[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-49":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312431,4518,"Chapter 49: Light and Judging by Deeds, Not Intentions","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-49",49,"\u003Cp>Shortly after Fang Shi left, a group of Firefeathers arrived at the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They immediately spotted the shattered black egg and let out mournful cries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leader, we can’t let the killer go so easily,” one Firefeather said, grief-stricken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Erikon, I know your brother’s death weighs heavily on you, but the time is not yet right,” replied a tall Firefeather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood 2.4 meters tall, noticeably a head taller than the other Firefeathers, clad in finely crafted black leather armor, his feathers woven into a crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erikon’s eyes burned with vengeance: “I don’t understand—why can the Firewings go, but we cannot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Firefeather leader said, “Watch your tongue. This is the will of Aivandela.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the Firefeather leader recited a prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Change is inevitable, but only through devotion to Aivandela can change become better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding Firefeathers, hearing the prayer, showed reverence on their faces—even Erikon’s anger lessened, and he began to pray and confess his disrespect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In twenty-eight days, our warriors shall step into the Promised Land, seeking the freedom belonging to the Firefeathers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark basement, Wu Xiaowen trembled beneath her blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though it was June and the air was scorching, sweat beading on her skin could not warm the cold inside her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten days. Exactly ten days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen had been trapped in this basement for ten days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the apocalypse, she had rented this basement and heard people arguing just outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being naturally gossipy, she listened closely—it turned out to be a four-way romance: the man cheated on his girlfriend with a mistress, the mistress cheated with a fourth party, and the fourth party cheated back with the girlfriend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man gathered a group and ambushed the fourth party in the underground parking lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth party called reinforcements, and another group arrived to confront them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the mistress and the girlfriend were brought in, and they all started yelling at each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was chaotic, dramatic—but somehow, no one actually fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen posted several blog entries about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shared the spectacle with her group of girlfriends, finding it amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the apocalypse came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of these young men and women didn’t survive the Law Transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They turned directly into zombies; the few survivors, outnumbered, were quickly wiped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Wu Xiaowen became trapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these ten days, lack of food wasn’t the worst part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hardest part was the darkness, loneliness, and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen began to think: maybe she could just sleep it off—perhaps when she woke, the nightmare would be over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when she woke, nothing had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No power, no water, her phone useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was utterly stranded on an island of confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen had tried to escape once—the result was zombies immediately blocking the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She grew anxious, panicked, until her overwhelming survival instinct told her: to live, she must wait patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen believed the Chinese government wouldn’t abandon such a disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as she could survive, she would be rescued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, it was bearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen rationed her food, eating only tiny portions per meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One, to conserve; two, to reduce sugar intake and prolong sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as time passed, it grew harder and harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No clock, no way to measure time in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen gradually grew delirious; loneliness and despair made her want to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whenever this happened, she remembered her parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lived in the basement not because she couldn’t afford an aboveground apartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She saved money—lots and lots of money—to renovate her parents’ old house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To give them a comfortable home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even to take her mother for her back injury, her father for his leg pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To spare them from further suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the force that had kept her alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even the strongest motivation eventually runs out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting on the seventh day, she stopped eating and drinking, lying still on her bed, eyes vacant, staring at the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eighth day, she still hadn’t gotten up—even her bodily needs were handled in bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ninth day, starving beyond endurance, she struggled to sit up and devoured every scrap of food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, on the tenth day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen had wrapped herself entirely in her blanket, sweat pouring despite her dry tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She refused to leave the covers—as if only this could offer her a sliver of safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I going to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dad, Mom, I’m coming to join you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her consciousness faded, Wu Xiaowen suddenly heard the zombies’ roars outside, and clattering noises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even heard men shouting and women calling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of hope surged in her heart—she wanted to struggle up, but her body had no strength left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already suffered heatstroke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sweltering heat trapped under the blanket, combined with dehydration—of course she’d get heatstroke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hope she’d just kindled was instantly extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen couldn’t even make a sound; she felt remorse—remorse for giving up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remorse for her stupidity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she’d just held on a little longer, wouldn’t rescue have come?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in such an environment—darkness, loneliness, silence, despair—how many could stay conscious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beam of light illuminated the basement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, there’s someone here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there’s someone, save them—no need to report, why are you standing there like an idiot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young man looked at the unconscious Wu Xiaowen and immediately yanked off her blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without flinching at her stench, he picked her up and carried her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, this woman’s unconscious—what do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Cheng, wearing glasses, chopped down a zombie and panted: “What do we do? Give her soup. Cures everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man, hearing Qian Cheng, laid Wu Xiaowen on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frantically pulled a bottle of mineral water from his pack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The liquid inside was golden, and when opened, emitted a fragrant scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gulugulu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden liquid spilled from Wu Xiaowen’s lips as she lay on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, you idiot, you’re trying to choke her!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Cheng’s heart jumped at the young man’s action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rushed over, adjusted Wu Xiaowen’s body, took the bottle, and slowly poured the liquid in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re new—watch and learn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look at me—I’ve been here three days and I’m already a captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Work hard. Your future’s bright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man nodded eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaowen couldn’t move, but her consciousness was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood every action Qian Cheng and the others took.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart, having plummeted repeatedly, finally rose again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m alive, Dad, Mom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Chen, how much more to reach Level 3?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun fiddled with a device on the ground, atop which lay the corpse of a Firewing Bird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen was a man in his thirties, with a square face, vigorous and sharp, radiating a tough, capable aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still need 528.