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Ah!

Ah, no~~

Hao Jian, stop!

I can’t~.

I’m nearing my wits’ end.

How could you?

To think you’d dare to act this way? Aren’t you afraid of karma? Beast!

In a cozy, Japanese-styled wooden room, right by the fireplace, Lin Feng found himself in a bit of a pickle. Hao Jian had a firm grip on his hands. Lin Feng gave it his best shot to wriggle out, but Hao Jian’s strength was no joke.

With cheeks flushed and a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, Lin Feng shot Hao Jian a death glare.

Yet, Hao Jian, ever the tease, playfully fiddled with Lin Feng’s tail, making it fluff up like an angry cat’s.

“You,” Hao Jian remarked with a playful smirk, “are quite the celestial surprise, aren’t you? To think we’d see such wild changes in this day and age. At least you’re a sight for sore eyes, unlike that weird-looking frog from a while back.”

A frog? That’s odd. Wait, Zhang Yicheng? Since Zhu Hanfang started reigning over the 6th floor, there were whispers that Zhang Yicheng and Tan Xin had left the rooftop in search of shelter elsewhere. Did something weird happen between the two of them as well?

“Alright, Hao Jian,” Lin Feng chided with a playful glare, “let go before I decide to really give you a piece of my mind.”

Perceiving the underlying threat in Lin Feng’s expression, Hao Jian promptly let go.

Now, Hao Jian was a fortunate individual, comically so according to his accounts.

There he was, the revered captain of the Archery Club. He recalled the day of the mutation, waxing poetic about how he was zealously cleaning the vast archery hall. With the club on the brink of extinction — thanks to safety woes and a shrinking member base — he was pretty much its last man standing, amidst echoing silence. In fact, his remaining members were explicitly prohibited from attending this doomed club.

But, in a delightful twist of fate, this very solitude became his lifeline. Once the outbreak news pinged on his phone, Hao Jian would either play rooftop sentinel, observing the new-world chaos, or dive deep into the hilarious realm of cat videos. Because, why not?

For seven days straight, Hao Jian lived out his version of a calm, apocalypse-retreat fantasy. But then, in sauntered Lin Feng. To Hao Jian, Lin Feng looked less like a survivor of the apocalypse and more like a “girl” who took a wrong turn off a fantasy TV set.

Jumping in to help Lin Feng turned out to be a tad more… more difficult than Hao Jian had anticipated. Apparently, Lin Feng wasn’t quite on board with his impromptu medical assistance. So, for “her” safety -once again, by his own accounts- he felt the need to, well, tie her down. But after the whole “rescue mission,” Hao Jian found simple joy in… petting a cat

“When did you first encounter that frog?” Lin Feng inquired, flexing his arms.

Rubbing down his ruffled tail, Lin Feng thought with a hint of exasperation, ‘Seriously, if you’re gonna pet a tail, get it right!’

Hao Jian, drifting into a daydream, replied, “Maybe a few days ago? Honestly, time’s been wibbly-wobbly lately. Between perfecting my aim, babysitting the archery hall, and my culinary escapades, it’s all a blur. Speaking of which, ever pondered the secret to a perfect potato? First off, you…”

“Wait,” Lin Feng interjected, “I was actually talking about the frog. Did you guys meet or strike some sort of deal?” As he spoke, he sneaked a bite of Hao Jian’s grilled potato. His tail gave a delighted wag – it was unexpectedly tasty.

“No,” admitted Hao Jian with a hint of regret. “I merely watched from my rooftop vantage point. I saw the frog kidnap a girl, trailed ominously by a horde of zombies. Though I contemplated helping her, my courage failed me at the last moment. Potatoes?” He gestured towards the plate of grilled potatoes.

Lin Feng silently sighed in relief, thinking, ‘Lucky *******, if you had shot him, that frog would have leveled your archery hall.’

“But then why did you summon the bravery to help me?” Lin Feng asked, pausing to take a sip of Hao Jian’s milk to clear a potato-induced throat tickle.

Looking deeply into Lin Feng’s eyes, Hao Jian confessed, “It’s because you’re cute! Honestly, I only joined the archery club because I saw this cool senpai figure in an anime, but reality doesn’t seem to agree with me. BUT – I’ve never once regretted my choice.” He tenderly grasped Lin Feng’s potato-marked hands, a soft gleam in his eyes.

‘Wait a minute,” Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t your recruitment spiel have all that talk about ‘justice’, ‘righteousness’, and making the nation’s archery famous? Where’s that passionate senpai gone?’
‘
Pulling his hands free, Lin Feng debated within himself whether to reveal his true gender. But if the man was this delusional, could he even handle the truth?

Eyeing the fruits Hao Jian extended towards him, Lin Feng inquired, “So, what are your plans going forward?”

Lost in thought, Hao Jian considered the question deeply.

Hao Jian gazed pensively at his garden. “Well, I have a cultivated patch in my backyard, and there’s a fair amount of potatoes stored in the warehouse. That should last us for some time.”

Lin Feng, leaning against the wall with a satisfied tail wag after eating, teased, “That’s it? Your big masterplan is to be… a potato farmer?”

Hao Jian leaned in closer and said. “Well that was plan A, but aren’t you here now? I was thinking -let’s get together.”

Lin Feng’s brows furrowed, “Hold your horses. While I’m grateful for your assistance, I just stopped here for refuge. And, in case it wasn’t clear, I’m a guy. So, let’s toss out any notions of a lifelong companionship.”

‘As if I’m risking my behind for your stupid romance.’

Hao Jian’s grip tightened on his potato that seemed to turn rotten by the second, his face a picture of disbelief. “Wait, you’re male?”

Exhaling slowly, Lin Feng reiterated, pushing Hao Jian’s pointing hand gently aside, “Yup, and in light of that revelation, I’m off. See you later, senior. If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll be sure to repay your kindness”

“No!”

Hao Jian looked on the brink of tears, gripping Lin Feng’s leg like a child with a favorite toy. “Do you have any idea how lonely it’s been? I’ve scrubbed this archery hall top to bottom multiple times this week. The bows? They’ve lost their shine because I’ve polished them too much. And all I’ve got for company are these potatoes!”

Lin Feng, eyes darting down at the drama unfolding on his leg, tried to wiggle out of the grip of the weepy mess before him, only to wince as his already injured leg took a hit. “Alright, alright! Just… let go, will you?”

A few minutes later…

“How about you join me at the school building?” Lin Feng opened up with an idea. “Or better yet…” His thoughts turned to the potential of relocating his group to this seemingly zombie-free area. While the move might pose logistical challenges, it could also offer a chance to enhance everyone’s archery prowess, improving their odds in this dystopian world.

Catching Hao Jian’s attention, Lin Feng teased, “Are you in the market for some girls?”

Hao Jian looked at him, with eyes full of hope, “But I already have one?”

“For the umpteenth time, I’m a guy! Serious talk, for a second, If you want I can introduce you to some girls.”