocalypse adopted. Intuition told him that he wasn¡¯t in danger, but instinct denied that voice. He was at a stalemate, just staring at a young man clutching his wrist in pain. Song Yu snapped out of this impasse and withdrew the spatial blade. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Are you okay? Did I break your wrist?¡± Song Yu knelt down and looked at the young hairdresser in distress. The hairdresser shivered as the pain from his wrist traveled up and down his arm. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry for surprising you.¡± Song Yu just flurried around him whilst the people in the salon stared passively. Chapter 3-Celebration! (2) Chapter 3¡ªCelebration! (2) ¡°We are so sorry, dear customer if we startled you!¡± Song Yu just waved his hands in front of his body. ¡°N-no! I¡¯m sorry. I just don¡¯t like people touching me so suddenly. It¡¯s okay.¡± The manager and hairdresser sighed in relief. This salon had a very high fan base with customers ranging from celebrities to business tycoons. If they upset someone, then there would be hell to pay. ¡°As an apology, we will give you a private suite.¡± Song Yu just shook his head in shame. ¡°I just want to be in and out. Please. It was my fault in the beginning.¡± The manager and hairdresser tried to negotiate some more, but Song Yu just declined. Eventually, he was seated next to a male idol looking through a magazine. Song Yu curiously looked at the magazine and couldn¡¯t help but frown. The idol on the cover¡­looked very familiar. ¡°Dear customer, what would you like your hair to be?¡± A female hairdresser arrived and respectively assembled the needed items. ¡°Uhh¡­I don¡¯t really know. What would be best for me?¡± Song Yu turned to look at the hairdresser, his bright black eyes staring innocently at her. The hairdresser had seen many handsome and beautiful people coming in and out, but none of them had the innocent charm of this kid. She smiled and took out several magazines, showcasing some styles. Song Yu had never styled his hair before, so was confused at so many styles. Wasn¡¯t there just a bowl cut? ¡°Sister, whatever you think is best, is what we should do.¡± The hairdresser smiled even wider at this use of sister. ¡°Then customer lets wash your hair. Do I have your permission to touch your hair?¡± Realizing that she must have heard about the commotion, Song Yu blushed before nodding his head. The hairdresser was very gentle, and although Song Yu gave her permission, he was still uncomfortable with other people touching him. Soon, the hair was washed and lightly dried with a towel before the woman took out silver hair shears. ¡°You have a slightly rounded face shape, big bright eyes and a defined chin. What we can do is part your hair 4/6, cut your bangs lightly and shorten the back. It gives a more youthful but cleaner feel. How¡¯s that?¡± Song Yu did not understand any of that but nodded obediently. The idol next to him who had foils in his hair, smiled in his magazine with amusement. The hairdresser went to work, cutting his shaggy hair. With quick and precise movements, she spent over an hour styling his hair, showing him the products she used and adding additional cuts here and there. Song Yu watched as she magically changed his hair. By the end, he was smiling widely. The hairdresser was also awestruck. Before, he was indeed handsome, but with the new hairstyle he was¡­even more handsome! ¡°Dear customer, are you a new model? Have I seen you in any magazines?¡± Song Yu felt flattered, but unconsciously knew that she probably said this to all of her customers. ¡°No. Just a normal person.¡± The hairdresser nodded but couldn¡¯t help but fluff his soft hair. ¡°Can I take a picture of you? It¡¯s to advertise the salon. Do you mind?¡± Song Yu hesitated before nodding in ascent. The hairdresser smiled happily, and took several pictures of him, focusing on many angles of his haircut and style. By the time he left, the sky had darkened. He looked around and debate whether he should go home or not. But¡­it was celebration time! He had to do something! Song Yu thought deeply on what he wanted to do. His youth was unexpectedly short lived. He didn¡¯t go to any university parties, didn¡¯t drink to excess, nor have a romantic relationship. Yes¡­that might have been one regret he always carried. Song Yu¡­was a virgin. In the past life, he was too busy to woo anyone. And it wasn¡¯t until it was in his thirties that he realized that he didn¡¯t like woman. He was a 45 year old gay virgin. Sure, there were an abundance of people who wanted to get into his pants, but he never connected with someone on a personal level. There may have been some times where he glanced at someone and thought they were attractive, but his introverted personality prevented him from making the first move. Being reborn might have given him a chance to redo this regret! Song Yu decided! Let¡¯s go to a bar! Checking if he had enough cash, Song Yu went to a nice menswear shop and got the saleswoman to choose a nice night outfit. The saleswoman blushed as Song Yu perused himself in front of the mirror. Tapered black slacks, a white t-shirt and a black oversized button down embroidered with black silk vines. It showed off his slim waist, long neck. The black contrast to his white skin made it even whiter. It really did suit him. Song Yu paid for the clothes and went to a nearby park to check which bars had to most handsome male traction! His jittery heart was aflutter with excitement. This is the first time in his 45 years that he would try to find someone to have a one night stand with! He would indulge in this small fantasy of his before the apocalypse, and then¡­live the rest of his life. That small piece of connection was all that he needed. After that, he would go in isolation and most likely never see people again. He could trust someone with his body, but not his heart. Scrolling through the clubs, he filtered out the gay bars, mostly due to their bad reputations in the area, opting for finding a chap ready to ¡®experiment¡¯ with homosexuality. That way, he wouldn¡¯t feel guilty sleeping with him once and not hearing from him again. Song Yu took a taxi and got off at a reputable club. There was already a line outside waiting patiently. The bouncers were very cautious on who could go in. Song Yu was eye-catching in his outfit and easily got in with his handsome appearance and gentle attitude. Song Yu entered the darkened club and cautiously watched around. The club was only lit by vibrating neon lights that gave the illusion of movement. Private tables and sofa¡¯s for the premium members and smaller tables for the parties that came before him. Song Yu was out of his element, but he pushed down the feeling of uncomfortableness. In one of the private booths, Wang Cheng was pouring a copious amount of alcohol into five glasses. ¡°Here to us finally getting together for a reunion! If it wasn¡¯t for someone, we wouldn¡¯t have to have waited five years.¡± Lu Jingxiu, Xiao Zi, and Yu Ci all laughed as they cheered, bopping glasses together. The man in question who had just arrived back in A City silently took a sip before retorting back. ¡°Sorry if my business took five years. If it wasn¡¯t for someone who didn¡¯t get that Company Y contract.¡± ¡°Oohh, he got you there,¡± Wang Cheng huffed in indignation. ¡°Lan Zhou! Just because we are partners, doesn¡¯t mean you have right to verbally abuse your employees!¡± Lan Zhou just continued to sip and raise his eyebrows. Wang Cheng leaned on Xiao Zi and complained about the 5 years in hell. The five of them had been classmates in high school and university. After graduating, Lan Zhou and Wang Cheng decided to do a startup company. In the last five years, they made splashes abroad. Now coming back to build an office in A City, this reunion was pre-emptive but also welcomed. ¡°I really did miss you guys. Five years really go by fast. I swear, if I have to hear my dad reprimand me one more time about how to the company should work, I would have run away!¡± Lu Jingxiu complained. Their conversations became even more animated as the talked about what conspired in these five years. Lan Zhou was the one talked the least, but was the de-facto leader of this unruly bunch. He laughed at their antics before glancing around the club. He really did miss this place. This club wasn¡¯t always this popular. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even a club and just a small bar with really good alcoholic beverages. It was their college hangout. Lan Zhou took in the atmosphere and lifted the corner of his mouth slightly. He never expected to come back to this city. When his parents threw him out for being gay, dis-inherited him completely, and mayhap even broke off all familial ties, he vowed that he could make it on his own. With the small start-up funds contributed by Wang Cheng, they took a plane 5 years ago and built a small empire overseas. With the news of his return, he immediately got a call from his father the moment his plane landed. As if the last 5 years didn¡¯t exist. Such irony. He didn¡¯t want his mood to be ruined by his dad, so Lan Zhou took a larger sip of his wine, his eyes peering over the glass. It immediately set its sights on something in the distance. His drinking stopped. Next to the bar, he spied a tall young man sitting elegantly at the bar, sipping on an alcoholic beverage. He observed the persons profile, looking down from his perfectly styled hair, to the tip of his shoes. He seemed to be out of sorts with the rest of the atmosphere of the club. The young man was observing the dance floor and seemed pensive. Suddenly, the young man¡¯s head turned. In the neon light, the man¡¯s beauty was apparent. Big black eyes, handsome features and perfectly formed lips. A small mole on the crook of his neck exposed by the t-shirt, and messy curled hair framing his face. He was¡­incredibly beautiful. Song Yu felt a gaze on him, and unconsciously looked in that direction, making eyes with another. He was sitting at a private booth, his hand nursing a wine glass. He looked to be a few years older than him, his hair styled back to show his strong forehead. His eyes were deep and penetrating. Even though they were separated by a dance floor, he could feel the raw masculine authority this man had. Song Yu¡¯s heart thumped erratically as they continued to stare at each other. He was really his type! That gaze, that body, that face. 10! 10! 10! What Song Yu didn¡¯t realize was that underneath that perfect fa?ade, Lan Zhou had averted his eyes and calmly sipped his wine, and tapped his foot lightly to the beat of the music. To strangers, these actions wouldn¡¯t be unusual, but to the group of five, they immediately looked around like vultures trying to find the unsuspecting prey that their dear friend spied on. ¡°Jesus Christ! Lan Zhou¡¯s in love!¡± Lan Zhou blushed and coughed before calming down. ¡°Shut up!¡± Chapter 4-Meeting you Chapter 4¡ªMeeting you by Bocchan13 Song Yu could not hide his deep blush as his gaze broke from the strangers. He was¡­so damn good-looking! He brushed his newly styled hair and contemplated what he should do next. The club was now getting into the frenzy of drunken fervor as the techno music elevated in speed. The dancing of sweating bodies moved to the exotic beat. Song Yu really REALLY wanted to go over to the man in the booth and introduce himself, but like every aspect of his introverted life, his reasoning took over. He¡¯s probably not into men, so I shouldn¡¯t bother. And even if he was, there were so many pretty people here. Like that silver-haired guy over there or that one with the peach blossom eyes. Or maybe, he came to club just to hang out with friends, and didn¡¯t want to sleep around. Maybe he has a girlfriend. The mantra continued as Song Yu swiveled the chair to face the bar once again, his wine glass filled without a word. Song Yu took a small sip and sighed heavily. He was supposed to be courageous, but the 45 year old virgin who was betrayed by his friends still remained. That sense that he wasn¡¯t worthy of anything, and the mentality that went with that. Song Yu gulped down the wine glass and lightly tapped it to the bartender. The bartender was also quite handsome, with light brown eyes, which usually weren¡¯t common in this country. When he smiled, his dimples showed, and his teeth looked extremely white in the techno lights. Song Yu stared at the bartender, and felt a sense of de ja vu. This bartender¡­.wasn¡¯t he the ice ability user in B Base? Wu Ding smiled at this slight thing, his bright eyes looking appreciatively at him. This person came in only thirty minutes ago and guzzled some of the finest wine in the bar. He looked very cute. Wu Ding usually didn¡¯t hit on customers, but he was indeed very attracted to the young man sitting in front of him. ¡°Another glass?¡± Song Yu hiccupped in amazement as he recalled this man. In the previous life, the bartender was a guard in B base that had some authority over the building zones. He helped him and the other experimental subjects escape. Song Yu didn¡¯t know what happened to the man afterwards, other than he was found out and captured. Song Yu never even got to say thank you. Song Yu smiled brightly at Wu Ding causing the arrow of love to pierce Wu Ding fiercely! A smile lit up his face as he leaned forward some more to talk to the person, but looked behind Song Yu to the glaring Lan Zhou. Wu Ding had been a bartender at this place for over 3 years, so he didn¡¯t know that Lan Zhou was a regular. But he also didn¡¯t want one-on one confrontation with someone of high status. After all, he was just a bartender. He sighed in sadness. The little bird he found already had an owner. Song Yu felt an intense pressure from behind him; his body grew stiff as it once again got into fight mode. He tried to calm himself down, but it was as if a fog blurred his vision, his soul detached from his body, and he could only ¡®see¡¯ as his hands curled up and almost visible aura condensing into thick blade. Song Yu tried his best, the blade blurring until the aura dissipated. It only took three seconds, but to him it was a lifetime. The person standing behind him slowly approached until he sat on the chair next to him. Song Yu peeked to see who the person with such intense aura was, and paused. I-I-Isn¡¯t this the male god from across the club?? Song Yu wanted to smack himself. He almost killed the guy he fancied! As a face-con, Song Yu was deeply ashamed of himself! What if he hurt that beautiful face! The man was nursing a wine glass like himself, his deep gaze looking at him with cold calculation. What they didn¡¯t know was that the entourage watching on saw Lan Zhou tapping his foot in obvious happiness! Wang Cheng took out a few thousand dollars putting it in the center of the table. ¡°I bet that Old Lan will finally get rid of his cherry tonight!¡± Yu Ci rolled his eyes, but his hands went into his pockets and took out some bills as well. ¡°Then I declare that like in high school, he¡¯s gonna choke and accidentally insult him. Don¡¯t you remember junior year? Lan Zhou has zero game!¡± Xiao Zi was more observant of body language, and could tell that before the young man saw Lan Zhou, he was aware of him. He narrowed his eyes to the man¡¯s posture and ejected. ¡°I think this guy really likes Old Lan. I bet with Wang Cheng, they might have a spring night.¡± The last of the bunch, Lu Jingxiu was still very skeptical. The entire group knew that Lan Zhou loved very fiercely. In high school, he had fallen in love with a senior but kept that love for 4 years without telling him, but showing it through disastrous means. Eventually, when he confessed, the senior laughed at him and said he would never fall in love with such a bully. This left an indelible scar in Lan Zhou¡¯s heart. In college, he dated here and there, but was always dumped because he showed affection in such ridiculous ways. It made the entire group sad to see him like this. It didn¡¯t matter that Lan Zhou was gay, heck, if even a donkey reciprocated Lan Zhou¡¯s feelings, they would be bowing down in thanks. They just wanted Lan Zhou to be happy. Lan Zhou had a lot of IQ, but his EQ meter was definitely broken. Lu Jingxiu propped his glasses on his nose and sighed in contemplation. ¡°Hmmm¡­I think¡­tonight might be the night. This is the happiest I¡¯ve seen him since back then.¡± The pot of money was enough to buy an apartment, but the boys didn¡¯t care one bit as the love life of their friend was at stake! They watched avidly as Lan Zhou saddled up next to the love interest. Song Yu stared at this very handsome man, his cheeks already blushing from the wine. He coughed lightly, but smiled; his eyes curving into crescents. His objective was to find a one-night stand, and ultimately, the handsomest man was sitting right next to him! They stared at each other, both silent and awkward. Xiao Zi and the gang were still observing and egging him on. ¡°Get him! What is he doing, just staring! Gosh!¡± ¡°You see, he¡¯s gonna choke.¡± ¡°Shut up! At least he came over to him first!¡± Lan Zhou broke the stare and swiveled the chair to face the bar, his hands slightly trembling on the wine glass. Up close, this person was even more beautiful! So good-looking! He cleared his throat lightly, those magazines he read religiously about trying to approach a love interest came back to him. Judging by the blush and starry-stare, it was appropriate to say that he was interested in him. Lan Zhou internally nodded. He peeped at the other man, and saw him swipe his hair back. This movement caused his neck to be more exposed, showing that lovely mole on his clavicle. His translucent skin was a sight for sore eyes. Lan Zhou controlled himself, but a blush had tipped his ears. ¡°You drink a lot. It¡¯s way too much for one person. Stop drinking.¡± Lan Zhou cursed himself. Song Yu on the other hand, only heard the deep baritone note of this man¡¯s voice. It almost made him shudder. Not only was he handsome, he had such a nice voice! Song Yu turned to see the man and smiled widely. ¡°Okay.¡± Song Yu moved the wine glass, nudging it until it reached opposite him. After this was done, Song Yu turned the chair and smiled wider. ¡°You have a very beautiful voice.¡± The brain in Lan Zhou crashed. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute. He¡¯s too cute! Lan Zhou awkwardly gazed away, the blush creeping on his neck. ¡°You too.¡± With that response, Song Yu could not contain his happiness. This male god is so handsome! ¡°My name is Song Yu; this is my first time here. What¡¯s your name?¡± The man opposite him quickly and concisely took out his business card and formally gave it to him, both hands outstretched. Song Yu happily grabbed it, feeling the expensive paper and the embossed lettering. ¡°Lan Zhou, CEO of Lan Corporation. Nice to meet you.¡± Song Yu saw that Lan Zhou stretched out his hand for a shake. He blushed as their hands connected. Big hands cupped slightly smaller ones, but the contact sizzled their skin. ¡°Nice to meet you too Lan Zhou,¡± Chapter 5-Passion Chapter 5¡ªPassion by Bocchan13 Both of them were face-cons, so it didn¡¯t take long for them to grow attached to each other. Most of the conversation was on Song Yu¡¯s side, with blunt inserts here and there from Lan Zhou. The more they conversed, the more they realized how much they had in common. Lan Zhou¡¯s company was in pharmaceuticals and bio-chemistry, whereas Song Yu was studying agriculture and horticulture. In the name of science, they had a coherent conversation about their respective fields without having to explain the deep processes that went with it. Song Yu was especially happy, because whenever he started talking about plants, it usually put people to sleep, but Lan Zhou was eager to understand his perspective in agriculture and farming, even going so far as to show a video about the various advantages of bio-degradable fertilizer. Song Yu glanced at Lan Zhou, whose cold gaze looked lovingly at the video. Song Yu smiled alongside him, as they watched the beta testing for the fertilizer. ¡°My friends are from various fields. One is Xiao Zi, who is currently working for the biggest pharmaceutical company in this city. He deals more with pathogens and disease, but I¡¯ve recruited him to my company for his innate sense of bio-chemicals. He is a true genius. Song Yu heard pathogens and disease, and couldn¡¯t help but pause. The world would soon be plundered into chaos through an airborne virus. If he warned beforehand¡­maybe there would be a cure. Song Yu did recall that someone from the north was developing a vaccine. Not a cure, but a vaccine that could potentially enable humans to be immune to zombie bites and water contamination. Even after 20 years, they were still in developmental stages. Song Yu¡¯s thoughts trailed off, his gaze looking far into the past life. Lan Zhou watched curiously at this young man. Before, he only approached because the man was extremely good-looking, but after talking with him about his field of work, he had this sudden urge to convince him to come to his company. Although his company didn¡¯t deal with agriculture, the study behind farming, fertilizer, and pesticides were in line with Lan Corporations future. ¡°When you graduate, I hope that the first company you apply to is mine.¡± His mental thoughts were carried through his lips, and his thoughtful tone made it seem so coquettish. A blush once again resurfaced. Song Yu glanced at his male god and couldn¡¯t help but smile sadly. He never graduated, because the world ended before he could. But that thoughtful tone and perusing stare condemned him to reply as honestly as he could. ¡°When I graduate, I definitely will.¡± That small promise, oh how he wished that would come true. His own soft tone made Lan Zhou¡¯s inside scramble happily, but his cool fa?ade continued with just a slight nod. The air suddenly surged with an intimate aura. Song Yu had not realized that they were leaning into each other, so close. He was now vastly aware of how close Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth was to his ear. The soft wind carried from his exhales, to tickle his ears like a melodic symphony. Song Yu gulped down saliva, as the man¡¯s aura intensified. Unlike before, when he was on alert, this aura surrounded him in safe comfort, like an impenetrable iron wall. Song Yu looked down at Lan Zhou¡¯s lips that had a perfect shape set in a constant neutral frown. He didn¡¯t know if it was the atmosphere, or the music, or even the lights¡­but Song Yu felt the stirrings of desire enter his system fully. His breath halted as his eyes trailed Lan Zhou¡¯s face. A hairs breadth away. Cold lips touched his. Song Yu waited for that burst of passion like in those cnovels he read, but there was nothing. Don¡¯t tell me that I don¡¯t feel desire for this man?? Lan Zhou also felt that the joining of lips were not up to standard. This was both of their first kiss, so they just stuck their lips together like fish. On the other side of the club, Wang Cheng was laughing uproariously. ¡°Did you see that? Hahahahah! He just slapped his face with his own! Hoohohohoho¡± Xiao Zi slapped Wang Cheng¡¯s head. ¡°Stop it! Can¡¯t you see that it¡¯s his first time? Didn¡¯t your girlfriend in middle school break up with you because you slobbered?¡± Wang Cheng continued his laughter, as well as Lu Jingxiu. His chuckling wasn¡¯t as big, but the humor in the situation was indeed laughable. ¡°Ugh, poor boy. To be targeted by Old Lan, only to be met with disappointment. Tch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Old Lan, what he lacks in experience, he makes up for it with diligent experimentation." That was indeed the case. Lan Zhou realized his mistake. Instead of just joining lips, he gently cupped the back of Song Yu¡¯s head and tilted his head, applying more pressure. The feeling was there. It just needed coaxing. The soft velvet lips under him slightly parted. The heat from his breath caused Lan Zhou to grip tighter, as both mouths opened. Hot breath mixed together and that feeling suddenly burst forth. Like fireworks sprouting through their minds, their lips entangled. Song Yu felt that desire from before spurn forth as the kiss continued. As soon as he got used to this feeling, something even warmer slowly passed the barrier of his mouth. A gentle tongue slowly invaded. Song Yu moaned in surprise, as the tongue touched his, acrobatting to and fro. The sensation caused Song Yu¡¯s knees to weaken and his breath to shorten. His first kiss almost killed him. ¡°Breathe.¡± Song Yu couldn¡¯t understand and continued his breathless pants. Zhou Lan ended the kiss, pecking his closed lips once more. A small stream of saliva had escaped Song Yu¡¯s mouth at the corner, and the breathlessness made his face red and eyes pool with unshed tears. Lan Zhou watched this spectacle and his eyes darkened in deep unrestrained desire. His blunt attitude was always a hindrance to him, but at this point in time, it was his saving grace. ¡°Yes or no? Do you want to leave with me? You can only pick one.¡± Song Yu stared at Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes, its coldness entirely gone replaced with unconcealed possessive desire. He shuddered as his gaze traveled down to the giant tent in Lan Zhou¡¯s pants. What¡¯s the point of living if it was for in the now? This moment, for 45 years he was waiting. And he wasn¡¯t going to mess it up. His breathing had settled down somewhat, so all he could muster from his broken lips was, ¡°Yes.¡± In that single second, everything was quiet. Lan Zhou immediately took his hand, threw a bunch of bills at the bartender, as dragged him to the exit. Song Yu was tall at 180cm, but Lan Zhou was taller. His big strides were almost two of his, as they power walked. Song Yu could feel the gazes of the party-goers, some with envy and some with knowing glances. Song Yu lowered his head as the blush that was ever so present, further deepened. His hands were gently clasped in Lan Zhou¡¯s, and although he was almost being dragged, the nervousness and self-doubt disappeared only to be replaced by excitement and¡­expectation. The outside was cold, so Lan Zhou helped Song Yu into his jacket. Puffs of air escaped their lips as Lan Zhou continued to lead Song Yu to the hotel across the street. It was a high class five star hotel. Its brightly lit foyer and impeccably dressed staff awaited his arrival like he had made an appointment. Bypassing them, Lan Zhou¡¯s hands clung even tighter, as if afraid Song Yu was going to leave. Song Yu also clasped tighter, his white knuckles exposing how much he was willing. Lan Zhou¡¯s heart pitter-pattered in such euphoric happiness. He had many crushes in his life¡­but this one moment was something else entirely. When he heard that yes, it wasn¡¯t just for tonight. But maybe¡­even more. Lan Zhou brought Song Yu into the elevator, and as the doors closed, he pushed Song Yu to the corner, his blazing eyes full of intense passion. Song Yu also felt that need for connection, as his arms circled around Lan Zhou¡¯s neck. Their faces approached frantically, as another kiss was sought. The feeling of blooming fireworks once again resurfaced with a vengeance, as loud panting sounds emanated from their pre-occupied lips. This urgency for contact was unlike anything the both of them had experienced. They ravaged each other¡¯s lips, not caring if anyone saw. The elevator doors dinged, ending their kiss. Lan Zhou was even in a more urgent state as they almost ran to the room. Song Yu didn¡¯t even have time to look around the suite before he was backed against the wall and his lips were once again roughly taken. ¡°You taste so good.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s deep baritone voice penetrated his mind, causing Song Yu to moan in pleasure. Hands roamed, touching and pressing. Song Yu shuddered when the curve of his back was gently caressed. Lan Zhou had read from somewhere that everyone had erogenous zones. Song Yu¡¯s was the back. Lan Zhou tried to remember everything that went into lovemaking, but the constant passionate gaze in his vision impeded his rationality. He just went by feel. Softly nibbling on Song Yu¡¯s mouth, he traveled his kisses to the neck, which undoing Song Yu¡¯s shirt buttons. Seeing the exposed flesh, he lightly bit the skin. Song Yu felt the teeth on his skin, and the memory of the zombie¡¯s mouth eating his flesh engulfed him. His body automatically shrunk in fear. ¡°S-stop!¡± Lan Zhou felt the trembling and fear in the body in his embrace, so he stopped immediately, looking up to gaze at Song Yu. Song Yu expected him to look in irritation or at least on wonderment, but Lan Zhou gazed at him with worry. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t want me to do.¡± Lan Zhou gently held Song Yu¡¯s hand. As his taut body went from fear to slow relaxation, Song Yu softly nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t bite me.¡± His small voice sounded so broken and sad, it made Lan Zhou¡¯s heart ache. He gently picked Song Yu up and walked into the bedroom. The brilliant King size bed was ready-made for lovemaking. The sheets were pressed, and rose petals dotted the floor. Song Yu, held in a princess carry, leaned into Lan Zhou¡¯s body, his head resting on his neck. ¡°We can stop if you want.¡± Song Yu heard the concerning tone, and felt bad. They were in a passionate state just a few moments ago, but now that passion has cooled down. ¡°No.¡± Song Yu got this one chance! If he didn¡¯t do it now with male god, he probably would never do it for the rest of his life! Song Yu heard a laugh from above, so he glanced up to see that Lan Zhou didn¡¯t look angry. Instead, he looked quite happy. Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu¡¯s forehead as he gently placed him on the bed. ¡°I was afraid I scared you. But it feels like you really like me.¡± ¡°Mn. I do.¡± Chapter 6-One night stand Chapter 6¡ªOne night stand That statement was entirely true. Song Yu did like Lan Zhou. So much so, in fact that he didn¡¯t want to part. The upsetting thing is¡­he could have the potential to fall in love with Lan Zhou. And that scared him even more than intimacy. The stone in Song Yu¡¯s heart left by the betrayal of his comrades and family enabled him to distance himself. He would rather have this one moment of pure happiness than the chance this man would one day betray him. And the betrayal of a loved one is even more heart-breaking than the betrayal of a friend. So this night¡­ was his celebration night. The night where he would indulge in this fantasy that the world wasn¡¯t ending soon. He could envision a nice future with this man, graduate and work at his company. Fall in love normally, live in a small villa and grow old together. But that was a pipe dream. Not even a dream, it didn¡¯t exist. The future would be unkind, hopeless, and rotten. The world would be sunken into madness where the strong preyed on the weak, and the weak preyed on the even weaker. Song Yu didn¡¯t want to witness that sight again. Even with Lan Zhou. A small tear trickled down his face, but his gaze was firm and strong. He looked at Lan Zhou, this perfect specimen of a man and did the thing he wanted to do. He wanted to make love. Lan Zhou was just about to coerce Song Yu into just sleeping for the night, when a body slammed into his embrace, and lips collided with his own. Lan Zhou was surprised, his gentle hands wrapping around Song Yu¡¯s waist in an attempt to stop him. ¡°Song Yu, we don¡¯t have to do this tonight. We can take our time.¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Yu¡¯s lips trailed down Lan Zhou¡¯s neck as he ripped open his shirt. Buttons popped everywhere as the large expanse chest was revealed to Song Yu¡¯s passionate eyes. Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes widened at the fierce little kitten, exposing its claws. Not to be outdone, Lan Zhou took Song Yu¡¯s hand and let him touch him. Song Yu shuddered at the heat of the male body, and couldn¡¯t help but lean in closer, kissing trails all over his skin. Lan Zhou lifted Song Yu¡¯s head, peering straight into his eyes, his concern palpable. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Song Yu looked deep into those beautiful eyes. Eyes that said many things. Concern, passion¡­even love. It was the gaze of a man who has found the one thing he was searching for his whole life. And all Song Yu could give him was tonight. He leaned in, his kiss a sacred binding. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­ Song Yu woke up groggily, the pain centered in the lower region of his body. He winced as he felt the skin there was tender. Their lovemaking started off with an awkward struggle at first, but Lan Zhou was a quick learner, and soon, he had Song Yu shouting in ecstasy. They did two rounds before napping, only for Lan Zhou to wake up with Song Yu astride him, urging his member into his hole. They did another two rounds before going into exhaustive sleep. Song Yu was a light sleeper, so when the sun peaked in the morning, he woke up. He never expected love making to be so¡­intense. At first, it hurt so much. Lan Zhou did his best prepping him, using lube, but overall his member was sizeable. Afterwards, the pleasure just kept pouring in. So much so that Song Yu became shameless and even begged him for another round. That feeling of climax, and the over-pouring of love and care with each thrust. Kyaaa! He blushed so hard! Song Yu¡¯s body had been cleaned at some point, so he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort. He turned his body to see the large one beside him, still stuck in deep slumber. Song Yu¡¯s eyes lowered in deep contemplation and stark sadness. Lan Zhou abided by his words and didn¡¯t bite him. Instead, he rained kisses. Song Yu¡¯s throat closed up with emotion. He gently brushed Lan Zhou¡¯s hair away from his face, his eyes watching the even breaths. He really¡­wanted to stay. Song Yu got up and dressed, wincing with pain. His clothes from last night laid crumpled on the ground, but he didn¡¯t mind. He dressed quickly and silently, using the breathing technique to become even quieter. Once he was done, he erased all evidences that he was there. Finally, Song Yu kneeled down to be face to face with Lan Zhou. That niggling feeling of desolation was once again upon him. Celebration night was over. It was now time for the dream to end. He leaned in and gently kissed Lan Zhou¡¯s soft lips. That last lingering feeling of love and cherishment. One last goodbye. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡­ Song Yu didn¡¯t have time to go over his emotions before hearing his phone ring. Looking down at the device, he saw the familiar number flashing. A cold douse of disgust entered his vision. Song Yu controlled his breathing before clicking the accept button. ¡°What do you want?¡± On the other side of the phone was Song Wen, his father. ¡°You impertinent twit! Get back home this instant! You have some explaining to do!¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t listen to anymore before clicking the end button. On the other side, Song Wen was seething. Glaring at the pictures of Song Yu at the club with another man, he wanted to curse at him! He was seen leaving the club in a compromising position no less! He had to deal with this retarded brat sooner or later. Song Yu had always been meek and listened to him wholeheartedly. He wasn¡¯t bright and didn¡¯t have a single second generation young master bone in his body. Unlike his other son who excelled at all aspects of education and was even younger than Song Yu! The humiliation was palpable. Song Wen went outside his office and scolded his wife, to upheave his anger before settling down in the living room. Shen Ah Ying was Song Yu¡¯s mother and also meek-minded. Her husband controlled every aspect of her life, whether it was her clothes, jewelry and even makeup brands. She did not know of any other lifestyle than submission. Hearing that her son was found in the embrace of another man sent her into hysterics. The shame of having a son such as this! She cried bitterly into her hands. ¡°Mom?¡± Up the stairs was Song Qing. She was a slender thing with big innocent eyes and a cute adorable smile. She exuded both grace and gentleness. At the age of 18, she was the epitome of perfection. At least on the surface. Behind closed doors, Song Qing liked to bully other girls, smoke, and engage in sexual rancor. She hid it very well, and the people she engaged with were beneath her, just as she liked it. No one would have the power to stop her, and if they tried, she would use her family¡¯s position to annihilate them. ¡°Ah Qing! Song Yu¡­Song Yu! Oh! He¡¯s done such horrible things!¡± ¡°Mom, Shhh¡­.it¡¯s all right. What did big brother do?¡± ¡°He engaged in homosexuality!¡± Song Qing quirked a brow, but otherwise kept her cool, gleefully laughing on the inside. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay. Did dad call him? Is he coming?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already here.¡± Three heads turned to the open living room door. It had been 3 months since they last saw Song Yu. He was always pale and lanky with long hair covering his eyes. Even in the pictures sent to Song Wen, although the face was discernable, everything else was burry. Song Yu walked elegantly into the room (despite the pain from his chrysanthemum) and casually glanced at his loving ¡®family¡¯. He hadn¡¯t seen these faces in 20 years. After his escape, he barred them from Paradise Base and watched from the towers as they cried bitterly at the gate. The next day they were gone, like poofs of smoke, either eaten by zombies or killed by hungry cannibals. There was no satisfaction in their deaths, just a deep bottomless cesspool of hate, sadness, and grief. Grief because he could no longer call anyone family ever again. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± Song Wen narrowed his eyes at his son. Was this really his son? This confident man with a cold glare, as if looking at trash? He sneered. A leopard cannot change its spots, and this show of him being confident is just that, a show. He picked up the pictures off the table and slapped it against the corner, causing the tens of pictures to flutter in the air. Song Yu¡¯s kinetic vision picked up the scene of him and Lan Zhou. He smiled as he casually picked one up. It was the scene where they were both watching the video on Lan Zhou¡¯s phone. Both of their postures close together looked lovely and intimate. Song Yu liked it a lot. He casually placed the photo in his breast pocket. ¡°Just for this? Do you have proof that I did anything?¡± ¡°Proof? You mean the entire club did not witness you kissing another man and leaving with him? Hah! You think I don¡¯t know where you slept at last night. You have humiliated this family!¡± It was time for Song Yu to sneer. ¡°This just disown me and we can all go our merry way.¡± Chapter 7-The Deal Chapter 7¡ªThe deal by Bocchan13 Song Wen blubbered at Song Yu¡¯s words. Shen Ah Ying was horrified at her son¡¯s tone and overall disrespect of his father. ¡°Song Yu! You ungrateful brat! What do you mean disown? Of course we would never do that!¡± Song Yu rolled his eyes, but his gaze unintentionally landed on his little sister. The world of zombies was not kind to girls like Song Qing. Either dragged by scouting groups as a prostitute, raped and sold in the black markets, or consolidated in the hospital wards as baby-making machines. Life as a women was indeed difficult. In the first three months, he did absolutely everything he could do to protect her. She yelled and cried when he cut her hair, but after witnessing other women in the group go down that path, she quieted down. Maybe it was this that led her to lead him straight into the jaws of the scientists, who knows. But out of all of them, she was the most likely to snitch. Song Qing felt the hostility from her brother. She never really liked him; he was always a gloomy person who could only speak in whispers. But since he was born a boy, he would inherit the entirety of the Song conglomerate. That was what infuriated her to no end. She did her best in her studies, got excellent grades and even participated in an internship at a large company. But overall, she was still a girl, and her father did not want her to take over. That infuriated her to no end. But she still had to put on the faux mask, so that maybe one day, Song Yu would destroy himself. And today was that day. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± Song Yu lifted his palm up. ¡°Save your crocodile tears for those who believe you. Dad,¡± Song Yu looked at Song Wen. ¡°We need to talk privately.¡± Song Qing¡¯s worried look flickered as her mask fell off slightly, but she quickly put her hands to her heart and leaned on her mother. ¡°Song Yu, what is the meaning of such violent words? Did you learn this from your friends? I knew that going to 3rd rate university was a bad idea!¡± Song Yu ignored his mother, his gaze still on Song Wen. He slowly mouthed a few words, and Song Wen¡¯s eyes widened. Bastard son Chen Song Wen glared at Song Yu before beckoning him to the office. Song Yu followed without a word, and closed the door in case Song Qing decided to snoop. Pressing the record button on his phone, he nonchalantly looked around the study. The Song family was a traditional rich merchant family that received favor by one of the emperors for importing the empress¡¯s favorite fruit. After that, they taxed travel roads they built and trade routes, buying and selling anything. Over the course of a hundred years, the Song family became famous. Now, the Song family is stabilized as part of the political party dealing in construction, roadways, and the overall infrastructure of this city. They were one of the most influential families. Sadly, after the apocalypse, their political ties were severely broken. ¡°Tell me, what do you know?¡± Song Yu smirked as he sat down, being mindful of his sore bottom. ¡°I know that you have an illegitimate son with your mistress. He¡¯s around¡­15 years old? He even has your surname, Song Chen. I know that he studies in a prestigious school in C city and you meet him all of the time on your ¡®work trips¡¯. He loves soccer and calligraphy, has a keen sense of business and wants to grow up to be just like daddy.¡± Song Yu spoke derisively. ¡°H-how do you know? Who told you?¡± ¡°Did anyone have to tell me? I¡¯ve known for a long time.¡± ¡°What do you want? The Song Corporation? You¡¯re already the eldest son, it was going to you anyways.¡± ¡°Hahaha, do you really think I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been grooming Song Chen to be the next heir? You don¡¯t give a shit about me. You would actually want me to disappear sooner rather than later.¡± Song Yu leaned back on the chair, his nonchalant tone sounding passive. ¡°I¡¯m here to make a deal with you.¡± Song Wen gritted his teeth. This white-eyed wolf dare to talk deals? But the blackmail was there. Song Wen could only hear him out. ¡°The villa in A country. I want it, as well as 5 million dollars.¡± Song Yu smiled brightly, his eyes looking a little mad. ¡°For the price of me disappearing and disowning me, this much is the least you can do. No negotiations.¡± Song Wen didn¡¯t know what Song Yu needed the villa for. It was in the middle of nowhere. It used to be their ancestral homeland, before migrating to this city. The villa used to be their summer house, with a large acreage and forest. Built right in the middle of the trees, it was secluded and miles away from civilization. And the 5 million dollars was a pittance. Song Wen thought his son was extremely cheap. He sneered and called his lawyer. The lawyer came in less than 30 minutes with the contract. After this, they will no longer be family. Song Yu will have no inheritance rights and cannot contact any member (including Song Chen) in the foreseeable future. In exchange, the land deed to the summer villa in A country alongside 5 million dollars will be given to Song Yu as well as any property Song Yu owns officially or under his name. Song Yu smirked at this. A shake, a fingerprint seal, and a copy made, all within 30 minutes of the lawyer arriving. ¡°That settles everything. From now on, I¡¯m no longer your son.¡± Song Wen was elated at this and couldn¡¯t help but disdain this idiot son. ¡°I hope I never see you again.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Song Yu left the office and peered at Song Qing. She looked exuberant and slightly arrogant. She must have been listening, or hid a bug in the study. ¡°Song Qing, the only thing I can say to you is¡­cut your hair.¡± Song Qing blinked in confusion, but Song Yu didn¡¯t care as he went upstairs to see what he could bring to his apartment. Since he wasn¡¯t home for 3 months, the room was awash with dust. He coughed lightly and just stood in the center of the room. Albeit it was a prison-like place¡­he would miss it. He picked up various books on agriculture, a toy given by the caretaker and some clothing. It all fit into a small duffle bag. A knock sounded at the door and his mother came in. Her eyes looked dead and her lips looked pale, but overall, she looked to be fine. ¡°Song Yu, is it true that you¡¯ve been disowned?¡± He nodded. Before he could blink, he was slapped hard across the face. He was used to pain, but the hatred in that slap made it even more painful. Like he said. The strong preyed on the weak, and the weak preyed on the weaker. His mother was meek to his father, but whenever she got into a fit, she would vent her frustration on him. Years of abuse made it seem normal. A slap by his mother was just another way of saying ¡®I love you¡¯. Song Yu whipped his head back to face his mother. ¡°I wonder mom, what goes on in your head. Is it a merry go round of logic, or are you just so broken inside, you want others to be the same?¡± Shen Ah Ying¡¯s eyes bulged from her sockets as Song Yu moved past her. The little boy was gone now. In its place was a man with cold eyes and a murderous aura. It was as if, someone came into Song Yu¡¯s skin and took over. Shen Ah Ying could only sob as the figure went down the stairs and out the door. Chapter 8-Moving away Chapter 8¡ªMoving away by Bocchan13 Song Yu wasn¡¯t much for sentimentality. There was nothing for him here. After leaving the Song Family mansion, he took a bus back to his old apartment. Putting the AC on blast again, he took inventory of what he would need during the apocalypse. His plan was to go to A country and build an impenetrable fort. The villa he just received was large enough to house 10 people. So being alone would definitely work. The area surrounding the villa was extensive, the border ranging almost 100 meters from all sides. The back of the villa led to a lake, so it wasn¡¯t cornered off. It was the perfect location for a zombie getaway. There would be no one for hundreds of miles. The seasons in A country varied. The summer was cool and the winter was extremely cold, the snow could build up extremely high. It was the perfect weather since the zombies disliked cold. Why is there a villa in the middle of nowhere, you say? It used to be the safe house for one of the family members. It was so safe in fact, that the assassin (who was rumored to be his own brother), could not find him for 3 decades. And since the Song family also provided relief to the villagers at the base of the forest during a flood, the villagers never built buildings close to it. When they first made Paradise base, they had to establish rules and laws, allocation, mission control, agriculture and factory made items. That in itself took 5 years of intense work. Since he didn¡¯t need to do that anymore, all he needed were things for himself. He rubbed his hands eagerly as the memories resurfaced. In the apocalypse, the most coveted thing was food. Poultry, eggs, dairy, wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits¡­everything was in high demand. Even if it was a small potato, it could rack up quite a bit. Song Yu and his friends stumbled upon a farm and took their farming equipment, including an electronic husk machine, fertilizer, hoes, a machine that tilled, and several other things. Song Yu definitely wanted to be self-sufficient and never leave his compound unless he wanted to, so buying grains and seed as well as ready-made foods. Spices, sauces and of course salt. His space was roughly the size of a 2 story house. He could fit almost ten years¡¯ worth of food in there. However, he still had to take into account other things, so putting that aside, food was the most needed. After food came drink. Song Yu didn¡¯t have to worry about that. After seven years in the apocalypse, the water started to be contaminated with the virus. Song Yu was responsible for the purification in his space. The villa had both the lake and a well. When it froze over, he could melt the snow. Song Yu did not have a good memory, so when he thought of his ideas, he jotted it down. Food, water, medicine, the fence, farming equipment, heat insulators, solar panels, wind turbines, wool, clothing, entertainment, reinforced walls, animals, and of course AC. There was more Song Yu needed, but for now, he had to get out of the city and to A Country. Only 1 day back from the apocalypse and he felt he lost time. There was still 3 months. Money made everything. The fence would take around 5 weeks, and the reinforced walls at the villa would take around 2. Song Yu looked at his list and sighed. If the zombie apocalypse ended up NOT happening¡­then that was even better. Before leaving the city, he contacted his university and resigned from class. He called the apartment owner and paid the leaving deposit. Once that was done, Song Yu took only a small amount of stuff from his apartment (including the bedding!) and booked a plane. He tried his best to not think about the other person, and it was only when he was 20,000 feet in the air, did he take out the picture from his breast pocket. The picture was done poorly with bad lighting and blurry sides, but the two faces were clear as they hunched over the phone. Lan Zhou¡¯s face was brightly lit, and although cold, it showed gentleness and patience. He stared at the photo for a while, before putting it back into his pocket. Sighing, he leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes. His journey is just starting; there was no time for sentimentality¡­ ¡­ Lan Zhou woke up in the hotel room alone. He reached for that slender body, but found nothing but cold sheets. Opening his eyes, he frantically got out of bed; not caring for his nakedness and checked everywhere. He wasn¡¯t in the bathroom, he wasn¡¯t in the living room and he wasn¡¯t on the balcony¡­was he¡­stood up? Lan Zhou weakly sat down on the bed as last night went through his head. Did he hurt Song Yu? Is that why? But that couldn¡¯t be! Song Yu initiated their last two rounds! Did he have something urgent to do? Lan Zhou scoured around the room, but there wasn¡¯t a trace of a letter, or anything signaling the time they shared. It was as if last night had been an illusion. No! That can¡¯t be! Lan Zhou whipped out his phone and realized that Song Yu didn¡¯t give him a phone number. No way to contact him, no evidence of being here in the hotel¡­what was going on? Lan Zhou wanted to cry! His first time, he gave it to the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and he¡¯s GONE! Lan Zhou spent 28 years as a virgin, waiting for that one person who could spark that intense love he was so willing to give. He waited patiently, and when he found it, he wanted it right away. It wasn¡¯t love at first sight. As a face-con, it was most likely love at face first. But after interacting with him, seeing his dazed eyes as they shared a kiss, his small voice when he said don¡¯t bite, and the wild abandon when they finally made love in bed¡­ It was as if the checklist in Lan Zhou¡¯s head for the perfect partner was checked over and over again. Sweet but bitter, funny and charismatic, strong yet tender. These contradictions that made up Song Yu was also in Lan Zhou. And although they only met, unlike the other people Lan Zhou had dated¡­he felt that a future with Song Yu would be splendid. He had planned to become exclusive with Song Yu this morning, maybe wait a few weeks before getting married and have him take over the agriculture department (which was non-existent for now) at his company. He would cook breakfast early in the morning and watch him eat happily in the afternoons before coming home together at night! What happened to this beautiful dream?? Lan Zhou really did slip a tear before coming to his senses. No! He has to find him! He has to know why he was abandoned! Speed dialing Wang Cheng, he put on some clothes and checked out of the hotel. ¡°Hey Old Lan, congratulations on popping your cherry!¡± ¡°Save it. I need your help. Get the CCTV records of last night from the club and do a deep dive investigation of the person named Song Yu. I need this by this afternoon, can you do it?¡± ¡°Woah bro, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in wedded bliss? Where¡¯s sister-in-law?¡± ¡°He ran away,¡± Lan Zhou bit off bitterly. Wang Cheng on the other side now felt guilty. His bro was just used as a one night stand! ¡°Roger. I¡¯ll come to the company at 3 with the information. Lan Zhou, please chase your wife!¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Lan Zhou sat in the company car as the driver took him to the company building. He rubbed his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply. He never expected that the one person who he wanted to share a connection with¡­didn¡¯t want anything to do with him. Chapter 9-Finding the workforce Chapter 9¡ªFinding the workforce by Bocchan13 Song Yu sneezed as he got off the plane. He didn¡¯t know that in a certain city, a man was on a wild goose chase looking for him. A country in the summer was supposed to be slightly colder than B city, but the overwhelming heat made him sweat instantly. He immediately got in a taxi and went to the dealership. Song Yu was wearing a graphic tee with ripped jeans and white sneakers, so although he was in casual wear, he stood out amongst the sellers in their stiff suits. The sellers were sweating in the shop, even though the AC was on. The intense heat was remarkable this year. Song Yu looked around the store; ignoring the fancy Lamborghini¡¯s and looked at the jeeps. The jeeps weren¡¯t up to par as well. He wanted something with endurance. ¡°May I help you customer?¡± ¡°Yes, if you can I would like to know if your distributor has anything¡­military grade.¡± ¡°M-military grade?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Um, sir. Military grade is only under the jurisdiction of the government.¡± Song Yu sighed. ¡°Take me to your department manager.¡± Song Yu spoke with the manager and made an appointment with the head honcho of the military base the next day. As long as you threw money, you didn¡¯t need to go through proper channels. After that discussion, Song Yu had to stay in the city for a bit before heading to the villa. He inspected the internet for the best company to build the wall. He chose a fairly good reviewed manufacturing company that also did installation. Perfect. Getting the materials would be fairly easy since Song Yu knew which materials worked best against the zombies. The zombies were extremely strong, and when they also started to evolve, it got harder to kill them. But one thing that zombies couldn¡¯t plough through was rubber. Rubber was soft and pliable, bendable but also thick and hard to go through. He remembered the rubber shortage, and how in one year there was a zombie siege, the zombies were like ants trying to bite humans. It was hard to chew through. Using rubber ingrained with the steelwork inside the cement was something one of the people in Paradise base made up. And after building that wall, it withstood over 15 years of zombie sieges. The only thing he had to make sure of was the rubber not expanding in the walls. So he talked with the developers and they came up with a crafty solution. He talked with the developers for the entire day and didn¡¯t even have time to sleep before heading to the military base. The military in A country was known for its weaponry and not its vehicles. But staring at the monstrous sized jeep with steel bars and anti-wear wheels made Song Yu happy he decided on this place. He did not have a good memory, so he jotted down how to maintain the vehicle, what to look out for and how much mileage it could go for. All in all, all aspects were up to his standards. He purchased the car on the spot and bought another roadside vehicle. After only three days in A country, Song Yu used almost half of his money. But with the vehicle out of the way, and the fence being talked about, the heavier things were out of the way. Before leaving the city, he talked with the developers once again and gave them the acreage of the land he wanted closed off. The rush order as well as the workforce spanning 100 people took a sizeable amount of money. He also (under the table) bought several guns and weapons ranging in rifles and handguns, to a few smoke bombs and hundreds of thousands of ammo. Although he was closing himself off from the world, that didn¡¯t mean he shouldn¡¯t have the means to defend yourself. He was tempted to buy a machine gun, but thought against it, since the noise was too loud. He also bought a steel and carbon bow and arrow with extra arrow tips and a sharpening rock. By the end of his trip with the military advisor, he looked as if he himself was going to war. ¡°Why do you need all of this anyways? Are you forting down for a zombie apocalypse?¡± The head honcho guffawed when he saw Song Yu¡¯s scrawny arms holding the large bow. Song Yu smiled cheekily and responded with fanfare. ¡°Of course! You can never be too careful!¡± Song Yu did not have much room in his space, so he had people transfer the goods to his villa. The people looking at his address could only cry. It was hours away from civilization. A few hundred bucks shut them up. Song Yu travelled from city to city, buying various things. He went to buy extremely large solar panels that he would use on his roof and on the prairie and decided to buy refrigerators and freezers, asking the seller how to maintain them. Once understanding, Song Yu bought a PC and downloaded many tutorials, maps, and maintenance manuals. Even though he could just pop the broken tool in his space, he had to really understand the mechanics that went into making, using and producing the product. Call it curiosity. One week after coming to A country, was when Song Yu decided to visit the villa. He took the off-road vehicle and drove the 8 hours into the deep mountains and forests. It was a straightforward ride for 3 hours, but when you got into the forests, the road was not properly maintained. It took a long time for even Song Yu to get to the villa. Finally, he broke through to a small clearing. The villa was extremely large. It had three stories, built in the previous dynasty, then revamped over time. Some of the existing architecture from decades past still remained. The new additions had more a more western style with a large porch overlooking the lake in the back, and several columns. Song Yu huffed in sadness. He needed to reinforce the house as well. Going inside, the entire villa was awash with white cloths over the furniture. He nimbly took everything off and walked around, taking inventory. Several rooms could be converted into a small greenhouse for shaded plants like bean sprouts and mushrooms, and the basement would be for the meats and storage. One can be made into his den and other recreational activities. Song Yu, after a week of running around, slumped on the sofa and took a long nap. The next day, Song Yu set up camera¡¯s all over the forest. In the trees, in the dirt and next to the road. They were cheap but strong, and only needed changing every two years. The feed would go back to his PC which he bought alongside the laptop. The work took all day and by the time night fell, Song Yu was panting, sweaty, and ready to drown himself in the pool. There was a pool, a hot tub and a large bath in the main bedroom, so the cool down was satisfactory. He dived into the pool with all of his clothes and floated whilst looking at the sun going down. He sighed as the exhaustion overflowed. There was still so much to do with so little time. 3 months had turned into 2, and the list he had had not finished even a quarter. When the sun finally set, he got out and headed to his bedroom. The bed was extremely large with four posts and white canopies cascading down them. He took off his clothes and threw then in a dirty heap on the floor. This reminded him that he needed to buy either a washing machine or a basin for washing clothes. He went into a fitful sleep, the dark circles under his eyes dissipating only for a short period. In his dreams he was 34 and working for Paradise Base. It had just reached the 11th year of the apocalypse, and he was watching as the watch tower was being made. He had his chin resting on his hand as he watched how the construction workers were busy. He stared at those bulging muscles and couldn¡¯t help but admire it. He looked at his own physique and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°What are you looking at with so much enthusiasm?¡± Song Yu turned to see someone with a blurred face, but his smiling mouth was in high definition. He tried to rub his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t and just laughed. ¡°I¡¯m thinking that when this base is truly finished, I can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor.¡± The man laughed and slapped his back, causing Song Yu to cough. ¡®Of course! No one should be getting a rest more than you. I heard that some representatives of C Base want to come and ask you to purify their water source. I heard they¡¯re willing to pay three years¡¯ worth of grains.¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard that too. I¡¯m willing to help them out though. They didn¡¯t ask for repayment when the zombie hoard came through our area and we fled to their base. It should be reciprocal.¡± ¡°Song Yu, you are just too good. We need that grain, though and they are willing to pay it. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡± ¡°I know, but kindness is something I find is more needed than most now.¡± Song Yu sounded wistful as he recalled those times of laughter. He looked down at the construction zone once again. The faces of these men and women looked dead. Like robots moving, constantly in a state of nothingness. The only thing was wariness. Song Yu felt someone push him, he jolted as he tried grasping for leverage, but it was as if he was on a cliff. His eyes widened as he stared into the jaws of the construction workers who turned into zombies. He felt pain as he landed, and vicious hands reached at him, clinging to his skin, their ugly black nails piercing into his flesh. He looked up to see the man with the smiling mouth as the fog disappeared and his face resurfaced. Ye Zhou. Song Yu cried out bitterly as he jolted awake. His heart was beating crazily in his body and sweat poured over his eyes, stinging them. He clutched his skin and felt the smoothness of them; he curled up in the fetal position as he tried to control his breathing. Looking up, he saw that in his sleep he had made an aura blade. It had slashed the wall in front of him, gouging it to see the insides. He wiped the sweat off his brow and turned on the AC. The moon was still high in the sky, but he kept his eyes wide open, waiting for morning to come. He recalled that time so vividly. After purifying their water source, two years later that C Base would crumble. The survivors scattered and some came to Paradise Base. Song Yu was out of commission for some time, overusing his space ability and getting into coma¡¯s that could last a week. When he woke up, he heard that C Base fell. But he didn¡¯t know that not only did Paradise Base not let the survivors in, they made a sport of them, making them fight to the death. The only survivor was a stocky 30 year old man who was placed in the lower echelons of the patrol/scouting group and died only a few days later. Chapter 10-Animals galore! Chapter 10¡ªAnimals galore! by Bocchan13 The wall was just starting construction and Song Yu had real estate developers come in to look for termites and long term problems the house could face. After the inspection, he hired some of the wall workers to reinforce the walls, especially his bedroom. The workers didn¡¯t ask questions as they re-sealed up the gigantic cut in the center. Song Yu watched over their progress, altering the managers if workers slacked off. Song Yu spent two weeks overseeing the work before heading to the countryside for the farming equipment, seeds, and animals. When arriving with such fanfare, the locals were curious at this young man who went through each farm and haggled prices. His first stop was rice. Rice wasn¡¯t one of the main staples in the apocalypse, but Song Yu desperately missed it! It was small but filling. Song Yu decided to buy both husked and un-husked rice, as well as purchasing stalks for planting. It wasn¡¯t the season yet, so he would have to see what kinds of soil was needed before proceeding. He also bought a husker and several farming tools with extras of everything. Since it was just him alone, planting just enough for one and the animals was good enough for him. The farmer was a kind gentleman of 65 who was very pleased with this young man. He was polite and kind, and could talk with him about anything agriculture. As a parting gift, he also provided sugar cane, something not on Song Yu¡¯s list. ¡°Thank you uncle.¡± ¡°No problem, just make sure to eat it!¡± Song Yu hesitated before speaking, ¡°I saw on the news that there is going to be a gigantic heat wave in the next two weeks, it would be good if you don¡¯t sell all of your produce and keep it in storage. I don¡¯t want you to get heatstroke.¡± The old man guffawed before showing his arm. Albeit old, he had the muscles of a 40 year old. ¡°Not to worry. I¡¯ve worked this farm for close to fifty years. This little heat is nothing!¡± Song Yu smiled gently, but did not continue to argue. Song Yu went through various farms and bought everything he thought would be okay to plant, as well as already ripe produce, putting it into his space. Fresh vegetables and fruits! Song Yu drank cold water from his space as he panted. He wore a wide brim hat with a cotton button down and breathable pants. The heat had intensified significantly, so much so that he saw videos of kids making eggs on a pan on the sidewalk. Song Yu did not have the energy to go back home, so he spent the night at a local motel. The next day, he went to the local markets and bout wholesale versions of every spice he could think of. The main ones were salt. Salt was another gold plated desirable thing in the apocalypse. People were hungry, but guzzling down tasteless food left morale to drop. He bought an excessive amount. So much so, that he had to get a large truck to transport it. The next thing was sauces; he talked with the locals and ended up getting some recipes. He had also downloaded them on his laptop. Not to mention his space could break it down as well. The last thing he really needed were animals. Animals in the apocalypse weren¡¯t immune to the virus. It just took longer than humans. Some animals became zombified, whilst others upgraded into having abilities as well as almost human like characteristics. He remembered that one of his ex-friends had a large bluebird who sang shrilly whenever he was in a 20 meter distance from a zombie. Song Yu wanted a long term plan, so he talked to the locals and discovered that there was a breeding farm in the next town over that had an abundance of animals for purchase. He thanked them enthusiastically and bought several other plants. He travelled for three hours and found that this town was a little better off than the previous one. The sun was about to set, so he needed to quickly talk to the animal breeder and see the best for purchase. His off-road travel car was dirt streaked and his hair was unkept and sweaty, so when arriving, the farmer wasn¡¯t so enthusiastic, thinking it was just window shopping. Song Yu first examined the cows. He needed a bull and a spare, and several females. These weren¡¯t dairy cows, but they could graze easily on the prairie. It was simply walking meat. Dairy cows came next. He bought three and a male cow for breeding as well. Once done, he checked the chickens. Roosters were very loud, and hens could lay eggs. But, he did need one rooster for every 5 hens. He haggled with the price and bought cages for them. He didn¡¯t want any meat running away. He salivated when he saw how thick the hen was. Pigs were substantially easier, he chose two boy and girl piglets and a sow. He also saw some quails and purchased a few. The poultry was done¡­and now for the best part. Song Yu loaded all of the animals up and hired one of the breeders to drop it off at his villa. They were adept at long distance travel so he trusted them to do it. He also paid for them to set up the coops and barn. The breeders looking at all that cash, they didn¡¯t hesitate to treat him like a god. Once again, Song Yu was exhausted as he bulldozed into bed. The motels he had been staying at were good, but the heat has intensified to such an extent, the AC prices had been jacked up. Song Yu sighed as he spread into a star. The fan as well as the AC blew semi-hot air. He could only groan in pain! AC! Gambatte! The next morning, the sweltering heat woke him up. Sweating up a storm, he took out ice cold water from his space and inhaled it. He then drove the additional hour to a reputable horse farm. He remembered his sister had wanted a horse from here, but at the time the horses weren''t trained yet. She cried for three days after that. He chuckled evilly in his heart. Right now, breeding season was almost over, and the ponies from the previous two years were in training. This was the perfect time to get a horse. He didn¡¯t want to get a grown horse, but wanted to train one himself. He was going to live alone and wanted a companion. The breeder was waiting for him since he made an appointment. Song Yu bowed respectfully as the breeder and ranch hands took him into to see the foals. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you around these parts. Came in and bought near everything from the locals. What are you doing with so much anyways?¡± Song Yu shrugged. ¡°Just think of it as a rich idiosyncrasy. I used to live in B City but my dad kicked me out for getting bad grades so this is sort of like a rebellion. Give that old wallet a turn.¡± The breeder shook his head and sighed. ¡°Look kid, you gotta apologize to your dad, he is doing the best he can. Money can¡¯t buy happiness.¡± Song Yu really had the urge to laugh. No really. He was a goddamn actor when he slowly nodded his head sadly. ¡°I know that. But it¡¯s the only way I know how to get his attention.¡± The breeder patted Song Yu¡¯s back. ¡°Whelp, his misfortune is my fortune. The new foals are already weaned and ready for breaking. You can look at them and see which one you prefer. Song Yu followed the direction of his hands and couldn¡¯t help but melt with such love! They were so cute! The foals had short hair and had stick for legs. They seemed to range ages of 3-6 months. Some of the horses were sitting while others were jogging around the playfully. Song Yu¡¯s heart was shot with an arrow of love! He instinctively lowered his stance, kneeling as a few foals ran away from the new intruders. ¡°They are adorable! 10! 10! 10!¡± Song Yu outstretched his hand to pet one, but it quickly evaded. The breeder laughed at his love-struck expression. Chapter 11-Finding furry friends Chapter 11¡ªFinding furry friends by Bocchan13 Song Yu looked around the paddock and tried to get a feel of which foal would suit him. He spread some spiritual sense, trying to see which one would react. ¡°Are they resistant to the cold?¡± ¡°Ha! It¡¯s so hot right now! I know winters here can be harsh, but this year will most likely be the hottest winter.¡± Song Yu gave a small smile and didn¡¯t mention that after the apocalypse, the climate fucked up with both year-long summers and winters. The spiritual sense was something that every ability user possessed. This special force was what ultimately helped in grading people. If you could control your spiritual sense, then you could control your ability. The more control you had the better. In his previous life, he had reached Grade A before dying. In this life, it had surpassed his bottleneck. His spiritual sense caressed all of the animals, hoping to find the ¡®connection¡¯ or the ¡®6th sense¡¯ that only some animals possessed. It didn¡¯t hurt to think that the horse would also become an ability user. The minute his spiritual sense felt a fluctuation, Song Yu moved his gaze to peer at one particular foal. The foal was a lot smaller than its other friends, and looked to be healthy and hearty. He saw the horse turn it head in a circle, looking like a maniac as its small mane whipped back and forth. He looked like a wind turbine. The other horses didn¡¯t even pay it any attention as he whirred around the room. Is this¡­really my spiritual pet? He kept watching as the horse trod back and forth in the paddock, strutting and whirring its head. It must have gotten dizzy, so it stopped and started playing with its own hoof, trying to step on itself. Song Yu: ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The breeder was watching the other nicer looking foals and commented here and there about the mane. Song Yu listened with half an ear as he continued to watch. The foal had a thin coat, but it was an excellent brown with a reddish tint. In the center of its face, it had a white tear drop whilst also having white boots on his feet. His mane looked be the grayish, but would lighten to a white color when it grew up. Despite its erratic and wonky behavior, the animal seemed decent. Song Yu sighed as the horse sneezed, scaring itself. ¡°What about that one?¡± Song Yu pointed to his potential pet. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s the only foal from our prized mare. Sadly she is in the sick ward. The father was a large white stallion from another country. He stayed and bred four of our mares last season, but this little one is the only one that was born. You can see that when he grows up, he would be really fast.¡± ¡°His coat looks thin; would he be able to survive the cold?¡± ¡°Definitely. His mother actually comes from a breed known for working in snow-like conditions.¡± Song Yu and the breeder watched as the little guy pranced around the paddock. The other foals continued looking cute and obedient but did not move away from the little spitfire. Song Yu had to sigh a little bit. He wanted a horse that could withstand the virus¡­and it appears that the funky dude would have to do. ¡°I¡¯ll take him.¡± The breeder nodded in ascent and took Song Yu in for the certificate of ownership and payments. It was a ridiculously high price for a foal, and Song Yu had to cry in his heart as he shuffled money around for payment. He watched as another zero disappeared from his bank account. Sigh. ¡°Taking care of a horse is a hard job. He needs a lot of room for running and needs grooming almost every day. He is weaned off of milk but to be safe, continue to do so until he is more used to grazing.¡± Song Yu nodded as they finished up all of the details. ¡°I¡¯ll come pick him up in three days. I was wondering if you also have dogs?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have breeded dogs, but we do have herding dogs. They are quite large and smart, and they can also herd animals, even the horse. You wanna see? I think we have a few pups lying around.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± The dogs didn¡¯t live in a paddock or barn, but in a small house next to the main office. Song Yu watched as the mama came out followed by around 7 baby pups. They looked akin to a lapphund. Song Yu¡¯s heart once again was struck at their cuteness!! They had floppy triangle ears, black and brown fur, and so fluffy! He watched as their small baby tails curled up and wagged as they walked. ¡°Y-you sure these cute creatures can herd?¡± ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t be surprised. They are very smart and although they grow up to be a normal size, their barks are ferocious and loud. They are easily trained as well. Song Yu nodded as the mother led the pups in a line, going to the food bowl. Song Yu watched as one by one, the puppies went to their designated spots and started eating. One in particular caught Song Yu¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t the oldest or the youngest, but its eyes spoke to him. His hair was mainly black, but his lower muzzle was awash with a light brown color. Above his eyes, the brown color made two perfect circles, making them look like eyebrows. Song Yu closed his eyes and cried in happiness. The spiritual sense went around that puppy instantly. Song Yu looked at the puppy. And the puppy felt the stare and looked at him. And he looked at the puppy. And the puppy looked at him. So he kept looking at the puppy. And the puppy didn¡¯t want to lose their staring contest, so he looked at him. Song Yu didn¡¯t want to lose either, but his eyes were getting watery, but he was no loser! He kept staring. The two were in a death match on who could stare the longest. Their personalities shifted as their competition intensified. Ultimately it was Song Yu¡¯s win, as the puppy saw in its peripherals, his brothers stealing his food. Song Yu won, but at what cost? Tears streamed down his face. ¡°I want that one.¡± He pointed to the little fiend. The breeder, who just witnessed this escapade could only breathe deeply and hide his shaking laughter. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll throw him in for free. You can pick both of them up in three days.¡± Song Yu nodded in ascent. ¡°Thank you.¡± The owner and the dog parted ways, now enemies in each other¡¯s eyes. Who would win the next round? Song Yu paid for a moving truck to come in three days and took off from the horse farm. The two animals were still stuck in his mind. Did he do the right thing? The animals during the apocalypse were very smart, some even harboring abilities. But Song Yu ultimately decided that even though he was going to isolate himself from the rest of the world, he didn¡¯t want to be lonely. So maybe¡­that was a good enough reason. If the horse or the dog started to change during the apocalypse, become zombies and start eating the other animals¡­he would have to put them down. It¡¯s better to have no feelings right now. Wait until the first few days of the apocalypse. If they did change¡­then it was inevitable. Chapter 12-Nightmares Chapter 12¡ªNightmares by Bocchan13 WARNING: Blood/gore In these 3 months, Song Yu had accomplished everything. From buying to building, overseeing and watching as his impenetrable fortress was finished. The fence was finished in the allotted time. Song Yu knew that he couldn¡¯t have accomplished it by himself, and since he made a splash in A country, people were bound to come looking for that insane young master. So once everyone left, Song Yu quilted the entire mountain. It took a very long time and A LOT of spiritual energy. Camouflaging the mountain didn¡¯t necessarily make people unable to enter, but they would become confused and go around in circles, until ultimately they ended up back in the same place. Unless there were people that could control spiritual energy better than him, would the camouflage dissipate. This entire process took almost a month to finish. By that time, he was burnt out so hard, he grew out his stylish hairstyle and there were deep bags under his eyes. He gawked at his face that reminded him so much of his previous life features. Even though he was alone, he didn¡¯t want to look ugly! So once everything had been settled, and he finished the first crop of vegetables, he went to get his hair cut and purchased shaving gear. He bought face masks in bulk and lotions that would expire in 5 years. He wasn¡¯t much of a beauty guru, but he did appreciate a good day and night routine. He washed his face and couldn¡¯t help but poke at those black spots under his eyes. His nightmares hadn¡¯t dissipated, in fact they became worse. Song Yu had no choice but to reinforce the walls by himself and curse his subconscious mind. He recalled his time in B Base and couldn¡¯t help but cry bitterly in his pillow. In the beginning, when abilities first came out, people were deathly afraid of them. They witnessed the first steps to a higher evolution, and like humans are¡­they were afraid of change. Ability users were cast out until they were strong enough to fight the zombies. Then it was like a switch was flipped and they were regarded as heroes. Active ability users like fire, water, earth, and its variants like wind, electricity, disintegration, and lava were seen as veritable gods, while passive users like him: space, healing, plants, telepathy, flight, and clairvoyance weren¡¯t regarded as needed. When he was taken in by B Base¡¯s scientists, they didn¡¯t know the extent of abilities in general. So, treating him like a lab rat was bound to be inevitable. He was treated quite nicely. So nicely in fact, that he had the notion that he was a noble person to put himself into the hands of scientists for the sake of the world. But their own agenda was not noble in the slightest. He could still remember those nice doctors smiling at him as he woke up groggy bound to a bed. He felt the hard metal, cold against his skin, chafing his white skin raw. He had only been in treatment for a week. Before, they had made him drink all types of pills to see its ¡®effectiveness¡¯. Since there were no harsh side effects, they realized that ability users were immune to poisons. The pills they had fed him were filled with enough cyanide to kill hundreds of elephants. So they went deeper, drugging his food making him fall asleep. And he woke up to himself strapped to a bed as they smiled happily. His space ability was passive, so they didn¡¯t really care about that until later when they found it could purify things. No¡­they were experimenting on his body. Ability users had strong bodies, much more so than the average human. So they started testing it out. Song Yu did not remember much of that night. By the time they finished, he had almost severed his own tongue, pleading for them to stop. All he remembered was the aftermath, where the metal cuffs had to be pried off his blood soaked body, some skin sticking to the metal. He was taken by burly men to his room and dropped on the bed like a lifeless sack. That was another experiment too. To see how long it took to heal. Song Yu met Ye Xin that night. In the room, they brought in another person, his legs and neck bound by metal, and his gleaming black eyes filled with cold danger. They threw him in the room and left him to fend by himself. Despite his metal impairments, Ye Xin took care of Song Yu¡¯s wounds. That was the start of everything. Song Yu spent countless days in the cell with Ye Xin, dying and resurrecting. He met four other ability users. All of them were in similar states. But unlike him, they had active abilities. When it was found out that he could purify things like water and food, the experiments became worse. When he was strapped to the bed, and in his peripherals he saw a zombie, he screamed and yelled and clawed at his shackles. He felt IT as they forcefully opened his space. The decaying flesh entered his space, and Song Yu gagged in horror. He felt like he was EATING the zombie. He could taste how many people it had eaten, how long it had died, and its last vivid human memory. The man in his space used to be a middle class family man. Had a wonderful wife and cute child. His last memory was of his child being ripped apart by his wife. Seeing the profuse amount of blood cascading from his child¡¯s neck and his wife¡¯s grizzly look as she sucked her own child dry, gnawing on her collarbone like a dog, it made him scream in pain. Song Yu could feel his emotions, the despair, and the acceptance as his wife¡¯s mouth made contact to his own, biting his lips off his face¡­ Song Yu¡¯s screams could be heard everywhere. His body shivered as more of the zombie entered his space. The shackles broke as his body jerked, his eyes bulging, and his mouth open is horror. He froze in this demonic position, making some scientists scream in terror. He retched and vomited, as his powers amplified. The pureness of his space could not handle this. The force opening his space broke and the zombie reappeared on the outside, but not as a whole. It came out like chunky liquid, its bones melting with its skin. Hairs and the remaining of his face were like goo as it flowed out of nowhere. Song Yu fainted and didn¡¯t wake up for a week. By the time he woke up, Ye Xin had rallied up the other ability users to escape. Song Yu was broken both in body and spirit, so Ye Xin was the one who carried him as they escaped. Song Yu¡¯s memory was blurry, but he did remember the Level 1 ice ability user as he used his keycards up the building. Finally, he smelled the breeze of freedom and fainted on Ye Xin¡¯s back. He woke up a day later in a car heading north. He was catatonic and mentally unstable. If it wasn¡¯t for his comrades who helped him, he would have surely killed himself. They six of them settled down somewhere far. After a year, they decided to make a base. They elected Song Yu on the reasons that he was the most knowledgeable and had the best ability to lead. And he was. He felt needed. He felt WANTED. He plunged himself in work, trying to build that small utopia that he sought in his mind. Of a world that used to be. Paradise Base was born from his desperation. There were hardships, broken friendships, saddened loss, but the six of them were altogether united. That was what he thought. Maybe it was because he was selfless and gave too much, didn¡¯t horde enough power and influence, but the dredges of resentment, hatred, and disgust could be felt in the bones of Paradise Base. Song Yu¡¯s inane dream was shattered that night he was dropped into the pit. Those five friends¡­Ye Xin watched as he died. And those nightmares weren¡¯t of the zombies eating his flesh, but of those five friends eating him instead. He couldn¡¯t breathe because of this betrayal. They had suffered so much together. They were brothers, comrades, and survivors. Song Yu thought that. He rubbed his head as he curled his body into a shrimp, and watched the rising sun. He could hear the small pitter patter of legs as it scratched his door. That little puppy was awake. Song Yu got up and opened the door and locked gazes with the puppy. He twisted his head in wonderment before lolling his tongue in a goofy grin. Song Yu didn¡¯t let it sleep with him because of his nightmares, he leaned down and rubbed his head lovingly. ¡°C¡¯mon little boy. We still have so much to do.¡± We got a drawing of Song Yu! This will be uploaded onto my Instagram and Twitter @bocchan132 And yes, I drew this. And yes, I draw. Chapter 13-Settling down Chapter 13¡ªSettling down by Bocchan13 Lan Zhou threw a paper back at his subordinate and coldly joked. ¡°If this is what you call a proposal, then you¡¯re being paid too much.¡± The subordinate nodded gravely and left the office. He rubbed his eyes in frustration as he leaned back on his leather chair. The pursuit of his love was going terribly. Firstly, finding out that he was the eldest son of the Song Family, an affluent infrastructure tycoon was startling. Next, he found out that he was disowned by his father for coming out. And he left on a plane bought by his father to who knows where. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t want to continue work so called his assistant and canceled all appointments. He took his jacket off his chair and left his office building. Settling down in this city was difficult. He had to apply for patents and find loopholes in development. The restrictions were tight and he didn¡¯t believe in bribery. He loosened his necktie as he walked through the street. This area was known for high-so clients, so he established his company in the thick of it. He walked past several shops and paused at a hair salon. His eyes widened as he raced towards it. Opening the doors, several staff members greeted him, but he walked past them like air. On one of the walls were pictures of people who had their hair done. Celebrities, affluent young masters¡­and Song Yu. His hands were shaking as he caressed that beautiful face, his eyes watering. Where was he? He turned to a staff member, his eyes glowing red. ¡°When did he come here?¡± ¡°Um, sir. I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t in the shop when this client came in, let me check to see who it was!¡± The staff member asked around and came back to him. ¡°He came in around 2 months ago. Yu Meng here can tell you the details.¡± Lan Zhou looked at the young hairdresser, who sported a small brace on his wrist. ¡°You know Song Yu?¡± Yu Meng was fidgety as he recalled any details about Song Yu. He showed his brace and chuckled softly. ¡°He was so kind, and felt sorry about hurting me, the next day I got 1000$ for medical fees transferred to my account.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s empirical mood softened at Yu Meng¡¯s description. That did sound like Song Yu. He thanked the young boy and asked the staff member to take the photograph. Seeing the high priced suit and cold demeanor, the staff member gave it away with no questions asked. Lan Zhou left the salon and decided to head back to the office. His mood brightened as he sauntered. He walked a crosswalk when a sudden pain enveloped his brain. He winced as waves of pain slowly rotated in his body. Beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face as he felt a whirling sensation in his head¡­like his brain was being stirred. Just as it abruptly came, it abruptly left; leaving Lan Zhou is a numb state. A beeping noise brought him back as he remembered he was still on the cross walk. He ran off and gasped as the remaining dredges of pain released from his body. Somehow, he felt¡­lighter. The aches in his body were gone and his mind was clearer. He could feel¡­something in his brain. Something alive¡­trying its best to show him something. He quickly went back to his office and laid down on the sofa. Lan Zhou nimbly took out his cellphone and saw several messages from his friends. Wangchengisbest: Bro! I just got the worst headache in the world! I almost died in a car accident! BROCON1010: You did as well? Me too! I got a horrible headache for like 10 sec and it was gone! Musclemadness: Did the entire world get a headache at the same time? Lol. I thought it was a bad hangover. Maybe we all are dying. XiaoZiLaozu: I didn¡¯t get a headache?? Bro¡¯s u guys good? Lan Zhou watched as they discussed this weird phenomenon. He felt that small presence circle around his brain. He closed his eyes as he concentrated on it. It¡¯s important. Please remember. ¡­ Song Yu laughed as he showered the dog with the hose. The plants were coming in nicely. He had purified the seeds before planting them, causing them to germinate faster. He could already see cute buds! The puppy chased its tail and barked happily. Song Yu was almost finished with everything. He spent two days buying pharmaceuticals in bulk. Pills, gauze, bandages, anesthetics, shots, rubbing alcohol, scalpel, needles, dressing, everything a person could need if they had a mild fever or a large wound. He was taking no chances. Even if there were no zombies around, the animals that changed wouldn¡¯t care if they trespassed. One of the last things on Song Yu¡¯s list was downloading every book, movie, series, and games that he could get his hands on. He was a veritable otaku, so everything between western comedy specials, to KDrama¡¯s were in his scope of downloading. Song Yu smiled gleefully as the download finished. He had several TB of content! Books galore, he bought fantasy, fiction, comics, cookbooks, the Dummies series, how-to¡¯s, and everything he could think of. He resolved that to ration all of this, he would do things bit by bit. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. This trusty computer would help him with the boredom. There was also a special download that he was waiting on. Porn. Yes, the controversial (yet not controversial) form for pleasure. In the apocalypse, he used his trusty right hand to help him alleviate his sexual desires, rather than his other comrades who sought pleasure with random men and women. There were a lot of STD¡¯s that went around the bases. The ability users were immune to such things, but many people died because of no treatments. Since he had tasted the pleasures of the flesh, Song Yu had thought that downloading porn would be something that would help him in the long run. He had also purchased several ¡®special¡¯ toys. Even if he was gonna die alone, at least he would have a ¡®boyfriend¡¯ to help him during the lonely nights. He chuckled as several downloads were loaded onto his computer. He smiled gleefully as another TB was filled. He quickly docked a new storage unit and continued. The last remaining days before the apocalypse, the air was sweltering. To take care of the animals, he used several solar panels to create a climate control system that monitored the conditions inside. It would always be set at a good temperature. This was also used inside, but only in the important rooms. Song Yu would do a daily check of each room every day to see the shaded plants and see if the food has gone bad. In this large villa home there were many rooms. His main bedroom had basics, including clothes that he bought online. His wardrobe had boxes upon boxes of good quality basics like underwear and t-shirts. He also bought several hundred pairs of shoes ranging in flip flops to army combat boots. In the kitchen, there was stainless steel pots, pans, cutlery, and cups with spares in the storage closet. The sink and all plumbing was connected to his own water supply that he would replenish with the pond water after purification. The living room was tasteful with comfortable sofas and bean bags. The TV was a stellar 180 inch. He had a PlayStation, Wii, XBOX, DVD player, and everything in between. He also had a popcorn maker and second hand arcade games set up. The living room has soundproof walls, and no lights. Since it was made in the middle of the lst floor, there were several open doors that led to other rooms. The dining room was the least used space. Since he was going to live by himself, he saw no reason to have a large table and chairs. What made Song Yu happiest was the karaoke room. Equipped with everything he could need, the karaoke room had hundreds of songs in different languages that he could sing to his heart¡¯s content. Like the living room, it had sound proof doors, so he could sing and yell and vent any time he liked. The vegetable room was ventilated and highly monitored. Grains in the apocalypse could turn bad by the virus in the air, so he had to check if all of the grains were good for consumption. There were a total of 5 vegetable rooms, all with different seeds and germination times. This ensured that Song Yu would always be busy. Next was the basement. The basement spanned almost half of the house underground. It had everything that he needed in terms of foods. It wasn¡¯t damp and had minimal light, the cooling system was better here. Foods that included perishables and non-perishables were placed in rows like a grocery store. Song Yu had customized everything so that foods that were about to be expired first would be eaten. Ramen noodles, no matter what age still tasted the best. And don¡¯t forget the alcohol. A whole wine rack, beer kegs, and tequila bottles lined some rows. It truly was a supermarket. On one side of the walls were close to twenty freezers and refrigerators. All containing meat! Song Yu spent two days setting up this system in order to eat the best and take care of his dietary needs. And in the barns, he purchased all of the animals that could be eaten, raised, and bred so he had a flow of fresh meat, milk and labor. Win-win. Song Yu looked at the last room which was closest to his bedroom. The armory. He opened the door and peered at the light blue light shining on rows and rows of guns. The military guns he purchased were just the tip of the iceberg. He bought hundreds of guns in the underground. Bow and arrows, spears, whips, swords¡­everything he could think of that could kill. The armory looked like it was prepared for a hundred men rather than one. Just like how he liked it. He purchased the tools to make bullets as well as sharpening stones and scrap steel in case something broke. He caressed a beautiful guandao, its beautiful gleam shining in his hand. The last stop was one of the most important to Song Yu. The training room. A separate building that the main house, but no less impressive. Its ceiling was 3 stories high; the floors had a separate area for combat and mats for martial arts training. Several machines were set up and a large mirror with a weight station was on the side. Another side had all of his medical equipment and machines. This training room would give him the tools to fight back. He set this up because he needed training. He was no sitting duck. Just because he was going to live by himself in luxury, didn¡¯t mean that people wouldn¡¯t want to come to him, especially if they knew how much he horded. He was isolated hundreds of miles away in the forest. And with the array over his land, there were still people going to come. And he would kill anyone who would try to take away his paradise. People were much worse than zombies. He learned that the hard way. YASSS. We got our boy Lan Zhou!!!! My son is indeed best husbando material Chapter 14—Lan Zhou’s Past Chapter 14¡ªLan Zhou¡¯s Past by Bocchan13 The last few remaining days, Song Yu spent being idle. He played with the puppy and fed the animals. He wanted to get into the groove of what his days would like and see if he needed anything else. So far, he was content. The heat rose exponentially that many people refused to go outside. Song Yu watched the news as more and more people flocked to hospitals to get medicines for heatstroke. He just stared at the large TV as country after country went into lockdown. The whole world was burning. A wildfire in D Country, ice caps melting in the northern seas, dead animals surfacing from the hot springs that used to be normal water. Plantations scratching their heads when their crops failed. The passing comments about the meteor shower coming in a few days were just a small blimp on the news. Song Yu paid attention to the photos appearing as they predicted the meteor showers trajectory. One small meteor will fall. And that will kill everyone. The news did not make Song Yu happy, so he closed the TV and stared at nothing for a while. He needed to vent. He went to the training room and got dressed. He wore a skin tight vest, zipping it up in the front. The black looked sleek on his thin frame. He wore breathable pants and no shoes. Signs of muscle would soon appear on is body, he mused as he stared at his beautiful body. He was indeed beautiful. Keep that beauty! He smiled in the mirror and started a machine. He spent 3 hours in the training room before coming back to the house for a quick shower. He was extremely tired, so he napped in the living room. The puppy wagged his tail and barked cheerfully and tried to jump on the sofa. His build was still too small, so he jumped on his back legs, looking like a clown. Song Yu laughed mirthfully and picked up the tiny thing. ¡°I won¡¯t name you until after the meteor hits. Who knows if you become a zombie and bite your master?¡± The dog licked his nose and tried to squeeze himself in is the crook of his arms. Song Yu chuckled and petted his head before leaning back and closing his eyes for a nap. ¡­ Lan Zhou¡¯s mood was getting more irritable. After the headache, he had several more. All piercing his brain. He had to send himself to the hospital and do a full check-up but no one could figure out why he was getting these headaches. He slumped on the sofa in his apartment. His grandiose duplex was close to the company, so any pressing details could be said immediately during his recuperation. Lan Zhou ate a small breakfast as he stared at the picture of Song Yu. He smiled and finished cleaning up. This was a mini-break, so Lan Zhou decided to watch the news. The heat wave was very intense. So much so, that Lan Zhou got worried. Is Song Yu okay as well? He pouted as the news continued its onslaught of terrible news. Amidst the news, Lan Zhou¡¯s ears perked when a newscaster talked about the oncoming meteor shower. It was as if his brain cracked. He gripped his head in agony, falling to the floor. He clenched his teeth, tasting blood as waves of memories resurfaced. That niggling presence in mind blew up, showing a cacophony of pictures, going so fast he couldn¡¯t understand anything. He yelled in pain, showing everything. All of those bad memories. Those deaths. The hardships he had. The pain of loss. Everything. Lan Zhou cried. He was back. When the pain subsided, Lan Zhou stared at this duplex apartment. He was back. He fist-pumped the air. ¡°I¡¯M FUCKING BACK!¡± He looked at the pristine kitchen and opened the fridge to see a full set of vegetables, food and drinks. Not caring that he already had breakfast, he shoveled food in his mouth. Oh! The food! He happily ate the food, looking around. It wasn¡¯t the apocalypse anymore. He could hear the sound of pedestrians walking the streets, the cars honking and the whizzing of birds flying past his apartment. He opened the window, the intense heat enveloping his face. He quickly closed the window and sighed. Too hot. Much too hot. The happiness was short-lived as he stared at the day. June 7th XXXX. Less than a week before doomsday. Cursing himself, Lan Zhou first called Wang Cheng. ¡°Hello?! Old Lan, I was just about to call you! Listen, this might be ridiculous, but please believe me! I am reborn and in less than a week there will be a zombie apocalypse!¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. I was just reborn too.¡± ¡°Old Lan, I¡¯m telling you the goddarn truth, we have to¡ªwait, what? You¡¯ve been reborn too?!¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s entire aura shifted. The years of bloodshed settled his body into a killing machine. He snapped his fingers as a bright blue flame appeared. He smiled, his eyes cold. ¡°Wang Cheng. We are going to save Xiao Zi this time. Get the group together. We have a lot of preparations to do.¡± Wang Cheng had been by Lan Zhou¡¯s side during the apocalypse. He immediately shifted his body to stand straighter as years of fighting and valor had taught him. