The city lay in ruins.Concrete cracked with weeds, and bones littered the streets.
Lin An staggered forward, every breath stabbing his broken ribs. His lungs burned. Behind him, a horde of howling corpses closed in, rotten faces twisted with hunger.
He couldn't stop. If he faltered for even a moment, he'd be torn apart.
December 2035.Three years since the end began. Three years since the world turned into hell.
The safe house was ahead. A flicker of hope lit his desperate eyes.
"Bang, bang, bang!""Open the door! Logan, open the door!"
Lin An pounded on the iron gate. The stench of rot drew closer.
"I brought the medicine! Hurry!"
Inside were his fiancée's family. Through the narrow window, a pair of eyes appeared—Tang Wan's.
"Logan! It's me!"
Her gaze fell on the medicine box in his hand. Relief surged through Lin An as her voice softened."Hand it over first. I'll unbolt the door."
Exhausted, he shoved the box through the gap. For a second, unease twisted in his chest. Why not just open it?
The hand snatched the box away. The door stayed shut.
"Logan?!" His voice cracked with disbelief. Behind him, the dead screamed, surging faster at the scent of blood dripping from his chest wound.
Tang Wan's voice came again—cold now, distant."I saw your wound. You might be infected. I can't let you in."
Lin An froze, the world collapsing around him.
Then she twisted the knife."The safe zone captain promised to take me in. All I have to do is share his bed. You… will die here."
Her calm words drowned out the agony as claws tore into his flesh. His scream was raw, bitter."Why? Why betray me?!"
"Because you're worthless," she sneered. "Weak. Ordinary. I don't want to starve and hide forever."
Her family appeared behind her, eyes cold. Tang's mother clutched the medicine box."Daughter, don't waste breath on trash. Let him die away from our door."
The last thing Lin An saw as his spine snapped was their faces glowing under warm lamplight—watching, waiting, until the zombies finished their feast.
He jolted awake.The wedding room was bright, festive. Tang Wan stood before him, frowning."Lin An, why don't you ask your comrades for money? Why are you just standing there?"
His heart pounded. The same woman. The same voice. The memory of being eaten alive burned in his mind.
He grabbed his phone.November 9, 2032.Three days before the apocalypse.
Not a dream. He had been reborn.
"Lin An," Tang's mother said sharply. "If you want to marry my daughter, add two hundred thousand to the betrothal gift. And my son's wedding is coming—you'll pay for that too."
Tang Tian lounged on the sofa, smirking. "Didn't you just leave the army? Plenty of retirement money. Don't pretend you can't afford it."
Tang Wan's brows knit. She had thought him reliable. Instead, he looked small, hesitant, poor.
"Pathetic," Tang's mother spat. "If you can't come up with the money, don't bother marrying my daughter."
The room buzzed with scorn, but Lin An's eyes were dark, murderous. He remembered everything: the debts, the humiliation, the endless sacrifices. And finally—the betrayal at the iron door.
He snapped.
One explosive kick sent Tang Tian flying three meters, curling on the floor, vomiting bile. Tang Wan froze, shocked. This was not the meek, honest man she knew.
"Murder! He's gone mad!" Tang's mother shrieked.
Lin An walked toward her, face cold. The memory of her indifference burned hotter than fire."Shut up."
Slap after slap cracked across her face until she crumpled, unconscious.
"Lin An! Are you insane?!" Tang Wan screamed.
"Insane?" His smile was icy. "No. Just awake."
He ground her mother's leg beneath his boot, bones snapping like twigs, then turned toward Tang Wan. She bolted into her room, locking the door, phone in hand.
"I called the police! They'll be here!" she shrieked.
Outside, sirens wailed in the distance.
Lin An paused, breathing hard. Three days until the world ended. Wasting time on these parasites was beneath him. Let them scream. Let them cling to their false security. When the dead came, he would not be there to save them.
He turned and walked out, leaving their curses behind.
This time, he would not squander his second chance.This time, he would seize the energy nodes, awaken his powers, and carve his own path.
The countdown had begun.
Three days.No. 97 Fengming Road.