Sixteen Years

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Liu Ruosong leaned against a large rock, and the campfire next to him crackled, spreading a warm, golden light that dispelled the surrounding darkness.

Shao Qiu and Yao Tu were sleeping in the car, while He Feng and He Tang, who were responsible for patrolling, hadn’t returned from their rounds. In the makeshift camp, Liu Ruosong was the only one awake, sitting by the rock, sipping water, and keeping watch.

Strangely, in the dead of night, people tend to let their minds wander. Liu Ruosong toyed with the campfire and felt an inexplicable sense of loneliness.

While he had been used to running through wilderness and mountainous terrain for days or even weeks without seeing another soul, his mindset was different then. Even in the most remote places, Liu Ruosong always had an invisible line that he knew he could cross to return to the safety and bustling life of the city.

But now, that line had disappeared, and the previously assumed sense of security was shattered. It was as if the entire world’s understanding was being overturned, and Liu Ruosong let out a deep sigh, relaxing his body and gazing at the night. He suddenly had the illusion that the whole world consisted of just the few people in front of him.

The paper cup in his hand had gone from hot to lukewarm. Liu Ruosong looked towards the passenger seat, where a computer screen displayed flashing coordinates. In the upper right corner, there was an updated message with the latest information.

Fu Yan’s coordinates hadn’t moved for over an hour, indicating that he was resting.

Liu Ruosong stared at the blinking coordinate for a while, and a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

What would Fu Yan be thinking right now? Liu Ruosong wondered.

Over a thousand kilometers away, Fu Yan sat with his arms crossed on a sturdy tree branch, looking up at the sky. The weather in his location was good, with clear skies during the day and a noticeable starry night. 

Fu Yan bent one leg and leaned against the thick tree trunk, gazing at the group of stars directly in front of him. He thought, “The stars are quite bright tonight.”

He wasn’t the kind of person who would leisurely admire the starry skies, but this comment suddenly came to his mind, partly because he remembered Liu Ruosong.

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From childhood to adulthood, Liu Ruosong had been a “free-spirited” person. He never followed the paths set for him and was always willing to engage in “pointless” activities.

Liu Ruosong loved flowers and grass, mountains, water, desolate landscapes, and even the animals and wildlife in remote areas. During one of Fu Yan’s rare vacations, Liu Ruosong had kept him company at home, and during the other half, he dragged Fu Yan around to explore the surrounding areas, claiming they were “discovering the beauty of life.”

Liu Ruosong seemed to have a natural talent for turning ordinary things into unique and beautiful sights. From sunrise to sunset, from dawn to twilight, and even the unchanging celestial bodies, he always managed to see a fresh perspective.

“Observe them, appreciate them—it’s a happiness that comes at no cost. It’s cost-effective, stress-relieving, peaceful, and private. Why wouldn’t you do it?” A long time ago, Liu Ruosong said this to him.

He said this while they were supposed to go stargazing on a mountain one day. Unfortunately, Fu Yan had to postpone their plan due to a last-minute mission.

He regretted not going with Liu Ruosong to S City. He realized that until his last moments, he never had the chance to stargaze with Liu Ruosong again.

… After this is all over, I’ll make it up to him, Fu Yan thought.

The dampness of the night fell on his shoulders, and Fu Yan adjusted his sitting position, relaxing his stiff back. He was about to close his eyes and rest for a while when he heard rustling sounds nearby.

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He turned his head to look, only to find Fang Sining coming out of the car.

“What’s wrong?” Fu Yan asked.

Fang Sining looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “Aren’t you coming down to rest? I can keep watch instead.”

“It’s not necessary,” Fu Yan said. “You rest in the car. If there’s any situation, just call me.”

“I don’t mind, actually. Why don’t you come up to the car?” Fang Sining suggested. “Sleeping outdoors might not be a good idea.”

“No need,” Fu Yan firmly refused.

He reached into his pocket, retrieved a bag of cookies, and threw it to Fang Sining. He kept a chocolate energy bar for himself and took a bite.

Fang Sining received the cookies with a bit of confusion. After some consideration, he didn’t insist on his offer and turned back to the car.

