Qi Yue lay there half-curling his body, listening to the sound of heavy rain beating against the glass. He opened his eyes and looked at the backs of the two people in the front row, gradually drifting into sleep.
He had a strange dream. In that dream were Lin Yuze, Tang Ke, Han Fei, and even Yan Bin.
When he woke up, the rain outside had already stopped, and there were even a few colorful rainbows appearing along the horizon. Paired with the dense grassland around them, it looked unexpectedly harmonious, along with the mutated animals occasionally hopping across the grass, giving a feeling of earthly beauty.
It was all just wishful thinking. This place was still a human purgatory. Humans lived carefully, making sure not to become food for zombies and various mutated animals.
The one driving had become Lin Yuze. Tang Ke leaned on the front seat, sound asleep. Qi Yue tilted his head, looking at Tang Ke’s sleeping face. Out of the five years, Tang Ke had changed the most, from careless and cynical to now firm and unyielding. So handsome, worthy of once being a star, indeed having the capital to fascinate people.
Qi Yue cleared his slightly hoarse throat, “I’ll drive, you take a rest.”
Lin Yuze looked at Qi Yue through the rearview mirror and smiled, “We’re about to stop.”
He lifted his hand and glanced at the gold watch on his wrist. It truly was a famous watch that could withstand the test of time. It was already nearly noon. With the vehicles in front stopping, after the rain ended, the convoy returned to the routine short rest taken every four hours.
During the time the convoy stopped for adjustments, Qi Yue, using his strengths, tried his best to make foods with simple processes, aiming to make as much as possible so everyone could maintain good stamina. Seeing the little steamed buns they ate yesterday were wearing off, he took out more freshly made little steamed buns and handed them out to everyone.
Maybe because a knot in his heart had been loosened, the atmosphere among the three suddenly grew somewhat sweet. When Qi Yue unintentionally met their gazes, he no longer turned away like before but instead lifted a smile, curling his lips at them.
Liu Yue watched the two people sticking together in the distance with a gloomy expression. It must be that Qi Yue stirring up trouble, putting something in the food and bewitching those people. She snorted contemptuously. I’ll let you enjoy yourself for a moment before dying, pathetic person.
As the zombie tide grew closer, Qi Yue’s heart kept fluctuating. It sounded easy to say they would lure zombies only at the outer perimeter, but with hundreds of people and hundreds of cars, how many would be alive once they reached Territory Village? After hesitating repeatedly, Qi Yue still chose to eat the little steamed bun that locked supernatural power.
Seeing Yan Bin approaching, Qi Yue was surprised. Tang Ke had gone to the command vehicle, and Lin Yuze had gone to the ability squad. Was he coming specifically to find him?
Yan Bin stood in front of Qi Yue for a long moment before speaking: “Be careful, especially at midnight.”
Qi Yue couldn’t help asking, “Midnight?”
Yan Bin nodded, “Tonight at midnight.”
Qi Yue pressed, “Is, is it…” Was it really as he thought? “So fast? Wasn’t it expected to be three days later?”
“Don’t forget, zombies have legs. They can move.” Yan Bin looked at Qi Yue with deep eyes, full of meaning.
“Do the others know?”
Qi Yue looked around. Everyone in the vehicles would get off during rest, stretching and talking, gathering in groups of three or five.
“Tang Ke knows. I only told a few people.”
Yan Bin frowned slightly. Qi Yue’s mind was too simple. How could it be so easy? If everyone knew, things would be chaotic. Right, if he weren’t so simple, how could he have done something like that five years ago? Thinking of this, Yan Bin’s brows tightened further, a deep sense of helplessness rising.
The zombies’ moving speed was unexpectedly fast. Midnight was only a few hours away. According to the plan, they were supposed to split up. Risking their lives, too dangerous. It was no different from suicide. But if they didn’t do it, the zombies would grow in number, and they could only watch the base fall. Without the base, even if people escaped by luck, where could they go? Leaving the crowd and walking alone in a world full of danger was even more dangerous.
As if guessing Qi Yue’s thoughts, Yan Bin said, “Go tell your friends. Don’t spread the news widely to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
Qi Yue nodded quickly. He knew that. Too sudden, this news would shake people’s hearts. Meeting the zombie tide so early; Territory Village was still far away.
The atmosphere between the two was a bit stiff. “Uh, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Yan Bin replied politely.
Qi Yue said somewhat awkwardly, “You be careful too.”
Unexpectedly… was Qi Yue worrying about him? “Mm.”
Walking quickly away, Qi Yue headed toward Sun Yang’s vehicle. His heart was uneasy. This wasn’t hundreds or thousands of zombies. This was at least hundreds of thousands, maybe more. Too thrilling. Heaven bless them, he prayed everyone could be safe.
He briefly told Oak and the others the news. Although their moods dropped, they accepted it.
Oak hugged Sun Yang, his blue eyes filled with deep affection. “Yangyang, I’ll always stay with you.”
