After the typhoon passed the previous day, the area around the office building was a mess. Flower petals, mingled with dark red blood, lay scattered and soaked by the rain, shimmering under the morning sunlight.
On the second floor of the building, the group worked together to force open a window in the convenience store. The corridor outside was too dangerous, and they knew they had to make a quick and stealthy exit.
Fortunately, there was a drainage pipe right by the window, and there were no zombies below. One by one, they climbed down, moving as quietly as possible.
The soft, unkempt grass below provided a cushioned landing, and Jiang Xing crouched down, sticking close to the wall as they carefully moved forward.
Since S University was about thirty kilometers away, walking there would be impossible. Their best option was to find a car, and the only place nearby with cars was the parking lot, where Luo Jian's vehicle was parked.
Luo Jian's car was in the underground lot, and the nearest entrance was only a few meters away, though a few wandering zombies were visible on the way.
It had to be said that Mo Zixing, who had joined them recently, was impressively agile. His movements were swift and precise, effortlessly taking down any zombie that crossed his path. Jiang Xing couldn't help but wonder, who exactly was this guy? Was he some kind of special operative?
Why would he be at their company?
Jiang Xing was quite familiar with their company's workings. From what she knew, most of the people who came in for interviews were just trying to get by, and their managers prioritized easy-going, experienced people, often hiring through personal connections.
There was no reason to bring in someone who could clearly handle himself in dangerous situations unless they were looking to do more than business... Could it be that Mo Zixing was here for something secretive?
She pushed the thought aside, but she kept an eye on his movements, watching how he expertly evaded or attacked the zombies, his knife slicing with surgical precision.
But the more she observed, the more Mo Zixing's odd behavior unsettled her.
"Strange, these zombies seem more active than yesterday," Luo Jian whispered.
They weren't just more aggressive; they seemed to have become more alert, making it much harder for the group to sneak past them. But Luo Jian signaled everyone to keep moving forward.
"Xiao Wang, be careful. Can't you see there are no zombies nearby but this one is still lurking around here?"
Luo Jian's voice was low, and it wasn't clear if he was just being cautious or if he had noticed something. Most of the zombies were either down in the grass or moving slowly, as if they were intentionally staying quiet.
Was it a scent?
With so many people huddled together, their breathing and warmth could easily draw attention. Even if they didn't make a sound, if the zombies picked up their scent, they could come charging in at any moment.
Time seemed to stretch, and despite their effort, they had barely managed to cover 500 meters. They hadn't even made it halfway across the parking lot.
Because of the tension, Jiang Xing felt exhaustion creeping over her, especially seeing the weakened state of Lin Xiwang. She could see that her head was slightly drooping, and her stamina was almost depleted. The others were also struggling to keep pace.
Jiang Xing leaned closer and whispered, "Xiaoxi, do you still have those two phones?"
"Yes, why?" Lin Xiwang hesitated but eventually pulled out the older model phone.
Jiang Xing took it, then surreptitiously threw it into the grassy area nearby.
Because the vending machine in the grass was still running, the phone maintained a bit of moisture, and it slid smoothly about 10 meters away.
The group continued creeping forward for another few dozen meters. The path ahead was clear, without any of the roadblocks or zombies that had obstructed them earlier. Even the smell of decay seemed to fade.
Jiang Xing signaled everyone to stop, then pulled out her phone and called the contact labeled "Lin Xiwang (Small)."
After a couple of seconds, loud, lively music blared from the phone she had thrown earlier:
"The love of a lifetime is my love..."
The cheerful song echoed from the phone, instantly pinpointing its location. The zombies nearby immediately locked onto the sound, and with wild, jerking movements, they rushed towards it, the area filling with chaotic snarls.
Jiang Xing seized this opportunity and dashed toward the entrance.
Thanks to the sound distraction, along with the plants offering some cover, the zombies on either side didn't notice her until she was almost at the underground parking entrance.
Roar!
