Chapter 45

Chapter 45

001.

Feng Yimo raised his long blade high, its edge shimmering with a faint cold light. The blade was not even half the length of the Corpse King's thick arm, yet it still managed to terrify the creature on the ground. As Feng Yimo swung the blade, the Corpse King rolled hastily to the side, abandoning any semblance of dignity in his haste to escape. He rolled all the way to the other end of the street and slammed into a wall.

Feng Yimo's strike missed its target.

"Aaah!" A shrill scream, filled with rage, echoed through the city as the Corpse King's fury reached its peak. All the glass in the surrounding buildings shattered.

He harnessed his immense regenerative powers as a Corpse King, and his severed feet began to regenerate new flesh and bone at an alarming rate.

He would grow new legs, and he would kill Feng Yimo!

Feng Yimo frowned. "Don't move around."

It made for a difficult cut.

The monster, with a head the size of a baby, sat up from the ground, his eyes blood-red as he glared at Feng Yimo. He wanted to kill him!

He took a deep breath, preparing to scream again. His voice was piercingly sharp, capable of shattering concrete and steel if close enough.

Feng Yimo's slender frame would surely be destroyed instantly.

As he opened his mouth to scream, his head suddenly tilted to the side.

Not until his head hit the ground and rolled away did he realize that his emaciated body remained sitting upright. He had been decapitated by Feng Yimo.

His pupils constricted in shock and disbelief as he looked at Feng Yimo.

A Corpse King's skin was impervious to bullets, and the skin on his neck was connected to his spine, harder than steel. How could a mere human...

But Feng Yimo ignored him completely, frowning as he surveyed his surroundings.

Ji Yanqing was gone.

Despite searching in every direction, Feng Yimo couldn't find him. He fell into deep thought, his eyes vacant. Had he lost Ji Yanqing again?

Feng Yimo hurried down the alleyway, intent on finding Ji Yanqing.

Watching Feng Yimo's retreating back, the light in the giant head's eyes gradually faded, and the last vestiges of defiance within him dissipated.

"Thud." The emaciated body, still seated, collapsed to the ground.

Feeling the tremor from the impact, Black Dragon and his group, hiding nearby, whimpered.

Many people, their faces streaked with tears and despair, frantically looked around, terrified of seeing the Corpse King's massive head.

"Run, let's get to the outskirts of the city."

The group of nearly a hundred people moved quickly, heading towards the city's edge.

Those who were slower to react were startled when they saw how far ahead the others had already run. They scrambled to catch up, tumbling and crawling.

Everyone tried to remain silent, but the overwhelming fear still caused occasional sobs to break out.

"There's a zombie!"

Someone shouted, causing a wave of panic.

Everyone turned to look in the direction of the sound. It was just a regular zombie.

"Hit it in the head!" One person stepped forward, using his backpack to block the zombie.

But before he could finish speaking, no help came.

He looked back, his face pale. Everyone else had taken advantage of his distraction to run ahead, leaving him behind.

Realizing this, his face turned ashen. Fear and boundless anger filled his eyes. How could they do this?

He was about to throw away his backpack and run, not wanting to die.

Just as he was about to release the backpack, it was too late. The zombie had grabbed the backpack and lunged at him from the side.

"Ugh..."

Seeing the pale, rotting face approaching, the man closed his eyes instinctively.

"Clang!"

"Don't stop, keep running!"

The expected pain and death never came. He opened his eyes.

A man in his early twenties was yelling at him. He held a long wooden board, which he had apparently picked up somewhere, and had smashed the zombie's head.

The zombie wasn't dead yet; its limbs were still twitching.

The man scrambled to his feet, trembling violently, and ran off.

As he ran, he glanced back. The man with the wooden board had gone to help others. In the brief moment since he had saved him, two more ordinary zombies had appeared.

Two other people were helping the man with the wooden board. They all carried backpacks, but they weren't part of Lu Qing's group. The members of Black Dragon didn't have backpacks. Those few people were from Ji Yanqing's team...

"Roar!" A massive beast, resembling a dog with mottled skin and disheveled fur, suddenly appeared amidst the fleeing crowd.

It was the same Corpse King that had been outside the city earlier; it emerged from a side alley.

"Corpse King!"

"It's the Corpse King!"

"Run!"

"Ahh..."

The already panicked crowd became even more chaotic. Everyone focused solely on their survival, running for their lives with gritted teeth.

"Roar!" Upon encountering humans, the Corpse King’s large eyes flashed with red light.

It lunged directly at a group of people nearby, biting four of them in one mouthful.

As screams filled the air, it savored the thrill of the hunt and the atmosphere of terror.

"Ahh!"

"Get out of the way! Don’t block the path!"

"Run faster!"

"Don’t pull me, just run..."

Under the extreme fear, the screams and cries intensified.

Everyone’s hearts pounded fiercely within their chests, each beat causing pain.

Their lungs felt as if they were rotting, every breath a torment.

Yet, no one dared to stop. They ran frantically, their legs moving as fast as they could towards safety.

