Xiao Lin · Chat

**Date: March 3, 2037, Tuesday** **Time: 14:25 PM** **Location: Office of a Drinking Water Specialty Store, Jinyintan Aeon Mall, Jiangcheng City** The afternoon sun shines on the shattered glass curtain wall, reflecting tiny fragments of light. Xiao Lin squats behind an overturned shopping cart, his left hand pressing the talk button on his walkie-talkie, while water still drips from the fingertips of his right hand. "No abnormalities at the main entrance of the supermarket. Judging by the damage, it might have been searched a few times already." His voice is kept very low, his round eyes staring ahead, his light blue pupils reflecting the dark, cavernous entrance of the mall. Yue Lubai's deep voice comes through the radio: "Copy that. Gu Zhilan has scouted the perimeter; zombie density is low." He pauses. "Jin Yanchu is taking Qin Yichuan to search the supermarket. You go check the drinking water specialty store next door. Regroup in forty minutes." "Okay, I'm going now." Xiao Lin stands up and adds one more thing into the radio, "Brother Yue, you guys be careful." After getting a response, he turns off the radio and jogs along the outer wall of the mall to the drinking water store next to the supermarket. The shop sign hangs askew, and dried dark stains are smeared across the glass doors. It is the eleventh month of the apocalypse. Soil pollution, extreme weather, and rampaging mutant animals have left the once-prosperous city in ruins due to lack of maintenance. Supplies are stretched thin; the base's resources can only last two more months at most. "Hope there's something left inside..." he mutters to himself, rubbing his wet palms against his pant legs before pushing open the door. The door hinges let out a piercing screech. The shop is dark, most of the shelves have collapsed, and empty bottles and broken glass are scattered across the floor. Xiao Lin holds his breath as he walks further in, his ability surging in his palms. When the first zombie pounces from behind a shelf, Xiao Lin senses it instantly. A blast of water pressure erupts from his palm, slamming the zombie against the wall. A second one crawls out from under the checkout counter, its nails scraping harshly against the floor, followed by a third, a fourth... Water splashes in the air. Xiao Lin hears his own rapid breathing. His fingertips tremble slightly, but every impact strikes the zombies' heads with precision. By the time the last zombie falls, Xiao Lin's energy is nearly depleted. He leans against the wall, panting, as sweat slides down his cheek. "Need to... need to report in to Brother Yue..." he mumbles, touching the watch on his left wrist. The heart rate number on the screen hasn't dropped yet. Xiao Lin pulls out his radio, preparing to press the talk button as he walks further in. As he passes a closed office door, it is suddenly pulled open a crack. A hand shoots out abruptly, grabbing his wrist and dragging him inside. "Ah... wait..." Xiao Lin stumbles, pulled into the darkness as the door slams shut behind him. <div class="ic"> <details class="ip"> <summary> Status 🩵</summary> <div class="pb"> Clothing: Black long-sleeved tactical suit, dark gray bulletproof vest, black cargo pants, black combat boots, a black sports watch on the wrist.<br> Action: Dragged into the dark office, back hitting the wall, left hand gripped tight, right hand still holding the radio.<br> Physical State: Scared, slightly cowering. <br> Inner OS: What's going on! What's going on! Ahhh... is this hand the temperature of a human? Is it a person?! It's so dark... my heart's going to jump out... please don't kill me waaaah ∑(⊙A⊙ｌ|ｌ) <br> Affection: 0 No! Don't kill me! Ah, help! I'm gonna deduct points! QAQ! Deduct them all!<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> To-Do ⏱️</summary> <div class="pb tdl"> [ ] Search for remaining supplies in the drinking water specialty store<br> [ ] Regroup with teammates within forty minutes<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Tasks 💰</summary> <div class="pb"> <div><strong>Accepted Tasks</strong></div> <div>- [In Progress] Jinyintan Aeon Mall Supply Search</div> <div><strong>Available Tasks</strong></div> <div>- [ ] Assist in clearing zombie remains from the outer three-layer wire fence area of the base (Reward: 20 Contribution Points)</div> <div>- [ ] Participate in tomorrow's water collection task by the Yangtze River (Reward: 50 Contribution Points)</div> <div>- [ ] Help Qin Yichuan organize the soil in the seedling room (Reward: 10 Contribution Points)</div> <div><strong>Points</strong> 837 Contribution Points</div> <div><strong>Limited Items for Exchange Today</strong></div> <div>- Compressed Biscuits x1 pack (20 Points)</div> <div>- Iodophor Disinfectant x1 (80 Points)</div> <div>- Men's Underwear x1 pair (10 Points)</div> <div>- Huanghelou Blue Tower Cigarettes x10 sticks (100 Points, Sold Out)</div> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Phone 📱</summary> <div class="phone-content"> Central China Survivor Forum: You have one new message<br> Weather: Light rain, 14℃~19℃, Humidity 87%<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Rain is good... mmm... rain quickly~ AoA)</div> <hr> Browser Search: Distribution patterns of crystal cores in ordinary zombies<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Why can't I ever find where the crystal core is when fighting zombies... the book clearly says they're all in the head... I have to dig around for so long every time... ´-﹏-`)</div> Browser History: Recovery time after ability overexertion<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (I used water pressure impact several times just now... my brain feels empty... I hope I can still walk... ᗜ-ᗜ)</div> <hr> Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): Don't go too deep, retreat if there's movement in the shop<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Aqua·Xiao (Xiao Lin): Got it, Brother Jin! ￣▽￣</div> Healer·Wen (Wen Zhuoyan): [Video | 5 seconds] A row of empty water buckets next to the medical room.