Hearing the continuous rise and fall of screams around them, Alan stopped sauntering lazily behind Mu Yining. He perked up, raising his head to scan their surroundings, and silently trailed close behind her to ensure her safety.
Navigating swiftly through the panicked crowd, Mu Yining agilely dodged the surrounding zombies. She had no desire to draw her sword in broad daylight, as that would only cause the crowd to view her as an anomaly. At this stage, people had not yet learned how to fight back; they relied solely on blind flight, unaware that running away would only buy them a few extra minutes of life.
Mu Yining simply kicked away the few zombies that got too close. To her, their current offensive threat was no worse than that of mad dogs—kicking them aside was enough, and there was no need to waste time here. She needed to seize every moment to make all her preparations before the general public realized the necessity of hoarding supplies.
However, there were always people who dragged her down.
“Quick! Follow that woman ahead! She has a way to avoid these human-eating monsters…” In the middle of the chaotic crowd, someone shouted out. Instantly, everyone’s eyes locked onto the back of Mu Yining, who was moving without a single zombie near her.
Panicked people who had been fleeing aimlessly now charged toward Mu Yining’s direction without a second thought. Those who couldn’t keep up were left behind, while everyone else shoved furiously to push forward. People who were knocked down didn’t even have time to stand before being trampled underfoot by the crowd behind them…
Hearing the commotion, Mu Yining turned her head sharply. In a single glance, she spotted the source of the voice: a man standing atop a car roof. Meeting Mu Yining’s gaze, he shuddered, a surge of cold dread washing over him from his feet to his scalp. Yet, desperate to save his own life, he bit the bullet and continued jumping from one car roof to another.
“Self-righteous fool,” she sneered softly under her breath. Increasing her speed, she strode off quickly with Alan.
“She wants to shake us off and leave us behind to be eaten by those monsters while she escapes on her own!” As terror gradually overwhelmed their reason, a casual accusation instantly united everyone’s hearts—though their unity was completely misdirected.
“Shameless! Stop right there, don’t run!”
“Bitch, it’s one thing to stand by and watch us die, but you actually want to harm us! We aren’t pushovers…”
…
“Waaah… sob… Mommy, Daddy, where are you? Xiaoyao is scared…” A child’s cry drifted out from a vehicle parked on the roadside. Those who were spouting high-minded moral accusations ignored it completely upon hearing and seeing it, caring only about their own escape.
Hearing the child’s voice, Mu Yining couldn’t help but frown. Other people’s affairs were none of her concern, but hearing the heartbreaking cries of that tender voice—and seeing that the car window had been smashed open while zombies were already being drawn over—she didn’t overthink it. She drew the Azure Spirit Sword and hurled it across. The heads of the front two zombies were sliced off cleanly, flying in a parabolic arc before their bodies collapsed by the car wheels.
As Mu Yining stepped forward quickly, before she even had time to retrieve the Azure Spirit Sword, a small head poked out from the car window. His eyes shimmered with tears like black obsidian, his face covered in tears as he pouted. Still strapped into a child safety seat, he kicked his small legs forcefully and looked at Mu Yining with effort. “Sister, your magic sword is so cool! It even glows! Just like the toy Daddy bought me. Do you like playing with it too, Sister?”
*Weren’t you crying pitifully just a second ago?* Letting a child witness such a cruel and bloody scene was a matter of necessity; in the apocalypse, everyone would have to face it sooner or later. Yet right now, he only noticed the glowing sword? Mu Yining froze for a second before returning to normal. Picking up the Azure Spirit Sword, she looked inside the car at the child.
She had no idea where the parents had gone, leaving the child behind in the car without realizing that the seatbelt would cost him his life right now. Opening the car door, just as she was about to unbuckle him, the crowd behind caught up and tried to block her way.
“Hmph! You’re even using a child—are you even human?”
“Since you have a way to escape, you should be helping us run together! We called out to you and you didn’t even turn around. Look at how many people died and turned into monsters because of you! For such a young girl, to have a heart this black… the world really has changed.”
“What does your life or death have to do with me?” Mu Yining had no interest in humoring them; she merely uttered a single sentence with controlled patience, unbuckled the seatbelt, picked up the child from the car, and turned to leave.