"They're already long gone, and you're still looking." Lu Yao walked over and handed Yu Yao a bottle of water. "Tsk, I told you to smile more. That girl's first impression of you isn't good at all."
Yu Yao didn't say anything. He took the bottle, twisted off the cap, and gulped down a couple mouthfuls of water.
Cheng Zainan grinned and slung an arm over his shoulder. "But I think this wall can be dug through. That guy's no good—nothing compared to our captain."
Another teammate draped his arm over Yu Yao's other shoulder, watching the slender figure in the crowd.
He Fangchen said, "Captain, if this were before the apocalypse, you'd be the other man—people would be pointing their fingers at you."
But after the apocalypse, there were plenty of people who violated their principles to cling to others for survival and power, or kicked out their original partner to find another way out.
It was just that Yu Yao's situation was a bit special. He Fangchen glanced at him, sized him up and down, and delivered a sharp assessment—
Yu Yao wasn't doing it for survival. He was simply a bad dog who took a fancy to someone at first sight.
But if it really was just about looks, the people who had tried to cozy up to Yu Yao in the past included plenty who were prettier than Yun Ying, and he hadn't given them a single glance.
"Get lost."
Yu Yao shrugged off the two chatterboxes and withdrew his gaze from Yun Ying's retreating figure.
The base's mission this time was to find anti-inflammatory medicine. The small zombie horde in the factory area had already been mostly cleared out by Yu Yao and his team. The scattered zombies could be handled by the Ability Users.
Yun Ying followed behind, having completely lost the heart to go scrambling for supplies. She walked around the zombie corpses strewn across the ground, heading inside, but her steps were slow and her mind was elsewhere.
She didn't know what kind of ill fate bound her to Yu Yao, or why this guy had taken a fancy to her again. She was much uglier now than before—thin and scrawny, with her face smeared so dark. His taste was truly bizarre. How could he possibly be interested in this?
Yu Yao was too stubborn. He'd been a favored child of heaven since childhood—there was nothing he couldn't get. And now he seemed to be a High-tier Ability User. If he really set his mind to it…
"A-Ying." Song Huai's sudden words interrupted Yun Ying's increasingly tangled thoughts.
"Hm?" Yun Ying looked up, the panic and unease in her eyes still not faded.
Song Huai pressed his lips together. She was scared, as he'd thought. Was she worried he would abandon her again?
"I'm sorry. Back there, I… I had no way." Song Huai apologized in a low voice. "But don't worry. I won't leave you behind again. Don't be afraid."
Yun Ying realized what he was talking about and shook her head. "I don't blame you, senior. Don't overthink it."
But Song Huai felt that Yun Ying was worried he was angry. She'd been distracted the whole way, looking panicked and lost. The zombie horde earlier must have frightened her, and he'd abandoned her again.
The only person Yun Ying could rely on at the base was him. Song Huai conjured a comforting smile and reached out to grasp her wrist.
"A-Ying, I really won't leave you behind."
The moment before his hand touched her wrist, Yun Ying caught it in her peripheral vision and instinctively quickened her pace two steps to dodge away.
Song Huai's outstretched hand stopped in midair.
Yun Ying realized it was inappropriate and smiled awkwardly. "I… we should hurry and grab some supplies to bring back, otherwise this trip will only earn us basic points."
She turned and hurried off.
Song Huai watched her retreating figure, a dark shadow sliding across his eyes.
Half a year ago, after the apocalypse broke out, communications, electricity, and security rapidly collapsed. Afterward, various major cities established safe bases.
The base Yun Ying joined was considered a relatively large one. Before the apocalypse, there had been quite a few power and pharmaceutical factories in the area.
The zombies in town had disappeared—they had actually gathered in this one spot. Who knew if there were still zombie hordes in these factory zones? So right after they finished moving the anti-inflammatory medicine, the captain directing the operation immediately prepared to head back, not daring to linger a moment longer.
By the time Yun Ying carried out a small box of anti-inflammatory medicine, Yu Yao and the others were no longer there.
