Translator: transcendent.wings
Editor: phizzlepop
Sponsored by: Atropos, a winner of the CG 10K contest, who has kindly chosen 2 bonus releases for ZU as their prize~ pls congratulate them + send good vibes their way. the regular chappie from last wk will also be released asap once it’s done~
Due to their companions’ forceful interjection, the “cordial and amicable” heart-to-heart between the Qi-Song pair was aborted abruptly. In fact, the two of them already understood in their hearts. Just as Qiao Siqi had illustrated, their luxury ocean liner of love had already kuacha collided with an iceberg, on the brink of going under even as they conversed. No one could’ve stopped it.
En. Qiao Siqi.
It was currently 7:30 in the evening. The six who’d finally readied their weapons returned to sit on the blankets in neat rows. Qi Yan had already discarded the dulled fruit knife he’d brought over from the dormitories and switched to a sharp pair of scissors from the supermarket, continuously fiddling with it. Sometimes he brought the two blades together, making a stabbing motion, and other times kacha kacha separated the blades like he was cutting something. After playing around like this for about a minute, he smiled and asked John-tongxue who was sitting across from him: “Do you think this is better than my fruit knife from before?”
“Well…” Qiao Siqi turned his face away, slowly shifting his gaze to look at the ceiling diagonally above, “Of course.”
Qi Yan questioned closely, “How so?”
Qiao Siqi wanted to cry, “It’ll hurt more if you stab someone with it…”
“Enough,” Lin Dilei couldn’t stand it anymore. She reached over to smack the scissors out of his hands, and scolded him, “If you’re so capable, then take charge and just do him. Even if he won’t be honest, his body sure will be. Otherwise, go find a corner somewhere and reflect on exactly which part of you it is that doesn’t satisfy the other.”
Song Fei: “…”
Qiao Siqi’s widened eyes were brimming with gratitude, looking as though he was watching the Bodhisattva Guanyin descend into the mortal world!
The other three male students secretly gave her a thumbs up. Whereas other people treated their words like pearls, Landmine-jie treated her words like weapons of mass destruction ah!
After Qi Yan was admonished until practically all of his internal organs had suffered critical injuries, he pressed his lips together tightly and didn’t make another peep.
Song Fei could neither comment nor play dead. In the end, he simply slapped his hand-drawn map onto the blankets, forcibly changing the subject: “Let’s study the route!”
Sila—
Due to Song Fei-tongxue applying excessive force, plus the blankets being too soft, the moment his map came into contact with the blankets, a few, unfortunate vertical rips appeared on it with his palm strike.
The map had originally been hastily scrawled on there. Now that it was all crumpled up, it resembled a piece of scrap paper from all angles.
Fortunately, his four companions weren’t put off by it. They gathered close, lowering their heads and working hard to make out its contents. After a long identification process, they finally recognized it as a map of their campus grounds.
“Oh wow, you actually made it quite detailed.” Luo Geng-tongxue gave his sincere approval.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Which route did you want to take?” Zhou Yilu could read the map, but couldn’t understand what Song Fei’s intentions were.
Vbcu Mfl qbcvfgfv obg j wbwfca yfobgf rjslcu: “Ktlr lr ktja P kjr atlcxlcu. Qf’nf regnlnfv ecali cbk, rb kf’gf qgbyjyis iemxlfg atjc wbra bo beg ofiibk mijrrwjafr. Dea, la’r cba fcbeut obg er ab pera wjxf la ab atlr qblca. Qf cffv ab rajs jilnf. Kb rajs jilnf, kf tjnf ab wjxf oeii erf bo beg jvnjcajufr. Qf jigfjvs tjnf j ifu eq bc atfw lc afgwr bo wbylilas jcv lcafiilufcmf, yea atfgf’r jirb beg ufbugjqtlmji jvnjcajuf.”
Lin Dilei: “Familiarity with our campus?”
Song Fei: “En. No one knows every nook and cranny of our university like we do. The basketball courts, the auditorium, the library, and even that downright inhumane monstrosity, the Department of Architectural Engineering’s Luban Building, can all become our safe havens when necessary. The more complex the structure, the better it is for us…”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Zhou Yilu raised his hand solemnly, “I disagree with the evaluation you’ve bestowed upon the Luban Building, a most worthy edifice embodying the splendid architectural prowess of our school, a child born of the passionate collision between ingenuity and artistry, the perfect amalgamation of artistic spirit and practicality!”
