The radio channels between the squads were linked, so the conversation between Cen Nan and the young man was broadcast to everyone. As rain drummed against the windows, Yu Yan’s eyes darkened. The presence of a water type ability user traveling with a little girl made the stranger’s identity obvious.
When the thunder eventually ceased and the rain began to fade, the three black off road vehicles came to a stop on a deserted road. Everyone got out to reorganize. The little girl, her hair tied in two small tufts, clung to the young man’s leg and cried heart-wrenchingly. She begged her brother not to turn into a zombie and screamed that she did not want him to leave her.
Yu Yan finally confirmed the young man’s identity.
“I am Qin Shu, an A rank water type ability user,” the handsome young man introduced himself with quiet dignity.
Upon hearing this, Yu Yan did not first think of his own successful deduction. Instead, he thought of the young man’s other role: he was Shan Ze’s official romantic interest in the original story. In the book, Qin Shu’s first appearance was at the coastal base. Yu Yan wondered if his presence here was a result of the butterfly effect caused by his own actions.
Unsure of how to feel, he stole a glance at Shan Ze, only to unexpectedly lock eyes with the other man’s somber gaze. Yu Yan awkwardly looked away as the young man continued his introduction.
Qin Shu explained that he was a member of a survivor organization in western H City. Three days ago, their group was suddenly attacked by several mutated zombies, and he managed to escape only under the cover provided by his companions. His eyes turned red with emotion as he pointed to the sobbing girl and introduced her as his sister, Qin Nan. He stated they were the last survivors of their organization.
Qin Nan seemed to recall something terrifying and cried even harder. Cen Nan knelt down out of pity and pulled the child into a comforting embrace. Tao Yingying stood nearby and struggled to offer a few words of comfort. She pulled a withered little flower from her pocket and offered it to the girl, telling her not to cry.
Qin Shu looked at the three of them with a gentle expression. As if reaching a difficult decision, he spoke softly to his sister and asked her to go play a game with the two ladies. He gave Cen Nan a pleading look, and she immediately understood his silent signal. She cooperated by telling the girl they would play house and prepare food for everyone.
Although Qin Nan was young, four years of living in the apocalypse had taught her to be observant. She knew her brother was making an excuse to send her away, yet she still sobbed and agreed. As Qin Nan moved further away, Qin Shu’s focus seemed to drift with her.
Under Cui Zheng’s scrutinizing gaze, the young man lowered his head and pleaded in a pitiful tone for them to let his sister live with them. Fearing a rejection, he earnestly listed her virtues. He claimed she was very smart and already a water type user at a young age. He argued that she would surely become a high level user in time and that investing in her would be a profitable choice for the team.
At that moment, Qin Shu looked like a salesman desperately pushing a product. Unfortunately, the man he was pitching to was not interested. Shan Ze interrupted his description ruthlessly, stating that they already had an A rank water type ability user.
The color drained from Qin Shu’s delicate face. Cui Zheng looked over at Cen Nan, who was happily playing with the child, and spoke up in a low voice. He suggested that having an extra water type user would be beneficial and noted that a child would not eat much.
Yu Yan was not interested in whether the girl stayed or left. He was more curious about something else. He looked at Qin Shu and asked why he was doing this. Qin Shu slowly rolled up his right sleeve to reveal a wound that was black and deep enough to show the bone. His voice was calm, as if he had lost all hope. He stated simply that he was about to mutate.
Cui Zheng tried to offer some dry comfort by mentioning that ability users have antibodies and might survive the infection. However, his voice trailed off into silence. The wound of an ability user attacked by a zombie should not worsen; if it did, it was a sign that the immune system had failed. This beautiful young man was beyond saving.
Shan Ze’s hand unconsciously drifted to the hilt of his blade, a small habit he displayed when thinking deeply. As a long time teammate, Cui Zheng knew this meant Shan Ze was hesitating. He gathered his courage to speak for Qin Shu again but was interrupted.
Yu Yan, who had been listening quietly, suddenly asked Qin Shu if he wanted to be injected with a zombie serum. Before Qin Shu could answer, Cui Zheng gave a stern refusal. He stated that the serum belonged to the base and they had no right to use it. The fact that Yu Yan had a serum in the safe he took from the institute was an open secret among the members of the Blade Squad.
Qin Shu seemed to understand the situation and shook his head. He declined the offer and stated his only wish was for his sister to have a place to go. Silence fell among the four of them while the sounds of laughter from the women drifted over from a distance.
