The Rebirth of the Last Days and Return to [Fang] Hao

T/N: All you lucky duckies must’ve won the lottery. The finale and extra are longer than usual, so expect 5-6 releases (including this one) before He Zizhong and Fang Hao’s journey ends.

 

When people before the end of the world read history books and studied history, they always heard that it was normal for a war in ancient times to last three or five years. But since entering the modern society, whenever wars between countries erupted, most battles were often over in a short period of time. The remainder of the time was mostly stalemates between countries.

But now, in the face of these dauntless zombies that don’t feel pain and exhaustion, battle is once again infinitely prolonged.

It has been nearly two years. Yes, they’ve been defending hard for nearly two years!

If it hadn’t been for people arranged into hundreds of teams by the current commander, rotating for shifts no one would be able to get adequate rest. If not for the large number of plant abilities in the base that could provide food… If not for the space abilities who have stimulated telekinesis in the base, and can cooperate with the physique abilities to compete with zombies for crystal nuclei… How could they persist until now? How can they not despair?

It’s been nearly two years… Now it’s about to enter the rainy season again, and it won’t be long before the anniversary of the third year. The day that made everyone despair, the day when everyone had to begin fighting hard to survive.

“The number of zombies in the periphery has been reduced to about 400,000.” Yan Xin tapped the corner of the table with his pen, and looked at Jiang Feng, who was slumped in a corner with a frowning expression. Even though his ability has been upgraded to level 4, whenever he activates it, it will give him a headache and feeling of wanting to die…

“With a little more effort, they can be completely wiped out. God dammit, I’ve been suffocated to death for these two years!” Guo Bing slammed his fist hard. His ability also rose to level 4 thanks to the He Zizhong, Fang Hao pair, and his wife, Le Tian.

After more than half a year into the defense, He Zizhong and Fang Hao rose to level 5. The two of them even dared to jump directly into the sea of ​​zombies and rush to level 4 zombies! Those fourth-level zombies that were slashed by them  and caught in the space tunnel that Le Tian caught up with, and the corresponding crystal nuclei could be grabbed before any zombies grabbed them! This greatly improved the endurance and resources of everyone in the base.

Today, the color of He Zizhong and Fang Hao’s abilities are only revealed when they activate their abilities; usually they look no different from ordinary people. It’s just that the light in their eyes when they activate their abilities is far more terrifying than any fourth-level ability user.

This is because these two people do not have attack-type abilities. If they had a fire ability and activated it after reaching level 6… it can really be called flaming eyes.

There are still many people in the base who can’t rise above level 3, and most of the people with low combat effectiveness and too little courage stop there. However, the original team members brought by Yan Xin have now all reached level 4.

“When there are about 100,000 zombies left outside, we can open the city gates and let those ability users out to breathe.” Yan Xin said lightly, as if he was talking about letting everyone go out to shop, not to desperately kill zombies. Of the remaining zombies, the highest are all hovering at level 4. This is because aside from the base grabbing crystal cores early on, zombies were unable to grab those in the heads of other zombies. Later, this discovery was quickly found out and the speed of grabbing things accelerated even further.

Zombies can’t eat people and can’t grab zombie crystal cores, yet they continue to consume them. How could they level up and rise above the people in the base?

“Okay!!” There was a burst of cheers in the conference room. After two years of hard work, they were about to grow fur!

“Hualala-” On the day when it was confirmed that the number of zombies outside was reduced to about 400,000 or 500,000, the rainy season started once more. After three years of survival in this world, everyone has learned the end of the world is divided into two seasons – the rainy season. and dry season.

During the rainy season, the rain is continuous, and there is hardly a day without rain. Even if the rain stops, it will only stop for an hour, and then it will continue to rain non-stop.

During the dry season, there is no drop of water in the sky, and even the water-type abilities can only produce water for everyone to use, but cannot use water abilities as a means of attack.

Therefore, people need to store water in the rainy season and use it for irrigation in the dry season.

Just when people were thinking that they could open the city gate and kill the damn zombies outside, Jiang Feng suddenly hugged his head. “Ah——!!”

“What’s wrong?!” Everyone in the conference room was startled, and quickly looked at Jiang Feng.

To be honest, since the day everyone met Jiang Feng, he has had headaches all day long, and the higher his ability, the more severe the pain. A few people with bad mouths even secretly discussed behind their backs, “This guy will be hurt to death by his own headache someday!”

