The rain poured down in torrents, dense clouds darkened the sky, and an isolated temple stood on the outskirts—all three elements combining to create a classic horror movie opening. Even the temple’s Maitreya Buddha, usually smiling with kindness, seemed to be grinning with a hint of malice.
Yao Wuque placed a small radiation filter at the temple entrance, then turned to the Buddha and gave a respectful bow, placing another filter on its round belly. Shortly after, Zhong Yin took out a measurement device and made a circuit inside the temple. The radiation levels were within the normal range, allowing everyone to remove their hoods. Shen Shanwu also took off his helmet, which, aside from being heavy, was otherwise completely useless to him.
The clock hands pointed to 4 p.m. The wind outside had calmed, but the rain continued to fall, pattering against the eaves and splashing into puddles below, scattering tiny droplets.
The group sat idly in the dilapidated temple, chatting to pass the time. Their conversation wandered from poetry and songs to musings on life philosophy. Inevitably, the topic shifted to mutants, and Yao Wuque suddenly asked with curiosity, “Has anyone here actually seen a mutant in person?”
Shen Shanwu had been sitting obediently with his knees drawn up, his big eyes attentively following the adults’ conversation. Upon hearing this question, he couldn’t resist glancing sidelong at Jiang Huan, who was seated beside him, leaning against the wall and wearing a mask, without showing any reaction at all.
“Mutants are such a cruel and bloodthirsty race—who would even survive an encounter with one?” another team member said, shaking his head. “Have you heard of the Saint Harmony Hospital Massacre, the one with all 109 casualties?”
The lieutenant leaned forward, adjusting his posture, while Yao Wuque grew visibly excited, urging eagerly, “No, I haven’t! What happened? Tell us!”
“It was a hospital located in the Wuyou City district in the south. In the fifth year after the apocalypse, all 109 staff members of Saint Harmony Hospital were brutally slaughtered by mutants—no one survived. Every last piece of research data on zombies inside the hospital was also burned to ashes.”
Seeing that everyone’s attention was drawn to him—even the captain, Jiang Huan, slowly turned his face to listen—the team member couldn’t resist getting even more animated as he recounted the tale with vivid details. “I heard that there wasn’t a single intact body in the entire hospital. Eyeballs were gouged out, tongues ripped from mouths, brains sucked dry without a single drop left, hearts gnawed and scattered everywhere, intestines pulled out and wrapped around necks, hanging people from the ceiling. The once-white walls of the hallways were painted red with blood. The cleaning crew that went in afterward couldn’t hold it in—everyone who entered ended up throwing up. It was a living hell on earth.”
“Damn,” Yao Wuque muttered, rubbing his shoulders as if warding off a chill. “Mutants were humans once, right? This is beyond inhuman.”
“But they’re not human anymore,” Zhong Yin replied. “They’re zombies—zombies that have developed intelligence. Their urge to kill is intense, and they crave human flesh and organs. Personally, I think it’s best if we never run into them at all.”
“What if we do, though? Could we outrun them?” Yao Wuque asked, a bit reluctantly.
“If we react fast enough, maybe we could,” Xiaowen said, scratching the back of her head. “I heard mutants have super-sharp vision and are sensitive to bright light. During the day, they usually stay hidden in the shadows. So, if we ever run into one, we could crank up a flashlight to full power, blind it, and make a break for it.”
“I also heard that mutants have an exceptionally keen sense of smell—and are terrified of garlic!”
“Oh, come on, where are we supposed to find garlic?”
Shen Shanwu: “…” What nonsense! This was getting more ridiculous by the minute!
Who’s afraid of garlic? Is he a vampire? Afraid of bright light? He could look straight at a solar eclipse now! And who likes eating human flesh? He has very particular tastes!
…But the fact remained that all 109 doctors and nurses at Saint Harmony Hospital had indeed lost their lives to the hands of a mutant.