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lan Zhou ended the call, before immediately handling his company. Everyone would have a working holiday of two weeks. No exceptions. Using the excuse of the heat, Lan Zhou closed his company down. He felt the buzzing on his cellphone and saw that Wang Cheng rallied the gang. Xiao Zi was also there. Lan Zhou sighed in happiness. In the beginning stages of the virus, Lan Zhou and his group were in B Base. However, his fucking family sent him out on a wild goose chase and stole all of the doctors and trusted men. He could no longer enter B Base since his father took over. Because the team of doctors was there to sample the meteor, they were highly coveted. ¡°What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine¡±. His father was a mocking son of a bitch, but he was parasitic in nature, taking everything he built up and made it into something ugly. It took him eight months to get back inside B Base, burning everything to the ground. He had heard that the doctors had experimented on young ability users, but they had escaped a few months ago. He was glad they did. However, some ability users died by their hands. He could no longer endure this inhumane treatment and killed all of the leaders of B Base, eventually dyeing it red. Lan Zhou spent the next 15 years fighting in the war zones. He went to the tropic areas where the heat was highest, and the zombies were the most rampant. His friends followed him, and he was known far and wide. His accomplishments got him high accolade, and like a general going to war, he did his best to lead his people. He and his friends had abilities. Lan Zhou had Grade A fire abilities, Wang Cheng had Level 5 space abilities, which was good for storage. Yu Ci had Level 9 strength abilities, Lu Jingxiu had Level 7 water abilities, and Xiao Zi had Level 9 healing abilities. However after 15 years of fighting, he wanted to do more in the back scenes. He was no longer young, but his determination was strong. He was a pillar in the military, and his friends were right behind him, supporting him through thick and thin. Xiao Zi, as a healer used to be a biochemist and pharmacist. After extensive research into the zombie¡¯s, he was on the cusp of a breakthrough, when the chemicals were blackened. The virus in the air had contaminated many parts of the world, and nowhere was safe. They needed pure ingredients. Lan Zhou remembered that in the deep south, there was Paradise Base. A base that got its name because they restarted economy and infrastructure, factories, and buildings. The leader of the base had a unique ability to purify any and all things. He didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s name, but if they could purify the chemicals, then the world would ultimately be saved. The journey to the south was harsh. A zombie hoard overcame them, and Wang Cheng died. Soon thereafter, Yu Ci¡¯s leg was bitten off, and Xiao Zi fixed it, but a man with one leg would not make it far. Yu Ci committed suicide, grenading himself along with a pack of zombies. Lu Jingxiu had to go back to the military base for back-up, and never returned. And lastly, a few days later, Xiao Zi died under enemy fire. Yes. People killed Xiao Zi. They sought sanctuary in a small base on the outskirts of Paradise. And the people came into their rooms, and tried to shoot them dead. Lan Zhou was not young anymore, but his powers were still strong. He killed everyone, but Xiao Zu still died with a bullet to his heart. In the end, Lan Zhou broke through to Grade A, but self-destructed. And then, he woke up a week prior to the apocalypse. He wouldn¡¯t let them die again. His friends that suffered alongside him. Did their best for a new future, and died by this world¡¯s hatred. He had saved hundreds of thousands in his last life. Killing himself every day for 20 years¡­just to die. This time he was going to keep his friends safe. He was going to do it right. Save Xiao Zi, find the pure ability user, kill his bastard father again, and dissolve that pack of doctors, so they could not hurt another ability user ever again. And now he was going to live for himself and his family. Chapter 15—The beginning of the end Chapter 15¡ªThe beginning of the end by Bocchan13 Song Yu¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t great. The closer it got to the zombie apocalypse, the more erratic he became. He went to the local shops and bought out all of the candies and goodies, gnawing on the cheap candy as if he was an addict on crack. He drove around the local village before making his way into the city. The zombie apocalypse wouldn¡¯t happen immediately. It took a few days after the meteor hit. The people affected were people struck with heat stroke. They didn¡¯t die, but their heat stroke broke way for a summer cold. Their bodies hot while fighting infection were the perfect host for the parasites in the meteor. The infection was airborne, so people who had weak bodies went first. That included people with low immune systems, people with open wounds, and people suffering from intense heat exhaustion. Song Yu knew that after the second day, people would start changing causing a massive wave of panic and death. In just two days, almost 30% of the world¡¯s population would become zombies. Song Yu drove into the city and saw the signs of the meteor shower viewing. It would pass over Country A and hit Country D. The pharmaceutical company in B Country would assemble a team in the first half hour in their hazmat suits and take a trip to the site, where they would bring back the samples. B Base would then assemble a team of biochemists and biology experts to find a cure after the zombie virus came out. Song Yu could only do his best as he parked his off road vehicle. This would be his last chance to feel the contact of humans in a normal way. He tried his best to smile, but the overgrowing feeling of guilt encompassed him. He didn¡¯t want to sound like a broken record player, but he had spent 20+ years as a work mule for him base. He hated how the world spat on him, and that his kindness wasn¡¯t rewarded. Instead, the people he trusted had thrown him down and stomped on his heart. But that didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t want to hurt the innocent people of today. If he shouted that the zombie apocalypse would happen, he would be labeled a madman. But if he could warn people first through some channel, then the guilt might abate. Song Yu looked around the commercial street and spotted something in an antique shop. Eyes widening, they sparkled as he saw what was on display. I must get it! He pasted his hands and face on the display, his eyes roving over the beautiful statue! It¡¯s so pretty! He checked his balance and nodded his head. He had enough money! ¡°Sir, do you want to come in and view anything?¡± A nice younger man opened the store door, his eyes glazing with boredom. ¡°H-how much is this beautiful creature?¡± The shop keeper looked at the statue in confusion then looked at Song Yu. ¡°Uhhh¡­it¡¯s around 300$ It¡¯s been here for so long though.¡± ¡°No problem! Get it ready for long travel! I want it!¡± Song Yu jumped happily as two handymen took the figure off the display. He couldn¡¯t help but clap! In less than 20 minutes, Song Yu had mounted the gigantic cool looking statue in his car. To make sure it wasn¡¯t going to get harmed, they styrofoamed the entire back. The gloom in Song Yu¡¯s heart lightened a bit as he brought the statue back. ¡°Derpy! Squinty-eyes! Don¡¯t you think he is beautiful!?¡± The small foal and dog were playing in the fields when they heard Song Yu coming back. Song Yu smiled gleefully as he opened the back. Derpy:¡­. Squinty-eyes:¡­. ¡°What? He¡¯s cool right? He looks like a knight! He¡¯s handsome!¡± Derpy:¡­. Squinty-eyes:¡­. Song Yu rolled his eyes as he unfurled the beautiful male statue. It was an off-white statue of a man, one leg leaning on a shield while the other hand had his hand on a sword pointing to the back. His hair was softly curled and his eyes were bright. His expression looked serious, but otherwise showed his status. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but place him outside in the garden. It would deter birds! And it was handsome! What Song Yu didn¡¯t know was that this was the replica of Prince Eric in The L***le Mermaid. ¡­ Song Yu decided that in order to warn people of the zombie apocalypse, he would record himself and send these recordings throughout the world. He couldn¡¯t do it before the meteor hit, but not after people became zombies. He had to infiltrate the government satellite so they could be broadcasted over the official government sanction. When the apocalypse occurred, the military did little to nothing, and the only thing the channels said were to stay indoors. Nothing about surviving. Song Yu would broadcast what he learned throughout the apocalypse. Song Yu prepared a microphone and recorded all the necessary things to help people. Under a pseudonym, he started. ¡°This is a warning to everyone and anyone who will listen. The meteor that hit will release a toxic virus and cause horrific damages to you and your loved ones. Please note that going outside will be detrimental to your safety. Do not attempt to go outside. Do not try to call the government. This recording is to help you right here and right now.¡± Song Yu sighed deeply, hoping this wouldn¡¯t cause a mass panic. But he couldn¡¯t stop people from doing this. He sniffed a bit, the hope of helping at least a few would be better than the death of many. ¡°¡­Stockpile water and non-perishables. In a few days, the water will be contaminated with the virus. Good ways to keep the water safe is to boil the water, let it cool and boil again. You can stockpile water via the bath tub. Put them in as many bottles as you can.¡± ¡°If you do not have much food, you can try to go out. Please be careful of the virus infected people. A bite can give you the virus. They respond to hearing and body heat. A good way to keep yourself quiet¡­is to gag yourself.¡± Song Yu squeezed the microphone. Before learning the heart technique, a good way to stop yourself from screaming was to gag yourself. This caused many people to die as a result, not by zombies, but because they couldn¡¯t ask for help. But remembering the screams that attracted a hoard to a safe zone, made Song Yu steel himself. ¡°Do not go to crowded areas, and make sure your weapon is adept at killing. The head is the most vital area. Only take what you can carry. Greediness can result in death not from the infected, but people in the same situation. Do not trust anyone. Only trust yourself.¡± ¡°For those staying at home, the power will go out after 10 days, water will pollute in 5, and the internet will go out in 3. Use this time to contact your loved ones. Do not attempt to leave until you are sure of a safe route¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.and please¡­everyone¡­stay alive.¡± Song Yu ended his recording. He used a speech to text app to convert his information and posted it on several forums. The entire text could fit a book. He recorded the words so it would come on the TV the first day, the radio in one week and as a last reminder, on the 2nd week. This was all he could do. Saving the recording, he sent it to a hacker who was renowned in Country A. He would ensure through a program that these recordings would go out at the prompted time. Song Yu leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. He felt a small lick on his fingertips and looked down to see Squinty-eyes. Picking the puppy up, he gently petted it on the head. ¡°Humanity is quite fragile, isn¡¯t it?¡± Squinty-eyes stared at him before cocking his head to the side. Song Yu laughed as he took the dog outside the room into the living room. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s watch the meteor shower.¡± The night had just started, as Song Yu snuggled with Squinty-eyes. Turning on the TV, he watched as the local TV station recorded the trajectory of the meteor shower. Song Yu could not see which meteor would bring the virus, but at this point, his heart had hardened, looking on with mild disassociation. ¡°¡­and we can see that the meteor shower will pass at 12AM on the dot. This cluster of meteors will be the closest it has ever come in nearly 2000 years. According to scientists, it will not come into contact with the earth¡¯s gravitational pull¡­¡± Song Yu looked at the time. 8:40pm. There was still time. ¡°Dinner?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Song Yu went into the kitchen and took out some easy instant ramen. He also got Squinty-eyes wet dog food, so Squinty-eyes flew to his bowl and ignored Song Yu while munching on dinner. Song Yu went back to the sofa and watched as the time dialed down. Before 12 AM, Song Yu closed his eyes as the memories came to him of a certain man. The memory of a single night where it was just him and Lan Zhou. A kiss, an embrace, the loving gaze of someone on his. The sacred kiss on his forehead and the warm hands that held him all night. When 12 AM hit, a single tear slipped from Song Yu¡¯s eyes as the camera panned to the starry sky, and the meteor shower came into view. ¡­ In B City, Lan Zhou oversaw his team¡¯s equipment. Wang Cheng patted Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We are ready boss. We will head over to the military base in two hours.¡± Lan Zhou nodded; his thoughts somewhere else. ¡°Anything wrong boss?¡± ¡°Did I ever meet Song Yu in our last life?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Song Yu. I don¡¯t think I met him last time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Is the timeline wrong?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Lan Zhou kept thinking. Did he remember wrong? Did he ever meet Song Yu before? Chapter 16—The Zombie Apocalypse Chapter 16¡ªThe Zombie Apocalypse Song Yu¡¯s eyes were glued to the TV as it broadcasted the overwhelmingly beautiful meteor shower. Sprays of light flew past the sky, its visage beautiful and haunting. He kept watching, not blinking as one small meteor fell apart from its pack and descended. ¡°¡­we can see that a small meteor has fallen off course! I repeat! The government has issued Country D to be vigilant of falling particles. I have just gotten feed from the satellite imaging that the meteor will hit Country D¡¯s farming mountains in less than ten minutes. All evacuations have been notified to those in these cities: ¡­..¡± Song Yu continued to watch the news. He saw the live footage of the meteor hitting D Country. The explosive power from the meteor caused the mountains to tremble. The meteor size was as big as a mansion, and with its powerful trajectory, it slid through the mountain ranges and annihilated the local villages. The death count was unknown. Song Yu stared deeply at the meteor. He didn¡¯t watch the live feed in his last life, so he didn¡¯t know what the meteor looked like, but just looking at it now caused his spiritual awareness to fluctuate. The debris of smoke and dirt had dissipated somewhat. A drone captured the immense size of the meteor. It was a sickly green color, pulsing veins of purple. It looked¡­alive. Song Yu shuddered as he tightened his hold on Squinty-eyes. It was this very image that captured the attention of B Country¡¯s bio-medical team. ¡­ Lan Zhou wrinkled his forehead as he got a phone call from his father. ¡°I will not subject my team to go all the way to the meteor site. Do you think you own even a fraction of my company?¡± On the other side of the phone was Lan Zhou¡¯s father whose scheming eyes very vibrant with the site on the TV. The meteor would be a part of Country D¡¯s jurisdiction. However, it had a backwards science field. Country B was the closest country and had the best facilities. The company that got bid to go to the meteor site had already started. ¡°I¡¯m telling you as your father! You WILL do this. Do you know how much money and prestige you could achieve with this one thing? Your company is just starting out in B Country, and this will projectile you to a better position!¡± Lan Zhou scoffed. In two days, people will start coming back to life as zombies. What prestige? Even the high-so military families were scraped during the apocalypse. Only the strong survived. ¡°So why don¡¯t you go then? Bring your own team of bio-chemists and go on this long pilgrimage to salvage your disgusting reputation.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to? You fucking unfilial bastard! The Lan family doesn¡¯t have any company ties to the biomedical field. You think I don¡¯t want to just leave you on the street to fucking die?¡± Lan Zhou sneered and crushed the phone. Wang Cheng and Yu Ci entered the room, both wearing military garb. The dark blue fabric was breathable and elastic enough for movement. Their chests had lightweight Kevlar that was infused with rubber. Over their hearts were long range walkie-talkies. Wang Cheng and Yu Ci had the buffest bodies, so garbed in the military uniforms made them look dangerous. Especially their eyes that held over 25 years of zombie-apocalypse experience. ¡°The military base will sponsor our team. We put all of the stuff in Wang Cheng¡¯s space and perishables in our backpacks. As long as we teach the military how to control their spiritual awareness for the first 3 months, we can leave. General Xiao especially wants a better understanding on how the spiritual grading works.¡± Yu Ci shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. Lan Zhou sighed. ¡°He wants all of us?¡± ¡°Yeah. Especially you, boss. Since you have a higher grade, you are more adept at teaching.¡± ¡°General Xiao always knows how to draw me in.¡± Wang Cheng rolled his eyes. ¡°He didn¡¯t change a bit. Still so snarky.¡± Lan Zhou threw the crumbled phone as he moved to the table filled with maps. Yesterday, they came to the military barracks they used to live in their past life. Under the jurisdiction of General Xiao, this military base had one of the most offensive armies available against the zombies. He spent almost 15 years at this base and trusted the people here. Coming in unannounced was definitely unheard of, especially when Lan Zhou broke through the gates with his blue flames. They were escorted to General Xiao and told him about what will happen in the next few days. It took convincing, however General Xiao wasn¡¯t an idiot. He was a robust 50 year old veteran. Seeing the powers of this group, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take advantage of the situation. ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, we will do our best to dispatch the military into the cities. We won¡¯t be chickens with our heads cut off and instead take the offensive in saving as many civilians as possible. What do you need?¡± ¡°We need to inform the people to stay in their homes. The more people not outside are better than them dying on the run. Have them take out red flags to show that there are residents there. Have the soldiers prepped in clothes that are tear proof and infused in rubber. Zombies are dependent on hearing and warmth. Keep the military soldiers tight and in groups.¡± General Xiao listened and only interjected when he didn¡¯t understand something. By the time their meeting ended, General Xiao had several high-military generals on a video call who listened with rapt attention. Looking at Lan Zhou, they knew he had experienced war. You didn¡¯t get to this aura from puppies and rainbows. His eyes were telling of war, death, destruction and pain. He wasn¡¯t lying. Lan Zhou opened his palms and a gentle blue ball of flames emitted. It looked beautiful clasped in his hands. General Xiao wanted to touch it, but approaching the flames, he didn¡¯t feel heat. Instead¡­he felt the prickliness of cold. It was so hot, it was cold. ¡°This will melt your bones, so it¡¯s advisable not to touch.¡± General Xiao gently put his hand away. ¡°When will the virus start affecting the people?¡± Lan Zhou looked at the TV. It had only been an hour after the meteor had fallen. He sighed. ¡°Two days at the most.¡± General Xiao nodded his head, reaching to rub his temples. The time was too short. ¡°And you are sure Xiao Ci can make the vaccine?¡± ¡°We need to find a certain ability user who can purify the chemicals needed. We don¡¯t have any information other than what we remember at the beginning. He should be established in B Base after its formation which will be in 3 months. We will go find him and bring him to the military base.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s voice got lower. ¡°And he will be fully compensated. The military base won¡¯t hurt him, and he will life the rest of his life well.¡± General Xiao look puzzled. Didn¡¯t you not know him? Lan Zhou just gazed until the general gave his ascent. Lan Zhou knew better than anyone that the pure ability user had suffered under the medical team. He will go before any of that happens and save him. This was one redemption he needed to accomplish. After that, the military factions in twenty six countries were informed of the zombie apocalypse. Some took it seriously whilst others shrugged it off. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t care about those and continued to prep for the oncoming war. He was now looking at a map of the surrounding countries. He pointed to a specific area in the colder regions. ¡°This is where Paradise Base will be erected later. If the pure ability user wants to, after the vaccine is successfully made, we can help his establish the base for disaster relief.¡± Wang Cheng was uncomfortable with Lan Zhou¡¯s decision, but he didn¡¯t show it. He had always felt that the rumors of the Paradise Base were unfounded. It was a base that was the closest to economy and infrastructure, but at what cost? On the surface, it looked perfect, but the way to get to Paradise Base was long and arduous causing most of them to die. And when he learned that Xiao Ci died at the hands of the outer perimeter of Paradise further sealed his dislike. There was just¡­something wrong with that base and its occupants. ¡°The pure ability user was the cornerstone of the base. If we stop the past events, the medical team is already dissolved, so there won¡¯t be anyone tortured, the survivors wouldn¡¯t break out and the base wouldn¡¯t be born. Instead, let¡¯s put him into the military base. If we have him here, we won¡¯t have to worry about anything again.¡± Yu Ci also nodded. ¡°Besides¡­we don¡¯t know what this pure ability user is like. He might be arrogant or distrustful. We cannot take chances. I know¡­Lan Zhou, we know that your intentions are pure, but we cannot risk other people¡¯s lives any more than we have to.¡± Lan Zhou felt his two friend¡¯s words were valid. He stared at the map once again. It might have been because he was responsible for the many deaths at the hand of his father¡¯s greed. It was a stone in his heart. Even when he brought B Base to its knees, it didn¡¯t dissipate his regret and agony. ¡°I know. The past is the past. I¡¯m sorry¡­I just need more time to adjust.¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci patted his shoulders and left Lan Zhou to his thoughts. Lan Zhou sat down as he stared at himself in the window. His 26 year old face stared back at him. His eyes looked dangerous, sad, and filled with grief. The sacrifices he had made in his last life still haunt him in this one. Maybe¡­he wasn¡¯t as fine as he thought. He leaned his head back as he thought of the past. Death always took a toll on a person. Even after more than 20 years in the apocalypse, he couldn¡¯t help his tightened heart as his comrades died. He just wanted to go into obscurity into the dense forests and live a simple life. If the vaccine proved to be successful and the world went back to the way it was, he would like to go far away. His heart needed to heal just a little bit more, and the memories of those 20 years would disappear little by little. Lan Zhou felt another oncoming headache and rubbed his temples. He felt a flicker in his heart as he recalled that night with Song Yu. He recalled that beautiful gaze upon him, with its tinge of love and sadness. Why did he look like he was going to cry? Lan Zhou sighed bitterly. By tomorrow, that gaze could become milky white with the infection. But¡­that hopeful but¡­ If one day they would meet again, Lan Zhou would want to hold him tight in his embrace and slowly let that gaze heal his lonely heart. Bonus chapter! Surprise!! A new cover art for NEET Life!!!!! Chapter 17—PTSD Chapter 17¡ªPTSD In the large villa, Song Yu huffed heavily as he got off the treadmill. It had been a month after the meteor hit. Like he promised, the recordings got out. He didn¡¯t know what the outcome of his actions had made, but if it had saved even one life, then he was happy. He tiredly rubbed his sweat-laden hair as he checked his body in the full length mirror. Nothing beat youth. His stick-like figure now looked toned and sleek. Although he was still slender, you could see definition and tightened power. The electricity was still on, but like his last life, the water had become polluted. Not so much so that people would become infected, but it was a slow gradual climb to that point. A few days ago, he soaked himself in the lake, absorbing the water, purifying it and letting it flow out. He was a human turbine, churning out clean water. The lake took a long time to purify; as he had to control the entryway to his allocate just enough water and equivalently let it out. This was a good thing for him as well. It exercised restraint. He had done this in the Paradise Base once a year, then twice a year. By the time he died, he had been purifying the waters once a week. This took a toll on his body, and he usually went into coma¡¯s. Life at the base became somewhat blurry. Overusing his powers, delegating tasks and overall trying to keep the base in survival mode he did all he could. But now that he broke through, his spiritual powers were overflowing. As if the life back then didn¡¯t happen, the flow of his spiritual space was cleaner, purer, and overall easier. He knew that the lake would stay purified for a long time. Song Yu went to take a shower, his body too sticky with sweat. He hopped in and smiled as hot water steamed the bathroom. Ahhhhh! He would have hot showers for the rest of his life! After the shower, Song Yu went into his wardrobe and took out his hunting gear. Yes. He had been preparing for an outing for quite some time. As a shut in, he didn¡¯t want to wait until zombies came near him. He needed practical experience. Learning weaponry and fighting in the comforts of his gym was not going to cut it. He was going to live in the zombie apocalypse for a long time. He needed to know what he had to deal with. He carefully put on his hunting garb, several layers of elastic material, lightweight body armour infused with rubber on his forearms, calves and neck and a mask that could double as an air filter and hide his identity. On his thighs, he had several knives and a hand gun with a silencer. His primary weapon was his spiritual blade. He admitted that he took inspiration from M**tal Komb*t, so many of his ¡®inspired¡¯ hunting garbs were similar in both aesthetics and functionality. He checked himself in the mirror and admired his lean body in the armour. Ahhh¡­If only I had a hot hunk to admire me like this! His spiritual space had water and snacks alongside a sleeping bag for when he napped in his car. His target was the westward region that had local villages. A primary spot to train himself. Not that many zombies and spread out enough not to overwhelm him. Song Yu got a bit excited. That was a somewhat terrible thing to think, but he felt a bit stuffy staying at home these last two weeks, and going out would restrain his wanderlust. He got out of the room and met with Squinty-eyes. His spiritual sense did not lie. After several days after the meteor hit, Song Yu had to kill one of the dairy cows, a handful of chickens, and had to re-do an entire vegetable greenhouse. It was very easy to spot the animals turning. Zombies had milky-white eyes, pale skin, and their blood postulated a purple and greenish hue. The dairy cow had chased and eaten a piglet, snapping its jaws on the poor baby. Song Yu had sliced it on the spot and burned the remains. He cleaned up the pen, making sure the animals didn¡¯t lick the zombie blood. After checking that, he spent two days replanting the vegetables. Zombie vegetables were vibrant in colors like red and fuchsia, sometimes secreted tantalizing smells, and tended to squirm like maggots under the surface of the soil. He also burned it, making sure the roots didn¡¯t penetrate the surrounding seedlings. Derpy and Squinty-eyes didn¡¯t turn into zombies, and in maybe a few weeks will show signs of having an ability. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a night, take care of the animals for me okay?¡± Squinty eyes barked happily and drew circles around Song Yu. He ruffled his adorable head and headed out to the garage. He purchased the off-road vehicle from the military, but had some things altered such as the tires and doors. Doors were both a safe thing but an enemy. Doors especially on cars were hard to open when fleeing from zombies, and if you opened one during flight and a zombie happened to jump, the door would be lost and the cars defense would go down 100% So he made them slide doors that opened when he pressed a button. Of course, the button was on his person, so even while running, he could safely open and close the door. The opening and closing mechanism could be set at a speed, and even if zombies tried to pry the door open, the titanium press would continue to close the door, leaving the zombies body to be cut in half. Song Yu smiled gleefully as he got in. The color was a sleek brown color that could easily camouflage in the dark and not look out of place in the daytime; he revved the engine and drove out of his compound. He brought along a sensor that detected movement around his perimeter, if any zombies had traveled to his location. He was set. He pressed a button and the doors to the gate swung open. Seeing that nothing was untoward, he silently drove out, watching as the gates silently shut behind him. He heaved a sigh of relief and drove off. The journey to the west was long. He had to drive very far for just a few hours of zombie killing, sleep, then return, but this was a safety precaution he had to bear. He pressed the radio and turned up the volume as he heard harsh feedback, before a low radio transmission echoed. ¡°¡­the B Country military base will bring reinforcements to the common areas¡­please wave a red flag outside your window and we will do our best to bring you to safety. I repeat, please wave a red flag. We will ensure your safety¡­¡± Song Yu frowned. The B Military Base? The one in the north? Song Yu remembered that the Military Base was one of the longest lasting bases. The famous fire user was there. Song Yu did remember that the Military Base was the only one that prioritized citizen rescue, but that it was after a several month. Song Yu didn¡¯t bother paying more attention to the radio and instead picked several songs from his phone into the auxiliary cord. He sang along to the songs and watched the forest change from mountain to plains. He stopped a few times to use the bathroom and went on his merry way. On the maps, there were several small villages that outcropped the area. The closest village was 8+ hours from his base with a car. He intended to clear out this area and create a wider berth of safety for himself. Eight hours of driving took a toll on Song Yu, so he took out his sleeping bag. Looking at the movement detector on the screen, the surrounding zombies were still a whiles away. A 20 minute nap would be okay. He had parked himself behind a tree, so there was shade covering. Song Yu closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep. He mind was still consciously awake, his spiritual sense still on high alert. The 20 minutes were up, Song Yu stretched his neck and wrung out the kinks before driving another 20 minutes. Song Yu had known that the village was filled with the elderly and left alone children. He had waited a month; anyone still alive would have run away. At least he hoped that. He didn¡¯t want to have to save people. Song Yu parked outside the village silently. He checked the screen and counted that there were only a dozen in his close vicinity. Perfect. The zombies right now were still slow. He got out and immediately slowed down his breathing. His heart beat slowed down, and his body went back into that zone. Eyes focused, mind clear. His hands didn¡¯t tremble, but were deliberate as it reached his small dagger. His eyes slowly checked his surroundings. Then he spotted a zombie. It was an elderly woman; her hunched back had been torn open revealing purple blood and greenish bones. Her skin was sallow and falling off the back bone. Her legs were walking in jerky movements and her hands had transformed into the ones Song Yu remembered. Song Yu had the urge to vomit. Seeing that thing again¡­he felt the calmness disappear as his hands trembled, holding himself. He heaved and ran back into the car. The calm breath was no longer as he gasped, his hands clawing his throat like he couldn¡¯t breathe. Sweat soaked his body armour as he placed his head against the steering wheel. No. No. No. No¡­. He laughed pathetically. A zombie that could barely support itself, that even a child could have killed¡­He buried his face in his hands as tears escaped. His bravado was gone. His pride was gone. Everything was gone. His skin still crawled in trembling fear as the memory of being eaten alive engulfed him. He didn¡¯t want to be eaten. He didn¡¯t want die. He didn¡¯t want to die! He heard a light scrape on the side of his vehicle. Song Yu froze as he turned to look out, and saw a new zombie pressing its blackened nails on the surface of his tinted window. Chapter 18—Everyone must die Chapter 18¡ªEveryone must die WARNING: Blood/gore/R*pe/Cannibalism If you guys do not want to read it, there is a TL;DR for you at the bottom of the chapter. You have been warned. Song Yu pulled back in fear. The zombie looked freshly bitten, its milky white eyes staring unceasingly into the distance. Zombie functions were different to humans. They didn¡¯t exert any needed muscles, and blinking was one of them. The sharp black nails scraped the window but didn¡¯t leave even a scratch. It must have smelled him when he panicked. Song Yu¡¯s blood ran cold as the zombie butted its head on the car, before walking away. He heaved a sigh of relief when the zombie lost his scent. How pathetic was he? Song Yu grimaced as he felt along his body armour. All available parts of his body were covered with anti-zombie material. He shouldn¡¯t have any more fear. He repeated a positive mantra until his heartbeat went back down to a normal rhythm. He was too hasty. Too excited. He needed practice. That¡¯s why he was here. Song Yu needed to do baby steps once again. Instead of going out of his car, he stayed inside for a few hours and watched as several zombies went past his car. He tried to get used to the look and the feel, especially the hands. They were just hands. When he was ready, Song Yu hesitantly got out of the car. Right now, the zombies had migrated farther away from his car, except for the granny. He inhaled deeply and lowered his heart rate. Step by step, he inched towards the granny. His footsteps were light, eliciting no sounds, so when he came within striking distance, the granny had no time to react when he enabled his spiritual blade. A bright blue light pulsed his palms as he flicked his hand in the granny¡¯s direction. Manipulating the movement, the spiritual blade curved diagonally as it made impact with the granny¡¯s neck. No more than a second later, and the granny¡¯s body fell to the floor. Song Yu exhaled. He had done it. He didn¡¯t have much time, so Song Yu lightly jogged back to the car. In his peripherals he could see the other zombies approaching, probably from the sound of the granny¡¯s body hitting the ground. Song Yu safely made it back inside, his panicked state a few shades lighter. He counted the other zombies and felt like he could fight two for now. He waited for a while more as the zombies once again wandered around. He got out quickly and approached another zombie. The zombie was quicker than the granny, jerking his distorted head. Song Yu avoided eye contact as he took out his dagger. The point of all of this was to practice his hand-to hand combat. He couldn¡¯t rely on his spiritual blade forever. He needed to be physically able as well. The dagger was a little bit bigger than others, spanning 12 inches. Its thickness was normal, except for the bottom that curved delicately into a fine point. His breathing lowered as he moved into an offensive stance. All parts of his body revolved perfectly as the sinews of his muscles contracted and relaxed. The zombie could smell fresh meat and hurried to the lingering scent on Song Yu¡¯s body. Inhale¡­ Song Yu didn¡¯t hesitate when he slashed his dagger, his body moving in perfect harmony. The accuracy was on point as he felt the metal contact rotting flesh. The slash wasn¡¯t deep but it did offset the zombies head. The zombie¡¯s did not feel pain, so they didn¡¯t care that their head was almost falling off. Song Yu avoided the zombie¡¯s hands as he whirled around, his gloved hands touching the zombies rotting hair. With a small exertion, the head twisted off cleanly. Exhale¡­ Before he could relax, he heard a groaning sound close to him, so he used the momentum of his hand with the head to smash the oncoming zombie. The head hit the zombie¡¯s chest, making it stagger and lose its balance. Song Yu took his dagger and waited for it to get up. The zombies were still level 1, so they weren¡¯t as fast. He watched as the zombie took its time to get up. When the zombie finally got up, it was immediately beheaded by Song Yu¡¯s blade. There were still zombies in the vicinity, but not near Song Yu. Song Yu went back into the car and stared at his gloves that still had pieces of hair and head. He opened his space and threw the gloves inside. Taking stock of the rest of his body, it was still fairly clean. His hands were trembling from the encounter, but his fear of zombies were much better now. He clenched his fists and fist pumped the air. Song Yu: 1 point! Zombies: 0! The sun was descending, and Song Yu was still tired from his drive. He put a low alarm on, to alert him of oncoming zombies, and snuggled in his sleeping bag. Outside it was still hot, but inside the car was slightly cool. Song Yu smiled as he went to sleep, awaiting the next day¡¯s activities. ¡­ Song Yu heard something in the middle of the night. He didn¡¯t open the lights, but heightened his listening. Ability user¡¯s bodies were quite different in terms of normal people. They could heal faster, endure from eating and drinking for longer periods of times, hear from far distances and smell even the smallest of scents. Song Yu did not cultivate his body in his past life, so these perks were sadly not ¡®upgraded¡¯. Now, however, he had been exercising his spiritual sense so his hearing was much better. He heard several footsteps surrounding the village. His car was obscured from view unless people turned the corner, but otherwise, he was invisible. He counted the steps and concluded there were at least four people. Not zombies¡­but people. Song Yu silently got out of his car and followed the group. Most people would have already left this area in search for food. Now there were four individuals doing nightly activities. It was too suspicious. Song Yu watched as the four people went to a large manufacturing building. Song Yu could hear more people inside. They might have just made camp and would leave for the morning. He was about to head back to his car when he heard several muffled voices. He recalled those. For people who couldn¡¯t control their voices, their screams would call zombies so they muffled their voices using clothing or ropes. But it also signified something else. People being detained. Song Yu closed his eyes but couldn¡¯t leave. He needed to know. He crept through a small opening on the side of the building where they didn¡¯t check. The manufacturing building was quite large with steel beams and gigantic machinery with assembly lines. This looked like a cannery. He heard small conversations and the muffled voices groaning. Song Yu trembled as he got closer. The group of 4 was now a group of 10. The four were a collection of an elderly man in his 50¡¯s with a robust look and a menacing aura, a youth looking similar to him and could only be his son, a woman in her mid-thirties and a business suit with cardboard cutouts that had several bite marks on them, and a man with glasses and a smiling demeanor. The other three were all robust men ranging in ages between 25-30. WARNING: Read at your own discretion What made Song Yu put a hand over his mouth were the three prisoners. Their mouths had been gagged, their closes were almost non-existent, and¡­several limbs had been cut off. Two girls and one boy. The boy was no older than 20, but had his entire left arm taken off the shoulder socket, and one leg taken off to the knee, its wound bounded, but blood had reddened the bandage, showing some visceral meat that had been minced off the bone. The girls not older than 17 or 18 were even worse off, both hands taken off, their legs chopped off¡­and ... Song Yu could smell that fishy and bitter cum which he saw ooze out of all of them. They have been assaulted repeatedly by the smell of blood and semen in that area. Even the boy wasn''t spared. Song Yu could see their far-off eyes as their gone limbs pussed with infection, the skin surrounding the guts were red. Song Yu could smell that one of them were on the verge of zombification. They might have eaten or drank something polluted. The other 7 were surrounding a fire pit and on the spit was probably the boy¡¯s leg. He heard some nice quiet conversation. ¡°We heard from someone that there is a safe house somewhere around the mountains, we are thinking of going there. Apparently, a few months ago, a billionaire hoarder moved in. If we can find the place, we can take the supplies.¡± The elderly 50 year old sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been around these parts, and there¡¯s nothing for several hundred miles. The car would not last the journey. If there were gas stops, we would have already gone.¡± The three thugs nodded, thinking deep. ¡°Our supplies are running out, I think we should head to the closest town and pose as towners. The government is apparently issuing housing for the civilians. If we can hijack a few more people, we can make it.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was vicious, like she hadn¡¯t proposed to kill people for their things. Glasses guy pushed up his glasses and sidelined to the three ¡®food sources¡¯. ¡°Then we should finish our leftovers before heading out.¡± Song Yu¡¯s body slowly calmed down. His breathing lowered as the vision in his eyes shifted. These weren¡¯t people anymore. Song Yu waited until all of them ate the leg, seeing them guzzle the meat, wiping their oil-stained mouths on their clothes. Song Yu kept watching unblinking, watching this scene of horror as if he watched the news. One of the thugs smacked his lips and went for seconds, not forgetting to rip off the toenails from the toes. The 7 members all looked to have eaten well this past month. They didn''t look disgusted when eating human flesh, so they had been doing this for a while. A human could go without food for 2 weeks. Song Yu glimpsed at the boy whose faraway gaze was now alert as he watched as one by one the 7 members ate his body, a slow twitch itching at the corner of his lips. When they finished the meat off the femur bone, they all complimented the glasses guy for cooking the leg very well. The Glasses guy re-positioned his glasses and shrugged. "It''s no problem. It''s surprisingly easy because the calf meet is similar to beef." All of a sudden, the young man started laughing through his gag. All seven looked towards him. ¡°What are you laughing about? Fucking f*ggot, I¡¯ll fuck you later.¡± The boy continued to laugh happily. One of the thugs reached out and ferociously ripped the gag off. Song Yu could see that several of the boys teeth were gone. The young man cackled as he looked at the bones strewn on the floor as well as the leftover meat on the spit over the campfire. ¡°You fucking ate it! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAH! Fuck you!¡± The thug slapped him ruthlessly. The boy smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been infected. You guys just ate fucking infected food! HAHAHA!¡± This woke up the two other girls as they started to laugh through their gags as well. The group looked at their finished plates with the leg meat and threw it on the floor. Small particles of meat strewn itself on the floor, and they were silent for a second as disbelief and haunting terror enveloped each and every one of their faces. The thug holding the young boy threw him far back and tried to vomit the food out. Everyone was hunched over, trying to spill out their guts. Several succeeded, but others couldn''t and looked at their skin to see if they would change. "We don''t know if he''s lying or not. Let''s wait if he becomes a zombie." The middle-aged woman was one that puked everything out. She was certain that even if she had ingested the meat, it wouldn''t affect her. Thug #3 punched the young boy over and over again. Teeth spew everywhere and the boy collapsed. "Fuck!" Glasses guy looked and saw the elder stare at his skin that wriggled. "NO! I''m not a zombie! Hey! I''m not a zombie!" The young boy laughed again. "I ate a plant last night and you fucked me this morning. You''ve been infected for a while. HAHAHHA!" The elder man''s skin pussed as he looked down at his pants. He ripped his pants down and saw his cock had turned that purplish hue. He screamed and tried to get to the boy, but everyone raised their weapons at the elderly man. "Dad...you''ve been infected. You should just die, okay?" The man''s son was looking at his father as if he was a stranger, his eyes blinking chaotically. "Just die dad." "Fuck you! I''m not fucking infected. You fucking shithead, if I''m dying, I''ll take everyone with me!" The old man ran to his son, his eyes turning visibly white as his mouth sank on his sons calf. "Arghh!" The son tried to pry his fathers clenched mouth off his leg, but like a dog, the now zombie crunched hard. "Fuck! Get this off me!" Everyone was now panicked and didn''t dare approach. The three thugs were several shades darker as they also opened their pants. Two were fine, but one was just like the old man, who had a penis pussing purple. END OF WARNING While everyone was in a frenzy, Song Yu dropped down from a machine. The perfect time to step in. Song Yu, like a death reaper appeared from the shadows. His body suit was black, so hid in the darkness perfectly, only the top of his face glowing white. Glasses guy looked up and almost screamed. Pointing in Song Yu¡¯s direction, everyone watched as Song Yu came through. Song Yu didn¡¯t say a word, but everyone could see the blue light emanating from his eyes. Eyes that chilled everyone to the bone. The elderly man stood up and shuffled behind the young woman who shoved him away. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t respond as his spiritual blade manifested. Before anyone could react, two of the thugs slunk to the floor, both heads severed from their bodies. The young woman screamed while Glasses guy tried to run. He only ran a few steps before he felt coolness on his neck and then blankness. The glasses slid a few feet from his head, it¡¯s pretty frames, now thick with blood. Song Yu did not hesitate to kill the rest of the people. Swiftly and accurately, he had reduced them to body pieces. No blood spilt on him. It ended in an instant. When everything was silent, Song Yu retreated his spiritual blade and gently kneeled in front of the three prisoners. The young man smiled in happiness while the two young women waited for him to speak. Song Yu just silently stared at them, his ferocious eyes becoming gentle with an engulfing sadness. His beseeching eyes spoke volumes to what he had to do. All three of them nodded their heads. ¡°Please make our journey as painless as possible.¡± The young man bowed his head, his ravaged body showing the last vestiges of humanity. That strong back had traveled with his sisters for less than two weeks when they were captured. After all the suffered, the only thing the young man could do was this small thing, so the young man had eaten a red plant when no one was looking. He could feel his body changing, and waited for the people to eat his body. ¡°Your name?¡± The young boy raised his head to see that Song Yu had taken off his mask. A beautiful face looked at him, a gentle smile lighting him in a beautiful glow. The rising sun gently poured into the building, cascading a warm halo around Song Yu. The young man teared up as he said, ¡°Jin Wang and these are my younger sisters, Jin Xue and Jin Hua.¡± Song Yu saw that both sisters had their tongues cut out. He lightly stroked each of their heads in comfort. Like baby chicks, they pushed their heads into his warm palms, trying to find a vestige of relief and safety. His strokes became more gentle as the siblings gathered, moving their broken bodies so they could be together. ¡°I¡¯ll make graves for you somewhere beautiful.¡± Tears dripped down Jin Wang¡¯s face as he thanked Song Yu over and over again. Song Yu patted his head, his strong voice filled with resignation and respect. "Please put us side by side." Song Yu nodded. ¡°Close your eyes¡­¡± The three siblings hugged each other; all had happy looks of gratitude, their eyes crying tears while their lips stretched into a smile. Like Song Yu promised, all they felt were gentle winds before their world went black. . . . TL;DR: Song Yu overcomes his fears of zombie killing and regains some confidence. At night, Song Yu follows a group of cannibals who enslaved 3 siblings, eating them bit by bit. Song Yu kills everyone and euthanizes the siblings. Chapter 19—Time will pass Chapter 19¡ªTime will pass Song Yu did not dig their graves close the village. Instead, he burned their bodies and carried their ashes in his space. He cleaned up the rest of the bodies, and by daylight, the zombies had started moving around again. Song Yu looked on indifferently at the ugly rotten faces of the zombies, a cruel smile lighting his face. What was he so scared of before? These things looked more harmless that that cannibalistic group. He didn¡¯t feel like practicing, so in a span of two hours, he had completely killed all of the zombies in the surrounding area. He didn¡¯t look for survivors. He sat in the car and drove off, his mind in a state of numbness. He drove for several hours until he reached his destination. There was a lake surrounded by mountains and a small area where the locals would sit in the shade of the trees and have picnics while watching the beautiful scenery. There weren¡¯t any zombies around, so Song Yu casually got out and scanned the best area. When he spotted an area that bloomed wild flowers, he started digging. He didn¡¯t have funeral urns, but he did have clean white linen fabric in his space. He dug deep enough so animals wouldn¡¯t dig it up and placed the clean linen inside. He gently placed three ashes into graves side by side before looking for stones to write their names. He spent an hour carving their names. Oh. I forgot to ask how to spell them¡­ Song Yu guessed the characters and wrote them down. When he was finished, he bowed respectfully to each grave before driving back to his home. Squinty eyes barked happily as Song Yu got out, his small body clinging to his calves. Derpy grazed in the fields and snorted happily when he saw him. Song Yu picked up Squinty-eyes and walked into the grand villa. Reaching his room, he dropped Squinty and took off his hunting gear and put it in his space for purification. Dressing in a cotton button down and slacks, he sat at the edge of his bed, his eyes still listless. He fell back and the softness enveloped him. Closing his eyes, he comforted himself. ¡°Time will pass, and you will be okay.¡± He repeated the mantra and lulled himself into a deep sleep¡­ . . . Two Years later Day 788 ¡°NOOOOOOO!!!!! Wei Wuxian!!! He suffered so much!!!¡± Song Yu bawled and threw tissues at the screen. A drama was playing on the large TV, showing scenes of immense sadness. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but blubber as he saw the main protagonist hold the other in his arms as soft music played in the background. ¡°Oh shit! Why you gotta hurt my heart this way? I CAN¡¯T wait for next week, I gotta watch it now!¡± Song Yu had promised himself, that to stretch entertainment, he would watch things as if they came out online. TV dramas were usually twice a week while animations were once a week. He had recently been watching the super popular show The Un*amed and could help but binge on this luscious goodness. He had come into it blind, and now has to see if he had downloaded the novel. Song Yu sniffed again, his heart hurting. He used all of his willpower not to click the next episode and instead got up and went into the karaoke room. His sadness was a disease, as he turned on the machine, clicking the #sadshower playlist. An oncoming song brought him to the cusp of even more tears. He turned on his microphone and swayed back and forth to the slow beat, and sung with so much conviction, anyone watching would think he had experienced a break up. Where there is hope! There is always hardship! You know, you know you know, yeah, yeah! He spun and dropped down an octave, I DON¡¯T WANNA CRY I DON¡¯T WANNA REST No, who cares if we rest a little? No, no, no I don¡¯t wanna lose It¡¯s always a desert I told you everything Then I¡¯ll just be more depressed! Song Yu rotated through several songs before ending it with a much better mindset. He left the karaoke room and saw Squinty passing through followed by several chicks. ¡°Squinty! What did I say about bringing them in the house! Out! I tell you, out!¡± He shooed the balls of yellow through several rooms and sighed when they hopped out of the doggy door. Squinty had grown ginormous in the last 2 years. Like he had predicted, neither Squinty nor Derpy had become zombies. Almost a year ago, they had developed spiritual awareness. Song Yu was extremely happy, because the more they exercised their spiritual awareness, the more chance they could develop an ability. So far, none of them had one, but Song Yu had the feeling that Derpy would have another awakening soon. Song Yu checked the time and stretched his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go check on the fields.¡± He heard a loud bark on the other side of the door and laughed. Going into his bedroom, he changed into a nice ivory shirt, brown pants, and working boots. He went to his dresser and took out a nice straw hat¡ªa skill he learned throughout these two years. Putting it on his head, he left the villa and went into the shed, taking out several farm tools. It was spring now, so there wasn¡¯t a harvest, but buds. He walked southward towards the fields and checked the lattice, which held peppers. The sprouting period hadn¡¯t matured yet, but he could see those tiny green stubs. Making sure he didn¡¯t rub his eyes, he checked everywhere to see a variant. Using the purified water, the plants usually didn¡¯t zombify. But it wasn¡¯t hard to check. Once done, Song Yu then went to the vine fields and checked several green vegetables. There weren¡¯t any abnormalities either. Song Yu hummed a happy tune as he took the hose and started spraying. Listening in the background, he heard the sound of happy barking, cows grazing, and chicks chirping. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but pat himself on the back. He did good. It was reaching three in the afternoon, so Song Yu finished up the chores and took Squinty to the tree on the side of the front yard. This tree was almost a hundred years old, its height just perfect for climbing, and its shade perfect for sitting in. He took off his straw hat and wiped the sweat off his brow. Taking cold water from his space, he gulped it haphazardly and smacked his lips in a crisp sound. Under the tree, there was a large hammock swing equipped with cushions, so he jumped in and swung wantonly. He flicked off his work boots and felt the grass under his feet. Ahhh¡­Life was good. Song Yu took out an e-reader out of his space and looked for the book the drama he was watching. Finding no successes with the name, he searched for the author. Immediately, his eyes lit up as he fist bumped the air! Yeasssss! I got it! Not one, not two, but three different books? Hallelujah!! He snuggled in the hammock and let the cool breeze lift his hair. He kept watching until the sun set, then grumpily moved back into the house. Squinty was already in front of the TV, a remote under his paws, passing through different genres of movies. ¡°What are you in the mood for?¡± Song Yu slid onto the couch, not minding what he wanted. Squinty pressed the button several times, looking pensive. After scouring the lists, he finally settled on a Christmas movie. ¡°You miss the snow huh?¡± Song Yu chuckled. The snow had been fierce the first winter, and even fiercer the second, causing a massive shortage of vegetables. Luckily, he had foraged enough to last. Squinty and Derpy liked the snow and would gallop on the ice lake almost every day. Watching a movie with Squinty, he ruffled his long hair and decided to make dinner. Nothing too fancy, Song Yu took out lean pork from the fridge that he had put in the morning to thaw. Slicing them up into thin pieces, he then moved on to cut cabbage, green beans, carrots, basil and the likes before tossing them. On low heat, he simmered the lean pork until it was golden brown adding in garlic and salt, a small smidgen of msg and oyster sauce. Putting in the vegetables, he turned the heat lower and let everything simmer together. He smelled the food happily and turned towards the rice cooker that still had leftovers from lunch. The white rice he had bought had finished a while ago, so he planted, threshed and then dried rice. It wasn¡¯t as white, but it still tasted divine. He checked the dinner and turned off the stove, hoisting the pan on top of his bowl of rice. The pretty brown sauce dripped invitingly onto the rice before everything else. Song Yu gulped hungrily at the concoction. He set the table for one, filled the dog bowl and had a nice quiet dinner. Bite after bite of crispy vegetables assaulted by the smell of meat tasted like heaven. Song Yu gave a thumbs up in his heart. Ever since taking those video classes, his repertoire of culinary dishes grew extensively. He patted his stomach and burped happily. Squinty had also finished his bowl and yipped to signal the dishes. After cleaning up, Song Yu retired to his bed. Another beautiful day spent in paradise. Song Yu snuggled in the soft sheets, the air con softly breezing in his room. He stretched his arms and hit the calendar on his nightstand. Seeing the date, he grumbled. Every month, Song Yu would leave his paradise and fight zombies. In the beginning he hardly went out. But after almost 6 months of staying inside, he couldn¡¯t handle it and ventured to the eastern region. The eastern part had more population, so the zombies had wandered farther and farther away. When he sighted a zombie only 3 hours away from his property, he had to do something. So every month, he would go out and kill zombies in the surrounding area, setting off a 5 hour perimeter. As more time passed, the fewer zombies had come around. Song Yu made sure that zombies never had a chance to create a mob. In the current time, the highest level zombie was a level 4. The day after tomorrow, he would make his rounds. Song Yu sighed deeply and cuddled further into his nice comforter, going off into a restless sleep. ... Song Yu''s #sadshower playlist (to be updated) Fix You, Coldplay Sea, BTS For forever, Dear Evan Hansen Achilles, come down, Gang of Youths Night Flower, Yeeun Ahn Lend me your voice, Kaho Nakamura Wrecked, Imagine Dragons Eight, IU I''ll stand by you, The Pretenders The answer to everything, Zhou Shen Grow as we go, Ben Platt Ephiphany, Jin BTS You can be king again, Lauren Aquilina *We stan a multi-lingual Song Yu* Chapter 20-Boundary Line Chapter 20¡ªBoundary Line by Bocchan13 Song Yu prepped for another long haul. His perimeter rounds took around two weeks, drawing in a wide circle and killing along the way. He had this planned route that almost exactly spanned 5 hours around his villa minus the south side that had glacial mountains. His off road car had run out of gas some time ago, so when Derpy was old enough, Song Yu learned how to ride and do horse maintenance. Albeit Derpy being only 2 years old, his spiritual advancement had caused both animals to be larger, so despite his age, he was as big as a grown horse. Derpy delighted in these excursions, since he could run for farther distances without the offensive trees. Song Yu also liked it this way cause zombies didn¡¯t bother with animals, especially those that were spiritually aware. He prepped foods and clothing in his space, and made sure the animals had clean water and food. Squinty helped the dumber animals with the feeding and could turn on the sprinkler system that automatically shut off. They were like a well-oiled machine, all combining into a routine that was both easy and satisfying. Squinty wanted to go on these excursions too, but was misled with the ¡°leader position¡±. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh when he gave him the ¡°greatest dad¡± medal he had stored somewhere. Even if he was smart, he still didn¡¯t know how to read. . . . DAY 790 Song Yu swatted the canopy in annoyance. Dumb singing birds woke him up so freakin¡¯ early. He rubbed his eyes and stayed dazed for a bit. Squinty came into the bedroom and barked at him to get ready. ¡°Did I raise a mom? Why are you telling me to wake up so early?¡± Squinty just rolled his eyes and skipped off. If Song Yu didn¡¯t know better, he would have seen Squinty with a kitchen apron on, holding a spatula. Song Yu followed his ¡®Majesty¡¯s¡¯ orders and got dressed in his hunting gear. Over the past 2 years, he had changed the suits capabilities, inserting panels on the side that padded his body during the long horse rides. He also had to wear a hood because of the intense sun, and his mask was more aerated to accommodate the heat. His body suit was still black, but the additional add on made him look like a video game character that had terrible skins. Song Yu flipped his hair and hmmphed. No one would see it anyways. He did have gorgeous horse riding outfits; tailored vests that tightly hugged his body, white cotton shirts that didn¡¯t chafe with suspenders and a waistcoat matching the pants and brown riding shoes. When he had made them, he stared at his body, fantasizing racing off into the distance and finding his prince! He wasn¡¯t ashamed that he twirled in the mirror a few times. He clearly was gorgeous! However, the riding outfit would only come out on the special occasions. Song Yu really wanted to wear it now! After stocking up in his space, and additional foods for Derpy, Song Yu left his home, skipping to the barn and saddled Derpy. Derpy cheerily let the beautiful saddle slide onto his back. Song Yu adjusted a few times before he was satisfied, patting Derpy gently on his neck. Song Yu looked at the grumpy Squinty-eyes and petted him. ¡°Take care of your brothers and sister. You gotta keep them safe and happy, okay?¡± Squinty ruffed and huffily flipped his tail, before trotting off into the distance. Song Yu sighed. He shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you next time!¡± Squinty continued to ignore him as he made his way to the barn. Pressing a button, a slew of food entered the pen, letting the pigs eat their food in relish. Song Yu put on his riding boots and hiked his body onto Derpy. He wore a large hooded poncho that prevented sun exposure, whilst underneath was his bodysuit. Since it was early in the morning, he didn¡¯t need to wear the hood, and just wore his mask. He leaned forward and patted Derpy to start walking. The route outwards didn¡¯t pose too much danger, but you had to be wary in the forests. Although there weren¡¯t any zombies, there were zombie animals and plants. Zombie animals had started leveling up, and plants had started to grow 10X bigger than their normal size. Song Yu didn¡¯t want to burn down the entire forest, so he avoided places where zombie plants usually congregated. Derpy had a keen sense of identifying zombies, and Song Yu trusted him to lead him forward. Keeping vigilant, Song Yu rode for several hours before stopping to take a rest. They had reached the outer forests, where the trees has thinned significantly, letting Song Yu know that they were about to reach the beginning of the circle. He couldn¡¯t let Derpy graze on this grass, so he took out a large black bucket and added hay. Song Yu checked the surrounding area, and the trees to find sight of zombification before he laid down and opened his lunchbox. Pork skewers mixed with sweet and sour sauce, fluffy rice, and pickled radish. The smell was enticing, Song Yu relished in the first bite. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we haven¡¯t come across any zombies right now. I¡¯m sure that this round will have less than last month. It¡¯s getting colder and colder.¡± Derpy had finished his meal and had laid next to Song Yu. He nodded his head, causing Song Yu to laugh. Song Yu finished his lunch and leaned back on Derpy, his mood brighter. In a sense, this was more or less his only job, surveying the boundary line to ensure his paradise wouldn¡¯t come to harm. After 20 minutes, they set off again. Song Yu did not take his job lightly. Every time they encountered a zombie, Song Yu killed them quickly, throwing their bodies in a pit and lighting them on fire. This made sure that the environment wouldn¡¯t suffer from the corpses decay, and hopefully recover. Song Yu had dug up pits all around his boundary line, which were both used to burn zombies and trap them. Level 4 zombies weren¡¯t as dumb, but they certainly weren¡¯t smart either. Song Yu checked several pits and burned the zombies inside, leaving quickly because the smoke attracted the zombies to the barbecue. When night fell, Song Yu had travelled almost 10 hours and had killed over 30 zombies. Song Yu and Derpy were tired, and decided to head to the cave they found a few months ago to rest. Song Yu could feel the cool air, and knew there was going to be a summer rain. As luck would have it, they made it to the cave just in time for the first drops to fall. Song Yu checked if there were any zombies in the cave, and let Derpy eat inside as he set up a sleeping bag. The cave was quite big with several holes on top and to the side, curving in like ice cream scoops. The cave spanned 20 feet from the entrance, and 15 feet wide. The perfect hideout for a nightly jaunt. Song Yu gleefully made a fire and watched as rain fell down in streaks. Eating dinner, at 10 o¡¯clock on the dot, Song Yu went to sleep while Derpy kept vigilant watch. ¡­ Song Yu woke up at 3 for the night shift, letting Derpy get a good night¡¯s rest. As Derpy slept, Song Yu brushed his fur down and checked for any rocks in his shoes. Finishing his inspection, Song Yu looked outside the cave and watched the summer rain trickle into a light drizzle. Song Yu smelled the unique smell of fresh cut grass, letting his ears listen to any sound that wasn¡¯t natural. Over time, the sun rose and the rain had let up, creating a boundless blue sky. Song Yu rolled his sleeping bag, and covered up any sign that they had been there. Taking care of his physiological needs, they set out once more. Song Yu hummed the song of a Kpop idol group he had heard of before the end, and quickly got into the rhythm and groove of vigilance and fun. By 10¡¯oclock, Song Yu had made it to another pit stop (literally) and surveyed the surrounding area. This area was all prairie fields and farm land, but the wandering zombies liked the sun, so places where it was sunny most of the day was the perfect spot for sunbathing. There were a few zombies oncoming. Song Yu got off Derpy and took out his bow and arrow from his space. A large compound bow flitted into view, its limbs and bow strings looking newer than new. The aluminum alloy shined brightly in the sunlight, as Song Yu nocked an arrow and started shooting. Letting the bow spin, he saw as the silver arrow flew, hitting the zombie in the head with such lethality, it fell back several feet. Song Yu had no time as three other zombies came into his view. Song Yu nocked another arrow, waiting for the right moment. He pulled the bow string taunt, and let go only to see the zombie curve in direction, letting the arrow sail behind. ¡°Tsk.¡± Song Yu wasn¡¯t panicked as he breathed deeper and deeper, his heart beat slowing down, his eyes laser focused. Nocking another arrow, he watched as the level 4 zombies were getting closer and closer. When they were only 15 feet away, Song Yu let go. The arrow flew extremely fast, leaving an afterimage, hitting the zombie square in the face. Song Yu let go of the bow, letting it fall into his space as he took out his dagger on his thigh and prepared for hand to hand combat. The two zombies looked like they had been cooking in the sun for a while. The gooeyness was gone, their open wounds dried out like prunes. Song Yu wrinkled his mouth in distaste as the smarter of the two let the other one go at him. Song Yu languidly let his body relax and wait. The zombie roared, his sharp black claws reaching for Song Yu. It hugged the air and looked around in puzzlement, only to see the swift blade of the knife, coming towards its throat. Song Yu beheaded it easily and didn¡¯t spare the other zombie, spinning around and stabbed the dagger vertically into its skull. Dropping down, he looked at Derpy, waving his arms in happiness. ¡°Did you see that? Huh? Did you see? I¡¯m a freakin¡¯ badass!¡± Derpy:¡­ Chapter 21—Level 6 zombie Chapter 21¡ªLevel 6 zombie by Bocchan13 Song Yu did a little sashay and dance before retrieving his arrows, making sure to ¡®double tap¡¯ so that the zombies were for sure dead. The pit wasn¡¯t far, so Song Yu dragged all three zombies and saw that there were at least five other zombies in the pit already, all looking like children huddled in the naughty corner. Perceiving human life, they started groaning, reaching their nasty claws from the pit. Song Yu didn¡¯t spare them a glance and just threw the three zombies inside. The zombies rushed to feed, but seeing the decayed corpse, they ignored the bodies and reached for Song Yu again. Song Yu went around the surrounding areas and killed off another two zombies before setting fire to the pit. A small dab of oil, a match, and some good ole wind, Song Yu watched as the very flammable zombies burst into flames. He could hear the roaring sounds and didn¡¯t pay it any mind. Cleaning the dagger, he holstered it back on his thigh and got on Derpy to the next location. Their journey was a repetition between killing, resting, finding shelter, and sleeping. It was one week into it when Song Yu felt something was off¡­The area was too quiet. They had it made it northward from their base, which was where the most populated area for zombies were. It was close to the cities in A Country as well as the hottest. Last month, he had topped his overall score with almost 700 zombies in the north, so he was thinking that there weren¡¯t going to be any more. Derpy also sensed the astringent air and flicked his ears, trying to hear any approaching threats. Song Yu rode Derpy to another open field, with high overgrown weeds. Song Yu¡¯s senses tingled as he heard the zombie groans. A LOT of them. At the same time. Before he could blink, he saw a giant blue fireball erupt from the location where the sounds were, he heard squealing tires, loud shouting¡­and gunfire. Song Yu shrunk back into the trees, keeping Derpy hidden. His heart pounded in his chest erratically. Humans. People. (lol same) Song Yu did not want to see them. ¡­ ¡°Fuck! Wang Cheng! Eight o¡¯clock!¡± The three jeeps swerved right as a Level 6 zombie roared intensely, its voice echoing, causing the other zombies to go into a frenzy. There were over 100 zombies following their car, the hoard running crazily like they were drugged with steroids. Wang Cheng drifted his jeep, hitting several zombies in the crossfire, stretching his hand to the walkie talkie. ¡°Old Lan! The ammo is gone! They bit through the trunk!¡± Lan Zhou was on top of one of the jeeps, his light eyes piercing with coldness. He threw small blue fireballs into the zombie hoard, causing some to light up and inflict fire on others. But this Level 6 zombie was smart. It instantly recalled it¡¯s ¡®troops¡¯ and the remaining zombies herded away from the flames. They had been journeying for almost a year, making their way to each and every base trying to find the pure ability user. Lan Zhou knew that something wasn¡¯t right when two years ago they had set out to B Base and hadn¡¯t found him. They had spent 6 months in that base, interviewing civilians and officials alike. No dice. It was as if the pure ability user never existed. They spent another six months in the Army Base and set out a year ago. They had made it all the way to A Country, their supplies depleting. They wanted to at least search the southward region, but were subdued by the zombie hoard in front of them. 100 zombies weren¡¯t a big deal. But 100 zombies controlled by a Level 6 zombie was a different matter. This Level 6 had hidden too well, and by the time they realized it, they were already caught in its trap. Lan Zhou gritted his teeth as he exhausted his ability, sweat trailing down his cheeks. Several blue fireballs the size of golf balls flew from his hands, erupting into gigantic bombs upon contact. They had reduced the numbers somewhat, but the jeeps were on the verge of collapse, and there were no buildings in sight. Lan Zhou saw that there was a forest after the prairie. ¡°Lose them in the trees!¡± On cue, all three jeeps followed one another into a gap into the tree line, leaving dust trails. The Level 6 zombie hurriedly sounded another command, making the other zombies run in a frenzy. Yu Ci was in the backseat, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh in infuriation. ¡°We can¡¯t use anymore ammo, let¡¯s fight.¡± Lu Jingxiu had ice abilities and was itching to use them. Lan Zhou had depleted his abilities after several hours and had no choice but to make the command. ¡°Yu Ci, let Wang Cheng brake and get out. You lead several to the east, and break down the trees. Lu Jingxiu, head back to the prairie. Don¡¯t overexert yourself. Wang Cheng, take out the flash grenades and assist Yu Ci. Xiao Zi, I need you to heal when necessary! Everyone heard the commands and followed. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Everyone split up, following their commander to a tee. Wang Cheng found a break in the trees and stopped the car, letting Yu Ci come out. Yu Ci wore an anti-zombie body suit and wasn¡¯t afraid of getting hurt. His strength ability was quite high, so timbering trees was no problem. Several zombies came after him, but were deterred by the giant trees falling. Yu Ci punched several zombies, their heads exploding in a firework show of brains and skull fragments. Wang Cheng took out the flash grenades and shot them whenever Yu Ci was in a tough spot. Taking out a cross bow, he started shooting any strays. Lu Jingxiu was alone in one car, so he veered to the right, circling back to the prairie. Opening the windows, he sprayed the ground in ice, causing the zombies to fall. He laughed as they topped like dominoes. Forming several spears, he created a barrier of ice for his jeep and got on top, spraying oncoming zombies, aiming small needles straight through their heads. Xiao Zi drove another jeep and sent heals to Lan Zhou, helping him regain from his tiredness. Lan Zhou protected the jeep and threw balls of fire left and right, igniting the zombies into dancing blue. In an instant, they didn¡¯t look helpless anymore, fighting in unison as various zombies bulldozed towards them. 70 zombies became 50, and 50 became 30, dwindling down like matches. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t use fire anymore for fear of making a forest fire, so used fisticuffs to deal with the stragglers, while eyeing the Level 6 zombie. Level 6 zombies were leaps more educated than level 5. Each level doubled in capabilities. So a level 4 could learn about strategy, level 5 could learn how to call groups, and level 6 could learn how to make soldiers. He had met a level 10 zombie, who was on the cusp of becoming a zombie king, and had killed it using almost 3,000 lives in sacrifice. Lan Zhou carefully traced the zombie, but it was too smart, as it had 5 zombies trailing after him, being bodyguards. Yu Ci had also seen the Level 6 zombie, and fought his way over to it. They were burning out, even Xiao Zi was tired. They had spent the entire day fighting off the hoard. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m fucking tired! He seems to be calling for more!¡± Lan Zhou heard the guttural cry and had no choice but to act swiftly. ¡°Wang Cheng, take Xiao Zi for recovery! Lu Jiangxi, follow me. We¡¯re going in!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Lan Zhou sprinted towards the Level 6 zombie, letting Lu Jiangxi take his flank and beat off the stragglers. In less than 2 minutes, they reached the group. Yu Ci went to protect Wang Cheng while Xiao Zi went into Wang Cheng¡¯s space. The Level 6 zombie glared at them and went on the offensive. Its muscles under the dry fresh contracted, as he slunk low to the floor, looking like a spider. The zombie looked freakish as its head rotated, its straggly hair making it look ugly and terror inducing. It jolted upwards and landed on the branches of the trees. It slipped left and right, using the boughs to travel. It wanted to escape. ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s terrifying.¡± Lan Zhou nodded in agreement, and emitted a blue glow. A long, gorgeous sword made of blue flames appeared on his palm. The Level 6 zombie felt the lethality and scurried even faster, its body a blur. Lan Zhou ran up a tree and used the leverage to follow the zombie. Lu Jingxiu followed on the ground, propelling the ice faster. The level 6 zombie felt the oncoming pursuit come even closer and raised his face to shout for more zombies. Lan Zhou took this chance to cut. The sword didn¡¯t have to touch flesh to hit. The swords swoosh created a large flame wave, cutting down the trees, igniting it in blue. The cut curved, making a surrounding circle of fire, trapping the zombie inside. Chapter 22—Why is a cosplayer fighting zombies? Chapter 22¡ªWhy is a cosplayer fighting zombies? by Bocchan13 Lu Jingxiu whistled in appreciation. This ability technique was highly stylized and skillful. Lan Zhou, who excelled in many aspects, was the best in terms of swordsmanship based sports. As a rich second-gen, who didn¡¯t learn rich sports as a young teen? Lan Zhou had mastered this technique since the previous life, and no matter how many times Lu Jingxiu saw it, it always amazed him. ¡°Get him!¡± Lan Zhou huffed in exertion as that technique took a toll on him. He jumped from the branch, but felt an attack coming midair. The Level 6 zombie had spat out black goo from its mouth. Eyes widening, he avoided the attack, but fell down. Strong branches scratched his body as he fell 15 feet. A large one scratched the side of his face, blood flowing to his eyes. ¡°Lan Zhou!¡± Lu Jingxiu wanted to help him, but he was close. The zombie was still trapped in the ring of fire. He gritted his teeth and continued to find a blind spot. Lan Zhou broke his fall on his side, his breath gasping in slight pain. No sooner had he fallen, that he saw several zombies coming his way. Blood blocked his right eye and the air still hadn¡¯t come back into his lungs. The other group was too far away. ¡°Fuck.¡± Before he could do anything else, he saw a whirl of black fabric in his peripherals. He squinted his eyes as a flash of black went in front of him. He saw as a tall figure stood in front of him, encased in all black, from his cape to his boots. A hood covered his head, so Lan Zhou couldn¡¯t see the persons face. His wiped his eyes as the stranger took out a long dagger from his thighs, its gleam looking deadly and sharp. The stranger rushed forward to the two zombies, slashing their throats in an instant, so fast it was a blur. The zombies were decapitated in less than 3 seconds. The hooded figure didn¡¯t stop there. The cape billowed showing off a lean figure, slender arms and¡­tight butt. His waist was like elastic as he whirled around killing the zombies. Lan Zhou could see that the stranger was very talented. Not in military tactical training¡­but talented in lethal killing. Yu Ci and the rest had fought off most of the zombies, and seeing the new figure, their vigilance went up 100% Seeing Lan Zhou on the floor, bleeding from his temple, being protected, they all nodded in understanding that the stranger was there to help. Wang Cheng and co. were in the front, so looking at the stranger, with an all-black persona, and¡­face mask, it was like they had jumped right into Assass*ns Cr**d. Wang Cheng was especially impressed as the stranger used his nimble body to his advantage. ¡°¡­Why is there a cosplayer here? Did he come from a different universe or something?¡± Wang Cheng¡¯s whispered loud voice carried to the stranger causing him to glare at Wang Cheng. Lu Jingxiu on the other hand had dealt with the Level 6 zombie all by himself. His eyes teared up. Where are my teammates? As he pierced the Level 6 zombies head with an ice needle, he doused Lan Zhou¡¯s flames and jumped down the trees only to be met with the group and a stranger wearing cosplay. What the fuck is this guy doing here? The stranger helped Lan Zhou up, not speaking. All was quiet in the forest again as the group looked at the stranger. Xiao Zi went up to Lan Zhou, his tender pale fingers touching the blood stained temple. No one saw the strangers shoulders stiffen and clench his fists under his cloak. A bright light bloomed on the injured area, and in an instant, the wound was gone, leaving just the blood already spilt. Lan Zhou¡¯s cold gaze came back as he turned towards the stranger. He perused the man up and down, trying to figure out if he was a threat. ¡°Thank you for your help. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would probably be more injured.¡± He raised his hand in a gesture of friendliness, and went in for a handshake. The stranger just stood there silently, the face mask covering his entire lower half, leaving his eyes. The eyes looked cold¡­even colder than Lan Zhou¡¯s. Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu were also treated for cuts and bruises by Xiao Zi. The stranger¡¯s eyes looked at Xiao Zi with interest. Seeing that, the group became more vigilant, Lan Zhou moving in front of him, his eyes narrowing. The stranger saw this, and even more blood thirst leaked out of his eyes. They had a stare down for a few seconds, both unwilling to negotiate a peace. Lan Zhou watched as those eyes turned from blood thirst to disappointment and then finally resignation. A second later, the cloaked stranger turned around and walked away. The group of 5 watched as the stranger snapped his fingers. Like a mirage, a beautiful reddish brown horse emerged from the foliage. Its majestic body was smooth and healthy, its mane braided intricately. The horse snorted as it pranced to the stranger. The black stranger soared beautifully on the creature, his cloak cascading in a giant arc. You could see the innate understanding between man and beast. While everyone¡¯s eyes were on him, the stranger pointed towards the northeast¡ªthe closest base. One pat on the neck later, and the horse started galloping through the forest, the light coming down through the trees creating a blurring effect as they rode off from view. Everyone is the group had their mouths gaped open at that scene. Yu Ci pinched Wang Cheng. ¡°Oww! What the hell man?¡± ¡°Sorry, just wanted to see if I was having a dream.¡± ¡°Then you pinch yourself!¡± ¡°My skin is delicate.¡± ¡°Fuck you man!¡± Xiao Zi¡¯s eyes had seen many facial expressions from those eyes. The eyes told much. Besides blood thirst, there was¡­jealousy. When he went to fix Lan Zhou¡¯s wound, he could clearly feel the jealousy directed at him. ¡°Where do you think he came from? He pointed to the North-east base. That¡¯s almost eight hours from here. Do you think he knew we were going there?¡± Lan Zhou shook his head. ¡°If he had been following us the past few days, we would have noticed him.¡± ¡°Then a scout?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so either.¡± ¡°Should we follow him?¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes kept watching the place the figure had left through, his mood pensive and confused. ¡°He pointed to the opposite of where he left. He seems to not want people near him.¡± Yu Ci was also staring off into the distance, that blinding figure left a handprint deep in his subconsciousness. . . . Song Yu flew on Derpy, his heart in turmoil and anger! Damn you Lan Zhou! It¡¯s ONLY been two years and you got yourself a pretty soft healer! I knew you were scum! You terrible, horrible no good scum! When he knew he was out of earshot he wailed, causing Derpy to jerk in surprise. ¡°You stupid man! Waaaahhh! I¡¯m gonna show you! I¡¯m gonna¡­wuhuhubblargh! Derpy! Can¡¯t you run smoother? I can¡¯t cry like this!¡± Derpy rolled his eyes. Song Yu didn¡¯t care as he cursed left and right. Deciding to cut his expedition short, Song Yu circled around and went back to the trails leading back home, his heart dimming with each step back. Chapter 23—Who digs symmetrical fire pits in a perfect 120 mile radius? Chapter 23¡ªWho digs symmetrical fire pits in a perfect 120 mile radius? by Bocchan13 Lan Zhou and co. were tired and decided to find shelter for the night instead of travelling to the Sun Base that the stranger pointed out. Their jeeps were worse for wear, so it was up to Wang Cheng to take out spare parts and have Lu Jingxiu add them on to the already altered jeeps. Xiao Zi and Yu Ci were on lookout and Wang Cheng checked their storage. Lan Zhou set up the perimeter and built the fire. A small blue flame enveloped from the wood before turning red, as Lan Zhou sat down on his padded backpack, staring off into the flames. Yu Ci and Xiao Zi determined that there weren¡¯t any zombies afoot and would do nightly lookout. Before they turned around, they spotted something on the edge of the prairie. Covered by the long overgrown weeds, they saw¡­a circle pit filled with zombies. A lattice built of bamboo covered the top except for a hole that would fit two zombies. Dug almost ten feet down, it looked like the perfect trap. No edges or corners for zombies to get out from, the sides smoothened down. ¡°Hey boss, you gotta take a look at this.¡± Lan Zhou hurried to them and saw the trap, his brows furrowed. ¡°You think it was the black hooded figure today? He seems smart enough to do this.¡± Xiao Zi looked down and saw that under the zombies were ashes. ¡°It¡¯s a fire pit.¡± ¡°The dude probably made these traps to burn them later. Smart.¡± ¡°If he does this, then that means he lives around these parts.¡± ¡°Not sure¡­it could also be the Sun Base.¡± Lan Zhou looked at the bamboo latticework. Very intricate and stiff. Properly maintained and easy to make and use. Yu Ci was right, the man who made these were definitely smart. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the trap. You don¡¯t know what else that person has made for the zombies.¡± Xiao Zi and Yu Ci nodded, going back to prepare for dinner. Wang Cheng had taken out a few bowls and prepared sweet potatoes and beef jerky. His space was storage, and kept most things fresh and tasty. Anything perishable was always put in Wang Cheng¡¯s space. Unfortunately, his space wasn¡¯t large. It could fill two standard rooms so mostly food was inside. The sweet potatoes were wrapped in leaves and buried under the fire, ready to crisp. Wang Cheng also brought out a box of cereal, adding a shake in each bowl. It wouldn¡¯t fill their stomach, but their rations were depleting a bit too much for comfort. ¡°What do we have to exchange with the Sun Base?¡± ¡°I hear it¡¯s very small. Only around three hundred residents of mostly religious fanatics. They had barricaded their town the moment someone died there. We can exchange the jeep or three handguns with 120 bullets inside.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how many ability users there are, so better prepare for a very unwelcoming welcome.¡± Everyone sighed. They honestly didn¡¯t want to deal with other people. But they were searching for the pure ability user. Either by fate or if the cosmos shifted after everyone was reborn, the pure ability user did not come to B Base. Because Lan Zhou terminated the doctor team responsible for the torture of dozens of ability users, the one they were desperate to find never surfaced. They received many benefits from the Army Base, but that was leagues away now, and they didn¡¯t bring anybody else from the Army Base because they didn¡¯t know who to trust. Lan Zhou rubbed his forehead and couldn¡¯t help but think about the black cloaked stranger. He felt familiar. But with the hood and the mask, it was hard to discern a person based on eyes alone. Everyone finished their dinner and delegated night shifts. ¡­ Lu Jiangxi and Xiao Zi were on first watch. They sat down on their backpacks and stared at the surrounding prairie. ¡°Do you think¡­this is a hopeless endeavor?¡± Xiao Zi sighed and nodded faintly. ¡°I¡¯ve studied the zombie virus for close to 20 years¡­and even I think the vaccine might not work.¡± Lu Jiangxi closed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you just want to¡­go somewhere? Just a safe space where we can just live a little easier?¡± Xiao Zi held Jiangxi¡¯s hand, leaning his head on his shoulders. He continued to listen as he whispered, ¡°Saving the world isn¡¯t our responsibility. We spent so long fighting. I just want to build a small cottage with just us¡­¡± Xiao Zi deep inside wanted the same thing. In their past life, Xiao Zi and Lu Jiangxi were in an awkward position. Both had feelings for each other, but didn¡¯t want to confess for fear of destroying their dynamics. They spent 20 years pining for each other, just staying by each other¡¯s sides through hardships and failures. By the time they were 45 years old, they had both just let go of their youthful love in favor of comfortable companionship. When they made their expedition to Paradise Base, many of their comrades died alongside Wang Cheng and Yu Ci. When the group didn¡¯t have any more supplies or manpower Lu Jiangxi had left in the middle of the night, disobeying Lan Zhou¡¯s orders to get more support. In the end, by the time he came back, he found out that Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou had both perished. The sadness and despair he felt was akin to torture, and he died from heartbreak three days later. He never got to confess his love to Xiao Zi nor bury his bones. When they were reborn, they both got together rather quickly, never wanting to separate from each other. Lu Jiangxi held Xiao Zi¡¯s hands tightly as he shook his head. ¡°I have a responsibility. Even if the vaccine doesn¡¯t work, at least my conscious will be clear that I did all I could for the purpose of humanity.¡± Lu Jiangxi could only suppress his pain and fear as he brought Xiao Zi closer in his embrace. His beloved Xiao Zi was alive in his arms. He lightly kissed his temple and continued to guard as Xiao Zi took a small break. Lan Zhou had not slept yet when he heard their conversation. He knew that they were in love with each other. But the painful ache in Lu Jiangxi¡¯s voice was so visceral and poignant, Lan Zhou felt guilty. He didn¡¯t know if it was his own personal mission to look for the pure ability user. When he wanted to go on the expedition despite his older body, his friends decided to follow him. They had all grown older, their strength now in building a society in the zombie apocalypse. It his own selfishness that caused them to go. But they followed him anyways. They always did. They stuck together for so long, a family of brothers that never left them behind. Maybe¡­if they never found the pure ability user¡­they would settle somewhere. That vision he had in his head¡­of a small cottage in the forest. A running farm, green grass and a crystal lake, and a warm embrace holding him tight when he came home. If they wanted¡­maybe Lan Zhou should find a paradise rather than the cure. During the night, they switched several times until morning broke. Lan Zhou calculated that they would make it to the Sun Base in the afternoon. Waking up the rest of the crew, they picked up their gears and started the jeeps, leaving the forests for overgrown farmland. Yu Ci was in the passenger seat when he glanced at a familiar object. ¡°Boss¡­is that another trap?¡± Lan Zhou slowed down the car and looked at the expanse of weeds. Indeed, off the right was a peek of green bamboo weaving. Getting off they surveyed the symmetrically circle holed dug approximately 10 feet deep, a bamboo net over it. ¡°It¡¯s probably the Sun Base¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too far away from them to do something like this.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if there are any more. Mark it on the map, Xiao Zi.¡± ¡°Roger boss.¡± They kept driving, and whenever they saw a hole, Xiao Zi marked it. Over 120 miles of driving later, they were all peeved looking at another hole in the ground, this time it had over 20 zombies inside. ¡°How many traps have we seen?¡± Lan Zhou looked at the rearview mirror to Xiao Zi. ¡°Around 20 these past 100 miles.¡± ¡°Do they lead to the Sun Base?¡± ¡°No¡­I think it curves. If it continues, it will hit the glacial mountains to Country O than the Sun Base in the east.¡± Wang Cheng heard it on the walkie-talkie and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What kind of dedication does someone have to dig so many traps?¡± Lu Jiangxi shrugged and gnawed on some beef jerky. ¡°Someone who doesn¡¯t want zombies coming any closer to them. Easy cleanup. It looks like these traps haven¡¯t been touched in a while.¡± ¡°The¡­black stranger?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± Yu Ci whistled in appreciation. ¡°Gotta say, man¡¯s got dedication.¡± ¡°Why do you think no one has found these traps?¡± ¡°Mostly because the Sun Base is the farthest in A Country, anything farther, we hit ice mountains, small villages, and no place for gas. It¡¯s a suicide mission to go any further. The black figured man is smart. Total isolation.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t get anything from the Sun Base¡­¡± Lan Zhou remembered the hostile look on the black strangers face. ¡°That¡¯s as a last resort. We don¡¯t know how dangerous he is. Judging by his tactical traps, fighting skills, and smart enough to go into deep isolation¡­he is very very dangerous. . . . Song Yu burst into tears once again thinking of Lan Zhou¡¯s gentle gaze on that skinny twink. He punched his pillow in vexation, his snot flying all over the place. If dogs could sigh, Squinty would be doing just that. ¡°Curse you, you don¡¯t even have balls. You don¡¯t know anything about love!¡± ¡°Woof! Woof woof woof! Woof!¡± At least I have self-respect! I¡¯m not some whiney crybaby who preens for no one to see! ¡°Gasp! You take that back!¡± ¡°Woof! Wwwwooofff!¡± Yeah, I said it. Now hurry up! I wanna finish watching The Unt*med! Song Yu could only ugly cry at the TV screen as the ¡®sworn brothers¡¯ played romantic music to each other at a waterfall. Chapter 24—The black figure Chapter 24¡ªThe black figure Because Song Yu cut his expedition short, he decided to cultivate the fields a bit more. Spring was planting season, so he took into account of the weather and decided on a day to plant tomatoes. He turned the soil and readied to seeds. Planting always gave him comfort. The repetition of toiling, fertilizing, seeding, watering, and watching as it bore fruits or vegetables held a sense of pride and satisfaction. Song Yu¡¯s hands at first used to be smooth and uncallused, but overtime with all of the gardening and fighting zombies, they were rough. Song Yu let Derpy and the cows trot through the unfinished garden, making the laborious efforts lessen three-fold. He fed Derpy some more fresh carrots before putting his gardening tools away for the day. Overlooking his new plantation, by fall it would aglow with bountiful colors. Song Yu stretched his hands and laid on the hammock swing, his sweaty body glowing with health and vitality. He still thought of Lan Zhou, which dampened his perfectly good day. He pouted when he started remembering the way Lan Zhou looked at him. Like he was an enemy. Song Yu realized that he expected that kind of expression all along. Like a fulfilling prophecy, it came true in the most hurtful of ways. 2 Years. 2 years in the apocalypse could change someone from a nice person with morals to someone who could throw you into a zombie pit to save a few seconds. Lan Zhou seemed to have a great group of comrades with abilities capable of fighting and a beautiful healer who looked like he hadn¡¯t been touched by the filth of the apocalypse. Squinty eyes came forward and put his muzzle in Song Yu¡¯s upturned palm. Song Yu scratched his chin lightly, his mood darkening again. ¡°He has fire abilities. Beautiful blue flames that can blow up on impact. He has a good sense of his ability, and can level up quickly. Say, Squinty¡­did I make a mistake and should have told him it was me?¡± Song Yu frowned again, ¡°But maybe he and I were just a one-night stand to each other. Maybe he already forgot my face. Maybe he was drunk that night and didn¡¯t matter who he brought back?¡± Those revolving door thoughts went back into his head, making him a little teary. ¡°I just want to live a good life. I have you guys, the villa, and the peace and quiet.¡± He suddenly hugged Squinty, more tears overflowing. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else.¡± Song Yu¡¯s sad tirade ended quickly, and he was brought back to reality and worked hard for the next two weeks. Planting, going on walks, swimming in the lake with Squinty and the ducks, making a basement full of ready to eat mushrooms, and taking care of the farm animals. On other days, he trained his body. His figure from 2 years ago was nothing compared to now. His body was tight with muscle, lithe and lean. It was slender but powerful. Song Yu practiced mixed martial arts on the dummies, and shot arrows in the targets 50 feet away. His gunmanship was quite accurate, but the shots were too loud. His fighting style relied mostly on stealth and silence. With his heart technique, he could slow his heart rate to an extreme low, so his presence was basically undetectable. He determined that he would still finish his route from the northwest which led to the snow peaks in the south, but in the next few weeks. That gave plenty time for Lan Zhou¡¯s group to leave. The Sun Base was the farthest base of A country, and since he was excommunicated, no one would dare risk 8+ hours of driving with no stops and hit mountains. It was simply a death wish. ¡­ About three weeks since he bumped into Lan Zhou¡¯s group, Song Yu went to survey his property line. The wall hadn¡¯t had a chance to fight zombies yet, so he was reasonably assured that any zombie animals hadn¡¯t tried to bite through. The wall perimeter was also quite wide, creating a large circle surrounding both the lake and the cliffs. If zombies could climb the steep 300m high cliff, he would give props to them. Song Yu got up on Derpy, wearing clean riding gear. It was one of his favorites, and this was indeed a great day. The tomatoes had sprouted! All in black, his shirt was light and airy, tucked in black pants. Matte black boots with a small wedged heel and silver buckle adorned his feet while a riding vest with leather buckles fit comfortably over his shirt. Derpy also wore a matching saddle and stirrups, making his beautiful reddish tint come out more. The sky was clear of clouds, and had somewhat cooled by the summer rain. Song Yu rode Derpy while Squinty followed, his tongue lolling in happiness. Song Yu went at a good pace so Squinty wouldn¡¯t get tired as he followed the wall. Song Yu knew that there weren¡¯t any zombie about, so he turned on his phone and played music on his phone. Derpy, getting into the groove started nodding his head in appreciation, the beat making the journey even more fun. Song Yu hummed along as he surveyed the walls. It took a few hours with no hiccups, so Song Yu decided to go out of his perimeter for a bit and see which fruit trees were in season. The bamboo forest a little bit away was also fresh for cutting. Song Yu deducted that he could get away with making ten more traps before anyone would notice. ¡°Squinty, don¡¯t eat anything! Last time, you got a stomach ache I had to let you rest in my space for a week!¡± Squinty who had just sniffed some nice orange berries shook his head, trying to shake those bad thoughts. ¡°Woof woof, woof. Woof¡­woof.¡± Wasn¡¯t it you who gave it to me? You know that grapes cause indigestion?? Song Yu: ¡°¡­¡± Squinty eyes rolled his eyes and led the way. Song Yu stuck out his tongue at his back. They had gone little bits away when they saw a strawberry field. Seeing it, Song Yu happily got off and walked towards the bushes, his hands already encased in leather gloves. Some strawberries were green with tinges of red, while others were fully ripe. There were several zombified strawberries emitting a red glow, so Song Yu avoided them making sure Squinty and Derpy weren¡¯t tempted by it. He grabbed the ripe strawberries and some almost done, leaving the green ones to grow a little more. Almost 5 kg of strawberries were already picked by the time the sun set. Song Yu put them in his space for purification before heading to the bamboo forest. The bamboo forest was on a long decline off the side of the mountain. He didn¡¯t know if people had grown them or if it was naturally made, but the bamboo¡¯s were thick and had good fibers. He had made several furniture¡¯s thanks to Li Z*Qi videos. He took out a long knife, one side quite thick before thinning down to a blades sharpness, its handle made of polished wood. The blade was shaped rectangular, and was a relic he found in one of the towns shops. It was the perfect size for cutting down the bamboo. Leading the Derpy and Squinty a few meters away so they could keep lookout, Song Yu began cutting down several bamboo trees. Mid swing, he heard Squinty¡¯s growl. Turning towards the duo, he locked gazes with another¡¯s, his body ready for combat. Lan Zhou and the gang had just been on the run from the Sun Base and had separated in different directions. Yu Ci had been wandering in the forest for 3 days, almost at his limit when he heard the bamboo trees falling. Thinking it could be an animal he could eat, it took him all of his strength to make it to where the sound was. When Song Yu turned, his eyes flashed with coldness, his uncovered face so beautiful and ethereal, Yu Ci could not only blink, but blush from the tips of his toes to his forehead. Mouth agape, Yu Ci recalled those cold penetrating eyes from the black figure. Still clad in black, he would have never expected the beautiful creature in front of him was the deadly cosplayer he saw a few weeks ago. Chapter 25—To kill or not to kill Chapter 25¡ªTo kill or not to kill by Bocchan13 In an instant, Song Yu took the time that the man was stunned to cut down the tree, angling it in a way that separated them from each other. Song Yu would not show any of his ability, instead reaching for his lethal dagger. ¡°Leave.¡± He didn¡¯t care if it was a human or zombie. Anyone encroaching on his mountain was better off dead. He would give them a chance, but if they were looking for a hero, they came to the wrong place. ¡°D-do you remember me? We met a few weeks ago in the prairie? You helped my friend.¡± Song did recall him fighting with his strength ability and lessened his killing intent but still held the dagger in front of him, its blade pointing to Yu Ci. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave in 1 minute¡­I will kill you.¡± Yu Ci¡¯s wariness went into overdrive as he felt a shiver overcome him. As a strength ability user, he wasn¡¯t necessarily afraid of others because of his level and ability to strengthen not only his body but objects. But strong only relinquished to the strong. And he felt that despite his pretty face and lithe figure, this person was potentially as deadly as his boss. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any harm. I just need directions out of the forest. I have a walkie talkie with me; my friends will find me soon.¡± Hearing that the group had split up made Song Yu frown. Any number of them could find his hideout, and if he killed him they were sure to look for him. Death didn¡¯t make problems go away. Song Yu debated whether to help him. But if he was reunited with his friends¡­would they find his hideout? He couldn¡¯t trust Lan Zhou at this point. Even if he liked him, his safe haven was at stake. Many rash decisions raced in his mind. Kill him or not? Let him go and let them just wander into his home? No chance. The more he thought, the longer he was silent, allowing Yu Ci to get a full view of the person. Yu Ci¡¯s heart beat quickened as he helplessly glimpsed at this warrior forest fairy. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out. You should not be here.¡± Song Yu¡¯s thought was, have him reunite with his friends and watch as they left the area. That would keep his paradise a secret give him peace of mind that they were really gone if he saw it with his own eyes. Yu Ci¡¯s ears perked up as he grinned. ¡°Really?¡± Song Yu nodded as he sheathed his dagger. Acting as if there was a backpack next to the trees, Song Yu took out his hunting gear from his space. A large black cloak covered his European riding suit, and placed the face mask on, covering his beauty. In no time, the black cosplayer was back. Song Yu kept a wide berth from Yu Ci and walked towards Derpy and Squinty. ¡°Go back and take care of the other kids, daddy will be back soon.¡± Squinty was still in feral defense mode, but hearing Song Yu he glared dangerously at Yu Ci before running full speed. Song Yu saw as Squinty went into the wrong direction so Yu Ci wouldn¡¯t know the direction and had to applaud that his spiritual beast was very smart. Song Yu got on Derpy and trotted in the general direction out of the forest. Yu Ci seeing Song Yu leave, he followed. They kept a 3 meter distance, but Song Yu could still see that Yu Ci wasn¡¯t in good condition. This would slow them down significantly. Derpy would definitely not let him ride him, and he wasn¡¯t inclined to help him either. After an hour, Song Yu called for a small break, allowing Yu Ci to rest. The resting area was next to a small stream. The waters had been polluted for a while, so they didn¡¯t take any chance drinking it. Song Yu¡¯s ¡®backpack¡¯ had clean water, while Yu Ci¡¯s backpack had a Ziploc bag filled with water, most likely melted ice from the ice ability user. There was only a serving glass of water in the bag, so Yu Ci had no choice but to drink small sips, his parched lips chapping. ¡°So¡­you live around here?¡± Song Yu wanted to slap his forehead. This dude¡­what the fuck is wrong with him? Who asks these kinds of questions? Song Yu continued to be silent as he took off his mask, taking a swig of his purified water. He didn¡¯t notice Yu Ci¡¯s deep gaze at him, nor the blush creeping on his cheeks. After a 10 minute rest, they continued to ride/walk in the location Yu Ci said was on the walkie talkie. Song Yu might have thought it was a trap, but if it was, then Yu Ci was a brilliant A Star actor. He babbled here and there, looking around the lush forest like a child at a museum. He was curious and thoughtless as he wanted to touch every single thing. How did this big guy endure these 2 years without dying or getting seriously injured? They kept this one sided conversation until night fell. Song Yu silently built a fire while Yu Ci went to relieve himself. Seeing him go, Song Yu took this time to take out several types of food from his space and put it into his backpack and small blanket. The backpack was under his cloak, so even if it grew a bit, Yu Ci wouldn¡¯t have noticed the difference in bulge. The small fire illuminated the small clearing, letting Song Yu see the map where Yu Ci had crossed as the meeting point. He was so off course, it was sad. He trailed the path with his finger and knew the area pretty well. At the pace they were going, they weren¡¯t going to make it until nightfall tomorrow. Sighing, Song Yu rested a bit. A snap of a twig made Song Yu open his eyes and reach for the dagger, his vigilance fierce. Yu Ci had come back and was trying to sit next to him. Much too close for comfort. Seeing Song Yu reach for his dagger, Yu Ci raised his hands in the air, trying to calm the situation. ¡°You¡¯re next to my backpack.