Sun Yang hit him lightly and hugged him back. “I’ll always stay with you too.”
“Oh my god, are you two trying to drown us in sweetness?” Dazhuang made a goofy face, making the others laugh and dispersing some of the sorrow.
Tang Ke looked a bit tired, rubbing his face forcefully a few times, then opened the door and plopped down next to Qi Yue in the back row. He leaned his head on Qi Yue’s shoulder without saying anything.
The convoy continued forward, heading toward Territory Village.
The zombie tide moved from north toward Base M in the south. Their attacks and gathering were extremely regular, as if planned, moving in a circle around Huaxia and gradually shrinking that circle.
Qi Yue let the other lean on him, feeling a little sorry. Tang Ke was several years younger than him, yet in a team this large, everyone relied on him to arrange everything. The pressure must be huge.
But after a moment, something felt wrong. That guy was rubbing and nudging him restlessly.
Annoyed, Qi Yue reached out and fiercely pinched Tang Ke’s thigh. As expected, he heard Tang Ke gasp in pain. But the man didn’t lose his lust, grabbing Qi Yue’s hand and pressing it between his legs.
“Yueyue, just touch me.” Tang Ke acted coyly, guiding Qi Yue’s hand to rub between his legs.
Struggling several times, Qi Yue couldn’t pull his hand back. He glared sideways at Tang Ke. How could he still be doing this at a time like this, completely ignoring the occasion?
Suddenly Qi Yue smiled, the long peach blossom eyes lifting slightly. He pulled forcefully, grabbing Little Brother Tang. But within moments, Qi Yue’s face darkened. He realized he was stupid, this trick backfired. Little Brother Tang only became more active, harder.
Unable to endure Tang Ke’s sparkling starry eyes, Qi Yue, face dark, used his hand to release him. It was supposed to be a serious, heavy moment, yet Tang Ke ruined it.
Qi Yue wiped the sticky mess from his hand with a towel, irritated. Tang Ke, refreshed, smoked beside him, his military pants still unzipped.
Lin Yuze in the front seemed not to have seen anything, driving steadily, but the bulge between his legs was extremely obvious.
“You two aren’t worried at all?” Qi Yue didn’t understand. Something this big, and they acted as if nothing happened.
“Worried about what?” Tang Ke moved the cigarette in his mouth to Qi Yue’s lips.
Qi Yue followed his lead, took a small puff of the cigarette, and his obedient behavior pleased Tang Ke, who kissed him on the cheek.
Blowing out smoke, Qi Yue glanced at him. “Yan Bin said midnight. Why so early?”
That little glance made Tang Ke’s lower half stir again. “Stay away from that guy. He’s not a good person.”
Pushing away Tang Ke’s body, Qi Yue lit his own cigarette using the one Tang Ke held, satisfied as he smoked. “You’re not a good person either.”
Tang Ke smirked. “Yueyue, whether mine is a good thing or not, you’ll know if you try.”
Qi Yue blew a smoke ring at him. “I’m being serious. Did the zombie tide change direction?”
This made even Lin Yuze look back.
Qi Yue leaned over, putting the cigarette he had taken two puffs from into Lin Yuze’s mouth, satisfied when Lin Yuze took a drag. Then he pulled back and continued smoking. The whole motion, natural and seductive, made the other two feel stirred. If the timing weren’t wrong, neither would let this unaware seductive Qi Yue off easily.
“Right? I’m correct, right?” His eyes half-closed, mouth blowing smoke rings, expression waiting for praise.
Tang Ke’s eyes flickered. “Mm. Ever since we left, the zombie horde changed direction for some unknown reason.”
Oh? Why? Qi Yue took a drag. “How could that happen?”
“Not sure. The zombie horde is heading straight toward us. Seems something in the convoy is attracting them.” Tang Ke explained the satellite observations.
This was truly strange. “Came knocking on our door, saves us the trouble of luring them.” Truly funny. They were supposed to take the initiative, but it flipped, now the zombies were chasing them.
Tang Ke smiled helplessly. “That’s true. We just follow the plan and go straight to Territory Village.”
Qi Yue lit another cigarette, crushed the old cigarette butt, and flicked it out the window.
“Bullsh*t.” Qi Yue couldn’t help swearing. How could it be that simple? Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of zombies chasing them, thrilling as h*ll.
“Is the zombie horde coming for the ability users?” Qi Yue muttered.
Tang Ke didn’t care. “Who knows. As long as they follow us to Territory Village.”
The zombie army was a black mass stretching to infinity. The air was filled with stench. Nothing alive remained in their path. Most zombies wore only broken strips of clothing, some even missing limbs, yet still staggering forward.
A slightly short female zombie mixed in the horde suddenly let out a heart-tearing shriek. After that cry, the zombie army surged in response. Low roars echoed one after another, the entire horde becoming restless, their speed seeming to increase.
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