Li An pedaled closely behind Rong Yuxuan, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds. His palms were drenched in sweat, making it difficult to keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
“Brother Xuan… are we really just going to ride there? It’s more than ten kilometers, and there are those man-eating monsters everywhere. Just the two of us… can we really make it?”
Without even looking back, Rong Yuxuan kept his back straight and maintained the same steady pace.
“If you’re scared, you can go back to the gym.”
“No, no, no!”
Li An waved his hands frantically and hurried to catch up, forcing an awkward grin onto his face.
“I’m not scared! Just… nervous! Brother Xuan, wherever you go, I go! With your lightning power, you’re practically cheating in the apocalypse! As long as I stick with you, there’s no way I’ll die!”
Superpowers.
The kind that only existed in novels.
As Rong Yuxuan rounded a corner, a sudden numbness surged through his fingertips, making the handlebars wobble.
He quickly steadied the bicycle, his brows knitting together as another dull throb pulsed at his temples.
His rebirth had granted him dual abilities, Lightning and Psychic, something completely different from his previous life.
Back then, his lightning ability hadn’t fully awakened until six months into the apocalypse. Once it matured, he could reduce entire hordes of zombies to charred corpses with a single strike. His psychic power could spread across a hundred-meter radius, allowing him to pinpoint every living creature nearby.
Now, although both abilities had awakened ahead of time, they were pitifully weak.
It felt… wrong.
Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he forced down the pounding headache.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
Faster.
Even faster.
He had to reach her.
He didn’t know whether she had been reborn too.
He didn’t know if she had any way to protect herself.
He didn’t know whether she was already in danger.
In his previous life, he had arrived too late.
This time, he refused to make the same mistake.
“Brother Xuan! Watch out! Something’s coming out of the alley!”
Li An shouted as he slammed on the brakes, the bicycle tires screeching against the pavement.
Rong Yuxuan’s eyes snapped upward.
He leaped off the bicycle in one smooth motion and pulled the polished steel telescopic baton from his waist.
Seven or eight zombies burst out of the alley.
Their skin had turned a sickly gray-green, their movements stiff and unnatural. Blackish-red saliva dripped from their mouths as guttural growls echoed from their throats while they charged straight at the two men.
The leading zombie had nearly half its shoulder eaten away by the acid rain, exposing gleaming white bone.
Yet it moved with terrifying speed.
It was upon them in the blink of an eye.
Li An’s knees nearly gave out beneath him.
His sharpened steel pipe, made from a dismantled bed frame, trembled violently in his hands.
Rong Yuxuan remained perfectly calm.
His right hand rose.
Blue-white lightning exploded across his palm.
Crack!
The bolt slammed directly into the lead zombie.
Electricity surged through its entire body.
The zombie stiffened instantly, convulsing violently before freezing in place.
“Now! Aim for the head!”
Rong Yuxuan shouted.
He lunged forward.
His baton sliced through the air before smashing into the zombie’s temple.
Crack!
Its skull shattered.
The corpse collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.
The remaining six zombies were already closing in, bringing with them the nauseating stench of rotting flesh.
Without retreating even a single step, Rong Yuxuan raised his hand again.
Two lightning bolts shot out simultaneously.
Both struck their targets with perfect accuracy, locking the front two zombies in place.
He weaved effortlessly around grasping claws.
His baton became a blur.
Every swing landed squarely on a zombie’s skull.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Within seconds, three more zombies collapsed onto the ground.
Watching Rong Yuxuan dispatch them so efficiently, Li An’s fear faded.
Roaring at the top of his lungs, he charged forward and swung his steel pipe at the back of one immobilized zombie’s head.
“Damn you! Die!”
His hands still shook, but his strength was undeniable.
One solid hit cracked the zombie’s skull apart.
As for the last two zombies…
Rong Yuxuan no longer wasted his precious energy on lightning.
He sidestepped their attacks and answered each one with a clean swing of his baton.
Two more heads burst open.
