Lin Chuansen called down to them from above, “What happened just now? I thought I heard a commotion.”
He leaned out from the balcony, and Lin Po pointed to the figure lying on the ground. “Someone came seeking help, so we let her in. It turns out she had already been bitten. After she turned, she tried to attack Yun Zhuan and me, but Yun Zhuan took care of it.”
Lin Chuansen clearly couldn’t process such a shocking turn of events immediately. He remained silent for a long moment before telling them to come up. “Stop lingering down there. Get up here quickly; your mother looks like she’s about to wake up.”
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, Lin Chuansen struck Lin Po hard across the back. “Are you out of your mind?” he snapped angrily. “If she had actually bitten you, not even the gods could save you! Do you intend to just leave your mother and me behind?”
Ignoring the sting of the blow, Lin Po comforted him, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything foolish. We only fought back after ensuring it was safe. The zombie didn’t even touch a corner of our clothes, let alone bite us.”
Lin Chuansen remained uneasy. Lin Po had warned them about the danger before, and at the time, they had hesitated—it was just their son’s dream, after all, and it sounded so surreal. But the scenes Lin Po described were terrifying, and Lin Chuansen wasn’t a stubborn man, especially after the overpass incident; he now believed his son almost entirely. They had carefully stockpiled supplies to save the family, yet here was his son recklessly letting a zombie inside. If Lin Po had been bitten, Lin Chuansen couldn’t even imagine the consequences.
However, Lin Po had his reasons. Firstly, although his ability had been weak during his previous life in the apocalypse, he had struggled to survive for years and his combat skills had improved significantly. He was fully confident in handling a low-level zombie. Secondly, he needed Yun Zhuan to experience the reality of the situation. While they had many supplies, they wouldn’t last forever; they would eventually have to face these terrifying creatures. Finally, he had made a mental vow: as long as his parents and Yun Zhuan were safe, he would help others if he could. When he opened the door, he had truly believed the woman was safe.
But he couldn’t explain all of this openly, so he let his father vent his worries.
Lin Chuansen didn’t dwell on it for long. “Your mother’s fever has finally broken,” he said. “But it looks like she won’t wake up today. How is it outside?”
Lin Po replied, “Our house is a bit far, so I can’t see clearly, but I suspect many people are showing different symptoms. That woman downstairs was bitten; someone in her house must be infected.”
Lin Chuansen went downstairs to take a look and returned saying, “Even though her face has changed a lot, I can tell she was the daughter-in-law of your Aunt Zhou. At this hour… it was likely her son who bit her.”
Unlike Lin Po, his memories of these people were deeper. Seeing a familiar face lying unrecognizable before him brought an indescribable feeling.
Lin Po noted, “Everyone is at home now, and some are already asleep. If the person next to them turns, they might be gone in their sleep. Other situations might be slightly better; maybe they can hide.”
Lin Chuansen nodded. “That’s true. Our family is lucky; we are all safe. By the way, Yun Zhuan, how are you?”
Yun Zhuan didn’t intend to hide his ability. “I seem to have evolved a power related to metal,” he said directly.
He pointed to the completely deformed shovel. “I can manipulate the shape of certain metals or attract lightweight metal objects toward me.”
Lin Chuansen couldn’t help but remark, “So it’s like being a giant magnet.”
“It’s much more powerful than a magnet,” Lin Po corrected. “I wonder if Mom will evolve an ability too.”
Lin Chuansen sighed. “I should be the one protecting your mother, but now you and I are just ordinary people. I don’t know if we can keep everyone safe.”
Yun Zhuan spoke up, “Uncle, I have an ability now. I will protect you all.”
Lin Chuansen knew Yun Zhuan’s family background and didn’t suggest he go look for other relatives. They had plenty of supplies to support another person. To be selfish, even if his son’s ability might manifest later and he didn’t know when his own would appear, having another man in the house provided extra security for emergencies.
“Alright, Yun Zhuan, you stay here and rest easy. It’s dangerous outside and we don’t know the situation yet. We’ll wait and see how things develop.”
Lin Po suddenly took out his phone. “The infrastructure is still running; water and electricity haven’t stopped. Let’s check the situation online.”
