Back in the office room, Xiaoyun was scrolling on his phone as he lay down on the bed.
Oddly, although cellular data on his phone had long stopped, there were still signals to call and text other people.
"Chengyi, Pinli, you two still alive?" Xiaoyun wondered as he began texting them.
After waiting for a while, there was no response. So Xiaoyun texted Mingxu next.
To his surprise, Mingxu actually texted back.
"Yeah, I am here. How are you doing, bro?"
"I am doing fine. How is it going for you?"
"Not looking good at all. I should have never come to this damn air-raid shelter." Mingxu's anger leaked out of the text.
"What's wrong?" Xiaoyun asked curiously.
"They are literally sending us to go search for food, yet not giving us a single gun despite sitting on top of boxes full of guns and ammo. They are just sending us to die."
"Is there any way I can help you?"
"Not I can think of. Hey, thanks, man. You are the only one who has texted me.
It almost felt like everybody was dead... Speaking of texting, have you gotten any texts from Pinli or Chengyi?" Mingxu asked.
"Nope, they haven't texted me since the outbreak. Perhaps it's because the countryside they went to has poor service." Xiaoyun texted back.
"Oh snap, Jingjing is coming. Oh boy, she looks mad. Talk to you later." Mingxu ended the text.
"Good Luck."
As Xiaoyun put his phone down on the side, he was getting a little sleepy.
"Nami told me to go to her room tonight, right? Maybe I can take a short nap."
Xiaoyun set the alarm at eleven and then quickly fell asleep.
---
When Xiaoyun was woken up, the alarm was already going off.
"Right, I need to go to Nami's room."
Xiaoyun stretched out his body for a bit before leaving the room.
As he walked all the way to Nami's room and knocked on the door, he thought of what possible thing Nami wanted him to do this late at night.
"Who is it?" Nami's voice came out of the room.
"It's me, Xiaoyun."
"Wait just a second."
After Xiaoyun waited for a minute, Nami finally opened the door.
Nami was wearing all black, with a face mask on her face as well, almost like a ninja.
"Why are you wearing——"
Before Xiaoyun could finish, Nami interrupted him.
"Stop asking questions, just follow me. We are going to do something important."
Nami started walking as quietly as possible while Xiaoyun casually walked behind her.
"You know, this just makes it look more suspicious——"
"shh, we don't want to wake them up," Nami whispered as they walked past the living room.
"I am pretty sure there is no way they can hear us when they are all asleep in their room." Xiaoyun pointed out.
"Okay, maybe you are right."
Nami finally returned to normal as she led Xiaoyun out to the backyard.
"What are we doing out here late at night?"
A shiver traveled down Xiaoyun's spine as he didn't bring a jacket with him.
Nami didn't respond, but she walked to the table next to the hot tub and picked up the vase on the table.
Xiaoyun could see a button at the bottom as Nami pressed onto it.
Suddenly, a hole appeared on the ground as the floor moved to the sides.
"What the hell is this?" Xiaoyun asked curiously as he stared at the dark, narrow staircase.
"I only found this last summer when I was playing hide and seek with Qiqi and Yueyue," Nami replied as she turned her phone's flashlight on.
"Do they know about this?"
"Nope. I am pretty sure nobody has entered this besides Dad, who probably built it... And now us."
Seeing Nami start walking down the stairs, Xiaoyun quickly followed behind her.
After walking for almost a minute, the two finally reached the end of the stairs.
A big metal door stood in front of them, with no other way around it.
Nami walked up to the electronic lock on the side and clicked a random number combination.
The metal door was unlocked, and the two continued walking further in.
"What on earth is this for? How do you know Dad built this?" Xiaoyun curiously asked.
"You will see. Just you wait."
After Nami finished speaking, another door was blocking their way. But this time, the door wasn't locked, as Nami simply pushed it open.
"Wow... I kinda get why you said Dad built this."
Xiaoyun was stunned by all the things before his eyes.
Right in the middle of the room was a large metal ball connected by many different lines and wires. Almost as if it was something from the future.
