Chapter 11 – Crack

Training only lasted for one morning.

When Ye Lanzhou returned to the base in the evening, he was greeted with news that Chu Chenli had been injured and was bedridden again.

His heart gave a painful squeeze. Pivoting, he headed towards the medical bay.

Following him, Xiang Renxi saw no reason to stop him. However, before he went to visit Chu Chenli, Xiang Renxi decided to seek out Dr Du for an explanation.

Huang Shuyin was also at Dr Du’s office. When she saw Xiang Renxi, she greeted him coldly and indifferently. This standoffish attitude was normal for her.

Xiang Renxi didn’t pay her any mind. “Did you get injured again?”

Huang Shuyin shook her head and said, “Not me, it’s Chu Chenli.”

Xiang Renxi looked at Dr Du, who sighed and said, “It’s just a muscle cramp, coupled with a twisted ankle.”

Turning back to Huang Shuyin, he started to chastise her, “Didn’t I tell you to take it easy? The patient recently recovered from being bedridden! Strenuous activity should only be done in moderation. Fortunately, there was no bone injury sustained. Otherwise, he’d have to lie down for a few more days.”

He’d originally thought that the caretaker job had only been assigned to Huang Shuyin as a way for her to pass the time. Judging from the examination results, Chu Chenli’s options for lodging and work were extremely limited. He was frail, and could only stay in the safe zone. A normal job was out of the question, even the logistics team viewing him as a burden.

However, directly sending someone away marked that person as a disgrace. So they took a roundabout approach.

They never accounted for Huang Shuyin to have no experience in training people, leaving him bedridden again on the first day.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. The threat of the zombie hordes descending upon them became more real with every passing day. Rose-coloured glasses weren’t going to help the burden that was Chu Chenli survive the onslaught. The sooner the harshness of their current reality was exposed, the better.

Dr Du’s tone wasn’t particularly harsh, and he didn’t go into much detail. Huang Shuyin had no knowledge of what he had discussed privately with Xiang Renxi, so she didn’t think much about it.

Indeed, she had been too hasty.

Chu Chenli’s strength and combat knowledge had not faded with time, but the effects of his coma made themselves known in other ways. His reflexes were clearly rusty and his muscles had stiffened. He should have warmed up a bit beforehand, but it had completely slipped her mind.

Huang Shuyin didn’t protest, knowing she was in the wrong this time. She scratched her nose awkwardly. “I’ll be more careful next time.”

Xiang Renxi was somewhat taken aback.

Huang Shuyin wasn’t someone with a good temper. When she was forced to stay in the medical department due to her injuries, she lashed out at the doctors.

But at that time, she had thought the doctors were overreacting. They had banned her from combat because of a minor injury, causing her to miss several missions. A colleague had died in one of those missions. Ever since then, her animosity against the medical department had only grown.
For her to obediently endure Dr Du’s scolding now…it could only mean that she genuinely believed she was at fault.

—All this over Chu Chenli’s minor injury? A self inflicted one at that?

Didn’t Huang Shuyin despise useless people like him?

Seeing that Huang Shuyin was about to take her leave, Xiang Renxi quickly suppressed his confusion. He added, “If you don’t want to continue taking care of Chu Chenli, I’ll help you ask Lanzhou.”

“No need.”

Xiang Renxi wasn’t sure if her choice came from her trying to avoid more trouble for herself, or some other unknown factor. After all, she wasn’t the type to enjoy bothering others.

“This way, I won’t have to deal with urgent tasks.” The corner of her lips twitched up into a mocking leer, but it was gone in a flash, replaced with an expression of interest. “But I have to admit that Commander Ye has a good eye. Looking after Chu Chenli is much more interesting than going on missions.”

Before this, she had never imagined that someone’s murderous aura would be enough to freeze her in her tracks.

Her shock quickly melted away, her competitive streak and unwillingness to admit defeat stimulated, as well as a spark of curiosity.

Just what is the true extent of your power, Chu Chenli..?

That question had to wait until his body had made a full recovery.

Huang Shuyin couldn’t help but feel regretful. She had just come to Dr Du to ask about this matter, hoping to find a way to speed up Chu Chenli’s recovery. Unfortunately, Dr Du had only brushed off her question, maintaining that Chu Chenli’s recovery wasn’t something to be rushed. They could only wait patiently.

