Chapter 57: Intersecting Death and Birthdays (2)
The conversation had ended for a while, and the rooftop had returned to its usual quiet.
Dad and the man in the suit had both left. The man in the suit was eventually persuaded to help Dad spread the Zombie Virus.
This was a turning point in history.
This was also why the Head Maid had asked us to come here. Because we could—
“Juncheng, we have to go now, otherwise the various dangers will bring even greater losses to our surroundings.”
Unexpectedly, Juncheng immediately stood up. He brushed the dust off his clothes and then pulled me up from the ground.
He had a good mindset. The impact of what had just happened should have been very significant for him. I was also amazed that Juncheng could adjust his mindset so quickly. Zihua, like me, found Juncheng’s attitude strange and voiced the question in my heart.
“It’s surprising. I thought you would be upset for a while longer, Juncheng. I was already prepared to rewind time.”
“Well, although I was indeed very shocked…”
I finally understood Shirley’s words. No wonder Shirley had said it was best for me not to know the truth. So that was it. The zombie crisis was created by my own father. I felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.
“It’s impossible not to be surprised, right…”
Rather, because I was too surprised, I couldn’t say anything anymore. Did Juncheng feel the same way as me?
“Some of my questions have been answered, but with them come bigger mysteries. Why would Dad do such a thing? Unfortunately, the conversation didn’t reveal much.”
“Indeed…”
I couldn’t understand it at all. I thought I would clarify my thoughts by learning some truths here, but instead, I became more confused. I didn’t know what to do next….
“But knowing this is enough. There’s no need to waste extra time adjusting my mindset.”
“So, what do you want to do? Are you going to stop your father?”
“If spreading the Zombie Virus is his decision, then I support his decision.”
“No, I won’t stop him. If spreading the Zombie Virus…”
I looked at Juncheng in disbelief because his words directly determined his stance. His meaning was a direct declaration: ‘I will not stop the zombie crisis.’ And he didn’t seem hesitant. I couldn’t understand why Juncheng would make such a decision at all. Just like I didn’t understand why my father was doing this.
Sometimes, I really don’t understand what Juncheng is thinking. If men can’t understand women, then the reverse is also true—sometimes, I really don’t understand what Juncheng is thinking.
“This is…”
“Although I don’t have a father, so I don’t really understand, but for boys your age, Juncheng, most of you probably have conflicts with your fathers, or even opposition, right? But you trust your father so much, and on an issue like this.”
“My dad is a bit different. He never really took care of me, nor did he lecture me with grand principles. But just by looking at his back, I knew I wasn’t going down the wrong path. Because if I strayed, he would definitely turn back and stop me.”
Yes, my father is that kind of upright person. So upright he’s almost obtuse. That’s why I didn’t want to believe what I saw and heard just now, because it almost destroyed the image of my father I had built in my heart. But Juncheng accepted this fact. Is this the difference between me and Juncheng?
“Even after knowing the truth now, you still believe him?”
“Yes, I still believe him, deeply.”
Juncheng jumped down and extended his hands to us. Zihua jumped down without hesitation. After Juncheng caught her steadily, he said,
“Actually, after seeing Dad’s diary at home and then hearing about this location from Miss Shirley, I already had some guesses. I thought the zombie crisis might be related to Dad, but I didn’t expect him to be the mastermind. That was indeed a bit unexpected for me.”
After putting Zihua down, Juncheng repeated the action and caught me. The three of us continued our quiet conversation as we walked downstairs.
“He must have had a reason for doing this. And Dad said earlier, teaching people or saving the world, he just chose the latter. So…”
“Are you saying it’s a ‘necessary sacrifice’?”
Juncheng didn’t answer. It was as good as an admission.
“Because he’s your relative, so you’re going to cover for him?”
“Hey! Zihua!”
She actually said it! She actually said something that would hurt Juncheng!
…When facing choices, one hesitates, falters, and becomes confused. My father must have gone through these processes too—then he reached this conclusion. Even if this conclusion is wrong, I support him. After all, to save the majority of people, killing one’s own relatives is the most extreme reason.
“But there are also people who kill their fathers without hesitation for the sake of justice.”
The demon’s suggestion. If Juncheng really did that… Juncheng would no longer be Juncheng. He would become a killing machine driven by justice. But thankfully, Juncheng didn’t choose to do that.
He knew he was neither a savior nor a justice of the peace. He didn’t want to see—
“I told you, I have self-awareness. Turning so many people into zombies was just out of humanitarianism. But if it can’t be helped, I won’t force it.”
