Seeing that Lin Po was handling things with ease, Yun Zhuan did not go over to help. On his side, there were still unresolved zombies swaying their bodies as they lunged toward him.
The stench permeating the air was nauseating. The zombies bared their protruding teeth, attempting to attack. Yun Zhuan fought back, partly on instinct and partly by attempting to channel his ability. As he swung his blade, he focused on reinforcing and sharpening the edge, making it much easier to hack through the creatures.
The initial discomfort and revulsion gradually receded. Yun Zhuan gripped his machete—which was becoming increasingly slippery with zombie blood—and launched his final attack.
Once all the zombies were dealt with, Lin Po and Yun Zhuan collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. They looked at each other and shared a smile.
“It’s done. Yun Zhuan, were you scared?”
Yun Zhuan nodded first, then shook his head. “Who wouldn’t be? But fighting side-by-side with you, it didn’t feel like much.”
Yun Zhuan’s words were full of trust. Lin Po thought that even if they couldn’t become lovers, they would certainly be brothers for life.
A pale light began to touch the horizon. After a night of such turmoil, both were exhausted. Since they were still covered in the foul smell of blood, they drove the car to a nearby pond to quickly wash up on the stone bank.
Lin Po stripped off his outer shirt to wash his hands while Yun Zhuan kept watch, wary of anything rushing out from the shadows.
Yun Zhuan’s gaze inadvertently drifted over. Lin Po was half-squatting to wash his face, his head slightly tilted, revealing a perfect jawline. Yun Zhuan had always known he was handsome; back when they studied together in the library, girls would often come over to ask for his contact information. Yun Zhuan used to tease him about it, but Lin Po would always reply strangely, saying, “Aren’t there just as many girls asking for yours?” At the time, Yun Zhuan thought it was just a strange competitive streak between guys. Looking back now… was Lin Po jealous?
“I’m finished, your turn.”
Lin Po’s voice broke Yun Zhuan’s train of thought. Because he had been thinking of such strange things, Yun Zhuan’s gaze was a bit unfocused. He tripped on a step and nearly fell.
Lin Po quickly reached out to catch him. His hands were still wet from washing, and the moisture seeped through Yun Zhuan’s sleeve onto his skin. Yun Zhuan felt a flutter in his heart.
Something was very different. Perhaps it was the occurrence of these bizarre events—the abilities, the zombies—but he sensed the world’s order was collapsing. Along with it, the psychological defenses he had built regarding his feelings for the same sex were also shifting.
Yun Zhuan walked down silently, only coming to his senses when his hands touched the cool water. Regardless, now was not the time to discuss such things. Survival was the most important thing for them right now.
Lin Po had no idea what Yun Zhuan was thinking. He squatted on the bank, looking toward the center of the village. He didn’t know how many zombies were still wandering in there. The battle he just fought alongside Yun Zhuan had given him a taste of the reality he knew before his rebirth. Yun Zhuan’s intelligence meant that even if he was slightly frantic, he didn’t make mistakes. But he wasn’t so sure about the other villagers. Moreover, the zombies were currently at their lowest level; later, they would become increasingly aggressive, making it hard for anyone to survive alone.
Survival bases—this was something Lin Po had been considering. With his past experience, combat power, and strategy, he could be a powerful beacon to unite those around him. But he had too many secrets, and he didn’t want to be a leader; being responsible for the lives of others was a heavy burden.
Furthermore, the situation was still unclear. He and his family didn’t spend much time in the village, so their ties with the neighbors were thin. In the village, people strictly followed old customs; if he stood up to speak, people might not listen. Instead, he might be restricted because he exposed too much of himself. This was something Lin Po wanted to avoid.
“Lin Po, let’s go.”
Yun Zhuan stood up from the pond. Lin Po reached out to pull him up, and Yun Zhuan used the leverage to step up beside him, taking a deep breath.
“I feel like my strength has increased a lot. Even my senses are sharper.”
Lin Po nodded. “Perhaps while this unknown substance triggers abilities, it also improves your physical constitution.”
From another perspective, it made sense; the intensity of these abilities far exceeded human endurance. If the body didn’t improve, it would likely break. Like a cup—if you pour too much into it, eventually it won’t hold.
Yun Zhuan said, “Let’s get back quickly to check on your mother. She should be developing an ability too. I wonder what it will be.”
Lin Po agreed, so the two didn’t waste any more time. They jumped into the car and hurried back.
