Chapter 63
Wen Xin’s hand moved instinctively, caressing the small creature in his arms. Even though he hadn’t fully regained his memories, his fingers found the precise spots that would comfort the little one, as if it were muscle memory.
However, as soon as his fingertips sank into the thick fur, an unfamiliar sensation pricked at his palm, making Wen Xin’s heart skip a beat.
His fingers trailed lower, where they touched a scarred wound on the creature’s back. His heart clenched with worry. “You’re hurt?”
Before the words even left his mouth, the little creature in his arm seemed to snap out of its daze. All its fur stood on end, and it let out a sharp, ear-piercing screech.
“Ah—!”
In a flash, Wen Xin caught a glimpse of something glinting coldly beneath its paw. Reflexively, he released the creature and jerked backward.
The swipe aimed at his face missed by a hair’s breadth, slicing off a few strands of hair instead.
The small creature fell to the ground but quickly darted away, covering a distance of over ten meters in the blink of an eye.
Under the moonlight, the furball, now bristling, looked like a tiny, puffed-up beast. Its pitch-black eyes were filled with a menacing light as it growled lowly at Wen Xin, warning him to stay away.
The aggressive posture and hostile growls triggered a flash of memory in Wen Xin’s mind.
He seemed to recall a clean and cozy living room, with a purple squirrel bristling at his feet. The squirrel had been furiously stomping its little feet while holding a broom. Yet, the moment Wen Xin reached out his hand, it would come to its senses, lift its head, and squeak softly.
Reality and memory began to blur together.
Wen Xin’s eyes glazed over, and because he hadn’t blinked in a while, they stung, causing his eyelashes to flutter.
As he blinked, the hazy image in front of him solidified.
The scene was still the same desolate wasteland. Pale moonlight blanketed the ground, with the only sound being the howling wind.
When he looked back toward where the small creature had been, it was gone.
There was nothing there but a jagged rock. No sign of any living thing.
Stunned, Wen Xin picked up the wooden cane he had dropped and began limping toward the distant city.
As he moved away, a tiny figure cautiously peeked out from behind the rock.
Watching Wen Xin’s retreating back, the little creature’s eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity.
—Why did this human carry the scent of No. 1?
*
From the moment Wen Xin woke up, he realized he had forgotten many things.
Fortunately, he still remembered his name.
However, something in the depths of his subconscious screamed at him not to share his name with anyone.
What was even more fortunate was that his survival instincts hadn’t diminished at all.
Wen Xin found himself in a small town where the houses were spaced relatively close, about ten meters apart. Standing at the mouth of an alley, he looked in. The narrow passage twisted and turned, with broken tiles and rubble making the dirt road uneven.
Further down, a row of low, cramped houses stood so close that you could touch the dark, moss-covered eaves if you reached up.
Wen Xin’s stomach growled. His instincts told him there was food inside, but before he ventured in, a sudden wave of unease washed over him.
He glanced around and picked up a small rock, tossing it into the alley to test the waters.
“Roar! Roar!”
As soon as the stone hit the ground, the previously silent alleyway erupted with a chorus of growls.
Iron gates rattled violently, as if vicious creatures were inside, frantically trying to break free!
Strangely, instead of fear, Wen Xin felt a strange familiarity with these sounds, which somehow eased the tension in his chest.
He perked up his ears, listening carefully. After standing quietly for a while, instead of retreating, he tightened his grip on his cane and cautiously walked further in.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” “Roar—!”
As Wen Xin approached one of the courtyard walls, the noises grew more intense. The iron door was being pounded on so fiercely that it rattled, while thick chains creaked under the strain. Handprints even bulged outward from the metal surface.
No matter how much the creatures inside roared and pounded, the iron lock held firmly, refusing to break.
Just as Wen Xin had expected.
If no monsters had rushed out at the first sound, it meant they were somehow confined.
But Wen Xin remained vigilant.
