Chapter 60 – Blood
When Li Tie and the others came in, Yan Fei noticed someone was missing.
“You didn’t run into Zhang Su on your way back?”
Usually, the five of them returned around the same time as Zhang Su, and if they met halfway, they would walk together. But today, apparently, they hadn’t.
“I heard another batch of soldiers came back from outside today. A lot of them were injured, so the hospital’s probably working overtime again,” Wang Duo said eagerly, showing off the bit of gossip he’d picked up.
“I won’t seal the door yet—we’ll wait until he’s back.”
For safety reasons—and also to exhaust his own ability before bed—Yan Fei would use his power to completely seal the front door each night once everyone had returned.
—
Flexing his stiff, sore fingers and wrists, Zhang Su’s face was dark with fatigue. His luck really was terrible. He was supposed to have the next day off to celebrate the New Year, but a flood of patients had come in, keeping him working until now. After hours of surgery and suturing, his wrist felt like it was about to snap.
If not for the physical and mental boost from his ability, he never could’ve endured so many days of such intense work. Several other surgeons in the hospital had already collapsed from exhaustion. Only he had never taken a single sick day— though, truth be told, part of it was because he couldn’t stand staying alone in that empty, silent apartment. The suffocating loneliness… back when he was injured and couldn’t move, it was one thing. But now— now he’d rather die of exhaustion on the operating table than face that emptiness again.
He slowly made his way toward the residential district. Cars were parked along both sides of the street. Even though the outer base had its own defensive wall now, people living in the inner base still refused to move out there—even if there were plenty of empty rooms.
Just listen to the name—outer base. “Outer” meant outside, which in turn meant unsafe, or at least, less safe than the inner base.
It was the same old sense of hierarchy people had before the apocalypse— those living in the county town looked down on villagers, those in the provincial capital looked down on county folk, big city dwellers looked down on those from smaller cities, and people in the directly governed municipalities thought themselves above everyone else.
That same strange vanity had carried over into the end times. Now, being allowed to live in the inner base was a badge of honor, while being expelled to the outer base felt like being publicly slapped in the face. Of course, safety concerns were a very real part of why people made those choices.
It was nearly midnight, but the streets were still crowded. Some people were living in makeshift shacks, others—like Zhang Su—were hurrying home from work. And then there were those who had found some alcohol somewhere, drunk themselves senseless, and were now sitting by the roadside crying and shouting, venting their fear and despair at the world’s end.
As Zhang Su walked forward, a group of people came around the corner ahead of him, arms draped over each other’s shoulders, laughing and joking.
One of them said with a grin, “Brother Wang really has his ways—he actually got us into the inner city!”
“Heh, that’s nothing,” said the man called Brother Wang, his voice modest but his eyes full of pride.
A shorter man leaning against him laughed. “Don’t underestimate Brother Wang! Getting into the inner zone’s one thing—getting a place to live in the inner city, that’s real skill!”
Laughter rippled through the group, their flattery coming one after another. Brother Wang pretended to be humble, but he couldn’t hide the smug grin tugging at his lips. They’d made it to the Southwest Base—and not just anywhere, but the inner city.
None of them had abilities, but with all their “experience surviving out there,” he was sure they could form a strong new team here.
Feeling proud, he turned and planted a kiss on the man in his arms.
Zhang Su had stopped walking the moment they came around the corner. Every word they said reached his ears clearly.
As they passed by him, heading further down the street, a smile bloomed on his face—an enchanting, chillingly beautiful smile from the shadows.
How had he ever been drawn to someone like that?
Just look at him—just listen. A few flattering words, a little praise for making it into the inner base, and he was already floating on air.
Zhang Su turned around slowly, moving with silent, graceful steps. The night wind drifted softly around him. His hair had grown a bit long, but he hadn’t bothered cutting it. With his control over the wind, he never felt cold, even without a hat. The breeze lifted his hair as he walked, his steps soundless—like a phantom in the dark.
One step.
Another.
Each one fell in an eerie, rhythmic cadence.
The group turned another corner toward a newly built residential complex. The area was quiet—no makeshift shacks, no cars cluttering the streets. Just as they were about to enter through the gate, one of them glanced back, sensing someone behind them.
“Huh?” he murmured. That figure in the distance… why did it look so familiar?
“What’s wrong?” another asked, turning around too. Their voices drew the attention of the rest of the group.
“Z–Zhang Su?! He’s not dead?!”
“How could he not be dead? He was—”
He was slashed open, left among a swarm of zombies—how could he have survived?!
