Chapter 11 The Apocalypse 10

"It is reported that the gamma virus outbreak has swept the globe, and there is currently no effective treatment. Infected individuals will lose vital signs within half an hour and transform into 'zombies.' Clinical symptoms include limb stiffness, bluish and ulcerated skin, and an extreme craving for fresh flesh..."

The news broadcast was intermittent, interspersed with harsh static. The announcer tried his best to remain calm and composed, but his voice still trembled uncontrollably at the end.

"The primary transmission route of the gamma virus is through skin lesions caused by zombie attacks. Citizens are urged to minimize outdoor activities, avoid contact with zombies, and remain silent! Government search and rescue personnel will arrive as soon as possible—"

Crack.

The broadcast abruptly stopped. Luo Mingchuan opened his eyes.

"..." His vision became unusually wide, yet hazy, as if filtered through a special lens. He breathed softly, even the scent of dust was so distinct.

The announcer's reminder still echoed in his ears, so much so that Luo Mingchuan subconsciously looked down to check his body—

Black, hard, and sharp nails; cold, dark blue skin; and teeth—his Adam's apple bobbed as Luo Mingchuan swallowed a mouthful of uncontrollably secreted saliva, feeling his newly grown sharp teeth stirring restlessly, clamoring to tear something apart.

The pupils contracted violently.

He has become—

"The conversion was very successful."

A soft voice came from across the room. Luo Mingchuan turned his head and saw Lu Xuejin sitting leisurely on the sofa, smiling at him.

Sunlight fell on that excessively beautiful face, making his reddish pupils particularly striking, filled with an ominous aura. Luo Mingchuan immediately realized: "When were you infected?"

As for himself, he probably already transcended the realm of humanity when Lu Xuejin bit through his neck, becoming the irrational, numb, and chaotic monster that the broadcaster described as only knowing how to pursue flesh and blood.

Lu Xuejin's high fever a few days ago was probably the transformation period after being infected with the virus. He still foolishly thought that Lu Xuejin was too fragile and needed to be carefully cared for in the future.

This old, dilapidated apartment has poor soundproofing. Usually, you can hear noises from next door and downstairs. But now it's completely silent. Based on the news, it's likely that while he was unconscious, the virus had already swept through the city and even the whole country. The survivors are nowhere to be found, and may have already been rescued by the government, leaving him and Lu Xuejin alone.

After the transformation, his physical strength seemed to be even greater than before. Luo Mingchuan only struggled slightly, and the ropes and chains binding him shattered with a crack. He suddenly stood up, and the chair fell to the ground with a thud. As he turned his neck, a clear cracking sound of bones could be heard.

He was already tall, and when he stood up, his shadow almost completely enveloped Lu Xuejin. His dark blue skin and deep-set eyes gave him an extremely aggressive appearance, and his sharp nails gleamed, making him intimidating.

Lu Xuejin, however, seemed completely unconcerned, as if unaware of the dangerous situation they were in. She even raised her chin slightly and commented, "You are very different from those walking corpses outside."

"It's not that ugly."

While Luo Mingchuan was unconscious, he carefully observed the other person. The changes in the other person were similar to his own, yet there were differences. The biggest difference was in skin color; his skin was paler, while Luo Mingchuan's was a deep blue.

Fingernails and eyes are also different.

He can switch freely between his normal appearance and zombie state, but what about Luo Mingchuan?

With his gleaming skin and nails, if he were to actually go to the base, he'd probably be shot dead before he even reached the door.

Thinking of this scene, Lu Xuejin smiled brightly.

Luo Mingchuan: "..."

Are you up to no good again?

However, surprisingly, I didn't lose my mind...

Luo Mingchuan clenched his fists, suppressing the surging questions. His gaze involuntarily fell on Lu Xuejin's slender, fair neck, which looked so fragile it could be easily broken or crushed. His fingers twitched nervously, and he closed his eyes tightly to suppress this sudden impulse.

"Feeling better?" Lu Xuejin stood up and approached. Luo Mingchuan subconsciously took a half step back, and the young man, who was a head shorter than him, leaned closer. At this moment, his pupils had returned to normal, clear and beautiful as if they had been washed by mountain spring water. He didn't look like the type who would knock out someone or bite through their neck with sharp teeth at all.

A faint scent of shower gel wafted into their nostrils; the two were almost inches apart.

"You're really not afraid of me?" A rough, hoarse voice squeezed out from his throat. "Aren't you afraid I'll snap your neck right now?"

Luo Mingchuan threatened him.

Lu Xuejin was still smiling, tilting his head slightly, his eyelashes shimmering with gold. He said innocently, "How could that be? Mingchuan, you wouldn't hurt me."

