Chapter 2: Disasters and Calamities

Zhang Xingmin and Lin Xiaofeng had been wandering the streets for most of the day. When they encountered major trouble, they detoured around it; when it was something minor, they dealt with it on the spot. When hunger struck, they’d find a place to eat and drink, indulging in meals they’d never have dared dream of before, walking out without paying a cent. When their car ran out of gas, they simply drove to a gas station—no need to pay there, either. Now, as they drove near the tech market, the car was once again out of fuel.

“You know, this isn’t so bad,” Zhang Xingmin said, grinning as he filled the tank. “No need to pay for food, no need to pay for gas. Back in the day, gas was outrageously expensive.”

Lin Xiaofeng glanced at the designer clothes he now wore, each piece worth thousands, the kind he’d long coveted but never dared buy. Now he was wearing them all at once. He nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I thought it was the end of the world, but turns out we get to live it up for a few days. Just thinking about it makes me too excited to sleep.”

Zhang Xingmin could only smile and sigh, keeping his thoughts to himself. Living so foolishly, perhaps that was the truest happiness.

After refueling, Zhang Xingmin got back in the car and asked, “Where to?”

“Where are you going?” Lin Xiaofeng replied with a question.

“Home.”

“We just got out here, didn’t we?” Lin Xiaofeng was momentarily confused, but then realized Zhang meant his childhood home. He quickly changed tack. “Oh, you want to check on your parents? Should I come with you?”

Zhang Xingmin looked at Lin Xiaofeng as if he were an idiot. “Meet the parents? Better not. You’d scare them! Besides, Haizhou City is far. If something happens on the way, I can’t take responsibility.”

Lin Xiaofeng realized Zhang was about to leave him behind. That wouldn’t do—not with monsters prowling and the city streets twisted and warped beyond recognition. There were sudden hills where none had been, skyscrapers twisted like ropes, and some places had caved in to bottomless black pits. Who knew what else was out there? He couldn’t be left alone in a city where there wasn’t another living soul in sight.

Resolute, Lin Xiaofeng latched onto Zhang Xingmin’s arm, shamelessly whining, “Brother Min, please take me with you! I’m so scared to be here alone, Brother Min…”

Zhang Xingmin was so disgusted he nearly broke out in hives, pushing Lin off with a look of contempt. “Fine, you can come. But let’s be clear: life and death are up to fate. If anything happens on the way, I’m not responsible.”

Lin Xiaofeng berated himself inwardly for his earlier display, but outwardly pretended to be thrilled, clapping his hands like an excited child. He quietly took his seat in the passenger side.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Xingmin was racing down Jiangzhou’s main road. Lin Xiaofeng’s heart was pounding: they weren’t heading toward Haizhou at all. Was Zhang lying to him? Who was this guy, really? They’d only met a few days ago—what if he was up to no good? He didn’t even have anything valuable on him.

Just as Lin Xiaofeng’s thoughts spiraled, the car stopped. They were at the First People’s Hospital of Jiangzhou. This unsettled Lin even more. Hospital? Human trafficking? My god, I should’ve just stayed home and argued with my old man rather than run away. Was this where his life would end?

Zhang Xingmin saw Lin’s pale face and, mistaking his fear for bad memories of hospitals, apologized. “Are you okay? I just want to check if I can grab some medicine for emergencies. In times like these, stuff you can’t grow in the wild will be gone before you know it.”

Lin Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! My life’s safe!”

Zhang Xingmin instantly understood what Lin meant and tossed out a single word, “Childish,” before heading inside. Lin hurried after him.

They entered the outpatient building, finding the lobby strewn with corpses, sprawled every which way as if a violent battle had just ended.

“Indeed, in turbulent times, you never know when your life will end. Look at these people—escaped death at the hands of monsters, only to die by human hands. People can be more frightening than monsters,” Zhang Xingmin remarked.

Lin Xiaofeng was at a loss for words; such weighty topics weren’t his style. Just then, a scream shattered the awkward silence. They followed the sound, but it suddenly ceased.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Zhao Nana was desperately fighting a monster. She was just an ordinary doctor, a fresh intern. All she’d wanted was to learn medicine and save lives; no one told her doctors would need to save the world. If she’d known, she’d have left with the main group.

She wasn’t afraid of blood, nor fighting monsters, but the creature was simply too strong for her. And that nurse—if she screamed one more time, Zhao swore she’d silence her before the monster could. Surely, murder wasn’t a crime anymore?

