This had always been a lingering regret in Chen Zhong's heart.
But in this lifetime, perhaps he could make up for it.
An Mian answered the phone, "Auntie."
On the other end, a cool female voice responded, "Xiao Mian, are you at school right now?"
"Yeah, we just got the notice, and the school is on lockdown."
"Come to the school gate immediately. I'll be there shortly."
An Mian was a bit puzzled. "Auntie, what's going on?"
"Your dad just called me to pick you up. It's not convenient to explain over the phone right now. Just come out and don't tell anyone."
With that, the call ended, leaving An Mian bewildered.
Chen Zhong, however, wasn't surprised at all. He knew the situation had spiraled out of control...
Right now, the government was still trying to salvage the situation, locking down several districts in an attempt to contain the T-virus.
But all of this was futile.
The first zombies had likely already appeared, and the virus was spreading far faster than anyone could have imagined.
There might have only been a dozen or so zombies initially, but their numbers would grow exponentially, increasing every moment!
By tomorrow, these quarantined areas in Jiangjing would become a living hell!
And within three days, Jiangjing would completely fall.
Not just Jiangjing—this would happen all over the world!
The apocalypse had arrived!
An Feng clearly understood the gravity of the situation as well, which is why he urgently arranged for someone to pick up An Mian.
Chen Zhong spoke softly, "An Mian, can I go with you?"
Although it might seem like he was taking advantage of An Mian, Chen Zhong had no choice. He was running out of time.
Most of Jiangjing was under strict lockdown, with the military guarding all the roads. Without a pass, there was no way out!
More importantly, the SSS-level talent seed would appear outside the quarantine zone tomorrow...
So he had to enter the safe zone today and secure that SSS-level seed!
Of course, An Mian didn't hesitate to agree to Chen Zhong's request. After all, it was a chance to hang out with him...
The innocent An Mian thought happily.
Looking at the girl who would always agree to his requests without a second thought, Chen Zhong's eyes were filled with affection.
Some girls, while outwardly beautiful, are as venomous as snakes.
Others, though not particularly striking in appearance, have hearts that are pure and kind.
Chen Zhong now knew who truly mattered to him...
---
In the quarantined areas of Jiangjing City, the lockdown had already begun, with roadblocks cutting off access to the outside world.
This time, the lockdown was much stricter than before. It wasn't just medical personnel and some duty officers—there were even military troops, fully armed soldiers setting up cordons.
This sight naturally caused panic among the citizens.
Loudspeakers on the streets and news broadcasts on television issued the same warnings: "Citizens, please stay at home and do not go outside. Wait for inspection teams to come to your homes. Once cleared, you will be allowed to leave the quarantine zone in batches, according to your pass.
"Once again, do not linger on the streets. Stay indoors. Violators will be charged with endangering public safety!"
Panicked, people rushed back home, anxiously awaiting the inspectors. They kept refreshing their phones and computers, trying to find out what was really going on.
Had the T-virus outbreak really hit Jiangjing?
But hadn't they said the T-virus was under control?
Adults were worried, whispering among themselves, some anxiously calling their contacts in government agencies to try and get more information.
Others were busy gathering cash and valuables.
Though they didn't know the exact situation, their instincts told them it was serious—very serious.
Perhaps only the children remained unaware of the danger.
On the contrary, they found being quarantined at home quite exciting, at least they didn't have to go back to their boring schools.
The children laughed, watching anime on their tablets in the comfort of their rooms.
They even secretly hoped the quarantine would last longer, so they could play at home for a few more days.
Their smiling faces reflected in the window glass.
Outside, sirens wailed, mingled with faint cries and screams, and in the distance, there seemed to be fires burning.
Military trucks carrying soldiers raced down the streets.
Laughter, shouts, cries, and screams blended together, forming a symphony of the apocalypse.
---
South New District, Jiangjing City.
Several 09-type military armored SUVs sped down the streets. Under normal circumstances, such imposing vehicles would have drawn everyone's attention.
