C1 The End of the World
Mu Chenyu's college life came to a close as effortlessly as it had unfolded, leaving no trace behind and no regrets. His days were spent immersed in the realms of fiction.
This was the true essence of Mu Chenyu's four years at university.
June 6th, 2018, 7 AM.
Having spent the entire night engrossed in novels, Mu Chenyu reluctantly put aside the next thrilling chapter and succumbed to sleep around 6 AM. He had to head home today and catch an afternoon bus, or else he would have continued reading until sleep overtook him naturally.
He believed in letting sleep come when it may and waking up when the body was ready.
Mu Chenyu genuinely thought of university as a wonderful place.
As for everything else, he didn't dwell on it, perhaps due to lack of time or maybe a deficiency in certain areas.
He never experienced a love story powerful enough to move mountains or bring tears to the eyes of the gods, nor did he seek it out.
Sleep came easily to him, and in his dreams, the vivid scenes from the novels played out, providing him with a sense of sheer contentment.
Yet, in these dreams, a familiar woman in black kept appearing, puzzling Mu Chenyu as to why she haunted his subconscious.
He recognized the woman; she was from a different class. Her name and her story were unknown to him—they had never spoken, only once crossed paths at a gathering without exchanging words, though they had clashed.
According to one of Mu Chenyu's dorm mates, the pinnacle of university life was to experience a grand romance.
That same friend had claimed the only girl in their class for himself, and their relationship spanned the entire four years—unremarkable and steady.
His name was Xiang Xi, who fancied his lineage traced back to the mighty kings of Western Chu, a claim met with skepticism despite his undeniable strength.
As graduation loomed, the group decided to meet up one last time—a familiar ritual by now.
So, they gathered.
Subsequently, Xiang Xi invited the girls from his girlfriend's dormitory, uniting the two dorms for a farewell celebration.
This tradition had begun in their freshman year, with the intent of helping their dorm mates find love quickly, at least that was Xiang Xi's rationale.
The others were clearly intrigued. I mean, who wouldn't want a girlfriend?
Except for Mu Chenyu, that is.
Since then, there had been numerous mixers, plenty of flirtatious exchanges, but nothing substantial.
Just a few days ago, at the last get-together, everyone shared their aspirations. Then they dove into a variety of games, with Truth or Dare being the most daunting.
Just how daunting? Well, Mu Chenyu had never found out.
Yet, he couldn't dodge the antics of those wild guys and gals. A girl in black, her hair tied back in a ponytail, had her fun with him.
Her impact on him was profound, since he'd never really mingled with women his age before. He'd always been a loner.
"Woodenhead."
That's what she called Mu Chenyu.
His face was a picture of bewilderment, prompting raucous laughter from the others.
Her image lingered in his mind thereafter.
Maybe it was a case of daydreams spilling into night dreams, though Mu Chenyu couldn't be sure.
At seven, Mu Chenyu was deep in his hero's dream—galloping on horseback, sword in hand, championing the downtrodden...
His only gripe was the fleeting vision of a lovely figure that kept intruding on his thoughts.
Then, a piercing scream shattered the silence of the university campus, reverberating through the air.
It was jarringly loud.
In a daze, Mu Chenyu simply turned over and clutched his blanket closer, resolute in his sleep, undisturbed by the commotion.
But that scream had seemingly lifted a veil. Within minutes, several more horrifying shrieks ensued.
"Ah!"
"Ahhhhh!"
The cries were relentless, accompanied by other chilling noises.
"Help!"
"Help, monster, ah!"
"Run, run for it!"
...
The desperate calls for help were incessant, and even the exhausted Mu Chenyu couldn't ignore them.
Bare-chested, he flung the curtains open and peered down to witness a gruesome spectacle.
Five boys were ferociously tearing at a girl who had tumbled to the ground, blood and flesh scattering in all directions.
After a few screams, the girl fell silent, and the stiff, staggering boys quickly pursued others lagging behind.
"Crack, crack!"
The girl lying in a pool of blood began to emit bone-chilling snaps from her skeleton. In front of Mu Chenyu's horrified gaze, she rose to her feet, her neck at an odd angle, her clothes shredded into ragged strips. She swayed as she joined the procession ahead.
They relentlessly pursued the university students who were crying out and desperately trying to escape.
"Zombies?" Mu Chenyu whispered to himself.
As a modern college student and an avid reader of novels, he was no stranger to the concept of zombies.
The ensuing chaos painted a grim picture of the apocalypse.
Students who had risen early for class were now frantically fleeing for their lives, pushing and shoving one another. In these moments, the darker aspects of human nature were laid bare.
One girl was sacrificed by her own boyfriend, pushed forward in a vain attempt to buy himself a few precious seconds.
The next moment, she was tripped by another and fell prey to the ravenous zombies.
The larger students shoved the smaller ones aside, the strong overpowered the weak; everyone was scrambling to survive.
