2013 Chapter 1

T/N: Just updating some stuff that I have translated in the past, not starting anything new.

Translator: Polarbearadise

Editor: Lola

Book 1: Blood at Dusk

The road at night

"Liu Yan, where is that soldier friend of yours?"

Liu Yan turned a deaf ear, engrossed in modifying his blueprint until the girls next to him laughed, asking for the third time Liu Yan then finally looked up.

A girl said: "Isn't his intention was to look for a job here?"

"Meng Feng……." Liu Yan grabbed the eraser and gently rubbed it on his perspective blueprint: "His parent called him home, he then left last month, why are you guys so slow on the update?"

"What a pity." Another girl laughed: "It's rare to see such a handsome soldier, so that's why these days no one waited to eat dinner with you."

Liu Yan glanced at them and teased: "Which one of you liked him? Bribe me with a bottle of Xiancheng Duo and I will hand over his phone number immediately." Finis.h.i.+ng that sentence, he gently blew away the dirt on the eraser, as if, wanting to expel a piece of memory that stubbornly holding on to him.

(T/N: 鲜橙多 (Xiancheng Duo) – Chinese brand of orange-flavored soft drink)

The bell rang, indicating the cla.s.s was over, the students then rushed out of the cla.s.sroom.

A ray of summer blazing sun casted in through the filthy stained gla.s.s, the huge cla.s.sroom was empty. There's only Liu Yan left, sitting alone at the last row, rolling up his perspective blueprint.

It had been one month, twelve days since they broke up, that day was also the anniversary of Meng Feng and him.

Seven years ago, Liu Yan and his childhood friend, Meng Feng attended third year of middle school together in Z City, confession occurred, and then the two started dating. After college entrance exam, Meng Feng joined the army and Liu Yan was admitted to a university. The vows of eternal love during the school days, Liu Yan still remembered. Even when each of them walked different paths for their future, they still didn't lose heart and maintained their relations.h.i.+p, looking forward to the day of graduation and dischargement to be together once again.

In his soph.o.m.ore year, due to his outstanding performance, Liu Yan was sent to Germany as an exchange student, even being far away in a foreign country, he didn't forget his former lover. After returning home, he was recommended to become a graduate student.

Two years later, Meng Feng finally got discharged, and went straight to find him at the university in S city. The second they met, there wasn't any intense feeling surging up or a pa.s.sionate night, Meng Feng only hugged Liu Yan, peacefully slept together for that night.

Liu Yan didn’t move, but instead got insomnia all night, looking at the ceiling, he felt that something was different.

Meng Feng decided to stay in S city, intended to find a job and lived together with Liu Yan, but  because the level of his education was too low, he couldn't find any satisfactory job and then, left.

Liu Yan didn't interfere with the choice that Meng Feng made. When he closed the door, Meng Feng was standing outside while he was standing inside, their hearts clearly understood that, they can't go back to the days and months of loving each others like seven years ago when they were lover in high school. Time is like a sharp knife, dragging on for many years, despite lotus roots may break, but the fiber remains joined, when finally when meet again only two segments with a single cut will heartlessly end it all.

(T/N: 藕断丝连 (lotus roots may break, but the fiber remains joined) – lovers part, but still long for one another)

(T/N: 一刀两断 (two segments with a single cut) – to make a clean break)

In a blink of an eye the time slipped through the gap between the fingers like exquisite sand, seeping through without any trace, he was no longer the person before, feelings were no longer the same feelings as before, can't blame the long-distance relations.h.i.+p, also can't blame each other's life, it isn't the other person's fault, but the fault of oneself.

The seven years relations.h.i.+p already ended one month and twelve days ago. Liu Yan sitting alone in the cla.s.sroom, suddenly had an unspeakable feeling inside.

"Liu Yan!" A cla.s.smate probed his head through the front door: "The teacher is waiting for you, why are you still here?"

Liu Yan seems to just wake up from his dream, he quickly tidying up his blueprint and headed toward the office.

"I saw your design." The Head of the Department said: "There are a lots of small details that needed to be fixed, but overall there aren't any major problems."

Liu Yan put the blueprint down, and received the coffee that the Head handed to him, he took a sip then looked at the bookshelf: "Can I borrow a book to read?"