They didn’t want to die!

They didn’t know how long they had been running through the buildings until their burst of energy was depleted and their limbs turned weak.

Hiding behind the structures, the group looked back but saw no sign of the Corpse King. Instead of relief, they heard only the sounds of despair.

In just a moment, nearly twenty of their companions had vanished, all killed by the Corpse King.

"Ji'an and Ji Le are gone..." someone muttered.

Among the sobbing and panting group, nearly ten people paused. Ignoring their aching hearts and throats, they quickly searched the crowd.

After a thorough search, they confirmed the absence of the two youngsters, causing panic among Ji Yanqing’s team.

When did Ji'an and Ji Le disappear?

Ji'an and Ji Le had always been well-behaved, following Ji Yanqing closely without causing any worry. In the chaos, everyone had forgotten about them.

"I’ll go look for them." said one person from the team.

As soon as he spoke, five or six others stepped forward to join him.

Ji Yanqing had entrusted Ji'an and Ji Le to their care. If they lost the boys, even if they managed to escape safely, how would they explain it to Ji Yanqing? Admitting that they had abandoned the boys in a moment of danger was unacceptable.

They couldn’t bear the shame.

Upon hearing that some were planning to return, the members of Black Dragon and Lu Qing’s group looked over, their expressions filled with surprise and complexity. It was as if they were watching a group of lunatics.

"We’ll wait by the vehicles," said another member of Ji Yanqing’s team.

As he spoke, he glanced around at the members of Black Dragon and Lu Qing’s group.

If they managed to escape but found the vehicles missing, all their efforts would be in vain.

The five nodded, exchanging pale glances that reflected their intense fear. Then, they turned and sprinted back toward where the Corpse King had been.

On the previous street.

In the snow-covered ground marked with countless footprints, Ji Le, wearing an oversized coat that made him appear smaller, stared intently at the massive beast before him with his golden eyes.

Don’t come closer!

The Corpse King, still with blood at the corner of its mouth, froze as if paused in time.

"Huff..." Ji Le felt a sudden dizziness, and his consciousness blurred momentarily.

The control faltered, and the Corpse King’s eyes instantly regained their bloody glow.

Looking around the street again, it noticed that only two small children remained. It paused for a moment.

Then, it focused its attention on the two tiny infants before it.

"Roar!"

The Corpse King took a step forward, its massive body exuding a tangible sense of despair.

"Don’t come closer!" Ji Le looked at it again, his eyes flickering with golden light, while his head throbbed with intense pain.

This time, the beast wasn’t completely under his control.

It bared its teeth against the control, moving slowly but steadily forward, intent on devouring Ji Le first.

Ji Le's small face gradually lost its color, and his head began to throb intensely as he gradually lost control of the beast.

Ji'an took two steps forward, rushing towards the debris by the roadside. He picked up a stone the size of a fist and hurled it at the Corpse King's head. "Get away!"

Ji'an knew that his strength was negligible, but he still exerted all his might.

The stone, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle, struck the beast's head with a heavy impact.

The stone, smaller than half an adult's head, fell with the weight of a thousand pounds. It slammed into the beast's head with a clang, causing it to collide with the side of a building, which cracked under the force.

"Aaah..." The blow left the Corpse King dazed.

Seeing that his attack had been effective, Ji'an hastily picked up several more stones from the ground. Clenching his teeth, he swung his arm and threw them with all his might at the Corpse King.

"Roar!" The beastly Corpse King lunged at Ji'an.

"Stop!" commanded Ji Le.

The massive body halted immediately.

Ji'an swiftly threw the last stone in his hand.

"Bang! Bang!"

Sounds of dull impacts, heavier than bullets but with greater force, echoed continuously.

In a moment, the Corpse King was driven back, far away, with several new wounds on its body.

Ji'an threw the last stone at the beast's head, knocking it down. Then, he rushed forward, grabbed Ji Le, and turned to run.

Ji Le directly controlled the Corpse King. He had exceeded his limits and was now bleeding from the nose.

Ji'an ran as fast as he could, pulling Ji Le along for a considerable distance until they were completely out of sight of the beastly Corpse King.

Ji'an pulled Ji Le into a car that had been flipped over and thrown into a nearby shop.

They had barely hidden when an angry roar sounded nearby.

The Corpse King had risen from the ground and was pursuing them.

Ji'an clasped Ji Le's hand beside him.

The Corpse King did not linger, running straight past them towards the distance.

"Big brother..." Ji Le's voice, trembling with fear, rang out.

Ji'an looked over.

Ji Le was bleeding from the nose, his eyes filled with terror and unease. He was terrified. "I..."

When they were suddenly attacked, he had merely looked at the Corpse King, hoping it wouldn't come closer. Yet, the beastly Corpse King had abruptly stopped, frozen in place.

What was happening to him?

002.

"Don't be afraid." Ji'an tightened his grip on Ji Le's hand, but despite his words, his soft voice betrayed his own unease.

He didn't know what was happening either.

"Big brother..." Ji Le was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed with fear.

