After the Great Cataclysm, life on Earth underwent tremendous changes. With the power of viral genes, humanity entered the era of superpowers, gaining access to a variety of extraordinary abilities, slowly regaining a foothold in this dangerous world. Since then, superpowers and technological advancements have formed the two pillars upon which human survival depends.
But while the virus granted people boundless power, it also planted a terrifying seed within every individual's body. Once someone dies, the viral gene inside them loses control, resulting in a complete outbreak, turning the deceased into a zombie.
This transformation takes time. Depending on a person's physical condition and the virus content in their body, the time to transformation can vary. However, statistics show that an average person takes between 30 seconds to 120 minutes to transform after death. It was clear that Qing Yi, whose body had been enhanced by crystal cores, which had strengthened his physique, lacked the necessary superpowers to control the virus. Therefore, he was one of those who would transform quickly. Within less than a minute, he completed the transformation, becoming a bloodthirsty zombie.
Don't underestimate these low-level zombies. Once they lose their self-preservation mechanisms, they can unleash all the power within them. This meant that the zombie Qing Yi had become would possess power at least double that of his living self. Confronted by such a terrifying enemy, one who could only be killed by destroying the head, and in his severely injured state, Chu Xun found himself nearly powerless.
"D*mn it!" Seeing the zombie limping toward him with an unsettling slow yet steady pace, Chu Xun's face darkened. He tried to muster some strength, hoping to retaliate or escape, but the heavy wound on his abdomen and the continuous blood loss left him utterly weak—he could hardly summon the strength to fight back.
"Am I really going to die here?" The dizziness crashed over him like waves. Chu Xun couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had never expected his second chance at life would come to such a premature end.
What a joke. If he had the chance to do it over again, he definitely wouldn't have been so careless...
"Hungry..." The zombie limped in front of Chu Xun, then roared, lunging toward him. It was clear it was eager for a feast.
"Even if I die, I won't become your food!" With the zombie pouncing on him, Chu Xun no longer had the strength to dodge. He was knocked down hard onto the ground. However, he didn't give up. With a furious yell, he summoned the last of his strength, rolled over, and pinned the zombie beneath him. With a painful, battered right arm, he locked the zombie's neck in a chokehold, pulling with all his might.
"Hungry..." The zombie, deprived of its feast, growled in frustration. It began thrashing wildly, but Chu Xun also gave everything he had left. Though the excruciating pain made his vision blur, he didn't release his grip. The only thought in his mind was to subdue the zombie and prevent it from biting him.
Fortunately, Chu Xun's choice was the right one. Qing Yi had suffered a heavy blow from Chu Xun before death. That powerful punch not only caused intracranial bleeding but also fractured his cervical spine due to the force. Now, with Chu Xun's desperate struggle, Qing Yi's already weakened spine finally gave way. A sharp crack echoed as it broke into two pieces.
Though low-level zombies only had one vital spot—its head—once the spine was broken, it could no longer control its body. Despite still growling in fury, Qing Yi's zombie body stopped resisting. Its mutilated mouth, full of broken teeth, continued snapping as it tried to bite chunks of flesh from Chu Xun.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a flash of silver shot through the air, narrowly grazing Chu Xun's face before piercing the zombie's head and embedding itself into the hard stone ground.
Chu Xun, stunned, looked at what had pierced the zombie's skull and was now stuck in the ground: a sharp surgical scalpel.
"Huh? It's this person again?" A voice, surprised yet familiar, reached Chu Xun's ears. He turned his head to look but was overwhelmed by the tide of weakness and fell into unconsciousness.
"Based on the bloodstains and battle traces here, it seems this kid killed that big guy, then was severely injured in return with an abdominal wound…" Crouching down, Nangong Yan examined the zombie and Chu Xun's injuries before muttering, "But this guy shouldn't have awakened any abilities, so how did he kill someone physically stronger than him, and clearly a thug? Also, judging from the big guy's injuries, he seems to have been punched to death? Interesting..."
