Two months later, as time entered October, the scorching weather began to cool down. Overnight, what was once hot enough to make people cry and shout for their parents had turned into shivering cold, with the autumn wind piercing through.

Shen Dongming and his team had left the capital just before the second outbreak of the virus. He received a mission to go to City Z and bring back Professor Yang, an expert in genetics, and his research team. The central government had sent out hundreds of teams to bring in authoritative experts in medicine, biology, and other fields to the capital in order to collectively research methods to combat the virus.

Unfortunately, shortly after their arrival in City Z, the virus erupted again. Many zombie cats and dogs emerged at the shutdown location. They not only lost several comrades but also rendered the helicopter unusable due to the battle, so they had to find another way.

They went through countless hardships, and what used to be just a few days’ journey took them nearly two months on the road before they finally returned to the capital.

However, during these two months, more than half of the global population had turned into zombies, animals and plants mutated, cities fell, and survivors fled. Furthermore, the weather kept changing from hot to cold, and they woke up one day to find that the ground was covered with overgrown weeds and the roadside trees had grown exceptionally tall. It felt like they were living in a kingdom of plants. Some vine-like plants even actively attacked living creatures. They once saw a mutated pig strangled to death by vines under a tree.

It wasn’t hard to imagine that the situation in the capital might not be any better.

Shen Dongxue said, “Big brother, I’m worried about whether our parents and grandparents will be okay. They’re getting old, and if the second virus outbreak isn’t contained…”

“Don’t let your mind wander. Let’s get back first.”

Shen Dongxue nodded and sighed, and as they approached the capital, they were excited and nervous at the same time. The global situation was dire, and the capital was likely no exception. He just hoped his family would be safe.

Shen Dongxue turned back to the black-clad man sitting in the corner with his eyes closed and said, “By the way, Qin Yue, you said your family followed the army to the capital two months ago. The capital is probably in chaos. Do you know how to find them? If it’s difficult, I can help you. If uncle and aunt register, it will be easy to locate them.”

Qin Yue replied indifferently, “No need.”

“You saved us, so it’s only right that we help you. Don’t be polite.”

“No need.”

“…”

Shen Dongxue shook his head helplessly. He had long grown accustomed to Qin Yue’s coldness. This man had appeared in a powerful manner when they were in a perilous situation. They were resting by the roadside and were planning to move the vehicles blocking the road when a mutated snake suddenly appeared from the roadside and swallowed a teammate in an instant, catching them off guard!

That snake was enormous; with a single swing of its tail, it flipped their car. On the brink of life and death, Qin Yue and his team suddenly appeared. Not only did they save them, but they also killed the mutated snake. They survived on snake meat for several days, and snake skin was sewn into wrist guards and armor. Along the way, they faced numerous challenges, relying on the protection of the snake skin. Shen Dongxue realized that Qin Yue was an incredibly powerful and aloof man.

Although he helped them, their relationship didn’t grow any closer because their destinations were both in the capital. They traveled together but were not considered a team. Qin Yue didn’t trust them, and there was a noticeable distance in his words and actions. Unless necessary, he treated them as if they didn’t exist.

Qin Yue even said that helping them was merely a byproduct of his abilities, and if his own life were at risk, he would walk away without hesitation.

Nevertheless, despite all this, Shen Dongxue greatly admired and appreciated Qin Yue. Even Shen Dongming had high praise for him.

Yao Xiaoyue felt the same way. She valued Qin Yue not only for his strength but also because he was one of the few men in this post-apocalyptic world who upheld the principles and rules of a peaceful society. He wouldn’t harm the innocent, exploit others for their possessions, or engage in the promiscuity or multiple partners that were common among many superpowered individuals.

Yao Xiaoyue had lived in the post-apocalyptic world for over a decade and had seen even ordinary people with abilities having two or more lovers, let alone the powerful ones. Many people threw themselves at them. Some superpowered individuals even exploited their extraordinary status to humiliate the common people in the refugee areas. Beautiful men and women, regardless of their gender, were at risk of being violated.

Only Qin Yue was different. He had no messy scandals, was loyal, and, although cold, would go to great lengths to protect those he recognized.

This man was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Plus, he was exceptionally handsome. Who wouldn’t want to get close to him? Didn’t Shen Dongming frequently try to persuade Qin Yue to return to the military with him? Although he rejected them all.

Yao Xiaoyue was also puzzled. She had saved Qin Yue at a critical moment, helping him fend off zombies, so why was he still so cold towards her? If she hadn’t persistently followed him, he probably wouldn’t have said a word to her, even if she had left. It was quite frustrating. No wonder outsiders said Qin Yue was difficult to deal with because he didn’t like beautiful women, nor did he care about wealth; he was like a stubborn rock that couldn’t be moved by oil or salt.

On this journey, she hadn’t been able to change Qin Yue’s opinion of her, and when they arrived in the capital, she feared it would be even more challenging to get close to him.

In her previous life, the second virus outbreak had caused the capital to fall. General Shen ordered all survivors to evacuate the capital and temporarily reside in the suburbs, ten miles outside the city. This would eventually become the precursor to the largest survivor base in the future, Longfei Base.