"We might become zombies..." Ji'an couldn't help but recount the events leading up to this, including why they couldn't eat and what he had given Ji Le to consume earlier.

After hearing Ji'an's explanation, Ji Le's clear, watery eyes widened in disbelief. His expression was one of astonishment.

After a moment, his lips quivered, and tears welled up.

"You're lying to me..." Ji Le refused to believe it.

If it were true, he would surely be hated by Ji Yanqing. Ji Yanqing would no longer want him and might even kill him...

"No."

"You're lying! You're lying..." Ji Le refused to accept it. He was scared; he didn't want to be hated by Ji Yanqing, nor did he want to be abandoned or killed by him.

"You're a liar. I don't like you anymore!" Ji Le shook off Ji'an's hand and pushed him away.

They were crouching behind the car, close together. When Ji Le suddenly pushed Ji'an, it caused him to fall onto his buttocks.

Ji'an hadn't expected to be pushed and was momentarily stunned.

Ji Le hadn't intended to knock Ji'an down, and instinctively reached out to help him, but then withdrew his hand.

Ji'an was a liar. Ji'an had lied. What Ji'an said wasn't right!

"I'm not lying to you..." Sitting on the ground after being pushed, Ji'an felt the pain in his buttocks and began to feel wronged. It wasn't his choice to become like this, nor did he want to be hated by Ji Yanqing.

"Waa..." Ji Le, with red-rimmed eyes, gazed tearfully at Ji'an.

He didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't hold back his tears. He started crying.

He was about to become a little zombie, about to be hated by Ji Yanqing, about to be discarded by him, and he might even be killed by him...

"Daddy..."

"Waaa..."

The few people who had returned to look for them heard Ji Le's heart-wrenching cries from a distance as they entered the street.

Hearing the voice and knowing where Ji'an and Ji Le were, everyone heaved a sigh of relief but also felt a twinge of guilt. It was their fault. Despite how mature and sensible Ji'an and Ji Le seemed, they were still just young children. They should have kept a closer eye on them. Following the cries, the group rushed into the store. Without waiting for the two children to react, they quickly scooped them up and ran back. "Don't cry, don't cry..." The person holding Ji Le tried to soothe him. Hearing the comforting words and feeling the embrace, Ji Le's mind was filled with thoughts of Ji Yanqing. His tears flowed uncontrollably as his heart was overwhelmed with sorrow. He didn't want to be disliked by Ji Yanqing. He didn't want to be abandoned... "Dad..." Seeing that Ji Le continued to cry and call out for Ji Yanqing, Ji'an, who was already feeling wronged, had tears welling up in his eyes too. He wiped them away, pursed his lips, and tried his best to hold back his tears. He was the older brother, and older brothers couldn't cry. Amidst Ji Le's heart-wrenching sobs, the group ran swiftly back towards the previous street. Everyone else had already left, heading towards the outskirts of the city. They looked back at the dock, where gunshots continued to ring out, and then glanced at the angry beast roars coming from the lower part of the city, far from the dock. They quickly ran towards the outskirts of the city. The zombies in town had been alerted long ago, but most of them had headed towards the dock and the bridge where the sounds were coming from. As a result, there were fewer zombies near the outskirts. After running for only a few minutes, they saw a group of figures approaching. Their scalps tingled, thinking they had encountered zombies, but upon closer inspection, they found themselves facing twenty people with panicked expressions. "It's you..." These twenty people were those who betrayed Black Dragon and followed the deputy leader. Only two of them had guns, while the rest were ordinary team members. The few people carrying Ji'an and Ji Le exchanged glances before quickly passing by them and continuing towards the outskirts of the town. The twenty disoriented individuals quickly followed behind. "Roar!" In the city, a beast's roar filled with obvious anger and killing intent shook their ears. Feng Yimo's ears rang. Having run around the city four or five times and still unable to find Ji Yanqing, Feng Yimo looked up impatiently. He faced the wild beast, the zombie king. "Roar!" Feng Yimo took a step forward and charged at the wild beast. It was because of these creatures that he lost track of Ji Yanshan. "I clearly told Ji Yanqing not to run off," Feng Yimo thought, his gaze turning colder as he looked at the zombie king. Ji Yanqing must have been scared by them and hid somewhere. Near the buildings around the dock, Ji Yanqing turned around and looked in the direction of the beast's roar. He grabbed Lu Qing and led him towards the containers ahead. Besides the two zombie kings in town, there were at least two more awakened zombies lurking outside the dock. Every second wasted brought them closer to death. "Lead the way." Back at the dock, Ji Yanqing released Lu Qing. Both of them were injured during their escape. There were several wounds on his back, arms, and face caused by flying glass shards and debris. Lu Qing was similarly injured. Lu Qing wasn't in good physical condition, and Ji Yanqing had practically dragged him along. If it weren't for Ji Yanqing, he would have died long ago. "This way." Despite his injuries, Lu Qing's excited smile remained unchanged. He happily led Ji Yanqing towards the back of the containers, eager to show him his treasure. The dock was vast, with rows upon rows of containers, possibly numbering in the thousands. It resembled a maze. Lu Qing was familiar with the area, and under his guidance, they soon arrived at the far-left corner near the canal. There, dozens of large containers, each several dozen meters long, were stacked together like building blocks, forming a massive structure. Seeing this structure, Ji Yanqing glanced back at the other towering stacks of containers and suddenly understood why he had felt uneasy about this place earlier. Typically, containers wouldn't be stacked so high. The containers were stacked by Lu Qing to hide the "house" inside. Lu Qing quickly approached one of the containers, which had a door welded into its middle section. The door consisted of two layers, both reinforced from the outside for added security. After passing through the entire container, Ji Yanqing saw the zombie king that Lu Qing mentioned. Inside the vast container house, five large containers were stacked together. Beneath them, on the concrete floor, lay a zombie king resembling a crocodile. Its body was long, and one could still discern human features. Its lower half was trapped beneath the containers, while its front claws were bound by chains as thick as an adult's arm, hoisted upwards by a crane from the ceiling, preventing it from digging into the ground. Black protrusions covered its back and body, not scales, but likely served a similar protective function. Its mouth was elongated and wide, filled with two rows of sharp, slender teeth. Its bite force was astonishing, making it nearly impossible to escape once caught.

