Wang Qiang is such a fascinating supporting character. On one hand, he’s a great friend who covers for Zhang Shuai, teaches him the job, and is genuinely sad he might die. On the other hand, his first reaction to the near-death is “who’s gonna pay me back?” He’s a real person—selfish and generous at the same time. The scene where Zhang Shuai insists on paying him back four thousand immediately, and Wang Qiang hesitates but takes it, is so nuanced. It shows their relationship is built on both affection and financial tension.
Fang Bai's panic feels real, but his recovery is way too fast. He sees zombies eating people, hears one at his door, and within minutes he's calmly making a wooden spear and planning his attack. I get that he's trying to stay calm, but it felt like he skipped the terrified stage and went straight to survival mode. A little more internal freak-out would have made him feel more human.
I do wish the story slowed down a little after the fight. Mos just curls up and falls asleep, and that’s it? I wanted to see her check her status screen properly, maybe explore the tunnel, or eat something. The ending felt abrupt. It’s a chapter break, sure, but a bit of recovery and reflection would have given more closure.
The ending of the first chapter (or sample) left me on a great cliffhanger. The girl wakes up and attacks, the protagonist pulls the gun, and they have a standoff. The line “A favor for a favor. Now it is your turn to answer my questions.” is a perfect close. The power dynamic is in flux. I desperately want to read the next chapter to see what happens when they start talking for real.
The bit about the kitchen knife and bath towel is hilarious. Lucia’s reasoning for taking them—one for self-defense and “the other also for self-defense”—is such a dragon way of thinking. And she even demonstrates her “proud intelligence” by tearing open the knife’s packaging. It’s absurd but totally in character.