​​Chapter ​​16​​

I stumbled back into Finance. My hair was falling out in clumps.

Qiu Ze saw me. Screamed like a banshee. Pissed himself. Before he could swing his axe, I lunged. Sank my teeth deep.

Blood—sweet, intoxicating ecstasy. I wanted more. Qiu Ze’s face became my feast.

Chu Zhan and Chairwoman Li huddled in the inner office, horror-struck.

While shreds of humanity remained, I shoved Qiu Ze’s faceless corpse aside. Lunged for the vault. Punched the combination from memory.

Click. It opened.

Besides stacks of cash, it held oxygen tanks, food, water—supplies I’d stashed from Outdoor Goods.

Meant for my own escape.

Useless now.

But it could save them.

I set down the satellite phone. Backed away slowly. Watched them stumble into the vault together.

Me: "Don’t give up. Survive."

"Little Dai… you don’t hate me? Why save me?" Chairwoman Li sobbed.

I answered flatly: "Li Mingzhu. Don’t I look just like you? You gave birth to me… then walked away. You wouldn’t understand."

Chairwoman Li: "...You… you’re my… daughter?!"

Me: "Not anymore. I’m a zombie."

She fainted.

Three years working here. She never knew who I was. I never planned to tell her.

My apartment was stocked for months. I’d driven away before the chaos hit. Then a colleague messaged: Li Mingzhu was hurt, her driver and guards fled. I turned back.

I did everything I could, Li Mingzhu.

Twenty-seven years without a mother.

Now it’s your turn. The rest of your life… without this daughter.

No. You never had me.

I couldn’t let go. Meddled. Paid with my life.

My vision clouded. The world blurred.

"Sister…" Chu Zhan wept, voice breaking.

Tears were beyond me now. I couldn’t see his face. My voice grated like a saw. "Your name?"

"Chu Zhan. My name is Chu Zhan! I’m 24. Sister… don’t forget me…"

I nodded solemnly.

Zombies don’t remember, silly boy.

The sweet tang of blood hung heavy. I fought the urge to lunge.

Jelly. I remembered.

Chu Zhan’s lips… sweet as the jelly he gave me.

Blind, I offered a final smile.

A zombie’s smile must be hideous.

Thunderous footsteps shook the floor. Beastly snarls filled the air.

My new kin… had arrived.

​​Chu Zhan’s Epilogue​​

I’m Chu Zhan. 24. Basketball major at X City Sports Institute. Junior year. People say I look like Yang Ming.

Pfft! I’m way hotter.

I fell for a girl. On the subway.

Skin like porcelain. Cool, sharp beauty. Back straight as a ruler.

One glance. Everyone else vanished. Empty space.

She was the rose blooming in that wasteland.

She walked towards me. Sat down beside me. My heart exploded.

I stalked her like a creep. Found out she worked at this warehouse supermarket. Signed up as a promo guy immediately.

Twelve subway stops from campus to the store. After every practice, I’d shower and sprint there.

To see her, I even wore cologne.

She never looked my way.

I saved promo jelly samples. Every time I saw her, I’d offer one. Just to talk.

But she had a boyfriend. A douchebag in gold-rimmed glasses.

Ptooey.

Sleazy bastard. Nowhere near my league.

But Sis liked that type. So I got glasses too.

Optometrist said my vision was pilot-perfect. Didn’t need ‘em.

Told him he didn’t get it. Needed for the vibe.

I copied Sleazebag’s talk. Copied his moves.

Useless. Sis just said:

"Hey, Chu. You’re here. Hey, Chu."

The day the zombies hit, panic everywhere. Called my parents (out of town). Rushed straight to the supermarket.

Chaos. Pure chaos when I got there.

I ran to the office. Wanted to tell her my apartment was stocked. Months of food for two. (Found out later… my whole complex got wiped out.)

No chance. Sleazebag showed up. With his side piece.

Sis deserved better.

Trapped those months… I stuck close. Tried to protect her.

Truth? She was a total badass. Protected us.

Every time Side Piece mocked Sis, I wanted to stomp her guts out.

When Sis showered in Finance… water splashing… I peeked. Couldn’t help it.

She sat on the round desk.

Hair like spilled ink down her shoulders. Lashes lowered. Lips lush red. Arms like swan necks. Naked body glowing like moonlight. White suds sliding down her collarbone…

So beautiful. Everywhere. Perfect.