Perhaps moved by Qin Shu’s love for his sister, Shan Ze finally relented. He agreed to take care of the girl. Qin Shu looked relieved, and his face appeared particularly striking in the post rain light. Yu Yan stared at the hastily bandaged wound on the man’s forehead without speaking.
In the original story, Qin Shu also became infected. However, in that version, he was infected while saving Shan Ze, and Shan Ze possessed two and a half doses of the serum. Shan Ze had injected him without hesitation, an act that served as a catalyst for their relationship. Now, there was only half a dose left. It was intended for analyzing its composition, but Yu Yan had to choose between research and saving the young man.
Yu Yan chose the latter. He knew the composition of the serum was already stored in his mind, so there was no need to break up a pair of siblings for a reagent he could recreate later. Furthermore, he knew Qin Shu was a person who repaid his debts.
Qin Shu was overwhelmed by the gesture as he accepted the reagent. Even though Yu Yan told him the success rate was only a probability, he was profoundly grateful. When Yu Yan requested some of his blood in return, Qin Shu agreed without hesitation.
Yu Yan was not greedy and only collected about a dozen milliliters in an empty test tube. He did not want others to think of him as a monster who drank the blood of ability users, so he asked Qin Shu to meet him in the nearby woods. The exchange was done in secret, but to an outsider, it looked like a suspicious transaction. At least in Shan Ze’s eyes, Qin Shu looked like a fox spirit who had lured Yu Yan into the trees.
Thinking of such unpleasant scenarios, Shan Ze could not stop himself from following them. Hiding behind a thick tree trunk, he witnessed the entire exchange. After Qin Shu left, he watched as Yu Yan poured the blood into his own mouth.
Perhaps because of the zombie infection, Yu Yan felt the blood tasted like spoiled corn juice. It smelled sweet but the actual taste was disappointing. However, as he felt the energy filling his body, his mood improved. This confirmed that his theory was correct. Observing Yu Yan’s pleased expression, Shan Ze thought darkly that if this was what Yu Yan wanted, why had he not asked him instead? He was clearly the better choice.
The effects of the serum on Qin Shu were surprisingly good, perhaps due to his status as a major character. Unlike Yu Yan’s painful struggle, Qin Shu only suffered a brief fever before recovering. With a water type user now traveling with them, the members of the Blade Squad were finally able to wash themselves for the first time since the mission began. After bathing and eating, everyone felt refreshed.
Under the glow of the off road vehicle headlights, the group gathered in small clusters to discuss the journey back to the base. The main issue was how to hide Yu Yan. However, two people seemed completely detached from the discussion.
The nails of a mutated zombie were exceptionally hard and sharp. After Yu Yan failed to trim them himself, Shan Ze took over the task. Watching Shan Ze focused intently on trimming Yu Yan’s nails, the group collectively arrived at a bold realization. Among all worldly relationships, only a lover could make such odd behaviors seem normal, such as keeping someone or confining them.
Cen Nan did not dare to speak up, so she nudged Cui Zheng to say something. After being poked repeatedly, Cui Zheng finally spoke up. He asked the group if they had ever heard of the phrase “hiding a beauty in a golden house.”
The air went silent for a moment. Cui Zheng covered his face with his hand, shocked that he had actually said it aloud. But surprisingly, Shan Ze asked with interest how they should hide him. This question served as a signal, and everyone began to voice their opinions eagerly. Even little Qin Nan clapped her hands and joined in the excitement.
Qin Shu touched his sister’s hair while listening to the group discuss how Yu Yan should pretend to be Shan Ze’s lover. He felt a brief pang of discomfort in his heart, but the feeling vanished so quickly that he could not identify the emotion.
After an intense discussion, Shan Ze looked with satisfaction at Yu Yan’s neatly trimmed fingernails. He asked softly if Yu Yan was willing to take their advice. As he spoke, he held Yu Yan’s right hand in a way that looked like a groom questioning a bride in a church.
Yu Yan pulled his hand away uncomfortably and said he did not care. Humans are complex creatures. While animals instinctively avoid danger, humans are often pushed forward by various factors and respond with indifference. It was not that he truly did not care, but rather that there was no better option. There was only one path forward for him: following Shan Ze. But even a one way street has many intersections. Yu Yan was not someone who liked to wait for things to happen. Instead of hiding and waiting for the fish to bite, he preferred to cast the net himself.