Song Fei: “…”
Lin Dilei: “…”
Qi Yan: “…”
Qiao Siqi: “…”
Luo Geng: “Maybe because I’m just a layman, ha, and don’t really understand architectural beauty or whatever, but I just have one question for you. Why is it that I get lost every time I go to your building?”
Zhou Yilu: “What a ridiculous question. Who said I don’t get lost too?”
Qiao Siqi: “…”
Song Fei: “…”
Qi Yan: “…”
Lin Dilei: “I can’t anymore, my chest hurts too much, let me rest for a bit…”
Luo Geng: “I’ll help you massage it out!”
Lin Dilei: “Get lost.”
Their survival plan conference restarted after five minutes, mainly because all of them needed to cover their chests and roll around the blankets for a while first to avoid exploding on the spot.
“I totally agree with using the terrain to our advantage,” remarked Luo Geng, who was quickest to recover, “But as for how we’ll utilize it, I think that’s a question for later. The question right now is whether we should use positional tactics or breakout tactics?”
“I’ll share first. I’m in favor of positional warfare.” John-tongxue had gotten his hands on a pack of beef jerky at some point. Ever since Lin Dilei had prohibited him from smoking, he was practically never without some sort of snack in his mouth. “Right now, none of us have any idea what the situation is like outside. Maybe if we hold on for a few more days, search and rescue will come for us. After all, this isn’t your ordinary illness or minor disaster. To put it bluntly, delaying control measures by even a day could result in enemy occupation of a large part of the city. Would the government just sit back and watch?”
“I also favor positional warfare,” Qi Yan declared pensively. “The risk of forcing a breakout is much too high. There’s plenty of food here, enough to sustain us for a month or two. There’s no need for us to take unnecessary risks.”
Zhou Yilu: “What if we aren’t rescued even after holding on for a month or two?”
Lin Dilei: “Then the situation outside the university can only be that much worse.”
Luo Geng: “D*mn, it can’t really be the end of the world ba, like how it’s depicted in the movies with ruins, sand, and dead silence?”
Qiao Siqi: “Or a new world and world order.”
“Um, can we move away from this sci-fi movie first?” Frankly, Song Fei couldn’t stand by any longer. He had to reign in the thoughts of his comrades-in-arms that were running amok like wild horses. “This is the Information Age. Scientists are already thinking of ways the Earth can avoid smaller meteorites. I refuse to believe they won’t be able to resolve a mere zombie virus. Of course, this is speaking from a more global perspective. If we zoom in, even if this virus is only plaguing China, I still believe that our country has the methods and means to control and stabilize the situation. Think about the Libyan evacuation and the archipelago in the South China Sea that was secretly transformed from barren reefs into a base. Would they have been able to do things like that without the strength or confidence to do so?”
“Aiyou, f*ck me, you’ve got me all excited now,” Luo Geng braced his toned body, feeling an urge to immediately charge out and wrestle with some zombies right now.
Song Fei: “Of course, we also need to play devil’s advocate.”
Luo Geng: “…can’t you f*cking say it all at once ma!”
Song Fei patted his shoulder apologetically, motioning for him to steady his emotions first, before he sighed: “They must’ve taken action already. But, before they carry out any rescue missions, stabilizing the situation to prevent further deterioration comes first. The fact that we still have water and electricity is probably thanks to that. But, even if the situation stabilizes, maintaining the status quo for an indefinite period of time requires a substantial chunk of human and material resources. Therefore, the number of people who can conduct rescue operations is already limited. Considering the viral transmission rate and how long it’ll take for them to stabilize the overall situation, how many places do you guys think will need rescue by then?”
This judgment had been made with an optimistic outlook, while still taking the reality of their situation into account; gleaming with hope, yet weighed down by apprehension.
“The entire country.” After a lull, Qi Yan offered an answer, “If there were only one or two provinces affected by the viral outbreak, based on our country’s ability, someone would’ve come to our rescue long ago. Given that a rescue is not forthcoming, that can only indicate that the extent of the viral outbreak far exceeds our imagination. It’s not like other infectious diseases where the patient is still conscious and can be monitored in quarantine. Instead, it’s erratic and spreads quickly. At this rate of transmission, no province will be spared besides the Tibetan Plateau.
Zhou Yilu: “The Tibetan Plateau may not be safe either. If a single tourist gets infected, the Qinghai-Tibet railway will send this special delivery straight there.”