That came as a relief—though it didn't last long, because she spotted them at the factory entrance.
Three people stood in front of the heavy truck converted into an RV—two men and one woman.
One had a roguish air about him and looked barely over twenty. He was the one who had helped her and Song Huai out of their earlier jam. Cheng Zainan raised an eyebrow and bit into the bread in his hand.
The cool older sister dressed all in black nodded at her.
And Yu Yao stood by the truck, wiping down a gun. As if sensing her gaze, he lifted his eyelids slightly and looked over.
Yun Ying immediately turned her head—she walked too fast and nearly tripped over her own feet, almost doing a face-plant on flat ground.
Seeing her stumble, Cheng Zainan and Lu Yao couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Cheng Zainan joked to Lu Yao, "She's like a penguin."
Yu Yao stared at the anti-inflammatory medicine in Yun Ying's hands.
She was so thin, yet she had to brave zombie hordes and take on missions just for a few points—all for this one box of anti-inflammatory medicine. If she were in his team, Yun Ying wouldn't need to do this kind of physical labor. He alone was enough to support her.
And he could take care of her even more carefully.
Yun Ying had already walked up to the truck. Song Huai took the anti-inflammatory medicine from her hands, and someone registered the supplies she had turned in.
The truck was too tall—without a ladder, Yun Ying couldn't climb up. But if they set up a ladder and a zombie horde suddenly appeared, the truck couldn't leave easily, and the ladder would be slow to retract.
Song Huai grabbed her arm through his sleeve and pulled her up.
Yu Yao's face darkened again.
Cheng Zainan finished chewing his bread, took one look, and grinned. He opened the door and climbed in.
Lu Yao got in too and teased, "Looks like this wall is a bit hard to poach from."
Yu Yao closed the rear compartment of the heavy RV, opened the door, and got in. He said to the person driving up front, "Go."
"Got it." The girl driving had her hair in a bun and a baby face, but a scar about the length of a little finger on her left forehead made her look less approachable—it added a touch of wildness instead.
The heavy truck RV passed by the base's two small trucks, and a crowd of people clung to the doors watching.
"So strong—just a few people took out an entire small zombie horde."
"That's gotta be at least Rank Four, right?"
"How could it only be Rank Four? That young boy seems to be a Wood Element user—those vines were so thick, I'd estimate he's at Rank Five strength. The leader is probably a Fire Element Ability User. To be a captain… he's probably even stronger."
"That captain is so handsome."
"The apocalypse is here and you're still worried about that?"
"Even in the apocalypse, it doesn't hurt to look. He really is handsome—that build, that face, tsk."
The return trip was one of their rare moments of relaxation. All they had to do was sit in the truck—no more getting out.
After completing the mission, they each received a piece of bread. Yun Ying sat in the corner nibbling on hers, feeling the truck sway as it started moving, listening to the others discuss Yu Yao's team.
The strong thrive wherever they go. Yu Yao had been doing well before the apocalypse, and he was still doing well after it.
Yun Ying didn't want to hear them praise Yu Yao. After all, that man in human clothing was a terrible person to her.
Song Huai sat beside her, listening to the group's discussion, and also recalled that leader. He was strong—must have killed many zombies, so much so that he carried an especially thick killing intent that made Song Huai reluctant to deal with him. And…
Song Huai turned his head to look at Yun Ying beside him. She was lowering her head, nibbling at her bread in small bites. From this angle, her lashes were thick and long, her nose delicate and small, and even the deliberately dirtied face couldn't hide her original beauty.
Song Huai's throat bobbed slightly.
How could someone like her not be coveted? Yu Yao might have truly taken a liking to her.
Yun Ying had things weighing on her mind, so she ate slowly. Before she could finish her bread, the truck suddenly jolted. She was thrown off balance, her head nearly slamming into the wall of the vehicle.
A chorus of startled cries rose in the compartment as people toppled over. Yun Ying steadied herself against the wall just in time.
"What's going on?" the Ability User stationed in the compartment called out.