On the left was a table and a cabinet with tons of paper on top of it.
"You see why I said Dad built this? Who else could afford this kind of experiment under their own house?" Nami pointed as they walked toward the table.
"Also, I suspect that you have something to do with Dad's disappearance."
Nami suddenly turned her head towards Xiaoyun and looked at him dead in the eyes.
"What?"
Xiaoyun scratched his head in confusion as he didn't know what Nami was trying to say.
"Since you live in the office room, I assume you have already read Dad's journal, right?" Nami asked.
"How do you know——"
"Just a prediction. Now, I need you to give me the missing two digits." Nami asked as she input all the digits into the lock beside the last two empty digits.
"What last two digits?"
Xiaoyun paused for a second, then realized Nami was talking about the two digits that were crossed out in the diary.
"You mean the one in the diary?" Xiaoyun asked.
"Yep, that's the one I'm talking about. I have tried two different times, but I just couldn't get it open... But I just have a feeling you might know it... I should warn you, I only have one more try."
Nami moved to the side to let Xiaoyun input the last two digits.
"I think I know it... But I'm not sure if it is right."
Xiaoyun thought back to how the digits in the diary were the same as his email password, so he input the last two digits into the lock.
The two let out a sigh of relief as the cabinet lock was finally unlocked.
"Lemme see."
Nami pushed Xiaoyun to the side as she opened the cabinet.
"A letter for you and a notebook. And some sort of liquid in a bottle."
Nami glanced at the envelope and threw it to Xiaoyun.
"A letter for Xiaoyun Chen..." Xiaoyun murmured as he read the bold letters on the front.
Xiaoyun opened the envelope and read the letter as Nami read the notebook.
---
"Hello, I am Chen Xiaoyun from another timeline (I think).
When you see this piece of paper, it means I have succeeded in my mission.
In my timeline, in the first year when the apocalypse broke out, everyone in the family died. I don't know how yours went, but I assume it's going to be similar, just like mine.
After they died, I traveled across hundreds of different survival camps and countries, but each one of them was either destroyed by people or zombies.
People's hearts are really complicated, and power is not as beautiful as you imagine.
After decades of being alone, I discovered that the stone Uncle Li gave me was not just some typical stone. I'm not sure where it came from, but it's definitely not from our planet. Perhaps it's from aliens.
You might wonder how I know about this... Well, the stone was constantly releasing energy that could maintain my appearance as if I never aged at all.
It was almost like magic...
But I soon realized this was a curse, not a blessing... Everybody I knew had already died. I was all alone in this world, with no one to care about or any will to live anymore...
So I threw the stone to the ground... That's when I discovered that the stone had somehow made me time travel back one hour, and the stone was somehow back into one piece.
This is when I started researching the stone and saw if I could build a time machine. I just wanted to save them... I just wanted to see them just one more time...
Well, as you guessed it, it was a success—at least the time machine part.
Here's the thing: I had completely forgotten about the airborne virus that infected almost everybody as soon as the outbreak happened.
Guess what happens next?
Actually, you don't need to. I time-traveled back and caused a zombie outbreak even earlier in the timeline as I became a live virus spreader.
You could say I was the biggest fuckup possible... But that wasn't the only fuck up I managed to do... The time machine that I used was starting to run out of time.
That's when I learned that the rock wasn't infinite energy as I expected.
In the end, I realized I was doomed and was going to be erased from existence... I ran out of time to fix the mistake.
Isn't it ironic? A man with a time machine running out of time.
Anyway, before I gave up, I realized I could send this machine to a completely different timeline—not just time-traveling forward or back.
You might be thinking I'm out by just traveling to another timeline, but I was still doomed.
It can't carry any living things, as I tested a smaller version with a rat... It was a one-way trip for the machine, assuming I didn't set it to return.
So I am writing this to tell you, don't use this machine to attempt to go to another timeline. You won't make it.
It can only travel forward or backward within your timeline. I really mean it. Don't.
