TFRLTOP Chapter 87 Part 1

Chapter 87 – The Captain’s Little Widow 

◎ End of This World ◎

“Don’t cry.”

Guan Yi slipped his bitten hand into his pocket and used the other to gently pat Ming Ming’s back.

He wanted to comfort her—but what could he possibly say?

He’d been bitten. Infected. That was a fact.

He didn’t have long left.

He’d wanted to leave quietly, without her having to watch him turn into one of those things.

But now all he could manage was a useless, “Don’t cry.”

“Don’t cry. Maybe I won’t turn after all,” he said, pretending to sound relaxed.

Ming Ming’s tears fell harder. “You think I’m stupid? You were bitten by an infected person—how could you not be infected?”

“You’re definitely going to die—boohoohoohoo…”

She sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. Guan Yi’s heart ached, but he forced himself to stay calm, even joked, “Don’t cry, baby. I only like seeing you cry in bed.”

“Screw you!” Ming Ming yelled between sobs. “Aside from the first time, when have we ever had a bed? It’s always on the ground, out in the open! You shameless jerk!”

Guan Yi’s heart melted. He spoke softly, coaxing her, “Okay, okay, my fault. Next time, definitely in bed…”

Next time? Ming Ming thought bitterly. There won’t be a next time. You’re going to die… turn into a zombie.

She cried even harder, nearly to the point of passing out.

“Captain, what’s going on?” one of the other ability users asked, noticing the commotion.

Guan Yi tilted his chin, his voice calm. “Your sister-in-law got scared. I’m taking her out to clear her head. Don’t wait for us—we’ll head back later.”

The others nodded knowingly and didn’t ask more, wisely avoiding being third wheels.

Hiding his injured hand, Guan Yi wrapped his arm around Ming Ming and led her away.

She covered her face, unable to stop crying.

He, on the other hand, was strangely calm.

He thought, Let this be our goodbye.

It was a lie to say he had no regrets. Just yesterday, he’d been planning their future—imagining a world after the apocalypse, picturing the two of them growing old together…

And now, overnight, he was about to break that promise—leave her alone once again.

Guan Yi sighed inwardly. I said I’d protect her for life… I just didn’t realize how short my life would be.

What’ll happen if someone bullies her? What if she runs into someone dangerous?

He blinked hard, forcing his voice to stay even. “After I’m gone, stay with An Ning. She’ll be leading the WK Ability Group. She’ll take care of you.”

“If anyone bullies you, let her deal with them, got it?”

Ming Ming shook her head furiously.

She didn’t want to hear this.

She lifted her face, reaching to kiss him, but Guan Yi jerked back, grabbing her wrists.

No.

“Are you crazy?”

Do you want to die with me?

Ming Ming stared at him, eyes brimming with tears. Guan Yi’s own eyes grew red.

What do I do… I can’t be with you till the end…

She clutched his shirt, trembling. How did this happen so suddenly?

“System,” she whispered desperately in her mind, “is there really no way to save him? He’s the male lead—doesn’t the main character get some kind of last-minute miracle?”

“Beep—”

Ming Ming froze. That sound…

Sure enough, the familiar notification chimed.

“Congratulations, side mission complete. Hidden achievement unlocked.”
“World completion calculation beginning.”
“Final rating: Pass.”

“Huh?”

What just happened?

Ming Ming blinked, then gasped. “System! What did An Ning—the female lead—do?”

“She…” The system seemed to hesitate. “She appears to have developed the ultimate weapon to end the apocalypse.”

“It can separate hybrid mutants, revert normal mutants, and even resurrect zombies—holy crap, that’s insane! Zombies are dead! How can you bring the dead back?”

The system sounded far too cheerful, and it took Ming Ming a moment to process the meaning.

Guan Yi… wasn’t going to die.

If zombies could be revived, then a half-infected like him was definitely saveable.

Holy crap…

Of course—she’s the female lead.

Ming Ming stopped crying.

Or rather, all her emotion vanished. She couldn’t even cry anymore.

What’s there to cry for? He’s not dying. Crying now would just make me look dumb.

Total waste of energy.

Guan Yi stood beside her, dumbfounded.

He watched as Ming Ming went from utterly heartbroken—ready to die with him—to completely calm in the blink of an eye.

Her eyes were still a little red, her breathing still shaky, but the tears had visibly dried up.

Dried up…

Wait, that’s it? I only get a few minutes of grief?

You can’t even be sad for me a little longer?

He stared at her, speechless.

It was all fake… I thought I had your heart, but turns out you just looked my way once and I got delusional.

The real heartbreak wasn’t loud—it was cold, silent disappointment.

Guan Yi sighed. How long did she cry for her late husband, I wonder? Probably longer than for me. She still talks about him sometimes… how long will she remember me?

Ming Ming wiped her face, calm now. “Let’s go.”

“…Go?”

He stared at her.

Ming Ming turned and walked away without hesitation, her back straight, her movements decisive.

Guan Yi felt genuinely wounded and hurried after her. “Hey—just like that? That’s it?”

She shot him a sideways glance, eyes still a little red, as if to say, What else did you expect?

“You can’t even cry for me another two seconds? We were together for days—doesn’t that count for something?”

Ming Ming said flatly, “You’re not even dying anymore. What the hell would I cry for?”

She reached the motorcycle, tossed him his helmet, and said, “Come on. We need to get back to base.”

Guan Yi stared down at the helmet, confused.

Oh… right. We should hurry back. The main group’s already gone—it wouldn’t be safe to leave her here alone.

If I turn before we get there, I could put her in danger.

I should’ve let her go with the others in the first place.

He’d just wanted to spend a little more time with her — never thought that selfish wish would end up putting her in danger.

Guan Yi’s face darkened. He put on his helmet, scooped her into his arms, and sped off on his motorcycle.

The whole way, Ming Ming didn’t say a word. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, her head resting quietly against his back.