Today’s screams really have the feeling of “deathly pain”, and made everyone’s heart hurt. There were some inexplicable emotions for a while – was he finally going to be hurt himself to death? What should they say at his funeral?

“Incoming!!” Jiang Feng raised his head in horror.

Yan Xin frowned and stepped forward, grabbing his trembling arm: “What’s coming?”

“That…that thing…” Jiang Feng closed his eyes abruptly, then opened them again, his eyes full of despair. “SH… The thing under the prison base is here! And, it’s even more… terrifying!”

Everyone was stunned for a while. Some uninformed people stared at Jiang Feng in surprise, but Yan Xin’s pupils shrank – the thing he talked about before!

A mighty tide of zombies appeared in the distance. At first, the people who were stationed on the city wall and attacked the zombies below the city didn’t notice it, but when one of them raised his head to wipe his sweat, he thought he was hallucinating.

“That… what is that?”

“Huh? What is it?”

“So dense… No way!! Why are there still so many zombies?!!”

The zombies here were almost wiped out. Why is there another batch now?!

One by one, one by one, densely packed, with no end in sight.

The zombies slowly advancing northward from the south of the base, lined up neatly like a fortified army.

The zombies who were persistently sieging the base suddenly collectively stopped. All the zombies, including the fourth-level zombies, stood still, turned around, and walked towards the zombie army!

The zombies blocking the door left, but at this time, none of the people on the city wall were happy.

“It, it blocked the feeling of all zombies until just now.” Jiang Feng, who was sitting in the car following Yan Xin and the others, rushed to the walls at this time, snot and tears streaming down his face. His entire body was trembling so much that those sitting beside him almost thought there was an earthquake.

The car stopped at the stairs on the south wall, and Yan Xin walked up to the wall with a long face.

He Zizhong and Fang Hao, together with Yin Dong, who was in charge of commanding on the other side of the wall, came to this wall and stared into the distance.

“How’s the situation?”

Hearing Yan Xin’s voice, Yin Dong didn’t turn his head. He held the binoculars in his hand to observe the situation in the distance. “The zombies below gave up attacking the city at the same time and converged with those zombies.”

Yan Xin’s brows furrowed even tighter.

“How many of these zombies are there?” He Zizhong couldn’t estimate the distance and the zombie team was too large.

“They came from the prison base. Now it seems that it was accepting the younger brothers along the way.” Yan Xin’s words stunned everyone in the vicinity. They turned to look into the approaching sea of ​​zombies with disbelief. Little brothers?! From SH city?!

How many bases were encountered northwards from SH city? How many zombies were gathered outside these bases when the zombie tide broke out? Except for those zombies that were killed trying to break into those various cities and bases, now, the zombies outside the base are the resulting harvest of that little zombie.

Zombies have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. They are different from He Zizhong and them who went on the mission back then. When passing by certain places, humans will use the surrounding buildings and signs of another team hunting crystal cores as a sign of a base nearby. But zombies only need to lift their heads and smell the air to determine the direction of human flesh, and the approximate level and quantity of those delicacies.

They went all the way north, breaking through bases one after another, gathering group after group of new members, and grew tremendously. The large base exuding an incomparably fragrant smell not far in front of them will be their next hunting ground.

“All units get ready.” When the vanguard of the zombies finally clearly appeared in everyone’s sight, Yan Xin gave the order to the entire base with a loudspeaker that was connected everyone in the base. “Prepare to meet the enemy!”

If it’s not them1zombies dying, it’s them2humans dying.

The strength of this zombie army that came from the south was beyond everyone’s expectations. Because of many ability users cooperated and their use of strategy and tactics, the previous zombie tide was not given much room to upgrade. They were killed one after another, and those crystal cores were collected by space abilities in advance.

But this army of zombies killed, replenished, and upgraded along the way! The highest level of zombies currently visible in the team turned out to be level 5!

With level 5 zombies present, the defensive battle became difficult again. The pressure they brought to this base was by no means the level of the previous level 4 zombies. Even He Zizhong and Fang Hao had to admit they could only deal with level 5 zombies one at a time. Once they are besieged by multiple level 5 zombies, they can only run and flee – even with their special weapons.

“Grit your teeth!”

“Ammo has arrived!!”

After the previous zombie tide was relatively controlled and could not get too close to the wall, Yan Xin changed the battle plan. Like the convoy, everyone was instructed to kill zombies with abilities only, instead of blindly using hot weapons and heavy bombardment. But now, in the face of another wave of intractable zombies, those weapons and ammunition are thrown into the battlefield again.

