"A second life is not a gift… it's a responsibility."
Steam clung to the walls as I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, palms pressed against the cold porcelain sink. Water droplets ran down my skin, carrying away nothing but the surface dirt. The real rot—the one deep inside me from that other life—was still there.
My reflection wavered in the misted glass. Pale face. Trembling lips. Eyes wide, still haunted by what I had seen. But beneath the fear, something else was stirring. Defiance.
"Since Heaven gave me another chance…" I whispered, my voice raw and hoarse. The hiss of the shower almost swallowed it. I straightened my back and let the words grow stronger, like a vow I couldn't break. "I will not waste it. I will not die helpless again. This time… I'll live on my terms."
Zhou Han. Liu Yaqing. Their names sliced through me like rusty knives. I could still see their faces, twisted in cowardice as they shoved me into the sea of corpses. I could still feel my flesh being torn apart, my scream swallowed by their fear.
That pain could have broken me. But now… it was fire. Fire that hardened every part of me.
I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug crescents into my palms. I'm not the same Feng Xinyue anymore. I carry death in my memories, but also life in my veins. And I have power.
The Space and Ice abilities I'd never truly touched… this time, I would master them. I would wield them like blades sharp enough to carve a future for myself and my family.
I finally stepped out of the bathroom, dried my hair roughly, and crept down the stairs. The smell of rice porridge floated in the air, comforting and normal. And for a second, it hit me harder than any nightmare ever could—my family. Waiting. Alive.
At the dining table, my mother, Li Hua, looked up. Worry etched in her soft features, the kind that could crush a person with its gentleness. "Xinyue, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice quiet but strained.
I swallowed, feeling the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on my chest. "I'm fine, Mother," I said, though it wasn't the whole truth. I drew in a deep breath. "But… there's something important I have to tell you."
Father, Feng Weiguo, looked up from his bowl. Hands steady, back straight, eyes dark with careful concern. "Did Zhou Han break up with you?" he asked, his voice cautious, like he was bracing for bad news.
The name sparked fury inside me. My lips twisted into a bitter smile. "No, Father. He means nothing to me now. Trash doesn't get space in my heart."
The room went still. Even my younger sister, Feng Lan, froze mid-bite, chopsticks hovering in the air, confusion in her wide eyes.
Mother's brow creased, and she set her bowl down. "Then what is it, Yue'er? If it's not Zhou Han, then what could possibly trouble you this much?"
I swallowed hard, my throat burning. My fingers gripped the edge of the table until my knuckles whitened. Finally, I forced the words out.
"Father. Mother. Lan…" My voice trembled, but I pushed through. "The world… is about to change. The end is coming."
Their faces went blank. Shock, fear, disbelief.
"I know it sounds insane," I rushed on, chest heaving. "But listen. I've seen it. I've lived it. The sky will bleed red. The rain will fall black. People… won't stay human."
My hands shook as I remembered the sound of snapping bones, the hollow, endless hunger in their eyes. "The apocalypse is coming. Soon. And if we don't prepare… we'll die."
Tears blurred my vision. I bowed my head. "I already died once, Mother. I died screaming, torn apart by zombies. But Heaven… gave me another chance. That's why I'm here. That's why I can warn you."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Li Hua's lips trembled. She reached across the table, her hand brushing mine. Feng Lan's small hands clutched my sleeve, her eyes wide and glistening with fear no child should bear.
Only Father remained calm. He stood slowly, the wooden chair scraping beneath him. His hand landed on my shoulder, broad, warm, steady. Grounding.
"Xinyue," he said, voice quiet but iron-strong. "No matter what storm comes, we'll face it together. You don't have to carry this alone. Tell us everything you know."