Chapter 19 The Savior [Three-in-One for VIP Membership]
The person, completely unaware of what was happening, was sleeping on their side, with enough space between them for another person to lie down. Jiang Ye was stunned when he realized that the source of the spiritual energy emanating from the sleeping Bai Chenzhu.
"How could this be..." Jiang Ye was slightly surprised, as he was astonished that what he thought was the mental power of an enemy turned out to be the mental power of someone close to him.
"He wants to kill me?" A ruthless glint flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes.
No, that's not right. Jiang Ye frowned. He didn't think Bai Chenzhu would kill him, at least not at this time.
This guy hasn't even learned how to properly use his mental power.
Spiritual power is not a physical entity and cannot be seen by people; it is a sixth sense beyond the five senses.
However, it is not entirely without trace. Just as temperature is intangible and invisible, in the early days of the apocalypse, very few people could detect its existence in subtle differences, let alone use it.
Those who undergo such a significant change as Bai Chenzhu are extremely rare. When his mental energy concentration reaches a certain level, it's like immersing someone in ice water; the suffocating cold is something Jiang Ye couldn't help but sense.
Jiang Ye absentmindedly raised his hand. A slightly cool breeze blew across the back of his hand, carrying an appetizing aroma—the faint spiritual wisps belonging to Bai Chenzhu. His body was unharmed, but he could feel a distinct, subtle pain on the back of his hand.
"To think that he has such talent after only awakening." Jiang Ye frowned as he sensed the spiritual energy. He had already guessed that Bai Chenzhu had awakened some kind of superpower.
But only today did he begin to sense that things were getting out of control.
Mental power represents the master's will. If mental power wants to attack him, then Bai Chenzhu has the same idea.
He wanted to attack me, even kill me.
Jiang Ye withdrew his hand and clenched his fist.
Clearly, he had some affection for Bai Chenzhu, but that affection wasn't enough to make him lose his ability to weigh the pros and cons. Now, Bai Chenzhu brought him more apprehension, especially after discovering that this person was inexplicably aggressive towards him.
If it happens once, it will happen again; the best way to avoid it is to solve it once and for all.
Jiang Ye stared at the sleeping person. His conflicted rationality told him that this was a very rare superhuman with extraordinary perception and control. If he could use this power... But the existence of this power also made Jiang Ye feel threatened, especially tonight. He didn't want to keep someone who posed a threat to him by his side.
He knew that Bai Chenzhu was a very opinionated person, and from the first time they met, she had been intentionally or unintentionally going against him.
Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes. If this power couldn't be used by him, it would be better to destroy it from the beginning; that would be the safest approach.
Jiang Ye loosened his clenched fist and slowly extended his hand toward Bai Chenzhu, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
Such a person, completely unguarded and utterly devoid of any sense of danger, could be easily turned into a lifeless corpse if his throat was seized.
Bai Chenzhu seemed to be having a nightmare, making faint, incoherent sounds as the hostile mental energy that had been surrounding Jiang Ye dissipated completely.
He turned to his side, lying with his face towards Jiang Ye, as if seeking a sense of security.
The face that met his eyes was completely unguarded, or rather, he had not yet learned how to protect himself.
Jiang Ye's eyes changed slightly. He paused just as he was about to press down, and his fingers instead gently fell to Bai Chenzhu's temple, picking up a strand of hair and kneading it.
Perhaps it's a misunderstanding; Bai Chenzhu has no reason to harm him now.
"Heh." Jiang Ye scoffed. He was being narrow-minded. Everything was altruistic now, and this person's weakness was too obvious. He didn't need to kill him; he could just throw him out and the zombies would devour him.
In the darkness, Jiang Ye seemed to have just woken up from a nightmare, withdrew his hand, and curled his lips in a sarcastic smile.
Only absolute strength can control everything; he will never allow anyone to stand against him.
After a rustling sound, Jiang Ye lay down, turned his back, and continued to sleep.
Bai Chenzhu's eyeballs twitched twice under his eyelids, and he turned over imperceptibly, as if he wasn't sleeping soundly.
Under the covers, awakened by a nightmare and sensing Jiang Ye's malice, he quietly tightened his grip on the folding fruit knife in his hand.
It was a replica of the one Jiang Ye had used to threaten him on the roadside; small and exquisite, but the unfolded blade was very sharp. When he realized that his unintentional attack on Jiang Ye had been discovered, he was prepared to turn on Jiang Ye if he wanted to kill him.
At dawn, Bai Chenzhu got up, clutching his heart. He was still filled with immense fear, gasping for breath as he clutched his throat. His black hair was disheveled, and his forehead was covered in sweat.
Everything cruel in the dream was vivid in my mind.