Even her toes.

Heat flooded me. Heart trying to punch out of my chest.

I wanted to be those suds.

I wanted to fuck her. Apocalypse or not.

Before we left, I kissed her. Couldn’t stop myself. Wanted to confess… wanted more… She told me to shut up.

Didn’t care. When she hurt, I needed to hold her. So I did.

Sleazebag tried crawling back. Kicked his ass. Touch my woman? Try it, get hit. Every. Single. Time.

Side Piece offered me escape. Screw that. She wasn’t worth spit.

I protected my woman.

Risking our lives for food in B1? Zhao Kai tried leaving me behind.

‘Cause I’d punched him earlier.

But Sis didn’t abandon me. Almost got herself kicked out for it. If she hadn’t mattered… I’d have gutted that bastard.

Lucky Sis scared him straight with her threats.

I got in the truck. Pulled her onto my lap. Leaned close, breathing her in. "Sister…"

Right then? Wanted to hold her. Love her. Forever.

Later, Zhao Kai took her stun baton to the skull.

Honest? I was ready. Planned to shove him off myself if he climbed up.

Too dangerous. He’d have killed us all.

But Sis struck first.

She’s way harder than me. Love that.

The zombie cat bit me.

Kept it quiet.

Wanted to protect her. Couldn’t become her enemy.

Body started failing. Couldn’t hide it. If others knew? Instant death sentence.

Told Sis to say goodbye. Wanted to confess how long I’d loved her.

But Side Piece’s boytoy got bitten too. Turned fast.

So I had to leave.

That last look I gave her? Pure despair.

She never knew how deep it went.

My heart shattered.

Sis didn’t quit. Locked me in Finance.

Half-conscious, her sweet scent taunted me. Wanted to kiss her. Couldn’t fight the bloodlust. I bit her.

Instantly hated myself.

Monster. Animal. Ruined the best thing I ever touched.

She shivered in my arms. Burning up. Selfishly, I felt… I owned her right then.

Maybe my prayers hit something divine. We healed.

Then she got bit. Getting the stupid satellite phone. Right before rescue came.

She shoved me and Li Mingzhu into the vault. Found out she was abandoned. An orphan.

I never gave her the love she deserved.

Blood soaked half her body.

She told us to live.

She changed. Hair fell. Eyes filmed white. Voice a death rattle.

She finally asked my name. Told her: Chu Zhan. Three years younger. Don’t forget me.

She saved Li Mingzhu. I’ll guard the old lady for her.

Her last smile—haunting. Full of love… and goodbye.

Alone. A rose blooming in ruins. Unyielding. Alone. Coldly beautiful.

Farewell, my love.

Farewell, my rose.

…

A day later, I cracked the vault.

Found her on the floor.

She hadn’t left with the others?

Deep coma. Skin pale. Breath a whisper.

Checked her eyes. No milky film. Hair loss stopped. Wound wasn’t rotting. Smelled like blood, not decay.

Was heaven… pitying me?

An immune?

Was I?

Spammed the emergency line. Got through.

Immune. They said. Helicopter came…

Confirmed: I was immune.

Dai Mei got immunity… through my kiss.

My blood went into bioweapons research. Fast-tracked a vaccine.

The six-month zombie plague… ended.

Heh. I’m Chu Zhan. Apocalypse Killer. Total fucking legend.

No more wasteland. Cities rebuilding.

Sunlight everywhere. Life returns.

My rose… woke up.

Gotta go. Can’t wait to tell her.

​​Qiu Ze’s Epilogue​​

Swear to god, I just went for condoms.

My college white moonlight was back from abroad. Place was stocked with food… just no Durex.

That dumb white moonlight wanted to see how pretty the red rose was. Missed our escape window.

Loved the ice queen rose. Loved white moonlight’s family fortune.

Wanted both.

But my white moonlight got plowed by someone else. ‘Cause I took her damn ham sausage.

My red rose? Never even got laid. She bit my face off. ‘Cause I pushed her once.

Women hold grudges.

Zombie-me? Got mocked by other zombies.

No face. See?

Hate this looks-obsessed world.

No justice.

Rescue came. I lunged, begging for help. Boom. Headshot.

Next life? Just wanna be… human.