"Of course." Liu Yan's teacher was 50-years-old, a very gracious old man, sitting at his desk, drinking coffee: "Your design is really focus on the practical application, with a strong Icelandic style, but designing ergonomics is your weakness, simply appalling."

Liu Yan self-deprecatingly smiled: "When attending Bauhaus, the machine I made is completely useless. Teacher, what is this?"

Liu Yan pulled out a book on the shelf: "" He can't help but laughed.

The Head of the Department was very fond of Liu Yan and explained with a smile: "You know, in May, the US Department of Defense issued a guidebook online as an early warning, the official a.s.serted this to remind everyone that the possibilities of anything will happen in the future is unlimited."

Liu Yan readily opened the book, dumbfoundedly said: "Really? Then I have to borrow it and check it out."

"The suggestion for modifying your design I already put it on this USB."—The Head of the Department said: "While reading, don't forget to do your homework."

Liu Yan reluctantly said: "Yes."

Liu Yan took the USB and put it in his pocket, carrying a notebook and exited the office while pulling out his phone to call home, but no one answered.

Today is Friday. Liu Yan was planning to go home, he headed back to the dormitory to pack up, currently his roommate was watching the webcast.

"Cui Xiaokun, you're not going home this week?" Liu Yan asked.

"No, why?" his roommate said: "Are you going back?"

Liu Yan: "Busy flirting with girls?"

Cui Xiaokun: "No–If there is something just spit it out, what would you like to invite your brother to do?"

Liu Yan laughed: "Can I borrow your car? I'll come back tomorrow night and also fill up your gas tank."

"Get lost!" Cui Xiaokun angrily said.

A moment later, a flas.h.i.+ng car key flying toward him, Cui Xiaokun is a graduate in the next-door Department of Automation, he brought a second-handed car. Liu Yan took the keys and said: "Thanks, I really don't want to take the bus at the station."

Cui Xiaokun took off the headset: "Hey, Liu Yan, you sure you really want to go home?"

Liu Yan was busy dialing his phone: "Why?"

Cui Xiaokun pointed to the opened news video and said: "Come and see."

[Currently Z city erupts with an outbreak of rabies, the authorities urged people to not leave their house, and wait for the local hospitals to notify a new vaccines injection……"

Liu Yan frowned and asked: "When did this happen?"

Cui Xiaokun raised his chin, picked up a cup of water and took a sip: "This morning the news broadcasted it repeatedly, your mother is a doctor right?"

Liu Yan lived in a single-parent family, as a child he grew up with his mother, right now he keenly felt abnormal.

"So don't go out?" Liu Yan raised his eyebrow up.

[The authorities in most communities are spraying disinfectant and evacuating people in downtown, prohibited unauthorized people to go in and out of hospital and other public places, subway is temporarily shut down……"

Liu Yan called his mother, the line has been busy, at this time she should be working overtime, no wonder n.o.body answered the home phone.

"I'm going." Liu Yan said.

"Good luck, don't let the dog bites." Cui Xiao Kun said lazily.

Liu Yan opened the door, he put his laptop and clothes in the back seat, thrown the book he borrowed from his teacher in the pa.s.senger seat, reversing the car, then set off.

12:00 AM S City high-speed intersection.

Liu Yan took out his wallet and paid.

He turned on the Bluetooth receiver to loudspeaker, pressed the automatic redial, and then drove the jeep on the highway.

The highway from S City toward Z City was empty as far as the eyes can see. Midsummer sun burning fiercely, at the end of the road the clear sky was a dazzling blue.

However, on the other road from Z City toward S City was filled with cars lined up in a long queue, all kinds of vehicles were incessantly honking.

3:30 PM The last section of the highway.

The phone finally connected and Liu Yan said: "Mother!"

"Yan Yan……Yan Yan……" A female voice from the other end was deeply worried and unstable.

Liu Yan immediately drove to the roadside and stopped, sound of chaos could be heard through the phone, mixed with incessant whining of the wind was a female voice: "Yan Yan-"

Liu Yan completely stopped the car and yelled: "Mother! Mother are you alright?!"

The woman said: "Don't go home, listen to mother, do not go home, ah, mother is fine, mother love you, Yan Yan……"

Liu Yan: "What happened at home?! Are you at the hospital?! I called home but it wasn't connected?!"

