Chapter 2: The RR Virus
South Shore Estate, a government housing complex, maximized every inch of space. Each residential building was a stark concrete monolith, packed so tightly that sunlight rarely reached the ground.
Luo Feng's home was on the 32nd floor of a 36-story slab.
"Heading to the martial hall tonight, Feng?" Wei Wen called, turning toward his own building.
"Gotta tutor first. Might swing by later, but don't wait up." Luo Feng waved, then bounded up the stairs four at a time, moving like a leopard. In seconds, he'd vaulted to the second floor, then the third, fourth…
"Hey, Ah Feng! School's out?" greeted a neighbor on the landing.
"Yep, Uncle Wang." Luo Feng didn't even pant. As an Advanced Martial Student, stair sprints were child's play.
Most residents had voted against elevators—extra rent wasn't worth it. Besides, climbing dozens of floors was trivial for most people today. Electricity was too precious anyway, reserved for the city's defense systems.
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The 32nd floor housed eight units. Luo Feng unlocked his door to a cheerful shout: "Ge, you're back!"
"Hey." He shut the door, taking in the tiny 36-square-meter space—one bedroom, one living room. Four people had squeezed here for as long as he remembered: him, his brother, and their parents.
"Huá, what're you reading?" Luo Feng asked, stepping toward the small balcony.
His brother, Hua, sat in a wheelchair, skin pallid from lack of sunlight, engrossed in an English book. "Biography of investment guru Price," Hua said. "Warren Buffett's strategies are too conservative for me. Price's ideas align with my thinking."
Luo Feng smiled, though his heart ached at the sight of Hua's legs—crushed in a childhood accident, leaving him paraplegic. Unable to attend school, Hua studied via online courses, rarely seeing anyone outside the family.
Our parents work themselves to the bone just to keep us fed. Hua deserves better than this shoebox.
Luo Feng's gaze fell on the sagging sofa in the living room—their parents' bed for years. Someday, I'll give them a real home. With elevators. Floor-to-ceiling windows.
That dream drove him. While other teens dated, he trained. While they partied, he studied. He'd earned his Advanced rank through sheer grit, unlike spoiled rich kids like Zhang Haobai.
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The kitchen sink rattled as Luo Feng filled an electric kettle. Plugging it in, he grabbed his history textbook and began memorizing dates.
Ding! The kettle boiled. He poured water into a thermos, then set a plastic cup on the table.
"The 2026 Hongze Lake Campaign…" He mumbled. Math was his strong suit, but history fascinated him—the story of humanity's greatest upheaval.
"Huá," he said, joining his brother. "I marked 139 key points in this book. Quiz me?"
Hua's eyes lit up. "Finally, a chance to stump you! First question: Who single-handedly slew the Tiger-Headed Flood Dragon on the Yangtze River, saving 300,000 people but dying in the process? Where was he from? Age at death? Exact date?"
Luo Feng frowned. "Dong Nanbiao, posthumously awarded the Four-Star Hero Medal. From Taixing, Jiangsu. Died at 39… Uh, "June 2018?"
"Month and day?" Hua pressed.
"The 18th?"
Hua snorted. "Wrong! June 16th, 2018. Gotcha!"
Luo Feng groaned, tapping his head. "Those dates always mix up. Next question."
For the next hour, they quizzed each other. Hua noted, "68 questions, 63 right, 5 wrong. "Mom and Dad will be home soon". Last question—tell me the key events of the Great Nirvana Period."
Luo Feng straightened. This was humanity's defining era:
"Early 21st century, global pandemics struck repeatedly. First SARS in 2003, then H1N1 in 2009. By 2013, the R Virus emerged, mutating into two dozen strains. Every country faced deaths, but we contained it… until January 2015."
His voice dropped. "That's when the R Virus evolved into its deadliest form: the RR Virus. Unlike past strains, it spread via body fluids, water… and air. It survived three hours in the air. One cough in a crowd could infect hundreds."
To Be Continued…
Notes for Context:
Great Nirvana Period: The decade-long era of chaos following the RR Virus outbreak, marked by monster mutations and human civilization's collapse.
RR Virus: Short for "Rapid Replication Virus," a fictional pathogen that triggered genetic mutations in both humans and animals, giving rise to the "monster crisis."
Four-Star Hero Medal: China's highest honor for civilian bravery, awarded posthumously to those who sacrifice themselves for public safety.
Chapter 3 will dive into the terrifying aftermath of the RR Virus and Luo Feng's fateful night ahead…