Chapter 24: A Former Rival in Love

Just then, a figure—not particularly tall—came running in from the woods. Even before it drew near, the sight of it made the massive gray creature tuck its tail and retreat two steps.

When the shadow stopped beside Jiang Yi, a flicker of trepidation crossed the creature’s eyes; it actually managed to suppress the animalistic instinct that had been driving it to tear Jiang Yi to pieces.

The figure confirmed that the person at its feet was not yet dead, then turned to glare at the beast. "Get lost!"

The simple command was enough to make the creature shrink back, its tail clamped tightly between its hind legs. After retreating a few more paces, it looked at the figure, then at the unconscious Jiang Yi. After a few moments of hesitation, it finally turned and bolted, disappearing into the shadows of the woods.

The figure kept its eyes fixed on the direction where the beast had vanished. Only after confirming the massive creature was truly gone did it let out a sigh of relief, casting a complicated gaze down at the person whose fate hung in the balance.

Jiang Yi was having a dream. In the dream, Chen Jiazi was running, and he was chasing after her. He knew full well how she truly felt about him, yet his body couldn't help but follow her. No matter how fast he ran, he could only ever see her back. After running for what felt like an eternity, he suddenly saw a man appear beside her. The man was tall, but his facial features were obscured by a blur of black, leaving Jiang Yi unable to tell who he was.

He watched as the man grabbed Chen Jiazi and pulled her close. Even though his reason told him this was all a dream, his body charged forward without hesitation.

Unfortunately, he hadn't taken two steps before the ground beneath him vanished. A massive black hole, like the maw of some primordial beast, swallowed him whole. A surge of terrifying weightlessness jolted Jiang Yi awake, followed by a pain so excruciating it felt as if his limbs were being torn apart, forcing a groan from his throat.

The pain brought him to full consciousness. He opened his eyes to find himself in a tiny room—a space so small it contained nothing but a single bed and a tin wardrobe.

Jiang Yi lay on the bed, agony radiating through his entire body. The bite wounds from the beast were deep enough to expose bone, especially on his right arm. Even though it had been bandaged, he could still feel a drilling, piercing pain emanating from deep within the marrow.

Unable to move his body, Jiang Yi scanned his surroundings with his eyes, trying to distract himself from the overwhelming pain. The room had no windows, and the silence was unnerving. He couldn't discern what had happened after he lost consciousness. How could he possibly still be alive after being mauled? Had someone saved him?

Just as Jiang Yi was mulling this over, he heard voices through the thin, poorly insulated door. He strained his ears to focus, finally catching the drift of the conversation outside.

"Why pick up a guy like this? Who knows if he’ll turn into a zombie?" a sharp, masculine voice questioned loudly. A deeper, more muted voice replied calmly, "He was bitten by a dog. How could he possibly turn into a zombie?"

"That’s a dog? Even a lion isn't that big!" the sharp-voiced man interrupted. Then, a third voice spoke up: "Alright, alright. The person is already saved. Keeping him inside shouldn't be an issue; if he really does turn into a zombie, it won't pose a danger."

The sharp-voiced man refused firmly: "No way. We can't keep him here. He’s a useless wreck; what could he possibly do even if he wakes up? Are we supposed to support him? Who’s going to feed him? We have so little food as it is—why give it to a dying piece of trash?"

The man with the muted voice replied coldly, "Don't forget, the food you're eating right now was brought in by that very person."

The sharp-voiced man paused for a moment, then began to argue even more heatedly. Because he was speaking so fast, Jiang Yi, already struggling to focus, could no longer make out their words.

However, he could sense that the third person eventually managed to persuade the sharp-voiced man to leave. Shortly after, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a figure walked in holding a paper cup.

Jiang Yi didn't have time to close his eyes. Their gazes met, and Jiang Yi froze, stunned. "You!"

The newcomer was clearly surprised that Jiang Yi had regained consciousness in less than two days, especially considering he had suffered injuries that the newcomer himself wouldn't have expected to survive. It had been a desperate, last-ditch effort, but Jiang Yi had somehow pulled through. Hearing Jiang Yi’s exclamation, the man nodded. "How are you feeling? Do you want some water?"

Dazed, Jiang Yi let the man help him drink the entire cup. The water tasted strange, though he had no idea where it had come from.

Lying on the bed, Jiang Yi looked at Qingtou with a complicated heart.

Qingtou took the cup back with both hands and set it on the table before looking at Jiang Yi. "How do you feel? The wounds must be painful, right?"

