I'm Going to Chop You Down Right Now

The explosion of fireworks echoed thunderously through the quiet city, jarringly loud in the stillness.

The surrounding survivors who heard the booming sound were initially tense and on edge, unsure of what had just happened. But after listening closely, they realized—it was the sound of fireworks.

They were baffled. Who could be this insane, releasing fireworks at a time like this? Hearing the noise, wouldn't the zombies go completely berserk?

And indeed.

As they looked around in alarm—

Roars echoed in the distance. Zombies began pouring in from all directions, racing madly toward the source of the noise. It was an overwhelming tide of zombies, sending chills down their spines.

If they were caught by a swarm like that, would there be any hope of survival?

Many survivors suddenly realized that this might actually be their best chance to act. They had endured the torment of the apocalypse for so long. Supplies were desperately scarce. Stores were just downstairs, yet they'd been too afraid of the zombies to go out, hiding in their homes like prisoners.

Now, with all the zombies lured away by the booming sounds—wasn't this their golden opportunity?

A good person.

They regarded the one who set off the fireworks as an unparalleled saint.

If it wasn't someone good, who would do something like this?

Not even a dog would be so kind.

On the rooftop of one building—

"F*ck your mother, goddamn it, damn it all…!"

A middle-aged man stood on the rooftop, fists clenched, screaming at the sky in agonized rage.

Behind him, fireworks blossomed in the night sky, booming above. But the deafening explosions still couldn't drown out his anguished cries.

His eyes were bloodshot. Gripping the edge of the rooftop, he glared at the sea of snarling zombies below, screaming in fury.

"Why? Why does it have to be like this?"

"Damn it all…"

He roared those three words over and over, as if they were the only way to truly vent the fury and pain tearing through him.

His name was Khuong Hai. He had once had a happy family. At 18, he started working hard at Hoang Corp. Though life was rough, he never gave up. He got married at 20. At 25, he had an adorable daughter. Now, he was over 30.

Life had improved drastically. He had a career. A perfect, happy family.

Even when the apocalypse began, as long as he was with the ones he loved, he wasn't afraid.

But today—

Everything was lost.

Not just his happiness—but also his very will to live.

He had severe diabetes and needed daily injections. In the days following the apocalypse, he had run out of medicine. While he was sleeping from exhaustion, his wife and daughter slipped out to search for meds.

When he woke up, he found a note:

"Dear husband, Bao Bao and I went to find medicine for you. Please wait at home until we return. Love, your little baby."

After reading it, he went mad searching for them. Finally, downstairs, he found a torn corpse. He recognized the pink dress—it was his wife's.

And then, he saw his daughter—missing both legs, turned into a zombie. He rushed forward, sobbing. He didn't want her to suffer like this. With tears streaming down, he choked her, trying to end her pain.

Now, Khuong Hai had climbed back up here, staring down at the horde of zombies. His heart filled with hatred.

He spread his arms, ready to end it all.

"Wait…"

A voice called out.

Lam Pham climbed up from the outer wall of the building. The door downstairs had been locked. Not knowing the password, and not wanting to destroy public property, he had no choice but to climb.

Just as he reached the top—he saw someone about to jump.

This, he couldn't allow. He wasn't the kind to watch someone jump and even cheer them on. That was disgusting.

Khuong Hai heard the voice, turned around, and saw Lam Pham. His expression flickered with surprise, perhaps confused as to how someone got up here. But that didn't matter anymore.

Nothing mattered now.

Even if the world ended, nothing could stir his heart anymore.

"Jumping won't solve anything," Lam Pham said gently. "If something's wrong, talk to me. Maybe I can help."

He could tell Khuong Hai's mental state was extremely unstable.

Like a live wire, ready to snap at any moment.

Khuong Hai gave a calm smile—the kind only utter despair can produce.

"Help? You can't help. I just want to know—why does this damned apocalypse exist? Why these damned zombies? And why do I have this damned illness?

