By afternoon, the sunlight grew harsh. Gu Xun insisted on setting out.
He changed into relatively clean clothes Lu Zhao had found in another unlocked room at the inn, covering the still-visible bruises on his wrists. His movements betrayed lingering weakness, and his steps lacked their former agility, but the clarity and resolve had returned to his eyes.
Lu Zhao carefully stowed the remaining water and canned food, tucking the steel pipe segment behind his waist. One ahead, one behind, they slipped silently from their temporary refuge.
Back on the streets, the sunlit ruins appeared sharper and more oppressive. Gu Xun led the way, moving slowly but with steady steps. He no longer needed Lu Zhao's support, yet Lu Zhao stayed close, his gaze darting warily around them. His wind-element abilities spread like invisible tentacles, sensing any potential danger.
They wound through back alleys, avoiding the main thoroughfares. Gu Xun seemed guided by some instinctive sense of direction, leading them toward the city's edge, toward the area where a river was said to flow. Water—that was their most urgent need now.
Silence spread between them, yet it no longer carried the barrier and awkwardness of before. Instead, a silent understanding of fighting side by side flowed between them.
At a crossroads, several wandering zombies caught the scent of living flesh and snarled as they closed in. Gu Xun halted, his face slightly pale. A faint glow gathered at his fingertips, but it clearly wasn't enough to sustain another powerful light-element ability.
"I'll handle this."
Lu Zhao stepped forward, shielding Gu Xun behind him. Without hesitation, he unleashed several condensed wind blades that shot out, precisely severing the zombies' joints or necks. His movements were clean and decisive, carrying a ruthlessness honed in life-and-death combat.
After eliminating the threat, Lu Zhao turned to find Gu Xun watching him silently, his gaze holding a hint of... approval?
"Your control has improved remarkably," Gu Xun murmured softly.
Lu Zhao froze, shifting his gaze uncomfortably as his ears flushed. "...I can't always rely on you," he muttered under his breath.
Gu Xun seemed to smile faintly, a smile as fleeting as a pebble tossed into a lake, yet it rippled through Lu Zhao's heart. He suddenly realized he didn't… dislike this feeling of recognition. In fact, it felt… rather pleasant.
They pressed onward. Lu Zhao remained hypervigilant, yet his inner turmoil grew. He stole glances at Gu Xun's profile—the intense focus etched on his pale face, the occasional furrow of his brow from exhaustion.
Those vague yet intense feelings of "homophobia" had, at some point, been overshadowed by more specific, complex emotions—the bittersweet sight of a strong man vulnerable, the reliance born from fleeing side by side, the subtle delight at being acknowledged, and the deep dread of losing this sole companion.
These emotions intertwined, diluting the initial crude label. In his eyes, Gu Xun was no longer merely "that roommate who likes men," but a living, powerful being who could also falter—a companion worthy of trust and reliance in dire straits.
When Gu Xun stumbled slightly on loose gravel, Lu Zhao's heart leapt before his mind could process it. A wave of pure concern washed over him, instantly erasing any lingering awkwardness. His hand shot out instinctively, catching the other man's arm.
"Careful," he said.
Gu Xun steadied himself with Lu Zhao's support, glanced at him, and nodded. "Thanks."
This time, Lu Zhao didn't immediately withdraw his hand. Instead, he kept a light, supportive grip as they walked a short distance together. Only when he was certain Gu Xun's steps had steadied did he naturally release his hold.
Sunlight stretched their shadows long, intertwining them. They walked in silence down the decaying street, toward an unknown destination.
Lu Zhao didn't know what lay ahead, nor where the complex shifts within him would ultimately lead. But one thing was crystal clear—
he needed Gu Xun. Not merely for his abilities, but for the person himself, to exist by his side.
This realization left him feeling a bit lost, yet it also brought a strange, grounded sense of stability rooted in harsh reality.
The path ahead stretched out beneath their feet.