Hesheng burned for an entire night, waking up sporadically several times in between. Each time, she was held tightly in a warm embrace. The familiar scent was mixed with the smell of her own blood, crowded in a small, confined room, exuding a rare warmth in the apocalypse.
“Li Yanting,” Hesheng opened her mouth, her throat hoarse from the fever, her lips pale.
Hearing this, Li Yanting quickly loosened his grip a little, raised his hand to test her forehead. It was covered in cold sweat, and the temperature had dropped a little, but it was still higher than normal: “Still burning. Do you want some water?”
Hesheng shook her head. The continuous high fever made her feel weak all over, and even speaking seemed weak: “You shouldn’t stay here with me. It’s dangerous.”
“You shouldn’t have rushed up to deal with the zombie either. That’s a man’s job.”
After Li Yanting finished speaking, he waited for a response from the person in his arms, but Hesheng just hummed twice and fell into a coma again.
Li Yanting’s heart tightened again with her coma. The second high fever came fiercely, and Hesheng began to convulse restlessly, struggling constantly in Li Yanting’s arms.
Li Yanting had witnessed human mutations many times with his own eyes. At this moment, he knew clearly that this was a precursor to mutation.
Whether she would awaken her abilities or turn into a monster all depended on the last moment.
His heart felt like it was covered in asphalt, making it hard for him to breathe. He forcefully held Hesheng’s increasingly violent struggles. Li Yanting never let go of Hesheng, even though Hesheng was likely to bite his neck at any moment, he did not waver in the slightest.
“I promised you, I’ll be with you no matter what,” Li Yanting’s calm voice sounded in the quiet room, particularly firm. “Be good, don’t be afraid.”
The high fever continued. Li Yanting suppressed Hesheng’s struggles, embedding her in his arms, until the east turned white.
At dawn, Hesheng’s high fever reached its peak. Her body calmed down from the initial restless convulsions and struggles, and the high fever throughout her body receded like a tide at a certain moment, leaving only a steady breathing sound and a warm, soft embrace.
“…The fever’s gone.”
Li Yanting was still so calm, as if he hadn’t experienced a night of extremely tense worry and torment.
But the turbid breath he exhaled and the imperceptible tremor of his arm betrayed him completely.
Li Yanting stroked Hesheng’s warm forehead and cheeks. The worrying heat had faded, and the person in his arms had fought the virus all night and was now sleeping soundly.
Li Yanting wiped the fine sweat from Hesheng’s forehead and gently placed a kiss on it, embracing her and closing his eyes to rest for a moment.
Taking care of a loved one who could mutate at any time was more mentally exhausting than going out and beating zombies.
Fortunately, she persevered.
After dawn was the best time to set off. Everyone in the gas station packed their bags. Except for Duan Zhanfeng, Zhao Xing’s group’s transportation was a relatively intact bus.
The leader of Zhao Xing’s group was an older male ability user named Ji Hui. He looked gentle and refined, not like someone who would fight, but rather like a teacher. However, the other three young ability users, including Zhao Xing, respected him very much.
Before getting on the bus, Ji Hui looked at Da Kun and Yun Duo, who were leaning against the car door and didn’t plan to leave together. After hesitating for a moment, he called Zhao Xing over to ask.
Zhao Xing didn’t suspect anything and trotted over: “Brother Da Kun, aren’t you going to prepare and leave together?”
Da Kun lowered his head and lit a cigarette, glancing at Duan Zhanfeng, who was looking over here, and sneered: “We’re not together. They agreed, we didn’t.”
Zhao Xing could also see the discord between the two sides at this time, but the strength of Li Yanting and this Da Kun brother was unmatched by the combined strength of the several ability users in Duan Zhanfeng’s team. Traveling with the strong was the purpose of their initial olive branch.
“It’s dangerous on the road. It’s better to travel together than alone.” Zhao Xing remembered what Ji Hui had told him and immediately followed suit, “In this world, a lone beast can’t defend against a pack of jackals.”
Zhao Xing thought he had learned it perfectly and was very proud, but he forgot that Ji Hui had originally told him to say this to Li Yanting, not to Da Kun, who was just as headstrong as him.
Da Kun took a hard puff of his cigarette, looking impatient: “Speak human language to me.”
“Pfft…” Lan Duo couldn’t help but laugh on the side. Seeing both of them looking at her, she was a little embarrassed and moved to the side.
Zhao Xing scratched his head: “Uh… Are Brother Li and that sister not here? You have to ask their opinions too!”
Hearing this, Da Kun didn’t speak, but looked at the abandoned dormitory building not far away, with a hint of impatience and anxiety on his face.
A night had passed since Hesheng was infected. According to past experience, whether she had mutated into a zombie or awakened her abilities, there should have been a result. But until now, the two of them hadn’t made a sound, so how could he not be worried.
“Lan Duo, I’m going to take a look.”
Da Kun couldn’t wait any longer when he thought of this. He threw away the cigarette butt and stomped on it hard. “You, you…”
Da Kun looked at Zhao Xing, who didn’t have much tact, and hesitated.
The fact that there was an infected person in their team naturally couldn’t be publicized. Otherwise, being attacked by the group would be a minor matter. If they were used by someone with ulterior motives, robbing the team’s supplies and crystal cores under the guise of clearing infected people, and finally being forced into a dead end was also a common occurrence.
Lan Duo understood Da Kun’s concerns and knew that he wanted her to wait here, just like Li Yanting said when he left, if they didn’t come back, she should follow Zhao Xing.
But she didn’t want to listen. Her life was saved by Da Kun, and she carried all the important supplies of the team. She couldn’t switch to another team.
“I’ll go with you!” Lan Duo interrupted him.
Da Kun glared: “Nonsense! You…”
Lan Duo pouted and suddenly saw a person walking out of the door of the abandoned building in front. She excitedly pointed behind Da Kun: “Brother Ting is out!”
Hearing this, the other two quickly looked over. They saw a man walking towards them with a petite girl in his arms. The girl was wrapped in the man’s clothes and held tightly in the man’s arms. She was quiet and seemed to be asleep.
Da Kun looked at Hesheng, who was locked in Li Yanting’s arms, with some surprise. Because Zhao Xing was present, he didn’t ask the doubts in his heart, but opened the passenger door for Li Yanting.
“Da Kun, go get the supplies back.” Li Yanting was referring to the medical kit from last night and the supplies that Da Kun had secretly sent over.
Da Kun responded and left. Zhao Xing also came over and asked worriedly: “What’s wrong with the sister? Is she sick?”
“Keep your voice down, she’s asleep.” Li Yanting sat in the passenger seat with Hesheng in his arms. Seeing this, Lan Duo quickly got into the car as well.
It was obvious that they were going to leave together. In addition to being happy, Zhao Xing didn’t forget to ask Li Yanting the words that Ji Hui had taught him again.
Li Yanting leaned on the seat and adjusted Hesheng’s sleeping position, taking the time to glance at Zhao Xing. “Did that Ji Hui also say the same thing to Duan Zhanfeng?”