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On the second floor of the Fan Bar, Xiao Wei crouched by the stove, desperately fanning a cardboard box to keep the fire alive. The heavy snow had not let up, and the dry wood in the bar had been burned through in recent days. The firewood collected outside was either soaked or damp, and while it could be lit in the stove, the thick smoke was impossible to disperse. Xiao Wei's face was smudged with soot, coughing from the smoke, but at least the flames had finally flared up after all his efforts on the rooftop.
Behind the stove, a flue extended from the second floor down to the main hall, a bright metal pipe piercing through the staircase into the lobby. The original air conditioning duct had been removed and replaced with this smoke outlet. In reality, this was a completely incorrect way to heat with a stove; typically, stoves are placed inside rooms, not with their fireboxes exposed outside. There was no choice; Xiao Wei and his fellow graduate students had tried many times, even using dry wood, but smoke still billowed everywhere, filling the entire hall with black soot—making it uninhabitable.
This misguided renovation method had been devised by Ming the Great Hero. Very few people in the city still used such old-fashioned stoves, and finding a few flue pipes was no easy task. The three men searched for several days and finally unearthed these antiques at a scrap metal shop.
While Xiao Wei tended to the fire upstairs, Yin Nuo was downstairs cooking. The small stove wasn’t very effective for heating but posed no problem for boiling water and making porridge. Ming Junwei and another graduate student had left early in the morning. Luci lay on a booth bed covered with a thick blanket, looking sound asleep. Yellow Dog and Tabby Cat had made their home beneath the dance floor; the flue pipe conveniently rested at the edge of the dance area, allowing them to curl up there all day, their fur warmed by the heat.
Life seemed to be settling into a routine at Anjia Bar. Aside from Luci falling into a coma, nothing else had happened in recent days. Initially, everyone worried that Gao Yang and his gang were plotting against them from behind, so they kept two men on guard at all times. After several peaceful days passed without incident, their vigilance lessened; they were no longer on high alert. Additionally, the threat of zombies could be largely ignored; those encountered outside were mostly frozen zombies, most of which were completely dead—making any noise they stirred up inconsequential. The only concern was indoors; many well-sealed buildings still harbored some active zombies, but their numbers were few and those places held no valuable resources—no one would venture inside unless they wanted to die.
Yin Nuo stood on a stool to open a ventilation window; it was stuffy inside. She was fine—just sweating a little—but worried that excessive heat might negatively affect Luci. The corn porridge in the pot bubbled over with a hearty aroma wafting through the hall. Yin Nuo wiped her hands clean and took a towel to wash up in the restroom. Several buckets of snowmelt sat on the restroom floor; while they served little purpose otherwise, they were sufficient for washing hands and faces—after all, snow was plentiful now. After wringing out her towel, Yin Nuo returned to the hall and sat beside Luci's booth bed, gently lifting her blanket to wipe her body inch by inch. Yin Nuo worked diligently; although Luci's skin felt icy to touch, she knew Luci was still alive.
What happened that night need not be elaborated upon; by the time Ming Junwei realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Luci went from showing signs of distress to being unresponsive almost without any chance for intervention. When Ming Junwei held her up, Luci could still move her eyes slightly at first; however, that last flicker of life faded into darkness as she slipped away from daylight.
Ming Junwei felt he was on the brink of collapse; he simply could not accept another woman dying before his eyes. In an instant, he woke everyone who had just fallen asleep moments earlier. He did not expect anyone to have a solution but hoped someone could share in his burden of grief and despair. Unfortunately, everyone’s emotions were nearing their breaking point; no one could bear any more weight.
Summer Rain's situation differed slightly from Luci's; her fate had long been sealed—only selectively forgotten—while Luci retained some possibilities for survival. At least Ming Junwei and his group had not anticipated misfortune arriving so swiftly. Yet tragedy repeated itself; just as they began to relax after lowering their guard for a moment, calamity struck once again.
If Luci truly became nothing more than a cold corpse, this battered team might very well be shattered beyond repair. Human endurance has its limits; even the strongest heart cannot withstand repeated blows unless one chooses from the outset to walk alone in chaos without entangling themselves with others' fates. Only then can one forge an ironclad heart; once emotions are invested in people or things carelessly, escaping negative feelings becomes impossible—no one can remain untouched.
Fortuitously amidst misfortune, they unexpectedly discovered that Luci had not completely perished. Yin Nuo was astonished to find that despite being unresponsive to external stimuli, Luci still breathed softly when she listened closely to her chest; she could even hear her heart beating! However, compared to normal people, it seemed as if Luci's heartbeat had slowed down drastically—light and slow—but it was indeed there!
What is a lifeline? Isn’t it just a glimmer of hope?
