Li Yu

Biodata

Background / History

Early Life

Li Yu is the eldest son and eldest grandson of both sides of his family. He grew up in a close-knit extended family and was particularly cherished by his grandparents and uncles 6 12.

He attended boarding school from elementary school onward and insisted on going far from home for university. When his father refused to fund that choice, Li Yu worked while studying and paid his own tuition and living expenses 2.

Previous Timeline and Rebirth

In his previous life, Li Yu failed to return home before the apocalypse. He survived amid extreme scarcity and violence, killed numerous people, and spent many nights grieving his regrets. His last remembered surroundings before rebirth were the basement of an abandoned house 1 2.

After returning five years into the past, he quit his job, recovered part of his rent, and boarded a train home. He had less than 40,000 yuan available and planned to use remembered Double Color Ball lottery numbers to finance a secure refuge 1.

Reuniting with his mother brought him to tears. He resolved to stay near his family but concealed his knowledge of the apocalypse, fearing disbelief, unwanted attention, and interference with his preparations 2 6.

Building the Base

Li Yu presented his project as an eco-tourism farm. He collected a lottery prize stated as 10,000 yuan in the supplied account, showed his parents evidence of the winnings, and obtained approval to develop family land and lease neighboring acreage 2 3.

He planned a fortified compound enclosing two hills, a hillside pond, and more than ten acres of flat land. He pursued a rural entrepreneurship loan, prioritized the perimeter wall to conceal later construction, and brought Li Hang home to help 3 4.

His preparations covered food, medicine, fuel, weapons, vehicles, educational materials, and entertainment. Fields, fruit trees, livestock, water facilities, and waste-processing infrastructure supported longer-term habitation rather than merely a temporary hideout 5 6.

Appearance

• Physique: Already in reasonably good shape, with abdominal muscles, but substantially less capable than he remembered being during the apocalypse 5.
• Conditioning: Begins rebuilding his fitness after rebirth, including five-kilometer runs through wooded hills and later near-daily runs around the base 5 36.
• Expression: His cold stare, honed through killing in his previous life, intimidates the official handling his lottery collection 2.

Personality

Li Yu’s central priority is protecting his family, not acquiring influence or pursuing a grand ambition. His reunion with his mother, affection toward younger children, and enjoyment of ordinary family life contrast sharply with his treatment of hostile outsiders 2 20 24 50.

His previous experiences leave him deeply distrustful. He refuses to disclose his rebirth, limits access to the base, and remains cautious even when accepting an old friend. Rather than pretend otherwise, he openly tells Yang Tianlong and Zhao Dapao that he cannot yet trust them completely 1 6 34.

Against threats, he is decisive and frequently lethal. He rejects intimidation, kills the village Party secretary despite a hostage threat, and later eliminates the secretary’s son to avoid leaving an enemy alive 21 31 43.

Nevertheless, he worries about what violence does to his companions. Li Hang’s growing lack of fear after killing troubles him, and he later warns the group not to become monsters themselves. His goal is survival with comfort and human connection, not survival at any moral cost 15 50.

Abilities & Skills

Knowledge of the Previous Timeline

• Uses remembered lottery numbers to obtain preparation funds 1 2.
• Anticipates societal collapse and stockpiles supplies before the general public understands the danger 5 13.
• Limitation: His memories reflect what he personally knew. He initially believes the outbreak has arrived early, then realizes zombies had appeared before November 25 in the original timeline without his knowledge 8.

Close-Quarters Combat

• Fights through groups of zombies with long blades, using rapid decapitations and precise thrusts to the head 11 18 19.
• Cuts down three zombies approaching Li Hang during the defense of the base entrance 11.
• Uses a dagger against human enemies, including the village Party secretary’s son 43.
• Limitation: His reborn body initially lacks the conditioning required for some demanding techniques he remembers 5.

Archery, Crossbows, and Firearms

• Kills a fleeing blond attacker with an arrow and later shoots the village Party secretary through the skull 15 31.
• Demonstrates repeated headshot accuracy with crossbow bolts while pursuing hostile survivors 32.
• Uses firearms to intimidate a crowd and confront armed attackers 21 40.
• Gives his father and Li Hang basic firearm instruction and teaches residents to use crossbows and blades 13 16.

Danger Awareness

• Experiences an instinctive warning that directs his attention to attackers concealed in the woods 14.
• Reacts to an approaching zombie dog by rolling forward and counterattacking with his blade 48.
• The same sense of danger had saved him repeatedly before rebirth; the provided chapters do not explain its mechanism 14 48.

