Jiang Mo hesitated about whether to share what she had heard on the radio. Something about it felt off. Even Yan Ting thought the green mist outside was suspicious—so why would the authorities encourage residents to go out?
Seeing that she seemed to have more to say, Yan Ting didn’t leave after taking the cooling patch. She quietly waited.
But after a moment of silence, Jiang Mo simply moved to close the door. “Be careful when you go back.”
“Oh… okay.”
Jiang Mo shut the door.
Yan Ting lingered outside for a moment before walking away, puzzled.
What was she about to say?
What couldn’t be said?
“Yan Ting-jie, where did you get that cooling patch?”
A woman in a pale pink dress approached. Her makeup was delicate—defined brows and bright lipstick. She stared at the patch in Yan Ting’s hand and smiled. “My boyfriend has a fever too. Do you have any more?”
Yan Ting’s expression turned cold. She avoided the woman’s touch without emotion. “No. If you need one, try the rooms downstairs.”
With that, she walked off.
The moment she passed, the woman’s smile vanished. Her triangular eyes filled with venomous hostility as she stared toward the door ahead, gripping her room card tightly.
Just wait. Sooner or later, you’ll pay for what you’ve done.
After returning inside, Jiang Mo immediately found things to block the ventilation openings. Yan Ting’s words had reminded her—what if the radio broadcast was fake? That thought sent a chill down her spine.
She remembered the message she had received:
Don’t trust anyone easily.
Wait for him.
Who was “him”?
Her boyfriend?
Jiang Mo lost her appetite for dinner. She lay under the covers and soon fell into a deep sleep.
In the middle of the night, she heard a broadcast outside.
“All residents, please proceed immediately to the Third Military District Hospital. The army will station personnel at various intersections to assist. Please move quickly. The green mist is harmless. There is no need to worry.”
Jiang Mo stirred groggily, listening for a moment—then suddenly sat up.
The green mist is harmless?
Even ordinary smog contains particles harmful to the human body—how could this be harmless?
Was she just being overly suspicious?
Only a dim night light was on in the room. Pale moonlight streamed in, casting everything in a mysterious glow. Jiang Mo dragged her blanket with her and crawled to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down.
The green mist had grown so thick that the ground was no longer visible. Faint shadows shifted within it.
She rubbed her eyes and widened them.
In the haze, she could make out figures moving stiffly and mechanically—clearly zombies. They seemed to be gathered together, circling in one direction.
Jiang Mo stared intently. From the height of the 16th floor, it was hard to see clearly. After a while, drowsiness crept in, and her energy faded. Slowly, her head leaned against the glass.
“Hey, little girl.”
Bai Wuchang flicked a pillow with his mourning staff, knocking it against her head by the window. “We made a mistake on our end. You’re not dead yet.”
Anyone who encountered the underworld would have their lifespan shortened. They had come to apologize and offer compensation.
Jiang Mo’s forehead hit the glass with a thud, instantly reddening. With teary eyes, she turned back weakly. “I wasn’t dead to begin with…”
Hei Wuchang sneered. “If we hadn’t come, you would be.”
The thick mist outside was no good for humans.
Jiang Mo rubbed her head, her voice trembling. “Then… why are you here?” Frightened, she burrowed into her blanket, leaving only a pair of bright eyes visible.
Bai Wuchang found her rather cute—just timid.
Last time they met, her legs had been shaking nonstop.
He was clearly quite handsome—it must be Hei Wuchang who looked too fierce.
“We’re here to compensate you. But listen—when you get to the underworld someday, don’t file a complaint against us.”
Jiang Mo nodded blankly, only hoping they’d leave soon. “Okay.”
Hei Wuchang spoke coldly, “What do you want?”
A cheat ability?
Jiang Mo blurted out, “A storage space.”
A must-have in apocalypse novels.
“No.”
“Then… powers?”
“No.”
“Food?”
“No.”
Jiang Mo really wanted to curse them out, but didn’t dare. She clutched her blanket and asked cautiously, “Then what can you give me?”
Hei Wuchang replied expressionlessly, “When you’re about to die, we’ll keep you alive with a single breath—for three days.”
Jiang Mo: …
She could’ve done without that.
Bai Wuchang raised his hand. A white ring floated from his palm, slowly drifting above Jiang Mo’s head before sinking into her body.
“Remember—don’t file a complaint.”
Hei Wuchang added with a threat, “If you do, your next life is doomed.”
Jiang Mo trembled, biting her lip, eyes brimming with tears as she nodded.
After the two spirits left, Jiang Mo buried herself in the blanket and cried softly.
As if being alone and helpless wasn’t enough—now she was even being wronged by ghosts.
Sob…
She wanted her parents.
Her boyfriend.
Jiang Mo took out her phone—still no signal. It had been three days since she lost contact. She didn’t know how her parents or brother were doing… or her boyfriend.
They had planned to get married by the end of the year. Now that chance was gone.
She thought of the stern-faced man—he was probably regretting not marrying her sooner. And she regretted it too.
They’d already slept together, yet weren’t even in the same household registry.
Jiang Mo continued watching the situation below. By now, the green mist had risen to the third floor, completely obscuring the streets.
After watching a while, she was about to look away when she suddenly saw a figure reflected in the glass window opposite.
The person wasn’t using any rope—just clinging to the wall.
She saw the stick lodged in its abdomen.
A zombie—it could climb walls!
And not just one—a whole group!
This had only just begun, and already the zombies had developed such terrifying abilities?
Jiang Mo’s pupils shrank sharply. She looked toward her own wall—and sure enough, there were faint rustling sounds.
What should she do?
Warn the others?
Or hide herself?
After a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Mo bolted out the door and knocked on the neighboring room. “Zombies are coming—wake up!”
Zombies?
Half-asleep, Jiang Zhe leapt out of bed, clutching his blanket and craning his neck cautiously.
Where?
After looking around for a while, he finally heard the noise outside. Being woken up in the middle of the night made him furious. He yanked the door open. “Why are you making such a fuss? Where are the zombies?”
Jiang Mo froze at his harsh tone. Her eyes reddened instantly as she sniffled, pointing toward the window. “They can climb walls… they’re coming up.”
Seeing her tearful eyes, Jiang Zhe realized he’d been too harsh. But he couldn’t bring himself to apologize and awkwardly turned away. “What’s there to cry about…”
He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, still wrapped in his blanket, and looked down.
His eyes widened instantly.
Th-this…
Oh my god.
It’s like the world doesn’t want humans anymore.
Row upon row—densely packed wall-climbing zombies. It was horrifying.
Jiang Mo hadn’t been loud, but her knocking had woken others. One of them—the girl who had mocked her earlier—spoke up.
“Jiang Mo, stop freaking out over some nightmare. There are so many people here—do we really need you to warn us? Zombies? I don’t see any zombies.”