Silence returned.
Seven or eight zombie corpses littered the ground.
Black-red blood splattered the street in every direction.
Rong Yuxuan flicked the blood from his baton and let out a quiet breath.
Sweat beaded across his forehead.
Repeatedly using his powers while fighting hand-to-hand had drained him badly.
His entire right arm tingled from his fingertips to his shoulder.
His chest felt tight.
The pounding headache returned with renewed force.
Pressing his fingers against his brow, he didn’t even bother looking around before turning to pick up his fallen bicycle.
Neither of them noticed the pair of eyes watching everything from the second-floor window of a nearby apartment building.
Long Juanli clung to the edge of the window, her eyes wide with disbelief.
She had seen everything.
Rong Yuxuan.
He actually possessed supernatural abilities.
He could control lightning.
Her heartbeat thundered in her chest as hope suddenly reignited.
Ever since the acid rain had stopped, the outside world had become overrun with flesh-eating zombies.
She and her younger brother, Long Junlong, had been hiding inside this tiny apartment that cost only eight hundred yuan a month for an entire day.
They had only two packs of instant noodles left.
Half a bottle of mineral water.
Outside, zombie roars echoed nonstop.
They didn’t even dare open the door.
If this continued, they would either starve to death…
Or become zombie food.
But everything had changed.
Rong Yuxuan had powers.
He could kill zombies effortlessly.
As long as they could latch onto him…
They would survive.
“Sis, what are you looking at? Why are you acting so suspicious?”
Long Junlong limped over.
His face was pale, cold sweat covering his forehead as he clutched his lower abdomen.
Bitterness seeped from every word.
The man downstairs had ruined him with a single kick.
The doctor had already declared that he would never function as a normal man again.
He hated Rong Yuxuan so much he wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.
Long Juanli spun around and grabbed his arm.
“Junlong! We’re saved! That man downstairs has powers! He can kill zombies! If we stick with him, we’ll survive!”
Long Junlong’s face darkened immediately.
He violently shook off her hand.
“Are you insane? He’s the one who crippled me! And you want me to beg him? No way! If you want to go, go by yourself!”
“You idiot!”
Long Juanli slapped him across the face.
The sharp crack echoed throughout the cramped apartment.
“Do you even understand what’s happening? It’s the apocalypse! There are zombies everywhere! What’s more important, your pride or your life?”
She jabbed a finger at his nose, shouting hysterically.
“You think refusing to beg him means we’ll survive? We’ve only got half a pack of noodles left! We’re almost out of water! Stay here and we’ll starve to death. Go outside alone and the zombies will eat us! Following him is our only chance!”
Holding his burning cheek, Long Junlong’s eyes reddened with humiliation and resentment.
“But… he beat us. He ruined me. Why would he ever take us with him? He probably wants us dead.”
“Use your brain.”
Long Juanli lowered her voice, a calculating gleam flashing through her eyes.
“He only attacked us because I insulted Lin Qingtang. Didn’t you notice? He likes her. He only defended her.”
“I’m Lin Qingtang’s best friend. We’ve been inseparable since freshman year. Everyone at school knows that. If we tell him we’re going to find Qingtang, apologize for insulting her before, he’ll definitely take us with him for her sake.”
The more she spoke, the more convinced she became.
Not only would Rong Yuxuan keep her alive…
He would also lead her straight to Lin Qingtang.
That spoiled rich girl certainly had money, supplies, and the security guards her father had hired.
As long as she could cling to Lin Qingtang again…
She wouldn’t have to worry about surviving the apocalypse.
Long Junlong hesitated.
“…Will it really work?”
“It absolutely will.”
She patted his shoulder confidently.
“He cares about Lin Qingtang that much. We’re her closest friends. Even if he doesn’t care about us, he won’t let us die because of her. Come on!”
She threw open the apartment door and rushed downstairs.
Grinding his teeth, Long Junlong limped after her.
