Chapter 17

Hebei Province, Forest 60 km from Beijing, March 22, 2030 — 7:30 PM

The day after their departure, after enduring shortages, the incessant assaults from the starving with white eyes, and the regular losses due to combat or disease, the soldiers could finally breathe. Civilians at the rear continued to mourn their loved ones, some lost in memories, staring at family photos, while others sought distractions by playing cards.

Wen, however, was alone, curled up in his corner. His mind was consumed by a single thought: to find the nurse and the little girl.

A young soldier approached him, a smirk on her face.

— Here!

She held out a chocolate bar towards Wen.

— What do you want, Xiyin?

He replied, his voice cold, pushing her offer away with an indifferent gesture. Lost in dark thoughts, he pondered.

Would they survive all of this? Would he keep his promise to return safe and sound? His fist tightened slightly.

— Why are you rejecting me?

Xiyin blew out with theatrical exaggeration, puffing her cheeks. She snapped her fingers in front of his face to catch his attention.

— Tss... Oh, you look like a shonen character.

The young man was pulled out of his thoughts by the gesture. He turned his gaze toward her, annoyed.

— What are you doing here?!

He grabbed the collar of the young girl, a flash of frustration crossing his face.

— Hey, hey, calm down, boy. Calm down...

A young soldier approached, grabbing Wen by the shoulders to pull him away from Xiyin. He dragged him two seats away, between large men whose faces were marked by the horrors of this new world.

— Let me handle him.

The young girl stepped forward, a mischievous smile on her face.

The men exchanged a threatening glance, then one of them stepped forward.

— This son of a bitch didn't threaten you? We'll teach this puny little thing some respect. Hey you, come here!

One of the men drew a knife from his belt and slowly approached Wen, the blade gleaming under the dim light.

— No... STOP!

Wen screamed, panic rising within him. He tried to reach for his weapon, but two men pinned him against the seat. One of them pushed his rifle out of reach.

Suddenly, Xiyin rushed at the bald man, knocking his knife away. She grabbed Wen's hand and pushed him behind her, standing in protection.

— What did I tell you? Leave him alone!

She yelled, her tone firm.

The men exchanged uncertain looks, but the situation seemed under control. They stepped back, muttering insults. Xiyin finally sat down, a satisfied smile on her face.

— Thank you, Xiyin...

Wen murmured, still in shock.

— I told you, I'll always be there!

She answered cheerfully.

— We promised each other back in high school, right?

She showed a playful smile.

— You haven't changed, Xiyin. Even in the darkest times, you're still as cheerful.

He chuckled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

— Well, someone's got to lift your spirits, right? When I see your face, I instantly feel better.

Xiyin shot back, a teasing grin on her lips.

— Say that again!

Wen replied, amused but threatening.

The transport truck suddenly stopped, a thick black mist enveloping the area. The soldiers immediately went on high alert, their rifles aimed at the dense ferns.

— Damn, what's that?!

An officer shouted.

— We can't see anything in this fog!

Another soldier added, panicked.

— Put on your goggles!

Ordered an officer, and everyone hurried to follow the instructions. But the silence that followed only added to the growing unease.

— What is that...?

A scream of terror emerged from the crowd.

Behind the trees, humanoid figures slithered through the mist, their outlines blurry. One of them fired, the echo of the bullets splitting the air. Panic broke out, civilians running in every direction.

A monster emerged from the shadows. It transformed into a massive creature, a hairy beast with a tiger's head, decapitating over 40 soldiers in an instant. Another enemy went wild, slicing through twenty lives with a speed faster than light.

— Wen, what do we do?!

Xiyin screamed, panic evident in her voice. She shot in all directions.

— Calm down!

Wen shouted back, trying to keep his composure. Horror was written all over his face as he saw the creature staring at them—a grotesque monster with the body of a baby and the face of an old woman, a malicious grin etched on its features.

— Xiyin...

The monster extended its claws, grabbing Xiyin's legs and pulling her violently toward it.

— Help me... Save me, Wen!

Her voice faded, swallowed by the fog.

— XIIIIIJINNNN!!

Wen screamed in rage, leaping out of the truck with his bayonet in hand. He charged at a zombie warrior, plunging his blade into its brain before being violently thrown back by a supernatural force.

He was thrown out of the battle, crushed by an invisible force, all the way to the riverbank. His body was shattered, ribs cracked, lungs pierced by his own bones, and one foot completely dislocated, but he barely kept consciousness. A cruel, familiar smile loomed before him.

— That's the price of your betrayal, Wen...

The evil cultivator Tao stepped forward, dressed in traditional kimono, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

— Tao, you bastard... I'll kill you and make you swallow your own tongue!

Wen spat in fury, but he was too weak to react.

— And how, Wen? Look at yourself...

Tao leaned his face close to Wen's, a sinister laugh echoing.

— You're going to die here, like a piece of shit, in this river.

He burst out laughing, snapping his fingers before disappearing into a cloud of black mist.

— I'm going to die here..?

Wen thought, the pain spreading through his body. His consciousness was flickering. Yet, a strange voice resonated in his mind, a voice full of strength and determination:

"Wake up, hero of Fantasia."