¡± Song Yu turned to the side and sure enough, the backpack was innocently sitting next to a rock. Song Yu reached for the backpack and threw it at Yu Ci. Catching it easily, Yu Ci showed a slight sad face, but otherwise kept the three meter distance, sitting on the other side of the fire. Yu Ci took out the last bits of beef jerky that he had chewed and spit out yesterday. It wouldn¡¯t fill him, but it would satisfy the hungry demon in his belly. Yu Ci watched as Song Yu took out a small pot from his backpack, cilantro, green onion, a wrinkled radish¡­and miso powder. Song Yu ignored the hungry eyes staring at his food as he mixed the vegetables in the small broth, and gently poured the miso packet when it was boiling, letting the fragrance travel to Yu Ci. Drool pooled as Yu Ci watched this magical site as miso soup was made. Song Yu took a sip, letting the liquid warm his body. Thinking it needed something else; Song Yu took out a small container that had leftover rice. Opening the container and seeing rice, Yu Ci¡¯s eyes widened even more as the urge to bow down to this master for a single grain overtook him. ¡°M-master, would you like to trade me for food? I have some good stuff we can exchange.¡± Song Yu slowly turned to Yu Ci, eyeing his clothes that was dirt streaked and smelly, then at the ragtag backpack. He liked being called master, so he nodded his head. Like a puppy, Yu Ci tore open his backpack and took out some of his ¡®valuables¡¯. Playing cards, an old cellphone out of battery, a packet of cigarettes, and a cold brew can that would expire in a month. Yu Ci confidently looked at Song Yu with these things. Song Yu didn¡¯t want any of this crap. But this gave him a good excuse to give him some purified water. Their long walk tomorrow would be faster with him more energized. Song Yu pointed towards the cold brew and gave Yu Ci half of the miso soup and 1/3 of his rice. Seeing Yu Ci happily eating his food made Song Yu conflicted, but he took the cold brew and put it in his back pack. Maybe after all of this he could put it somewhere, and maybe remind him that he had helped someone once upon a time. Chapter 26—Meeting Point Chapter 26¡ªMeeting Point by Bocchan13 The night was uneventful, but Yu Ci and Song Yu did several shifts to keep watch for zombies. As someone who knew that the forest was completely safe, he still kept guard for other zombified creatures. Song Yu looked at the time and didn¡¯t bother waking Yu Ci up for the next shift. The sun was coming up soon, so another hour wouldn¡¯t kill him. He ignited the dying fire and took out some stir fried vegetables he had made a while ago from his space. Adding some red peppers to the mix, he polished it off with the remaining rice. Yu Ci woke up from the smell, just in time to see Song Yu eat the finishing bite. ¡°Master, is there anything else you would like to trade with me for?¡± Song Yu ignored him and started cleaning up much to Yu Ci¡¯s regret. Yu Ci took out the last of his jerky and gnawed on it with distaste. Although he spent all of yesterday walking, he wasn¡¯t sore or extremely fatigued. He stretched his arms wide and couldn¡¯t help but thank the heavens that he didn¡¯t get a strained back. By the time they were ready to leave, the sun had just crested the mountainous horizon. Derpy had his fill of purified water and hay from last night, so his body wasn¡¯t tired in the least. Song Yu straddled him and waited for Yu Ci to follow behind. As uneventful as their journey was, Song Yu was impressed with Yu Ci¡¯s stamina. Despite being a chatterbox, he never once complained, and never asked him for anything besides the meal which was a transaction of equal (not really) value. Song Yu had met a lot of people in his previous life. Those coquettish beauties who relied on big backers when he was a second generation and those white eyed wolves during the apocalypse. There was a never-ending stream of people who were excessively entitled. He recalled a man in the beginning of the apocalypse that he had saved. They spent 2 days together, Song Yu sharing all of his food and medicine. When the coast was finally cleared they set out to find their families. When Song Yu found something it was shared, but whenever the man found something, he said he had to save it for his family. When they reunited with their families, under the cover of darkness, the man and his family had stolen their things and ran away. By the time Song Yu noticed it, it was too late. He didn¡¯t remember the man¡¯s name or face anymore, but thinking on it now, Song Yu didn¡¯t have the foresight in finding good quality people. Maybe it was his EQ or his innocent nature, but he had forgiven the man in his heart, thinking he stole from them for a reason. How insanely na?ve was he then? But Yu Ci didn¡¯t do any of that. He knew what his boundaries were, didn¡¯t ask to borrow tools or even a sip of his water, knowing that the things Yu Ci kept precious were also things Song Yu would keep precious. And you never asked for someone¡¯s precious things unless you trusted them from the bottom of your heart. Song Yu had to applaud Yu Ci for that. At least he was a man of principles. Song Yu turned around to see Yu Ci playing around, picking up a stick and tapping it on the ground. Song Yu realized that Yu Ci might have left behind markings or remembered the route. It gave him another pang in his heart that he was still so careless. He¡¯s an idiot anyways. If he was trying to make markings or make a mental route, then when I come back, I¡¯ll erase them. Song Yu nodded his head, and tried his best to stay positive. If all else failed, he would kill the entire group. At least that¡¯s the thought that comforted Song Yu, as they reached the meeting point at nightfall. Sweat-soaked and tired, Yu Ci trailed farther and farther behind Song Yu. He wanted to rest for the night and continue tomorrow, but it seemed that the forest fairy didn¡¯t want to be in his presence any longer. He could only move his tired legs and sway back and forth. At midday, the forest fairy had given him his own precious water, which had given Yu Ci the strength to carry on, however it wasn¡¯t enough. Declining to ask for more, Yu Ci wanted to leave a good impression on this man, so he denied another drink when it was offered. He didn¡¯t know how much the forest fairy had left, and would rather not have his death on his conscious if he went back to his secret base and have no water. Yu Ci smiled when they reached the meeting point. Likely there would be no one there for the time being. It had been 5 days since he had last seen his friends, so they wouldn¡¯t be in full view of the meeting point, but come during the night time when the zombies were more or less inactive. Song Yu on the other hand, had a weird feeling come through him. They hadn¡¯t come across any zombies throughout the entire journey. Despite the walking speed, they were in the range where at least one or two popped up. Maybe it was taken care of by Lan Zhou¡¯s group? But he also felt something¡­gross. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint it, but he decided to keep more vigilance. Derpy also sensed the tension and grew cautious, slowing down significantly. There in the spot was the familiar jeep. Yu Ci was about to go there, but Song Yu blocked him with Derpy, his eyes narrowing on the jeep. ¡°It¡¯s a trap.¡± Yu Ci, after thinking about it also concluded it was as well. His eyes narrowed as he searched the surrounding foliage, looking for a marker. Lan Zhou wouldn¡¯t have abandoned the jeep unless they had no choice to. Song Yu shivered, feeling predatory eyes prey over him. ¡°We need to leave. We can find your friends later. For now let¡¯s¡ª¡° The ground started rumbling. Song Yu got off Derpy and tightly clung his reigns as the dirt below them crumbled. Before anyone could blink, a large vine shredded through the dirt, enshrouding the car in seconds, not feeling any sign of life before going back under, its tentacle-like vines curling back in, viscous fluid down the sides of the car. Both Song Yu and Yu Ci gulped as the terrifying zombie plant went back to wait for its new victims. ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s as big as a bus.¡± The range of the zombie plant was not long. Although its tentacles reached 6 meters, it wouldn¡¯t grow nor regenerate. At least¡­not yet. Its body hidden in the dirt could not move. So they were relatively safe if they kept a 15 meter distance from the car. ¡°Do you think your friends got eaten?¡± Song Yu couldn¡¯t see signs of a person, so the zombie plant most likely had acidic spit. Yu Ci shook his head, ¡°I think they drove here and the zombie plant attacked them, taking their car. I¡¯m sure they will come here tonight. For now, let¡¯s camp here and you can go back home in the morning.¡± Song Yu nodded and walked Derpy to a small patch of grass and took out a brush from his backpack. Unsaddling him and brushing him down was done in less than 10 minutes, so Song Yu went to prepare dinner. Yu Ci on the other hand kept watch over the zombie plant, trying to feel for the zombie¡¯s body. Should he kill it? But, Lan Zhou and the gang didn¡¯t kill it, instead leaving the jeep. What was so special about the plant? Song Yu thought the same thing and couldn¡¯t help but scan the jeep as well. It had gotten quite dark, so Song Yu and Yu Ci built a fire. After dinner, Yu Ci kept first watch whilst Song Yu took a nap. In the night, he could hear the sounds of cicadas and fireflies. Turning his body against the fire, his slightly closed eyes rested on the jeep again. ¡°Psst.¡± Song Yu¡¯s hackles rose. There were no people in the vicinity besides Yu Ci. He would have heard the group coming¡­and the voice wasn¡¯t connected to anyone he had heard from in the group. ¡°Psst¡­come here, your family is waiting for you.¡± That small whisper felt like it was directly in his ear. Song Yu flipped his blanket only to find a small vine, very thin and long, its veiny body leading all the way from the jeep. That¡­had a mouth attached to the end. Chapter 27—Plant vs. Human vs. Human Chapter 27¡ªPlant vs. Human vs. Human by Bocchan13 ¡°Shit! Get away!¡± Song Yu jumped up, looking for Yu Ci. Yu Ci had also heard the voice and took out a steel blade from his thighs. When the vein-like vine tried to wiggle away, Yu Ci cut it off. A small whispered ¡®tsk¡¯ was heard as the severed mouth dropped to the floor, its words still spewing from its lips. ¡°Come here. Your family is here.¡± ¡°Come here¡­.¡± ¡°Come here¡­.¡± The mouth cackled as Song Yu picked it up with his gloves and threw it in the fire. Just to make sure, he threw his gloves in his space for purification in the cover of darkness. ¡°Now I know why Lan Zhou and the gang didn¡¯t stay here. The vine probably eats people and takes their voices to lure others.¡± Song Yu nodded and snuffed the flames after it disintegrated the mouth. ¡°We should go. Any ideas where your friends are?¡± ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be far from the meeting point, but far enough to be safe. Let¡¯s just leave and come back later. I already found Lan Zhou¡¯s marker.¡± Song Yu briefly nodded. No sooner had they said it, when they heard the sounds of people coming. Yu Ci and Song Yu both froze. The people coming¡­were too many to be Lan Zhou¡¯s group. ¡°Shit. What do we do?¡± They both hurried away from their campsite, hiding in the trees. The sound of several footsteps echoed in the night. Song Yu was about to tell Yu Ci to come back later when his eyes alighted in blue. Everything was blue. Eyes widening, a blue flame burst through the forest, its vibrant color shining a light over the entire darkened sky. It didn¡¯t touch the trees, but covered the sky like blanket. Song Yu didn¡¯t see Yu Ci smile wide, his gaze staring in awe at such beauty. The steps sped up, and now they could hear the sounds of pursuit. One group following another. ¡°It¡¯s them!¡± Song Yu got out of his reverie and now focused on the scene at hand. Lan Zhou was tailing the back while three others were running in the direction of the jeep. Almost 20 other people followed them¡­all looked to be ability users. ¡°The Sun Base is still chasing us?¡± Song Yu whirled around and stared daggers at Yu Ci. He did tell them the location of the Sun Base, but what did they do to make the Sun Base hate them so much? Yu Ci shrugged. ¡°All we did was exchange information and food. They¡¯re the ones that ambushed us later looking for a fight. After we accidentally killed one of theirs, they went on a hunting spree. We¡¯re just 5 people, so we can¡¯t beat them.¡± Song Yu rolled his eyes and gestured for Yu Ci to meet up with his gang. His work was overall done, so he need not do anything else. Yu Ci understood this and could only nod in thanks before running to the group. ¡­ Lan Zhou was fucking tired of this shit. His eyes glimmered with hate as more of the Sun Base ability users followed behind them. Although they weren¡¯t very strong, the strongest being a level 6, they packed in numbers. When they arrived at the Sun Base, they were welcomed gladly. Who knew that once you got in, they would indoctrinate you? Especially pretty people like Xiao Zi, who despite 2 years in the apocalypse, looked clean and bright. It wasn¡¯t Xiao Zi¡¯s fault for getting the attention of the Sun Base higher ups. It wasn¡¯t their fault when they were barred at the gate when they tried to leave, and it definitely wasn¡¯t their fault that in the skirmish, the son of one of the leaders died. They all scrambled in different directions, Lan Zhou leading Wang Cheng, Xiao Zi going with Lu Jingxiu, and Yu Ci diving off into the forests. Lan Zhou and Wang Cheng were caught off guard by the vine zombie and decided to send a signal to the spot, waiting for the others to regroup. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu met up with them three days later, no worse for wear. In these five days, they were found several times, more ability users coming after them than the last. Tonight, they had set up camp in a cave, and who knows if they have an ability user with detection ability, but they were found when they just set up for the night. Now, in order to completely exterminate the group, Lan Zhou led them to the vine in hopes it was still hungry. ¡°Boss!¡± Lan Zhou turned to the side and saw Yu Ci jogging happily next to them. ¡°Welcome back, how¡¯d you get here?¡± ¡°Hehehhe, I followed a forest fairy!¡± Wang Cheng ran next to Yu Ci and slung an arm around him. ¡°I thought you were a goner! Seriously! Who told you to go into the forest? Your sense of direction sucks shit!¡± Yu Chi scratched his nose in embarrassment. ¡°I really did follow a forest fairy. He¡¯s shy so he doesn¡¯t want to see you guys.¡± They group of 5 had reunited at last as they ran around the prairie followed by an angry mob of ability users. Lan Zhou¡¯s sky fire would let down pellets of small fires, aiming them at the mob. It did deter many, but those with physical abilities didn¡¯t care even when the flames charred through their ice/metal armour. ¡°Did you see the vine zombie?¡± ¡°Yeah, that thing is creepy as hell. I heard it speak to me!¡± Lan Zhou nodded, ¡°It¡¯s stagnant there, so we can lead the mob to it. Stay close. I¡¯m gonna make it balloon.¡± Lan Zhou compressed the sky fire, turning it into a big blue sphere. Like the sun at dawn, it descended down on the group from the Sun Base, its voluminous shape almost blinding them. They heard shouts from the Sun Base as they tried to run around the ball of flames. Lan Zhou could only pray as the Sun Base was in the direct line to the jeep. One of the Sun Base members looked at the jeep and wanted to stop, but the mob was scurrying around the fire ball and didn¡¯t mind the intrusion. That member gritted his teeth and stopped, his metal feet vibrating. The others didn¡¯t see him stop and were about to reach the jeep when the jarring trembling of the earth resounded. ¡°Watch out!¡± One of them felt the earth tremble. An earth ability user tried to stabilize the crumbling dirt, but to no avail. ¡°AHHHHHHH!!!¡± Several of the Sun Base were face to face with the vine zombie. Its large tentacles were swift and precise as it hit the ability users. One severed in half instantly, its body parts then dragged into the jeep where the vine zombie¡¯s mouth was probably in. No sooner that the body entered the jeep did everyone hear the vine breaking the skin, bones and meat. ¡°Come here. AHHHHHHH!!!!¡± The exact same sound as the ability user. The Sun Base ability users were horrified as more and more people were caught in the vines, their bodies dragged into the mire of a monsters reach. Lan Zhou watched on indifferently as the Sun Base members scattered. The ball of fire was still following them, a slow globe that travelled, surrounding them in cold flames. Song Yu watched as the blue ball cornered the people with the vine zombie and couldn¡¯t help but admire Lan Zhou. Although they were dooming people to death, it was done beautifully. Lan Zhou¡¯s group was now in the safe zone, watching as the Sun base scattered. Some of them were able to run away, whilst the majority were in the mouth of the vine zombie. Song Yu could see that the vine zombie did indeed have a body. It looked like a Venus flytrap, except its mouth had actual human teeth lining the area where the barbs should have been. Some teeth different colors of white, yellow and black, so it was safe to say that the vine zombie was able to eat its fill these 2 years. The body was as large as a dining room table, whilst the vines were a combination of thick and thin. The vines had mouths at the end. Such a demonic monster was living so close to his home and he didn¡¯t know. Song Yu decided that if Lan Zhou¡¯s group didn¡¯t kill the vine zombie, he would have to. The remaining Sun Base regrouped and doubled their efforts to kill Lan Zhou¡¯s team. The one that stopped sliced off the vine zombie¡¯s tentacles and built a metal shield for the blue flames, although it melted it as soon as he rebuilt it, it was better than flame on skin. Lan Zhou on the other hand was tired. The balls of flames were getting smaller and smaller, allowing the Sun Base to escape. It then became a one-on-one fight. Abilities sprung around, avoiding the vine attacks, while dealing blows to each team. Lan Zhou flicked his fingers as a loud explosion flew from his fingertips, his body alight in blue, and his cold penetrating eyes scanning the remaining survivors like ants below his feet. His body suit hugged his tight muscular figure, whilst the flames embers danced around his hair like lights, highlighting the sheen. When he attacked, his stance was powerful and firm. No concern or doubt in his movements. He was truly a beautiful specimen. Ahhhhh! Why is he so hot! Chapter 28—Meeting you again Chapter 28¡ªMeeting you again by Bocchan13 The fighting was intense, with the remaining Sun Base doing everything they could to fight. Lan Zhou was at a disadvantage because he didn¡¯t want to cause a forest fire, so with every wave of his hand, flames bloomed from his fingertips creating an afterimage of a fan. The metal ability user was adamant that he was stronger, so each hit of the flames melted his shield but it regenerated causing it to mold and change. Another burst of the flame boiled his skin instantly. Crying out in pain, the metal ability user clutched his melted shoulder and retreated, while Lan Zhou went on the offensive. Lu Jingxiu made large ice spears, penetrating them deep into the ground, barricading the oncoming ability users from Xiao Zi. Another ice ability user tried to manipulate the ice to no avail. A level 4 could not compete with a level 7. Wang Cheng was not entirely helpless. His space ability was akin to a black hole, since he could manipulate space; he made rifts in the air that doubled as teleports. The people getting caught were sent into an abyss of darkness; a space only Wang Cheng could control. Yu Ci fought head-on, plowing his enormous body into the reverie like a rhino, bulldozing everyone in his path. His strength ability had synthesized into both physical strength and strengthening objects. The blade he carried made several people fly off into the distance. ¡°Quick! It¡¯s here again!¡± The vine zombie that used to be lethargic with a food coma now wriggled its ugly vines, vying for more meat. Song Yu could see that the vines were slightly longer. The 15 meter safe zone was now 20 meters. The melee was getting closer and closer to the vine zombie. Song Yu had to act fast. He hid behind the trees, surrounding the prairie, hoping the vine zombie wouldn¡¯t smell him. His breathing slowed, his heartbeat thudding slower and slower. Concentrated¡­focused. The more you panic, the more you fumble. Song Yu could vaguely see the body inside the jeep. It appeared to be that the body was under the jeep, but it made a hole into the cabin, filling its entire space. If he wanted to kill it, it would have to be fast. Song Yu saw a few fingers travelling under the body¡¯s skin, likely people scratching inside, trying to get out. It was futile to save them; they were most likely half acid now. Song Yu took out his bow and arrow. The ones he used for hunting zombies were nothing on this one. Traditional and regal, its bow string powerful and tight. A normal person would not be able to stretch the string, and an ability user would still have trouble. A single arrow was taken out. Song Yu nocked the arrow, positioning himself in direct line to the head. Inhale¡­ Stretching the arrow back, a small echo of the arrow brushing against the string was heard. The vine zombie, sensing the impending danger could not move, but could shield its head with its vines. Exhale¡­ The sound of the arrow flying through was like a jet flying in the sky. People thought they were hearing the sounds of bombs falling and Lan Zhou turned his head just in time to see the cosplayer in black shoot an arrow directly at the vine zombie¡¯s body. ¡°Come here! Come here! Here! Psst! Save me! Your family is here!¡± The vine zombie¡¯s ¡®voices¡¯ echoed as the arrow directly hit through its mouth. One arrow would not deter it, so Song Yu took out an entire quiver of arrows. Seeing this, the Sun Base were now scared. A death reaper had just appeared in the forest, not one of their own and was probably helping Lan Zhou¡¯s team. Seeing their comrades scared, the metal ability user had no choice but to grit his teeth in anguish as he shouted, ¡°Retreat!¡± The Sun Base decided to retreat and regroup at a later date, so they stopped fighting and ran off into the dark forest, northward towards their base. They had taken Lan Zhou¡¯s two jeeps whilst the other was now the feeding ground for the vine zombie. Lan Zhou¡¯s group would have no choice but to find another vehicle or suffer the journey back on foot. Since the Sun Base was the only one for miles, they were sure that Lan Zhou and his team would have no choice but to come back. After the vine zombie, there were only 6 or 7 people left from the Sun Base. Rounding everyone up, they ran to their vehicles, leaving Lan Zhou and co. behind. Lan Zhou wiped the sweat off his brows and looked as the cosplayer shot arrow after arrow, hitting the mark well. The vine zombie did not like this in the least, its tentacles grabbing everything within its vicinity. Wooden branches and dirt were strung towards Song Yu, as well as the ground trembling like a 6.0 earthquake. Song Yu did not care as more and more arrows were shot. When Song Yu was about to shoot the finishing blow, the vine zombie roared. Not the roar of the humans it had eaten, but like the dinosaur roar of an ancient monster. More than the trembling, everyone including Song Yu wanted to cover their ears. Its roar was vicious, causing the jeep to jerk around, the tires rolling off the rims. The vine zombie did something completely unexpected. Opening its jaws, a putrid smell escaped and¡­an acid-ridden torso was thrown up. The person was dead, but not completely¡­its eyes still blinking. The vine zombie threw the torso at Song Yu, who had just nocked another arrow, therefore could not defend himself. A ball of blue suddenly lit up the torso as it disintegrated before creating a small wind, catching the hood of Song Yu¡¯s cloak. Song Yu had not put on his mask after dinner, so his face was glowing white in the forest, his cold unwavering eyes staring at the vine zombie like prey. His wavy black hair fanned his face, caressing his cheeks as he dipped low to the ground. Song Yu took the opportunity to dip the arrow in the blue fire, catching it instantly. The blue flames on the arrow were then shot, point blank into the vine zombie¡¯s mouth. Screams were heard. Some feminine, some masculine, and the roar of the real zombie¡¯s voice creating a cacophony of death. The vine monster was already injured by the previous arrows, but the arrow coming was engulfed in flames. It tried to avoid it, using its vines to deter the impact, but upon touching it, the vines burst into flames. The screams of the vine zombie continued on and on, whilst Song Yu and the others watched. Song Yu did not know that his hood had been blown off, so when he turned around, he was in direct sight of Lan Zhou who sported a face of wonderment, awe, confusion, and embarrassment. Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes widened his mouth opening and closing, his gaze taking every inch of Song Yu¡¯s. That familiar face, those luscious eyes, upturned nose and delicate lips. That face he recalled late at night in his dreams for the past two years was now right in front of him. He shifted his body, embarrassment taking over. He rubbed off the blood from his body suit and tried to comb back his hair in a nicer manner. ¡°D-d-d-¡° Song Yu took a step back, thinking if it was a good chance to run. Before anyone could do anything, Lan Zhou threw himself on Song Yu, his big body engulfing Song Yu in a giant hug. ¡°Darling!¡± . . . Song Yu: ¡°¡­¡± Yu Ci: ¡°¡­¡± Lu Jingxiu: ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Zi: ¡°¡­¡± Wang Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Vine zombie: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 29—Follow the leader Chapter 29¡ªFollow the leader by Bocchan13 Song Yu had not touched another person for two years. Feeling the hot breath tickling his cheek, and the warm embrace filling every surface of his body, he could only blink as his body stiffened completely. The perpetrator didn¡¯t care as he tightened his hold on Song Yu. Gritting his teeth, he could only spew a few words in anger. ¡°Get¡­off!¡± Song Yu pushed Lan Zhou off his body, the man in question still had his hands stretched in a firm cradling position, his eyes now turning watery in disbelief. Song Yu hmmphed and put the hood back on his head. Striving forward, he passed the others and went directly to Derpy. Yu Ci turned to his friends as well. ¡°I told you that I wandered around the forests, it was him who brought me back.¡± Lan Zhou gazed at that retreating figure, his body in a state astonishment. Was he¡­rejected? He ran after Song Yu, reaching him before he could saddle Derpy. ¡°Wait! Song Yu! It¡¯s really you right? You helped me last time and¡­and¡­do you remember the club? We were together!¡± Song Yu was truly conflicted. It was one thing to help him and not know his identity, dreaming about a ¡®what if¡¯ illusion. It was another thing for Lan Zhou to actively know who he was and still¡­want him. Romance and fairytales don¡¯t mix with the apocalypse. Song Yu really wanted to leave and gather his thoughts, but before he could do anything, he felt a small tug on his cloak. Turning around, he saw the desperation of a man who had never been desperate in his life. That large hand touching the tips of his cloak, trembling in the summer night, while his eyes brimmed with a passionate resonance. Time stood still. ¡°Please¡­Song Yu. I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long.¡± A loud screech was heard in the distance. The vine zombie, in its death had summoned several zombies into the vicinity. Observing the outer perimeter and the exhausted looks of the team, Song Yu had to give in and jerk his chin. ¡°We¡¯re not safe here. There¡¯s a cave that the zombie¡¯s won¡¯t be able to enter. Let¡¯s go there first.¡± Lan Zhou grinned, his wide smile showing white pearly teeth. Song Yu¡¯s breath caught at the sudden cuteness. He wanted to pet him. He mounted Derpy, and set the pace for the rest to follow. Yu Ci who was apparently used to this treatment, scurried 3 meters behind. Lan Zhou wanted to sit behind Song Yu, but the horse neighed menacingly. He could only grumpily walk side by side. The cave was 20 minutes away by foot; by the time they arrived, there was a small drizzle of rain, soaking them. They couldn¡¯t see a cave, so the group just watched as Song Yu got off of Derpy. The cloak was mildly soaked, the hood covering his hair and eyes, leaving his slender chin and mouth to the viewers. Lan Zhou tried to walk next to Song Yu, but was completely ignored. Song Yu felt alongside a large rock face before finding a rock spanning the length of a water bottle. Pushing it, it released the rock face in front of it, showing an entrance that could fit even the horse. Everyone¡¯s mouth gaped open as the rock face that looked to be thick and heavy was ultimately 3 inches thick, becoming a rolling plate as Song Yu used the handle to move it. ¡°Get in.¡± No one refused, Yu Ci going in first followed by everyone else. Lan Zhou stayed back and waited for Song Yu to dismount and lead Derpy inside. Seeing Song Yu¡¯s soaked hair, he twirled behind to see if his backpack was still there, disappointment flashing in his eyes when he saw there wasn¡¯t. ¡°Song Yu¡­how¡¯ve you been? Did you leave B City right after?¡± Song Yu did not want to talk, the embarrassment of Lan Zhou finding out about him and also¡­the NSFW stuff they did before he disappeared!!! Was this a soap opera? Did I really just fuck and leave? Is his mother going to come after me demanding compensation?? Song Yu wanted to strangle Song Yu from 2 years ago. What kind of sappy stupid story did he weave in his head? This was my celebration day, the only day to¡ªWHAT KIND OF CRINGY PERSON IS THIS?? He wanted to hit his head on a wall to knock some sense into himself. He wouldn¡¯t be half this embarrassed if he never met Lan Zhou after the apocalypse. But now that they had, what reasons can he give to justify his apparent ¡®abandonment¡¯ of Lan Zhou??? Should he go full on chunnibyo? Pretend he lost his memory? How about a scum shou who takes a drag of a cigarette and claim the one night stand didn¡¯t matter? In Song Yu¡¯s mind, he was rolling in his brain like a lunatic! To shake off the awkwardness, Song Yu just continued to be silent. He was like this with Yu Ci so Lan Zhou should be no different. Passing him like he was a piece of cheese, he followed Derpy inside to see that the group had already set up sleeping bags. The cave was lit only by their flashlights. Song Yu moved Derpy to a dry corner and brushed him off. Seeing Derpy¡¯s questioning look, he could only shrug his shoulders. Lan Zhou had also come back inside, his face black. The rest of the group watched Lan Zhou as he waddled around the cave taking glances at Song Yu from time to time. Yu Ci looked at this awkward exchange and could only cock his head towards Song Yu. ¡°Boss?¡± Lan Zhou went towards the group and started making a fire pit, his silent persona on full blast. Soon, the cave was brightly lit, the blue fire turning a bright orange as it caught the wood. Lan Zhou looked back to see Song Yu finish brushing Derpy and take out a blanket from his backpack. Pursing his lips, Lan Zhou stopped himself from going over there. The rest of the group could only watch this exchange as the master was barricaded from his wife¡¯s chambers. Wang Cheng who was responsible for investigating Song Yu¡¯s disappearance recognized Song Yu when the hood flew off. He leaned over to Yu Ci and whispered quietly, ¡°You¡¯ve been with Song Yu right? Did he say anything about Lan Zhou while you guys were together?¡± Yu Ci could only shake his head sadly. The forest fairy he (maybe) liked was in a (supposed) relationship with his friend. ¡°He never even told me his name. I just followed him because it looked like he knew the area very well. I remembered about the pits and thought the forest was his territory.¡± Wang Cheng nodded in understanding. ¡°Maybe you accidentally found his place and he wanted to escort you out. He might have killed you, but knew we would look for you.¡± Yu Ci, thinking back was kinda dumb to follow a total stranger. He wrinkled his nose, his mood turning sour. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that.¡± Wang Cheng rolled his eyes. ¡°How did you even stay alive for 23 years in the apocalypse?¡± ¡°¡­Sheer luck.¡± Song Yu was preparing to go to sleep, opting not to eat until morning. His blanket spread out next to Derpy who laid down to nap. He heard a rustle close by and felt a small wind. Turning to his right he saw Lan Zhou spread out a sleeping bag¡­next to him. Song Yu continued to stare as Lan Zhou brought a pillow from who knows where and plopped it on top. Before Song Yu could blink, Lan Zhou took off his shoes and sat on the sleeping bag, not once glancing at him. Song Yu gritted his teeth and picked up the blanket moving it closer to Derpy and set it down. He heard another rustle and saw Lan Zhou pick up his sleeping back and drop it right next to his again. Song Yu moved once more, this time at the other side of the cave, but was followed closely by Lan Zhou. This game of follow the leader began as Song Yu tried to subvert Lan Zhou¡¯s bedside location. Finally, he threw the blanket at Lan Zhou. ¡°Why are you following me??¡± Lan Zhou had the blanket on his face, but his muffled voice was coherent. ¡°How to get someone to notice you. Article #24, go to places where your target is and see if they are conscious of your presence. Repeat for a better result. Keep your actions pre-occupied and ignore your target to see if they respond to your bait and switch. Soon, they will notice more of your actions, you can do it!¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s voice was mechanical as he spouted off an entire paragraph from the romance magazine he used to read from. Song Yu blinked in confusion as Lan Zhou brought his blanket back to the first spot, spreading it out evenly, adding his own sleeping bag next to his, the plump pillow now on the blanket instead. Everyone excluding Song Yu forehead slapped themselves in their heads. Lan Zhou¡¯s EQ was still 0! Chapter 30—Finding Home Chapter 30¡ªFinding Home by Bocchan13 Song Yu stood there as Lan Zhou generously provided the pillow to his blanket, and even added an additional blanket, this one more fluffier. Song Yu really wanted to fight Lan Zhou! But the guilt and embarrassment was still there. He DID owe Lan Zhou an apology and an explanation. They spent a wonderful spring night together only for Song Yu to disappear into thin air. And even if they both considered it a one night stand, it still didn¡¯t reason why Song Yu was now cold to him. Song Yu could only sigh and sit down on the blanket, his body language showing resignation. Lan Zhou smiled at the corner of his lips and sidled up to him, not touching. Song Yu could smell a smoky scent from Lan Zhou. It was clean and fresh with a bit of smoke and earth. He hadn¡¯t been near another person the last two years, so the feeling of someone by your side was now foreign to him. The group was still around the camp fire, making dinner. Yu Ci looked at Song Yu whose body language was a far cry from his cold persona he was used to. And it sort of bothered him somewhat. That small bittersweet feeling encumbered him so much that his black hole stomach shriveled and the smell of tasty beef jerky dipped in potato tasted like sawdust. ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t want it, save it for later. We don¡¯t know when we can reach another base since they took the jeeps.¡± Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu had to stop eating as they all discussed their next course of action. Seeing the conversation getting nowhere, Wang Cheng yelled out, ¡°Yo! Old Lan! Stop flirting and come over here. We need your input on what we should do next. Song Yu if you want to join, please do!¡± Zero tact. Song Yu blushed crimson when he heard the word ¡®flirting¡¯. Lan Zhou who was about to touch Song Yu¡¯s hand glared at Wang Cheng, his menacing aura a total contradiction to his cool and somewhat puppy like persona towards Song Yu. Lan Zhou reluctantly put on his shoes and strode towards the campfire, leaving Song Yu to himself. Song Yu could hear Lan Zhou¡¯s husky voice as they exchanged opinions for their next destination. ¡°The Sun base is the farthest base until we get to O Country. I don¡¯t think the ability user would have gone this far to begin with. He might be with an independent nomadic team that get supplies here and there.¡± Lan Zhou opened the map and looked at the locations they had been at before. ¡°Do you think he might have crossed the glacial mountains?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even an option. He was born in B Country, what kind of idiot goes to the coldest country who doesn¡¯t know the slightest things about its climates? I¡¯m sure that A country is the farthest he would have gone to.¡± ¡°Xiao Zi, do you think you can still make it without him?¡± Xiao Zi could only shake his head. ¡°Even if I had started before the zombie apocalypse, the materials I need require a base form that exceed the standard of scientific discovery we have on hand. I can make a vaccine, but not a cure.¡± Song Yu listened with one ear, his brain putting everything together. The pretty man was a biochemist, and looking for someone that could aid in his search for a vaccine. He flipped through his memories but did not recall anyone finalizing a vaccine in his last life. There were many quacks who claimed they had, but it had all ended in disaster. He did recall that someone in the Military B base was the closest to finding a cure, but that was 20+ years more in the future. Song Yu furrowed his brows. So¡­Lan Zhou was protecting him because he was an important figure? The scene where Lan Zhou pushed in front of Xiao Zi when they met at the prairie danced in his brain. So he wasn¡¯t in another relationship? Is he truly how he was 2 years ago? Does he still like me? Wait? I¡¯m still not speaking to Lan Zhou! I can¡¯t give him hope! What if he wants me to go with him? I don¡¯t want to leave my paradise! The scale with Lan Zhou and his paradise was at a teetering unsteadiness in his heart. He didn¡¯t want to realize this growing pit of love towards Lan Zhou, yet he couldn¡¯t stop the pitter patter of his treacherous heart. On the other hand, he still didn¡¯t trust Lan Zhou with his paradise he spent so long and hard to protect. His safe haven was his alone. If he brought people into his haven and got abandoned again¡­ His thoughts swirled into a mass of confusion and self-reflection. He heard the conversation pick up at the fireplace. ¡°The Military base still doesn¡¯t have the proper tools for my research. Since the B Base stole all of the equipment and doctors, we have to find an alternative lab as well. Why didn¡¯t we just raze it to the ground like last time?¡± Lan Zhou looked behind him to see Song Yu¡¯s slender back facing away from them. He knew that Song Yu was eavesdropping on their conversation, but didn¡¯t care. He had to earn Song Yu¡¯s trust one way or another. He spoke a little louder. ¡°The B base didn¡¯t do anything wrong this time around. We stopped it from happening, so we don¡¯t have a motive to go after them. Back then, we had the support of the people, but if we just killed everyone now, the Military base would be seen as corrupt.¡± Xiao Zi nodded in agreement whilst Wang Cheng scoffed. ¡°Well now we don¡¯t even have the right equipment for Xiao Zi. Even if we managed to find the ability user, we would have to search for a base that has everything. Do you really want to co-operate with B Base in this case?¡± Lu Jingxiu raised his hand. ¡°I propose we stop this, Old Lan. It¡¯s been two years. We still hadn¡¯t found him and Xiao Zi won¡¯t be able to make a cure without the right equipment not to mention the other factors. B Base is breathing down out backs and the Military Base can¡¯t support us forever. This time around, we don¡¯t have any accolades, fame or glory.¡± Song Yu could hear their frustrations. They really did look hopeless. But¡­like why where they dropping these bombs of information on Song Yu? Did they think he was sleeping? Hell no! They were all ability users, and understood that an ability user had great hearing. Then Song Yu realized that maybe that was the case since¡­he hasn¡¯t shown them his ability. And listening to them, Song Yu thought that one of them must have a future prediction ability or probability ability. Lan Zhou peered back at Song Yu again. He found who he was looking for¡­and the expedition to find the pure ability user was fruitless. Should they abandon this reckless journey? He promised his team that they wouldn¡¯t kill themselves helping other people anymore. That they would do their best and live instead of survive. These past two years they had been on the road trying to find one person in a sea of millions. The hope of humanity was a powerful responsibility¡­and a burden. A noble cause¡­but at the cost of what? Lan Zhou had felt guilty for coming back, and in trying to ¡®do it right¡¯ it may have cost the teams life. What kind of leader was he if he didn¡¯t know when to retreat? The campfire was silent as the flickering wood cast shadows over everyone. ¡°It¡¯s not my decision alone. Let¡¯s put it to a vote.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s solemn voice echoed through the small cave as he raised his hand. ¡°Who wants to stop the expedition and make our own base?¡± It was a unanimous decision as everyone raised their hand, the conviction in their hearts clear. The guilt of giving up this mission was echoed in their eyes, a decision they might regret later in life. But¡­they wanted to live a life. They had all come back from the fires of death. They had cheated it once; they weren¡¯t going to waste this second life. Lan Zhou raised his hand, his heart clear for the first time in a while. Sensing a gaze on his back, Lan Zhou straightened up and nodded his head. ¡°By morning light, let¡¯s go find our home.¡± Chapter 31—I never stopped looking for you Chapter 31¡ªI never stopped looking for you by Bocchan13 The group disassembled into their own sleeping bags after their conversation. Lan Zhou walked swiftly to Song Yu and got into bed, his bag making soft squeaky sounds. Song Yu, with his back to him ignored the noise and tried to even his breathing. They were some distance away from the others in the cave, so the only noise Song Yu could hear was the Lan Zhou¡¯s soft breathing. ¡°Song Yu,¡± His eyes flurried open when he felt a small tug on his blanket. He kept his breathing stable, but his body stiffened slightly. Lan Zhou seeing this, smiled lightly before he tugged a little more. ¡°Song Yu, after you left I tried to find you. I heard that you and your father had a falling out and you secretly left the country. I was really sad that I never got a goodbye.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s finger moved closer, his fingertips touching the small of Song Yu¡¯s back. ¡°After all of this happened, I never stopped looking for you.¡± ¡­ Lan Zhou spoke the truth. Despite his haste to find the pure ability user, throughout the entire journey from base to base, he always tried to find that small glimpse that Song Yu was alive. Each stop, he would ask the people if they had seen him. That picture, his only memento from the hairdresser shop was now crinkled and dirty from how many times he took it out of his pocket. Every time people shook their head, lied and deceived him into believing he was there, he was met with disappointment again and again. Even Lan Zhou who was reborn remembered that night as if it happened yesterday. Hearing this, Song Yu could only turn around, his eyes blazing with intensity. Song Yu did not believe it. Words were words; they could be soft as a lullaby or bitter with hate. Song Yu jerked his blanket back, his mood unknown. ¡°Why?¡± Song Yu¡¯s broken voice came out. ¡°Why would you look for me these 2 years? It was just one night. We only spent less than a day in each other¡¯s company. Why are you so desperate to try to engage with me?¡± Lan Zhou opened his mouth but closed it, his thoughts in turmoil. How could he express his feelings? There was no magazine or how-to book to help him. How could he tell him what he felt that night? The night he fell in love for the first time. What nonsense was love at first sight? Lan Zhou didn¡¯t understand. That feeling of desolation at the abandoned hotel room, or the distant scent of his body as it disappeared from his memory. All he knew that in the moment of connection between their bodies, he had vowed that he would treasure this man for the rest of his life. But the rest of his life did not happen. Song Yu left, leaving his gaping open vulnerability in full view. He was not mad, but desperate to understand why the person he shared his most intimate self with¡­did not feel the same. And now when he was right here asking him why? Lan Zhou could only express one sentence that encumbered his feelings. ¡°Because I¡¯m in love with you.¡± Song Yu¡¯s eyes widened when he felt his body being brought into an embrace. He had no chance to struggle when he felt a heartbeat next to his ears. The loud thumping was a stark contrast to the cold visage of the man in front of him, who looked deep into his eyes filled with longing. ¡°I just do. And I was very sad you left me.¡± Song Yu wanted to believe him. He too may have fallen in love at first sight. In another life they may have been happy. But dreams were just illusions for weak souls. He was that no longer. Lan Zhou might love him today, but if he saw the beautiful paradise he built, that love could change to greed. If he knew that he could purify water and soil, would he use his feelings to make him do his bidding? Lan Zhou might not be like this, but this was a risk he wasn¡¯t willing to take. His heart that fluctuated now steadied. The reasons why he did what he did were still relevant. He still could not trust Lan Zhou, no matter how many times he confessed. ¡°Let me go.¡± Lan Zhou could hear the coldness in Song Yu¡¯s voice and reluctantly let go. Song Yu scurried back to his own blanket, now covering his head with his back facing him. ¡°Tomorrow, I won¡¯t see you off.¡± Lan Zhou heard that sentence, his heart aching. Song Yu did not believe him. He didn¡¯t know what Song Yu experienced in these two years¡­but the person before him was now a hardened and suspicious individual who couldn¡¯t trust someone. He had to earn it. He vowed he would. ¡­ The rest of the night was uneventful. By dusk, the rain had stopped, leaving a crisp smell in the dense forest. Like Lan Zhou had promised, they set out before Song Yu could get out of his blanket. The rest of the gang had shot him looks of nervousness as if they were waiting for him to change his mind. Lan Zhou was silent as he rolled his sleeping bag and took inventory of their food and water. It would last them for a few days. If they walked straight through, they might be able to find a car or a small base. He hoped that was the case. No words were spoken as they opened the rock wall, facing the outside¡¯s bright sunshine. Song Yu continued to watch them as they walked out, their backs straight. Not one of them looked unsure of their destination¡­because Lan Zhou was leading them forward. At the very front, Lan Zhou did not waver as he continued onwards, like a noble hero pilgrimaging to the holy land. All of a sudden, they heard the sounds of zombies rampaging through the forest. Shit. He wanted to do a slo-mo walk. Where is his ¡®Goblin¡¯ moment?? The group had not made it 10 meters from the cave when they heard a stampede of zombies. Lan Zhou stopped immediately, causing the rest to be vigilant. Lan Zhou turned around and walked back to the cave, the rest scurrying behind ¡°Can you let us stay with you for a bit longer? I don¡¯t think we can manage to kill them all.¡± Song Yu wanted to laugh at his puppy-dog expression. Looking past him, he could indeed see almost a hundred zombies coming towards them. Furrowing his eyes in worry, he nodded. ¡°The cave won¡¯t hold them off for long. We will be stuck here.¡± The roaring zombie sounds got louder and louder, unbeknownst to them, they had them surrounded. ¡°Get in!¡± Lan Zhou and Song Yu both saw that the zombies were being controlled. They seemed to be pumped with adrenaline as their frothy mouths snapped open and shut. Everyone hurried inside the cave, closing the rock face. A few seconds later, they heard a thudding impact of bodies as they rammed into the wall. ¡°Shit! Where the fuck did they come from?¡± Wang Cheng went into his space and looked for their weapons, whilst Lu Jingxiu barricaded wall with ice. ¡°It won¡¯t hold. Is there another exit?¡± Song Yu shook his head. The zombie controlling the others was smart. This was a trap. ¡°There is a wall that¡¯s thinner than the rest. Can anyone of you break through it?¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Yu Ci hurried to where Song Yu indicated, his hands clenching into a fist. The impact of his punch was definite as it left a deep imprint. He had to hit it some more. ¡°Time?¡± ¡°Two or three minutes. Hold them off for as long as you can.¡± Song Yu scrambled to put everything inside his space, not caring at all that anyone saw. They were now in dire straits. He saddled Derpy and put on his cloak and mask. The cosplayer was back. He followed Lan Zhou to help Yu Ci. The rock that Yu Ci was breaking through had already made a crack. Song Yu listened to the other side in case there were zombies there as well. Lu Jingxiu was making another ice wall, but soon the rock face chipped as thrashing hands appeared. ¡°Shit! There¡¯s more of them!¡± Lan Zhou went back to the front leaving Song Yu, Yu Ci and Xiao Zi to work on the back. Xiao Zi healed Yu Ci every time his powers weakened. Song Yu saw this and couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Step back.¡± Yu Ci was gasping for breath. The wall wasn¡¯t as thick, but he had dug almost a meter and it still hadn¡¯t touched the outside. Song Yu¡¯s palm emitted a bluish glow as his spatial blade made its awareness. Xiao Zi¡¯s and Yu Ci¡¯s eyes glowed blue as their gaze traveled from that vibrant blue to the blade made of pure energy. Song Yu whipped his hand, the slice penetrating deeper into the rock, scraping off 6 inches. ¡°Take turns. Hit it and I¡¯ll slice through the breakage. We will make more progress.¡± Yu Ci nodded his head, punching the wall. The crack was made, and the blue spatial blade penetrated the crack, causing the rock to crumble. Song Yu and Yu Ci worked together to break through while the front was dealing with the oncoming zombie hoard. ¡°Dang! How many zombies are there? I can¡¯t see the end of them. Fuck!¡± Wang Cheng moved his hand away, mere inches from being bitten. The ice wall was now the only barrier. Lan Zhou had made a hole and started blasting blue flames, engulfing the front. They were in a cave and had little ventilation. The humidity skyrocketed, and all of them could smell the burnt flesh. ¡°Fuck, we¡¯re in a giant oven aren¡¯t we?¡± Lan Zhou could not agree more. The more fire he used, the hotter it became inside. He looked backwards to see Song Yu, who emitted a blue light, a gigantic slice spanning the two meters embedding into the rock. He didn¡¯t have time to admire the ability before he had to shout. ¡°We need to retreat! Time?¡± ¡°Almost there!¡± Yu Ci had said this just before Song Yu used more spiritual powers, the blade causing a loud cracking sound. Seconds later, sunlight poured in as a space a meter in width and height opened to everyone¡¯s eyes. Bocchan13 Chapter 32—It’s raining zombies, hallelujah! Chapter 32¡ªIt¡¯s raining zombies, hallelujah! by Bocchan13 The sound of zombies echoed even louder after the hole had been made. Yu Ci easily went through, trying to see if the coast was clear. The only problem was that the wall they hit through was directly in front of a cliff. There were several overhangs, but getting out was going to be tricky. ¡°Lu Jingxiu, we need your help! Can you make an ice bridge or ladder? We have to climb.¡± Lu Jingxiu had been the one hardest at work, but his tiredness was nothing in the face of danger. He ran to the back and surveyed the overhang as well before deciding to make a ladder. Touching the rocks, the ice created frost on the surface as it traveled upwards and made a somewhat wonky ladder, embedding itself on the rocks every so often. It reached the top of the cliff after 10 meters. ¡°Yu Ci, you¡¯re the heaviest. Pave the way.¡± Yu Ci didn¡¯t hesitate as he got out from the hole and started climbing. Lan Zhou was still in the front, blazing away, the ice wall melting at a fast speed. ¡°Next is Wang Cheng!¡± Wang Cheng ran and also didn¡¯t hesitate to climb out. Song Yu observed their teamwork and had to applaud how much they all trusted each other. ¡°Come on, Xiao Zi. You¡¯re next.¡± Xiao Zi scurried out, going slower than the others. As a passive ability user, they had no ways to protect themselves, especially for someone like Xiao Zi who was a healer. Lu Jingxiu watched carefully as he gingerly climbed up. Turning towards Song Yu, Lu Jingxiu motioned to the hole. ¡°Next is you. Don¡¯t worry; Lan Zhou will be right behind you.¡± Did I say I was worried? Song Yu was quick to get out of the hole, his cloak floating in the breeze. The ice ladder was extremely cold. If someone was holding it bare handed, it might tear the skin. Fortunately, everyone in the zombie apocalypse wore gloves. The cold still penetrated his palms as he climbed up. He heard a roar. Looking up, his eyes widened when he saw a zombie in the trees. Unlike normal zombies¡­the milky white eyes held a tinge of orange and red. Level¡­7? ¡°In the trees!¡± The zombie looked extremely deformed. As if infused with a toad, its skin had warts covering its patchy green skin, the teeth razor sharp. Long hair of a woman was clumped like seaweed on its head, while its body looked spindly and thin. The level 7 zombie roared, the ladder shaking from the aftershock. Song Yu¡¯s body shook as well and saw that the ice ladder wasn¡¯t stable anymore. Xiao Zi was only a few meters above him. Yu Ci and Wang Cheng had already made it to the top and saw the zombie. Yu Ci barreled towards the tree the zombie was in, but it was no use. It was faster than him. It jumped; its skinny body landing directly on the surface of the ladder top. Crystallized ice broke on impact, its shattering noise a cacophony of sound. Song Yu could only watch in horror as Xiao Zi fell, his body coming towards him. An instinct he thought he never had, his hand outstretched, the body hitting him hard. He hissed in pain as his arms exerted extreme strength, the body¡¯s backpack and weapons hurting every part of his body. He couldn¡¯t let go, but hold on for dear life. His foothold loosened, his hand stretched to his thighs, taking out the dagger. The ice ladder disintegrated into light. Song Yu and Xiao Zi was falling. He could not see the mountain face as his cloak flew up in his face. He could only try to cut his dagger into the rock. Blood oozed from his struggling, and finally, the metal met rock. ¡°Xiao Zi! Song Yu!¡± Song Yu had one arm holding the dagger while the other one was holding Xiao Zi. Xiao Zi was otherwise unharmed, so he grabbed onto Song Yu¡¯s hand tighter, using his upper body strength to put more pressure off Song Yu¡¯s arm. ¡°Thank you!¡± Song Yu gritted his teeth as his dagger slipped a little bit lower. They had fallen only 10 meters from the hole. Lu Jingxiu was looking ashen, his breath heaving seeing Xiao Zi dangling. Lan Zhou was on the side of the hole, his hands embedded in a crack. ¡°Look out!¡± The zombie was crawling on the surface of the rock. Like it knew who was the most vulnerable and potential snack, it looked like a spider as it scurried towards them. Xiao Zi seeing this hooked his leg on a random rock, feeling for a crack. Seeing it, he abruptly let go of Song Yu. Song Yu watched in amazement as Xiao Zi used his knees to anchor himself between two rock sides, creating a knee bar, and shaking his hands to let more blood flow through. ¡°Free harness rock climbing and bouldering champ, under 20 division. I still got it!¡± How convenient. With the weight off him, Song Yu pulled himself until he was eye level to his dagger. Using his upper body strength, he used his free hand to get another dagger from his space. A shorter but sharper dagger was now in his hand. He stretched and dug the dagger deep into a rock crack. Great. He could climb. The zombie was coming closer and closer to them, the hair swaying chaotically. Song Yu really wanted to shoot it in the face. Lan Zhou was also climbing in their direction, his speed much faster than Song Yu¡¯s. Song Yu could see that Lan Zhou had experience as well. When the zombie was less than 5 meters away, Song Yu emitted a blue light on his palm. Letting go of one dagger, his spatial blade flew in the direction. Sensing the wind pressure, the zombie sidestepped until they were parallel on the rock face, the gruesome rattles of its bones emitting an eerie sound¡­The zombie gazed at him, before going past him and climbing towards Xiao Zi. ¡°Xiao Zi!¡± Lu Jingxiu created a large ice block between the zombie and Xiao Zi. Song Yu understood that Xiao Zi was injured somewhere and had the most bloody scent. But he too had scraped his palms on the rocks¡­was Xiao Zi just a more desirable food? Song Yu continued to slice at the zombie, while Lan Zhou climbed down next to him. ¡°You okay? You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Lan Zhou tightly anchored a harness around him, letting his hands rest for a bit. Song Yu nodded, ¡°No big deal. It¡¯s Xiao Zi, I think he¡¯s injured.¡± Just to be sure, Lan Zhou did a quick sweep over Song Yu¡¯s injuries. Other than scrapes on his arms from the fall, there wasn¡¯t anything else wrong with him. Taking advantage of the situation, Lan Zhou stooped down and kissed his forehead. ¡°Plf! What the hell?¡± Song Yu¡¯s was flabbergasted that he had his tofu eaten! Lan Zhou chuckled lightly and swept the hood off his head, letting the wind carry his black curls. ¡°Just testing your reflexes. Don¡¯t worry, you passed.¡± Lan Zhou didn¡¯t say anymore and continued to climb down to Xiao Zi¡¯s location; the zombie was trying to dodge from the barrage of ice attacks. It screamed louder, trying to find zombies to go under its control. All too soon, there was a cacophony of moans and roars. The hoard that had penetrated the cave had now bypassed the final barrier and spilled out of the hole. Zombies seemed to be raining as they fell. Some hit the rocks and plummeted around Song Yu, whilst some of their inertia flew down past everyone into the trees. The cliff was more than 50 meters tall; it would instantly squish the body on impact. A zombie was hitting all of the bumps on the rock, its trajectory reaching Song Yu. Song Yu used his spatial blade and immediately sliced the zombie directly in half, its blood splashing on the rocks. He saw that the level 7 zombie was almost swept in the fall and could only retreat. His eyes looked straight at the zombies, its piercing intelligence more than Song Yu had ever seen. The zombie retreated, its body climbing away into the sides where there were tree branches and vines. Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi were lower, but the cliff was more diagonal in that area. All of the zombie bodies congregated there, their bodies ripping apart on the rocks, cannon balls of flesh barreling through everything. Song Yu could only watch in horror as Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi lose their grip and tumble with the zombies, down the cliff. ¡°Lan Zhou!!¡± Chapter 33—Injuries can bring people closer Bocchan13 Chapter 33¡ªInjuries can bring people closer by Bocchan13 Lu Jingxiu was the first to react, his ice flying in the air, freezing zombies left and right to the rocks in hopes of grabbing either of them. Song Yu also took out the harness and dove first through the cliff, his legs touching the rock for only a millisecond before projectiling him forward. Breath quickening with worry, he used his spatial blade to slice anything that came in his way. He couldn¡¯t control his inertia, so his steps teetered as he grabbed for purchase, finally clenching a thick vine. ¡°Lan Zhou!!¡± The zombies had all been cleared by the cliff, so Song Yu¡¯s view was wide open. Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi seemed to have fallen to their deaths. He heard a sound from above him and saw Lu Jingxiu with tears streaming his eyes. A long piece of ice flowed down to Song Yu, the white in stark contrast to the brown rocks. ¡°Keep looking. Wang Cheng and Yu Ci already left to look at the bottom.¡± Song Yu nodded and nimbly climbed on the ice ladder. His arms were sore and numb from holding his body weight for too long. Lu Jingxiu spread a lattice of ice all over, his face pale and sweat built up. He was overusing his ability. Song Yu mapped the trajectory of their fall and followed Lu Jingxiu down the cliff. The view was clearer to the bottom, the bodies of the zombies piled up high like meat sacks on the surface level floor. But no Lan Zhou or Xiao Zi. However¡­there was a tree branch. A single tree branch that had grown through the rocks, embedding its existence into the framework of the cliff side. Taking a closer look, Song Yu could see through the leaves, a lump shape¡­and a boot. Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou were there, both bloodied and marred with gaping wounds from their fall. Song Yu immediately climbed faster. Lu Jingxiu seeing them as well did not climb down, but skate towards them on a slide of ice. Reaching them, he checked their breathing, and sighing in relief. But no celebrations were to be had. Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi were very injured. Xiao Zi was a healer, but he couldn¡¯t heal himself. He looked to have broken a few ribs and his entire body has scrape burns including his calves and legs, exposing interior skin. Lan Zhou was no better. Not only was there a branch imbedded in his abdomen, he also had a large cut on his forehead. With the healer out of commission, he couldn¡¯t heal Lan Zhou. They were in the large mountainous forests of A country, little medical equipment¡­and no safe place to hide from the zombies with two people unconscious. Their situation got direr every second. Song Yu finally climbed down to see Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi. Both were unconscious for now, and the wounds weren¡¯t too grave. Grave for someone who needed to run from zombies every day, but if treated correctly, it wouldn¡¯t be life threatening. Song Yu gulped down his panic and calmed down his trembling hands. He didn¡¯t know what else was broken and was afraid to touch them. Looking to Lu Jingxiu, he uttered, ¡°Can your friend take people in his space?¡± Song Yu reached out and felt the blood on Lan Zhou¡¯s face. The stickiness was more evident by the sap of the tree it might have hit. ¡°Yes, Wang Cheng can. We don¡¯t have medical equipment though. We can only cauterize the wounds.¡± Song Yu turned towards Lu Jingxiu who had already brought Xiao Zi into his embrace. He squinted his eyes to observe Lu Jingxiu¡¯s face. Does he want to let them die? Will he abandon them? The worry on his face doesn¡¯t look fake¡­but they don¡¯t have any other option than to carry them out of here¡­they will all die. What will this person choose? Song Yu probed a little bit, his unnerving stare penetrating Lu Jingxiu¡¯s concerned ones, ¡°Even if you cauterize the wound, you would have to carry them. The level 7 zombie is still out there and you guys won¡¯t make it.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s lips pursed as the situation became clearer and clearer to him. Song Yu went even further, his appearance looking nonchalant and cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave them?¡± Lu Jingxiu paused his movements and slowly turned to Song Yu. Taking this as a sign, Song Yu dealt the final blow. ¡°They¡¯re dead weight anyways.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s gaze turned fierce instantly, eyes blazing at Song Yu. He savagely spit out, ¡°We are family, and family never leaves each other behind.¡± Song Yu shrugged, his appearance even more indifferent. ¡°Even families can kill each other for just a second of life. What makes you guys different?¡± Lu Jingxiu couldn¡¯t retort, because he knew Song Yu was right. And he hated that he was right. Gritting his teeth, Lu Jingxiu pushed Song Yu aside and dealt with Lan Zhou¡¯s wounds, sealing the edge with frost so he wouldn¡¯t bleed more. Song Yu just stared at Lu Jingxiu. Will he do it? Or not? Song Yu could only awkwardly stand by as Lu Jingxiu took out the walkie-talkie. Clicking a button, he spoke. ¡°Wang Cheng, I¡¯m bringing them down. Make sure you have cots ready for them.¡± The other end of the line responded back immediately. ¡°Affirmative. Yu Ci scouted the area and killed off the remaining stragglers. Send them down. How¡¯s their condition?¡± ¡°Xiao Zi has broken ribs and maybe a punctured lung. Small and large abrasions on his legs and arms. Lan Zhou hit his head pretty hard and left a large gash. Suspected concussion. A tree branch poked through his lower abdomen, passing all vitals. We need to cauterize their wounds.¡± ¡°Jesus Christ. Okay. I¡¯m checking the medical equipment¡­only bandages and iodine. Not even alcohol. Fuck. What should we do?¡± Lu Jingxiu closed his eyes, breathing deeply. ¡°We do what we can.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Ending the conversation, Lu Jingxiu looked at Song Yu, his eyes not so welcoming anymore. ¡°To answer your question, no I¡¯m not going to leave them behind. If I have to drag their dead bodies back to base for them to have a proper burial, then that is what I will do. You, who cannot even empathize have no say in what we feel.¡± His eyes slitted with obvious disgust, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you experienced in these two years, but if your go-to response to having someone as ¡®dead weight¡¯ then I suggest you leave. I don¡¯t trust someone who can¡¯t even empathize with others, even if Lan Zhou says you¡¯re a good person.¡± Lu Jingxiu made a small tourniquet and gently brought both of them down from the branch. It was still 20 meters to the floor. Song Yu¡¯s eyes were unfocused throughout; his entire being feeling like it was dying from lack of oxygen. That barb stung. Song Yu silently followed Lu Jingxiu down the cliff, and met with Wang Cheng and Yu Ci. Derpy had at some point followed them out and was on the bottom, his saddle taken off for optimum speed. It was likely in Wang Cheng¡¯s space. Wang Cheng had both of their sleeping bags on the floor, ready for the procedure. Lu Jingxiu first took Xiao Zi to one, Wang Cheng immediately looking over the wounds. The ever so goofy man had now turned extremely serious as he looked over all of their wounds. He had to shake his head in anger, looking at their battered bodies. ¡°Bandaging them can only stop the bleeding; cauterizing the wounds will most likely lead to infection, especially Lan Zhou. I can do all that I can, but¡­he might not survive.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes fluttered as he groaned with pain. Wang Cheng moved a backpack under his neck for better support and opened a water bottle. Lan Zhou sipped a little bit before leaning back. Lan Zhou¡¯s trembling hands touched his abdomen that still had the branch inside. ¡°Cauterize it. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± His low raspy voice was filled with pain, but everyone understood that he was willing to do this. Lu Jingxiu closed his eyes before nodding. Wang Cheng looked into his space and came out with a dagger. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lan Zhou nodded. Yu Ci made a small fire using flint and immediately put the dagger in the flames in. They waited patiently for it to get hot enough. Lan Zhou turned his head at Song Yu, his eyes blazing in happiness. ¡°You didn¡¯t get hit right? That¡¯s good.¡± Song Yu felt like had gulped down a large egg. His flitting smile was the only response. Lu Jingxiu, who already had a bad impression of Song Yu, now had a worse impression. Lan Zhou raised his hand and lightly touched Song Yu¡¯s cloak. ¡°Don¡¯t watch. It¡¯s not going to be good.¡± Song Yu pursed his lips as more and more guilt occupied his head. More so than ever before. Can he do this? Should he help them? Will Lan Zhou die? Song Yu watched as the dagger turned bright red and smoky. Yu Ci took the dagger out and walked towards Lan Zhou. Song Yu fidgeted on the side as Lan Zhou eyed the dagger. Wang Cheng had the steadiest hand, so the dagger was handed to him. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Lan Zhou hesitated before nodding. ¡°Bite this.¡± Lu Jingxiu took out a leather strap. Lan Zhou grudgingly bit it. Wang Cheng took a deep breath and positioned himself in front of Lan Zhou. Lu Jingxiu was also besides Lan Zhou, holding the end of the branch, ready to pull it out. Lan Zhou¡¯s breathing was getting heavier as he felt the slight pressure of the branch imbedded in his flesh. He didn¡¯t know if there were smaller branches or thorns inside. But, if they were going to do this as quickly as possible, they had to pull it out fast. Song Yu¡¯s breath got even quicker, as he saw the branch squelch out of his body, showing just how deep it was inside him. Dark red blood oozed out as Lu Jingxiu tried to pry the branch out, testing the motion. ¡°Okay, keep as still as possible.¡± Lu Jingxiu was in a steadier position to rip out the branch, Wang Cheng close by to close the wound. Song Yu watched as their preparations were finally done. All that was left was the action. Lan Zhou had sweat streak down the side of his face, his lips pale on the strap. All of a sudden, Song Yu felt a hand wrap itself around his own. Looking down, his hand was covered with a bigger one, his knuckles showing white. Eyes met eyes. Song Yu could feel that pit in his throat grow bigger. He squeezed, a small comfort. Come on. Why won¡¯t you say anything? Say something! Say something! Song Yu¡¯s vision was now alight with Lu Jingxiu about to pull. He could see everything in slow motion as the sinews in his shoulder contracted with muscle, readying for the strength. ¡°Wait!¡± Chapter 34—Paradise Chapter 34¡ªParadise by Bocchan13 Three pairs of eyes turned towards Song Yu, whose mouth hasn¡¯t had time to close. He closed his jaw shut in embarrassment, his eyes dropping down. ¡°He needs help. If you pull it out now and cauterize it¡­it will get infected quickly. Not to mention, if there is an open wound out here¡­he might get the zombie virus.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s eyes whittled down to slits as he inadvertently tightened his hold on the branch. Lan Zhou moaned again at the pain. ¡°Song Yu¡­what are you getting at? We don¡¯t have any medical equipment right now. We have to take it out before it gets worse.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s hand was still holding Song Yu¡¯s. Song Yu¡¯s breathing was getting heavy whilst his heart beat crazily. ¡°I can take you to a place where there is medical help.¡± All eyes widened, even Yu Ci who was next to the unconscious Xiao Zi. ¡°Where?¡± Song Yu¡¯s palms sweated. Was he really going to do this? What the fuck were you thinking? They¡¯re going to kill you and take your base. They¡¯re going to see so much. They¡¯re going to backstab you. The niggling voice echoed in his head. Or they will find that you can purify things and make you a slave again. They will all take your body in the middle of the night and throw you in the basement. You will live your reborn life purifying whatever they want. Don¡¯t take the risk. They are all liars. No one will save you. Let Lan Zhou die. Is he that important to you?? Song Yu paused. He remembered last night; Lan Zhou had looked at him with desperate eyes of sadness as he told him of how he tried to find him. A man who could spill out his heart to the heartless him. Could he give him a chance? Stop! You can¡¯t! They¡¯re all liars! You see Lu Jingxiu? He said he wouldn¡¯t abandon his family, but can you really believe that? Shut up! The minute they step foot in your base, they will take over. Everything we built will go to waste! Shut up! We were smart and bought and scrimped and made! We were cautious and happy alone, weren¡¯t we? He was happy and content alone. But¡­he needed to save Lan Zhou. Get out of my head! The voice went silent, but deep down inside; Song Yu could feel that the voice of reason was angry. He was angry with himself. That question that popped up, was he happy alone? He spent 2 years alone with Derpy, Squinty and the animals. He could lay down when he wanted to, do work when he wanted to, and sleep when he wanted to. The freedom and independence he guaranteed himself was indeed a wondrous thing. But those lonely nights when woken up from a nightmare, only to walk through his empty home until the sun rose¡­.or that brief warmth of someone else¡¯s hand, that comforting smell of someone next to you, or the faint laughter after telling a joke. Song Yu might have underestimated how much he missed human interaction. But was it worth it? Looking at the sweat dripping down the sides of Lan Zhou¡¯s cheeks, he felt that the voice of reason was right¡­but it was also wrong. He could not trust this group, but he could help them. ¡°I can take you somewhere¡­but you guys cannot know where it is. If you follow all of my requests, I can help you. Trust that I will bring you to the location.¡± Lu Jingxiu wanted to argue, but Song Yu cut him off. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much time. He needs medical attention and the place is extremely far. Please,¡± Song Yu looked at Lu Jingxiu with cold but resolved eyes. ¡°Follow me.¡± Lan Zhou looked between the two, his heart beating faster. Was Song Yu willing to trust him? Was he bringing him to his home? Looking at the unconscious Xiao Zi and the exhausted group, Lan Zhou could only nod in ascent. ¡°We will go with you.¡± Lu Jingxiu turned to Lan Zhou, ¡°We barely know this person. Yes, he saved Yu Ci and helped us, but I still don¡¯t trust him!¡± Lan Zhou patted Lu Jingxiu¡¯s knee. ¡°Believe that I trust him. He won¡¯t hurt us.¡± Lu Jingxiu gritted his teeth and let go of the branch. Glaring at Song Yu, his entire aura emitted aversion and distaste. ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Song Yu sighed, his throat parched. He took a small sip of water from his water bottle before he started. ¡°Considering Wang Cheng¡¯s space, everyone can fit inside comfortably. Everyone goes inside and I¡¯ll blindfold Wang Cheng. It would usually have taken 4 hours, but my horse can ride faster and we can make it in 2.¡± Lu Jingxiu wanted to argue. This was a precarious predicament. He couldn¡¯t trust Song Yu not to do anything. He could sell them to the Sun Base or starve them inside the space by threatening Wang Cheng. The disadvantages were limitless. But he trusted Lan Zhou. And Lan Zhou said that Song Yu wouldn¡¯t harm them. Why? Why does he trust Song Yu so much? Lan Zhou looked at Lu Jingxiu and shook his head. ¡°We said we would follow all of his requests. If Wang Cheng gets in danger, we would know.¡± Lan Zhou gestured for Wang Cheng to start. Wang Cheng was slightly on guard as he put Yu Ci and Xiao Zi first before Lu Jingxiu and finally Lan Zhou. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in 2 hours.¡± ¡°Hopefully this dude knows where to go.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and disappeared into the space, leaving Wang Cheng and Song Yu in the empty space. Song Yu whistled and Derpy came forward, his hair gleaming in the light. ¡°Get his saddle out. We need to go fast.¡± Wang Cheng took out the saddle and watched as Song Yu put it on Derpy with ease. He watched as the man and horse communicated with such friendliness and trust, it made his quite envious. ¡°Where did you get a horse? Was it wild born?¡± Song Yu wanted to ignore the question, but decided that if they were going to spend some time together, then he should be civil. ¡°I got him before the apocalypse¡ª¡± ¡°Wow! I always wanted a horse, but my summer house is closer to the tourist-y areas, so I was scared the horse would get spooked, it¡¯s an interesting story, you see I¡­¡± Song Yu faded him out, as he got on Derpy. ¡°Get on. It will be a long ride.¡± Wang Cheng shut up, taking a while to get on as well since the saddle should only have been for one person. Finally on, Song Yu passed a black cloth to Wang Cheng. ¡°Put this on. If you so much as move it a little bit, I will stop and drop you to the zombies, you hear?¡± Wang Cheng hurriedly took the cloth and bound in around his eyes and ears. ¡°Yes sir!¡± Song Yu smiled lightly, his mood a little bit better. ¡°Good.¡± Patting Derpy¡¯s nape, he spoke softly. ¡°If you can get back to the base in less than 2 hours, I will give you your favorite candy fruit. How¡¯s that?¡± Derpy nodded his head in excitement. Yay! ¡°Kay, let¡¯s go.¡± Derpy took off at a run, causing Wang Cheng to jolt and hold onto Song Yu¡¯s waist. ¡°AHH! He¡¯s going too fast!! This is faster than a car, what the hell?¡± Derpy was indeed faster than a normal racehorse. The virus not only made the animals sentient, it also amplified their natural talents. Derpy¡¯s speed and endurance was akin to supercars ranging almost 200 mph, and his endurance at this speed was close to 4 hours with minor breaks. Song Yu was used to this riding speed, but Wang Cheng who had been driving clunky apocalypse jeeps was not. Not even twenty minutes later, he was getting sick from the speed and the euphoria of his sight and hearing being obscured. ¡°Gonna barf!¡± Song Yu turned to see Wang Cheng¡¯s green face, but couldn¡¯t help him. Derpy would not stop until they reached the base. ¡°Just throw up on the side.¡± ¡°Bllarrrrrfffjjbfjh!¡± Wang Cheng upchucked his miniscule breakfast and got a little better, but not before getting side-eyed from Derpy who felt some splatter on his hind legs. You will pay for it later! At the hour mark, Wang Cheng had gotten used to the speed and was now trying to make conversation with Song Yu with minimal results. When they reached the gate, Song Yu checked his watch and sure enough, Derpy had reached home in 1 hour 42 minutes. He patted Derpy¡¯s neck in appreciation and clicked the button to open the gates. Song Yu felt apprehension ever since reaching. Gulping down his beating heart he brought in the first group to come into his paradise since the apocalypse. Chapter 35—The many miracles of modern medicine Chapter 35¡ªThe many miracles of modern medicine by Bocchan13 Song Yu rode Derpy into his corral and got off of him, leaving Wang Cheng still on. Wang Cheng had both his sight and some hearing obscured, and only relied on his 6th sense to help himself. He felt Song Yu tug his shirt to the left. Hooking his leg to the side, he slid down the side of Derpy. ¡°Where are we? Is there like a hermit shaman in the mountains that has water of everlasting life?¡± Song Yu rolled his eyes and put Wang Cheng¡¯s hand on his shoulder to guide him to the gym. The gym was off the path to the mansion and had several rooms including the medic room for whenever Song Yu was injured. Thank god he bought x-ray machines, and surgical tools before the end. During these two years, Song Yu had only had to use it once when Derpy had undergone the viral changes and bucked Song Yu off, causing him to crack a few ribs and have a gash on his leg from a rock. There were also a small bed equipped with IV and monitors. Song Yu was smart to do this as well. He placed high importance to medical care in his previous life. Despite the apocalypse, the most deaths occurred due to illnesses that used to be easily cared for. Just because the apocalypse occurred, didn¡¯t mean that cancer, HIV, and pneumonia didn¡¯t exist. Song Yu quietly guided Wang Cheng into the gym. Feeling the new floor, it reminded Wang Cheng of his high school basketball court, the squeaking of sneakers against the polished wooden floors made him nostalgic. He could smell the cleanliness of products used for maintenance. Finally reaching the medic room, Wang Chen¡¯s blindfold was taken off. Song Yu tried his best to look indifferent, but he was deathly afraid. The medic room was quite large and could easily fit a dozen people. There was a door on the right side that led to the resting area/bed. Wang Cheng¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at the ceiling¡¯s white light bulbs, and the overall whiteness of the room. ¡°Holy¡­shit.¡± Song Yu closed the door and locked it. It wouldn¡¯t do much against an ability user, but the message was clear that they couldn¡¯t leave this room. ¡°You can let them out now. Xiao Zi on that bed and Lan Zhou over in the chair. I¡¯ll get the power started.¡± Song Yu went to the power box to the left and flicked a few switches. When he turned around, he saw the rest of the group looking around in awe and confusion. ¡°Are we in a hospital?¡± ¡°Why¡­is there electricity?¡± Song Yu spied Lan Zhou already on the chair. The 2 hours he spent in the space didn¡¯t lessen the severity of his wounds, his lips paler than ever, and cold sweat dripping down the sides of his face. The wound had bled more in the space. This meant that Wang Cheng¡¯s space didn¡¯t keep the integrity of the items inside. ¡°Get Lan Zhou more settled on the chair, lean it back.¡± Song Yu took command as he rolled a drawer filled with medical equipment towards the chair. Looking at Lu Jingxiu, he motioned to the still unconscious Xiao Zi. Get him hydrated and use the portable X-ray to check his ribs. Make sure his body is straight when you do it.¡± Lu Jingxiu looked at the fancy equipment and couldn¡¯t help but shake a little. Song Yu looked at his confusing face and frowned. ¡°Wash your hands in the sink over there. Next to the x-ray, they have instructions to turn it on. Just click that red button on the rib area and it will make a small sound when it¡¯s finished.¡± Lu Jingxiu slowly nodded and went to wash his hands. Song Yu looked to Wang Cheng, and also motioned him to wash his hands. Song Yu looked closer at Lan Zhou¡¯s wound and frowned. He took out pliers and cut the stick that was protruding out of his abdomen. Sliced correctly, he was able to see more into the wound. It didn¡¯t look like there more branches inside, so he gently turned the stick. Lan Zhou moaned more in pain. Song Yu had forgotten that it would hurt. Opening a drawer he took out strong painkillers. ¡°Take two, you will feel a little floaty, but it will numb the pain in a minute.¡± Lan Zhou recognized the medication and took two pills, Song Yu handed water from his bottle over to him to wash it down. Besides that, Song Yu injected the surrounding area with numbing injections. Wang Cheng came back to help. Giving him gauze, he instructed to pat down every time the wound overflowed. ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t have much experience taking something like this out, but I¡¯m going use a clamping plier and twist it out. I¡¯ll drain the wound with the cleaning solution and take out any splinters. Wang Cheng, once I¡¯m done, hand me the C needle over there and thread around a half a meter. Dip the thread in the cleaning solution. Okay?¡± Lan Zhou watched as Song Yu took charge and couldn¡¯t help but grin sweetly at him. He looked so cool and sexy like this. Song Yu turned to Yu Ci who was otherwise un-occupied. ¡°Help Lu Jingxiu with the X-ray and once you¡¯re done, take some cleaning solution and clean his wounds. He might have a concussion, so don¡¯t jostle him too much. If the X-ray shows broken ribs, wait for me to finish Lan Zhou¡¯s treatment.¡± Yu Ci nodded his head and headed over to help. Song Yu turned back to Lan Zhou and could only breath deeply. His heart beat crazily. He had never had to do medical treatments in his past life, but he had seen many doctors and nurses work in the medics bay when he was captured in B Base as well as in Paradise Base when they brought in injured survivors. The branch was quite wide in circumference, so the clamp had a hard time getting a grip. Once it was safely on, Song Yu had to control the strength of his pulling to be stable. The effects of the painkillers were in effect, so Lan Zhou only felt around 20% of the pain. He felt the tugging and the insides being pressured. He groaned a little as Song Yu kept pulling. The dried blood that crusted the stick was now sticky with new blood. The more Song Yu pulled, the more blood pooled out. Wang Cheng was the perfect assistant, every time Song Yu stopped, he would pat down the blood. Finally, 4 inches of branch was removed from Lan Zhou¡¯s abdomen. It had hit no major arteries or organs. Song Yu sighed in relief for a brief moment before he irrigated the wound. He also checked for splinters or leaves but found none. More blood oozed out, mixing with the cleaning solution. Song Yu and Wang Cheng got to work right away to sew Lan Zhou up. Song Yu had watched a YouTube video of Dr. Pim*le P*pper who was a dermatologist and would go step by step in showing how to stitch skin wounds. So (in his opinion) she had the best stitching material. Although he had to penetrate deeper, he sewed eight tight stiches. He glazed over a cream and had Wang Cheng bandage the wound. Song Yu looked around to see Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu finally turn on the x-ray. Running to them, he checked to see if it was in the correct place. Seeing it was, he watched as the x-ray flashed. The portable x-ray was smaller and had less power than one you would get in hospitals, but it could detect any breaks, fractures or bruising. The images went directly to the computer on the side. Song Yu opened the image and stared at the ribs. Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu both exhaled in relief when the image of the ribs showed nothing. ¡°He probably has bruising. Ill hook him up to the IV and get him on painkillers for the concussion. He will probably wake up in a few more hours. But he needs to stay in the bed and not more for probably a few days.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s evasiveness of Song Yu had diminished quite a bit, and looking at the surroundings, it was most likely Song Yu¡¯s. He won¡¯t bite his benefactors hand, especially one that helped Xiao Zi. He bowed deeply towards Song Yu. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Ci also followed suit, and bowed. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, they might not have made it. Thank you.¡± Song Yu felt quite awkward, his eyes looking away from them. ¡°As long as you guys leave once you get better, that¡¯s all the thanks I need.¡± Lan Zhou heard this and the smile that he sported diminished somewhat. He wanted to spend more time with Song Yu. Wang Cheng saw Lan Zhou¡¯s expression and couldn¡¯t help but pat him on the back. Song Yu injected Xiao Zi with painkillers and opened the right side door to the resting area. It had a bed and a sofa. ¡°You can stay here until you get better. There¡¯s a bathroom on your left. You cannot leave this place. If you do, I¡¯ll shoot everyone down. You understand?¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s sad puppy dog eyes were filled with hurt, but he nodded nevertheless. The others agreed. This place was way better than slumming it in a cave and they didn¡¯t mind the threat. They understood that Song Yu was hiding something else, but didn¡¯t have the authority to ask. Song Yu opened the door leading to the gym and left them to sort out their sleeping situation. Song Yu directly went to the weapons that were strewn all over the gym and into his space. He dragged his training mats and barricaded the doors leading into the medic room. There were no windows where they were staying, and the only door was now behind the mats. He would know if they tried to leave. Song Yu didn¡¯t go back into his mansion. Instead, he set up a sleeping bag next to the door. He would stand guard in case. In the morning, he will give them some food. Once Xiao Zi gets better, he will have them leave. Chapter 36—The Fridge Chapter 36¡ªThe Fridge by Bocchan13 *sorry for the late chapter!!* Lan Zhou could hear that Song Yu did not leave. He heard rustling and thumping on the other side of the door, but didn¡¯t have someone go investigate. He gently touched his abdomen with the gauzed wound aching slightly. The numbing agent had already dissipated, so he took another dose of painkillers. ¡°Send me to the bed and have Xiao Zi put in the next room. Lu Jingxiu, stay with him until he wakes up. Wang Cheng as well, take the cots and lay them down in the room. Yu Ci and I will stay outside. My wounds aren¡¯t that serious anymore, Yu Ci can sleep on the sofa.¡± The group got to work. Inside the rest area, the bed was big enough for only one person. Seeing that Xiao Zi was injured, he got it. Wang Cheng set down two cots, one close to the bed and one near the wall. Yu Ci lifted Lan Zhou onto the bed used for X-rays and set him down comfortably, all the while Lan Zhou taking inventory of where they were. Judging by the echo in the room and the sounds outside, they were in an isolated area of a big building. It could be a manufacturing plant or a storage unit. He thought deeply, but didn¡¯t think that there were any in the vicinity. Wang Cheng had said that the horse was faster than a car and it took 2 hours northward. They were¡­definitely close to the border of A country. Lan Zhou was curious, but he didn¡¯t want his curiosity to make Song Yu defensive. He will tell him when he was ready. At least¡­that¡¯s what he hopes. ¡°The waters clean. Song Yu wouldn¡¯t have made you wash your hands otherwise. I¡¯ll ask Song Yu if we can fill water bottles in later.¡± Yu Ci also observed the surroundings, his eyes landing on a mini fridge. Opening it, he expected it to be off. Not only that, there were¡­soft drinks, drip coffees, energy drinks and even a packet of snacks. Yu Ci¡¯s eyes widened, his mouth gaping like a fish. Gently closing the fridge, he opened it again. Yep. Still there. He did it again, this time faster. They¡¯re still there. One more time. My God! ¡°B-boss. Check the fridge! There are drinks inside.¡± Lan Zhou turned his head and saw the filled mini-fridge. ¡°Don¡¯t drink anything. Song Yu didn¡¯t say we can. We shouldn¡¯t covet someone else¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Yes, boss! Can I just stare at them for a bit?¡± Lan Zhou rolled his eyes, ¡°Go for it.¡± Yu Ci¡¯s eyes sparkled as he gently took stock of the beautiful drinks in front of him! Lan Zhou heard some more rustling outside, it sounded like¡­mats? The door opened and Song Yu entered once again. Once he entered, the smell of meaty stir-fry pervaded the space. Wang Cheng from the other room scurried out and watched in awe as Song Yu set down a large plate of stir-fry and a gigantic bowl of rice. Song Yu awkwardly turned to Lan Zhou. ¡°You can drink the stuff inside the fridge. I made dinner. If it¡¯s not enough, let me know.¡± Out of nowhere, Song Yu had several spoons in his hands and dipped them in the gigantic bowl of rice, running out as soon as he entered. Everyone excluding Xiao Zi had their hungry eyes on the two big servings. ¡°Um...boss? Can I now drink the C*la?¡± Lan Zhou nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci hurried to the mini fridge and took out several soft drinks. Setting them on the small counter, they huddled together, ready for Lan Zhou¡¯s orders to eat. Lan Zhou sighed and waved his hand. Like children at a daycare, they cleanly divided the portions and placed them on metal trays on the side of the counter. Yu Ci generously heaped rice, his smiling face euphoric and excited. Lan Zhou got his share and couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. Does this count as a love bento? Dipping his spoon into the fluffy rice, he inhaled the first bite. The standard for good food had dropped way too much, but even if there wasn¡¯t an apocalypse, the food felt like the homemade love of a mother to her child. The room was silent save for the clacking of metals and slurping noises. The wondrous meal was finished all too soon, not even a single grain of rice was spared. Lan Zhou and the group sighed happily. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t care if I have to live the rest of my life in here if we get this kind of food.¡± Yu Ci massaged his full belly in contentment. Wang Cheng had to agree as well. Lu Jingxiu was otherwise pre-occupied with finishing his meal and checking Xiao Zi¡¯s IV. The drip would finish in less than 2 hours, so he had to prep another one. After finishing his meal, Lu Jingxiu took a small basin and wet a clean white towel inside the other room. Seeing that Xiao Zi was sleeping, he gently placed the basin down and stared at his lover''s face. Despite his hurt body, Xiao Zi still looked extremely beautiful. Unlike the others who were all bosom buddies in high school, Lu Jingxiu didn''t enter their group until they were freshman''s in university. So when he met Xiao Zi, it was at the most opportune time of rebellion, fun, carelessness and a downright path to adulthood. He could clearly remember the day he saw Xiao Zi walking next to Lan Zhou, his golden rimmed glasses slipping down the slope of his nose, and his pale white skin crisp against the dark black t-shirt. Lu Jingxiu had fallen in love at first sight. As he embedded himself into the group seamlessly, felt the camaraderie of friends and understood that his sexuality was different than others, the only thing he could do was hide from his desires and keep that cool distance between friends. Years and years spent longing for him, to one day find out that Xiao Zi had died, caused Lu Jingxiu''s heart to break. So, their second chance at life began, he vowed to love and cherish every moment he had with Xiao Zi. Rubbing his tired eyes, Lu Jingxiu prepared to scrub Xiao Zi down. Opening Xiao Zi¡¯s shirt, he couldn¡¯t help but squeeze his hands tightly at the sight. Despite not having broken ribs, the discoloration of the bruising was truly terrifying. Purple and blue blotches spanned his entire chest, and there were several raised bumps as those skin vessels clotted. He lightly tapped the bruised areas with the warm cloth, trying to massage the skin. ¡°Are you trying to take advantage of me?¡± Lu Jingxiu looked up and saw that Xiao Zi was awake. Dropping the wash cloth, Lu Jingxiu dove straight to Xiao Zi¡¯s face and clenched it in his hands. Tears pooled down his cheeks as he nuzzled his forehead with Xiao Zi¡¯s. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to wake up.¡± His whispered words penetrated deeply through Xiao Zi. He shakily put his hand on Lu Jingxiu¡¯s head and stroked his sweat-soaked hair, a small smile grazing his lips. He kissed Lu Jingxiu¡¯s cheeks as they settled in a more comfortable position. Lu Jingxiu laid down, careful not to jostle Xiao Zi. When they were fully embraced, Xiao Zi tried his best to comfort, patting Lu Jingxiu¡¯s back like a child. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m okay. We¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna stop. We¡¯re gonna find a nice place to stay and live a good life with each other. I don¡¯t care about the mission anymore. I want us to just be happy.¡± ¡°I know. I know. I trust you, and I trust Lan Zhou. We will definitely find a new home¡­¡± Behind them, Wang Cheng slowly closed the door for privacy. ¡°Xiao Zi looks like he¡¯s going to be fine. I reckon after he gets better, we can go.¡± Lan Zhou nodded his head. He still felt Song Yu¡¯s presence here, so he didn¡¯t want to expose what his plans to stay was. ¡°Get some rest. We can discuss how to thank Song Yu tomorrow. For now, we can sleep. No need for patrol or night duty.¡± Wang Cheng nodded and tactfully dragged his other cot from the lover¡¯s room and settled it next to Yu Ci¡¯s, who went to sleep after cleaning up. Lan Zhou closed his eyes, but his vigilance was still up. On the other side of the door, Song Yu was still there¡­he worried that Song Yu would catch a cold or not fall asleep tonight. He didn¡¯t want him to be guarded against him¡­how could he show Song Yu that the only thing he coveted was Song Yu himself? More than any food, electricity, or safety, Song Yu mattered the most. As henpecked as he was, Lan Zhou did realize that the feelings he harbored towards Song Yu didn¡¯t make sense. But the aching in his heart and the feeling of wanting to hold Song Yu forever was like a deeply embedded fissure in his soul. He needed Song Yu. He wanted him. Now that they had reunited, like a sirens song, he wanted to move towards him. A small headache formed, causing Lan Zhou to rub his head lightly. The slash on his forehead had been cleaned, but there definitely would be a scar. Absently rubbing the bandage, he couldn¡¯t help but analyze his thoughts. Lan Zhou had a sense that he had forgotten something. Something very very important. ANNOUNCEMENT This chapter may be deleted in the near future or stand as a warning. It has come to my attention that some sites, mainly: https://www.ltnovels.com/novel/bl-neet-life-in-the-apocalypse.html https://tl.rulate.ru/book/60958 have NOT asked to use my work in their sites. I know in this vague world of the internet, getting books is a dime a dozen. But picture this. I do NOT get ANY money for writing this. I don''t get ad money, no sponsors, no deals, nada from writing on scribble hub. I humbly put this story out there for people to read. For enjoyment. But I do not condone stealing. You might be thinking, "translations bring more traction to a work." It does when the author willingly lets people do it. But if I have to find out that my story is out in the world through a mere google search and see someone else''s name and people who do not even know that the author wrote it primarily in English, then there is a problem. Translations almost never get the ''okay'' from authors about translating their novels, because usually, they don''t get any monetary value besides site ads. If they had just asked, I might have said yes or no. That is within my jurisdiction since this is MY story. MY writing, and the thought of every single word that comes out of these chapter. Especially https://tl.rulate.ru/book/60958. I have put by Bocchan13 in every chapter I have. In their translations, it has mysteriously disappeared. I wonder why. I will continue to write, but I do expect apologies from these people. I will contact them separately and privately, but do note that I have worked hard to bring this book into the world, with nothing to gain but the enjoyment of writing. Remember the authors that write your books. I like reading the comments on my chapters, but it is not worth the sadness I felt when I saw these sites using my novel and getting money off of my hard earned words. sincerely, Bocchan13 Chapter 37—Fever Chapter 37¡ªFever By Bocchan13 Song Yu had camped outside the doors, waiting if they would try to open them. When the sun crested the mountains and sun rays penetrated the gym windows, did Song Yu move his gaze. Turning to the side, he saw Squinty coming inside, still followed by the ducklings. The cute fluffy feathers had now matured, making them look less cute and more menacingly adorable. Although they had reached adolescence, they still followed behind Squinty like he was their mom. Rubbing Squinty¡¯s abundant fur, he couldn¡¯t hold back his sigh of relief. They hadn¡¯t wanted to get out and kill him. Before Song Yu could move from his sleeping bag, he heard a light rap on the door. Freezing in place, his spatial blade came out instinctively. Feeling the immense aura the ducks scurried away. ¡°Um¡­Song Yu? Are you outside? Last night, Lan Zhou got a fever and the only meds we understood was the over the counter ones. Do you have stronger meds?¡± It was Wang Cheng on the other side. Song Yu rubbed his tired eyes, the spatial blade dissipating. ¡°Hold on. Stay away from the door. I¡¯m coming in.¡± Song Yu moved the mats away from the door and opened it. Like he asked, Wang Cheng had left the door and gone to Lan Zhou¡¯s resting area. Song Yu hurriedly came in, locking the door shut before heading to Lan Zhou. ¡°What was his fever like last night?¡± ¡°Around 39 degrees. We cooled him down with the water and towel, but this morning his fever hadn¡¯t broken and he¡¯s delirious. The medicine was the only bottle I recognized.¡± Wang Cheng pointed to the cheap over the counter fever reducer. Song Yu nodded his head. ¡°And Xiao Zi? He¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°His ribs are bruised and it got hard for him to breathe. He¡¯s still packed with painkillers and is sleeping. Lu Jingxiu is taking care of him.¡± Song Yu touched Lan Zhou¡¯s head. He was sleeping stiffly, his body encased in the sleeping bag. Several blankets had been put on him, but the shivering was still constant. ¡°Get the blankets off him. We need to pat down his body and get him into clean clothes. I¡¯ll come back with some supplies.¡± Song Yu hurriedly left the room, running inside the villa. Opening his wardrobe, there wasn¡¯t many things that would fit Lan Zhou. Thankfully, Song Yu still had oversized t-shirts that he wore to sleep. The pants were the most difficult. Lounge pants were stretchy, but there were limits, especially since Lan Zhou looked slim, but had thick muscles. Song Yu cursed himself! He should have been prepared? What if he got fat during the apocalypse? He would have no clothes! Song Yu ultimately chose running pants and scurried back to the room. Lan Zhou was now topless, and Wang Cheng was taking off Lan Zhou¡¯s pants. Song Yu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Unbeknownst to anyone¡­there was a large festering wound on Lan Zhou¡¯s leg. Cut diagonally from his knee to his lower calf, the wound was open and oozing blood. What was worse was that during the night, with all of those blankets and no air, the skin had oxidized causing the skin surrounding the wound to redden and crust. ¡°Fuck! Why the hell didn¡¯t Lan Zhou realize?¡± ¡°The-the painkillers. He took some last night before sleeping. Fuck!¡± The skin had red streaks surrounding the area. Lan Zhou was unconscious, but when Wang Cheng had removed his pants, it slid past the wound causing him to moan in pain. Song Yu hurriedly opened the cabinets and drawers. Finding the cleaning solution, he scrambled past Wang Cheng, dunking almost the entire bottle onto Lan Zhou¡¯s leg. He couldn¡¯t hear anything but faint buzzing sounds. ¡°We need to clean the wound and stitch it up. We might have to cut off the dead skin. Get me the cutting scissors. We need to stop the infection from spreading. Find the bottle that has a blue top and green label. It¡¯s the strongest fever reliever I have.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Wang Cheng hurriedly did as he complied, trying his best. Yu Ci had come over and set Lan Zhou¡¯s body up in a better position for the cutting. ¡°Get an IV going, and shoot some pain meds. I¡¯m going to numb the area.¡± Song Yu was fast and efficient. He was no doctor and was worried that one wrong misstep might cause Lan Zhou to lose his leg. ¡°Let me help.¡± Song Yu turned back and saw that Xiao Zi had been rolled in on a wheelchair by Lu Jingxiu. ¡°Can you heal him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Xiao Zi pressed his hand on Lan Zhou¡¯s leg. Song Yu could see that it took almost all of his strength to do so. There was a brief glimpse of light before it dissipated. Xiao Zi gasped in exertion, his head now doused in sweat. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He gasped. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough strength.¡± ¡°Keep trying. It¡¯s okay. Just the surface is fine. Please.¡± Song Yu¡¯s hands were in a whirl of activity as he tried his best to clean the wound. ¡°I¡¯ll keep going.¡± Lu Jingxiu clenched his fists on the wheelchair handles. He understood Xiao Zi best. Xiao Zi was too exhausted. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. ¡°Song Yu! I can¡¯t find the medicine!