After experiencing brief emotional highs and lows, Ming Junwei and his companions began to confront what was happening with Luci seriously. With countless threads leading back to that ominous structure in Gobi Desert where they had all been captured at Underground Base but separated into different areas—Ming Junwei knew that only he along with Xiao Wei and Jin Bo had escaped exposure to whatever drugs were used there while Luci and others injured on Loess Plateau became guinea pigs for experimentation before leaving with unknown substances coursing through their bodies.
Regarding Launch Base, Ming Junwei's group already had basic knowledge about it—including rca and Establishment—these organizations stirred global turmoil yet failed to restore peace effectively. One clear point: these factions were deeply intertwined with zombie outbreaks while drugs researched at Launch Base were intricately linked with Infected Virus as well. Ming Junwei’s group hadn’t delved deeply into Testing Ground but based on later descriptions from Luci—many living subjects had been injected with drugs under conditions resembling dog-eat-dog elimination processes designed to force out individuals who met their expectations for success. It seemed this endeavor failed because Ming Junwei and Shaoshan’s interference turned what should have been a life-or-death trial into an opportunity for escape.
Overall, the efforts of Launch Base were in vain, but for individuals like Summer Rain and Luci, it was a matter of life and death without respite. They had left Launch Base, yet they could not escape the trauma inflicted by the underground space.
Let’s return to the bar team.
Ming Junwei and the others confirmed that the issues affecting Luci originated from the Gobi Desert, but they were unaware of the drug's effects and side effects. According to their memories and understanding, Luci was someone who had already "died" once. From the moment she reappeared, lively and vibrant, she could no longer be classified within the original "human category." But how should one perceive this?
Luci's organs possessed an extraordinary self-repair capability; she could navigate through pitch-black nights using her 'black-and-white vision.' Her complexion was pale, and her skin was often cold to the touch. However, she fundamentally differed from a Zombie; Luci had self-awareness, emotions, sensations, and the ability to express herself and act—qualities that Zombies lacked. It was not difficult to piece together that theoretically, Luci's condition at that time should have been a result of Launch Base's painstaking research.
Thus, the question returned to its origin.
Since Launch Base had gone to great lengths to create a "being" that transcended both humans and Zombies—regardless of their intentions—why would they place her in an endless Deep Sleep?
At this point, Ming Junwei seemed to grasp some clues. Combining this with their previous experiences on Century Avenue, he felt a sense of unease. Could it be that Luci's coma was similar to those frozen Zombies on the streets? For instance, those aggressive Zombies on Century Avenue initially lay covered in snow, merely revealing their fangs and claws when living humans passed by. After Ming Junwei and his group made noise, a large area of Zombies seemed to awaken from slumber, returning to their former state. Did this imply that Luci might also awaken one day? Clearly, this possibility was quite high; however, Ming Junwei could not ascertain what Luci would be like upon awakening—whether she would be "Friend Luci" or "Zombie Luci."
Ming Junwei's speculations left the three Buddies utterly bewildered. The concept of "resurrection" had only existed in their imaginations until now; however, they had witnessed far too many unimaginable things along their journey.
In any case, Yin Nuo's astonishing discovery played a significant role; at least Ming Junwei and his companions abandoned the idea of burying Luci. Regardless of whether Luci could awaken in the future or in what form she would return, for now, she still had a heartbeat and breath as a living person. Subsequently, Luci was placed on a new cot bed. Every day, Yin Nuo would wash her body and attempt to feed her some liquid food to ensure she wouldn’t starve to death. Overall, aside from taking precautions by not sharing a bed with her anymore, they treated her as if she were in a vegetative state. As long as Luci didn’t stop breathing, she remained a friend they shared life and death with.
After finishing washing Luci’s body, Yin Nuo saw Xiao Wei finally complete his fire-making endeavor as he came down covered in soot.
“What are we eating today?” As soon as Xiao Wei entered the hall, he caught a whiff of delicious aromas. Without bothering to wash his face, he excitedly approached the iron pot.
“Don’t be greedy! Go wash up first; there’s plenty for you,” Yin Nuo laughed as he shooed him into the bathroom before returning to tuck Luci’s blanket properly.
At that moment, rhythmic knocking sounded at the bar door—it was Ming Junwei and his graduate student.
Yin Nuo went over to pull open the roll-up door. Ming Junwei and his companion were carrying several plastic bags and dragging along a large roll of plastic wrap. Judging by their watches, it seemed they had made quite a haul today. They returned just in time for a quick rinse before sitting in a circle waiting for Yin Nuo to serve them food.
“What good stuff did you find?” Xiao Wei had been cooped up for two days and was bursting with curiosity. Seeing the plastic bags laid out on the dance floor, he rushed over without even serving himself food. However, upon opening one bag, he froze in place and turned around to ask, “Where did this come from?”
"Agricultural Expo Pavilion," the graduate student squinted and said cheerfully, "How's it going? The harvest looks pretty good this time, right?"