In the fourth year after the apocalypse, that hospital managed to capture a newly awakened mutant. Exploiting the mutant’s near-immortal physical resilience, they dissected its body into six parts—head, torso, and four limbs.
They drew its blood, peeled away its skin, cut through muscle and fat, separated blood vessels and nerves, and subjected its brain to brutal experiments, including electrocution, hallucination induction, poison exposure, and dissection—methods devoid of any humanity.
On one hand, they sought a way to curb zombification, but more importantly, they craved the mutant’s power.
They never regarded the mutant as human, and naturally, the mutant didn’t see them as humans either.
After rescuing the dismembered mutant, not a single person was left alive within the hospital. Blood and flesh stained every inch of the floor tiles, seeping into every corner of the walls.
Through this extreme act of slaughter, the mutant intended to make a clear statement to the world: this is the price for coveting the power of mutants.
As for the claim that mutants are a bloodthirsty race… Shen Shanwu thought quite the opposite. Mutants were more like tigers or lions—once full, they were too lazy to move. Perhaps it was a limitation in their genes, but of the hundreds of mutants across the world, not one had a penchant for causing trouble. They either lived in solitude in areas of high radiation or mingled discreetly among humans, donning sunglasses and masks, living peacefully and happily among them.
However, humanity would never admit that mutants were still human. Mutants themselves also tacitly acknowledged their belonging to the zombie classification, never disputing their brutal image.
The reason lies in the fact that mutants originated from zombies. If mutants could still be considered human, then their act of killing zombies would essentially equate to murdering beings that might still have a chance of returning to humanity.
If the truth came to light that mutants were rational, kind, and intelligent, with thoughts and behaviors indistinguishable from ordinary people, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Out of billions of zombies, there were fewer than a hundred mutants. Given the strong aggressiveness and infectious nature of zombies, killing them was the most sensible choice compared to wagering on that negligible possibility of a mutant’s existence.
But what if that zombie that must be killed was a loved one? Would you raise the knife, or would you pray for that one-in-a-million chance?
Would you resent the person who killed your loved one before they became a zombie?
Would you be held back by the possibility that the zombie could become a mutant, making you hesitant to attack any zombie, even when its claws and teeth are right before you?
Jiang Huan leaned back against the wall after just listening to a couple of sentences. After a while, Shen Shanwu thought he had fallen asleep. Just as he moved his legs, intending to stand up, he felt someone tugging at the hem of his clothes. Turning around, he saw Jiang Huan looking directly at him and asking, “What do you want to do?”
“…The ground is too hard.”
Shen Shanwu meant to say that the ground was uncomfortable to sit on for too long and he wanted to stretch his legs. However, to Jiang Huan’s ears, it sounded like: the ground is too hard, and it’s making my butt hurt.
Jiang Huan stretched out one leg and gently patted Shen Shanwu on the back.
“…?” Shen Shanwu looked at him in confusion. After waiting for a moment and seeing that Shen Shanwu was just standing there like an idiot, Jiang Huan simply reached out to hug him and pulled him directly onto his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist. “Is this more comfortable?”
The paternal affection felt overwhelming for Shen Shanwu.
Beside them, Yao Wuque watched with envy. Not wanting to directly challenge the captain’s authority, he could only chime in sarcastically, “Yin Yin, it’s cold on the ground. Do you want to sit on my lap?”
Zhong Yin shot back coldly, “Be careful, or I’ll report you for sexual harassment.”
Yao Wuque: “…”
After six o’clock, the rain finally began to lighten, but the sky had completely darkened. The temperature dropped sharply, chilling everyone to the bone. Being out in the wild, no one dared to crawl into their sleeping bags to rest, fearing they wouldn’t be able to escape if danger struck. Xiaowen turned their only heater to full power, and everyone put on additional layers of protective clothing over their suits, leaning against the wall to sleep, weapons always at the ready.