Qi Yan: “…”
Disregarding Zhou Yilu-tongxue’s concerns, Lin Dilei directly inquired: “Song Fei, what exactly are you trying to say?”
Song Fei lowered his head, mulling over something. Only after a long time did he say seriously, “What I wanted to say was, even when the rescue efforts begin, the limited amount of resources available suggests that there will be an order to it. What do you guys think the sequence will be?”
Qi Yan: “Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan, the heart of China.”
Luo Geng: “Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, the trade centers of China.”
Zhou Yilu: “Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi, the coastal region.”
Qiao Siqi: “Mongolia, Tibet, and the Mongolian borderline.”
Lin Dilei: “Then, they’ll gradually shrink the encirclement, and eventually… reach our Central Plains region?”
Song Fei: “Of course, it’s also possible that they’ll deal with the Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi regions before they move eastward.”
Qiao Siqi: “That still doesn’t move us up the priority list that much ah… Mom! Why did you make me apply here in the first place!!!”
Song Fei impatiently shoved Qiao Siqi’s head aside, interrupting his wailing. At this stage, they could talk about anything but their parents. Once they opened the floodgates to an emotional topic like that, no one would be able to suppress their feelings. If they were all crying their hearts out, they wouldn’t be able to discuss sh*t.
“Back to what I was saying, we’ll have to implement both positional and breakout strategies, employing a two-pronged approach. Of course, it’d be best if a rescue team comes for us. But, in the case they don’t, and we can’t hold our position or there’s nothing left to eat, then we’ll have to act decisively and shift our sights elsewhere. If the entire university becomes inhabitable, and water and electricity are still functional at that time, then fleeing to the city will be our best bet.”
Qi Yan questioned: “Why not go to the city now?”
Song Fei peered at him in earnest: “None of us know what’s going on outside. If the outside of our school is a wasteland, and there’s nowhere to run or hide, there’ll be a slim chance of survival. So, that’s our last resort. Unless we have no other choice, we shouldn’t do it.”
“Exactly. What if we run outside and die, when we could’ve just stayed here and been rescued within two weeks. Then, wouldn’t we have died for nothing ah,” Qiao Siqi cut in.
Of course, Qi Yan understood this principle. He didn’t actually need to ask Song Fei any questions. He only thought that it was especially novel to see Song Fei attempt to guide everyone along, showcasing such clear, logical, and rational thought processes: “You used to act like you’d die if you had to use your brain even a bit. What made you suddenly decide to start thinking about problems so diligently?”
Song Fei rolled his eyes: “Because, if I don’t use my brain now, then I really will die.”
Qi Yan sighed: “If only you’d put all of this energy into studying earlier, then you wouldn’t have almost failed English last semester.”
Song Fei: “Why aren’t you commenting on how I scored the highest grade in my Management class.”
Qi Yan: “Being good at certain subjects and not others is nothing to be proud of.”
Song Fei: “…f*ck, where are my chopsticks?”
Zhou Yilu: “Calm down! Once love has come to its end, what has been cast out can no longer return ashore. Love and hate shall endure forevermore. Wait not till it’s too late to persuade him to stay anymore, to be reminded of warmth since forgotten, but once adored.”
Qi Yan: “…”
Song Fei: “Yilu, you can let go, ba. I’m calm now, really.”
In the end, everyone unanimously agreed on a comprehensive plan incorporating dual positional and breakout tactics that complemented one another. Additionally, they formulated a plan to sprint straight for the ventilation window and climb to the roof to wait for an opportunity to occupy the canteen in the event they lost the supermarket. As for whether they’d continue to advance after occupying the canteen or defend their position once more, they’d deferred it for later discussion, to be adjusted accordingly depending on the actual situation there.
Of course, it’d be ideal if they could safely secure the supermarket until they were rescued.
Although rationally, everyone understood that the supermarket might fall into enemy hands at any moment, and that they could only try to stuff their backpacks with more satiating foods and place it together with their weapons next to their pillow, once it was late into the night and the strange noises outside had slowly faded away, they couldn’t help but lie down, seeking the comfort and warmth of more ordinary days from their soft blankets.
This had been a tiring, drawn-out day for the five who’d fled from the dormitories and Lin Dilei who’d escaped from the water room.