Two nightmares in one night, both so vivid and so impactful. Bai Chenzhu finds it hard to shake them off.
As the body sought to protect itself, everything in the dream became hazy and unrecoverable. The harder Bai Chenzhu tried to recall, the less he could remember, and his mood gradually calmed down in the process of forgetting.
The curtains were drawn open early in the morning light, and Jiang Ye was standing bent over by the bed, pinching and tugging at his soft cheek, then secretly twirling the ends of his hair around his neck, and lazily saying, "Hey, get up and get to work."
His eyes held a hint of inquiry, but it was masked by a smile on his face.
"What kind of work?" Bai Chenzhu didn't even realize what he was saying, let alone observe people's expressions.
"Have you forgotten? We promised Zhou Zhuohua yesterday that we would go find her sister." Jiang Ye, who had already finished washing up, urged him twice and went out first, leaving Bai Chenzhu alone in the room.
He wiped the red marks on his cheek and breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Jiang Ye's retreating figure. He told himself that they were just some ambiguous fragments and he didn't need to care.
Room 901, Building A, Fan Hua Li – this is where they are about to go.
Zhou Zhuohua repeatedly emphasized that she should come back if she couldn't find her sister, as she didn't want the two of them to get hurt because of her sister's uncertain fate.
The middle-aged man at the front desk was yawning and reading the newspaper, a picture of tranquility. When the two passed by, he casually asked if they needed cleaning services today.
The two refused the service, only telling the man not to let anyone disturb them in the room.
Once in the car, Jiang Ye turned the steering wheel, and the car slowly started moving along the flat, straight road.
Compared to cities where buildings stand side by side and people are packed together, this small city is rather 'desolate' on both sides, as if there were gaps between the buildings of the old city, with the gaps clearly visible.
The further into the city you go, the denser the buildings become.
Bai Chenzhu fiddled with the stick lying across his leg, looking helplessly at Jiang Ye who had changed into a beach vacation outfit, and said, "Hey, I'm going to die with you, at least die knowing why, right? Is your information accurate? That's a residential area full of people, what if we end up with nothing there?"
"I just missed you and threw you to feed the zombies." Jiang Ye glanced at him.
He couldn't get a single word out of her. Bai Chenzhu sighed, "I'm risking my life to keep you company, so it's not too much to ask more questions, is it?"
"I don't know what's going on, and I'm certainly not a gentleman," Jiang Ye said with a smile, his eyebrows and eyes sharp and arrogant like knives, even his sincere smile was tinged with blatant mockery.
"If you keep being sarcastic, I'm not going to stick with you anymore." Bai Chenzhu looked at him coldly, his hand on the car door handle—although he couldn't push the door open and jump out of the car by himself, his intention to run away was clear.
"Okay, okay." Jiang Ye stared at the road ahead, carefully avoiding obstacles, and shared the few things he knew.
"Zhou Zhuohua's mother passed away years ago, and Uncle Zhou happened to be away on a business trip a few weeks ago. Zhou Mengmeng—Zhou Zhuohua's younger sister—usually boards at school and stays at that house on holidays. The school suspended classes a while ago, so Zhou Mengmeng, who is away from school, is most likely living in the house."
Jiang Ye's voice gradually lowered as he spoke. He unconsciously tapped the steering wheel, unsure whether he hoped to miss the trip or not, and even somewhat afraid to see Zhou Mengmeng.
Although he didn't believe in fate, the facts were undeniable: Zhou Zhuohua was indeed infected. What if, if things continued as they were, she would still...
Jiang Ye gathered his scattered thoughts. "The new house is in the city center and near the school, and the community has excellent security."
His fingertips tapped idly on the leather cover of the steering wheel. "But right now, none of this is good news for us. The only good news is that it's a new neighborhood, and not many people have moved in yet."
“Zhou Mengmeng…” Bai Chenzhu read the name aloud, finding it very familiar.
In a moment, he recalled that in the book, Jiang Ye was surrounded by women, including a quiet girl who called Jiang Ye "brother" and followed him wherever he went.
Because her presence was so minimal, Bai Chenzhu simply dismissed the girl as someone who would do such a thing and didn't bother to investigate her background.
Jiang Ye wanted to smoke again. He rummaged around and found a lime-flavored lollipop, which he popped into his mouth. It was so sour and bitter that his face scrunched up, and he coughed several times before he felt better.
Jiang Ye puffed out one cheek and breathed a sigh of relief. "I will bring Zhou Mengmeng to Zhuohua."
He was so certain.
Bai Chenzhu's hands were itching again; she really wanted to pull the lollipop stick out of Jiang Ye's mouth, but she didn't dare to because he was the driver. She just stared at Jiang Ye's profile and asked, "So what's next? After taking Zhou Mengmeng back to the hotel, what's our next step?"