As if nothing had happened that night, he boasted in an affectionate tone, "Look, you're different from them. Apart from some minor changes, you've largely retained your human form. My decision was right; it really saved you."

save?

Luo Mingchuan frowned deeply, sneered, and strode back to his bedroom.

The door slammed shut, and he leaned against it, suddenly looking down and covering his mouth—when he was near Lu Xuejin, his saliva production inexplicably increased dramatically, like a starving dog that had suddenly smelled a bone.

Fortunately, it wasn't too serious, otherwise I would have lost my composure on the spot.

"He actually said he saved me." Luo Mingchuan's lips curled down, his face so gloomy it could drip water, exuding a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay. He couldn't see through Lu Xuejin's motives, nor could he discern how much truth and falsehood lay in her words.

So they were just playing him for a fool, weren't they?

I drew back the curtains; outside, the sun was blazing, and the streets were teeming with zombies.

This situation might not be too bad; although transformed into a zombie, it miraculously retains human rationality. In the apocalypse, becoming a zombie might be much safer than being human.

Even though he was still human, he didn't want to evacuate with the government and be crammed into some resettlement area with a large number of people... That was too dangerous, both for Lu Xuejin and for those fools who would be easily misled.

Luo Mingchuan had been seeking liberation, but now it seemed he couldn't leave so easily—Lu Xuejin's true nature had been fully exposed; she was a complete devil who took pleasure in manipulating and hurting others. As the only person in the world who had a deep connection with him and the only one who truly understood her, he had a duty to keep this guy in check and prevent her from harming the innocent.

Zombies it is. Staying away from people and isolating herself from the world will prevent Lu Xuejin from coming into contact with more people.

...

According to the announcer, zombies have an extraordinary craving for human flesh and blood. Lu Xuejin plans to go out and find a living person to test this on. Luo Mingchuan doesn't have a strong attraction to her, but that doesn't mean others don't.

It would be terrible if he craved human flesh and blood like other zombies. Lu Xuejin hated looking too disheveled. Even when he was young and living in the slums, he would always make sure he was clean and tidy every day. Everyone who saw him would praise him, saying, "What a well-behaved little darling!"

If we can find survivors... haha, then we'll have something new to watch.

A handsome young man who tries his best to save the world is actually a zombie or something. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Upon hearing his plan, Luo Mingchuan followed without saying a word.

The walls of the low building are mottled and peeling, the corridor lights are dim, and garbage is piled up on both sides, emitting a stench.

Luo Mingchuan couldn't help but wonder how long he had been unconscious.

The building was teeming with zombies, their backs hunched, their skin bluish-black and rotting, their eyes vacant, wandering aimlessly. The two moved through them without attracting any attention.

The old, dilapidated apartment is located in the old town area. In the past, it was bustling with people selling vegetables and handing out flyers, a noisy and lively place where Lu Xuejin used to fall asleep amidst the hustle and bustle. Now, this area and this city are deathly silent. The summer breeze blows through the streets, only stirring up dust on the asphalt pavement.

“Many people have left. They said they were going to survive in the base,” Lu Xuejin said. The sudden sound caused a stir among the zombies, who opened their rotting mouths and rushed towards the source of the sound, but upon finding only two of their own kind, they resumed their numb, wandering state. “The remaining people either don’t have the means to travel far or they don’t have the courage. They’re all hiding very well, preferring to starve rather than show themselves—no one wants to become the target of a zombie attack.”

Therefore, to find living people, you have to go to places that are difficult for zombies to reach.

After observing for a while, the two noticed that the zombies' knees seemed difficult to bend, and apart from those who were already in the stairwell when infected, most of them were concentrated on flat surfaces. So they decided to try their luck on the upper floors of a nearby shopping mall. Just as they left the residential building, Luo Mingchuan suddenly turned his head, his gaze fixed on the narrow alley between two buildings.

“There’s someone there,” he said.

Lu Xuejin glanced at him and said, "You have very sensitive ears."

The zombie horde in the alley wasn't too dense. Lu Xuejin's gaze swept across the area from the outside in, finally settling on the pile of garbage on the left.

The garbage, which had not been cleaned up for many days, piled up into a mountain and emitted an indescribable odor after being exposed to the scorching sun.

Lu Xuejin wrinkled her nose slightly, held her breath, and saw an extremely subtle tremor at the top of the garbage heap.

Clearly, someone was hiding inside, trying to mask themselves with the strong smell of garbage.

Lu Xuejin observed for a while, and suddenly met a pair of eyes staring wide-eyed through the gap, bloodshot and with pupils trembling violently with fear. The other person also saw them, and perhaps finally seeing living people, in his excitement, the trash covering his face slipped off, revealing a familiar, dusty face—it was the thug neighbor who often blocked the road and harassed Lu Xuejin.