NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 60
CHAPTER 60: Under the Moon Gaze
Under the ethereal glow of the moon, Li Zitong grimaced as he channeled his earth manipulation abilities. The ground beneath him rippled and shifted as he painstakingly moved the corpses of the fallen zombies away from Good Hope Village. His power, while unsuited for combat, proved invaluable in clearing the battlefield. The weight of the work was crushing, but necessary. The night air was thick with the lingering stench of death, and Li Zitong’s efforts were a small balm for the devastation left in the wake of the battle.
At the base of the watchtower, the iron door creaked open, and the weary survivors began to emerge from the underground shelter. Their faces were drawn and pale, the events of the day having drained them to the bone.
"Rest for tonight," Wang Xiong announced, his voice heavy with both exhaustion and resolve. "There’s plenty of work waiting for us tomorrow."
Under the soft light of the moon, the survivors slowly surveyed the ruins of their once-thriving gathering place. What had been a small but orderly village was now a wasteland of shattered homes and upturned gardens, with only a few structures, including Lu Ming’s watchtower, still standing. Tears welled up in the eyes of some as they took in the scale of the destruction—a testament to the hard labor they had poured into building their sanctuary. But most remained stoic. They had survived. That, for now, was enough.
As the survivors found what shelter they could for the night, the Awakened remained alert, knowing their work was far from finished. Wang Xiong, accompanied by Zhang Lixin and Meng Jie, made their way to the village entrance, where a familiar figure waited for them.
Zhang Lixin’s breath caught in his throat as he recognized the man standing in the moonlight. “Colonel Bai!” he gasped, rushing forward to salute.
Zhang Lixin’s admiration was palpable. He and Bai Tianyu had both served in the military, and for Zhang Lixin, Bai Tianyu was a legend—the first Awakened soldier, an idol in the military ranks.
Bai Tianyu returned the salute with practiced ease, his eyes briefly lingering on Meng Jie, whose presence he acknowledged with a nod. "Captain Zhang and Dr. Meng," he greeted, his voice steady, though there was an undertone of relief.
Before Zhang Lixin could respond, Bai Tianyu moved past him, his attention focused on Meng Jie. "Dr. Meng, are you alright?" His tone carried an unspoken concern, one that Meng Jie couldn’t ignore.
Meng Jie nodded, but before she could speak, Bai Tianyu continued, "Dr. Huo Sheng has been worried sick. We lost contact with you, and he feared the worst."
There was a flicker of annoyance in Meng Jie’s eyes, though she kept her response measured. Bai Tianyu, however, seemed oblivious, or perhaps intentionally so.
Wang Xiong and Zhang Lixin exchanged curious glances. Sensing the underlying tension, Wang Xiong tilted his head slightly. “It sounds like there’s a story here,” he mused. “Colonel Bai, perhaps you could enlighten us?”
But Bai Tianyu wasn’t inclined to delve into personal matters, not here, not now. His gaze swept across the gathering place, searching for something, or rather, someone.
Unable to find the person he sought, Bai Tianyu turned to Zhang Lixin. “The Awakened on top of the watchtower earlier...”
Zhang Lixin instantly understood. “You mean Brother Lu? He’s gone home to rest.”
Bai Tianyu’s expression remained unreadable, though his interest was piqued. "Could you introduce me to him?" he asked, his tone respectful, yet with an undertone of eagerness.
Zhang Lixin and Wang Xiong hesitated. Lu Ming was not one for meeting strangers, and in the gathering place, his preferences were respected without question.
Just as Wang Xiong opened his mouth to speak, Meng Jie interjected with a sigh. "Little Lu’s exhausted," she said firmly. "Let him rest. We can address our concerns later. For now, I have questions of my own, Colonel Bai."
Bai Tianyu’s expression softened. "If it’s about Dr. Huo, there’s much to discuss."
Meng Jie’s eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed, but she didn’t press further. Bai Tianyu’s mention of Huo Sheng was deliberate, perhaps too deliberate, and Meng Jie could sense the delicate game being played.
Meanwhile, Lu Ming had retreated to his home as soon as the danger had subsided. His reasons for leaving the battlefield were not due to exhaustion or fear, but to assess the damage to his house. For Lu Ming, his home was more than just four walls; it was his sanctuary, his last connection to normalcy in this apocalyptic world.
From a distance, the house appeared unscathed, one of the few structures that had survived the onslaught intact. But as Lu Ming approached, his sharp eyes detected the cracks spider-webbing across the outer walls.
“There are leaks…” he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
Li Zitong, who had followed closely behind, offered a sympathetic smile. "Brother Lu, let me help you fix it. My earth manipulation can easily repair the damage."
Lu Ming considered the offer, but then shook his head. "There are others without shelter tonight. If you have energy left, help them first. My house can wait."
Li Zitong, along with Zhang Chengcheng and Zhao Honglei, exchanged surprised glances. Lu Ming’s selflessness was well-known, but it never ceased to impress them. Even in moments of personal loss, he put the needs of others first.
After a brief moment of silence, Lu Ming entered his home, locking the door behind him. The silence was palpable, the atmosphere heavy with the aftermath of destruction. Inside, Lu Ming’s mind turned to the next task—repairing and reinforcing his home.
Despite the damage, there was a silver lining to the night’s destruction. His supplies, stored in the basement, remained untouched. The cracks in the walls were unsettling, but they hadn’t compromised the structural integrity of the house. His stockpile of food, weapons, and ammunition—his lifeline—was safe.
Even better, the battle had given Lu Ming a noticeable boost in his skill levels:
Slingshot Shooting Lv20 → Lv21 (1081/2100).
Agility increased by 2.1.
Throwing Lv4 → Lv6 (152/600), all attributes increased by 1.1.
His updated stats now read:
Strength: 82.7
Physique: 83.4
Agility: 105.1
His house, though damaged, had held firm. And while his attributes couldn’t protect his home, they were his best safeguard in this unforgiving world.
After inspecting the basement and confirming everything was secure, Lu Ming changed into his nightclothes and settled into bed. His thoughts lingered only on the repairs. He had to reinforce his home—his sanctuary.
On the 45th day of the apocalypse, Lu Ming woke at 6:00 a.m., as he had every morning since the world had changed. His routine—morning ablutions, a simple breakfast—grounded him, keeping him anchored in a world that no longer made sense.
As he stepped outside to begin his morning exercise, he found Wang Xiong waiting for him.
"Good morning, Brother Lu," Wang Xiong greeted, though there was an unusual seriousness to his tone.
"Good morning," Lu Ming replied, his gaze sweeping over Wang Xiong’s expression. There was something more on his mind than just the usual morning briefing.
As they began to warm up, Wang Xiong finally spoke. "Zhao Honglei left early this morning. He’s returning to the Red Thunder Martial Arts School to bring everyone back here. I’ll be heading out to pick them up this afternoon, so I’ll need you to keep an eye on things here."
Lu Ming nodded, as if the request was second nature. “No problem. Everything will be fine.”
“The area is clearer after last night’s battle,” Wang Xiong continued. “It should be safe for us to move.”
He hesitated, then added, “The military personnel that came yesterday—the tall, strong one—was Colonel Bai Tianyu. He’s from the official shelter downtown. They picked up on a Level 3 Awakened and came to assist.”
He paused, as if weighing his next words carefully. “Before leaving, they gave us the address of the official shelter.”
Wang Xiong’s hesitation was clear, and Lu Ming’s eyes narrowed, waiting for what came next.
End of Chapter 60