Doomsday Cognition Guide

The pickup truck drove out of the gate, and Li Xuan rolled down the window halfway. He didn't take the national highway; instead, he turned the steering wheel and went straight onto the highway ramp.

Taking the highway in the apocalypse sounds counterintuitive. But national highways pass through towns, and towns mean population density, and population density means zombie density.

The highway was completely closed, bypassing all settlements. In the early days of the apocalypse, survivors were either hiding in their homes or dying on the roads, making the highway the emptier it was. As for abandoned vehicles—if they couldn't be rammed, they would detour; if they couldn't detour, they would reverse and take another ramp. It was better than driving through a county town of hundreds of thousands of people.

The instrument panel was broken. The speedometer needle was stuck at zero, and the fuel gauge was off. He drove for twenty minutes, unsure how much fuel was left, but roughly estimated the distance—about forty kilometers to his hometown, which should be enough. Nevertheless, he decided to pull into the next service area to refuel.

It's not about worrying about running out of gas; it's about getting into the habit on the first day of the apocalypse: always keep your tank full. You never know when you'll be able to fill up again.

The service area ramp was narrower and sharper than the main road. He slowed down and turned in, seeing the gas station's roof in the distance. Behind the supermarket's glass doors, several young people were waving frantically at him. Three men and two women, they looked like college students, their expressions clearly visible even from a hundred meters away—the kind of expressions of desperate grasping at straws. At the supermarket entrance, two zombies were repeatedly ramming their bodies against the glass door. The glass was sturdy and hadn't broken, but with each impact, the door frame shook.

Li Xuan parked the car at the gas station without turning off the engine.

He glanced at the two zombies at the supermarket entrance. These newly mutated zombies couldn't catch a living person even if they ran; four or five young people could always find a way to deal with them. At worst, they could escape through the back window. The conclusion was: no need to save them. Besides, in the early stages of the apocalypse, such a combination often meant trouble, moral blackmail, and a lack of discretion.

He has many such lessons in his memory, and he must get home as quickly as possible; he has no time to waste here.

He didn't look at it a second time.

He jumped out of the truck, rummaged through the back of the pickup, and pulled out a crowbar. He walked to the gas pump. The pump's panel was made of sheet metal; he inserted the crowbar into the gap, pressed down hard, and it popped open with a snap. Inside was the fuel nozzle's hose, but he didn't use it—there was no power, and the pump wasn't working. He pulled a piece of plastic tubing from the truck and inserted it into the inspection port of the fuel hose, all the way down to below the fuel level in the tank. Then he crouched down and sucked on the other end of the tubing. The smell of gasoline filled his throat; he tilted his head and spat, then inserted the tubing into the pickup's fuel tank opening.

They were still waving from the supermarket. The two girls were practically waving their arms off.

Li Xuan did not look up.

He leaned against the car door, waiting for the gas to fill up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the two zombies at the supermarket entrance still banging on the door, their frequency and force unchanged—they weren't tired. That's the most troublesome thing about zombies; not that they're strong, but that they don't know how to stop.

The tank was full. He pulled out the hose, threw the crowbar back into the back, and opened the door.

Just as he sat in the driver's seat, he glanced subconsciously at the rearview mirror. The young men were still waving. Oh well, in the apocalypse, one should abide by the rules of the apocalypse. Then he glanced at himself—a buzz cut and a gray-blue prison uniform.

Since his release from prison, all he can think about is his home; he's completely forgotten he's still wearing this outfit.

He started the car, hesitated for a moment, then put it in reverse and began to back up.

Over at the supermarket, several young people saw his car move and waved even more frantically. One boy even started banging on the window, shouting something that was unintelligible.

The pickup truck reversed and stopped in front of the supermarket.

Li Xuan turned off the engine and got out of the car. He took out a riot shield and a baton from the back seat. These two items were brought from the armed police barracks, and the company commander had tacitly approved of them. Carrying the shield and baton, he walked unhurriedly towards the supermarket entrance.

Hearing footsteps, both zombies turned simultaneously. The one closer to him lunged first, making a gurgling sound, its gray-black nails scratching at his face. He used his shield to deflect it to the side, dissipating most of the zombie's momentum, causing it to sway to the side. Immediately afterward, he swung his baton and struck it on the back of the head—the dull thud of breaking bones echoed as the zombie collapsed, motionless.

The second one pounced right after. He didn't retreat; he pushed his shield forward, forcing the zombie back two steps, then followed up with a single step, sweeping his baton horizontally across the back of its head. The second one also fell.

The whole process takes about ten seconds. There are no unnecessary movements; every blow is aimed at the same spot—striking the back of the head is the most effective and effortless method.

He rubbed the baton on the zombie's clothes to remove the black blood, then turned to face the supermarket entrance.

Behind the glass door, the four young people remained silent. The girl who had been waving frantically just moments before still had her hand frozen in mid-air, forgetting to lower it.