¡± Song Yu could see Wang Cheng holding several bottles, but none of them were the ones he needed. Shit. Where was it? Song Yu recalled the last time he had a fever. He had taken the bottle back into the¡­mansion. And placed it in a cupboard. Song Yu was in the midst of cutting off flesh. He couldn¡¯t move. Looking towards the door, a choice had to be made. Let Lan Zhou die! Don¡¯t you dare try to do this! I need to help him. His fever is getting higher. Fuck this! You¡¯re absolutely hopeless. Why would you jeopardize everything we built! Lan Zhou is not worth it. Lan Zhou is worth it! No he¡¯s not. If he was worth it, you would have taken him with you from the very beginning. You were too chicken shit to let him in, and now you want to play happy family? Hahaha! Bullshit! Humans can change their minds! Lan Zhou might lose his leg. Even Xiao Zi cannot reproduce a leg from thin air! Song Yu¡­are you really willing to let this group in? Do you want them to use your things, eat your food, drink your water and ultimately find out what ability you have? Do you want to die all over again? Song Yu¡¯s hands paused slightly. He had cut a little too much, the fresh skin sliding off with the dead. Lan Zhou moaned again, his shivering increasing. The blood had clotted in several places, but overall¡­he didn¡¯t have blood transfusions, and the cleaning agent he had right now would be depleted at this rate. I don¡¯t want to die¡­ But I don¡¯t want Lan Zhou to die. You can just run right now! Get it yourself! What¡¯s another 3 minutes? Do I want to? The situation isn¡¯t forced. You don¡¯t have to decide now! But when should I decide? Am I going to spend the rest of my life without him? Without even having the chance to let him? You stop! You don¡¯t even love him! This is just infatuation! C¡¯mon Song Yu¡­don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t regret your life again. Song Yu suddenly closed his eyes. The vast days of loneliness mixed with the vibrant days of fun and independence. His heart hurt so much. The pain of betrayal was still bitter in his mouth. And yet¡­every time he tried imagined Lan Zhou hurting him, it came as futile. Like his soul knew Lan Zhou would never hurt him. He knew what he had to do. ¡°Wang Cheng¡­go outside of the door and follow the dog. He will take you to where the medicine is. It¡¯s in a cabinet that the dog can¡¯t open. Once you do that, run to the storage room in the basement, there is more cleaning agent. Get two. Come back immediately, do you understand?¡± Wang Cheng nodded. Running to the door, he hesitated and turned back to look at Song Yu. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The question was unexpected, but Song Yu understood. He nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Song Yu watched as Wang Cheng opened the door, his body disappearing around the corner. Song Yu turned back to Lan Zhou¡¯s gruesome leg, a single tear cascading down his cheeks. It was over. Now, everyone would find out. ¡­ Wang Cheng ran as quickly as he could. Opening the door, his eyes widened as the view of gym overloaded his senses. Wooden floors, a basketball hoop, several machines for training, mats on the floors and weapon holsters that Song Yu must have taken off. The dog barked harshly, so Wang Cheng continued his stride. He opened the doors once again leading to the outside where once again, his mind was in disarray. Open fields framed with fruit trees, on the outskirts were vegetable gardens abundant with harvest. He could see many farm animals grazing in pens. The sun was shining brightly lighting this world into a paradise. He saw a large mansion. Its white color, vibrantly glowing. It had a large veranda on the top roof, filled with vines and flora. ¡°Bark! Bark! BAAARRK!¡± C¡¯mon you gaping bastard! Song Yu promised to turn on Princess T*tu! Wang Cheng didn¡¯t understand dog language, but knew that the dog had called him a bad word. They soon reached the villa. The large doors opened, revealing heaven. Wang Cheng felt he was in a dream. Running through the large halls, he finally made it to the cabinet next to the large TV screen. He squealed in alarm when he spotted the newest gaming console that just released a few days before the apocalypse. He spied the medicine and stuffed it in his breast pocket. ¡°Where¡¯s the basement?¡± ¡°Bark! Bark!¡± Wang Cheng was led to a side door. Instantly, Wang Cheng knew he had died. A zombie had killed him somewhere between the meadow and the house. Rows and rows of food ranging every which way made halls as tall as 2 meters. It reminded him of warehouses that stored in bulk. He gulped after spotting his favorite chocolate in a giant box, still filled to the brim. If I bring the stuff faster, would Song Yu gift me a chocolate bar? Finding the cleaning agent, he ran as fast as he could, the chocolate bar still in his head, not even thinking that Lan Zhou was on the cusp of dying from fever; Wang Cheng hurried out of the cellar into the sunshine. All Wang Cheng wanted was a small bar of chocolate to be totally and unconditionally loyal to Song Yu. Chapter 38—The Promised Land of myths and legends Chapter 38¡ªThe Promised Land of myths and legends By Bocchan13 Extra Chapter! Xiao Zi did not have much strength, but he had been a biochemist and pharmacist. Seeing the jagged scar on Lan Zhou¡¯s leg, he knew that if it hadn¡¯t been treated early, it could become septic leading to shock and blood poisoning. ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job cutting the dead skin. Make sure you don¡¯t cut the muscle. Feel it with your finger, the layers. Cut as closely as you can.¡± Song Yu nodded and continued to cut the sides of the wound. His skills were rudimentary, but passable. Wang Cheng had only been gone three or four minutes before rushing back in. ¡°I got it! Song Yu! I got it! Here!¡± Wang Cheng took the medicine out of his breast pocket, his face filled with glee. ¡°Feed him two tablets and wash it down with water. I¡¯m still working on the leg.¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu had little to no knowledge other than military first aid. They watched silently as the other three worked on Lan Zhou. Xiao Zi was still in the wheelchair, and his bruised ribs didn¡¯t let him lift his arms. But he was deeply knowledgeable in medicine, so counseled Song Yu in handling it. Song Yu was breathing heavily, sweat pouring everywhere. Like he did yesterday, he stitched the newly cleansed wound together. He had cut quite a bit, so the skin was very taut. Song Yu diligently sewed 37 stitches, drizzling the cleaning agent on top, and wrapped Lan Zhou¡¯s leg himself. The sun was now high in the sky, and everyone was dead tired. Lan Zhou¡¯s fever still hadn¡¯t broken, but his temperature went down a notch. ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Yu was washing his hands when he heard it. Turning around, he saw 4 men bowing deeply to him. Their reverence and respect was evident in every aspect of their bearings. His breath caught. Lu Jingxiu came up to him and put something in his hands. Opening it, he saw a spirit stone. Spirit stones were a manifestation of someone¡¯s spiritual resonance. When the apocalypse occurred and people started getting abilities, someone managed to condense their ability into a stone. Because it took so much effort, time and energy, the stones in itself held massive power. They could be used to help in upgrading the spiritual level, or used in combat against zombies. The smaller the stone, the bigger the input. This became comparable to gold. Used as currency, those who had higher levels could create even purer stones that resembled marbles. However, the biggest drawback was that spiritual stones could only be made using active abilities. Things like fire, water, ice, earth, lightning, wind, and others were applicable. For Song Yu¡¯s and Wang Cheng¡¯s space ability and Xiao Zi¡¯s healing ability being passive, they could not input a spiritual resonance. Song Yu blankly stared at the marble-like stone. It glowed a vibrant blue, swirling inside like a galaxy. It held a small depth of warmth. Song Yu knew that this was a very powerful spirit stone. The last one Song Yu saw in his previous life was one just like this, used for¡­Song Yu forgot? But looking at the stone, with little to no impurities; Song Yu realized that the stone was probably their last trump card. With both Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi out of commission, they could have used this spirit stone to kill him. But they didn¡¯t. Instead, they gave him their last weapon. Holding the marble, with its beautiful blue sheen, the ability user was most likely Lan Zhou¡¯s blue flames. They trusted him with this. They were willing to die just to thank Song Yu. The humble feeling of being validated. The glow of pride when someone compliments you on a job well done or the brief pat on the back when the day is over; it was something he hadn¡¯t felt in a long¡­long time. Those lonely days fighting with his colleagues about Paradise Base, those subordinates that wouldn¡¯t listen to him, or the levels of hostility when he was out of commission because he exhausted his spiritual powers¡­his entire past life was like a joke. All he ever wanted was a ¡®You can rest now. You did well.¡¯ And unexpectedly, it came in the form of four awkward men, and one unconscious man huddled in the medic room, with eyes filled with veneration and courtesy. Song Yu laughed bitterly to himself. Was that all it took to get his defenses down? But it truly was. Song Yu realized that he wouldn¡¯t have minded to have these people around him. But that was a thought he would think on later. Cradling the spirit stone he nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°You guys must be hungry and tired. Wang Cheng, move Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi into your space. I¡¯ll take you guys somewhere more comfortable. Get you a shower and a change of clothes.¡± Minds made up, Wang Cheng did as instructed; Song Yu leading them, they left the medic room, out of the gym and into the sunlight. . . . Lan Zhou felt clammy. There was pain in his torso, but a burning sensation on his leg. It felt like someone took a hot poker and slid it across his skin. But more than that, he felt dizzy and nauseous. The discomfort made him wake up. Opening his eyes to slits, his blurry eyes took in the view. Up above his head was a cascading canopy of white, enveloping him. Sniffing the air, he smelled sunshine and¡­washing detergent. There was so much confusion. He cracked his head to the side and saw a gigantic window that opened to a large roof veranda. On the veranda was a table with an umbrella on top. Scattered around it was books and magazines blowing pages in the sunny afternoon. Did¡­I get reborn again? He struggled to get up and winced when he put pressure on his abdomen. He wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt, and his bodysuit had been taken off, only leaving a pair of briefs. He saw on his leg a very large bandage that looked to have been freshly applied. He didn¡¯t even know that his leg was hurt. His head was still dizzy, but his mind was overall clear. Looking around the room, he saw a comfortable low table and sofa with a few throw pillows and blankets on it. To the left was a door leading to the bathroom and another to the closet. On the walls hung pictures of various maps and agricultural study texts; peering in closer, there were red dots and markings showing locations of various cities and villages in the area. Lan Zhou leaned off the side, his barefoot touching soft carpet. Where am I? He hobbled out of the room to the veranda. The veranda was sizeable, almost spanning the entire roof. Not only was there the table, but a hot tub and foot bath. It looked like a summer villa for the extreme elite. Lan Zhou peered over the veranda to the view outside and was stunned. Beautiful mountains, forests and a stunning blue lake were in his sights. A paradise of nature, the afternoon sun shining the vibrant colors of green, blue, and reds spanning as far as the eyes could see. Now Lan Zhou knew he was in heaven. He heard some light laughter. Looking down from two stories, his eyes widened once again. Down below, he saw Wang Cheng, Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu wearing straw hats, gloves and mud boots, holding¡­gardening equipment? They laughed mildly as they continued walking. Lan Zhou saw that to the south, there was a large vegetable patch, filled with luscious harvest. They still sported weapons on their bodies like knives, but their overall aura was one of contentment and...happiness. Lan Zhou quickly left the veranda, his hobbled steps trying to find the exit. His eyes were searching around this seemingly expansive villa. Every room he walked past felt like times when the zombie apocalypse didn¡¯t happen. He could see light bulbs shining brightly, water dripping from the sinks, and the unmistakable smell of grilled meats and rice. Like this place had been frozen in time two years prior. All of this was a painstaking effort to keep that simple life. Lan Zhou now understood Song Yu¡¯s hesitance in bringing them here. If it was anyone else, they would have killed him and taken over his land, corrupted it and transformed it. Although his eyes looked at these treasures, all he felt was relief and happiness for Song Yu. Song Yu had done well despite the apocalypse. Lan Zhou felt relief. Relief that Song Yu didn¡¯t struggle after the apocalypse. Relief that every day, Song Yu had a full belly of food, fine companionship, a solid stable life and the only worry of what he would do the next day. He saw the long flights of stairs and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. His leg was still aching, and his struggle to get downstairs could inevitably make him fall. He hobbled back into the room where he was staying at and left to the veranda once again. The view was simply extraordinary. But the thing that got his eyes to widen even further was the tall, lithe man tilling the fields already. The straw hat sheltered his face from his view, but he would recognize that back anywhere. The person took off their gloves and wiped their face with the towel around his neck, showing white delicate skin. A gleam of sweat dripped down, travelling down his shirt. The head suddenly jerked to his direction. Eyes meeting eyes, Lan Zhou gulped; heart palpitating. Once again, he was struck by how much Song Yu affected him. But funnily enough, he didn¡¯t mind it one damn bit. Chapter 39—Repayment Bocchan13 Addendum: No more screen shots! Hahahahahahah!! Chapter 39¡ªRepayment by Bocchan13 On the other side, Song Yu blew a raspberry at the ugly form Wang Cheng and Yu Ci had. They held their shovels and hoes awkwardly and didn¡¯t know the correct postures for farming. He tsked. ¡°Your back is gonna get sore if you keep up that posture. Put more of your weight in your legs; use less of your waist and more of your core. You will get better results that way.¡± Wang Cheng threw the shovel on the ground and cried out, ¡°I¡¯m so tired! How did you manage to do this field all by yourself??! It¡¯s criminal!¡± Song Yu rolled his eyes and continued to watch as Yu Ci and Wang Cheng made a fool out of themselves. It had been only two days since they left the gym and into Song Yu¡¯s mansion. Song Yu¡¯s vigilance was still up, so he designated a time for them to stay in their quarters. They couldn¡¯t leave their rooms at night, and during the day could only be in the common rooms. Song Yu watched their reactions as they surveyed the villa. Although, they looked quite relieved and thankful, there was no sense of greed or slimy passive aggressiveness. Song Yu still didn¡¯t want to chance it, so he had Squinty Eyes guarding the doors to the stockpiled basement. Several ducks also followed. With the added security of the spirit stone in Song Yu¡¯s pocket, the first day was¡­for a lack of a better word: awkward. Song Yu was mainly an introvert, with zero conversational skills. He didn¡¯t think that a group of grown men would adhere to his ¡®teenage curfew¡¯, but surprisingly, they all obliged. He didn¡¯t know what was going on in their heads, but ultimately gave up. He separated everyone into different rooms, Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu taking one bedroom, and Wang Cheng and Yu Ci getting their own bedrooms opposite each other. Song Yu didn¡¯t have the backbone to let Lan Zhou stay in his room, so he brought him to the secondary master bedroom right next to his. Both rooms led to the veranda and could be accessed through it, so it wasn¡¯t like he was trying to seduce him! That night, he prepared some pork bone soup, grilled fish, and an assorted vegetable stir fry with sweet and sour pork. Everyone mouths were drooling in happiness at this array of food. They all looked like eager dogs, tails wagging behind. When Song Yu gave them the okay, Wang Cheng and Yu Ci soared around the table, taking in the large amounts of food. Lu Jingxiu was slower, but his chopstick game was no joke, as he swooped in whenever the tornadoes left to pick the best pieces and placing them in Xiao Zi¡¯s bowl. Xiao Zi looked at Song Yu in embarrassment. ¡°Excuse these idiots; we haven¡¯t had a good meal in a while. You shouldn¡¯t have made all of this, we still have some rations.¡± Song Yu shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is what I usually eat anyways, just slightly bigger for you guys. If you want to repay me, then you can.¡± ¡°What can we do?¡± Xiao Zi¡¯s and the rest of their eyes brightened. They felt extremely uncomfortable taking Song Yu¡¯s things. He gave them nice rooms with fresh water, some clothes (albeit a bit small), and delicious food. They really wanted to repay Song Yu. Their most treasured thing was Lan Zhou¡¯s spirit stone that could detonate an entire city. After that, they had no value. With Lan Zhou out of commission, Song Yu would not throw them out, but they didn¡¯t expect him to give them anything. Not because he wasn¡¯t a good host, but because anyone wouldn¡¯t give free handouts, especially in the apocalypse. Song Yu was thinking what things these four people could do. Xiao Zi was awake, but his spiritual power had been hit hard. He could barely heal a cut let alone Lan Zhou¡¯s injuries. But he could abate the fever that ravaged him. He was responsible to stay close to Lan Zhou and nurse him. Yu Ci, Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu all had good and strong figures. Their uniforms were a little dusty, but still alright to wear, but they needed breathable cloth to work in the sun. Song Yu could only use his small sewing machine and make them crude shirts, using the pattern of the ones he purchased before the apocalypse. They would not fit into his frame, especially Yu Ci, whose figure was similar to ¡®The R*ck¡¯. So he spent the better part of the night cutting and sewing new shirts and trousers for them. Although it was hastily made, it would still bear the farming they would do outdoors. Song Yu absentmindedly cursed himself. If you hadn¡¯t brought them in here, then you wouldn¡¯t have to sew a shit ton of shirts. Serves you right! Shut up me! They won¡¯t be here forever. When Xiao Zi is fully healed and can heal Lan Zhou, they will leave. They¡¯re searching for their own home, not mine. You really think they won¡¯t want to stay? It¡¯s crazy to think they will want to leave, even for a second. Once you taste the good life, you¡¯re as good as gone. Well, they have no choice but to leave! Lan Zhou will probably not put me in that position¡­he will leave if I tell him to. *rolls eyes* Song Yu argued with himself all through the night, pitching his ears out to hear if anyone had left their rooms. The rooms were sound proof, so any noise inside could not be heard. Squinty was guarding the basement, and he had Lan Zhou¡¯s spirit stone. Anyone who did anything would be a colossal idiot. The second day, everyone gathered up early for breakfast. Song Yu made some rice porridge with chicken strips, layered with scallions. Everyone ate it heartily. Looking out the windows, Song Yu approached the subject. ¡°Every day I work outside in the fields, either picking, digging, or cultivating the soil for the next batch. My vegetables don¡¯t get contaminated and are safe to eat. I would probably need Wang Cheng, Lu Jingxiu and Yu Ci to help with the outdoors. Xiao Zi, you are in charge of taking care of Lan Zhou. You also need to recuperate and not move around too much. You can stay in his room or in the side room. You can bring any of the books or the laptop with you.¡± All of them nodded their head appreciatively. They were used to taking orders in the military, and responded well to authority. Song Yu had a similar aura to Lan Zhou, and despite Lu Jingxiu not respecting him in the beginning, after what Song Yu had done he was now thankful. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Boss. Anything you need; let us help you.¡± Song Yu nodded his head and proceeded to give them the clothes. ¡°I made these last night. I took a guess at your sizes, the sun will be hot today and I have spare straw hats. We will most likely finish in time for lunch.¡± Yu Ci picked up the clothes and almost cried. Song Yu was so nice! The trio got dressed and followed Song Yu to the equipment shed. Their eyes couldn¡¯t analyze everything, but it felt like the apocalypse had not touched this land. Everything outside was shades of brown, gray, and red. But here¡­tall grass floating gently in the breeze, wildflowers scattered around, animals grazing in the field, and crystal clear lake with an abundance of aquatic animals. This was simply¡­paradise. Wang Cheng saw Derpy and waved at him, but the horse neighed and ignored him. ¡°How¡­how can this happen? Everything from the soil to the air, it feels like it had been purified.¡± Lu Jingxiu watched as a non-mutated butterfly flew past them. Song Yu¡¯s heart jolted when he heard ¡®purified¡¯ but he otherwise shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was lucky. After my father kicked me out, I settled in A Country for a bit. When the zombie apocalypse happened, I followed my tour guide here. Apparently, he was a doomsday prepper. He was kind enough to shelter me, but got bitten when we went out looking for others.¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded his head, but there was this niggling feeling that Song Yu wasn¡¯t telling the entire truth. He wouldn¡¯t probe him, and let Song Yu tell when he was ready. They walked 10 minutes to the fields. Each field was 1 mu, each corresponding to a different agricultural yield. The rice paddy was on the farther end, so it wouldn¡¯t flood into the next field. Song Yu had one mu of rice fields, and two for vegetables of various types. Each harvest was in different stages, so when one was done, he could plant a new vegetable after setting the soil. He didn¡¯t have much because his field was adhered to only himself and his animals, but he now had five new mouths to feed. The first day, the trio was exuberant and didn¡¯t let Song Yu do anything but watch. However the next day, their backs ached, fingers blistered, and their noses were sunburned. They couldn¡¯t get up until almost midday, leaving Song Yu to work by himself. On the third day, Lu Jingxiu said he would pick the ripe fruits and hurriedly made his escape, leaving Wang Cheng and Yu Ci to go along with Song Yu. They weren¡¯t lazy mind you, but they couldn¡¯t understand how Song Yu could work so quickly and effectively, causing their morale to drop. Wang Cheng toweled his face and sighed heavily. ¡°Song Yu, I got mad respect for you. Not to mention the other fields, you did all this by yourself. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do this!¡± Song Yu also wiped his sweat-soaked face. ¡°It just takes practice. You guys have actually done a good job halving my share. Tonight, we can have some good pickled radishes.¡± Yu Ci whooped and continued to hoe and turn the soil. They had been working on a new patch, readying it for the next seeds. ¡°Tomorrow, we will start planting. The hard work is over, so now we just plant it, fertilize and water it.¡± All of a sudden, Song Yu felt a gaze on him. Looking in the direction, he spied someone¡¯s piercing gaze. Heart beating quickly, Song Yu kept his eyes on the figure on the veranda, a small creeping feeling of happiness enveloping him. Lan Zhou was awake. Chapter 40—You cannot live here! Bocchan13 Chapter 40¡ªYou cannot live here! by Bocchan13 The rest of the gang also felt that familiar presence and looked up to see Lan Zhou¡¯s small figure on the veranda. ¡°Old Lan! You¡¯re awake!¡± Yu Ci¡¯s bellowing voice carried out, echoing through the vast space. The birds stopped chirping, the bees stopped buzzing, and the only sound was the continuous stream of water in the nearby lake. Lu Jingxiu smacked the back of Yu Ci¡¯s head. ¡°Idiot! Just because we are staying here, doesn¡¯t mean that zombies can¡¯t find this place!¡± Yu Ci rubbed his head, embarrassment flushing his face. ¡°Lan Zhou¡¯s awake. Let¡¯s head back and see how he¡¯s doing.¡± Song Yu and the trio hurriedly finished their work and headed back to the villa. Squinty ran outside and barked happily at Song Yu. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed be somewhere else?¡± ¡°Bark, bark, bark!¡± ¡°The duckies are there!¡± Song Yu rolled his eyes but un-hesitantly rubbed Squinty¡¯s head. Wang Cheng looked at Squinty, his eyes growing bigger in happiness. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s that dog! The one that thinks I¡¯m stupid!¡± Squinty panted happily as he pranced around Wang Cheng. ¡°Baark, bark!¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s the stupid human who doesn¡¯t know how to close his mouth!¡± Wang Cheng pointed to him, his expression hurtful. ¡°You see! You see! I know he¡¯s saying shit about me!¡± Song Yu wanted to laugh, but kept it down. Squinty eyes had only been a small puppy when he was brought in, and had not seen humans in a long time. The first two nights he had been the basement guard, but on the third night, he unexpectedly arrived at Song Yu¡¯s door, holding onto Yu Ci¡¯s backpack. Song Yu couldn¡¯t comprehend why, until he saw Squinty disappear through the walls. Holy shit, my dog can bend space. Song Yu was ecstatic that Squinty had conjured an ability, he was now 10x safer. ¡°Put it back, and apologize tomorrow.¡± Cut to now, Squinty eyes was twirling around Wang Cheng and barking erratically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking your ugly cloth. I thought it should have gone into the trash because of the smell. Next time, I¡¯ll just take the nice smelling stuff!¡± Song Yu¡­ Squinty that¡¯s the wrong guy¡­and that¡¯s not even an apology! In the villa, Xiao Zi had just opened the doors to Lan Zhou¡¯s suite. His ribs were still extremely sore, the bruising still a shade of dark purple and raspberries. He could move around the villa and help around the house, but was still unable to help with the gardening and farming outside. He spent the last few days cleaning and helping Song Yu, and picking the zombified mushrooms in the dark room. This morning, he woke up from his midday nap to see Lan Zhou awake and on the veranda. Lan Zhou¡¯s face was still pale from blood loss and the fever, but he was still otherwise imposing. ¡°What happened?¡± Xiao Zi helplessly shrugged. ¡°You were so stupid that you didn¡¯t even know you had a cut on your leg. Luckily, Song Yu figured it out, or else you would have been an amputee.¡± ¡°And you? Are you okay?¡± Xiao Zi puffed up his chest, ¡°Of course! Just some bruises here and there. My healing ability is slowly trying to help my body heal before it can heal others. Huh, 20 something years in the apocalypse and I still have something new to learn. ¡°That¡¯s because you were always in the lab and never on the front lines like us. Your healing ability probably only works if you yourself are healthy, so others can¡¯t take advantage of your abilities. It¡¯s most likely a passive skill.¡± Xiao Zi rubbed his chin. ¡°Specialty skills like you and Song Yu are indeed a rarity. I wonder if a variant ability is stronger.¡± Lan Zhou turned to Xiao Zi. ¡°You know about Song Yu¡¯s ability?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a space ability? He put his things inside his space back in the cave, and made a space blade using the distortion of the fabric of space and air molecules. It must have taken a while to get it to such a degree that he can literally rip into a new dimension. Quite scary.¡± Lan Zhou wanted to boast that that was his boyfriend, but he saw the group coming in from the fields. ¡°Go downstairs and inform them. I can¡¯t go down cause of my legs. Song Yu especially. I haven¡¯t said thank you yet.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­about that¡­we sorta¡­gave Song Yu your spirit stone.¡± Eh? Lan Zhou blinked once. Again. Ehhh?? Lan Zhou wanted to crawl into a dark room and kill himself!! He shuffled around anxiously, trying his best to calm down. But he can¡¯t calm down! Unbeknownst to Song Yu who never left Paradise Base in his last life; Spirit stones were not just only a manifestation of spiritual powers. You couldn¡¯t make a spirit stone unless you had a certain feeling. Anger, greed, hatred¡­those types of emotions could create different effects¡­but the one spirit stone that was the strongest was¡­love and affection. Spirit stones using these emotions were given to spouses for safety. The purer the emotion, the stronger the spirit stone. Lan Zhou had been forming this particular spirit stone for close to a year. His desperation, fear and overall encompassing passion to find Song Yu was embedded in every facet of the spirit stone. This way of thinking though, would not be made up until eight years in the apocalypse, dubbed by a powerful water ability user in D Country. So what Song Yu thought was just a particularly strong spirit stone, it was the accumulation of Lan Zhou¡¯s deep feelings for him. He knocked his head against a wall in shame! ¡°L-lan Zhou? Are you okay?¡± Xiao Zi patted his shoulder. ¡°Leave me to die! The spirit stone wasn¡¯t ready yet! It still needed refining! How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends!¡± ¡°You were going to give it to him anyways! You can still take it back for refining after you settle your relationship.¡± ¡°Hmmph!¡± Xiao Zi rolled his eyes and helped Lan Zhou sit down on the sofa, lifting his leg onto a small foot stool and arranging a small blanket on his bare body. Hearing the sound of the door opening downstairs, Xiao Zi went to the top of the stairs, seeing the gang taking off their mud-laden boots. ¡°Lan Zhou¡¯s awake. His leg is still hurting, so he can¡¯t come down. Song Yu, he wants to talk to you!¡± Song Yu took a deep breath before going up, the rest going to take a shower in their rooms. Hesitantly opening the door, his eyes met with Lan Zhou¡¯s. Even sitting down on the sofa, he exuded such masculine ferocity, his penetrating gaze roving over his sweat ridden body. Wiping his neck nervously, he walked to Lan Zhou. ¡°Your wound¡­does it hurt?¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s heart melted. How was Song Yu so cute? He restrained his smile and nodded perfunctory. ¡°It hurts a bit, but I¡¯ve had worse. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Song Yu awkwardly laughed. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s really good. When your wounds heal and Xiao Zi gets better, I can help you go back to your base. Yu Ci told me that your original base was in B Country, so the best I can do is help you is out of the mountains.¡± Lan Zhou nodded, taking the words in. Song Yu was still denying him. Baby steps. Everything needed baby steps. ¡°I understand. Thank you for hosting us. I know it was very hard for you to do that.¡± Song Yu felt guilty as well, but pushed that lump from his throat. ¡°No problem. You really worried everyone. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± There was another awkward pause. Lan Zhou shifted a little bit, letting the blanket drop a little lower. Song Yu gulped down saliva when he saw the gorgeous pecs and abs. 2 years ago, Lan Zhou was the kind of slender strong, but now the muscles have blossomed into a strong body. The white skin had turned a few shades darker, but it didn¡¯t deter the beauty that was his body. Multiple wounds crisscrossed from his arms, legs and body. This must have been because Xiao Zi hadn¡¯t upgraded his abilities at the time, leaving small scars everywhere. Lan Zhou subconsciously flexed his muscles, showing off his best features. Song Yu didn¡¯t notice, but continued his small observation. The blanket settle nicely over Lan Zhou¡¯s¡­crotch area, disguising the most intimate part of himself. ¡°Uhhh¡­I¡¯m gonna¡­I¡¯m gonna make lunch.¡± Lan Zhou smiled nicely. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Song Yu turned around, ready to leave but heard Lan Zhou call him. ¡°Song Yu, is this your room?¡± Blinking, Song Yu¡¯s cheek blossomed red. ¡°No¡­I¡¯m next door.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s let out a small laugh. ¡°Okay.¡± Song Yu left the room in a daze and went to make lunch. Lan Zhou quickly got up, not caring for his disabled leg and edged to the door that led next door. It was locked. Not to be deterred, he hobbled out of the veranda and saw another door leading next door. Patting the door handle, it wasn¡¯t locked. Lan Zhou chuckled lightly and opened the doors. Peeking in, he saw a similar bed, with a white canopy, but the room looked more lived in. The bed was unmade, pillows galore, a pile of clothes in a corner, and a snack tray with various nuts and fruits. Lan Zhou knew what he was doing wasn¡¯t right, but he was a man on a mission. Looking in various spots, he tried finding the spirit stone to no avail. He was worried if he tried calling it, Song Yu would notice him in here. It was an unfinished, unpolished spirit stone! He would have to nurture that stone for a while longer before he could give it to Song Yu. If he knew where its hiding place was, he could secretly do that, so when Song Yu kept it, it would be like Lan Zhou was with him. Fiddling around the closet, he stumbled around a box that looked like it had important stuff inside. Opening the box, he found a blue¡­vibrator. A deep blush stained his cheeks when he realized what it was. Not only that, he found various sizes, lube and¡­it was too embarrassing!! Covering his face in shame, he closed the box and set it back where he found it. Running out of the closet, he tripped and landed on the bed. Before he could get up, the door opened and Song Yu, who was supposed to be downstairs, came in. Lan Zhou bit his lip as more embarrassment reddened his face. In Song Yu¡¯s perspective, Lan Zhou who only sported black underwear was laying conspicuously on his bed in a devastatingly seductive manner. Silence pervaded the room as both of them reddened like cooked lobsters. ¡°Y-y-y-you¡­what are you doing here???¡± Song Yu covered (but not covered) his eyes, large peepholes between his fingers Lan Zhou didn¡¯t have a good comeback as the fall pained his wounded leg. ¡°I¡­.uh¡­I wanted to live with you here.¡± An arrow shot right through Song Yu¡¯s heart at those words. Lan Zhou wants to sleep in my room. He wants to live with him. What was he gonna do to him in this room??? ¡°You¡­You cannot live here!¡± THANK YOU FOR 100,000! No content Chapter 41—Primal abandon [R18] Chapter 41¡ªPrimal abandon [R18] by Bocchan13 WARNING: NSFW CONTENT (sex scenes) ... ¡°Is something wrong? Song Yu¡ª¡° Xiao Zi had come up with Song Yu to get some medical equipment for his abdomen. Seeing the scene in front of him, his face blossomed red as he stuttered. ¡°Uh¡­I¡­I¡­I¡­I¡¯ll let you guys be alone!¡± Xiao Zi hastily closed the bedroom door, leaving Song Yu and Lan Zhou once again in an awkward situation. Lan Zhou hastily got up from his vulnerable position, his tight black underwear in full view to Song Yu¡¯s eyes. Song Yu internally gulped and looked away, scratching his forehead. ¡°S-sorry. I don¡¯t like sleeping next to people. Uh¡­I especially made up the room next door for you. So, please leave.¡± Song Yu hurriedly picked up strewn around clothes and shoved them into his walk in closet. Lan Zhou also quietly covered himself with a bed sheet but didn¡¯t leave. It¡¯s now or never! ¡°But I want to stay with you¡­can I?¡± Song Yu turned to see Lan Zhou¡¯s pitiful puppy dog eyes. The urge to kiss him suddenly arose, but Song Yu held back. Scratching his neck, he avoided that desperate gaze and shook his head. ¡°No. You guys are going to leave soon anyways. The less time we spend together, the easier it is to part. I¡¯m sorry, Lan Zhou but I don¡¯t think I can let you stay.¡± Song Yu felt someone come behind him. That once familiar breath, cascading down the back of his neck, its warmth enveloping him. A hesitant hand entwined with his. ¡°And what if I don¡¯t want to leave? What if I want to stay with you forever? What if I want to wake up with you by my side every day, and see your face at night when we go to bed?¡± The hand tightened as Lan Zhou turned Song Yu around to face him. Song Yu did not want to see Lan Zhou¡¯s face, so kept his own down, looking at the floor. Lan Zhou continued to speak, ¡°What if I want to carry on what happened that night? I want to kiss you, hold you, and make you mine.¡± Song Yu stared at Lan Zhou as his head descended downwards, until their lips were centimeters apart. Breath mingling together, the heat of their bodies in tandem. Song Yu kept his eyes open, challenging Lan Zhou to take his lips. Lan Zhou¡¯s heart beat erratically. He was going to gamble on this one chance. He knew what he was doing was wrong. They should be having a heart to heart. Talking about their feelings, and sharing their concerns. But if he did that, the window of opportunity would close. Despite what Song Yu says, Lan Zhou knew that Song Yu cared for him. And cared for him a quite deal. Enough to shatter his perfect world and let him in¡­temporarily. That was enough. That sliver of chance was his only reason for being here. So he could stay by Song Yu¡¯s side longer. Song Yu¡¯s gaze eclipsed his own. Filled with desire and possessiveness. The same as his own. Lan Zhou gladly leaned down to kiss him. Lips against lips, they both exhaled in exhaustion as the fireworks exploded. The two years melting away. Song Yu wrapped his arms around Lan Zhou¡¯s neck, whilst Lan Zhou secured Song Yu by the waist, his hand nuzzling the small of his back. The kiss intensified as they opened their mouths, tongues entwining as they tasted the uniqueness that was them. Song Yu felt dizzy but didn¡¯t care as he felt the ongoing passion penetrate his body. He touched Lan Zhou everywhere he could, his broad shoulders, his muscular back. Lan Zhou also explored Song Yu, feeling the difference two years made. Song Yu was not as soft as before, but held infinite strength. Song Yu couldn¡¯t breathe all that well, so cut the kiss short, his panting breaths the only sound in the room. Lan Zhou¡¯s passionate gaze watched Song Yu¡¯s beautiful skin turn red with heat, his gasping moans resounding in his ears. He kissed Song Yu¡¯s neck, careful not to bite. Feathery kisses trailed everywhere he could, a roaming hand, trying to get Song Yu¡¯s shirt off. Song Yu felt the light breeze on his collarbones, and watched as Lan Zhou unbuttoned his shirt, one by one. He didn¡¯t know if he wanted Lan Zhou to continue. But he was just so damn handsome! The ten out of ten virile male continued his onslaught, kissing down Song Yu¡¯s chest. Song Yu moaned when Lan Zhou kissed between his nipples, licking salaciously but not touching those sensitive buds. Clutching Lan Zhou¡¯s head, he breathlessly urged him to kiss them, but the desire was unfulfilled as Lan Zhou continued kissing down his abdomen. Song Yu couldn¡¯t take it anymore, his legs turning to jelly. Lan Zhou felt that Song Yu couldn¡¯t escape, and hoisted him up. Song Yu wrapped both legs around Lan Zhou¡¯s waist as Lan Zhou kissed his face and ears, moving towards the bed. Song Yu moaned in ecstasy as Lan Zhou¡¯s body covered his own, his heat penetrating through his bones. Song Yu didn¡¯t care anymore. No one could make his body sing like Lan Zhou. He needed this. Wanted this. This primal abandon that has been lost these past two years. Throwing caution to the wind, Song Yu didn¡¯t care if Lan Zhou seduced him to stay here. He didn¡¯t care about anything anymore. Panting desperately, they took off what little clothes they had and continued their embrace. Both Song Yu and Lan Zhou had been inexperienced their first time. And hadn¡¯t seen each other for two years¡­but they still remembered. Song Yu knew Lan Zhou liked his passionate moans, and Lan Zhou knew Song Yu liked seeing his face while doing it. Song Yu gasped and whispered, ¡°Drawer.¡± Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu as his hand extended to the drawer next to the bed. Besides miscellaneous items, he found a bottle of lube tucked nicely away. Not caring what Song Yu used it for, he grabbed Song Yu¡¯s legs towards him, dragging him onto his back. Song Yu exhaled as Lan Zhou parted his legs and blushed when he saw Lan Zhou¡¯s member, already slick with pre-cum. Lan Zhou watched in rapt attention at Song Yu. This body he has been searching for has finally been found. He was underneath him waiting for him to love him. Lan Zhou had dreamed about this reunion for so long. He tipped the lube bottle, the oily substance dripping between his fingers. He approached Song Yu carefully, waiting for him to tell him no. Song Yu panted heavily, his dazed eyes still filled with Lan Zhou. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Lan Zhou lost reason. He ferociously kissed Song Yu, his hands carefully edging into Song Yu¡¯s private place, the lubed fingers touching the place he wanted to enter. Song Yu moaned when he felt a finger enter his body. He was not a sex fiend, but like any virile male, he was horny and masturbated frequently. Using both ends. Lan Zhou¡¯s fingers were gentle as it rimmed around the hole before delving into his depths. Another moan escaped him when it got deeper, the oily lube heating up. A second finger entered while Lan Zhou kissed his nipples and chest. Song Yu felt the light kisses and wondered why Lan Zhou was so careful with his body. Then he recalled their first time. He told him not to bite. He had been scared then. And he was still quite scared now. But the throes of passion enhanced his sensitivity and he wanted everything. Raising his arms to entrap Lan Zhou¡¯s neck, he bit his throat. Lan Zhou panted in exhilaration. A low laugh escaped his lips as Song Yu continued his biting onslaught on Lan Zhou. Digging his fingers in Lan Zhou¡¯s back, Song Yu bit and sucked in tandem to the thrust of fingers inside him. Lan Zhou was getting out of control. His fingers flew in and out faster and harder, until Song Yu started begging him. He happily obliged. Taking his fingers out, he lubed up his own member before hoisting Song Yu into his embrace. Mere inches from the holy place; he looked at Song Yu straddling him. ¡°Is this what you want? I¡¯ll stop if you say so.¡± Song Yu glared at Lan Zhou ferociously. ¡°Mean! Hurry up!¡± Lan Zhou grinned, his smile expanding his beautiful aura even more. Song Yu was lost in that face, that gaze. Filled with overwhelming emotions of triumph and happiness. Song Yu kissed Lan Zhou, sealing his fate. Lan Zhou positioned his member and slowly let Song Yu down. Groaning at the invasion, Song Yu shivered as the hot member entered his body. When more than half was inside, Song Yu wanted to move. He lifted his body up and down, taking charge of the pace. Lan Zhou groaned as each thrust brought his cock more and more inside the hot cave. The only sound that escaped was slurping and low moans. Song Yu was a greedy lover, as he continued to move, leaving Lan Zhou to support his body. This was their first time having sex in 2 years. They reached the cusp quite soon, both shivering in ecstasy as they came together. Hot cum filled Song Yu¡¯s hole whilst his own sprayed on his belly. They had sex without Song Yu touching his own member even once. Song Yu collapsed on Lan Zhou, the member still hot and throbbing inside him. But he had no strength left and let Lan Zhou take the lead. Lan Zhou was not tired as he laid Song Yu on his back and moved slightly. The cum dripped out of Song Yu¡¯s hole lavisciously. Cleaning it with his black underwear, he was ready for round two. Penetrating the already ravaged hole was much easier. Song Yu moaned in pleasure as Lan Zhou took his time entering him again. Lan Zhou was languid as he slowly moved inside, reaching the very depth of Song Yu. A slight pause where Lan Zhou watched Song Yu, his bright gaze filled with lust and primal instinct. He moved Song Yu¡¯s legs over his shoulder, the angle deepening his impact. Song Yu was not prepared for the next bit. Lan Zhou thrust deeper and harder than he ever could, his cock bulging in his lower stomach, its curve touching the most pleasurable part of his body. Song Yu screamed as Lan Zhou hit that point again and again, each one more breath-taking than the last. It was savage, animalistic, and dangerous. Their first night had all been about what Song Yu needed. Although it had hurt, Lan Zhou had always been gentle. But this¡­this was Lan Zhou at his very core. Possessive, hard, and hot. Song Yu bit his lower lip to muffle his moans, but felt Lan Zhou¡¯s breath close to his face. Opening his eyes, he felt Lan Zhou¡¯s lips licking where he had bit. Song Yu was rocked more and more, the bed squeaking against the walls. ¡°Lan Zhou! Uhm! Faster! Harder!¡± The build-up was coming. Song Yu felt a tightness in his abdomen as the feeling of cumming came over him. He gasped Lan Zhou¡¯s name as waves of pleasure took over his senses. Song Yu felt Lan Zhou¡¯s hand touch his penis. ¡°N-no don¡¯t!¡± Lan Zhou rubbed the tip, his lubed hand sliding up and down, causing Song Yu to yell out. As both places were being pleasured, Song Yu felt Lan Zhou¡¯s cock thicken as it hit his prostate. ¡°Em. Eum!¡± Hot cum splashed once more from his penis, cascading over his belly in a messy glob. Lan Zhou was shoving his cock in and out, squelching sounds sounding perverse, white foam coagulating from their coupling. Three more pumps and Lan Zhou reached the deepest part of Song Yu, letting out a guttural moan. Cum sprayed against the sensitive walls of Song Yu¡¯s ass, setting off Song Yu again. Lan Zhou panted on top of him, sweat dripping down his neck. Song Yu¡¯s legs were trembling as he took them off his shoulders, letting his softening member to leave the hot cave. Lan Zhou leaned over and kissed the dazed Song Yu. His leg was throbbing painfully, but he didn¡¯t care as he lifted Song Yu and brought him into the bathroom to clean up. Song Yu was drowsy and let Lan Zhou take care of him. All vigilance was gone as he was cleaned inside and out, put into clean pj¡¯s and laid on the sofa whilst Lan Zhou changed the sheets. A blush spread from the top of his head to the bottom of his soles, as the musty scent pervaded his nose. He watched as Lan Zhou limped with the bed sheets to the door where a set was already waiting for him. The house wasn¡¯t as sound proof as he would like, so the ¡®present¡¯ must have been Xiao Zi. Taking the clean bed sheets, Lan Zhou prepared it and picked up the now napping Song Yu. As gently as a baby, he settled next to Song Yu, bringing him into his tight embrace, his arms wrapped around his waist and his chin on Song Yu¡¯s neck. Breathing in that familiar scent, he sighed as if the entire world was let off his shoulders. He nuzzled Song Yu¡¯s neck and felt the strong pulse of his desired partner. He was finally home. we got some juicy Lan Zhou action here. Has the body of a greek god Chapter 42—I might…like Song Yu Chapter 42¡ªI might¡­like Song Yu by Bocchan13 Song Yu was glad he was an ability user. If he wasn¡¯t he would have been recuperating in bed for a few days rather than the few hours it took him to get better. Peering outside, the sun had just gone down and Lan Zhou was sleeping right next to him. Looking at that dastardly good face, Song Yu stared at Lan Zhou with pensive thoughts. I slept with him. Yeah, no shit. What should I do now? Oh, so now you wanna listen to me? Screw you! This is so weird. How can I let this guy go? You can take him to your little black room and tell the other light bulbs to scram. They¡¯ve been with Lan Zhou this entire time. He trusts them. But YOU don¡¯t. Remember, this is just a temporary solution. Lan Zhou¡¯s wound would most definitely heal in two or three days. Even Xiao Zi¡¯s internal injuries are mending fast. Song Yu sighed as he listened to his own argument. He sometimes wished that he didn¡¯t have such a rational conscious. He felt a hand hold his waist tighter. Lan Zhou shifted his position so they were even closer together. Nuzzling his neck, his hot breath tickled his skin. Song Yu gently tried to get out of the embrace, but unlike the very first time they had sex, Lan Zhou was 100x stronger. Those large hands were like iron grips as it didn¡¯t budge the slightest. Song Yu didn¡¯t want to wake him up but¡­ He really had to pee. ¡°Lan Zhou¡­get up.¡± ¡°Mmh.¡± Lan Zhou held on tighter, his barely awoken state going back to dreamland. ¡°Lann Zhooouuuuu???¡± ¡°Gruff.¡± ¡°Lannnnnnnnn Zhhhhhoooouuuuu???¡± ¡°Eh.¡± ¡°Up!¡± Lan Zhou woke up slightly and patted Song Yu¡¯s back, trying to coax him to sleep. Song Yu blushed as the hand unconsciously slid down his back to his butt. Gentleness wasn¡¯t going to wake up with bear. Song Yu karate chopped the hand on his waist. ¡°Ow!¡± Song Yu sighed in relief as he got up and scrambled to the bathroom. Lan Zhou rubbed his red hand, and chuckled slightly. He had woken up when Song Yu did. Call it a trauma, but he hadn¡¯t slept lightly ever since Song Yu left him at the hotel. He didn¡¯t want to remember that lonely feeling when he was left behind. So when Song Yu stirred just now, he woke up instantly. The rest was just a ruse. He was about to tease him some more when Song Yu hurt him. He heard the toilet flush and went back to faking sleep. Hearing footsteps coming towards the bed, he evened his breathing. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake. Get up!¡± Lan Zhou laughed and opened his eyes happily. Reaching out, he tugged Song Yu back onto the bed. ¡°Wah!!¡± Song Yu¡¯s waist was once again held prisoner, Lan Zhou¡¯s large arms encompassing him completely. ¡°Good evening.¡± Lan Zhou pecked his chin and cheeks. Song Yu was still uncomfortable with so much skin ship, but didn¡¯t want to leave Lan Zhou¡¯s embrace. ¡°You aren¡¯t sleeping in this bed tonight. Move to the next room.¡± Lan Zhou furrowed his brow in dejection but didn¡¯t argue. They got dressed (Lan Zhou wore a new tunic shirt and lounge pants Song Yu had made) and went downstairs. Lan Zhou¡¯s leg seemed to be healing at an alarming rate. Including the fact that he had just ¡®exercised¡¯ and cleaned everything up, he should have been as bedridden as Song Yu. But he could now walk with a limp downstairs. He hadn¡¯t seen the house in its entirety, but seeing the rooms and space, he could guess how big it actually was. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t look in awe or amazement, but he did note every place they passed. He didn¡¯t want his lover to think he was coveting his things. Song Yu also checked Lan Zhou¡¯s expression. Either he hid it well or not, he was wary. Song Yu helped him down the stairs and into the living space with the large TV. Hearing the sounds of talking; the rest of the gang was in there. ¡°Hey! The lovebirds have finally woken¡ªOuch!¡± Wang Cheng rubbed the back of his head, his teary eyes glaring daggers at Lu Jiangxi. Lu Jiangxi ignored Wang Cheng and turned to Lan Zhou and Song Yu. ¡°We could only make a few things from the parcel Squinty gave us, but there is remaining rice and side dishes on the counter. Or do you want to wait until dinner? It won¡¯t be for another hour or so.¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t want to eat leftovers and decided against eating, but Lan Zhou was worried about Song Yu¡¯s appetite. ¡°You should at least eat a little something before dinner. We¡ªcough, cough¡ªuh¡­you should get your strength back up.¡± Song Yu remembered when Lan Zhou told him to stop drinking. That deep voice was filled with concern but subtle awkwardness; it made him very cute in Song Yu¡¯s eyes. Reminded by that, he relented. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the kitchen.¡± Yu Ci watched as the couple left. That itchy feeling came back again. He was a little disappointed and¡­envious. Xiao Zi patted Yu Ci on his back, consoling the big guy. ¡°Xiao Zi¡­I think I might like Song Yu.¡± Xiao Zi sighed. ¡°Not to sound negative, but you have zero chance. They met before the apocalypse, and you know how long Lan Zhou had been searching for him.¡± Yu Ci nodded, ¡°I know all of that. But¡­I can¡¯t control how I feel. Even though we didn¡¯t talk much during those two days¡­he was the first one to make my heart skip a beat. I¡¯ve never felt that before.¡± Lu Jingxiu sat next to Xiao Zi his hand unconsciously holding each other¡¯s. Yu Ci stared at those entwined fingers and couldn¡¯t help but feel bad. Lan Zhou was a brilliant leader, charismatic and kind. If he hadn¡¯t had low EQ, he would have snatched lovers left and right. For Lan Zhou, finding the love of his life in the apocalypse was a one in a billion chance. But he did it. Like the protagonist in a movie, Lan Zhou was able to find the string of fate back to Song Yu. Yu Ci¡¯s previous life was harsh. Born in a military family, he as the youngest child, enlisted since he was 12 years old. He didn¡¯t know about many things, including how to live in the normal world. It used to be barracks and gun, and now¡­high school? When he was forced into high school, it was the first time he made friends. And it was Lan Zhou beating him in jousting that got him to open up. He couldn¡¯t have imagined having friends for so long. Most people entered and exited each other¡¯s lives like bright fireworks. Fleeting. But these people stayed by his side, urging him to succeed. His first everything¡¯s happened with these four people. In their past life, Yu Ci¡¯s strength ability in the front lines was gloried, leaving people in the dust. He amassed hundreds of people¡¯s approval, and his battalion death count was almost non-existent. But like most people in the apocalypse¡­people got lonely. So after eight years in the apocalypse, Yu Ci was at the age where he started thinking about family. Women were extremely scarce, but not overly so. He had gone out with some women and some men, hoping to get the spark he heard from in Lan Zhou¡¯s magazines. However, Yu Ci was forced to marry a girl from an affluent military family. Yu Ci tried to be happy, but every night when he went to bed, he felt that the person sleeping next to him was not ¡®the one¡¯. That didn¡¯t stop him from treating her as carefully and gently as a behemoth-like man could. Over time, she grew on him and they eventually tried to have a child. With no luck, Yu Ci tried his best to take care of her still. Until that autumn day when he came back and saw his wife in the embrace of someone else. What startled Yu Ci wasn¡¯t his wife in bed, naked with an equally naked man. What startled Yu Ci was that¡­he wasn¡¯t torn over this. Seeing her crying face as she tried to explain, Yu Ci felt nothing. His wife of two years was nothing to him. Leaving her was the easiest thing he had ever done. Yu Ci felt that he didn¡¯t have the necessary properties to love someone. But when he saw Song Yu for the first time¡­he felt it. That tingle in your toes, that heart pumping in your chest, the electricity boiling your blood. Yu Ci felt alive. Or rather, he felt like he could love Song Yu. Sitting in the living room, Xiao Zi tried to comfort Yu Ci some more, but Yu Ci closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Lan Zhou was his friend, the truest friend a person could have. He would not hurt his friend like this. Even if it meant hiding his love forever¡­he could do it. He wished that one day, someone would come along and that spark he felt in the bamboo forest that day would come true once again. Chapter 43— Exposé Chapter 43¡ª Expos¨¦ by Bocchan13 Song Yu led Lan Zhou to the kitchen where the leftover lunch was. He immediately heated it up and prepared a bowl for Lan Zhou, whilst Lan Zhou surveyed his surroundings. The kitchen was lit up with bright white lights, the white on white creating a pure air. There was a large island in the center that hosted a few electric stoves and a sink. To the side were a refrigerator and a cabinet for non-perishables. It looked like an everyday kitchen. Not like a zombie apocalypse filled shit show. He had so many questions. How do you produce so much electricity? Why are there still so many foods and items in your home? Why do you have a reinforced wall outside? Why is the water and lands pure and fertile? It was a buzzing in his ear. He was happy that Song Yu didn¡¯t suffer now, but he also had to ask what sufferings Song Yu did go through, enough to amass all of this. He watched Song Yu carefully, seeing his little mole on the clavicle of his neck. Song Yu had many secrets. He had them too. But were they the same secrets? Was he¡­also reborn? Lan Zhou pondered this. He knew he never met Song Yu in his previous life. From the moment at the club, the future had changed. Lan Zhou rubbed his tired eyes and smiled at Song Yu. The only thing he should do is play his cards. All of them. Song Yu would never doubt him if he said the truth. And he wanted to. If they could negotiate and Lan Zhou played his cards right¡­Lan Zhou could stay forever. ¡­ Song Yu prepared some side dishes and placed them on the island. Sitting next to Lan Zhou, he gave him a spoon. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Song Yu watched as Lan Zhou ate the porridge with relish, realizing that he probably hadn¡¯t eaten anything since waking up. Seeing the poor man scarfing it down, he vowed to plump him up some more. He ate a few mouthfuls, thinking of the menu. Uhhh¡­you do remember that you¡¯re kicking him out right? Shut up. ¡°Song Yu?¡± Song Yu blinked and looked at Lan Zhou¡¯s handsome face. Lan Zhou smiled and pressed his thumb against the corner of his lips. ¡°You have some food on your lips.¡± Song Yu tucked his head back, and blushed. ¡°Thanks.¡± He heard a low laugh and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Lan Zhou was treating him so wonderfully. You are completely stupid. He¡¯s seducing you so he can stay here. You think I don¡¯t know that? You admit its working? Ye-yeah. Idiot. Complete moron. ¡°Song Yu?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk some business.¡± Song Yu looked at Lan Zhou. His cold and business-like persona had come back in full force. It took him a second to realize what he was asking. He nodded. ¡°After we finish eating, we can talk with your group.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Yu was dreading this. He didn¡¯t like confrontation. In fact, any sort of serious meeting made him nervous. If he wasn¡¯t in control, or if there were too many variables, he felt that the situation would go out of hand. As the leader of Paradise Base, everything had to go through him, but decisions were made through a majority vote by his ¡®council¡¯ which comprised of his ex-friends. They usually didn¡¯t listen to him and talked over him. Sometimes he wished he wasn¡¯t a part of these meetings, but Ye Xin always convinced him to come. The group on the outside followed Song Yu, but internally it was Ye Xin who had the most power. Song Yu ignored it because he was too busy taking care of the base, but he shouldn¡¯t have let Ye Xin take over the military aspect of their base. He was too much of a coward and pushover in his last life. It carried a little into this life, and his aversion to meetings was still relevant. But this wasn¡¯t Paradise Base anymore. He was his own council. It was up to him whether to let Lan Zhou and his group stay. He timidly finished the rest of his porridge and wiped his mouth. Lan Zhou watched in rapt attention to Song Yu¡¯s mood. He definitely wasn¡¯t happy. Sighing a bit, he took the napkin and dabbed the spot he missed. ¡°It¡¯s not an execution. We just want to know your thoughts. I¡¯m not a mind reader, so I want to understand where we stand right now.¡± Song Yu nodded, but stayed glum. Avoidance was not going to change their situation. They went back to the living room where the other four had pulled out Yu Ci¡¯s playing cards and started a game of gold fish. Song Yu had to appreciate that they didn¡¯t touch any of the games from his shelf. ¡°Hey guys. We¡¯re gonna have a meeting right now. Let¡¯s figure out what to do next.¡± The gang all got up and followed Song Yu to the formal dining room. It was an eight seated table, and unconsciously, it should have been Lan Zhou at the head, but he led Song Yu there and plopped him down unceremoniously. Stunned, Song Yu felt five pairs of eyes on him. Anxiety filled his mind. This seat was usually for Ye Xin. He was always on the last seat on the left. But Lan Zhou had respected his status as the owner of the house. He didn¡¯t have to, but he did. Lan Zhou took his right hand position, followed by Yu Ci. Lu Jingxiu took the left with Xiao Zi and Wang Cheng. They settled down so expertly, it was like they had done this millions of times. Song Yu stuttered, ¡°L-let¡¯s start.¡± Lan Zhou smiled encouragingly. Song Yu breathed a sigh of relief at that. Lan Zhou¡¯s presence did calm him down somewhat. ¡°I already know your names, but I don¡¯t know your abilities. I don¡¯t expect transparency, but I do expect respect. Until Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi get better, you guys can stay here. You can use some of the facilities and items either I or Squinty provide. During their recuperation, we will continue to harvest the rest of the summer vegetables and make perishable foods.¡± Everyone nodded. They had been doing this for the past three days and were satisfied. Lan Zhou, hearing it for the first time understood Song Yu¡¯s caution and simply nodded along. Song Yu continued, ¡°Once you leave, I can provide you with food for at least a week, and enough ammo for your guns. Anything else such as leisure or condiments will have to be bought through labor within this time period. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Song Yu winked. ¡°I don¡¯t charge much.¡± Lan Zhou sighed heavily. Song Yu¡­was way too nice. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Wang Cheng raised his hand. ¡°How much for the chocolate?¡± ¡°We can talk about trades later.¡± Song Yu smiled, his hand raising up two fingers. Wang Cheng¡¯s eyes gleamed. 20 minutes of labor!! Yess! Lan Zhou raised his hand. ¡°Before we do any more negotiations, we should let Song Yu know what it is we were doing. Does anyone disagree?¡± The room went silent. Yu Ci tapped Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You mean¡­everything everything?¡± Lan Zhou nodded. ¡°Even¡­?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi looked at each other, before nodding their heads. ¡°We would also like to. Xiao Zi already told me that this place has the right tools.¡± Song Yu looked around them, that feeling again. He was out of control. Out of the loop. Lan Zhou stood up from his seat and gave a salute. The rest all sat up and did the same. ¡°Song Yu, we have not formally introduced ourselves. My name is General Lan Zhou, from Country B Military Base, level 10 fire variant ability. This is my team,¡± Yu Ci saluted. ¡°Captain Yu Ci, level 7 strength variant ability.¡± ¡°Captain Lu Jingxiu, level 8 ice ability.¡± ¡°Captain Wang Cheng, level 6 space ability user.¡± ¡°Xiao Zi, Army doctorate and head of Viral Contamination Bureau. Healing ability level 8¡± Lan Zhou looked at Song Yu¡¯s frightened expression. His own looks softened as he gently held his hand. ¡°This is what we ranked as in our past life.¡± Song Yu¡¯s eyes widened even further. Breathing hitched, his trembling hands curved, the hand holding his was scalding. ¡°P-past life?¡± Lan Zhou nodded. ¡°Year 23, day 12. Mission 3013: Tasked to bring Xiao Zi to find the cure for the zombie apocalypse. Mission: Failed.¡± Song Yu shuddered when he said failed. ¡°We all died in our past life trying to find someone to help purify materials for the cure. Xiao Zi was at a breakthrough when we died. We were going to give up this task since the main person we were looking for had disappeared. But now, looking at this place we would like to conduct experiments here.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes looked solemn and serious. Song Yu was still registering everything that he was hearing. Lan Zhou had been reborn. In fact, everyone here was reborn. Lu Jingxiu added, ¡°This place is probably the only pure place left on the planet. What I want to do is let Xiao Zi stay here. He can make the cure.¡± Lan Zhou shook his head. ¡°We are not going to covet your home. This is not a demand, only a request. As a reborn person, I hold neither malice nor desire for the cure. We have seen many things, have done many things. All we want to do is live in peace.¡± Song Yu was brought back into that cave, overhearing their conversation. ¡°Xiao Zi, do you think you can still make it without him?¡± Xiao Zi could only shake his head. ¡°Even if I had started before the zombie apocalypse, the materials I need require a base form that exceed the standard of scientific discovery we have on hand. I can make a vaccine, but not a cure.¡± ¡°I propose we stop this, Old Lan. It¡¯s been two years. We still hadn¡¯t found him and Xiao Zi won¡¯t be able to make a cure without the right equipment not to mention the other factors. B Base is breathing down out backs and the Military Base can¡¯t support us forever. This time around, we don¡¯t have any accolades, fame or glory.¡± ¡°Who wants to stop the expedition and make our own base?¡± ¡°By morning light, let¡¯s go find our home.¡± Song Yu sighed. They were all just like him. Tired. Wanting to find a place they didn¡¯t have to move from, be scared of, one eyes always opened. ¡°I¡­need time to think. This is just too much.¡± Lan Zhou and the rest agreed. ¡°We will leave the day after tomorrow. If you allow us to stay, we will. If we go, we will go with no hard feelings. I¡¯m sorry to put so much pressure on you. We can end the meeting here.¡± Song Yu slowly nodded and left the dining table. Xiao Zi looked at Lan Zhou¡¯s downcast expression. ¡°All for the cure, eh? Says the guy who wouldn¡¯t give two shits about it.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes twitched. Lu Jingxiu rubbed his lover¡¯s shoulders. ¡°If he didn¡¯t have an excuse to stay, he wouldn¡¯t be able to chase him. Right now, Song Yu wouldn¡¯t believe him even if he tore out his own heart and presented it on a golden platter.¡± That hit Lan Zhou right in the heart. It was true. Song Yu would only think he was trying to seduce him to stay. With a reason like the cure, it might tempt Song Yu to let them live here. The feeling that Song Yu was also reborn kept pestering him. If he was reborn, he would know how much the cure meant for humanity. The nobler the cause, the more likely Song Yu would relent. He played his cards. Now two days later, they will see if Lan Zhou¡¯s gamble was correct or not. Chapter 44—Talking things out Chapter 44¡ªTalking things out by Bocchan13 Song Yu reached his room and closed the doors gently. His mind was in a tumultuous spin. It degraded his senses and made him dizzy. He gingerly sat on the bed and rubbed his temples. Lan Zhou is reborn. He had been in the previous life for more than 20 years. He died¡­ His team was going to find an ability user who could help make the cure. He needs this place. ¡°Should I let him stay?¡± H said this thought out loud. To give it consciousness in his bleak mind. This changes many things, but it still doesn¡¯t change the fact that they want to stay here! They want to use your things! They want to eat your food and use your water! Song Yu paused. The water. It was the water. Purified, it helped his friend¡¯s level up. Was safer to drink and could aid in healing. He had tried to purify zombies before when he was tortured. But back then, he wasn¡¯t even a level 1. Could it be? Could he save humanity? He clutched the sides of his head and plopped on the bed. He had two days to decide. Should they stay or go? Song Yu heard a knock on his door later that night. He hadn¡¯t slept yet, opting to agonizingly go through every scenario. Three quick raps on the door and Song Yu knew who it was. He slowly got out and opened the door, to see Lan Zhou with a tray of food. ¡°You didn¡¯t come down for dinner¡­and I knew you didn¡¯t want to see any of us yet. Here you go.¡± Lan Zhou gave Song Yu the tray and turned to leave. ¡°Wait¡­Lan Zhou.¡± Song Yu sighed, opening the door wider. ¡°Come in. I want to know some things.¡± Lan Zhou smiled, ¡°Okay.¡± Letting him in, Song Yu placed down the tray and opened the lid. It was rice with a nice chili stir-fry, a fragrant soup and pickled radishes. He took a nimble taste and relished in the delicious food. ¡°First thing¡­how far into the apocalypse did you live to?¡± ¡°Twenty three years roughly.¡± ¡°And how¡­did you die?¡± Lan Zhou smiled bitterly, ¡°Not by a zombie if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Song Yu widened his eyes. Lan Zhou¡­ ¡°There was this base that had a pure ability user. He could purify the waters, crops and built an extensive factory that produced essentials and farming. Although the base was rich, the people inside were extremely corrupt. Many small bases around it had perished, and the survivors were indoctrinated in as laborers.¡± Song Yu paled. The base¡­Paradise Base? Was Lan Zhou talking about him? ¡°Lu Jingxiu had just gone back for backup when Xiao Zi and I were ambushed. We survived in an underground bunker for a few days but died later by enemy fire.¡± Lan Zhou shrugged. ¡°We were peaceful. We just wanted the pure ability user to purify some ingredients for us. We would have paid everything we could. But by that time, that base had been completely corrupted. I don¡¯t know what internal strife¡¯s happened inside, but it was enough to piss them off enough to kill us.¡± Song Yu closed his eyes. Lan Zhou¡­why does this feel so familiar? There¡¯s something missing. Something¡¯s not right. With Lan Zhou? I completely agree. His story is so fishy; it can be classified as tuna. Not that! I mean, I feel like I was there. I can feel it. But I don¡¯t remember anything. If Lan Zhou had come before I died, it wouldn¡¯t make sense that I can¡¯t remember. My memories¡­something¡¯s wrong with my memories. ¡°¡­I was reborn less than a week before the apocalypse happened. I was able to go to the military base and got some supplies. After a year, the team and I went to search for the ability user but it seems like the person has vanished, like he never existed.¡± Song Yu could guess that they were looking for him. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t know it though. He thinks he only has a space ability, and the story he told to Lu Jingxiu that there was a kooky doomsayer sounded legitimate. ¡°You think¡­the man who built this place was the ability user?¡± ¡°Lu Jingxiu only said a few things about that, but I¡¯m not too sure. The water here is similar to Paradise Base, maybe even better. It had never touched the zombie virus so its purity can be higher.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So¡­you know everything that happens for the next 20 odd years?¡± ¡°The future has already changed. Five reborn people will cause a butterfly effect. The outside world might not change, but our stories will.¡± 6 reborn people ¡°Is this why you are chasing me? Did we get together in the last life?¡± Let¡¯s see if you tell the truth. There was a small silence before Lan Zhou softly whispered, ¡°No. Not at all. I never met you at the club back then. I never got together with anyone and died an old virgin. This might have been a causation of my rebirth. It led me to look over the dance floor and see you.¡± Lan Zhou kissed his forehead. ¡°I think this was the world¡¯s way of giving me a present.¡± Who is this suave Casanova?? ¡°Article 53: Find any way to make your partner feel like they are the most unique being in the world.¡± There it is. Song Yu laughed. ¡°I bet we did meet and you completely ignored me.¡± ¡°Ha! If that was the case, it would be you instead of me.¡± They both chuckled. They talked a little more. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t press Song Yu about his secrets, but instead talked about his time in the Military Base. Song Yu was enraptured by his escapades. He lived in Paradise Base for so long that he forgot that other places existed. ¡°By that time, my level had reached 9 so I created a variant ability. The Blue Sun. You saw it before, and how deadly it can be. It melted the military bases wall so bad, they sent me a bill for damages.¡± ¡°Hahahahh!¡± ¡°I had to write an IOU and work the next three months for free. Poor Wang Cheng had to buy me meals.¡± Song Yu was immersed in Lan Zhou¡¯s previous life. Why didn¡¯t he meet Lan Zhou sooner? Why was he so cowardly that he made other bases come to Paradise to seek his ability? There was so much left to offer. Just like now, he built a little nest for himself, convincing himself that the outside world was ugly. It was ugly, but Lan Zhou made it bright. Soon, Song Yu snuggled in Lan Zhou¡¯s arm and drifted off to sleep, listening to his soft murmurs. Lan Zhou felt Song Yu¡¯s weight on his shoulder and gently lifted him up. Taking off his socks, he took a towel and wiped them with warm water, kissing each toe. He went outside to the veranda and looked at the red moon. Lan Zhou felt that what he said was true. Song Yu came to him on the butterfly effect. But not his. Lan Zhou knew that Song Yu was reborn too. He knew that the person they were looking for was him. Song Yu knew too much. He didn¡¯t ask questions about levels or powers and even knew base names. When Lan Zhou talked about the pure ability user, Song Yu didn¡¯t bat an eye, like he knew everything. The pure ability user¡­who suffered by his father¡¯s hands was him. The tortured soul who tried his best to survive and made a base meant for saving people. He knelt onto his knees as tears trembled down his eyes. He didn¡¯t tell Song Yu the entire truth. Before he died¡­he had come across the main perpetrator who told him the pure ability user had died. A man named Ye Xin. More tears escaped his closed lids. No wonder Song Yu didn¡¯t trust anyone. He had been betrayed by his friends. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t make it in time to save him. There was so much regret. Why didn¡¯t he meet him sooner? Why didn¡¯t he save him? Wiping the tears away, Lan Zhou vowed that he would stay with Song Yu for the rest of his life. Either as a lover or protector, it didn¡¯t matter. Song Yu was his conviction to keep on living. Lan Zhou loved Song Yu. More than love itself. He took off his clothes, leaving only his underwear and settled next to Song Yu on the bed. Holding the man close to his chest, he felt the slow heartbeat and warm body. No words could describe his mood. Neither contentment nor happiness, but as if the soul had been finally filled with life. ¡­ Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi held each other close on the bed, their hands intertwined. Lu Jingxiu kissed him softly on his forehead, his calm heart giving a warm feeling. ¡°Do you want to leave this place?¡± Xiao Zi asked. Lu Jingxiu pondered a bit. ¡°I feel at peace here, but if Song Yu doesn¡¯t let us stay, then we have no choice.¡± ¡°I want to stay here too. We¡¯ve been fighting for so long. It¡¯s a wonderful feeling to be able to do laundry out in the sun, farm in the fields and play with the animals. We are such oldies.¡± ¡°Well, counting our last life, our hairs would be grey right now.¡± Xiao Zi giggled and snuggled next to him. ¡°Lan Zhou¡­really does love Song Yu. Do you think Song Yu loves him?¡± Xiao Zi had to think on that. ¡°I think¡­Song Yu loves Lan Zhou. I mean they loved each other enough to¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Zi?¡± ¡°For some reason¡­I can¡¯t remember what I was just going to say.¡± ¡°You¡¯re tired. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 45—Awkward Co-habitation Bocchan13 Chapter 45¡ªAwkward Co-habitation by Bocchan13 Lan Zhou was true to his word. Bright and early the next day, he followed Song Yu to the vegetable fields to work. Wearing a thin cotton shirt, breeches and boots, he toted a small shovel and gloves, ready for the day¡¯s work. Wang Cheng, Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu were already comfortable with the posture and back-breaking work done, so they each took a field and got started. Song Yu had already made holes, all they had to do was put in a few seeds, cover them with dirt and water them afterwards. Simple. This would be their last spring planting until harvest season, so they had to make enough for the next three months. Well, THEY weren¡¯t gonna, but Song Yu would. Song Yu¡¯s focus was on the rice paddy fields. It had taken him a lot of trial and error before he was able to find the perfect ratio of water and acreage. They were about to mature in a month or so, so he had to be extra careful since he didn¡¯t have a water buffalo. Derpy had served as one before and absolutely hated it. Song Yu took few looks at the fields before coming back to watch as the others worked. Lan Zhou had opted for a field closer to the fruit orchard, which had bloomed a few months prior and was going to make fruits soon. Peaches and apples would be abundant soon. Song Yu observed Lan Zhou discreetly. He was¡­extremely alluring. They didn¡¯t have sex last night, but they were sorely tempted this morning when they woke up in each other¡¯s arms. Song Yu, however knew that if he got too used to Lan Zhou (and his body), he would be ruined for anyone else. Not like you aren¡¯t already Shut up Oh, yeah. Blame the voice of reason. C¡¯mon, I¡¯m you remember. I know what you are going to do next. You¡¯re gonna let them stay. No I¡¯m not! Yes. Yes you are. And you¡¯re gonna like it. Damn you. Lan Zhou wiped his sweat and smiled dazzlingly at Song Yu. ¡°Song Yu! Look I finished so much already!¡± Song Yu looked smiled appreciatively. He didn¡¯t even put in ? of the seeds. ¡°Awesome job!¡± ¡°Song Yu!¡± Song Yu turned to see Yu Ci, who was already finished with planting the seeds. ¡°Song Yu, how much dirt should we put back into the hole? Should it be patted down?¡± Song Yu moved to Yu Ci¡¯s section, leaving the pouting Lan Zhou behind. Sighing, Lan Zhou continued to put seeds inside. Song Yu looked at Yu Ci¡¯s seeds, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s good. Put in some damp soil from the side loosely, and then dry soil on top. I have a barrel of dry soil, so sprinkle a handful on top of each pile.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Yu Ci smiled happily, his vibrant eyes piercing Song Yu¡¯s. Song Yu smiled back and went to observe the others. Yu Ci stood there for a while before patting his heart to calm it down. ¡°The fairy is handsome today.¡± By lunch time, they had all finished putting in seeds. When they got back inside, Lan Zhou was feeling the effects of bending down for so long. Hitting his sore lower back, he followed the rest inside to see Xiao Zi preparing lunch. ¡°Just in time too. Squinty actually brought some pork bones, so I decided to make a rudimentary pork bone soup with medicinal herbs. Rice is in the cooker and we have leftovers from last night¡¯s dinner. Everyone sighed in relief. They washed up and reconvened at the dining room. Song Yu had not spent any time in the dining room, usually eating on the kitchen island or the living room. But with the addition of 5 more people, this became impossible. Song Yu was once again at the head of the table, flanked by Lan Zhou and Lu Jingxiu. Xiao Zi had recovered quite a lot and his bruises had yellowed. Wang Cheng went to help him bring in the dishes whilst Song Yu explained what they were going to do next. ¡°Yu Ci had already finished most of his field, so if you can...please help the rest of us. The dry dirt is enough for everyone so please divide it equally. We will be done with farming for the time being. Only Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu should do this since Lan Zhou¡¯s leg must be aching right about now.¡± Lan Zhou smiled but didn¡¯t intervene. His leg was more or less healed, and his stomach had scarred and scabbed already. ¡°Lan Zhou will help with the animals. Xiao Zi has taken care of them thus far, but I need you to help clean the corrals.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Yu paused. ¡°When we are done, we have recreational time. I have a few movies downloaded, so we can watch them together¡­¡± Yu Ci smiled happily and Wang Cheng who had heard the last sentence, fist pumped the air. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± The lunch was filled with conversation, Lu Jingxiu asking questions about how he knew so much about agriculture. ¡°Before the apocalypse, I was in university studying agriculture.¡± ¡°So convenient!¡± Xiao popped in, ¡°Wow. So Song Yu, you are probably a few years younger than us. Lan Zhou is 28 this year, and is the second youngest.¡± ¡°Youngest?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°But, I¡¯ve heard you guys call him ¡®Old Lan¡¯ and assumed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an inside joke. Back when Lu Jingxiu joined the group, he mistakenly thought Lan Zhou was the oldest and called him that. He was immediately beaten up afterwards!¡± Song Yu squeezed his mouth together to hide a laugh. Lu Jingxiu rolled his eyes in dismay, ¡°Yeah, not only that but we started calling him that cause he¡¯s an old virg¡ª¡° ¡°Aiya! Shut up!¡± Lan Zhou put his hands over Song Yu¡¯s ears. Xiao Zi guffawed and puffed out his chest proudly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m actually the oldest!¡± Song Yu looked Xiao Zi up and down. No. No way. ¡°You¡¯re 30?¡± Xiao Zi shook his head. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m actually 31.¡± ¡°!!!??¡± ¡°Hahhahaha, I was everyone¡¯s senior when they were freshman¡¯s. But I stayed behind an extra 2 years in university for my doctorate, so it checks out.¡± ¡°I would have never thought that. Tell me your secrets to youth??¡± ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± Lan Zhou listened to their conversation, a small smile cresting his lips. Song Yu seemed to be more at ease with his group; talking and laughing. ¡°And actually, the youngest is this guy,¡± Xiao Zi pointed to Lu Jingxiu. ¡°He¡¯s actually the youngest, he¡¯s 27.¡± Song Yu blinked blankly at them. What sorcery is this? Lu Jingxiu blushed a bit, but didn¡¯t deny it. It was true. Xiao Zi was 4 years older than him; even he couldn¡¯t believe it when he first met him with Lan Zhou and the gang. When he fell in love at first sight, he thought he was a freshman. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Yeah. So how old are you? You don¡¯t look a day over 20!¡± Song Yu blushed. Albeit being in the sun, his skin still retained some clarity and whiteness. No wrinkles or pimples, and his delicate features could make him look younger. ¡°I¡¯m actually¡­24.¡± ¡°Ahhhhh, not too old and not too young. Perfect age. You¡¯re four years younger than Lan Zhou then,¡± Song Yu nodded. The rest of the lunch went off splendidly, where they finished cleaning up and headed back outside. The sun was high in the sky, so Song Yu brought out several straw hats for them to wear, and the afternoon wore on into the evening, the fields finally finished and Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou¡¯s corral was cleaned. Song Yu looked at the sun and beckoned everyone to go back inside. Yu Ci, Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu were dead-ass tired, and practically crawled back inside. ¡°Take a nice shower and relax. I already told Squinty to pick a movie.¡± Like a ghost, Squinty popped out of the walls, his tongue wagging furiously. Wang Cheng screamed and hid behind Yu Ci. ¡°Your dog! Your dog!¡± Song Yu patted Squinty who circled him happily. Did you see that? Did you see? That idiot screamed like a little kid! Song Yu sighed. ¡°I forgot to mention¡­that Squinty has an ability.¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve only see two other rare animals get abilities. How¡¯d you do it? Is there a way? Squinty and Derpy seems to be sentient!¡± Wang Cheng patted Squinty, his enthusiasm apparent. ¡°¡­Ummm¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Wang Cheng nodded, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Yeah, Squinty is just special!¡± ¡°Bark Bark!¡± Damn right I am! Song Yu left them and went upstairs to take a shower. Once in his room, he stripped his sweat soaked clothes and turned on the shower. Mist filled the bathroom as Song Yu closed his eyes and rubbed his tired shoulders. He felt a familiar presence close to him; so with his eyes closed, he continued to lather body soap. A warm hand circle his waist. Amidst the mist, he felt an even hotter breath. ¡°You ignored me for the entire afternoon, and you don¡¯t even want to share a shower?¡± Song Yu shuddered when the hands traveled up and down his body. A kiss was pressed against his neck and Song Yu moaned. Breath heaving, he heard Lan Zhou¡¯s deep low chuckle. ¡°Naughty.¡± Chapter 46—Awkward Co-habitation (part 2) Chapter 46¡ªAwkward Co-habitation (part 2) by Bocchan13 Song Yu was weak. Too freaking weak. He wanted to slap Lan Zhou away, but he always knew where to press, where to touch to make him jello. By the time they left the shower, the sun had gone down. Song Yu had to be carried out of there, whilst Lan Zhou didn¡¯t even bother pretending his leg wasn¡¯t better and carried him effortlessly into the bedroom. He dried Song Yu¡¯s hair and wiped him down gently. Taking a brush, he combed his hair until it was fluffy. Song Yu wanted to curse at him, but he was just too dang tired. There was a slight knock on the door and Wang Cheng¡¯s muffled voice came through. ¡°You guys? Squinty brought back a movie for us. Are you guys gonna watch?¡± Lan Zhou poked his nose and responded back ¡°Yeah, Song Yu is just a bit tired.¡± Song Yu slapped his arm and dragged his tired body out. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± They made their way down and entered the living room. Yu Ci had brought in bean bag chairs from the recreation center and plopped them on the floor. There was an abundance of snacks that Song Yu had forgotten he had. It must have been Squinty who took them out. Song Yu sat on the sofa, Lan Zhou on his right and Yu Ci on his left, whilst Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi took a beanbag. Wang Cheng had another one to himself. Song Yu saw Squinty give Wang Cheng the DVD, and plop next to him. Traitor. Song Yu had come to like this sort of environment. Which wasn¡¯t good for him. They were going to leave tomorrow like Lan Zhou promised. He had to think of that. They¡¯re won¡¯t be any more of this play-pretend. The opening credits came on: A Dog¡¯s Purpose. Song Yu slapped his forehead, looking at the fiercely excited Squinty. By the end of the movie, everyone (literally everyone including Song Yu) had shed tears. At first, it was the usual ¡®awwww¡¯ and sniffles, then Wang Cheng decided to hide his crying by hugging Squinty. That got Yu Ci to try to hide his tears by looking away from everyone and putting a pillow between them. Lu Jingxiu cried next when the dog closed his eyes during the narration, which led to the domino effect of Xiao Zi, Lan Zhou and Song Yu to cry silently. ¡°WAAAAHHHHH! Squinty, don¡¯t die!!¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci were hugging Squinty, their blurry tears streaking across his brown fur. Song Yu hurriedly wiped his tears away. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that sad.¡± Lan Zhou who also had red eyes, sniffled lightly. ¡°Yeah. Not sad at all.¡± Lu Jingxiu was holding Xiao Zi tightly. ¡°If we become dogs in our next life, let¡¯s find Song Yu to be our owner.¡± ¡°Mmh!¡± Xiao Zi nodded in ascent. Everyone subconsciously avoided each other¡¯s eyes as they prepared for dinner. Song Yu took Squinty down to the cellar and brought out ingredients for a festive meal. Sweet and sour pork, tofu, vegetables and spices enough to make 8 servings. He also took out an expensive white wine and cans of beer. This was going to be their last night here. The gang was a little glum, but helped in making the dinner. When Song Yu pulled out the wine and beer, everyone cheered. They ate a lovely dinner, Yu Ci eating an extra helping. ¡°I¡¯m never gonna be able to eat like this again, so I wanna savor each bite.¡± Song Yu was feeling guilty and kept pushing more food on them. When dinner ended, they washed up and Song Yu took them to the recreation room. Wang Cheng¡¯s eyes grew out of his head, mouth agape and drool pooling out. ¡°This¡ªthis is¡­.this is¡ª¡° Yu Ci caught Wang Cheng as he faux fainted. Song Yu blushed, ¡°This is the recreation room. I¡ªI mean the owner really liked games and stuff cause he didn¡¯t want to be too bored. We also got a karaoke room.¡± He gestured to all of the games, ¡°You guys are free to try everything.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci went immediately to the VR set, handling a baton. Yu Ci knew some of the games and started a dance one. Xiao Zi was interested in the old timey pinball machine whilst Lu Jingxiu saw the Temple run and rushed over. Song Yu saw these late 20¡¯s guys enjoy their fun, a blooming ball of warmth filling his heart. Whenever he was in the recreation center, he always missed having a partner to play with. Although most of these games were single player, the air hockey and basketball hoop needed another person. Lan Zhou stood next to him, his eyes alight with gratitude. He turned to Song Yu, full of happiness. ¡°Thank you Song Yu. Even if we don¡¯t stay tomorrow, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡± Song Yu blankly looked up at Lan Zhou. ¡°I know it was hard for you to let us in. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve gone through, what hardships you faced, but throughout everything, you still let us in with open arms. I don¡¯t know how I will every repay you,¡± Lan Zhou gestured to his friends. ¡°This is the first time in a long time¡­that I¡¯ve seen them this happy. I forgot what it felt like to be relaxed and content.¡± Lan Zhou dropped his head and kissed Song Yu¡¯s forehead. ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Yu felt sourness in his nose. Lan Zhou¡­was just too kind. He was reborn back to the beginning. Shouldn¡¯t he be wary of him? Lan Zhou knew more than anyone else that trust was a commodity no one could buy. And yet, Lan Zhou has opened his arms and his heart to him again and again. Even if he was manipulating him¡­this feeling of thankfulness was true. Lan Zhou was breaking down his walls faster than he can build them. Lan Zhou hugged him tightly, letting no one see the tears trickle down his face. Song Yu sniffed lightly, the emotions coming over him. Could he ever let this man go? ¡°Lovebirds! We are starting!¡± Wang Cheng hollered at the two, his arms holding a few cans of beer. Song Yu wiped his tears away and let Lan Zhou lead him to the rest. The air hockey table now housed many cans of beer and the expensive wine bottle. Six wine glasses were perched delicately on the side, ready to serve. Yu Ci looked at Song Yu¡¯s reddened face and gave a small glare at Lan Zhou. ¡°Why is he crying?¡± Lan Zhou wrinkled his brows, before saying, ¡°Tears of happiness.¡± Yu Ci pursed his lips and no longer spoke; his eyes downcast. Lan Zhou felt this awkward pressure and put it on his to-do list later. ¡°Song Yu, as the host, please do the honors.¡± Xiao Zi had found the cork screwer and handed it to Song Yu. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­know how to do this.¡± Song Yu gave the cork screw to Lan Zhou. ¡°Please do it.¡± Lan Zhou happily did it. Before it opened completely, Lan Zhou handed it back. ¡°Hold right here and it will pop right off.¡± Song Yu hesitantly took it, his entire body fizzing with happiness. A genuine smile lit up his face. With a pop and a flurry, the wine was generously poured into 6 wine glasses. ¡°A toast to Song Yu. Thank you for everything!¡± ¡°Thank you for everything!¡± Everyone cheered and drank happily, Song Yu looking the happiest. Another lone tear slipped from his eyes and he wiped it away. Laughing merrily, the night wore on as they played like little children in this beautiful home. Lan Zhou once again picked Song Yu up and carried him to his room. Song Yu had drunk quite a bit, so his face was bright red, and his eyes were misty. Song Yu mumbled incoherently, smacking his lips. Lan Zhou helped wash him and put him in his pajamas. Song Yu was drunk, but not as drunk as he appeared. He was craving this intimacy, so let Lan Zhou take care of him. He wanted this feeling of being pampered and loved. When Lan Zhou left to wash up, Song Yu carefully got up and looked at himself in the mirror. He was 24 and vibrant, his dark black eyes with hints of blue, his ivory skin glowing in the moonlight, his hair slightly long tingling his neck. The memory of what he looked like before resurfaced. Gaunt, pasty white, unkept hair and permanent dark circles. This image was slowly going away. Hearing the click of the door opening, he turned to Lan Zhou. ¡°You¡¯re awake? It¡¯s chilly, why didn¡¯t you wear slippers?¡± Lan Zhou led Song Yu back to the bed. Song Yu silently stared at Lan Zhou. They weren¡¯t going to see each other ever again. Song Yu trembled. Lan Zhou misconstrued it as him being cold and tucked him into the blanket. Song Yu clutched onto Lan Zhou, his head burrowing in his neck. Inhaling his scent, his warmth, everything. ¡°Lan Zhou¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Make love to me.¡± Lan Zhou carefully tucked a strand of hair from Song Yu, his eyes softening so much with love. A kiss. An embrace. That night, their lovemaking was soft, gentle and slow. They grabbed onto to each other so tight, they were like one being. One heart. Song Yu cried out his name over and over again until his voice was hoarse. When everything was over, Song Yu slumped in his embrace and let his dreams take over. Lan Zhou wiped him down and let him rest. Opening the drawer, he rummaged a little bit before he found what he was looking for. A small box the size of a phone was inside. Opening it, he saw his spirit stone, its blue shine glowing brightly. He took it into his palm, warming it with his body heat. A slow trickle of energy invaded the marble. 20 minutes later, there was a distinct difference. Inside the marble were traces of galaxy purple, pinks, blues and hues of red. It was smooth and round, its beauty unparalleled. Lan Zhou had wanted to create an even more beautiful marble for Song Yu, but didn¡¯t have the time. This would suffice for now. He put the marble back into the box, but paused. Folded neatly inside, Lan Zhou opened it to see a picture of the two of them. In the club where they met, the two of them side by side. What seemed like ages ago was now prevalent in Lan Zhou¡¯s mind. Lan Zhou silently put the photo and spirit stone back, and then held Song Yu. He hoped that this wouldn¡¯t be the last time he could hold this man in his arms. Bocchan13 Chapter 47—The photograph Chapter 47¡ªThe photograph by Bocchan13 Lan Zhou didn¡¯t want to miss even one second with Song Yu. The desperation in his situation was laughable but oh so bittersweet. Lan Zhou felt that this morning, he really would never see Song Yu again. The impeding time was pounding into his very bones. As he held Song Yu tightly in his grasp, he couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°Let me stay with you. Let me be with you forever. I¡¯ll take care of you. Wash your dishes, clean your house¡­but please don¡¯t throw me away¡­¡± All of the words he could never voice out came out in small whispers too quiet for human ears. Lan Zhou spoke sweet nothings to Song Yu¡¯s sleeping body, his hands trembling as it tried to burn every surface of Song Yu¡¯s; trying to remember this feeling. By the time he finished, La Zhou knew that he would recognize Song Yu for the rest of his life. Even when he wore the clothes that hid his beautiful face, or under the cover of darkness, Lan Zhou would recognize him by his touch or presence. If Song Yu died and all he had was bones, Lan Zhou would still recognize him. This man¡­Song Yu would never know the pain of being forgotten. As Lan Zhou vowed for forever, when morning came and he had to leave¡­Song Yu would be in his heart forever. Lan Zhou had cried many times in his life, however this bitter sourness was a feeling he never knew existed. A small pool of tears cascaded down his cheek onto the pillow. Lan Zhou was fearful as the sky brightened and the sun ascended. He got up and looked down at Song Yu¡¯s tired face. He leaned down and kissed him before getting up and changing clothes. Slowly and carefully, he left the room. ¡°Do you think he would let us stay?¡± Lan Zhou swerved around and locked gazes with the team. Everyone had on their rubber body suits and hunting gear. Each holding a backpack filled with food. Squinty was beside them, wagging his tail. Lan Zhou smiled bitterly and shook his head. No one was disappointed. As the apocalypse goes, Song Yu¡¯s charity was more than they could pay in a lifetime. A week of happiness and warmth was worth it. Lu Jingxiu patted Lan Zhou on his back. ¡°At the very least, you know that Song Yu will be happy and safe here. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± Lan Zhou nodded, but his response was quiet, ¡°What can I do to make him love me? Love me enough to stay by his side?¡± The entire group hugged Lan Zhou, trying to comfort this man. ¡°Song Yu loves you. Maybe in another few years, Song Yu will feel safe enough to let you in.¡± Lan Zhou was not comforted by this. The apocalypse was an unpredictable thing. Even if he knew about certain events and lived for more than 2 decades, it still didn¡¯t mean he would be lucky a second time. He could die tomorrow. What then? Lan Zhou shook his head sadly. ¡°We will wait for Song Yu to wake up. I¡¯m not mean enough to leave while he¡¯s sleeping. I want to say goodbye to his face.¡± Everyone nodded and agreed. Squinty yipped a little bit and scurried to the basement to get them a basket for breakfast. They all removed the new backpacks and sat around the island talking quietly about their new direction, waiting for Song Yu to wake up. ¡­ Song Yu had heard everything. He woke up when Lan Zhou got up to get changed. He wanted to speak, but his voice choked in his chest. Lying on the bed, he rubbed his temples and sighed. When he heard those heartbreaking words, Song Yu sobbed. Why can¡¯t I let him in? Why can¡¯t I love him enough to stay? Because the last time you did, you died by yourself; forever betrayed by those people you gave your heart to. Can¡¯t I try again? Can¡¯t I love again? You can¡­you can¡­but I don¡¯t want you to. Why? Because you¡¯re going to get him killed again. What? Because we are a parasite on others; we don¡¯t deserve his love. We will kill him one day. I don¡¯t understand. You will one day. Let him go. I don¡¯t remember. I¡¯m not letting you remember. Let me see it. No. Let me see it. No. Song Yu felt the frustration in his very bones. His mind had forgotten something very important. It didn¡¯t want him to see. Didn¡¯t want him to understand. It was saving him from something. But what? Song Yu got up eventually, his eyes haggard and bleak. He looked at himself in the mirror again and the face overlapped with his 45 year old self. What happened to him? Song Yu¡¯s head hurt. He finally got dressed and went downstairs to see everyone. Lu Jingxiu was in the kitchen preparing eggs whilst Wang Cheng had drizzled syrup on a 12 stack pancake. Lan Zhou was drinking coffee on the side and his eyes lit up when he looked at Song Yu. ¡°You¡¯re up early. You could sleep for a little bit longer.¡± Song Yu gave a small smile, his pale lips tightening. Lan Zhou looked at him, worry creasing his features. He immediately went to Song Yu and helped him on a seat. ¡°Did we¡­do it too much last night?¡± Lan Zhou whispered lightly in his ears. Song Yu blushed a bright red and wanted to smack him, but refrained when he saw the rest of the crew looking at him with worried eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired¡­nothing is wrong.¡± Still blushing, he sat on the stool and watched as the rest of the breakfast was being made. Lu Jingxiu had cooked two eggs per person whilst Wang Cheng made another 12 stack of pancakes. Xiao Zi and Yu Ci poured milk and orange juice in cups whilst Lan Zhou prepped coffee. Song Yu looked at this bustling scene and once again felt warmth. He didn¡¯t mind that they used his food. Squinty who had given them the portions was as stingy as Song Yu. They didn¡¯t complain about the set meal they were given and always praised Song Yu for his hospitality. Song Yu rubbed his forehead again. He wanted them to stay, but like the voice of reason said¡­he was not allowed to. Song Yu could feel the last wall collapsing in his heart, but his voice choked again before he could utter another word. Song Yu¡­stop. This is for your own good. No it¡¯s not. If it was, you would let me do this. I don¡¯t want us to suffer anymore, please. Song Yu shivered as his mind traversed through his memories. Ye Xin and his friends all laughing one minute, then throwing him in the pit the next¡­the feeling of coughing up blood as he overused his abilities, the mindless days in his bunker, trying to recuperate for weeks on end¡­his heart beat sporadically as his brain went into overdrive. Stop! Song Yu! Song Yu huffed, a trail of sweat gliding down his back. He was back in the kitchen. Lan Zhou worriedly put his hand on his forehead. ¡°You have a mild fever.¡± Squinty heard the word fever and ran to get some medicine. Xiao Zi also washed his hands and approached Song Yu, checking his pulse and temperature. ¡°It¡¯s mild, but you should go to bed and get some rest.¡± Song Yu shook his head. ¡°This is your last day. I want to see you before you go,¡± he whispered gently. Lan Zhou cupped his chin with both hands and pecked his pale lips. ¡°I know. We are leaving in an hour, so let¡¯s just enjoy each other¡¯s company.¡± And they did just that. The breakfast was delicious and Song Yu took a fever reliever pill. They cleaned up and got dressed. Song Yu saw them get their backpacks. Squinty had put in enough food to last them a few weeks. Song Yu stood silently as they finished preparations. When everything was done, all six slowly made their way to the gate. Lan Zhou and Song Yu didn¡¯t speak, but held hands. Lan Zhou especially grabbed on tightly, taking everything in one last time. Simply engraving Song Yu¡¯s appearance. He willingly, without sound or words, without regrets or complaints to live life with freedom. That¡¯s all he ever wanted Song Yu to have¡­even if his life didn¡¯t involve him in it. Lan Zhou hated that the world was so unpredictable, and hated himself for being powerless to return to that time. Lan Zhou smiled as they reached the gate. Everyone filed out of the gate and gave the two some time to talk. Lan Zhou slowly grabbed both hands, each finger interlocking with each other¡¯s. ¡°What if I told you that I don¡¯t care about this place? If you tell me to leave, I will leave. But I¡¯m taking you with me?¡± A small tilt to his chin, Song Yu tried desperately not to look, but Lan Zhou was adamant. Finally, Song Yu stared at Lan Zhou. Deep eyes that spoke more than the words Lan Zhou just spoke. Eyes filled with sadness. Filled with sorrow. Lan Zhou¡­meant that. He really did. Song Yu felt the walls surrounding his heart crush to dust. Lan Zhou¡¯s conviction was true. Lan Zhou¡­really does like him. Lan Zhou observed Song Yu¡¯s reaction before he chuckled lightly, ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Lan Zhou fiddled with his breast pocket and took out a crumpled up photo. Song Yu saw it was taken at the hairdressers place. Streaked with dirt, creases and maybe some blood, it looked pitiful beyond belief. ¡°I carried this with me through every trial, every battle, and every argument. I showed this to every leader, every citizen, and every child. I don¡¯t want anything from you Song Yu. I just wanted to know if you were alive and okay. Seeing you now, I can leave with a peace of mind.¡± Song Yu eyes misted over when he saw that the picture had gone through so many trials. More than what he experienced in this life. This photo accompanied Lan Zhou when it should have been him. Song Yu, who trusted no one, could feel that wall chisel away with every word Lan Zhou spoke. Lan Zhou¡¯s voice carried resignation and hardship. But it was still filled with hope. A hope Song Yu did not have. Song Yu realized that Lan Zhou did not change with the zombie apocalypse; he was still the man who gently held his hand after lovemaking, twining their fingers together with a small smile lighting the corner of his lips. No. The one who changed was him. I¡¯ve made a terrible mistake. Song Yu now wanted to rewind back to that time. If he had known. If only he had known how much this man felt for him. If only they had met in their first life. Those 20 years of bitter loneliness would have been bearable with Lan Zhou by his side. And what¡¯s stopping him from having that happy ever after? It was himself who threw him away. Song Yu let him go. Song Yu? Listen to me, Song Yu! I¡¯m not going to listen anymore. I need Lan Zhou. I love him. Stop Song Yu! You don¡¯t know! Please! Song Yu trembled as he touched the photo. Lan Zhou was his forever home. His safe shore. Why was he worried about the future, when he had none without Lan Zhou? Lan Zhou pressed the photograph in his palms, before gradually letting his own slip from his fingertips. Lan Zhou walked slowly away, his back trembling with every step. Song Yu knew what he had to do. His voice cracked as his eyes misted with tears. ¡°S-Stay.¡± Lan Zhou looked up in shock as Song Yu¡¯s cried in front of him. Tears flowed down freely, Song Yu spoke once more, louder. ¡°Stay with me.¡± Lan Zhou smiled, his nose souring. He grabbed Song Yu tightly and kissed him. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 48—Finally Chapter 48¡ªFinally by Bocchan13 Song Yu blubbered and hid in Lan Zhou¡¯s chest, hearing that pounding heartbeat. Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t shy as he lifted Song Yu up and walked back into the villa. ¡°Lan Zhou? Are we going back in? Hey!¡± Lu Jingxiu, Xiao Zi, Yu Ci and Wang Cheng watched in disbelief as the gate automatically closed in front of them, while Lan Zhou and Song Yu were going back in. With a bang, the large gate closed. Everyone :¡­ They stayed that way for over five minutes before Squinty transported in front of them and barked happily. Wang Cheng rubbed his head happily. ¡°Squinty! Can you let us in?¡± Cocking his head, Squinty¡¯s tongue escaped to the side as he smiled. ¡°Squinty?¡± Squinty pawed the gate. The gate sensors identified Squinty and opened the gate. Everyone:¡­ ¡°A dog has more authority than you.¡± ¡°Hurry! The gates gonna close again!¡± Everyone scurried inside and watched the gate close. Sighing in relief, the gang all looked at each other. ¡°Should we¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give them some time. I think they¡¯re gonna¡ª¡° ¡°Nonononono! Don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Wang Cheng covered his ears. Yu Ci looked in the direction of the villa and couldn¡¯t help but smile sadly. He also didn¡¯t want to leave and was glad that Song Yu changed his mind¡­but he was also sad that he would see Song Yu with Lan Zhou every day. Wang Cheng stretched his arms wide, ¡°It¡¯s close to 10, and we should finish up Song Yu¡¯s bit at the garden. We have to show that we won¡¯t take advantage of him! Let¡¯s go!¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded and followed Wang Cheng to the toolshed. Xiao Zi wanted to see the garden and followed them. Yu Ci took another glance at the villa before following his friends. ¡­ Song Yu had his arms wrapped around Lan Zhou, hiding his head nuzzled in his neck and his entire body clinging to Lan Zhou. Lan Zhou limped into the villa and couldn¡¯t hide his overwhelming smile. Bypassing the first floor, Lan Zhou went directly to Song Yu¡¯s room, gently hugging him as they lay down. ¡°You really mean it?¡± Lan Zhou whispered gently, entwining their fingers together. ¡°You won¡¯t change your mind?¡± Song Yu nodded his head and pecked his lips, ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m sorry it took so long for me to realize it. There are still some things I can¡¯t say, but are you willing to spend your life with me?¡± ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t make you regret this,¡± Lan Zhou smiled tenderly at him while nodding. Lan Zhou kissed his forehead, a large sigh of relief escaping. The euphoric feeling of having Song Yu in his arms was prevalent. It encompassed all the hardships, strife and sadness he felt, yet the gentle tenderness and passion their relationship was built on. ¡°I vow to love you forever, Song Yu. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me love you.¡± Song Yu could only laugh. ¡°Another article?¡± ¡°Nope. Not this one. This one came directly from my heart.¡± Slapping his arm, Song Yu blushed. ¡°That should be my line. Thank you for letting me love you.¡± Lan Zhou could not contain his everlasting joy and fervently peppered kisses all over Song Yu, his arms surrounding him in a tight embrace. ¡°I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m so so happy.¡± Song Yu sighed and let Lan Zhou hold him, tenderly rubbing his back. Staying in each other¡¯s embrace, they talked a bit more and decided to have another meeting for ground rules. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t rush it, and spent the rest of the day holding and talking to Song Yu. When dinner rolled around, Song Yu decided to make it. Holding onto Lan Zhou¡¯s hand, he dragged him downstairs. Looking around, there weren¡¯t anyone in the house. ¡°Where¡¯d they all go?¡± Right then, the front door opened and all four of them dragged their tired bodies inside. Song Yu watched flabbergasted as the dirt stained quartet just moaned as they passed by them and headed to their respective rooms. ¡°What¡­happened to them?¡± Watching their retreating backs, Song Yu opened the door puzzled. The fields¡­looks to have been tampered with, the garden had been weeded, the animals had been fed and led back into their pens, even the pathway leading to the house had been hosed down¡­ ¡°Hahahah, they want to pay you back for letting them stay. It¡¯s not too much¡­after all, this will be our new home together.¡± Our home. I won¡¯t have to be lonely anymore. Song Yu¡¯s heart filled up to the brim. His paradise was still his paradise. Just an additional amount of people to share it with. Song Yu smiled brightly, turned and embraced Lan Zhou, his lips meeting its partners. The kiss was one of hope, of love and care. Song Yu and Lan Zhou separated and decided to go down to the cellar to bring back food. This was the first time Lan Zhou was entering this part of the house, so when he saw the aisles of food, he was stunned. ¡°Song Yu¡­this is..?¡± Blushing, he led Lan Zhou around. ¡°Um¡­the food can last for several decades if we ration it well, and my space can keep them fresh. I have a list of everything used in an account book, so whenever we use something, it¡¯s recorded there. If you need anything or use anything, just record it into the book.¡± Leading Lan Zhou throughout the aisles he pointed out the system and maintenance, as well as where everything should be accurately stored. ¡°Overall, the cellar has the most food, but since I¡¯m growing independently from the cellar, we should be sustained for longer. The vegetables I make contain the lake water so they have a 100% chance of no zombie infection. The lake is also streamed throughout the property so that¡¯s why everything is green.¡± Lan Zhou nodded his head, ¡°Is there something about the lake water that¡¯s special? It has purity properties, but how?¡± Song Yu absently ignored this question and continued explaining. Lan Zhou let out a small sigh but didn¡¯t raise the subject again. He knew Song Yu was most likely the Pure ability user. The lake was a fact, since it also resembled Paradise Bases. Song Yu conveniently moved to A Country before the apocalypse and accidentally met a psycho doomsayer? Not a chance. He was 99% sure of Song Yu¡¯s identity. The other 1% was what Song Yu was willing to part with. Now that Song Yu has let them in, it won¡¯t be long before he is comfortable to tell his story. ¡°Tonight we can do a celebration. I have some frozen steaks and oysters. We can have a barbeque on the veranda and go swimming! The summer heat will start soon, so it¡¯s the perfect time for a dip.¡± Lan Zhou leaned in closer, his hot breath tickling his ear. ¡°That will be a problem.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°None of us have swimming shorts.¡± Song Yu burst out laughing. ¡°Hahaha, I forgot. I don¡¯t have any clothes for you guys and cotton is too difficult to make right now. Um¡­what should we do?¡± ¡°We can postpone the swimming for now, and when we get more settled we will go out and find some clothes or cloth. You¡¯re good at making them, so I¡¯ll rely on you. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Mmn! I didn¡¯t expect to have people with me here, so I didn¡¯t think to have different sizes. In about two weeks, we can go out. But, it¡¯s going to be difficult since I know you guys don¡¯t want to stay in Wang Cheng¡¯s space for the entire duration.¡± ¡°Do you have a car?¡± ¡°Yeah, an off-road vehicle. But the gas is almost finished and I don¡¯t know where to get more.¡± ¡°How long can it go for?¡± ¡°A few more hours, then the gas will finish.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s plan this later. For now, we can have the steak barbeque. Let¡¯s take out the coal and ingredients first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lan Zhou surveyed the large underground supermarket and shook his head; Song Yu was indeed a genius. He surmised that Song Yu had already been reborn when they met in this timeline, so he had ample time to prepare. Looking at the backups of everything, he had to applaud how meticulous Song Yu¡¯s planning ha gone. Taking everything they needed for dinner, they set up on the 2nd floor veranda, using Lan Zhou¡¯s room as the door opening. By the time they got set up, everyone had finished taking a shower and wore clean clothes. Wang Cheng and Squinty were like two peas in a pod as they stared at the defrosting steaks. ¡°Master, we¡¯re going to have steak?¡± Wang Cheng rubbed his hands together, mouth watering. ¡°¡­Master?¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s what Yu Ci called you before. And since you¡¯re the boss around here, I thought it was fitting. Not good?¡± Wang Cheng looked at him worriedly, his eyes shifting to Lan Zhou to see if he had messed up. Song Yu tilted his head in thought. Master sounded perverse in his mind, as if these people were beneath him. He wanted equal grounds with everyone here. ¡°Ummm¡­Master is too much. If you want, you can just call me by my name. I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Ahh, okay.¡± Wang Cheng rubbed the back of his head in awkwardness before shrugging his shoulders. Song Yu took the chance and bonked his shoulders. ¡°No need to feel so awkward with me. I let you guys stay because I wanted to. If you treat this place well, it will treat you well back.¡± Wang Cheng took this to heart and forgot about it, going around the veranda with Squinty. The pair was a match made in heaven as Wang Cheng and Squinty gallivanted around. The coals were just the right temperature in the grill, so Song Yu took it upon himself to start. ¡°Rare, medium rare or well done?¡± ¡°MEDIUM RARE!¡± Everyone shouted in unison. Song Yu laughed and got started. Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu got permission to turn on the hot tub, so they took off the top and stared as the hot water jets blossomed in the 8 person Jacuzzi. ¡°We don¡¯t have swim wear, but we can definitely soak our feet in. We worked the entire day today.¡± Lu Jingxiu brought Xiao Zi, rubbing his sore legs. Xiao Zi didn¡¯t say anything and felt extremely pampered. Song Yu saw this and whistled. Squinty came to him followed by Wang Cheng. ¡°I still have several crates of beer. Can you bring them up for us?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°Squinty has the key on his collar, so he can let you into the cellar.¡± ¡°The cellar? The magical place where chocolate roams?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­yes?¡± ¡°Can I¡­can I have one piece?¡± Wang Cheng looked at Song Yu with puppy eyes. Song Yu swears that Wang Cheng and Squinty switched souls or something. He gave a small laugh and nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Fist pumping the air, Wang Cheng and Squinty left. ¡°Do you need any help with anything else?¡± Lan Zhu had been patiently applying olive oil on the steaks being grilled. Song Yu flipped a steak over, the heat intensifying. Sweat surfaced on his brow. ¡°No. Everything is good right now. I would love to play music, but I don¡¯t want to attract anything strange here.¡± ¡°Is there usually strange things in the night?¡± ¡°No. Every month, I would do a check of the surroundings. It usually takes me a week on the trail.¡± ¡°You mean the zombie fire pits?¡± ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Yeah, we saw some while we were on the run. You made them right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Since this place is completely off the grid with little to no people, I figured that the zombies that migrated this way would be fewer. So I made them in the hopes that zombies would coagulate in those areas only and burn the bodies when I made my rounds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. We can discuss about the monthly checks as well. I don¡¯t want you to handle everything yourself. Since you have five extra mouths to feed, we will do all we can to help you. Anything you need, we will do it for you now.¡± Song Yu kissed Lan Zhou¡¯s nose, smiling in content. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± CHARACTER REVEAL! Bocchan13 Chapter 49—House Rules (1) Chapter 49¡ªHouse Rules (1) by Bocchan13 Wang Cheng came back with the beers, to which everyone cheered. They weren¡¯t concerned about zombies¡­in fact, they had hardly thought of zombies since coming to Song Yu¡¯s home. Uninhibited, they started drinking. Song Yu was unconcerned, because they were going to discuss the basic rules the next day. Song Yu served up multiple steaks, and everyone took plates and just ate them barehanded. Restaurants would frown at these horrid table manners, but everyone agreed that just gnawing on the steak tasted much better than tiny tidbits of pre-cut meat. Yu Ci and Xiao Zi were partial to barbeque sauce, whilst the rest opted to just eat it as is. Song Yu had made a few extras in case they wanted it. Looking at Squinty, he also gave him a portion. Song Yu sighed loudly as he drank a can of beer and hoisted his foot into the Jacuzzi; its jets massaging and soothing his legs. Everyone else was in the Jacuzzi as well, taking into this peaceful like experience. ¡°So this is paradise, huh? I feel like I can sleep like a baby tonight.¡± Xiao Zi leaned on Lu Jingxiu¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Me as well.¡± Lan Zhou cuddled next to Song Yu, his happy expression turning serious. ¡°This can only happen sometimes. I expect everyone to be bright and early tomorrow morning for a meeting. Are we clear?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Cheng mocked saluted and continued to eat the steak. Lan Zhou diligently wiped Song Yu¡¯s mouth every time he got steak sauce. Song Yu felt utterly pampered and a little bit shy, but continued to let Lan Zhou do it. Their little dinner party lasted for another hour before they cleaned up. Like a well-oiled machine, everyone did their part. Lan Zhou and Yu Ci took the plates downstairs, while Lu Jingxiu took out the coals and cleaned the grill. Wang Cheng turned off the Jacuzzi and put the top on and Xiao Zi swept the floor that had scattered coal bits and dust. Leaving Song Yu¡­to do absolutely nothing. ¡°Umm¡­is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°No, no. We got it. Just sit tight and take care of yourself. We will finish up and head off to bed. Get some rest.¡± Xiao Zi diligently sent Song Yu off. Song Yu wandered around his bedroom until the sounds on the veranda quieted. Feeling kind of lonely, Song Yu sat down on the desk and took out a sheet of paper. He wrote down all of the points he wanted to cover at the meeting tomorrow. He wanted to be fair and on equal terms with everyone, so the house rules he devised would benefit everyone in the long run. Just as he finished the outline, he heard a knock on the door. Song Yu paused before smiling, opening the door to see Lan Zhou with his backpack. ¡°The bed is too big in that room. I¡¯m more comfortable holding something.¡± ¡°Another article?¡± Song Yu led Lan Zhou into the room. Lan Zhou dropped his backpack on the sofa before wrapping his arms around Song Yu. ¡°Article #12: Always take advantage of your situation. If you can become closer to your love interest, then do it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to see these magazines you use.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all gone. I¡¯ve got most of them memorized anyways.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lan Zhou squirreled Song Yu into the shower where they spent 30 minutes inside. Song Yu could never get tired of how much pleasure Lan Zhou could give him. They didn¡¯t go all of the way, but Lan Zhou personally got him ready for nightly activities. By the time they got out, Song Yu was a messy puddle of goo, waiting to be ravaged. Lan Zhou was quick to take advantage of him and before long, moaning sounds and the squeaking of the bed could be heard. ¡­ Bright and early the next day, Song Yu woke up feeling sticky. They had done it way too much last night. Ability user¡¯s libido was truly a sight to behold. They had done every position known to man, and had room to spare. They finished just as the sun came up. Song Yu¡¯s biological clock still woke him up only a few hours later. Song Yu glared at the peacefully sleeping man next to him and hobbled to the bathroom where he cleaned up the dried mess on his butt. Scrubbing and cursing, he finally didn¡¯t feel so bad and got out, just in time to see Lan Zhou get up. ¡°Everyone is still probably sleeping, so I¡¯m going to check the indoor mushroom garden. Go take a shower.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and drew Song Yu towards him, smelling his lemon scented soap. He inhaled deeply and kissed his shoulders before making his way into the bathroom. Song Yu noted down that Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t a morning person and chuckled lightly. Putting on the usual casual wear clothing, he went downstairs to the mushroom room. Mushrooms grew in dark, damp, and humid growing environments, while others grew in cooler ones. Song Yu had devised different temperature rooms for several types of mushrooms. Enoki mushrooms were some of his favorites so he made an abundance of it. Another one was pig-ear mushrooms which grew in the soil. So not only does he have two separate rooms, they were also categorized towards either wood growth or soil growth. The only hard part was that due to its fungal state, the zombie virus could latch onto them better. Song Yu had to be extremely sure that what he touched wasn¡¯t anything bad. If a batch had the virus, he had to fire the entire pit. Luckily, this rarely happened as Song Yu had used purified water to mist the area. Putting on a rubber suit and gloves, Song Yu made his way into the dark room and surveyed the mushrooms. Many had already matured, so Song Yu picked them, making sure the roots were upended and put them in a basket. He had already finished a batch when he heard the door open slightly. ¡°You in there?¡± ¡°Yep! Don¡¯t come in unless you have the suit on! Its handing on the door!¡± Song Yu yelled back, still picking the mushrooms. He heard a shuffle and a few curses before he saw Lan Zhou come in. The suit was baggy on Song Yu, but was extremely tight on Lan Zhou. The feet were a problem as his toes were scrunched tight. ¡°Hahahahah!¡± ¡°You look like a gremlin kneeling down on the ground. What are you doing?¡± Song Yu grabbed his hand and tugged him down. ¡°C¡¯mere. Let me show you how to do this.¡± Lan Zhou patiently watched as Song Yu explained how to pick and nurture the mushrooms. ¡°The temperature is already set, but you have to watch out for several aspects of their growth. If they¡­.¡± Song Yu went on a long tangent, letting Lan Zhou experiment with taking care of it. He watched tenderly as Lan Zhou obediently picked the mature mushrooms and put it in the basket. ¡°We can have a vegetable hotpot tonight with the mushrooms and the vegetables we picked up a few days ago. I have the seasonal ingredients to make the soup as well. I haven¡¯t touched them since the apocalypse happened because hotpot is usually supposed to be a group meal.¡± Song Yu smiled happily as he took more mushrooms. Lan Zhou silently took all of this in, his eyes extremely gentle. ¡°Okay. We can have a hot pot dinner. Let us help you cook it, okay?¡± ¡°Mmn!¡± They finished up both rooms and headed to the kitchen. Song Yu got to the sink and washed the mushrooms before patting them on a towel and laid them out to dry. Squinty materialized through the wall and wagged his tail. ¡°Bark!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up now?¡± ¡°Bark! Bark!¡± Any food for me? The other guys are starving! Song Yu checked the time and saw that the animals needed to be let out of their pens. ¡°Okay.¡± Turning to Lan Zhou, he gave a small nudge. ¡°I gotta feed the animals. Can you make breakfast?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Yu Ci came in yawning. His black t-shirt stretched over his bulging muscles as he stretched his arms over his head. ¡°Just take care of breakfast; I already know how to feed the animals.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± Yu Ci smiled at the two of them before following Squinty out. Song Yu thanked him and got ready to make breakfast. Lan Zhou watched Yu Ci¡¯s mannerisms before moving towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll help him. It will be quicker.¡± ¡°Okay¡­?¡± Song Yu tilted his head as Lan Zhou left as well. Lan Zhou caught up with Yu Ci, his hand tapping his shoulders. ¡°Lemme help.¡± Yu Ci paused a little before smiling a little. ¡°Okay.¡± They headed to the animal paddock and opened the doors to the pig pens and chicken coops. Lan Zhou took out the feed and opened the gates. The pigs were orderly as they lined up in a row, ready for the food. ¡°I want to talk to you.¡± Lan Zhou softly said as he fed the pigs. Yu Ci was next to him, leaning on the fence. Yu Ci had an inkling of what he wanted. ¡°You know, right?¡± Yu Ci bitterly lowered his head. ¡°You know I like Song Yu.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Ci sighed a little before meeting eyes with Lan Zhou. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why do you have to be sorry? Song Yu is an amazing person.¡± Lan Zhou patted Yu Ci on his back. ¡°You never have to be sorry for falling in love.¡± Yu Ci grimaced while smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me? I harbor feelings for your lover. That alone can be grounds for fighting. What if I don¡¯t know my boundaries and try to steal him away from you. What then?¡± Lan Zhou was silent before responding. ¡°You and I both know you are not like this. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m not jealous and resentful, but I love you just as much as I love Song Yu. We have been through so many hardships together, so much pain and hurt. I can¡¯t let go of neither Song Yu nor the friendship we have accumulated over 2 lifetimes¡­If the time comes where we have to separate as friends, I hope that we part with the willingness to reconcile one day.¡± Yu Ci teared up a little at this. He knew he was the third wheel. Song Yu doesn¡¯t love him and Lan Zhou would never give him up. Yu Ci was playing this game by himself. ¡°You are my friend and my brother for life. I can¡¯t let go just yet. Please give me some time.¡± Lan Zhou hugged Yu Ci. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Ci hugged back, the weight letting up slightly. He might like Song Yu today, but over time, he knew that this decision was for the best. He couldn¡¯t hurt his best friend any more than this. This entanglement of twisted yarn between the three would unravel with only him tied up. It was better to let go and hope that one day he could find someone who loved him as wholeheartedly as Lan Zhou to Song Yu do. Lan Zhou and Yu Ci finished feeding the animals and let out Derpy to graze. Yu Ci and Lan Zhou talked about little nothings, like their previous conversation didn¡¯t exist. Yu Ci did not harbor any more guilt when talking to him. His feelings had been opened, and all was given was absolute acceptance. He would need to move forward one day. But the kind words of Lan Zhou made it absolutely certain that he would be given all of the compassion and understanding a person could ask for. If that wasn''t true friendship, then what the hell is? Bocchan13 Chapter 50—House Rules (2) Chapter 50¡ªHouse Rules (2) by Bocchan13 Song Yu was making rice porridge, shredding white meat chicken strips into the gurgling pot. He heard the rooms upstairs make noise and didn¡¯t turn around as Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi came in. Yawning, they sleepily greeted him and helped him prepare the coffee. Song Yu checked the leftover inventory of the coffee and deduced that he would need to learn how to make coffee beans. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If we¡¯re running out, we can drink normal water. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Xiao Zi read Song Yu¡¯s mind, leaving him a little baffled. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that. It can last us another few years or so. I just want to know if I can plant them.¡± Xiao Zi and Song Yu pondered on the cultivation of coffee beans, whilst Wang Cheng came in. His bed head was apparent, and his eyes spoke volumes that he didn¡¯t sleep well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I had a weird dream that kept me up all night. I heard a voice telling me to meet them.¡± ¡°Oooh, creepy.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± They finished prepping the breakfast and had Lu Jingxiu call Lan Zhou and Yu Ci back. Song Yu could see that the invisible wall was gone as the two of them smiled coming in. Lan Zhou sat next to Song Yu and waited until everyone was seated before they dug in. ¡°We will have a meeting in a bit to discuss about what the house rules are. There is room for compromise, but note that Song Yu has the ultimate decision-making power, okay?¡± Everyone agreed over porridge and continued to talk little tidbits here and there before cleaning up. Song Yu went upstairs and took the papers he needed before heading to the formal dining room. Instead of the uneasiness from their first meeting, everyone was more relaxed and comfortable. Song Yu took the helm once more and sat down eagerly. He took out his notes before clearing his voice. ¡°Okay, everyone. Now that we are going to be living together, I do have some rules and agenda¡¯s everyone has to follow. If you have any questions, you can ask at the very end. Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve categorized everything into a daily aspect, weekly aspect, monthly, and yearly aspect. Starting with daily, as you can see, this place is very different from the outside. The lake behind the villa has purity properties and flows throughout the property. But that doesn¡¯t mean the virus can¡¯t enter. Please observe every food we grow for the virus. ¡°Another thing to note is that you can¡¯t ask me any questions about this place. It¡¯s kept under wraps mainly for security reasons. The only thing you should know that if you share this place to the outside world, it will cease to exist.¡± Lan Zhou and the rest agreed. It was a given. Song Yu sighed belatedly. ¡°Daily chores consists of waking up early, feeding the animals twice a day, cleaning the stalls, gardening, picking fruits, cleaning the house, and cooking for everyone. This will be done in rotation so everyone can get rest after 3pm to which you can do whatever you want. ¡°Any food taken must be recorded in the account book, anything broken please let me know, or if there is a need like supplies make sure you say so. That concludes daily chores. Weekly, we will check the mushrooms in the dark room and have exercise in the common gym area. I have several types of weaponry that you can choose. If you would like to exercise daily, you can do so as long as you clean up afterwards.¡± Everyone got excited when Song Yu said this. Albeit liking the gardening slice of life world they stumbled upon, they were still soldiers and needed the exercise to keep in shape. Song Yu¡¯s gym was the perfect place. ¡°You need to keep in shape for the monthly job. I used to do a monthly check of the surrounding areas. As you know, I made zombie pits in a 5 hour perimeter of this place. Every month I would hunt them down so that they wouldn¡¯t spawn or mob in the vicinity. Since there are 6 of us now, I want groups of 2 to go every month and do this job. I¡¯ll personally lead all five of you first so you know where the trail is, but after that, I expect you to fulfill this.¡± ¡°Yes! Zombie killing! I felt like I was in an alternate universe, so seeing zombies again can re-ignite my blood!¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci high-fived each other, smiling. Song Yu smiled and looked down at his paper. ¡°This trail takes roughly a week, and Derpy knows the route and rest stops. It will be easy. If there is any change in zombie behavior, don¡¯t hesitate to abandon the trail and come back. Your safety is always the priority.¡± ¡°For now, we won¡¯t have to worry about food and water. What we need most is¡ªcough¡ªuh¡­clothes for you guys. I used the last of my cotton material to make your shirts. During the trip, we can detour to find some.¡± Everyone nodded eagerly. Song Yu talked more about the place, even taking them to each room and showing them how everything was done. Song Yu was extremely transparent on all of the tasks. Cleaning the solar panels, fruit picking, window cleaning, gate maintenance, it was as if this was one giant machine that blended with each other. The group were in awe at how long term Song Yu¡¯s plans had been. This place wasn¡¯t just a well-oiled machine, but an ecosystem where everything complimented together. Song Yu had his lazy days and his productive days, so even if he didn¡¯t do work for a couple of weeks, the flow of tasks wouldn¡¯t stutter. With the addition of Derpy and Squinty, everything fell into place. Song Yu had led everyone outside to the gate that spanned the entire place. Lan Zhou touched the gate and felt that the interior must have been infused with rubber. This was another point that Song Yu was reborn. Rubber was a zombie deterrent, but it wasn¡¯t common knowledge until 8 years into apocalypse. Song Yu led the group to the lake. It had vibrant crystal blue water. Everyone looked inside to see fish swimming inside as well as aquatic ferns and logs. ¡°This is the lake. You can fish here, but after dark you are not allowed here. This is a rule I will not bend on. If I see anyone of you at the lake during nighttime, you are to leave. Am I clear?¡± Song Yu turned to everyone, his eyes darkening with coldness. Wang Cheng gulped and nodded his head, Xiao Zi and Yu Ci also agreed. Lu Jingxiu wanted to ask, but remembered Song Yu¡¯s warning about asking too many questions about this place. He could only agree for now but investigate it later. He trusted Song Yu, but if Song Yu was hiding something akin to B Bases experiments, then he had cause to worry. He didn¡¯t know what the lake properties were, if Song Yu did something to it or not. Lan Zhou who knew Song Yu was the purifying ability user understood that at night was probably the time Song Yu would purify the lake and didn¡¯t want the others to know. ¡°We agree. The lake seems to be extremely pure. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s doing its best to stay clean.¡± Article 12¡ªMake sure to compliment your love interest in their endeavors Lan Zhou patted himself on the back whilst Song Yu scoffed. The lake did nothing, it was all me. Song Yu thought bitterly. ¡­ By the time Song Yu was done explaining the ins and outs of the place, everyone was tired from the overload of information. Feeling sheepish, Song Yu let them have the rest of the day to rest and went off to help Squinty herd the animals back to their paddocks. Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t as fatigued and learned how to do so. Lan Zhou watched as Squinty expertly led the pigs and chickens to their respective places. Song Yu was using a rudimentary herding stick and was leading the cows from the grazing pasture. Lan Zhou also led a few goats and their babies to the stalls. Lan Zhou was still amazed that Song Yu had a full farm of non-zombified animals. Every space of this place was filled with purified water, air and soil. Song Yu himself was purity in a can. He exudes it like a holy being. Combined with his warmth and soft presence, it was no wonder Paradise Base was called the holy land of the apocalypse. But even paradise had to fall one day. Lan Zhou could recall all of the rumors surrounding it. That Paradise Base was built on the suffering of other bases. That the price of their purifications was astronomical, causing the suffering of everyone near it. It absorbed other bases into its claws and didn¡¯t let go. Lan Zhou knew that Song Yu might not have been responsible for this, but it wasn¡¯t too far of a stretch to say that Song Yu was a participant. There was ruthlessness in each person of the apocalypse. Lan Zhou wondered what category Song Yu put himself in. But seeing Song Yu now; peaceful, smiling, and exuding happiness, Lan Zhou was affected. The Song Yu in front of him was the one he believed in. He had killed comrades and innocent people as well, yet Song Yu still liked him. A relationship was a two way street, and despite walking a little further than Song Yu, they would still meet in the middle. Song Yu had finished putting the cows away when he saw Lan Zhou watch him with soft gentle eyes. Song Yu¡¯s heart warmed up and a blush settled in his cheeks. Walking to him and putting his hand in his, they shyly took a leisurely walk. They talked in soft voices about what they wanted to do, improvements on the place and just nonsensical things in general. It was like a small date. Song Yu could feel Lan Zhou¡¯s care in every aspect. This made him extremely happy. Song Yu had never felt this happy in his entire life. Lan Zhou made all of the bad parts of his past disappear. One day, Song Yu would have the strength to tell Lan Zhou about his past. For now, he still had to piece his missing memories together and come to terms to what happened in his past life. He still had nightmares, but they were gradually going away. It was the will to overcome this trauma that made Song Yu strong. Chapter 51—Sparring match lineup Chapter 51¡ªSparring match lineup by Bocchan13 The chores were sparse, so the gang did what Song Yu said and rested up. The house rules were posted on a small bulletin board in the living room, known to all. Lu Jingxiu cocked his head to the side and observed the various rules. Daily tasks were not time consuming if done properly, leaving a day with less than 3 hours of working. The weekly chores involving planting were also manageable since he got a small taste of what that would be. It was the monthly excursion outside that made him pause. Song Yu was most likely doing this when he met them. Going out on a 1-2 week journey outside just to ensure there weren¡¯t any zombies in the vicinity. But what about the people? Lu Jingxiu had only seen the Sun Base which was almost a day¡¯s drive. But no stragglers, no campers, nothing¡­where did they all go? Song Yu said he had cloaked this space. That made sense if Song Yu was a spatial ability user. But it also didn¡¯t sit well with him. Song Yu was suspicious. Looking at the next date, he furrowed his brows. They would set out to find them clothing and do a brief sweep of the travel route. But other than that, for the entirety of the year, the only time people could leave was if you were scheduled to go out. And it was the only time you could leave the base. The base itself had every amenity meant for one person to last a long time. Song Yu didn¡¯t just grab anything he could get his hands on. All of the things in the house and in the yard were things Song Yu liked or specifically used. Lu Jingxiu was silently thinking when he heard Song Yu and Lan Zhou come back. Listening to their conversation, he had to sigh. Song Yu was a mystery that was unresolved and Lan Zhou didn¡¯t mind it one bit. Lu Jingxiu felt that he had to be cautious, whereas it was like Lan Zhou was under Song Yu¡¯s spell. The day came to night and Song Yu set up another meal. Not as extravagant as last nights, but to the always hungry crowd, his stir-fry and microwavable stew along with steaming rice was a veritable feast. ¡­ The next few days went along quite smoothly. As each of them got used to the flow of the day, they realized that Song Yu was very easy-going and informative. Any doubt they had was easily rectified by Song Yu. Teaching them the ins and outs of every day farming was both refreshing and exciting. Wang Cheng who was an animal whisperer loved Squinty and Derpy, letting them lead him around the base showing him the flora and fauna that graced the beautiful mountains. Wang Cheng looked mightily in his elements as he sported permanent work gloves. He was the one most into working in the vegetable garden and mushroom room. With his height similar to Song Yu, he was delegated these tasks. Xiao Zi was a biochemist through and through, he took inventory of all of the medical supplies, helped around the house and was deep into learning about the purification elements of the lake. Song Yu was distant at first because he recalled those memories of his time at B Base, but gradually he gave Xiao Zi some samples. You could find Xiao Zi in the mini-hospital room with the solar-powered computer and samples. Yu Ci was the most antsy. Growing up in the military, there was always something to do. In his previous life he was always on the battlefield and when he too old and retired, he spent his days teaching his subordinates. That is until Song Yu showed him the armory. Like a child on Christmas, Yu Ci tried out various traditional and non-traditional weaponry, finally concluding to master every type. Lu Jingxiu was a busybody and didn¡¯t have many hobbies before the apocalypse. As a second generation rich CEO, he was always on alert, ready for any situation. In the previous life, he was also on the front lines and nary cared about anything other than Xiao Zi. But maybe that was it, he needed to relax and know he was in a safe space. He sat on the tree swing and opened a paperback. Paperbacks were rare and hardly anyone read these anymore, preferring tablets and online audiobooks. But the repetition of turning the page as you absorbed yourself in reading was nice and untangled his woes. Lan Zhou was the most at ease. He followed Song Yu around and made him laugh all day. Either with spoken words or actions, he exuded such puppy dog energy it made Song Yu feel he had another pet. They spent a lot of time together, going around the base and repairing some milder things. Sometimes, they had picnics in the summery breeze and made love under the cover of the trees. Song Yu was content. The days blended together until it came to the weekend. The chores were put on hold as everyone came to the gym. They had all changed into working out gear including Song Yu. Yu Ci eagerly brought out the different weapons into the gym while Lu Jingxiu and Wang Cheng put down the mats. Xiao Zi yawned and wiped his tears, not wanting to do this exercise but disgruntly tagged along. Song Yu was the complete opposite and was very excited. Although the guys had shown their ability level ranks, they had never had hand-to-hand contact. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help grinning as he set up his spot. Lan Zhou watched as the very tight vest and spandex pants hugged Song Yu¡¯s lithe and limber figure. Catching his ogling, Song Yu happily strut around. Yu Ci tried his best to avoid looking, but couldn¡¯t help his ears from turning red. Song Yu clapped his hands together in glee. ¡°Okay everyone! Let¡¯s do some stretches and warm-ups. When we finish, we will have a draw one-on-one and another draw for which weapons. I took everyone into account and the approved weapons of choice are: batons, blunt wood spears, and hand-to-hand. A point is only for the neck and heart. Get three points to win. No abilities allowed. After the game, we can specialize in our own styles. Are you ready?¡± Everyone cheered. Song Yu let each person draw a number. Song Yu was the last one and opened his number to see ¡®3¡¯. Turning to the rest, he spotted the number ¡®3¡¯ in Lu Jingxiu¡¯s possession. Lan Zhou pitifully held up his hand to reveal a number ¡®1¡¯. ¡°Noooo!¡± Song Yu glanced at Wang Cheng and Yu Ci with the number ¡®2¡¯ ¡°I haven¡¯t won a fight with you since 12th grade!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t won a fight ever.¡± ¡°Goddammit!¡± Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi on the other hand shook hands. Xiao Zi squeezed extra hard, his gentle eyes gleaming with passive evilness. ¡°You were always a crybaby back then. Shall we show everyone how much you got bullied by me?¡± ¡°Likewise. Hadn¡¯t we established my fighting power in the past? You¡¯re going down.¡± ¡°You got no powers to back you up, and I¡¯ve been dealing with zombies barehanded. Let¡¯s be real, you¡¯ve softened.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s a joke.¡± Song Yu just rolled his eyes as their pissing contest continued and went to Lu Jingxiu. ¡°Let¡¯s have a good fight.¡± He reached out his hand to Lu Jingxiu which he took hesitantly. ¡°Me as well. We never really got to demonstrate our strengths to each other. I¡¯ll take my strength in consideration, since I have a lot more fighting experience than you.¡± Song Yu tilted his head, his thoughts revolving. Was he being looked down on? A growing fire lit inside his stomach as those words penetrated his head. He definitely looks down on you. Shut up Just saying. Gotta show them who the boss of this base is. Don¡¯t go easy on him. Wasn¡¯t going to. Once the pairs were made, they chose another paper for the weaponry. Sidling next to Lu Jingxiu, he had to close his eyes in happiness. He now had a chance to show this group what he had been doing these two years in the apocalypse. Bocchan13 Chapter 52—Beatings, beatings, and more beatings! Chapter 52¡ªBeatings, beatings, and more beatings! By Bocchan13 Weapons chosen, Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi decided to go first. Having chosen batons, it was going to be a whirlwind of a fight. Wang Cheng and Song Yu set up the mats so that the arena could accommodate the duel. Lan Zhou picked up the baton. It was similar to police-issued ones, except the insides were reinforced with steel, giving it a heavier feeling and was slightly longer extended at 30 inches long. He gave it a few test swings and had to whistle at how impactful it could be. If they weren¡¯t ability users, then someone could definitely get a concussion. Lu Jingxiu was helping Xiao Zi with his shoelaces while giving him some headers. ¡°Lan Zhou favors his left side, check his blind spots and don¡¯t forget to provoke him. The more agitated, the more he loses focus.¡± Xiao Zi pinched Lu Jingxiu¡¯s nose and pecked his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a sparring match. Besides, there won¡¯t be full on contact.¡± Lu Jingxiu sighed and let him be. Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi got into ready stances. Song Yu and Wang Cheng were the referee¡¯s and waited until everyone was ready. ¡°The rules are the heart and head, the moment those parts are touched, a point is given. Those areas can only be tapped. This isn¡¯t a full on hitting spree, are we clear?¡± ¡°Clear.¡± ¡°Clear.¡± ¡°Ready, set, FIGHT!¡± The last syllable hadn¡¯t even been spoken before the two of them at rigorous speeds collided with each other. Batons blocked each other as their strength took priority. Lan Zhou smiled as the batons trembled and grinded against each other. Xiao Zi was the first to separate, turning his body around like a figure skater. The baton was lightning fast as he tried to come into Lan Zhou¡¯s blind side. Erring on the side of caution, Lan Zhou never let Xiao Zi closer than 2 feet. Lan Zhou blocked more until he saw an opening. Raising his baton, he feinted until Xiao Zi took the bait. Once his arm was raised, Lan Zhou immediately put him into an elbow lock, directing his baton straight to his head. ¡°Point to Lan Zhou!¡± Xiao Zi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll get that point back.¡± Lan Zhou who was grinning from ear to ear responded nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± The next set continued on, Xiao Zi going faster and faster. He was flexible enough to block and dodge while still on the offensive, whilst Lan Zhou was more defined in his approach, not striking until he was 100% sure of impact. Xiao Zi got in a few more hits, the baton swings making whoosh noises as it danced in his hands. Lan Zhou winced as the baton hit his fingers, almost dropping the baton. As each line of impact connected again and again, Xiao Zi won a point. Song Yu watched carefully at Xiao Zi¡¯s fighting prowess. Unlike first impressions of him being a sheltered white lotus/ geeky biochemist, Xiao Zi had internal power. Like his strength came from his sinews instead of explosive brute power. Flexible, cautious, and light. His style was similar to Song Yu¡¯s who had to adjust his fighting style according to his body. Xiao Zi must have been the same. Lan Zhou on the other hand, had learned western style fighting including fencing, swords and military tactical training. His power was strong, overwhelming, and impactful. Each swing of the baton was purposeful and heavy, unlike Xiao Zi¡¯s adjustable style. It was interesting to watch. Song Yu had to give props to the both of them. Lu Jingxiu sidled up next to him and commented, ¡°They¡¯ve know each other the longest. Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou were childhood neighbors and learned from the same martial arts instructor. Xiao Zi had to change because of his physique, but they remember each other¡¯s weak points.¡± Song Yu nodded gently. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± At the moment, Lan Zhou had kicked Xiao Zi in the shin, causing him to roll and get out of the strike zone. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Lu Jingxiu smirked, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s going to be Xiao Zi.¡± He said with such triumphant absolution, it made Song Yu grind his teeth. Song Yu smiled once Lan Zhou got another strike in. ¡°Point to Lan Zhou!¡± Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi were both at 2 points each, huffing and sweat soaked. The batons were now slippery, but the two gazed at each other like enemies, fire lighting their eyes. Xiao Zi grinned when he saw Lan Zhou¡¯s condition. ¡°Not doing so good eh?¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± Xiao Zi chuckled and caught Lu Jingxiu¡¯s blown kiss. Lan Zhou seeing this expectantly looked towards Song Yu. His puppy eyes clearly stated what he wanted. Song Yu looked away, bright ears showing. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kiss.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°If I win, will I get a kiss?¡± Song Yu hesitated and tilted his head in affirmation. Lan Zhou grinned and like a jumbo battery had charged him, he went straight for the heart. Xiao Zi was unafraid as each baton hit and collided, sparks seeming to fly from the friction. Song Yu watched enraptured as these two holy monsters fought insanely. The gym was quiet as their fight reached a crescendo. Xiao Zi was almost at his physical limit, so his fighting stance slackened. Lan Zhou took this as a sign and fiercely invaded to the point where batons were almost unnecessary as they grappled. Lan Zhou was just about to win, when he heard Xiao Zi speak, ¡°Song Yu, are you okay?¡± Immediately, Lan Zhou whipped his head around to see if Song Yu was okay. His eyes barely managed to see Song Yu¡¯s smiling face before he felt a cold object pressed on his heart. Lan Zhou looked back at Xiao Zi and the baton that was delicately on his chest. ¡°Point to Xiao Zi. Xiao Zi wins!¡± Lan Zhou knelt on the floor in defeat as Xiao Zi jumped around happily. Everyone was clapping and laughing at Lan Zhou¡¯s crestfallen face. ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡± ¡°Not cheating, just fighting dirty.¡± Lan Zhou cried unwillingly in his heart and ran to Song Yu. Pressing his face in his shoulders, he shuddered. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Song Yu patted his back tenderly, chuckling. Although a low blow, it was very effective against him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You did your best.¡± Wang Cheng and Yu Ci were sneakily chuckling in the background. Lan Zhou glared at them. ¡°Let¡¯s see who will win next huh?¡± Wang Cheng froze and pursed his lips. ¡°Our fight isn¡¯t going to be interesting at all! It¡¯ll be a one sided massacre¡± They cleaned the mats while Wang Cheng and Yu Ci stretched. Their chosen weapons were hand-to-hand combat. Unlike batons, in order to get points, they had to smear red paint over the head and heart. Song Yu had leftover acrylic paint that would work for this. Yu Ci was extremely large with bulging muscles. But he wasn¡¯t a muscle head. Silly, yes. But he wasn¡¯t a high level military man for nothing. Wang Cheng was similar in build to Song Yu, just slightly more so. As a space ability user, he also had to deal with zombies the traditional way and couldn¡¯t rely on his powers. Wang Cheng put on fingerless gloves and sighed, whining. ¡°We had to choose hand-to-hand. C¡¯mon, is the world going against me? Yu Ci, let loose a bit, huh? Gimme a point, why not two?¡± Yu Ci grinned as he flexed his muscles. ¡°No way in hell.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon! We¡¯re friends right?¡± ¡°Not right now.¡± Everyone laughed at their conversation and waited for them to finish prepping. Wang Cheng sullenly took position. Song Yu was surprised that Wang Cheng¡¯s stance was the standard ATA Poomsae Taekwondo first stance which wasn¡¯t popularized in the east but the west. Did Wang Cheng live abroad? ATA Poomsae taekwondo was infamous for its kick forms and hardly used in B Country, but Z Country where it took inspiration from. Song Yu was interested in all forms of martial arts and fascinated that Wang Cheng was the one to show it to him. He didn¡¯t look awkward whilst doing it either. His lithe figure was graceful and solid. Yu Ci on the other hand had lived in a military family. He adopted military training at a young age and was proficient in mixed martial arts. His stance was a mixture of east and west, but didn¡¯t collide with each other as Yu Ci spent a long time using them cohesively. This mix enabled him to be decisive in movements similar to Lan Zhou. ¡°Ready, set, FIGHT!¡± Unlike Lan Zhou and Xia Zi¡¯s explosive start, both Yu Ci and Wang Cheng checked each other out, rounding around each other in a circle, trying to bait the other. This feint and growing tension blew up as Yu Ci started. In sync, Wang Cheng avoided the hit but jumped backwards, his kick rounding around to hit Yu Ci¡¯s stomach. There was no impact as Yu Ci easily blocked. The acrylic red paint smeared from Wang Cheng¡¯s foot, a place no one would think to put. Wang Cheng was unperturbed as he continued to let loose. Returning to first stance, Wang Cheng immediately threw some punches. Yu Ci, now on the defensive blocked quickly before counter-attacking. It wasn¡¯t long before Yu Ci won a point. Wang Cheng was too obvious as each hit was aimed directly to the head or heart. Yu Ci could read him like a book and easily dealt him a tap on the head, smearing red paint on his hair. ¡°My hair!! No!!!¡± The next set took a little longer, and Wang Cheng almost had him before he was smeared with red once again. ¡°Are you a mind reader? How do you know what I¡¯m going to hit you there?¡± ¡°Obvious. Way too obvious.¡± Wang Cheng cried as he got ready for the last round. All of a sudden, Wang Cheng stopped moving and stared in the distance. It only took a few seconds but it was enough for Yu Ci to ponder. ¡°Wang Cheng?¡± Wang Cheng shook his head and looked back at him, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do it!¡± Surprisingly, Wang Cheng was more unpredictable this time around. Yu Ci was having a hard time finding an in, while Wang Cheng was going harder and harder. All of a sudden, Wang Cheng lowered his body and wheel kicked Yu Ci just when he was about to move, surrendering his balance. Wang Cheng huffed, eyes wide in surprise as he touched Yu Ci¡¯s head. ¡°I won? I won! YEAHHHHHHHH! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!¡± Yu Ci and everyone else was just as surprised. It wasn¡¯t that Wang Cheng won, but it was how different Wang Cheng¡¯s fighting style had changed within that short 2 minutes. Yu Ci patted the acrylic paint on his head and chuckled. ¡°Nice one.¡± ¡°Woah, Wang Cheng when did you learn how to do that? That¡¯s awesome!¡± Wang Cheng sheepishly rubbed his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was like a voice guided me. My subconscious must be helping me! Hahaha!¡± Albeit a bit strange, everyone chalked it up to a fluke and the next round started. Yu Ci was more cautious and quickly adjusted himself to Wang Cheng¡¯s new fighting style. Once again, Wang Cheng was spaced out for a few seconds before he started fighting. Yu Ci was more prepared and in 3 minutes, another red mark was on Wang Cheng¡¯s heart. Huffing in exhaustion, Wang Cheng floundered on the mats, breathing heavily. ¡°Ugh! I¡¯m never fighting against you Yu Ci. You suck! Not even letting me win!¡± Yu Ci grinned as he wiped the paint from his hair with a towel. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better. Next time, I¡¯ll help you with your predictable moves.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± Song Yu was silent as he observed Wang Cheng. The tingling feeling of something not right was coming down on him. He didn¡¯t have proof, but he felt after observing Wang Cheng¡¯s fighting style that there was something off about the last two fights. He was about to ask, when Lu Jingxiu came up to him. Smiling arrogantly, Lu Jingxiu beckoned to Song Yu. ¡°You ready?¡± Song Yu looked at the wooden staff, (AKA Bo). Eastern styled martial arts that focused on extension. If you didn¡¯t have a strong martial foundation, then the Bo would be difficult to use. And Song Yu, who excelled in both mixed martial arts and assassination techniques derived from eastern martial arts, the Bo was just an extension of his body. This was the perfect weapon for him. And he was gonna screw Lu Jingxiu up. Bocchan13 Chapter 53—Win or Lose? Chapter 53¡ªWin or Lose? by Bocchan13 The Bo staff was customizable to one¡¯s height. However, Song Yu didn¡¯t think much of it and bought only 4 of the same standard size of 5¡¯7. It might have been perfect for Song Yu, but to Lu Jingxiu who reached a staggering 190cm, it seemed incomparably small. Song Yu delicately swished the Bo around, his grip on the Bo strong and resilient. Lu Jingxiu watched as Song Yu familiarized himself with it. He was nervous, but there was a lingering feeling of anticipation. Song Yu was a mysterious being, and his CEO brain had to compartmentalize Song Yu into a category. Is he an enemy? Will he hurt Lan Zhou? Can he rely on him? Lu Jingxiu from the very beginning had little hopes for this person. At the time of their meeting, he had put all of Song Yu¡¯s actions on trial, waiting to see if his trust would teeter. Yes, Song Yu helped them. He opened his home to them. But Lu Jingxiu still remembered that cold face as he told them to abandon Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi. A person like that was not ordinary. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu didn¡¯t have a fighting camaraderie like Wang Cheng and Yu Ci nor the intense rivalry of Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi. But there was an immense amount of pressure emanating from the both of them. They had something they wanted to prove. Song Yu breathed deeply, until the air escaped his body and his heartbeat slowed to a dull thud. Opening his eyes, he didn¡¯t even hear the countdown as he prepared for what was to come. Lu Jingxiu was an offensive attacker. He switched hands so his left would be more dominant, just in time for the staff to collide directly in the middle. If he hadn¡¯t switched, his fingers would have bruised. Song Yu twisted the staff, creating a whirlwind before extending his staff to hit Lu Jingxiu¡¯s side. The hit was unexpected and the impact was hard. Lu Jingxiu gritted his teeth. It wasn¡¯t an area near the heart or the head, so the blow didn¡¯t count. He glimpsed a sinister glint in Song Yu¡¯s eyes and had to keep his vigilance up. But Song Yu wasn¡¯t done. In a matter of a millisecond, Song Yu¡¯s staff somehow got under his arms and into the space between, blocking him with his own strength. Directly onto his heart. ¡°Point to Song Yu!¡± Song Yu smiled triumphantly, his dangerous eyes looking to devour. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Next time I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± Lu Jingxiu smirked as his words were thrown back at him. Letting go, they started the second match. Going for a more dangerous approach, Lu Jingxiu started another wave of attacks, this time moving his hands in the middle position to anchor weight distribution. Song Yu was not deterred as they exchanged more and more blows. Lu Jingxiu managed to hit Song Yu¡¯s head after an intense 3 minute bout. Huffing in tiredness, they took a small break before continuing. Sweat gleamed from their faces as the 3rd round lasted far longer than the others. At this point in time, they just wanted to win. Song Yu narrowed his eyes as he drew back from a staff thrust. Lu Jingxiu wasn¡¯t pulling punches or going easy on him. If that had made contact, it could have seriously injured him. Song Yu back-flipped backwards, out of the staff¡¯s range. Lu Jingxiu was no better. Their fight had lasted more than 10 minutes of non-stop blows. ¡°Take a break first.¡± Lu Jingxiu and Song Yu unanimously nodded and went to take a small rest. Lan Zhou had watched the entire fight with stern observation. In the two years of the apocalypse, Song Yu had trained his mind and body to be deadly and accurate. One arrow shot was enough, one strike was enough, and one small moment of hesitation was enough for death. Song Yu fought like he didn¡¯t want to die. That could be said for everyone else, but Lan Zhou knew that Song Yu was alone while he had his friends and colleagues with him. He had someone watching his back while Song Yu had none. Song Yu fought like it was his last chance at life. He gently wiped Song Yu¡¯s sweat off his forehead with a towel, handing an opened bottle of water. ¡°You¡¯re doing well. Lu Jingxiu is a tough nut to crack. He also took lessons in pugilism and mixed martial arts since he was a kid. He¡¯s been kidnapped a few times as a teen, so he learned how to defend himself, not to mention his time in the apocalypse army force.¡± Song Yu nodded, but had to sigh. Lu Jingxiu¡­was seriously good. As expected of someone who lasted so long in the apocalypse. Song Yu wiped his chin and grinned. ¡°He¡¯s good. But he¡¯s not going to win.¡± Lan Zhou smiled and rubbed his hair. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu went back to the fighting mats and resumed the fight. Caution was now a priority. Song Yu wasn¡¯t good at strategy or feints, but he knew the best place for ¡®chances¡¯. A small error, a tiny gap, a slow movement. Everyone was in Song Yu¡¯s eyes. The moment a ¡®chance¡¯ opened up, he would go for it. Even if it was a feint or a trap, Song Yu managed to evade it accurately and go for the kill. Lu Jingxiu was getting excited. Because he was the exact same. Unlike Yu Ci¡¯s powerful strength, or Lan Zhou¡¯s stable parry, Lu Jingxiu was sneaky. As a child, he grew up knowing that people wanted to hurt him. Or technically¡ªhis parents. As one of the most powerful families in B Country, he was sought after by money hungry kids, social climbing women, and a dust of kidnappers here or there. As he got older and took over several of his parent¡¯s companies, he used his ruthlessness and scum ways to deal with business and politics. Lu Jingxiu knew when to strike at an opportunity, whether it is for his gain or someone else¡¯s. And fighting someone who felt the same way got him in a good mood. Analyzing, estimating, and creating possibilities. Cold-hearted traits that could make you shiver. Now Lu Jingxiu knew why he was so untrusting of Song Yu. Because he was the exact same. In his shoes, he would abandon strangers, even if they had a past. He would be vigilant and unkind to those who took kindness for granted. Song Yu was like Lu Jingxiu. And like Lu Jingxiu, they pulled back their fangs for their loved ones and kept their darkness hidden, hoping that it would disappear one day. Song Yu twisted his staff hitting the right side before knocking the staffs together creating a bounce. Taking this chance, he twisted to the left, the wood coming straight for Lu Jingxiu. With little time to react, Lu Jingxiu jerked his head back, blocking his sight to what would happen next. Song Yu didn¡¯t hesitate to continue the staff¡¯s trajectory, creating a wheel. The staff was about to collide again. Lu Jingxiu kicked himself away, lodging his staff on the mat like a sword, his head open for a deathly blow. Song Yu¡¯s eyes glittered before he went straight for the kill. Until Lu Jingxiu¡¯s staff somehow wasn¡¯t vertical anymore, but aimed at Song Yu¡¯s exposed heart. You could hear a pin drop as both staffs halted midair, mere centimeters from their target. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu were both exhaling with difficulty, their eyes now glaring at each other with such blood thirst it could slice someone in two. ¡°Stalemate!¡± Song Yu dropped the staff and flounced on the mat. Lan Zhou helped him like a coach and wiped him down with gentleness. Lu Jingxiu was no better and staggered next to Xiao Zi, his sweat soaked hair dripping on the linoleum floor. ¡°Was I handsome?¡± Xiao Zi patted his on his back and nodded. ¡°Extremely so.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t win though,¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t lose either.¡± ¡°He¡¯s tough.¡± ¡°Yep. He¡¯s kind of like you.¡± Lu Jingxiu grinned and kissed Xiao Zi¡¯s cheek. Song Yu was picked up by Lan Zhou and brought to a chair. Despite a stalemate, Song Yu was quite happy with the results. The phrase that men got closer after fighting seemed to be true. He quite understood Lu Jingxiu now. If he was in Lu Jingxiu¡¯s shoes, he would also be cautious, distrustful and suspicious. That was to be expected. Even if he didn¡¯t like it, he had to accept it. The small tournament came to a close, going on much longer than intended. Song Yu decided that they would do training another day, much to everyone¡¯s relief. Yu Ci and Lan Zhou were the least tired and took to cleaning up the training hall whilst Wang Cheng and Xiao Zi picked up the weapons and moved them back. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu sat not far from each other and watched the collective do their work. ¡°I can¡¯t say I trust you.¡± Song Yu turned to look at Lu Jingxiu. Lu Jingxiu was staring at the hardworking Xiao Zi, a small smile on his lips. ¡°Trust is difficult in the apocalypse, and whether you¡¯re a good guy or bad guy will be made clear one way or the other. But thanks to you, I can see Xiao Zi having so much fun.¡± Lu Jingxiu paused as he recollected some past memories. ¡°He was always in the lab with his face in a frown. He was the one who got grey hair first, and permanent frown lines. I always wanted to massage them away but never got the guts to. In this life, we are happier than we have ever been.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s eyes penetrated Song Yu¡¯s. Emotions too hard to comprehend filled them. ¡°I want to keep it that way. Can you do that?¡± Song Yu looked away and scrunched his toes. Thinking deeply for a good response, he could only mutter, ¡°I¡¯ll try. I can¡¯t promise anything.¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for¡­thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 54—Pure Chapter 54¡ªPure by Bocchan13 NSFW (sexual content) Song Yu thought a lot about what Lu Jingxiu said. Happiness was a small yet profound thing. It derived from experiencing joyful moments in one¡¯s life. Despite not knowing their past, Song Yu could understand that they didn¡¯t have a happy ending. And now that they are here, Lu Jingxiu wants to keep this happiness for the sake of Xiao Zi. From snippets of their conversations, Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi only wanted to live a simple and long life. If it wasn¡¯t the apocalypse, it would have been easy. But now, with zombies running the world, this one simple wish was far out of reach. Song Yu¡¯s paradise was a godsend to them. And they did everything for him, not out of loyalty to him, but loyalty to the life they aspire. Rather than being greedy and coveting it, they took responsibilities and turned them into reasons to let them stay. Song Yu would rather they be greedy and malicious. Because he knew those kinds of people. People like Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi were such a rarity, it puzzled him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Lan Zhou walked in, hair wet from the shower. He sidled next to Song Yu and nuzzled his cheek. Song Yu smiled and shook his head. ¡°No. Just thinking about what to do for the trip. We need to get you guys some new clothes. I also want to see if I can find some cotton seeds. If we do, I can spin it into thread.¡± ¡°You know how to do that?¡± ¡°Hahaha, not technically, but I do know the process.¡± Lan Zhou gently kissed him, eyes blooming with adoration. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Song Yu melted under his gaze and let him kiss him to sleep. When everyone was sleeping, Song Yu¡¯s eyes opened. Gently taking Lan Zhou¡¯s arm off of his waist, he tip-toed out of the bed. Making sure that Lan Zhou was deeply asleep, he left the room and got the house. Not even a minute later, Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes opened showing he was wide awake. Moving silently into the forest, Song Yu came to the lake. It was stagnant like glass as it reflected the now blue moon. Under this umbrella of moonlight, Song Yu calmly walked into the lake. There were no sounds of birds or wildlife. Just silence. Each step into the water rippled the reflected glass, disrupting its perfect tranquility. When he could no longer touch the floor, he floated on his back. His cotton shirt was soaked through revealing his pale skin. Eyes to the sky, Song Yu was mindless as he opened his space. A faint blue glow surrounded him as the water entered his space. As it passed through him, like osmosis, the purified water leaving his space still contained a tinge of blue glow and spread throughout the lake. Song Yu unhurriedly controlled the flow, making sure every molecule passed. In less than ten minutes, the entire lake was awash in blue like glowing algae in shallow shores. It was¡­extremely beautiful. On the outskirts of the lake, a figure was hidden, his penetrating eyes on Song Yu, only on him as the glow surrounded him in a halo of light. Like a descended angel, Song Yu floated in the waters. Lan Zhou was mesmerized by this sight. No wonder Song Yu said to never go out at night. You could see the blue glow if you only peered at the lake. Song Yu was busy with controlling his powers, so couldn¡¯t feel Lan Zhou¡¯s presence. Lan Zhou who had hidden his aura wanted to walk through the lake, pick Song Yu up, hold him and make love to him on the lake shore. Unblinking eyes caressed Song Yu¡¯s body as more of the water was being purified. Song Yu¡­was purity in itself. How could anyone deign to hurt him? What monstrous beings in his last life wanted to take this beautiful soul and crush it? Song Yu was getting more and more tired. Doing this process exhausted him. He spent the majority of his previous life like this. Filtering out the bad things, like an endless battery. But after turning 30, his ability would exhaust to the point where Song Yu went into comas. Weeks of sleeping, not eating and no one caring about him caused his body to deteriorate further. He set up a bunker on the outskirts of Paradise Base to have peace and quiet as he recuperated. In his days and weeks of absence, it was then that things started changing within the base. No longer revered as someone important, but as an old machine almost being thrown out. Song Yu closed his eyes and extended his spiritual awareness outward, drowning out his thoughts. His ears were under the water, so he could hear the swish of the fish, or the bubbles of turtles. Even a few water snakes gave him a wide berth, but still slither through the water effortlessly. Two people stayed in their positions until dawn. It was only then that Lan Zhou left hastily as Song Yu got up. The glow from last night had dimmed exponentially, leaving behind sparkles from the sun. Song Yu dragged his tired body out of the lake. Pruned fingers and toes, blue lips and tired eyes, he resembled a haunted ghost. Shaking from the cold, Song Yu quickly left the lake and into the house. Bypassing the figure ¡®asleep¡¯ in bed, Song Yu dashed into the bathroom, turning on the shower for hot water. ¡°Song Yu?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Song Yu rubbed his tired eyes and looked back to see Lan Zhou¡¯s figure. Bed head and sleep-deprived eyes daringly stared at Song Yu¡¯s nakedness. ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± Lan Zhou put his arms around Song Yu and kissed his cheek. Still under the water, Song Yu looked downwards as Lan Zhou undressed himself slowly. He gulped and bit his lips as a warm body snuggled behind him. Lan Zhou kissed his neck and shoulders, trailing light kisses on his spine. ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Let me make you feel better.¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t deny his proposition. He moaned as Lan Zhou¡¯s kisses trailed down his back and felt a warm hand on his member and nipples. All pleasure points were being touched and caressed. He sighed as the hot shower water penetrated his skin while Lan Zhou¡¯s body pressed him against the shower wall. ¡°Touch me here.¡± Song Yu obliged and groped Lan Zhou¡¯s body. His large pecs and tight stomach immediately shivered under Song Yu¡¯s fluttering hands. They kissed wantonly and feverishly. Song Yu was still tired by last night, which could be seen at a glance. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t go too far and led the way. He lowered his body down until he was right at Song Yu¡¯s member, unhesitantly swallowing it into his hot mouth. Song Yu gasped as Lan Zhou catered to his need. He gripped Lan Zhou¡¯s head and moved his hips, thrusting it into Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth. Lan Zhou was slow yet powerful as his mouth sucked the member, rolling his tongue on the head, deepening the impact of each thrust. ¡°Ahh, Um. Lan Zhou, deeper.¡± Song Yu¡¯s leg almost gave out, so Lan Zhou lifted one to settle on his shoulders. He continued to give Song Yu a blow job, while Song Yu gasped and moaned in pleasure. His back to the shower wall, he was on the cusp of cumming. ¡°I¡¯m going to cum. Let me go. Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t¡­¡± Finally, in a wrenching scream, white cream left Song Yu and into Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t let go and gulped down the nectar, swallowing every morsel. Song Yu¡¯s mouth dripped saliva as the pleasure took hold of him. The comedown was amazing as his member twitched in Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth; its last spurts drizzled down the corner of Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth. Panting in the aftermath, Song Yu¡¯s body almost slid down to the floor before being held in big strong arms. Lan Zhou gently held his lover and helped his wash up before princess carrying him out. Exhausted and tired, Song Yu¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t dare open as he was laid down on the bed. Light feather kisses on his temple and eyes lulled him into sleep, and the sweet and gentle ¡®goodnight¡¯ from Lan Zhou sent Song Yu into deep dream land. Chapter 55—Wang Cheng is…uh…strange Chapter 55¡ªWang Cheng is¡­uh¡­strange by Bocchan13 Song Yu didn¡¯t know how long he slept. That was another issue with the apocalypse, things like time and days were blended together. He turned his head to look outside the veranda. Under the umbrella table, Lan Zhou was sitting down with a map and a pencil, staring intently at the marked locations. Song Yu got up begrudgingly, only to realize he was still naked. The cold that pervaded his body before was now gone, the aches and pains disappeared and the dull throbbing headache he usually had was gone. He felt¡­refreshed. Damn. Sex can help you with spiritual depletion? No dumbass. He probably massaged you while you were sleeping. Probably. Song Yu shuffled down until his feet hit the floor and got up, not minding his nakedness in the least. Picking up a shirt from his closet and lounge pants he silently stepped onto the veranda. ¡°You up? You slept quite a bit today. Did you have a good rest?¡± Lan Zhou smiled brightly and reached his hand to hold Song Yu¡¯s. Leading him to sit on his lap, Song Yu blushed as he felt the warm thighs. ¡°I slept well. I don¡¯t know why I was so tired. I¡¯m sorry I fell asleep before¡­aherm¡­helping you.¡± Lan Zhou chuckled and rubbed his fingers. ¡°Sex shouldn¡¯t be a give and take. It should just be given. I enjoyed making you happy. You seemed¡­¡± Lan Zhou blushed happily, ¡°You seemed to enjoy it very much.¡± Song Yu also blushed bright red. The two of them happily blushed together over their shared awkwardness. To dispel the embarrassment, Song Yu pointed to the map. ¡°You looking at the route?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve paved it extremely detailed. Each rest location is far away from territories and human groups. Even nomads wouldn¡¯t dare to travel this way due to the terrain. Although we spotted the zombie holes, we were off road. It¡¯s actually remarkable.¡± Song Yu happily chatted with him about the route, his eyes lighting up, asking for praise. ¡°It only took me eight weeks to map it out. Had to change it a few times after the Sun Base was created, but they hardly come to this area due to low rural housing. The only thing of value was the machinery but it was hollowed out a year ago.¡± Lan Zhou continued to listen to Song Yu¡¯s observation, his hands circling his waist lovingly. A breeze lifted Song Yu¡¯s hair showing his forehead. Lightly brushing against his cheek was his eyelashes that fluttered. ¡°¡­and the only way to find the location is three propped stones near a lake. That¡¯s where you can rest and backtrack to the base. It¡¯s fairly easy¡­hey, are you listening?¡± Song Yu flicked Lan Zhou¡¯s forehead, his sparkling eyes laughing merrily. Lan Zhou just nodded and kissed his forehead. ¡°Yep. Magazine COS*O, Article #84 Always make your partner comfortable.¡± Song Yu chuckled and turned back to the map. ¡°The planting is already finished, and the only thing to do is get our gear together. I don¡¯t have much gasoline and Wang Cheng¡¯s space is very uncomfortable according to Xiao Zi. What we can do is ride the car until we get to the gas line, fill in and go to City R. It¡¯s a bit out of range, but it¡¯s close to one of my rest locations. We can see what is left of City N, I think it was abandoned and the Sun Base don¡¯t go that far for supplies.¡± ¡°Mm. It would roughly take a day and a half to reach there. A rest for a night, scavenging for another day and coming back. Around 5 days. We can prep the food for that amount easily. Yu Ci told me that you have guns and bullets right? I think that would cause too much noise, so just bring a few in case and we can use our own weapons.¡± Song Yu nodded decisively. Lan Zhou was a good leader. Very meticulous, straightforward and flexible. Bring the minimum in, bring the maximum out. They planned it some more before heading down for lunch. Wang Cheng and Squinty had been hungry and started making food. Song Yu, true to his word had given everyone access to the underground supermarket. Wang Cheng had immediately asked for permission to have the chocolates. Since no one (including Song Yu) liked sweet things, the entire chocolate inventory was given over. Wang Cheng hoarded it like it was gold. Although he was ecstatic about eating it, he was also scared that it would run out. So he carefully savored one the same one for over a week. Song Yu was about to say that he had some more in dry storage, but felt he couldn¡¯t torture this guy any further. Wang Cheng and Squinty were happily eating side by side, a pile of pasta on their plates. Squinty was munching on a meatball and barked happily when Song Yu and Lan Zhou entered. ¡°Afternoon.¡± ¡°AftjjdsL!¡± Wang Cheng chewed through his large bite and smiled happily at them. ¡°Morning!¡± There was sauce on the corner of Wang Cheng¡¯s lips. Song Yu was about to point that out when it mysteriously disappeared. Wang Cheng had not moved his hand, nor wiped it on somewhere. In a blink of an eye, the stain was gone. Puzzled, it gave Song Yu that weird feeling again. ¡°Wang Cheng¡­have you been having weird things happen to you lately?¡± Wang Cheng pursed his lips and tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Weird? Like what kind of weird?¡± ¡°Like¡­a presence close to you or something?¡± Shrugging his shoulders Wang Cheng cluelessly shook his head. ¡°Not that I know of?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Song Yu wanted to continue but Wang Cheng had finished his lunch. Wang Cheng happily picked up Squinty¡¯s plate and washed the dishes. ¡°Gotta go out! Squinty and Derpy are showing me to the strawberry field! There is leftover pasta noodles over there!¡± Wang Cheng naturally put on a straw hat and gloves, waving energetically at them before galloping off with the animals. Song Yu and Lan Zhou just watched. ¡°You saw it too right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Did you feel anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Has this happened to Wang Cheng before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wang Cheng quickly left the villa, his steps running faster and faster. Squinty ran alongside him, his tongue lolling in the breeze. When they went pass the tree line, they met up with Derpy. Neighing happily, Derpy led Wang Cheng to a small prairie. A delicate stream of water from the lake cascaded through, reaching a small hill with a small tree shading the grassy surface. ¡°I knew I could count on you! It¡¯s perfect!¡± Wang Cheng rubbed both Squinty and Derpy. He cupped his hands out, in an instant, a potted rose appeared from his space. Gently holding it, he put the rose next to him as he dug a small hole. Once he finished, he carefully placed the rose in the shade where it could be shielded from the sun, but also absorb some through the branches. ¡°You like the new place?¡± The rose that was quietly sitting on the hill started to move. First, it fluttered a small leaf like it was waving, then the stem started twirling. It looked so cute as it danced happily in its new home. Wang Cheng started swaying alongside it, laughing. Derpy and Squinty were not concerned with the fact that a plant could dance and trotted alongside Wang Cheng. ¡°I gotta go back now. I¡¯ll check up on you later okay?¡± The rose dropped down, pouting. The leaves shivered like it was demanding Wang Cheng not to go. Seeing its cuteness, Wang Cheng touched its leaves and petted the outer petals. ¡°Be good. If the rest of the group found out, you won¡¯t be able to stay here. I¡¯ll try to do my best okay?¡± The rose drooped a little more but seemed to understand Wang Cheng. It curled one of its leaves on Wang Cheng¡¯s finger, as if he never wanted to let go. ¡°Okay okay. I¡¯ll come in an hour or so. Derpy will be in the prairie anyways so you won¡¯t be lonely.¡± After placating the rose, Wang Cheng and Squinty left. The rose, after seeing Wang Cheng go felt sad but knew that if it continued to be a nice rose that cute face with smiling eyes would come back. Chapter 56—Road Trip Chapter 56¡ªRoad Trip by Bocchan13 The one week road trip to City N took much preparation. Unlike the times Song Yu went out and only had to worry about himself, he now had an additional 5 people to think of. In order to alleviate time, they unanimously decided on foods that were packaged, dry and/or easy to cook. Song Yu scoured his entire inventory and came up with bread, already-made stir-fry, dried fruits, and the vegetables foraged from the garden and an assortment of dry biscuits. Song Yu had already shown he was a space ability user, and the food was put in his space much to his relief. His space was like a separate entity containing purifying properties and stagnation. Anything that went in would come out better. In Wang Cheng¡¯s case, the objects would stay in the same state it came in. However, Wang Cheng¡¯s space was almost 2x¡¯s Song Yu¡¯s and things like humans and even zombies could enter. He was in charge of the weaponry and vehicles. Everyone opted to bring firearms. They didn¡¯t know the situation in City N and was worried there was a zombie tide. Song Yu was also quite scared. The last high level zombie was a level 7. It was extremely likely they would meet some on the road. The preparations took a few days until everyone was prepped on the itinerary, location, and possible routes and safe stops. Song Yu was quite hesitant at the beginning but relaxed as the day came closer and closer. Lan Zhou and his gang were extremely proficient in these kinds of missions. In their past life, they explained that they had been on the front line of the zombie hoard but also had gone on scavenger hunts, looking for anything useful. Song Yu who had always been in Paradise Base and never left was kind of fascinated of how other people survived the apocalypse and created a sort of occupation during these times. Bleary eyed, Song Yu rubbed his tired eyes and glared at Lan Zhou¡¯s innocent face. He was too overboard! Lan Zhou went ham on Song Yu as if he was cramming a week¡¯s worth of intimacy in one night. Which he might have been, but he didn¡¯t let go until morning! Song Yu saw the kiss marks peppered all along his body and inner thighs and couldn¡¯t help but grumble. Slapping Lan Zhou on his butt, he tottered into the bathroom for a quick shower. ¡°Get up! You pervert!¡± Lan Zhou giggled on the bed and laughed even harder when Song Yu slapped him. Stretching out his arms, he happily got up and followed him in. Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t a total beast and let Song Yu finish his shower in peace. The villa was lively as everyone woke up before the sun rose. Squinty came in through the walls and wagged his tail affectionately. ¡°You happy all of these people are going to leave, huh?¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± Yeah, you guys all suck! Song Yu wanted to slap his little butt but Squinty high-tailed it out of there and skipped to the other rooms. Song Yu sighed and retrieved his rubber suit and poncho. Summer had arrived and the sun was scorching hot. Song Yu was not going to bring Derpy or Squinty on this excursion, letting them lead the animals here for the week. Squinty was proficient in the overall work done in the base, whilst Derpy was a great guard, walking around the perimeter. If anything happened within these 7 days, Squinty would send a resonance to Song Yu as long as Song Yu was listening for it. Song Yu hissed as his abused bottom was trapped in his body suit. For the summer months, the suit did not absorb heat and even had cooling effects. Lan Zhou on the other hand was wearing rubber infused military grade armour. There was still cuts on the suit, but had been neatly sewn by Lan Zhou himself. Song Yu reached a hand and trailed his fingertips on Lan Zhou¡¯s muscular chest. ¡°Looks good.¡± Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu fiercely and almost made them late! By 5:00, everyone was downstairs ready to go. Song Yu double checked everything and they set off. Song Yu¡¯s off road mobile had been stagnant for the past year or so. The gasoline and oil were almost depleted and would only last a few hours. To everyone, that was fine. Wang Cheng had a small drum of gasoline and they would find a gas line closer to City R. Before the trip, Song Yu had secretly brought the off-road vehicle into his space to treat it for its 1 year dust collection. The bed was converted back into seats and the door that was automatic had several new keys added to its programming. Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu whistled as they saw the glorious sight. ¡°Wowza. The previous owner has taste. This monster is gonna rip zombies to shreds.¡± Song Yu proudly patted himself on the back and had everyone get in. The insides were fresh and clean. Since the off-road vehicle sat only 5, Yu Ci as the biggest person sat in the driver¡¯s seat alongside Lan Zhou who would act as their navigator whilst everyone else had to cram in the back. Song Yu and Xiao Zi were relegated to the middle with Lu Jingxiu and Wang Cheng taking the windows. None of them had car sickness so everyone settled in quickly. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go! The nearest gas station is pretty far, so we will only stop for bathroom breaks. Keep it in as long as you can. Yu Ci will switch with Lu Jingxiu in the next six hours.¡± ¡°Ah man, I shouldn¡¯t have drunk so much orange juice this morning!¡± Wang Cheng whined. Shaking his head, Lan Zhou threw back. ¡°Not to mention the eight cups of water afterwards.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know when I can drink water!¡± ¡°Lu Jingxiu is RIGHT there.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Song Yu sat next to Xiao Zi and listened to their joyful conversation. He remembered the first time he left the base to snoop around. The entire 5 hour drive was silent and the only thing accompanying Song Yu was anxiety. The joyful banter and raucous atmosphere once again warmed his heart. Xiao Zi on his left wasn¡¯t much of a chit-chatter, but they had several interests in agriculture and biochemical fertilizer so they started conversation there. It then changed to sports and the rock climbing Xiao Zi used to do. ¡°You¡¯re pretty spry yourself. You¡¯ve got some nice upper arm strength and a core balance. If you had a climbing wall, you¡¯d do great.¡± ¡°I was thinking about making one, but then I realized how dangerous it could be since I didn¡¯t have any information on making a stable foundation. I¡¯d like recommendations.¡± ¡°For sure! We need cement though which is hard enough to find as is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡ªuh, the previous owner made that large fence and there are still leftover bags in storage!¡± ¡°Wow! Okay, I can design a good course and...¡± The two were deeply immersed in their conversation, tragically ignoring Lu Jingxiu and Lan Zhou. Feeling the bitterness of his sweetheart being taken away, Lu Jingxiu tugged Xiao Zi¡¯s shirt. Xiao Zi ignored him and continued talking. When he felt a warm touch the inside of his shirt feeling the bodysuit underneath, Xiao Zi reluctantly glared back. ¡°Are you a child? Can¡¯t be away from me for a second?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Zi pinched his nose, but entwined their fingers together. Song Yu and the rest felt they had been fed dog food, the sickly sweetness pervading the entire car. Lan Zhu cleared his throat and re-adjusted the map. ¡°We are just reaching the outskirts of the forest and into nomad territory. The gas line will probably have people. Be prepared. These guys are cutthroat and will kill you.¡± Song Yu nodded. Back when he and his ex-friends were on the run, Song Yu was still delusional and depressed. They stopped at a gas station and traded a few things with the owners who blockaded the entire place. However, their form of ¡®trade¡¯ was the nicely hand out things and then ruthlessly steal when your guard was down. Song Yu remembered Ye Xin was so angry, that when the Paradise Base was made, he went back and slaughtered the entire crew who was now an operational facility for the G Base. G Base did not take kindly to that, which started a full year long war between the factions before Ye Xin was satisfied, decimating G Base by 90%. G Base was slowly integrated into Paradise Base not even a year later. Song Yu and the rest didn¡¯t think it was problematic. They had stolen from them when they were at their weakest, and now complained when Paradise Base grew stronger. Later on, Song Yu came to realize that what the people at the gas station weren¡¯t technically wrong either. At least they hadn¡¯t killed any of them, which they could have easily done. Instead, they just stole the bare minimum, letting them keep their clothes and shoes which was now a luxury. Now was reaching the third year of the apocalypse. The people were getting more and more ruthless and wouldn¡¯t even leave a single strand of hair now. Every part of the body could be sold too. Song Yu shivered when he recalled those child prostitutes and organ ¡®donors¡¯. They were coming closer and closer to the gas station, so Song Yu stayed vigilant inside the car. When they reached the 20 minute mark to the station, Lu Jingxiu narrowed his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re being followed.¡± Chapter 57—Gas Station stand-off Chapter 57¡ªGas Station stand-off by Bocchan13 It came as no surprise to anyone that they were being followed. Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu acted as look-outs, trying to span their spiritual energy outwards. The enemy was very well hidden, and seemed to be following them on foot. It was unlikely to be a high level zombie, so it was a most probably a person with passive abilities. Song Yu took out his temperature detector, trying to see any movement. But like a satellite resonance, the detector jammed. ¡°Is this a trap?¡± Everyone was getting into their zone, which starkly contrasted to their joyful conversation an hour ago. Lu Jingxiu saw a car coming at their side, his voice dangerously low. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Be careful of any spike strips.¡± The landscape was not the greenery of the mountains anymore, rather than barren desert. The orangey-red roads were surfaced with sandy rocks, easily hiding traps. The gas station was currently no man¡¯s land, and hasn¡¯t dried up quite yet because there were only small bases around. Some had actually tried, but the gas station was smack-dab in the middle of three small bases that chose to just share it, only as a peaceful alliance. So people from each three bases took charge in protecting it. Song Yu saw people holding guns at the gas station as well as a lookout barn in the south-east. He could see only eight people, excluding the ones in the cars and the ones hiding. Yu Ci slowly came to a stop, right when several dirty people came out from seemingly nowhere. Lan Zhou had dealt with many of these kinds of people. They wanted profit, and would get it by any means necessary. Lan Zhou got out, his clean rubber suit, sparkling weapons and washed hair was a stark contrast to the dirty people. Some of them eyed his suit greedily, whilst others looked at the beautiful gun and baton strapped on his lean thighs. A young boy who had on a thin shirt, his ribs poking through whistled highly. The whistle echoed, showing that the young boy had a sound ability. Not even a second later, someone came out of the gas station store. A man in a long coat came out. Dirtied with brown and black spots and sporting a grizzled beard and yellow teeth. He had sunken sallow eyes and a vest, tying his look to look like a bad western. He looked to be in his mid-40¡¯s, but you could see the muscled bulging from under his coat. ¡°Well what do we have here? You guys are looking pretty well for someone in the apocalypse.¡± His deep voice was accented with A country¡¯s northern dialect, but easily understood. Lan Zhou nodded his head. ¡°We want no trouble. We¡¯re willing to pay for the gas. Negotiations are possible.¡± The man rubbed his chin, flakes of something coming out of his beard. He smiled, cocking his head to one side. ¡°And what are you willing to sell? Your car is more valuable than your life, those pretty wheels can be taken off to sell and¡­¡± The grizzly man looked Lan Zhou up and down, noting down his handsome features. ¡°You can be sold off for a pretty penny as well.¡± Lan Zhou smiled. ¡°I can sell you information.¡± The man guffawed, poking his little finger in his nose. ¡°What info do you have that we don¡¯t already know? This gas station is already taken by three bases. I¡¯m gonna be nice and let you guys go with the clothes on your back. But¡­the car and everything inside stays with me.¡± Lan Zhou narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be reasonable and ignore what you just said. If you are underestimating me, you are vastly mistaken.¡± The man sneered, and spit at Lan Zhou¡¯s shoes. Inside the car, Song Yu watched with rapt attention. Seeing this clich¨¦ line-up of a bad western movie he had to shake his head. ¡°Is this guy stupid? If someone is so clean and sporting a car like this, wouldn¡¯t that indicate how strong he is?¡± Lu Jingxiu shook his head. ¡°People are dumb and can¡¯t see past their greed, but this is tactical. This wily old fox is probably smart enough to notice it and want Lan Zhou to sweeten the pot. They wouldn¡¯t have been this long in the game if they weren¡¯t cautious. ¡± Wang Cheng suddenly jerked his head to the right, ¡°There are more people coming from the outer perimeter. Someone must have tipped them off.¡± Song Yu could also vaguely sense more people coming in. If they didn¡¯t do things fast, then they would be surrounded. ¡°Well, if things don¡¯t do well¡­then we fight.¡± Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu smiled evilly and cracked their knuckles. Song Yu was also quite¡­excited. Killing people wasn¡¯t exactly on his list of things to be proud of. In fact, his moral compass had passed the point of no return in his previous life. But, he didn¡¯t know what their story was. If they just stole from people¡ªthat was fine. But to kill, rape, or eat was a bottom line Song Yu could not condone. If these people showed that they were at least human¡­then Song Yu would let them live. The old man could sense a deadly aura from the car. He didn¡¯t know who was inside it, but it was enough to trigger his lookouts to find him. Du Win used to own a farm in the outskirts of N City, when the apocalypse happened, his wife and daughter were killed, the only thing he could do was cry in his small home, ultimately getting an ability. He could see people¡¯s auras. Not like how dangerous they were¡­but the power level a person had. The darker the color, the more powerful they were. He endured for a year until three bases were made. His house was the epicenter between the three bases and closest to the gas station. When the three bases fought, he decided to claim the gas station and the three bases ultimately agreed to a peaceful co-operation with Du Win as the lookout. All of the people who were scrapped out of the base or had a disability were sent over to him, causing him to have a merry band of lovable idiots. Du Win could see Lan Zhou¡¯s aura, which was¡­black. The very first time he had ever seen that color on a person. Almost three years of the apocalypse had taught him to never cower under pressure, and to swindle anything they could. But this was a gamble. If they wanted to fight, they had to no choice but to go all out. Du Win spit once more on the ground, before continuing. ¡°Then sell me a deposit first. If the information is satisfactory, then we can negotiate.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Lan Zhou looked back at the car. The door opened, exposing Wang Cheng. Wang Cheng could be considered above average in the looks department. But it was his vibrant and smiling eyes and affectionate laugh that got him some girlfriends. His presence caused the motley crew to stare on in envy as his also clean appearance contrasted with theirs. Wang Cheng gave Lan Zhou a box before sidling next to him. ¡°Oooh, are you selling him to me? I¡¯ll take care of him for ya.¡± Lan Zhou ignored the quip and opened the box. In the box was a piece of the rubber reinforced wall in Song Yu¡¯s home. He had taken a few pieces under Song Yu¡¯s suggestion. ¡°We have the technology to reinforce walls that can withstand a zombie hoard.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s voice broke through the wind and directly into Du Win¡¯s ears. Eyes widening, he looked at the car with its shining glass and military grade steel. These people¡­were legit. Du Win was glad he hadn¡¯t done anything yet. His poker face was extremely well done as he devised in his head, a plan of what to do. This information¡­was priceless. Du Win could sell this information for so much more than a car. But if he wanted to sell it, he¡¯d have to kill them. The dark trembling aura from Lan Zhou was enough to make him scared. The only person higher than a Level 4 was only a passive skill. He wouldn¡¯t be able to kill them. Lan Zhou and Wang Cheng waited a bit until they heard Du Win laughing uproariously. ¡°Hahahaha! Come in! Come in! Let your other friends join you. Let¡¯s discuss this a bit deeper. If you can pay, you can get your gas.¡± Lan Zhou just nodded and took back the box. Under Du Win¡¯s greedy eyes, the box disappeared in Wang Cheng¡¯s space. Du Win took that to note Wang Cheng¡¯s ability. If they had this space ability user¡­ Lan Zhou beckoned the people to get out of the car. One by one, each person came out. Yu Ci was extremely tall and robust, his tight rubber suit showing off his muscular body. In contrast to the tiny sound ability user, they were like night and day. Du Win and several others in their crew watched as another person came out. Lu Jingxiu looked handsome and dangerous. One dirty girl even gasped as Lu Jingxiu¡¯s deep eyes scanned across the area. But it was Xiao Zi and Song Yu that made everyone gasp. Song Yu was wearing his tight bodysuit, his black eyes gleaming with hints of blue, showing his sculptured face and curly hair. Xiao Zi came out looking like a white lotus, his golden framed glasses magnifying his dazzling eyes. As the palest of them all, his delicate visage sent some desperado¡¯s into overdrive. Du Win whistled in appreciation at this group. However, his eyes widened as he saw Song Yu. His aura¡­was entirely white. Chapter 58—Negotiation Bocchan13 Chapter 58¡ªNegotiation by Bocchan13 Du Win wanted to rub his eyes as the white aura swirled around Song Yu. The darker the color, the more powerful the ability user. But even a non-ability user had a grey aura. Seeing a black aura surrounding Lan Zhou and a white aura surrounding Song Yu, it was like Yin and Yang. What¡­powers did these two people possess? He motioned the group into the gas station. With a flicker, the car was put into Wang Cheng¡¯s space. Du Win checked Wang Cheng¡¯s aura and was glad it was a mid grey. If he lost out on this deal, the least he could¡ªtry to¡ªget was this space ability user. He was curious about Lan Zhou and Song Yu and kept an eye on them. The six of them followed Du Win, watching as various people of different ages followed alongside and behind them. Song Yu counted around a dozen heads and the people coming from the other bases would reach this place in less than 5 minutes. They entered the gas station building that used to be a convenience store. It was converted into a living quarters for the 10+ people. Cots and smelly clothes could be seen strewn on the floor. The glass was completely gone from the doors, instead was covered by cardboard and moldy wood. There was a table that held cigarettes, old bottles and cans. Du Win talked to a young man, whispering in confidence. Lan Zhou turned to Du Win. Shrugging his shoulders, Du Win could only say, ¡°I work for the three bases around this gas station. If what you¡¯re selling us is legit, then we will provide you what you want. If not, well¡­we can always just kill you.¡± Unperturbed, Lan Zhou laughed. ¡°If you can¡¯t produce the amount we want, then we won¡¯t give you anything. If you try force, well¡­we can always just kill you and burn this place to the ground.¡± Having his words thrown back at him, Du Win grumbled and sat down on a dingy chair. ¡°Sit down. They¡¯re gonna take a while. We got a few cars but only some teams use them.¡± Lan Zhou took the lead and sat on a chair. Yu Ci opted not to since he was afraid the chair would break. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu didn¡¯t like the uncleanliness and did the same. Xiao Zi and Wang Cheng could only sit on a small stool. ¡°Names Du Win. If you want to know, the gas is still abundant. The three base leaders will tell you how much you can get. They¡¯re mighty scary though. One of them even killed an entire base on his own. I¡¯d reckon you guys just tell them what you know and leave with what they offer.¡± Lu Jingxiu smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. We will leave this place with all of us satisfied.¡± That didn¡¯t calm Dun Win down in the least. It was true that one of the leaders had killed an entire base. But the base was already on its way to death with a disease. They waited for ten minutes when they heard cars coming in. Du Win stood up, his arrogant face looking nervous. Lan Zhou and the rest also got up, showing subtle vigilance. Song Yu stared at the door. With a creak, the door opened revealing two men and one woman. Like cold water dousing his veins, Song Yu immediately recognized one of them. One of his ex-friends from his previous life. The level 7 wind ability user¡ªYu Hong. One of the men who watched Song Yu fall into the pit that severed his life. And one of the first friends he ever made in the apocalypse. Lan Zhou could see Song Yu stiffen, and his hands that used to be on his sides was now clawed onto Lan Zhou¡¯s arm. Sweat beads on his forehead, his face paling and eyes staring at one of the men. Lan Zhou saw the man give no recognition to Song Yu. So that was most probable he wasn¡¯t reborn as well. ¡°Song Yu?¡± Lan Zhou gently turned Song Yu to face him. Song Yu¡¯s mouth quivered, his legs feeling weak. All inside his mind was the face of Yu Hong as he fell. Like a broken record player, the scene kept repeating over and over again. Why did you betray me like this? What did I do that made you want to kill me? Weren¡¯t we friends? Didn¡¯t we go through the worst trauma known to man, and come out together? He could still remember Yu Hong¡¯s disgusted face, that sneer of hatred and devious ridicule. Everyone in the room was looking at Song Yu. Yu Hong stared at the beautiful person, his eyes darkening. ¡°You know me?¡± Song Yu¡¯s breathing grew short and sharp. Lan Zhou turned Song Yu around, his eyes glaring. ¡°He¡¯s a little sick. Lu Jingxiu will take care of the negotiations. I¡¯ll take him out for some air.¡± Lan Zhou easily picked Song Yu up and left the room, leaving everyone speechless. Everyone:¡­ Lu Jingxiu who had the role of leader thrusted on him sighed. Turning to the base leaders, he stood tall and valiant. ¡°Now¡­let¡¯s get started.¡± Yu Hong had watched the sickly person hug the man tightly, his eyes staring at him as if he had killed him. Turning back to the group, he spoke. ¡°We heard from Du Win that you have a way to reinforce walls. Is this true?¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded. ¡°We have a sample, the blueprint, and the material list.¡± The female leader was a stunning brown haired strong arm. Her robust body was filled with muscle, yet showed off her tight six pack figure, making her strong yet sexy. Ming Ze scoffed. ¡°What kind of bogus thing is this? Zombies can break through cement. Have you conducted any tests on it?¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded. ¡°It can withstand a zombie hoard and a warranty of up to ten years.¡± The last leader was a young looking man with long bangs covering his face. Despite looking like a weakling, he was the most powerful of the three. An Wei whistled. ¡°How much do you want for this? I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s not for free.¡± Lu Jingxiu smirked. He was in his element now. As a CEO of a multinational corporation, moving millions of dollars in under a second was like nothing. ¡°Of course for this information, we want what¡¯s best for all parties involved.¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes. ¡°We are all small bases, besides the gas station, there isn¡¯t much else of value that we have. What do you want?¡± ¡°We want an unlimited supply of gas for us. Any time we want it, we will come and take it.¡± ¡°No way! The gas line would dry up at this rate!¡± Yu Hong and An Wei agreed. ¡°Our bases are already using it in low consumption. We only do surveying once every two months.¡± ¡°We also do our own surveying once a month. How about instead, every month for the next 5 years we get a few gallons? And¡­¡± Lu Jingxiu glared at Du Win, ¡°we get a guaranteed safe pass every time we come.¡± The three base leaders were in a bind. Their bases were small with less than 1,000 people inside. Although there weren¡¯t zombie hordes, that didn¡¯t mean there would be in the future. Reinforced walls that stood for 10 years. It was a gamble. ¡°How long until you want an answer?¡± Ming Ze smiled coyly at Yu Ci, who completely ignored her advances. ¡°Unfortunately, this is a take it or leave it situation. We¡¯re in a hurry. As long as you guys follow up on your end, then we will ensure the safety of your bases. Win-win.¡± ¡°And if any of us renege?¡± Lu Jingxiu coldly laughed. ¡°Then we will tear down those walls you built and kill everyone.¡± Yu Hong, An Wei and Ming Ze quietly left to converse, taking Du Win with them. When they were out of earshot, they discussed. ¡°What are their levels? How dark are their aura¡¯s?¡± An Wei was the most powerful amongst the three, with a level 6 water ability. ¡°The two that left¡­one is black,¡± ¡°Black??! He¡¯s a level 10? A level?¡± ¡°¡­and one is white.¡± ¡°White? What does that mean?¡± Ming Ze shook Du Win. ¡°He¡¯s a non-ability user?¡± ¡°No, a non-ability user is usually light grey. Have you ever seen someone with a white aura before?¡± ¡°Du Win shook his head.¡± ¡°Even if we don¡¯t know, I would still be afraid. The black aura is deep. He could probably kill all of us together if he wanted to.¡± ¡°The information they¡¯re offering¡­do you think it¡¯s legit?¡± ¡°If we build it and it doesn¡¯t withstand, then we know right away and can block their entry.¡± ¡°If we double cross them, they will most likely retaliate. The only thing we can do is take the chance.