"Yan Yan, stay in school, mother is safe, I'll call you later……"

"Mother loves you, Yan Yan……"

The phone rustling, then disconnected.

Liu Yan slumped in the driver’s seat, he kept dialing the number but the other line didn't picked up.

Liu Yan silenced for a moment, and then dialed Meng Feng's number, his phone number had been deleted in Liu Yan's phone book, but that number didn’t change in five years, perhaps it can never be wiped off from his heart.

Meng Feng's phone was also busied.

Liu Yan hit reverse, made a U-turn in high-speed then joined the long queue of vehicles facing S City.

3:40 PM U-turn.

Liu Yan reversed again, high-speed in the open road, moving in the direction of Z City and continued moving forward.

The car radio's sound appeared

[Z City rabies phenomenon has been initially controlled the city, hospitals are organizing emergency treatment, the government called on all the people in other cities, please don't go home in order to avoid traffic jams……Here is the weather forecast……"

7:30 PM at the end of the highway, at the curve entering Z City.

The horizon covered with crimson red clouds, bright like stained blood. Everything as usual, highway toll station took money, then opened ramp to allow vehicles to enter.

While driving, Liu Yan also paid attention to both sides of the road, the sun went down, the urban district street's lights shone brightly, the vehicles were spa.r.s.e, they probably had heard the news broadcast and hurried home.

The internet congestion, was almost impossible to connect, and mobile phone signal is intermittent and unsustainable.

9:50 PM

The more closer he was to the city center, the fewer the pedestrians. Liu Yan's home wasn't far away from the city center, along the road, recreation areas and supermarkets were closed down, silhouettes of people walking in twos and threes went back and forth.

At the beginning of the block, three police cars were parked, blocking the roadblocks with barricade, Liu Yan startled, and immediately stepped on the brake.

The lights from the police cars flickering continuously, but there weren't any sound. Liu Yan got off for a moment and looked but didn't see anyone, he can't helped but felt extremely doubtful in his mind.

'Where are the police?'

Liu Yan decided to get back into the car, he pulled the seatbelt, stepped on the gas, broke the barricade and drove along the long deserted street.

Most of the buildings on both sides were in pitch black, there was light lit up in a few of the balconies, Liu Yan stopped the car, he ran up to his apartment building, the security at the front desk was no longer there.

Liu Yan plunged into the state of confused panic, he looked upward and turned several times: "Is anyone here?!"

No one answered. Liu Yan ran into the lobby, pressing the b.u.t.ton for the elevator fiercely, the light was pale, with a *ding* the elevator stopped on the ninth floor.

Liu Yan rushed out the aisle like the wind, digging in his pocket for the key and opened the door. The house was messy, probably mother was busy with working overtime and hasn't had time to clean it up.

Liu Yan took a deep breath for a moment, he pulled out a box of cold milk from the refrigerator and drank it all at once. He exited the house, rang the doorbell of his neighbors one by one, but n.o.body opened the door. Liu Yan withdrew several steps, bent down to spy from the crack below the door, none of the house had lights on.

Liu Yan stood for a while, swallowing his saliva, he then headed back home, packing a few pieces of clothes, a blanket, pulled out the first-aid kit under the cupboard and went out. Lights flickering in all the floors throughout the building then disappeared.

The elevator had stopped working, the entire downtown area fell into the darkness, only the street light was stilled on.

Liu Yan opened the curtains and looked out, the surrounding electricity was cut, only the distant community was brightly illuminated. He took his Swiss Army knife and a handheld emergency flashlight, opened the fire escape and quickly went down the stairs.

*Pat* *Pat* the sound of footsteps came from the corridor.

Liu Yan felt relieved and said: "Someone there?!"

He quickly ran down to the corner: "In the end what is happening?!"

The corridor was dark. Liu Yan carried the emergency flashlight toward the stairs, in a split second, the blood coagulated in his body, fear was climbing from his back up to his scalp, tingled with numbness intermittently.

At the corner of the fifth floor, was the security guard with yellow complexion-like wax, intestines were flowing out of his belly, the whiteness of his eyes glared directly at the light.

'This is a dream, I must be dreaming'

Liu Yan subconsciously took a step back.

The security guard dragged his intestine, producing an anguish wailing sound.

"You……Mr. Huang?" Liu Yan's voice was trembling.