Planning and Leadership

• Designs the base around concealment, structural strength, controlled access, and organized storage 3 4 5.
• Assigns lookout and surveillance duties, distributes walkie-talkies, and places weapons under his father’s supervision 13.
• Organizes vegetable harvesting and preservation before prolonged confinement during the rainstorm 15.
• Establishes lessons in literacy, arithmetic, zombie survival, physical conditioning, and hand-to-hand combat for younger residents 15 16 36.
• Coordinates the defense against a zombie tide, assigning crossbows to the watchtower and spears to defenders on the wall 37.

Cooking

• Prepares a substantial meal from his refrigerator’s remaining ingredients immediately after rebirth 1.
• Seasons and roasts a pig for the base’s communal feast, earning praise from the residents 35.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Long blades and machetes — Prepared before the outbreak and used extensively against zombies 5 8 11.
• Dagger — Used to kill the village Party secretary’s son 43.
• Bows, crossbows, and arrows — Stockpiled for defense and used against both zombies and human attackers 5 13 15 31.
• Firearms and ammunition — Distributes guns to family members; later helps recover handguns, automatic rifles, two light machine guns, and ammunition from the county police armory 13 18.
• Mountain-Cleaving Axe — Takes custody of Zhao Dapao’s weapon as a condition of his initial admission to the base 34.
• Vehicles — Purchases vehicles before the apocalypse and uses them for rescue, transport, and supply operations 5 16 33.
• Walkie-talkies — Prepared in advance for communication and defensive coordination 13.
• Fortified base — Protected by high perimeter walls, heavy steel gates, a watchtower, surveillance facilities, and a high-voltage electric fence 3 8 13 48.
• Supply reserves — Includes dozens of tons of stored goods, categorized for easy retrieval 5 13.
• Offline library and media archive — Collects three truckloads of books, downloaded videos and films, music, and hundreds of phones and computers 5 15.

Relationships

• Li Hongyuan — Father. Helps develop the base and later manages its non-firearm weapons. Initially bewildered by Li Yu’s decisions, he becomes proud of his son’s capability 3 13 16.
• Liu Fanghua — Mother. Li Yu embraces her tearfully after returning home and later entrusts her with a key to the supply storage 2 13.
• Li Hang — Younger brother and frequent expedition partner. Their close relationship includes stern discipline; Li Yu teaches him combat and repeatedly protects him 4 8 9 11.
• Li Yuan — Younger sister. Li Yu insists that she return from university for National Day and urges her not to leave again 4 7.
• Liu Jianwen — Eldest maternal uncle and Xiao Lue’s father. Li Yu searches for and rescues him; their later confrontation over helping outsiders gives way to greater understanding 16 19 27 28 29.
• Liu Jinglue (Xiao Lue) — Cousin. Rescued with his mother at the outbreak, fights beside Li Yu, and accompanies the search for his father 8 11 16.
• Lai Dongsheng (Uncle Lai) — Trusted neighbor and expedition companion. Li Yu values his fighting strength, reliability, willingness to follow instructions, and local knowledge 4 15 16.
• Lai Xiyue — Childhood friend and former classmate. They were close in elementary and middle school but drifted apart as they grew older; she later teaches children at the base 15 16.
• Yang Tianlong — Longtime friend who once pursued Li Yu’s bullies through three streets. Their reunion confirms their enduring affection, though Li Yu initially imposes security conditions on his stay 32 33 34.
• Yang Xiaozhu — Childhood acquaintance who liked teaming up with him. Saves him from a zombie during their reunion 33.
• Zhao Dapao — Admitted survivor whom Li Yu initially keeps under observation. Surrenders his axe and later helps train younger residents 34 36.
• Little Xuanxuan — Child Li Yu brings into the base during the confrontation with the village crowd. She becomes strongly attached to him and feels safe beside him 21 22 24 29.
• Liu Huamei — Liu Jianwen’s longtime colleague and proposed romantic match. Li Yu rejects the matchmaking; he later refuses her admission, after which she attempts to breach the gate 19 27 28.
• Village Party secretary and his son — Hostile local figures. Li Yu kills the secretary at Rocky Mountain and later kills his son to prevent further retaliation 31 43.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notable Quotes

“I only want to protect my family.” 34

“I've never really had any grand ambitions.” 50

“People can be monsters sometimes too.” 50

“You should be careful not to become a monster yourself.” 50

Trivia

• Has a mild case of trypophobia 39.
• Stockpiles several tons of alcohol, including numerous Chinese liquors and several types of spirits 35.
• Relaxes in a bathtub while listening to Sound of Silence after sharing chilled Moonlit Brew Beer with his companions 50.
• Checks himself after zombie-dog blood lands on his neck and finds no infection; the incident does not establish immunity 48.