The driver up front replied, "Looks like a tire got punctured. I'll go down and check."
The heavy RV truck had already driven some distance ahead. Yu Yao saw in the rearview mirror that the truck behind had stopped, and he frowned.
"Stop first."
The RV braked sharply. Yu Yao opened the door and got out, his work pants hugging his long, straight legs as he walked toward the small truck behind.
"What's wrong?"
The Ability User who came down from the truck scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Might be that the tires haven't been inspected in a while. Looks like a blowout."
The people in the truck panicked at the news. This was outside the base—zombies could appear at any moment, and the tire had to fail at a time like this.
"Let me look." Yu Yao crouched on one knee, tilting his head to inspect, squeezing the bulging tire.
The next moment, he suddenly stood up and said, "Everyone get off. Get on the other truck!"
The people in the truck were baffled. "What?"
"There's a zombie horde nearby. Get on the other truck. Move now!"
Yu Yao had already vaulted back onto the truck, heading straight for Yun Ying, who was curled up in the corner. She was holding a half-eaten piece of bread when Yu Yao reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and yanked her out. The bread rolled to the ground.
"Aying!"
Song Huai snapped to his senses and reached out to snatch her back, but he didn't even brush the edge of her clothes.
Yu Yao carried her as he jumped off the truck, raising his voice. "What are you standing around for? Drive!"
The stunned Ability User and the people in the truck snapped out of it. Screams erupted as everyone scrambled off and desperately shoved their way toward the other truck.
Suddenly, fierce howls rang out from the tall buildings on both sides of the street. A surging tide of zombies burst through the glass doors.
Yun Ying was slung upside down over Yu Yao's shoulder, her stomach and waist pressed against his hard, rigid shoulder. There wasn't a single soft spot on him—he was all solid muscle.
She was jostled so hard her head felt like it was turning to mush. Struggling to lift her head, she caught a glimpse in her peripheral vision of a zombie horde like a swarm of ants. Yun Ying had never seen so many zombies in her entire life. Her vision went dark and she nearly passed out, then lay limp on Yu Yao's shoulder like she was playing dead, no longer minding how uncomfortable it was.
Flames surged in all directions, a blazing wall of fire blocking the first wave of charging zombies and buying time for the terrified survivors. Song Huai had also been shoved off the truck and was running toward the other one.
But one truck couldn't hold that many people. The survivors from the first pickup truck saw zombies pouring out of the first-floor lobbies of the buildings on both sides of the street, or leaping down from the upper floors, and their hearts nearly stopped from sheer terror.
"Go, hurry, drive!"
"This is a Zombie Tide, a Zombie Tide!"
A Zombie Tide was several times larger than a Zombie Horde. No wonder the zombies from the entire town had seemed to vanish into thin air—the Zombie Horde at the factory had only been a fifth of them. The rest of the zombies had all been hiding in the buildings as if in hibernation.
He Fangchen swapped places with the girl in the driver's seat. He took the wheel, while the baby-faced girl jumped to the back, a lollipop stick dangling from her mouth, hoisting a machine gun one-handed and strafing the zombies charging out of the wall of fire.
Yun Ying was shoved into the car by Yu Yao. Her back slammed against the somewhat hard leather seat. Amid the crackling gunfire by her ear, Yu Yao climbed in and shut the car door, saying coldly, "Drive!"
This was a Zombie Tide—tens of thousands of zombies. Being surrounded meant only death.
To reduce weight and store more supplies, the RV had no extra space at all. Yun Ying was pressed against Yu Yao, almost held in his lap. Ignoring the rogue, she turned to look out the rear window and met several pale faces slamming against the glass.
Their flesh was mangled and rotting, their pupils grayish-white as if covered by a white film. The moment they hit the window, it was instantly stained with black blood.
Yun Ying let out a frightened yelp. Yu Yao raised a hand to cover her eyes, pulling her into his arms, and used his supernatural ability to burn back the zombies that came close.
The RV charged forward. Cheng Zainan manipulated vines to protect the convoy, cursing, "Are you pulling a millstone? Floor the gas pedal!"