Seeing that he seemed to have an idea, Jiang Ye asked in return, "What do you want to do?"
Bai Chenzhu thought for a moment, then tilted his head to look at Jiang Ye and tentatively suggested, "Let's find a safe place, stock up on some food, get to know a few more capable people, form a team, build a base, and support each other to create a better life?"
"Pfft, hahaha! You think too highly of me, don't you?" Jiang Ye was amused by his matter-of-fact tone. "Immortal Bai, Young Master Bai, please open your eyes and look at these mutants in front of you. Who gave you the confidence to think I have such great ambitions? I'll just take it one step at a time."
But isn't that the original storyline? Jiang Ye is the destined savior. Bai Chenzhu was about to retort when Jiang Ye interrupted him, "We've arrived."
Tall marble pillars stand on both sides, with platinum patterns covering the lintel, and the three golden characters "Fan Hua Li" are written on it, creating a magnificent atmosphere. However, below it is an iron gate, and on both sides are solid stone walls.
At first glance, it looks more like a prison.
Three uniformed men were loitering at the entrance of the residential compound, behaving sluggishly and with strange postures, yet still faithfully fulfilling their duty of guarding the gate.
Bai Chenzhu looked at the tightly closed remote-controlled carved iron gate and asked, "Should we drive in?"
Jiang Ye, with a lollipop in his mouth, slapped the steering wheel and said, "If you're so good, then you do it."
Bai Chenzhu was dissatisfied with him and couldn't help but try to pull the lollipop out of his mouth. Jiang Ye bit down hard on the candy, but when Bai Chenzhu pulled, he only pulled out a paper stick.
Jiang Ye mumbled two words: "Childish."
“Say one more thing,” Bai Chenzhu lightly patted his cheek, “believe me or not, I’ll steal all your candy?”
The threat was utterly ineffective, but Jiang Ye lazily raised his eyelids and chose to simply shut up.
Jiang Ye parked the car in a corner. Bai Chenzhu carried a bag with bottled water and bread, while Jiang Ye was completely relaxed and carried nothing.
Why does it feel like a picnic? Bai Chenzhu was about to speak.
Jiang Ye snatched the baseball bat from his hand, stared at the zombies at the door, and gestured to Bai Chenzhu, "Can you climb walls?"
Bai Chenzhu looked up at the wall, which was at least four or five meters high and was covered with smooth, porcelain tiles.
He knew in his heart that it would be difficult for an ordinary person to climb up, but in order to prove himself to Jiang Ye, he tried several times with great difficulty, but he couldn't get up. He had no choice but to let go and jump down from the wall, panting as he looked at Jiang Ye, "You go."
Jiang Ye scoffed, "How can you be so weak?"
Bai Chenzhu stood with his arms crossed, looking at him with a leisurely air.
Jiang Ye immediately retreated a few meters, ran forward, and in a few quick steps, stylishly stepped onto the wall. Then, under Bai Chenzhu's teasing gaze... he slid down.
Jiang Ye patted the smooth wall and fell silent. He wasn't used to being so young and weak.
In a mysterious awkwardness, Bai Chenzhu let out a snicker. Seeing Jiang Ye looking at him expressionlessly, he couldn't help but raise his fist to cover his lips, trying his best to hide his laughter. However, his shaking shoulders revealed the mockery clearly.
Jiang Ye approached with a dark expression. Bai Chenzhu became alert, looking at the newcomer as if facing a formidable enemy, taking a step back and preparing to flee.
却见江野气势汹汹抬起手，一副想揍他又不知道怎么下手的模样，最后只屈指，效仿着柏尘竹先前的动作，弹了一下他额头。
Bai Chenzhu instinctively took a breath, covered his forehead, and looked at Jiang Ye with a puzzled expression. "What did I do to offend you?"
However, Jiang Ye had no intention of explaining his inexplicable behavior. He looked at the three zombies guarding the door, weighed the long stick in his hand, and looked at Bai Chenzhu.
For some reason, Bai Chenzhu's intuition told him that Jiang Ye's gaze towards him was definitely not a good sign. He took a step back, watching Jiang Ye warily.
Jiang Ye grabbed Bai Chenzhu's shoulder and pulled him closer, pressing his palm against the back of Bai Chenzhu's neck and pressing forward, unexpectedly closing the distance between them.
Under Bai Chenzhu's watchful eye, Jiang Ye said mysteriously, "It's up to you now."
He gestured with his chin toward the door, "Here, you go lure them over one by one, and then I'll take care of them."
