The infected was unlike anything Xinyi had expected. It stumbled out of the shadows, dragging its legs as if it had forgotten how to move like a human. Its face was a grotesque mask of blood, skin torn and shredded from where it had fought with others in its ravenous search for flesh. But it wasn't just the sight of the thing that rattled Xinyi. It was the eyes still human, still pleading for help, though it no longer understood the concept of mercy.
It was a man, or had been, once. Now, he was nothing more than an animal, driven by hunger and instinct. The others behind the barricade froze for a moment, the horror of the sight momentarily breaking their control. But it wasn't enough to stop the man who had pointed the gun at Xie Yan.
"Shoot it!" he barked.
But Xie Yan didn't move. His eyes flicked from the man holding the gun, to the infected, then back to the barricade. The tension in the air thickened. The other survivors had started backing away, their weapons raised, but none of them seemed sure of what to do next. Some looked at the barricade, others at the infected man. No one had expected this.
Xinyi could feel her heart pounding in her throat, but her mind remained clear. This wasn't a time for hesitation. They didn't have the luxury of standing still. The streets were about to explode into chaos, and the infected were only the first wave. The military had been her best shot at survival, but if they didn't move quickly, even that would be out of reach.
"Get back in the car," Xinyi said, her voice sharper than before. Her eyes locked onto Xie Yan's. He hadn't taken his gaze off the barricade, but the muscles in his jaw tightened. He knew as well as she did that the longer they stayed here, the worse it would get.
Xie Yan shifted, his hand moving toward the door handle again, slowly. He was calculating, always calculating. Xinyi didn't know what he saw in that moment, but she saw it too — they couldn't afford to be caught in this trap. Not now. Not ever.
"Xie Yan," she said, almost a whisper, her voice urging him to hurry.
Finally, he nodded, and before anyone could react, he slammed his foot on the gas. The car lurched forward, its tires screeching against the cracked pavement, pushing past the barricade. The gunman yelled in surprise, stumbling backward, but Xie Yan was already pulling away, driving with the kind of precision that only years of military training could teach.
Xinyi's breath left her in a rush as they sped down the street, weaving in and out of panicked traffic. The infected had started to move faster now, their twisted bodies crashing into everything in their path. The roads were clogged with cars, but it didn't matter. Xie Yan maneuvered with calm precision, dodging cars, and keeping them ahead of the swarm that had started to take over the city.
Xinyi pressed her hand against the window, staring out at the unfolding nightmare. The city, once so alive, had turned into a battleground. Screams echoed, rising above the steady hum of chaos. She could see people running, some desperate, some frozen in terror, as the first infected broke into buildings, their twisted forms crawling into places that had once been safe.
And then, the sky. The sky was no longer the same. There was a strange, ominous red tint that painted the horizon. The sun was still there, but it seemed muted, as if the world itself had begun to die. The air had grown thick and heavy, filled with the scent of burning buildings, blood, and fear. It felt like the end.
And yet, here she was. Still alive. Still running. Still thinking.
"How much farther?" Xinyi asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them.
"Not far," Xie Yan replied, his voice low. His focus was entirely on the road, but Xinyi could tell that he was as uneasy as she was. She knew what was coming next — they both did. The military outpost wasn't going to be as safe as it seemed. In a world like this, safety was an illusion.
They reached a more deserted part of the city, the roads wider, the buildings taller, but still far from safe. Xie Yan slowed the car, his eyes scanning the area, his hands gripping the wheel. He was always on edge, always thinking, always two steps ahead.
"There," he said, nodding toward a large, gated complex in the distance. It was surrounded by tall fences, watchtowers perched at every corner. The outpost. Xinyi knew it would be heavily guarded. But she also knew that getting in would be the only chance they had.
But there was something in the air. A shift. A sense that they weren't as alone as they had thought.
The gates were closed, a large metal bar across them. There were no guards visible, no movement, nothing that indicated life. The silence stretched for miles. It felt wrong. But Xie Yan didn't hesitate. He parked the car close to the gates, stepping out before Xinyi had even processed what was happening.
"You stay here," he said, voice firm, his tone brokering no argument. But Xinyi wasn't the type to listen.
"No," she said, her voice hard. "We go together. I'm not staying here."
He shot her a look, a warning, but she was already out of the car. If they were walking into a trap, they were both walking into it.
They approached the gates, careful, quiet. Xie Yan scanned the area for any sign of movement, his steps light and calculated. Xinyi stayed close, her senses alert. Every step felt like it could be their last.
And then, they reached the gates.
Xie Yan glanced around once more, then pulled out a small device from his pocket, tapping it against the lock. Within moments, the mechanism clicked, the gates creaking open. They stepped inside, and the air felt heavier, thicker, as if it had been waiting for them.
The moment they crossed the threshold, Xinyi felt it. A chill ran down her spine, the same feeling she'd gotten when the world outside had first started to shift. It was the feeling of something big coming. Something that would change everything.
And then, she heard it.
A sound. A low, grating hum. Something mechanical.
Xie Yan froze, his eyes narrowing as the noise grew louder. Xinyi's heart skipped a beat as she followed his gaze.
A figure emerged from the shadows, tall, imposing, wearing a military uniform. But it wasn't just any soldier. It was a man Xinyi recognized.
He shouldn't have been there.
It was Zhao Ming. The villain. The one who was supposed to be dead.