"Open the door," Li Xuan said.

The people inside then realized what was happening. A boy frantically pulled open the door latch, pushed the glass door open a crack, then hesitated, as if unsure if it was safe outside.

Li Xuan didn't wait for their confirmation. He opened the door and went inside, leaning his shield against the doorframe. His gaze swept around—the supermarket wasn't big, the shelves were fairly neat, the snack section was on the left, and the beverage counter was on the right against the wall. He grabbed a shopping bag from the doorway, went to the snack section, and started filling the bag. Chocolate, compressed biscuits, beef jerky, Red Bull—he specifically picked high-calorie, small-volume items. He filled the bag more than halfway, then stuffed three bottles of mineral water into it.

Several young people watched from the side, none of them daring to utter a sound.

One of the boys wearing glasses opened his mouth as if to say thank you, but when he saw Li Xuan's prison uniform and buzz cut, he swallowed his words.

"Big brother."

He paused, but didn't turn around. It was a girl's voice.

"Big brother, can we come with you?"

Li Xuan turned around.

He glanced at her—early twenties, ponytail, light makeup, looking out of place in the service area on the first day of the apocalypse. Another girl behind her huddled beside a shelf, avoiding his gaze. Two boys stood behind the girl, their eyes filled with expectation and wariness. Expectation that he would lead them away, wariness of him, the man in prison clothes.

Li Xuan looked at the girl, somewhat speechless: seeing him in prison clothes, she knew that moral blackmail wouldn't work, so she started playing the sympathy card. He ignored her, only giving her a detached look.

The girl's face turned pale instantly. She instinctively took a step back, bumping into the shelf with a dull thud.

Li Xuan carried the bags to the door, bent down to grab the riot shield leaning against the doorframe, and then walked out with the food and shield. Behind him, the supermarket was deathly silent.

The apocalypse has its own rules; if you can't adapt, you'll be eliminated. He's not a savior; his first task is to go home.

The pickup truck started again. He tossed the food bag onto the passenger seat, tore open a pack of compressed biscuits, and chewed as he shifted gears. The vehicle jolted slightly, pulled out of the service area, and rejoined the highway ramp.

The highway was deserted. Occasionally, a few abandoned cars would appear, doors wide open, but no one inside. This was normal—the living had escaped, and the dead had become zombies wandering elsewhere. If you actually saw someone waving at you on the highway in the apocalypse, be careful; it was far more likely a trap than anything else.

A few scattered zombies wandered across the road. Hearing the pickup truck's engine, they turned their heads, making gurgling sounds in their throats, and stiffly moved towards the source of the sound. Li Xuan didn't slow down. The bumper slammed into them, the zombies were thrown back, rolled to the side of the road, and shrank into small black dots in the rearview mirror. A dull thud came from the chassis, and a few streaks of dark red grime splattered on the front of the truck, which were quickly dried by the wind.

He finished a bag of compressed biscuits and tore open a Snickers bar. Sweet and high in calories. He chewed quickly, and the slight feeling of fullness he felt soon disappeared; digestion was rapid. Just as he remembered, it seemed to be a sign of his powers awakening.

Forty minutes later, he saw the road sign. A kilometer ahead was a place he recognized. He took a deep breath and reconsidered his plans once he got home. Whatever the future held for the world—it was already in chaos—his first priority was ensuring his family's safety.

The house is halfway up the mountain, nestled against a cliff. Three generations of the family have been brewing wine, and they built their house here because of the karst cave and spring. A highway cuts across the mountainside, passing not far below their house. The only way in and out of the mountain is via a narrow culvert beneath the highway. The culvert is narrow, barely wide enough for a farm vehicle to pass through. As long as they guard that culvert, people from the foot of the mountain can't get up.

Walking up the mountain, I saw stone walls, a dark gray tiled roof, and white smoke billowing from the chimney. The walnut tree in the yard was still there, with his crookedly carved name hanging on its trunk. The chicken coop next to the vegetable garden was still there, with a few hens squatting at the entrance, lazily pecking at the pebbles on the ground.

My heart is trembling; everything is just like I remember.

Li Xuan stood at the entrance of the courtyard.

There were figures moving around in the kitchen. The mother came out of the kitchen carrying a winnowing basket and immediately saw the people at the gate of the yard.

"Li Xuan?"

Her voice was soft and uncertain. The light in the courtyard was too bright, and the person at the door was backlit, so she couldn't see them clearly at first.

Li Xuan stood there, motionless.

He recalled a scene from that memory—his mother lying under a walnut tree, a large chunk of flesh torn from her neck, bleeding profusely. That image was etched into his bones, which was why he insisted on rushing home immediately—he dared not gamble.

He only truly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother standing unharmed before him. His mother also finally saw Li Xuan standing in front of the courtyard gate. Her expression changed from confusion to surprise, and then from surprise to tension—because she saw that her son was still wearing prison clothes.

