Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1: Return

“Ah!”

An involuntary cry escaped Ye Zhongming's lips right as the Lurker's sharp, freezing tentacles stabbed through his flesh.

The spot where it struck felt slick with moisture, accompanied by the sensation of liquid bursting forth.

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Familiar breaths echoed in his ears. A pair of ample hips bore down on his neck, carrying the tang of sweat.

Ye Zhongming's sight sharpened, revealing a face he once knew intimately.

Her?

Hadn't she perished long ago?

As if seeking confirmation, Ye Zhongming tried rising from this well-known form, yet her arms and legs pinned him firmly.

“Don’t, don’t go, stay for a while.”

Her soft voice trembled slightly, on the verge of losing control.

Ye Zhongming halted. Glancing about, realization dawned on him.

.

A cartoon-adorned cup, the bedside electronic clock glowing in the dim light, lace panties draped over the lamp, an opened Durex packet, and the recognizable warmth of the woman embracing him—all yanked Ye Zhongming back to a past moment.

2020, September 10th afternoon.

One hour prior to the apocalypse's outbreak.

Wasn't I on a mission? Then those cursed bugs ambushed me, and as I broke free, the Lurker struck. Its underground tentacles impaled my body. From past knowledge, that wound should've been deadly.

Yet now… This recollection felt vividly authentic, like he'd truly returned to a decade prior, that idyllic afternoon before doom descended.

With his honed composure, Ye Zhongming swiftly analyzed it all. In mere ten seconds, he ascertained it wasn't mere reminiscence—he had genuinely returned!

He checked the clock. 2020 September 10th, 15:35. Still one hour and five minutes from that fateful instant.

2020 September 10th 14:40—a horrifying event would unfold. Soon after, the world would plunge into a frozen apocalypse.

Stunned, Ye Zhongming pondered one thing: Was this heavenly mercy or fresh torment?

Ye Zhongming lay atop the bare woman's form, lifting his hands gradually. They appeared fair and silky, palm lines distinct. His skin glowed with vitality, utterly unlike a decade hence, marred by gun-calluses and battle scars.

Rebirth? Ye Zhongming reeled. Not all viewed rebirth as a blessing. For him, after a decade of horrors, repeating it hardly screamed fortune.

Enduring another ten years of slaughter, devoid of warmth or hope? Ye Zhongming gave a wry smile. He wondered if he could muster the strength anew amid such utter desolation.

The woman clinging to him like an octopus stirred no warmth in Ye Zhongming as it had before. Revulsion crept in instead. He knew breakup demands loomed from his girlfriend next.

Bai Sisi, Ye Zhongming’s girlfriend, the most frequent visitor to his rented pad. They'd been together since university's second year—two years strong.

For the orphaned Ye Zhongming, this bond meant everything. Any decent soul valued such ties, especially with a stunner like Bai Sisi.

Yet severing a cherished relationship inflicted deeper agony.

In his prior life, Ye Zhongming despised her betrayal. Now, hatred faded. Her infidelity stung cruelly, but until last night when she yielded to that man—and even now—physically, she'd remained true to Ye Zhongming.

“Actually, I thank you for taking care of me these two years. I am a careless person and many times didn’t care about your feelings so I would like to apologise.” Ye Zhongming struggled to push away from Bai Sisi’s flawless figure. His mind raced with plans.

Bai Sisi felt hollow as her lover abruptly withdrew, amplifying her guilt. This act was meant to atone, yet it failed. His words startled her eyes wide open.

“I also want to thank you. Such a good student didn’t go to class and came back to do this with me, it is just to make up for the guilt you feel of leaving. To me, it is no use.”

“Zhongming you…”

Ye Zhongming gestured dismissively, cutting off her speech. He stepped over to the window and peered out at the nearby school field. Several vigorous young men were kicking around a soccer ball, while a girl in a white blouse held a bottle on the balcony, gazing affectionately at the boy she adored.

“You mentioned love as something life can't lack, yet it's not the entirety of life. I concur, and I want you to hold onto that thought. Right now… everything appears fine, but should the situation shift, this world brims with hazards. When existence loses all value, I urge you to forsake love, for that affection might… not prove as flawless and steadfast as you believe.”