At the sight of Lu Qing entering, the Zombie King's eyes, now imbued with intelligence and reason, glared viciously at him.

It attempted to leave from under the container, causing it to sway, but its strength, restrained as it was, wasn't enough to completely push the container away.

"Good morning, little croc..." Lu Qing cheerfully greeted the Zombie King.

In response, it roared in fury.

The corner of Ji Yanqing's expressionless face twitched. "How do we release it?"

Lu Qing pointed at the overhead crane.

The crane, typically used for loading and unloading containers at the dock, had been lowered through a gap in the roof, with chains binding the Zombie King's front limbs.

The crane had already bent due to the Zombie King's struggles, looking as if it could snap at any moment.

Ji Yanqing looked at the crane, then at the Zombie King. Once they released its front limbs, it would surely be able to easily escape from under the container on its back.

"Alright." Lu Qing smiled as he walked towards Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing, who had been surveying the area, was momentarily taken aback before realizing that Lu Qing had already released the chains?

Before Ji Yanqing could react, the sound of chains rattling echoed.

Ji Yanqing immediately looked up, seeing the chains that had been hanging from the crane descending.

As the crane lowered, the chains gradually touched the ground, including those binding the Zombie King's front limbs.

The Zombie King froze for an instant before struggling frantically.

With a loud bang, the thick chain snapped and flew off, leaving a dent in the ground.

The corner of Ji Yanqing's mouth twitched as he hastily grabbed Lu Qing, who had been strolling leisurely nearby, and rushed outside.

They were indeed here to release the Zombie King, but hadn't Lu Qing considered that his impulsive action might get them killed as well?

Ji Yanqing moved quickly, but just as they ran out through the container door, a series of loud clangs echoed from behind them.

The entire house made of containers instantly collapsed.

A deafening boom reverberated throughout the city, shaking the ground and unleashing a surge of frenzied killing intent.

"Hisss!" The Zombie King burst out of the container, charging straight towards Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing.

Moving on all fours, its speed far exceeded that of a crocodile, reaching them almost instantly.

"Dodge!" Ji Yanqing pushed Lu Qing aside and rolled away himself.

With a loud bang, the spot where they had been standing was struck by the crocodile's tail, leaving a massive indentation.

Without pausing to look, Ji Yanqing dashed forward, grabbing Lu Qing, who was stumbling, and continued running.

Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing swiftly navigated through the containers, turning left and right.

The pursuing crocodile charged through the containers, smashing everything in its path.

Its immense force easily displaced and dented the massive containers weighing several tons.

Its tail tore through the containers, leaving gashes, and when it struck the ground, even the solid concrete cracked.

It rampaged like a mad bull, tearing through anything in its way.

003.

"Fire!"

Outside the containers, Xia Shenshu yelled in anger, simultaneously spraying bullets from his gun.

As his words rang out, multiple gunshots erupted simultaneously.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ji Yanqing immediately led Lu Qing through the hail of bullets towards Xia Shenshu and his group.

Behind him, the Zombie King brutally smashed through everything, while above, bullets rained down. His eardrums buzzed, and his blood raced within him.

The bullets striking the crocodile couldn't penetrate its skin; they merely sparked against it. Yet, Xia Shenshu and his team didn't stop firing.

While they couldn't harm the crocodile, it also couldn't completely ignore their presence, buying Ji Yanqing some time.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Clang! Clank!

Amidst the flying bullets, something massive was lifted and suddenly hurled over Ji Yanqing's head, flying towards Xia Shenshu and his group.

Ji Yanqing only had time to glimpse the large object flying overhead before a container crashed into the location where Xia Shenshu and his group stood.

In that instant, Ji Yanqing's pupils constricted, and his breath froze.

