Thus, the journey forward became one shared by three people.
Although Ye Huizhou wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about bringing Gu Zhuoye along, he had to admit that the man was quite useful.
Whenever they encountered zombies on the road, there was no need to stop the car. Gu Zhuoye simply rolled down the window and dealt with them.
“We’re here right now.” Ye Xihe pointed at the map. “We’ll reach Huxi Town very soon.”
Gu Zhuoye’s gaze fell on her pale, slender fingertips.
“You’re going to Huxi Town?”
Ye Xihe nodded.
“The car needs fuel, and Huxi Town should be safe. We can also look for supplies there.”
Gu Zhuoye shifted his gaze to her face and asked probingly, “How do you know Huxi Town is safe?”
“I…” Ye Xihe’s expression stiffened.
She couldn’t exactly say that it was part of the original plot from a novel.
She laughed awkwardly.
“Huxi Town has a small population, so there should be fewer zombies too, right…?”
The corners of Gu Zhuoye’s lips lifted slightly before he withdrew his gaze.
“We’re only ten kilometers away now. Let’s find somewhere to rest for a while,” Ye Huizhou said as he steered with one hand while resting the other arm on the window frame.
“It’s getting dark soon. Going in at night would be dangerous. We’ll rest for the night and head in tomorrow.”
They left the highway and set up camp beside a wide, open stream.
Ye Xihe took some vegetables from the car to wash while Ye Huizhou set up a pot nearby.
Gu Zhuoye consciously gathered branches to use as firewood.
Before long, a pot of vegetable noodles was ready. Ye Huizhou served the first bowl to Ye Xihe.
“The conditions are limited, so you’ll have to make do.”
After a long day of exhaustion, Ye Xihe was genuinely hungry. Taking the bowl, she slurped a mouthful of noodles.
“Everything Big Brother cooks is delicious!”
That was actually true.
When she was younger, Ye Xihe had been a picky eater who never ate properly. To get her to eat more, Ye Huizhou had exhausted every trick he could think of and put tremendous effort into making tasty meals.
Over time, he had developed exceptional cooking skills.
Thinking of the way she used to sit at the dining table waiting eagerly for meals, Ye Huizhou’s expression softened.
…
“Brother Zhuoye, why are you going to the Central Protection Zone?”
The girl’s soft voice drifted into Gu Zhuoye’s ears, and his fingers twitched slightly.
“To find someone.”
His voice was low and deep. After speaking those two words, he fell silent again.
Ye Xihe responded with a dry, “Oh.”
Hearing the way she addressed him, Ye Huizhou frowned.
Still, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he skillfully arranged her sleeping area, hoping to make it more comfortable.
“Zhuoye, we’ll take turns standing watch tonight.”
Ye Xihe had just opened her mouth to volunteer when a single look from Ye Huizhou shut her down immediately.
“No problem.” Gu Zhuoye nodded.
Because of the gray mist, the night was pitch black despite what should have been a sky filled with moonlight and stars. Everything around them was dark and eerily silent.
Ye Huizhou lowered the campfire and sat beside Ye Xihe.
“Go to sleep. Don’t be afraid. Big Brother is watching over you.”
She had indeed felt somewhat uneasy, but hearing his voice and seeing his tall figure nearby made her feel secure.
Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Ye Huizhou watched his living, breathing Little Sister without blinking.
Nearby, Gu Zhuoye silently observed the siblings’ interaction.
Judging by Ye Huizhou’s behavior, he truly treasured his Little Sister above all else.
When the time came, would he…
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Where was this?
Ye Xihe tried to move, but a piercing pain spread through every limb and bone in her body.
She was in a vast white room surrounded by cold metal instruments.
It hurt so much…
“Big Brother…”
At that moment, a fully equipped nurse entered and pulled a tube from her body.
Ye Xihe convulsed from the agony.
The nurse raised a knife and thrust it toward her eye.
“Ahhhh!!!” Ye Xihe jolted awake.
The first thing she saw was Gu Zhuoye’s eyes.
Judging by the way he was looking at her, he had been watching her for quite some time.
“Had a nightmare?”
With reddened eyes, Ye Xihe nodded.
In the original novel, she had died after being subjected to human experimentation.
Why had she dreamed about that?