With the support of heavy firepower, the battle situation was barely maintained after four days of straight battle.

“How’s the ammunition?” Yan Xin has basically never left the city wall except going back to sleep in the past few days. At this time, he was holding binoculars to observe the dense zombies below.

“We can hold on for another two days, but our reserve supplies are almost exhausted…” The logistics head said with a puzzled expression. Most of these weapons were produced before the zombie tide, and not much is left. In addition, there is basically no material for making new ammunition. These things must be collected and refined elsewhere, but they have been blocked by these damn zombies for a full two years! How can they go out to smelt iron?

“Let the plant ability users get ready. Once the ammunition is used up, let them go first.” Yan Xin’s expression was unmoved, but he had put down the binoculars to look at the zombies below.

“Yes!”

Plant abilities don’t have any special way of fighting, but after He Zizhong handed over those mutant plant seeds to Samsara’s plant ability holders, Yan Xin discovered a new use. He immediately traded with He Zizhong and bought the remaining mutant plant seeds.

Now that the base is in danger, and may be overrun at any time, he can only disregard the idea of whether mutant plants will side with the zombies after they are planted and use them to resist for a while.

But those newly planted mutant plants may not last too long… once they run out, when will their abilities last…

“Yan Xin!”

Yan Xin turned his head and saw Guo Bing hurrying over. His face was dark, and the mud mixed with sweat completely stained his complexion.

“What’s the matter?”

“Is the base’s ammunition running out?”

Yan Xin nodded, and once again looked down at the dense horde of zombies. “It can last for two days at most.”

Guo Bing sucked in a cold breath, looking at the densely packed zombies below and smiled bitterly. “I still have a little bit, it was… collected quite early. He Zizhong and them also have a bit. We discussed it for a while, and will take them out in a bit.”

Yan Xin was not too surprised. After learning that Guo Bing and the others seemed to have a mysterious “space” undetected by instruments, he estimated that the Samsara team must have supplies and arms that they didn’t know about.

“Calculate the amount in a while, I’ll use crystal cores…”

“Forget it, it’s not much anyway. Crystal nuclei should be used when all the ammo is used up, and distributed to those with abilities. If the base is really broken, by then, no one will be able to run away, and those things will be left in vain.” Guo Bing waved his hand, as if he didn’t care.

It didn’t take long for He Zizhong and Guo Bing to walk to an open space. With a wave, a large number of brand-new ammunition and firearms appeared in two piles. It seemed that He Zizhong’s pile was larger than Guo Bing’s. In addition to weapons, there was a lot of gold and silver.

Guo Bing’s eyes widened: “So much?!”

He Zizhong’s expression did not change. “Before that mission, we also collected a batch elsewhere.” Then he looked at Yan Xin. “This is the only batch I have that are remodeled. The rest have not yet been remodeled.”

Yan Xin’s expression was a little moved. Although he predicted the pair still had a lot of weapons in their hands, he didn’t hold out much hope – can the ammunition in their hands be enough? Supporting the base one more day is enough of a problem.

But seeing the real thing made him truly shocked. “These weapons… can last for almost three more days.” He waved his hands. “Let the logistics department start the remodeling!” Then he looked at the two of them. “Thank you very much, if everyone can live this time…”

“Talk about it later. Living for one day counts as one day.” Guo Bing waved his hand indifferently. “To be able to live so many more years after the end of the world, it’s worth it!”

There was no time for everyone to feel emotional, sad, or depressed, after handing over their life-saving weapons. Now everyone has seen the situation outside. Level 5 zombies are not easy to deal with. Two walls have just been smashed by level 5 power zombies. The base has already been breached by zombies.

One day, two days, three days…

Now all the people in the base, men and women, young and old, have gathered around the temporary blockade, determined to live and die with the wall.

Although the breath of despair has begun to spread, everyone gritted their teeth, sticking to each other in order to live one more day.

Gradually, the base’s original ammunition was completely used up, and the batch of weapons supported by He Zizhong and Guo Bing also bottomed out.

The plant abilities came to the wall and began to throw the seeds of mutant plants down, preparing to wait for these hideous creatures to be launched before the ammunition was used up.

He Zizhong and Fang Hao stood together. Fang Hao’s hands held a grenade gun, while He Zizhong was preparing—preparing to use his abilities after the weapons of several people around him were used up.

Suddenly, someone tapped He Zizhong on the shoulder.