"Well, the variety is quite complete," Xiao Wei replied, smacking his lips as he held a handful of seeds up to his nose and sniffed. "But which one should we plant? In a flower pot?"
"Let's eat first, then we can talk," Ming Junwei said as he took off his eye mask and set it aside. He urged Xiao Wei to eat while he lit a cigarette, taking a satisfying puff. "Xiao Xiong and I ran quite far today; we must have reached the outskirts of the county."
"Yeah, it must be around 20 kilometers round trip," the graduate student agreed.
Yin Nuo found it interesting and walked over to look at several plastic bags filled with seeds. There were dozens of bags in various sizes, each labeled with the name of the variety. Yin Nuo's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "Did you guys find a greenhouse?"
"Smart as always, Yin Nuo," Ming Junwei gave her a thumbs up. "But the greenhouse is a long-term plan; we can plant right at our doorstep too."
"How do we plant? In flower pots?" Xiao Wei still didn't get it, staring blankly as if he were in a contest with the flower pots.
"Silly, what else is there besides Asphalt Road at the entrance?" The graduate student suppressed his urge to spoil the surprise and hinted at Xiao Wei.
"A building? A residential building?" Unfortunately, Xiao Wei just couldn't connect the dots. After frowning for a long time, he stood up and said, "I'll go take a look. Did you two bring anything back?"
"Sit down and eat," Ming Junwei pulled him back with a laugh. "Did you not notice that long Green Belt in front of the roundabout?"
"Greening... Oh!" Xiao Wei finally realized, slapping his forehead in enlightenment. "That's true! An instant vegetable garden!"
Yin Nuo held her small bowl and thought for a moment before hesitantly saying, "We could clear the Green Belt for planting, but at this season—oh! I see!" She suddenly remembered seeing the roll of plastic sheeting on the ground when she opened the door and exclaimed in surprise, "You already prepared the greenhouse?"
"We're getting things done without delay. If we don't mess around now, it might be too late if Zombies start moving again," Ming Junwei extinguished his cigarette confidently. "After searching for so many days, most ready-made items are gone. Luckily, we have all these processed materials ready. This afternoon we'll start setting up the greenhouse and plant some seasonal vegetables and fruits to see how they grow."
"Have you prepared fertilizers and such?" Xiao Wei also got excited; when they were at the mountain camp, they grew vegetables and raised pigs themselves, so they were quite familiar with it.
"We've found everything; we didn't drive today but will go out this afternoon to bring them back," Ming Junwei nodded and shifted the topic back. "As for that proper vegetable greenhouse, we need to plant there too. Besides the greenhouse, there's also an experimental field that seems to be newly cultivated land—this works out well for us."
"Alright, from now on, I'll head out twenty miles early to plant vegetables." Xiao Wei chuckled, saying, "Damn! First, let's build a greenhouse. Once the vegetables are planted, I’m definitely bringing back a pig!"
"Sounds good, you said it. Originally, I was planning to go with Little Bear to gather some meat and vegetables these days, but now it's up to you," Ming Junwei immediately chimed in, chuckling to himself. "Can Comrade Weister complete the mission?"
"Don't worry, Commander." Xiao Wei stood up and saluted, puffing out his chest as he shouted, "I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"
Yin Nuo watched from the side, laughing heartily while holding her belly. She scolded the three of them playfully, "Can you all eat properly? If you don't eat, I'm going to wash the dishes!"
The three immediately fell silent and focused on their food, eating in a manner even more unrefined than Yellow Dog. Yin Nuo smiled but said nothing; she picked up a small bowl and went over to Luci's side, helping her sit up. She blew on the porridge and fed her a spoonful. The three watched this scene with mixed feelings—there was a sense of melancholy, helplessness, and also comfort as they exchanged glances.
"By the way, have you seen that group of people these past few days?" Yin Nuo still felt uneasy and said, "I don't know if I'm just being paranoid, but I always feel like they’re lurking in the shadows watching us."
"Don't worry. Besides eating and drinking, we need to set up some defenses at the bar," Ming Junwei reassured her, clearly not having forgotten about Gao Yang and his crew. "For now, let's focus on what’s in front of us; it shouldn't be a big problem."
"Yeah, soon Jiang He and the others will be back too. At that time, it would be good enough if we don’t go looking for trouble with them," Xiao Wei said while helping to clear the dishes. He added boastfully, "If they dare to cause trouble, let Jin Bo take care of them."
The group exchanged smiles without saying much more. Whether Jiang He and the others would come as promised had become an uncertainty. However, having hope was always good; no one knew what the future would hold. After struggling for so long in this wasteland, they were no longer naive children. While it was important to have beautiful dreams, living well in the present was the right path.
As for everything else, let time decide. What is meant to come will eventually arrive.
(End of Ancient City)
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