Just as Rong Yuxuan righted his bicycle, hurried footsteps echoed behind him.
“Wait! Please wait! Don’t leave!”
He turned sharply.
The instant he saw them, his expression turned icy.
Long Juanli and Long Junlong stopped several steps away.
Long Juanli forced tears into her eyes, wearing a pitiful expression.
Li An’s eyes immediately lit up.
The young woman before them had delicate features and wore a white dress.
Her soft hair framed a tear-streaked face.
Compared to the monsters outside, she looked like a rare oasis in the apocalypse.
He nudged Rong Yuxuan.
“Brother Xuan, they’re survivors. And she’s pretty. They look kind of pitiful.”
Rong Yuxuan ignored him.
His gaze, sharp as frozen blades, remained locked on the siblings.
Violent killing intent surged around him.
It was them.
In his previous life…
These two had personally shoved Qingtang into a horde of zombies.
They had watched his precious girl die a horrific death.
He wanted nothing more than to tear them apart where they stood.
But he couldn’t.
His powers were still too weak to kill them outright.
Wasting energy here would only delay him.
Qingtang was still waiting.
Long Juanli shivered beneath his terrifying stare, yet forced herself to step closer.
“I’m sorry! I’m truly sorry! We were wrong! I shouldn’t have insulted Lin Qingtang! Please forgive us! You’re a generous person, don’t hold it against us!”
She yanked hard on Long Junlong beside her.
“Apologize!”
Grinding his teeth, he reluctantly muttered,
“…Sorry.”
Listening nearby, Li An quickly pieced things together.
So they knew Lin Qingtang.
Apparently they had argued before.
He immediately smiled.
“Come on, misunderstandings happen. Brother Xuan, since they’re Miss Lin’s friends, they’re basically on our side.”
Long Juanli immediately seized the opportunity.
“Exactly! I’m Qingtang’s best friend! My name is Long Juanli, and this is my younger brother, Long Junlong! We’ve been best friends with Qingtang since our first year of college!”
Her smile became even brighter.
“We’re looking for Qingtang too. But the streets are crawling with zombies. We couldn’t make it on our own. Luckily we found you.”
“Could you please take us with you? We promise we won’t slow you down! We can help gather supplies, wash clothes, cook, anything! Please…”
She bent her knees as if ready to kneel.
Her tears flowed even harder.
Watching her, Li An’s heart softened.
“Brother Xuan… they really are pitiful. Since they’re Miss Lin’s friends, why not let them come? More people means more helping hands.”
“Shut up.”
Only two icy words left Rong Yuxuan’s mouth.
His gaze never left Long Juanli.
He knew this woman too well.
In his previous life, she had worn that same innocent expression while deceiving Qingtang for four years.
Then, when the time came…
She delivered the deadliest betrayal.
Now she wanted to use Qingtang’s name again to attach herself to him.
Wishful thinking.
“Get lost.”
His voice was calm.
But every syllable carried bone-chilling coldness.
“Follow me again, and I won’t mind feeding you to the zombies.”
Long Juanli’s smile froze.
“You… how can you say that? I’m Qingtang’s best friend! If she finds out you abandoned us, she’ll be angry!”
Mentioning Lin Qingtang only made the murderous intent in Rong Yuxuan’s eyes deepen.
At that moment, two wandering zombies rushed out of the alley, roaring as they lunged toward the group.
Long Juanli and Long Junlong screamed and instantly hid behind Rong Yuxuan, trembling uncontrollably.
Li An raised his steel pipe.
Without even turning around, Rong Yuxuan casually flicked his hand.
A blue-white bolt of lightning shot backward.
Both zombies froze where they stood.
He stepped forward.
His baton swept left.
Then right.
Two clean strikes.
Two shattered skulls.
He shook the blood from his baton before turning back toward the terrified siblings.
“If you follow me again…”
“…your fate will be the same as theirs.”
Give up?
Never.
If they lost Rong Yuxuan, they were doomed.
“Sis… what do we do? He won’t let us come.”
