Chapter 80: What’s Wrong?
“Haah…”
Chu Yang narrowed his eyes against the brightness, rubbing his temples with the back of his hand as he pushed himself up from the mattress.
His head still felt slightly heavy, but the blinding migraines and dizzying nausea from exhausting his mental power had vanished completely, replaced by a long-lost sense of fullness and ease.
As his blurry vision cleared, he noticed several figures standing around the bedside.
Focusing his eyes, he saw Jiang Jue, Lin Xiao, Su Mubai, and even young Little Yu gathered in a loose circle, their eyes fixed on him with a mixture of quiet worry and evident relief.
Chu Yang instinctively drew his shoulders in, shifting back slightly with the awkward confusion of someone freshly awakened from a deep slumber. “…What’s wrong? Why is everyone… looking at me like that?” His voice was thick with sleep, trailing off in a soft, groggy murmur as his senses slowly pieced the world together.
“What’s wrong? You’re finally awake, kid!” Lin Xiao was the first to speak, slapping his thigh with dramatic flair. “You were out like a light—not a single snore, just completely unconscious! Do you have any idea how long you’ve been out? You collapsed yesterday evening, and now the sun is already high in the sky!”
Only then did Chu Yang look toward the cracked windows. Bright, warm sunlight flooded the room, carrying the dry, dusty scent of daytime rather than the bitter chill of night.
Jiang Jue remained silent. Stepping closer, he lightly pressed the back of his fingers against Chu Yang’s forehead to check his temperature, then brushed aside a few stray locks of messy black hair. “How are you feeling?” he asked in a low, steady voice. “Any lingering pain?”
The touch was gentle and fleeting, carrying a familiar, reassuring warmth. Chu Yang instinctively leaned into the contact before giving a light shake of his head. “No pain at all. That was just the deepest, most comfortable sleep I’ve had in ages.”
He let out a long stretch, feeling the residual stiffness melt from his muscles.
Right on cue, a sharp pang of hunger struck his stomach, producing a loud, unmistakable growl.
Chu Yang rubbed his belly with an embarrassed grin. “Though… I’m starving.”
“I figured you would be,” Su Mubai said with a warm chuckle from the side.
He walked over carrying a steaming ceramic bowl filled with soft, well-cooked rice porridge, topped with a savory layer of shredded pork floss. “Here, have some of this to settle your stomach. Once you finish, we’ll pack up and hit the road.”
Chu Yang’s eyes lit up as he eagerly took the bowl; it was comfortably warm to the touch.
Scooping up a spoonful, the smooth, savory porridge slid down his throat, instantly bringing warmth and life back to his empty stomach.
He ate quickly, yet with practiced manners, feeling his energy replenish with every hot mouthful.
Then, a sudden thought struck him. Looking down at the bowl in confusion, he glanced up at Su Mubai with knitted brows. “Wait… where did the rice come from? I don’t remember taking any food out of my space before passing out.”
Since he had been unconscious since the battle ended, the group shouldn’t have had access to their primary food reserves.
Li Yu, who had been listening quietly nearby, spoke up with a smile: “The Boss took us out to scavenge the surrounding streets early this morning. We found a small convenience store on the west side of the district. The back storage room was still locked tight, so neither the zombies nor other scavengers had gotten inside. We managed to pull out some raw rice, jars of pork floss, and pickled mustard greens.”
“The Boss knew you’d wake up hungry soon,” Li Yu added, “and with the mornings being so chilly, he had Su Mubai prepare this porridge and keep it warm so the cold rations wouldn’t upset your stomach.”
“Oh… I see.” Chu Yang nodded, a pleasant warmth blooming in his chest.
Swallowing another spoonful, he muttered thoughtfully, “Next time, I should distribute a portion of our daily rations into everyone’s personal backpacks beforehand. If we get separated, or if I end up incapacitated like this again, you guys won’t be stuck without a proper meal.”
His tone turned serious. They had gotten lucky finding an untouched pantry this morning, but good fortune was a rare luxury in this wasteland. If they hadn’t stumbled onto those supplies, the others would have been forced to wait around on empty stomachs.
The thought made him realize how dangerous an over-reliance on his spatial storage could be.
Finishing the rest of the porridge, he set the empty bowl aside, rinsed his mouth with a little bottled water, and pulled on his heavy jacket before strapping on his gear.
The rest of the squad was already checking their weapons and supplies, preparing to depart. Chu Yang walked over to the shattered window frame and peered outside.
The sun hung high in a pale sky, beating down with surprising intensity. In stark contrast to yesterday’s biting, sub-zero winds, the temperature had climbed sharply, feeling almost mild and humid.
The thick layers of ice and snow that had buried the streets were melting rapidly, funneling into murky streams that rushed toward the roadside drains. Beneath the slush, the cracked asphalt and scattered debris of the town lay fully exposed.
“Yesterday was freezing deep winter, and today feels like spring,” Chu Yang murmured under his breath, his brow furrowing with a hint of concern. “At this rate, we’ll be in the middle of a scorching summer within days… This climate is completely unhinged.”
Unpredictable weather patterns were just another lethal hazard in this post-apocalyptic world.
Turning away from the window, his gaze swept across the survivors gathered in the showroom. Compared to the group that had set out a few days ago, their numbers had dwindled once again. Their core squad of seven—Jiang Jue, Chu Yang, Lin Xiao, Su Mubai, Wang Qiang, Li Yu, and Little Yu—remained intact. However, of the ordinary refugees who had chosen to trail behind them, only seven survivors were left. In less than a week, their numbers had been cut in half. Every face was carved with deep exhaustion, raw vigilance, and quiet uncertainty about what lay ahead.
Jiang Jue, fully equipped with his blade at his side, walked up to Chu Yang. “Let’s move.”
“Right,” Chu Yang replied, setting his heavy thoughts aside.
The party moved systematically down the fire stairs.
The stench of blood and rotting flesh on the ground floor had fermented overnight, growing thick and nauseating in the rising heat. Fortunately, there were no living undead in sight; only the tangled heaps of corpses bore silent witness to the brutal clash from the day before.
Stepping out onto the cleared tarmac near the main entrance, Lin Xiao paused and turned to Jiang Jue and Chu Yang. “Boss, Third Brother, should we split up to sweep the surrounding blocks? Little Bai and I can search for a working vehicle. With the snow melting and the asphalt clear, driving should finally be an option today.”
Wang Qiang chimed in with enthusiasm, rolling his shoulders: “Li Yu and I can take another street to look for transport too.” Having fully recovered his elemental strength, he was eager to pull his weight.
The other survivors nodded in agreement; covering more ground separately was far more efficient.
Chu Yang considered the plan for a moment, his eyes drifting to Little Yu, who was standing quietly in Jiang Jue’s shadow. “Sounds good. Just keep your eyes open. If you run into a pack of zombies, don’t engage unless necessary—prioritize finding a dependable vehicle with gas. Brother Jiang and I will take Little Yu to scout the nearby shops and see if there’s anything else worth salvaging.”