Bai Chenzhu rubbed his slightly itchy ears, his face clearly saying, "What's wrong with you?" He tilted his head back, breaking free from Jiang Ye's grasp, and narrowed his eyes. "Say it again?"
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "I said, you go and lure them over..." He nimbly dodged Bai Chenzhu's uppercut and touched the tip of his nose with relief.
"Wait, I'm serious." Jiang Ye raised his hands in surrender, forced to become serious. "Haven't you noticed the special nature of your ability? Because of this ability, in the eyes of the mutants, you're practically a fragrant roast chicken, fresh out of the oven."
Just as Bai Chenzhu was about to lose his temper, his previous encounters flashed through his mind: whether it was the mutated rose he encountered at the beginning or the zombies that only chased him and not Tang Zhao, they all seemed to corroborate Jiang Ye's words.
"Are you playing me? How would you know something I don't even know myself?" Bai Chenzhu looked at Jiang Ye probingly. Since he started following Jiang Ye, he had never been alone. There was no reason for Jiang Ye to be able to deduce these things.
Jiang Ye grinned, "Of course it's because..."
Under Bai Chenzhu's solemn expression, he started talking nonsense again, "I am not only a strongman, but also a person with eyes that can see through people's hearts. I can see through everyone in a flash."
After saying that, he nodded, seemingly amused by his own words. "Yeah, that's right. Since we're already here, let's give it a try. We'll know for sure if it's true or not once we try."
Bai Chenzhu stared at Jiang Ye with a cold face for a long time, then her eyes flickered and her heart stirred; she was truly eager to try.
He turned and stepped around the corner.
However, due to his distrust of Jiang Ye, he moved forward a few meters at a snail's pace, stuck in a blind spot, trying to make himself visible to only one zombie.
As if confirming Jiang Ye's words, the bearded zombie stared at him with suspicion, like a tiger seeing fresh meat hanging on a bamboo pole.
Could it be true? Bai Chenzhu stared at it intently. In the blurry image, the zombie's image gradually magnified before his eyes, even the saliva was crystal clear. He gradually sensed something threatening.
Bai Chenzhu propped his forehead with one hand, trying even harder to 'see' the bearded zombie in the distance, but his head throbbed even more. As he stared, something unseen and intangible poured onto the bearded zombie.
This wasn't an illusion. The bearded zombie did react, but not much. Bai Chenzhu thought for a moment, then took a few more steps forward to confirm that only the bearded zombie could see him at the entrance.
The bearded zombie shuddered and made a swallowing motion. It became somewhat agitated, its body trembling, its limbs twisting uncontrollably. It stumbled down the steps, unable to wait a moment longer, and rushed towards Bai Chenzhu, its limbs swinging wildly.
Bai Chenzhu suppressed his fear of running away. After the bearded zombie was attracted to him and was a few meters away, he turned around and ran behind the corner. The bearded zombie rushed into the corner with an impatient howl.
Instead, it was met with a devastating blow, hitting it squarely on the forehead.
With a thud, the dull thud of the corpse fell to the ground.
"Now you believe me?" Jiang Ye kicked the bearded zombie with his toe to confirm that it had lost its ability to move, and then teased the person hiding behind him, "Roast chicken is really amazing, now lure the second one over."
All her rationality and patience in this life were ruined by Jiang Ye. Just hearing that disgusting nickname made her angry. Bai Chenzhu gritted her teeth and quickly kicked him in the shin, cursing, "You bastard, are you crazy for meat?"
Jiang Ye smiled without saying a word, ignoring his accusations, and focused on observing the surroundings.
Bai Chenzhu silently gestured towards Jiang Ye's back, clearly intending to use a dirty trick on him.
Unfortunately, Jiang Ye seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, taking a step back and turning to face him sideways, his sharp eyebrows curving into a smile, "Go quickly."
He deserves a beating.
"Heh." Bai Chenzhu straightened his clothes and said in a low voice, "Alright, 'Hercules' and 'Thousand-Mile Eyes,' you'd better be careful."
Don't let him get a chance to retaliate.
The two worked together, using a strategy of taking them down one by one, and successfully entered the entrance of the residential area.
The community has excellent landscaping, with a small garden between each building, so they are not densely packed.
Upon entering, there is a large garden in front, with a kindergarten on the left and an underground parking lot on the right. Beyond the garden are staggered buildings.
It's just that the community is too new, and not many people have moved in yet. Although it has complete facilities, it lacks people everywhere and seems empty and quiet.
It was unusually quiet.
Bai Chenzhu examined the map on the community bulletin board, "Building A, Apartment 910, Fan Hua Li..."
Jiang Ye said helplessly, "It's 901."
Bai Chenzhu was only focused on remembering where Building A was, and nodded upon hearing this, "A910..."
Jiang Ye reiterated: "It's 901!"
