“In the meantime, please remain calm, do not panic, do not spread rumors, maintain regular schedules, and consciously measure your temperature at regular intervals…”
“What’s happening outside? Are those monsters zombies?” a man in the front row asked sharply.
Zhou Rong replied: “It’s just a mutated rabies virus. Please do not spread rumors.”
Rong just sent a location signal, and the airship will come tomorrow afternoon to pick up these survivors to the B military area…
Chuncao, hooking her arm around Yan Hao’s neck in the corridor, suddenly stopped mid-sentence, staring fixedly behind her.
Yan Hao casually asked, “What’s wrong?” When he turned to look, he also froze.
A young man emerged from the bathroom, his hair wet and exceptionally black, with half a face exposed, showing a pale white complexion due to the water vapor. He turned and saw Yan Hao, remaining silent and motionless for several seconds, with pupils that seemed to hide bright amber eyes. After a while, he briefly smiled, unshouldered the carbine from his shoulder, and tossed it back.
Yan Hao instinctively caught it, hearing him say, “Here it is back.”
“Si Nan…” Yan Hao instinctively tried to stop him, but saw Si Nan turn and walk towards the storeroom. Chuncao nudged Yan Hao’s arm and whispered, “…Do you guys check looks when rescuing people?”
Zhou Rong finally broke free from the crowd, having dealt with the sobbing mall manager, looked up to see Si Nan standing in the doorway’s shadow, one hand in his pocket, silently staring at him. Zhou Rong studied him for a moment, rubbing his chin mischievously: “What, coming to make a date?”
“…it’s for the greater good!”
Confusion and fear enveloped him like a thick fog, and he struggled to differentiate reality from his fevered dreams.
A voice broke through the chaos, calm and authoritative. “We need to monitor his vitals closely. If he shows any signs of mutation, we act immediately.”
Sinan’s mind drifted. He thought back to the fight, the taste of blood, and the sense of intoxication that came from it. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet it could all spiral out of control in a second. The stakes were higher now, and the enemy was not just the undead lurking beyond their walls but also the panic within his own group.
With difficulty, he opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of Zhou Rong, who was staring down at him, an unreadable expression on his face. Sinan felt a wave of shame wash over him.
“I’m sorry,” he managed to croak out, words heavy with regret.
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Zhou Rong replied, though his voice was laced with tension. “We’ll find a way.”
Sinan closed his eyes once more, succumbing to the fever and the uncertainty that loomed over him like a dark cloud.
The night wore on as they made plans, strategizing their next move. Each soldier was aware that time was not on their side, yet the hope of survival flickered faintly in the dark.
Sinan’s fever persisted, and everyone remained on alert, trapped between dread and a glimmer of resilience. Little did they know, the true battle was just beginning.
Pushing and fighting sounds approached and then suddenly disappeared from his ears, like a blurry vision through water. After an indeterminate time, footsteps stopped beside him, then someone crouched down, covering him with a thick coat.
Sinan struggled uncomfortably, but the person wrapped him tightly, not leaving a single gap.
“Just a normal illness, exhausted,” the person said. “Beta constitution isn’t strong. Worried you won’t make it through this fever.”
“Brother Rong…”
The person stood up, saying softly: “Give me the car keys. I’m going out for a bit.”
When he awoke again, Sinan felt someone forcing something into his mouth. He barely opened his eyes, realizing the medicinal tablets forced between his teeth had dissolved: “…You…”
“Fever medication.”
…Where did the fever medication come from?
Zhou Rong removed his coat, casually throwing it on the ground, and sat down next to Sinan, softly scolding: “Are you stupid or foolish? Going to the pharmacy only looking for food, not knowing to grab some common medications?”
Now you’ve got a fever, making me drive back and forth twenty kilometers in the middle of the night, almost becoming a midnight snack for those hundreds of zombies on the street. If it weren’t for you looking good…”
Sinan coughed hoarsely: “For saving you guys during the day, no need to thank me.”
Zhou Rong immediately fell silent.
Sinan regained some energy, about to make a sarcastic comment, when suddenly he smelled a strong, rotten bloody scent from the coat Zhou Rong had just thrown down.
He reached out and felt the fabric was sticky and damp.
In the darkness, only their deep breaths could be heard. After a while, Sinan whispered: “…Thank you.”
Zhou Rong said: “No need.”
A lighter clicked, Zhou Rong leaning against the wall, lighting a cigarette, exhaling a relaxed white mist, laughing and asking: “Were you dreaming? I heard you mumbling, seemed like you were cursing someone.”
“Missing home?” Zhou Rong asked casually.
Sinan shook his head.
“What did you do before? Your skills seem good, private bodyguard or police?”
Sinan shook his head again, saying nothing.
“Don’t be so tense, relax and chat. In case you’re not feverish but actually infected, and die later, I’ll be the only one you can entrust your will to. Are you married? Got a partner?”
“…No.”
“Great, I’m not either. Our whole team is single.”
Sinan glanced sideways, thinking to himself, that’s because you’re leading the gay parade.
Zhou Rong, oblivious, took a drag of his cigarette and sighed longingly: “B Military District shelter can accommodate tens of thousands, self-sufficient in water and electricity, completely isolated from the outside world. After the virus passes, the country will definitely arrange for you to settle in B City, matchmaking, marriage, encouraging reproduction to compensate for population loss during the disaster…”
“And B District rescued the most Omegas, most in breeding period, with a special military protection.” Zhou Rong unconsciously licked his lips, laughing: “Wow, impressive. Who came up with this policy, quite clever.”
Sinan’s voice was somewhat tense: “Why?”
“During every disaster, Alphas are the main rescue force. Whichever large shelter has more Alphas will have more ability to compete for resources, weapons, and territory – Alphas will naturally gather where there are more Omegas, and the upper echelons can distribute Omegas as strategic resources. Isn’t this simple logic?”
Zhou Rong took a deep drag of his cigarette, the red light flickering between his fingers. Sinan was silent for a while, then suddenly poked him in the waist: “What are you thinking about, so absorbed?”
Sinan casually said: “Want to go to B District and take a strategic resource home?”
Unexpectedly, Zhou Rong flatly refused: “No!”
For a moment, Sinan thought he would say “because I have Yan Hao.”
But before he could be moved by the love between these two Beta gays, he heard Zhou Rong decisively say: “I hate Omegas!”
“…” Sinan asked: “Why, Brother Rong?”
Zhou Rong suddenly changed his sitting position, staring intently at Sinan, saying earnestly: “Brother must give you a life advice: if you find a partner in the future, definitely don’t choose an Omega.”
“…”
“Try to find a Beta.”
“…
Two people stared at each other for a moment, with Si Nan’s mouth twitching slightly. “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” he said.
Zhou Rong patted his shoulder in agreement.
Si Nan asked sincerely, “But… why?”
Zhou Rong said seriously, “Because of Omegas, there are character issues.”
In the darkness, they glared at each other, maintaining the posture of Zhou Rong’s hand on Si Nan’s shoulder, with their noses just ten centimeters apart.