“What are you saying?” Bai Sisi struggled to grasp this man she'd been with for two years. Was he dropping a hint?

“Should everything stay the same, I won't deny Qin Jun's a decent fellow; he could make an excellent partner or spouse, but he…” Ye Zhongming faltered, unsure how to proceed. Should he reveal to Bai Sisi that this man would desert her amid peril, trading her for mere scraps of bread? That he'd shove her forward as bait to buy his escape? Would she even trust him? Events from the apocalypse he'd witnessed hadn't occurred yet, so voicing them would just earn mockery.

As Ye Zhongming pondered deeply, Bai Sisi stood utterly stunned. He had learned of her and Qin Jun swiftly, but after merely one night, it seemed he grasped every detail. She'd concealed it well. Had he sensed it ages ago?

That realization drained the color from her face, as if her shameful secret had been exposed.

Indeed, it was utterly shameless.

“You… You know… You know him?”

Ye Zhongming nodded. “Every night, someone left 99 roses at your dorm door. On your birthday, he formed a heart with a thousand candles. Daily, he sent you warm messages, concert passes, art exhibit tickets, coffee club perks, even Oxford lecture recordings. Even I, as a man, must concede he's not just handsome and wealthy— he excels at everything. He knows exactly what you like, so it's no surprise you're moved. Compared to him, I truly don't get women.”

The school bell clanged loudly, signaling break time. When he glanced back, Ye Zhongming spotted the stunned, even frightened Bai Sisi. A smug satisfaction crossed his face, for her look mirrored the one she'd worn the first time he took her.

“In the end, regardless of your views, beware Qin Jun. He's fine for happy days but worthless in tough ones. When something vital to him arises, he'll discard it all, love included. That means you too.”

With those words, Ye Zhongming patted the dazed Bai Sisi's shoulder. The yielding touch stirred memories of their intimate acts and entwined forms. Then, he vanished from sight.

Some things must be relinquished when the time comes. Bai Sisi had chosen her path, and he wouldn't interfere as he had a decade prior. After all, Ye Zhongming couldn't predict his own lifespan, so what claim did he have on others' lives? Besides his hardened demeanor from those ten years, the Butterfly effect might alter outcomes. Perhaps Qin Jun and Bai Sisi would thrive together.

Ye Zhongming dressed himself. During their talk, he'd come to terms with much. A decade of survival had taught him to compose himself swiftly and embrace the extraordinary. Between suicide for escape or rebirth, he'd chosen the latter, setting aside the former.

He would live this second chance to the fullest.

He pulled open his drawer, revealing his credit card loaded with compensation from his parents' fatal car crash. Their lives had bought him this legacy. For years, Ye Zhongming hadn't touched it, preferring self-earned income. It stood as a cherished memento, but now circumstances demanded otherwise. He knew his parents, if watching, would approve its use for survival.

“What are you doing?”

Bai Sisi clutched the blanket to shield her nudity, staring fearfully at Ye Zhongming preparing to depart.

Deep down, she loved him, yet graduation loomed, and an orphan adrift without future plans offered no secure path. Thus, she'd opted to depart. But now events spiraled beyond her grasp, stirring reluctance. Perhaps, to her, even post-breakup, he remained hers—at least briefly.

Dressed at last, Ye Zhongming checked the clock: 15:50, just 50 minutes until the apocalypse. Reviewing his priorities, he realized time fell short. He paused briefly before tackling his top concern. Her probing irritated him somewhat.

Ye Zhongming frowned as he headed out the door, declaring, “I’m off to handle some business. Before I return, you need to depart and locate Qin Jun. You’ve made your decision, so stand by it resolutely. Isn’t that your usual character?” Yet, pondering the girl who had accompanied him for two years, a pang of compassion touched him, leading him to caution, “Hurry up—his territory should remain secure. In case of trouble, the authorities will prioritize rescuing that location first. There, perhaps… you might survive comfortably.”

With those words spoken, Ye Zhongming slipped on his footwear and exited, abandoning Bai Sisi in dazed shock on the bed.

Two urgent tasks faced Ye Zhongming: procuring medicine, and obtaining weapons for battle.