The man sitting by the wooden desk was handsome, dressed in a black shirt. The lower half of his body was hidden behind the desk, revealing only his waist and above. His arms rested casually on the tabletop as he stared coldly ahead.
It was Jiang Zhu.
Tang Tang instinctively took a deep breath. She felt like the air in this room was a bit stifling, making it hard to breathe.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and hand over the things you bought from the supermarket!”
Seeing Tang Tang frozen in place, Yan Chen grew impatient and urged her.
Tang Tang: …
Didnโt we agree earlier that she didnโt have to do anything, just listen to what they had to say?
That’s what she thought, but she still obediently inched step by step toward Jiang Zhu, who was radiating a chilling aura. To be honest, she was a little afraid of him now.
Before thoroughly offending Jiang Zhu today, she had always believed she was just a passerby in this world. As long as she followed the script without any emotional attachment, she could return to her original world.
But what she never expected wasโ
That damn system! How dare itโฆ
It infuriated her!!
Tang Tang screamed internally, but on the surface, she had to maintain her composure.
She walked up to Jiang Zhu, with only a small table separating them. She cleared her throat softly and placed two large bags on the table. Summoning her courage, she awkwardly said, “I heard you havenโt eaten all day. Um, we bought some food. Would youโฆ like to try some?”
Tang Tang forced a stiff smile, her words stumbling. She remembered the plot that damn system had once told her. If she hadnโt asked about returning home in advance, it would have been the script sheโd have to follow later.
After the apocalypse arrived, the male lead, Jiang Zhu, would awaken a powerful ability. Meanwhile, she would be forced to hide in fear and desperation, eventually encountering Jiang Zhu by chance and signaling for his help. At that moment, Jiang Zhu, who had been deeply betrayed by her, would reveal a sinister smile and, without hesitation, push her into a horde of zombies the next second.
So, how could that damn system be so irresponsible!
If she hadnโt asked about returning home in advance, wouldnโt she have been doomed?!
Thinking about all this, Tang Tang felt a bit intimidated by Jiang Zhuโs icy expression.
Was it too late to apologize nowโฆ
Jiang Zhu didnโt respond to her, nor did he even glance at the two large bags in front of him. His gaze remained fixed on Tang Tang, making her break out in a cold sweat.
This was the tenth floor. What if, before the zombies even arrivedโฆ
He pushed her off firstโฆ
Ha, ha, that probably wouldnโt happen, right? He was such a rational personโฆ
Right, right, definitely not! Besides, if he really wanted to do something, he would have attacked her this morning. Why wait until now? He didnโt even know she would come.
But what if the more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and she just happened to show up at the right moment…
Tang Tang felt she couldnโt keep letting her imagination run wild.
“Yeah, Jiang Zhu, you should eat something. You havenโt eaten all day.”
At that moment, one of the other two roommates in the dorm spoke up, trying to persuade him. The guy looked simple and honest, someone Tang Tang hadnโt seen before.
Noticing her gaze, the boy even gave her a friendly smile.
Tang Tang was taken aback. With her reputation at school being so bad, there were still people who would smile at her like that?
Just then, a sudden noise reached her ears, followed by the sound of a chair scraping. Tang Tang turned her head and saw Jiang Zhu, who had been sitting in his seat, stand up. His expression seemed even darker than before.
…Why did he suddenly stand up? There was no need to stand just to eat something. So, was he about to push her down the stairs?!
Tang Tang was frightened by her own imagination. Her body reacted faster than her mind, taking a few steps back to put distance between herself and the man in front of her. She watched him warily, keeping a close eye on his movements.
Jiang Zhu walked around the table, paused as if he was about to move forward, then turned back and sat down in his seat again.
Seeing that he wasnโt coming toward her, Tang Tang silently let out a sigh of relief.
But the next second, she saw Jiang Zhu reach out and push aside the shopping bag. After rummaging through it for a moment, he finally pulled outโ a knife?
!
Did he plan to use it on her?
Tang Tang was once again frightened by her own imagination. (T/N: Gurl, chill.)
She was just about to open her mouth and sincerely apologize to beg for her life when Yan Chen interrupted her.
“What did you buy a knife for?” Yan Chen asked with a stern expression.
Was she planning to use it to stab someone? One look at his face told Tang Tang that he had misunderstood. She quickly waved her hands and explained, “No, no, nothing like that!”
Then she quickly grabbed the bag on the table and pulled out a few apples.
“Iโm going to peel apples, peel apples.”
Cold sweat dripped from Tang Tangโs temples. She wiped it away and obediently stood in place, waiting. Only then did Yan Chen let her off.
“Jiang Zhu, you see it too. This girl is just greedy for vanity and has a cowardly heart. We all heard what she said this morning. Youโre so outstanding, thereโs really no need to starve yourself over someone like her. Why donโt you eat something?”
Yan Chen walked past Tang Tang and approached Jiang Zhu.
Tang Tang: …
The apology she had planned to make got stuck in her throat. Great, he just blocked her path and set it on fire! Tang Tang gritted her teeth silently in her heart.
Jiang Zhu made no response, still toying with the knife in his hand.
Tang Tang felt she couldnโt stay silent any longer. Summoning her courage, she said, “Please eat something. With no water or electricity, what will you do if you faint from hunger?”