He didn’t know how long the iron door would hold, nor could he be certain there weren’t any other monsters lurking within that could move freely but had simply failed to hear the commotion.
Clutching the black scale tightly, he cautiously continued deeper into the alleyway.
This scale, which could repel dark creatures, seemed to have some effect on zombies as well.
As he ventured further, the noises behind the courtyard walls began to quiet down.
After passing by four houses filled with zombies, Wen Xin finally found a gate that was wide open with no growling coming from within.
Once again, he threw a stone inside to test for danger.
The stone bounced twice on the ground, finally landing beneath a withered fruit tree. The house remained eerily silent.
Gathering his courage, Wen Xin stepped inside.
The courtyard was indeed empty.
A basin and a wooden rack for holding the basin lay overturned on the ground, covered in dust and a few dried black leaves.
The concrete floor was stained with large patches of dark, brownish-red streaks that stretched from the house’s entrance to the courtyard outside.
By his foot, Wen Xin spotted a metal dustpan. Its iron handle was broken in half, and the dustpan itself dangled precariously.
Wen Xin stepped on the dustpan with one foot and bent down to snap off the iron handle, fashioning a makeshift weapon.
He moved cautiously into the house.
After probing twice and confirming that there was no immediate danger, he deemed it relatively safe.
Still, Wen Xin remained cautious. He stood at the entrance and threw various objects inside, making sure to hit every corner before he dared to step in.
Even he didn’t fully understand why he had developed such an almost obsessive level of caution.
Perhaps it was the result of waking up in an unfamiliar place with no memories, with an ever-present sense of danger pressing on his mind.
And indeed, his caution proved warranted.
The brush he had thrown hit an overturned fruit basket, which immediately began to tremble.
In less than half a second, a fat, gray-black shadow leaped out, jaws gaping toward Wen Xin!
His body reacted faster than his mind. Before he could even register what it was, Wen Xin instinctively ducked.
The creature lunged over his head, landing on the ground with a series of snarls.
It had a long tail, coarse gray fur, and bloodshot eyes. Its sharp teeth protruded from its pointed snout, drool dripping from its maw.
It was a mutant rat, at least three times the size of a normal one!
Wen Xin gripped the black scale in his hand, but for some reason, this mutant rat did not seem intimidated by its aura.
Perhaps it thought the young man, with his obvious limp, would be easy prey.
But the rat was sorely mistaken.
As it lunged toward him again, Wen Xin’s eyes flashed with determination. He swung his wooden cane, striking the rat’s head with a heavy thud.
The mutant rat was stunned, collapsing to the ground. Before it could recover, Wen Xin plunged the sharpened iron handle into its skull.
Blood splattered everywhere as the rat twitched and then went still.
Panting heavily, Wen Xin took a moment to catch his breath.
While it had seemed like a simple two-move kill, timing the strike just as the rat pounced had been nerve-wracking enough to make his heart pound like a drum.
Despite the victory, there was no sense of relief.
Staring at the bloody mess on the ground, Wen Xin couldn’t help but wonder what he might have been before he lost his memories.
Could he have been an assassin?
But that was a question for another time. Right now, he needed to find food.
Wen Xin’s instincts told him to keep moving cautiously. In a world where dangers lurked around every corner, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. He needed food and supplies if he was to survive.
The mutant rat had been a close call, but it had also served as a reminder that he needed to stay vigilant.
After taking a moment to steady himself, Wen Xin continued to explore the abandoned house. As he searched through the dusty cupboards, he found a box of biscuits that would expire in about two weeks, a half-eaten apple, and two packs of instant noodles.
There was no firewood available to boil water, and starting a fire would produce smoke that might attract other creatures. Instead, Wen Xin tore open one of the noodle packages, pulled out the seasoning packet, and crushed the noodles into small pieces. He poured the seasoning into the bag, shook it up, and began eating straight from the package.
Despite his dire circumstances, the taste was surprisingly satisfying.
