Surviving the Apocalypse

Startled awake from yet another nightmare, Zhao Qiang could no longer remember how many he had suffered. Ever since the catastrophe, a peaceful night’s sleep had become a luxury beyond his reach.

The scenes from his dreams clung to his memory with a vividness almost cruel—his wife, trapped and surrounded by the undead, torn apart while he remained helpless to save her. Even after waking, the pain in his chest was so acute it left him gasping for breath.

It had been half a month since, over a work-related issue, Zhao Qiang lied to his entire family and was driven out of their home by his heartbroken father-in-law. He and his wife had lived in separate cities ever since. Each day since then, he endured the agony of separation—but it was at this very moment that disaster struck.

December 22, 2012, at 14:08.

There was a job fair at three that afternoon, and for once, Zhao Qiang took care to tidy his appearance in hopes of finding work. As he bent to tie his shoelaces, a blinding white light tore across the sky. Though it was mid-afternoon, the brightness was so intense it seared through the daylight.

Those caught in the direct glare found their skin rotting and peeling away, while new skin tried to grow beneath only to suffer the same fate, the cycle repeating in agony until each victim collapsed and died, writhing in pain.

Countless lives were lost in this disaster. Yet, many survived unscathed. Governments and militaries responded swiftly, launching investigations and tending to the wounded.

But death was not the end—it was merely