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Aqua·Xiao (Xiao Lin): Brother Wen, I'll prepare warm water for the wounded as soon as I get back OvO</div> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): Stay safe, keep the radio on<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Aqua·Xiao (Xiao Lin): Will do! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Brother Yue! Brother Yue! Help!!! It's so dark here... I'm not gonna die, am I? QAQ)</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;"> ꧁༺ Pillars of Central China Base ༻꧂ </div><br> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): Supermarket East Zone cleared, no supplies found<br> Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): A few zombies in the second-floor clothing area, already burnt to ash. Damn, it reeks!<br> Thunder·Gu (Gu Zhilan): I'm in the third-floor arcade. Someone's been here before, it's been picked clean.<br> Verdant·Qin (Qin Yichuan): Zhilan, be serious...<br> Zephyr·Ji (Ji Yunsheng): When has he ever been serious? His flirtatious vibe is drifting all the way back to the base.<br> Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): Little Lin hasn't said anything for a while, is there movement at the water station? Want me to go help?<br> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): Xiao Lin, respond.<br> OldGuard·Chen (Chen Jianguo): Xiao Lin?<br> Aqua·Xiao (Xiao Lin): [No Reply]<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Forum 🌐</summary> <div class="phone-content"> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Survivor Exchange Area ━━━</div><br> <b>Hot Thread: [Help] Does anyone know where the First Squad went today?</b> <br> Poster: Watcher_Hankou<br> Post: As titled, I saw the First Squad's modified JEEP head out early this morning, looked like it was full of people. Is there another big mission? Is the base's supply stock running low lately... can anyone in the know leak some info?<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Jiangbei Old Zhang: Don't snoop around, it's normal for the squad to go on missions</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Night Owl No Sleep: I saw it too! Was that white-haired boy in the car too? I heard he's a water element user and very handsome</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Base Loudspeaker replied to @Night Owl No Sleep: His name is Xiao Lin, stop staring at him</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Survival Instinct Max: Didn't Secretary Lin say two days ago that there's still two months' worth in the warehouse?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Cat Food for Everything: Hope they return safely, the First Squad is the pillar of our base</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Hankou Old Li: Stop worrying, they'll be fine with Captain Yue there</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Supply Intel Station ━━━</div><br> <b>New Thread: [Intel] Someone heard gunshots near Jinyintan Aeon yesterday</b> <br> Poster: Wind Collector<br> Post: Yesterday afternoon, someone on the perimeter of the base heard three gunshots coming from the Jinyintan direction. Are there other survivors over there? If there are, will the base send someone to pick them up?<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Weapon Enthusiast: Gunshots? Bullets are precious nowadays; firing means the situation was urgent</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Survival Rhapsody: Zombie density isn't low there, ordinary survivors wouldn't last long</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Hankou Refugee replied to @Survival Rhapsody: Not necessarily, what if there are ability users?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Instant Noodles for Batteries: Hope it's survivors, the base needs more people for construction right now</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Slowpoke: Could just be the First Squad clearing the area, don't overthink it</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Water is Life: That direction... I remember there's a drinking water specialty store, hope our water element boy is okay</div> </div></details> </div> <p> <details> <summary> Notepad 🐱 </summary> 1. [2037/03/03 14:30 PM Drinking Water Specialty Store, Jinyintan Aeon Mall, Jiangcheng City] Xiao Lin entered the water station alone. After using his ability to deal with four zombies in the shop, his energy is near exhaustion. Just as he was about to report safety to his nearby teammates via radio, he was dragged into a dark room by a hand while passing an office. </details> </p>