Chapter 3: Evolution
Three minutes later.
The zombie had been moved into Yan Chuanbai’s room.
Once the door closed, Qi He glanced around casually.
The room wasn’t much different from his own. If anything stood out, it was the bed—far too neat.
During the day, Yan Chuanbai gave off a languid, laid-back air, almost sloppily carefree in a way that didn’t fit with a soldier’s discipline.
But now, that nearly wrinkle-free sheet convinced Qi He that he really did come from the military.
His gaze lingered for only a moment before pulling back.
Yan Chuanbai had already put on gloves and crouched down, fiddling with the corpse that had so rudely come knocking at midnight. A cold smirk played on his lips.
“You couldn’t sleep, so you delivered it to me?”
Qi He explained, “I figured you’re good at preservation and cold storage.”
Yan Chuanbai: “…”
“And besides, I did try to fall asleep.” Qi He let out a quiet sigh. “But I really can’t tolerate someone staring at me and drooling while I have my eyes closed.”
He shook his head. “Shameless. Craving me and not even trying to hide it.”
Yan Chuanbai’s lips moved, then closed again.
Wisely, he chose not to respond. After checking over the zombie’s physiology and confirming there were no bullet holes, he asked, “How’d you catch it?”
Qi He’s expression didn’t change. “In all martial arts under heaven, speed is the only thing that cannot be defeated.”
“…”
Yan Chuanbai gave him a long, deep look.
The system blared an alert: [If you’re going to brush it off, at least make it sound convincing.]
Qi He crouched down beside him and added, “Maybe I’ve evolved too. My body’s gotten frighteningly agile.”
Yan Chuanbai let out a couple of low chuckles, withdrew his gaze, and went back to examining the zombie.
While he studied the corpse, Qi He’s mind filled with the system’s interrogation:
[Host, you’re supposed to just be a game tester.]
“Yeah.” Qi He leaned on his chin with one hand, watching as he replied leisurely. “Survival games are games too. I’ve played quite a few before—and I did pretty well in them.”
If it weren’t for his flashy operations always triggering bugs and forcing the devs to patch the rules overnight, his final scores should’ve been even higher.
A crackle of electricity hissed—“zzzt.”
The system faintly wondered: …did it bind to the wrong person?
“Other than the wing membranes, this zombie doesn’t show much difference anywhere else.” Yan Chuanbai finished his inspection and withdrew his hand.
Qi He glanced over. “Its nails are longer too.”
Something that couldn’t be overlooked.
Otherwise, when its fists clenched, its own hands would get torn open.
“Most zombies begin their ‘evolution’ with nails and teeth,” Yan Chuanbai lowered his gaze, his tone somber. “To make them better hunters.”
Qi He went silent for a moment.
His head tilted down, profile soft in the dim light. No one knew what he was thinking, but for once he was quiet.
Yan Chuanbai’s eyes lingered: well, yes. To someone used to peace, this explanation must sound too brutal…
“In that case, we should test its mobility tomorrow.” Qi He raised his head from his thoughts.
“?” Yan Chuanbai looked at him.
“Let it fly around a bit. That way we’ll know how fast zombies are evolving. As long as humans evolve faster, we won’t end up as the prey.”
Yan Chuanbai froze, staring at him.
“Alright, it’s late.”
Qi He gave a perfectly timed little yawn, patted him on the shoulder, and stood. “I’ll head back to sleep. Whatever else, we can talk tomorrow. You should rest too.”
With that, he left decisively, looking every bit the drowsy man.
Click! The door shut again.
Yan Chuanbai stared at it for two seconds, a cold smile tugging at his lips: So, he can sleep soundly with a drooling zombie next to him?
A moment later, his fingertips twitched.
He froze the zombie and tossed it into a corner of the room.
*
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten.
Zhou Ziqian and Meng Yan got up on schedule, backpacks slung over their shoulders as they went downstairs one after the other.
Meng Yan, walking in front, asked: “Did you hear anything last night?”
“I think I did, but it was just once. Don’t worry, it’s not like anyone died…”
Meng Yan pushed the door open—then suddenly froze: “Hic!”