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun chuckled: “I still need 456—I’ve killed one more Firewing Bird than you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen retorted: “If you’ve got guts, don’t steal the kills later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill? What’s stealing a kill? If I don’t kill the Firewing Bird fast enough, our squad will take casualties.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can you, as squad leader, stand by and let your own men get hurt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen knew Zhao Wenjun was joking; he feigned annoyance: “Nonsense. When I’m on a mission, I always go first—I’m the one who gets hurt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you got out of the army, you’ve made a name for yourself and no longer respect your old squad leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun, hearing Old Chen’s anger, recalled the fear of basic training and shuddered: “No, no, just a joke—please don’t take it personally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen snorted, his anger fading: “Just got word—Master Fang has arrived at Yangming Community. We need to send people to clear it out quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, if another Firewing Bird emerges from the spatial rift soon, it won’t be safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun sighed: “It’s not that I don’t want to—I just don’t have enough people. Combat personnel are too few.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In these five days, they’ve advanced through eighty communities but only control twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are over six thousand survivors in the controlled zones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun’s team selected those with high base stats and some talent to form a militia unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were sent to clear zombies and rescue survivors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest were assigned to gather supplies and ensure logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, each community averages only a hundred dedicated combat personnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They must break locks, smash doors, and clear streets—all at once, overwhelmed with work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the post-apocalypse, where opening your stat panel\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>automatically boosts all human strength, agility, and dexterity to ten points,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the logistics teams would have no combat capability, and the militia would be even more stretched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen scratched his head: “Then let’s stick with this for now—we can’t split our forces further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, we’ll lose more by neglecting one area while focusing on another.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun nodded: “Then we’ll execute Plan Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and called out: “Little Hu, has the printing team finished their task?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Hu hurried to reply: “Commandant Zhao, they just sent word—they’ll be done in an hour.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun laughed: “Good. I’ll go see Master after that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi sat cross-legged on the rooftop, gazing across the entire city, fire elemental energy swirling around him, warping the surrounding air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Zhao Wenjun respectfully reported something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, this is our plan—what do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi smiled faintly: “It’s fine. I’ll go myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun beamed: “Thank you, Master—you’re truly a great hero to the people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun’s plan was simple: since they couldn’t spare personnel, they’d make the survivors fend for themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They organized teams to acquire a hand-cranked printing press.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They printed on paper all the experience they’d gathered over these days on how to fight monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alongside it, they included various information, such as data from Fang Shi on the apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including survivor organization structures, urging party members to lead the formation of post-apocalypse self-help groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually sweep surrounding areas, linking all survivor-controlled zones into one continuous territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unite human strength to completely eradicate the apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like Zhao Wenjun’s group—they were no longer the original gym-based organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had absorbed many survivors from government agencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Chen was one of them, from the Military Specialization Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi didn’t care about any of this—the post-apocalypse environment had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was the age of the capable rising, the weak falling, and the meritorious promoted rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi trusted Zhao Wenjun’s ability to rise above others and become the leader of Ancheng Settlement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Fang Shi himself now held an official position—as a government advisor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human adaptability was extraordinary; within a short time, they’d regained some organizational strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wenjun, I have something to tell you. After I finish distributing the flyers, I’m leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What!” Zhao Wenjun was stunned. “Is the flyer plan displeasing you? I can cancel it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi shook his head: “No. I planned this long ago—it was just delayed by a minor matter. Now it’s time to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun gritted his teeth: “Master, we need you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi smiled slightly: “No, you don’t need me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re clever—you’ve built a skull-pile from Firewing Bird heads to intimidate them and control the streets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve crafted tools to hunt Firewing Birds—without my help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun pleaded: “But none of this would exist without your earlier efforts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Without what you did in the beginning, we wouldn’t have these results.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Zhao Wenjun bowed deeply: “Humanity needs you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi sighed deeply: “Yes, humanity needs me—that’s precisely why I must leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun frowned: “Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi fell silent a moment, then said: “Wenjun, didn’t I tell you about the second wave? What do you think of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun wasn’t stupid: “Are there going to be a third, fourth wave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct. Even a fifth, sixth—each stronger, fiercer than the last.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi spoke gravely: “Humanity must keep advancing to secure its future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And your master? He’s going to fight for that future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun fell silent for a moment: “I understand. Go do what you must.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Zhao Wenjun didn’t know exactly what Fang Shi intended, the past days had shown him\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that his master was no anarchist or sociopath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cold, indifferent demeanor hid genuine care and kindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s your Double Strike training going?” Fang Shi changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun blushed slightly: “Master, I still can’t use it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just remember it—don’t rush. You should be able to use it by First Stage,” Fang Shi comforted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, strike me once using the Double Strike technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenjun knew this was his master’s final lesson before leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bowed respectfully: “Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he unleashed all his strength, striking Fang Shi with the Double Strike technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air shattered—Fang Shi caught the blow effortlessly with his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad—but this point is wrong…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour later, Zhao Wenjun departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast rooftop was left with only Fang Shi alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of Zhao Wenjun’s final words before leaving, he fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you are a man of great compassion. I’ll handle everything in Ancheng—go without worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man of great compassion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you really think I’ve never killed anyone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My leaving isn’t for humanity—it’s for myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I killed Firewing Birds for you only because you could lure them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I’m Level 5—I no longer need to kill Firewing Birds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My leg injury is healed. Staying here is just wasting time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The help I gave you? You earned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to end the apocalypse—for myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To master my own fate! To decide my own life and death!\u003C\u002Fp>",2255,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a31d8efa75b4ee91c49ad5893a02f8ef131b5627df12e732ac56dc1bd1e34613","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-50","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-48",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-cover.jpg"]