Chapter 38

That day, Guan Yuanfeng created a detailed training plan for Zhou Yun based on his weight and some basic tests.

The plan meticulously outlined the time and number of sets for each exercise, ranging from warm-ups and flexibility training to aerobic endurance, strength training, tactical skills, and stretching and relaxation.

“As long as you follow it rigorously, you’ll definitely improve your fitness, endurance, strength, and tactical skills,” Guan Yuanfeng encouraged Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun took the handwritten training plan, first noticing the strong and vigorous handwriting. He was a bit surprised; he hadn’t expected Guan Yuanfeng’s handwriting to be so neat and well-practiced.

But after reading the training plan, cold sweat started to form on his forehead.

Each day began with a ten-minute warm-up, either jump rope or dynamic stretching, to warm up the muscles and joints and increase the heart rate. Then came thirty minutes of aerobic exercise, five kilometers on the treadmill with intervals of fast and slow walking.

Strength training lasted an hour, including pull-ups, squats, push-ups, and planks, with three sets of fifteen reps for each exercise. After half a month, they would start using equipment.

Tactical skills training also lasted an hour, starting with basic obstacle courses, shooting practice, and tactical movements. After a month of physical training, they would begin learning close combat techniques.

“Is this a special forces training plan?” Zhou Yun looked at Guan Yuanfeng, his eyes filled with a mix of distress and resentment. Guan Yuanfeng patted his shoulder, “You can do it, trust me.”

Zhou Yun: “…”

They also tidied up the gym on the 28th floor, moving the camping generator down to the 28th floor to power the gym and reorganizing the space.

The cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, and rowing machines, as well as the free weights and fixed equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, and weight racks, and the stretching and relaxation area with yoga mats, foam rollers, and massagers, were all placed on one side. They left the other half of the long and narrow space for an indoor shooting range.

Guan Yuanfeng set up two targets at distances of 10 meters and 15 meters, using adjustable, movable target stands. He remarked regretfully, “We don’t have horizontal moving targets or composite pop-up targets. We also lack bullet traps and absorption walls for the floor and ceiling. Fortunately, we’re using training blanks, so it’s a bit makeshift, but it will do.”

The gym had panoramic windows facing the mountains and reservoir, offering beautiful views on most days. However, now the windows were filled with the sight of swirling snow being whipped around by the wind.

The majestic, snow-covered mountains loomed indistinctly through the heavy snowfall, and the surface of Qingyun Reservoir was covered with thick snow, forming a vast ice lake.

The heavy snow has been falling for three days without stopping.

This cold and majestic landscape makes one forget about the zombies lurking around. The nearby trees and distant mountain views have turned into pristine, flawless snow scenes, faintly visible with an indescribable sense of depth and tranquility.

But Guan Yuanfeng knows this means that Danlin City, this remote little town, will be trapped in the snowstorm for a long time. Even if the snow stops, if the low temperatures persist, any survivors who were managing to stay alive here may not be able to survive such extreme cold, and they won’t find enough food.

In this vast and desolate world of ice and snow, it feels as if the world has only them two, and they will live on until the end of time.

He turned to look at Zhou Yun, who was doing his strength training by the floor-to-ceiling window. He had just completed a 5-kilometer run, his body was warm, and he had removed his down jacket, now wearing only a short-sleeved cotton T-shirt and shorts. His face appeared pale, looking lifeless as he was pulling on the rowing machine.

However, from Guan Yuanfeng’s perspective, Zhou Yun’s arm muscles were well-defined, his body rhythmically leaning forward and backward with the rowing motion. The resistance band of the rowing machine was being pulled steadily by his strong hands, and with each pull, his muscles tensed, sweat dripping from his forehead and running down his cheek. His handsome features and physique were truly eye-catching.

Even for Guan Yuanfeng, who had been an instructor for countless troops, Zhou Yun’s physical condition and appearance stood out and were very attractive. If it weren’t for the apocalypse, a person like him would undoubtedly be an extremely eye-catching presence, attracting many women.

With a hint of appreciation, Guan Yuanfeng reminded him, “Pay attention to your breathing.”

Zhou Yun glanced at him, somewhat helpless, his forehead and eyelashes already soaked with sweat. He looked at him with a somewhat pitiful expression.

