The library wasn't very tall, and the sound of the guqin playing on the rooftop was intermittent, gradually becoming more skillful.

Nan Zhu's hands were beautiful, with long, slender, and smooth fingers. There were thin calluses from practicing with firearms and other things, which made her play the piano exceptionally gentle.

In the past few days, Nanzhu has learned the sheet music and the techniques for playing the guqin at an extremely fast pace, and quickly got the hang of it after trying it out.

He had a good ear for music, and relying on the notes of the piece he remembered, he managed to play it without looking at the sheet music. After practicing for more than half a day, he gradually became more proficient.

"That's not right. Even though my fingers are injured, I won't give up playing the piano, will I?"

The gentle voice made Nan Zhu feel dazed for a moment. The voice was so familiar that he thought it was him speaking.

"But it's okay. No one is exactly like another person. Even Xiao Bei didn't notice anything amiss, which means you're already very capable, Xiao Zhu."

Nan Zhu froze, her fingers trembled, and the string snapped, much to the distress of the newcomer.

"Hey? This is a fine zither. It would be such a waste if the strings broke." The newcomer jumped down from the fence with elegance and composure, possessing an innate refinement.

Nan Zhu hadn't seen such a natural and warm smile in a long time, and for a moment, she thought she was dreaming.

It seems that every night back then, in a dimly lit room with only a small lamp, he would stand in front of the full-length mirror, trying his best to imitate every inch of that smile.

"!"

Before Nan Zhu could react, a shadow suddenly flashed before her eyes, followed by a cool embrace, just as familiar as her childhood memories.

"I thought you would choose to avoid them, but I didn't expect you to integrate so well." Nan Zhu smiled and patted Nan Zhu on the back: "How old are you? You still cry."

"I didn't." Nan Zhu immediately pushed Nan Zhu away, her face somewhat unnatural: "You, how did you get here?"

“You’re so smart, you should know very well.” Nan Zhu came to the guqin and gently plucked the strings. The tone was deep and the sound lingered. With a wave of her hand, she exuded a sense of tranquility and peace. “You are more suited to this place than I thought, little bamboo.”

"Don't call me such a childish name." Nan Zhu's ears turned slightly red. "When did you get back? How did you end up here? Were you accidentally captured...?"

“Even if Xiaozhu changes the subject, she can’t hide the truth.” Nanzhu interrupted Nanzhu with a smile: “Let’s get to know each other. I am Lu Cun, one of the two humans among the Seven Stars.”

Nan Zhu's face turned pale instantly, and he clenched his fists tightly without saying a word, whether out of disbelief or because he hadn't expected it.

“I’m so glad you played a piece for me before you left, and you still remember it.” Nan Zhu gently stroked the strings: “It’s a very cheerful rhythm.”

“I couldn’t find the sheet music.” Nan Zhu lowered his head. “I don’t know how many of them I got right.”

"You're all right." Nan Zhu raised her hand, stroking the guqin with a nostalgic expression: "Farewell Letter, isn't that a beautiful name?"

Nan Zhu suddenly stood up, his face pale and his panic evident.

“Brother, don’t go back, come with me.” Nan Zhu stepped forward and grabbed Nan Zhu’s shoulder: “You’re not a zombie. As long as you leave there, Miss Shi Yin definitely won’t blame you. I’ll plead for you, even though I’m useless, but Miss Shi Yin will definitely…”

“Little Bamboo.” Nan Zhu gently interrupted Nan Zhu, “I know that Miss Shi Yin is a very gentle person.”

Nanzhu: "..."

“I can see that. She understands every choice, but she keeps being soft-hearted and conflicted. However, at crucial moments, she forces herself to make the most rational choice.” Nan Zhu took a deep breath: “Xiao Zhu, you shouldn’t cause her any more trouble.”

"No, brother, you're important!" Nan Zhu cried out in a panic, almost blurting out, "I don't know why you're in the new world, but it's not too late, as long as you come back..."

"Shh." Nan Zhu raised a finger to her lips and gently shook her head at Nan Zhu.

The flame of the Southern Candle seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water, instantly going out.

"Small yet constant, emitting light and warmth, neither impatient nor fierce—that is the true essence of candlelight," Nan Zhu said with a smile. "If I go back with you, I'll turn into a zombie."

Nanzhu: "What!?"

"As for why I joined the New World..." Nan Zhu smiled with relief: "It's probably because the father who adopted me wanted to give his son a heart and kidney transplant. Even though I killed him, I was still sent to the operating table by the people he had arranged in advance."

“Now, this is the mechanical heart that monitors my every word and action.” Nan Zhu placed her right hand on her chest: “My coming to see you means that my life is already on a countdown, unless I stay here forever.”

Nan Zhu was stunned; he knew this was impossible.

He and Ye Shaoheng absolutely had to get out. If Nan Zhu wasn't mistaken, this world must contain some kind of monster. He couldn't let this mirror world exist forever...

"We can wait for Shi Yin, Miss will definitely have a way!" Nan Zhu's face was ashen: "Miss knows Hermod, they will definitely have a way!"

"Little Bamboo, do you know how the zombie virus works?" Nan Zhu replied, seemingly unrelated to the question: "It uses a virus to alter genes, causing mutations starting in the brain and heart. The more talented a person is, the stronger they become after turning into a zombie."

In other words, Nan Zhu can become one of the Seven Stars as a human, but once he becomes a zombie, he could very well become one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

“But you have superpowers, and people with superpowers can’t be infected,” Nan Zhu retorted.

“Indeed, but the person who invented the zombie virus must have had artificial countermeasures.” Nan Zhu said seriously, “Because the purpose of inventing the zombie virus was to turn the whole world into zombies.”

"To create a new world?" Nan Zhu frowned.

"That's just the official story. Internally, we call the zombie virus—the elixir of immortality." Nan Zhu spoke faster: "You can probably guess that the inventor's goal is immortality, to bring the whole world, or rather, to bring those he wants to live, to achieve eternal life!"

Nanzhu: "!"

“The elixir of immortality isn’t just about making people ageless and immortal. You have a healing agent now, right? Even though you haven’t used it, you should have seen its power.” Nan Zhu continued, “The elixir of immortality is still being improved. I heard from them that the final version can bring the dead back to life and heal bones in a physical and medical sense.”

"This is impossible, this doesn't make sense." Nan Zhu said in disbelief, "These people will definitely pay a price."

"Of course." Nan Zhu stood up and casually ripped off her clothes.

Nan Zhu has an excellent figure with well-proportioned muscles, but her fair skin is covered with shocking scales.

However, unlike the bluish-gray skin and scales of ordinary zombies, the scales on humans are more like rotting flesh and blood.

The flesh was turned inside out, as if a piece of skin had been torn off the body, staining the flesh bluish-gray, or as if it had been scorched by fire, leaving behind a hideous and ugly mark.

"I call myself human because I am one of the two people who are most like humans right now," Nan Zhu said calmly. "As for them, I can no longer call them human."

“This…” Nan Zhu felt his limbs go cold, but he still tried to struggle: “At least we can ask Miss first.”

"Your loyalty is beyond my expectations," Nan Zhu said, both amused and exasperated. "The reason you let me come here is probably because I'm beyond saving, isn't it?"

"Even though you don't know who I am, you still allowed me to say goodbye. You really are a kind person, Ms. Tokine who has been eavesdropping all along."