The night outside had grown darker, with the sky now enveloped in a deep shade of indigo. Wen Xin knew it was already late.
Having satisfied his hunger, he finally allowed himself to relax a little. The stress of the past days had drained him. Though he had only recently awakened from unconsciousness, he still felt an overwhelming exhaustion.
Wen Xin hobbled over to the front door and made sure it was tightly shut. With his injured ankle preventing him from pushing heavy furniture to barricade the door, he resorted to placing several items—like cups and plates—that would topple over and make noise if disturbed.
For the first time in days, he managed to sleep through the night.
*
The next morning, Wen Xin woke up early. The pain in his ankle had subsided a little, but it was still too tender to put much weight on.
Not wanting to push himself, he remained calm and methodical, even as he navigated the chaos around him. Using his makeshift cane, he ventured into the kitchen and continued his search for supplies. He managed to find an unopened pack of dried noodles and a slightly chipped vegetable knife.
Scouring the rest of the house, he found a few plastic bags. He doubled and tripled them up to carry his collected goods.
With his preparations complete, he was ready to set out again.
But as Wen Xin opened the front door and stepped out into the courtyard, he noticed something peculiar.
The night before, he had buried the mutant rat’s corpse beneath the fruit tree to mask the scent and avoid attracting other predators. Yet now, the small mound of earth had been disturbed, and the body was gone.
Wen Xin crouched down, inspecting the disturbed soil closely. From the tracks left behind, it was clear that whatever had dug up the corpse wasn’t very large.
It definitely wasn’t human.
There was something lurking around him, something that was good at hiding itself.
Realizing this, Wen Xin became even more vigilant.
Despite his injury, Wen Xin continued heading toward the city. His pace was slow, hindered by his injured ankle and the need to avoid roving packs of zombies. What should have taken two days stretched into four long days and nights.
During the day, Wen Xin encountered another mutant rat, but this time it wasn’t alone—it was a trio.
The rats were feasting on a human corpse, their massive bodies covering the victim’s face and head. Their jaws moved rhythmically, making grotesque chewing sounds.
The creatures were blocking a narrow alleyway that Wen Xin needed to pass through. The moment they caught his scent, they turned toward him, their red eyes glowing with hunger.
A fierce battle ensued. Wen Xin was able to kill them, but only after a struggle that left him exhausted.
After scavenging for supplies, he noticed something strange. Two of the rat corpses had disappeared when he returned to where he had left them.
Oddly enough, Wen Xin wasn’t entirely surprised.
He had a hunch about what was happening. He glanced toward the gray walls of the nearby buildings, noticing a series of fresh footprints leading away. The tracks were haphazard as if made by something in a hurry.
Wen Xin paused, staring at the last remaining rat corpse. He decided not to touch it, turning instead to rest indoors.
The next morning, the last rat’s body was gone as well, but Wen Xin acted as if he hadn’t noticed.
*
On the second day, Wen Xin finally ran into zombies.
Despite being careful and methodical, sometimes danger was simply unavoidable.
Regular zombies still retained the strength of a full-grown adult, making them far more challenging to deal with than the mutant rats. And this time, Wen Xin faced two of them at once, without enough suitable weapons at his disposal.
He narrowly avoided serious injury.
After the fight, he was too drained to continue searching for food. He found a relatively safe spot to rest and catch his breath.
While resting, Wen Xin rummaged through his remaining supplies. He had enough food for now, but clean water was becoming increasingly scarce.
Most of the stored water in abandoned homes had turned murky, filled with mud and other unknown substances. If he wanted drinkable water, he would have to try his luck at nearby shops or small, private supermarkets.
Taking a moment to rest, Wen Xin forced himself to stand again, his injured ankle protesting with every step.
After just a few paces, something unexpected caught his attention.
At the end of the alley, about ten meters away, four unopened bottles of water were neatly arranged on the ground. They were positioned so perfectly, that it seemed almost deliberate.