A zombie with a backpack clinging to its shoulders suddenly lunged at her, but Zhao Moxing's quick reflexes allowed him to shove it away. He spun and managed to slash at the zombie's neck, only to find his knife stuck, unable to pull it out.
"That's enough!" Yue Zhihao yelled, rushing over from behind Luo Jian, and dragged him forward.
The two of them had the stamina to make it, but the woman behind them wasn't as agile. Zhao Jingyi was panting heavily, her legs barely moving, and she was about to collapse. It seemed like any attempt to pull her along would end up dragging her to the ground.
As they reached the back of the group, a zombie had already approached. With a low growl, it moved towards Jiang Xing. Yue Zhihao held back his fear, raising the improvised "spear" to face the approaching creature.
His sharp stick pierced the zombie's body, momentarily knocking it back, but it didn't drop.
Jiang Xing heard the sound and instinctively turned, watching Yue Zhihao struggling against the zombie. She rushed forward, shoving the creature to the side, forcing it away, before finally managing to push it to the ground. Zhao Jingyi stumbled, but she was able to get across to Yue Zhihao's side.
But with this distraction, more zombies came after them. Two were already making their way upstairs, growling and gnashing their teeth as they hurried after the group. Even worse, there could be more zombies in the underground parking lot, and the terrifying part was that they didn't know where they were lurking. They could pop out at any moment, giving everyone a nasty shock.
The only relief was that the power hadn't gone out yet. Otherwise, it would have been total darkness in the underground.
Jiang Xing, Xiao Jin, and Lin Xiwang were practically dragging Lin Xiwang along, as she struggled to keep up. They had to stop frequently to help her stand or deal with the zombies chasing them. The situation was tense, and even the calmest among them felt the stress building.
"Don't. If you guys keep running, I'll collapse for sure. Just leave me here and go ahead. Come back for me later, or I'll drag you all down," Lin Xiwang said breathlessly, her face turning red from exertion.
Lin Xiwang had been sickly for years, and though she worked hard to maintain her health, this kind of extreme stress was too much for her body. She could feel her legs weakening and her breathing becoming shallow and labored.
Seeing the approaching zombies, Lin Xiwang's condition worsened. She was about to collapse when Jiang Xing held her up.
"Xiao Jin, carry her," Jiang Xing ordered.
"Got it!"
Xiao Jin, though thin, was still strong enough to manage. He slung Lin Xiwang over his back, struggling under her weight but still able to keep moving. However, it slowed them down considerably.
Jiang Xing gripped her improvised spear tightly, her eyes locked on the zombie's blood-red eyes as she lined up the sharp blade, preparing to strike.
Slash!
She heard a sickening sound as her knife plunged into the zombie's eye socket, only to get stuck there.
The zombie's hand clamped onto her sleeve, and Jiang Xing gasped, pulling back as it tumbled to the ground, dragging her down with it. She looked in horror as it failed to respond and remained motionless. Her heart pounded as she realized that the creature's body, unlike others, showed no signs of injury—just blood-red eyes and little bleeding, as if the only difference between it and humans was those eerie red eyes.
Jiang Xing was horrified, feeling as if she had just killed a person. Even though she kept repeating to herself that it was a zombie, that sickening feeling of having taken a life wouldn't go away.
But just then, she heard Xiao Jin's panicked, desperate voice.
"Jiang Jie, above! Run, quick!"
Jiang Xing instinctively looked up, and saw a grotesque, eyeless head emerging from the ventilation duct above. The fleshy, brain-like head had no features except for a mouth. The maw was grotesquely wide, stretching almost to its ears, and filled with sharp, piranha-like teeth. But the most terrifying thing was the long tongue that shot out straight toward her.
The tongue moved so quickly that Jiang Xing couldn't even react.
From the car at a distance, Mo Zixing, who had just started the engine, glanced over. He saw Jiang Xing being dragged by the tongue, pulled up toward the vent. His eyes widened in shock, unable to believe what he was witnessing.
"Even this is possible?" he muttered, his expression revealing his astonishment.