Chapter 7 Reunion
Just when Tang Zhao thought they were going to die together today, Bai Chenzhu swung his right hand, grabbed the iron rod and thrust it forward, accurately piercing the old zombie's right eye and through its skull.
Tang Zhao shuddered and quickly covered his right eye.
The old zombie seemed to finally feel pain, groaning as it tried to pull the iron rod off its head.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the little zombie pounced over, but Bai Chenzhu kicked the old zombie who was pulling out an iron rod away. The two monsters collided and fell to the side.
Bai Chenzhu tried to pull the iron gate open with two levers, but couldn't.
He turned to look at Tang Zhao, who hurriedly picked up his jaw, which had fallen to the ground in shock, dropped the shield in his hand, rushed over, took out the key, and opened the door with trembling hands.
Just as the little zombie pounced again, the two of them pushed and shoved each other as they hurriedly escaped. Tang Zhao pulled the iron gate shut, and the little zombie crashed into it, roaring ferociously, its gaping mouth almost revealing its tonsils.
Having learned their lesson from confronting two zombies head-on, neither of them dared to easily disturb those strong and powerful monsters again.
The evolution of zombies now seems to be limited to the body; their speed has not increased. On the contrary, compared to ordinary people, they are like rusty gears, with a vague sense of dullness.
Fortunately, the roads were wide, and most monsters were crowded in the city center or inside houses at this time, so they were not often seen in this area near the suburbs.
The two dodged all humanoid creatures and ran for their lives.
Along the way, people would occasionally peek out of house windows, watching the two who were hiding on the road. Bai Chenzhu and his companion also saw those who stayed at home.
This is a catastrophe that is gradually collapsing. Before electricity, water, and even the internet are completely gone, most people do not have the courage to step out of their homes. Instead, they obey orders and wait for official news.
They only breathed a sigh of relief after they were far away from the residential area and reached the roadside.
Upon releasing the pressure, Bai Chenzhu sat down on the ground, clutching his violently pounding heart, his lips pale.
"Brother!" Tang Zhao twisted open a bottle of mineral water and shoved it into his hand. Seeing how he was having trouble breathing, Tang Zhao couldn't imagine how this guy had just stood in front of him fighting the old zombie.
He is truly fierce, but also truly weak.
Tang Zhao was deeply moved, his fists clenched and tears welling up in his eyes. "Brother, you're truly my brother! If there's anything I can do to help you in the future, just come to me! I'll go through fire and water with you, without hesitation!"
He pounded his chest loudly.
Bai Chenzhu drank a few sips of water, and the chill in his body subsided, restoring his normal body temperature. He raised his eyelids slightly, and in his weariness, he couldn't help but joke, "Little brother, stop joking. Big brother needs to rest for a while. Go and check the road ahead."
Tang Zhao nodded hurriedly, moved the person to the shade of a tree, and then ran ahead to check.
Their residential area is near the highway exit, which now makes it convenient for the two of them to leave the city.
Tang Zhao looked left and right and saw a car in a hidden corner nearby. The driver's side door was open and the key was still in the ignition.
If they had a car as a means of transportation, wouldn't they be able to reach their destination quickly? Tang Zhao's eyes lit up.
He scurried over, quickly climbed into the driver's seat, plopped down, and turned the key.
A strange, muffled creak came from the back seat.
Tang Zhao felt a chill run down his spine, and his neck snapped around like a clockwork toy, meeting the gaze of a disheveled man and woman.
The key point is that the pupils of those two 'people' were dilated, and their faces were terrifyingly pale.
"Holy crap!" Tang Zhao was so startled that he leaned back and fell off the car with a thud.
These two are truly doomed lovers!
"What's wrong?" Bai Chenzhu, who had rested enough, walked over with her bag on her back and almost bumped into Tang Zhao, who was turning around.
Before Tang Zhao could speak, Bai Chenzhu had already seen the two zombies climb from the back seat to the front seat and then out of the car door. He quickly turned and ran, shouting, "Run!"
"Holy crap, holy crap!" Tang Zhao hurriedly chased after him.
