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Lin Feng was always cautious, evading risks when he could. He glided down from the tree, but the soft rustle of his sneakers gave him away. He pondered, if he’d been barefoot, would his descent have been soundless? Every time he descended from an elevation, his limbs instinctively reached out to cushion the fall, almost cat-like in their precision.

Was this feline grace in his DNA? Exactly how much of a cat’s agility did he possess?

Making his way to the supermarket, he stumbled upon a nostalgic sight—the familiar milk tea shop. Behind the counter would be Li Weina, whom he affectionately called “sister.” She would look worn from a hard day’s work, weakly gesturing with her hands. The shop would still hold its signature sweetness, if only the zombie apocalypse didn’t happen. Traces of decay were evident– stale milk tea powder, dampened over time, now gave off a pungent aroma.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Lin Feng reflected on the previous night’s vivid hallucinations. They clung to him, unnerving in their clarity and realism. Were they truly just hallucinations? They were so realistic, he still couldn’t shake off the feeling that somehow that was real.

Wandering into a nearby computer shop, his eyes landed on a power bank. After checking its battery level, he plugged in his phone.

Setting an alarm for a half-hour, he climbed to the shop’s rooftop. Earlier, he’d picked up a cat scratching board and a blanket from the supermarket. Laying down the blanket, he lost himself in the oddly satisfying act of scratching the board.

Pure bliss.

The sensation stirred memories. In his human days, he’d often wondered about the comfort such a board might offer on the days when he just needed something to vent his stress on.

Lost in reverie, sleep soon claimed him on the supermarket’s rooftop.

A sudden noise snapped him out of his slumber.

‘Hmm?! What the heck is happening?”

Chilly droplets of rain peppered his face, sending a shiver down his spine.

“Achoo! Of course, it’s raining,” he muttered.

Hastily securing his phone into his bag, Lin Feng dashed to the refuge of the supermarket beneath him. He donned a black raincoat, ensuring he was shielded from the rain.

Peering at his phone, confusion clouded his features. He had clearly set an alarm, yet he had inadvertently dozed off half an hour longer than intended. Well… his human self had often set alarms, only to conveniently overlook them.

“Has it struck 3 already? Time’s ticking,” he whispered to himself, patting the dagger, fire axe, and the quiver of arrows fastened on his back.

Lin Feng stared at the incessant rain, silently praying for a break in the weather. With the downpour showing no signs of letting up, his ambitious plan to ignite the trees might need to be shelved.

The pouring rain made him reluctant to venture out. The cold droplets soaking his hair and tail were far from ideal. Yet, a gentle scratch on the board momentarily eased his tension.

Gathering his courage, Lin Feng stepped out into the rain. The disarrayed zombies, thrown off by the relentless downpour, were less menacing as they stumbled about directionless.

As he retraced his steps to the tree, he observed a reduced crowd of zombies around the generator, thinned out by their aimless wandering in the rain.

His shoes, soaked from his expedited pace, were discarded without a second thought. The school was sure to have a plethora of size 36s, and in a pinch, he figured size 37 would suffice.

Seizing an opportune moment when the zombies were momentarily distracted, Lin Feng dashed and vaulted over the power station’s barrier. Such a feat would have been unthinkable if the zombies had been grouped as they typically were.

With efficiency, Lin Feng neutralized two zombies within the premises, then recalibrated the generator’s settings for a three hour cycle instead. While this would consume the diesel at an accelerated rate, Lin Feng was convinced their stay at the school would be short-lived. Not only was the school sparse in supplies, but it was also overrun with zombies. To add to the adversities, spiders had claimed territories, and bats ruled the night skies.

Given the circumstances, the school was far from a sanctuary.

After ensuring the adjustments were in place, he absentmindedly found solace in scratching the cat board affixed to his side.

Such unexpected pleasure…

He might have become a bit too captivated by this simple diversion.