Zhang Su’s appearance was striking even under normal circumstances, and tonight, he made no effort to hide it. His lips curved into a haunting smile, the wind swirling around him, sending his long hair streaming behind him.
None of them noticed how unnatural that wind was. They were too stunned—too terrified—by the sight of this “monster” who had come back from the dead. Even before the apocalypse, Zhang Su’s beauty had drawn attention, but people had soon realized there was something dangerous about him. He wasn’t some weak, clinging flower that survived only by latching onto powerful men. Since the world had fallen apart, he had killed zombies with nothing but a scalpel. In human conflicts, he slit throats and severed arteries without hesitation—his blade as precise and merciless as in surgery.
And worse—every time he killed, he smiled.
Unrestrained.
Smiling amid the blood and screams.
When their leader had decided to get rid of him—because of some pre-apocalypse “relationship drama”—Zhang Su had naturally become their first target. But he’d always been cautious, never giving anyone a chance to trap him.
It wasn’t until Brother Wang himself slashed his arm and threw him into a horde of zombies…
Zhang Su’s smile widened. Seeing their pale, trembling faces, the fury, hatred, and killing intent inside him surged like a rising tide. But the angrier he felt, the brighter he smiled—that was just who he was.
“…We’ve got numbers on our side. Surround him! This time, don’t let him escape!”
Brother Wang barked orders, making a quick decision. They’d wronged Zhang Su before; now that he’d returned, they knew this was a fight to the death. He was alone—they had to strike first and finish him off! If he dared come here by himself, he’d face the consequences.
But before they could move— a sudden gust of wind exploded outward, centered on Zhang Su, sweeping everything within a ten-meter radius into chaos! Brother Wang and his men were caught right in the middle of it. And to their horror—they realized Zhang Su was standing at the eye of the storm.
“W–Wind—!”
“He’s an ability user?! He’s an ability user?!!”
Before the words had even left their mouths, Zhang Su raised both arms, his laughter faint and distorted in the roaring gale.
“Die… all of you, die.”
The air condensed into razor-sharp blades of wind, slicing through the darkness and hurtling toward them.
Screams erupted one after another.
People in nearby buildings jolted awake, stumbling to their windows— and saw, at the gate of the complex, a swirling mass of blue-green wind like a living hurricane. The screams were coming from there.
Even though everyone could hear the sounds, not a single person could make out what was happening inside the storm!
About ten minutes later, the screams within the wind finally faded away. After another brief moment, that swirling gust abruptly vanished. Several dull thuds followed in quick succession. When the onlookers finally saw the scene in the clearing, they all widened their eyes in terror and instinctively covered their mouths—
Red.
Blood-red.
Everything was red!
Several human-shaped figures—no longer recognizable—lay sprawled at the entrance of the residential complex, their bodies drenched entirely in blood. The ground nearby, the walls, the steps, even the sidewalk—everything was soaked in that same scarlet hue.
Only one person was still standing. But the sky was dark; there was no moon, and the nearby streetlights were dead. No one could make out the figure’s face—or even what he was wearing.
All they could see was that the person stood there in silence. After a long moment, he let out a cold, low chuckle, turned around, and slowly walked off in the opposite direction.
No one dared step outside to stop him.
No one dared even to look closer at the horrifying scene.
Everyone who witnessed that bloody massacre at the gate trembled in their homes, not daring to make a sound.
—
Clang, clang— the sound of the heavy iron door echoed. At the same time, the doors of Luo Xun’s and Room 1601 both opened. Wang Duo came out rubbing his eyes and yawning.
“Brother Zhang’s back? Is it because of that group of injured people again? I knew it—soon as I heard they brought back another batch, I figured you’d be stuck working late agai—”
Before he could finish, his collar suddenly tightened. Before he could react, Zhang Su yanked him straight into Room 1602.
Bang! The door slammed shut behind them.
“…Uh… what’s Brother Zhang dragging Wang Duo in there for?” Han Li froze mid-eye rub, staring blankly at Zhang Su’s door.
Luo Xun and Yan Fei were equally confused.
“Maybe he needs to ask him something? Wang Duo’s the biggest gossip among us—always poking around for news.” Li Tie yawned. “He’ll probably be back soon. Let’s just get some sleep.”
It was finally New Year’s—everyone had wanted a proper night’s rest.
Yan Fei walked over to lock the iron gate, but just then, everyone in the hallway heard faint sounds coming from inside 1602—
“Z-Brother Zhang, don’t—”
“Wait—my pants—no—”
“Bro! I’m still a—!”
“Ah—!”
“N-no, stop—!”