The two zombies crawled out, their mouths open, emitting intermittent "ah" sounds, high-pitched and shrill, as if they wanted to speak, but the words were stuck in their throats and could not come out.
They waved their hands and chased after the two, not fast, but fast enough that the two couldn't shake them off.
As the saying goes, when you're really escaping for your life, you don't need to run very fast, you just need to run faster than your teammates. Tang Zhao was that unlucky one.
Seeing that they were about to catch up with him, Tang Zhao gritted his teeth and turned in another direction. There was cover there, and he decided to take a gamble.
Unexpectedly, the two zombies ignored Tang Zhao, who was closest to them and turned to run away, and focused solely on chasing Bai Chenzhu. After making "ah" noises for a while, they finally gurgled out a clear word: "Hungry!"
Like that mutated flower.
Bai Chenzhu still can't understand why these mutated monsters are chasing after him and shouting that they're hungry. Do they think he's some kind of delicious little cake?
His physical strength was being depleted more and more. A few hundred meters was more tiring than the two or three thousand meters he used to run. The cold wind made his throat taste metallic, and his legs felt heavy as if they were sinking into mud.
This can't go on.
Bai Chenzhu's sharp eyes quickly scanned his surroundings.
Fifty meters ahead, a motorcycle lay overturned on the ground, the key still in the ignition, its contents scattered everywhere. Judging by its model, it seemed to be the kind of motorcycle used for long-distance touring; it should be able to run for a while.
Bai Chenzhu changed direction and rushed towards the motorcycle, propped it up, and twisted the handlebars. The whooshing sound of the throttle was like the breathing of a wild beast.
He kicked the kickstand, lowered his upper body, and made a 180-degree turn. The huge drift arc of the tires almost sent Bai Chenzhu, who was not used to the speed, flying.
But the situation didn't allow him time to adjust; the two zombies were only a few meters away. Bai Chenzhu revved the engine, and the motorcycle shot off like a swift cheetah.
Tang Zhao was carrying his backpack and desperately chasing after Bai Chenzhu's direction, running so hard he was out of breath and feeling like he was going to die, when a motorcycle came speeding by from a distance and screeched to a halt beside him.
"Brother!" Tang Zhao's cheeks flushed with excitement as he looked at the 'savior's' almost transparent face. "Wow, so handsome! Where did you come from?"
Bai Chenzhu stood with his long legs at an angle, quickly put on his helmet, and casually tossed it into Tang Zhao's arms. "Get on, hurry up!"
Tang Zhao hurriedly got into the car. He clumsily took out his phone, which had previously downloaded a data package, fiddled with it for a while, and then an electronic voice sounded, "Brother, I'll give you navigation."
"good."
A dark shadow flashed past on the straight highway. The person in the back seat let out a monkey-like cheer, "Whoosh! Yay!"
There were very few people on the road, and you could only occasionally see a few cars parked on the side.
Tang Zhao's optimism at this time is quite remarkable; in some ways, he is an interesting person.
Bai Chenzhu observed the road conditions, his eyes deep and unfathomable beneath his helmet. His well-defined hands gripped the handlebars, and his T-shirt billowed in the wind, making him appear even thinner.
His body couldn't withstand the fatigue of driving for so long. So whenever Bai Chenzhu felt tired, the two would rest by the roadside. They would drive for a while, then stop, and an afternoon would pass by.
As dusk fell, the car stopped at the entrance to the highway in Jiangzhou City.
The area around Jiangzhou City has many rivers and lakes, with beautiful scenery that has attracted many people to settle there. There are bound to be many monsters inside, so Bai Chenzhu doesn't plan to accompany Tang Zhao in.
After getting off the vehicle, Tang Zhao didn't rush to leave, holding the helmet with reluctance. He felt safe with Bai Chenzhu, but now that he had to go on his own, he was a little scared.
"Be careful on your way back." Bai Chenzhu said calmly, "If you encounter any mutated plants or animals, run away. If you are surrounded by zombies, fight them."
He tapped his temple.
Bai Chenzhu did not explain in response to Tang Zhao's question.