After turning around to see Guo Bing, He Zizhong took two steps back but did not dare to leave the wall. In the past few days, everyone has seen that these zombies have not sent their real main force. Flying zombies and earth-burrowing earth zombies have not appeared either.

According to Yan Xin’s analysis, this team has probably also experienced in many battles. They know how to use the low-level zombies recruited along the way as an opening to make the base run out of ammunition. Then they can break through the base in one fell swoop.

This is an open conspiracy, but they could only follow the other party’s script.

“What?”

Guo Bing hesitated for a moment before whispering: “If…if the city is really broken, if it’s convenient for you… can you bring Xiaotian?”

He Zizhong paused before turning around.

Guo Bing had a reluctant and painful smile on his face. “I’m not too young and I’ve lived enough, but Xiaotian…” He shook his head violently. “If it weren’t for the end of the world, I wouldn’t have a chance to be with him. I just ask… If you can get out, can you…”

He Zizhong and Fang Hao are both extremely fast ability users, and He Zizhong still has a special method allows him to approach zombies undetected. As long as he doesn’t get too close to level 4 or 5 zombies and doesn’t make too many movements, even fourth and fifth level zombies will not be able to find him for a while.

If anyone in the entire base has the best chance of escaping and being free, there’s no one else to think about apart from this pair.

Guo Bing knew that his proposal would probably affect He Zizhong and Fang Hao, but… he really didn’t want Le Tian who was so young to…

He Zizhong was silent for a while, then suddenly raised his hand to pat his shoulder. “We won’t die, no one will die.”

It wasn’t that He Zizhong didn’t consider getting out and escaping in these two years, but he had to admit he couldn’t let go. Especially since the base had seen the hope of surviving before, he really thought that everyone would be able to survive like this through this disaster.

But when the zombie army reappeared, he also knew that it would be difficult to hold on to the base this time.

He has a space to hide, but… what about the others?

The relationships built were not caused by strong winds. He admitted that besides Fang Hao, he now has other concerns, such as Guo Bing, Le Tian, Chen Ning, and even has a stronger bond with Yan Xin and some others.

His ability is limited, and he can’t and is unwilling to bring everyone into the space. But Guo Bing and the others… He really can’t let go.

Walking to Fang Hao’s side, He Zizhong raised his hand and took the grenade gun in his hand. “Try to stay by Le Tian’s side, if…”

He didn’t finish his words, and he was a little hesitant about how to explain to Fang Hao. After all, this was a decision he just made.

Fang Hao raised his head, rubbed his sore shoulders and suddenly smiled. “I know, if it’s dangerous, to bring them in, right?”

He Zizhong paused, then looked at Fang Hao beside him. “You… don’t blame me?”

Fang Hao shook his head slightly, smiled, and looked at the endless sea of ​​zombies in front of him. “Even if their is a situation where someone betrays their benefactor3Idiom here, so I simplified it.

升米恩斗米仇 – A liter of rice feeds a benefactor, and a bucket of rice feeds an enemy. It means that if you give a little help in times of crisis, people will appreciate you. If you continue like this, and suddenly you don’t help for some reason, the other party will hate you and will hate you for a lifetime! , we must do things with a clear conscience. Anyway, it’s our territory, and it’s a not a big deal to wait for these zombies to pass. Just throw those who can’t get along out, and they won’t be able to get in.”

He Zizhong smiled lightly. He knew that Fang Hao was trying to comfort him and help him round out this idea. He also knew that he really couldn’t watch them die after Guo Bing’s words.

The mutated plants grew horribly under the urging of the plant abilities, blocking them at a position about one meter from the wall. But very quickly, they were trampled, destroyed, and torn apart by the endless army of zombies…

One row after another, the seeds of the mutant plants were gradually consumed, and various abilities were ignited again, radiating out from the base as the last brilliance bloomed in all directions.

At the top of a huge group of zombies far behind the team, a small body stood up at this time, raised its tender little hands, opened its mouth, and made a sound that humans could not hear.

Jiang Feng, who was huddled in the corner of the wall, shook violently and spat out a mouthful of blood: “It… is coming…”

Wind zombies with cyan wings took off one after another, and zombies with khaki rays of light on their bodies sank into the ground. Fire zombies and long-ranged zombies, such as ice and thunder zombies, were also unknowingly arranged in a certain order.

“Boom, boom!”

“There’s a big hole in the south wall!!”

“Earth, earth zombies got in! Level 5!!!”

