After leaving the convenience store, it was about four hundred meters to the east gate. Along the way, Li Ge avoided unnecessary fights with zombies, spending most of her time dodging them. However, there was one unavoidable stretch—the path between the girls’ dormitory and the teaching building.
When the apocalypse began, it happened to be during class break. Many people had been on their way to classrooms and turned into zombies. What should have taken a few minutes ended up taking more than half an hour.
She trusted Xi Zhou’s words. When she finally spotted the security booth near the gate, Li Ge took a deep breath and quickened her pace.
Focused entirely on guarding against the lurking zombies, she didn’t notice the booth was empty until one foot had already stepped inside.
“Roar!”
“Screech—!”
Amid the zombie growls came the sharp sound of tires skidding. A bad feeling surged in Li Ge’s chest. She grabbed the doorframe and forcefully halted her step.
Right beside the school’s east gate was a four-lane road. At that moment, a truck was surrounded by fifty or sixty zombies. Despite the deafening engine noise, it couldn’t break through.
Though the driver’s face was unclear, Li Ge recognized several people in the back—most notably Xi Zhou and Bai Sui, who had agreed to meet her at the security booth.
Standing alone inside, her emotions became complicated.
“Xi Zhou, there are too many zombies. At this rate, the truck will be destroyed!” Sun Hengrui shouted anxiously, sweating as he tried to ram the zombies blocking the way.
Clutching her hands tightly, Bai Sui bit her lip. “Brother Xi Zhou, think of something! We finally made it out…”
With Xi Zhou clearing the way earlier, they had escaped the campus and even found a medium-sized truck. Just when freedom seemed within reach, they were blocked at the gate.
Everyone in the truck looked at Xi Zhou with hope.
Standing on the front of the truck, his face darkened. His flames couldn’t leave his body, and the truck was over three meters tall.
If he wanted to clear a path, he would have to jump down. But his ability had already been used repeatedly…
“Hengrui, I’ll deal with the zombies in front. Grab the chance to drive out!”
“Got it! I’ll watch the speed—get back on as soon as the truck moves!”
Supporting himself on the windshield, Xi Zhou quickly gathered flames. Fire burst downward toward the zombies.
Charging alone into a horde for others… Li Ge didn’t know whether to call it bravery or stupidity. Their eyes met briefly, and she shook her head with a faint sigh.
She tossed aside her chipped fruit knife and pulled out a new one.
Just fifty meters—rush through in one go!
Xi Zhou didn’t understand her expression. Everyone was counting on him—he had to keep his promise.
His arm wrapped in flames, he smashed into the zombies. The fire crackled as it burned their flesh. Though his fire ability hadn’t even reached level one, he pushed it to the limit.
All creatures instinctively avoid harm. By the time Li Ge advanced twenty meters, nearly half the zombies in front of the truck had scattered.
“Li Ge, run!” Xi Zhou urged.
Without powerful abilities, Li Ge fought her way forward with just a knife. Hearing him get distracted, she grew irritated.
“You’re still spacing out? Look around!”
More zombies were pouring out of the school. The ones behind the truck were also shifting forward. Xi Zhou was being surrounded.
Worse still, the flames on his arm were fading. With his energy depleted and no weapon left, he was like a crippled rabbit in a pack of wolves.
Li Ge threw him a fruit knife—but it was knocked aside by a tall zombie. She had no chance to help again.
Just as his last bit of fire was about to vanish, Sun Hengrui saw through the rearview mirror that the path behind was clearing.
He slammed the accelerator.
“The back’s open! Xi Zhou, get on!”
The heavy truck plowed through zombies and spun around. Xi Zhou quickly grabbed onto a metal bar.
The truck reached Li Ge in an instant. The roaring engine made it clear—getting on was the only choice.
She stabbed a zombie in the temple, then sprinted and vaulted over the truck rail in one smooth motion.
Everyone stared in shock.
Once aboard, however, she collapsed from exhaustion. No one could understand how an ordinary person managed to survive a zombie horde unharmed.
Seeing her safe, Xi Zhou finally relaxed. He gripped the bar and began climbing up.
“I’ll help you!” Bai Sui rushed forward, pulling his arm. The others quickly joined in.
“Thank you,” he said weakly.
But just as one leg made it onto the truck, Bai Sui suddenly covered her mouth in horror.
“Xi Zhou… your leg…”
His pant leg had shifted, revealing a darkened ankle—two clear scratch marks.
He had been injured by a zombie.
The boys immediately let go and backed away.
Everyone knew what that meant.
A moment ago, he had been their savior. Now, he was a walking virus.
“I didn’t even notice…” Xi Zhou gave a bitter smile.
Li Ge forced herself upright. The moment she saw his wound, her heart sank.
Damn it!
Now he was barely holding on—one leg inside, most of his body still hanging out.
Zombies howled behind the truck. If he fell, he was dead.
Bai Sui stared at him in disbelief. She couldn’t accept that someone so gentle would turn into a monster.
Xi Zhou felt her nails digging into his arm. He sighed inwardly.
He was about to tell her to let go.
One monster was enough.
But before he could speak, Bai Sui said, full of guilt:
“Xi Zhou… I’m sorry. I’ll always remember you.”
Li Ge rushed forward as fast as she could—but she was too late.
His body fell.
Slap!
Li Ge struck Bai Sui across the face, drawing blood.
“Bai Sui—you’re ruthless!”
Without hesitation, Li Ge jumped off the speeding truck.
She curled her body, protecting her head to reduce the impact.
But the other person… didn’t have that chance.