The monster, seemingly intelligent, sized up Zhao and found her too tricky, then turned its attention to the trembling nurse in the corner. Zhao thought about playing hero, but reason told her survival came first. She began to retreat.

The creature charged at the nurse. Soon, shrieks echoed down the corridor. Zhang Xingmin and Lin Xiaofeng, having finally tracked the noise, rushed to help—but they were too late. What they saw nearly made them vomit: the half-eaten corpse clutched in the monster’s grip, much like a child gnawing a drumstick.

Their arrival startled Zhao Nana. She hadn’t expected to find anyone else—let alone two young men—wading into this mess. Still, having company in danger, especially two handsome men, was better than dying alone.

“Hey! You two over there, here to die as well?” she called out with a hint of swagger.

“You’ve got some nerve! We came to help and you can’t even say thank you?” Lin Xiaofeng protested, a bit childishly.

Zhang Xingmin signaled him to be quiet. Sure enough, their voices alerted the creature.

“So it responds to sound?” Lin Xiaofeng muttered.

Realizing it was surrounded, the monster grew excited—partly from the increased threat, partly from the prospect of more food.

Zhao called out, a note of disdain in her voice, “Well? Are you coming or what, you cowards?”

Zhang Xingmin had no qualms about being labeled a coward. “Fine, I admit it. Bye, beautiful! If we survive, see you downstairs!” With that, he grabbed Lin Xiaofeng and ran.

“Brother Min, isn’t this a bit much?” Lin Xiaofeng protested, unwilling to seem cowardly.

“What’s wrong with it? Let me tell you, a tigress is scarier than a little monster.”

As the two slipped away, Zhao Nana didn’t hesitate either; survival came first. She just hoped she could outrun those two cowards.

The clever monster, seeing its meal escape, dropped its half-eaten “snack” and lumbered after them. The narrow corridor made movement difficult for its massive body.

When Zhao reached the first-floor lobby, she encountered the two not-so-valiant young men again. Before she could confront them, Lin Xiaofeng grabbed her and pulled her outside. Zhang Xingmin lingered at the rear, tossing a match onto the wet floor before dashing out as well.

The three stood outside, gazing at the inferno consuming the hospital, hearts finally a little steadier.

“Thanks,” Zhao Nana said. “Didn’t expect you to be so decent after all.”

Lin Xiaofeng puffed up with pride. “Of course! When have I ever backed down?” Clearly, he cared about his reputation for bravery.

Zhang Xingmin, however, was less enthusiastic. The events of the past days had drained him. Lin Xiaofeng was trouble enough, and now there was a woman—one who wasn’t even gentle. The hospital’s eerie atmosphere unsettled him further.

Zhao Nana picked up on his wariness. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. Want to know what happened here?”

Without waiting for a reply, she began her story—perhaps she needed to unburden herself. She had almost witnessed it all.

That night, Zhao Nana was on duty. Everything was normal until evening—nothing out of the ordinary. But deep into the night, the ground began to shake violently. Everyone thought it was an earthquake and rushed to open spaces, with the patients pleading not to be left behind.

But when they reached the square, the scene was unbelievable. The world looked like a sand table, twisted and reassembled at someone’s whim. The buildings were all jumbled and recombined. Worse still, strange creatures had appeared out of nowhere—just like the monsters from those old superhero shows.

But here, there were no heroes, no saviors. As the anthem says, “No savior in the sky…to create humanity’s happiness, we must rely on ourselves.” Fortunately, the hospital director kept order, and soon others seeking shelter joined them. The hospital became a temporary refuge. Everyone worked together to fend off wave after wave of attacks. Some died, but most survived.

But that wasn’t the end. Soon, a plague spread among the crowd. People fell into comas, and upon waking, lost their wits, becoming like zombies and biting others. The doctors had no solution.

Fear and panic spread as people’s resolve crumbled. Chaos ensued. Zhao watched, helpless, as those around her—friends and strangers alike—died one by one.

Finally, things quieted. The few survivors planned to move, having heard there was a safe zone in the north of the city. So everyone left.

“Why didn’t you go?” Zhang Xingmin asked.

Zhao Nana’s eyes reddened. “I was waiting for my mother. She said she’d bring me breakfast the next morning—my favorite, dumplings with chive and shrimp. But she never came.”