Dr Du was an important figure of authority in the medical department, one who was always extremely busy. Huang Shuyin could only follow his advice.

Xiang Renxi remained composed, wearing an apologetic and grateful expression. “As long as you don’t find it troublesome, it’s fine. The security system of the base needs an upgrade during this period, and Lanzhou is really overwhelmed. It may be hard for you for a while. After this busy period is over, I must personally thank Lanzhou.”

Huang Shuyin waved her hand, interrupting his long speech. “Alright, alright, I understand. Commander Ye is devoted to the base, I get it. I’ll take care of Chu Chenli and Xiao Bai over here.”

Xiang Renxi expressed his gratitude with a thankful look. “Thank you.”

Huang Shuyin turned on her heel and left without another word, sparing only a wave of her hand.

…

When Ye Lanzhou opened the door to the ward, Chu Chenli was lying on the bed, looking at something.

As soon as he heard the door opening, he turned his head and immediately smiled.

Ye Lanzhou noticed that one of his feet was propped up on a pillow. His ankle had just been rubbed with medicine, but it was still distinctly swollen. The contrast was somewhat frightening, red swelling stark against his fair skin.
He sprained his foot on the first day of training.

Ye Lanzhou’s heart ached faintly. His emotions were a tight ball he couldn’t unravel.

Chu Chenli’s physique would have been considered delicate, even ten years ago.

But he had just woken up—Ye Lanzhou tried hard to restrain his wandering thoughts.

No matter how hard he tried, though, what Xiang Renxi had said the night before kept echoing in his head.
It had been ten years.

Just being able to stand up was fortunate enough.

…

Ye Lanzhou forced a smile, pulled over a chair, and sat down beside the bed, inquiring about his injuries in a gentle voice.

Chu Chenli naturally downplayed the severity of his wound. “It’s nothing serious.”

Ye Lanzhou finally gave voice to the question that had been nagging at him. “How did you sprain your foot again?”

“I accidentally fell into a pit while running,” Chu Chenli replied. “But it’s not that painful; it should be fine in a couple of days.”

As he spoke, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

The muscle cramp hadn’t been that bad, but Huang Shuyin had been worried anyway. She had sent him to warm up outside— nothing too strenuous, just a short run. But ever since the duel in the training hall, the disconnection between his soul and body had become increasingly apparent. As he ran, Chu Chenli could almost hear his bones breaking and reforming.

In a daze, he had inadvertently fallen into a small pit in the grass.

His ankle had instantly swelled up.

Resigned, Huang Shuyin could do nothing but have Xiao Bai assist him back.

He’d had to stay in the ward after that.

The examination revealed nothing serious.

Thankfully, the feeling of his bones breaking had just been his imagination.

The doctor couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief for a long time, and Chu Chenli wished a hole in the ground would magically appear and swallow him whole. He didn’t elaborate on the situation, saying it was fine.

“It’s good that you’re okay,” Ye Lanzhou forced a smile and changed the subject. His gaze wandered to the small booklet in Chu Chenli’s hands. “What are you reading?”

“A graduation commemorative booklet.” Chu Chenli shut the book, showing him its cover.

“Is it yours?” Ye Lanzhou asked.

“No,” Chu Chenli paused and looked up at Ye Lanzhou. His fingertips brushed the booklet, his gaze meaningful.

“I’ve never been to school,” Chu Chenli said calmly. “I found this in the pit when I stumbled.”

The smile on Ye Lanzhou’s face froze slightly.

Base 8 had originally been a university. The booklet bore its emblem.

Chu Chenli, however, had grown up in the deep mountains and had never set foot inside a school.

Although he had mentioned these things to Ye Lanzhou before, it seemed that Ye Lanzhou had long forgotten.

“I’ve been really busy lately,” Ye Lanzhou apologised with a guilty expression. “Sorry.”

“I understand,” Chu Chenli gave a little grin, his head down. “After all, it’s been ten years.”

After all, no one remembered things that had happened ten years ago that clearly.

This was normal. Chu Chenli said he didn’t mind, but Ye Lanzhou inexplicably felt a bit embarrassed, as if he had betrayed something.