Bai Chenzhu sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "Ninth floor, that's so high. Shall we call out from downstairs? Maybe the girl will answer?"
“No way,” Jiang Ye disagreed. “She’ll have a hard time hearing us at this height, and the sound will attract the mutants. Also, we can’t take the elevator.”
Bai Chenzhu's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Jiang Ye with some surprise, "We're not taking the elevator? We're going to walk up?"
Jiang Ye nodded, "If you don't want to fall halfway down the elevator, or suddenly find yourself facing a monster's gaping maw..."
"Stop talking." Bai Chenzhu raised his hands in surrender.
A soft sound came from beside him, and Jiang Ye's expression changed slightly. He pulled Bai Chenzhu and circled around the green plants, heading towards Building A.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Bai Chenzhu turned around and glanced back. In that instant, he saw a crawling infant on all fours, and his pupils contracted sharply.
Even though it was far away, the thing seemed to grow larger in front of him in a strange way, its swollen, bluish-purple skin and black pupils covering its entire eyes were clearly visible in every detail.
Noticing Bai Chenzhu's gaze, the child gave him an innocent smile, his mouth stained with blood, and his laughter echoed like a ghost.
His throat bobbed, and he almost vomited. The next second, Jiang Ye covered his eyes. Jiang Ye's sharp gaze swept over the little monster, and he whispered in Bai Chenzhu's ear, "Don't panic, come with me."
Jiang Ye forcefully dragged the pale-faced Bai Chenzhu into the elevated floor, pushed open the heavy iron door of the fire escape, and entered the stairwell.
"You'll have to get used to it." Jiang Ye, who was leaning against the wall and retching, was playing with a stick in his hand, seemingly unconcerned. "Some things can't be avoided by running away. They're no longer human."
Bai Chenzhu took a breath and said, "I'm getting used to it."
"Okay," Jiang Ye said. "Next, try to clear your mind."
Bai Chenzhu looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Jiang Ye explained, “It was attracted by you. You have to learn to control your superpower. Imagine you are a roasted chicken, and what you have to do now is control your intangible and invisible ‘aroma’.”
Seeing that Bai Chenzhu really didn't understand, Jiang Ye had to speak more slowly, "Don't you understand? Then let me put it simply. Don't think about anything, don't be curious, don't try to 'see' things that are far away, don't try to 'hear' those trivial sounds, just focus on your senses in the present moment."
"Don't think about anything?" Bai Chenzhu said thoughtfully.
“Yes, you need to learn to control your thoughts, control yourself from thinking too far ahead, follow me wholeheartedly, and listen to what I say.” Jiang Ye said seriously, “I know you don’t want to do this, but if you don’t want to be torn apart and eaten by monsters, you must do as I say.”
"According to you, I'm a burden, only attracting monsters." Bai Chenzhu couldn't understand, "If that's the case, why bring me along?"
Jiang Ye curled his lips. "Yes, it would be faster if I did it myself. But there's another reason I brought you here this time, which is to help you get used to the environment."
He wanted to personally cultivate someone who could fight alongside him. The timing of Bai Chenzhu's awakening was very clever. When he discovered Bai Chenzhu's special qualities in the villa, he had no intention of letting him go.
Bai Chenzhu looked at him inquisitively, "How can I possibly help you?"
"You'll be very useful. You're a very precious psychic ability user with excellent talent." As soon as Jiang Ye finished speaking, he saw the joy gradually igniting in Bai Chenzhu's eyes.
Bai Chenzhu grabbed Jiang Ye's forearm and asked repeatedly, "What exactly is my superpower? How do I use it!"
In the apocalypse, superpowers are practically a talisman.
But what exactly is a psychic? Bai Chenzhu tried his best to recall the contents of the book he had read.
Undoubtedly, he gained nothing. As time passed, those memories gradually faded. He shook his head, rubbing his forehead, unable to recall even the specifics, only a vague outline.
“He’s one in a hundred among those with superpowers.” Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow when he saw that he cared.
But now, he had to dampen the enthusiasm of someone who was overly excited. "Right now, your powers do more harm than good. Your mental energy will attract monsters that act on instinct, and in their eyes, you're more appealing than any other food. As for your abilities, well... for now, they're not very useful except for attracting monsters."
Bai Chenzhu immediately thought of a common plot device, "So, will I have to upgrade using the crystals in the zombies' brains next?"
"What you're saying..." Seeing Bai Chenzhu's excitement overflowing, Jiang Ye changed the subject, "Completely wrong. You've been reading too many novels, haven't you? You're dreaming, but zombies don't have that kind of thing in their brains. They're creatures that have abandoned their mental power and extremely enhanced their physical bodies. You want to level up? Use it or lose it. The only way is to learn to control it and practice more."
