Pain was the only thing left in the world.
Xia Yu lay broken on the blood-soaked ground, her limbs severed, her tongue gone. The metallic tang of her own blood filled what remained of her mouth as ragged breaths tore from her throat. Above her, the sky was a dull, lifeless gray—the same color it had been for years since the apocalypse began.
Qin Bai stood a few steps away, his once-gentle face twisted into a cold, mocking smirk. Beside him, Yang Ling leaned against his shoulder, her lips curled in satisfaction as she watched the scene unfold like it was the most entertaining show she had ever seen.
*Why?*
The question burned hotter than the agony ripping through Xia Yu's body. These were the people she had trusted most. The man she had loved with every broken piece of herself. The sister she had chosen when her own family offered nothing but cruelty.
"You… really are pathetic," Yang Ling said with a soft laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "All those years, and you never once suspected? Every gift Bai gave you? They were mine first. Every sweet word? Practiced on me. You were just the convenient, ugly little toy we used to pass the time."
Xia Yu's vision blurred with tears and hatred. She tried to speak, but only a wet, gurgling sound escaped the ruin of her mouth.
Qin Bai glanced at his watch. "Finish it. We have better things to do."
Two armed men stepped forward. The last thing Xia Yu saw was their blades flashing under the dim sky. Then came the tearing, the wet crunch of flesh, and the endless, burning pain as they threw what remained of her into the open street.
Zombies shambled closer, drawn by the scent of fresh blood. Their rotting hands tore into her. She felt every bite. Every rip. Every second of consciousness as they devoured her alive.
In her final moments, fury and hatred crystallized into a vow that seared itself into her soul.
*Qin Bai. Yang Ling. If there is a next life… I will make you suffer a thousand times worse.*
Darkness swallowed her.
---
A shabby room. A worn-out bed. The faint smell of mildew and old wood.
Xia Yu's eyes flew open. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, hands flying to her body—intact limbs, a whole tongue, no wounds. Her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst.
*Is this… heaven? Or the hell I deserve?*
She sat up slowly. The cracked ceiling, the peeling wallpaper, the tiny mirror hanging crooked on the wall—all of it was achingly familiar. This was her room. The same room from before the apocalypse. Before everything fell apart.
Her legs trembled as she stood and walked to the mirror. The face staring back was pale and acne-scarred, hair dull and lifeless. The same face she had carried for years under the weight of her adoptive father's abuse and her own crippling insecurity.
But her eyes… they burned.
She snatched her old phone from the bedside table, fingers shaking as she checked the date.
**April 1st.**
Two weeks until her birthday. One month until the red rain fell and the world ended.
A broken, disbelieving laugh escaped her lips, growing sharper, colder, until it filled the small room.
Reincarnated.
The heavens—or whatever cruel force ruled fate—had given her a second chance.
This time, she would not be the naive, desperate girl who clung to fake love and false family. This time, she would prepare. She would grow strong. And she would make sure Qin Bai and Yang Ling paid for every moment of agony they had inflicted on her.
Her lips curved into a frosty smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Payback time."
---
The next morning, Xia Yu woke before dawn. She lay still for a long moment, confirming that yesterday hadn't been a dream. The memories of her previous life's gruesome end were still vivid, fueling the icy resolve in her chest.
She bathed quickly, changed into clean clothes, and stood before the mirror again. The girl looking back was still plain, still the girl everyone overlooked or pitied. That would change—but not yet. First, survival.
She needed money. Supplies. Information. A safe place to weather the coming storm.
The apocalypse would bring zombies, mutated beasts, and powers granted to the survivors. Those who prepared early would dominate. Food, weapons, medicine, and secure shelter would be worth more than gold. And those strange energy orbs harvested from zombie cores would become the new currency of power.
Xia Yu's mind raced with knowledge no one else on Earth possessed yet.
She stepped outside. The morning air was fresh and clean—something she had almost forgotten existed after years of rot and death. For a moment, gratitude softened the edges of her hatred. Then she remembered Yang Ling's mocking laughter and Qin Bai's indifferent order to "finish it," and the softness vanished.
As she walked down the familiar street, a voice she would recognize in any lifetime called out behind her.
"Yuyu! Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Xia Yu stiffened, then forced her expression into a gentle mask before turning around.
Yang Ling approached with her usual bright smile, eyes sparkling with what most people would mistake for genuine concern. But Xia Yu saw the flicker of contempt beneath it now. She had been blind to it before. Never again.
"Yang Ling," Xia Yu said softly, offering a small smile. "Sorry, I wasn't feeling well yesterday."
Yang Ling's gaze swept over her, a hint of surprise flashing across her face. Something about Xia Yu felt… different. She couldn't quite place it.
"You weren't at school. Professor Kang asked about you. Did your dad hurt you again?" Yang Ling reached out as if to comfort her. "You should really move out. I worry about you."
*You worry about whether I'm still useful,* Xia Yu thought coldly.
"I've been thinking about moving out," Xia Yu replied, sounding conflicted. "But I don't know if I can…"
Yang Ling's eyes lit up with hidden satisfaction. "Why don't you ask Brother Qin Bai? He loves you so much—he'll definitely help. I'm here for you too, of course. Though now that you have him, I feel like I can finally relax a little."
The words were sugar-coated poison. In her last life, Xia Yu had eaten them up eagerly.
This time, she simply nodded. "You're right. You're always so thoughtful, Ling."
The two walked together, surface friends hiding daggers. Xia Yu played her part perfectly while her mind churned with plans. She would cut ties cleanly when the time was right—after she had extracted every possible advantage.
Unseen by either of them, a pair of sharp eyes watched from a sleek black car parked across the street.
"Is this the girl Father wants me to marry?" a low, displeased voice asked.
"Not that one, sir," the man in black replied, pointing. "Her."
The young man's gaze shifted to Xia Yu. For a long moment, he studied her. Then the corner of his mouth twitched with faint interest.
"Interesting."