Chapter Fourteen: Unless She Is Not Qin Sheng

Lin Xing reacted swiftly. Upon hearing Qin Sheng’s words, he immediately stepped forward to restore order, and Chu Xingyu and the others moved the group back, leaving Qin Sheng the largest possible space.

As they saw Qin Sheng already fighting the zombie, the crowd’s fear quickly gave way to shock. Who could have imagined that a girl who appeared delicate and frail would so thoroughly overpower a zombie in hand-to-hand combat? The boys present, especially those who prided themselves on their strength, felt their pride sting—none more so than Li Chengbin, the so-called leader of the rescue team.

Qin Mengchun was so frightened she was almost in a daze. Since the outbreak began, Li Chengbin had kept her safe, and she’d barely seen a zombie, let alone witnessed one fighting her own sister right before her eyes.

Jiang Miaomiao and her friends were used to such scenes, though they couldn’t help but worry. “Be careful, Shengsheng,” Jiang Miaomiao called out, eyes anxiously tracking the shrinking distance between Qin Sheng and the zombie. When it seemed the zombie would bite, her heart nearly leapt to her throat.

But with Qin Sheng, zombies never prevailed.

“Catch this, Granny!” Lin Xing grabbed a stool leg and hurled it toward Qin Sheng. He suspected the “Granny” was refraining from drawing her Tang sword because there were too many people watching.

Qin Sheng caught the stool leg in stride and swung it with all her strength at the zombie’s neck. With a sharp crack, the zombie fell still and silent.

Everyone in the room gasped. Their gazes toward Qin Sheng filled with a new and palpable fear.

“Are you alright, Shengsheng?” Jiang Miaomiao asked, examining her from head to toe for injuries.

Qin Sheng shook her head, casually tossing the stick aside. Seeing Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu approach, she instructed, “Take it out. It’s safe now.”

Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu, trusting her implicitly, lifted the lifeless zombie and quickly disposed of it outside the cafeteria.

“Qin Sheng, have some water.” Wang Yu, his eyes shining with admiration, offered her an unopened bottle of mineral water.

Qin Sheng, seeing it would be impolite to refuse, accepted the bottle.

“Sis, when did you learn martial arts?” Now that the danger had passed, Qin Mengchun hurried over, watching Qin Sheng warily. In her memory, Qin Sheng had never studied any martial arts. Unless… she wasn’t really Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng ignored her, returning to her seat. With so many people around, and with Qin Mengchun present as a potential threat, she needed to find a way to leave. She much preferred her old lodgings.

Seeing that Qin Sheng paid her no mind, Qin Mengchun grew angry and raised her voice: “My sister Qin Sheng has never learned martial arts, and she’s always been timid. How could she possibly have the courage to fight zombies? Who are you, really?”

Her outburst drew even more suspicious glances toward Qin Sheng, most of them filled with doubt.

“Qin Mengchun, Qin Sheng just saved us and she’s exhausted. How can you suspect her like this? What are you really after?” Jiang Miaomiao could no longer hold back and confronted her.

Qin Mengchun was unperturbed, staring at the calm Qin Sheng and shouting, “I know my sister better than anyone—do you really think you know her better than I do?”

“Please! Qin Sheng has been with me since the first day of school. How could there be another Qin Sheng in this world?” Jiang Miaomiao found Qin Mengchun’s words absurd, but held back for Qin Sheng’s sake.

“My friends, I’ve known my sister for over a decade. If something had changed, I’d be the first to notice…” Qin Mengchun’s declaration sowed discord. Many in the crowd began to believe her—that Qin Sheng was not who she claimed to be.

Yet Qin Sheng was indeed herself, only with the memories and grudges of a previous life.

“In the apocalypse, anything is possible. If the campus belle says her sister has been replaced, maybe that’s just another sign of the end times.” A discordant male voice rose from the crowd.

Qin Sheng glanced over, instantly understanding the motive behind the slander. If she recalled correctly, the speaker was yet another of Qin Mengchun’s many admirers—though his name escaped her.

“Seriously? You believe such superstitious nonsense?” Lin Xing couldn’t comprehend how anyone believed Qin Mengchun’s outlandish claims.

Chu Xingyu shrugged helplessly. “Is this what they call the goddess effect?”

The thought that he once harbored feelings for Qin Mengchun now made Lin Xing shudder. “Don’t say that. I’m over it.”

The voices of doubt grew louder, almost completely erasing memories of Qin Sheng’s heroic rescue. All they remembered now was the rumor that she had been replaced.

