Gate of Space

After Liu Chengjun left, An Yang and Chen Yafei continued tinkering with the radio in their hands. After some trial and error with the frequencies, they finally picked up a broadcast from Pingnan City.

"This is Xuechuan Military Base. Survivors, please take note. This message comes from the Pingnan Military Region. We have established a base on the outskirts of Pingnan City to resist the mutants. We have established a base on the outskirts of Pingnan City to resist the mutants. Survivors who receive this message, please proceed to the base immediately. We can provide everyone with shelter and food. Survivors who receive this message, please proceed to the base immediately. We can provide everyone with..."

The broadcast repeated only a few lines over and over. An Yang turned off the radio after listening twice. He had no intention of going to Pingnan City anyway; whatever happened to the Pingnan Military Region had nothing to do with him.

But since the system had already classified this world as an Apocalypse World, it probably would not be easy for the remaining troops in those military regions to rebuild civilization.

An Yang and Chen Yafei chatted idly, mainly trying to learn about what this world had been like before the Great Calamity.

This world was a parallel version of Earth. Its history up until a thousand years ago had been exactly the same, with Xuanyuan and Chiyou, Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi. But the later course of history had diverged greatly, leaving this world's international situation and historical development vastly different from the First World. Still, its overall technological and cultural development was very similar. It could be considered another Earth.

Night had only just fallen when another series of knocks sounded from the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Chen Yafei sprang to his feet and walked toward the door. The hallway was pitch-black now, and without corridor lights, he could not make out who was standing outside. Left with no choice, he spoke up.

"Who is it?"

"Me. Chang Hui."

"Are you alone?"

"I'm alone."

A flame suddenly flared outside the peephole, illuminating Chang Hui's sturdy figure. He was indeed alone.

Chen Yafei glanced back toward the living room, pulled out his Folding Knife, and opened the door, staring at him warily.

Chang Hui wore only camouflage pants and a black tank top. Spreading his hands, he said, "I didn't bring a weapon."

Chen Yafei looked him over from head to toe before putting away the Folding Knife and stepping aside. "Come in. Brother An is in the living room."

Click.

A flame appeared in Chang Hui's hand. By its light, he walked into the living room, fell silent for a moment, then said, "An Yang, I hope I'm not disturbing you."

An Yang smiled faintly. "Not at all. This should be our first proper meeting, shouldn't it? What can I do for you?"

Chang Hui nodded. After a moment of silence, he said, "I want to go to Huaibei County with you. My hometown is over there."

An Yang frowned. "Weren't you here to get married? Why is your hometown in Huaibei County?"

"I was originally going back to Huaibei County to get married. Something held me up here for a few days, and then the virus outbreak happened."

An Yang nodded to show he understood, then asked, "So if you come back to Huaibei County with me, you're not planning to follow Liu Chengjun anymore?"

"I'd rather return to Huaibei County and see what happened to my parents and my girlfriend." Chang Hui paused, then continued, "Brother Liu may look righteous, but he's too obsessed with power, and he can't keep those people on the team under control. I tried persuading him several times, but he wouldn't listen. If I follow him, I won't even make it to Pingnan City."

"What does Liu Chengjun think about you coming with me?"

"I told him. He didn't agree."

"Oh..." An Yang nodded. Chang Hui was not Liu Chengjun's lackey, merely a friend at most. He did not need Liu Chengjun's approval.

"So you agree?"

Chang Hui asked this eagerly, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"I've watched you. You had the guts to rush to the front when fighting zombies, and I appreciate that. You're also fairly capable, so I have no objections. But let's make this clear first. We both want to go to Huaibei County, so logically, we should help each other. But since you've chosen to follow me, you'll have to listen to me along the way."

Chang Hui agreed without hesitation. "No problem, as long as you don't send me to my death."

An Yang nodded. "Good. The time isn't right yet. Once we spend a few days figuring out the zombies' habits, we'll set off."

"Alright!"

"I'll also find time to prepare some weapons for you. Tell me what you're good with. Even in this apocalypse, I can get hold of it."

"I'm a good shot."

"Ahem... where am I supposed to get you a gun?"

Chang Hui said, "There's a police station nearby. The zombies surrounding it should have dispersed by now, but police pistols have limited power. There's an Armed Police Force unit not far away, though the virus broke out at night, so the armory might not have been open."

An Yang's eyes lit up. "What kind of structure does the armory have? Can it be opened?"

Chang Hui thought for a moment. "The armory in our unit had fingerprint-and-password locks, and security wasn't especially tight. Ordinary people could never storm an armory and cause trouble. In an actual war, not only could no foreign army reach our rear area, but they wouldn't come to an armory to steal your guns either. The Armed Police Force in a second-tier city like this is probably even less secure. At most, it'll have ordinary iron locks and iron doors. It shouldn't be difficult to force them open, as long as you have a way. Besides, no matter how much noise you make now, there won't be any personnel on duty coming to trouble you."

"As long as we can get in, it'll be easy. Can you find the way?"

"I'm not very familiar with it, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, then it's settled. Before we go to Huaibei County, we'll make a trip to the Armed Police Force unit. Before that, I'll get some cold weapons to make do with."