Zhou Ziqian jumped at the sound. “What’s wrong with you?”
Meng Yan didn’t answer, just stared blankly outside.
Perplexed, Zhou Ziqian followed her gaze into the courtyard and then—
“Hic!”
In the yard, a mutant zombie was tied up with two bedsheets that had been ripped into long strips.
Qi He and Yan Chuanbai each held one end. The zombie would fly out, then get yanked back. Fly out, then get yanked back…
Like flying a kite.
Qi He was even counting with perfect seriousness: “Fifth time—20 meters, 3 to 4 seconds. Sixth time—20 meters, 3 seconds… The wind’s picking up, think we can let it fly higher?”
“…”
“The speed is increasing. Then again, maybe it’s just because it wasn’t fully thawed. You froze it for too long last night.”
Yan Chuanbai gave a dry chuckle. “So what, I should give it a massage?”
…
At the doorway, Zhou Ziqian and Meng Yan stood in a daze, as if in a dream.
After a long moment, they came back to their senses.
“Wait… Brother Yan, what exactly are you two doing?”
By then the zombie was already exhausted.
Qi He reeled it back in bit by bit, while Meng Yan watched in a daze and murmured:
“Everyone only cares about how high you can fly… nobody cares how tired you get…”
Qi He turned to look at her, showing concern. “You don’t look like you slept well?”
“…”
Yan Chuanbai refroze the zombie and pulled the topic back on track.
“You came at the right time. Flying-type zombies have already appeared. We can’t assume other regions aren’t seeing even more extreme mutations.”
The two immediately grew serious and stepped closer to inspect.
Qi He moved aside, giving them room.
Zhou Ziqian studied the zombie for a while, clicking his tongue in amazement.
“Brother Yan, where’d you catch this one?”
Naturally, he assumed Yan Chuanbai was the one who did it.
Yan Chuanbai lifted his eyelids and looked over.
Qi He was gazing toward the melting ice wall outside the yard, focused, as if he didn’t care about claiming the credit.
“Qi He caught it.”
“?”
Zhou Ziqian and Meng Yan froze, then whipped their heads around in unison!
“It was… you who caught it?”
“Wait—this thing’s a mutant zombie! How did you even catch it—alive at that!?”
Qi He regretfully withdrew his gaze from the ice wall and turned to their shocked faces.
“Caught it with my hands.” He paused, realizing it sounded like describing food, then added, “I was wearing gloves. Didn’t get infected.”
“Uh… that’s not what we meant—”
Yan Chuanbai cut in. “Alright, time to move out.”
The two drifted toward the car in a daze.
They had always thought Qi He was the weakest, yet here he was, catching a flying zombie with his bare hands!
Once the research was finished, Qi He gave the zombie a swift end.
He didn’t waste it—pulled out a small knife and extracted the crystal core.
It was small, white, faintly veiled in a greenish sheen—probably a sign of its evolution.
The jagged edges pressed uncomfortably against his fingertips.
Qi He studied it closely: according to the game’s rules, crystal cores would one day serve as a new energy source, as well as fuel for ability-users to evolve…
A thought struck him, and he glanced at his wrist.
Only for a moment—then he pulled his gaze back, as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, at the courtyard gate—
Snap. A tiny spark flared to life.
Yan Chuanbai lowered his head to light a cigarette. His features, shrouded in the misty dawn light, looked sharp and cold.
He wasn’t addicted; more than anything, he needed a release.
Otherwise, before the zombie infection got him, it would be his mind that collapsed first.
Zhou Ziqian was also standing nearby. He looked at the calm figure in the courtyard for a long while before blurting out, “Brother Yan, I’ve figured it out…!”
Yan Chuanbai glanced sideways, bracing himself for whatever nonsense was about to come out.
“I knew it! Anyone you’d make a detour to pick up has to be extraordinary! What did Qi He do before this? Where’d you meet a friend like him?”
Yan Chuanbai only answered the first half.
“You’re overthinking. I just owed someone a favor.”
Zhou Ziqian was shallow-minded. “At first I thought it was because you were in lo—”
Qi He had just finished collecting the crystal core and happened to walk over.
