C20 Saving People and Growing up

Lee Jun snapped out of his daze, greeting with a rapid-fire succession of hellos. "Hello, hello, both of you! I can't thank you enough for saving my life!"

He extended his hand, but upon noticing Lin Ya's sword, he felt his gesture was out of place. Yet, retracting his hand seemed equally awkward, leaving him somewhat embarrassed.

Lin Ya offered a slight smile, switched her sword to her left hand, and briefly touched Lee Jun's hand with her right before pulling back.

Lee Jun then turned his attention to Lin Chen.

With a nonchalant air, Lin Chen too transferred his sword to his left hand.

Sensing the cue, Lee Jun eagerly stepped forward, grasping Lin Chen's right hand firmly. "Big brother, I'm deeply grateful to you and this young lady for saving our lives. My name is Lee Jun. This is my younger sister, Lee Ying, my girlfriend, Ye Tingting, and Tingting's friend, Jiang Mei."

Lin Chen released his hand, introducing himself with cool detachment, "Lin Chen. And this is my sister, Lin Ya."

Despite Lin Chen's aloof demeanor, Lee Jun harbored no resentment.

His martial artist's instincts warned him: Lin Chen was a formidable figure.

Judging by Lin Chen's conduct in the recent skirmish, it was evident he was honing his sister's combat skills amidst a horde of over twenty zombies. What immense confidence that must take!

Although the apocalypse had only unfolded a few hours ago, it felt like an eternity had passed.

Meeting others who seemed agreeable brought a sense of joy, and the group of young people quickly warmed up to each other.

Standing at about 176 centimeters, Lee Jun's long-term martial arts training gave him a statuesque and upright posture, with a face that exuded integrity.

He shared with Lin Chen that he and Lee Ying hailed from an ancient martial arts family in Oldiron, and their family connections had secured them spots at Y University.

He was a junior in the Philosophy Department, while his sister and the three girls were juniors in the Physical Education Department.

Lin Chen felt both relieved and bemused.

It made sense that the girls had the courage and stamina to flee, but it was peculiar that a warrior like Lee Jun would choose to study philosophy. Was he just there for laughs?

With a hint of resignation, Lee Jun confessed, "Brother Lin Chen, as you know, philosophy is the easiest to tackle. It doesn't require much brainpower. As long as you can ramble on with thoughts that are incomprehensible to others—and even to yourself—you're all set. So... well..."

Laughter, strained yet alive, echoed through the intersection, injecting a flicker of levity into the desolate end times.

Lin Chen couldn't suppress a smirk. Lee Jun truly had a knack for comedy.

Lee Jun recounted that at the onset of the apocalypse, there were three of them in his dorm, including himself. The other two succumbed to zombification. As a martial artist, Lee Jun effortlessly dispatched them to their final rest.

Concerned for his sister and girlfriend, he took time to clear the stairwell before dashing to his sister's dormitory. There, he ingeniously fished out the zombies lurking beneath the girls' dorm and fought his way to his sister's room.

Lee Ying, Ye Tingting, and Jiang Mei shared that dormitory.

Lee Ying had eliminated the three other roommates turned zombies, safeguarding Ye Tingting and Jiang Mei.

Lee Jun's plan was to head to the 19th cafeteria, the logical source for food.

As they prepared to evacuate, a group of over a dozen joined them. Unfortunately, the fearful cries of some girls attracted swarms of zombies, their numbers growing exponentially.

In the ensuing turmoil, only Ye Tingting and Jiang Mei survived, thanks to the protection of Lee Jun and his sister. But they lost all their blankets and food in the chaos.

After hours of relentless combat, Lee Jun was nearly spent. In a dire moment, Lin Chen and his sister came to their rescue.

Lin Chen admired Lee Jun's integrity and his readiness to face mortal danger for his loved ones, which greatly improved his opinion of the man.

"Brother Lee, what's your next move? Our destinations differ, and I can't afford to escort you to the 19th cafeteria."

"Brother Lin Chen, I'm younger than you. If you respect me, just call me Jun."

"Okay, Jun, what's your plan?"

"Brother Lin Chen, the 19th cafeteria is no longer an option. Could you... could you possibly..."

"Do you want us to bring you along?"

"I'm curious about your thoughts, Brother Lin Chen. Rest assured, we won't be a burden to you."

Lin Chen, after a quick assessment that the three girls harbored no ill will, agreed readily, "Alright, follow us. Stay quiet and we won't expect you to fight. You're free to leave whenever you choose. But let me be clear: in a true crisis, I can only ensure my sister's safety. You'll need to look after your own."

"Of course."

Lee Jun breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Danger lurked at every turn, and with three women in tow, the danger was exponentially greater. Having two strong allies, especially siblings, was a stroke of luck that brought a sense of kinship.

Lin Chen wasn't usually so approachable, but now he needed to consolidate his strength.