The security guard step by step, walking up the stairs, Liu Yan's trembling hands turned the k.n.o.b on the door that was located on the side of the staircase, he slowly opened, when the security guard walked up halfway, Liu Yan hurriedly rushed inside, slammed the door, his back leaning against the door, constantly panting.

*Bang* *Bang* The sound of the door banging, Liu Yan desperately screaming, holding the door handle with a death grip.

"Someone-!" Liu Yan hysterically shouted.

The door handle was slightly being moved downward, Liu Yan retracted his hand like receiving an electric shock, frightened looking at the door, he slowly backed up until his back touched the fire cabinet.

*Crash*, Liu Yan broke the fire cabinet and grabbed the ax inside.

Zombie?! Is it really a zombie?! Liu Yan's only thought: 'This world is crazy, but if it fine, that is, then I'm crazy'

The door handle was turned to the bottom, Liu Yan shouted, then fled, he found another fire escape, and stumbled in.

In the sultry emergency exit, the lights shook fiercely, Liu Yan was sweating through his s.h.i.+rt, he knocked against the door leading to the first floor, then ran out of the street. The scene in front of his eyes is like a pot of ice water poured from his head to his feet.

The car light was still on.

A man wearing a police uniform, eyes protruding, hanging on his face, bending over and touching the window slowly, like trying to find a way to open the door.

In the distance there are five zombies dragging itself in a slow pace coming from the park in the city center.

Liu Yan couldn't control himself and trembled, slowly putting down his stuff, he shone the emergency lights toward the street, the zombie in the police uniform have discovered the light source, turned around and walking slowly toward him.

"Ah-!" Liu Yan trembling while lifting up the fire ax, he rushed forward, split the head open, thick blood spilled out, subsequently lifted his foot and kick it away.

The zombie twitching on the ground, struggling to get up, Liu Yan continuously taking a step back, stumbled on a step and fall, in all directions appear zombies wearing civilian clothes, walking toward the building entrance.

Liu Yan quickly gathered his stuff, rushed to the car, when closing the door a zombie managed to force its way through, its arm stuck in the door, Liu Yan fiercely kicked the door, knocking the body away a little and then shut the door. He quickly reversed, the sound of bones breaking could be heard under his car, he subsequently hit several zombies in his way and crushed their bodies as he drove past.

Liu Yan b.u.mped the car several times, he finally swept away the barricade set up by the police and made a way out. He was confused and don't know where to go, driving on the open road, he stopped at a closed supermarket, resting his head on the steering wheel, gasping.

He saw the phone screen flashed, the number is unfamiliar, he answered.

"You finally answer the phone!" Meng Feng's voice resounded anxiously: "Where are you?!"

Liu Yan shouted: "F****! What the h.e.l.l is going on!"

Meng Feng: "Our city has a virus! Don't come back, stay in school, you understand?! I'll come and get you right away!"

Liu Yan: "I'm near my house."

Both ends of the phone were rapidly panting.

Meng Feng: "What street?!!!"

Liu Yan: "I have a car, tell me your location, I'll find you."

Meng Feng: "Stop messing around!! You will become a zombie!!"

Liu Yan: "I don't know where I'm! Where are……"

Suddenly at the end of the road Liu Yan saw a man rushed out from a corner, a few zombies were chasing behind him, Liu Yan immediately step on the accelerator, the front wheel idling, then rushed out with headlight turned on.

Liu Yan fiercely honked, Meng Feng raised his hand against his eyes, walked quickly toward the car, and jumped up suddenly, his military boots aboard the front of the car, he took several steps on the roof, then jumped over the roof and landed safely. Liu Yan charged forward, knock fly 4 zombies, violently leaned forward.

After that Liu Yan quickly reversed the car, and opened the door for Meng Feng, he got into the car and fastened the seatbelt, sitting on the pa.s.senger seat lowered his head and gasping for air.

Liu Yan turned on the light above their head: "How can you……be here?"

Meng Feng said while panting: "Your cell phone and home phone wasn't connected, I called your school, they say you already went home."

Liu Yan tiredly nodded.

Meng Feng: "Although we already said, after breaking up we won’t see each other anymore, but I think we are still friends, and I can't think of looking for anyone else, I'm just afraid that something bad would happen to you."

Liu Yan's eyes were a little wet, he turned the steering wheel, then headed to another road.