After the man in the green cap led Thuong Sinh to his room and prepared to leave, Thuong Sinh suddenly called him back.
"Wait."
The man turned his head, his gaze maintaining its usual composure.
"What is your name?"
He paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by the question, before answering curtly: "I am Ly Hong Quan."
Thuong Sinh nodded, committing the name to memory, then continued in a steady voice: "Can I ask a favor?"
Ly Hong Quan looked at him for a few seconds before replying, "Speak."
"My family lives in the 'Nam An' area not far from here. If they are still alive, there's a high probability they were evacuated by the military. I want to know if they are here."
Ly Hong Quan went silent for a moment, then nodded. "I will have the logistics department check the survivor list. Write down the information here."
Ly Hong Quan produced a worn, hardback notebook from somewhere, with a blue ballpoint pen clipped inside. He flipped through the pages quickly, stopped at a blank one, and handed it to Thuong Sinh. "Include full names, birth years, and former addresses. Note any identifying features if you remember them."
Thuong Sinh took the notebook. The pen touched the paper, and his handwriting was neat—neither hurried nor slow. Each line was written clearly, as if memorized long ago. Once finished, he returned the notebook.
Ly Hong Quan glanced over the lines and nodded. "I'll have someone ask around at the southern gathering zone. I'll let you know if there's news."
"Thank you."
Thuong Sinh stepped into the room. It was clean and orderly, with simple furniture. Opposite him were two single beds with light grey blankets, providing enough space for two people to live without being too cramped. Clearly, this was a shared room; a roommate would likely arrive soon.
Thuong Sinh glanced at the empty bed, feeling a flicker of curiosity. Who the other person was or what their personality was like didn't matter to him, as long as they didn't cause trouble.
Cold water poured over him, washing away the dust and grime. He stood under the shower for a while, letting the stream flow over his right shoulder where the wound had been carefully bandaged. He turned off the water, dried himself, and changed into the clean clothes provided—a light green shirt familiar to the military.
Just as he stepped out—
Click.
The faint sound of the door lock echoed, and the door pushed open. A young man stepped in. He had messy, bright blonde hair and a single earbud in one ear. He wore a rock-style jacket with metallic zippers gleaming under the light. Slung across his back was an electric guitar, its case showing significant wear—clearly an item in frequent use rather than a decoration.
He entered while removing his earbud, his gaze sweeping the room before landing on Thuong Sinh. The two stared at each other for a moment. One was calm and silent like still water; the other carried an air of wild, free-spirited energy—completely opposites.
The blonde youth smirked and spoke with a casual tone: "Ah... looks like I'm not the early one. I'm Van Binh. Nice to meet you!"
Van Binh reached out to shake Thuong Sinh's hand. He looked at the slightly shorter man before him with a hint of enthusiasm, noting Thuong Sinh's sturdy build.
Thuong Sinh didn't react immediately, his gaze calmly scanning the other from head to toe. Blonde hair, earbud, rock jacket, electric guitar. He looked like someone who didn't fit into the Apocalypse—too conspicuous. Thuong Sinh's gaze lingered on the outstretched hand for a heartbeat before he slowly looked up.
"Thuong Sinh."
He didn't shake hands, only stated his name. The air stilled for a beat. Van Binh was taken aback, then chuckled softly, withdrawing his hand naturally without showing any offense.
"Ha, you're a man of few words, aren't you?" He turned and tossed his guitar onto the opposite bed, a practiced motion he had done hundreds of times. "No worries," Van Binh continued casually. "We're roommates now; we'll get to know each other soon enough. What's your Awakened Ability?"
He glanced at Thuong Sinh sitting on the opposite bed. The question came quickly, seemingly without scrutiny or wariness—purely a habit of his talkative nature. Seeing that Thuong Sinh didn't answer immediately, Van Binh rambled on: "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to interrogate you. It's just that almost everyone here has some kind of power; knowing beforehand makes coordination easier. It's too late to find out if your teammate is strong or weak once you're out there."
Thuong Sinh remained still, considering how much to reveal.