The courtyard gate was unlocked, so Lin Po drove straight in. He scanned the area—it was clean, with no signs of zombies. He hopped out to lock the gate.
Lin Chuansen heard the noise and leaned over the balcony. “Hold on, I’ll come down to open the door for you.”
Moments later, the front door opened, and Lin Po and Yun Zhuan walked inside. They were greeted by the sight of breakfast on the dining table—boiled noodles. For a moment, Lin Po felt as if the apocalypse hadn’t arrived and this was just a normal morning for their family.
However, the faint scent on his body reminded him that everything had begun. He had to cherish this rare peace while he could.
Lin Chuansen helped them put their things away, placed his hands on their shoulders, and gave them a firm squeeze. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Excellent!”
His mountain of worry was vented through those words, and his heavy heart relaxed. Seeing how tired the two boys looked, he served them noodles and said, “Eat quickly, you must be starving.”
Lin Po and Yun Zhuan took their bowls and sat down. It was tomato and egg noodles; the sweet and sour topping was exceptionally appetizing. They had felt a bit nauseous after fighting zombies, but the aroma made them instantly hungry, and they began to eat ravenously.
Halfway through his bowl, Lin Po finally managed to ask, “Dad, how’s Mom?”
To Lin Po, the fact that his parents didn’t turn into zombies last night was a massive stroke of luck. As for what kind of ability she might get, that was down to chance; he wasn’t as worried.
Lin Chuansen sighed. “She hasn’t woken up yet, but her fever has gone down. I just checked; there shouldn’t be any major problems.”
Lin Po said, “Then there’s no need to worry. Dad, you should actually keep an eye on yourself. You and Mom are older, so if an ability appears, the reaction might be stronger. I suggest you don’t go out for a while.”
Lin Chuansen nodded, then suddenly looked up, staring into his son’s eyes. “Are you planning to go out?”
Lin Po replied, “Yes. While we are safe for now, for the sake of the long term, we need to take action. Also, food reserves are a concern.”
Lin Chuansen started to say, “But didn’t we prepare—”
“Dad!” Lin Po immediately interrupted. “The only food we have at home is the grain harvested last year.”
Lin Chuansen reacted quickly. They couldn’t let Yun Zhuan know about their advance preparations, as it would be impossible to explain.
Lin Chuansen knew he couldn’t persuade his son. Lin Po had always been headstrong with his own ideas. Even if he agreed now, it would just be to placate him; he would definitely sneak out later.
Lin Chuansen said, “I can’t control you anymore. But you must remember: your safety comes first. No matter what happens, staying alive is the most important thing.”
Lin Po nodded firmly.
After Lin Chuansen went upstairs, Yun Zhuan finally spoke. He asked hesitantly, “Lin Po, when you said that just now, what exactly do you plan to do?”
Lin Po sighed. “I’ve been thinking. In this situation, even if the government reacts immediately, it’s impossible to save everyone. We must save ourselves. Although we still have water and electricity, I estimate it will only last a few more days. It’s going to get harder for everyone. If we can help more people and preserve more strength for humanity, perhaps the world order can recover faster.”
This was Lin Po’s hope. Before his death in his previous life, humanity had barely reached a stalemate with the zombies. Survival bases had built high walls to protect the people inside.
Social order was redistributed based on labor, martial power, and intellect. Some bases tried their best to preserve the spark of humanity, while others in this broken world unleashed the worst of human nature, dragging everyone toward hell.
Lin Po had ultimately died alone on the road, without family, friends, or a lover. Many things he hadn’t had the chance—or the courage—to do in his last life, he now had the chance to start over.
Lin Po looked at Yun Zhuan with a gentle gaze. He knew Yun Zhuan was also a very kind person. Even while working hard through college, he would set aside money to help children in the village who were about to drop out, and he always found time to volunteer.
But Lin Po wouldn’t use this to manipulate Yun Zhuan. He wanted everyone to make their own choices, not be bound by the voices of others.
However, Yun Zhuan’s answer came immediately.
“Lin Po, no matter what you decide to do, please let me go with you. You don’t need to feel burdened by this. Let me be your partner, no matter where your destination is.”
Lin Po had never felt his heart skip a beat quite like this. He liked Yun Zhuan—his personality, his looks, his intellect. In his previous life, there had been a lingering longing. All of this merged into a complex emotion that made Lin Po feel that even if they couldn’t be together, seeing him alive was enough.
But now, his love for Yun Zhuan felt fresh again, as if he had returned to the moment he first realized his feelings, tossing and turning day and night just for an answer.