In fact, he himself was not very clear about the principle. He only knew that, regardless of whether it was for superhumans or zombies, the root of the mutation was the brain. As long as the brain was severely damaged, the zombie would be injured.
Tang Zhao memorized these words and nodded. "Brother, will we meet again?"
In his heart, the two were like brothers who had gone through thick and thin together.
Bai Chenzhu patted his shoulder, not giving a definite answer, "If fate allows, we'll meet again."
"Then I'm going home." Tang Zhao scratched his head reluctantly and left.
Halfway there, he suddenly turned around and waved to Bai Chenzhu from afar, "Thank you, teacher!"
He grinned and ran forward, as if he were heading not to a city with nearly ten million people, but to a safe and warm home, his figure quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Half of the orange hue on the horizon had fallen.
The car ran out of gas a short distance out of Jiangzhou City, and there were no gas stations nearby. Bai Chenzhu had no choice but to abandon the car and sit by the roadside.
The power infrastructure along this section of the road is malfunctioning, and the lampposts standing there are gray and gloomy.
He wanted to stay home for a while, but that didn't work out. He stumbled upon Tang Zhao's house by chance and was forced to go out and seek survival. In this chaotic time, everyone was preoccupied with their own survival, and the base hadn't even been established yet. Could he really find a way to survive in Fuyun City?
Bai Chenzhu was somewhat confused.
A gust of wind blew, and he sneezed. He pulled his short-sleeved shirt tighter, pulled his jumbled thoughts aside, and decided to take it one step at a time.
Bai Chenzhu sighed, took out a piece of bread from his shoulder bag and nibbled on it half-heartedly, his eyelids drooping, looking like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.
Although the highway is uncomfortable, it's still safer than a residential area infested with zombies.
On the desolate, open road, he sat cross-legged with a slender figure and handsome features. If he were an ordinary person, he would inevitably attract attention and scrutiny from people, both openly and secretly.
But now, probably only zombies will chase after him.
A car headlight flashed by, almost blinding Bai Chenzhu.
Bai Chenzhu raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light, inwardly cursing the immoral person. Unexpectedly, the car that had been speeding past drove back and stopped in front of him.
Two people got out of the car as soon as the door opened.
Which rich kid is that? Bai Chenzhu opened his eyes and took a look. In just one glance, the flamboyant, brightly colored clothes were equally offensive to everyone's eyes.
It's said that enemies are destined to meet. Jiang Ye, wearing a floral shirt, white vest, and beach shorts, was walking towards him.
Two meters behind Jiang Ye was an SUV, standing quietly by the roadside in the evening, like a beast lurking in the night. A woman leaned against the car, silently watching the two of them.
Bai Chenzhu narrowed his eyes, his gaze passing over Jiang Ye to look behind him. The woman was expressionless, with her hair in a ponytail, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, and had a slender figure.
He vaguely guessed the woman's identity.
One of the male protagonist's fixed harem characters: his childhood sweetheart, who also died young and was his unrequited love.
Even in the apocalypse, it doesn't stop the male protagonist from traveling around with his harem. Bai Chenzhu chuckled, finished his bread in one gulp, patted the remaining bread off his hands, and prepared to leave, when a shadow suddenly loomed over him.
Jiang Ye had a cigarette dangling from his lips, the ember flickering in the evening light. He greeted him in a sarcastic tone, "Yo, Young Master Bai."
Bai Chenzhu pretended not to hear and was about to get up when Jiang Ye stepped on his ankle. The force was not great, but it was enough to prevent Bai Chenzhu from getting up.
The man twirled a thin cigarette, held it between his right hands, and feigned a squatting position. He deliberately exhaled a puff of smoke towards Bai Chenzhu, watching Bai Chenzhu cough with smug satisfaction, and said in a drawn-out tone, "So you've finally met your match."
"Do you still recognize me?" Jiang Ye's lips curled into a meaningful smile as he looked at the exhausted Bai Chenzhu with a leisurely air.
His curiosity about Bai Chenzhu had not faded with time, and today he finally caught up with him.
