Chapter 2: Night Visit
Slender fingers rested on the edge of the strap.
Yan Chuanbai looked over.
A trace of disgust flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to push the person away, he suddenly met Qi He’s casual, nonchalant expression. He paused for a moment, curiosity and amusement taking over.
“What kind of deal?”
Qi He continued to stroke the strap in a suggestive manner, though in his mind he was thinking about the material of the strap. His gaze casually swept over Yan Chuanbai’s lean waist… and the Beretta 92FS tucked below.
His eyes flickered with desire.
Then, before the other noticed, he restrained himself and withdrew his gaze.
“I need a set of equipment.”
Yan Chuanbai was a little surprised, narrowing his eyes. “Equipment?”
Qi He: “For self-protection.”
Before Yan Chuanbai could refuse, he spoke, eyes soft and earnest: “Or… will you protect me?”
“….” Yan Chuanbai seemed slightly annoyed, “Fine.” Then he scrutinized him with a hint of amusement, “Since it’s a deal, what can you offer in return?”
Qi He was silent for two seconds, then lightly pressed at his collar. “Of course… my body…”
Yan Chuanbai’s brow twitched.
He had thought this person had changed somehow, but in the end, he was still shameless.
[■■■ Key plot ends ■■■]
[Plot completed. Please wait for the next release.]
Qi He felt a weight lift from his heart, his hand at the collar curling into a fist, expression suddenly serious. “…strength.”
Yan Chuanbai: “?”
Yan Chuanbai hadn’t heard clearly. “What?”
Qi He’s tone was smooth. “I said, of course, with my body strength. The crystal cores we take down—we split three to seven.” He added, “You take three, I take seven. Minor flaws can be fixed with a small knife.”
Yan Chuanbai: …
After a long pause, he took a deep breath. “Fine.”
He didn’t care about those crystal cores; his attention was elsewhere.
It wasn’t convenient to stay here any longer. Qi He went to gather his things, preparing to leave with Yan Chuanbai. He picked up a small knife and packed some other useful items.
The system flickered: [Don’t do unnecessary things.]
It was referring to him asking Yan Chuanbai for equipment.
Qi He collected his things calmly. “How is that unnecessary? I’m just responsibly serving the plot.”
The system seemed to take that in: […How so?]
“To complete the plot, I first have to survive. Without a skill or enough crystal cores, after Yan Chuanbai sends me to the base, we’d probably just go our separate ways.”
[You could cling to life like the original owner.]
Qi He said lightly, “How did the original die?”
[…] Too high a “uselessness value”—he died uselessly.
The system, dissatisfied, asked: [How do you know Yan Chuanbai would part ways with you after sending you to the base?]
Qi He suddenly turned his head and called, “Yan Chuanbai.”
Yan Chuanbai, standing by the window looking down, turned at the sound. “Yes?”
Qi He pressed his lips together, eyes lowered slightly. “After you send me to the base… will you come see me?”
Yan Chuanbai scoffed. “This time I’m sending you to the base. I’ve already repaid Uncle Qi and Aunt Wen’s favor. After that, we owe each other nothing. We go our separate ways.”
Qi He immediately turned back to the system. See?
The system: […]
Over there, Yan Chuanbai frowned.
He watched Qi He’s back as he turned quickly, no longer responding—just standing motionless at the desk.
He looked deeply hurt.
Yan Chuanbai glanced at him for two seconds, then clicked his tongue.
He mocked himself: It’s the apocalypse, best to spare unnecessary sympathy. Especially for someone like Qi He—selfish and self-serving—he was probably just regretting that he could no longer benefit from him.
Once he delivered him to the base, whether Qi He lived or died would no longer concern him.
…
He glanced sideways. “Once you’ve packed up, let’s go.”
Qi He, having just finished tricking the system, was in a good mood. “Okay.”
—
His clothes were wet, so before leaving, Qi He changed into a white T-shirt.
The two of them hurried downstairs.
They didn’t encounter any new zombies along the way—maybe Yan Chuanbai had dealt with them on the way up.
Outside the apartment building, an SUV was parked at the curb.
A young man with dyed blond hair leaned against the door, rifle in hand, keeping watch. When he saw Yan Chuanbai descend, his eyes lit up. “Brother Yan!”
Qi He glanced over: so there were companions.
The blond also noticed him. In front of the ruined building, his face looked clean and refined—hardly like someone living in the apocalypse.
He paused for a moment. “Brother Yan, is this the person you’re picking up?”
Yan Chuanbai, clearly unwilling to speak much, nodded. “Mm.”
After that, he walked a few steps to open the car door. “Get in.”