At this time, the five of them were lying side-by-side on the blankets. They were right next to each other, but weren’t so close that their shoulders were touching. However, they were still at a distance where they could kick each other if they stretched out their legs. Lin Dilei’s spot had been arranged on the inside, right next to the shelves and windowless walls. She knew that this was the safest spot available. Although she didn’t verbalize it, she truly appreciated their kindness from the bottom of her heart.
When she’d been trapped inside the water room, she’d run through many scenarios in her head. One was being mauled by a monster that had broken in. Another was being rescued by a group of students who’d teamed up to fight against these monsters. However, the latter wasn’t enough to put her at ease. For any girl in this kind of situation, at best, she might be written off as a burden. At worst, well, she didn’t dare to think too deeply about it. And maybe she was just being cynical or pessimistic, but with death dogging their footsteps like this, no one could guarantee that their sense of humanity and morality wouldn’t become even the slightest bit twisted.
In the end, reality had given her a real slap in the face.
But, she accepted this slap with pleasure as it sent all of the negativity she’d accumulated in the water room straight to the afterlife.
She was studying at a fantastic university, and had met an amazing group of classmates. Although the sudden viral outbreak had left her trapped inside the water room, and her ‘great aunt’ had made a very timely appearance, she believed— eventually, even the darkest of nights would have to melt away in the light of a rising dawn.
Author's Chapter Summary: Living in China has left me with no regrets, we must be unyielding and save ourselves!
The translator has something to say: And Zhou Yilu strikes again! He’s either more likely to sink the Qi-Song pair’s relationship forever or he’ll become the enemy they’ll temporarily unite against to drown first. It’s also nice to see how the crew has all stayed true to themselves and hadn’t distorted their morals (there’s hope for humanity yet) and that we got to see a softer side to Lin Dilei as well~
The editor has something to say: zombie apocalypse survival shoptalk, Dilei-jiejie favors nuclear warfare, bby sunflower Song Fei shines extra brightly today
Thank you for the chapter!
As always, you’re welcome
Song Fei really shines through from all the analysis he has given.
Thanks for the chapter
hahaha the entire ch i was cheering him on. go bby Sunflower, u can do it when u put ur mind to it!
SF, you did a good job :3 But srsly, should a zombie outbreak happen in RL… I’d be absolutely clueless about what to do lol
Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶
same! i feel like when reading books it’s easy to think of things but when ur actually in a scary situation… i love horror and horror movies, etc. but when i actually walk through haunted houses for halloween, no matter how fake i know it is i still get scared being chased after and when things pop out, so i bet that’d be a huge factor… just being scared of actually opening a door or going anywhere
I just know that I’d be totally useless in an apocalypse lol I have useful knowledge, my stamina is negative and yeah, fighting power as strong as a newborn lololol And half blind. There are no good things xD But I think one would adapt fast to new circumstances, so you won’t be too scared for too long, or less scared… maybe xD
You honestly never know, somehow I feel that people act differently depending on the circumstances. Such as I think it’s easy to make yourself braver when you know that someone is even more frightened than you are or if they are dependent upon you while you are weaker when you know that there is someone else you trust and can rely on with you.
Qi Yan continues with his fxcking digs. At this point, who cares how many classes they failed?
he will need to definitely change his attitude before he is deserving of Song Fei’s love.
thanks for the chapter <3
+1 i thought his comment there was so unnecessary. like just be happy for him for analyzing stuff who cares if he used his brainpower or not in English class back then… what is Song Fei supposed to do now, grab a time machine and go back in time to use it? so irrelevant…
Came back bc I’ve been thinking about 字字珠璣 and 字字珠心 since I read this chapter 👁️👁️
We spent quite a while on that as well, I hope we were able to convey the meaning well enough in a similarly poetic or idiomatic way
Can’t Qi Yan just praise him? 😌
Thank you for the chapter <3
When I read about the South China Sea part…. I suddenly had conflicting emotions…..I still wanna enjoy this novel though. Thanks for the chapter!
Exactly what I was about to comment! As a Filipina, I had to stop reading for a few minutes to settle my emotions.
Ditto.. TvT)/
That’s true. The common chinese people knew they’re really guilty about transforming/owning that reef but the Filipino leaders are keeping themselves blind about it. I’ve been reading danmei for yrs already I kinda understand how Ph is being manipulated/ slowly conquered by China.
Thank you for the chapter 🥰
Trust me QY is sinking his own ship just fine. He literally insults and backhand compliments SF at every turn. Even if it’s harmless banter, constantly hearing a negative perception of yourself from someone is annoying af.