¡± ¡°They want a guaranteed gas source. For the price of the blueprints, that¡¯s relatively cheap.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Okay, if they¡¯re hooligans, then they have a weird way of showing it.¡± Lu Jingxiu, Wang Cheng, Xiao Zi, and Yu Ci were still inside the gas station wondering where Lan Zhou and Song Yu went to¡­ Chapter 59—Trauma Chapter 59¡ªTrauma by Bocchan13 Song Yu was hyperventilating. Each breath grew more and more laborious, his mind buzzing and reeling. He couldn¡¯t hear Lan Zhou¡¯s voice nor see his face. He felt his body being picked up. The wind blew on his head, the hot summery breeze calming him a bit. He was always in the dark in the bunker recuperating, scared that when he was asleep, zombies would attack. He learned to breathe slowly and deeply, so that his heart slowed down to a thud. It was in this darkness, that he craved light. His ears were still ringing as Yu Hong¡¯s face overlapped with the one from the past. He had met Yu Hong in the B Base¡¯s lab. He was a skinny thing, only a year younger than Song Yu. His wind ability was a hassle to control for the doctors, so he spent a lot of time tied to a bed. Whenever Song Yu met him, he was always crying. After their escape, Yu Hong blossomed into a very powerful wind ability user. Although he was happy, there existed darkness inside of him. He was in charge of outside raids. Any team he went on, almost 90% would come back. But there were rumors that the 10% that didn¡¯t come back, were because Yu Hong had killed them. Song Yu didn¡¯t believe in this in the slightest, blindly believing Yu Hong to be a just and fair leader. Until his death, Song Yu never got to find out Yu Hong¡¯s true colors. Yu Hong at the age of 44 was a cutthroat and seasoned apocalyptic veteran. The Yu Hong he met now, was now the leader of his own small base. Song Yu had heard from that night in the cave that Lan Zhou and everyone else had stopped the B Base ability testing in its infancy. So Yu Hong never got to experience the cruel torture from him previous life. That didn¡¯t negate the fact that Yu Hong was responsible in some part for his murder. Song Yu compartmentalized everything in his brain, his breathing getting shallower until stopping completely. ¡°Song Yu! Song Yu! Look at me!¡± Song Yu stared blankly at Lan Zhou¡¯s worried eyes. Am I dreaming now? Is this an illusion that I was reborn? Silent tears escaped Song Yu¡¯s eyes, as panic overset his frazzled mind. I¡¯m still in that place. Every day exhausted. I just want to sleep. I want to sleep. An image surfaced in his mind. Song Yu sitting on the small bed in his bunker, a small smile on his face. A callused hand reached out and touched his cheek preciously, massaging those deep sunken blue from under his eyes. Song Yu sighed and snuggled his cheek on that weathered hand, as if it was his lifeline. ¡°Breathe deeply. You¡¯re okay ¡­¡± . . . ¡°Song Yu! Breathe deeply. You¡¯re okay.¡± Song Yu felt a hand caress his cheek like in his vision. He snuggled his hand on that precious warmth. Opening his eyes, he stared at Lan Zhou. They were somehow outside. Song Yu was nestled in Lan Zhou¡¯s arms, hands clutching tight to his neck. Tear stains on Lan Zhou¡¯s shirt, with the hot breeze blowing their hair. Song Yu blinked in confusion. ¡°Lan Zhou? Where are we?¡± Lan Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, and hugged him. Song Yu felt the comfortable embrace and returned the pressure. Song Yu could still feel that isolated darkness, but the overwhelming love of Lan Zhou¡¯s embrace settled his buzzing mind. ¡°After seeing the base leader you went into a trance-like state¡­Song Yu, its okay. Breathe in and out.¡± Song Yu followed Lan Zhou¡¯s voice, breathing deeply in and out. Lan Zhou subconsciously rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. They weren¡¯t necessarily hidden, so when Song Yu finally calmed, he was faced with 10+ people trying to look away from the scene. Blushing deeply, he averted his gaze and muffled his embarrassed groan. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± Lan Zhou kissed his forehead, his concern deep. Song Yu nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­I get like this sometimes¡­¡± ¡°Is it because of the base leader? Did you meet him before?¡± Song Yu slowly shook his head. In this life they were strangers. ¡°He¡­looks a lot like someone I knew.¡± ¡°From before?¡± Song Yu nodded. ¡°That person¡­hurt me badly. I didn¡¯t know that he hated me so much.¡± His voice trailed off until it was no more than a whisper. The pain in his voice was deeply apparent. Lan Zhou tightened his grip on Song Yu. ¡°How badly did this person hurt you?¡± There was an edge of iciness in his voice. Lan Zhou could pretty much guess who Yu Hong was. Although Song Yu hadn¡¯t told him about his past, he had heard enough from the Paradise Base lowlifes how they treated their ¡®leader¡¯. Song Yu didn¡¯t want to tell Lan Zhou, but felt that hiding it would cause even more trouble. ¡°He wanted to kill m¡ª,¡± Lan Zhou kissed him before he could finish the sentence. Even just thinking about it got him angry. Song Yu could feel Lan Zhou¡¯s anger. Not at him, but at the situation. Song Yu closed his eyes and felt all of the love in the world. Slowly comforting each other, their hearts in tune, it was as if the center of his universe was right next to him now. ¡°If I meet that person, I¡¯ll kill him for you.¡± Song Yu smiled. ¡°It was a long long time ago. I don¡¯t seek revenge nor answers. But I¡¯m still a little bit scared. If he finds me again, what would he say? What hurtful things is he capable of?¡± Song Yu whispered, ¡°He used to be a friend. If a friend can do this, a mother can do this, then a lover can do this¡­what¡¯s the point of anything anymore?¡± Lan Zhou could grasp Song Yu¡¯s deeply rooted cynicism. All of the people he loved abandoned him. Seeing them again, reborn with the knowledge while they walk away with a free mind. It was enough to make someone mad. ¡°If they ever hurt you again, rather it be in the past or in the future¡­I will always be here to help you.¡± Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu¡¯s eyelids, the eyelashes lightly brushing his lips. ¡°I swear to you.¡± Song Yu kissed Lan Zhou¡¯s lips. A small kiss that rendered both of them breathless. They heard a whistle from the crowd, causing their little intimate moment to break. Lan Zhou chuckled as Song Yu got red and hauled him up to his feet. Song Yu¡¯s legs were no longer jelly, but strong and firm. Taking his hand, they slowly walked back to the gas station. Entering the door, they saw the last of the negotiations; Lu Jingxiu¡¯s face all smiles. ¡°Sorry for that. Did you finish everything?¡± ¡°Yep, all good. Got free fuel for 5 years.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Yu Hong had just finished the trade-off when Song Yu and Lan Zhou came in. He stared at Song Yu a bit, his eyes trailing over Song Yu¡¯s no longer pale face. Song Yu avoided Yu Hong, directly turning to his group and talking. Yu Hong felt like he had to say something, but he didn¡¯t know what. Instead, he turned around and went back to his car. Ming Ze and An Wei introduced themselves. Shaking their hands, Song Yu felt like these Base leaders weren¡¯t too bad. ¡°Happy cooperation. To ensure you get your fuel each month, I have this.¡± An Wei took out a small marble the size of a pinky fingernail. The uneven spirit stone shone flashes of blue and white. He blushed a little bit and handed it to Lu Jingxiu. ¡°It¡¯s a thing called a spirit stone. It¡¯s a condensing of your spiritual powers into a physical state¡­this one is small. I tried to make it bigger, but I can¡¯t seem to get the parameters right.¡± Everyone looked dumbfounded at the spirit stone. Spirit stones didn¡¯t manifest until 5 years in the apocalypse, and the reason why it became known similar as an ¡®engagement ring¡¯ 3 years later was because of a water ability user in D country who gave the spirit stone to his lover¡­ Xiao Zi smacked Lu Jingxiu¡¯s head. ¡°You cheating on me?¡± ¡°N-no! Xiao Zi, I didn¡¯t know he was going to give it to me! Wait!¡± Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu ran out of the gas station, Song Yu looked outside to see Lu Jingxiu grovel on the floor. It was to be expected. Although spirit stones were used as currency, in the later years it became scarcer and scarcer since ability users got stronger and no longer needed to rely on them. When it became a ¡®a spirit stone is a manifestation of your love¡¯ thing, people were toting them around like jewelry. An Wei¡­might have been the very first person to manifest a spirit stone. And since he was a water ability user¡­he might also have been the one to make it the fad. An Wei was still holding his pitiful spirit stone. All of a sudden, the spirit stone was grabbed. Looking up, An Wei was face to face to the large Yu Ci who held the tiny stone in his large hands. Holding it gently, Yu Ci smiled kindly. ¡°Do not worry. We will keep it safely and bring it whenever we come to get the fuel. You can be rest assured.¡± Happy, An Wei smiled, his long bangs parting to show beautiful eyes¡ªmilky white eyes that have long not been able to see. Chapter 60—Birds of Prey Bocchan13 Chapter 60¡ªBirds of Prey by Bocchan13 Yu Ci paused as the bangs parted revealing sightless eyes. Quickly averting his gaze, he felt quite stupid. He couldn¡¯t see, so he doesn¡¯t know that I was staring. ¡°Were you staring?¡± Eyes widening, he stuttered with flustered conviction. ¡°No.¡± An Wei laughed, he pushed his bangs to the side, revealing both white eyes. ¡°Born not being able to see. When I became an ability user, I got better senses, so going places is not an issue. I can smell, taste, and feel things in a vastly different way.¡± Song Yu and Lan Zhou were mightily impressed while Wang Cheng alongside Yu Ci gaped. ¡°Wow! Can you smell me? Am I smelly?¡± An Wei took a small sniff and ruffled his nose. ¡°You smell like¡­roses.¡± Wang Cheng closed his mouth and retreated. An Wei smiled and pulled his bangs down hiding his eyes, ¡°The spirit stone will be left with you. Anyone around these parts will know what that is and will let you in. Du Win is responsible for the care of the gas station, so if you need anything, tell him.¡± Finally, both sides were happy with their negotiation, so Du Win took them to get their monthly stipend of gas. In less than an hour, they were ready to leave. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu reconciled and rejoined the group. Yu Ci was a little tired, so Lu Jingxiu took the wheel letting Lan Zhou to sit in the back with Song Yu. ¡°The safe house Song Yu mentioned will take another couple of hours. We will get there by night time. Wang Cheng and Yu Ci get some rest so you can take first watch. Song Yu and I will take second, and Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi take morning.¡± The road was quite a bit bumpy, filled with potholes and dents. But there were no abandoned cars or broken bridges. The car ride got a bit bumpy when they suddenly felt a presence once again. Song Yu opened his eyes, ¡°Zombie¡¯s.¡± Lu Jingxiu nodded. There was a small herd of zombies walking around. They were low level, but some could run as fast as the car. One of the zombies screamed, it¡¯s shriveled up head echoing that of a bat. Lan Zhou opened the top of the car, with only enough space for his body. Condensing a small blue fire ball, he threw it accurately at the zombie¡¯s mouth, muffling its cry while blazing it to smithereens. A few other zombies tried to follow them, but Lan Zhou¡¯s aim was accurate, stopping them in their tracks. A huge sigh of relief was felt when the last of the zombies were left behind. When they were just about to go on another leisurely ride, they heard a giant scream. Not like a human zombie¡­but an animals. ¡°It¡¯s a bird!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a plane!¡± ¡°Shut up Wang Cheng!¡± A gigantic eagle flew down. Unlike animals with spiritual awareness, zombified animals were bitten and transformed. The eagle had white eyes, its yellowish beak extremely sharp with residual blood from its last victim. One of the wings were featherless, exposing its bones. The legs which should have been talons had somehow mutated to resemble human feet with gnarly sharp toenails. The eagle screamed, the sound creating a large echo. But unlike signaling for zombies to come, this was a threatening cry, as if saying ¡®this is my prey¡¯. Up in the sky, the eagle didn¡¯t look too big, but as it swooped down, the size got larger and larger, until it was the size of their vehicle, its wing span almost as wide as a boat. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± The eagles ugly feet scraped the top of the car, the nails like knifes, penetrating the top. The skylight that Lan Zhou had used before was scratched. The eagle glided higher in the air, its broken wing flapping. ¡°It¡¯s using a wind ability to help it keep flying.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°It can probably lift up the car.¡± Lan Zhou tried to open the window, but it was stuck due to the force the eagle put on it. Yu Ci seeing this, had no choice but to forcefully change the shape until the door opened. Lan Zhou got up, his entire upper body outside of the car. He threw several fireballs, but the bird avoided them easily. The bird was accelerating faster and faster before diving towards the car again. Instead of condensing it into a ball, Lan Zhou let it free flow from his palms. In an instant a slash of fire lit up into the sky. The eagle, sensing danger dove sideways. Lan Zhou gritted his teeth before using his other hand to create another pillar. The eagle stopped its descent and floated in front of the car. Lu Jingxiu had to stop the car. If they hit it, it would damage the car, causing their only means of transportation trashed. Skidding to a stop, the car was in the line of the eagles flight path. The eagle flew straight to the car windshield, its legs stretching to take the car. Lu Jingxiu and Lan Zhou got out of the car and immediately started working on fighting the eagle. Spears of ice and fire dazzled the setting sun. The eagle had always eaten when it was hungry, and knew instinctively that this meal would be the tastiest it would ever eat. But the food did not back down. The bird used its wind ability, creating a small tornado. The car flew up a few feet before Lu Jingxiu could avert its attention away from everyone else by throwing needle thin spears at the eagle, causing it to go through the feathers of its only operational wing. ¡°Now!¡± With a flick of a wrist, Lan Zhou¡¯s fire ability exploded from the needles, disarming the bird¡¯s flight. Falling down, the bird screamed loudly. Another blast of explosive fire tore through the wings, eating it completely. Devoured in blue embers, the eagle screamed louder and louder, the esophagus finally turning to ash. Lan Zhou and Lu Jingxiu were panting in exhaustion, whilst the crew in the car was waiting. Song Yu glanced at everyone in the car, and they looked so unbothered by the situation. Like they were just going on a stroll through a scenic route, having fun. Song Yu knew they were powerful¡­but he didn¡¯t know that they were this powerful. An eagle of that size and proportion would have needed at least ten level 5 people. The difference in levels was evident. Song Yu could only smile as Lu Jingxiu and Lan Zhou got back into the car. ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯m so exhausted!¡± ¡°You could have sent frost to its bones, but you had to look cool and throw ice spears instead.¡± ¡°What about you? You never go all out at the beginning. If you had, you would have easily beaten it before it crushed the car. Now how are we going to fix it!?¡± Xiao Zi took over the driving and let them rest. Song Yu got into the passenger seat and read the map, realizing their rest stop was only 30 minutes away. The rest stop was far from the road and was secluded in a hilly area. Song Yu discovered an abandoned shack well hidden in the shrubbery. Since it was long abandoned, there weren¡¯t that many zombies. After cleaning it up and reinforcing it, the shack was turned into a small rest house. Everyone was pretty tired by the day¡¯s events. Opening the shack, everything was intact and looked like no one had found it. There was only one bed, so they split everything evenly. Since there was always two people on watch, there were two places to sleep. The back of the car could be converted into a bed, and the bed inside the shack could hold another two. So they would rotate their sleeping area throughout the night. Song Yu expertly converted the car into sleep mode. Yu Ci, seeing the entire backseat resemble a military bunk was quite happy with the arrangement, but was promptly told that he and Wang Cheng had first watch. Grumbling, he complied. They set up a small campfire and ate dinner with cold rice, beef jerky and a small pot of vegetable soup. Song Yu and Lan Zhou slept deeply together in the back of the car. Song Yu was deep asleep snuggled in Lan Zhou¡¯s embrace when he heard the sounds of feet shuffling outside¡­ Chapter 61—A familiar face Chapter 61¡ªA familiar face by Bocchan13 ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Yu Ci and Wang Cheng armed themselves, the guns gleaming in the night. They had heard the shuffling of feet sometimes ago, but just thought it was a passing zombie. However, the closer the sound got, the more it confirmed that the deliberate footsteps belonged to an individual person. Wang Cheng raised the muzzle of his gun to the outside, his hearing sharp. ¡°Why would a single person be out in the middle of nowhere at night?¡± Yu Ci and Wang Cheng heard a twig snap, and under the light of the fire, a lone figure stopped in front of them. The man was tall, his arms and legs incased in what seemed like a uniform. There didn¡¯t seem to be any wounds indicating zombification however there was dried blood on the front of and on the man¡¯s hands. The man came closer to the fire light, showing deep amber eyes. Raising his hands in the air, he posed no harm to them. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Yu Ci hissed. The man stopped, before slumping on the floor. In an instant, the person was knocked out cold. Only a few seconds later, they could hear the man snore. Wang Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Yu Ci: ¡°¡­¡± Yu Ci did not slacken his gun. Taking cautious steps, he used his toe to jab the man¡¯s stomach. The man snorted and grumbled before resuming his sleep. Yu Ci hit harder, making the man flip to his back. In the firelight, you could see the man¡¯s strong jawline and roguish features. His size was comparable to Lan Zhou¡¯s with sinewy muscles under his guard uniform. Wang Cheng kept his aim on the man as Yu Ci went through the man¡¯s pockets. A map filled with red circles, indistinguishable markings, a compass, a small satellite radio, a bottle of almost empty water and what seemed to be the leftovers of a potato. ¡°Let¡¯s call Lan Zhou and Song Yu.¡± Song Yu was woken up quickly afterwards. Still groggy, he yawned and squinted his eyes. When information processed, his eyes widened into saucers¡­ T-this man! The ice ability user! Song Yu remembered this man from the club. In the previous life, the man used to be a guard for B Base and was the key factor in their escape. He never knew what happened to him, and the man never came to Paradise Base, so his fate was unknown till the very end. When Song Yu met him again at the club, he was glad that he could interact with him, but then he was distracted by Lan Zhou¡­ ¡°He¡­he¡­¡± Lan Zhou saw the awe and happiness in Song Yu¡¯s expression. Looking disdainly at the sleeping figure, he motioned to him. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes¡­um¡­before, he helped me in a bad situation. I thought he had died before. Looking at him now, I think he was deserted by his team¡­or something.¡± Lan Zhou nodded his head thoughtfully. He too, recognized the man as the bartender of the club where they met. It had been fleeting and two years ago, but Lan Zhou didn¡¯t forget a memorable face. And the man sleeping like the dead was considered classically handsome. ¡°Wake up Lu Jingxiu and douse him with ice water. We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s here as a scout or just wants to leech off of us.¡± Wang Cheng went to go do that, while Yu Ci propped the man up. Lolling his head, the unconscious man leaned forward and pressed his dirty forehead on Yu Ci¡¯s shoulder. Yu Ci paused before gently helping the man, righting his position up, all the while tying ropes on his hands and feet. Lu Jingxiu didn¡¯t like being woken up, especially when he was in the arms of his beloved. But when he heard that there was an intruder at the camp, he diligently came out to investigate. Seeing the man, he cocked his head to the side. Unlike Wang Cheng and Lan Zhou who had been abroad before the apocalypse, Lu Jingxiu was an avid club-goer, who went for business to get more info out of drunk people. So, he knew this person personally. ¡°Hey guys, this guy used to be a bartender at the club. His name¡¯s Wu Ding.¡± Lan Zhou didn¡¯t primarily care, but Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu both knew him, so that gave way for less caution. However, it was still the end of the second year of the apocalypse¡ªpeople could change. ¡°Wake him up and let us see first.¡± Lu Jingxiu took out an ice block and had Yu Ci crush it on top of the sleeping man. The crushed ice instantly melted in the palm of Yu Ci¡¯s hand and dripped cold water on Wu Ding. The ice trickled down his neck into the collar of his shirt, making Wu Ding widen his eyes. ¡°EEYAAHH! Get away from me! I¡¯m gonna punch you!¡± Wu Ding wanted to punch whatever was closest to him, but then realized his hands were tied. ¡°Kyaaaah!! I¡¯m tied up! Shi¡ª¡° Wu Ding realized they were outside and had to shut up. His outburst might have gotten the attention of zombies. Pursing his lips, Wu Ding took in this circle of people. He didn¡¯t remember what had happened. He was completely tired, not sleeping for the past three days trying to find shelter. His confused and disarrayed face was clear to everyone¡¯s eyes. Lan Zhou waved his hand. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Wonderful. Now tell me¡­,¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s smiled turned deadly in an instant. ¡°¡­why did you come here?¡± Wu Ding gulped. He wanted to feign sleep or fainting, but knew he would be woken up again. ¡°Ummm¡­I didn¡¯t know it was your area. I thought this was no-man¡¯s land. I didn¡¯t think there was a base here. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lan Zhou knelt down until they were face to face. ¡°How¡¯d you get to no-man¡¯s land all by yourself?¡± Wu Ding couldn¡¯t really explain. One minute, he was minding his own business when he had a horrible dream a day before the apocalypse. In the dream, he got ice ability powers. However, he was tipped off that B City was recruiting ability users for experimentation. When he found out, he hid his abilities and worked as a lowly guard in the epicenter of the city. The best hiding place is one in plain sight. His secret was soon found out by one of the experiments named Ye Xin. Instead of blackmailing him, Ye Xin told Wu Ding that they were going to escape, and that if Wu Ding helped them, they would take him with them. Wu Ding knew that he couldn¡¯t let this opportunity pass by. So, on the day of the break-out, Wu Ding left his post and stole the keys to the facility, aiding their escape. As a Level 1 ice ability user, he wasn¡¯t used to using his powers, but for the desperation of freedom, he did what he could. The plan was going smoothly until he was caught and the other ability-users escaped. This led Wu Ding down the path of pain. As punishment for helping them escape, he was tortured, used as an experiment and was brutally tormented by the main doctors, causing him mental anguish and PTSD. It wasn¡¯t until six months later that a group of vigilantes set ablaze B City and set Wu Ding free from the nightmare. Wu Ding spent much of his time shivering in fear and hiding away from people in the labs, and didn¡¯t understand that B Base was being evacuated. He didn¡¯t comprehend it as doctors, scientists, nurses, and aid staffs were flittering around, taking equipment and talking furiously. Wu Ding could only stay in his little cubicle and watch, dead-eyed. He never left B Base, even when it was on fire. Using his ice ability, he sheltered a few people and endured. Once the embers turned to ash, Wu Ding continued to stay in the burnt city. Everyone left except for him. Wu Ding was too scared to leave and stayed in the small cubicle of his torture chamber which had surprisingly not been burnt during the catastrophe. Wu Ding stayed there until his death two years later, still unable to leave the cage he endured so much pain from. When Wu Ding woke up from the dream, he had been crying and curling into a fetal position, as if self-soothing himself. He spent the next 12 hours trying to comfort himself that it was just a dream. Until, the meteor shower hit and everyone became zombies. Bocchan13 Chapter 62—Past lifer’s need to stick together Chapter 62¡ªPast lifer¡¯s need to stick together by Bocchan13 Wu Ding resolved to never be like his past life. So the night of the zombie apocalypse, Wu Ding left B City as quickly as he could and settled up in C City, making his way to A Country whenever he could. He didn¡¯t stay with any base for fear of having been experimented on. Even after six months into the apocalypse, Wu Ding trusted no one and only took jobs where he knew he could rely on himself. After a time and ability users had a better reputation, did Wu Ding start using his powers. Level 1 became Level 2 and Level 2 skyrocketed to Level 5. Wu Ding finally made it to A Country with the help of a few small bases and side jobs collecting things. The reason he was going to A Country? Wu Ding had heard a broadcast in the first two weeks of the apocalypse. It was only broadcast for that short period of time, and anyone who didn¡¯t listen to the radio wouldn¡¯t have heard it, but Wu Ding whose best friend was a radio in his previous life, listened to it attentively every day. The broadcast was about how to survive the apocalypse. Tips and tricks Wu Ding had known in his ¡®previous¡¯ life. That meant that there was another person who was reborn. Wu Ding had figured out that the transmission was from A Country. Wu Ding didn¡¯t want to be alone anymore, and figured that the only person who was kind enough to help people during the start of the apocalypse was someone who could understand his struggles of being reborn. Past-lifers needed to stick together. Wu Ding¡¯s mindset wasn¡¯t an overbearing hero complex; he didn¡¯t have a giant agenda of saving the world. No. He just didn¡¯t want to be alone and sad anymore. These past two years, he didn¡¯t have the strength to let people in; only moving forward and trying his best. He had recently been stiffed on a collection job and lost his only means of transportation. Smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, Wu Ding thought he was going to die in the barren wasteland. Luckily, he didn¡¯t see many zombies around and was able to evade robbers. It had been three days since then, and on the night of total exhaustion, he saw a small fire in the distant and bet his last vestige of life to go there for sanctuary. Wu Ding couldn¡¯t tell him that! ¡°Uhh¡­I was working for R Base as a collector; they stiffed me on payment and stole my bike. I¡¯ve been walking around the past three days until I saw the fire. I probably fell asleep when I figured out I was safe.¡± Wu Ding wanted to scratch his head, but the rope ties impeded his habit. Glancing beseechingly at the crew, he couldn¡¯t resist staring at the nice dry beef Wang Cheng had been eating. A growl echoed before fizzling out making Wu Ding even more ashamed. Lan Zhou could tell that Wu Ding said the truth when his things were stolen. What made Lan Zhou the most cautious was why this seemingly innocent ice ability user was now two countries away from B Base. Most people stayed in their countries, where it was safer and the language was easier. Those who ventured farther were either looking for something or hiding. Wu Ding fell in the former category. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Wu Ding paused. Suddenly, he felt a feverish heat in front of him. Lan Zhou had opened his palms creating a small blue sphere of fire. Its glow radiated outwards, reflecting through Wu Ding¡¯s eyes. Wu Ding froze in fright, wanting to release from his bindings, he tried to distance himself from Lan Zhou and the horrible fire. A block met his back and Wu Ding turned to see the immovable Yu Ci. With pleading eyes, he blinked as if he was the most innocent thing in the world. ¡°Please, I¡¯ll get out of your hair. I don¡¯t have a group or a base. I won¡¯t tell anyone where you are, okay?¡± Lan Zhou lifted the fireball and it floated perilously closer to Wu Ding¡¯s thick hair. ¡°I¡ªI¡ªPlease don¡¯t! I¡¯m looking for someone! I¡¯m looking for someone!!!¡± Lan Zhou retrieved the ball and let it fizzle out. Wu Ding sighed in relief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Song Yu had been analyzing Wu Ding¡¯s reactions, seeing if Wu Ding was anything dangerous. Recognizing that besides Wu Ding being far from B Base, his overall personality was the same as his previous life. Song Yu tugged on Lan Zhou¡¯s sleeve, shaking his head. Lan Zhou understood and retreated even more. He was too overprotective. No one knew who Song Yu was in this life. Wu Ding was probably not looking for him. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the person who radioed at the very beginning of the apocalypse. He included a lot of information that I need. I wanted to find him and talk to him¡­¡± Song Yu froze. Shit. Lan Zhou did not understand. ¡°What radioed message?¡± ¡°Um¡­an hour after the apocalypse happened, there was an online frequency broadcast on radio, TV, and the internet blog sites. It only lasted for 10 minutes detailing a lot of things. This sporadic message came on every day for the next 2 weeks but at that point no one was listening because the internet was down and the TV had no signal. The only message that survived was on the radio. Since not many people listen to the radio, it also didn¡¯t spread out too far.¡± Lan Zhou and the rest (except for Song Yu) were now wary. Was there another person reborn? ¡°Do you have a recording?¡± ¡°Y-yes! It¡¯s on my radio!¡± Wu Ding gestured to his deserted backpack, a small compact radio inside. Yu Ci and Wang Cheng had checked the items and placed them back in the backpack when Wu Ding was unconscious, so getting it was easy. Lan Zhou gave it a brief inspection and handed it over to Wu Ding. ¡°Uh¡­can you untie me please?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Wu Ding awkwardly turned on his little radio. The radio was an old one that a grandpa would probably own. Albeit ancient looking, it was still well cared for and worked perfectly. On the back was a cassette player that recorded up to a few minutes. Wu Ding had to rewind the cassette with a fitted pen. It took a minute or so, but the cassette was rewound enough to play. Song Yu really, REALLY wanted to smash that thing to the ground. He had distorted his voice somewhat, but you could still hear it was him. Especially to Lan Zhou. Can I just accidentally step on it? That ice user is holding it. What, you magically can fly now? Lan Zhou will hear that it¡¯s me! Serves you right! Song Yu was anxious as Wu Ding pressed play¡­ ¡°¡­grimoidnin¡­jusdic¡­garble¡­¡± Everyone: ¡­ ¡°Uh, it will take a while. Wait for it!¡± Wu Ding raised it, as if willing it to work. Everyone looked at the radio again. ¡°¡­burwapito¡­seti¡­meteo¡­¡± Everyone: ¡­ ¡°It really works!¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Lan Zhou smacked Wu Ding¡¯s head. Feeling aggrieved, Wu Ding whimpered. When Lan Zhou was just about to give him a beating, the recording started: ¡°This is a warning to everyone and anyone who will listen. The meteor that hit will release a toxic virus and cause horrific damages to you and your loved ones¡­ ¡°..abilities will manifest in the coming weeks of the apocalypse. If you can protect yourselves from researchers and bases that do human experimentation, ¡°¡­Water will be polluted, in order to prevent this, only take sources from water or ice ability users. If you don¡¯t have one, then pay for them according to the bases government standard¡­¡± ¡°¡­laws are no longer the status quo. If you think you are in danger, please eliminate whether it be human or not¡­¡± ¡°¡­make sure your blind spots are covered as you group. If you¡¯re a group of more than 5, have someone delegate as a leader and control your breathing. If you are going out on raids, there are definite routes at these co-ordinates¡­¡± More and more information in this small 10 minute sequence was being fired out like a list. So fast it was going, that you would hear one thing and not realize the next thing being said. It was certain that this person was saying it as fast as he could in the shortest allotted time. ¡°¡­.and please¡­everyone¡­stay alive.¡± Everyone was silent as the last words played. Song Yu was secretly looking at each member. His voice was distorted with the recording as well, masking it but he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. If they found out that he was reborn too¡­he wondered what they would do to him. Xiao Zi adjusted his glasses, ¡°There is another person reborn?¡± Yu Ci and Wang Cheng nodded their heads in tandem, ¡°This is not a coincidental broadcast. This person was probably reborn before the apocalypse wanted to help people so sent this broadcast when people were panicking.¡± Lu Jingxiu wanted to study the radio. Before he could touch it, the radio dropped and Wu Ding had grasped Lu Jingxiu¡¯s hand. Lu Jingxiu felt the offending hand and spread his ice ability. Wu Ding nullified the ability and stopped its trajectory, creating ice dust. ¡°Y-you¡­you just said reborn?¡± Wu Ding was getting restless as he dug his fingers in deeper to Lu Jingxiu¡¯s wrist. ¡°You know about reborn people? There are more than just one??¡± Everyone looked at Wu Ding with astonished eyes. ¡°No way¡­is he?¡± Wang Cheng pointed at Wu Ding. Wu Ding all of a sudden dropped Lu Jingxiu¡¯s hands and bent forward, kowtowing frantically. ¡°Hahahahahah! Take me with you!!!!¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 63—A tail following Bocchan13 Chapter 63¡ªA tail following by Bocchan13 ¡°Shut it!¡± Lan Zhou once again smacked Wu Ding on the head. Wu Ding whimpered but otherwise kept kowtowing, his excited voice apparent. ¡°You guys are all reborn right? You guys know what happened in the apocalypse, right? Hahahh! Me too! I¡¯m one too! I¡¯ve been looking for the broadcaster because I thought he was the only person reborn, but you guys are too! I¡¯m so fucking lucky! Hahahahahaha¡± Wu Ding¡¯s handsome face was so alight with such happiness, it made everyone awkward. Wu Ding stopped kowtowing and smiled mischievously before shock overtook him. ¡°Oh my God,¡± pointing to Lan Zhou. ¡°I RECOGNIZE YOU NOW! You obliterated B Base! I remember the blue fire! Damn. What a coincidence I¡¯d find you here.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s hand twitched. He wanted to smack him in the face this time. He dragged Wu Ding to the small safe house. The mouth on this guy was way too loud and if he continued to yell, he would attract zombies. ¡°Yu Ci and Wang Cheng can go rest; can Song Yu and Xiao Zi take the next watch? Lu Jingxiu and I still need to interrogate this guy.¡± Song Yu and Xiao Zi had no complaints, but Song Yu was still a bit jittery from the recording. He was happy that Wu Ding didn¡¯t recognize him. It was to be expected since the only time they met, Song Yu was delirious with pain and almost passed out. His gaunt body was a stark contrast to what he was now. Lan Zhou and Lu Jingxiu took Wu Ding into the safe house. Wu Ding¡¯s clothes were still filthy with blood and smelled horrible, so Lan Zhou didn¡¯t let him on the bed but dumped him on the floor. ¡°Ouch! Gentle please!¡± Wu Ding¡¯s roped hands wasn¡¯t pulled off, so he didn¡¯t have a good balance. Lan Zhou and Lu Jingxiu didn¡¯t really care and squatted down so they were eye level. ¡°When where you reborn?¡± Wu Ding¡¯s eyes sparkled. He was right! They are all reborn! ¡°Not technically¡­but I had a dream a day before the apocalypse. In the dream, I was a B Base entry-level guard hiding from the researchers.¡± Lu Jingxiu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Where you there when the pure ability user escaped?¡± ¡° Pure¡­? I only had contact with the leader of the rebels. I just helped open the doors and let them escape.¡± ¡°So you helped them leave the base, what happened to them. Where did they go?¡± Wu Ding lowered his eyes, the energetic feeling completely gone. ¡°I was caught and was taken into the research facility. I don¡¯t know what happened to them after that. I stayed in the facility for the next few months before this guy blazed it to the ground.¡± Wu Ding pointed to Lan Zhou. ¡°I stayed in B Base until I died.¡± Lan Zhou tightened his lips. His eyes that had narrowed in dubiousness was now filled with a certain guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wu Ding shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. If you hadn¡¯t done it, I would have stayed in the research facility far longer and might not have been sound of mind. It was me who decided to stay back and die there.¡± Lu Jingxiu was also quite sorry. When they broke into B Base, they never took in account the innocent civilian lives they sacrificed to bring B Base down. Lu Jingxiu took Lan Zhou aside, worry on his face. ¡°Lan Zhou, the recordings¡­is it the pure ability user?¡± Lan Zhou had already known the minute it played that it was Song Yu. Song Yu had more generosity than anyone could possess, because even though he became scared of the outside world¡­he still tried his best to save it. If Lan Zhou acknowledged that the recordings belonged to the pure ability user¡­would those lead back to Song Yu? ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than possible. The pure ability user wasn¡¯t there when we went to B Base, and we searched all around the place. The pure ability user could¡¯ve also been reborn like us and didn¡¯t want to stay around B Base.¡± The more Lu Jingxiu talked, the more the arrow pointed to Song Yu. Lu Jingxiu hadn¡¯t connected those dots yet, but it wouldn¡¯t take too long. Lan Zhou¡­needed to talk to Song Yu. But he wouldn¡¯t do it until they were back home. ¡°For now, we are still going to N City and getting stuff. Let¡¯s think on this for the time being.¡± Lu Jingxiu furrowed his brows but conceded. ¡°Then what should we do about him? He might have more info on the pure ability user.¡± Lan Zhou looked back to Wu Ding, who was fiddling with the ropes on his wrist. Sighing, he shook his head. ¡°Just let him go when morning comes. If he wants to follow us that¡¯s fine, but we won¡¯t be responsible for him.¡± Lu Jingxiu wanted to argue, but felt that it was hypocritical. Taking prisoners wasn¡¯t uncommon, but Lu Jingxiu and co, did not condone those acts. So Lu Jingxiu nodded and posed no further questions. ¡°You can stay in this room until morning, then we¡¯ll let you go.¡± Wu Ding did not like this one bit! ¡°Please let me follow you! I swear, I¡¯ll be good. I won¡¯t do anything to you!! I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll wash your backs, how¡¯s that? I can fix cars! I can even sleep¡ª¡° ¡°No need. It¡¯s not up to me to keep you. We¡¯re just on a raid, and will head back to our own base. Do you want to follow us all the way there?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, I will only let you come with us with Song Yu¡¯s permission. Song Yu is the true leader of this group. If you can convince him, then you can convince me.¡± Lan Zhou was adamant that Song Yu would refuse this dunce. It took him so long to have Song Yu open up to him. So Wu Ding with his weird attitude would most definitely reject him¡­ . . . ¡°Yeah, you can come with us.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes popped out of their sockets. Song Yu nonchalantly folded the bedding and got rid of the evidence of their visit. Everyone else was packing up their tools as well. Wu Ding had just crawled on his hands and knees in front of Song Yu. His dirty and crusty clothes still didn¡¯t dim the handsomeness Wu Ding possessed. The stark contrast between the debonair flirty bartender to a giant puppy was too big. Son Yu could swear he saw a tail. ¡°I¡­I can really follow you guys??¡± Song Yu nodded. ¡°Mmn.¡± Wu Ding cried and tried to hug Song Yu, but was smacked hard by Lan Zhou. ¡°Hands off!¡± Wu Ding didn¡¯t care and with a euphoric laugh, he found the nearest person to hug, practically throwing himself into Yu Ci¡¯s arms. Yu Ci stiffened when this mulchy person wrapped his arms around his torso. Looking down at this overgrown puppy, he couldn¡¯t eradicate the horrible smell from his nostrils. ¡°Get cleaned first. Put some ice in a bucket, Lan Zhou will heat it up to make water. Your size in similar to Lu Jingxiu, so ask him for some clothes. We¡¯ll leave in 20 minutes.¡± Wu Ding smiled and nodded, getting off Yu Ci. Lu Jingxiu sighed and took out some spare clothes, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re going to get new clothes. This is my last pair.¡± Wu Ding was getting undressed inside the safe house, whilst Lan Zhou heated up the ice. He knelt next to Song Yu with a pouty disposition. ¡°Why did you let him follow us? And it was so easy too¡­¡± Song Yu hesitated before telling him in half-truths, ¡°He saved my life one time¡­and I want to repay him. He was looking for someone to understand him, and travelled so far because he was lonely¡­I can sympathize with that. He is¡­just as kind as he was when he saved me.¡± ¡®Besides¡­you are here now to protect me.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and didn¡¯t pry any further. He could understand Song Yu¡¯s thought process pretty well now. Song Yu was guilty. Last night, their conversation wasn¡¯t necessarily quiet, so Song Yu most likely heard what had happened to Wu Ding after their escape from B Base. Although Wu Ding didn¡¯t show it, there were indelible scars left on him from his previous life¡­and the pain of loneliness in a desolate place. Lan Zhou could only fathom how much Song Yu was feeling. In order for him to escape, someone was sacrificed and hurt in the same way. Wu Ding and Song Yu were the same in a sense where they didn¡¯t trust people anymore. If Song Yu had met Wu Ding later in this life and realized he was reborn and suffered that much, Song Yu would have taken Wu Ding in a heartbeat. ¡°The water¡¯s boiling.¡± Song Yu gently patted Lan Zhou¡¯s hand. Lan Zhou chuckled and withdrew his ability, taking a sneak smack to Song Yu¡¯s lips. When this raid is over, I want to ask about Song Yu¡¯s life. Song Yu retaliated with a much more fulfilling kiss. Their mouths were pressed together in tandem, smiles alighting their faces. One small thought broke through his mind. When this raid is over, I want to tell Lan Zhou about my life. Chapter 64—Making my way downtown Chapter 64¡ªMaking my way downtown by Bocchan13 Wu Ding looked 10x better than how he appeared last night. After the zombie blood, dust, and dirt was taken away, he was quite the looker. The hotness of their group grew. Wu Ding looked around the group and unconsciously blurted out, ¡°Are you guys an idol group? How can 6 people all be handsome in the apocalypse?¡± Yu Ci spit out his water while Lan Zhou laughed happily. ¡°We were all just second generation wealth¡¯s, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite hard. Although a lot of the rich people fled to overseas and stuff, I heard they were the first to go because they couldn¡¯t fight and their bodyguards turned on them.¡± Lan Zhou had no comeback for that and just helped Song Yu into the car. The car was newly cleaned from last night and had been refueled this morning. Lu Jingxiu once again took the wheel with Yu Ci in the passenger seat and Xiao Zi, Lan Zhou, Wang Cheng, and Song Yu in the back. When seeing this, question mar ks flew in the air. Wu Ding looked that there was no space in the backseat. ¡°Uh¡­is there a place I can sit?¡± Lan Zhou side-eyed him, ¡°There¡¯s no space in the backseat. Yu Ci will hold you.¡± Yu Ci turned to stare at Wu Ding, his face devoid of emotion. It seemed that Lan Zhou had already told him. Wu Ding wanted to cry. I¡¯m a grown ass man! I don¡¯t want to be car-seated by a human meat seat! Wu Ding had no choice but to go sit down. Hesitantly, he slid in the passenger seat, his body nestled snuggly in between Yu Ci¡¯s legs. Yu Ci awkwardly put his hands around Wu Ding¡¯s waist and became his seatbelt. Wu Ding hadn¡¯t been this close to another person in a long time. He snuggled himself, trying to find a good position. Fortunately, Yu Ci was meatier and felt much better to sit on. He caught a whiff of Yu Ci¡¯s smell. Yu Ci smelled very woodsy, giving a calming effect. A breath tickled the back of his neck¡­quite¡­hot. It just became apparent that Wu Ding was now feeling this overwhelming feeling of¡­comfort and safety. Like that small cubicle in the research facility. Safe and secure. Wu Ding relaxed somewhat and muttered to himself. ¡°You¡¯re very comfy.¡± Yu Ci who had been trying his best to be respectful couldn¡¯t help but tighten his arms. He didn¡¯t feel anything when Wu Ding sat between his legs. It was only when he started grinding; trying to find a good position that Yu Ci had felt something. In less than a second, a blush covered his cheeks. Everyone felt uncomfortable for a brief second. Why did they feel that they were fed dog food? ¡­ By the time they reached N City, the sun had moved from the east to the west. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but stare outside. A Country was mountainous with lush valleys and hills, so many cities in A Country were either built in valleys or flatlands. N City was the former, so in order to get there; you had to traverse through spiraling roads through the mountains. But unlike the lush mountains where Song Yu lived, all the beauty of the mountains had disappeared. The foliage had turned into dark green and brown, there had been a wildfire within these two years and the trees had all died. It was completely barren. Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but want to purify this place. It was a reckless thought, but it appeared and disappeared as soon as he thought it. The outside world didn¡¯t matter anymore. The entrance to N City was just a small sign greeting people into the city. Lu Jingxiu silently drove through the abandoned streets. It was eerily quiet. Since it was the afternoon, zombies should have been roaming the streets, but they hadn¡¯t encountered a single one. ¡°Is there a base here?¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be. The entire city was engulfed in a zombie hoard a while ago.¡± Song Yu took out his heat detector and shivered. ¡°I think¡­they are underground.¡± Song Yu turned the screen and the heat sensors showed that their car was currently on top of a giant heat source. Hundreds if not thousands of zombies were where they were right now. ¡°They might have been buried down there by someone¡­or they went there willingly.¡± ¡°Keep a close eye out. Just get the things that we need, nothing else. Let¡¯s start at the downtown district. There are fabric and clothing shops there. If you see anything of value, give it to Song Yu and Wang Cheng.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement, so Lu Jingxiu continued driving in the zombie-less city. They made their way downtown, got out of the car and prepped their weapons. Although having abilities in the apocalypse was fine and dandy, it didn¡¯t guarantee life. Physical weapons were still utilized and carefully tended to. Song Yu had his bow and arrow alongside his dagger, Lan Zhou and Yu Ci were more comfortable with guns so took those, Wang Cheng liked dual swords and Xiao Zi with his small stature held a giant glave. Wu Ding looked at everyone¡¯s get up in their rubber infused suits, badass cosplay (Song Yu) and mouth masks (also courtesy of Song Yu). He looked down at his still dirty shirt, blood encrusted jeans, combat boots and leather jacket. He was also weaponless¡­ ¡°Um¡­can anyone be kind enough to give me a weapon?¡± Song Yu smiled and took out a pistol and a 12 inch dagger. Wu Ding smiled happily as he fastened it into his waistband. ¡°Thank you comrade, hey haven¡¯t we met before?¡± Song Yu hitched a breath, and was completely off guard. ¡°Oh, yeah! I saw you at the bar. You were really cute and I wanted to get your number but¡­¡± He motioned to Lan Zhou, ¡°This guy glared at me so hard I didn¡¯t have the heart to.¡± Song Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little and look to see Lan Zhou¡¯s reddening ears. So cute! ¡°So¡­you also like guys?¡± Wu Ding laughed. ¡°I like both. Girls and boys are all the same to me!¡± Song Yu nodded his head. Looking at the group right now, he had to wonder if all gay and bisexual people congregated together. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu were a couple, Song Yu and Lan Zhou were a couple, making five out of seven that were into men. Yu Ci who was a few meters away also heard Wu Ding and Song Yu¡¯s conversation. So¡­he also likes men. Song Yu was given an earpiece and receiver from Lan Zhou for easy communication. ¡°It¡¯s frequency is only a few hundred meters. Anymore and it won¡¯t work so stay by me, okay?¡± Song Yu nodded. Lan Zhou briefed everyone on the area once again, and every dispersed into three groups. Song Yu and Lan Zhou, Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi, lastly Wang Cheng, Yu Ci, and Wu Ding. For the most part because Song Yu and Wang Cheng couldn¡¯t be in the same group because of their spaces, and Xiao Zi was a healer for Lu Jingxiu. ¡°Reconvene to the car in three hours. If you are in trouble, let us know right away. This downtown street is easy to navigate, so any zombies coming in and out can be dealt with.¡± Lan Zhou easily commanded everyone. This was Song Yu¡¯s ever first raid, so he followed to the best of his abilities. Each group went in different directions leaving Song Yu and Lan Zhou to a large avenue. Small mom and pop shops lined the streets with small boutiques. They weren¡¯t the only people to come to N City after the zombie hoard. There were broken windows and opened doors along the street. The lucky thing is that break-ins like this only took what was on the surface of the store. Song Yu saw a fabric store and nodded to Lan Zhou. They entered quietly, Song Yu slowing his breathing down. His heartbeat dulled as his ears listened carefully for any signs of zombies. Lan Zhou had his gun prepped as he also surveyed the area. The fabric store was basically a craft store with rows of lace, buttons, sewing kits, zippers and bolts of fabric. People in the apocalypse at the very beginning didn¡¯t care about clothing, they were too afraid for their lives. After, there was a boon for rubber infused clothing and clothes became a necessity for survival. Although the fabric store was broken into, not much was taken. Seeing the rows of buttons and pins, Song Yu swept them into his space. He simply took everything and would categorize them later. He felt the rust from some needles dissipate as his pure space brought them back to newness. ¡°Keep an eye out while I take everything.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and watched Song Yu as he waved his hand and magically put everything into his space. The bolts of fabric weren¡¯t that many and in questionable patterns, but Song Yu didn¡¯t mind. There would always be a need. Lan Zhou led the way to the back of the store and saw that there were still inventory boxes. Song Yu took those as well. In less than 30 minutes, the entire place was cleaned out. Chapter 65—Gold Chapter 65¡ªGold by Bocchan13 After finishing up in the fabric store, they left and headed down the main street. The roads were easily navigated as they checked the smaller stores. However, they were without luck as the more desirable items in the apocalypse like mechanic equipment, glass panes, and car parts were taken quickly. Miscellaneous things were still strewn about. Song Yu and Lan Zhou found a mattress shop and eagerly went in. Song Yu sensed the presence of a zombie and tailed Lan Zhou into finding it. Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t too concerned about it and found it trapped under collapsed doors. With a flick of a wrist, the zombies head was dismembered. Song Yu went to observe if the mattresses could be used and found that this shop too had been swept clean, leaving only the broken ones. This was his luck. If he had all of the mattress parts, he could fix them in his space. Making sure Lan Zhou didn¡¯t see it, he brought several mattresses inside as well as springs he found on the floor and padding. ¡°There¡¯s not much here. Let¡¯s go further into the alleys.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They ran into a few more zombies, but they were low level and easily handled. The more they reached into the heart of the city, the more this disconcerting feeling Song Yu felt. He felt as if someone was watching them. Observing the abandoned streets and buildings, the overwhelming feeling got bigger and bigger. ¡°It¡¯s almost been 3 hours. We should head back,¡± Lan Zhou gently said. ¡°You feel it don¡¯t you? Someone¡¯s been watching us.¡± ¡°Not someone.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s blue flame ignited instantly causing the dim alleyway to brighten tenfold. Song Yu¡¯s hand was grabbed. ¡°It¡¯s something.¡± In a split second, something crashed out of one of the buildings. It¡¯s blurry visage was extremely fast as it disappeared as quickly as it came. ¡°The zombies underground are probably being controlled by something. We should take every precaution.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and led the way back to the car. They met up with Yu Ci, Wang Cheng and Wu Ding. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± ¡°Yep, we got a few ready-made clothes from the shopping district and straw hats! We came back because we felt like being watched.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and turned to Song Yu. ¡°The city isn¡¯t safe at night. There is a reason the zombies are underground in the daytime.¡± Song Yu thought carefully. He had never heard of this phenomenon either. Zombies liked the heat and sun, so going underground which was cold and damp was not ideal. Now that their initial shopping was over, they had time to worry about this. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu also came back, their experiences similar. Despite not having a space ability user, Lu Jingxiu got quite the haul, everything strung on his back towering over him. ¡°You guys also felt that too. I think it would be safer to get out of the city and come back in during the day.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a high level zombie?¡± ¡°Probable. But if it¡¯s a high level zombie, why would it hide underground?¡± Song Yu took out the heat sensor and surmised the general location of this zombie hoard. The subway and sewage tunnels were big enough to accommodate an entire city. Seeing the big red blob migrating throughout the city, he could only concede. At this point, Wang Cheng spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s not a human zombie, but an animal zombie. Probably a mole or bat that is sentient.¡± Everyone fwipped around to stare at Wang Cheng. He blushed lightly and stammered. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m smart too.¡± Song Yu pondered a bit and nodded. ¡°Wang Cheng is right. It¡¯s most likely a nocturnal animal. Lan Zhou and I saw it for a brief bit and it looks to be as big as a car. I think the zombies underground are under its control.¡± Everyone agreed to sleep outside of the city and moved everything into Song Yu¡¯s and Wang Cheng¡¯s space. In less than 30 minutes they were hightailing it back to out of N City. Just as night had fallen, the car heard a piercing screech before it dwindled down to a long echo. ¡°Shit. I think we have to go farther than the city outskirts.¡± Xiao Zi looked at the back seat window and saw that N City that looked like an abandoned city suddenly come alive. The sewer vents had been ripped apart years ago and now zombies were pouring out of the streets orifices. These zombies were low level and had little running ability, but the massive amounts of them scared the crew into driving faster. ¡°We still have to go back for another scavenge, so let¡¯s drive a for a little while longer. I don¡¯t think the high level zombie likes to leave N City, so the zombie hoard won¡¯t go far.¡± Lan Zhou pointed at a location on the map. ¡°We can stay here, barricade in the bank and wait for early morning. Now that we know that we have at least 8 hours of access in the city we can go in and get out before sunset.¡± Everyone agreed with this plan and Wang Cheng drove off to Lan Zhou¡¯s specification. In less than an hour, they reached the suburbs and followed the route to a small bank. It had already gotten dark, so the car lights were turned off. Relying on the red moon, they finally reached the bank. There were several zombies of level 1-2, but nothing too bad. Wu Ding and Lan Zhou dealt with them from the sun roof. The cars parked at the bank looked disassembled and out of order, the entryway filled with abandoned cars in various states of disrepair. Yu Ci got out, spotted by Lu Jingxiu and easily moved the cars using his super strength. The cars groaned quite a bit, getting the attention of a few zombies. Lu Jingxiu silently sliced them with ice needles, neatly avoiding drawing more attention. When the entry path cleared, Wang Cheng easily parked the car. Getting out, everyone was vigilant as they entered the bank. The bank was quite large with rows of clientele windows, a few ATM windows and fax/copy machines in the back. Song Yu was interested to see if the machines were still usable. Suddenly, three zombies came out from behind the counter. Their deathly pale faces, eroded by rot and disease gave everyone the heebie jeebies and Song Yu who hadn¡¯t killed in a while used his spatial blade to cut off their heads. He stretched his arms out and cut it cleanly, their heads thudding on the linoleum floor. The thud brought out a few more zombies from hiding, so Song Yu excitedly cut to and fro. When they checked all of the rooms, they decided to go to the bank deposit boxes that were guarded by a large bank vault. Song Yu had never seen the insides of a bank before and was curious, so he took Lan Zhou¡¯s hand to look around. The bank vault was unexpectedly closed. Looking at the scorch marks, clumps of dirt, and small holes on the bank vault, it seemed that people had tried to pry it open to no avail. Yu Ci cracked is knuckles and smiled. ¡°Leave it to me guys.¡± Yu Ci didn¡¯t approach the vault lock instead moving opposite to where the hinges where. He gripped the top pieces, and under its extreme pressure, the metal bent, and like unscrewing a cabinet; the giant bolts were taken off. Yu Ci smiled at the rest of the group, his teeth gleaming in the darkness. ¡° Got in!¡± Everyone laughed quietly and were led into the vault. Eyes all widening, Wang Cheng¡¯s mouth dropped open, Xiao Zi rubbed his eyes and Wu Ding directly gasped. In the center¡­was a giant pyramid of gold!!! Chapter 66—Jenga Chapter 66¡ªJenga by Bocchan13 ¡°G-G-G-Gold!!¡± Wang Cheng¡¯s eyes sparkled as these yellow blocks gleamed with their flashlights. Yu Ci who had gone in first was still shocked stupid, dizzyingly counting the pyramid tiers. ¡°Holy Hell, was there a hidden mafia in N City or something?¡± They all got into the vault and closed the door and successfully went down to business getting ready for tomorrow. Still staring at the gold, Wu Ding and Wang Cheng were trying their best not to touch it. Xiao Zi rolled his eyes and took a gold block, throwing it at them. Wang Cheng and Wu Ding tried to catch it, looking like dogs. ¡°Ahhhh!! This is my first time holding something like this!!¡± ¡°Me too! Me too! Oh, my gosh! I feel like I¡¯ve become more elegant just touching it! Hahahaha!¡± With excitement, the rest of the crew also tried holding the gold blocks. Everyone could be considered a second generation wealth besides Wu Ding, and threw money around like it was nothing¡­but it was like an inner boy came out as they played with the golden blocks. ¡°Let¡¯s play jenga! Loser has to do first watch!¡± Yu Ci gleefully agreed and started piling the blocks in groups of nine. Lan Zhou coughed and also agreed. The blocks were not rectangular but more trapezoid in shape so it was difficult to stack in the style. Fortunately, they got it high enough to play a proper game. They determined who would go first and Yu Ci happily started. Everyone was an ability user, with heightened strength, eyesight, hearing, etc; The gold shined as Yu Ci searched for the best place. Finding one slightly off kilter, he simply flicked the gold. In an instant, the gold piece flew out of the tower, launching itself into the wall and created a gold bar sized hole. ¡°Oh, whoops.¡± The tower hadn¡¯t fallen, but was now unstable. Yu Ci hastily took out the gold bar and placed it on top. It was Wu Ding¡¯s turn next. Yu Ci had taken a side block, so in order to make it harder for the other players and end the game before it came back to him, Wu Ding looked at the tower foundation. Not seeing one that could be taken, he grumbled and shot an ice needle. It pierced a gold piece, its momentum nudged the block out of the tower. Not as heavy handed as Yu Ci but it did the job. Seeing the tower still standing, Wu Ding exhaled before high-fiving Yu Ci and put the gold bar next to Yu Ci¡¯s. Wang Cheng saw the teetering tower and had no choice but to go safer and simply touched the bar, letting it into his space before manifesting into his palms. Its simplicity was both effective and downright cheating! Wang Cheng guffawed as he nimbly placed the bar on top. Xiao Zi had no physical ability and had to use his hands, His thin hands gently pried a middle section of the tower easily. Lu Jingxiu followed Xiao Zi¡¯s example and didn¡¯t use his ability, rather using his hands. The gold piece he took out destabilized the tower so much that it jiggled dangerously. Everyone clenched their butts when the tower almost fell. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t yet. Lu Jingxiu wiggled happily and plopped the gold bar on top. Next was Song Yu. He really didn¡¯t want to lose! Finding a lone block that could be the deal breaker, he smiled evilly at Lan Zhou. ¡°Everyone, move back!¡± Song Yu¡¯s spatial blade manifested in his hand, the blue aura strangely demonic as he cackled. Song Yu precisely sliced a golden bar in half, letting them fall on the floor. The tower unexpectedly teetered but didn¡¯t collapse. It was hanging on by a single thread. ¡°That¡¯s not fair! How can you stack it on top?¡± Song Yu grinned and took out some elephant glue and super glued the bar together before decadently placing it on top. The jenga tower was on the cusp of breaking down. Everyone turned to Lan Zhou whose entire face was black. Arms folded, legs criss-crossed, Lan Zhou was scanning the tower. It was silent as everyone just watched Lan Zhou¡¯s face get darker and darker. ¡°Psst! It¡¯s been too long. You gotta make a move!¡± Lan Zhou gritted his teeth and floated from golden bar to golden bar. Song Yu sneakily patted himself on the back. Haha! Lan Zhou was going to lose! Finally, Lan Zhou grinned. Not relying on brute strength to defeat the tower! Lan Zhou snapped his fingers, and a small blue flame ignited like a lighter in his pointer finger. Lan Zhou hummed as he approached an unsuspecting gold bar. The moment the flame touched the gold, the gold melted! Everyone annoyingly glared at Lan Zhou as he whistled a theme song, the gold melting from the side of the tower into Lan Zhou¡¯s palm. Like he wasn¡¯t touching hot metal in his hands, it just looked like gold water as it formed a puddle. The gold quickly solidified in his palms, no longer the pretty block but an ugly, palm shaped bowl. Lan Zhou neatly placed the ugly lump on top. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Persecute him!¡± ¡°Desecrator!¡± ¡°Cheater!¡± Outside the bank vault, the sounds of laughter were muffled, creating a warm atmosphere in the dead night. ¡­ The winner eventually landed on Xiao Zi and the loser to Wu Ding, however a watch wasn¡¯t needed since the bank vault was sturdy enough to wall off any zombie attempts. In the morning, everyone woke up before the sun came out and checked their gear before leaving the vault. Wang Cheng wanted to bring the gold bars back with them, but was told that he only bring a few. Nodding sadly, Wang Cheng secretly took in ten into his space. They reached N City early in the morning, and like the day before, it was deserted with no zombie in sight. ¡°Let¡¯s hit Main Street today. There are several malls and office buildings. We can find some stuff there. Make sure your walkie-talkies are on and call us if you encounter the high-level zombie. Just because he¡¯s nocturnal, doesn¡¯t mean its sleeping during the day.¡± The groups were the same as yesterdays, letting everyone go in opposite directions. Yu Ci¡¯s group went to the shopping mall, Lu Jingxiu¡¯s group went to a large skyscraper office building and Song Yu and Lan Zhou decided to hit the caf¨¦¡¯s and high-end shops. Song Yu looked up at the sign that said PUCCI and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just a humble farmer, you buying me these things¡­I cannot!¡± Lan Zou laughed and rubbed his head. ¡°I bought you just to make my father happy. Do you think you can wear your boots to my father¡¯s company party?¡± Song Yu laughed as they got deeper into their roleplaying. Song Yu opened the PUCCI store and glanced at the empty shelves. There were still several pieces scattered on the racks, so Song Yu took a sweater and turned to Lan Zhou. ¡°Do you think I, a humble farmer would suit something of this caliber?¡± Lan Zhou happily went along and perused Song Yu. The sweater was patterned in brown, red and cream blocks, making Song Yu¡¯s healthy complexion shine. He couldn¡¯t help but grin as he nodded. ¡°You look beautiful in anything.¡± Song Yu blushed bright red and coughed. With a wave, the sweater was in his space and he silently ignored the compliment. Lan Zhou smirked as he looked for more clothes that would suit Song Yu. Although the racks were cleaned out, the storage in the back hadn¡¯t been touched very much. It seems that the people who came before didn¡¯t have a space ability user. Song Yu swept the store clean and they moved to another high-so department store. It was midday before they took a break and reconvened at the car. Everyone showed off what they got. Lu Jingxiu was the most tired since he didn¡¯t have a space ability user with him. They had lunch and decided to go into two groups instead of three. Lu Jingxiu was happy to not have to carry everything he found. Chapter 67—Into the underground Chapter 67¡ªInto the underground by Bocchan13 They didn¡¯t want to cut the time too short like last night, so when the humid air of the afternoon started to dissipate, they decided to leave N City and come back for another round once again tomorrow. Song Yu and the crew had gotten a lot of things. It might have been because of the animal zombie and its nocturnal visits, but N City still had an abundance of things. They had traversed through the movie theaters and got some premium seats and sofas from the VIP lounge, some film, and even an operating popcorn machine. Song Yu tried to find the correct corn species to make popcorn, but was out of luck. Eventually making their way to the large wholesale stores, they really hit the jackpot with food! Song Yu and Xia Zi were delighted to find coffee beans and seeds! They would have a bigger variety of foods, so Song Yu was quite happy. Lan Zhou was interested in the fishing equipment and lawnmower. He remembered seeing the gardeners when he was younger, drive it all of the time with gusto. Lu Jingxiu had the same thought, except his eyes were sparkling at the UV powered ATV. It would be more efficient to ride it while looking after the property. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t know how big Song Yu¡¯s space was, but every time he asked to put something in, Song Yu did it easily. They might have had almost a whole house worth of items already. Song Yu didn¡¯t mind it one bit. The items stored in his space purified and came out new, so exercising his space had actually made it bigger than it was in his past life. If measured, it could be around the size of four mansions. Not to mention a small house, if Song Yu wanted; he could take the entire department store with him. Luckily, they finished finding what they were looking for and decided to head back to the bank. They reconvened at the car and were vigilant once again as they were leaving N City. ¡°You think the animal will come find us?¡± Song Yu was driving, but his eyes were staring at the mirror, seeing the sun go down a little lower. ¡°Not too sure. I¡¯m sure there were a lot of people like us who came in and out. There is still so much stuff in N City, so it¡¯s not hard to imagine what happened to them.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s our last day. We will put as much as we can into the spaces and leave in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Roger¡ª¡° Before anyone could react, a large rip in the concrete opened up. Song Yu¡¯s eyes widened as the street they were driving on, turned into a downslope to the darkness below. He pressed the brakes hard before it could go underground. The street started shaking crazily as more and more cracks penetrated the cement. ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± Song Yu put the car in reverse as he tried to go back uphill to the surface. But he only made it a few meters before the street suddenly angled higher, preventing Song Yu from going back up. If he tried anymore, the car would just fall in! With no choice, Song Yu drove straight into the void. ¡°Everyone, prepare for attacks! Get your flashlights and weapons out!¡± Song Yu was slightly shaking as he drove into the darkness. Deep underground, he continued to drive. The underground was made by tunnels, some man-made, and some¡­done by something else. The size was enormous. ¡°Check the sensor.¡± Xiao Zi turned the sensor on, and saw the large heat waves of the zombies and the big blob that belonged to the animal. Shaking his head, everyone sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not close to us¡­so how did the street collapse?¡± ¡°It was probably last night. The zombie animal must¡¯ve smelled our scent and the route we came in and out. So he made a hole deep enough for the foundation to plummet. This thing is too fucking smart.¡± Wang Cheng took out a map from is space. Using the flashlight, he showed the area to Yu Ci and Lan Zhou. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the map for the sewage system in N City. We were on 8th Street, so there is a subway station close by. I suggest we find stop driving and put the car in the space. Find the exit and get back to the surface.¡± Everyone agreed. They couldn¡¯t be prepared to fight if all of them were smushed together in a car. Everyone got out and started walking. In order for the car be back in pristine condition, Song Yu put the car in his space. Wang Cheng checked the map and pinned his flashlight to the man-made sewage tunnel and the freshly made zombie tunnel. Sighing in his heart, he tried to navigate the newly built underground. ¡°According to the map, we follow that tunnel.¡± Wang Cheng flashed to a tunnel. Looking at the map and determining the direction, everyone followed. Keeping vigilance, they slowed down their breaths and made as little noise as possible. The floor was trudged with mud, dirt and more or less zombie juice. Song Yu put on his mask and gave everyone a mask as well. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be breathing this in.¡± They walked for several minutes before the floor turned into the rails they all knew. Sometimes, there were platforms on the sides of the subway, either abandoned stations or maintenance platforms, it served as a deterrent to the gross floor. ¡°The station should be 20 minutes away.¡± The group continued to walk, only whispering a few times to make sure the group was on track, or if there was an *extra ghost accompanying them. It made Song Yu¡¯s goosebumps rise as a feeling of dread poured into him. ¡°You guys¡­we haven¡¯t seen a single zombie since we came down here.¡± ¡°Are they grouped? Why are they all gone?¡± Xiao Zi opened the sensor again, but like before, the zombie blobs were deep on the other side of the city. He showed the screen to everyone. However, like ants coming out of their nest¡­the heat wave suddenly bloomed! ¡°Oh, shit.¡± They saw as blobs and blobs of zombies disengaged from the group and run through the tunnels. ¡°Fuck, they¡¯re coming!¡± ¡°They¡¯re coming in the direction of the station. Shit!¡± Everyone could see how fast these zombies were. They were definitely not level ones! ¡°Prepare for battle! Xiao Zi and Wu Ding are in the rear! Lan Zhou and Yu Ci at the front, Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu take care of stragglers. If you see any coming from behind us, let us know!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They waited anxiously as the zombie hoard came in. They could hear the groaning and the pitter-patter of feet as they came barreling through the tunnel. Before they could even see them, Lan Zhou manifested his blue flames into a flaming sword. Its bright aura lit the dark tunnel. A slash of this sword created a large crescent shape as it flew down the tunnel, igniting the darkness with light. Everyone watched the severity of the slash as it barreled through zombie bodies, slicing it in two¡¯s and three¡¯s. It only dissipated after a brief period, but it otherwise decimated enough to give them time. The floor started trembling as the stampede quickened its pace. A sea of zombies arrived quickly. Song Yu had never felt so scared. As the leader of a base, he had witnessed the swarms outside of the walls of Paradise Base and its impacts. But now, he was straight into the war zone. Luckily, he understood that these are rather low level and only had basic understanding of things. ¡°Get ready.¡± Lan Zhou looked back at Song Yu; a small reassuring smile lit his features. Song Yu took comfort in that and smiled back. I¡¯m not going anywhere without you. Chapter 68—Zombie Animal Bocchan13 Chapter 68¡ªZombie Animal by Bocchan13 ¡°Rraaargh!¡± Lan Zhou and Yu Ci were the first to be hit with the mob. As soon as Lan Zhou was in the clear, slashing and throwing fireball everywhere, Yu Ci was crushing zombie bodies, slamming into the sides of the tunnel. Song Yu and Lu Jingxiu were next. Song Yu breathed deeply in and out. The sounds of the zombies disappeared as his eyes lit up in a blue aura. Inhale¡­ Faster than the eye can see, the spatial blade grew in size and slashed three zombies at once. Exhale¡­ Song Yu tried to keep this rhythm as more and more zombies entered the rear. He turned around and immediately decapitated a zombie, not even looking at it as he moved on to the next. Mindless. Determined. Song Yu didn¡¯t know how many times his arms moved as it killed zombie after zombie. All he knew was that he had to kill in order to survive. Bloodlust suddenly urged in Song Yu. Fear was no longer the prevailing emotion. ¡°Advance!¡± Everyone obeyed as they ran towards more and more zombies, trying to get closer to the station. It was like flying as one by one, zombie bodies dropped to the floor, spilling ugly purple and green goo from their orifices and opened skulls. They had been fighting for close to ten minutes. Sweat poured down everyone¡¯s faces as their breath fogged their masks. Lan Zhou had to retract his flaming sword since it used up too much of his ability and he was running on empty. The good news was that the zombie hoard had diminished significantly. It was easier to move now. ¡°We¡¯ll reach in 5 minutes!¡± Wang Cheng wanted to create a teleport to the station, but he had to see it first in case there was something there. No one argued or complained as they killed and barreled their way forward. ¡°Fuck!¡± Song Yu turned to see Wang Cheng looking in the distance. The station they were trying to get to¡­seemed to have been blocked. The tunnel was obstructed by a giant¡­furball? Lu Jingxiu killed off the last zombie and also turned to see the obstruction. ¡°What the hell is that thing?¡± Wu Ding was breathing hard as he leaned on Yu Ci, ¡°Goddamn! I¡¯ve NEVER seen so many fucking zombies in my life! It¡¯s¡ªholy shit!¡± Everyone stared blankly at this wall of fur. It crowded the sides of the tunnel, but had a few meters of space on the top. They could hear the gurgle of more zombies approaching from behind them, so in an attempt to thwart them for a while, Lu Jingxiu and Wu Ding erected an ice wall. Now they were facing a wall of fur and an ice wall from behind. Wu Ding sat down in exhaustion, and everyone was not much better. ¡°The thing isn¡¯t alive. It just seems to be¡­fur. Shedded fur?¡± Lan Zhou took the chance and grazed his hand along the coat. It was course and bouncy. Not like quills and not like hair. He extended his hand in and couldn¡¯t reach the other side. It served its purpose as a giant fur wall since it didn¡¯t have much give and seemed to be several meters thick. Lan Zhou wanted to set it on fire, but the amount of flames would consume too much oxygen. Looking back and everyone he shook his head. ¡°Take a small break. The zombies will crack through that ice sooner or later. I can¡¯t burn it.¡± He turned to Song Yu, an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°Can you still use your spatial blade? We can probably cut our way through.¡± Song Yu nodded and drank some water. The zombie hoard was much bigger than he anticipated, and his body was too over excited. He looked down to his trembling hands and clenched his fists. The groans of the zombies behind the ice wall was getting louder as more and more bodies smacked themselves against it. Wu Ding checked for any cracks and fixed anything that needed to. They took a small breather before going against the fur mountain. Song Yu cracked his neck and stretched his arms. A light blue aura manifested until a spatial blade formed. It glimmered in the darkness, the sharpness completely apparent. It looked like a crescent moon, its hilt a billowy smoke of blue. Song Yu breathed in deeply and threw a slice into the fur. The bristles in the mountain parted easily like hay as the spatial blade continued its onslaught of criss- crosses. Song Yu didn¡¯t make the opening too big, but was enough for people to pass through. Song Yu cut deeper and deeper, until he was at least eight meters into the fur. Looking back at the tunnel he made, he had to sigh. He had no way of knowing how long this would take. Lan Zhou and the rest were prepping for when the ice wall fell. There were already screams of the zombies who had a hand go through the ice. Song Yu could feel the pressure and quickly tried to cut as much as he could. Abilities were not infinite, and his power output had been put to the test. Song Yu could feel that familiar feeling of dizziness and wanting to sleep. But Song Yu kept going. He was already so deep inside the fur. The bristles scratched Song Yu¡¯s clothing, so he had to be careful as well in case the fur was lined with the zombie virus. When he was nearly 20 meters deep, he felt the fur thinning out. ¡°Lan Zhou! I see the ending!¡± Lan Zhou quickly ran through the tunnel and reached Song Yu. Song Yu slashed a few more times, and saw the exit to the other side. ¡°Check the perimeter,¡± Lan Zhou nodded and lit up his palms to the deserted subway station. The fur just reached the platform for the trains. Lan Zhou could feel something in the darkness. The platforms were divided into three; the one they were in was backed by a wall. The other side of the platform was another open railway route backed by another railway tunnel. Lan Zhou saw the stairs and inoperational escalators leading up, but hesitated. There was an immense amount of pressure around him. Watching. Lan Zhou looked at Song Yu, ¡°I think we are at the animal zombie¡¯s home. The fur might be its shedding.¡± Song Yu could also feel that something was watching them, and nodded. Wang Cheng, Xiao Zi, and Yu Ci reached the end of the tunnel as well, flanked by Wu Ding and Lu Jingxiu who erected another ice wall, barricading the tunnel entrance. ¡°I¡¯m fucking exhausted. My ice abilities are running low.¡± Wu Ding had sweat pouring out of him. Despite being a Level 5 ice ability user, the immense amount of ability he had used had reached the maximum quota. Wu Ding wanted to collapse on the floor but was unexpectedly supported by Yu Ci. ¡°Thanks mate.¡± Wu Ding weakly patted Yu Ci¡¯s shoulder. Yu Ci nodded imperceptibly and helped him lay down. ¡°Everyone, we¡¯re not out of danger yet.¡± Lan Zhou waved down everyone. Immediately, they felt that sinister feeling. It made Wu Ding, who was the most lackluster, shudder. ¡°What the fuck.¡± There was a heartbeat of silence before they heard a large growl. Its echo bounced off the walls, making the original source unknown. Song Yu, Wu Ding and Lu Jingxiu were both exhausted and had little ability left. Yu Ci took the lead while Lan Zhou¡¯s threw a few flames in all directions, lighting up the dark platforms. The fire went past the other side of the tracks, sparking a glimpse of something. Everyone watched as a large shadow rose from the tracks. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened as the size of the shadow grew bigger and bigger as it rose up to 20 feet. Dark pink tentacles wriggled as it came towards them, its massive body towering over them like a monster from movies. Something smashed on the platform, making everyone shake. The animals hands were stretched out, its claws caked with mud, dirt, and zombie blood. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mole.¡± Lan Zhou was the first to get out this stupor and immediately threw several large blue flamed balls at the mole. The mole was not tickled in the slightest; the fur that used to be soft had been shedded and now resembles porcupine quills. The mole screeched loudly, creating an intense echo, incapacitating everyone. Song Yu covered his ears as the overwhelming animals screech seemed to pierce his soul. ¡°Everyone, run!¡± No one refuted as they started to run back to the fur mountain, but then heard the sounds of the zombies breaking the ice wall. On the other side there was a larger hoard of zombies! ¡°Fuck, we¡¯re trapped!¡± Lan Zhou gritted his teeth and immediately created the Blue Sun. A large ball of blue manifested, the size of a house, creating such heat, everyone was drenched in sweat. The mole could sense that the Blue Sun was dangerous, and immediately aimed to attack. Its large clawed hands swiped a pillar into the Blue Sun, the concrete dissipating instantly in the heat. Lan Zhou felt his ability waning, the dizziness and lack of strength taking over him. If he overworked too much, he could self-destruct. Lan Zhou felt a sharp sting in his temple and he gasped. The Blue Sun dimmed slightly before disappearing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s tilted and kneeled in pain. Song Yu hurried to him, and without thinking gave him purified water from his space. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t know what he drank, but the pain dissipated. He was still exhausted, but his ability seemed to regain some momentum. ¡°It¡¯s going to attack!¡± The mole was no longer on the other side of the platform, instead coming towards them. Wu Ding and Lu Jingxiu aimed ice spears at the mole. It penetrated the quills but did not touch the flesh inside. The mole kept screaming as it moved towards them. Ultimately, everyone could feel that this is how they would die. Yu Ci broke off a piece of the railway; the rusted metal now became a spear. Yu Ci threw it at the mole, but it was swiped aside by the large claws. The mole swiped his claws, aiming directly at Wang Cheng. No one had time to react as the claws moved at a fast speed. Wang Cheng closed his eyes, his whole body stiff, waiting for death. The hit never occurred. Everyone stared wide eyed as a large slice in space opened behind Wang Cheng. Outstretched from this slice, a thick vine full of thorns emerged, holding the moles claws. The mole¡¯s arms trembled at the immense amount of strength prevented its swipe. Wang Cheng opened his eyes and saw the familiar green vines tightening around the mole. ¡°Rose!¡± Chapter 69—Rose are Red Chapter 69¡ªRose are Red by Bocchan13 The large vines parasitically wrapped itself around the claws, preventing it from moving. Another vine gently moved Wang Cheng away from the moles reach. Wang Cheng could feel the vines intent and didn¡¯t hesitate to gently pet the vine. The vine tapped Wang Cheng¡¯s head and move him to where Yu Ci was. Yu Ci hastily took Wang Cheng, much to the vines dismay. The slice in space opened a little more and a large rose the size of a car emerged from it. There were a few leaves surrounding the rose, but the majority of its body was vines filled with thorns. ¡°What the fuck is that thing?!¡± The rose was now in front of everyone and standing off the mole, blocking them from danger. The vines that held the claws immediately gripped the mole towards the rose. The mole could sense the danger and wanted to retreat. It¡¯s other claw swiped, trying to cut the vines. Another thick vine immediately wrapped itself around the mole. The rose suddenly got bigger and bigger, growing faster until it was the size of a trailer. The vines thickened, the thorns had now turned into sharp blade-like barbs. The rose was not rooted to anything and its flowery plumes unhesitantly moved towards the mole. The flower had felt Wang Cheng¡¯s fear and sadness. It came just in time to prevent Wang Cheng from dying. The rose could feel its soul hurting. He didn¡¯t know what this feeling was, but he wanted to protect Wang Cheng from the danger. The rose curled its vines around the moles body. Everyone watched as the rose swallowed the mole with vines. The barbs felt like cotton on the rose, and he didn¡¯t mind the fresh food offered to it. Everyone watched wide-eyed as the rose entirely obliterated the mole rat. Its thorny vines surrounded and cocooned the giant beast until it could no longer be seen. Song Yu glanced as more vines slithered past them into the darkness of the tunnels. Decimating everything in its path, it looped through the underground tunnels, annihilating every zombie the vines could touch. Its sharp barbs cut off zombies heads while simultaneously killing the mole. You could barely see the bright red rose anymore as the entire scene was awash with gigantic green thorns, soaking in blood. ¡°Fuck Wang Cheng! Have you been hiding this thing in your space?¡± Wang Cheng gulped, his eyes riveted on the scene of carnage his little baby rose was conducting. The vines were squeezing the mole so hard, fibers of the mole rats hair were shedding through the vines alongside the immense amount of blood. ¡°I-uh...¡± Lan Zhou could feel the immense powers of the rose and since they were smack dab in the center of all of this, they could not move for fear the vines would target them. ¡°Rose was in my space in both¡­in both lives. It wasn¡¯t sentient until this one though. I thought it just wanted to be planted somewhere nice so I did, but it must have crept back into my space without me noticing it.¡± ¡°Will it hurt us?¡± Yu Ci was staring as the vines crushed the mole rat until it was nothing but mush. ¡°NO! Rose is sweet and kind and likes dancing. It only came out because I was in danger!¡± Yu Ci looked at the devouring of the mole and continued his doubtful thoughts. Everyone could hear the bones being crushed, innards being squeezed and the overwhelming smell of rotted flesh. The vines were now in stasis, condensed into a ball, the rose in the center eating the bits of the mole like it was brunch. The vines that had gone into the tunnels had come back delicately, the thorn full of zombie blood. It slithered back to the source, making sure not to hurt any of the people. Song Yu glanced at Wang Cheng, his heart getting colder. That feeling that Wang Cheng was off. The way Wang Cheng fought back during the tournament, his evasive nature whenever he was questioned¡­ Wang Cheng had been lying and harboring a sentient plant in his space this entire time. Not only bringing him into his home, but not even having a guilty conscious as he planted it into the pure soil. Song Yu wanted to feel anger, but could only summon disappointment in Wang Cheng. Even if the rose plant had helped them¡­it couldn¡¯t come back with them. The crunching eventually died down and the rose had digested the mole. Everyone watched as it shrunk down until it resembled a cute rose in a yellow pot. It waved happily at Wang Cheng, wanting to be picked up. Wang Cheng picked up the rose and pet its cute leaves. The leaf curled around his finger in happiness, the impression of its horrifying eating completely gone. Wang Cheng turned to everyone, his smile dimming as everyone¡¯s gaze was on the rose. Lan Zhou had a flame in his palm ready to strike. ¡°E-everyone! Rose won¡¯t hurt you guys! It helped us just now.¡± Song Yu was the most calm as he faced Wang Cheng. ¡°Wang Cheng¡­you can¡¯t bring it back with us. If I had known you had it with you, I wouldn¡¯t have let you into my home.¡± Song Yu could see the rose getting distressed. The thorns were sharpening right in front of his eyes. ¡°I trust you. But I don¡¯t trust the rose. Look at it right now. It¡¯s already preparing to hurt me.¡± Wang Cheng looked down and saw the rose¡¯s thorns gleaming sharply. Wang Cheng bit his lips, ¡°But Rose helped us.¡± Song Yu could understand. Squinty and Derpy were sentient animals, and he would kill anyone who harmed them. But this was a plant. A plant that could help Wang Cheng and talk to him, but could also potentially kill everyone. Song Yu couldn¡¯t trust that the rose wouldn¡¯t harm them. ¡°I¡¯m not saying to throw it away. But, you can¡¯t plant it in my base. It has to be outside.¡± Song Yu¡¯s voice got colder. ¡°This is the only compromise I can make. I can forgive you lying to me, but I will not condone a threat to our family. Especially one that is capable of such carnage.¡± Wang Cheng wanted more support, but looked at everyone. Yu Ci could only shake his head, Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu also showing that Song Yu¡¯s compromise was sound. Wang Cheng looked down at Rose, its leaves wilting. It understood that it couldn¡¯t come with Wang Cheng. Wang Cheng felt it unfair¡­however if he were in everyone else¡¯s shoes, he would have wholeheartedly greed with Song Yu. He sighed, ¡°How far can he be from the base?¡± Song Yu nodded his head, ¡°The area surrounding the base has pure elements. It probably didn¡¯t like it too much being in that soil. The area down the mountain is better. You can check on it, but I don¡¯t want it in the base.¡± The rose could feel Wang Cheng¡¯s distress. Seeing that Song Yu was the culprit, it wanted to hurt him. Wang Cheng could feel the rose¡¯s intent and quickly put it away in his space. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry Song Yu. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt anyone. It¡¯s just¡­this rose had been with me for so long. It used to be just a normal rose, and surprisingly, it came back in this life.¡± Song Yu could only acknowledge the bond between Wang Cheng and the rose. ¡°I know. I forgive you.¡± All of the zombies in the tunnels had been killed by the rose, so they got onto the platform and walked up the stairs. They were greeted with the sunset of N City. Some straggler zombies who were able to escape the underground were now walking around, waiting for something. The mole was at least a Level 8 zombie animal, and had unconsciously hypnotized the zombies to go underground during the day and now they were set free. Yu Ci was the least tired and easily dealt with them. ¡°What should we do now? The car is still underground.¡± Yu Ci and Wu Ding volunteered to go back and get the car. Song Yu fished out the keys and gladly gave it to them. Everyone sought shelter in a shop and collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. ¡°I seriously thought we were going to die down there.¡± Lu Jingxiu rubbed Xiao Zi¡¯s head in comfort. ¡°I know. Even 20 years into the future, I never heard of a level 8 animal zombie. They seem to be getting stronger and stronger.¡± Song Yu took out some more purified water and made Lan Zhou drink some. ¡°Are you okay? Does your head still hurt?¡± Lan Zhou smiled gently at Song Yu and took a sip. Before, he didn¡¯t know what he had drank, but now he could tell that the water was extremely pure. It has a slight sweetness to it that parched his thirst. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I overused my ability. I wish there was a way we could replenish our energy, but even 20 years into the future, nothing had been developed.¡± Song Yu nodded. It was true. Once exhausted, abilities took time to recover. Unlike those stallion novel books where nuclei existed in zombie heads, there was nothing like that in real life. People leveled up through using their abilities over and over again. Like a muscle, the more you stretched and strained it, the stronger it became. Song Yu wiped Lan Zhou¡¯s sweaty forehead and kissed his cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just get some rest.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and slumped on his shoulders. Wang Cheng held Rose in its cute yellow pot, his eyes staring at it. The rose could only communicate with him in his space, but outside it could only use its body language to comfort Wang Cheng. It swished left and right, trying to cheer Wang Cheng up. Touching its cute petals, Wang Cheng sighed. ¡°Rose, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t bring you with me anymore.¡± The rose wilted and coquettishly tried to hug Wang Cheng¡¯s finger. Wang Cheng smiled sadly. ¡°If only you were a person, we could communicate like normal people.¡± The rose tilted its head in confusion, but didn¡¯t mind Wang Cheng¡¯s affectionate tone. Wu Ding and Yu Ci came back with the car, the car perilously balanced on Yu Ci¡¯s shoulder. Yu Ci gently put the car down, making sure the tires were okay. Song Yu checked the car and saw it was still drivable. The least exhausted Xiao Zi took charge and drove the car back to the safe house. N City that used to be desolate was now growing with zombies, becoming like any other abandoned city. Chapter 70—Bye, bye Rose Bocchan13 Chapter 70¡ªBye, bye Rose By Bocchan13 The ride back was uneventful and everyone decided to sleep off their exhaustion with only a change of shift one time in the night. Lan Zhou slept deeply, his arms tightly wrapped around Song Yu¡¯s waist. They were still a little shaken up by the events in N City. If it hadn¡¯t been for the rose, they most definitely would have died. Some might have made it out, but the majority would have been killed. In their past lives, they had the support of the Military Base, and despite their levels, they were not omnipotent. It goes to show that numbers did play a big role in fighting in the apocalypse. This gave food for thought to Xiao Zi, who wanted to create the cure, but also create a way to extend abilities by either leveling them up faster or strengthening their core abilities. Take Lan Zhou as an example; his main ability was fire with a variant blue ability. Despite its high rewards, it also consumed a lot of energy and depleted his ability much quicker. At his level 10 status, he could fight continuously for a very long time, but in the situation with fighting the mole, he expended too much energy and almost suffered a backlash. Abilities were experimented on in the early days until it got too inhumane, but that didn¡¯t stop many scientists who also had the same thoughts as Xiao Zi. Abilities came from the airborne zombie virus, taking it in small doses and shaping the various characteristics of the wielder into a physical or mental manifestation. Xiao Zi was a healer and could only fight barehanded. He was frustrated with himself for not being able to help. Xiao Zi held Lu Jingxiu¡¯s exhausted head and gently parted his hair. A small yellow glow illuminated his hands as he healed Lu Jingxiu¡¯s exhaustion. Looking in the safe house to the exhausted members, Xiao Zi extended his healing abilities to everyone, making sure they had a well-deserved rest. Song Yu felt the gently caress as his sleepiness ebbed. He opened his eyes to see Xiao Zi who was sitting up, cradling Lu Jingxiu¡¯s head in his lap. Song Yu checked the time to see that it wasn¡¯t 2 in the morning. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Xiao Zi nodded. He kept stroking Lu Jingxiu¡¯s hair as he whispered quietly, ¡°Today was really scary. I¡¯ve never seen such a terrifying zombie animal. Even in the past, the biggest thing we ever encountered was a level 5 giant pig.¡± Song Yu agreed. He had heard of zombie animals and how ferocious they were, but the mole took the cake as the scariest. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s extremely smart. It knew how to trap us, how to make us tired by sending out a hoard of zombies, and how to come at us when we were at our most tired. If we had met it head on, we might have survived, but it outsmarted us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of. It¡¯s only been 2 ? years in the apocalypse and we are seeing zombies and animal zombies that should have leveled up in ten or twenty. Humanity isn¡¯t strong enough yet.¡± Song Yu looked down at the sleeping Lan Zhou. His fire ability was the highest out of everyone in the world right now. He could definitely break through to S Level if he continued to work hard, but that could take a very long time. ¡°Have you studied on how to level up our abilities?¡± Xiao Zi adjusted his glasses and nodded. ¡°I did. It was one of my main purposes besides the cure and healing. The airborne version of the zombie virus is different than the one from the meteor. Its chemical makeup changed once it connected with the oxygen and carbon monoxide and relatively dispersed. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t turn people to zombies. There is a certain concentration that people inhaled that created these abilities. ¡°Either a certain temperature, a certain percentage of O2 or even a smell defined their abilities. It¡¯s a fascinating yet utterly monstrous virus. I spent 20 years trying to figure it out, but the government and military prevented research in favor of creating a stronger army.¡± Song Yu listened carefully to Xiao Zi¡¯s dialogue, his eyebrows furrowing. He wasn¡¯t a biochemist, but he got the gist of what Xiao Zi was talking about. Looking at abilities from a scientific perspective, it could be said that Earth was just the right amount of everything for the virus to bloom. ¡°¡­that¡¯s why we needed the pure ability user. If he could purify water, he could purify other elements, like air. If air was purified, would that mean that our abilities would dissipate? Or would the virus in zombies stop multiplying causing real death.¡± Xiao Zi sighed sadly, ¡°It¡¯s fascinating just how much potential could the pure ability user make for mankind. If we had reached him in time, we might have found both a cure and a way to turn our lives back to how it used to be.¡± Song Yu felt extremely uncomfortable. It was as if he had heard this conversation before. Xiao Zi wasn¡¯t like those dangerous scientists that tore out his flesh and hurt him. Xiao Zi¡¯s approach was much calmer, collected and straightforward. ¡°What if¡­what if you found the pure ability user? What would you do to him?¡± Xiao Zi tapped his chin in wonderment, and then shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t force someone who doesn¡¯t want to do it. Sure, I could guilt trip him into using his ability for experimentation, but the best results always came from those who volunteered. Since we never found the pure ability user in B Base, that might have meant he was reborn like us and Wu Ding, leaving everything behind. I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t like his previous life and wanted to be happy in this one.¡± Song Yu lowered his eyes, trying his hide his guilt. What guilt? You did your best. You lived 23 years in the apocalypse helping mankind. I could have done more. No you couldn¡¯t have. You were dying every day, over exhausting yourself to the point of coma¡¯s and starvation. If I had met Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi earlier, I might have gone with them. I might have helped them make a cure. ¡­ Song Yu hesitated before speaking, ¡°The experiments¡­will they hurt?¡± Xiao Zi turned to stare at Song Yu. His eye hidden behind the lens analyzed Song Yu¡¯s face. An inkling sparked in his mind. He saw Song Yu¡¯s guilt, confusion, and¡­fear. Song Yu was scared. Xiao Zi gently reached out and touched Song Yu¡¯s hand. Song Yu flinched a little but allowed it, realizing no other person besides Lan Zhou touched him so intimately. ¡°No¡­no it won¡¯t hurt at all. I promise.¡± Song Yu looked straight into Xiao Zi¡¯s eyes, and saw its clarity and calmness. Xiao Zi promised. Song Yu slowly nodded his head, signaling the answer to Xiao Zi¡¯s questioning eyes. They both understood that at that moment, they were going to save the world. ¡­ Morning came all too soon and everyone who had slept was now well rested and ready to go back home. Their abilities were now at full battery again, so they went on their way to drive back. Lan Zhou took the wheel with Yu Ci holding Wu Ding once again in his arms. In the back; Xiao Zi, Song Yu, Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu were talking amicably. They stopped once again at the gas station, taking a few liters of gasoline for home purposes. Du Win was chattier than last time, hovering over Wang Cheng, asking him about what they scavenged in N City. Lan Zhou told them the situation in N City, making sure to tell everyone that it can be used as a base now, if they so wished. Du Win nodded and glanced at Song Yu. For some reason, the white aura swirling around him was somehow brighter than he remembered. It haloed around him like an angel descending from heaven. ¡°You leveled up?¡± Song Yu snapped his head to Du Win and shook his head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Why?¡± ¡°Nah, nah. It¡¯s just that I can detect abilities. Your aura seems to have gotten brighter. So I thought you leveled up.¡± Song Yu could only shake his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I would have known if I leveled up.¡± Du Win could only divert the conversation elsewhere. Song Yu puzzedly looked at Du Win and noted down this weird conversation. He would have to check himself if he somehow upgraded. Levels were a noticeable difference. A person who is in on the verge of upgrading would feel lethargy, aches, pains, and would have to stay at home for at least 2-3 days. The higher your level, the higher the pain. So Song Yu who was a Level 10 space ability user with a pure variant, he would have been incapacitated for quite a while. Luckily, when he was reborn he was already a Level 10, so he didn¡¯t feel all of that pain when he upgraded. It also took a lot of effort to upgrade. Even Lan Zhou who was considered the world¡¯s strongest, took over a decade to reach Level 10 and then self-destructed after reaching the threshold for Level A. The group quickly took the gasoline and headed back to their base, making sure they weren¡¯t being followed by the three small bases. After driving for a few hours, they stopped at a lake an hour away from Song Yu¡¯s home. Song Yu recognized the area and told everyone to take a small rest. He nodded towards Wang Cheng, who looked downcast, carrying the potted flower tightly in his grasp. Song Yu patted his shoulders, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can come visit this place whenever you want to. Just as long as you don¡¯t bring any infections back.¡± Wang Cheng nodded. The group watched as Wang Cheng moved to find a good spot to plant the rose. Song Yu sighed and turned to Lan Zhou. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too harsh?¡± Lan Zhou shook his head, ¡°I would have done the same thing. Despite the advantages it has, Wang Cheng deliberately harbored a threat to the safety of the group.¡± Song Yu looked at the forlorn man, who looked like he was digging a grave rather than a gardening spot, his thoughts becoming guiltier. Wang Cheng liked the location Song Yu provided for Rose. There was a lake that wasn¡¯t as clean as the one in the base, but it would still suit Rose well. The ground was also softer than the outside. Wang Cheng chose a semi-sunny and shady spot for rose. He gently dug out Rose from the pot. Rose felt anxious. His vines wriggled around the pot, trying to keep his roots inside. Unwilling to get out of the pot, Wang Cheng sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t live your entire life in this small pot.¡± The rose refused, shaking its petals in protest. The yellow pot was being held onto so tightly, Wang Cheng had no choice but to let it be. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just bury the pot then!