Evening settled over the cafeteria, the air heavy with the scent of rice and cabbage. “Brother Chen, come eat!” Fang Ruoming called enthusiastically, fresh from guard duty.
“Alright,” Chen Liu replied, rising from meditation. He had absorbed the day’s harvested crystals, pushing his source energy to 92 strands. Four four-star and two three-star crystals, and I’m a five-star Awakened, he thought with satisfaction. After each fight, he mentally replayed his battles, cross-referencing them with online martial arts knowledge to hone his skills. Every fight sharpens me. Life-and-death struggles were forging unique combat techniques in him. His powerful mental energy, bolstered by visualising the Three-Eyed, Eight-Armed Demon God, compensated for his lack of natural martial talent. After daily sessions, he felt his mind force nearing seven-star strength. That’s my trump card. A faint glint of confidence was in his eyes.
Downstairs, the main hall buzzed with over a hundred survivors, split distinctly: elderly and women on one side, young men on the other. Food distribution reflected this divide. The sanatorium’s stocked rice, flour, and oil were plentiful, and a nearby garden provided greens, but meat was scarce. Escaped pigs and dwindling reserves meant that only combatants received meat; others had to eat rice and cabbage. Soon, even cabbage might run out. Chen Liu was a bit concerned. It was only April—new crops were months away.
Sitting at the edge of the young men’s section with his meal, Chen Liu’s sharp senses caught envious, jealous, even resentful stares from across the room. People never stop wanting more. Fang Ruoming, sitting opposite, grinned. “Ignore them, Brother Chen. Food’s a blessing—picky’s a luxury.” A smug glint flickered in his eyes, relishing his edge over the non-combatants. Chen Liu ate silently, agreeing with Li Dong’s harsh but practical system. The strong eat; the weak don’t. He was coming to terms with how he had accepted this brutal order so easily. The hall’s silent compliance showed everyone else had too.
“Hey, Scaredy-Cat, you don’t like meat, right?” A security guard with a buzz cut and dark skin sauntered over, sitting beside Fang Ruoming. He snatched meat from Fang’s plate, smirking. Fang’s face flushed with anger, but fear silenced him. “Put it back,” Chen Liu said, his voice low, eyes lifting to meet the guard’s.
“Playing hero?” The guard, Zhang Chong, shook a clenched fist. “Ask my fists first.” Fang stammered, “Brother Chen, let it go…” Zhang laughed loudly, drawing eyes. “Hear that? Stay out of it, hero.”
“I said, put it back,” Chen Liu warned. Zhang’s smirk faded. With the hall watching, he couldn’t back down. He stood, rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s see what you’ve got.” His fist shot forward.
Chen Liu, still seated, caught the punch midair, his fingers clamping like a vice. Crack—a faint snap echoed. Zhang’s face twisted in pain, fear flashing in his eyes. He’d put real force into that punch, yet Chen Liu crushed his hand effortlessly. He’s no ordinary survivor, Zhang thought, biting back a cry. Chen Liu released him. “Return the meat.” Zhang, visibly relieved, placed the meat back on Fang’s plate and slunk away.
The hall’s atmosphere shifted. Eyes now held respect, wariness, or curiosity when they looked at Chen Liu. Strength speaks, he thought, his face calm but alert. In a corner, Li Dong and Liu Wei sat with two other guards. “Captain, he’s definitely an Esper,” Liu Wei said, almost sadly. Li Dong nodded, eating quietly, his expression heavier than before.
“Thanks, Brother Chen!” Fang said, his gratitude genuine. He was ashamed of his earlier cowardice. After a pause, he gritted his teeth. “Let me hunt ghouls with you tomorrow.” Chen Liu didn’t answer immediately. “Why do they call you Scaredy-Cat?” he asked calmly.
Fang’s face reddened again. He took a deep breath. “I’ve always feared pain. Injections, scrapes—any hurt feels ten times worse to me. It’s like my mind amplifies it.” His expression twisted with bitterness. “Grew up with that shadow. Even now, fighting scares me.” He paused, his face hardening with resolve. “But I can’t hide anymore. I have to face it—or die.”
Chen Liu studied him, then nodded. “Prepare a weapon. We leave at dawn.” Fang’s eyes lit up. “Got it!” With Chen Liu beside him, his fear seemed manageable. “Xiao Chen,” a voice called as Chen Liu headed upstairs, his expression turning alert.
thINKer: I’d be scared too if I knew zombies were out there.
[^1]: In this story, “Esper” is a colloquial term for ability users, synonymous with Awakened, emphasizing their supernatural powers.