Chapter 7: Memories of the End

Zhang Wei's breath hitched as his eyes locked onto one of the corpses. It was a soldier, his face twisted in agony, his eyes wide open, staring directly at Zhang from the pile of mangled bodies. It felt as if the dead man was pleading, silently asking for help that would never come.His chest tightened, and Zhang's grip on the metal frame grew harder, knuckles white. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice cracking under the weight of guilt. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. The man's face was etched into his mind, his death a brutal reminder of the horror he was powerless to stop.Then, the memories came rushing back.Zhang blinked, and suddenly, he was somewhere else. His body no longer crouched in the rubble of a ruined world, but in a bright, warm room. The sound of laughter echoed in his ears. He could see himself sitting with his friends at a table, beers in hand, the smell of grilled food wafting from the kitchen.It had been a rare day of peace—a day he had earned after returning from his last deployment. He and his friends, civilians and soldiers alike, had gathered to celebrate. They had laughed, joked, gamed, and talked about the future. For a brief moment, Zhang had felt like things were normal again, like the weight of the world could be ignored just for a while.Then, everything changed.The memory shifted. Zhang was outside, still laughing as he tossed a football with one of his buddies. It was a clear day, the sky a perfect blue. But that blue turned to black in an instant, as though the sun itself had vanished. He remembered the eerie silence that had followed, like the world was holding its breath.Then, the meteors came.They fell from the sky in every direction, fireballs of destruction crashing into the city. Buildings crumbled as the ground shook violently, and before Zhang could even comprehend what was happening, he heard the first screams. Panic erupted in the streets as people ran in every direction, their faces twisted in terror and confusion. The air was filled with the scent of burning, the metallic tang of blood hanging heavy in the air.Zhang remembered how he'd stood frozen in place for a moment, his mind struggling to process the chaos unfolding around him. "Run!" someone had screamed, and that was when the real horror began.It wasn't just the meteors.The clouds above, thick and dark, began to bleed. Red rain fell from the sky, staining everything it touched. It soaked through clothes, dripped down faces, and pooled on the streets, mingling with the growing rivers of blood. People slipped and stumbled, their screams rising in a chorus of fear and confusion."Zhang, move!" a voice had shouted, snapping him back to reality. He had run, adrenaline pumping through his veins as more meteors crashed around him, leaving craters in their wake. He remembered dodging between the falling debris, heart pounding in his chest as explosions rocked the city.The sky had been filled with more than just fire and blood. Shadows moved in the distance, large, grotesque shapes descending from the clouds. Creatures. Monsters. Zhang had caught only glimpses of them at first—huge, hulking figures with claws and teeth that gleamed in the darkness. Then they came closer.The first time he'd seen one up close, Zhang had frozen in horror. A demon, tall and twisted, with burning eyes and skin that seemed to crackle with energy. It had torn through the crowd like they were nothing, blood splattering in every direction as its claws ripped through flesh and bone.Zhang had fought in wars before, seen the worst humanity had to offer. But nothing had prepared him for this.Back in the present, Zhang blinked, his body trembling as he snapped back to reality. The rain still fell around him, the cold seeping into his bones. The corpse still stared at him, lifeless eyes wide and accusing. His stomach churned as the guilt clawed at him, but he forced it down.He had survived the chaos of that day. He had lived through the end of the world. But so many others hadn't.Now, the world was this—a wasteland of rubble, blood, and death. The demons roamed freely, playing with the remains of humanity. The war never really ended; it just became survival.Zhang wiped the rain from his face, though it did nothing to wash away the bitter taste of regret. He had seen that soldier's face, begging for help he couldn't give. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.As he crouched there, hidden under the rubble, he knew he couldn't stay like this forever. The memories would haunt him, but there was no turning back.He would survive. He had to.