Amidst this apocalyptic desolation, Xiao Yi stood alone atop the dilapidated watchtower of the base, a solitary statue. The tower's railings were twisted and warped, its walls mottled with the scars of time and disaster, like a frail old man clinging to life amidst the crumbling ruins. Xiao Yi's eyes, bloodshot like the last vestiges of blood in a dry riverbed, stared intently at the distant horizon, shrouded in a haze. This survivor base had once been a haven for those struggling to survive in the apocalypse. Its walls, cobbled together from various scraps of metal, wood, and stone, were now riddled with holes, like the remains of a wreck gnawed by fate's merciless ravages. Within the walls, most of the buildings lay in ruins; the few that remained intact had windows like empty eye sockets, permeated by an endless, deathly silence. The few survivors struggled to survive in this devastated landscape, each sunrise a new gamble with death. Suddenly, the inky night was ripped apart by an invisible, gigantic hand. A strange light streaked across the sky, like a blazing sword, tearing through the darkness with devastating force. It was a massive meteor, trailing a long tail of fire, like a flaming dragon, plummeting to the earth with unstoppable force. With a deafening roar, it felt as if the entire world had stopped breathing. The meteor impacted the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and flames. The flames, like the fury of a demon, furiously licked the sky, while the dust, like a thick haze, spread rapidly, obscuring the remaining moonlight. The zombies that had been roaming around the base, as if awakened by some mysterious and sinister force, became restless. The normally slow-moving, emaciated zombies began to twist and deform in strange and terrifying ways. Their bones creaked beneath their skin, as if an invisible force were forcibly reshaping their bodies. Bones grew and reassembled, emitting a chilling, grinding sound. Their skin gradually hardened to iron, gleaming with an eerie metallic sheen, like an indestructible armor. Their previously dull, murky eyes now ignited with a faint green light, a glow imbued with endless bloodlust and madness, a curse drawn from the depths of hell. Xiao Yi's heart sank, as if a thousand-pound boulder had pressed down upon his chest. He instinctively tightened his grip on the worn longsword, its blade riddled with notches, each a record of a life-or-death struggle. He knew that this sudden meteor had brought no ordinary disaster, but a catastrophe capable of crushing humanity's last hope. Inside the base, the survivors were awakened by the deafening roar and the blazing flames. Children cried in fear, and the adults' faces paled, their eyes filled with despair and helplessness. Old Tom, the oldest survivor in the base, stumbled over to Xiao Yi and said in a trembling voice, "Xiao Yi, what...what should we do?" Xiao Yi gritted his teeth, his gaze determined yet resigned. "Don't panic, everyone! Organize! We still have a chance." However, he knew deep down that this might only be a final, glimmer of comfort for himself and everyone else. Meanwhile, the mutated zombies had begun to slowly but steadily move toward the base. Their steps were no longer the halting gait of before, but now filled with power and rhythm. Each step was like a death knell ringing across the earth. Xiao Yi quickly ran down the watchtower and gathered all the remaining survivors in the open space of the base. He shouted, "Brothers and sisters! We have struggled for so long in this apocalypse. We must not give up! Today, even if we die, we must die with dignity!" A faint response echoed from the crowd, a mixture of fear and unwillingness. Young Jack, clutching his homemade crossbow, approached Xiao Yi. "Brother Xiao, I'm with you!" Lucy, a brave girl, also raised her dagger. "Count me in!" More and more survivors tightened their grip on their crude weapons, their eyes gradually igniting with fighting spirit. The zombie horde drew closer to the base, their hideous, terrifying features now visible. Xiao Yi took a deep breath and shouted, "Prepare for battle!" As the zombie horde drew closer, the survivors within the base sprang into action. Some carried rocks to use as weapons against the zombies, while others set up improvised barriers at the gaps in the wall, attempting to slow the zombies' advance. When the zombies reached the base's walls, battle erupted instantly. Xiao Yi took the lead, wielding his long sword and slashing at a mutant zombie charging in front. The sword struck the zombie's tough skin, leaving only a shallow mark, and the recoil numbed Xiao Yi's arm. But he didn't retreat, striking again with all his might. Jack, on the other hand, fired relentlessly with his crossbow. Most of the arrows deflected off the zombies' tough skin, with a few barely piercing their bodies, though they proved ineffective. Lucy nimbly moved through the crowd, attacking those attempting to break through the defenses with her dagger. She zeroed in on a zombie's eye and thrust her dagger into it. The zombie roared in pain, then swung back, sending Lucy flying. Seeing this, Xiao Yi rushed forward and slashed the zombie's arm, saving Lucy. The battle intensified, the zombie swarms pouring in like a tide. The base's walls crumbled under the onslaught of zombies, and more and more broke through the defenses, charging into the base. Despite their desperate resistance, the survivors suffered increasing casualties. Just as the situation reached a critical juncture, Xiao Yi suddenly realized that these mutated zombies seemed to have an instinctive fear of a shimmering mineral. He remembered that the base's warehouse held some ore collected from a nearby mine. A glimmer of hope ignited within him, and he shouted, "Everyone, go to the warehouse and get the glowing ore! It'll help these zombies!" A group of survivors, flanked by others, rushed to the warehouse. They returned with their arms full of ore and threw it at the zombie horde. Sure enough, as the ore approached the zombies, they roared in pain, their bodies trembling and their movements becoming sluggish. Taking advantage of the zombie horde's confusion, Xiao Yi led the survivors in a counterattack. They used the ore as weapons, repelling the zombies. After a grueling battle, they were able to temporarily repel the horde. The base lay in shambles, strewn with blood and debris. The survivors collapsed in exhaustion, their eyes a mixture of relief at having survived but also uncertainty about the future. Xiao Yi gazed at the zombie hordes still lingering in the distance, knowing only that this was a temporary respite. This meteor-induced disaster has only just begun, and humanity's future remains shrouded in a thick haze. But a faith burns within him. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, he will lead the survivors to continue their struggle, even if the road ahead is fraught with obstacles and may ultimately lead to destruction...
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