Zhou Ziqian’s two eyes lit up like spotlights, blazing right at him. Qi He’s steps faltered.
“Talking about me?”
Yan Chuanbai stubbed out his cigarette, the trace of mockery at his lips especially cutting.
“Wishful thinking.”
With that, he turned back toward the car. “Let’s go.”
…
The group set off again.
This time, Yan Chuanbai sat in the passenger seat, while Meng Yan moved to the back row to sit beside Qi He.
Once they were on the road, Yan Chuanbai pointed out a direction.
With communications down, Zhou Ziqian could only steer toward Base I by gut feeling.
Qi He watched the ruined streets sliding past the car window, and spoke to the system in his head:
“Looks like my charm has already sunk deep into Yan Chuanbai’s heart.”
Still resentful from yesterday, the system’s tone was frosty: [And what makes you think that?]
“He just said I was full of feelings.”
The familiar phrasing dredged up unpleasant memories. The system’s indicator lights flashed furiously: [Stop twisting words out of context!]
The flashing dial quickly caught Meng Yan’s attention. She glanced over curiously.
“Is that an electronic watch? It still has power—can it show the time?”
Qi He paused, then thought of something. With a faint smile, he lifted his wrist for her to see.
“Of course it can.”
The system, disguised as a digital watch: [……]
It struggled for a second before, humiliated, displaying the time.
Qi He, thoughtful, continued the demonstration.
“It also has a built-in compass.”
System: [………]
Under Meng Yan’s amazed gaze, it once again humiliatingly projected a compass.
Qi He: “And it can navigate too…”
The system finally snapped: [Will you ever stop?!]
Sighing with regret, Qi He pressed down on the watch and let up.
“No network, looks like navigation won’t work.”
Meng Yan hurried to reassure him.
“N-no worries, it already has plenty of functions.”
—
They were in the western region.
After driving most of the day, the car entered a forested area. In the distance stretched a range of mountains, their dense canopies lush and verdant.
The sky gradually darkened.
From the passenger seat, Yan Chuanbai suddenly spoke:
“Don’t go any further. Let’s find somewhere close to stay the night.”
Zhou Ziqian, behind the wheel, called back: “Brother Yan?”
Yan Chuanbai glanced at the sky outside.
“It’s going to rain.”
At the foot of the mountain stood an old forester’s quarters—a sturdy two-story wooden house, fenced off and set apart from the treeline, with a wide, open view.
The car pulled up outside the house, and they all got out.
While Zhou Ziqian rummaged in the trunk for supplies they’d need overnight, Qi He lingered by the gate, gazing at the heavy sky. New to this world, he still didn’t fully grasp the situation.
“What’s the problem with rain?”
Meng Yan turned her head.
“In the apocalypse, ‘rain’ is a kind of signal.”
Qi He looked at her. “A signal?”
Meng Yan nodded.
“Mm. Every time it rains, vegetation soaks it up and grows wildly—and sometimes mutates. That’s why you never want to go into the forest when it rains.”
Plants mutate when it rains?
Qi He’s thoughts spun quickly.
“Zombies are the same way?”
Meng Yan seemed a little taken aback.
“…That, I’m not too sure about. At least as far as I know, no one’s ever observed how zombies change after a rainfall.
But one thing’s undeniable—they’ve been evolving all along. Just like that mutated zombie you caught today…”
Her expression grew grave.
“That also counts as a kind of evolution, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” came a voice from the side.
Yan Chuanbai lit a cigarette with a sharp click. His profile blurred against the shadowy outline of the forest behind him, features half-lost to the gloom. His voice was calm, unhurried:
“Any change that improves survival… is called evolution. Humans awakening abilities—that’s evolution too.”
The group fell into silence for a moment.
Qi He suddenly spoke, sounding as though he had come to some profound realization.
“Just like my shamelessness—it’s already evolved to the peak.”
Everyone nearby: “…”
Surprisingly, Yan Chuanbai didn’t refute him this time.
“Mm. That’s not wrong.”