Maybe it was that sense of indescribable awkwardness that caused him to feel restless.
Ye Lanzhou stood up immediately when Xiang Renxi came knocking. He took a few steps out, paused, and turned around with a very apologetic look.

“The base has been busy dealing with the wave of mutants, and the lives of many people are at risk. I really don’t have time to be with you. Once I’m done—”

He paused.

Chu Chenli nodded with an understanding glint in his eye. He made no move to stop him, simply saying, “Okay. Take care of yourself.”

After a pause, he added, “Don’t stress yourself out too much, always running back to me.”

The words “I’ll wait for you” got stuck in his throat.

Ye Lanzhou didn’t stay much longer, smiled at Chu Chenli, and hastily walked out of the room.

Chu Chenli watched his departing figure, and in the end, he only exchanged a glance with Xiang Renxi, who was waiting outside. The latter smiled slightly at him and then followed Ye Lanzhou out.

There were faint sounds of conversation leaking through the door crack, discussing the base’s security system—things that Chu Chenli couldn’t understand.

Chu Chenli lowered his head again to look at the graduation booklet in his hands, revealing a bitter smile.

Ye Lanzhou really didn’t remember at all.

Ten years ago, shortly before Chu Chenli’s “death,” Ye Lanzhou was only nineteen, still young and naive, carrying hopes for the future.

He wholeheartedly believed that this calamity would eventually come to an end.

In the fall, they travelled southward, seeking shelter from the rain in an abandoned old school building. In a certain classroom, they reminisced about the past, with Ye Lanzhou being even more nostalgic than Chu Chenli.

After being in university for just a few months, he found himself more nostalgic for the times in middle school when all he needed to do was bury himself in studying. Playing around with classmates, gossiping about the school’s most attractive students, and the class teacher hiding behind the door to confiscate students’ comic books, then sternly educating them to study hard for a better future—those were the moments he missed the most.

The emblem on the cover of the booklet was from the same school.

Ye Lanzhou wasn’t the most obedient and well-behaved student. Occasionally, he would misbehave, and being called to the principal’s office was as rare as the sky were falling. After returning home, he would inevitably receive a stern lecture with his ears being pulled.

At that time, nothing was more significant than studying for the impending college entrance exams. Each person believed they could strive for a future by burying themselves in their studies, rather than struggling for survival amidst blood and corpses.

Chu Chenli didn’t grow up in a conventional way like Ye Lanzhou. He was unfamiliar with school life, so Ye Lanzhou enthusiastically chatted with him late into the night.

Reflecting on the past, Ye Lanzhou said that once the world returned to normal, he would go back and study hard, never causing his parents any more trouble.

However, when he asked about Chu Chenli’s thoughts on the future, he shook his head.

Regarding the word “future,” Chu Chenli’s mind was blank. With no family or attachments in this world, he never considered that question.

However, Ye Lanzhou told him, “Then I’ll take you home.”

“From now on, my family is your family, and my future is your future.”

“ I won’t let you be alone again.”

…

To Chu Chenli, it seemed like those words from the past were said yesterday, still echoing in his ears.

But what about Ye Lanzhou?

Perhaps it was just a piece of trash that had long been swept into the corner of his memory.

Ten years of life and death had shattered those promises and youthful naivety.

It wasn’t Ye Lanzhou’s fault.

Chu Chenli looked out the window, and the base buildings, renovated from the old school, were no longer recognizable. But he never knew what the school should have looked like.

With a “snap,” he closed the commemorative booklet, losing interest. He withdrew his gaze, and in the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw Xiao Bai standing at the door of the ward.

He didn’t know how long Xiao Bai had been standing there or how much of their previous conversation he had overheard.

Chu Chenli turned his head and met his eyes, unable to say the words to invite him in.

Xiao Bai’s figure almost merged with the darkness behind him. His gaze was heavy, devoid of malice, instead carrying a gentle and silent focus.

He looked like a different person, nothing like his usual simple and cheerful appearance.

More like someone familiar.

Chu Chenli tried to speak, but the person’s name couldn’t escape his lips.

In a soft voice, Xiao Bai asked, “Did he upset you?”

Chu Chenli didn’t react, turning a dazed look on him.

Xiao Bai chuckled softly, instantly assuming a familiar and innocent facade. His tone told a different story, dark and dangerous. “Or should I just take care of him for you?”