The car door slammed shut.
The blond looked at the door, then at Qi He, seeming a little confused. He gave two small “oh-oh” sounds as a greeting and said, “Get in.”
“Okay.” Qi He followed and sat in the back seat.
Once inside, he realized there were four people in total on this trip.
The blond, named Zhou Ziqian, sat in the driver’s seat. In the passenger seat was a girl with mid-length hair tied in a ponytail, a bit of baby fat on her cheeks. Qi He sat in the back with Yan Chuanbai, leaving an empty seat between them.
Zhou Ziqian had previously served in the same unit as Yan Chuanbai; he dyed his hair after leaving the military. The girl’s name was Meng Yan; she joined the two of them after being left behind by her former teammates.
At that moment, Meng Yan leaned over the seatback and turned toward him, her bright eyes appraising him. “Oh… so Brother Yan deliberately took a detour to H City just to pick you up. What’s your name?”
Qi He remained calm. “Qi He.”
“Are you an ability user too?”
Anyone important enough for Yan Chuanbai to come fetch personally had to be either someone significant or a powerful ability user.
Qi He paused. “Not yet, I warm up slowly.”
Meng Yan: “…”
A snicker suddenly came from beside them.
Yan Chuanbai, leaning against the car window, glanced sideways. Thinking of the hand that had just rested on his strap in the room and the words “with my body,” a mocking expression appeared on his face. “Warming up slowly?”
“I think you’re pretty impatient,” he added.
Qi He held up a hand to stop him. “We’re still outside. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Immediately, the front row perked up two pairs of ears: ?
“…”
Yan Chuanbai, having seen Qi He’s knack for making things worse in a few words, didn’t bother to argue further.
He patted somewhere unknowable. Thud! The empty seat between them suddenly sprang open, revealing a hidden compartment below: spare weapons and equipment neatly arranged.
“Pick one.”
Qi He was immediately drawn over, stopping his teasing.
There were three or four types of firearms, likely for different combat situations. He scanned them briefly and without hesitation chose a Beretta M92F: double-stack magazine, high accuracy, strong environmental adaptability—and most importantly, light and compact.
The thin muscles he had honed in his original world had been “adjusted” by the plot after transferring here; he couldn’t handle a heavier gun.
Yan Chuanbai glanced at him but wasn’t surprised.
After selecting the gun, Qi He put on the tactical harness.
The black strap cinched the loose white T-shirt, faintly outlining his figure. His shoulder blades moved with each motion, his waist was slim, and his pale skin, contrasted against Yan Chuanbai, made him look unexpectedly fragile.
Yan Chuanbai’s mouth twitched as he looked at the equipment in Qi He’s hands. “They won’t die without peace of mind, will they?”
Qi He reassured him, “I’ll make sure they die a death they deserve.”
Meng Yan kept glancing back. “…You probably mean ‘die a worthy death.’”
Zhou Ziqian gripped the steering wheel, unable to resist. “Sounds like you’re implying they’re doomed anyway.”
“…”
Yan Chuanbai, feeling annoyed, waved his hand to end the conversation.
—
On the road, Zhou Ziqian briefly explained the situation.
Currently, there were three major human bases in the country.
The headquarters was in the north, directly managed by the military. The other I and II bases mostly took in ordinary civilians and were overseen by powerful ability users.
“Brother Yan was originally going to the headquarters base, but he said he wanted to pick you up, so we’re heading to the nearest I base first.”
Qi He nodded. “You went out of your way for me. Thanks.”
Zhou Ziqian immediately said, “No need, no need! It’s what I deserve!”
“….”
Qi He leaned closer to Yan Chuanbai, lowering his voice. “Did he retire before because he offended someone with his words?” Even compliments sounded sharp.
The shoulder-to-arm contact brought them closer.
Yan Chuanbai glanced at him and pushed him away. “Nowhere near you.”
His words were like a buried landmine.
Qi He had only asked casually; he had no intention of probing anyone’s past. Straightening back in his seat, he gazed out the window at the passing scenery. The distant city was abandoned and rusted, roads collapsed, guardrails broken.
“System, what plot awaits at Base I?”
[Premature plot preview not supported.]
“….” Qi He took a deep breath. “Then when is the next key plot?”
[Next time.]
Qi He said blankly, “So… does this mean I have to improvise every time?” After a moment, he felt relieved. “Good thing I always perform pretty well. You really struck gold by tying me up.”
A sharp, electric “zzzt” flashed through his mind, as if he’d been hit with a huge jolt of stimulation.
…
They traveled along the highway the whole way.
