An Introvert's Survival Guide to the Apocalypse

A socially anxious, talentless shut-in novelist who doesn't get in anyone's way X a handsome, icy superpowered king who can conjure a giant ice blade at the drop of a hat

After five days and nights of torrential rain, the city plunges into crisis. Some people turn into zombies in the downpour, while others awaken superpowers. Lin Qiu remains a socially anxious shut-in.

At three in the morning, she gets fired up and starts writing a new novel. At eight, she finds a man outside her door. The supplies that usually arrive right on schedule have stopped coming, and there are screams and roars everywhere. Some people struggle, while others give up. Only then does Lin Qiu realize that the apocalypse has begun.

Lin Qiu looks at the man she brought home. He has sharp features and a cold gaze, and with one move he conjures a giant ice blade. She spreads her own claws. Ha, even clenching her fists is hard. When the apocalypse came, she didn't become a zombie or gain superpowers. She just stayed human: a socially anxious person who couldn't hurt a fly.

She stares at the zombie blood on the ground. Maybe she should dab some on the pimple she just popped. Being a zombie sounds better than being human.

Qin Yu finishes off the zombies and turns around to see her staring at the blood. Frowning in confusion, he asks, "Hungry?"

Lin Qiu tightens her protective suit and shakes her head, but her gaze stays fixed on the ground. Qin Yu conjures an ice blade and gives the area a thorough blast, then says sternly,

"It's too dirty. You can't lick it."

Lin Qiu: "I'm human. I don't drink blood."

Qin Yu: "Oh. You still can't play with zombies, either."

Lin Qiu: "...All right." She sounds rather disappointed.

In Qin Yu's eyes, Lin Qiu is socially anxious, but she can face zombies, who aren't human. Talking to people might lead to arguments, but when you talk to zombies, at least they won't solemnly tell you, "If you can do better, then you do it."

As a perfectionist, Lin Qiu simply can't abandon her unfinished novel. So she follows Qin Yu with her laptop, making her way through the apocalypse's full crisis package.

While Qin Yu fights, she instinctively looks for cover. She climbs trees, swims, and scales walls. With her useless constitution, Lin Qiu barely scrapes by, constantly wavering between becoming a zombie and staying human.

Damn it, when Heaven scattered intelligence across the world, she was the only one holding up an umbrella...

Content warning: This is an apocalypse story, but the logic isn't airtight. It has a little ensemble cast and a slightly goofy, level-up-and-fight-monsters vibe.

The author's a beginner, so the writing may feel stiff. If you're particular about prose, you're in luck: you can watch a novice slowly improve (or maybe not improve at all).

The logic is very loose, but the author is easily amused.

The leads aren't both super-strong, because I don't know how strong is strong enough. The female lead isn't a helpless damsel who needs protecting, either. She can take things as they come, whether she stays alive or becomes a zombie.

I'll write whatever comes to me in my dreams and do my best to finish the story. Thank you to everyone who's supporting me~~

Here's a preview of my upcoming reborn historical romance, The Trials of Being a Cousin.

Yun Fu is reborn after her death. In her previous life, she sought refuge with the marquis's household, living under someone else's roof and enduring every kind of hardship. In this life, she only wants to enjoy a peaceful life of her own.

She wakes up midway through her journey to the capital. She quickly changes course and heads to a temple, using the excuse of observing a period of mourning for her family to enjoy a quiet, comfortable life there.

One morning, she knocks out a tall, burly man in a mask with a wooden dipper. The little cabbages in the garden are unfortunate collateral damage.

The man is a friend of the abbot, exceptionally handsome, and sharp-tongued to boot. Still, life in the mountains becomes a lot more fun. Yun Fu plays with cats and dogs, climbs the hills and explores the rivers, and sees skies full of stars and fireflies. She and the man make lovely memories together.

But good times don't last. Yun Fu's cousin, who's been thinking about her all day, finds her. With no other choice, she tells him she already has someone she loves. But who could have guessed there would be no one else at the temple?

Yun Fu is forced to move to the marquis's household, where she has to deal with her aunt, keep her distance from her cousin, and live in constant fear.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival in the capital, news arrives of a great victory at the border. The streets fill with people welcoming the General Who Guards the North.

The man sits astride his horse in armor, looking every bit the gallant general. The handkerchiefs and sachets tossed by the capital's young women carpet the entire street. Yun Fu watches him sitting proudly on horseback, no longer the frail man who was always surrounded by medicinal herbs at the temple.

At a banquet, Yun Fu joins a group of noble ladies in congratulating the princess and the General Who Guards the North on their happy match, a union made in heaven. She finishes her wine, catches sight of the man's stern features, understands everything, and turns to leave.

Yun Fu knows she can't beat these wolves, so she fakes her death. She wants no more of this cousin, that cousin, or that general. She's done with all of them!

Pursuing his wife X faking one's death X identity revealed X reborn

More stories in my collection, including fantasy and historical romance.

Theme: Finding yourself is the greatest success.