¡± Wang Cheng dug 6 inches into the ground, big enough for the pot to enter in. He suddenly felt the vines circling his arm. The thorns had retreated into the vine, so he could only feel the smoothness of Rose as it tried desperately to hang onto Wang Cheng. ¡°Be good.¡± Wang Cheng felt his heart breaking. Before the apocalypse, Wang Cheng was diagnosed with ADHD. And although it wasn¡¯t the end of the world for him, it put him into a bad predicament with his family, causing him to be ignored. His ADHD treatment was short-lived, and his circumstances went from a mildly spoiled son to a black sheep in an instant. So when Lan Zhou told him he would go abroad to build a business, Wang Cheng jumped at the chance. It would separate him from his family, and he could get the proper treatment. That treatment included Rose. Wang Cheng tended to talk a lot. He forgot things a lot too, so in order to remember things, he would repeat actions and data to objects. At first it was a teddy bear, but he was a green thumb and settled on the roses that were planted in his yard. Roses only bloomed a few times a year, so Wang Cheng bought a rose bush. It became such a habit, that eventually, he chose a singular rose and potted it. And that rose was the rose in the yellow pot now. When the apocalypse happened, Wang Cheng¡¯s disorder went slightly off kilter. With no medication, Wang Cheng brought the rose into his space for comfort. To his surprise, not only did it not die, but it stayed blooming for over 20 years. In this life, when he woke up inhabiting his young body, the first thing he checked was the rose bush, trying to find the familiar petal patterns of his plant friend. When he couldn¡¯t find it, he checked his space to see the rose in his yellow pot, gently waving at him. Wang Cheng was happy. And now, he had to abandon a friend. Tears slid down Wang Cheng¡¯s face. He blinked them away and wiped his nose before taking Rose and placing it in the hole. ¡°Thank you for listening to me talk for so long. It might have been boring, but you really helped me. Talking late at night, playing together¡­it was really fun.¡± The rose could feel this sense of parting. The vines once again furled onto Wang Cheng¡¯s wrist, tugging him to take him back. ¡°I¡¯ll come see you whenever I can.¡± Wang Cheng pried the gentle vines from his arm and pet his rose a final time. In a blink of an eye, Wang Cheng was gone. The rose stayed in the spot, its petals pointing at the direction Wang Cheng left. It stayed that way as night fell and the sun rose once again. It felt a feeling called ¡®loneliness¡¯. The rose got a little bigger, the vines easily taking the pot out of the soil from the shady spot. ¡°I can¡¯t bring you with me anymore.¡± Why? The rose wondered. ¡°If only you were a person, we could communicate like normal people.¡± Did that mean, if Rose became a human, Wang Cheng could keep him? The rose started moving, the vines elongating, trying to find a sign of life. It captured a bird, tasting its blood, feeling the DNA as it entered its body. This was wrong. The rose continued to crawl, trying to find that thing. Another bird, a snake, a zombie wolf, a zombie human. Not right. Not right. Not right. Not right. The rose didn¡¯t know how long it moved, how many days or nights. Its mission was clear as it tried to find it. One day, the rose smelled the scent of something. It crawled down crevices, mountains, and finally saw it. The thing that would make Wang Cheng stay with Rose forever. Bocchan13 Chapter 71—Back home Chapter 71¡ªBack home by Bocchan13 WARNING **NSFW-Sex scenes ahead** Wang Cheng walked back to the group. Everyone could see that he had cried. Song Yu felt even guiltier, but bit his lips. He said he understood Wang Cheng¡¯s pain, because he too harbored sentient animals. But the terrifying way it devoured the mole was still fresh in his mind. He knew that Derpy and Squinty only obeyed him. So he trusted them. But he did not trust the Rose that had stayed with Wang Cheng. Maybe in time, Wang Cheng could introduce him to it, and there would be communication. But for now, it was a threat that could not be taken lightly. It took them an hour to come back to the villa. Song Yu saw the familiar gates and gave a sigh of relief. It had only been a few days outside, but it felt like a lifetime. As he thought, there is no place like home. Song Yu pressed the button to open the gates. He soon heard happy barking and lyrical neighing. On the other side were Derpy and Squinty. The car pulled into the front yard, bringing the dog and horse into a light jog as it followed them in. ¡°Gahhh! Goddamn, I missed this place!¡± Yu Ci inhaled deeply, his smile brightening up the sorrowful atmosphere. Everyone shuffled out, extremely exhausted. Squinty was happily barking, his head going under peoples palms, trying to cop a pet. Wang Cheng who was still disheartened by Roses absence smiled a little and pet him. Derpy was also whirring around, his head moving back and forth. Song Yu patted his nose and rubbed his neck. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu were tired and were like statues as they waited for the go-ahead to the villa. The only one who wasn¡¯t tired was Wu Ding. He blinked quickly, jerking his head around the vast plains of vegetables, rice, fruit trees, the large clean villa, the crystal blue lake, and grazing animals around the land. Speechless, he only babbled incoherently as each aspect opened up to him. The gloriousness of the villa put him into overdrive. ¡°You-you-you guys¡­you guys¡­live here?¡± Wu Ding staggered to the floor, his knees hitting soft green grass. His eyes landed on a yellow dandelion, the brightness and healthiness of it making him emotional. ¡°Wu¡­wu..ha..sob¡­¡± Tears streamed down Wu Ding¡¯s eyes. The entire landscape blurred under his crying, but he just nuzzled his face into the green grass and inhaled deeply. Wu Ding had died after two years in the cold darkness of his cellar. Now, he was in the sunshine. He felt a gentle pat on the back, comforting and kind. He looked up to see his behemoth seatbelt who looked away from him, but his warm palms cast a spell of solace around him. Song Yu saw this scene and held out some toilet paper, ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s a lot of stuff we still have to do. If you want a tour, Yu Ci can help you, but I think everyone is tired. I can show you your room.¡± Wu Ding looked at the large villa and blew his nose loudly, ¡°I get my own room?¡± ¡°Yep, you do.¡± ¡°It has a window?¡± ¡°There are still vacant rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor. No problem.¡± Wu Ding turned to Song Yu, his eyes dimming. ¡°What do I have to do to stay here? I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t have the heart to tease him, ¡°There¡¯s a schedule we have to follow, and chores to do during the day. For now, let¡¯s rest.¡± Wu Ding nodded and was led inside the villa. Wang Cheng and Song Yu took some time to empty their haul into the gym so they can categorize everything later. Song Yu was worried about the farm and let everyone rest up while he surveyed the area. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Song Yu turned to see Lan Zhou, his eyes gentle. Nodding, they took a tour of the area. Song Yu took note of what Squinty had done. The food was properly distributed, but the pens needed to be cleaned. There was one less chicken, so it might have died somewhere. The cows and the pigs were dirty and needed washing. The fields had the sprinklers on, but Song Yu needed to do a more in-depth look. Once the outside was cleared, they headed inside to the mushroom room and vegetable garden. The hazmat suit was still too small for Lan Zhou, so Song Yu did it by himself. By the time he checked everything, he was exhausted. Looking at the time, it was already past dinner. Everyone had hauled their tired bodies back to their bedrooms, and Wu Ding was given a room next to Wang Cheng. Song Yu got out of the mushroom room and saw Lan Zhou lazily leaning back on the wall. ¡°Finished?¡± ¡°Mmn.¡± Lan Zhou saw Song Yu¡¯s tired visage and gently picked him up. Song Yu obliged, wrapping his legs around Lan Zhou¡¯s waist, arms around his neck and was carried into his room. The route from the mushroom room to his bedroom was not even 2 minutes, but between that time Song Yu nodded off before going into dreamland. Lan Zhou gently put Song Yu into bed, stripping off their clothes until they were only their underwear. He kissed his cheek, forehead and finally his lips before he snuggled happily into dreamland. ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡­ The next morning arrived all too soon. Groggy and still tired, Song Yu woke up to something hard poking him in the butt. He knew what that was. In a teasing manner, he squirmed a little, grinding the hard object into his butt crack. He heard a sound of pleasure before he was turned around and pounced on. ¡°You little vixen.¡± Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu fervently, opening his mouth to his tongue. His invasive and all-consuming kiss overpowered Song Yu¡¯s mind. Giving back as good as he got, Song Yu trailed his hands over Lan Zhou¡¯s chest, feeling the hardness of his muscles and gently pinched his nipples. Lan Zhou shuddered and continued his onslaught of Song Yu¡¯s lips. They were quite pent up from the days of not having sex. Song Yu quickly trapped Lan Zhou beneath him, taking off his underwear in the process. Song Yu was fully naked as he trailed kisses down Lan Zhou¡¯s chest, his pecs, down each row of abs until he was at the jackpot. He quickly sucked the head of Lan Zhou¡¯s member, feeling the intense heat of it as it entered his mouth. Lan Zhou moaned in pleasure as Song Yu expertly sucked and prodded, his tongue swirling to the most sensitive parts. Lan Zhou couldn¡¯t take it anymore. A deep gush of cum entered Song Yu¡¯s mouth. He continued to milk his penis as he opened his mouth lavisciously taking everything in. The spurts created quite the mess on Song Yu¡¯s face but he didn¡¯t care as he reveled in the glorious feeling of providing pleasure. Lan Zhou panted hard as his gaze darkened while staring at Song Yu¡¯s cum ridden face. He fervently pushed Song Yu down and devoured his lips. Tasting his own cum on Song Yu, he didn¡¯t care, and continued his onslaught of passion. Lan Zhou followed the same pattern as Song Yu, trailing kisses everywhere. Sucking everything he could. Lan Zhou reached Song Yu¡¯s pink nipples and bit them, causing Song Yu to moan loudly in pleasure. Nibbling the nub while rubbing the chest, Lan Zhou moved his hand down until it touched Song Yu¡¯s member. He stroked it lovingly, taking his time. Song Yu squirmed underneath him, trying to hump the hand. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t let him, changing the speed slower but harder; causing pre-cum to gush from Song Yu¡¯s tip. ¡°Augh!¡± Song Yu was about to explode, but the hand jerking him off didn¡¯t let him, only bringing him to the cusp before slowing down the rhythm. Lan Zhou lifted Song Yu¡¯s lower half , cupping his ass while still jerking him off. Song Yu was perilously balanced by those hands, his legs lifted up until they draped over Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulders. He felt his bottom being stroked. Rough fingers delving into the folds of his chrysanthemum. Song Yu shivered when a cold slimy substance entered his body. Song Yu took it in willingly, his hole sucking the fingers deeper into him. Lan Zhou had stopped rubbing him off, focusing on his back hole. Song Yu tried to reach out to touch himself but was held down by Lan Zhou¡¯s flexible fingers in his ass. ¡°Not yet.¡± Song Yu whimpered, ¡°Let me¡­let me come.¡± Lan Zhou laughed naughtily and pushed another finger into Song Yu. The rhythm picked up, until Lan Zhou hit that magical point. ¡°Umm!¡± Without touching himself, Song Yu came. White jizz trickled down his still erect member. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t care that he came and continued sliding his fingers inside Song Yu. ¡°You want me inside you?¡± Song Yu helplessly nodded. He clenched his ass tighter on Lan Zhou¡¯s fingers, beckoning for something harder to enter. Lan Zhou took out his fingers and let Song Yu pour lube on his cock. Lan Zhou¡¯s cock entered smoothly causing the both of them to sigh in relief. Lan Zhou trembled at the hot tightness of the hole he was penetrating, while Song Yu reveled in the feeling of being full. The point of contact between them felt like home. Lan Zhou gently moved inside, opening the flower until it was more flexible. It wasn¡¯t too long before Lan Zhou picked up speed, eventually fucking Song Yu so hard, the bed knocked the walls. ¡°Uh, harder! Right there!¡± One of Song Yu¡¯s legs dropped from Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulder. The new position deepened their bond. Lan Zhou held one leg, gnawing it like it was the most delicious delicacy. Song Yu whimpered as more of Lan Zhou entered inside him, touching him deeper than they had ever before. Lan Zhou was completely merciless, banging his prostrate again and again, its angle providing the most ecstasy. Song Yu came again but was not let go. Lan Zhou kept pounding him into numbness. Finally, Lan Zhou plunged his giant member inside, decimating the tunnel into oblivion and cumming. Song Yu came alongside him, his own cock spraying cum on the bed. Lan Zhou panted and sagged next to Song Yu. Both were deep in the post-nut bubble, glorying in the wildness of their passion. Still panting, Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu¡¯s sweat-soaked forehead, his eyes growing increasingly filled with love. ¡°Again.¡± Song Yu immediately closed his eyes. Was it too late to fall asleep? Chapter 72—Inventory Bocchan13 Chapter 71¡ªInventory by Bocchan13 Because of too much fucking, Song Yu was unable to leave his bed. But that was fine since it seems like Xiao Zi couldn¡¯t leave his bed either. Rubbing his tired waist the next day, Song Yu looked outside the window. It had been almost 3 months since Lan Zhou and his group came to the base. It had been mid-summer then, and they were now reaching fall. It was going to be harvest season for grains soon, and would need to thresh the fields. Song Yu quickly dragged his body downstairs to the kitchen. There was already Wu Ding and Yu Ci inside. Wu Ding was watching intently as Yu Ci cooked some bacon and eggs. His mouth was watering at the sight. He reached out to get one that was already fried. A quick tap on his hand averted his action. ¡°You¡¯ll get yours soon. Be patient.¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Wu Ding casually leaned on Yu Ci¡¯s shoulder creating a comical appearance since Yu Ci was half a head taller. Wu Ding was no spring chicken either. Under his newly gotten cotton shirt, you could see evidence of hard living; tight and lean muscles, little to no fat, and a sparkly tan. Before, Wu Ding was clearly a playboy but now sported a more dangerous vibe. Song Yu watched the duo and felt something strange about them. Wu Ding saw Song Yu in his peripherals and waved at him. The scruffy man was no more. Clean shaven, hair trimmed, and eye bags gone, he resembled the sweet-talking bartender more and more. ¡°You FINALLY came down. I swear, you and your hubby are too much! Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu too! They never left their room. Yesterday, I wanted a tour of the place but everyone except Yu Ci were gone! Song Yu frowned, ¡°Gone? Where¡¯s Wang Cheng?¡± Yu Ci flipped an egg and nodded, ¡°He¡¯s just in the garden out back. He¡¯s kinda down, so I left him to ruminate a bit.¡± Yu Ci hesitated a bit, ¡°I think not having that plant is causing him to be depressed. You don¡¯t know, but Wang Cheng was diagnosed with ADHD when he was a teen. It caused a huge rift in his family who didn¡¯t believe in mental health. He did talk about his pet rose from time to time back then. He even showed it to me in the past¡­I didn¡¯t connect the dots that the mole eating plant demon was the cute rose Wang Cheng held onto.¡± Song Yu felt a dark presence beaming down on him. That presence covered his heart and gave birth to the name: Guilt. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I should apologize to Wang Cheng. I¡­I still can¡¯t let it in just yet. But maybe, when I get to know it better, it can live with Wang Cheng.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Song Yu, Yu Ci and Wu Ding turned around and were face to face with Wang Cheng. That sunny smile looked tinted with sorrow, but held a glimpse of hope. In his hands was a small bouquet of wildflowers. Wang Cheng stretched out his arm, giving the bouquet to Song Yu. ¡°I-I wanted to apologize for not telling you about Rose. I was worried that you wanted to kill it, so I kept him a secret even from the rest of the guys¡­Rose has been with me since the very beginning, so I felt really sad. That doesn¡¯t excuse my behavior though. I did bring harm to you guys.¡± Song Yu accepted the bouquet and patted Wang Cheng on the shoulder, ¡°And I should apologize to you too. I don¡¯t want to be hypocritical, since I have sentient animals of my own. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t trust the plant, not realizing that it meant so much to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Song Yu smiled, ¡°When you go to see it, bring me along. I want to get to know it better too.¡± Wang Cheng visibly brightened, his eyes flashing with happiness. ¡°We can go in a few days! Once I finish the chores, we can see it in the afternoon!¡± Song Yu laughed and nodded his head. ¡°Of course!¡± Wang Cheng happily skipped into the kitchen and stole a piece of bacon. Yu Ci threw a wooden spoon from the kitchen supplies, ¡°It¡¯s not ready yet!¡± Wang Cheng stuck out his tongue and ate the bacon in two bites. Wu Ding seeing this behavior also tried to sneakily take a piece. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Wu Ding withdrew his hand, looking at the delicious food in sorrow. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu eventually came down from their room, Xiao Zi looking worse for wear with eye bags and a slight limp. Song Yu could empathize with him and could only give him an extra helping of bacon. Lan Zhou came in from outside, his working gloves full of mud and a bag filled with weeds. ¡°I got a head start, so it won¡¯t be too difficult in the afternoon.¡± Lan Zhou pecked Song Yu¡¯s lips and hurried to wash up before coming down for breakfast. After everyone finished cleaning up, they all headed to the gym to see their haul from N City. Song Yu and Wang Cheng were the only ones that knew the extent of their gains, but the rest were surprised at the extreme amount of things piled in small hills. ¡°All right everyone, we have to categorize everything and put them in inventory. Our major concern was clothing, but¡­¡± Song Yu glanced at the massive pile, ¡°I think we did a good job. Let¡¯s separate things in the category of clothes, perishables, non-perishables, furniture, electronics, for work, and for fun. Items for fun can be divided between us, and we can exchange what we want. If you were the one that found it in N City, you have first dibs.¡± Everyone got to work. Song Yu was the most adept at clothing, since he could sew. But he also wanted to look at the furniture and electronics, just to see if he was able to find missing parts and fix them. Beginning at the clothing, he separated into fabrics, accessories, shirts, pants, etc; He also took into account the different sizes. There were some that were too small for everyone and some that would fit several of them just right. This could be divided between them. Song Yu watched as everyone worked diligently. On the first day in N City, Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu had stumbled on a large clinic. Although the medicine was expired, there were still unopened packs of vials, needles, and even a microscope with several boxes of glass slides. There was also a blood pressure machine and even a few stethoscopes. Lu Jingxiu had found an unused washing machine still in the box, and was sorting through some other machinery in addition to a few swivel chairs and three computer monitors with matching boxes. Wu Ding, Wang Cheng, and Yu Ci had found a department store and shopping mall. There were a lot of looted things and they even encountered a few straggler zombies. The great thing was that each floor was already categorized. Things like beds, cars, clothes, perishables had already been stripped clean by previous people, but things like glass, bikes, TV¡¯s and cement were found in hard to look areas. When people panicked, the first thing they went to were major essentials like weapons, armour and food. Things like bicycles that were little to no help when outrunning a level 3 zombie, were discarded. But to them, using them as recreational exercise was a good thing. There were also gym equipment and extra mats laying around, so they all went into Wang Cheng¡¯s space. It took them most of the day to settle everything and put them in their proper place. Song Yu and Xiao Zi decided to keep the seeds in the storage unit at the clinic rather than the villa. This way, they both could experiment on variant species of foods. Biochemistry and agriculture mixed together to create delicious food! This also gave them time to make a vaccine using Song Yu¡¯s pure ability. Song Yu had still not told Lan Zhou and the rest. Not about anything in his past, nor the reasons he left 2 ? years ago. Song Yu promised himself that he would tell Lan Zhou everything. Chapter 73—Life goes on Chapter 73¡ªLife goes on by Bocchan13 It took Song Yu a few days to muster up the courage to tell Lan Zhou. Every night he lay awake in bed, trying to find the right words to explain to him that: All of the points all led to the fact that Song Yu was kinda scummy. His reasons were sound in his head, but putting them into perspective; it just made it seem like Lan Zhou was an enemy. Song Yu fumbled with his conscience but ultimately went to bed each night exhausted. Lan Zhou noticed this too. Song Yu averted his eyes too much and always seems to be dazed. But Lan Zhou was patient. He felt that Song Yu was collecting his thoughts in order to tell him about his past. Day after day of this behavior was also noticed by the rest of the group. Lu Jingxiu set Lan Zhou aside with a questioning look. ¡°Did anything happen between you guys? He¡¯s so absentminded.¡± Lan Zhou could only shrug his shoulder, ¡°Beats me. I think he¡¯s just tired.¡± Lu Jingxiu rolled his eyes and slapped his shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t tire him too out in the bedroom!¡± Lan Zhou laughed but nodded his head. Article #162 did say that a vigorous sex life was good, but it should also be taken in small doses. ¡­ Song Yu and Wang Cheng decided to see Rose a few days after they came back. Instead of riding the car, they wanted to do a long bike ride to the location. It served as a way to show the route as well as monitor the surrounding forest for unsuspecting zombies. Song Yu draped a UV protector jacket and wore a baseball hat, strapping two daggers to his thighs and his bow and arrow on his back. Wang Cheng sported a poncho and a backpack containing things Rose might like. Song Yu glanced at the tablet and popcorn packet, and stayed silent. They rode their bikes past the strawberry field, the bamboo area and into the lower valley. The lake Song Yu purified trickled in a small stream to the lake where Rose was rooted at. Once they saw the familiar landmarks, they slowed down. The hot afternoon sun beat down on them, so they took a break and tried to find Rose. Song Yu vaguely saw the track marks left by their car and the trodden grass close to the lakeshore. Wang Cheng ecstatically bounced around, his smiling face alight with excitement and happiness. Song Yu smiled and followed Wang Cheng. The closer they got to the place, the closer Wang Cheng¡¯s happy mood seem to dissipate. In a quick flash, Wang Cheng was now running. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Rose¡­rose¡­¡± Wang Cheng pointed to a semi-shady and sunny spot before turning back to Song Yu. ¡°Rose¡­isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Yu looked at the spot and saw that dirt had been tossed, creating a hole 6 inches deep. ¡°Rose! Rose!¡± Wang Cheng yelled, but before he could yell again; Song Yu clamped his hand over Wang Cheng¡¯s mouth. ¡°Are you crazy? You want to bring zombies within a mile radius to come?¡± Wang Cheng had forgotten about that, but nodded his head. Song Yu let go and stooped to see the dirt. ¡°It¡¯s not recent, the tossed dirt is dried. Rose probably uprooted himself the moment we left. You said that it likes to hide in your space. Check it again. If he¡¯s not there, he might be at the villa. Don¡¯t worry, we will find Rose.¡± Wang Cheng nodded and quickly disappeared. Not a few seconds later before he came back out and shook his head. ¡°No, not there. What do I do? It must be so angry with me for leaving and doesn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± Wang Cheng could feel his chest tighten, thinking of how he might never see Rose again. They returned back to the villa hastily, Wang Cheng going to places where Rose might be. The rest of the group heard that Rose had disappeared and also helped in aiding their search. Song Yu watched as Wang Cheng mindlessly worried, trying his best to figure out where Rose was. This image also echoed into what it might have looked like when Lan Zhou woke up in the hotel room that morning. Like a mirror into Lan Zhou¡¯s soul, he could see how much Lan Zhou tried to find him. The photo at the hairdresser¡¯s was proof of his search. The next few days, everyone was working hard working in the fields. Song Yu took out the large threshing machine and took to dealing with the grain while everyone worked on separate fields. Wang Cheng had stopped looking for Rose, but the little frown lines creased his brow more than it ever had. After another day of back-breaking work, everyone wanted to take a day off to relax. Song Yu wanted to set a team to go out to for the 2 week long expedition, taking care of the zombies at the border. Since it was still harvesting season, he couldn¡¯t go, instead having everyone familiarize themselves with Derpy and Squinty who would act as both guide and guard. Unsurprisingly, Wang Cheng volunteered to go. He wanted to see if Rose was still out there. In order to prepare them for the trip, Song Yu spent long hours into the night talking about the various areas. Showing his maps and zombie pits, he also gave them tips and tricks to handling situations when almost encountering outsiders. Just in case, Wu Ding took out his radio and changed the frequency to an offline channel. Hooking it up to a system in Song Yu¡¯s home, they would be able to hear each other from far away. It was concluded that Wang Cheng, Yu Ci and Wu Ding would go. If they were quick about it, they would finish their route in a week and a half. The day of their departure arrived. Song Yu knew that Derpy and Squinty would keep them safe, but he was still worried. All three of them were cloaked in rubber infused body suits, masks and hats. They were the epitome of apocalyptic fashion. They all carried weapons, but their backpacks and foods were stored with Wang Cheng. Early in the morning, they set out in the car and drove off. Song Yu and Lan Zhou watched them from the door, like parents seeing their kids off to college. Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu¡¯s cheek and rubbed his waist. ¡°They¡¯re going to be okay. Not to mention 2 weeks, if they left for 2 months I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± Song Yu pushed Lan Zhou and smacked his butt. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it!¡± Laughing, Lan Zhou took the lead to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The days were getting colder, so Song Yu wore a sweater over his cotton shirt and headed to the barn to tend to the animals before going for breakfast. When he was done, he took a short trip to the lake to see if it needed purification. Song Yu could tell that there were some impurities, but it wouldn¡¯t harm anything as of yet. Just to make sure, Song Yu would do it tonight while everyone was sleeping. Bocchan13 Chapter 74—The life of lies has shattered Bocchan13 Chapter 74¡ªThe life of lies has shattered by Bocchan13 The rest of the day went by a little slower. Song Yu felt the lack of presence from the ever so comical Wang Cheng and the steadfastness of Yu Ci. Even Wu Ding who had only stayed for a short period of time left an indelible mark on the home. Song Yu had been alone the past few years, taking the entirety of the upkeep on himself. Now that there were more people, the backbreaking work was reduced significantly. It even made Song Yu laugh that in order to become a salted fish, he had to employ more people. With the three of them gone, the house was also a lot quieter. Song Yu finished a field and drove the big massive machine back into the garage. The grains were already separated and would only need to be dried in the sun. That work could be done tomorrow. Lu Jingxiu was currently putting the new inventory into the house, separating all of the games Wang Cheng had found. Song Yu slumped on the sofa and watched as the tower of DVD¡¯s leaned dangerously as it continued going higher and higher. ¡°C¡¯mon! Why the hell would Wang Cheng get all of these? It¡¯s not compatible with the PS***!! Should we just toss it?¡± Lu Jingxiu threw the unusable games towards a pile and grumbled some more. ¡°If their trek diverts, they can go to Y City for a bit and exchange for the game console. Y City is currently owned by a gangster though.¡± Shaking his head, Lu Jingxiu just mumbled some more. ¡°No, if they go they might get kidnapped.¡± Song Yu quietly laughed to himself at his antics but did not touch on the matter. Xiao Zi was in the kitchen prepping for dinner. During their time in N City, Xiao Zi had also stopped at a bookstore. Since Lu Jingxiu was the one carrying it, he couldn¡¯t take much. Some of what he brought back included very niche foods from other countries, which was something Song Yu forgot about when he downloaded loads of PDF¡¯s. The four of them ate dinner and cleaned up quickly. Xiao Zi and Song Yu wanted to play a few games in the arcade room, so Lu Jingxiu and Lan Zhou decided on a small sparring match outside the gym and work out. The entire day passed in comfort, and they would start harvesting the rest of the vegetables tomorrow. They would also go bamboo cutting, where Song Yu would teach them how to weave the net for the zombie pits. The more everyone learned, the more Song Yu could continue to be a salted fish. When it came around 6pm, the radio in Song Yu¡¯s workroom whizzed and whirred, sending a coded message. Lan Zhou was the one to pick it up first. Right on track. At Point B on the ridge. No signs of abnormalities. No swarm. Confirmed zombie kills: 23. Lan Zhou wrote down the message before sending a code back. Message received. Noted 6pm. Lan Zhou told Song Yu about the message giving him relief. They quickly got ready for bed and slept in each other¡¯s arms. When it was deep into the night, Song Yu gently pried Lan Zhou¡¯s arm off his waist and got dressed, ready to go out for another night of purifying. He quietly exited the house and walked barefoot to the lake. It was pitch black with nary a star in the sky and the moon seemed to have disappeared for the night. Song Yu could only use his senses to reach the familiar path. He once again didn¡¯t sense another figure silently following behind him. Song Yu reached the lake and slowly walked into the shallow depths. The mud under the lake turned to gravel before stone. Song Yu breathed deeply at how cold it was before opening up his space. The blue light shimmered in the night, dancing across the surface like bioluminescence. Song Yu dunked his head in the water and expended his space to let water filter in. More and more of the water furled around Song Yu as purified glowing water extended outward. Song Yu didn¡¯t mind purifying the lake. In his last life, despite how much it made him hurt, he always felt at peace just beneath the surface of the water. Song Yu soaked in the water for an hour. By this time, the water was shimmering like blue silk. Unexpectedly, he heard a shark snap. Instantly opening his eyes, they immediately narrowed in on the sound. Song Yu dropped his feet to the lake floor, spatial blades opening in his palms. Its reflection looked like demonic wings coming out of the water. The same blue lit up his eyes, as he inhaled deeper and deeper, keeping his heart calm. A second. Two. Three. A shadow separated itself from the trees and approached Song Yu. Song Yu¡¯s heart clenched. Who was it? The moon that seemed to have disappeared made its way past the black cloud, shining directly into the lake. The shadow¡¯s movements were the all too familiar gait of his lover. Song Yu anxiously looked at himself drenched in the lake with shining blue water emanating from him body. What did he look like now? No. No. No. He tried to breathe deeply but the air was stuck in his throat as the familiar face of Lan Zhou calmly walked through the trees to the shoreline. Song Yu avoided his gaze, hugging himself, the spatial blades disintegrating. He had nowhere to run to. He was already caught. Song Yu grit his teeth and closed his eyes as he felt those eyes penetrate his body. He heard the sound of footsteps stop, before the slosh of water. Song Yu lifted his head to see Lan Zhou wading in the shallow water towards him. The purified water swirled around Lan Zhou, but Lan Zhou didn¡¯t seem to care about the water properties, his eyes still fixed on Song Yu. When he reached, Song Yu opened his mouth to speak, to once again close not knowing what to say. Lan Zhou reached out a hand. Seeing it, Song Yu flinched. What did he want to do? Lan Zhou¡¯s hand stopped before regaining confidence. A small trail of his face, Lan Zhou pressed Song Yu¡¯s head into his chest. Feeling the familiar embrace, Song Yu was shocked numb. ¡°You¡¯re going to get a cold.¡± Lan Zhou held him so lovingly. So preciously. Tears brimmed his eyes and the clogged throat once again found its voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not telling you.¡± Song Yu hugged Lan Zhou tightly, his tears pressing into Lan Zhou¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m the pure ability user.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also reborn.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°You were supposed to be a one night stand. I just wanted to be loved for one night.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°I wanted to tell you so many times.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Song Yu spilt everything into the wide chest of his lover, each word coming out lessening the burden in his heart. Song Yu was incoherent as each confession overwhelmed him. Lan Zhou was silent as he listened to the hurt Song Yu suffered, the silence he endured, and the vivacious tenacity of his will to survive. Song Yu¡¯s voice dwindled down to nothing as he gasped and cried. Lan Zhou could only hold his dear one and watch as the shimmering blue water circle around them. ¡°Song Yu.¡± Song Yu hiccupped and looked up to see the most beautiful gaze he had ever seen fall on him. Such¡­deep encompassing compassion, love and understanding. ¡°Song Yu. I love you.¡± Song Yu gripped Lan Zhou¡¯s shirt tight as those words struck deeper than they ever had before. Lan Zhou loved him unconditionally to the point of madness and sanity. Song Yu could only reply with his heart. ¡°I love you too. Lan Zhou, I love you too.¡± His mouth opened, spilling honeyed words; each syllable prolonged and deep. This was the sound that Lan Zhou had wanted to hear since the very beginning of his life. This was the first time Song Yu had ever said those words to Lan Zhou. The evasion of those three little words spilled forth, opening his heart bare and defenseless. It was the most a person could ever feel in their life. Song Yu gasped as Lan Zhou kissed his wet lips, licking the salt from his tears. Song Yu let him consume him, wrapping his arms tightly around Lan Zhou¡¯s neck. Their kiss was unlike any before it. It was sweeter than the sweetest candy, softer than the softest pillow, kinder than a saint. Through their mouths, they repeated that phrase over and over and over again. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 75—It all comes out Bocchan13 Chapter 75¡ªIt all comes out WARNING: NSFW 18+ (SEX SCENES) by Bocchan13 Song Yu didn¡¯t know how long they had stayed in the lake, but he didn¡¯t care. They moved to the shallows of the water; their lips clinging to each other with fierce passion. Song Yu unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide down his body and into the water. Lan Zhou hastily kissed Song Yu¡¯s chest, nibbling on the rose buds causing him to moan. ¡°Let me see you too,¡± Song Yu urged, his hands roaming Lan Zhou¡¯s chest. Lan Zhou also took off his shirt and continued his kissing onslaught on Song Yu. The water sloshed around them, its lights brightening with each movement of the waves. They reached the small shore, to which Song Yu violently straddled Lan Zhou, his panting even more desirable and deep than before. He kissed Lan Zhou everywhere; from his forehead to his chin, caressing every part of the big strong body he deemed his. Lan Zhou let him, roaming his own fingers, tapping those sensitive points on Song Yu¡¯s body. Their foreplay was one of consideration and ownership. Each gave and took what was needed. Song Yu dug his hand inside Lan Zhou¡¯s pants, rubbing the stiff staff in his cold hands. Lan Zhou shuddered but felt intense passion as the coldness collided with his heat. Song Yu rubbed and nuzzled before stripping his own pants off. Still striding, he put the two members together and started masturbating. Both sighed in ecstasy as they reached their peak. Song Yu came first, cum drizzling the top of his penis, soaking his hands and making it slippery. Lan Zhou came soon after, making more of a mess. Song Yu didn¡¯t care and licked the white semen on his hand. Lan Zhou rubbed his penis, getting more and started the preparations. His large fingers soon found their entry; slick with cum, he entered easily making Song Yu gasp. Lan Zhou went into a sitting position, still letting Song Yu take the lead. He wrapped his arms around Song Yu¡¯s waist whilst keeping his fingers stretching. One finger. Two fingers. Three. Song Yu was now grinding his erect penis between Lan Zhou and himself, feeling the intense pleasure of Lan Zhou¡¯s magical hands. Water sloshed around them as Song Yu moaned more and more. ¡°Eum! Lan Zhou! Right there!¡± Lan Zhou curved his fingers, touching that gentle spot that sent Song Yu¡¯s strength to weaken. Song Yu instinctively moved his hips, pleasuring himself on Lan Zhou before being totally enraptured by the waves of passion. Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t gentle; and he wasn¡¯t kind. He teased and lingered until Song Yu was a complete mess on top of him, teasing the hole, but not giving him euphoria. ¡°I¡¯m¡­haaa.¡± Song Yu was going to come. Unexpectedly, Lan Zhou¡¯s fingers abruptly left Song Yu, leaving his desire unfulfilled. ¡°Lan Zhou?¡± Lan Zhou picked Song Yu up until Song Yu was straddling his hips while Lan Zhou was standing. The position greatly aligned Lan Zhou¡¯s member to Song Yu¡¯s chrysanthemum. ¡°Song Yu,¡± Lan Zhou whispered lightly in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± With a thrust, the large stick completely entered Song Yu. Song Yu¡¯s breath hitched as inch after inch of Lan Zhou entered inside him. The pain and the heat encompassed him. He immediately came. Cum splattered between their abdomens causing their sweaty bodies to stick closer together. Song Yu moaned as the pleasure overwhelmed him. Lan Zhou was not to be outdone. His phallus quickly buried inside Song Yu, reaching the depths of his body. Lan Zhou grunted as the hot cave welcomed him wholeheartedly. Lan Zhou was not gentle as he slid Song Yu¡¯s body up and down, using him like a flesh toy. Sawing his lower body until there was only numbness, the smacking sounds reverberating around the lake. Song Yu¡¯s butt cheeks were rendered raw as Lan Zhou¡¯s big hands cupped them. Song Yu did not disguise his voice, only shouting louder and louder in tandem to Lan Zhou¡¯s thrusts. Song Yu didn¡¯t know what happened after as his mind was muddled. He recalled that they had made love a few more times in the lake, before doing it on the grass, before doing it again in the villa, and finally a few more times on the bed. Song Yu stiffly woke up a few hours later to Lan Zhou slamming his member inside, causing him another wave of ecstasy. At last, when morning came; the both of them collapsed on the bed, sweating, full of cum and drenched in lake water. Song Yu¡¯s eyes were bloodshot from crying and full of gunk he didn¡¯t even know. Glaring at the sleeping member on the bed, he could only lean back on the bed and sigh. ¡°Angry at me?¡± A large arm circled his waist, causing his stiff muscles to tighten. Groaning, Song Yu turned to face Lan Zhou¡¯s precious smile. ¡°You have no shame! There is a limit! LIMIT!¡± ¡°Hahahaha,¡± Lan Zhou cuddled into the nape of Song Yu¡¯s neck, smelling the wonderful scent of his lover. ¡°I love you.¡± Song Yu¡¯s heart melted as he caressed Lan Zhou¡¯s hair. He kissed his forehead tenderly and looked deep into Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes. ¡°I love you too.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s brilliant eyes sparkled as he kissed Song Yu. ¡­ Song Yu did not hide. He told Lan Zhou his past. How his family treated him before the apocalypse and how he was sold to B Base. Everything in between, when he was experimented on, the comrades he made, the Paradise Base, and the eventually death at the hands of those people. Song Yu talked about these events as if they were done to a passing stranger. His emotionless monologue worried Lan Zhou, but ultimately he understood that this was the only way for Song Yu to talk about it. Song Yu had kept this pain filling his heart since the very beginning of their relationship, and it was only starting to heal. Song Yu¡¯s experiences were in line with Lan Zhou¡¯s conjectures, but some of the information like how Song Yu was treated in Paradise Base made him even madder. ¡°In the perspective of outsiders, Paradise Base and you¡ªthe leader¡ªwas known to be a benevolent but cruel person. Your powers were god-defying but you used it for monetary gains instead of for the greater good. Although we were not entitled to your powers, the majority of the outside could not pay the price for what you offered.¡± Song Yu nodded his head. He was always inside Paradise Base, not leaving even on meetings between bases. So he didn¡¯t know the situations outside very much after the initial 3 years. It was always Ye Xin who set the prices for his pure ability, and reassured him that the outside world was like Paradise. ¡°I was na?ve and foolish. My friend Ye Xin might have been the mastermind, but there were so many of our comrades who went along with it too. Either they were as manipulated as I was or they were in on it.¡± Lan Zhou kissed Song Yu¡¯s cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad. You did help your base. It saved a lot of people¡¯s lives.¡± ¡°I could have saved more,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that. If that¡¯s the case, I should have never killed the experimentalists in B Base, because they too were looking for a cure. Sometimes not everything is black and white.¡± Song Yu could dispute and argue with Lan Zhou, but ultimately he was right. Song Yu¡¯s pessimism was an accumulation of 20 years as the Paradise Bases cowering dog. It would take time to heal. And Song Yu had nothing but time now. Lan Zhou and Song Yu talked a little bit more. About how Song Yu¡¯s powers worked, the exhaustion and comas he suffered back then. Lan Zhou didn¡¯t want Song Yu to go through that again and made him promise him that he wouldn¡¯t overexert himself. Song Yu promised. As they went through their normal day, Song Yu felt that nostalgic feeling again. As if he had made this promise before. Chapter 76—Slice of Life Chapter 76¡ªSlice of Life by Bocchan13 A week had passed after that. They had finally finished harvesting and was preparing for winter. Song Yu wanted to plant a few winter vegetables, so they started off doing parsnips, beets, and cabbage before delving into the pool of seeds they found in N City, raking in kale and even cauliflower. These didn¡¯t have deep roots and would not interfere with each other during the seeding. Song Yu ecstatically watched as their group wore their farming clothes, boots and shovels and dropped seeds into the turned dirt. They would mature just as there would be frost to cover the land, making the vegetables taste sweeter. Song Yu had also planned to kill a cow to make beef jerky in the winter, but that would have to be done in late fall. The winters in the mountains were much colder than in the flatlands. Song Yu spent the first winter inside a kotatsu with three layers of clothes. The farm animals were fed by Squinty who didn¡¯t mind the cold one bit, and the fields had been covered in almost 7 feet of snow. The entirety of the villa will be blanketed, rendering the outside useless. During the peak coldness, Song Yu took this time to hone crafts using the manuals he downloaded before. Cooking, sewing, tanning, drying, chemistry, and renovating. Song Yu¡¯s only problems about the winter was that the energy levels dropped. Song Yu was entirely dependent on solar energy. There was an entire field in the back of the villa containing more than 20 flat solar panels that moved in accordance to the sun. In winter, the sun was shrouded in clouds, rain, and snow. Song Yu had to scrape off the snow from the solar panels every three days, sometimes even once a day in order to get them to work. Song Yu had a heater using fuel and gas, but that would not last an entire winter. Luckily, this winter they had a fresh flow of gasoline from Du Win, and Song Yu planned to create a solar generator that kept the energy for longer. Song Yu approached this to Lu Jingxiu, and he got to work thinking of how to make it happen. On the other hand, after telling Lan Zhou about his abilities, nothing had changed. Lan Zhou was still stupidly in love with him, spouting love poems at night, and sharing long glances during the day. Lan Zhou had asked when Song Yu would tell the rest of the group; making Song Yu hesitate a bit. ¡°Xiao Zi¡­might already know that I¡¯m the pure ability user. We talked a little bit about the experiments. I think he¡¯s just waiting for me to tell him.¡± Lan Zhou nodded, ¡°He is very observant. If you are okay with helping him that¡¯s fine. But I don¡¯t want you to feel obliged to do so.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You can take your time to tell everyone else. Wang Cheng and the rest haven¡¯t come back yet. If you want to tell them then that¡¯s also fine too.¡± That did make Song Yu feel better. He was willing to tell everyone. So as the days passed, the 2 weeks of the group¡¯s journey had lengthened to another week. They wanted to do it more leisurely, as they found the spots to be scenic and warming. Yu Ci continued to update the group on their activities, but Song Yu thinks they really enjoyed this leisurely field trip. They only had to kill a few zombies, scan the perimeters for stragglers and monitor any hoards or strange zombie behaviors. With the three of them, it was a breeze. Song Yu could feel their fighting spirit, and didn¡¯t want to curb their independence. So two weeks turned to three. Summer had finally finished and fall was descending the mountains. The leaves gradually changed colors, making the greenery turn into ambers, reds, and oranges. The new vegetables had sprouted and there were no apparent zombification. Song Yu was also getting a bit lazier. He had a few more hands to take care of the house and the planting, leaving him with a bit more time. So, Song Yu decided to create winter jackets for everyone. The cotton seeds would have to be planted next year, but there were still the unused mattresses and clothes from N City. Song Yu tore through the springs and took out the mattress stuffing. Finding waterproof materials, he got to work, creating a pattern for a long puffer jacket. Taking inspiration from a few TV shows, he finished the first coat after three days of continuous editing. Finally, the coat was finished. There was a large weighted hood that wouldn¡¯t budge with the wind, lined with fur from N City. The puffer jacket was lined with heat tech inside as well as a replaceable inner jacket if they were too hot. The mattress stuffing inlaid the puffer jacket material, those bumps a little bit uneven but otherwise functional. Song Yu added large pockets on the outside and three on the inside for emergency things like snacks, flashlights, and the occasional dagger. The first guinea pig was Xiao Zi. Song Yu and Xiao Zi had similar builds, so when Song Yu finished, he casually asked Xiao Zi for his opinion. Xiao Zi was all too happy to try it on. The puffer jacket went down to his shins, the sleeves a little bit shorter for gloves. Immediately, Xiao Zi could feel the intense heat radiating outwards. Like his body warmth was trapped. After 5 minutes, he had to take it off because it was too hot. Song Yu was happy, as it was aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. During the day, they checked and watered the plants, checked the storage, and husked the grains using machines. In the afternoon, Song Yu continued to make more coats for everyone. Lan Zhou complained that Song Yu didn¡¯t have any time for him. He wriggled in Song Yu¡¯s embrace, causing Song Yu¡¯s hand to slip stabbing the needle somewhere else. With no choice, Song Yu threw a pillow at him. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Darling!¡± Lan Zhou was heartbroken and had to sleep in the next room for the night, but was let in early in the morning to a horny Song Yu. Lan Zhou was also busy. He helped Song Yu with the planting and was also helping with the solar panel problems with Lu Jingxiu. Hearing how harsh the winters were here, Lan Zhou wanted to create something similar to windshield wipers to wipe the snow off so they wouldn¡¯t have to. Lu Jingxiu wasn¡¯t an engineer or mechanic, so they had to look through the manuals Song Yu had to get an idea of what to do. Eventually, they settled on both the generator and wipers, leaving other projects for later dates. Lu Jingxiu easily understood these kinds of things, so he was the head of this project. The house was greatly insulated and didn¡¯t need any modifications, but the storage basement downstairs had to be re-organized. The fresh produce and cold foods like meats were okay, but they had to put the seasonal items into further storage so it wouldn¡¯t be contaminated by the cold. Lan Zhou later came to the realization that all of the foods were expired, but since Song Yu periodically put them in the space, they retained their shelf life. Stupid head. Xiao Zi was also busy. After being hinted at, that Song Yu was the pure ability user, he got to work right away, trying to get the results of the vaccine that he had in his last life. Although, the missing ingredient was right in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t approach unless Song Yu was willing. These initial tests were crucial and did not need Song Yu¡¯s interference anyways. Xiao Zi was happy that he had all of the tools at his disposal. Song Yu had even given him a few computers that would compute the molecular data, to which he was grateful. These days were so lax and happy, Song Yu forgot that this was the apocalypse¡­and anything can happen. Chapter 77—Didn’t you want me? Chapter 77¡ªDidn¡¯t you want me? by Bocchan13 Autumn had set in the mountains and Wang Cheng¡¯s group was coming back today. Song Yu prepared a large dinner, sparing no expense much to Lan Zhou¡¯s chagrin. Song Yu and Xiao Zi got to working making delicious foods. Song Yu wanted a big hot pot, so delved into the gardens and took out ingredients fit for king. He also got a variety of mushrooms and even took out frozen bamboo shoots from last year. They spent the entire day cooking, filling the house with delicious smells and spices. Song Yu and Xiao Zi chatted happily and got ready for the groups arrival. Right on cue, at 5 pm, they heard the sounds of the car. Lu Jingxiu went outside to open the gates and let them in. Squinty euphorically ran straight through walls before pouncing on Song Yu. I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here! Song Yu hugged Derpy tightly, his happy laughter lifting the mood of the house. ¡°I missed you! How are you?¡± Miss! You! Too! Song Yu let Squinty roll around and playfully nip while looking outside the door to see Derpy outside. Song Yu gently patted Squinty on the head and went outside to embrace Derpy. Derpy was a little dirty but was energetic. He snorted in happiness as Song Yu pet his head. ¡°Awww! Big baby hasn¡¯t had his coat brushed. I¡¯ll do it!¡± Derpy happily trotted around Song Yu, neighing loudly. At this time, the car had parked inside the garage and the three people came out. Wang Cheng looked to be slightly happier, whilst Yu Ci and Wu Ding had an awkward atmosphere surrounding them. ¡°Hey guys! Long time no see! How you¡¯ve been?¡± Wang Cheng was dirt ridden and sweaty but his overall mood was exuberant. Lan Zhou came out as well and hugged Wang Cheng, ¡°We¡¯ve been good. The harvest finished and we are just planning for the winter. How about you? The messages were so brief; we didn¡¯t have much to go on.¡± ¡°It was so fun! We followed the map and each pit had around 5 zombies. It was kinda fun setting them on fire. And¡­¡± Wang Cheng happily jaunted their escapades making their return much sweeter. Yu Ci was a little tired, but was not worse for wear, and Wu Ding had fattened even more whilst they were away. Wu Ding who was almost as talkative as Wang Cheng was surprisingly quiet. However, the mood of their return was still light hearted. Song Yu let the group take a rest and prepared to finish the dinner cooking. The newly cleaned trio came outside and was astonished at the vast amount of food for their return. Wang Cheng saw the familiar chocolate bar and pinched his cheeks. ¡°Am I dreaming? Is it my birthday?¡± Yu Ci rolled his eyes. ¡°Your birthdays in April dude.¡± ¡°Apocalypse weather is wonky. Who know, it might snow in July!¡± Everyone laughed and got down to shoveling food. Song Yu had really outdone himself. The hot pot ingredients were fresh and lightly damp, the side dishes filled with flavor. No one talked as they inhaled the food. There were some scrimmage battles between chopsticks, but otherwise the dinner was complete. ¡°Man, I¡¯m stuffed!¡± Wu Ding stretched his arms up in the air, his t-shirt lifting up and exposing his navel. Unexpectedly, Yu Ci took the shirt and dragged it down, covering it. ¡°Don¡¯t show your body,¡± Yu Ci went back to getting seconds, making everyone blink. But Wu Ding touched the place Yu Ci¡¯s hand had touched and promptly frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not a baby.¡± Yu Ci ignored the provocation and continued to eat. The situation became a little awkward, but the dinner concluded successfully. Song Yu had given Wang Cheng another box of chocolate bars, making him extremely happy. Afterwards, they wanted to have a little drink, so Lu Jingxiu took out a high alcohol concentration vodka. They reconvened to the living room and sat down, talking about their experiences outside. Wang Cheng seemed to like these outside adventures, and babbled here and there about what they did outside. ¡°And then, and then, we fought the level 4 zombie! Wu Ding was extremely helpful; he made the ground so slippery, it was like they were wearing ice skates! It was hilarious! We just watched as it skedaddled here and there.¡± Wang Cheng talked some more, while everyone listened in rapture. Lu Jingxiu sighed cause he wanted to do the 2 week trip as well. Could it be considered a honeymoon with just him and Xiao Zi? Song Yu grinned brilliantly. Now the group will probably fight who gets to go out. Song Yu wasn¡¯t too interested in the outside, rather living his hermit life in his home with the animals and plants. It was hard to transform soldiers into newbie farmers, and they still needed the thrill of the fight. Song Yu was glad that they enjoyed themselves and vowed to stretch out the perimeter if the surrounding people were gone. The Sun Base that was closest to Song Yu, whilst the three bases sharing no man¡¯s land was a bit away. If Song Yu wanted, he could expand. But that was too much work for the seven of them. Song Yu gently leaned on Lan Zhou, deep in thought. He felt Lan Zhou¡¯s hand rub his head carefully, so Song Yu closed his eyes. ¡°Somewhere in the middle though, Yu Ci and Wu Ding got into a scrimmage with a small zombie hoard while I went on patrol, we were separated for a few hours. They managed to hide in the trees! I couldn¡¯t find them as well!¡± Yu Ci coughed up his cup of vodka and Lu Jingxiu had to pat his back, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. No problem.¡± Wang Cheng rubbed his chin, ¡°When I finally found them, they were stuck like glue on ONE branch! It was hilarious! The zombies probably snapped the branches around them. I had a hard time not laughing.¡± Yu Ci and Wu Ding both ignored each other, but their faces were tinted with red. Everyone gave them crap for it, and continued on with Wang Cheng¡¯s stories. Yu Ci briefly glanced at Wu Ding who took another shot of vodka. The adams apple bobbing up and down with each gulp. Wu Ding had also tanned a bit during this time, so although his face had a healthy tan, underneath the clothes¡­ Yu Ci internally smacked his forehead! Was he such a scum that he would move on to someone else so soon after getting his heart broken? Yu Ci looked at the beautiful scenery between Song Yu and Lan Zhou, how they cuddled in each other¡¯s embrace and their peaceful smiles. The ache he used to have watching this scene was somehow muted. Yu Ci was indeed a scum. He had immediately fallen in love with Song Yu, and immediately fallen out of love with him. Was loving him so shallow that he could instantly stop? Yu Ci had to look deep into his heart. In his previous life, he had not fallen in love with anyone. Even his wife, he had cared for her, protected her, and given her anything she wanted. But that was not love. The quick beating of his heart when he followed behind Song Yu those two days, that nervous feeling of being left behind, and the warmth of his smile when he finally let them in¡­it wasn¡¯t fake. Yu Ci didn¡¯t understand. Now, he was feeling these feelings towards someone else. Someone not Song Yu. Did that mean that this ¡®love¡¯ was just an infatuation? An amalgamation of chemicals in his body making him this way? Yu Ci once again stared at the couple: how they were so close to each other. How they were so in tune. Maybe¡­just maybe¡­Yu Ci was in love with the Song Yu that was in love with Lan Zhou. Glittering smiles, happy tears, hopeful eyes¡­all things he wanted aimed at himself but could never have. Yu Ci was in love with love. ¡­ The rest of the night tapered off to a movie playing in the living room. Squinty didn¡¯t choose the film this time; rather it was Wu Ding who gushed over the K-drama¡¯s. Song Yu happily obliged and they watched the first episode together. All of a sudden, Song Yu felt goosebumps on his skin, his back tingling as wave of nausea hit him. He immediately moved the hand on his waist and gasped for air. Squinty barked crazily, his eyes glowing a light red. In an instant, Derpy was neighing outside angrily, and the animals were also frightened by this powerful aura, instinctively moving into their paddocks. It was not only Song Yu who felt it. Lan Zhou felt it just as quickly. ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Song Yu could feel the protection layer he set up move. Not break, but like a gap opened and closed. Everyone vigilantly got weapons and set out to the front gate. The closer they were, the closer the feeling of dread hit them. ¡°Is it a person or zombie?¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t know and just shook his head. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any zombies around, you guys just finished perimeter checking remember?¡± ¡°One could have slipped through the cracks,¡± That was possible. Song Yu could feel cold water dousing his insides. A threat had entered his home. HIS HOME. For the first time in 2 years, someone had arrived. Song Yu was scared. Lan Zhou could feel his anxiety and rubbed his back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll help you.¡± Song Yu only felt a little bit reassured, but kept his body close to Lan Zhou. Song Yu¡¯s eyes glowed a brilliant blue as two large spatial blades emerged into his palms. Lan Zhou already had his brilliant blue sword at the ready. Both Wu Ding and Lu Jingxiu were sporting icy blades. Yu Ci had hardened a large axe, and Wang Cheng and Xiao Zi had two guns each. They silently walked to the gate where they felt the presence. It then started to rain. Small drips here and there, before they was a downpour. In an instant, everyone was drenched, inhibiting their sight slightly. Song Yu breathed deeply in¡­ Inhale. His beating heart slowed down, the calmness ensues. His body ready¡­ Exhale. They reached the large gates. On the other side¡­they saw a person. A large man with pale white skin stood there. He didn¡¯t move as they approached the gate, but his head lifted up, showing amber eyes. Long dark red hair stuck to his face like a demon. He was wearing absolutely nothing, only covered by the waist length hair, looking like a Greek god chiseled by stone. Those amber eyes glowed brighter in the darkness, the rain pelting everyone. Everyone tensed as the man scanned everyone before zoning in on one person. Too quick for everyone to react, the man was no longer on the other side of the gate. Instantly, the man was right in front of them. His presence so sinister, it made everyone tremble. Song Yu and Lan Zhou was the quickest to react. Song Yu immediately slashed towards the man¡¯s neck but was thwarted by something¡­behind him. His back was jerked and Song Yu flew backwards, landing embarrassingly on his butt. Lan Zhou was able to dodge whatever had hit Song Yu and parried his sword. The blue flames did not die out by the rain, and its large flashing arc scraped the man¡¯s cheek. Everyone witnessed the stranger¡¯s cheek as it closed and healed by itself. Lan Zhou was ready for another hit, when the man seemingly disappeared and appeared right next to Wang Cheng. ¡°Uwaahhh!¡± Wang Cheng was going to teleport himself when he was suddenly embraced by this man. Large arms enveloped him carefully, as if afraid to hurt him. ¡°Move Wang Cheng!¡± Lan Zhou was going to make the Blue Sun. Wang Cheng tried to teleport, but it was as if his ability was blocked. Song Yu had gotten up from his fall to see dark green vines silently retreat. These vines were what had jerked him. A dizzying revelation emerged. Those vines were all too familiar. Wang Cheng was panicking in the man¡¯s embrace and wanted to escape. He took out his gun and fired straight at the man¡¯s head. The entire half of his head had been blown off. Yet slowly, the brains, the tissues, the muscles all came back like he was liquid. The man¡¯s amber eyes only stared at Wang Cheng, holding no malice. The man opened his mouth, trying to speak but nothing came out. But to Wang Cheng, his eyes widened as he smelled the familiar scent of his rose. ¡°Lan Zhou! Wait!¡± Wang Cheng dropped the gun and clutched the face of the man. The amber eyes were what caught a person¡¯s attention, but they didn¡¯t see that the skin was a greenish pallor and the lips a rosy red. Wang Cheng hesitantly asked, the pouring rain muffling his voice; ¡°Rose?¡± Like an aggrieved child, the man¡¯s face crumbled from its scariness into one of heartache. The man touched the part that had just been blown off and tried his hardest to muffle his tears, ¡°Wang Cheng, didn¡¯t you want me? Why did you hurt me? Uwaaaah!!!!¡± Everyone: ¡­ Bocchan13 Chapter 78—Roses escapades in the wild Chapter 78¡ªRoses escapades in the wild by Bocchan13 (Roses perspective) The rose nimbly crept through the mountains. Eating when it could, moving when it could, and killing when it could. The past few days, the rose had been trying to find that something. He knew that if he found it, he could level up to heights surpassing its little yellow flower pot. It was instinctual. It knew that his form right now was not its final one. That if he could find the perfect ¡®something¡¯, he would change. Its innocence in believing this was what set its actions apart from other beings. They weren¡¯t as intelligent to listen to the whispers of ¡®thought¡¯ and ¡®consciousness¡¯, rather succumbing to its basic instinct and feeding. The leaves had started to change colors; the rose could only continue its searching. The sun had risen eight times already, and the rose still hadn¡¯t found ¡®it¡¯. This is the longest it had ever been away from Wang Cheng as was starting to miss him terribly. The rose didn¡¯t know when it reached ¡®consciousnesses¡¯, only which it had stayed with Wang Cheng for a very long time. Its sentience could only be described as miraculous. This only happened when its owner had died, and the things in his space pooled out into the open world. The rose had sensed the loss of its owner. Greedy people had pilfered the goods, leaving it alone with its little yellow pot in the center of desert. The rose was going to die. However, the rose had felt an immense power flowing inside him. It felt so familiar to him; as it had the same scent as its owner. No sooner had the rose felt it, the space that it used to live in was now its. The owner was gone, but the rose was still there. The rose stayed inside the space, waiting for its owner. It tried to leave the space but it couldn¡¯t; so it could only patiently wait. A rose does not have a concept of time. The space was bright with light and it never got dark. It just waited and waited. Gradually, it had a ¡®thought¡¯: Where can I find him? Where can I find Wang Cheng? The rose wanted to leave and find Wang Cheng. It wanted to move. Wanted to see. Wanted to feel. It spent a long time in the space trying to do things. Eventually, it could. The vines grew to long lengths, its petals could fold, and its leaves waved in excitement. It wanted to show all of these things to Wang Cheng. Wang Cheng who spoke with vivacity, happiness and sometimes loneliness would be happy if it saw the rose wave at it. It was one day when the rose felt the space open. Its control over the space had lessened. Not that it didn¡¯t have its power¡­but was now sharing it. The rose could feel something come inside¡ªtrying to find something. The rose felt that familiar aura. That face. That smile. Wang Cheng had come back. The rose had learned quickly what had happened. It¡¯s ¡®thought process¡¯ was much faster than it was before. It absorbed the world with Wang Cheng; it never wanted Wang Cheng to leave. So it taught Wang Cheng things by observing the ¡®enemies¡¯, helping him when he should. It would slaughter all things that hurt Wang Cheng. It felt that it had to be hidden, since it knew there wasn¡¯t another plant like it. It remembered the ¡®comrades¡¯ of Wang Cheng. It still recalled their introduction from long ago. So it didn¡¯t mind their closeness as long as it was the closest. Wang Cheng would continue to talk to it, stroking its petals, making it ¡®feel¡¯ things. The rose could no longer deny how much Wang Cheng affected it. And when the ugly monster wanted to hurt Wang Cheng, the rose could only destroy it. Now, it was searching. Thankfully, after the 12th rising sun, the rose stumbled on something. It had tasted zombie blood; with its putrid green color, rotten flesh and the ¡®bad things¡¯ inside it. So this new scent was¡­fresh. It had never tasted flesh of someone fresh before. The rose used its vines to travel from tree to tree until it reached a small cliff leading to a lazy river. It could still smell the ¡®thing¡¯ so the rose continued to follow the trail. It unexpectedly reached a tree where the blood was thickest. The rose opened its petals and tasted the red liquid on the branches. Blood. Red. Human. Blood. This is what it was searching for. The rose followed the trail of blood, reaching a small cave, its only entrance, a crevice you had to be flexible to enter through. Blood had smeared the walls entrance, looking enticing. Inside, it heard the sound of labored breathing, groaning, and the gasp of life being snuffed out. The rose heard everything and knew that if it didn¡¯t strike soon, the body would turn to the ugly green and rotten base it was familiar with. Not only that, but the zombie animals would feed off of the flesh too. The rose silently moved into the cave, making no noise as it attached itself to the rocky surface, watching the person. The man inside was quite big with green eyes and dark brown hair. There was a dying fire in the corner, and a small blanket next to it. The rose could see the gruesome cut on the man¡¯s abdomen, mostly done by a bad fall. It wasn¡¯t done by a zombie so zombification hadn¡¯t occurred, but it wouldn¡¯t be too long. The man was lying back onto the rock, his slow labored breathing going quieter and quieter. The man knew he was dying. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die here! I¡¯m not finished yet! I haven¡¯t lived yet!¡± The man was cursing the small cave as each word spurt out more blood from his abdomen. Tears escaped the man¡¯s eyes, its emerald hue so beautifully sad. ¡°I have to find them! I have to see them again.¡± Gradually, night fell. The man stopped speaking a while ago¡­and the breathing ultimately stopped. The rose¡¯s vines gently got down from the ceiling and touched the man. There was still a bit of warmth in the body. But it would soon zombify. The rose opened its petals, gradually getting bigger and bigger, the vines thickening, the petals expanding until it engulfed the entire cave. The rose instinctually moved the dead man into its petals, making sure to retract its sharp teeth. Instead of chopping it to pieces, the rose secreted a liquid from its petals, wringing its perfume into the center, enveloping the body inside. Since the body had just died, it needed to be healed. The rose understood that it would take a lot of ¡®time¡¯. The rose blocked the entrance to the cave with more rocks, secretly licking the blood on the walls. It sloshed the body inside it until it curled up comfortable in its center. The rose gradually fell asleep, lulling the body inside like a tender child before succumbing itself to the depth of unconsciousness. ¡­ The rose felt like it had been asleep for a while. When it awoke, the rose felt that the body had already started merging with its own. He could feel the vines penetrate the man¡¯s limbs, integrating with the nerves, veins and muscles. It was as if it was slowly being absorbed. The rose gingerly felt the arms, trying to control the fingers. It took time and effort, but he could put his hands into fists. Ultimately, the rose had to go back to sleep, and did so. This time, the rose ¡®opened its eyes¡¯. Feeling the fluttering of the eyelashes touch his face, the rose shakily moves his hands. He could no longer be considered an ¡®it¡¯ but a ¡®he¡¯. He checked the body, seeing that the wound on his stomach had disappeared while he was in stasis and left no marks. The clothes the man had worn were completely gone. The rose exercised his fists again, but noticed dark red strands coming from his head. He remembered that humans had something called ¡®hair¡¯. He touched his wet strands and liked them, since they were the color of his petals. It took a while to move. Feeling things by hands and feet rather than vine and petal. The rose could sense that his vines were still inside him. Instantly, as he willed it; vines jutted from his hands, similar in color and shape when he was in rose form. This made the rose want to jerk his lips. This subconscious feeling was something called a ¡®smile¡¯. The rose used his vines to unblock the cave, letting sunlight reach him. Unlike humans, the rose was still able to get energy from the sun. It walked instead of crawled, bared its teeth at predators, and tried its best to find words to introduce himself to Wang Cheng. Excitement tore through him. Would Wang Cheng be happy? Since he was human now, Wang Cheng must be happy! It took rose a few days to find familiar surroundings. At long last, when it reached nighttime, the rose saw the familiar gates. Unexpectedly, the rose saw the familiar people coming to the gate. The rose waited patiently for them to come. He was being greeted! The rose searched for that familiar face and finally saw Wang Cheng. Too excited, the rose flew through the gates, just stopping in front of them. In his excitement, he didn¡¯t see the blood thirsty looks from the members. He saw a flash of blue, as the human ¡®Song Yu¡¯ tried to slash his throat. Immediately, the rose opened his palms and vines flew behind Song Yu jerking him back. While his vines were doing this, the man next to Song Yu was ¡®Lan Zhou¡¯ whose bright blue flames parried, causing a cut to appear on the rose¡¯s cheek. The rose felt pain. He stared stupidly as the mark healed itself. But the rose¡¯s enthusiasm was extinguished. Instead, the rose felt sadness. Why are they trying to hurt me? The safest place was indeed next to Wang Cheng! The rose moved to Wang Cheng, gently holding him in his embrace. It always used to curve its leaves to hold a single finger, but now he was able to envelop Wang Cheng in a humans embrace. ¡°Uwaaaaahhh!!¡± The rose sensed the space distort and disallowed it to move any further. He knew that Wang Cheng was trying to leave. But why??? The rose didn¡¯t listen to anyone but Wang Cheng. His eyes looked at every aspect of Wang Cheng, seeing his every emotion. All of a sudden, he saw the barrel of a gun as it touched his forehead. Eyes widening, the rose¡¯s heart was shattered just as much as his head was when the gun¡¯s trigger was pulled. The rose didn¡¯t let go though. It wasn¡¯t like a human or a zombie who would die like that. The head was just another body part. The rose¡¯s eyes were regenerated, but the tongue and mouth connected to the brain was still out of tune. The rose opened its mouth but no words could escape him. He could only spread his pheromones in hopes that Wang Cheng could at least understand who he was. The rose saw the familiar eyes staring at him, two hands clutching his face as Wang Cheng fixated on his appearance. ¡°Rose?¡± The rose¡¯s emotions fell forth, no longer hiding how much hurt Wang Cheng caused him. Something called ¡®tears¡¯ escaped his eyes. The first words he ever spoke, ¡°Wang Cheng!¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 79—The decision Bocchan13 Chapter 79¡ªThe decision by Bocchan13 ¡°Uwaaahh!!¡± The large man started crying loudly, bursting into tears which were quickly washed away by the rain. Everyone was still in shock as the red head buried its head in Wang Cheng¡¯s shoulders. Wang Cheng was quite tall too, similar in size to Song Yu at 180cm, but this guys could compete with Yu Ci in terms of size. Seeing this behemoth-like man crying utterly at Wang Cheng made everyone feel awkward. Lan Zhou¡¯s Blue Sun was still glowing, getting bigger and bigger. Lan Zhou looked at Song Yu with worried eyes, ¡°Are you okay? Did that bastard hurt you?¡± Song Yu just looked at the collar of his shirt which had torn by the force of the vines. Other than a sore butt he was fine. He shook his head, ¡°He didn¡¯t hurt me.¡± Wang Cheng was extremely flustered as he tried to console the rose as well as reassure the group. ¡°Lan Zhou, stop! He¡¯s not trying to hurt you guys!¡± Turning to the big man he helplessly rubbed the man¡¯s back, ¡°Shhh, there there. I didn¡¯t mean it! I¡ªI was out of my mind! Yes! I was just scared that you changed a little too much.¡± The rose lifted his head, his tear-stained amber eyes growing even sadder. ¡°You said that we could be together after I became human. I¡¯m scary?! Waaahhhhh!!!¡± The rose was indeed too hysterical to console. Wang Cheng pleadingly looked at the rest of the group, who had taken several steps back. ¡°Wang Cheng. What¡¯s going on? This¡­person is rose?¡± Wang Cheng could only helpless shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m just as confused as you guys!¡± The man¡¯s arms surrounded Wang Cheng¡¯s waist tightly causing him to grunt in pain. ¡°Gently! Gently!¡± Rose immediately loosened his arms, but still kept them circling Wang Cheng. Lan Zhou sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°For now, let¡¯s get out of the rain. He¡¯s not going to hurt us now. But we need to interrogate it¡­him.¡± The group vigilantly led the way back to the villa, keeping an eye on the man still holding Wang Cheng. They entered the villa and turned on the brightness settings, seeing the man in the light for the first time. The man¡¯s nakedness showed large pecs, chiseled abs, pubic hair trailing down to a large¡­aherm. His entire body was pale white tinted with a light green. The dark red hair resembled the color of the rose, the wet strands trailing down his back to his butt. Those amber eyes had a hint of green in it as well. The man looked to be in his early 20¡¯s with wide set shoulders and a tall frame. Yu Ci was tall, but this man was slightly taller. His aura seemed to be dangerous, but he was crying like a baby. If it wasn¡¯t for that deadly aura, it would look like any other college student bursting with energy. The contradictions were too much! Big tears plopped off Roses face, as he practically burrowed himself in Wang Cheng¡¯s embrace. Wang Cheng was still too speechless about this being his rose. What happened to his cute rose form? The group led them to a small parlor room that was only used for setting up storage. It was on the outermost area of the house and would not affect the structure if the rose decided to wreak havoc. Song Yu was still shivering from the experience with the vines. They had moved faster than he could blink and could have easily shredded him to pieces. Luckily, the only thing it grabbed onto was his collar, but if he had moved even slightly faster or slower, there might have been a different outcome. Song Yu stared at the rose as it clung to Wang Cheng. It looked to be extremely dangerous, but he glanced at the gentleness of his fingers as they trapped Wang Cheng into its embrace. He didn¡¯t expect this outcome. The rose was definitely a dangerous entity, but somehow after seeing it, you could only see the pureness in its eyes. Wang Cheng along with the sticky rose was dragged to a chair in the center where a hanging light bulb stood. Interrogation: START! Wang Cheng was easily anxious as he watched his friends faces stare at him and rose like they were the enemy. Gulping down fear, he pinched the roses arm to make him stop crying. The rose, detecting this touch thought it was a game and pinched right back. ¡°Ow!¡± Wang Cheng glared at the now smiling plant and shoved him away. ¡°Wang Cheng, we need his co-operation. Can you help us?¡± Lan Zhou spoke evenly, but there was still an edge of coldness to it. Wang Cheng easily nodded his head. Lan Zhou turned to the rose, speaking slowly and precisely, ¡°How long have you had this form?¡± The rose looked at Wang Cheng¡¯s pleading gaze and could only sit down obediently. ¡°Time. I don¡¯t understand. I felt the sun come up many times until the leaf change, then I was asleep. I woke up and try find Wang Cheng.¡± Lan Zhou deducted from his broken speech that he was copying words he had heard as a plant. Forming complex sentences might have to be taught. ¡°That means you weren¡¯t like this when you saved us from the mole.¡± The rose nodded. ¡°I want to change. So I go.¡± ¡°How did you change? Did you kill someone?¡± The rose sensed this question to be the defining moment for him. He didn¡¯t know that this was a trick question from Lan Zhou, only that it had a semblance of ¡®meaning¡¯. ¡°I eat the person after their body sleeps. I smelled fresh blood and followed it to him. He died and I take him in my body. When I sleep, I change.¡± Lan Zhou and the rest were dumbfounded. A sentient plant was able to create a human form by absorbing a person before zombification. Xiao Zi was equally as stunned. The evolution of sentient plants and animals did not reach to this extent even in their previous life. Unless¡­these sentient plants and animals were extremely rare, learned from humans and did not approach them for fear of death. This was very plausible. If so, there might have been an evolution of human-zombie hybrids living in isolation somewhere. There was an endless amount of opportunity! If this was so, they might be able to cohesively transform the virus! However, no one was celebrating as Lan Zhou asked it more questions, ¡°Do you have a taste for eating people?¡± The rose was confused. As a sentient plant, it only gained consciousnesses thanks to the virus. It changed his DNA, not overtook it like the virus did. So it did not feed. There were sentient plants that did, but that was only because its consciousness stopped evolving after its instinctual nature. The rose was leaps and bounds higher in evolution than those other plants. He slowly shook his head and nuzzled closer to Wang Cheng. ¡°I don¡¯t eat. I only eat the sun.¡± This gave everyone a huge sigh of relief. Song Yu was the one to ask something next, ¡°Will you hurt us? If someone is mean to Wang Cheng, will you kill them?¡± Rose pursed his lips. He HAD done something akin to that, but that was because Wang Cheng was in extreme danger. If he hadn¡¯t done it, Wang Cheng would have died. ¡°Will you hurt Wang Cheng? If you do¡­might.¡± Song Yu could easily see the extreme trust the rose had for Wang Cheng. He wasn¡¯t sure if they could teach the plant empathy or ethics. All of a sudden, Squinty came barreling through the door, his tongue lolling from his open mouth. He was wet from the rain. He must have run to see if the animals were doing okay. ¡°Bark!¡± Wow! It¡¯s the smelly plant! It looks like everyone!? Can I play with him? Song Yu sighed. A sentient animal wasn¡¯t even on par to a sentient rose. Hearing his little distorted dialogue made him feel slightly better. Squinty did not see the plant as such a threat. Song Yu had to give props to that. Squinty might evolve at a slower rate, but his love for him would not diminish in the slightest. Does that mean that sentient animals and plants have the ability to change to humans? It was both plausible and implausible at the same time. Animals did not have a body useful for absorption. Unlike a plants genetic makeup, an animal is probably more likely to evolve into things akin to beasts like werewolves. The future¡­was indeed going to change. The interrogation lasted another hour, and Xiao Zi, under the super careful supervision of Lu Jingxiu, extracted three vials of Roses blood for scientific research. In the end, the rose was able to stay, but was relegated to the gym for further observation until they were more comfortable with it. The rose didn¡¯t mind, but was extremely sad that Wang Cheng slept in the shiny house. Everyone¡¯s sleep was a bit distorted, but soon went off into dreamland. Chapter 80—Confessions Chapter 80¡ªConfessions by Bocchan13 The leaves had finished changing colors and were now falling down in waves, splashing the floor with reds, oranges, and auburn yellows. It had been a month since Rose became a part of their entourage. At first, everyone was awkward around it. Rose was also extremely introverted, only clinging onto Wang Cheng. Every morning, Song Yu could see Rose sit outside the porch steps, waiting patiently to be let in by Wang Cheng. Now, it had integrated well into the base. Rose turned out to be extremely talented in the harvesting and the planting of winter vegetables. His long and sharp-thorned vines easily turned the soil and planted a row faster than anyone else. Song Yu did not take him for granted and was able to prepare a nice sun bed for him to soak up pure soil. Rose seemed to like that, and when he was on break, he would just sunbathe naked in the backyard. Wang Cheng took to helping Rose learn more about humans and how to interact with them. From learning to write, to watching educational channels, the rose seemed completely content and happy. It was like the mole-eating rose monster was just a thing of the past. There was still a shadow of doubt and awareness of Rose, but it was better to have it as an ally than an opponent. Lan Zhou even took it upon himself to show Rose how to strategize and use his vines to maximize its effectiveness. Song Yu became even more of a salted fish, as more and more chores were taken from him. Everyone was both content and happy with everything. What Song Yu was most worried about, was that he still hadn¡¯t told the rest that he was the pure ability user. He didn¡¯t mean to keep it for this long, but with the debacle of Rose and the planting for winter, he kept pushing the thought aside, procrastinating by himself and knowing he hadn¡¯t come up with the courage to confess. It wasn¡¯t until he was under Lan Zhou, grinding his hips upwards that he had the resolve to tell everyone. Panting with pleasure, he lightly kicked Lan Zhou after their lovemaking session and downed a bottle of water, his mood still lust crazed, but otherwise sober. Lan Zhou could sense Song Yu¡¯s hesitance and immediately thought of Article #13 of Cos*o Issue¡ªHow to pacify your lover. He gently brought Song Yu into his embrace and tickled his shoulder with his chin. Both of them were naked and had finished sex, so their skin was sticky with sweat. Lan Zhou inhaled Song Yu¡¯s scent deeply and just silently held him in his arms. Sometimes, silence was better. Song Yu rubbed his head next to Lan Zhou¡¯s and sighed out pitifully, ¡°Its time I tell everyone right?¡± Lan Zhou just kept holding him. To fill the silence, Song Yu thought aloud. ¡°If I tell everyone, do you think things will change? I like how we are now. I like the fact that everyone treats me well, and works hard to make this place a home¡­but¡­¡± Song Yu turned to peck Lan Zhou¡¯s lips, ¡°I know it will come out sooner or later¡­and I want to help Xiao Zi in making a cure or vaccine.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and kissed Song Yu¡¯s forehead delicately. His eyes were filled with so much love and gentleness, Song Yu¡¯s previous somber mood lightened. ¡°There is pressure in not having pressure or a deadline. If I say that it¡¯s all up to you, you will be even more confused and anxious. I want you to tell everyone. I want you to proudly come out of your shell and show the world that you exist. You are no longer the tired Paradise Base Leader anymore. You don¡¯t have to bow down to anyone anymore.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s sweet deep voice echoed in Song Yu¡¯s ears, nursing his wounded heart. ¡°You are completely¡­and utterly free.¡± You are free, so be free with me. ¡­ The next day, they were going to check the new winter sprouts before laying the tarps to keep the soil regulated. Song Yu checked to see if there were any zombified plants, and was quite pleased that the seeds they collected were still viable. Lu Jingxiu and Rose were on the outskirts, watering the next batch. Rose stared unblinkingly as his plant friends grew up. Song Yu thought it was quite cute that a plant was taking care of other plants, but then thought of Squinty and Derpy who herded the other animals. Eventually, the day ended with everything being meticulously cared for. Song Yu dragged Lan Zhou to take a shower before going downstairs for a meal. Wu Ding and Yu Ci were responsible for dinner tonight. Wu Ding who had been a bartender, a server and even a patisserie, was quite adept in the kitchen. Yu Ci was just a brooding helper, who handed things to Wu Ding when needed. Tonight¡¯s food was a fusion feast of different countries. Wu Ding liked to mix and match with different aesthetics. One dish from Country M was sweet, sour and spicy, while in the western countries of Country W and K, there was only tender meat sprinkled with sauce. Wu Ding didn¡¯t want to make beef brisket because of sanitation reasons, but instead, BBQ¡¯d pork strips, dripping with oil and fat. Wu Ding was assured by Song Yu that they could eat more meat. Song Yu¡¯s stockpile from 2 years ago had depleted significantly since the arrival of everyone, but there were already a few calved bulls and heifers that would grow up into good moving meat. Some of the original cows, pigs, goats and sheep were still living and breeding, with the exception of one or two that Song Yu had to kill because it was contaminated with the zombie virus, while a few were killed to feed the animals during winter last year. They would kill a cow and a goat in the next coming days to make sustenance for winter. Song Yu and Lan Zhou were graced with a table filled with sumptuous food. Song Yu¡¯s stomach growled as he stared at the crispy pork skin, pork fat and fresh vegetables to make into wraps. ON the side was kimchi, red sauce and spicy oil. Next to that was a hot plate of stir-fried vegetables reminiscent of D Country¡¯s cuisine, filled with flakes of chili. Each seat had a staple of light yellowish rice, that puffed out steam from its bowl. Song Yu wanted to thank the heavens. Wu Ding was just placing a cold soup on the side, when everyone barreled in and took their seats. Song Yu, at the head always took the first bite. Clinks of glasses of smooth wine ( which Song Yu will have to make sooner or later), and the sound of forks and spoons scraping the plates, everyone talked to everyone about interesting things and facts. Song Yu listened carefully to everyone¡¯s conversation, seeing their happy expressions. There wasn¡¯t many arguments, usually small tiffs that rectified easily. Everyone surprisingly was on the same page in terms of this home. Lu Jingxiu grumbled that he still hasn¡¯t gone on a dating outing with Xiao Zi and was looking forward to 2 weeks of just themselves. Song Yu gladly took the reins of the conversation and detailed some interesting sights he saw outside of the path. Wu Ding and Wang Cheng were discussing a bit about the plants they would need for winter, while Xiao Zi talked with Rose about some of the interesting things he found in his blood. Rose seemingly understood, but pressed himself a little bit closer to Wang Cheng. Yu Ci and Lan Zhou talked more about the generator and how they would be able to power the entire house with the solar panels during the winter months. They seemed to be quite concerned about winter, because it was getting colder too fast for comfort. Song Yu¡¯s eyes passed by Lan Zhou¡¯s and the feeling of content overcame him. This was the time. He was ready. Song Yu did not clink his glass with a utensil like in the movies. It was just him standing up and smiling brightly. Lan Zhou coughed a little to get everyone¡¯s attention, making the conversation dwindle down a bit. Song Yu brought up his wine glass, his voice light with happiness. ¡°Thank you everyone for today¡¯s work. We will continue to monitor the vegetables until the next month before harvesting them, but for now the big work is finished!¡± Everyone cheered happily. Song Yu continued, ¡°We will get two rest days as well!¡± ¡°Yeah!!!¡± ¡°Open bar tonight!¡± ¡°Yeah!!!¡± ¡°Games galore!¡± ¡°Yeah!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the pure ability user!¡± ¡°Yeah!!¡± Wang Cheng cheered happily, ready for the next happy cheer. Dancing happily in his chair, he looked to see everyone¡¯s eyes glued to Song Yu. The information he just heard was hard to seep through his brain, but it came eventually. Everyone open mouthed stared at Song Yu who was still smiling brilliantly. Song Yu held nothing back. Heart pumping wildly, he could only show his ability. Unlike the times where his bright blue aura surfaced for his spatial blade, a soft swirl of shimmering blue emanated out of Song Yu. Song Yu opened his space to the widest it could, absorbing the surroundings in his aura. Like a deity sent from the heavens, Song Yu glowed like a brilliant star, shining with it brightness, captivating everything in its sight. Song Yu took a flower from the table¡¯s centerpiece, its leaves and petals drooping. He clasped it in his palm, making it disappear in his space before opening his palms open. Everyone stared in rapture as the once dead flower, shone brightly before transforming back into its original state. The droopy flower was vibrant again. Even more so than before, a small blue aura shimmering in its petals making it even more gorgeous. ¡°Hello everyone, I am the pure ability user from B Base. I was reborn three months before the apocalypse and have lived in this paradise for two years. Thank you for taking care of me all of this time.¡± Bocchan13 Chapter 81—Past experiences Chapter 81¡ªPast experiences by Bocchan13 WARNING: Mentions of suicide It was the calm before the storm. The only ones who weren¡¯t freaking out were Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi who had a hunch before. Since it was confirmed now, Xiao Zi silently sighed in relief, the giant weight on his shoulders he didn¡¯t know he was carrying, suddenly lift. He was always anxious in his previous life about the cure. There was no end to human greed, and with greed came suffering. He did not remember the many instances where his division was shut down in favor of a faster, quicker and cheaper way. Humans were uniquely the only ones who targeted their own kind. At the best of times, there was a singular solidarity, but at the worse¡­well¡­Xiao Zi had seen that worse. In the labs of B City when the human experimentalists begged to be kept alive, rather than acknowledging the murder of many ability users. The Military Base with the doctors and healers who kept getting greedier and greedier, until they idled away their talent, only working for the top dogs of the pyramid. The horrendous scientists responsible for making a cure, making a vaccine, making people live¡­just continue their arrogant ways of manipulating genes in order to satisfy the big bosses. And even when Xiao Zi died at the hands of Paradise Base. He witnessed on the large walls surrounding the base, a figure in black with oozing yellow eyes look down at him and Lan Zhou like they were ants in his path. A wave of his hands and a collective force of dead-eyed people took out their weapons and aimed it at them like they were zombies. This feeling of helplessness¡­devoid of hope or sanctuary... was now being extinguished by Song Yu¡¯s confession. Xiao Zi¡¯s hope in humanity was resurfacing after being stagnant for almost 10 years. Yu Ci was the first to react, his eyes blinked in confusion and then acceptance before he stood up and saluted. He thought their mission was over, and that all he had left was to live in this wonderful heaven. But now, with this piece of information¡­the hope of humanity came once more. Lu Jingxiu had mixed feelings. He knew that Song Yu did this to protect himself, but the lingering feeling of their previous life; how Xiao Zi died, and how they suffered¡­it was hard to swallow. His deep thoughts would never be brought to the surface though despite him wanting to yell at Song Yu. Wang Cheng was the most shocked and the one who loudly spoke out, ¡°Holy hell! You¡¯re the pure ability user!?¡± Wang Cheng confusedly looked at everyone¡¯s stiff faces before smiling brightly, ¡°Holy shit! We found him! We fucking found him!¡± Wang Cheng¡¯s happy face subverted the serious mood. Wang Cheng ran up to Song Yu and hugged him. Squeezing him tight, Song Yu could see the wonderful expression of relief, happiness and excitement. ¡°My god! We¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you! Do you know what this mean? Do you? We¡¯re gonna save the world!¡± Song Yu wanted to cry. Tears pooled out of Song Yu¡¯s eyes as he looked at those innocent ones. He turned to see the faces of his comrades, who looked at him with acceptance and hope. Lan Zhou gently grabbed Song Yu from Wang Cheng and discreetly wiped his tears. ¡°Yep, Song Yu is gonna save the world.¡± ¡­ The conversation went deep into the night. Song Yu relayed his time in the previous timeline, sometimes going over bits and pieces of the hard parts, but the way he skipped over these periods were left to their imaginations making them come up with even weirder conclusions. Everyone listened in rapture and the very different life Song Yu lived from theirs. Song Yu started from the very beginning, when he was just a young university student studying agriculture. Relaying this made Song Yu miss those youthful experiences in a way, reminding him of his past. ¡°My father never really liked me. I didn¡¯t meet his expectations in any way. Neither getting exemplary scores nor making strong social connections. That made me go more and more into my shell and made my both my mother and father want to ¡®delete¡¯ myself from their existence. They wanted me to experience living ¡®a life without money¡¯, so they cut me off for two years. I studied as well as had a small part-time job. It wasn¡¯t the best, but it also wasn¡¯t the worst either.¡± Lan Zhou patted Song Yu¡¯s hands, his own trembling with rage. Song Yu had already told Lan Zhou this and more, but he was still just as angry. So cute. Song Yu went into how he was sold to the B Base experimentalist group. It was advertised as a ¡®study¡¯, so Song Yu who felt like he was important, gladly endured the pain. But day after day of such torture, and the extreme way it escalated, the noble pursuit of a cure long passed, leaving Song Yu in a pit filled with ravenous extremists, eagerly chewing on ¡®education¡¯ and ¡®research¡¯. ¡°I didn¡¯t really meet Wu Ding, but vaguely saw him. I was almost delirious from the experiments that I was hauled off on Ye Zhou¡¯s back. I thought you had also escaped,¡± Song Yu bowed deeply to Wu Ding. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The person you were probably in contact with was my former friend Ye Zhou.¡± Wu Ding felt complicated for a bit. He was na?ve to trust that man in the first place, but he had no choice at the time. Song Yu was unintentionally involved in the escape, and Wu Ding did his part in opening up the building. Facts were facts. Wu Ding shouldn¡¯t be mad at Song Yu. He should be mad at himself and the situation. Song Yu continued to tell them how his group of friends travelled to different areas, before finally going up north and established Paradise Base. At first, it was difficult. There were around 12 of them in the beginning. They had left in the midst of fall, and the first winter of the apocalypse was approaching. Song Yu was still in a dead-like state and had just stayed there, hoping to die. A warm cup of water entered his vision as Ye Zhou sat down next to him. They had just found this abandoned town and killed off the straggler zombies. Song Yu was taken to a cottage room with a dirty sleeping bag. A fire ability user had found broken tree branches and built a small fire pit inside. Although Song Yu was still dazed, he had heard the complaints from the other ability users. ¡°He was dead weight there, and he¡¯s dead weight now! Let¡¯s just sell him off!¡± This was a water ability user who had only been in the B Base experiments building for a week. He had almost no connections to the rest of the team. An earth ability user shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re too na?ve. Song Yu has been in that place for a very long time. The ability users before him had all died, and he¡¯s the only one left besides Ye Zhou.¡± ¡°Ye Zhou, c¡¯mon man. We all followed you so you could make us have a better life. Song Yu is dead weight.¡± Lu Jingxiu remembered when he first met Song Yu. Song Yu came across as unfeeling, stiff, and cold. His careless voice when confronted with the injured Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi, ¡°They¡¯re just dead weight.¡± Lu Jingxiu at the time was enraged, but now he could see that Song Yu was really testing if Lu Jingxiu was trustworthy. Song Yu had just escaped from the extremists with colleagues who experienced torture, death, and defilement. Now, listening to these people who also experienced this¡­be so cruel. It made Song Yu want to kill himself. Song Yu got out of his sleeping bag, the small burning fire looking quite good right now. His hands were still trembling from being confined, his wrists looking wretched. He was about to put his entire hand in the flames when he heard a loud thud and someone falling to the floor. ¡°You don¡¯t get to say that about him! Do you KNOW what he¡¯s been through?¡± Ye Zhou had punched the ability user who slandered Song Yu. Song Yu listened carefully a bit more as Ye Zhou¡¯s voice amplified. ¡°He is not just dead weight. If he wasn¡¯t there, many of us would have been dead by now. Do you know that every time we came back wounded, it was Song Yu who took care of you? Yu Hong, who was it that held your hand after every experiment? How about you Liam? Who gave you extra food and snacks?¡± Song Yu could imagine Ye Zhou¡¯s passionate gaze on them as his voice became hoarse with emotion. ¡°It was Song Yu. It has always been Song Yu.¡± The group quieted down, the silence eerie. Song Yu¡¯s hand was still outstretched to the fire. He was eavesdropping so much that his hand accidentally went in. ¡°Hsss¡­¡± Song Yu retrieved his hand and saw it reddening. The pain radiated all over, but it wasn¡¯t as painful as Song Yu thought. He was still looking at his burned hand when the door opened and Ye Zhou saw him holding it. ¡°Song Yu! What are you doing??¡± Ye Zhou¡¯s shout made everyone come look inside. Song Yu¡¯s eyes were sunken deep, scar marks marring his wrists, arms and ankles. He was still garbed in a hospital gown with pants they fished out from somewhere. To everyone, Song Yu already looked dead. Song Yu gazed at these people, tears dripping down his face. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t¡­want¡­to live.¡± Through watery eyes, Song Yu beseeched Ye Zhou, ignoring his burned hands and clutching on Ye Zhou¡¯s shirt. ¡°Please¡­just kill me. Please.¡± Ye Zhou¡¯s eyes reddened as he dropped down on the floor and hugged Song Yu tight, anxiety written on his face. ¡°No no no no no no. Song Yu. Please don¡¯t go away. We need you. I need you so much. We can get through this together. I¡¯ll take care of you! I won¡¯t let what happened, ever happen again! I promise!¡± Ye Zhou glared at the members, his yellow eyes burning with impact, ¡°If I hear anything bad about Song Yu come out of your mouths one more time, it will be the last time you speak.¡± A week later, they found a small vacant town and settled there. Two weeks after that and Ye Zhou proposed to Song Yu about becoming the leader of the base. Song Yu who had just been lying around like a salted fish refused profusely. ¡°You¡¯re the one who staged the escape, you¡¯re the one who found this place, and you¡¯re the one who put everything in order. I¡¯m not leader material.¡± Song Yu refused for three days, being worn down day and night by Ye Zhou to the point where he threw the newly acquired spatial blades at him. Ye Zhou was relentless though. ¡°The Base leader is just someone who makes the final decision on things. I will help you in any way I can! Please! We need you. Your ability is far too precious to not use! Instead of dying, live for us!¡± Eventually, Song Yu agreed. Chapter 82—Base Leader Chapter 82¡ªBase Leader by Bocchan13 Being a base leader was extremely difficult. Song Yu had no experience regulating the people, assigning roles, or even maintenance. And everyone knew he was incapable. When there were big decisions to make, it was always given to Ye Zhou who gave it to Song Yu in a pretty package for him to decide over. Over time, Song Yu got used to people ignoring his opinions. When they needed him, they were all smiles and cheerful so he was happy. It was quite often to use his abilities in the beginning for small things like fixing a broken knife, or purifying their food source. Song Yu felt needed. So he did what people wanted regardless if he was tired. Ye Zhou took care of relations inside and outside of the base, bringing in people with talents. Soon, the base grew bigger and bigger, and the relaxed days decreased more and more. Song Yu and the entourage had gotten closer during the past few years, and were considered friends. Song Yu always gave them the opportunities to do things. Eventually, they had enough materials to erect a large wall, create a manufacturing building, and train a militia. After 10 years in the apocalypse, something happened to Song Yu. He didn¡¯t know if he was overusing his abilities, but soon after he would go into a coma-like state. This worried everyone in the base, and Ye Zhou specifically made a bunker for Song Yu, so that there wasn¡¯t any danger to him from outside influences. They kept this hush-hush because of their relationships with other bases. If they found out that the pure ability user that Paradise Base was known for was suffering from comas, people would probably retaliate or take revenge. Song Yu understood this, and when he overused his abilities, he would have some time before it backlashed. So Song Yu would go into the bunker and sleep. For the next decade, the comas became longer and longer, but Song Yu still insisted on helping people. The water source was a problem because it needed to be purified constantly. Song Yu didn¡¯t know how the base was surviving without him. It was later found out that in his coma, he was taken out of the bunker and placed into the water. In his coma-like state, his aura that surrounded him constantly shifted, causing his pure ability to make a barrier. Song Yu was just a living, breathing machine. His memories got a bit fuzzier, his face gaunt from not enough food. His friends would visit him sometimes, and Ye Zhou who was always busy was right next to him when he woke up from his comas. Song Yu didn¡¯t know what the Paradise Base was like now, but seeing the population grow, people who looked clean and well-fed, that was enough for Song Yu to conclude that Paradise was doing well. The years passed in a sea of blurriness. Song Yu could only remember bits and pieces of it. But the one piercing memory was when he died. On his 45th birthday, everyone gathered around him with smiles and congratulations. Song Yu also felt happy. The feeling was indescribable. Like he was soaring in the sky. But in a flash, the happiness was gone. He didn¡¯t know why his friends took him outside of the wall. Didn¡¯t know why they went into the woods. Just that they had a surprise waiting for him. Song Yu happily obliged his friends. When they reached their destination, Song Yu was looking into the darkness of the woods, his eyes getting used to the dark. Ye Zhou looking up at trees pointed to something, his voice echoing. ¡°Your present is up there.