My wife… my daughter… they died because of me.

My wife was timid. My daughter was afraid of pain. And yet one was ripped apart, the other lost her legs. I can imagine their last moments—how much pain they were in, how much despair, calling out for their husband, their father to save them… It hurts. It hurts so much."

Khuong Hai spoke to Lam Pham, but it was as if he were just talking to himself, replaying that horrible scene.

Lam Pham listened quietly, like a solemn audience to a tragic tale.

He knew the apocalypse had broken many.

It wasn't just the zombies. People too, became monsters.

Lam Pham said, "I'm sorry. But the dead can't return. I believe they'd want you to survive—really live. Carry their hopes. As long as you live, so does hope. The fireworks you set off… they drew all the zombies away, gave others a chance to survive. Isn't that worth it?

If we keep going like this, we can rebuild Hoang Corp. Bring it back to the way it was."

But Khuong Hai didn't seem to hear him. He kept muttering and laughing hollowly.

"I'm not that noble. Today was my and my wife's 30th wedding anniversary. I'd been planning for a long time. I wanted us to stand on this rooftop and watch fireworks together.

When we first met, I was poor and struggling. She never minded. Always encouraged me. She didn't cook well, but she learned.

She was such a good woman. But sometimes she'd drive me crazy in the cutest way.

Back when I was scraping by, she used ten days' worth of my salary to buy a dress. She wanted to look pretty for me.

I was furious—told her she was wasting money. But then she hugged me, all sweet, and said she just wanted to look beautiful for me. That it would give me more motivation. Damn it, I couldn't even stay mad.

She was always considerate. When we had our daughter, she stayed up alone at night soothing the baby, never disturbing me. Even when the baby cried for hours.

She knew how hard I worked. She let me sleep.

Later, we did better financially. She never changed. Still loved dressing up. I'd tease her for dressing like a teenager.

She'd just snuggle up to me and say, 'I don't care how old I get. I'll always be your little baby.' Damn it, she made me laugh even when I was mad."

As Khuong Hai spoke, he seemed like a talk show host, telling warm, touching stories to an invisible audience.

He even smiled at the funny parts.

But soon, his face twisted with emotion again. His voice turned into a raging roar.

"But why?! Why the apocalypse?! It took everything—everything I held dear! My hope, my reason for living! I wish this were all a dream. But it's not. It's a real, living nightmare.

Damn the apocalypse! I hate it!"

He took a deep breath.

Then gave Lam Pham one last smile.

"I'm sorry. I talked your ear off. I vented everything inside me. Look—my arm was bitten. I'm turning into a zombie. Don't blame yourself if you couldn't stop me. The end was always going to be the same.

Don't rush. Wait until the fireworks end—then the zombies will scatter.

Goodbye. I hope this apocalypse ends soon."

As soon as he finished—

Khuong Hai spread his arms wide, leaned back, and looked up at the sky. As if he saw his wife and daughter there, he smiled in peace.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The fireworks kept going, as if celebrating Khuong Hai's reunion with his family.

And commemorating his 30th wedding anniversary.

Lam Pham stood silently, watching the spot where Khuong Hai vanished.

Listening to the fireworks.

He looked up at the sky and muttered:

"I hope this apocalypse ends soon too."

"I wish you smooth sailing. May you reunite with them in heaven."

He let out a deep sigh.

The apocalypse was truly exhausting.

He wished Hoang Corp could return to how it once was.

Boom!

The rooftop door burst open.

Zombies flooded in. Upon seeing Lam Pham, they howled, jaws wide open.

"You damn beasts—still screaming? You ruined that man's life, you damn monsters! How dare you scream like that?!"

"I really want to cut every single one of you down!"

"No… I am going to cut you down—right now!"

Lam Pham drew his sword in fury. His voice mixed with the booming fireworks. Who knew if those damn beasts even heard him.