As the sky darkened, Wei Xicheng sat in the corner of the warehouse, rummaged through his backpack, and pulled out two packs of compressed biscuits and a bottle of water, which he handed to the man standing nearby.
“Here, make do with this for now. We’ll look for more supplies tomorrow.”
Zombies are more active at night than during the day. According to the map provided by the system, a large number of wandering zombies had begun to gather around the warehouse. Under such circumstances, leaving to find a new safe spot was impossible.
Fortunately, the warehouse was filled with sacks and cardboard boxes. Wei Xicheng moved them to the entrance and sealed the door. After finishing, he dusted his hands and turned around to see the man still standing there with the unopened biscuits and water bottle in hand.
Raising an eyebrow, Wei Xicheng said, “Eat it. What are you staring at?”
Given the current situation, Wei Xicheng didn’t have high expectations for his lover. After all, in this chaotic world, it was hard to trust strangers. Those who spoke kindly one moment might turn hostile the next over a piece of food.
Considering his overwhelming combat strength, it was already a relief that he hadn’t been accidentally killed by someone else in this world. Wei Xicheng figured it was best to maintain his current mindset to avoid getting frustrated.
“Don’t know how to eat?” Wei Xicheng asked suspiciously. “Number One?”
The name was more like a code than an actual name. Wei Xicheng was curious about the man’s origins but didn’t dare ask directly. Under the man’s gaze, he opened a pack of biscuits, took a bite, and drank a couple of sips of water. “Like this.”
“I know.”
Cough, cough, cough. Wei Xicheng almost choked to death on the spot. This reaction made him feel like the idiot. “If you know, why don’t you eat it?”
“It tastes bad. I don’t need it.”
The biscuits were tossed back to him, and the man only kept the bottle of water. He unscrewed it, took a few sips, and then walked to the corner of the wall to lean against it.
If Wei Xicheng didn’t know that this man currently had no feelings for him, he might have thought the man had deliberately left the food for him to preserve his strength.
But the harsh reality was that this man genuinely thought the food tasted terrible.
“…” Wei Xicheng silently picked up the biscuits and stuffed them back into his backpack. “You don’t want them now, but one day you’ll be begging me for food.”
The next morning, Wei Xicheng woke up, sat up from the ground, and turned to look at where the man had been standing the night before. No one was there. He was instantly wide awake.
The pile of junk blocking the warehouse entrance had been violently shoved aside, leaving the door wide open.
Wei Xicheng got up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and ran to the entrance. Outside, the open space was deserted.
It was a miracle that he hadn’t been bitten by a zombie while sleeping. But where was the man? Had he left?
Just as he grabbed his backpack and prepared to search for his lover, a bottle of water smacked against his back with a loud thunk and fell to the ground.
Heh.
“Returning it to you.” The man, who had somehow reappeared, stood in the doorway with another bottle of water in his hand.
The warehouse was dimly lit, with only a few light beams penetrating through gaps. In the faint light, Wei Xicheng noticed a few bloodstains on the once-pristine suit the man wore.
“You went out to find water?” Wei Xicheng’s initial irritation evaporated. He picked up the bottle and approached the man, looking up at him.
Even if this person didn’t recognize him, Wei Xicheng knew exactly who he was. He couldn’t suppress his feelings around him, which was dangerous. But after all they had been through together across countless worlds, Wei Xicheng couldn’t put those feelings aside.
In these virtual parallel worlds, this man was the only thing that felt real to him.
“Yes.”
“Um, Number One,” Wei Xicheng hesitated, finding the name awkward to say. He always tried to avoid calling him that. “Next time you go looking for water, take me with you.”
“Why?”
“Because… I also need supplies, and it’s safer for two people to go together.”
“Not necessary.”
…Fine, you go by yourself then.
Wei Xicheng was starting to doubt the system. How could this man possibly be his lover?
“What do you want?”
…Okay, maybe the system wasn’t wrong.
After a brief negotiation, Wei Xicheng and the man—who didn’t even know what supplies he needed—set off together. Around his lover, Wei Xicheng didn’t bother hiding much. Following the system’s optimal route out of the city, they avoided most zombies. The few they encountered seemed to sense the danger the pair posed and chose to ignore them.
Wei Xicheng found the situation odd, but he attributed it to his enhanced physique after strengthening his body. He reasoned that his body’s purification and healing traits had also improved, making it natural for zombies not to be attracted to him.
As for the man beside him, even when walking calmly, he exuded an aura of “I’m strong, don’t mess with me.” It was possible that while zombies weren’t intelligent, they had a basic instinct for self-preservation, which made them avoid him.
This city was just a small town, and with most humans turning into zombies, it had essentially become a ghost town. In larger cities, however, bases were the first to be established. Some facilities remained operational, and the living conditions there were much better.