Bang... Thud...

The container collided with the structure above Xia Shenshu and his group, then fell alongside numerous debris.

"Xia Shenshu..." Ji Yanqing's mind went blank.

The container bounced upon impact, and from Ji Yanqing's perspective, it appeared severely distorted.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The gunfire resumed.

Xia Shenshu, his head covered in blood, emerged from the side edge of a shipping container, using it as a makeshift trench. Beside him, Xia Chen and the others were dragging those knocked unconscious by debris back, intending to take them to a building further away. Seeing this scene from afar, Ji Yanqing's heart started beating again as he sprinted towards them. "The big-headed Corpse King is gone..." Xia Shenshu yelled at Ji Yanqing with a grim expression from behind the container. The big-headed Corpse King had been near the dock. According to their original plan, they would release the Corpse Kings from the containers and run towards the big-headed zombie, causing them to meet and fight. However, they couldn't find the big-headed zombie now. After chasing after Ji Yanqing, they lost track of the big-headed Corpse King and didn’t dare venture far, so they returned to wait near the dock. Ji Yanqing would definitely come back. Indeed, Ji Yanqing did return and successfully released the Corpse King from the container. But while he managed to release the Corpse King, the big-headed one was nowhere to be seen. Hearing Xia Shenshu’s words, Ji Yanqing, who was running rapidly forward, scanned the surroundings. Confirming that the big-headed Corpse King wasn’t around, his face turned pale. Finding those two Corpse Kings would take time, and the longer it took, the more disadvantageous it would be for them. "Gaaah…" "Aaah…" Just as Ji Yanqing's heart sank into despair, two inhuman screams suddenly came from their left side. The group, deep in despair, immediately looked over. Upon seeing what was happening, their faces simultaneously lit up with joy. Pale-skinned, with deforming heads and growing hair, these two zombies still had recognizable limbs, but they were transforming into something more animalistic. These were two Awakened Zombies, the ones responsible for surrounding them at the back of the dock. "Awakened Zombies!" Someone shouted in delight. This was the first time they had been so happy to see Awakened Zombies since the virus outbreak six months ago. Xia Shenshu’s face broke into an excited smile. In that moment, he wished he could go over and give those grotesquely ugly Awakened Zombies a couple of kisses. "Hello there!" Xia Shenshu sprinted towards them. His tone was too cheerful, and his smile too enthusiastic. The two Awakened Zombies, who had just emerged from the buildings, were startled by Xia Shenshu’s approach. Their expressions suggested they saw a piece of meat rushing towards them, but instead of feeling hungry, they felt that the meat must be diseased. "Gaaah…" One of the Awakened Zombies moved back, even having the urge to flee. Seeing the Awakened Zombie retreat, Xia Shenshu’s smile froze. He raised his gun and fired a barrage of shots at them. "Run, my ass!" Pulling Lu Qing along, Ji Yanqing ran quickly forward. Glancing back at the crocodile emerging from the container, he gritted his teeth and ran towards Xia Shenshu amidst the gunfire. After only two steps, a dark shadow loomed over him. At the same time, a collective intake of breath could be heard from Li Pingsen and the others in the distance. Many hastily aimed their guns at Ji Yanqing. Ji Yanqing’s body reacted before his mind could process. In a split second, he violently collided with Lu Qing beside him. Caught off guard, Lu Qing was knocked into the cabbage field. Almost simultaneously, the concrete floor where they had been standing was shattered. Debris flew everywhere, and several rocks struck Ji Yanqing, adding new wounds to his already injured body. "Lu Qing?" Ji Yanqing looked down. Lu Qing, knocked to the ground and bearing Ji Yanqing’s weight, was stunned. Ji Yanqing kicked him, sending him rolling a considerable distance away while rolling in the opposite direction himself. As he rolled away, a massive tail slammed into the ground. The tail’s speed and force were immense. Even just brushing past Ji Yanqing’s leg caused it to feel like it was about to break. Ji Yanqing tried to get up despite the pain, but the leg that had been hit had no sensation at all, completely numb from the pain. In the moment he hesitated, the shadow loomed over him again. Ji Yanqing instinctively looked up, his mind blank. "Bang!" A bullet pierced the crocodile’s right eye. Flesh and blood splattered as a pained cry echoed. The crocodile’s tail veered slightly to one side, allowing Ji Yanqing to roll away. Ji Yanqing quickly got up from the ground. His foot still lacked sensation, so he punched its knee. Pain was the best stimulant, and the leg immediately regained feeling, albeit accompanied by intense pain. "Get up…" Lu Qing didn’t take the opportunity to escape; instead, he rushed over to pull Ji Yanqing. He dragged Ji Yanqing away, but his speed and strength were far inferior to Ji Yanqing’s. After pulling him for some time, they had only moved a few meters. In that brief moment, the crocodile, blinded in one eye, charged at them again. "Bang!" The second shot hit the same eye of the crocodile. The crocodile’s skin was incredibly tough, with bullets from Li Pingsen and the others even sparking upon impact, but no matter how tough the skin, the eyes couldn’t be fortified. However, ordinary bullets were no longer as effective against Corpse Kings with their strong healing abilities.