Now, it had been two months, and the people in the capital had already been evacuated. Even if they went there, they would probably face a city full of zombies. Of course, Yao Xiaoyue couldn’t say it so directly. She only suggested that the situation in the city was unknown and that it would be too dangerous to enter hastily.

Shen Dongming nodded and said, “When the time comes, I’ll take two people to check the situation first. It wouldn’t be safe for all of us to go in recklessly.”

“Alright, then I’ll go with you tomorrow. It would be good to have some backup if there’s any danger.”

“Okay.”

Yao Xiaoyue and Shen Dongming had been together for nearly a month, and during this time, her performance wasn’t any less impressive than Shen Dongxue’s; in fact, it was even better. She had shown strong abilities in dealing with zombies and had a good understanding of mutated animals and plants. Her contributions had helped reduce losses.

The next morning, the group set out again. As they got closer to the capital, the road became smoother, and even the number of zombies decreased significantly. This situation was unexpected. By around 1 p.m., as they approached the capital, they noticed more people on the road. It didn’t seem like they were fleeing for their lives.

Yao Xiaoyue was shocked to see this and had mentally prepared for combat. Why was the situation in the capital so different from what she had imagined?

The car pulled over to the side, and Shen Dongming got out and asked a man, “Are you coming from the capital? What’s the situation in the capital now?”

Yao Xiaoyue chimed in, “With the world in such chaos, why aren’t you staying safe in the secure zones? Why risk your lives by coming out here?”

The man, who had been stopped, replied with a hint of annoyance, “I’m a fire-based superpower. Although my team has a few regular people, we’ve all participated in clearing out zombies and learned some skills from the soldiers. We can handle regular zombies easily. So why can’t we come out? Besides, we have hands and feet, and in times of crisis, humans should step up. As for you, you seem like you came from out of town, right?”

Yao Xiaoyue felt displeased; she thought these people were courting death.

Qin Yue stepped forward, with Li Ming following him, and asked, “So, brother, are you suggesting that the situation in the capital is somewhat under control, and it hasn’t fallen?”

The man replied, “How could it not have fallen? It’s already fallen! We were preparing to leave, thinking we’d escape at all costs because the city is swarming with zombies. How could you not be afraid? However, not long after the virus outbreak, I saw people from the Happiness Residential Area organizing and leading efforts to clear out zombies. These people were really foolish. They not only cleared out the zombies in their own area but also started clearing the streets! I observed them secretly for a long time and found that the zombies aren’t as terrifying as they seem. I started organizing people to clear zombies, just like they were doing. Of course, there were some zombies that I couldn’t handle, so we had to ask for help from the people in the Happiness Residential Area. They’re good people. They rush over to help clear the zombies whenever there’s trouble, and they even let us join the soldiers in training for self-defense and zombie-fighting skills.”

The man continued with a lengthy explanation, sharing that the situation in the north of the city had improved with the establishment of a secure area and the construction of a high, sturdy wall to separate uncleared areas. The military had also been organizing survivors to clear out zombies daily. It was an initiative where anyone could participate. Some groups were organized by the civilians themselves, while others signed up through the military. Those who signed up would undergo training, and when they were fit for the task, they’d be allowed to participate. They also received some supplies every day.

In reality, people often follow the lead, and when others take the first step, more people tend to follow. As the numbers grow, the psychology of conformity takes over, especially when it’s for their survival and the survival of humanity.

As for why he had come out today, it was because Jiang, the district head, had caught a pig a few days ago. Originally, she intended to slaughter it for food, but she couldn’t bear to do it, thinking it might be the last pig on Earth. So, she didn’t want to kill it and considered raising it instead. He had seen the pig; it was fat and healthy and would surely be delicious as braised pork. So he had come out to try his luck.

Shen Dongxue wracked his brain but couldn’t recall any mention of such a person in the military. He asked, “Jiang, the district head? The district head of the secure zone? I’ve never heard of someone like that.”

The man chuckled and said, “The district head of the secure zone? No, she’s the leader of the Happiness Residential Area. We used to call her Captain Jiang, but there are multiple teams in the Happiness Residential Area and quite a few people with the surname Jiang. So, we started calling her Jiang District Head to distinguish her.”

“……….???”

The head of a residential area is called a district head. How creative is that?

Yao Xiaoyue could hardly believe it!

The situation in the capital seemed too good to be true! How could this be? In her previous life, it was definitely not like this!

However, when she finally arrived at the city gate as described by the man, she saw the wide and towering city walls and numerous survivors queuing up for entry. There were even many people in uniform patrolling outside. She had to admit that things had changed. Everything had changed, and it was so different from what she remembered.

Shen Dongming, Shen Dongxue, and the others were overjoyed. Professor Yang and his research team were in tears. They had been on the run for so long, experiencing countless trials and tribulations, and now they had finally found a refuge. At the city gate, they hugged each other and shed tears of gratitude, especially for the Jiang District Head.

Li Ming whispered to Qin Yue, “Brother Yue, the Jiang District Head sounds more and more like Jiang Nian to me.”

A rare smile appeared on Qin Yue’s usually expressionless face. “It’s her.”

She was such a silly and kind person; there was no one else like her in the world.