Jiang Yi looked at the guy—scarcely 175 centimeters tall, yet strikingly handsome with fair, porcelain skin. "Better. I think I’ll live." After a pause, he asked, "Did you save me?"

Qingtou nodded. "Yes. You were almost bitten to death by that giant dog. I just happened to be passing by and brought you back."

Jiang Yi felt a mix of emotions, but he didn't doubt him for a second. Despite his thin, seemingly fragile frame, Qingtou was arguably the top master of the "Yamato Kendo" at the University of Technology. And it wasn't just Kendo—Qingtou was deeply accomplished in Taekwondo, Karate, and even Jeet Kune Do.

His legend at the university began his freshman year, when he single-handedly defeated a dozen thugs with nothing but a bamboo sword, coming away without a scratch. He became a celebrity on campus, known even to students at other universities in Long Province.

As for Jiang Yi, a total bookworm, his acquaintance with Qingtou stemmed from the fact that Qingtou had fallen for Chen Jiazi at first sight. Even after learning she had a boyfriend, he hadn't given up, instead declaring to the entire school that he would challenge Jiang Yi to a duel—the loser would have to leave Chen Jiazi.

Heaven knows, when Jiang Yi heard from his roommates that he had been "challenged" by the top combatant of the sports department, his only thought was whether he should book a hospital bed in advance. Yet, for all his introversion, Jiang Yi wasn't a coward when it came to his girlfriend. He publicly accepted the challenge and began intensive training, refusing to back down even though he knew he was no match. The duel made both Jiang Yi and Chen Jiazi famous, and Jiang Yi even gained countless supporters—not just for his courage, but because they wanted to see if the underdog could pull off a miracle.

The pressure on Jiang Yi had been immense, and it wasn't just about love; the public scrutiny had turned the matter into a question of national pride. Yes, from the name "Qingtou," one could tell he wasn't purely Chinese. He was a Japanese-Chinese mixed-race individual.

His father was a Kendo master who ran a family dojo in Japan. His mother had fallen in love with his father while studying abroad, and the two lived in Japan until Qingtou was over ten, at which point they returned to China. Qingtou was not only a gifted fighter but also fluent in three languages; if he hadn't mentioned it himself, no one would have guessed his heritage.

Facing such a rival, one can imagine the pressure Jiang Yi was under. Yet, just as Jiang Yi was preparing for the fight with all his might, Qingtou suddenly posted on the school forum, unilaterally cancelling the challenge and apologizing for the trouble he had caused. Everyone was baffled, and even the professors wondered why Qingtou had quit.

Jiang Yi never found out the truth, and while he felt relieved, he also felt a strange sense of humiliation. He had once tried to find Qingtou to ask him what it all meant, but they lived in different worlds. As time passed, the incident faded, and Jiang Yi only thought of it occasionally when bored. He never imagined that after the apocalypse, his life would be saved by Qingtou.

"Th-thank you," Jiang Yi said. It was hard to thank his old "rival," but a debt was a debt. He offered his thanks with a heavy heart.

Qingtou stood straight, a faint smile on his lips as he shook his head. "I didn't do much. I just brought you back. The medicine used for your wounds came from your own backpack."

Jiang Yi then noticed his backpack on the floor. It had been bulging before, but now it was flat; the food had clearly been taken. As if reading his thoughts, a rare look of embarrassment crossed Qingtou’s fair face.

"About that... I took your food and shared it with the other students."

Jiang Yi shook his head. He wasn't a fool; he had gathered from the conversation outside that Qingtou had likely distributed his supplies to ensure he would be allowed to stay. Otherwise, given Qingtou’s serious, almost pedantic nature, he would never have touched someone else's belongings without permission.

Though it pained him to lose the food, Jiang Yi was mostly grateful. If not for Qingtou, he wouldn't even be conscious right now.

Seeing that Jiang Yi wasn't angry, Qingtou relaxed. "Your injuries are severe. I’ve applied the medicine, but your arm... it’s fractured. I know how to treat a dislocation, but I’m not a bone-setter, so I could only bandage it for now. We'll have to find a doctor to treat it properly when we get the chance."

This was the best possible outcome for Jiang Yi. How could he complain? His arm was broken, but at least it was still attached. As for the bite wounds, they looked terrifying but weren't fatal. He supposed he’d be covered in scars once they healed. If only he had a bottle of healing potion now.