For a moment, Guan Yuanfeng felt softhearted, though he quickly steadied himself and gently but firmly counted, “One more set.” Fearing his voice might sound too harsh, he added, “You can take a break first.”

Zhou Yun sighed in relief and got up to drink some water.

Guan Yuanfeng encouraged him, “You’ve improved compared to yesterday. Keep going.”

This was the new recruit training for special forces, which would be quite tough for ordinary people.

But Zhou Yun was a superpowered being, and completing this amount of training was not difficult for him.

Guan Yuanfeng had observed that Zhou Yun was very diligent when it came to household tasks like digging and planting, but when it came to exercise, he didn’t put much effort in. He would often listen to audiobooks or music while leisurely riding a stationary bike for 10 kilometers or walking briskly for 5 kilometers.

This didn’t fully tap into the potential of his extraordinary physical abilities. Zhou Yun was so smart, with strong battle instincts and tactical skills. After proper training, he could perform even better.

Zhou Yun was essentially gritting his teeth to finish these daily training tasks, wondering why in his past life, Guan Yuanfeng had never thought to train him, just placing him in a safe base. But in this life, he was so eager to train him.

He looked at Guan Yuanfeng, who was holding a gun and shooting at a target behind glass. His gaze was calm and sharp, as he smoothly drew and loaded the gun, raising it with perfect alignment, firing almost without aiming. The target vibrated in response, and his movements were fluid and crisp, as though flowing like water.

Zhou Yun remembered the time he had inserted the IV tube for him and noticed the thick calluses on his palms, fingers, and the webbing of his hands, which were probably the result of countless practices.

Guan Yuanfeng turned to look at him, and with a slight smile, asked, “Have you rested enough?”

Zhou Yun said, “You’ve been practicing for many years, right? You’re really impressive.”

Guan Yuanfeng replied, “If you train well, you can do this too. Rest up and then continue with the next set.”

Zhou Yun thought to himself, “I still want to be a lazy, useless man.”

Guan Yuanfeng saw the slight breakdown in Zhou Yun’s calm and gentle expression. His eyes shifted to Zhou Yun’s chest, which was damp with sweat, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s only been three days of training, and you’ve already made obvious progress. Don’t get discouraged.”

Zhou Yun changed the topic. “Can you add lightning to your arrows now?”

Guan Yuanfeng’s interest was piqued. “I tried it, and it seems pretty good.”

He brought over the bow, slightly spreading his legs, standing tall like a mountain. His movements were fluid and steady, exuding a calm and unhurried demeanor. As he slowly pulled back the bowstring, his arm muscles tightened, and the bowstring became taut, storing the energy of impending release. His eyes narrowed, focused, and the arrow on the string glowed purple.

Zhou Yun couldn’t help but hold his breath as he watched. The moment the bowstring was released, the arrow, wrapped in purple lightning, shot out with the speed of a star crossing the night sky. It was as fast as lightning, leaving only a purple afterimage on the retina.

In an instant, the arrow hit the target with a deafening sound. The straw target turned black, and a cloud of smoke rose and spread in the air.

Zhou Yun blurted out, “So strong!”

Guan Yuanfeng smiled, “I held back a little indoors. If I were fighting zombies outside, this would be more effective. It’s easier to control the direction, much more precise, and uses less energy.”

Normally, using his lightning powers would result in a large area attack, consuming a lot of energy, and might only hit random zombies. If there were fewer zombies, it would be a waste.

But this bow and arrow served as a good conduit for his powers, aiming exactly where he pointed, with minimal energy consumption. It was perfect for prolonged battles.

He turned to Zhou Yun, remembering today’s task. “Let’s continue—You’re not dressed warmly enough. If you don’t keep going, you’ll catch a cold.”

Zhou Yun sighed and reluctantly got back on the rowing machine to finish the remaining training.

After the morning training, they began slaughtering pigs at noon.

The pig was one Zhou Yun had carefully selected—a local black pig, long with a big snout, strong limbs, and a long tail with coarse hair. Its body wasn’t overly large, and its belly didn’t hang to the ground like ordinary fat pigs. Instead, it was particularly muscular and flavorful. After several months of feeding, it corn, carrots, potatoes, and pig vegetables, it was now time to harvest the meat.