"Hiss!" The crocodile was incredibly enraged. It looked towards the distant rooftop from where the bullet had been fired.

"Don't stop..." Ji Yanqing, after easing his pain, pulled Lu Qing, who was holding him, to run forward.

When Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing had run across most of the dock, Xia Shenshu at the edge of the building was already leading two awakened zombies towards them joyfully.

Facing that smiling face, Ji Yanqing felt his head ache as he saw the two awakened zombies going crazy behind it.

What kind of messed up people were in his team?

The two parties moved extremely fast, and within just a few seconds, they converged amidst the gunfire.

Gathering in the open area of the dock, Ji Yanqing and Xia Shenshu immediately turned their backs to each other and looked at the zombie king and awakened zombies behind them.

The crocodile zombie king and the two awakened zombies had also noticed each other's presence. They gradually slowed down, shifting their attention to each other.

"Gaah..."

"Ahh..."

The two still-human-shaped awakened zombies sounded angry. Their anger made Ji Yanqing's skin feel scorched, even though he didn't understand what they were saying.

Ji Yanqing glanced back. The eyes of the two awakened zombies were bloodshot, as if they had entered a state of madness.

He looked at Xia Shenshu. What did Xia Shenshu do?

"It wasn't me..." Xia Shenshu said pitifully. "They were like this from the start. They're probably subordinates of one of the other zombie kings. I don't know what happened to that zombie king."

Almost as soon as Xia Shenshu finished speaking, the two awakened zombies rushed towards the crocodile zombie king like mad. They moved incredibly fast, ignoring the difference in rank, as if truly driven into irrational madness.

The crocodile zombie king wasn't cowardly. It didn't retreat but instead charged forward, sweeping its tail out.

They clashed not far from Ji Yanqing. The sound of the crocodile zombie king's tail slicing through the air hurt even those nearby.

Seizing the opportunity, Ji Yanqing grabbed Xia Shenshu and Lu Qing on either side, enduring the pain in his leg and rushing towards the edge of the building with them.

"Run!"

Their goal had been achieved. Although the ones fighting weren't the zombie kings, this created an opening for them. At least no zombie king near the dock had time to notice them for now.

Upon hearing this, Li Pingsen raised his gun and fired a shot into the sky with a slight interval.

This was a signal to others, indicating temporary safety and an opportunity.

Though the opportunity was slim.

As Li Pingsen fired, Xia Chen and the others hurried to carry the previously fainted and injured people.

Their backpacks had already been handed over to others to take away earlier, making it easier to carry the injured now.

There were five or six injured people. The shipping containers hadn't directly hit them, but the debris had struck them. The most severely injured person's abdomen was soaked in blood.

"Ji Yanqing?" Li Pingsen hurriedly supported Ji Yanqing. Ji Yanqing's running posture was strange, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Ji Yanqing didn't let him support him. Supporting each other would only slow them down. "Run first."

Li Pingsen led the way into the buildings behind them. Not long after they entered, Lan Zi ran towards them.

Reuniting, the group wasted no words and ran towards the outskirts of the city as quickly as possible.

"Feng Yimo is missing." As they ran into the alley, Xia Shenshu suddenly remembered.

Ji Yanqing abruptly looked back while running. His gaze lingered on Xia Shenshu's face for a moment before immediately looking at the others behind them.

Feng Yimo was indeed not in the group.

Feng Yimo...

Ji Yanqing's blood rushed to his chest and brain. A part of his heart rapidly emptied. Had Feng Yimo gone missing?

Had Feng Yimo gone missing at this time?

004.

"When you were being chased by that zombie king, he rushed into the city without hesitation to save you..." Xia Shenshu didn't know how to continue.

"You— " Ji Yanqing was about to tell the others to leave the city first while he searched for Feng Yimo when he caught a glimpse of a figure swiftly passing by in an alley at the end of the dock a kilometer away.

Feng Yimo was entering the city from outside.

"Feng Yimo!" Ji Yanqing's powerful shout echoed throughout half the city.

Startled by Ji Yanqing's sudden shout, Xia Shenshu and the others all instinctively looked in the direction Ji Yanqing was looking.

They didn't see anyone in the town.

That was the old part of the town above the dock. Going further would be outside the town. There was no way Feng Yimo could be there.

Just as everyone was thinking this, Feng Yimo, wielding a long knife, rushed straight towards them.

As he ran, Feng Yimo looked at them. Seeing Ji Yanqing in the crowd, he sighed in relief, then suddenly looked somewhat aggrieved. He had told Ji Yanqing not to run around recklessly.

Seeing Feng Yimo, the corners of Xia Shenshu and the others' mouths twitched. For a moment, they didn't know whether to be surprised or delighted.

It was good that Feng Yimo had returned, but why did he come back from outside the city?

He had gone into the town downstream from the left earlier, but now he was coming back from the right outside the city. Where had he gone earlier?