He rummaged through his backpack, handing out bread and bottled water for them to consume on the move. Then he signaled Lin Ya to take the lead as they edged along the field toward Building No. 47.

Lee Jun noticed the abundance of ready-to-eat food, two long wooden boxes, and various outdoor supplies in the bag. Lin Chen had come prepared. Lee Jun wondered if the boxes contained knives or swords.

For Lin Chen, having the formidable Lee Jun siblings at his side was an unexpected boon.

As the six of them skirted past Buildings No. 49 and No. 48, numerous stranded students spotted them.

Desperate cries for help and frantic waving of 'Save us' and 'SOS' signs filled the air, as the students sought rescue from the group.

But as the group vanished from sight, ignoring the pleas, a chorus of curses and insults erupted. The students denounced Lin Chen and his team as heartless, less than animals, doomed to be devoured by the undead.

Their shouting only drew more zombies to the dorms.

Lin Ya, with her keen hearing, caught every word of the vitriol, her complexion turning ashen.

She understood all too well that their small group stood no chance against the swarming hordes of zombies. She wouldn't burden her brother with impossible rescue demands, yet she felt deeply aggrieved.

Couldn't those people see that their curses solved nothing? Didn't they realize that attracting more zombies only made any potential rescue even more perilous?

Lin Chen turned to Lin Ya with a wry smile. "Yaya, you see, this is the nature of humanity in the end times. Those people were strangers to us; our not helping them was not wrong. Yet, because we didn't, they accuse us of lacking humanity. They've let their hatred for us fester, cursing us with venom. Do you think such people are worth saving?"

Lin Ya spoke in a hesitant murmur, "Brother, maybe that's just the opinion of a few people."

"Yaya, you know very well that more than half of those people were cursing us just moments ago. Are you afraid to confront the harsh reality of human nature? If you can't face the truth of human nature, then you shouldn't fight at all. Just stay under my protection. No matter how strong you are, you'll still fall prey to the maliciousness of others!" Lin Chen's voice was stern in his final words.

Lin Ya had never heard her brother speak to her with such severity. Her eyes reddened, and tears threatened to spill over.

But she didn't resent him. She understood that he was being harsh out of concern for her, and she knew he was right. Yet, she couldn't overcome the emotional hurdle within her, empathizing deeply with the suffering of others.

Lee Jun and the others quickly stepped in to offer comfort.

Truth be told, Lee Jun wholeheartedly agreed with Lin Chen's perspective. As the male heir of his family, burdened with their expectations, he had faced many challenges early on and had a clear-eyed view of human nature, which allowed him to adapt quickly to the post-apocalyptic world. But when it came to his naive sister, he found it hard to be as tough as Lin Chen.

Then, Lin Chen spoke to Lin Ya with a softer tone, "Yaya, who is more important to you, me or those people?"

"Obviously, you are, brother."

"What if I were to die..."

"Brother, don't talk like that!"

"See? As long as I'm alive and by your side, you have everything you need in the world, right?"

"Brother, you're so full of yourself! But... But you're right."

"If I'm right, and you already have what's most important, are the other things truly that significant?"

"Brother, I think I'm starting to understand."

"Yaya, I want you to realize that you're not the world's savior. Your abilities have limits, so you shouldn't shoulder the suffering of others as your own burden. Their pain and fate are in the hands of fate, and you can't fight against that. Your purpose is to look after the family and friends you cherish. As for everyone else, help when you can, if you feel inclined. If not, then don't. Do you understand?"

"Bro, I get it now."

"So, are you still up for practicing your combat skills?"

"Absolutely. I need to protect you, and our parents."

"Alright, let's keep moving forward."

"Got it!"

Lin Ya cast aside the negative emotions from the harsh words of others and marched on with unwavering determination.

Yet, her face now bore an almost imperceptible frostiness, the once vibrant innocence faded like flowers of days past.

A profound gulf had formed in her heart, separating her loved ones from the rest of the world.

In times of peace, that gulf existed but was concealed by the shackles of morality and law. Now, those restraints had been severed by Lin Chen's incisive words, laying the divide bare for all to see.

On this inaugural day of the apocalypse, Lin Ya underwent a swift transformation.

Lee Ying appeared deeply moved by Lin Chen's stern talk.

Lee Jun was downright in awe of Lin Chen.

He was nearly helpless when it came to his sister. But Lin Chen, with just a few words, not only convinced her to embrace the truth but also shook off the negativity, sparking a fierce combativeness within her.

And it seemed that even Lee Ying, an outsider, took the lessons to heart, with Tingting and Meimei nodding in agreement.

Lin Chen, you're a true prodigy!

Lee Jun, born into a noble lineage, was usually quite haughty. But in this moment, unbeknownst to himself, his admiration for the newly met Lin Chen skyrocketed, his respect reaching new heights.

He was on the verge of becoming Lin Chen's most devoted follower!