I hope you can use this machine better than I do... The bottle in the cabinet is to neutralize the airborne virus to stop it from spreading to others.
If you want to travel back in time before the zombie outbreak, you will want to use it.
A note: It doesn't do anything if someone is already bitten. It's practically useless in the zombie outbreak since this already infects everybody.
They would have turned into zombies a long time ago if their immune systems couldn't adapt to this virus. Don't be a silly goose and try to cure someone with this.
Another Note: If you are wondering who your father was, just like me when I was younger, I recommend you use this time machine to time travel back without touching the setting. I already had set it up for you.
The answer may shock you, but I am sure you won't regret this. I know you will do it after seeing this. I know myself the best.
Final Note: In This machine, I implemented a sleepwalking mode. When the time is up, and you get sent back, you will feel that you just sent a dream.
This is to prevent you from having a split personality. I had to learn it the hard way. You don't want to end up like me mentally. Try to remember that you are Xiaoyun, not anyone else.
Sorry about this ramble. Take this as an old man's last time being able to talk to someone...
Good luck. You are going to need it."
The letter finally ended.
---
"That stone... Didn't I lose it at the dorm a few days ago? Also, there is nothing about being able to create things...
Did the other me not have that ability? Did I get my power from being bitten, or is it the stone?"
The letter only gave Xiaoyun more questions rather than answers.
"What was written in the letter?"
Nami asked curiously as she walked over with the notebook and the bottle in hand.
"Um, this machine is a time machine. You can use this machine to go back in time temporarily...
And apparently, it's from another timeline of mine."
Xiaoyun didn't bother hiding it as he didn't want to lie to Nami.
"What? So it's not from Dad? You are telling me I spent all this time trying to find clues about dad is useless?"
Nami stomped the ground in anger as she couldn't believe all her effort was going to waste.
"Well, it's not exactly useless. It told us the exact time on how to find Dad with the machine... How about the book in your hand?"
Xiaoyun asked as he noticed the notebook was almost several hundred pages thick.
"A lot of research materials, I can't understand any of it."
Nami put down the book and walked to the time machine's door.
"Finally, I can discover the secret that surrounds our family... I'll be the one that solves the mystery."
Nami suddenly got very dramatic as she pushed up her non-existent glasses.
"I think maybe we should use this machine at a later time, no?"
Xiaoyun suddenly had a bad feeling.
"No, I had spent so long on this. I am not backing down now. I must know the truth."
Nami suddenly strikes a pose as she stands in the time machine.
"Um, is that some sort of anime reference or something?"
Xiaoyun pointed out as he recalled seeing it in Pinli's phone.
"Shut up. I am going to find out the truth tonight... If you don't let me go, I am going to spoil everything you have done to them."
Nami threatened Xiaoyun as she pressed the button to open the door.
The metal door of the time machine slides open to the side.
"Okay, okay. Please don't do that. I am coming with you then."
Xiaoyun followed Nami to the time machine as they took a seat inside.
The machine itself had very limited space inside it, with white walls made of unknown material on all sides and time selection on the left wall.
"Wait, before we use this, we need to drink before entering this time machine to neutralize the airborne virus."
Xiaoyun thought back to the letter.
"But... there is so little in this bottle. Did the letter say how many people can drink it?"
Nami asked as she held onto the bottle tightly, not letting Xiaoyun get a hold of it.
"Um, it didn't say it anywhere... But I can just clone it if you give it to me."
Nami hesitated for a second but handed the bottle to Xiaoyun in the end.
"Here's yours."
Xiaoyun didn't break his promise as he handed another bottle that he had just created in his hand.
The two drank it and felt nothing after waiting for ten minutes.
"Huh? I thought it was going to hurt or something." Xiaoyun murmured.
"Whatever, let's start this thing."
Nami pressed the start button, only to find an error message popping up.
"Overloaded, please only have one person on board." A robotic voice came from the time machine.
"Get out! I am using this." Nami yelled as she tried to push Xiaoyun out.