He closed the car door and held the supplies in his hands for a while. Eventually, he decided to look out of the car window for one more glimpse of Fu Yan.

Fu Yan was wearing a thick black spring and autumn tactical training suit from head to toe, even though it was a warm early summer night and the temperatures had risen. Fang Sining felt hot and suffocated just looking at him.

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In fact, Fu Yan was somewhat indifferent to temperature changes, or so Fang Sining speculated. In some way, he admired Fu Yan, who remained so disciplined and perfectly composed. Even in the absence of witnesses, Fu Yan always carried himself as if he were invincible, and Fang Sining had never seen him waver.

Fang Sining mumbled to himself and placed Fu Yan into a category he deemed as “minimal interaction with others” in his mind.

Fang Sining ate three cookies in a drowsy state and took a couple of sips of water. When he’d finished his “dinner,” he stopped worrying about Fu Yan and decided to save the remaining supplies. Finding provisions had become difficult; most small supermarkets in the streets had been ransacked, and large supermarkets with ample supplies had more zombies, making it too dangerous for him to venture in alone.

Besides, Fu Yan seemed to prioritize a core document, and as long as their supplies maintained them at “not starving to death” levels, he wouldn’t expend energy to snatch new ones. So Fang Sining had to conserve the supplies himself.

Having finished his meal, he didn’t bother Fu Yan anymore. Instead, he put on his coat, curled up in the back seat, and fell asleep.

Fang Sining dozed off for some time, not knowing how long, when he heard a buzzing sound in his ear. It was as if someone had been talking right next to him.

He’d gone through a tense day, surrounded by zombies, and with no proper rest. He was finally able to relax, but he couldn’t fall into a deep sleep. Feeling irritable, he turned over twice, almost involuntarily waking from a light slumber.

Fang Sining had a terrible mood. Before he could get up from the back seat, he realized that the sound wasn’t just a figment of his dream but was emanating from the car’s built-in radio.

“Unfortunately, in the face of this disaster, we are forced to acknowledge the insignificance of humanity,” continued the male voice on the radio. “We have made every effort to rescue and evacuate, but the spread of the virus far outpaces our response. Since the disaster began, many families have lost loved ones, and many people have lost friends. I deeply sympathize with all those who are mourning.”

The male voice on the radio choked up for a moment. Fang Sining blinked his eyes, his gaze blankly focused on a smudge on his clothes.

“However, due to the shortage of rescue personnel and the severity of the situation spiraling out of control, I must ask everyone here to stay strong, summon your courage, and do your best to self-rescue. Next, I will publicly share all known medical information with all survivors in society. Please take it seriously and try to pass it on to all survivors you can reach.”

“Firstly—”

The car’s passenger door suddenly swung open, startling Fang Sining. He then noticed that Fu Yan had woken up at some point, and was now standing next to the car, silently listening to the broadcast alongside him.

“The transmission of this unidentified virus is through bodily fluids, including blood exchange—there is no incubation period for the virus. Once infected, it will lead to mutations. Therefore, please survivors, be diligent in identifying both companions and strangers. The time taken for the mutation varies due to individual differences, with a maximum duration of twenty-four hours. The infected mutated individuals exhibit no vital signs or rationality but possess strong aggression and infectivity.”

“Note that the infection cannot be controlled or reversed. Once infected, you must immediately keep your distance—repeating this, once infected, maintain your sanity and get away.”

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The male voice on the broadcast sounded fatigued and hoarse. Fang Sining didn’t recognize him, but Fu Yan could easily tell that it was Zhao Jincheng himself.

“Encouraging self-rescue does not mean completely giving up on rescue efforts. If there are people in need, you can seek assistance from nearby military districts as much as possible. As long as there are rescue conditions, all military district bases will unconditionally accept any civilians—”

“While the virus is terrifying, it is not entirely unbeatable,” Zhao Jincheng said, “I, in my personal capacity, hereby promise that as long as humanity hasn’t gone extinct, there will always be someone in this world seeking ways to end this catastrophe.”

“So, I also hope that everyone doesn’t give up, hoping for a continued existence in the future.”