A horde of zombies poured out from the intersection ahead to the left. He Fangchen yanked the steering wheel right, not forgetting to retort, "If you're so good, you drive. Damn it, where did all these zombies come from? Didn't the base ever send anyone to clear them out?"
Lu Yao was a Lightning Ability User. While unleashing her ability, she said, "A Zombie Tide has already formed. If we don't deal with it now, the base will be flooded."
Yu Yao picked up a gun, opened the window on Yun Ying's side, and channeled his ability into the muzzle. The bullets flew out wrapped in blazing flames, exploding among the zombie horde like fireballs.
The heavy-duty RV led the way, tearing out of the zombie horde at lightning speed, crushing countless zombies, flesh and blood flying everywhere.
Yun Ying looked back in panic. The base's truck was following closely behind the heavy-duty RV. Many people were clinging to its body, not daring to let go even as the truck dragged them along. The zombie horde chased behind, and zombies also leaped down from buildings on both sides, pouncing as if under command.
But surely many hadn't made it onto the vehicles in time.
"We can't save them. Our car can't take anyone else either—Lu Yao and the others need space to fight." Sensing her emotions, Yu Yao replied coldly while firing.
Yun Ying knew. This RV was custom-built, fitting only the few of them. Every usable space was packed with supplies. Letting her on board was already an exception.
In the apocalypse, the worst taboo was soft-heartedness. If Yu Yao had delayed just now to save a few people, this RV wouldn't have been able to leave.
Survivors had even climbed onto the roof of the base's truck. Song Huai was up there. Because the truck swerved left and right to dodge the zombie horde, he could only grip the railing desperately, kicking away the zombies that lunged at him. A second-tier Water Element Ability User had almost no combat power at all. He flailed about in near terror.
The heavy-duty RV ahead was clearing the path. Those few Ability Users were truly formidable. Song Huai's ears were filled with the screams of survivors and the muffled roars of zombies. Amid his panic, he inadvertently glanced over and caught sight of the delicate, pale face in the back seat of the RV ahead.
So many people were desperately fleeing from the zombies in terror, yet she was wedged among a few Ability Users. That RV containing several High-tier Ability Users now seemed like the safest place.
Yun Ying met his gaze, caught off guard.
Yu Yao reloaded, his face expressionless as he fired. His supernatural ability wrapped around the bullets, making them even more powerful—he was a walking cannon, each shot blasting a gap in the Zombie Horde.
"If you were in that car just now, do you think your boyfriend would have pulled you up?"
Yun Ying knew Yu Yao was talking to her.
She was squeezed onto the same seat as Yu Yao, practically sitting on half his lap. Afraid she'd be thrown out, Yu Yao had one arm wrapped around her from her shoulder. With the recoil of each shot, the vibration sent a numbing sensation through Yun Ying as well.
Song Huai probably wouldn't have. Yun Ying was so frail and thin—it would have been hard for her to squeeze onto that truck among so many people.
Yun Ying understood the implication in his words. She didn't really want to answer him, and frowned as she tried to climb off his lap. The recoil from his shooting had numbed half her arm.
"You—let go first."
"Sure."
Yu Yao didn't argue with her. He even released his grip very decisively. Before Yun Ying could marvel at how he'd gone from being a dog to acting like a human today, a Zombie Horde came charging from the front left. The RV swerved hard to the right, and the violent inertia flung half of Yun Ying's body out the window.
She saw several zombie faces and screamed in terror.
Yu Yao hooked his arm around her waist and yanked her back. Yun Ying sat on his lap, her face pale with fright.
Cheng Zainan saw this and shook his head secretly. Even when Yu Yao pursued a girl, he had the manner of a bad dog.
Yu Yao's arm circled Yun Ying, holding her in his embrace as he fired, quickly finishing off those few zombies. Her soft hair brushed against his cheek, carrying an extremely faint scent of jasmine.
"Little girl, if you want to survive in the apocalypse, you should know how to choose."