Long Junlong panicked.
“What are you afraid of?”
Long Juanli gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with malice.
“If he won’t let us follow him, we’ll do it secretly. Isn’t he going to find Lin Qingtang? We’ll just follow him. Once we reach her, I refuse to believe she’ll leave us to die. Then, whether he likes it or not, he’ll have to take us.”
Keeping dozens of meters behind them, the siblings quietly tailed Rong Yuxuan and Li An.
They dared not get too close for fear of being discovered.
But they also couldn’t afford to lose sight of them.
About fifteen minutes later…
They arrived at a crossroads.
Rong Yuxuan suddenly stopped his bicycle.
Then slowly turned around.
He had known all along.
The moment they started following him, his psychic ability had already detected them.
The siblings froze in place, their faces turning deathly pale.
His eyes were as cold as winter ice.
Hatred churned beneath them like a raging storm.
He hadn’t wanted to waste time on them.
But they insisted on walking straight into the line of fire.
“I warned you.”
“If you followed me again…”
“…you’d end up just like the zombies.”
He slowly raised his right hand.
Blue-white lightning crackled wildly across his palm.
Long Juanli’s soul nearly left her body.
She grabbed her brother and turned to flee.
Too late.
With a flick of his hand, a thick bolt of lightning exploded toward them.
It struck the ground at their feet.
Electricity raced across the pavement and wrapped around both of their legs.
“AAAAAH!”
Their agonized screams pierced the street.
Both siblings convulsed violently before collapsing.
Every muscle locked.
They couldn’t even move a finger.
Blinding pain shot through their legs, spreading across their entire bodies like countless needles stabbing into their flesh.
Rong Yuxuan stood motionless, his brows tightly furrowed.
The pounding headache had become unbearable.
His stamina was nearly exhausted.
He couldn’t afford another second of delay.
There was no telling how many zombies still lay between him and her.
He had to conserve what little strength remained.
After lying there twitching for quite some time, Long Juanli finally managed to recover enough to lift her head.
Looking into Rong Yuxuan’s icy eyes…
She finally understood.
This man truly wanted to kill them.
The fantasy that he would spare them because of Lin Qingtang…
Had been nothing but her own foolish delusion.
If they stayed any longer…
They would really die.
“Run! Hurry!”
Ignoring the pain wracking her body, Long Juanli scrambled to her feet and dragged Long Junlong away.
As they fled, she screamed curses over her shoulder.
“Rong Yuxuan! Just you wait!”
“Lin Qingtang, you bitch, you wait too!”
“I hope zombies tear both of you apart!”
“I hope neither of you leaves a whole corpse behind!”
Their venomous voices gradually faded into the distance before disappearing entirely.
Li An stood there, completely dumbfounded.
A chill crept down his spine.
Suppressing the splitting pain in his head, Rong Yuxuan slowly opened his eyes once more.
Only unwavering determination remained.
“Let’s go.”
He mounted his bicycle and rode off again.
Even faster than before.
Li An wisely kept his questions to himself and hurried after him.
Together they continued forward, avoiding several zombie hordes along the way.
Rong Yuxuan controlled the battlefield with his lightning ability while Li An finished off the immobilized zombies.
Despite several close calls, they traveled for more than ten hours.
The sun gradually sank below the horizon.
Orange-red light spread across the sky, casting a warm glow over the ruined city.
When they finally rode through the last street and stopped at the entrance to an upscale villa district…
Rong Yuxuan froze.
His eyes locked onto a lakeside villa deep within the neighborhood.
The windows and doors had been reinforced with steel plates and heavy wooden furniture.
Security cameras glowed with tiny red lights.
An electrified fence surrounded the walls.
The place was heavily fortified.
Yet at that very moment…
His heart pounded wildly.
Suppressing his breathing, he stretched out the last traces of his psychic power.
He clearly sensed two living presences inside.
Qingtang.
His girl…
She was in there.
At long last…
He had found her.