Duan Chenghu’s mind went blank.
He felt somewhat foolish.
Lin Fan smiled throughout, "Don’t be nervous, even though we are far apart, when I heard that there were survivors, no distance seemed too great in my heart."
He was completely baffled by the other party.
So you’re aware of great distances.
"Are you really from Huang City?"
Duan Chenghu still couldn’t help but ask, his skepticism unabated.
Standing by his side, Duan Yi and Chen Wu gazed at the legendary Lin Fan, waiting for his response, their eyes clearly filled with confusion and astonishment.
Lin Fan affirmed quietly, his tone steadfast.
Their skepticism was normal; departing from Huang City and arriving in just a few minutes was unrealistic.
But the unrealistic was something he could accomplish.
Duan Chenghu opened the door to welcome Lin Fan inside.
They had only seen Lin Fan’s image in the Zombie Album, and now facing him in person was quite impactful.
Carrying a sword, with a smile on his face.
Lin Fan looked into Duan Chenghu’s eyes, trying to peer into his soul, how he hoped that those who survived would maintain the conscience they once had.
His hope for conscience wasn’t about expecting good deeds from others.
Instead, it was a hope that they would not harm others.
The apocalypse had brought enough despair, and if, amidst this despair, one also had to face the treachery of fellow humans, it was indeed more terrifying and painful than being in hell itself for the survivors.
Duan Chenghu felt odd under Lin Fan’s intense gaze.
Enduring the tingling sensation on his scalp, he voiced the doubt in his heart, "But Huang City is very far from here, how did you get here?"
Lin Fan answered, "Determine the direction, then run and leap my way here."
An utterly normal behavior, as always.
No matter where he went, running and leaping were always the fastest means.
Impossible, utterly impossible.
The actions described by Lin Fan were beyond their comprehension.
Seeing their befuddled state, Lin Fan changed the subject, starting with simple exchanges, believing that, as the conversation progressed, he could have a deeper interaction with them.
"Hello, I still don’t know your names; could you tell me your names?"
From his observation, the three were full of vigor, obviously Awakeners, which was rare to see in this apocalyptic world.
Of course, they couldn’t compare to Sunshine Shelter, where survivors ate well, slept well, and were as spirited as in peacetime – no different from the days before the apocalypse.
"I am Duan Chenghu, headmaster of Red Sun Martial Arts School, this is my daughter Duan Yi, and my student Chen Wu."
Duan Chenghu introduced them.
Lin Fan nodded; students from martial arts schools had good physical fitness, and the number of survivors here was considerable, a rarity after the outbreak of the apocalypse.
The outside world had mostly been overrun by zombies.
Besides having a strong body,
The right timing, geographic advantage, and good relationships were equally important.
"Earlier, you told me you didn’t want to go to Sunshine Shelter and wished to develop here; I understand that, and I have no other thoughts. I can see that you are conscientious people; it’s just the arrival of the apocalypse that makes you cautious everywhere."
Lin Fan’s purpose in coming here was simply to check on their situation.
In any shelter, there were always ruthless people and those in darkness seeking hope, but their path was blocked, ultimately enduring all sorts of terrifying oppression in despair.
Duan Chenghu, who had read the Zombie Album, knew some of the content and felt relieved upon hearing Lin Fan’s recognition.
He had regretted making the call earlier,
Fearing it would attract predators who might forcibly take them away. To some, survivors in the apocalypse were less than pigs or dogs, treated like animals, exploited relentlessly.
Although the number of people alive was dwindling, they never took the remaining survivors seriously.
Only now did he relax.
"Thank you for the trust. My initial aim in founding the Red Sun Martial Arts School was not only to strengthen the body but more importantly, to hope that the students nurtured would possess a heart of chivalry."
Duan Chenghu had dreams of martial arts; naturally, he also dreamed of becoming an Alliance Hierarch.
He didn’t want to go to Sunshine Shelter because he aspired to use Red Sun Martial Arts School as a base, gradually developing it into another shelter force in the apocalypse and to continue the legacy of the school, training more disciples.
Currently, they had fifteen Awakeners.
Compared to other Awakeners, theirs were even more formidable.
At the outbreak of the apocalypse, ordinary people would flee at the sight of zombies. It was already good enough to stay alive, let alone kill the undead.
But the students of his martial arts school, armed with sharp weapons, could turn the tables on the zombies.
Being able to kill a single zombie without the advantage of terrain was a significant achievement in itself.
Not to mention, after becoming Awakeners, the strength they unleashed was astonishing.
"It’s okay, people differ in their thoughts, and everyone is an individual entity; I won’t be angry just because you don’t want to go to Sunshine Shelter."
Lin Fan could see their intentions.
He really came here with no other purpose; he simply wanted to look around.