5-23

The 48-hour isolation dragged on forever this time. Usually, Yu Qingyu would spend it reading books - books were non-essential items, so no one had any issue with giving some to him, even if there was a risk he might turn - but this time, he couldn't focus at all. He was barely holding on before, but now that he was left alone, he completely fell apart.

Everything seemed to remind him in one way or another about what he did just a few days ago. That he pulled the trigger and took somebody else's life.

And although he couldn't say he regretted it - he saved Liu Wei, after all - the weight of his action was crushing on his consciousness.

When his isolation finally finished and the door was opened, the shelter members who came to release him found him lying curled up on the mattress.

"Hey, are you okay?"

No response.

The shelter members exchanged looks.

"Go check on him."

"Why me? You do it!"