"You silly child, why are you back? Did you run back by yourself? How could you be so foolish?" The mother put down the winnowing basket, walked over quickly, looked him up and down, her eyes full of heartache. She hadn't seen her son for a long time.

Li Xuan opened his mouth, but the sound got stuck in his throat.

"mom."

He uttered only one word, his voice very soft, as if shrouded in mist from the passage of time. It wasn't just his voice, but also the deepest obsession from another memory.

Li Xuan followed his mother through the courtyard to the main room. His father sat on a stool, not getting up, just looking at him with the same gaze he had when Li Xuan skipped school as a child. After a while, he said indifferently, "Why are you back?" Li Xuan was about to speak when his fourth uncle's voice came again: "Li Xuan, why are you back?" He looked up and saw his fourth uncle and cousin coming out of the inner room.

Okay, let's explain together. He took out the note, handed it to his fourth uncle, and said, "I didn't escape from prison, it was a special permission." His fourth uncle took the note, looked at the contents and signature, and nodded to his father: "This kid wasn't lying, it was Old Zhang who gave it special permission, saying that due to special circumstances, he was allowed to serve his sentence outside of prison."

"There were zombies in the prison, and I helped Uncle Zhang and the others deal with them, which is considered as making amends for my crimes. Because I was worried about the situation at home, Uncle Zhang specially approved my return," Li Xuan explained.

Uncle and Father were still processing this information. Mother probably didn't understand what zombies were and was about to ask her cousin when she saw her cousin's pale face. She grabbed her hand tightly and comforted her, saying, "What kind of zombies are you talking about? You scared Yingying."

Li Xuan simply said, "It's a man-eating monster." His mother was also frightened, but still comforted his cousin. His father asked, "Is what you said true?"

"Several police officers and prisoners have turned into zombies. I've even killed a few. They're much stronger than normal people, but they're a bit slow," Li Xuan explained.

Uncle Si then asked, "Like the kind shown in the movies, and it's contagious?"

Li Xuan nodded: "Several inmates in the prison and some armed police officers have been scratched and infected."

The father didn't ask any more questions. He believed his son wasn't the type to speak carelessly.

Fourth Uncle took a drag of his cigarette: "So, what are your thoughts?"

Li Xuan nodded and said, "Nowadays, the more people there are, the more dangerous it is. The county town has a high population density, and it's probably already in chaos. But our place is halfway up the mountain, backed by a cliff, with only a small path leading up from the bottom and a culvert as the only passage. It's a perfect stronghold. If we improve the road down the mountain and build a checkpoint, we can basically block most of the trouble. I went into the cave behind the mountain when I was a child. It's very spacious inside, and there's even a spring. If we clean it up, people can live there. It'll be warmer than a house in winter and cooler in summer."

Father didn't speak, but picked up his teacup and took a sip. Fourth Uncle looked at Father: "Brother, I think it's reliable." Father put down his teacup: "There used to be a generator in the cave, back in your grandfather's generation." He then turned to Fourth Uncle: "You know that location, right?"

"I know," Uncle Si nodded. "The water flows swiftly there, and there's a deep pool below. Before we had electricity at home, we used that generator to generate electricity. Now that we've set up that generator and connected a few lights, we don't have to worry about lighting in the cave anymore."

"Fourth Uncle," Li Xuan looked at his fourth uncle, "Is Aunt in the county town?"

Uncle stubbed out his cigarette: "Yeah. She couldn't leave the shop, so she didn't come back."

"Things might be out of control in the county town. We need to get her out as soon as possible." Fourth Uncle glanced at him. "That's what I was thinking too. I couldn't get through on the phone last night, and I was really worried. I was just planning to go to town after dinner."

"I'll go with you," Uncle Si said without hesitation. Anyone who has served in the military knows that in times like these, having another person means more protection.

After finishing their meal, Mother began clearing the dishes. Fourth Uncle stood up and patted Li Xuan on the shoulder: "Come on, let's check the car."

A car was parked outside the yard—Uncle Si's SUV. The electromagnetic storm had destroyed the delicate circuitry, but the mechanical parts were unharmed. Li Xuan lifted the hood and reconnected the wiring. The starter motor spun a few times, and the engine roared to life. He pressed the accelerator a couple of times, and the engine speed stabilized. He said to Uncle Si, "It runs. It's just that the lights, air conditioning, and dashboard are all ruined."

The two began packing their things, preparing to leave. Li Xuan recalled details from another memory—in that memory, after being discharged from the army, he found a job in a small town in the county, until the apocalypse occurred. He walked home from the town, taking two days to reach his house.

When he arrived home, his mother was already dead, and his father, seriously injured, had also passed away, following his mother. He had no news of his fourth uncle's family, and later, even after going to the county town's settlement, he couldn't find them. Therefore, he had a bad feeling about this trip to the city; he knew it wouldn't be peaceful.