Gu Zhuoye seemed unsure how to comfort people.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a piece of candy, and handed it to her as though soothing a child.
“Something sweet might help.”
Ye Xihe accepted the candy and held it in her palm.
Gu Zhuoye raised a hand and gently patted her head.
“Don’t be afraid.”
In the faint firelight, the man’s dark eyes seemed incredibly deep. Ye Xihe could clearly see her own reflection within them.
She stared blankly for a moment before finally coming back to herself and looking around.
The darkness before dawn was at its deepest. Only the distant campfire flickered on and off.
Where was her brother?
“Someone approached. Your brother went to check it out.”
Wouldn’t it be dangerous for him to go alone?
Ye Xihe quickly sat up.
“Stay put. He’s not that weak, and there’s only one person over there.”
As Gu Zhuoye spoke, Ye Huizhou returned.
A woman was following behind him.
She looked about the same age as Ye Xihe but was quite tall, probably over one meter seventy. Her skin was a healthy wheat color, but she appeared to have gone through something terrible. Her clothes were torn, her hair was a mess, and she looked filthy and exhausted.
The moment Ye Huizhou noticed that his sister was awake, he quickly strode over. Seeing the lingering redness around her eyes, his expression darkened.
“What happened?”
“It’s okay, Big Brother. I just had a nightmare.”
Ye Xihe grabbed the corner of his clothing and immediately felt much more at ease.
Then she turned to look at the disheveled woman.
Ye Huizhou gently rubbed her head reassuringly before introducing her.
“This is Su Nian, a speed-type ability user. She’ll be traveling with us for a while.”
Ye Xihe suddenly understood.
In the original novel, Su Nian had been one of Ye Huizhou’s core teammates.
Instantly, she relaxed. Su Nian gave Ye Xihe a smile.
A speed-type ability user should be extremely fast, so how had she ended up in such a miserable state?
Apparently reading the question in Ye Xihe’s eyes, Su Nian explained,
“I’m better at stealth and reconnaissance.”
Her expression then shifted between pale and dark.
“I was sold out by my previous teammates before I got here.”
“We need to leave this place as soon as possible,” Ye Huizhou said gravely. “Su Nian and her group encountered E-rank zombies.”
At the mention of that, Su Nian’s expression became serious as well.
“There were five E-rank zombies. Based on their movement pattern, they should reach this area very soon.”
E-rank zombies were more than three times faster than F-rank zombies, and their movements were considerably more agile.
Gu Zhuoye frowned.
“Do you know which direction they’re coming from?”
“From…”
Before she could finish speaking, the bushes to their left rustled.
A long-haired zombie burst out and lunged straight at Ye Xihe.
Ye Huizhou instantly yanked Ye Xihe behind him while simultaneously kicking the zombie squarely in the chest.
Ye Xihe crashed heavily into his arms.
The zombie was sent flying and slammed into a tree with a loud bang.
Gu Zhuoye moved at the same moment.
His flames chased after the airborne zombie, engulfing both the corpse and the tree in flames that rose over three meters high.
“There are more.”
Su Nian drew the dagger she carried with her and assumed a defensive stance.
Sure enough, three or four more zombies emerged one after another.
“Gu Zhuoye! Trap them!”
One arm held Ye Xihe firmly against his chest to stop her from rushing forward. Purple lightning gathered in Ye Huizhou’s palm, crackling as it gradually formed into a lightning blade.
With a wave of his hand, Gu Zhuoye erected a wall of crimson flames around the zombies.
The purple lightning blade followed immediately after, skewering three zombies together like candied hawthorns on a stick.
Wow! Ye Xihe’s beautiful eyes widened.
Her brother’s ability had become stronger again. What incredible progress!
Roars echoed from inside the fiery barrier, accompanied by the growing smell of burning flesh.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed E-rank zombies were merely faster and more agile.
Yet Su Nian’s brows remained tightly furrowed.
When those E-rank zombies had attacked her team earlier, they had not been this weak.
Gradually, the sounds inside the flames faded away.
Crackle! Pop!
Tiny noises came from within the fire.
Gu Zhuoye’s instincts screamed that something was wrong, and he intensified the flames.
At that exact moment, a charred zombie shot out from the inferno and lunged at the nearest person.
Gu Zhuoye!