A chill ran down Wen Xin’s spine. It was as if someone—or something—had left them there for him.
Coincidentally or not, there were exactly four bottles, corresponding to the four mutant rats he had killed.
*
On the third day, Wen Xin’s luck seemed to turn around.
He managed to find a crowbar in one of the shops he scavenged, which was a perfect replacement for the almost broken steel pipe he had been using as a weapon.
He also found a new vegetable knife, free of nicks, along with two sharp fruit knives.
Finally, Wen Xin felt adequately equipped for whatever might come next.
In a kitchen pantry, he discovered two unopened bags of salt. Just as he was about to leave, he glanced at the disorganized spice jars on the kitchen counter.
Something compelled him to pause and gather the spices into his bag.
That evening, just before sunset, Wen Xin encountered two more mutant rats.
Unlike the regular creatures he had faced before, these beasts had a feral, crazed quality about them. While the black scale in his hand repelled some monsters, these mutant rats seemed to grow even more excited as he approached.
He managed to take them down with some effort.
This time, instead of simply discarding the bodies, Wen Xin decided to skin them. Using one of his fruit knives, he carefully gutted the creatures, skewering the meat onto sticks to roast.
As the fat dripped and sizzled over the flames, a rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the air. He sprinkled some of the spices he had gathered earlier, enhancing the flavor.
He knew that lighting a fire at night could attract dangerous creatures, but this was a risk he was willing to take just once.
Sure enough, the enticing aroma drew in a familiar little creature.
It peered from behind a wall, its small nose twitching as it inhaled the delicious scent. The little creature’s eyes darted between Wen Xin and the roasting meat, unable to resist licking its lips.
Wen Xin pretended not to notice.
Over the past few days, fragments of his memory had gradually returned, allowing him to recall bits and pieces. He remembered raising a few unique companions, like the pink-furred fox, Xiao Qi, and the squirrel, Ah Zi.
Now, seeing this little red panda, he didn’t find it particularly strange.
In the pre-apocalyptic world, a little one like this would have been considered a protected species—loved, cared for, and never lacking in food or shelter.
Unfortunately, it had the misfortune of living through the zombie apocalypse.
Wen Xin himself couldn’t stomach the idea of eating rat meat, mutated or otherwise. In these times, getting sick was a risk he simply couldn’t afford to take.
However, seeing the little creature happily nibbling on the roasted rat meat without any ill effects, he figured it must be part of its regular diet.
Wen Xin, having experience with his small companions, knew that these mutated animals enjoyed the taste of seasonings and could handle strong flavors without any digestive issues.
So, he took two skewers of roasted rat meat, carefully sticking one end into the ground.
The previous rat carcasses had been taken without his offering them. This time, he considered it a repayment for the little one’s assistance in leaving him supplies.
Not wanting to make the creature nervous, Wen Xin didn’t linger. He leaned on his cane, grabbed his crowbar and bag, and turned away to find a place to spend the night.
Behind him, the grape-purple creature remained, standing there with a complicated expression. It nibbled on its paw, torn between hesitation and desire, as it stared at the fragrant, sizzling meat.
*
By the fourth morning, Wen Xin’s memories had begun to trickle back bit by bit, but he knew there were still many more locked away. Perhaps he needed more time or a stronger jolt to fully recover them.
He gingerly touched the bump on the back of his head, which still hadn’t gone down. Considering the wrecked state of the van’s front end, he counted himself lucky to have survived at all.
As dawn broke, a warm orange glow spread across the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant hues. Wen Xin couldn’t help but narrow his eyes, gazing toward the east.
Somehow, he felt an inexplicable pull from that direction. It was as if the East held answers he desperately needed—answers about his identity, the companions he was searching for, and the little ones he had once cared for.
Judging from the direction of the rising sun, it seemed that the city he needed to reach was indeed in the eastern region.
oh my god. is this when he got kidnapped into a fucking battle royale in gonna lose it