"Simply put, the more you cook, the better." Jiang Ye's lips curled into his usual sarcastic smile.
"You can't level up by eating crystals after all." Bai Chenzhu looked at him listlessly, sullen and dispirited.
"Today's task is to learn restraint; you must learn control." Remembering how this guy had extended his spiritual power without any sense of distance last night, Jiang Ye pressed on, "Did you hear what I just said?"
If he tried again, he wasn't sure if his hands would be faster than his brain, and if he did, the guy in front of him would be dismembered.
What else can we do? Bai Chenzhu nodded, "You know a lot, I'll follow you."
When Jiang Ye went upstairs, he followed closely behind, cautiously observing his surroundings.
The stairwell was covered in dust, and dark red bloodstains remained on the walls. They walked up, leaving two lines of footprints.
Through the iron gate, Bai Chenzhu could vaguely hear strange noises from some floors, but he remembered Jiang Ye's words and did not listen, look, or investigate, limiting everything to his five senses.
Jiang Ye's reaction far exceeded Bai Chenzhu's expectations. Every time the strange noise approached, he would drag Bai Chenzhu around, constantly changing stairwells.
Their skillful dodging maneuvers saved them a lot of trouble, but at the same time increased the already considerable distance they had to travel.
The two ran non-stop, and with only three floors left, Bai Chenzhu finally couldn't hold on any longer. He leaned on the railing, panting, with beads of sweat on his forehead.
Even though he used to work in an office all year round, climbing a few floors wasn't a big problem for him, but now he was truly exhausted.
Bai Chenzhu didn't want Jiang Ye to look down on him, so he forced himself to stay upright. His body wouldn't obey him, and his knees buckled, almost causing him to kneel down.
Seeing that Jiang Ye was about to walk away, he had no choice but to lean against the handrail, panting, and grab Jiang Ye's clothes tightly with his other hand, saying weakly, "Slow down."
"Hmm?" Jiang Ye belatedly turned around and looked at him, noticing that his face was pale and his body temperature was slightly low, clearly a sign of exhaustion.
The hallway was quiet, with only the sound of their breathing. Bai Chenzhu's vision was blurry, a buzzing sound filled her ears, and her leg muscles trembled uncontrollably.
Jiang Ye grabbed Bai Chenzhu's wrist and pulled it upwards. He slowed his pace, clearly accommodating Bai Chenzhu.
Bai Chenzhu, not understanding why, followed his force and climbed the steps.
When he looked up, his eyes were both confused and stubborn, making him seem very obedient. His eyelashes fluttered like brushes, softening Jiang Ye's heart and erasing even his slightest impatience.
He's still young, after all. Jiang Ye thought to himself. Although his physical age was a year younger than a human's, Jiang Ye considered his soul to be nearly ten years older, so he should take care of the 'little one'.
Jiang Ye pressed his shoulder down to sit down as if he were playing with a doll, bent over and touched his forehead with the back of his hand to make sure he was alright, and very naturally took out a bottle of mineral water and two pieces of bread from his small bag, tore open the packaging and put them in his hand.
He didn't seem surprised by Bai Chenzhu's weak health, and even accepted it better than Bai Chenzhu herself. "It's impressive that your body has been able to keep up with me for so long."
Bai Chenzhu assumed that he knew the original owner had a heart condition and was therefore taking care of her intentionally, so she kept quiet.
The midday sun streamed through the clear window, partially illuminating him and softening Jiang Ye's expression. "You need to rest. Eat something to calm down first."
Bai Chenzhu looked at the bread in her hand, then at Jiang Ye, and couldn't help but feel a little touched. She thought to herself that although this guy seemed quite unethical on ordinary days, he was quite steady when it mattered.
He is indeed as reliable as a male protagonist should be.
Jiang Ye had already swallowed the entire piece of bread whole.
He was very fast; he finished a two-palm-sized loaf of bread in a few bites, and gulped down a bottle of mineral water without leaving a crumb.
Jiang Ye didn't hear anything, so he turned around and looked at Bai Chenzhu, who was stunned. "Why aren't you eating?"
Jiang Ye walked over, and before Bai Chenzhu could react, he bent down and took a bite of his bread, leaving a small gap.
Jiang Ye chewed and chewed: "Aren't you hungry? You need to eat well to work. We'd better find Zhou Mengmeng before evening, so hurry up... damn it!"
Bai Chenzhu sneered as she moved her foot away, leaving a dusty footprint on the thief's sneakers, before turning around and quickly finishing her food.
During the break, Jiang Ye didn't rest. He observed the surroundings, ready to run away with Bai Chenzhu at any moment.
