Chapter 23

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The snow intensified. The windshield was entirely buried in snow, and he couldn’t see the situation outside.

Chen Xu broke a piece of chocolate and stuffed it in his mouth. Hearing the howling winds outside, he couldn’t help but think about the typhoon that came without warning a month ago. He already had some grasp over the content of this dream world hidden behind its name.

“The Apocalypse doesn’t simply mean the disappearance of all humans in this world, many natural disasters will occur as well. Perhaps, when this dream is about to end, the true apocalypse will arrive.”

He sighed, opened the lid of the thermos, and poured a glass of hot water. As he looked at the steam rising above the cup, his frowning magnified.

Now, he had fallen into a dilemma. If the snowing didn’t halt, he would end up being frozen to death. The food he had brought along could at most last somewhere between three to five days.

There were no buildings within a ten-kilometer radius. If he were to leave, he wouldn’t even be able to ski because he had only brought a pair of ice skates, which were useless in the snow. In such a blizzard, he might end up dead even quicker.

For him, this was nothing more than a dream. So if he died, it didn’t matter. At most, the dream would end early.

But—

“If I die, what will become of Luo Xiyun?”

He mumbled, “And I haven’t banged her, so how can I just die like that.”

Yeah right, just how much anger had he endured that was caused by this woman over the past few months? How could he answer to himself if he didn’t fuck her?

He finished the rest of the chocolate in three mouthfuls, downed the cup of water, and laid down on the seat. He was planning to revitalize himself, and when the hail ceased, he would leave the car and walk back.

…

The wait lasted for a whole night.

The hail stopped in the evening. But as going out at night was even more dangerous, Chen Xu waited for another night.

When the sun had risen, he was already well-prepared. Before departing, he cooked himself a cup of hot instant noodles. With his tummy filled, he pulled open the car door and walked out into the wind and snow without looking back.

He was fully armed in a sense. He was equipped with a thick climbing winter jacket, goggles, a hiking pole, and a backpack.

“Such a strong wind.”

At the moment when Chen Xu stepped out, he felt the strong winds that were beyond his imagination. Every step he took was exceptionally difficult. The thick layer of snow on the ground further toughened his advance.

At this moment, he could only move forward clenching his jaw.

Amidst the blizzard, everywhere was a vast expanse of white, and his direction was hardly distinguishable. Every once in a while, he would glance at his compass to make sure he didn’t lose his way.

As he walked, a feeling of loneliness loomed within his heart. Perhaps it was after losing that he learned how to cherish. He was even more eager to see Luo Xiyun.

And it was at this moment that he realized how important Luo Xiyun’s company had been for him over the past few months.

If she hadn’t appeared, could he have withstood such feelings of loneliness and persisted until this very moment?

He was just a regular person. Although he was more of an introvert, didn’t like to make friends, and preferred to be alone, he was still a normal human being, and an inseparable part of him longed for human connection. He simply couldn’t survive being separated from all of society.

…

A few hours later, Chen Xu stopped for the fifth time. He strenuously took out a piece of chocolate from his pocket, bit off the outer packaging with his teeth, and gobbled it up in one bite.

Then, he grabbed the thermos from the side of his backpack, poured out the remaining water, and guzzled it down.

He tossed away the empty thermos, raised his head and looked forward. At present, the blizzard was a little less intense than when he had departed. Visibility was also better to some degree.

The surrounding terrain had not changed.

“I think I’ve walked about ten kilometers,” he approximated. As snow grains continued to fall, the snow on the ground was getting thicker and thicker. Paired up with his physical exhaustion, he was gradually slowing down.

“I should be able to get out of this icy plain before the sun sets.”

He rested for a few minutes. Feeling that his originally heavy legs were losing heat quickly, he dared not delay. He got to his feet and continued on.

He continued for a few more hours. All ten pieces of chocolate in his pocket were finished, as well as the hot water in his two thermoses.

Fatigue.

At this moment, he only had one feeling. It was as if his legs weren’t his as he moved forward like a mechanical robot. He was gasping continuously, and his lungs were scorching. It felt like he would soon breathe fire from his throat.

Gradually, he felt his vision turning black.

“This can’t go on. I have to stop for a while.”

He reasoned that his body was already at its limit.

But at this very moment, he noticed the outline of some buildings appearing not far ahead. His spirits uncontrollably heightened. He had finally escaped the icy plains.

Buildings would make things a whole lot easier. He could hide inside, rest for a while, and eat something to restore his stamina.

At the thought, a new source of energy ignited within his body as he advanced towards those buildings.

In a few dozen steps, the outline of the buildings became even clearer.

“Just a bit more.” He took a heavy breath, giving himself encouragement.

He took another step forward. All of a sudden, his feet thumped against something, and he lost balance. At that moment, he was already exhausted. As he had no way of regaining balance, he simply slumped down. After falling, his body rolled unremittingly.

“Shoot.”

He was shocked. All the way to this point, the icy surface had been peculiarly flat. He never expected a slope to be here. As he rolled down the slope, a solid object thudded against his forehead. For a time, he was seeing stars.

At last, he rolled to the bottom of the slope. He barely opened his eyes, and his vision was all in red.

“I’m doomed.”

He tried hard to stay awake, but his consciousness kept sinking away, and he finally lost consciousness.

…

“Why isn’t that jerk back yet?”

After eight in the evening on the day that Chen Xu left, Luo Xiyun became a little restless seeing that he hadn’t returned yet.

Over the past few months, Chen Xu would often drive out, but he had never spent the night outside. He never stayed out overnight even during their cold war.

“Is he playing tricks again?” she thought in agitation. During the daytime, she had already discovered that the heater in Chen Xu’s room was fine. It was merely unplugged. He had dared to lie to her about the heater being broken, and it had ended up with her cleaning up the storeroom for two days straight.

As time went by, the restlessness within her heart grew bigger and bigger. At midnight, she had to swallow the fact that something might have happened to Chen Xu.

That night, she was sitting on the bed with a quilt over her body, however, her heart was completely cold. It felt for her like she had returned to the very first month when the darkness around her was like a bottomless abyss that swallowed her bit by bit.

“Chen Xu…”

Only this man, who often caused her jaw-clenching exasperation, could give her the power to resist loneliness in this empty world.

And so, she sat like the dead for a night.

When daybreak came, she stood up forcefully.

She was going to find him.