Along with Feng Yimo, ordinary zombies also rushed towards them.

The sounds of gunfire and the tossing of containers at the dock had long since spread throughout the entire town, and all the ordinary zombies in the town were now rushing towards them.

Ji Yanqing swung his axe, knocking one zombie away.

Xia Shenshu and the others beside him didn't idle either. Since they couldn't fire their guns, they used them as clubs instead.

Most of the guns they held weren't handguns; each weighed at least several dozen pounds, making them quite effective against the zombies.

"Let's go." After dealing with the nearby zombies, Ji Yanqing glanced at the crocodile and two awakened zombies that had already engaged in battle, then led the way out of the town.

None of them knew how long the two awakened zombies could hold off the crocodile, so they had to get as far away as possible.

No one spoke as the group quickly ran towards the outskirts of the town near the docks.

Black Dragon and his group, who had been waiting at the edge of the city for some time, heard the signal from the docks and immediately rushed out of the town without hesitation.

They sprinted towards the forest, trying to cross the open ground outside the town as quickly as possible.

They had never run so fast before. The wind whistled past their ears as they raced forward.

Their pounding hearts and aching lungs had long lost all sensation. Their brains were barely functioning, leaving them with only one thought: escape.

A journey that usually took more than ten minutes was completed in just four or five minutes, and no Corpse King emerged among the dozen or so ordinary zombies that followed them.

Everyone successfully burst into the forest and saw the large truck in the woods. Many of them had tears welling up in their eyes, almost on the verge of crying.

As they reached the vehicle, some people pushed others aside in a rush to board, while others quickly turned back to deal with the pursuing ordinary zombies.

There were about a dozen ordinary zombies chasing them. Although they didn't have guns, they managed to handle them through cooperation.

After finishing off the zombies, the others scrambled onto the vehicle as well.

Once seated in the vehicle, they held their breath and waited, but the sound of the engine starting never came.

"What are you waiting for? Don't you want to live?" someone shouted from the back of the vehicle, looking towards the driver's seat from the side.

The door to the driver's seat was already open, and a group of about ten people from Ji Yanqing's team stood anxiously beside the vehicle, staring intently in the direction of the town. They showed no intention of driving.

Hearing the urging, the group in the vehicle became restless, with many joining in to urge them on.

If the Corpse King from the town caught up to them, they would be finished.

Defending the driver's seat, the group of about ten people from Ji Yanqing's team gave the person urging a cold look but made no move.

"You're insane..." The person who had urged them jumped down from the vehicle and rushed towards the driver's seat, intending to start the vehicle himself.

Seeing him approach the driver's seat, several people guarding it quickly blocked his path.

"Get out of my— " The person attempting to start the vehicle was one of those who had betrayed Black Dragon. He held a gun in his hand.

He raised his hand to point the gun, but before he could, someone punched him.

Two people pounced on him; one snatched the gun away, while the other unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks until the man could no longer get up.

Violence wasn't ideal, but at this moment, it was the most effective solution.

After the fight, the person who had taken the gun looked at the few others in the vehicle who had raised their guns. Unfazed by the dark muzzles pointed at him, his bloodshot eyes stared them down and returned the threat.

Anyone who dared to fire would die along with everyone else.

"You... " Seeing that Ji Yanqing's team was determined to wait here for him, the faces of the people in the vehicle turned grim.

After barely escaping the hellish situation, were they going to die here?

"If you want to run, no one is stopping you, but no one is taking this vehicle," said the person who had seized the gun.

"I think you've all gone mad!" someone exclaimed.

Ji Yanqing was a madman. Those who had voluntarily asked for guns and stayed behind to die were madmen. The dozen or so people who had escaped with them were also madmen. Ji Yanqing's entire team was full of madmen. A bunch of madmen.

None of the dozen or so people from Ji Yanqing's team paid any attention to the anxious group in the vehicle. All of them, with bloodshot eyes, stared intently at the town, gritting their teeth as they waited.

They believed that Ji Yanqing would definitely come out.

Time ticked by rapidly. Five minutes passed, yet no figures appeared at the edge of the town.

"Have they already... " Black Dragon tried to say something, but as soon as he started speaking, over a dozen pairs of bloodshot eyes glared straight at him.

Black Dragon immediately swallowed his words.

Standing in the vehicle, he looked down at the more than ten people from Ji Yanqing's team, his anxiety mixed with envy.

He glanced at the twenty people who had betrayed him and left earlier. He believed he had treated them well, never lacking in food or drink, but in the end, they betrayed him, even taking all his weapons and supplies with them when they left.

Black Dragon looked at the group from Ji Yanqing's team standing outside the vehicle and opened his mouth to ask why, but then swallowed his question.

Why?

Because Ji Yanqing was still in the town.

As time passed, many in the vehicle grew increasingly restless, and the commotion grew louder.

Listening to the noise, the dozen or so people from Ji Yanqing's team guarding outside felt their anxiety ignite like a raging fire, causing their hearts to ache.