Probably to save time, they ignored the scattered zombies along the route; Zhou Ziqian drove at full speed and plowed through any threats.
As evening approached, they finally found a place to stay in a nearby city.
It was in the outskirts.
Likely a newly developed residential area: a row of detached villas with wide gaps between them. Few residents, and the zombie density was much lower than in the city proper.
They parked in front of one of the yards, took their food and equipment, and went inside.
“Wait here. I’ll go in and take a look.”
Yan Chuanbai said, then walked straight into the house.
Zhou Ziqian glanced around. “The yard’s a bit large. I’ll check the back. You two keep an eye on each other.”
With that, he grabbed his gun and went to scout the area behind.
For a while, only Qi He and Meng Yan remained in the front yard.
Meng Yan explained, “They came from the military. It’s just a professional habit.”
Qi He: “I see.”
After those two sentences, silence settled again.
Qi He was adjusting to the new environment. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but encountering zombies on the road earlier—the real, decaying presence—was far more shocking than anything he’d seen in games.
It was like a reminder: this was a game with no save-and-reload function.
After a moment of silence, Qi He drew back his thoughts.
He realized that during those quiet minutes, Meng Yan seemed a little uneasy—wanting to speak but not wanting to disturb him.
He thought for two seconds, then resumed the conversation. “You’re an ability user too?”
Meng Yan visibly relaxed. “Mm, wood-type ability user.”
As she spoke, she moved her fingers, and the grass in the yard rippled slightly, nodding in unison toward Qi He as if acknowledging him.
“They’re saying, ‘Hello~’”
“…” Qi He politely responded, “Hello, everyone.”
He then remembered Meng Yan mentioning how she had been abandoned by her former teammates. “If you have ability, why were you left behind?”
At this, Meng Yan’s face flushed with anger. “I didn’t have my powers back then. When we ran into a zombie horde, they abandoned me to save resources and drove off! Luckily, Brother Yan and the others passed by and saved me. When I was at death’s door, the shock triggered my powers.”
Qi He comforted her, “Well, that’s a blessing in disguise.”
Meng Yan relaxed a little and returned the favor with encouragement. “You’ll get yours too! Next time you face danger, try shouting for a strong supernatural ability—I did the same to awaken mine.”
…Wait, an ability can be awakened by shouting?
Qi He raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “How did you shout it out?”
Meng Yan: “The zombies had us surrounded, trapped with no way out. At the last moment, I shouted: ‘Grass(F*ck)!’”
Qi He: “……”
The sheer absurdity of the topic left the air quiet again.
Fortunately, Yan Chuanbai and the others returned soon after.
“There are no zombies here. For now, it’s safe.”
Yan Chuanbai stood at the doorway and added a reminder: “Lock all doors and windows at night. Don’t open them at any strange sound—unless someone is calling for help. The rooms are spaced out with good soundproofing, so if danger comes, shout loudly.”
Meng Yan nodded vigorously, “Mm-hmm! Got it!”
Qi He followed suit, “Mm-hmm.”
Yan Chuanbai glanced at him before walking past them toward the yard gate. “I’ll reinforce the defenses.”
The two of them stepped back habitually, and Meng Yan even tugged at Qi He.
He raised an eyebrow and looked forward.
Yan Chuanbai lifted a hand, and the surrounding temperature dropped sharply. The setting sun slanted into the yard, his brows lowered, and a faint chill appeared in his eyes.
Click… click-click…
A three- or four-meter-high wall of ice suddenly formed out of thin air, enclosing the yard completely.
Yan Chuanbai’s supernatural ability was ice-based.
Qi He watched thoughtfully, when a soft voice came from behind him—Zhou Ziqian whispering, “Brother Yan’s ability is at least S-rank, so we’d rather detour just to follow him. There’s no absolutely safe route. Following Brother Yan is the safest option.”
Qi He nodded approvingly. “Smart thinking. After all, the protagonist always survives till the end.”
Zhou Ziqian looked proud. “Exactly. My IQ isn’t just for show~”
Qi He skipped over the overly subjective part and turned his attention back to the almost-complete ice wall.
“So… is it safe now?”
Zhou Ziqian nodded. “Basically. So far, the zombies we’ve encountered in the early stages of infection are low-level—they can walk but can’t climb walls. Though in the past few days, their speed seems to have increased, which means zombies can evolve.”
Qi He silently noted: once they evolve further, their IQ won’t just be impressive—it’ll be lethal.
“All right, let’s go inside.”
Yan Chuanbai had already withdrawn his hand and approached.
The topic ended, and the four of them entered the villa together.
—
Inside, the villa was hollow in design.