“How could you? Have you forgotten who just saved us?” Jiang Miaomiao was appalled by the crowd’s ingratitude, disappointment weighing heavily on her heart.

Qin Mengchun, however, was delighted. She had nearly lost her place as the group’s darling, but now, no matter how capable Qin Sheng was, popularity was what mattered.

“Don’t talk about my sister like that—she did just save us.” Qin Mengchun added a cold laugh, then resumed her usual act of pitiful innocence.

“Don’t defend her, Mengchun. What if her rescue was just a part of her plan?”

“That’s right!”

“We can’t trust her just because she saved us once. This is the apocalypse—we must stay cautious!”

“You’re all so ungrateful!” Lin Xing clenched his fists, barely restraining his anger. Chu Xingyu held him back, fearing he might lose control.

The situation spiraled out of control. Jiang Miaomiao, desperate, glanced at Qin Sheng, who sipped her water as if none of this concerned her.

“Shengsheng, what should we do?” Jiang Miaomiao whispered anxiously, sitting beside her.

Qin Sheng had already seen through Qin Mengchun’s intentions. She didn’t want her around, and that suited Qin Sheng just fine.

“Of course she wants me gone. Her excuse is just hastily made up.” Qin Sheng stood and brushed the dust from her clothes.

“Huh?” Jiang Miaomiao was confused.

Memories of Qin Sheng’s battle with the zombie were still fresh in everyone’s minds. As Qin Sheng rose, she seemed utterly unruffled.

“Saving you was just a passing act. Since you don’t appreciate it, don’t blame me next time for being heartless. In the apocalypse, after all, heartlessness is only natural.” Qin Sheng’s gaze lingered on Qin Mengchun as she spoke, then swept over the others. With a soft laugh, she strode toward the door.

The cafeteria was silent. No one dared claim they could match her skill. If Qin Sheng left and another zombie slipped in, it would be no ordinary person who could handle it.

“Wait.”

Qin Sheng paused, curious. It was Li Chengbin.

“Qin Sheng, join our rescue team. I promise no one here will ever question you again.” As the team leader, Li Chengbin’s words carried weight.

Qin Mengchun’s face fell. She had just managed to drive Qin Sheng out, only for Li Chengbin to invite her back.

Li Chengbin noticed Qin Mengchun’s displeasure, but for the sake of their safety, if Qin Sheng stayed, they would have less to fear.

Qin Sheng knew what Li Chengbin was after. She smiled, “Alright.”

Li Chengbin beamed and invited her to sit down, but her next words froze his smile.

“On what grounds?”

Li Chengbin was momentarily at a loss. “You’ll be safer here, and we have food.”

Qin Sheng couldn’t help but laugh. Using someone as a weapon and acting as if it were only natural—he and Qin Mengchun were well-matched. As for their food—steamed buns and water? She hardly lacked those.

“Oh.”

Seeing his invitation fall flat, Li Chengbin hastily followed her. “Qin Sheng, it’s safer here. The outside is crawling with zombies. You can’t fight them all alone!”

“And you can?” Impatience crept into Qin Sheng’s tone, her cold gaze sending a chill through Li Chengbin.

He was momentarily speechless, all his prepared arguments dying on his lips.

“Next time we meet, you’ll be my enemies too.”

With these parting words, Qin Sheng left. Jiang Miaomiao, Lin Xing, and Chu Xingyu followed.

Wang Yu hesitated, torn, but in the end he stayed.

“Let me give you all a word of advice—don’t forget who saved your lives today.” Jiang Miaomiao threw this over her shoulder and left without looking back.

Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu had both been part of the rescue team. As they tried to leave, Li Chengbin blocked their way.

“Li Chengbin, we were never truly on the same side.” Lin Xing was eager to be rid of his control. The so-called rescue team had only kept him because of sentimentality and humanity. Now, he finally understood what human nature really meant.

“I haven’t forgotten who told us there were no zombies at the Blue Roof…”

Li Chengbin’s eyes widened as he tried to maintain his composure, watching Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu go.

In an instant, the cafeteria doors slammed shut, as if those who had left had never been there at all.

Li Chengbin clenched his fists and returned to his private room. Qin Mengchun, seeing his mood, followed him.

Once outside, Qin Sheng found the air fresher than ever.

“That brat Wang Yu actually didn’t come with us!” Lin Xing grumbled.

Qin Sheng paused and replied coolly, “Everyone has their own path.”

They returned to their original dormitory. With two more boys joining, things did feel a bit odd.

“The room next door has already been reinforced. You can stay there.”