He scrolled through his phone. Weibo was in chaos; the sheer volume of messages had caused the app to crash. His group chats were flooded with videos.
“What should I do? Someone please help me! My dad seems to have gone crazy; he’s chasing me and my mom to bite us. My mom pushed me into my room. I can’t get through to the police. I could hear my mom’s voice before, but now it’s gone.” Hu Xiaoxing typed this with trembling hands in a group chat. She stood on her bay window looking down; on the street, people were running, fighting, and being chased by creatures that looked like monsters from an apocalypse movie. One moment someone was tackled to the ground; the next, they stood up and joined the mad horde.
All of this happened right before Hu Xiaoxing’s eyes. She covered her mouth, suddenly realizing her father was just like those people outside, which meant her mother… She huddled in the corner, not daring to make a sound.
Messages flashed frantically in the group. People described their surroundings; some were terrified, some broken, and some reckless ones were even excited, talking about going out to livestream.
Regardless of what others thought, Lin Po edited several paragraphs in his notes and repeatedly copied and pasted them into his groups. He couldn’t save everyone, but he could give them a direction for self-preservation.
“For those who are currently safe: do not run around. Find a secure place to hide. Stock up on food and water. Protect exposed parts of your body. From my observation, this is a virus. Some people evolve abilities, while others turn into zombie-like monsters. Zombies attack humans and their bodily fluids are toxic. Do not let your wounds contact their fluids, and especially avoid being bitten.”
“A friend of mine has evolved an ability. Check if you have developed one too. In this situation, we can only pick up weapons and protect ourselves.”
When Lin Po’s messages went out, people questioned and doubted him. He didn’t reply—he didn’t have the time. However, someone soon joined to corroborate his words.
“What he said is true. My classmates and I were attacked in the teaching building. One student was bitten and turned right in front of us. If you don’t believe it, look out your window; the whole world is in chaos.”
Hu Xiaoxing also posted a shaky video of the chaotic streets. Video was more impactful than words. The group chat stopped arguing and began discussing survival strategies.
In Lin Po and Yun Zhuan’s class group, they sent out the same warnings. To Lin Po, how things turned out in his previous life was one thing, but in the beginning, they truly had helped each other escape. He would help them now, but he wouldn’t risk his life for them.
“Lin Po, thank goodness you brought back that crate of instant noodles, or we might have starved.”
“Lin Po, how are you? It should be better staying home. Do you have food?”
Lin Po replied to them one by one. He looked at Yun Zhuan, who had put down his phone. “Our dorm… the situation isn’t good. One person hasn’t replied, and two went to watch the meteor shower. They’re hiding outside now, but they don’t have food or water.”
Lin Po patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. It might just be a signal issue. Being outside might actually be better than being trapped in the school; it’s easier to run.”
Though still worried, Yun Zhuan knew there was nothing he could do. He said to Lin Po, “We need to find a way to warn the villagers. They might not realize what’s happening yet. If they get bitten unknowingly, the number of zombies in Xiping Village will grow, making it harder for survivors.”
Yun Zhuan was right. Lin Po turned to his father. “Dad, are you in any village committee group chats?”
Lin Chuansen paused, then remembered he was. He quickly found it on his phone. Lin Po sent his edited message to his father, who then forwarded it.
However, Lin Po noticed a problem: the group didn’t have many members. Many villagers didn’t see the point in joining, and others didn’t even use smartphones.
“Dad, this won’t work. Is there a way to reach more people?” Lin Po asked.
Lin Chuansen scratched his head and slapped his thigh. “There’s a loudspeaker in the village committee office. The village chief uses it for big announcements.”
Lin Po’s eyes lit up. That was a great idea; a few announcements over the microphone could be heard by the entire village. While zombies are attracted to sound and smell, the speakers weren’t right next to the office, so they didn’t have to worry about a horde gathering there immediately. Plus, they had a car, which could withstand most threats.
Yun Zhuan spoke up, “I’ll go. Tell me where it is.”
Lin Po said, “I’m going with you. You don’t know the way.”
Yun Zhuan refused. “No, I should go alone. It’s too dangerous for two people.”
Lin Po glared at him and said sternly, “Yun Zhuan, the reason I asked you to stay here was for your safety, not so you could rush into every danger first.”