This girl was Ryan's stepsister, Lily. Though the two shared no blood relation, they had depended on each other since childhood.
Tragedy struck early in their lives. Both parents passed away when Ryan and Lily were just children, leaving their grandparents as their only caretakers. However, as teenagers, they suffered another devastating blow when their grandparents succumbed to illness. Left completely alone, the siblings were forced to live in an orphanage, relying solely on each other to survive.
Their bond ran far deeper than that of ordinary siblings. Their shared hardships had forged an unbreakable connection.
Because of this harsh upbringing, Ryan grew up cold and ruthless, harboring a deep cynicism that bordered on darkness. In a world that had taken everything from him, his sister was his only light, the sole person who could draw out even a flicker of his humanity. In front of Lily, Ryan allowed himself to feel warmth—a side of him no one else would ever see.
Lily, while also guarded and serious, had a personality that was more approachable than Ryan's. Though she shared her brother's reluctance to trust others, she could interact with people more easily, at least on a surface level. To outsiders, she seemed cold and aloof, her tone sharp and distant. Yet, when it came to Ryan, her demeanor softened, revealing a gentle, nurturing side that only he ever witnessed.
"What's wrong with Ryan? Why is he so anxious all of a sudden?" Lily thought, glancing at her phone as she sat on a bench in the airport's waiting hall. Her cold expression faltered slightly, confusion flashing across her face.
Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden commotion erupted nearby. The air filled with the panicked screams of men and women, accompanied by the sound of crashes and explosions. Chaos swept through the hall like a tidal wave.
Lily stood abruptly, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. Her typically composed expression broke into one of astonishment as the unbelievable unfolded before her.
In the center of the hall, a man retrieving a drink from a vending machine suddenly began convulsing. Without warning, he lunged at the woman beside him—his wife, perhaps—and sank his teeth into her neck. Blood sprayed everywhere in a horrifying, savage display.
All around them, chaos multiplied. Similar incidents erupted in more than a dozen spots throughout the airport. People who moved like zombies—clumsy, uncoordinated, and mindless—attacked their companions, biting them ferociously.
The once-busy terminal devolved into pure pandemonium. Families huddled in corners, trembling in fear. Others screamed and fled, running in every direction. Some tried to fend off the attackers, kicking and striking at the staggering, bloodthirsty figures.
As Lily's wide eyes darted around the scene, a massive explosion drew her attention. Outside the terminal, a Boeing 737 veered off the runway and collided with a stationary aircraft. A fireball erupted into the sky, accompanied by a deafening boom.
"Zombies? A virus outbreak?" Lily whispered, covering her mouth in disbelief. Even with her usually cold demeanor, the nightmarish scene sent a chill down her spine. It was as if she had stepped into hell itself.
Despite her fear, Lily quickly regained her composure. At only 24 years old, she was a prodigy with double PhDs in psychology and computer science from Stanford. She had even been invited to serve as an honorary fellow at Oxford University.
Her keen intellect took over. This wasn't a simple virus outbreak—she was certain of that. The speed and nature of the infection suggested something far more sinister. Was this the start of a global zombie apocalypse, like the ones in those Chinese novels and movies?
Today was supposed to be a simple homecoming. Lily had returned to her country after years of studying abroad. She never imagined she would step off the plane into what felt like the end of the world.
Lily knew she needed to act quickly. Without hesitation, she made her way toward the third floor of the airport lobby. This area, home to the airport restaurant, had fewer people and offered a more advantageous position for whatever might come next.
Carefully navigating past the chaos and dodging the lunges of nearby zombies, Lily wrinkled her nose at the nauseating stench of decay mixed with the thick metallic tang of blood.
Fortunately, the airport hall was still crowded, and the newly infected zombies remained preoccupied with attacking the living. Using this to her advantage, Lily moved swiftly, reaching the third floor with minimal trouble.
The chaos around her was relentless. Screams, the sound of shattering glass, and the dull thuds of bodies colliding echoed in the air. Lily frowned deeply, pulling out her phone as she sprinted up the stairs. She quickly dialed Ryan's number.
"Sorry, the number you are dialing is busy. Please call again later."
The mechanical voice on the line only heightened her frustration. Of course, with the panic unfolding, everyone would be frantically trying to contact loved ones. Getting through was almost impossible.
Lily's heart clenched with worry. She couldn't stop thinking about her brother. He was her only family, her only lifeline. She needed to reach him before something terrible happened. What she didn't know was that Ryan was also trying to call her at that very moment, facing the same frustrating busy signal.
On the other side of the city, Ryan punched a nearby billboard in frustration. "Damn it!" he cursed loudly.
Just moments ago, he had been about to hail a taxi to the airport. But before he could get in, he noticed something was off. The driver reeked of decay, his movements jerky and unnatural. He stumbled out of the car and lunged toward Ryan with a guttural snarl.
Sensing danger, Ryan instinctively backed away. Before the driver could reach him, a sudden series of collisions erupted on the road. The man was caught between two cars, crushed instantly in the chaos.
"What the hell is going on?" Ryan muttered, wide-eyed.
The streets had descended into pandemonium. Vehicles collided in a chain reaction, flames erupting as explosions lit up the road. Drivers and pedestrians alike were panicking, many falling victim to strange, feral figures that had begun attacking indiscriminately.
Ryan's stomach churned as he took in the horrifying sight. "Zombies... Are these really zombies? Like in the movies?"
He stumbled back to a relatively open area, forcing himself to breathe and assess the situation. Zombies roamed the streets, their grotesque, shambling forms biting and clawing at anyone in their path. The usually orderly city was now a chaotic nightmare, with screams and car horns filling the air.
Ryan gritted his teeth, trying to suppress his fear. Calm down. Stay focused. He scanned the surroundings. The number of zombies near him wasn't overwhelming yet, but more were staggering toward him.
Making a split-second decision, Ryan vaulted over a guardrail and dashed into an outdoor supply store. His fists clenched reflexively—muscles honed from countless street fights tensing in preparation. Inside, he spotted a grotesque sight: a female zombie, half-naked and pale, crouched over a child, tearing into him with bloodied teeth.
Ryan's stomach twisted with a mix of fury and revulsion.
"Fuck..." he muttered under his breath.
The zombie noticed and turned toward him, its bloody mouth opening in a guttural snarl. It clawed its way upright, lurching toward Ryan with terrifying aggression.