Mu Chenyu's body shook with tremors, his skin slick with cold sweat. A chill seeped from the depths of his heart, paralyzing his thoughts.
Meanwhile, the corridor echoed with chaos—screams and cries were incessant.
Mu Chenyu, summoning his inner resolve, snapped into action.
He bolted to the door, locked it, and with Herculean effort, dragged a bunk bed across the entrance. Still feeling vulnerable, he barricaded the door with two more beds, propping them up until there was no room for another. Finally, he positioned the last bed by the window.
Now, the dormitory was a fortress with just enough space for Mu Chenyu to stand.
Exhausted and pale, Mu Chenyu slumped to the floor, his sweat pouring out as if he'd taken a shower, quickly soaking the ground beneath him.
After catching his breath, Mu Chenyu shakily retrieved his phone and dialed his family's number.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
The call wouldn't go through.
Undeterred, Mu Chenyu tried several more numbers to no avail. The dorm's internet was down, and his mind was a blank slate.
His eyes brimming with despair, he curled up on the floor, hugging his knees and burying his head between them.
The world outside was harsh and unforgiving, the shrill cries of despair so vivid that one could easily conjure up the horrors unfolding beyond sight.
Mu Chenyu, whose life had been devoid of significant trials, found himself reflecting on the entirety of his existence. From the moment he was born, his parents nurtured him with loving sacrifice. Later, for the sake of his and his brother's future, he ventured out into the world, leaving them in the care of their elderly grandparents.
Over the course of twenty years, he had navigated through primary school, middle school, high school, and finally university. Yet, despite completing his education, he had accomplished nothing noteworthy.
He was utterly average, particularly after high school when he became enamored with novels. His academic performance plummeted, and to this day, he remained ensnared in the fictitious realms of literature, indulging in vain dreams.
Imaginary adventures, fortunes that defied the heavens...
"Hold on, adventures, fortunes..."
In the midst of his reverie, Mu Chenyu snapped to attention, as if a sudden realization had struck him. A brilliant light of hope and the will to survive burst forth from his previously despondent eyes.
"The Wordless Black Book."
With a silent incantation, the book materialized in the hands of Mu Chenyu, who was seated on the ground. Its appearance was always peculiar, yet he had grown accustomed to it.
The book was entirely black, roughly a dozen centimeters thick, with a blank cover.
Inside, the pages were pristine white, devoid of any writing, which is why Mu Chenyu had dubbed it the "Wordless Black Book."
He had stumbled upon the book in a valley back in his hometown, but after extensive examination revealed nothing extraordinary, he had discarded it. The book was tattered, resembling waste paper, and held no appeal to him.
But then, inexplicable events began to unfold. The black book persistently appeared before him, impossible to dismiss. It manifested at his mere thought, unseen by others.
Mu Chenyu kept this bizarre secret to himself, knowing that sharing it would only be met with disbelief.
As he grew older and delved deeper into the world of novels, he came to suspect that the book was a treasure. Despite his attempts to bond with it using every method imaginable, none succeeded, and eventually, he let the matter rest.
Mu Chenyu, who hadn't laid eyes on the mysterious black book for years, was taken aback to see it had transformed. The once tattered volume was now an inky black, devoid of shine yet exuding an air of mystery and sophistication. It was a far cry from the dilapidated tome it once was.
"Could this book be alive?"
The change in the black book captivated Mu Chenyu, his curiosity piqued to the point where even the zombies clawing at the world outside faded into irrelevance.
He thumbed through the pages for what seemed like an eternity, finding nothing but a few new entries. But Mu Chenyu's resolve didn't waver; he clung to the belief that this book was his lifeline, his only sliver of hope. Without it, his meager combat skills wouldn't keep him alive for long.
"Does it require an owner?"
His voice was tinged with frustration after fruitless attempts to unlock its secrets. He had tried this before to no avail, and it seemed this time was no different. But then, a single thought flashed through his mind, crystallizing into the word "blood."
What more was there to say?
"Let's do this!"
He extended his hand, his face set with a resolute, almost fatalistic determination. Yet, there was no response. It was time to take matters into his own hands.
Scouring his surroundings, he unearthed a fruit knife and, with eyes closed, sliced his finger. Pain seared through him, and he was on the verge of crying out when a violent pounding at the door erupted. The bed frames rattled ominously.
"Zombies!"
His left hand clamped over his mouth, muffling the scream. As his blood fell upon the black book, it stirred to life, emitting a dazzling light that coalesced into a beam of white, striking him squarely on the forehead before vanishing.
Mu Chenyu's body jolted as a sphere of light materialized in his mind, revealing a book enshrouded in white light nestled in the recesses of his consciousness. The book, pristine and glowing with an aura of wisdom, bore two characters that slowly surfaced on its cover:
"Heavenly Tome."