Everyone froze on the spot, eyes wide in disbelief, staring at the closed door of 1602. The noise inside gradually faded until there was nothing at all.
“Um… should we… maybe go in there and… save him?” He Qiankun asked nervously, pointing at the door.
The group exchanged uneasy looks.
“Ahem… you all remember Brother Zhang’s got powers, right?” Han Li reminded them weakly. “Even if we wanted to, we’re no match for him…”
Li Tie turned to look at Yan Fei—the only other ability-user present. Yan Fei quietly turned away and went on locking the door, pretending he hadn’t heard a thing.
Wu Xin coughed twice, lowered his voice, and said, “You guys remember that night, right? When Brother Zhang and Brother Yan… uh, anyway, that night. Didn’t this idiot here get a nosebleed? We share a room, and in the morning he… well, let’s just say I woke up to him calling Brother Zhang’s name in his sleep!”
He betrayed his roommate smoothly and without a shred of hesitation.
The others suddenly understood, nodding one after another. “Oh, so it’s mutual consent, huh? Well then, let’s just mind our own business!”
Yan Fei finished locking the door, turned to his own home, pulled his wife along, and muttered, “Let the lovebirds roll in their sheets—just don’t blame me if zombies catch them mid-act.”
Then, taking the dazed Luo Xun by the hand, he disappeared into his apartment and shut the door.
“C’mon, let’s go.”
“Looks like someone’s finally losing his virginity tonight~”
“Yeah! He turned down so many girls in college, and now—bam! The apocalypse gives him his big break!”
“Such a shame though—Brother Zhang’s got everything going for him. How did he end up falling for Wang Duo’s righteous-boy act? He’s the nosiest, most pervy one of us all!”
Even as Luo Xun climbed the stairs to the second floor, he was still puzzled. “They didn’t seem that close before. Why would he suddenly pull Wang Duo into his room?”
Yan Fei didn’t bother answering. He’d caught the strong scent of blood on Zhang Su earlier—but since the man clearly wasn’t planning to kill Wang Duo, it wasn’t his concern. Searching through a cabinet, he said calmly, “Maybe he snapped a little. Needed to vent.”
Based on what he’d seen earlier, Yan Fei seriously doubted Zhang Su even realized who he’d grabbed. If someone else—say, He Qiankun, even with his size—had been standing there, he probably would’ve been dragged inside all the same.
Luo Xun made an understanding sound. That made sense. The base had been too peaceful lately—it was easy to forget about emotional strain. Why was the flesh trade booming after the apocalypse anyway? People lived under constant pressure; they needed an outlet. Everyone—whether out scavenging or struggling for food in the base—had no real hope for the future. Live for today, enjoy what you can. Because if you die tomorrow, those points and crystal cores you hoarded will just end up feeding someone else.
Zhang Su’s expression earlier had been off. Maybe it was accumulated exhaustion from work—or something bad that happened outside today. There could be a lot of reasons. Luo Xun didn’t plan to dig into it.
“Huh? What are you looking for?” he asked when Yan Fei pulled out a small bottle from the cabinet.
“Tools,” Yan Fei said casually as he walked over. As he passed Luo Xun, he suddenly grabbed him, guided him to the bed, and pushed him down.
“What—what’s going on?” Luo Xun blinked in confusion. Then Yan Fei leaned closer, smiling faintly at the corners of his eyes. Luo Xun’s heart pounded violently—thump, thump—and his gaze darted toward the bedside table.
A bottle of olive oil. The same one they’d used before—for, well… that purpose.
Luo Xun’s lips twitched. Well… his injuries had healed, and they were both off duty tomorrow, so…
Feeling the gentle warmth of the kiss on his lips, Luo Xun suddenly had a dazed thought— Last time, he was the one on the bottom. So shouldn’t it be the other way around this time?
But… thinking of the aftereffects from that first time, they had been pretty bad. And the two of them still had things to do tomorrow. Maybe… he should just let Yan Fei have his way again this time?
Unwilling to admit, even to himself, that he’d actually enjoyed being pinned down that first time, Luo Xun resignedly shut his eyes, wrapped his arms around Yan Fei’s neck, and tugged at his clothes.
—It’s just normal intimacy between spouses, right? What’s there to be embarrassed about!
There’ll be plenty more chances in the future anyway! He could always “win one back” next time.
—
With the holidays giving them a rare stretch of idleness, everyone was so relaxed they nearly turned to mush. Li Tie and the others slept straight through to ten the next morning before stumbling out of bed one after another. Still half-asleep, they washed up and blinked around in confusion.