The patter of the light rain played a lullaby, and Shen Shanwu ultimately returned to the ground, half cradled in Jiang Huan’s arms, covered with a cloak to keep him warm.
Jiang Huan held him tightly, occasionally adjusting the cloak to wrap Shen Shanwu even more snugly, then taking his hand and placing it against his own abdomen. “Are you cold?”
Whenever Jiang Huan touched Shen Shanwu’s hand, he always sensed the same cool temperature. Shen Shanwu wasn’t actually cold; he just felt a bit constricted. “Captain Jiang, I’m fine. I’m not cold…”
Not cold? How could anyone possibly feel warm on such a damp, rainy night? The chill had clearly seeped into their bones, making it feel as if even the blood in their veins had frozen solid.
Jiang Huan brushed aside Shen Shanwu’s soft black hair, and under the dim light, he saw the distinct contrast in Shen Shanwu’s eyes—sharp and clear. The shape of those eyes was exactly like the man he remembered, but the different hue made them appear even more vibrant.
As his consciousness blurred amidst the sound of the rain, Jiang Huan suddenly recalled a similar rainy night—a day that was far worse than today.
They had no vehicle, no food, no heater, and no warm clothing, trapped in a small cave by the incessant downpour. At just thirteen years old, Jiang Huan felt both cold and hungry, curled up in the back of the cave, trembling uncontrollably.
But the cave was simply too small and shallow. No matter how he huddled or tried to hide, a part of his body was always exposed to the biting wind. Finally, he couldn’t help but open his eyes and, shivering, hoarsely called out, “…Brother Shanwu, I’m so cold.”
The man sitting at the cave entrance, shielding them from the wind, turned to look back. Under the moonlight, his black and red eyes held an enchanting, captivating power.
“…” The man put down the filter stick he had been fiddling with, tucked it into a crevice, and silently walked over to Jiang Huan. Jiang Huan sniffled and, feeling wronged, said, “My feet are numb from the cold, and my hands are freezing too… I think I’m going to get frostbite…”
Warm hands gently removed his rain-soaked boots and peeled off his cotton socks, which felt like they had formed icicles. Underneath, his little feet were indeed turning a shade of purple from the cold.
“Are you an idiot?” The man’s tone was harsh, and his lips parted to reveal sharp teeth that glinted menacingly. Yet, Jiang Huan felt no fear; instead, he sought comfort, his voice tinged with more grievance. “I can’t sleep because I’m so cold. Can you hold me…?”
Those who loved to be pampered always knew that someone would care for them.
“I’m really at a loss with you.” The man sighed and sat down beside Jiang Huan. He allowed Jiang Huan to fold his legs and sit on his lap, then wrapped him snugly in his embrace. The solid, broad shoulders instantly shielded them from all the biting wind and rain.
The man lowered his head and took hold of Jiang Huan’s feet, gently rubbing them. He then guided Jiang Huan’s hands to tuck inside his own clothing for warmth. Without hesitation, Jiang Huan slipped his hands beneath the fabric, wrapping them around the man’s waist. The man’s sides were warm and firm, lacking any excess flesh. Even though Jiang Huan’s hands felt like ice, the man showed no sign of complaint when they made contact.
Mutants could not feel cold or heat.
Amidst the howling wind, the distant growls of zombies mixed in, sometimes sounding alarmingly close. Half-awake and half-asleep, Jiang Huan shivered slightly, unable to suppress his fear as he whispered, “Brother Shanwu, what if zombies crawl in at midnight…?”
“It won’t happen.”
“But what if we fall asleep and they sneak up on me and scratch me…?”
“Tsk, why are you so talkative?” The man tightened his embrace around the child in his arms. “If you’re going to be scratched, at least let it be me first, alright? I’m here.”
Finally feeling reassured, Jiang Huan closed his eyes, his fingers curling tightly. He held onto both the person who cared for him in his dreams and the one outside his dreams who needed his protection.
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