As she pondered this, a sly smile appeared on Nangong Yan's face. She pursed her red lips, grabbed Chu Xun's foot with one hand, and, as if dragging a corpse, began pulling him in the direction of her medical facility.
Soon, Chu Xun and Nangong Yan were far from the scene, leaving only a mangled corpse and a trail of blood behind them...
**...
"Ah!"**
With a sharp scream, Chu Xun suddenly sat up in bed, drenched in cold sweat.
He had just had a nightmare, where he was pinned down by Qing Yi, and the zombie devoured him piece by piece. He struggled, but it was useless. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as he became a bloodied corpse.
But thankfully, it was just a nightmare.
"Where am I...?" Chu Xun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked around. He was taken aback to find himself back in the medical facility. Remembering the voice he had heard before losing consciousness, he relaxed slightly.
"Looks like Dr. Nangong saved me..." Chu Xun took a deep breath and started to inspect his injuries. To his surprise, his abdominal wound had already healed most of the way, leaving only a small scar, and his right arm no longer hurt—clearly, it had fully healed.
"How long was I unconscious?" Chu Xun blinked in confusion. Logically, with such serious injuries, it would take at least a month or two to fully recover. Had he been unconscious for that long?
Just as he was pondering this, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor echoed, and Dr. Nangong Yan walked in.
She was as stunning as ever. Her figure was seductive, with long white legs and a voluptuous chest, all framed by a white lab coat that added a layer of allure. But her cold, indifferent expression, and the way she looked at things with the same detached gaze she would use on an inanimate object, doused any warmth and made it difficult for anyone to get close.
She was a woman of extreme contradictions.
"You woke up faster than I expected..." Nangong Yan gave him a glance, her expression still aloof. "I didn't expect you to have awakened your superpower. Looks like I underestimated you."
"Dr. Nangong, how long was I unconscious?" Chu Xun was still uneasy. If he had been unconscious for too long and missed the student assessment, he would be in deep trouble.
"Not long. Just one hour and 32 minutes," Nangong Yan glanced at the clock and said, "It seems your superpower is related to your physical condition. Your self-healing abilities are quite strong. Otherwise, even with my help, you wouldn't have recovered this quickly."
"That's a relief..." Chu Xun let out a sigh of relief. But then he remembered something and his expression changed slightly. He asked, "By the way, Dr. Nangong, what happened with Qing Yi?"
"Just a servant. Dead is dead. I've already had the city defense team dispose of his body." Nangong Yan spoke as though discussing the death of an insect, her expression unchanged. Her gaze swept over Chu Xun, and then she turned to leave. "Now that you're fine, leave. Don't waste any more medical resources."
"Ah, okay," Chu Xun replied, watching her leave, feeling a bit helpless. This woman was stunning, yes, but she was also too cold, like an iceberg, making it impossible to approach her.
But after this ordeal, he had come to understand how cheap human life had become in this world. He had killed someone, yet he didn't have to face any consequences. The reason was simple: he was a noble, and Qing Yi was just a servant!
After leaving the medical facility, Chu Xun quickly arrived at the place where he had fought Qing Yi. The area had clearly been cleaned up. Not only had Qing Yi's body been removed, but even the blood on the ground had been wiped away. If not for the faint scent of blood still lingering in the air, one would never know that a bloody battle had just taken place.
As the faint scent of blood hit his nose, the memories of the battle replayed in his mind. A sense of both fear and relief washed over him. If Dr. Nangong hadn't arrived in time, he might have ended up as zombie food.
Only after having narrowly escaped death could he truly appreciate the value of life. After all, Chu Xun had nearly lost it twice. He silently swore to himself that, in the future, he would treat his enemies like winter's chill—cold and ruthless, swift as autumn winds sweeping leaves, not giving them a single chance to fight back.
After all, those who survived in this harsh world were never simple characters.