Wei Xicheng planned to head to Z City, the base where the original protagonist perished in the storyline. He couldn’t deny that it would be the best base in the future. He appreciated the idea of a more comfortable living environment and, with the script’s guidance, had some understanding of its terrain and social dynamics.
Playing as the character Mu Shuyang presented a significant challenge for Wei Xicheng. In the early stages of his life, Mu Shuyang had a lively and warm personality. However, after experiencing the darkness of captivity in a lab, he became paranoid, extreme, and gloomy. The character’s psychological transformation had distinct turning points and a progression.
To portray the role well, Wei Xicheng needed to experience some of the circumstances the original character went through. Of course, he had no intention of self-torture—just observing would suffice.
With his goal clear, Wei Xicheng plotted the optimal route to intercept the Lin siblings on their way.
“Hey, buddy,” Wei Xicheng naturally slung his arm over Yi Yi’s shoulder, but upon receiving the man’s glance, he slowly withdrew it.
No anger.
“So, uh… calling you ‘Yi Yi’ feels a bit odd. How about I give you a proper name? How about taking my surname? What do you think?” Hehe, take your husband’s surname when you marry.
“Yu Beiyan.”
“Huh?” Where did that name come from?
Yu Beiyan had already taken long strides ahead. Wei Xicheng quickened his pace to catch up. Seeing how out of place the man’s pristine suit looked in this dilapidated environment, he couldn’t help but suggest, “Yi Yi, maybe you should change your clothes?”
“Yi Yi?” Yu Beiyan stopped in his tracks, frowning as he looked at Wei Xicheng. It was his first time interacting with others, and while many things confused him, he didn’t want to give up.
“It makes us feel closer.”
“Yu Beiyan.”
“Fine, fine.” For the sake of him being clueless, Wei Xicheng decided to let it slide.
“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Yu Beiyan glanced between himself and Wei Xicheng. “They’re better than yours.”
Wei Xicheng: I’ll endure it 🙂
…
When the two emerged from an abandoned clothing store, Wei Xicheng looked utterly defeated. The problem wasn’t the suit—it was that this man seemed completely out of place in this world.
Yu Beiyan had changed into a new outfit: black short combat boots, slightly loose trousers that didn’t make his legs look short, and a shirt that fit perfectly thanks to his perpetually straight shoulders. His slightly tousled hair didn’t make him look like a refugee but rather added a touch of laziness and messy charm.
Yu Beiyan’s sharp eyes were partly covered by his slightly messy hair, which softened his aggressive aura. However, his finely sculpted features were displayed perfectly, undiminished by the change.
If Yu Beiyan in a suit had resembled the top elite from a corporate world, his current appearance made him look like a celebrity who had just stepped off the stage, exuding an alluring, captivating charm.
Wei Xicheng touched his own face. What should I do if I’ve been overshadowed? Waiting online for answers.
“What’s wrong?” Yu Beiyan noticed Wei Xicheng staring at him. He turned his head and asked, “Is there a problem?”
“No, you look great,” Wei Xicheng said, feeling his compliment was entirely heartfelt. Yet, the person being praised didn’t respond at all, walking straight ahead without a word.
…
A jeep was driving in the direction of Wei Xicheng and Yu Beiyan. Lin Lei, sitting in the driver’s seat, kept a close eye on the road ahead. Lin Huan, in the passenger seat, also scanned their surroundings, watching for any zombies.
“There’s only two or three kilometers left to leave the city. There should be fewer zombies outside,” Lin Huan said, her gaze fixed on a point not far from the vehicle. As time passed, her eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on two figures that had appeared.
“Brother, there are people,” Lin Huan said, her hand moving into her bag, where two knives and an axe were stored.
In the back seat, three men and a woman grabbed their own bags, ready for combat at any moment.
Everyone in the car was an ordinary person, but they had gathered supplies over the past few days. If the two figures ahead turned out to be ability users with ill intentions, a fight would be unavoidable.
Lin Huan carefully observed the approaching figures. As the distance closed, the tension in the car rose steadily.
“They look familiar,” Lin Huan said softly.
Wei Xicheng had long noticed the Lin siblings’ vehicle. He had been waiting here for a while and waved his hand, signaling for them to stop.
Lin Lei didn’t immediately recognize him as the boy from the supermarket. He turned to Lin Huan and asked, “Have you seen him before?”
“That’s the guy from the supermarket the other day. The one beside him, I don’t know,” Lin Huan said after a careful look, finally confirming that the boy’s figure matched the one who had taken only two packs of biscuits and a few bottles of water.
“Should we stop?” Lin Lei asked in a low, urgent tone, deliberately keeping his voice down.
