In a small clinic near the back gate of Linshui Academy, a bespectacled high school student crouched in the corner of a storage room. His face was as pale as a sheet, and he barely dared to breathe.
Before the apocalypse struck, he had been receiving an IV drip in this clinic for a cold, groggy and on the verge of falling asleep.
Then came the earth-shattering explosion outside, jolting him awake. What followed was the most horrifying sight he had ever seen: the sweet, pretty nurse suddenly transformed into a pitch-black, grotesque monster and began tearing into another patient nearby.
The boy, an avid fan of post-apocalyptic novels, somehow managed to stay composed. Instead of freezing in terror, he slowly backed away, carefully avoiding the monster's attention as he slipped into the storage room.
That was a day ago.
He had spent the last 24 hours holed up in the dim and cramped room, living in constant fear. The monstrous growls and human screams outside were relentless, haunting him to the core.
He dared not think of his family, friends, or classmates.
Were his parents safe?
What about his dorm mates?
And the girl in the school uniform, whose ponytail bounced cheerfully as she walked, her smile as sweet as honey?
Were they… still alive?
The boy pushed these thoughts from his mind, too scared to let them linger. He sat trembling in the corner, clutching his mouth shut to stifle his sobs, terrified that the sound might attract the monsters outside.
"How long can I survive like this?"
"Will I ever see them again?"
The storage room had no windows, leaving him oblivious to the passage of time. Then, suddenly, he heard it—a crisp sound that echoed faintly through the air.
It was the unmistakable ring of a blade.
"A sword?"
The boy's bloodshot eyes snapped to the locked door. He strained his ears, listening intently to the faint movements outside.
Soon, voices followed.
"This clinic is too small. The selection of medicines isn't great either. Let's just grab the aspirin and move on," said a clear, feminine voice.
Humans?
The boy's eyes filled with hope, but his throat felt choked, as though it were stuffed with cotton. He couldn't make a sound.
"Hurry up. Fatty's condition can't wait," said another voice—a man's, deep and magnetic.
Footsteps grew fainter, moving away.
Don't go...
Please help me!
The boy reached toward the door, his heart screaming for help, but no words escaped his lips.
As the footsteps faded, he felt a crushing pain in his chest.
Don't leave me here! Please save me!
Save me... I'm begging you!
Just then, the man's deep voice rang out again.
"There's a storage room in the back. There might be medicine. I'll check it out."
The footsteps grew louder, approaching the door.
With a creak, the locked door was forced open, and sunlight flooded the room, warming the boy's face.
A tall, muscular figure stood silhouetted in the doorway, blocking most of the light.
The boy stared at the figure, trembling as tears streamed down his face. At last, he managed to shout:
"Save me!"
"I don't want to die!"
In the Clinic's Main Hall
The infected monsters had already been dealt with. Zhu Jiu and Fatty sat on a hospital bed while Ruan Qingyan spoke with the boy.
It took a long time for the boy to stop crying and regain his ability to speak.
"What's your name? Are you familiar with Linshui Academy?" Ruan Qingyan asked gently, her voice tinged with sympathy.
She couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Scenes like this must be happening everywhere now.
Not everyone was lucky enough to encounter someone like Zhu Jiu. Most people had only one fate: death.
"Thank you, sister… brother… thank you so much," the boy stammered, his voice trembling. "My name is Zhang Xinyu. I'm very familiar with Linshui Academy. I've been studying there from elementary school all the way to high school."
"That's great," Ruan Qingyan said, nodding. "Do you know if there's a sterile laboratory on campus?"
"Yes," Zhang Xinyu nodded emphatically. "Our advanced science students use it for experiments."
"Fantastic!" Ruan Qingyan exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Can you take us there?"
"Well…" Zhang Xinyu hesitated.
His first instinct was to refuse.
He had read countless apocalypse novels and was smart enough to understand how terrifying these infectious monsters were. Returning to the school felt like walking into a death trap.
But as the faces of his teachers, classmates, and that cheerful, ponytailed girl flashed through his mind, he took a deep breath, steeling himself.
"I'll take you," he finally said, nodding firmly.
Zhu Jiu watched the boy closely, a faint smile forming on his lips.
He could see Zhang Xinyu's internal struggle and respected his decision to overcome his fear. It was natural to fear death.
But Zhang Xinyu had pushed through that fear and chosen to lead them to the lab.
This kid has potential.
Zhu Jiu even considered giving him the Werewolf Evolution Serum but decided to observe him a bit longer. The serum was valuable—it could turn someone into an Evolver, even if it wasn't useful to Zhu Jiu himself.
Zhang Xinyu dashed back to the storage room to gear up. When he returned, he was wearing two lab coats and had wrapped himself tightly in gauze, looking like a walking bundle.
Zhu Jiu and the others couldn't help but laugh.
"Uh… well…" Zhang Xinyu blushed. "The monsters are infectious. Wrapping up like this keeps their fluids from splashing on me. You might want to try it too."
"We're good," Zhu Jiu said, chuckling. "These monsters aren't much of a threat to us. But Miss Ruan, you might consider it."
"No need," Ruan Qingyan replied, shaking her head. "I'll manage."
"All right," Zhu Jiu said, drawing his twin heavy blades. "Lead the way, Zhang Xinyu. I'll clear the path."
"Let's go, kid!" Fatty clapped Zhang Xinyu on the shoulder, grinning. "Don't be scared. Stick with Fatty, and I'll take care of you."
Fatty draped an arm over Zhang Xinyu's shoulder, practically crushing him. The boy's face turned red from the weight.
"You've got no stamina, kid," Fatty teased. "Time to toughen you up!"
He dragged Zhang Xinyu forward, ignoring his protests.
Trailing behind, Ruan Qingyan couldn't help but smile as she watched the three figures bathed in sunlight.
Her smile could light up the darkest days.