“Is it like, after knowing your father is a murderer, you still choose to cover for him as an accomplice?”
Zihua! Why did you have to say such things? Knowing it would provoke Juncheng, and possibly make Juncheng dislike you, yet you still said such sharp, sarcastic words. Is it to shake Juncheng and make him change his decision?
“I don’t have that kind of ‘good person’ in my heart. So what if not teaching is equivalent to murder… I’m not that much of a good person either, hehe…”
“Then we are your accomplices.”
Zihua’s lips slowly curved into a bright smile as she looked at Juncheng.
“Hahaha, turns out, Juncheng, you’re just like me.”
She was subtly trying to persuade me.
“The same? … I see. You already knew I would make this choice? This is subtly persuading me.”
Which time was that?
“You want to tell me that if that’s the case, then the end of this world has nothing to do with us, right?”
“Ah!”
This was something Zihua had said before! Zihua, for Juncheng’s sake, felt it didn’t matter even if the entire world became a zombie-infested apocalypse. And Juncheng also decided to support his father, so he had to let the innocent people in the city turn into zombies… Both Juncheng and Zihua sacrificed others for the sake of those important to them. In terms of the outcome, it was like that. So Zihua was actually using this method to persuade Juncheng not to care about the end of the world.
“The goal is to prevent Li Nai from becoming a zombie. Now that you’ve given up on preventing the zombie crisis at its root, it might lead to the end of the world to prevent Li Nai from turning into a zombie.”
“That’s right. Because we’re back to the original question. Our goal is to prevent Li Nai from becoming a zombie. I still don’t want the world to end, not because I want to save the world, but simply because I don’t want to live in fear every day.”
“Then… are you giving up on saving Li Nai?”
“Of course, Li Nai must be saved.”
“But that’s contradictory.”
“It’s not contradictory. Rather, I don’t want to admit the illogical theory that ‘if Li Nai doesn’t turn into a zombie, the world will end’.”
“However, that is the reality.”
“Even if this logic is sound, it’s still too overbearing. To weigh a girl against the world and compare them. This is not normal. It’s unfair to Li Nai to place the reason for the world’s end solely on Li Qin.”
“Juncheng…”
“Otherwise, wouldn’t it mean… that the current Li Nai is unnecessary to this world? I don’t admit! Let the dog—”
“So, what are you going to do?”
Juncheng suddenly glanced at me. When I noticed, he quickly shifted his gaze and vaguely replied,
“We’ll find a way when the time comes. Let’s leave here first. We still have to constantly evade the chase of destiny.”
In the end, there was still no solution. So, eventually…
“Perhaps I can’t accompany you to the end.”
“What? Terrible! Zihua!”
It was without any warning. The bridge above suddenly cracked. We had just left the hospital not long ago, and the crisis was about to descend.
The bridge under Zihua’s feet cracked, and the cracks spread at the speed of a landslide. The road surface had turned into—
I and Juncheng managed to run to a place unaffected by the cracks. But Zihua, who was slightly behind us, couldn’t make it across in time. There was no support under her feet. Juncheng desperately reached out and pushed Zihua’s hand at the last moment. I also hugged Juncheng’s waist to help him pull Zihua back.
But by this time, we had little strength left. We were unable to pull Zihua up at all.
“Quickly rewind time! Zihua!”
“It’s no longer possible…”
“…Juncheng, this is where I stop.”
“Falling from this height… even if I’m not hit by a car, I’ll probably die.”
“What nonsense are you talking about! I told you, it’s over when you reach here. It’s already fortunate to have some extra time—”
“What foolishness! You’ve always been by our side!”
“As long as Juncheng decides to change the future, then I should not ‘exist’. So no matter what, I will eventually disappear. This is just a little earlier.”
“…This… 0… Did you…-”
Yes, if we changed the future, then the event of Lanhua killing everyone and returning to the past would not happen. And thus, the act of changing the past would become invalid. Could it be that Zihua is also…
“That’s right. My essence is also a paradox demon, just like that Head Maid… The reason I can barely maintain my existence is because of this. I myself am a paradox.”
That’s why she could exist! Because she was also a paradox demon like the Head Maid!
“And my ability as a paradox demon is for this moment. Braininavat gives your existence rationality.”
At this moment, I knew that Juncheng and I had escaped the chase of destiny. Because our existence had become rational, conforming to the rules designated by fate.
“It’s good that I could help you in the end, hehe…”
But her hand slipped from Juncheng’s grasp.
“Zihua!”
We lost her.