"Hey, I gave this time machine to myself. I should be the one using." Xiaoyun argued as he remained in his seat.
"No! I was the one who discovered this place." Nami argued.
"Nami, listen to me. I can always clone this entire machine to go back if the machine breaks down. But you can't do that.
What if you are permanently stuck in the past? Do you want the whole family to be sad and never see you again? "
Xiaoyun stared right into Nami's eyes as he said it out loud to Nami's ear.
After a long, silent standstill, Nami backed down.
"Fine, just tell me what happens when you come back."
Nami walked out of the time machine in defeat.
"Don't you worry, I will find the truth."
Xiaoyun strikes a pose similar to Nami's one earlier.
"Hey! You watch that anime——"
Before Nami could finish, the entire metal ball disappeared right before her eye.
---
"Please note that you have ten years. Once the time is up, you will return to your original timeline."
"What ten years?" Xiaoyun murmured as he opened his eyes.
Right in front of him was a wide, open sea with a clear blue sky above him.
As Xiaoyun tried to remember why he was there, his head suddenly started having headaches.
After lying on the sand for a few minutes, Xiaoyun gave up trying to remember anything from the past he knew of.
"Where is this place?" Xiaoyun murmured as he got up from the sand and started looking around.
As he turned around, there was a highway behind him the whole time.
"Maybe I can look at the GPS."
Xiaoyun pulls his phone out of his pocket, but he can't remember the password at all.
"Shit... am I stranded here now?"
Xiaoyun looked around the vast emptiness with no sign of people at all.
With nowhere to go, Xiaoyun walked up to the highway and picked a random direction to walk towards.
After walking from the sun in the middle of the sky to the moon rising, there was still nothing in sight.
There was not even a single car that driven by.
Xiaoyun's mouth was becoming so dry that it started cracking, and his stomach was constantly rumbling.
Suddenly, he could hear a car sound just as he sat down to rest for a bit.
"My chance to civilization!"
Xiaoyun immediately stood up and swung his hand at the car as it got closer and closer.
However, the car was constantly swirling left and right, almost as if the driver was completely drunk.
"Shit——"
Xiaoyun tried to jump out of the highway, but it was far too late.
---
When Xiaoyun opened his eyes again, the only thing he could see was a white ceiling above him.
"Hm! Mumumum——"
Xiaoyun could only make a bunch of muffled sounds as he could barely move his mouth muscles.
"Oh, you finally awake. Sorry for the bad news, but you got into a car accident." A man's voice appeared.
It was a man in a doctor's uniform as he walked into Xiaoyun's sight.
Xiaoyun panicked as he suddenly realized he had lost control of anything below his neck.
"Don't worry though, there is good news. You only suffered minor injuries. Most of them will go away in a month or so.
Oh, and you are under anesthetic, so you'll regain your movement later."
The doctor paused for a second, then continued.
"Do you remember your name?"
Xiaoyun shook his head slightly as a no.
"It seems that you have a concussion during the car accident. You may forget something." T
The doctor looked worried as he checked something on his clipboard.
After the doctor finished speaking, an old man walked in.
"Is he all right, doctor?" The old man said.
"He is fine, but he has lost some memory. I am not sure how long this memory loss is going to last. You might need to seek a specialist for that." The doctor explained.
"Also, he doesn't have any identification on him, and the police station can't find out where he is from.
It's almost as if he appeared onto the planet out of thin air, or he probably just never had a record anywhere... Are you an orphan?"
As the doctor finished asking, Xiaoyun made a slight nod to his head.
"Ah, that explains it. He probably never signed up for ID or hukou somehow."
The doctor checks off a list on his clipboard again.
"I'm so sorry... I shouldn't let my grandchildren drink and drive."
The old man bowed down all the way as he apologized sincerely to Xiaoyun.
Xiaoyun tried to talk, but only a bunch of muffled sounds came out.
"Okay, you need to leave now. The patient needs some time to rest."
The doctor and the old man left the room as Xiaoyun's brain still tried to process what had happened to him.