A faint sound echoed in the corridor. It was so quiet it was easily overlooked. Jiang Ye's expression changed instantly, and Bai Chenzhu, who was watching him, noticed the sound.
Something was moving lightly, or perhaps it was deliberately slowing down.
Jiang Ye looked towards the door and immediately stood up, reaching out to grab Bai Chenzhu's shoulder. However, to his surprise, he touched something firm and warm.
Jiang Ye turned his head and looked at Bai Chenzhu, who was propping himself up.
"Jiang, Ye!" Caught off guard by the sudden groping, Bai Chenzhu's forehead bulged with suppressed veins as he called his name in a low voice.
Jiang Ye quickly withdrew his hand, still in the mood to joke amidst the tense atmosphere, "You've practiced well, although you're still far behind me."
After saying that, he grabbed Bai Chenzhu and ran upstairs.
The sound was getting closer.
"Don't look, don't look, don't turn around..." Bai Chenzhu repeated to himself. A chill ran down his spine, and all his attention was focused on Jiang Ye's back. He forced himself not to turn around and 'see' what that thing was.
An orange streak flashed past the stair railing at incredible speed, heading straight for the two men's faces.
Immediately, to Bai Chenzhu's utter dismay, the orange figure was sent flying by Jiang Ye's blow, crashing heavily against the wall with a scream. Upon landing, it bared its teeth fiercely and blocked the two of them.
"Tsk." Jiang Ye rubbed his aching right wrist after knocking the monster away.
Bai Chenzhu finally saw what the monster looked like.
It was an orange cat—if the hedgehog-like creature with its sharp claws and red eyes could even be considered a cat.
It arched its blood-stained back, its bristling fur as sharp as steel needles, bared its dense teeth, bits of flesh between them, and let out a deafening howl, "Meow—"
Bai Chenzhu felt a sharp pain in his ears and instinctively covered them. Jiang Ye raised his hand to protect Bai Chenzhu, took a step forward, and stared at the orange cat in front of him, looking it up and down. He then said something surprising: "It's quite cute."
"Is there something wrong with your eyes?" Bai Chenzhu stared at the back of his head in shock.
Jiang Ye, fearless, waved at the 'hedgehog' cat, making meowing sounds, and waving the baseball bat in his hand like a cat toy.
With the weapon right in front of it, the orange cat froze. It stared warily at the two people in front of it, its four paws moving nimbly as it circled around them, making low growling sounds as it searched for its prey's weakness.
If the two of them relax even slightly at this moment, it will rush up and bite through the prey's vulnerable throat.
Jiang Ye suddenly yelled at it, but the cowardly orange cat shrank back and glared at him, refusing to leave.
Seeing that the orange cat wasn't paying attention to him, Bai Chenzhu quietly retreated, trying to escape. But when he turned around, he suddenly noticed a 'person' lying by the fire door.
Or rather, it was a zombie with half its arm bitten off. Bloodstained marks were smeared on the corridor.
It crawled over, its murky eyes staring straight at him, struggling to raise its blood-soaked half-body, its sharp nails outstretched, its eyes craving the flesh and blood of a living person.
There was no doubt that before the two of them arrived, the cat and the corpse were fiercely fighting each other.
Now it's blocking the stairwell, flanking the two people with the cat.
Even more terrifying was that the bloodstains and commotion left by the zombie as it crawled along attracted the attention of other zombies. They smelled the blood and the 'fragrance' and were slowly moving towards them.
The two stood back to back. Unlike cats, the zombie was fearless, staggered to its feet, and limped over.
As the distance closed, Bai Chenzhu nudged Jiang Ye with his elbow and whispered, "What do we do now?"
Ahead are 'hedgehog cats' as sharp as steel needles, and behind are a horde of zombies; advancing or retreating will only result in injury.
"It is a bit troublesome." Jiang Ye thought for two seconds.
Two seconds later, he decisively turned around, put his arm around Bai Chenzhu's shoulder, and climbed out of the stairwell window.
The speed was so fast that not only the two monsters, but even Bai Chenzhu, the person involved, didn't have time to react.
This is on the sixth floor! And the windows have absolutely no railings!
Caught off guard, Bai Chenzhu was forcefully pulled down. In the midst of the dizzying spin, he was unexpectedly hit in the face by the piercing wind from the high-rise building's fan. The weightlessness of the fall almost reminded him of the fall he experienced before his transmigration.
Is this really going to kill me?
The blue sky and white clouds turned into a concrete ground. After feeling dizzy, Jiang Ye rolled with him onto a small platform protruding from the outer wall. Dust rose up, and Bai Chenzhu coughed twice. When he opened his eyes, he saw the blue sky above him and the empty space below him.