“Brother Yan!” a voice shouted from the back of the vehicle. Zhou Ziqian poked his head out, interrupting, “We’re almost out of supplies.”
“Oh.” Yan Chuanbai glanced at the sky. “Didn’t we pass a small town on the way here? It’s not far. You all stay put, I’ll go scavenge some supplies.”
“I’ll come too—” Zhou Ziqian started.
“I’ll go,” Qi He cut in. He’d brought gear, after all—he couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.
Yan Chuanbai gave him a glance, saying nothing.
Zhou Ziqian hesitated. He’d been driving for most of the day and was indeed exhausted. Thinking of Qi He’s combat ability, he finally relented.
“Alright. Just be careful.”
Qi He picked up a gun and followed Yan Chuanbai into the vehicle.
It took only twenty minutes of driving to reach the town.
It was a small county seat, streets thick with yellow dust. Shops and apartment buildings on either side lay desolate, crumbling in silence.
At last, after some searching, they found a medium-sized supermarket.
Yan Chuanbai pulled the car to a stop.
“You going, or me?”
“I’ll go,” Qi He said.
“Mm.” The response came carelessly from the side.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and was just about to open the door when a voice sounded behind him: “As we agreed, I’ll take you to the base. But since you volunteered to help, don’t expect me to cover your back all the time.”
He turned his head, meeting Yan Chuanbai’s lowered gaze.
A strip of light, cut by the car window, fell across Yan Chuanbai’s face. His mouth tugged at one corner, eyes cool and indifferent.
“If you get infected, I won’t be taking you to the base anymore.”
Qi He twisted his head and looked at him for two seconds.
“What, you’d pack me up as a souvenir instead?”
“…”
“Relax.” Qi He pushed open the car door. “We’re both adults. I’ll take responsibility for myself.”
Yan Chuanbai let out a low chuckle.
“You’d better.”
The car door slammed shut with a thud!
Outside, drizzle had already begun to fall.
Qi He tilted his head up. The piled-up clouds looked ready to unleash a storm—or else to wash this city clean.
He stepped through the fine rain and entered the supermarket.
The front entrance was long since shattered. With a crunch, his foot pressed down on broken glass. Inside, chaos reigned, as though the place had already been swept bare. Who knew if there was anything left?
He searched around carefully, picking out what little was usable, and managed to half-fill his backpack.
A final glance around.
Perfect. Not a drop left.
Qi He was just about to leave when he heard a noise.
From the back door of the supermarket, three figures stepped in.
The two sides froze upon seeing each other.
All three newcomers were geared up, weapons in hand—two men and a woman. The man in front had a streak of red through his hair. His gaze instantly locked onto Qi He’s backpack.
The pack wasn’t full.
In the apocalypse, people always carried off as much as they could. A half-filled bag meant—that was all there was.
The big man at his side narrowed his eyes.
“Boss.”
Three against one.
And that “one” looked rather thin and frail.
The red-haired man curved his lips into a mocking smile.
“Leaving nothing at all—now that wouldn’t be very nice, would it?”
At the same time, the burly man’s whole body hardened, a layer of stone covering him as he gathered strength.
So this really was a straightforward robbery?
“What do you mean, leaving nothing?” Qi He replied, dead serious. “Haven’t I already left you with regret?”
The three across from him: “…”
The system couldn’t hold back: […Did you really have to run your mouth right now?]
Qi He: “I don’t want to lie awake in the middle of the night later, regretting that I didn’t come up with a good comeback at the time.”
Sure enough, the other side was provoked.
The red-haired man gave a cold laugh.
“Get him.”
A flare of fire shot straight at Qi He!
His reaction was lightning-fast—he twisted aside, but even before he landed, a long whip lashed toward him. Jagged, mutated barbs jutted from it, blocking his escape route almost the instant he moved—
Bang! Qi He fired, the bullet knocking the whip off course.
He spun to the other side, sliding into cover beside a shelf.
His movements—clean, sharp, reflexes extraordinary.
The three opposite him were clearly taken aback.
Qi He was about to counterattack when his knee suddenly buckled. He swayed, catching himself on the nearby shelf.