The second floor had a U-shaped corridor, with four rooms on each side, spaced far apart.
They each chose a room.
As Qi He reached the second-floor stair landing, about to enter his bedroom, Meng Yan called out, “Qi He, if there’s danger tonight, you can call me!”
Qi He strapped on his gun holster and felt the need to clarify. “It’s fine. Actually, I’m—”
“Hey!” Zhou Ziqian suddenly nudged Meng Yan lightly, whispering, “Qi He… has Brother Yan too.”
After saying that, he thought to himself: my IQ really is high.
Meng Yan gave a half-understood, half-excited “Oh-oh!”
Qi He was interrupted mid-sentence. “……”
Just then, a sound came from the other end—a door closing.
Yan Chuanbai had already set down his backpack and stepped out. He leaned against the doorway, looking at the three who still hadn’t gone inside, his expression unreadable.
“Why are you still standing here?”
The other two scattered instantly.
Qi He smoothed his clothes and walked over. “They just had a lot to say to me.”
His answer was met with a cold laugh—followed by the door slamming shut without mercy. Bang!
…
After returning to his room, Qi He locked the doors and windows.
Through the window, he saw that night had already fallen. Beyond the barrier of the ice wall, the trees and brush loomed in dark silence.
[What is the host looking at?]
A sudden voice broke in.
Qi He said, “Outside.”
The system still held a grudge over being damaged, and let out a cold laugh at his reply: [Looking won’t change anything. This is the world after the apocalypse—cruel as it is.]
Qi He’s gaze shifted slightly. “I was looking at the ice wall. Once it melts, could we collect it for a bath?”
He couldn’t help his occupational habit—anything he saw, he wanted to put to use.
The system: [……]
Qi He shook his head with a soft sigh. “After all, Yan Chuanbai hates me so much, I doubt he’d specially fetch me ice just to bathe. But what can I do, I really want it.”
That one attempt at conversation left the system sulking for the entire night. It retreated back into the little smart-watch and refused to respond again.
Tomorrow they still had to set out early.
After eating the rations Zhou Ziqian handed out, Qi He lay down to rest. He took off his tactical vest, but kept the gun within easy reach at the side of his pillow.
The night was quiet, the windows shutting out all outside sound.
Qi He closed his eyes and gradually slipped into a light sleep…
Suddenly—crash!
The sound of a window shattering.
His eyes snapped open at once, his hand already reaching for the gun beside his pillow. He looked up—under the moonlight, a zombie had smashed through the window, glass scattering across the floor.
It moved fast, and under its outstretched arms there seemed to be… the faint trace of wing membranes?
Click.
Chambered, raised—he aimed in a single second.
Qi He’s gaze didn’t so much as flicker. The instant he aimed at the charging zombie’s forehead, a thought flashed through his mind—he hesitated—then thumped and rolled to the side.
…
Twenty minutes later.
Knock, knock. Two raps landed on Yan Chuanbai’s door.
From his light doze, Yan Chuanbai’s eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. He instinctively reached for the gun at his bedside, frowning toward the door. “Who is it?”
A calm, mild voice answered: “Me.”
His frown deepened.
He swung out of bed, pausing a fraction with his hand on the doorknob. Click. The lock turned. At the same time, the muzzle of his gun thrust out through the narrow gap, trained warily at whatever was outside—
In the apocalypse, you could never underestimate the malice of human nature.
Beyond the barrel appeared Qi He’s face.
Clean and soft features with little aggression, black hair falling loosely across his brow. He blinked at him, empty-handed, no gun in sight.
Yan Chuanbai’s shoulders eased slightly, though he stayed guarded. “…What are you doing?”
Qi He sighed. “Yan Chuanbai, I can’t sleep.”
Yan Chuanbai’s eyelid twitched.
This man’s words always hovered somewhere between “loaded with insinuation” and “total misunderstanding.” Now he came knocking on his door in the dead of night, claiming he couldn’t sleep—
Yan Chuanbai sneered, lips curling. “You can’t sleep, what’s that got to do with—”
Suddenly, his words cut off.
His eyes snapped wide, turning sharply toward the hallway. A faint presence stirred there. “Who’s there!”
“It’s like this.”
Qi He shifted aside as Yan Chuanbai pushed the door open, calmly explaining, “I caught a flying zombie.”
The hallway scene came into view.
A zombie was tied up like a hog against the railing, its jaw dislocated, still drooling at Qi He with wet, rattling snaps.
Qi He, perfectly unbothered, gestured at it. “So, should we study it first, or just stash it somewhere for now?”
Yan Chuanbai: “……”