As soon as she spoke, Jiang Zhu lifted his head again. His gaze fixed directly on her. He didnโt say a word, just kept staring, making Tang Tang feel completely at a loss. When someone doesnโt speak, who knows what theyโre thinking! But Tang Tang, knowing she was in the wrong, spoke again, “Iโm sorry, Iโ”
“Ahโahโ” Just then, a terrified, piercing scream suddenly echoed from outside the dorm.
In the quiet of the night, it was utterly chilling, sending shivers down everyoneโs spines.
Tang Tang froze, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.
The next second, she saw a figure flash past her. Her eyes followed it, and she saw Yan Chen quickly run to the door, reaching for the handle to open it. The action jolted her back to reality. With a speed she didn’t know she possessed, she dashed to the door. It was too late to stop him with her hands, so she planted her foot firmly on the door from two steps away.
The sound of her shoe hitting the door was heavy and muffled, much like the suffocating atmosphere hidden beneath the screams, making it hard to breathe.
Seeing that she had made it in time, Tang Tang let out a long sigh of relief, her heart pounding with lingering fear. The sound was too close to the tenth floor, it might have come from the ninth. Opening the door now could lead to anything.
“What are you doing?” Yan Chen frowned, his hand still on the doorknob.
“Don’t open it.”
The sole of Tang Tang’s foot ached slightly, but since Yan Chen hadn’t moved his hand away, she dared not lift her foot.
“There’s a message in the group chat. Let’s check it first.”
Just as the two were locked in a standoff, Jiang Zhu, who had been silent and exuding a cold aura, finally spoke.
Yan Chen hesitated for a moment before letting go of the doorknob. Only when Tang Tang saw him step back a little did she finally lower her foot from the door. She then took out her phone as well.
The notification list was flashing with messages from multiple group chats, not just one, but all of them were active. The messages were scrolling so fast that a single blink could cause dozens of them to disappear.
All five roommates held their phones, their eyes glued to the screens. The more they read, the graver their expressions became.
Finally, Yan Chen broke the silence.
“Damn! That guy was right!”
As he spoke, he kicked the iron bedpost beside him in frustration.
“What guy?”
Jiang Zhu looked up from his screen, his tone calm.
“When she and I were on our way here, we ran into a guy who was excitedly saying that this felt like the apocalypse. Who knew he’d actually be right? Damn it! What a jinx!” [1]
The guy had only been speculating, but when things turned out exactly as he predicted, and in such a terrible way, it was hard not to direct some of the anger toward him.
Tang Tang stood to the side, head lowered, saying nothing. There was nothing left to say now. The most important thing was to figure out how to survive this ordeal.
Fortunately, the internet was still working, allowing them to get news from outside without having to go out.
Those who posted in the group chat also shared their own situations. Most had only opened their doors to take a quick glance, only to see several figures with eerie movements wandering the dormitory hallway.
Some had ventured out to investigate, but most ended up just like those “people.” Witnessing this, those who remained retreated into their rooms, trembling as they locked their doors and pulled out their phones to send messages.
In such terrifying circumstances, the still-functioning internet likely provided them with a great sense of security.
Tang Tang pursed her lips. This wasnโt an isolated incident in just one dormitory building, similar screams echoed from other buildings too. Even with considerable distance between the buildings, those sharp, piercing cries sent chills down oneโs spine.
But if the electricity was out, why was the internet still working? Tang Tang suddenly noticed this inconsistency. At the same time, after grasping the general situation, Jiang Zhu raised the same question.
“If this really is the apocalypse, and the electricity is out, why is the internet still working?”
The other four turned to look at him, only to see his gaze shift back to Tang Tang. Even in such circumstances, his eyes remained utterly calm. Tang Tang met his gaze without flinching, and a sudden realization struck her. She blurted out, “Unless someone is making a final effort to keep the internet running!”
“Exactly,” Jiang Zhu replied naturally after she finished speaking.
“Although itโs unclear how they managed to maintain the internet without electricity, itโs undeniable that keeping the network operational under these circumstances suggests someone wants to ensure we arenโt completely hopeless when the apocalypse fully arrives.”
After speaking, the two exchanged another glance. Then Jiang Zhu turned away, continuing to radiate cold indifference.
Tang Tang: “…”
She blinked, having thought Jiang Zhu was broad-minded and forgiving, that he had let go of their past grievances…
“But if thatโs the case, why didnโt they just send a message to notify us?” asked another tall, burly boy in the dormitory, his expression stern.
“Probably to avoid causing panic,” Yan Chen chimed in, glancing back at Tang Tang with a strange look. This girl actually has some brains. If so, why did she publicly mock Jiang Zhu in front of the entire school?
Then he turned to look at Jiang Zhu, whose eyes remained icy. And whatโs up with Jiang Zhu? Werenโt you ignoring her just now? Why are you two suddenly so in sync? Are these two about to rekindle their old flame?
***
[1]โไน้ธฆๅด(wลซyฤ zuว) literally meaning: Crow’s mouth, similar to saying to “Don’t jinx it” in english.
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Translation by NightOwll
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It has been a couple of years since I last checked this this novel. Found out this site was the only one available in NU and searching through google was…
Well, I decided to edit and continue with the translations. That’s it! Thank you for reading! *Bow*
[OP:08/04/2024][Edited:07/14/2026]
Thanks for translating chapter 1 to 7 โค๏ธโค๏ธ
Iโm late, but KOTโs site is unusable (100% pop up ads), please continue translating ๐