The platform was no more than a meter wide; one could easily fall off if he turned over. He froze instantly, lying there too stiff to move.
Jiang Ye knelt down and stood up, dusted himself off, and helped Bai Chenzhu up as well.
He glanced at Bai Chenzhu's almost transparently pale face, and fearing that the person might fall off the building while not thinking clearly, he casually wrapped his arm around the person.
Jiang Ye blinked, looked down at his arm, and his thoughts inevitably drifted away.
How can her waist be so thin?
The sound of sharp scratching echoed above their heads. A strange cat squeaked and clawed at the window sill, while a zombie whimpered and leaned out, its thin, pointed hands waving at the two.
One of them charged too fast, flipped over, and fell out of the sixth-floor window, landing on the concrete floor with a dull thud.
Bai Chenzhu instinctively looked down, and what he saw was a mixture of black and red flesh. Moreover, his eyesight was so good that he could see the blood bubbles in every piece of rotting flesh clearly.
By the time he realized what he was seeing, it was too late.
Bai Chenzhu's pupils contracted sharply, and he turned his head abruptly. His esophagus convulsed uncontrollably, and he leaned against the outer wall, gagging. The bread he had just eaten was stuck in his throat and churning.
"Mom, there's Spider-Man!"
The sound of children's voices drifted over, and the two looked in the direction of the sound. They then discovered that several households in the building had opened their windows and were craning their necks to look out because of the sound of zombies falling from the building.
When Bai Chenzhu's gaze met the child's innocent eyes, a man quickly pulled the child back into the house, slammed the window shut, and drew the curtains.
Then, several households rushed to close their windows in their sight, looking wary, as if they had seen a monster that was almost like a zombie.
That's right, no normal person would do something like that involving an air conditioner outdoor unit platform. Bai Chenzhu closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
"Are you alright?" Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. "Are you adjusting well?"
"I'm fine. Could you please let me know in advance next time?" Bai Chenzhu gritted his teeth, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, more thrilling than riding a roller coaster.
He glanced at Jiang Ye, and, forcing himself to endure his discomfort, said, "I'm still young, I don't want to die with you."
If there's even a slight error, both of them would be smashed to pieces.
Jiang Ye stared at his pale face, then stopped joking and shrugged, "I'll try my best."
The small platform was only big enough to fit one air conditioner unit. The two people stood close together, with a resident's balcony just over two meters away.
This distance is insurmountable for ordinary people.
The wind howled past the tall building, whipping at their hair and clothes. A stronger wind could have blown them off, posing a serious danger.
Jiang Ye shielded him from the wind on the outside, and slightly raised his chin towards the balcony, "Jump over."
"Dude, do you know what nonsense you're talking about?" Bai Chenzhu grabbed his arm, not daring to let go, their heartbeats almost syncing.
Considering how fragile the bamboo was, Jiang Ye fell silent, then compromised and said, "Alright, then you wait here for me, I'll find something to take you there."
He was about to jump over when Bai Chenzhu grabbed his arm.
Bai Chenzhu looked at Jiang Ye, who was trying to keep him here, his face ashen, his back covered in cold sweat. Even now, he didn't dare to look down.
That's a height that could scare a person to death, let alone the fact that the two of them had no equipment.
"Don't go," Bai Chenzhu wanted to say. With monsters above him and the sky below, if Jiang Ye abandoned him, he would have no way to escape.
He never easily entrusts his trust to others, let alone his own life.
Bai Chenzhu's thoughts were in disarray. He gripped Jiang Ye's arm even tighter, almost crushing the man's wrist bones. Jiang Ye simply watched him quietly, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
Rationally, Bai Chenzhu knew this was the best way to escape. He stared at Jiang Ye's deep face, took a deep breath with all his might, and suppressed the fear in his heart.
"Okay." Bai Chenzhu finally loosened his grip, his phoenix eyes looking away, his voice trembling, "Hurry up, I'm a little afraid of heights."
Jiang Ye pulled a lollipop from some pocket, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into Bai Chenzhu's mouth. "I won't abandon you." With that, he leaped nimbly, landing on the balcony before Bai Chenzhu's astonished gaze. His figure flickered and disappeared.
Bai Chenzhu could not suppress the bad thoughts. Her panic lasted only a moment before she was distracted by the strawberry-flavored lollipop in her mouth.
Jiang Ye, damn it! Could he really have run away? Bai Chenzhu tried to think of all sorts of things, attempting to forget the high altitude beneath her feet.
Why on earth did he have to come out with someone?! Bai Chenzhu began to regret it.
Time ticked by, and he closed his eyes, maliciously speculating that Jiang Ye's words, "let him adapt," were just a way to fool him, and that he might actually be trying to kill him.
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