Chapter 5: The Life of a Slave

“Slave Number One, go fetch water quickly. Look, there’s a stream over there—fill the water bottle to the brim.”

“Slave Number One, the vehicle won’t start. Get down and push it, hurry up!”

“Slave Number One, go dig some sand over there. You fool! There are sand beans beneath that you can use for rations.”

“Slave Number One, do you know how to hunt? Ah! Don’t use the rifle! If you break it, we won’t have anything to eat. Go and take down that wild boar with your teeth…”

“Damn it!” Ye Yang completely lost his temper. This girl kept calling him Slave Number One, ordering him to dig sand, fetch water, push the vehicle—he could tolerate all that, but what did she mean by taking down a wild boar with his teeth? Did she think he was a hunting dog?

“What’s all the noise about? Keep it down!” Qi Fang rolled her eyes irritably. “There are zombies around here. If we attract them, we’re in trouble!”

“Zombies?” Ye Yang shivered immediately, frowning. “I thought the apocalypse was over. Why are there still zombies? And why have we been walking so long and still find ourselves in the desert?”

“Pfft, I only said the apocalyptic war ended, not that zombies disappeared,” Qi Fang said proudly, patting her chest. “They’re everywhere now. But don’t worry, I’m an experienced wanderer. I know how to avoid zombie territories.” She continued with a haughty tone. “As for the desert, what’s the matter? Apart from the oceans, over ninety percent of the Earth’s land is desert now. Oases are rare. We still have to travel two more days to find one.”

Ye Yang was dumbfounded, his mind nearly shutting down. Zombies everywhere? Then how could the apocalypse be over? Ninety percent desert? Damn! In his time, although deserts existed, oases were still common. What on earth had happened to the world in just twenty years? Did it have to change so drastically?

Seeing Ye Yang’s confusion, Qi Fang patiently explained what she knew—of course, with her usual superior air.

What had happened to Earth was beyond Ye Yang’s imagination. The planet had been utterly devastated by the apocalypse of 2012.

Qi Fang wasn’t fully aware of all the details but had pieced together some from old people’s stories. In 2012, the American Academy of Sciences conducted a scientific experiment that successfully opened a portal to another dimension—a breakthrough greater than landing on the moon by several orders of magnitude.

But that great achievement spelled humanity’s ruin. Creatures from that other dimension invaded. Ye Yang had witnessed the invasion—it was terrifying and swift, like a blizzard engulfing everything.

In just a few days, most humans were infected by these otherworldly beings and turned into zombies. Almost every country and city was affected. The creatures infiltrated human bodies like bacteria, devouring consciousness and taking control, leaving people helpless.

By the time humanity realized the truth, Earth was in chaos. A counterattack ensued—yes, humans, the dominant species of the world, launched an immediate retaliation. War spread across the globe in an instant. But the outcome was utterly unexpected.

Humanity was utterly defeated. Though armed with aircraft carriers, planes, and artillery, these modern weapons were ineffective against the insidious, pervasive other-dimensional creatures. The vast hordes of zombies were only part of the threat; even more terrifying monsters lurked among them.

Humans used every weapon at their disposal, even nuclear arms, but still could not eradicate the invaders. The only way to wipe them out completely would be to destroy the Earth itself.

By the time Qi Fang was born, humanity had gradually ceased resistance—it was futile. They could not expel the monsters and had to accept coexistence. Earth was on the brink of collapse, and humanity was nearly extinct.

From a population of billions, after the war, nuclear bombardments, and invasion, fewer than a hundred million remained, clinging to survival in a handful of cities.

These cities were humanity’s last sanctuaries, numbering only about a dozen: London in the Hidden Nation, Garrison City in the United States, Milan in Italy, Cairo in Egypt, São Paulo in Brazil...

China was the luckiest, retaining two major cities: the capital Yanjing and the prosperous Shanghai. Nanjing, where Ye Yang once lived, no longer existed in Qi Fang’s memory; the name was lost to history.

As for countries, they were effectively gone. China, the United States, Sakura Nation, Han City, Ross Country—all had become relics of the past. People still remembered their ancestral nations, but the concept of countries no longer existed on Earth.

After hearing Qi Fang’s explanation, Ye Yang was speechless for a long time. He was overwhelmed, astonished—just twenty years, and his world had transformed so utterly.