"Transcendent."
Thuong Sinh stated the term without further explanation. Van Binh, who was leaning back in his chair, suddenly froze. His expression shifted from relaxed to stunned, then to a mix of excitement. He walked over to Thuong Sinh, circling him several times.
"So, can you crush a zombie's head with your bare hands?"
"No," Thuong Sinh answered quickly. "I use a sword."
His gaze flickered to the side of the bed. Leaning against the frame was the cloth-wrapped sword. The blood-stained bandages were wrapped neatly, revealing a small section of the simple hilt.
Van Binh followed his gaze, his eyes lighting up. "Oh?" He stepped closer but stopped in time, not touching it. "Using something like this in the middle of the Apocalypse is rare. So you're a pure close-quarters type? Cool."
Thuong Sinh didn't reply, feeling a slight throb in his temple. This guy was a bit troublesome—specifically, he talked too much. He let out a sigh and asked back:
"What is your power?"
The short question made Van Binh light up like a fish in water. "Whoa, you asked the right person!" He raised his hand, and this time, a bright yellow bolt of lightning appeared in his palm. Thin threads of electricity danced over his fingertips with a faint crackle.
"This is a top-tier type of Awakened Ability!" he said half-jokingly. "That old guy in the green cap even said my potential is high. He told me if I train well, I could become the main combat force of an entire sector."
Van Binh withdrew his hand and flopped back onto his bed, swinging his legs. "So, staying in the same room as me isn't a bad deal."
Thuong Sinh merely glanced at him. As they shared the room, sporadic conversation allowed Thuong Sinh to gather basic information. He learned his roommate was the same age as him. Before the Apocalypse, Van Binh had dropped out of school to pursue his passion, playing in a small, underground rock band. The guitar wasn't for show; it was something he had carried for years. Despite his noisy exterior, he was a straightforward person: he did what he liked without hiding his true self.
Thuong Sinh didn't judge him. In the small room, two vastly different spirits existed side by side, temporarily not interfering with one another.
After a while, the desk phone interrupted them. Thuong Sinh answered; it was an automated voice. "Mealtime has arrived. Residents of the living area, please proceed to the canteen following the directions."
The call ended abruptly. Thuong Sinh put the receiver down, and without a word, he and Van Binh left the room. In the hallway, doors were opening one by one. Footsteps mingled with the clinking of metal and backpacks. There were over ten rooms on this floor, all doubles, with men and women of various ages emerging.
Thuong Sinh walked through the crowd, his eyes scanning faces quickly just to remember them. Van Binh followed closely, appearing much more relaxed than those around him. The hallway slowly emptied into the shelter's canteen.
The space inside was larger than expected. Long metal tables were lined up under cold white lights. The scent of hot food spread, and though simple, it was enough to make many salivate. Many hadn't had a proper meal since the end of the world.
When it was Thuong Sinh's turn at the counter, he froze. The person behind the counter serving him food was Lam Uyen. For a brief moment, surprise flickered in his eyes before he regained his composure.
Lam Uyen recognized him too. Her hand slowed for a beat but didn't stop. She placed the portion on his tray and whispered an explanation. After being cleared, she had been assigned to work in the canteen in exchange for steady housing and rations.
Thuong Sinh nodded slightly, took his tray, and turned away. He chose a corner table and sat down. The food wasn't lavish—hot rice, thin soup, and a simple vegetable dish—but in these times, it was a luxury.
Before he could take more than a few bites, Van Binh sat down across from him. He glanced toward the counter, then back at Thuong Sinh, curiosity written all over his face.
"Who was that?"
Thuong Sinh didn't look up, continuing to eat. "An acquaintance."
Van Binh raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Your reaction didn't look like she was a stranger."
"Just a chance reunion."
The brief answer left no room for further questioning. Van Binh watched him for a few seconds, then shrugged, smartly choosing not to dig deeper. He ducked his head to eat, his eyes occasionally scanning the canteen—a habit born from his inquisitive nature. The small table quickly fell into a silence punctuated only by the clinking of spoons.