But now, the streets were nearly deserted, with very few cars, allowing the convoy to move unimpeded.
Li Weiguo, the captain of the G17 squadron under the 3rd Combat Brigade of the Jiangjing Garrison, was looking very serious as he stared at the photo of a young man on his phone.
That afternoon, he had suddenly received urgent orders to lead his squad to Jiangjing University and escort a student named Qin Jun to the airport—at all costs!
This was a direct order from the office of the military district commander.
Although he didn't understand why such a big fuss was being made over escorting a student, as a soldier, obeying orders was his duty. Li Weiguo immediately led his entire company to Jiangjing University.
After entering the quarantine zone, Li Weiguo immediately sensed the difference in atmosphere.
Outside the quarantine zone, in the safe area, the night was bustling with activity. Though traffic was also restricted, it still seemed relatively peaceful.
But inside the quarantine zone, it was like a completely different world!
Looking through the car window, Li Weiguo saw the streets. Normally, they would be bustling with nightlife, but now they were deserted, with only a few cars scattered along the roadside, exuding an air of decay and gloom.
At this moment, even this usually stoic army captain couldn't help but feel a sense of deep concern.
Tonight was destined to be an unusual night...
---
The gates of Jiangjing University were closed, preventing students from entering or leaving.
However, the university remained relatively calm. Most students had returned to their dormitories. Some were browsing the various rumors online, but most were indifferent, gathering with friends to play video games.
After all, students were more optimistic—or rather... more naive.
But there were still some who gathered in small groups to discuss the situation—just moments ago, several police cars had sped by, and even an armed helicopter had flown overhead.
This made the students curious. What exactly was happening outside?
Qin Jun and Xie Han left the villa and walked toward the school gate.
As he looked at the students still playing basketball and strolling around the field, a trace of pity flashed in Qin Jun's eyes.
These students were his classmates, his peers. Once, they had been so close.
But now, they were not from the same world...
Perhaps after tonight, the majority of them would turn into zombies, or become food for the zombies...
But Qin Jun didn't care at all.
"Qin Jun..."
Just then, a soft, sweet, timid voice called out.
A beautiful girl in a white dress stood at the villa's entrance. She seemed to have been waiting for Qin Jun, her face still showing signs of sorrow.
When Xie Han saw her, his face immediately showed undisguised disgust, clearly looking down on the girl with contempt.
She was Su Ya, the campus belle of Jiangjing University, and Qin Jun's girlfriend.
Well, half an hour ago she was his girlfriend. Now, she was his ex-girlfriend.
Because Qin Jun had already broken up with her.
It had to be said, Su Ya was indeed beautiful. She had a stunning figure, delicate and pure features, and it was no surprise that she had been voted the campus belle during her freshman year.
Su Ya was the dream goddess of countless students at Jiangjing University.
Having Su Ya as a girlfriend would have been a dream come true for them, something they would cherish for a lifetime, eager to keep her safe and cherished.
But Qin Jun had grown tired of her.
Su Ya was indeed beautiful, but so what?
With Qin Jun's background, what kind of woman couldn't he get?
Even those glamorous female celebrities had to kneel and act like dogs in front of Qin Jun. He had played with more than a few famous actresses.
More importantly, Su Ya's background meant she would never be able to enter the Qin family.
Su Ya's family background was decent; her father was the director of urban planning in a second-tier city in the north.
In the eyes of ordinary people, this might be a respectable position, but it was insignificant in front of the Qin family.
To Qin Jun, Su Ya was nothing more than a toy...
Qin Jun frowned slightly, "Su Ya, what are you doing here?"
Su Ya walked up to him, her face full of sadness and sorrow, making her look pitiful, "Qin Jun, we were fine just a few days ago. Why did you suddenly break up with me?
Let's talk this over!"
Qin Jun frowned slightly. Jiangjing University was already part of the quarantine zone, and he needed to leave immediately. He had no time to waste on Su Ya.