¡± Song Yu smiled as he gazed upwards¡­and the horror set in. Hanging in the trees were ¨C Song Yu screamed out in pain, his aura bursting surrounding the forest in blue luminescent light. Before he could retaliate, his arms and legs were held down by his friends and suddenly Song Yu was hauled to a pit pre-filled with young fresh zombies. Song Yu heard their snarls and smelled their wretched stench. His body flying in the air, too weak to fight back. The ripping of his skin, the groaning sound of death. Tasting blood in his mouth as his body was pulled apart, the last thing he saw were his friends looking down at him with bright eyes. Ye Zhou stood in the forefront, his glowing yellow eyes shaped like crescents as more blood spurted from his mouth. ¡°And that was the last thing I remembered before arriving 3 months before the apocalypse. I was 45 years old back into a 23 year old body¡­so I just uh¡­went to a bar.¡± The surroundings were extremely silent. Song Yu looked up from his reverie to find Wang Cheng with tears in his eyes, Xiao Zi and Yu Ci both pale while Lu Jingxiu and Wu Ding were looking angry. Rose was indifferent, and Lan Zhou who had already heard this before was comforting him by holding his hand. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s so awful!¡± Wang Cheng slammed his hands on the floor in anger, tears streaking down his face. ¡°What kind of sick fucks! You did so fucking much, and you were murdered? It doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Song Yu nodded, ¡°I do have some parts of my memories that are blank, like I am blocking them myself. I talked with Lan Zhou about this, and he also has a few missing pieces. I think our rebirth was flawed in some ways. You guys might also have blocks in your memories too.¡± Everyone nodded. It was especially prevalent with Lan Zhou, Lu Jingxiu and Xiao Zi. They remembered coming to Paradise Base in late winter, but their deaths weren¡¯t until spring. What did they do for almost 2 months? Song Yu¡¯s trip down memory lane sparked a controversy with everyone¡¯s memory and line of events. But for now it was set in the back burner of their minds. The day had finished a while ago, and it was time to sleep. Some had a hard time sleeping, taking in Song Yu¡¯s experiences, while some like Song Yu and Lan Zhou went to sleep like babies. The worry in his heart had almost completely disappeared. Life at the base went back to how it was before. With the coming of winter, preparations went back into full swing. Lan Zhou and Yu Ci left to go outside and find parts to make the energy generator, while Song Yu taught Rose and Wang Cheng how to pattern and make coats. Xiao Zi and Lu Jingxiu took over the farming and animals, making sure they would be healthy when winter set in. Speaking of animals, the chicken that had mysteriously disappeared reappeared once again outside the gates. Song Yu didn¡¯t know how it got out, and sent Wu Ding and Wang Cheng to check the fences for holes. The chicken was no worse for wear and was put in Song Yu¡¯s space to check if it had gotten the virus. What surprised Song Yu and everyone else, was that the chicken was a hen, and had eaten a mutated plant on the outside. Normally, it would have died and became a zombie animal, or it would have changed if it ate only a little. That was the case with the chicken. After two days of coming back to the base, it laid a dozen blue colored eggs. Song Yu and co. had never tried eating a mutated plant or animal. There was a large difference between zombification and mutation. Abilities in humans were considered a mutation, same as Rose whose mutation created sentience. The chicken that ate the mutated plant was not infected but rather mutated as well. This mutation could either be a good thing or a bad thing. This research was given to both Song Yu and Xiao Zi. In order to test if the eggs were safe to eat, they fed it to another chicken. The chicken that ate it did not zombify, but rather, it mutated and gained a wind ability. This discovery was monumental. People in the apocalypse assumed that anything zombified and mutated would essentially kill the host. But for ability users (mutated people), this could potentially help in the research of prolonging abilities. In many novels, there were cores in zombie heads that helped people level up. It came from zombies but it benefited ability users. The same could also be said here. Mutated plants were too concentrated with the virus and could cause death, zombification and harm, but if it was diluted¡­there were endless possibilities. Chapter 83—More People Chapter 83¡ªMore People by Bocchan13 By the time they finished preparing for winter, the cold had permeated the country. When they set out of the house for watering, they had to wear windbreakers and jackets. The cold would get even worse later in the month until they were almost unable to leave outside. In the past, Song Yu had prioritized the animals, but now that he had more mouths to feed, he had to ensure they would make it through the winter. Last year, Song Yu had a small food shortage in terms of fresh ingredients and had to splurge on his ¡®savory¡¯ foods like ramen and microwavable foods, so this time during the autumn period; Song Yu planted 10x more vegetables that would be ready before the ground was covered in frost. Days past and Song Yu took one last dip in the lake for purification just in case, under Lan Zhou¡¯s watchful eyes. Shivering in his now-soaking clothes, a fluffy towel wrapped around him tightly as he left the lake. Lan Zhou used his ability to warm Song Yu up, hugging him warmly. Lan Zhou pecked his lips and hastily picked him up and carried him to the villa, covering his body from the chilly air. Song Yu smiled cheekily and was about to be let down when they heard a rustling. Sensing something, Song Yu and Lan Zhou quieted down and listened carefully in the doorway. ¡°Mmmf!¡± Lan Zhou and Song Yu lowered their presence as the sound quieted down. Nodding to each other, Lan Zhou gently set Song Yu down and crept to the door on the left side leading to the morning nook. Song Yu was right behind him, his curiosity peaked. Lan Zhou and Song Yu moved their heads into the doorway, making sure they wouldn¡¯t be spotted. Song Yu wanted to gasp but was silenced by Lan Zhou. Wu Ding was cornered between Yu Ci and a window. Both were tall men, but Yu Ci was built larger, his entire body blocking Wu Ding. His thick arms on both sides of Wu Ding, leaning in and¡­kissing! Song Yu sucked in air and watched flabbergasted at this scene. Oh my god! Song Yu continued to stare as Wu Ding, who was shocked shitless was now losing himself in the kiss, his hands moving to Yu Ci¡¯s chest¡­ Lan Zhou wasn¡¯t too surprised since he had seen the sparks fly between the two of them since day 1. But¡­Lan Zhou looked down to see the enraptured Song Yu with his gaping mouth open, showing his pink tongue. He wanted to bite. Lan Zhou gently backed away with Song Yu in tow, and gleefully picked him up to enjoy some of their own ¡®exercise¡¯. Song Yu blinked out of his reverie and slapped Lan Zhou¡¯s butt, ¡°Animal! I still have to help Xiao Zi with the¡ªwufmmmf!¡± Song Yu was kissed senselessly and completely forgot about the couple downstairs. ... Song Yu and Lan Zhou decided to meet up with Du Win one last time before travel became too difficult. Song Yu had learned from Du Win that he had upgraded. However, he didn¡¯t get the aches and pain upgrading brought and wanted to learn more in depth to what Du Win¡¯s ability was. So on a cold bright morning, Song Yu and Lan Zhou left to the gasoline pit stop. They way was ridden with leaves that have already lost their color, the dryness creating crisp snaps as the tires rolled over them. It took them a few hours to get to the place, avoiding a few zombies on the road. The zombies also knew the country was approaching winter and would hibernate in caves or underground. The less fortunate would be frozen until they thawed in spring. They approached the familiar gates and beckoned the watch tower. The lookout was the young boy from last time. His face was slightly sallower, but otherwise not starving. Song Yu looked guilty as the boy took the spirit stone and nodded. ¡°I remember you guys. Du Win is inside with the other base leaders. They were actually gonna try to find ya.¡± Song Yu and Lan Zhou looked at each other, both curious and alert. Song Yu nodded to the boy and handed him a pack a nuts he had stashed in his backpack. The young teen¡¯s eyes brightened as he saluted them while they drove off. ¡°Why do you think they want to talk to us?¡± Lan Zhou was also concerned but shrugged, ¡°Its approaching winter¡­they might want to trade for food¡­They know we are well off.¡± Song Yu could only nod silently. On top of winter, they now had to deal with thieves. Just because they have a truce now¡­doesn¡¯t mean it would last. ¡°Let¡¯s just listen to their proposal now. We don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to.¡± Song Yu felt a little bit better and got out when they parked near the building. The building seemed to be¡­a little more worn out than last time. Song Yu could feel several eyes on them but ignored it. Lan Zhou led the way to the building where they heard an argument inside, with Du Win¡¯s voice being the loudest. ¡°You fucking assholes! You think I have enough food for that? Fuck that! It¡¯s your problem!¡± Song Yu gently knocked on the unhinged door, his voice clear. ¡°Du Win? You here?¡± ¡°Yeah, come in!¡± Du Win¡¯s angry expression suddenly sprouted into a wide eating grin. He spit on the floor at the three base leaders and turned to see Song Yu and Lan Zhou. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Du Win squinted his eyes as he looked at Song Yu. The light surrounding him seemed to be even brighter than last time. He was just a ball of sun at this point! ¡°Holy balls, what are you doing to upgrade so quickly?¡± Song Yu scratched his chin and laughed awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I haven¡¯t gone through an upgrade. I wanted to ask you if what you saw was really real.¡± Du Win blinked as Song Yu¡¯s shine pervaded his vision. ¡°I can¡¯t lie. Your aura is so bright, I need fucking sunglasses.¡± Du Win pondered on it, before hesitantly asking. ¡°What¡¯s your ability? Space ability? Hmm¡­I need to think on that a bit more.¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t elaborate and let Du Win think. The three base leaders were also inside the room and had been silent through this exchange. Song Yu averted eyes with Yu Hong and greeted them. Ming Ze, Yu Hong and An Wei nodded back, but their worried looks did not dissipate. Lan Zhou shook hands with them, a little bit harder for Yu Hong, and asked questioningly. ¡°Did we come at a bad time? What¡¯s going on?¡± Ming Ze flipped her fiery red hair, her blazing eyes bright with anger. She bit out, ¡°Our three bases have been under attack for the better part of a week. We think a Zombie King has surfaced.¡± She paused a little bit before continuing. ¡°My base fell a day ago. We lost around 200 people and left to An Wei¡¯s base, but his base is on the route the zombies are heading. We wanted to leave members here in the gas stop, but Du Win doesn¡¯t have enough man power and Yu Hong¡¯s base was besieged a week prior, but they were able to survive, but their food supply was overtaken.¡± The three base leader¡¯s faces were grim. Song Yu and Lan Zhou listened aptly, silently weighing the pros and cons. They had enough supplies for them to go through winter comfortably¡­but if they brought over a hundred people into their base¡­Song Yu and Lan Zhou didn¡¯t want to let their home be invaded, but didn¡¯t want to let these innocent people die. ¡°Show me a map of the zombie hoard trajectory. They will be slower and ultimately freeze in two weeks or so. There might be something I can think of.¡± Song Yu¡¯s authoritative voice echoed in the space. Ming Ze looked at Song Yu gratefully. Since the very beginning of the apocalypse, Ming Ze had always been in charge. From the cubicle company in G City where she escaped with a dozen colleagues, to getting an earth ability and finally settling in a small suburban neighborhood with over 300 people. Now that the numbers decreased significantly, did Ming Ze feel so helpless. She showed Song Yu where the zombie¡¯s attacked which was from the south. ¡°You have an earth ability right?¡± Ming Ze nodded. ¡°How many people are left from your base?¡± Ming Ze lowered her head, tears glistening. ¡°95.¡± Song Yu gently patted her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ming Ze acknowledged the sympathy but kept firm. ¡°If I find that fucking Zombie King bastard, I¡¯m gonna fucking pulverize him.¡± Her tone got colder as her eyes sharpened. Song Yu felt the floor shake quite a bit. ¡°Aherm, well what I can do is lead you guys to a small village near our base. It¡¯s about 4 hours away from here, the houses are rudimentary but enough for 200+ people. The good thing is, it¡¯s near a lake source that¡¯s not polluted with the virus, and has enough space for vegetable planting. You can settle down here,¡± Song Yu pointed to the north-west of their location. Near enough to their base that they could help, but far enough away that they shouldn¡¯t come unless something was important. Ming Ze looked at the map and saw that the area Song Yu pointed to was in the middle of nowhere. ¡°Song Yu¡­you sure there¡¯s a village there?¡± Song Yu nodded. ¡°What about gas, food and warmth for the winter?¡± Song Yu patiently ratted off a few things he remembered from his previous life. ¡°These villages still have kang beds, and I can provide coal enough for each family to burn at night. During the day, you guys will have to use any fire ability users and can reinforce the houses using your earth ability.¡± Ming Ze listened in rapture, the big cloud of darkness lifting up. Her eyes sparkled as Song Yu continued to speak. Not only Ming Ze, but Yu Hong, Du Win and An Wei were also listening carefully. Ming Ze suddenly hugged Song Yu, her big strong arms completely encircling him. ¡°Song Yu! You¡¯re a heaven sent holy god! I love you!!!¡± Ming Ze was about to kiss Song Yu, but was jerked back on her shirt collar. Angered, she threw a punch at whoever it was, but froze when she met eyes with the darkening Lan Zhou. ¡°Hahahah¡­ha¡­ha¡­JK?¡± Chapter 84—Migration Chapter 84¡ªMigration by Bocchan13 No good deed was selfless. Song Yu¡¯s accommodation for the new arrivals during the winter months wasn¡¯t going to be cheap. Ming Ze understood that perfectly. In exchange for them to settle their base in Song Yu¡¯s territory alongside wood, coal, and basic necessities; they had to do labor for Song Yu in the spring. To the people who had already lost everything, they weren¡¯t afraid to work hard. Song Yu could only express that the labor would be intensive and hard. Since Song Yu was letting people in, he talked with Lan Zhou about expanding their small base. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a base leader like how I was back then. But I also don¡¯t want people to suffer. Isn¡¯t that too contradictory? Want to help, but not the responsibility?¡± Lan Zhou was also concerned. He knew little about Ming Ze¡¯s base, if there was anyone corrupt or hateful there who could compromise all of Song Yu¡¯s hard work. But they did need workers¡­and protection. The rate of zombie leveling up was getting faster and faster, and despite being one of the most powerful ability users, Lan Zhou could not win by himself. With more people, there would be more protection. The incident with the mole was also fresh in his mind. Lan Zhou felt so powerless in the face of catastrophe. The labor work was partly a truth and a lie. What Lan Zhou and Song Yu both wanted was a small army. During the winter, they could absorb Ming Ze¡¯s base into theirs and in the spring, start working on making them into soldiers. Song Yu still had nightmares, Lan Zhou could feel his anxiety getting higher with each passing day. Lan Zhou could only hold him close to his chest and comfort him. Song Yu was afraid that he would let people down again. His past trauma would always be a wall that separated them, but it also brought them closer. Song Yu needed to feel safe, and Lan Zhou needed to protect. Both of them fit like puzzle pieces, trying their best to stay together. When Ming Ze agreed to bring the base over, they settled to come in a weeks¡¯ time. Unlike Song Yu who had a vehicle, the people were coming on foot. Almost 100 people including women and children had to pack up everything they owned and wear it on their backs. Song Yu¡¯s kindness was not unlimited, and he understood that the more he gave, the more people¡¯s greed took root, so he never offered to help them on their journey and Ming Ze never asked. Once they agreed on the time, Ming Ze left with a glimmer in her eyes. Song Yu sighed as leaned on Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulder. An Wei and Yu Hong were still there with Du Win discussing about the food shortage for this winter. An Wei¡¯s sightless eyes moved towards Song Yu¡¯s direction, his lips pale. ¡°Song Yu? ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The zombie hoard is on trajectory to my base within the next two weeks. I¡¯ve send out eight squads and none of them came back¡­what do you think I should do?¡± Song Yu tapped his fingers on Lan Zhou¡¯s shoulder; thoughts swirling. ¡°If you also migrated with Ming Ze, the zombie hoard might change their route to where there is a higher density of people, causing Ming Ze¡¯s move to be pointless, but if you continue to stay there, you will be razed to the ground¡­¡± Song Yu looked at Lan Zhou who slowly shook his head. ¡°The best thing to do is eliminate the hoard.¡± An Wei sighed and rubbed his temples. He looked more gaunt than before, but that was no surprise since there was a food shortage. ¡°How many people are in your base?¡± ¡°400 something, including¡­babies.¡± ¡°Babies?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Yu could only ponder more. Lan Zhou on the other hand looked at Yu Hong. Yu Hong had been the quietest out of everyone. He looked to be in a healthy state, but there were deep blue depressions under his eyes from lack of sleep. ¡°Have you seen the Zombie King?¡± Yu Hong looked up after realizing Lan Zhou was talking to him, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Any thoughts about it? Its powers? It speed?¡± Yu Hong had been there when Ming Ze¡¯s base was ambushed, and saw just how strong the zombie king was. He could only shiver. ¡°That thing¡­is probably a Level 10 and might level up more. I¡¯ve never¡­I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± Yu Hong shivered unconditionally, ¡°It¡¯s entire body was black like sludge¡­its scream was so high pitch, it broke several eardrums within a 1 mile radius. Although it wasn¡¯t fast, it felt like¡­it felt like an ability user.¡± Song Yu and Lan Zhou both looked at each other in confusion. There had never been a Zombie King in their previous life. Not even after 25 years. When did this appear? ¡°Ming Ze was able to fight it, but wasn¡¯t able to discern its capabilities. By the time she was a 1 vs. 1 with it, the entire base was destroyed and the zombie hoard retreated. It was like a deliberate bait on her. Once they retreated, she immediately split the 95 people two ways: Du Win and An Wei.¡± Song Yu could see just how dangerous this entity was. ¡°They will slow down exponentially in the winter; they might even freeze before reaching An Wei¡¯s base.¡± Song Yu looked towards An Wei, ¡°How many ice ability users do you have?¡± ¡°Three.¡± Song Yu closed his eyes, before looking at Yu Hong. ¡°And you?¡± Yu Hong looked at Song Yu, hearing the dissociative tone. ¡°Eight.¡± ¡°Ming Ze said she had one, and our group has two.¡± Song Yu¡¯s thoughts raced as his heartbeat picked up. ¡°We can start winter early.¡± ¡­ The four bases contributed in this endeavor. While the zombie hoard was approaching, the 14 ice/ water ability users would infect the ground, trees, and air with ice and frost. With the drastic change in weather, the virus inside the zombies were in constant state of hibernation, causing the zombies to be dull and slow. Winter was usually the best time to kill zombies, but it also affected the ability users as well, who experienced lethargy and frostbite. Song Yu and Lan Zhou let the base leaders to themselves to discuss the best thing to do while Song Yu continued his talk with Du Win. ¡°You said my aura is blinding white and its getting brighter, but I don¡¯t have any symptoms of upgrading. I¡¯m still at level 10.¡± Du Win stroked his white mustache in consternation, his eyes glancing at Song Yu. ¡°Is there something you¡¯re not telling me? You¡¯re a space ability user, but you must be a variant right? What is it?¡± Song Yu closed his mouth, his eyes averting from Du Win¡¯s. ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s relevant.¡± Du Win scoffed and spit on the floor next to him. ¡°That¡¯s everything kiddo, your main ability might not be upgrading, but your variant ability might be.¡± Song Yu and Lan Zhou confusedly looked at Du Win. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. A variant is a part of the main ability. How can it upgrade faster than the main ability?¡± ¡°Not impossible, but extremely rare. Variant abilities are a manifestation from the main ability, but that doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be independent. You exercise your ability like any other muscle, but you also consciously use your variant ability if its more useful. If you exercise your variant ability over your main ability, what kind of results do you get? A jacked variant and a slim main. However, since the main and variant abilities are usually interlinked, separation during use is almost never done.¡± Song Yu finally understood. He had a space ability¡­and the pure ability was something added on. But ever since he came back in time, he never had a need for his space ability to carry things like Wang Cheng, but he has over time used his pure ability for everyday use. His space was a level 10, but his pure ability¡­.might be on the course of a breakthrough. ¡°And the lack of symptoms? What about that?¡± ¡°Since your variant ability us upgrading, the symptoms will appear as a backlash, so be very careful during this time. I¡¯ve never experienced this first hand, but I can assure you that my eyes don¡¯t lie.¡± Song Yu thanked Du Win and they left after taking some gas. Song Yu subconsciously purified the gas in the space, so that it wouldn¡¯t expire. Thinking about this, Song Yu looked to Lan Zhou. ¡°If my pure ability is upgrading¡­does that mean¡­it can purify the zombie virus?¡± Lan Zhou didn¡¯t look at Song Yu but took his hand off the shift stick to clasp his. He held Song Yu¡¯s hand all the way back to their home. Chapter 85—Settling the new recruits Bocchan13 Chapter 85¡ªSettling the new recruits by Bocchan13 With the coming of winter and an additional 95 mouths to feed and house, the once idyllic villa was abuzz with work. In order to help Ming Ze¡¯s base, Song Yu had to delve deep into his food resources, taking out the meat from 2 years ago, purifying almost expired items, and finding enough bedding to warm them in the winter. Yu Hong and An Wei were in charge of the ice ability users, who spent every day up until it started snowing, icing the area with frost. The leaves had fallen and the branches were awash with icicles, and the bitter chill of the winter was ever so prevalent. Song Yu and Lan Zhou came together to talk with Ming Ze about mobilizing her ability users and integrating them as a small army. Ming Ze at first was hesitant. She had always been in the lead, the people trusted her and she had spent almost two years being by their side. However, she couldn¡¯t ignore the strong presence Song Yu¡¯s base had. Looking at their clean clothes, sparkling weapons, and most of all: how they didn¡¯t look like they were on the verge of starving, it gave Ming Ze some peace of mind that if her comrades were treated the same way, she would relinquish her rights as a base leader. Ming Ze¡¯s worries were quite put to rest when she brought her ability users and Lan Zhou had them do a one-on-one session with him to determine their abilities. Seeing the gigantic blue flames scorching the earth in blistering heat, she sighed in relief that she hadn¡¯t offended them before. The twenty or so ability users didn¡¯t reach up to rank 5, which was quite normal for being in the apocalypse for 3 years. Lan Zhou, as a general knew the exact way to mobilize them to the best of their ability. They had said before that the ability users would work in spring, but listening to Yu Hong and Ming Ze¡¯s run in with the zombie king, Lan Zhou wanted someone to be on patrol in their area. Of course, integration did not mean community. The villa would stay as a villa and not be encroached by anyone other than the eight of them. Song Yu wanted a complete separation from the base and his home. So still deciding to have the base an hour car ride from him was plausible. If Ming Ze needed them, then they could contact each other through the walkie-talkie and Lan Zhou would come for training every other day. By the time everyone settled down, they understood their roles and the rules of the ¡®big boss¡¯. There were many curious people who wanted to go to the ¡®headquarters¡¯, but anyone who came within a few miles were instantly picked up and thrown out. Song Yu¡¯s anxiety went up a few notches, but Lan Zhou kept his word and dealt with everything. No one was going to take his home. Alongside moving the other civilians, making a post tower, icing the area, and getting food for winter, Song Yu also had to deal with Xiao Zi¡¯s insistence on making the cure. That day when Song Yu and Lan Zhou came back and told the rest of the group what Du Win said, they all set out to strengthen their variant abilities more. Xiao Zi and Wang Cheng who had passive abilities didn¡¯t have any variants so didn¡¯t train. Xiao Zi was very interested in Song Yu¡¯s purification ability and through several means and bribes (Lan Zhou¡¯s childhood stories) he was able to get Song Yu on the operating table and drew several vials of blood as well as witnessed first-hand how Song Yu¡¯s pure ability worked. Xiao Zi continued to work on the zombie vaccine as well as ability exhaustion during the winter, making a few breakthroughs here and there. ¡­ The ice ability users did their thing and snow started falling early. Ming Ze and Song Yu was able to settle all 95 people at a small village, each one having a storage area for food, water and enough wood chips to burn for fire. It was as if they had traveled back hundreds of years, when their ancestors could only brave the cold with the walls of a mud house. Ming Ze recalled the last winter they experienced where many people starved and froze to death and couldn¡¯t believe that Song Yu and Lan Zhou could be so selfless as to give them so much. This was something she could never repay back. Seeing the happy smiles of the remaining base led her to believe that her choice in trusting them was a good one. Even if she was no longer a base leader, even if she had lost loved ones and sacrificed so much¡­it was all worth it. Just to see their smiles. Ming Ze laughed quietly to herself before looking at the direction Song Yu and Lan Zhou always came from. It was a mystery where they lived, mystery where they came from and a mystery of what goes on in their base but the curiosity did not outweigh the gratitude. Maybe someday, she could be trusted enough to be divulged of Song Yu¡¯s secrets, but for now she could only take care of her family. The air was much crisper and colder higher up the mountain. The central heating in the villa had not been turned on yet, so the villa was quite cold. On as king-sized bed, there were several blankets topped on each other, each one warmer than the last. One lump was underneath the big pile, squirming around before a head popped out gasping. ¡°Stop touching!¡± The room filled with small laughter as the lump separated into two and another head popped out of the blanket. Lan Zhou grinned mischievously as his hand continued his rhythmic touching on Song Yu¡¯s bare body. Song Yu shivered both in cold and in desire as Lan Zhou dropped his head to kiss Song Yu¡¯s chest, trailing warm kisses down before kissing ¡®there¡¯. Song Yu blushed crimson as the warmth of Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth expertly gave him pleasure. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have your fill all of last night?¡± Lan Zhou let go of Song Yu¡¯s member and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, ¡°Cosm*** magazine Article #438: The best way to make your partner happy is to surprise them in the morning¡± Song Yu giggled and kissed his sweet face, ¡°One of these days, you¡¯re not gonna have any more articles to prompt from. What will you do then?¡± Lan Zhou took Song Yu¡¯s hand into his and entwined their fingers together. Looking at his callused hands against Song Yu¡¯s, he kissed each knuckle tenderly, ¡°I¡¯ll just keep repeating them until you remember them too.¡± Song Yu happily kissed Lan Zhou¡¯s head and reluctantly got out of the bed. It had started snowing a week ago. He had heard from An Wei and Yu Hong that the zombie hoard had slowed down significantly and would do a full-scale attack. Some had already frozen in hibernation whilst the zombie king had not been spotted. It seemed that the zombie king had abandoned this hoard for warmer areas. That was a relief for everyone who was afraid of a winter ambush. Song Yu and Lan Zhou did their morning routine and headed downstairs. It seems that no one was up since the kitchen was empty. Since the winter vegetables had already grown and harvested a few days ago, there was no need to go outside for farming. Lan Zhou put on a cotton jacket and went outside to deal with the animals whilst Song Yu got to work for breakfast. Song Yu and Ming Ze had come up with a solution to the winter food shortage, and Song Yu was to provide breakfast every week. It always consisted of a soup with either meat or vegetables. For 100 people that was a lot, but Song Yu who had an abundance of chicken stock, broth, and soup base, it was easier than giving them grains, vegetables and meat once a week. Song Yu took out eight large silver pots and boiled his purified water into them, when they started to boil; he put in the soup base and pre-cut vegetables. Stirring each of them, the kitchen filled with the smell. Lan Zhou, who had just come back inside, saw this and smiled. Song Yu looked really happy. Chapter 86—The worship of Soup God Bocchan13 Chapter 86¡ªThe worship of Soup God by Bocchan13 ¡°Yes! Yes! Turn there! Gah!!¡± Wang Cheng yelled as the yellow Lamborghini hit a wall and struggled to move. ¡°C¡¯mon! You¡¯re in last place!¡± Rose unflinchingly used his opposable thumbs to navigate the joystick on his controller. The Lamborghini eventually got out of the wall but like Wang Cheng said, he was in last place. Wang Cheng was leaning over Rose¡¯s shoulder, his lips near his ear, munching on some crackers he had stashed away. ¡°Keep moving! Go! Go! Go!¡± Rose just nodded seriously, his vines taking over for his hands. Wang Cheng stared in amazement as the dexterity of the vines easily took over the computer AI cars and settled on 2nd place. ¡°Wow! You can do that! Play with me next! Where¡¯s the other controller?¡± Wang Cheng patted Rose on the back and rummaged in the cupboards, looking for the controller. Rose just sighed and scratched the ear Wang Cheng spoke in; his pale green-ish skin was faintly red. Xiao Zi heard their exchange and laughed as he came in. Rose looked up to see Xiao Zi and the box of medical supplies in his hands. ¡°Are you busy? I¡¯ll just take today¡¯s sample.¡± Rose nodded and raised his arms up. His quite innocent eyes blinded Xiao Zi as he gratefully wrapped an elastic band on his upper arm, exposing a vein. Rose¡¯s skin was similar to an ability user¡¯s in which it was much thicker and harder to penetrate. He¡¯d had to get a very strong metal that could draw blood. The syringe was larger as well with the base 3x the size. Rose silently watched as Xiao Zi took out the blood. The blood coming out was red like a normal human¡¯s which had puzzled Xiao Zi at first but got used to. ¡°I¡¯ll take this for this week, so just make sure to eat healthily. You¡¯re a human now, not a plant and can¡¯t absorb sunlight like you used to.¡± Rose nodded and touched the pricked skin. When Xiao Zi left, he immediately went up to Wang Cheng who had already found the other controller and showed Wang Cheng the skin, a small ooze of blood escaping. Wang Cheng¡¯s heart clenched as he pet Rose¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. You did so well today! Let me help you.¡± Wang Cheng had helped Rose so many times the past few weeks that he now carried some disposable Band-Aids Song Yu had given him. He gently held Rose¡¯s arm and applied the band-aid. When that was done he once again rubbed Rose¡¯s hair, his slender fingers gliding down the length of red. Rose closed his eyes and let this gentle person comfort him. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame that Xiao-Zi¡¯s healing abilities don¡¯t affect zombies or sentient plants. You wouldn¡¯t be in so much pain.¡± Wang Cheng completely forgot that Rose had his own healing ability¡­and Rose wouldn¡¯t tell him. ¡°You wanna play some more?¡± Rose nodded excitedly and led Wang Cheng to the TV. However they were interrupted by Song Yu who called them. ¡°Wang Cheng? You there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in here! What¡¯s up?¡± Song Yu¡¯s head popped through the door, his eyes bright. ¡°I just finished the soup for Ming Ze¡¯s base. Do you have time to send it to them? I made a few pots.¡± Wang Cheng gladly took the errand and took Rose as well. Wang Cheng swept the hot steaming soup pots into his space and wore the padded coat Song Yu made. Rose was decked out in something similar, his long hair swept back in a low ponytail. ¡°Careful out there. It¡¯s going to snow a little harder later, so make sure to come back soon.¡± Song Yu watched them from the door and gave Wang Cheng some breakfast. Wang Cheng bit a piece of jerky and nodded his head. ¡°No worries, if the car malfunctions, Rose can just take me back. Have you seen how fast he runs? He¡¯s like The Fl*sh!¡± Song Yu smiled and shooed them off, thinking to himself that it was like a grade schooler going on their first errand. Wang Cheng was used to going back and forth between bases and was familiar with the route. Rose rode in the front seat and silently nodded to Wang Cheng¡¯s chatter. The hour long drive was easily completed and Wang Cheng drove to the very center of the village. Ming Ze¡¯s scouts told Ming Ze who came out excitedly. ¡°Wang Cheng, you¡¯re bringing more food? We still haven¡¯t finished the soup from last week! Song Yu is too generous.¡± Wang Cheng puffed his chest out proudly. ¡°Song Yu knows that you guys are conserving it, so he made extra. We want to fatten you guys up!¡± The group of ability users who had trained with Wang Cheng laughed and led Wang Cheng to the mess hall. The mess hall was large and able to hold all of the residents. There were five large and long tables and a bench that they had made to accommodate the residents. At the very back was the kitchen and distribution area, where there was still a full pot of thick creamy soup. Wang Cheng happily swept the emptied pots into his space and unloaded the freshly made soups. A clean smell of vegetables wafted in the air, and everyone sniffed in happiness. Song Yu was no chef, but he had been able to make a new soup every week with varying flavors. The vegetables were crisp and fresh tasting with little oil on the surface. Ming Ze delegated tasks to more efficiently give to the people who had started coming into the mess hall. Three children were impatient and hopped around the line and stared in awe at the soup. Wang Cheng and Rose happily helped around. Ming Ze offered him a bowl, but Wang Cheng declined. ¡°I already ate breakfast at home. I still have to go back before the afternoon. Song Yu said that the forecast showed snow, so everyone prepare to stay inside after 2 PM.¡± Ming Ze nodded and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how we could have survived without you guys, seriously.¡± Wang Cheng just nodded in satisfaction and helped everyone have breakfast. When it was the three children¡¯s turn, they each held a large bowl already filled with yellow-ish rice. ¡°Wang Chen! Wang Chen! Is the person coming today? Can we see him?¡± Wang Cheng wanted to cry! ¡°You want to see him and not me? I¡¯m heartbroken!¡± Wang Cheng clutched his heart for effect and looked through slitted eyes to see two scolding the third. ¡°He¡¯s busy! He has no time!¡± Ming Ze laughed and patted Wang Cheng on the back. ¡°Song Yu has a reputation with the younger kids. Since he¡¯s the one cooking, they think he¡¯s a God of Soup.¡± Wang Cheng laughed uproariously and leaned on Rose who gently held his waist. ¡°G-God of Soup! Hahahahahah! Oh damn, Song Yu is gonna laugh at that.¡± The children who got soup put in their bowls scowled at Wang Cheng. The youngest of the three stuck out his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Soup God! He¡¯s not gonna bring any more soup if you laugh at him!¡± Wang Cheng wheezed and laughed more. The youngest¡¯s face got red and he immediately kicked Wang Cheng¡¯s shin, spilling a few drops of his soup on Wang Cheng¡¯s foot. ¡°Ah! Owww! You little¡ª! C¡¯mere!¡± ¡°Kyaa!!¡± Wang Cheng ran after the kid who gleefully gave his bowl to his friend and ran around the building. The people who had already sat down watched happily at this show, and even teased Wang Cheng as he ran past them. Ming Ze laughed along and saw the warm atmosphere. Here, they didn¡¯t have to worry about zombie attacks, had food to eat, a warm place to stay and people who surrounded each other and took care of each other. Ming Ze¡¯s heart jolted in what appeared to be¡­contentment. Thank you. Thank you Song Yu for giving this to me. As if a stone was lifted off her chest, everything surrounding her was filled with light. Later that night, Ming Ze had a dream. In the dream, she was still an office worker. When the zombie apocalypse broke out, she led her co-workers out. Eventually she settled in a village in A Country with her comrades. But there was no Yu Hong, no An Wei and no Du Win. She was instead at odds with another base whose ability users stole some of her resources. She had fought with them, making her somewhat famous. But sooner or later, her base became smaller and smaller, and the zombies were more and more ferocious. Ming Ze had no choice but to move her base somewhere else. She spent the next 5 years migrating with less than 20 people and finally settled in C Base. She was a soldier of the finest order and led the C Base to a higher reputation. This was also greatly due to a base close to them called the Paradise Base that shocked the world with a pure ability user. No matter how many people enticed the Paradise Base to hand over the pure ability user, it was no use. No one knew what this person looked like, if it was a woman or a man, where they came from and how they did it. The only thing the public knew was that the price of his ability was high. When Paradise Base was besieged by a zombie hoard, several hundred people fled to C Base which opened their gates for them. This was not entirely selfless; an eye for an eye, an equivalent exchange. And for a time, it was. In the deep night, the pure ability user would do their work and the water source would purify. The C base was happy. But¡­at some point, the pure ability no longer came and the people of Paradise Base left with stronger walls¡­and indoctrinated C Base ability users. Yes¡­it seems that the Paradise Base wasn¡¯t really paradise after all. C Base declined and had to use the grain they salvaged to purify their water. But ultimately, there was no help. When C Base was finally eroded by the zombie virus, the survivors ran to Paradise Base in hopes of sanctuary. Ming Ze saw on top of the new walls of Paradise Base, a face of no emotions. She saw as family fought against family, friends killing each other, men killing children. Ming Ze wanted no part in this horrible world anymore. She waited until the last survivor was granted sanctuary and led into the base before using her Earth ability to drag over a hundred corpses into the forests, digging graves for each one. Finally, she dug a hole for herself and slept inside until she could no longer breathe, silently saying goodnight. . . . Ming Ze woke up, tears slipping down her face. She felt like she had a horrible dream¡­but as the sun spread onto her warm bed sheets, the nightmare ebbed and no longer took root inside her heart. Like a mirage, it escaped from her mind¡­travelling to a far off place where memories disappeared. Bocchan13 P.S. If anyone forgot, C Base had been mentioned in Chapter 9 Chapter 87—It’s good to see you again Chapter 87¡ªIt¡¯s good to see you again by Bocchan13 Just because the threat of the zombie hoard diminished, did not mean that the problem was over. Song woke up groggily from his warm bed. He swiped the mattress, trying to find his heat source but found his bed was empty. He rubbed his eyes and got up, peeking outside to see that snow had piled up exponentially in the night. It had reached almost two feet of snow, creating a space of bright white across the land into the horizon. It was early in the morning, and the only thing on the agenda was seeing to the greenhouse, feeding the animals and cleaning out the gym for animal habitation. He breathed in and out, feeling the cold crispness of winter and had to smile to himself. This is nice. Yeah, no shit Oh, you¡¯re back. Haven¡¯t heard from you in a while You think talking to yourself is normal? Crazy head Song Yu couldn¡¯t refute. He hadn¡¯t had this intrusive voice in his head ever since he allowed Lan Zhou and the rest to live in the base. It was as if it was snuffed out. In a mental standpoint, it might have been a good thing, but to Song Yu, it was as if he lost a friend. Why are you back? I feel something¡­off. Something¡¯s going to happen Puzzled, Song Yu looked at the expanse of his base, it serenity pervading the area. What 2nd sense do we have to feel something like that? I don¡¯t know¡­Song Yu¡­I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt Song Yu didn¡¯t know how to comfort himself, but the more he heard his inner voice, the more anxious he felt. Like it manifested from his thoughts, there was a blast of fire. Song Yu opened the veranda doors quickly, his eyes widening as the sky that a gloomy gray, sparked blue by the blue flames Lan Zhou cast in the sky, blanketing it. ¡°Lan Zhou!¡± Song Yu tried to find Lan Zhou, but there was no sight of him. Song Yu didn¡¯t care that he was in his pajamas, he leapt off the balcony spanning 2 floors to the white snow below. He didn¡¯t care about the cold, as the blue flames above stretched farther and farther. ¡°Song Yu!¡± Song Yu looked to the side and saw Yu Ci and Wu Ding outside as well, both of them equipped with weapons from the gym. It seems that they had been inside cleaning it out. ¡°Where¡¯s Lan Zhou!¡± ¡°He was in the gym with us, but went out to get some tools. We heard the explosion.¡± Song Yu and the duo ran to where the sky fire was concentrated on the most. It was towards the forest. Song Yu didn¡¯t know why Lan Zhou was there, only that he was. Blue aura surrounded his hands as his spatial blades manifested. ¡°Wu Ding, go back and contact the rest. There might have been a breach from the gate!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Wu Ding sprinted back towards the villa, whilst Yu Ci and Song Yu ran towards the forest. The flaming sky dissipated as a cacophony of zombified screams echoed throughout the trees. Song Yu¡¯s heart stopped as the scream hypnotized his senses, chills running down his back, fear instantly pervading his mind. ¡°L-l-Lan Zhou!¡± Song Yu was petrified for the moment. This zombie¡­was extremely strong. Once again, a flicker of blue flames sparked, as the Blue Sun obliterated the forest. Song Yu and Yu Ci were nearly there. Almost! They finally breached the trees, running faster than they had ever done. Song Yu felt the dead branches swipe past him, his bare feet stomping on rocks and mulch, but he didn¡¯t care about that minor pain. Finally, they heard the sound of Lan Zhou. Song Yu¡¯s eyes widened in horror at what he saw. In the small clearing, the Blue Sun was obliterated, the fire spitting onto the snow and disappearing. Lan Zhou was panting hard as his powers were almost depleted, both hands trembling as he faced off the gigantic monster. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Song Yu could feel the impenetrable power this monster possessed. It was as tall as the trees, slimy black goo enveloping its body, like a swamp monster. There were no definable features other than its black gooey body besides the eyes. They were soulless and yellow, brimming with killing intent. Smoke billowed from around it, most likely Lan Zhou¡¯s attempt to burn it. The black monster was the manifestation of pure evil. ¡°Lan Zhou!¡± Song Yu came up to Lan Zhou and held him up, eyeing the being with intensity. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­most likely the Zombie King.¡± Lan Zhou panted as he leaned on Song Yu, his heartbeat racing exponentially. ¡°It came too quickly for me to send help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re here.¡± Song Yu reassured him, whilst looking at the Zombie King. The Zombie King went stagnate as its eyes followed Song Yu¡¯s movements. Yu Ci was also at the ready for when it would strike. And strike it did. Large tentacles of sludge came out of its body, ready to strike at them. Yu Ci immediately pulled out a tree the size of a person, gripping it with his superhuman strength, he easily hit the oncoming sludge, careful to not let it touch him. The sludge was not deterred as more and more tentacles erupted from its body. Song Yu sent Lan Zhou to rest, hoping Xiao Zi could come soon to help him. The blue aura manifested even bigger until Song Yu¡¯s blades exceeded his body size. In less than a second, Song Yu had sliced off three tentacles. Unfazed, the Zombie King maneuvered its main body to overwhelm them. Yu Ci and Song Yu kept slicing off the tentacles. Song Yu was hyper focused, his breathing getting slower and deeper, the ¡®zone¡¯ he was reaching for. Song Yu¡¯s sliced became faster and faster as he got closer and closer to the main body. Finally, he sliced close to its abdomen. Unlike the jello-like tentacles, the body was harder. The slide barely grazed it before Song Yu was thrown back by its vibration. He skid backwards almost ten feet before collapsing onto the snow. Song Yu didn¡¯t care and got up before going again. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Song Yu sighed in relief as three large icicles flew past him towards the Zombie King. The Zombie King was still pre-occupied by Yu Ci, but dodged two, letting one pierce its body. Everyone looked in horror as the icicle embedded itself into the sludge before melting instantly. ¡°Fuck!¡± Lu Jingxiu created several ice spears one after the other, whilst Wu Ding casted ice onto the floor near the monster. Wang Cheng took out a bazooka from his space. What surprised everyone was Rose. His speed was top notch, his own vines casting itself against the tentacles, viciously slicing everything to pieces. Are we freaking Aven*ers!? ¡°Assemble!!¡± Song Yu screamed as they all throttled their abilities 110% The Zombie King, overwhelmed by everyone roared drastically. In order not to deter an attack, Song Yu yelled out formations for combat. Xiao Zi came in and rushed towards Lan Zhou who had overused his abilities. ¡°Here, drink this!¡± Lan Zhou took the proffed vial and looked at it carefully. The liquid inside was an orange-yellow color, its viscosity like soda. He grimaced as he carefully looked at Xiao Zi. ¡°Ah c¡¯mon! It¡¯s safe. SAFE! It¡¯s gonna boost your ability vitality. I¡¯ve already had it tested.¡± ¡°On who?¡± ¡°People!¡± ¡°Which people?¡± ¡°¡­No one you know.¡± ¡°It was Song Yu wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Eheheheeh?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later,¡± Lan Zhou opened the cap and drank the liquid. Its bitter taste made his face squelch as he shuddered. Before he had a chance to comment, Lan Zhou clutched his heart. Wave and wave of pain radiated throughout his heart, into the nerves, the fibers and tissues of his organs. He gasped in pain, whilst Xiao Zi sent over healing through his back. ¡°It will only hurt the first time. After that, when you drink it, it won¡¯t affect you anymore. Bear with it!¡± Lan Zhou gritted his teeth and glared daggers at him. But like Xiao Zi said, the pain diminished almost as quickly as it came. His heartbeat calmed, but his muscles vibrated with power. He could feel the vastness of his ability expand, and the vague headaches he usually got from overusing his abilities was no more. It was as if his exhaustion never happened. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Go, help everyone!¡± Lan Zhou grinned and joined the fray. A blue aura surfaced from his fingertips as his long sword awash with blue flames came out. Brighter than ever. Song Yu dodged a tentacle as well as moved aside as Rose ate one besides him. The Zombie King was going to die. Song Yu could feel it. The tentacles were no longer as fast, the main body had absorbed so much ice and fire, and there were cracks in its muddy body. It roared but no one cared. There would be no zombie attacks in the land of the pure. Finally, after three hours¡­the Zombie King was blasted by the blue flames, its core coming off. Everyone could see the insides of the muddy monster, a piece of human flesh. Only a single piece of flesh. It roughly breathed its last as Lu Jingxiu dealt the final blow to the thing that once was human. Song Yu gasped and fell down, clutching his trembling hands. He had vastly underestimated the Zombie King. Not to mention that Lan Zhou and Rose was a Level A, but everyone on the team was higher than Level 5, unequal to anyone in the world right now. How could anyone kill this thing? That thought no sooner left his mind, when he glimpsed at the Zombie King. The piece of flesh trembled before Song Yu saw a slit appeared on it. Song Yu heard a small chuckle. It was small at first, but the laughter became louder and louder, until the laughs turned into screams. Everyone clutched their ears as the high-pitched voice ascended to a chaotic level. Disoriented, everyone looked at the Zombie King, the sludge melting away from the source. The piece of flesh¡¯s slit had morphed into a mouth. Then, two more appeared into the skin, yellow eyes coming out to make a distorted. The most unsettling was its smile. Its grin sliced into its face like a crescent as the form gradually became¡­human. The flesh bubbled to create a person, its flesh growing more and more. An arm, leg, body, torso, feet, hair. Everything morphed together like a child paying with clay. Song Yu¡¯s breath caught. The familiar features of someone he had never wanted to see again. The sludge disappeared into the floor, creating a shadow underneath him, showing just a normal ability user, wearing a normal t-shirt and jeans. His dark brown hair and piercing yellow eyes spoke of madness. The person¡¯s ugly grin widened even further, his eyes blossoming with madness. Song Yu¡¯s ability to think entirely disappeared with that face. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± Everyone was on edge as the human extended his arms, the sludge pouring out of his palms. His widened grin was no less demonic as the sludge poured itself and went directly to Song Yu. Song Yu quickly dodged, but the sludge had a mind of its own. Its trajectory moved so fast until it invaded Song Yu. The horrendously familiar face smiled maliciously as Song Yu felt the sludge corrode his space. The pain was unbearable, Song Yu tremblingly threw it out. But the damage was already done. It was just like when a zombie was put into his space. Disgusting, vile, the pureness eroded by darkness. ¡°Song Yu! Song Yu!¡± He felt his body go numb, and his head tilting towards the floor. He saw as Ye Zhou disappeared, followed by shouts of everyone going after him. Song Yu could do nothing as his vision went black. Bocchan13 Chapter 88—What we did Chapter 88¡ªWhat we did by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 7th 22 years after the Fall Song Yu was in a dark space. He didn¡¯t like the darkness, but there was no electricity that would go down so far below. Ye Zhou was the one who said this was the perfect place. To rest. To sleep. To recover. Song Yu¡¯s bed was comfortable, with a small comforter and a bedside table. But nonetheless, it was still a dark and dingy capsule underground. No one knows what it used to be for¡ªmaybe a cellar or a bomb shelter. Now it was inhabited by the Pure Ability User Song Yu, Leader of Paradise Base. Song Yu sighed as he heard a drip drip drip next to his head. The spring showers never disappointed in finding its way into his shelter. Getting up, he rotated his joints, wondering how long he slept this time. The last thing he remembered, he was submerged in the bases lake, purifying the water. He doesn¡¯t know how long he was left there for, or when Ye Zhou had brought him back. His clothes were the ones he was submerged in, and had dried crustily on his body. Paying it no mind, Song Yu scratched his mangy head and waited patiently for his mind to settle down. He breathed in deeply¡­inhale¡­ He felt the subtle breeze of the cache being opened. Exhale¡­ He heard the familiar shuffling of feet. Song Yu gently opened his eyes to see Ye Zhou coming in with lunch. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake. That¡¯s good. We need you to purify the crops on the outer left field. It seems the soil might have been contaminated. We should gather up the farmers and see which one was infected. I think it¡¯s someone on the greenhouse team and our group is working on¡­¡± Song Yu noddle tiredly and cautiously grabbed the food from Ye Zhou¡¯s hands. There was rice, beans and a mixed vegetable stir fry. Slightly cold, probably due to the outside weather, but it was food nonetheless. Song Yu continuously listened as Ye Zhou rattled off more things that needed to be done, and Song Yu just kept nodding in ascent whilst eating his meal. When he finished the last bite, Ye Zhou gently set down purified water. ¡°You¡¯ve slept for a long time. My friend, I¡¯m always afraid that one day you¡¯re not going to wake up.¡± Song Yu croaked lowly, ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s April now. You were asleep for twenty days.¡± Song Yu closed his eyes. The more he overused his powers, the higher the backlash was. He had no control over how long he slept. With trembling hands, a faint blue aura manifested from his palms. His abilities were soft and gentle, the aura surrounding the cellar, lighting up the room. ¡°Don¡¯t overuse your abilities. The base is fine for now. Why don¡¯t you rest a bit more, huh? I can take care of the infected person by myself and¡ª¡° Song Yu shook his head. Scratching his somewhat long hair, he sighed deeply. ¡°No. As the Base Leader, it¡¯s my duty to oversee the protection of Paradise Base. I still have enough power in me to purify the crops. The infected person will be a problem, so let¡¯s find the healer who can detect aura¡¯s and see if they can find them.¡± Song Yu got up from his bed, his legs stiff from being stagnant for too long. Song Yu stretched his arms out like a starfish and yawned deeply. ¡°I gotta get out of this place too. Have someone come in and clean it up for me. I¡¯ll go to sleep once everything is settled.¡± Ye Zhou could only nod as Song Yu shakily moved towards the exit, taking the ladder slowly. Ye Zhou was right behind him, his yellow gaze darkening in displeasure. ¡­ Song Yu crept into his cellar, his bloodshot eyes blinking and drooping with fatigue. He tremblingly reached his bed, which was now cleaned up thanks to someone else and dropped dispiritedly. There was an aching in his body, in his head and his heart. The purification of over twenty fields of crops, vegetables and cotton was too much. Way too much. Song Yu had spent eight days by himself, purifying everything. So much so, that they mutated and got bigger. Much to everyone¡¯s happiness. No one noticed the sickly man as he tiredly went back into his cellar, desperate to fall asleep. Song Yu stared up at the ceiling. This cellar was something both Song Yu and his friends devised so that Song Yu wouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of when he was unconscious. No one knows about this place besides Ye Zhou and the five or six comrades. It was the perfect place to rest. But it was also the loneliest and most fragile space for Song Yu. He stretched out his hand towards the ceiling, seeing his white hands; now old and wrinkly, with calluses and dirty fingertips. He was 44 years old now. There was a sudden rush of tears. Song Yu didn¡¯t know why he was so sad. All of the time, he was tired. So bitterly tired that whenever he woke up, he wanted to go back to sleep again and never see the light of day. He saw Paradise Base as a responsibility and a curse: sucking him dry to his very bones. How long can I do this for? How long can I last? Song Yu gently closed his eyes, letting his sleepiness faze him into unconsciousness. Who knows how long he would sleep now. ¡­ ¡°Goddammit! Fuck fuck fuck!¡± Lan Zhou shot two balls of blue flames at the ability users, disintegrating them instantly. He turned forward to see Xiao Zi panting in earnest. Gritting his teeth, Lan Zhou spread out his awareness, trying to find a safe space for them. But either he was too exhausted from running too much, or he had overused his abilities, he could no longer think straight. As the group of ability users outnumbered them, Lan Zhou had no choice but to retreat. Fuck! Shit! Lan Zhou was older now, and the things he used to do, he couldn¡¯t do it no longer. But still, he had to try. His friends had all died. One by one, they merged with the underworld just to satisfy his fucking fantasy. Lan Zhou spotted something in his peripherals. ¡°Xiao Zi! 3 o¡¯clock!¡± Xiao Zi nodded fervently and sprinted to the shiny object on the floor. His glasses were askew as he gripped whatever it was. Seeing it, it was¡­a hatch. ¡°Lan Zhou! We got cover!¡± Lan Zhou shot another fireball, killing off the last person. But he knew there were more coming after them. He sighed in relief that they were too far off the see them. He went over to Xiao Zi, hoping it was open. The hatch was extremely heavy, and if Lan Zhou hadn¡¯t noticed the shine, they would have missed it entirely. ¡°Why the fuck is Paradise Base fucking us over!? We just wanted to know where the Pure ability user was!¡± ¡°They don¡¯t want our ¡®help¡¯. Even if we paid for a single drop of blood, it would cost us the entire Military Base! Fuck! I expected hostility, but this is insane.¡± Lan Zhou gripped the hatch tightly, exerting with all of his strength. I wish Yu Ci was here. Thinking of his fallen friend, Lan Zhou shook his head. He yelled as the hatch door opened, revealing nothing but darkness on the inside. ¡°Go, go, go!¡± Lan Zhou shot out one more fireball outside as a diversion before tightly holding the hatch, slamming it shut. The darkness could only be seen, they could only hear their harsh breathing. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s a ladder. Go slow. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s down here.¡± Lan Zhou used his senses to hear Xiao Zi descend first. When Xiao Zi finally reached the floor, it seemed to be about twenty feet down. ¡°The air pressure is fine. You can come down.¡± Lan Zhou went down the ladder step by step, taking into account the surroundings. When he finally hit the floor, he looked around to see that the entrance was cylindrical opening up to a mid-sized rounded room. He could hear the pitter patter of rainwater, probably a leak in the ceiling. He unfurled his palms, a bright blue flame illuminating the room. The room was like a dome, with no corners or straight lines. He saw a small table, a chair, a sink to one side with a mirror¡­and a bed. Lan Zhou¡¯s breath caught. In the bed, there was a man. Pale in complexion with deep circles under his eyes. Long wavy hair curled around the white bed sheets. He appeared to be similar in age to Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi, with a slight wrinkle crinkling the corner of his eyes. But the thing that caught Lan Zhou¡¯s attention the most was the vulnerability this man possessed. He was curled up, clutching his comforter like a child, with his sweet breathing echoing the room. It was love at first sight. Bocchan13 Chapter 89—Love at first sight Chapter 89¡ªLove at first sight by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 19th 22 years after the Fall Lan Zhou¡¯s stared deeply at the sleeping figure. A blush covered his ears¡­then his neck¡­then his face. Ultimately, in the end, Lan Zhou looked like a ripe tomato. Xiao Zi perceptively saw Lan Zhou¡¯s expression, drawing conclusions in his head. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re fighting for our lives right now. Can you play Casanova later?¡± Lan Zhou gulped, his vision still on the beautiful being on the bed. ¡°Uh¡­ahuh.¡± Xiao Zi rolled his eyes. He wiped the mud off of his glasses and took in the scene intuitively. ¡°Is this guy dead?¡± Lan Zhou looked at Xiao Zi in horror. ¡°Check on him! What if he¡¯s dying??¡± Xiao Zi rolled his eyes, ¡°He¡¯s here for a reason. Is he a captive? Is this Paradise Bases jail? Why didn¡¯t he wake up? Even children don¡¯t sleep this deeply when there¡¯s a (aherm) dangerous entity.¡± Lan Zhou got more and more worried. He gently walked to the bed, his eyes roving over the figure, trying to find any hidden wounds while also looking at the cuteness of this person. He¡¯s too cute to be dead. Xiao Zi had no scruples about normality and immediately took the wrist of the sleeping man. The man didn¡¯t wake up. Xiao Zi¡¯s eyes furrowed in dismay but continued his diagnosis. Sighing heavily, he turned to the puppy-faced buffoon. ¡°He overused his ability and went into a coma-like state. I can¡¯t heal this level of overuse. He has to survive on his own. He is malnourished, underfed, overworked and the space here has no sunlight causing a vitamin d deficiency. I¡¯m not sure when he¡¯s going to wake up.¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes grew gentler and gentler the more Xiao Zi spoke. What horrible things could have made him so miserable? Article #87 When your partner is sick, always make sure they are well-cared for! A card, a bouquet, even a heat pack will work fine! Lovers need the assurance from their partners that they can provide! Buy 2 get 1 free at the supermarket this Sunday for the lovey dovey tissue pair! Lan Zhou felt up and down on his rubber suit, but could only find some stinky jerky. No lovey dovey tissue, no card, no bouquet! Lan Zhou dismayed in silence as Xiao Zi took some gloves from his medical kit, checking Song Yu for any injuries. Looking from the corner of his eyes at the stupid Lan Zhou, he could only sigh. ¡°This person will be fine. I¡¯m going to heal him, at least for now. We¡¯ll ask about the situation of Paradise Base when he wakes up. For now, it seems like there is some food stuffed in that cabinet. Let¡¯s eat a little bit and rest.¡± Lan Zhou nodded and went to the cabinet. Peering in carefully, he saw a bottle of water, small crackers and some dried vegetables. With the beef jerky, they could make a few things. Xiao Zi injected the man with his healing abilities. Xiao Zi had just reached Level 8 a while ago, and was proficient in healing fatigue. Ever since the apocalypse happened, Xiao Zi was always in a rush to make the cure. But there was something that all ability users suffered from: Ability fatigue. The overuse and over abuse of their abilities causing a backlash, level manifestation and explosion was an ability user¡¯s nightmare. But this individual looked to have always reserved at least 2% before going into a coma. It was an efficient way to utilize their ability. But the backlash of doing such a stunt for more than a few years would make the user go deeper and deeper into unconsciousness. This is probably the issue with this individual. A burst of golden light enveloped the room, causing the person in the bed to wrinkle his eyes in displeasure. Xiao Zi didn¡¯t mind and continued to press his palm on the person¡¯s back, not withholding his abilities in the slightest. Xiao Zi could feel the overwhelming power this person possessed. Lan Zhou watched in rapture as the blue circles under the man¡¯s eyes lessened and the sallow pasty skin turned into a healthier complexion. It took Xiao Zi three hours to complete everything. Sighing in relief, both Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou lay side by side next to the bed, both in their own world. Lan Zhou was thinking about the stranger, whilst Xiao Zi was thinking about Lu Jingxiu. Lu Jingxiu left in the middle of the night a week ago to get back up. Xiao Zi didn¡¯t blame him for doing so. Seeing two of their friends perish was something everyone in their group felt deeply. But although he didn¡¯t blame him, it didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t sad about it. I wonder if I can ever see him again. The darkness of the cellar meant that there was no sense of time of day. Lan Zhou took first watch, whilst Xiao Zi went to sleep. Lan Zhou carefully got up from the floor and took a stool before plopping it down next to the strangers face. Lan Zhou felt the pumping in his blood and the complete sense of fulfillment envelope his senses. Throughout his entire 49 years, he has always been alone. Before the apocalypse and after, seeing love and joy pass him by. But now he understood why. Because he hadn¡¯t met him yet. He gently took his callused finger and pet the tip of the man¡¯s nose. A small smile broke through his face, as the man scrunched it before going back to sleep. Would he like me as much as I like him? Would he think I was crazy that I fell in love at first sight? These turbulent thoughts invaded his mind. Lan Zhou felt a little sleepy, so he gently laid his head next to the pillow, facing the man. Looking at him briefly, Lan Zhou closed his eyes. ¡­ Song Yu felt comfortable. A kind of comfortable he hadn¡¯t experienced ever since the apocalypse. Eyes still closed, Song Yu briefly smelled fresh pine and wet grass. He could also hear a distinct breath close to his own. Is Ye Zhou here? Song Yu groggily opened his eyes. It was still dark¡­but there was a shimmering blue light in the corner of his peripherals. He blinked a few times in confusion. Did Ye Zhou finally get a flashlight for him? Song Yu¡¯s eyes touched briefly on the light before he turned his head. His mouth slowly opened in shock at the sight. A man in his fifties with silver threads in his hair. A trimmed beard with silver threads covered half of his face whilst the man¡¯s closed eyes showed a cold expression. He had a small scar on the corner of his eye, showing debonair and danger whilst being charismatic. His head was laid next to his, not encroaching on the pillow, but still upright enough for them to be eye to eye. Song Yu¡¯s heart thumped erratically as he continued to stare at him. He was really his type! That sleeping figure, that body, that face. 10! 10! 10! Am I dreaming? I must be dreaming! A hot silver fox is sleeping right next to me! Haha! Oh my god! He¡¯s gorgeous! Song Yu smiled gleefully, turning his entire body to face this stud. This is my dream! I can do whatever the hell I want! Huhuhuhuhhuhhuu! Song Yu immediately got up, his gaze still on the sleeping man. He licked his lips as he trailed down his body, seeing the man¡¯s outfit. Awash in dark blue, with rubber infused materials. Although old, he had power in his muscles, even when asleep. Song Yu slurped back his saliva. Ooolala! My imagination has outdone itself this time! He was about to slap the man¡¯s butt gleefully when the man opened his eyes. Song Yu smiled happily, his gorgeous eyes lighting up in excitement. Lan Zhou blinked as the beautiful mirage set aside the blanket showing his slender figure. Although he was quite bony, the smiling face completely changed his visage from a cute kitten to an even cuter kitten. Lan Zhou watched silently as the man circled his arms around his neck, his face coming closer and closer to his own. A blush spread through his face as the man kissed his forehead. Devoutly, sincere, and overwhelmingly soulful. The man smiled as he gazed lovingly into Lan Zhou¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s fuck!¡± Lan Zhou:¡­. Bocchan13 Chapter 90—Circumstances of Paradise Chapter 90¡ªCircumstances of Paradise by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 19th 22 years after the Fall Lan Zhou:¡­ Eh? Song Yu didn¡¯t hold back, his eyes turning into stars as his smile leered perversely. ¡°Let¡¯s fuck! Take off that sexy suit!¡± Song Yu grabbed at Lan Zhou¡¯s collar, trying to find the hidden zipper that would unleash those GIANT manly pecs. Lan Zhou screamed shrilly as he grasped his lapels and edging away from him. ¡°W-W-Wait a minute! I don¡¯t even know your name!¡± Lan Zhou swatted at those hands that tried to pry his clothes open. Song Yu was not deterred. Instead of trying to take off the sexy man¡¯s clothes off, he instead went towards his own. That made Lan Zhou scream even louder! ¡°What are you doing!?¡± ¡°Obviously! It¡¯s MY dream! We are going to sleep together before I wake up! C¡¯mon, who knows when that bastard is gonna come back and make me do shit for him! Lemme go!¡± Lan Zhou frantically tried to cover up the man who was obstinate in taking off his clothes! Song Yu struggled until he was panting on the bed. Lan Zhou somehow was on top of him trying to re-do the buttons on his shirt, forgetting the lapels of his own sliding down his front torso. ¡°Ooohlalala! I like this!¡± Song Yu didn¡¯t struggle anymore and aimed directly for the zipper, unleashing the full extent of this silver fox to his eyes. Eyes glowing in desire, Song Yu wiped the drool from his mouth. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Lan Zhou immediately let go and tried to cover up, letting Song Yu take the initiative. Now it was Song Yu on top of Lan Zhou, his mangy claws trying desperately to take off the suit. ¡°C¡¯mere! What are you, some fair maiden!? I spent 44 years alone. And now, even in my dreams, my dream guy doesn¡¯t want to fuck! FORTY! FOUR! YEARS! I¡¯m gonna do it!¡± Lan Zhou could figure out that the man was sex-starved, but this was going too far! He felt the slender figure on top of him¡­rubbing everywhere. No! He didn¡¯t want a boner! Song Yu in turn grinned evilly when he felt the hardness under him. Even his dream lover has a big schlong! ¡°You know you want it!¡± Song Yu leaned over, capturing Lan Zhou¡¯s first kiss. Eyes widening in panic, Lan Zhou could only freeze as Song Yu (who was pitifully horrible at kissing) tried to imitate what he saw in the movies. He opened Lan Zhou¡¯s mouth with his tongue, going ape-shit on his tongue. The only sounds between them were the squelching of their mouths fused together. Song Yu had stopped groping him, but had his arms wrapped around Lan Zhou¡¯s neck, pressuring his lips on Lan Zhou¡¯s. The beard acted as a cushion for his face, so Song Yu continued his onslaught, tying Lan Zhou deeper and deeper into his fervent kiss. Lan Zhou tried to get out of this passionate embrace, breathing heavily, but for some reason¡­he didn¡¯t want the man to stop. He inched his arms around the man¡¯s slim waist, feeling the curves of his body. Kneading when he must, petting when he could. He was going to go over the edge. He finally snapped out of it when he felt the man once again try to rip off his clothes. He anxiously looked around him, trying to find Xiao Zi. When he looked to the right he saw Xiao Zi buckled over, laughing quietly. With pleading eyes, he jerked his head away from those lips, sparking a long trail of saliva to escape from his opened mouth. Lan Zhou once again attempted to distance himself from Song Yu. Song Yu was still trying to rip off the clothes when he heard a brief cough. At first he thought it was the guy below him, but it happened again until it became obnoxiously apparent. Song Yu froze, turning his head to the right. There was another man. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Xiao Zi was going to nod. Yes, this isn¡¯t a dream. ¡°¡­a 3P?¡± Lan Zhou:¡­ Xiao Zi:¡­ Song Yu did stop, tilting his head to the side while gazing up and down on the new person. Cold eyes in glasses with a tight lipped expression, and hair shimmering brown. He wore a long coat over his own rubber suit, showing off a toned body. Song Yu¡¯s gaze grew more and more distasteful. ¡°Tch.¡± Xiao Zi got offended. ¡°What, I¡¯m not good enough for you!?¡± Song Yu shrugged. ¡°Eh.¡± Xiao Zi got angrier. If this was a comic strip, you would see daggers flying out of the panels and fire burning in the background. ¡°Fuck you!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Song Yu shot back. Looking down at the muscular man below him, he grinned evilly. ¡°We still doing this or what?¡± Xiao Zi had enough. He slapped the man¡¯s head, enjoying every bit of the impact. Song Yu fell onto the bed, his head going dizzy. ¡°Why is there pain in a dream?¡± Song Yu rubbed his head in anger at the ugly man. ¡°Yo! What was that for?¡± Xiao Zi rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, Lan Zhou had already straightened up his clothes, making sure Every. Single. Patch. Of. Skin. Wasn¡¯t exposed. ¡°Um¡­we¡¯re travellers from beyond Paradise Base. We were under zombie attack when we found your entrance.¡± Song Yu blinked. Looking at the two strangers, the sudden realization dawned on him. ¡°So¡­this isn¡¯t a dream?¡± Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi nodded simultaneously. ¡°You¡¯re not my dreamboat big daddy?¡± Again another head nod. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna fuck me?¡± Lan Zhou blushed immediately but slowly nodded. Song Yu felt the world go under him. His entire body turned tomato red. Embarrassment filled his face and he shamefully crawled back into bed, cocooning himself into the blanket. FFFUUUUUCCCCKKKKKK!!!!! Oh my god! Oh my god! What the hell did you dooo!!!???? Song Yu wanted to die! It was clear that he would never recover from this! Please be my imagination. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Song Yu squirmed on the bed, in full view of Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi who had calmed down. Song Yu was so into his own self-deprecating behavior that he didn¡¯t feel the bed sink down. A large hand gently pried the comforter off the bed exposing Song Yu¡¯s embarrassed face. Lan Zhou gazed at the cute expression, his own ears reddening from the situation. If we got along for maybe a few more hours, I might have let him take my clothes off. ¡°Uh¡­my name is Lan Zhou. I¡¯m from the north Military Base, here with Xiao Zi, a scientist. What¡¯s your name?¡± Song Yu diverted his eyes away from those handsome ones. Despite being the Base leader, most of his communication came from Ye Zhou and his friends. He had no real social skills and his first impression was a sex-crazed maniac! ¡°S-Song Yu.¡± ¡°Song Yu,¡± Lan Zhou echoed back. Song Yu waited with bated breath, until a kind smile lit up the man¡¯s features. ¡°Song Yu. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Song Yu saw that Lan Zhou stretched out his hand for a shake. He blushed as their hands connected. Big hands cupped slightly smaller ones, but the contact sizzled their skin. ¡°Nice to meet you too Lan Zhou,¡± Bocchan13 Hiatus Update Hello all, This is Bocchan13. I''m sure you''re wondering why I haven''t posted for almost a month. To get right into it: I was in a car accident. Not too severe, thankfully but I was at the hospital for sequela and rib bruising (note to self: bike vs. car= car always wins) so was unable to update for quite some time. I am doing fine, just knocked a bit and will continue to update NEET life next week. Thanks for your patient waiting! Chapter 91—Making a friend Chapter 91¡ªMaking a friend by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 19th 22 years after the Fall The handshake was what drew Song Yu in. Embarrassment from the situation aside, the handsome stranger rough callused hands that trembled upon touching felt extremely comforting. They shook for only a little bit before ending it. Song Yu coughed lightly as the bright blush retreated from his face. ¡°You¡­why are you here? You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Lan Zhou was still touching the palm Song Yu had touched with a small warm smile escaping his lips. He politely bowed slightly to Song Yu with a small feeling of guilt. ¡°We¡¯re sorry for intruding upon your home. We had a meeting with the Paradise Base leaders, but things went¡­awry and we were forced to flee. We saw the entrance to this place¡­so please don¡¯t report us to the Paradise Base. We will leave soon anyways.¡± Song Yu felt baffled. They came here¡­for something? Was it related to him? ¡°Perchance¡­you guys needed the Pure ability user?¡± Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi both looked at Song Yu with trepidation. Xiao Zi turned to Lan Zhou, his eyes a bit too obvious. Don¡¯t tell him anything. But Lan Zhou continued to feel that butterfly feeling whenever he looked at Song Yu. He felt¡­like he could trust him. Over 20 years in the apocalypse was enough to be a good judge of character. Especially one that looked at him with such purity. ¡°Our mission was to have the pure ability user use his powers to purify Xiao Zi¡¯s formula. If he did that then we might have been able to make the zombie virus vaccine. We came all the way from the Military base in the north¡­we lost a lot of people coming here. We had only been in the Paradise Base for less than an hour before we were forced out¡­¡± The more Song Yu heard, the more confused he was. Why did Ye Zhou kick them out? More importantly¡­why didn¡¯t Ye Zhou tell him anything at all? Song Yu had no semblance of time. He was always either working or sleeping. The day-to-day responsibilities as a base leader were up to Ye Zhou, but Song Yu was the cornerstone of this place. But that couldn¡¯t be right. Ye Zhou would have definitely let them in as guests, treat them like royalty and had done everything he can to ensure the survival of mankind. Why would Ye Zhou do that? No reason at all! Assured, Song Yu deeply thought. Did they actually go to the right place? There were several small bases around the Paradise base that traded with them occasionally; maybe they had something to do with that? ¡°Was¡­ was the person who threw out. His name was Ye Zhou?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. He didn¡¯t introduce himself. But he said he was the pure ability user. He was interested at our arrival at first, but when we told him why we needed him, he yelled at us to get out. That man¡­is not a good person.¡± Alarm bells sounded in Song Yu¡¯s head. Ye Zhou was impersonating him? ¡°Wait. Hold on¡­the man you met was the pure ability user? The one with reddish pupils, soft spoken and delicately dressed?¡± ¡°Well¡­no. The person we met was extremely standoff-ish, arrogant, and just a downright dick. Isn¡¯t he the base leader? We heard that the base leader was the pure ability user, so when we arrived, we just went to straight to the point and asked the closest person who the leader was.¡± Arrow after arrow of incomprehensibility followed Song Yu. Brows wrinkled; face paling, and the mouth slowly opening in silent protest. That didn¡¯t sound like Ye Zhou at all! They might have approached the smaller base! A stupid head was impersonating him! Such idiocy! ¡°You guys¡­got scammed!¡± Scammed? Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi internally screamed. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Nodded profusely, Song Yu gently held Lan Zhou¡¯s buff biceps, stroking it. ¡°Ah-huh. You guys got royally scammed. Extremely scammed!¡± ¡°But¡­but¡­¡± Song Yu interjected, ¡°The Paradise bases pure ability user is a benevolent man who does whatever he can to ensure the bases survival! If he knew that there was a cure for the zombie vaccine, he would no doubt help! The person you met has been impersonating me!!!¡± Lan Zhou¡¯s and Xiao Zi¡¯s mouth opened in disbelief. This scrawny old man with deep sunken eyes, white pallor and scrappy clothes¡­was the pure ability user???? ¡°Huh!¡± Xiao Zi pointed at Song Yu, ¡°You¡¯re¡­the pure ability user?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Me! You guys have been looking for me!¡± Disbelief marked every surface of Xiao Zi¡¯s face. He sneered, ¡°If you¡¯re the base leader, what the fuck are you doing in this dingy prison, huh? You think we would believe you? Dream on!¡± ¡°No, really! I¡¯m the pure ability user, the base leader! Here, look!¡± Song Yu unfurled his fingers, taking a few things from his space. A shriveled up corn he had gotten last time came out. Followed by that was a bright blue essence that surrounded the corn, creating a beautiful halo around it. Changing right in front of their eyes, the ugly corn with its brown leaves immediately turned green, the pale yellow turning into gold as the corn ripened to almost 12 inches. In Song Yu¡¯s other hand was a lumpy metal part of something. Red with rust, it looked incapable of anything, yet under the blue fluorescent light, the rust disintegrated into dust the metal shining through. Even more than that, the metals separated from each other. Three balls side by side were arched here and there until it solidified. Aluminum, steel, and iron. ¡°This used to be part of a car¡­so¡­¡± Song Yu dropped the three balls into Xiao Zi¡¯s outstretched hands. Xiao Zi gazed at them in shock, clutching them as if they were a lifeline. He was silent as he felt the different textures of the materials. Each had their own individual colors, but rounded and smoothened to create the balls. ¡°This¡­this¡­¡± ¡°My ability can transform something into its purest form, or re-integrate to its best. The corn is what it used to be in its prime, and the car part is in its purest shape.¡± Song Yu gave the corn to Lan Zhou, who dumbly stared at it. Song Yu could feel their awe, and laughed silently to himself. He never felt like this before. He felt giddy and excited. Watching the both of them, he clapped his hands and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m the pure ability user, Song Yu. Leader of Paradise Base.¡± Smiling with mirth, he cocked his head to the side. Long bangs slid to the side showing his beautiful pure eyes towards them, crescent with laughter. ¡°I¡¯ll help you purify your zombie formula. Free of charge!¡± Chapter 92—Circumstances Chapter 92¡ªCircumstances By Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 19th 22 years after the Fall ¡°So where is it?¡± Song Yu looked at Xiao Zi with interest, looking for something like a vial of green liquid or even those mysterious red medicines talked about in those xianxia novels. ¡°Woah, wait. I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around this.¡± Xiao Zi shook his head, still clutching the metal balls. Lan Zhou was no different as he absentmindedly shucked the corn. Song Yu watched these two with confusion, when a large force of sleepiness washed over him. His eyes flickered, the small lit room going darker and darker. Song Yu swayed to the bed, barely making it in time before collapsing into a giant heap. Lan Zhou saw this and exclaimed, ¡°Are you okay???! Hey, Song Yu!?¡± Song Yu¡¯s brows furrowed, as the backlash of his powers caused his body to numb, ¡°Mmm¡­just need to sleep. Let me sleep, okay?¡± Xiao Zi took it upon himself, and felt Song Yu¡¯s body. A small light escaped his palms onto Song Yu, but unlike before, it was dull and sluggishly surrounded Song Yu. ¡°His body seems to be rejecting abilities. He¡¯s over-exhausted himself. Like I said before, this probably has been happening for a long time if it¡¯s gotten this bad.¡± Lan Zhou brushed back Song Yu¡¯s bangs, showing the sunken eyes and pale pallor. When he was awake, he was vibrant, eyes shining and an easy smile¡­but when you saw him sleeping you could see the exhaustion, the fragility, and the trauma. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s wait for him to recover. Get some rest, I¡¯ll go up the bunker and see if they are still searching for us.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Xiao Zi didn¡¯t hesitate twice. He wasn¡¯t young anymore and running for his life made his creaky old bones even more stiff. Lan Zhan made sure there was no sounds up above before opening the doors, leaving Xiao Zi with the sleeping Song Yu. Xiao Zi rested his head on the wall, his long coat spilling on the cold floors. Now that it was dark and silent, with only an coma patient, Xiao Zi could only do one thing. His shoulders shuddered as muffled sobs wracked his body. His unsteady breath reached into his coat pockets where a crumpled picture was. Inside, was the five of them: Lan Zhou, Wang Cheng, Yu Ci, himself and¡­Lu Jingxiu. This was the only surviving photo of them before the apocalypse. At the prime of their lives, they had so much to look forward to. Xiao Zi cried harder as his gaze drifted to Lu Jingxiu. The salty tears cascaded down his face as he whispered sorry over and over again. Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu died protecting them on the way here, whilst Lu Jingxiu left in the middle of the night to who knows where. Xiao Zi thought that he abandoned them, if it wasn¡¯t for the crumpled up note next to the fire that said he was going for reinforcements. But nonetheless, Lu Jingxiu wasn¡¯t with them anymore. ¡°You asshole.¡± Xiao Zi cried harder as more and more regrets filled his heart. If they knew that this was their end, would they have gone? Probably. They always stayed together. Throughout this entire apocalypse, the five of them have survived through hardships, conspiracies, love and war. So when Xiao Zi developed the anti-virus, they unanimously decided to help him. Find the pure ability user. Make the anti-virus. Save the world. But the world was never that easy. Not only did the Military Base screw them over with weapons and supplies, but they only had a handful of elite soldiers excused with the task of helping them. For the first 3 months, things were okay. Lan Zhou and Yu Ci had a lot of military merit and were able to control the soldiers, but as more and more time passed with nary a result, there was complete unrest. After a zombie hoard took them by surprise, the remaining soldiers fled leaving the five of them once again alone. But it was fine¡­ their journey would almost be over. Until it wasn¡¯t. Until he saw with his own eyes, Wang Cheng sacrificed himself, being devoured by zombies. And Yu Ci lost his leg to the virus, causing him to commit suicide when he slowed everyone down. And Lu Jingxiu who was still mourning his friends decided to leave in search of reinforcements, leaving Xiao Zi and Lan Zhou to make it to the Paradise Base, all for them to cast them out like trash. It was heartbreaking. Xiao Zi cried bitterly for what seemed like hours, going back and forth in his head about what he should have done. But ultimately, time could not go back. His friends were gone forever. Under his reverie, he heard the bunker doors open. But¡­it wasn¡¯t Lan Zhou. Xiao Zi panicked and slipped himself under Song Yu¡¯s bed. He heard the sharp steps of combat boots as it made its way to the sleeping Song Yu. ¡°Song Yu?¡± Xiao Zi calmed his breathing, letting his heartbeat slow down. This voice¡­was familiar. ¡°Song Yu, you awake?¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Xiao Zi felt the bed sink in as the man sat next to Song Yu. With a gentle voice, he crooned. ¡°Song Yu, we need your help again.¡± Song Yu could only groggily open his eyes to see Ye Zhou with his gentle smile. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m so tired. I can¡¯t do it. Please¡­please let me sleep.¡± ¡°Song Yu, it¡¯s been three days already. Please, I¡¯ll let you sleep after this. But this is urgent. There was a break-in by two infected individuals. They hurt many people. Please, our people need you.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Can you purify their wounds? They¡¯re afraid that they will turn into zombies.¡± Underneath the bed, Xiao Zi could clearly tell that this new individual was taking advantage of Song Yu. And the story of the two infected¡­was probably Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi. He felt the bed lighten and through the sides, he saw the tall man carry Song Yu. Somewhat in a loving embrace, he carried Song Yu princess style up to the surface of the bunker. Xiao Zi could not get a good glimpse at the man, but he could definitely feel that he was extremely¡­extremely dangerous. Xiao Zi stayed under the bed until the familiar sounds of Lan Zhou hurriedly slid inside the bunker. ¡°Where¡¯s Song Yu?¡± Lan Zhou looked panicked, clutching a fistful of what looked to be flowers. Xiao Zi shimmied out of the bed and locked gazes with Lan Zhou. ¡°Lan Zhou¡­I think we need to take Song Yu away. He¡¯s not safe here.¡± Xiao Zi described what happened, much to Lan Zhou¡¯s distaste. ¡°They¡¯ve been working him like a dog, giving him the title of the Base leader. Like a puppet king, ready for slaughter.¡± Xiao Zi nodded. ¡°At the rate he¡¯s overusing his abilities; he will sleep for longer, until he will be just a living corpse.¡± ¡°So pitiful. He doesn¡¯t deserve this type of existence.¡± ¡°How can we persuade him to leave with us?¡± ¡°Simple. Just say you¡¯ll marry him.¡± Lan Zhou blushed bright red, but his eyes held a small glint of¡­anticipation. But it dimmed somewhat when he remembered something, ¡°But I like him. Won¡¯t he be sad if I dangle something this important like it¡¯s some sort of prize? He¡¯ll think I actually don¡¯t like him and just want him for his ability.¡± Xiao Zi slapped his forehead. ¡°Dumb head that was just a joke.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Song Yu must already be aware somewhat that he is sick. He has never seen the outside world. Even though its corpse ridden and ugly¡­it¡¯s still better than dying here. We have time until Lu Jingxiu comes¡­we can persuade him till then.¡± Hearing Lu Jingxiu, Lan Zhou only shook his head. ¡°Xiao Zi¡­Lu Jingxiu might not come ba¡ª¡° ¡°I believe in him. He will come back for me.¡± Lan Zhou could only nod his head. Xiao Zi looked up towards the bunker door, his determination clearer than ever. He will survive. He, with Song Yu¡¯s help, will save the world. Bocchan13 Chapter 93—Song Yu, please love yourself more Chapter 93¡ªSong Yu, please love yourself more by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªApril 25th 22 years after the Fall They thought that Song Yu would come back that night. But a day went by, then another¡­and then another until it had been 5 days since they had seen him. Lan Zhou was about to explode, thinking about leaving the bunker and find him. He had scouted the past few days but, and figured out their scouting schedules, realizing the Paradise Base has stopped looking for them. There wasn¡¯t that much vigilance around them, which puzzled Lan Zhou. He had tried to overhear some information from the scouts a couple of times, but he received no notification of Song Yu. On the fifth day, while Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi were about to set out to look for him, did the bunker doors open. It was extremely quiet. Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi hid under the bed, holding their breaths, containing their spiritual abilities. The steps were solid and fast, unlike the ones Xiao Zi heard before. The bed on top dipped as Song Yu¡¯s lifeless body was thrown onto the mattress. The person carrying Song Yu muttered angrily as he wiped the sweat off his brow. ¡°Skinny ass, how can you still be so heavy? Geez.¡± The man sloppily threw a coverlet on the bed and ascended back up to the surface. There was speechless silence as Lan Zhou gritted his teeth in anger. His hands fisted creating crescent moons on his palms. When they knew the person was gone, Lan Zhou immediately got up from under the bed and hastily helped Song Yu. Song Yu was deadweight. Lan Zhou whispered his name a few times and couldn¡¯t help but shed a small tear on the corner of his eyes at this. Song Yu.... His hands shook as he carefully placed Song Yu in a better position on the bed. Song Yu had been thrown onto the bed like a rag doll, his face buried in the hard pillow, deterring his breath. Lan Zhou tilted his head and shoulders, gently rolling him onto his back. Song Yu was still unresponsive. ¡°Xiao Zi, check his pulse. Is he okay?¡± Xiao Zi did as told, checking the wrist, his eyes, and his chest. There was only one conclusion. ¡°His spiritual powers have been almost completely depleted. His body is going into hibernation to keep him safe. He¡­has probably been overworking to the point of collapse¡­again.¡± Lan Zhou closed his eyes in desperation. Song Yu was special. A special person in the eyes of others. But to him, it was a different kind of special¡­the kind where he wanted to shelter him in his embrace and take on the world for him. It was entirely irrational and overall unheard of. To him, who had spent almost 50 years not falling in love, to suddenly find the one in a state such as this? It would have been funny, if not so sad. Lan Zhou caressed the man¡¯s hair, swiping it to see Song Yu¡¯s sordid pallor; the deep sunken eyes filled with exhaustion and the small pitter patter breaths he took. It was all just too much. ¡°Do we have any easy food? Song Yu needs some nutrition. I wouldn¡¯t but it past them to starve him.¡± There was obvious hatred in his voice. ¡®Them¡¯ was probably those higher ups of Paradise Base. Xiao Zi nodded gently and took out some canned fruits from his backpack. Lan Zhou thanked him and went to find a spoon, whilst Xiao Zi held his hand, imputing a small fraction of healing ability. But like a black hole, the injury was endless. Song Yu absorbed his ability like a sponge, but it only just kept source of the pain at bay, while his body shut down. Xiao Zi had never in his life seen such a thing. But he continued even though it was useless. Song Yu¡­have a good sleep. Sleep until you are okay¡­ ¡­ Song Yu didn¡¯t want to wake up. Every time he woke up, there was always something to do. Something to fix, something to endure. The past few days he had personally gone to every home in the base to purify their pipes. After several decades of wear and tear, the foundation of the homes had started to decline. It was good that he was being helpful, especially when an adorable child thanked him. But he was just so¡­so tired. Tired of everything. He just wanted to lay down and be lazy, read a few books¡­just rest. But a leader couldn¡¯t do that. A leader was supposed to be the shining beacon, a symbol of perseverance and a guide to the people. Song Yu took this responsibility wholeheartedly, cause if he didn¡¯t have this¡­then what did he have? No purpose. Did he want to be in that catatonic state again? Where nothing mattered, and the flames on a cold windy day looked tempting to burn the flesh? No. But¡­but¡­but¡­ I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore. There should be more to life than just enduring. Song Yu felt a gently caress on his forehead, waking him up from his slumber. The grogginess settled in his bones, but his mind activated him awake, setting his eyes to open unconsciously. To his right, was the sexy man of his dreams, carefully moving his hair away, a small bowl of water balance on his knees. A warm towel was in his other hand. It seemed that he had slept for quite a while, for someone to personally wash him. This sight alone pushed him over the edge. A tear trickled down his face. He had never been taken care of like this before¡­so preciously. Lan Zhou looked at Song Yu, a smile grazing his face. When the unexpected tears fell, Lan Zhou panicked. ¡°Are you okay?? Are you in pain?¡± Song Yu eyesight blurred as more and more tears cascaded down his cheeks. A low sob escaped his lips. This person was so nice. So¡­adoringly nice. ¡°I-I¡¯m just so tired.¡± Lan Zhou took his hands, enveloping them tightly. Song Yu babbled a little more, ¡°I just want to sleep and dream.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­eat like a cow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Kiss you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Before Song Yu could say any more, the hands holding his let go, reached out to his neck. In a second, hot lips pressed onto his own. Song Yu opened his mouth to gasp, when an arm wrapped around his back to embrace him. Lan Zhou did not hesitate, easily parting his lips to deepen to kiss. Song Yu felt dizzy as an emotional wave of pleasure washed over him. For who knows how long they kissed, before Lan Zhou let go, mildly nuzzling his cheek. Song Yu sitting on the small bed in his bunker, a small smile on his face. A callused hand reached out and touched his cheek preciously, massaging those deep sunken blue from under his eyes. Song Yu sighed and snuggled his cheek on that weathered hand, as if it was his lifeline. ¡°Breathe deeply. You¡¯re okay ¡­¡± Song Yu did as he was told, breathing heavily. Lan Zhou smiled as he saw this. So fucking adorable. ¡°Song Yu¡­you can do whatever you want to do. You can sleep the day away, be lazy, eat a lot, curse or not help. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Lan Zhou kissed each callused fingertip, holding them adoringly like it was fine jade. ¡°Song Yu, please just love yourself a little bit more. You are the most important thing in the world.¡± Bocchan13 Lan Zhou: Of course. Chapter 94—The secrets behind abilities Chapter 94¡ªThe secrets behind abilities by Bocchan13 New Era Calender¡ªMarch 3rd 22 years after the Fall Lan Zhou and Song Yu were in their own little bubble, completely absorbed in each other; to the point that Xiao Zi who was just a few meters away was extremely sickened by this. Song Yu heard a tsk in the background of his lovey-dovey play and blushed immediately. Lan Zhou had a thicker skin and didn¡¯t care much, still holding onto Song Yu¡¯s hands tightly. Song Yu gradually still felt drowsy and was coaxed to sleep a little bit more. Lan Zhou anxiously watched as Song Yu curled up in a fetal position, and sagged into unconsciousness. ¡°He¡¯s been sleeping for so long and still needs to sleep? Xiao Zi, check him again.¡± Xiao Zi obediently obliged, taking hold of Song Yu¡¯s hands. The healing ability could heal many things, but in the care of spiritual energy, it was completely lacking. The only thing he could do was help with the pain. ¡°He will probably need to rest for another week or so. It¡¯s a miracle he hasn¡¯t died from overwork yet.¡± Lan Zhou bit his lip in consternation. ¡°Is there any way to negate it? He¡¯s overusing his pure ability to the point of sanity. We need to help him.¡± Xiao Zi could only touch his chin in thought. He had never seen a case like this so severe. There had to be a way for Song Yu to strengthen his abilities. Wait. ¡°Lan Zhou¡­Song Yu has a space ability right? That¡¯s his main ability? Purity is the variant?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Has he ever¡­just used the space ability as just a space ability?¡± ¡°Well¡­I don¡¯t know. We will have to ask him when he wakes up, why?¡± ¡°There might be a solution but it will be tricky.¡± ¡°What? Tell me?¡± Lan Zhou was so excited that Song Yu flinched in his sleep. He instantly silenced himself before moving the both of the away for the conversation. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s going to be tricky?¡± ¡°I mean¡­what if he is just over exerting his variant ability, and not his main ability. That may be causing the imbalance. You can¡¯t pull a cart before the horse. And the more he uses his pure ability, the more it upgrades, the more the distance widens, hence the lash back.¡± ¡°So he has to use MORE of his ability to stop him from ability exhaustion? That makes no sense! And besides, variants are just an add-on to the ability!¡± ¡°Lan Zhou¡­show me a blue flame.¡± Lan Zhou eagerly lip up his palms, the bright blue flames igniting the small chamber with light. The size was similar to a tennis ball, but could reach immediately to the Blue Sun. ¡°Now, show me a flame. Just a normal flame, without your variant.¡± Confused, Lan Zhou lit up another ball of flames, this time orange with flecks of yellow and red. Immediately you could tell the difference. The blue flames was steady and continued its tennis ball shape, but the normal flames was a little shaky, smaller in size and not as hot. ¡°Although the normal flames use the same amount of spiritual energy, it still looks like this right? You¡¯ve been exercising only one ability, completely slacking in training your MAIN ability. However, if you calculate how much difference your abilities are, it¡¯s still in the acceptable range. You¡¯re blue variant is A Level while your fire ability is Level 10. In Song Yu¡¯s case, his Pure ability is A Level while his space ability is Level 4.¡± Lan Zhou stared at the normal flames that he hadn¡¯t seen in almost a decade. It was true that at first, he had a fire ability, and he had used it to the extreme in the first few years of the apocalypse. When he developed the variant, he had only ever used the variant. Even if it was the same fire ability¡­ ¡°Is that why I haven¡¯t been able to level up after so long? Cause of the main ability?¡± ¡°That might be the case. However, this is just me theorizing everything. If we are right and Song Yu hasn¡¯t been using his main ability, we will have to find a way for his to upgrade it.¡± ¡°Upgrade what?¡± Lan Zhou and Xiao Zi turned to see Song Yu. He had gotten up because he was hungry and saw the two of them hunched in a corner mumbling slightly. He had only heard a bit of the conversation when he heard his name. Curious he crouched next to the unsuspecting Xiao Zi. ¡°Blarh! You a ghost?! Scared me to death!¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Xiao Zi¡¯s heartbeat went back to normal, and told him his theory. Song Yu listened in rapture, his eyes widening. Mouth agape in stunned appreciation he couldn¡¯t help be hug him. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re a genius! I would have never thought of that! Let¡¯s try it! Let¡¯s try!¡± Song Yu immediately grabbed the blanket on the bed and put it in his space. With smiling eyes he waited a minute. But to his own surprise, the blanket came out fresh and soft like it was brand new. He stared blankly at the blanket. ¡°That¡¯s weird, I didn¡¯t do anything to it in the space.¡± He tried it again with the pillow, waited a minute and took it out. The same results. ¡°Everything that goes into my space is automatically purified. I¡­never knew that.¡± Lan Zhou saw his aggrieved look and hugged him from behind in comfort. Song Yu took a tea cup that was slightly chipped and placed it into his space. Using spatial awareness, he was able to see that the millisecond it entered, the purification had started. ¡°What should I do? It seems like a passive skill.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Xiao Zi was not deterred. He had met many spatial ability users; his dearest friend Wang Cheng was one. And there were many ways to use it. If he condensed the space into a solid, maybe that could work. ¡°Can you control the space?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Like, can you condense the space? Space is a figurative word; the space is actually a portal to a separate dimension not in this world and does not impact its surroundings, but if it can be condensed to the point where it fits the laws of matter like solids, liquid, and gas; then it can appear in spatial form.¡± Lan Zhou and Song Yu both looked befuddled as if Xiao Zi was talking elfish. Xiao Zi gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m saying¡­think of a weapon and use your ability to conjure one. Just try!¡± ¡°OOOOOHHHHHH¡± Xiao Zi really wanted to punch these idiots.