“Eh? Where’s Wang Duo?” someone mumbled.
After a short pause, Wu Xin pointed toward the hallway. “Didn’t Brother Zhang drag him into his place last night?”
The room fell silent. Everyone observed a solemn moment of silence for Wang Duo… about a second and a half. Then, collectively, envy and irritation crept in.
“So what if he’s the best-looking of us?”
“Big deal! Why does he get lucky first?!”
Ignoring Zhang Su’s gender for the moment, Wang Duo’s situation made the four healthy young men in the room burn with jealousy. Leaving everything else aside—just Zhang Su’s looks alone—ten girls together couldn’t compare!
He Qiankun suddenly whispered, “Hey… between Brother Luo and Brother Yan, uh… who do you think’s on top?”
Li Tie gave him a strange look. “Isn’t Brother Luo on the bottom? He couldn’t even get out of bed that day.”
“But… Brother Yan looks just as intimidating as Brother Zhang…”
“Wait—those noises last night… you think Wang Duo was the one on bottom?”
Everyone exchanged glances. Their earlier jealousy instantly turned into gleeful schadenfreude.
So all those beautiful people were the aggressive type, huh?
Sure, it was enviable to be with someone that gorgeous—but if you ended up underneath them… hahaha, that was priceless!
Zhang Su wasn’t like Yan Fei. Yan Fei’s commanding presence made it impossible to imagine him ever being the one pinned down. Zhang Su, on the other hand—with those languid gestures, that teasing, boneless grace—looked every bit the seductive beauty type.
And picturing that kind of person pinning someone else down…
Hahahaha… nope, couldn’t stop laughing!
—-
Zhang Su frowned, the air in the room smelling oddly strange. Instinctively, he pulled the blanket over his head. Then, with his hearing sharpened by his ability, he suddenly caught a faint sound from the living room—someone was out there!
He sat bolt upright. Ignoring his state of undress, he moved quietly to the bedroom doorway.
A man stood with his back to him, a large metal bucket at his feet, rolling a paint brush slowly across the wall of Zhang Su’s living room.
Seeing that it wasn’t a thief, Zhang Su folded his arms across his chest, raising a brow. “What are you doing?”
Startled, Wang Duo lost his grip on the roller and splattered himself with white paint.
When he turned around, he was met with the sight of a completely naked Zhang Su leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. Wang Duo’s already fair face flushed scarlet as his gaze darted helplessly over Zhang Su’s slim waist. “I—I was just… painting your wall… it dried…”
“How did you get in here?” Zhang Su asked, feeling a pulse at his temple. He rubbed his forehead, then noticed Wang Duo looking at him with wide, hurt eyes.
He thought for a moment—remembering how unstable his mood had been the night before. He really had pulled someone inside at random and… kept them up all night. So it had been him, huh?
Wang Duo tightened his grip on the roller, muttering, “Um… last night… Brother Zhang, you really don’t remember?”
Even though he’d been the one on top, the way Zhang Su had burned with such intensity still made his heart race—and now the same person was looking at him blankly? He didn’t know how to take it.
Zhang Su sighed, rubbing his temples again. “Right, right. I remember now. So what are you doing repainting my place first thing in the morning?”
“Our walls were plastered at the same time. We’re repainting ours too… I just thought I’d come help you out a bit…”
Wang Duo’s voice grew smaller and smaller. The eyes that usually carried an easy, teasing smile were now cool and distant—calm, unreadable. That quiet indifference only made Wang Duo’s heart grow more uneasy.
Zhang Su stared at him for a moment, then suddenly turned and walked toward his bedroom. “No need to paint anymore. You can go back—I’ll finish it myself later.”
With that, he shut the door behind him.
With a soft thud, the paint roller fell to the floor. Wang Duo stood frozen, staring at the tightly closed bedroom door, as a sharp, aching bitterness welled up in his chest.
Back in university, he had dated quite a few girlfriends—but not a single relationship had lasted long. To be honest, he’d hardly even held hands with any of them.
He wasn’t bad-looking, and most of the time, those so-called girlfriends were the ones who initiated things. He had thought they were nice girls, and out of vanity, he never turned them down. But once they discovered how he really was—his loose tongue, his gossiping habits, his petty stinginess—they quickly broke up with him, finding the contrast between his looks and his personality unbearable.
He understood all that perfectly well. But since he had never truly fallen for anyone back then, it hadn’t mattered much when things ended.
This time, though… it was different. Really different.
Thank you for reading 🙂 I hope you all liked my translations. If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi 😉