The hot water in the energy-saving stove had been boiled, steaming with white vapor. The long bench for tying up the pig was placed, and the basin for catching blood was also set. Zhou Yun took the lasso to catch the pig, but Guan Yuanfeng took the lasso from him, saying, “Let me do it. Why not just freeze it?”

Zhou Yun blurted out, “If you freeze it, the pig’s blood won’t come out, and it won’t taste good.” It was rare to slaughter a pig, so of course, they wanted to enjoy fresh pork and blood, used to make soup, which would be top quality.

Guan Yuanfeng smiled, walked over, and quickly tied the rope tightly around the pig. Zhou Yun didn’t even see how he did it, only noticing that Guan Yuanfeng pressed his knee against the pig, wrapped the rope a few times, and effortlessly lifted it. The pig was securely bound on the bench, demonstrating a beautiful grappling move.

The black pig struggled violently, kicking its legs in an attempt to break free, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t escape the tightly tied rope. The dog, Comet, ran around, baring its teeth, threatening the pig, wagging its tail excitedly.

Guan Yuanfeng picked up a sharp knife from the basin and swiftly slit the pig’s neck, letting the blood drain out.

After the pig stopped struggling and had completely bled out, they untied it and dipped it in boiling water to remove the hair. They then gutted the pig and started cutting the meat: the pig’s head, belly, legs, hooves, and ribs were all separated and laid out to freeze outside in the cold air.

The freshest and most delicious parts of the pig were the liver, kidneys, and intestines, which they quickly stir-fried with some sauerkraut, pickled chili, and ginger. Stir-fried until hot and spicy, it was tender and full of flavor. The pig’s stomach and chicken were used to make a nourishing hotpot broth. Fresh pig’s blood was added to the soup, which was incredibly tender and flavorful. They even steamed a mutated Tianma pig brain for the evening’s feast.

The pig’s head, ears, and tongue were braised, while the fatty meat was rendered into lard. The remaining meat was cut into large chunks with a few pig’s hooves and placed in a stainless steel basin, covered, and set outside on the rooftop, where the freezing temperatures made it the perfect natural freezer.

The whole pig’s intestines were cleaned and stewed in a pressure cooker with the pig’s hind legs as a treat for Comet.

Although the two were quick and efficient, by the time they finished slaughtering and preparing the pig, it was already dark outside. The snowstorm still raged, and it was already early evening. They took the pig’s internal organs and head downstairs to start preparing dinner.

While Zhou Yun stir-fried the pig’s liver and kidneys, he asked Guan Yuanfeng how he preferred the pork to be cooked: “Should we make braised pork, steamed pork with rice flour, or crispy fried pork tomorrow?”

Guan Yuanfeng smiled, “Anything’s fine. Since we have such a big pig, let’s try it all.”

Zhou Yun replied, “Tomorrow, we’ll braise the pig’s head, ears, tongue, and tail first, then steam some pork with rice flour. We’ll save the ribs for later. We still have sausages left, so no need to worry about making more. Pork is best fresh, let’s eat it all before the New Year.”

Guan Yuanfeng smiled as he watched Zhou Yun excitedly organize their New Year’s feast. It was the end of the world, and it felt like the only two people left in the world were the two of them. Yet, Zhou Yun was still thinking about celebrating the New Year, which made him feel fond. He laughed, saying, “Actually, the three of us could eat so much that even a whole pig wouldn’t last more than a few days.”

Zhou Yun shrugged nonchalantly, “We still have rabbits. It’s cold, so rabbit meat hotpot is perfect. We can also make spicy rabbit heads. By next spring, we’ll plant rice by the lake, which will be enough for us. We can also grow corn. I have high-quality glutinous corn and sweet corn seeds. Which one do you prefer?”

Guan Yuanfeng couldn’t help but laugh as he imagined Zhou Yun wanting to plant the whole neighborhood. “If you grow it all, the corn can feed the pigs, too. Convenient.”

Zhou Yun nodded, “Of course. I’ll plant watermelons, winter melons, and pumpkins by the lake. We won’t go hungry.”

