When they passed by the tourist center, Ning Yu jumped off the bike and rushed in to grab a map.
Shen Yiyue circled around outside, keeping the zombies distracted.
After Ning Yu got the map and jumped back on, they continued driving.
The sun had descended to their direct front, making them look like two maidens chasing the sunset.
Next, they needed to find a place to stay for the night.
Ning Yu checked her ammunition - still over 70 rounds left, quite durable, and it would be back to 150 rounds after waking up tomorrow morning.
The remaining ammunition could be used tonight to teach Shen Yiyue how to shoot.
Ning Yu spotted a high-rise apartment building on the map.
These elegantly decorated, modern apartments were mostly inhabited by solitary individuals.
They were typically occupied by office workers who were probably still stuck in their 996 work schedules when the apocalypse broke out, so Ning Yu chose this location.
Such homes usually had plenty of convenient food, allowing them to eat what they found instead of using their own supplies.
The motorcycle roared into the underground parking lot, which was almost empty, suggesting low occupancy in the building.
The pursuing zombies had thinned out considerably.
The motorcycle was too fast; some zombies had lost their way while walking.
Only a few agile zombies had followed them in, and the girls dispatched them all after dismounting.
The city had lost power, so they couldn't use the elevators.
After securing the motorcycle, they had to walk up the stairs.
They decided to climb all the way to the top floor - the 12th floor, which was Ning Yu's idea.
After searching the 12th floor, Ning Yu picked the lock of an apartment that still had signs of life, and they went inside.
The sunset had faded to a thin orange glow, and the night sky was beginning to show its dark gray colors.
That faint light shone into the apartment through thin curtains, falling on a sideboard where the previous owner had collected some wine.
A blue tablecloth covered the dining table, set with everyday tableware.
Soft cushions adorned the sofa, and a striped rug was carefully placed under the coffee table.
Overall, it was a clean, tidy, and comfortable apartment.
The curious Shen Yiyue had already sneaked over to look at the wine in the cabinet, only to receive a playful chop on the head from Ning Yu's small hand:
"No drinking, we need to travel tomorrow."
Shen Yiyue stuck out her tongue playfully:
"Hehe~ I'm just looking, won't open any."
She instinctively tried to turn on the TV, then suddenly remembered there was no power - a futile attempt.
While there was still some light, they both took showers.
Ning Yu finished first and searched the apartment for food: finding some sparkling water, chocolate, and dried fruits and meat snacks.
She lifted the floor-length curtain in the living room, tied it to one side, then brought a stool to the balcony.
She took the food and drinks to the balcony, sat on the stool, and rested her pale legs on the railing.
Fresh from the shower, she felt refreshed as she enjoyed the gentle breeze, looking at the sprawling buildings in the distance, caught between nightfall and the last rays of sunset.
She started enjoying the sparkling water and snacks.
It was truly peaceful.
Shen Yiyue finished her shower soon after and, seeing the silver-haired little girl looking so content, began to imitate her.
She brought over a small stool and, like Ning Yu, boldly placed her fair, long legs on the railing, and started eating.
After a while.
Night had fully fallen.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ning Yu had just taken a sip of lemon sparkling water, savoring its sweet and refreshing taste in her throat, when she noticed Shen Yiyue seemed lost in thought.
"Ah, I'm thinking about... that sister from earlier today."
Shen Yiyue suddenly came to, tearing open a packet of nuts and putting a raisin in her mouth.
"Hmm? Are you still thinking about that 'whether it was worth it' question?"
Ning Yu asked.
"No... I know the answer to that now. It's something else, I have this feeling I can't quite explain."
Shen Yiyue paused, then continued:
"I'm thinking about how she finally gathered her courage to fight her way out of the hotel, and even made it to a safe place with food and water."
"It sounds like it would have been a very hopeful story."
"But then she ended up suffering such inhuman treatment, turning it into a real tragedy."
"It feels like everything is so unpredictable. If I hadn't met you, what would have happened to me?"
Hearing this, Ning Yu remained silent. She lit a candle, apparently planning to read "The Stranger."
Taking a sip of sparkling water, Ning Yu spoke without looking at her:
"Have you heard of absurdity?"
"Hmm? Absurdity? What do you mean?"
Shen Yiyue knew the word's meaning but didn't understand why Ning Yu suddenly brought it up, turning her head to look at her.
Ning Yu opened the dog-eared page but didn't start reading, instead looking up at the emerging moon:
"I mean the absurdity of life."
"You thought she had finally found hope and would develop into an inspiring story, but then she met such a tragic fate."
"Isn't that absurd? Full of unexpected turns, yet it really happened."
Shen Yiyue both understood and didn't understand, chewing her nuts as she asked:
"So what is Ning Yu trying to say?"
Ning Yu held up "The Stranger" and said:
"Take this book's author, for instance. I've read his biography."
"One page talks about him winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, participating in revolutions, shining with the beauty of a life in full flame."
"But on the next page, he suddenly dies in a car accident, his brilliant life cut short."
"Or like how you were supposed to have a normal school day, but the apocalypse suddenly broke out, and you almost died."
"You and your family were suddenly separated, not knowing if each other was alive or dead."
Ning Yu's amber eyes were full of indifference, like the surface of a calm lake, as she continued:
"So what I'm saying is that life is inherently unpredictable and absurd."
"All beautiful stories and wishes are just our one-sided hopes woven with words."
"Life is the opposite of stories - without linguistic decoration, impossible to beautify, it's just a series of phenomena."
Shen Yiyue felt even more confused and asked:
"A series of phenomena?"
Ning Yu nodded, suddenly closing the book:
"We use language to turn pure phenomena into stories that match our expectations, either beautifying or uglifying them."
"Like 'he didn't cry at his mother's funeral, so he must be heartless.'"
"Or 'that office lady who escaped from the hotel has found new life, surely this must be a sign that everything will get better.'"
"It's all just our imagination, us using logic to judge reality, adding our presumptuous interpretations to the pure phenomena we see."
"But reality often responds with absurdity, making us crash head-first into walls."
Shen Yiyue felt these words were extremely cold and heartless, causing an inexplicable unease, yet somehow they felt absolutely true.
She thought for a very long time, feeling the evening breeze growing cooler, then spoke again:
"But... Ning Yu, if life is so absurd, isn't living extremely hopeless?"
"One moment you're happy, the next disaster might strike."
"Working hard doesn't guarantee rewards, and even when success seems within reach, you might still fail in the end."
Hearing this, Ning Yu smiled:
"No, quite the opposite. Recognizing the absurdity is exactly why we should fight back."
"Give a big middle finger to this fucking life."
"Even if the end result is failure, die unreconciled rather than willingly."
"Don't you think that's true courage?"
Shen Yiyue was stunned, beginning to seriously consider the meaning behind these words.
Ning Yu then realized she might have said too much, spoken a bunch of strange things, and showed a slightly apologetic expression:
"Sorry for talking about all these irrelevant things."
However, Shen Yiyue gently shook her head, something glimmering in her watery eyes.
"No, what Ning Yu just said has made me feel much more at ease."
She suddenly raised her middle finger to the night sky, then burst into a silly giggle, laughing with energy and relief.
Ning Yu was stunned for a moment, then joined her in a long-missed gentle laugh.
The laughter of the two girls echoed through the night sky, standing out starkly against the silence.
The zombies below all raised their heads.
Wondering which fool dared to laugh out loud in a place like this.
Was this laughter mocking them, or was it mocking something else?