Unexpectedly, this trip brought a pleasant surprise. Jiang Ye took a deep drag of his cigarette, calming his anxiety somewhat. Now, what to do with this guy? Torture him? Extract a confession through torture…
In an instant, countless methods he had used in his previous life flashed through Jiang Ye's mind, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.
"How could I not recognize you?" Bai Chenzhu seemed to sense the other party's subtle killing intent, but pretended not to notice. He withdrew his ankle from Jiang Ye's feet, casually patted the footprints on it, and said softly, "What a coincidence, you're... just passing by?"
"I was just passing by." Jiang Ye smiled, rubbing his fingertips together as if to show concern. "Can your beat-up car still be driven? It's late at night, and the area isn't close to the city center. If something happens, there'll be no one to collect your body."
"No need to collect it," Bai Chenzhu said coolly. "As for me, a zombie, I'll get up and find someone to eat on my own."
Their seemingly casual conversation was tinged with a subtle, probing exchange.
Jiang Ye looked at his face and suddenly changed his mind.
"How about we raise this 'butterfly' that's caused so many accidents?" Jiang Ye casually and flippantly looked his 'new toy' up and down. "After all, we're alumni. Even though you're weak and clumsy, you're at least good-looking. You're barely good enough to be a pretty face. Come with me."
Weak and incompetent? Bai Ruofeng's brow twitched, but he didn't say anything. He just unscrewed the bottle cap and took a couple of sips of water to moisten his throat.
Jiang Ye looked at the person in front of him quietly, and an invisible pressure fell on the person in front of him.
He squinted. "What, you're not willing?"
Bai Chenzhu capped the bottle, turned his head, and looked at Jiang Ye's unusually kind face, but his fierce eyebrows and eyes looked anything but friendly.
"Sure," Bai Chenzhu said casually, twisting the bottle cap. "Food and drink included, accommodation and protection provided."
Jiang Ye, who had assumed the person was offering tribute, laughed. He stood up, threw the cigarette butt at his feet, and stomped out the light. "You can cook?"
Bai Chenzhu looked at Jiang Ye, clearly looking up at him, yet his aura was no less imposing. A hint of sarcasm surfaced in his distant eyes. "No, it's you who cooks for me. Surely the dignified Boss Jiang doesn't even have this much skill?"
Jiang Ye stopped stepping on the cigarette, and the woman behind him, who had been standing aside, was stunned.
Seemingly finding it amusing, the woman turned her head to the side, covered her mouth, and chuckled softly.
Bai Chenzhu had rested enough and didn't want to argue with this person. He pushed himself up from the ground and was about to leave when Jiang Ye grabbed his wrist, forcing him to stop.
His fingers were like steel bars; Bai Chenzhu tried to pry them off one by one, but couldn't budge them. Then, as if remembering something, Bai Chenzhu stopped trying to pry Jiang Ye's fingers.
Something's not right. His strength hasn't changed; it's Jiang Ye who has.
Bai Chenzhu was somewhat surprised, and a bad feeling crept into her heart: Jiang Ye shouldn't have awakened his superpowers yet, right? But this strength was undeniably real.
Jiang Ye watched him struggle to break free, a smug look on his face. He looked at him with a half-smile, "You sharp-tongued show-off, what do you have to offer in terms of bargaining?"
Judging from Jiang Ye's eyes, his smile concealed a dagger. Bai Chenzhu had no doubt that the other party wanted to kill him.
In the end, Jiang Ye chose to give him a suspended death sentence.
So, on that wild and untamed face, he tried to show magnanimity, but his forced smile looked rather ferocious.
"Come on, be my person. Do you think I'll starve you?"
"This rice is too hard." Bai Chenzhu scrutinized him, wary that the man might make a move. His dark eyes were cold and unfathomable. "I have a sensitive stomach."
"Is that so?" Jiang Ye let go of her hand.
Just as Bai Chenzhu twisted his wrist and was about to leave, he saw Jiang Ye idly taking out a folding knife from his pocket and playing with it.
He flicked his thumb upwards, drawing the blade from its sheath. He casually smoothed his bangs against the gleaming blade and said in a concerned and gentle tone, "Food is essential for life. If you don't eat, you'll die."
Author's Note:
Double Clean
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