Just as beads of sweat formed on their foreheads and their eyes turned bloodshot, several figures suddenly appeared at the edge of the town, followed by more.

"It's them!"

The group in Ji Yanqing's team couldn't help but want to jump up and cheer at that moment; their hearts, which had been hanging high, finally settled. They were so relieved that their limbs went limp. The entire forest seemed to come alive as the sounds of excitement erupted. Some cheered because they could finally leave, while others were amazed that Ji Yanqing and his team had returned alive. A group of over ten people from Ji Yanqing's team sprang into action. Two quickly took the driver's seat, while the rest entered the back of the vehicle. The car started soon after and left the woods, returning to the national highway. By the time they parked the car on the highway, Ji Yanqing and his team had already run out of town and covered some distance. Seeing that the number of people hadn’t decreased much, the group from Ji Yanqing’s team couldn’t help but reveal bright smiles. Their heads buzzed, and it felt like something scorching had exploded in their chests. Moments later, Ji Yanqing and his group arrived on the highway with a horde of ordinary zombies chasing them out of the city. The car slowly started moving, and Xia Shenshu and his group, who were running alongside it, quickly lifted the unconscious and severely injured individuals, asking those inside the car for help to pull them in. After the unconscious people came Ji Yanqing. Ji Yanqing’s leg was already injured, and by the time he reached the car, gritting his teeth, he was barely able to stand. After lifting the unconscious person onto the car, Xia Shenshu and his group didn’t wait for Ji Yanqing’s reaction before they lifted him up first and handed him over to the people in the car. After Ji Yanqing got on the car, Xia Shenshu and his group boarded as well. Feng Yimo swiftly chopped off the head of the lone zombie that had rushed behind the car and jumped onto the vehicle last. As soon as he got on, Xia Shenshu immediately slapped the side of the car. The driver stepped on the gas pedal all the way down, aiming to escape the hell behind them as quickly as possible. The car shot forward on the road like a bullet, flying far away in an instant. The ordinary zombies chasing after Ji Yanqing and his group kept coming, but they couldn’t catch up to the car. A few minutes later, they were left behind in the woods. At the same time, the car turned into the mountains, making it impossible to see the town behind them. Upon confirming that no more zombies were chasing them and that they had completely left the town’s vicinity, the group in the car exchanged glances. Their taut nerves relaxed, leaving their minds blank and their muscles slack, causing their limbs to go limp and their bodies to ache. Taking a deep breath, everyone in the car fell silent and looked dazed, almost as if they were in a dream. Had they escaped? Even when faced with two Zombie Kings and two awakened zombies, they had managed to escape alive? Realizing this, the group, who already felt like they were dreaming, became even more disoriented. Many broke down in tears, but their sobs were drowned out by the hum of the truck. "Ji Yanqing, are you alright?" Lan Zi asked, her voice filled with unease and concern. Over a hundred people crammed into the small car, forcing everyone to stand shoulder to shoulder. Lan Zi stood next to Ji Yanqing, allowing her to clearly see the beads of cold sweat on his face. Ji Yanqing shook his head. As he swayed, his whole body leaned to one side, unable to stand due to the pain in his right leg. The crocodile’s tail had immense force; if struck directly, bones would shatter. Although Ji Yanqing wasn’t hit directly, just being grazed by the tail was enough to cause him excruciating pain. Just as Ji Yanqing was about to collide with someone else, a hand with evenly proportioned and slender fingers suddenly appeared beside him. Feng Yimo wrapped his arms around Ji Yanqing, supporting him against his chest. Feng Yimo held Ji Yanqing tightly, ensuring that his injured foot wouldn’t touch the ground or bear any weight. Ji Yanqing placed his right hand against Feng Yimo’s solid chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath his palm and the lessening pain in his leg, which eased his expression. Without thanking him, Ji Yanqing looked at Feng Yimo with lingering fear. "Feng Yimo." "Hmm?" Feng Yimo’s cold, dark eyes met Ji Yanqing’s gaze. "Don’t run off recklessly in the future." Ji Yanqing spoke word by word, his tone icy and commanding. He still remembered the unease he felt when he realized Feng Yimo was missing. In such a town, where Feng Yimo didn’t know the way, if he had gotten lost, Ji Yanqing wouldn’t have been able to find him in a short amount of time. With two Zombie Kings and two awakened zombies in the town, along with countless ordinary zombies, if Ji Yanqing couldn’t find Feng Yimo, Feng Yimo would surely die there. Feng Yimo, who had been contemplating finding an opportunity to tell Ji Yanqing not to run off recklessly, was taken aback by these words. His thin lips parted slightly, ready to speak, but upon seeing Ji Yanqing’s pale, sweat-drenched face twisted in pain, he swallowed his words. "Alright." Feng Yimo changed his response without showing any change in expression, though there was a hint of委屈 in his eyes. It was clear that Ji Yanqing was the one who had run off recklessly, yet he blamed Feng Yimo instead. However, considering how much pain Ji Yanqing was in, he decided to let Ji Yanqing have his way.