Earth was ruined, humanity on the verge of extinction. Though the other-dimensional creatures were the direct cause, humanity had truly destroyed everything through its own nuclear weapons.

Notably, in Qi Fang’s memory, Sakura Nation was the first to employ nuclear weapons, and it was also the first to be utterly destroyed.

Ye Yang couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Sakura Nation? Didn’t they claim to have no nuclear weapons? How ironic.

After much thought, Ye Yang couldn’t figure out what to do. Was Yanjing still standing? Maybe Qi Fang could take him there. Perhaps his parents were still alive. Was Shanghai intact? Could Xiao Ya have survived and fled to Shanghai? Though he knew chances were slim, it was still a hope.

“Yanjing? Forget it. We can’t get in without a residency permit for a major city,” Qi Fang said flatly.

“Why?” Ye Yang was baffled. You needed a permit to enter a big city?

Qi Fang smiled bitterly. “There are so few large cities, but nearly a hundred million people. There isn’t enough space. The excess people have to live in small villages scattered everywhere. That’s where I was born.”

Ye Yang frowned, puzzled. “Villages? Didn’t you say zombies and monsters roam everywhere? Aren’t villages dangerous? How do you protect yourselves?”

“Dangerous, yes, no way to fully protect ourselves. We can fight off small groups sometimes, but against large hordes, we can only wait to die. There’s no other choice when there’s no room to live.” Qi Fang’s face showed a trace of bitterness. She wiped her eyes suddenly. “My parents died fighting zombies when I was very young. I grew up with my grandfather.”

A silence fell. Ye Yang wanted to ask why she had left so young, why her parents didn’t worry, but then...

“Oh! Many people don’t want to live dull, meaningless lives in small villages waiting to die, so they become wanderers like me! Hey, being a wanderer is actually quite glorious! Many kids admire us.”

“...Glorious?” Ye Yang smiled wryly. It was probably a reaction to the oppressive danger—defying fate by choosing to wander. Life as a wanderer was far more miserable than village life, but it embodied a spirit of self-determination. Likely, many young people chose this path.

“By the way, do people in the big cities care about you?” Ye Yang suddenly asked. In times of crisis, shouldn’t humanity unite? Kicking out your own kind is shameful!

“They do care. They’re not bad people. Like I said, it’s just unavoidable. Big cities have people and special forces to fight monsters. If we send distress signals, they come to help—though sometimes, they arrive too late.”

“Oh…” Ye Yang nodded. That made sense. It was better than he imagined.

He wanted Qi Fang to take him to her village. The girl’s explanations were vague; he needed answers. But she refused stubbornly.

“You’re my slave! You should follow me, not the other way around. Besides, I don’t want to go back… Grandpa will scold me.” Qi Fang muttered reluctantly.

Ye Yang couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. This little girl probably ran off without her family’s permission, stealing a motorcycle and a rifle, becoming a wanderer. So reckless and fearless!

Seeing Ye Yang’s frustration, Qi Fang quickly added, “You just want to ask some questions, right? Don’t worry. In a while, I’ll take you to a wanderers’ camp. Many there know more than I do! Although I already know a lot!”

“You know a lot? Fine—everything you should know and everything you shouldn’t,” Ye Yang sighed.

That would do for now. Qi Fang said wanderers visited these camps periodically to trade for daily necessities. No need to rush. Following the girl was a good way to see the world as it now was.

“Let’s go, Slave Number One. Your mistress will show you the world!” With a shout, the girl jumped onto the motorcycle, and Ye Yang had no choice but to follow.

Despite her chaotic personality, Qi Fang was a kind-hearted girl. Ye Yang felt sympathy for her plight. In his time, girls her age were cherished treasures at home and school, never worrying about food or clothing. Yet here she was, struggling for survival on the edge of life and death.

“Miss Fangfang, want some jerky?” Ye Yang asked playfully, holding out a piece.

“Hmm… thanks. But Slave Number One, aren’t your hands in a forbidden place? Asking for a beating, huh? How dare you eat your mistress’s tofu? What do you mean it wasn’t intentional? You still want it to be?”

“...” Ye Yang could only shake his head and smile wryly at her temper. But... her soft little chest was quite something.