The stir-fried pig liver and kidneys turned a beautiful pink, and after thickening the sauce, Zhou Yun placed the dish on the table. He then took the stew of pig stomach and chicken from the pressure cooker and added the pig’s stomach and chicken back into the soup, which even had a ginseng root in it. Guan Yuanfeng couldn’t help but laugh, “Such a ton of nourishment. We’ll run five more kilometers tomorrow.”

Zhou Yun rolled his eyes at him, and Guan Yuanfeng laughed heartily, his chest shaking with laughter, and his eyes nearly tearing up. It was the first time Zhou Yun saw him laugh so freely, which surprised him. He handed the pot of soup to Guan Yuanfeng, who took it to the dining table for the hotpot base.

Zhou Yun also began rendering lard by simmering the fatty pig meat in a big pot. The golden lard slowly melted out, releasing a delicious homey aroma.

Guan Yuanfeng set the table with bowls and rice, watching Zhou Yun bring over the freshly washed vegetables. Even though it was snowing outside, Zhou Yun’s greenhouse still had some fresh vegetables like Chinese cabbage, spinach, leeks, and pumpkin sprouts, ensuring that they had fresh vegetables even in the winter.

As the white steam rose from the table, another satisfying meal marked a fulfilling day.

After slaughtering the pig, the New Year had arrived.

—–

On New Year’s Eve, Zhou Yun even found red paper and gold foil ink to write “Fu” (fortune) characters and couplets, carefully sticking them on the door. His calligraphy was elegant and graceful, like flowing clouds and water, natural and free-spirited. Guan Yuanfeng helped him stick the couplets, and they stood by the door to admire them. Guan Yuanfeng’s gaze lingered on the horizontal scroll that read “Peace Year After Year.” He thought to himself, in this apocalyptic world, peace was truly the most important thing. Success, promotion, wealth, or having children—such worldly happiness no longer held any meaning.

Zhou Yun even set off a string of firecrackers on the rooftop, and the familiar smell of gunpowder added to the sense of celebration. The red paper from the firecrackers fell on the snow, bright and vivid, and the first New Year in the apocalypse had arrived.

The snowstorm lasted for half a month, with ice and snow surrounding them everywhere.

But for Guan Yuanfeng and Zhou Yun, every day was fulfilling. Under Guan Yuanfeng’s intense training supervision, Zhou Yun completed those tasks with increasing ease. Guan Yuanfeng also confirmed that when ordinary people gain special abilities, their physical fitness does improve significantly. Zhou Yun, being a quick learner, was a very promising student.

After half a month of teaching, Zhou Yun had become proficient in close combat, shooting, and other skills, even able to spar back and forth with Guan Yuanfeng.

In addition to physical training, Zhou Yun also spends a lot of time tending to the cacti and medicinal herbs in his herb garden. Guan Yuanfeng knows that he’s conducting research, and he has long realized that Zhou Yun prefers tranquility over activity and doesn’t like going out, so he doesn’t disturb him and just takes Comet downstairs.

Sometimes, Guan Yuanfeng looks after the rabbits and bees, as well as the flowers and plants Zhou Yun planted at Moon Creek No. 3, and takes care of those as well.

Zhou Yun had already set up racks for those plants, covering them with film and straw to protect them from the wind and snow.

However, the outside temperature was simply too low. Guan Yuanfeng noticed that many plants and trees in the neighborhood had frozen to death, but the cacti, trumpet vines, and jasmine that Zhou Yun had planted were still green and thriving.

Especially the cactus planted on mutated fish intestines, which had grown as large as a plate and seemed to have the potential to grow even bigger.

Guan Yuanfeng walked around the neighborhood. The zombies had all been cleared, and now the area was blanketed in white. The temperature had dropped to minus thirty degrees, and even though he was wearing a winter coat and gloves, his face still stung from the cold. In his memory, Danlin City had never experienced such a cold winter, although his family is from the north, and he’d heard stories about the cold winters from his parents when he was a child.

He wasn’t the type to sit still. With the winter boredom, he took Comet and went through the entire villa area and each unit of the building again, collecting useful supplies, especially food like rice and flour.