Desperate screams echoed in all directions of the base. As soon as they sounded, Fang Hao had calmly stood by Le Tian’s side, holding him with one hand and Zhang Xiaoming with the other.

Although Zhang Xiaoming and Le Tian were pale, they didn’t look desperate. Instead, they firmly grasped the golden glowing weapons in their hands. Even if long ranged abilities no longer worked, they could still fight at close range for a while. Even one more slash is nice!

The city wall under his feet was shaking, He Zizhong took a half step back and glanced to the side. The 3 people closest to him were Guo Bing, Chen Ning, and Ding Minggang…

The people under the fence made a panicked cry and the sound of abilities exploding echoed. But the people on the fence couldn’t get out, and the sky was dark – it was the wind zombies!!

It was a desperate battle. Several walls were crumbling, and might completely collapse at some point. People were fighting everywhere, either at a distance or in melee. The zombies were also attacking the base frantically. The scent of human flesh was much more fragrant than that of people in the bases they had eaten at before, making them almost drool. If it weren’t for that little zombie sitting behind them, they would definitely be the first to feast on them.

Everyone and every zombie was dealing with their enemies. No one noticed that the rain, which had been raining for several days, suddenly stopped. No one noticed that the thick, gloomy, and leaden sky actually cracked open…

A golden light quietly broke through the dense cloud layer, and shot a beam in an inconspicuous corner of the ground.

Golden light represents life, represents hope, represents the past and the future.

One, two, three… Countless ways!

The dense clouds, just like when they suddenly appeared, gradually dissipated! The thick fog and clouds that had been trapped in the last days for three years were actually broken open by the sunlight today!!

He Zizhong raised his hand and threw out another mixed wind and gold ability. The battle was so chaotic that he didn’t know if his ability could hit the target, or what exactly it hit the ground.

But it didn’t take long for the ability to work, and there were 2 puffs as two flying zombies fell down!

What’s happening? Since when can he beat down two level 4 zombies with a wave of his hand?

Tuanzi, who had been flying over the battlefield, staring at the level 5 zombies greedily, suddenly rose up excitedly when the sun drilled out, as if it had the meaning of breaking through the atmosphere and rushing out of the earth.

And the little zombie lying on top of the combined zombie made a painful hissing sound when the sun hit it.

“Puff, puff…”

“Ow-!!”

“Ahh…”

The same thing happened everywhere the sun shone.

From the initial pain and screaming, to gradually losing the ability to move, those low-level zombies who haven’t eaten human flesh and crystal cores for a long time fell to the ground with a pop and could no longer get up. Under the sunlight, their bodies gradually collapsed and turned to ashes.

The more advanced zombies suddenly struggled to turn their heads and ran wildly, trying to find a hazy place to block the streaming sunlight.

The little zombie suddenly stood upright, and screamed in the sky. The army of zombies suddenly moved again! They turned their direction and walked towards the urban area, which was full of dilapidated buildings!!

The little zombie was masked by the limbs of the combined zombies below it, helping it block the sunlight from the sky, but those mutilated limbs slowly collapsed under the sunlight, turning into ash and floating away in the wind.

The zombies came aggressively, surrounded the walls, and breached the base, and death was imminent.

But now, they… actually left? Just left?!

Someone who just escaped catastrophe looked surprised, and sat down on the ground, and stared out blankly in bewilderment at the fleeing zombies.

“The sun… the sun is out?” Suddenly, an uncertain voice sounded, causing everyone to look up at the sky.

“The sun?”

“The sun!”

“The sun is out! The zombies have all run away!!”

Although they don’t know the reason, but at the beginning of the apocalypse, when the zombies first appeared, the sky gradually became cloudy. It is unimaginable for human beings who are accustomed to living on earth to live without seeing sunlight for three whole years. Plants are difficult to grow, the ground is cold and damp, and the “winter” season is dry and cold.

But now, when the sun hits the ground again, the zombies retreated…

Everyone raised their heads greedily, staring at the dazzling sun, and ignoring the pain in their eyes with tears in their eyes.

Finally, the end of the world is over.

Sunshine, finally came out…

 

 

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1zombies2humans3Idiom here, so I simplified it.

升米恩斗米仇 – A liter of rice feeds a benefactor, and a bucket of rice feeds an enemy. It means that if you give a little help in times of crisis, people will appreciate you. If you continue like this, and suddenly you don’t help for some reason, the other party will hate you and will hate you for a lifetime!