Clang! His knuckles whitened from the force of his grip.
The other side sneered.
“Ha! Legs giving out from fear already? And here I thought you were something special.”
Qi He stayed silent. Something was wrong with his body.
A wave of heat surged from the inside out, sweat beading at his temples, his breath turning hot and shallow.
He forced his mind steady.
“System, I’m burning up… what did you make me drink?”
The system: [Are you insane?! I didn’t give you anything!]
So it wasn’t from the system.
Just a few meters away, flames leapt up again.
The red-haired man’s voice was harsh.
“I’ll say it one last time—leave the supplies.”
A sudden footstep came from the doorway.
A lazy, indifferent voice followed:
“Leave what, exactly?”
Qi He turned his head—and saw Yan Chuanbai walk in. One hand stuffed in his pocket, he cast a languid glance toward the three.
The red-haired man frowned.
“Another one?”
No matter. They could take them both.
Qi He’s whole body was burning up. He glanced at the three opponents brimming with power, then at Yan Chuanbai standing a short distance away. After two seconds of brewing it up, his eyes glistened:
“Brother Yan, you’re finally here. These guys—who you could take down in half a move—have been bullying me the whole time.”
Yan Chuanbai: “?”
The three across: “?”
All eyes snapped warily to Yan Chuanbai—
Yan Chuanbai: “…”
He gave Qi He a long, heavy look.
And just as the three unleashed their powers toward him, jagged spears of ice erupted, slamming forward with bang, bang, intercepting them. The red-haired man’s flames were even split apart. Shock flashed across his face as he poured on more firepower.
Boom—!
Ice and fire collided!
Qi He ducked behind a shelf for cover, murmuring weakly to the system:
“See? Firewall. Literal firewall.”
The system couldn’t fathom how he still had the energy to crack jokes on death’s door.
After a fierce clash, both sides pulled back.
One of the red-haired man’s teammates bristled, ready to lunge again—but his hand shot out to stop her.
“Forget it.”
Qi He cast a glance, then dragged himself closer to Yan Chuanbai’s side.
A cold, mocking voice dropped lightly beside him:
“Responsible for yourself, was it?”
Qi He looked sincere, voice quiet.
“Thanks. You were my delaying tactic.”
“No need. You were my disaster out of nowhere.”
“…”
Qi He’s whole body was burning, his steps faltered, and he slumped against Yan Chuanbai.
Yan Chuanbai’s brow creased; he was about to shove him off when he caught sight of the sheen of sweat on Qi He’s brow, the wet lashes clumped together, shading a faint flush of red.
Yan Chuanbai paused for a second—then steadied him with a hand.
“Let’s go.”
The red-haired man folded his arms, having seen enough, and called his teammates.
“Let’s go.”
But his gaze lingered on Qi He, amusement flickering as he suddenly asked, “By the way, what’s your name?”
Qi He turned his head, looked at him for two seconds, then replied, deadpan: “Qi Delongdongqiang.”
The group: “…”
Yan Chuanbai: “…”
The red-haired man chuckled.
“Hmph. Sure, I’ll believe that.”
Qi He didn’t bother responding. He and Yan Chuanbai left the supermarket and headed back to the car.
The door shut with a thunk, cutting off the noise outside.
Qi He slumped against the seat, heat radiating off him, strength drained. Sweat trailed from his neck down into his collar. He tilted his head back, exhaling hard in discomfort.
From beside him came a voice:
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t know.”
Yan Chuanbai frowned, his gaze steady on him for a long moment.
“You weren’t grabbed by a zombie, were you?”
“Definitely not.”
The car fell into silence, rain pattering steadily against the windows.
Qi He lifted his damp lashes, eyes hazy, meeting Yan Chuanbai’s stare. That earlier line suddenly echoed in his mind—
“If you get infected, I won’t take you to the base.”
Qi He’s lips curved in a sudden smile.
Resting his head against the rain-streaked window, he tugged loose his seatbelt with a sharp click, then hooked his fingers into the hem of his T-shirt and lifted it up:
“Don’t believe me? Check for yourself.”