After collecting everything, he took Comet down the mountain to the supermarket and market, gathering more useful supplies. The snow was so heavy that the roads were blocked. He and Comet usually walked, but when it was difficult to climb over, he would instruct Comet to use fire to melt the ice and clear the path.

He could clearly feel that his physical fitness had improved tremendously. Just like Comet, he felt as if there was endless energy within him, and with no outlet to release it, he had to walk outside every day, hunt zombies, and search for supplies.

Every time they walked in the snow, their breath turned into white mist in the cold air, intertwining with the falling snowflakes. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the silent streets, giving the feeling that the world was empty, with no one left but zombies.

Guan Yuanfeng expressionlessly struck down a lightning bolt to kill the zombies that smelled fresh blood coming toward them, digging out their crystal cores. His ability upgrade required a lot of crystal cores, and hunting during the winter was quite challenging.

Especially since these zombies were not afraid of the cold; they too were upgrading. Guan Yuanfeng had started to encounter more powerful zombies that were faster and stronger. The most dangerous encounter was with a whole group of zombies, where there seemed to be a leader.

The lightning chain couldn’t drive the entire group away, but fortunately, he had brought zombie repellent. When they were almost surrounded, he sprayed it, and sure enough, the zombies all fled. It was then that he used his lightning ability on a steel arrow and shot the zombie that seemed like the leader, killing it with a pierced and electrocuted head.

He hadn’t wanted to mention it, fearing Zhou Yun would worry, but as soon as he returned, Zhou Yun furrowed his brows and asked, “You used the zombie repellent? Did you encounter danger?”

The scent of the repellent was strong and lingered, so there was no way to hide it. Guan Yuanfeng helplessly replied, “We encountered a zombie group.”

Zhou Yun nodded, “That’s right, you can’t let them surround you. To deal with a zombie group, you need to use the terrain advantage and quickly get to a high place.”

Guan Yuanfeng was a bit surprised, “How do you seem like you’ve encountered a zombie group before?”

Zhou Yun answered smoothly, “I’ve played the game, haven’t you?”

Guan Yuanfeng: “…”

Zhou Yun turned back and smiled at him with a mischievous expression, “Did you get anything today?”

Guan Yuanfeng pulled out a large crystal core, which glowed faintly green. Zhou Yun was taken aback, “Is this from the leader of the zombie group?”

Guan Yuanfeng nodded, “Yes, that lightning arrow is really useful. A regular arrow might not kill it, and if it hits the head, the crystal core might shatter, but when it’s infused with lightning, the arrow hits and then explodes, very accurate and useful. So the crystal core is intact.”

Zhou Yun smiled, “Is this crystal core for me? Why don’t you absorb it yourself?”

Guan Yuanfeng replied, “I can absorb other attributes. This wood-type crystal core is of good quality. Keep it for your research. It might be useful for the things you grow.”

Zhou Yun gave Guan Yuanfeng a deep look, then took the crystal core, “Alright, thank you.”

To Guan Yuanfeng’s surprise, although he had encountered a zombie group, Zhou Yun didn’t stop him from going out. Instead, he gave him more zombie repellent and took the mutated fish skin and eagle feathers to sew them back into their protective suits.

The fish skin was tough and hard to work with. Zhou Yun was too weak, so in the end, Guan Yuanfeng helped by cutting it into suitable squares and sewing them into the protective suits.

Guan Yuanfeng couldn’t help but ask Zhou Yun, “Aren’t you going to stop me?”

Zhou Yun looked surprised, “Stop you from what?”

Guan Yuanfeng felt like he had asked a silly question, “On such a snowy day, with so many zombie groups outside, and we don’t have to worry about food and drink at home, I thought you would want me to stay upstairs.”

Zhou Yun smiled, “Who can trap an eagle? If Captain Guan could sit still, he wouldn’t be Captain Guan.”

Guan Yuanfeng: “…” He felt like Zhou Yun’s words were a bit meaningful, even slightly sarcastic, but he couldn’t figure out why.

Zhou Yun continued, “We have plenty of food and drink at home, so why do you still insist on training every day?”

Guan Yuanfeng: “…”

Zhou Yun looked at him and couldn’t help but smile, “The snow won’t last forever, and the world doesn’t only have the two of us.”

Although… I kind of wish it did.