WMSR – QT Chapter 100

 

WMSR – QT Chapter 100

By

siofra

Chapter 100: The Senior of the Apocalypse (06)

Just like that, the last remaining people hiding inside houses across this city were squeezed out like water pressed from a sponge. They either joined the initial wave of refugees fleeing toward other locations to seek a new lease on life, or roamed the urban wasteland like scavengers, combing every corner for food. The lucky ones managed to secure enough rations to prolong their lives by a day or two, while the unfortunate ones turned into food for the zombies in the middle of their search.

Under these circumstances, the group hiding in the building opposite the supermarket prepared to set off as well, despite still possessing a relatively abundant stash of food. After all, they lacked vehicles, and there was no telling how long it would take to locate a new viable shelter.

Upon learning about the upcoming departure, Qi Yuanyuan approached Xiao Yi on multiple occasions, pleading with him to leave alongside them.

During this period, having returned to the side of her ex-boyfriend's buddies, she was exceptionally well cared for. Beyond having no shortage of food and water, her confidence had swelled, as these men were indisputably backing her up, whereas Xiao Yi—who had previously escorted her through the siege on campus—appeared somewhat isolated and lone-wolfish.

However, Qi Yuanyuan did not grow arrogant or domineering as the dynamics shifted, being a remarkably pragmatic and sharp woman. Having followed this man through countless zombie encirclements over those few days, she possessed a crystal-clear understanding that his combat prowess far surpassed anything her ex-boyfriend's teammates could muster. The world had clearly mutated into a ruin with zero signs of incoming rescue, signaling that this crisis was neither trivial nor reversible anytime soon. Although she currently faced no immediate shortage of food or water, those stockpiles would inevitably run dry. With a large group of physically robust young men, the supplies stored inside the apartment were diminishing at a visible rate every single day. Thus, while her ex-boyfriend's teammates seemed more worth currying favor with in the short term due to their food hoard, securing a connection with this formidable man was infinitely more crucial over the long haul.

Consequently, Qi Yuanyuan never ceased her efforts to forge a solid rapport with him over this period, offering daily greetings and even offering him a portion of her assigned food allocations. Unfortunately, this man proved exceptionally difficult to win over; he rejected her offerings outright and maintained a cold, distant posture throughout. Even now, the only detail she had managed to glean was his name, Xiao Yi, and that he was an alumnus from her university.

"Xiao Yi, come with us," Qi Yuanyuan whispered, holding onto a final sliver of hope as she stepped before him.

Just as she assumed her attempt would end in failure like every preceding effort, Xiao Yi, who had been staring out the window with his head turned, slowly looked back at her. After a prolonged pause, he gave a subtle, silent nod.

What? Qi Yuanyuan froze, unable to process his reaction immediately. Does that mean... he agreed?

Xiao Yi paid no mind to Qi Yuanyuan's stifled gasp of joy behind her hand, turning his gaze back toward the window. He stared out at a specific direction in the distance—the direction from which he had arrived, where the university campus lay.

Author's Note:Covering my face... I possessed grand ambitions, yet reality delivered such a short chapter. The protagonist continues to play a minor role in this chapter, but the next chapter will dive right into the main character's plotline.

The following day, the population remaining in the city dwindled further, including Bai Yichen's former teammates, Qi Yuanyuan, and Xiao Yi.

Naturally, Bai Yichen remained completely oblivious to their departure. Though confined inside his apartment, he kept himself thoroughly occupied, prioritizing one crucial task above all else: physical training.

In an apocalyptic setting, survival ultimately boiled down to physical capability. A robust physique might not guarantee you can overpower zombies, but it would at least ensure you could outrun them during a chase. Thus, cultivating a strong physical condition was paramount in a post-apocalyptic world.

In this regard, Bai Yichen was immensely grateful that his body in this incarnation was exceptionally healthy. Had he been confined to a wheelchair like in his previous world, he would have had no choice but to sit idle and await death.

In this life, Bai Yichen possessed long, powerful limbs, inheriting the athletic build and lean muscle mass of the original host—a former basketball enthusiast and campus prince. Bai Yichen's current objective was to prevent those muscles from deteriorating due to prolonged indoor confinement, while pushing the physical capabilities of this body even further.

Consequently, Bai Yichen maintained a rigorous daily workout regimen consisting of push-ups, squats, pull-ups, and other stationary exercises. After a period of consistent training, he noted with deep satisfaction that his sculpted eight-pack abs had become noticeably more defined, barely suppressing a wave of contentment.

Bai Yichen extended his arm, clenching his hand into a tight fist before slowly releasing it. This sensation of surging power convinced him that handling early-stage zombies would pose zero issue.

Yet no matter how eager he felt to test his strength, rationality prevailed. He strictly instructed himself not to step outside until the full one-month duration had elapsed. This guaranteed that even if an unexpected event occurred afterward, he would merely receive slightly reduced rewards rather than facing mission failure penalties.

After reminding himself once more, Bai Yichen stepped onto the balcony to catch some fresh air. Ever since the power grid failed, the balcony had become his most frequented spot outside of training. Even though the apartment received ample natural light, the absence of electrical lighting caused the interior to grow dim once direct sunlight faded, making the balcony essential whenever he required clear visibility.

Bai Yichen stood on the seventh-floor balcony, gazing down at the courtyard below. While not excessively high, it offered complete safety from roaming zombies. From this very vantage point in the early days of the outbreak, he had watched families frantically packing up and fleeing the residential complex. However, past that initial wave, human sightings became exceedingly rare. Over the past week, he had not spotted a single living person, catching only the occasional glimpse of one or two zombies wandering below.

Just as Bai Yichen drifted into deep thought, a man stumbled into his line of sight, running frantically below. Bai Yichen blinked in genuine astonishment—he had just been reflecting on not seeing a soul in a week, only for someone to appear instantly.