Chang Hui did not ask where he would get the weapons. He simply said, "Broadswords. They make it easier to cut off heads."

"Alright!"

An Yang nodded sharply, admiring Chang Hui's quiet but straightforward nature.

Chen Yafei had been silently listening to their conversation from the side. Suddenly, he said in a low voice, "Brother An, can you get me a broadsword too? I can't keep being bait forever, can I?"

"Sure, but until we find new bait, you'll still have to lure the zombies."

"No problem. With a blade in hand, I'll feel more confident luring zombies. I can also practice my head-chopping skills while I'm at it."

Chang Hui glanced at An Yang and said, "Then I'll head back first. I'll come find you again tomorrow."

The three-person alliance was thus formed.

After Chang Hui left, Chen Yafei went to rest in his room. Alone, An Yang descended from the twelfth floor by the dim light of an emergency lamp, found an empty room, and took out his phone. Its faint glow illuminated the pitch-black room.

"System, can I use the Gate of Space to connect to the real world now?"

"Yes, but when the Chosen One leaves the mission world, mission time will stop counting."

An Yang immediately breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Then when I connect to the real world, are the coordinates still controlled by you?"

A string of data appeared on the screen, and a cold voice echoed through the empty, silent room. "They are determined by the spatial coordinates at which the Chosen One departs."

An Yang suddenly understood. "In other words, when I return to the First World, I'll appear in the living room of my rental apartment, and when I come back, I'll still appear here."

"Correct."

An Yang nodded. "I understand. Use the Gate of Space item ability immediately and connect to the real world."

"Command received. Extracting Gate of Space item ability... Connecting worlds. Constructing Gate of Space for the first time... Complete."

"Buzz."

With a faint hum, a circular opening two meters in diameter suddenly appeared in the room, emanating a ghostly pale-blue glow.

"So this is the Gate of Space?"

Looking at the Gate of Space, which blended a sense of magic and technology, An Yang could not help widening his eyes in intense curiosity.

"Good thing its size can be adjusted to some extent, or this room wouldn't even be able to fit it..."

After examining it for a while, An Yang finally stepped inside.

In a rental apartment on the outskirts of Jinguan City in the real world, the windows were covered by black curtains, blocking out every trace of light. Nie Xiaoqian was curled up on the sofa, propping her chin on one hand as she stared blankly ahead while the television played dull commercials.

A ripple suddenly spread through the air near the wall, and a ghostly blue opening two meters in diameter appeared out of nowhere.

Nie Xiaoqian's expression changed in surprise. With a wave of her hand, an apple on the coffee table flew toward the opening.

She instantly rose to her feet and assumed an attacking stance.

An Yang's figure appeared within the ghostly blue opening. He keenly caught the apple and stepped into the living room, and the opening behind him vanished.

"Crunch."

He took a bite of the apple and looked at Nie Xiaoqian.

"Xiaoqian, you're so thoughtful. You gave me such a big apple the moment I got back."

Nie Xiaoqian stared at him blankly, her eyes wide.

"An Yang?"

Smiling, An Yang opened his arms. "I'm back. Did you miss me?"

The surprise vanished from Nie Xiaoqian's eyes. She crossed more than half the living room in an instant and threw herself into his arms, burying her head against his chest. She only made an unconscious sound.

"Mmm..."

An Yang glanced at the wall clock. He had spent nearly five days in the Apocalypse World, while more than a day and a half had passed in the real world. It was not even three in the afternoon yet.

Nie Xiaoqian raised her head and asked in confusion, "Why are you back so soon? It's only been a day and a half!"

An Yang leaned in and took a deep breath of her hair. "I still have to leave."

Nie Xiaoqian froze for a moment, then shoved him away. Her face stiffened. "Then what did you come back for?"

An Yang took another bite of the apple, unconcernedly pinched her cheek, and said with a smile, "Can't I come back to see you because I missed you? You seem unhappy."

Nie Xiaoqian looked at him resentfully. After a sudden sigh, she snatched the apple from his hand and asked, "Then when are you leaving?"

"In a little while. I can't stay too long... I haven't had fresh fruit in days. Could dear Xiaoqian give me my apple back?"

Nie Xiaoqian was very unhappy. Gritting her teeth, she shoved the apple into his mouth. "Eat, then! Eat yourself to death!"

An Yang took the apple out, hugged her, and gave her a loud kiss. "All right, I came back because I have something important to do. I need your help with something."

"What do you need me to do?"

Nie Xiaoqian asked, though she was not very pleased inside.

An Yang saw through her thoughts at once and pinched her pretty cheek again. "Don't overthink it. I really did miss you. From now on, I'll come back every few days."

Nie Xiaoqian's eyes lit up. "Then I'll reluctantly believe you. You'd better not go back on your word!"

"Of course not."

"So what do you need my help with?"

"Well... I'll order some things later and have them delivered tonight. Help me receive them."

"Sure. Are you going to use them in the other world?"

"Yeah."

"Then you'd better come back early to get them."

"Okay..."