Xiao Muyu desperately wanted to hold her. They had been embracing just before entering the instance. But now, in the blink of an eye, they couldn’t even see each other.
However, now was not the time for sentimentality; there were still accounts to be settled.
She closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, her expression was grim.
Pushing Shen Qingqiu away, Xiao Muyu said coldly, “Stop hugging me. Give me an explanation?”
Shen Qingqiu’s expression shifted several times, her momentum weakening. After a moment, she sighed bitterly, “I couldn’t wait.”
Xiao Muyu’s stern face showed no emotion as she continued to stare at her.
Shen Qingqiu looked at the building crowded with zombies, then back at Xiao Muyu. “Only when I see you safe by my side can I feel at ease. Not seeing you and facing those things, I’m more afraid of the former. People avoid danger, so I chose to solve the immediate problem.”
In this post-apocalyptic instance, there were no ghosts, but these zombie-like creatures frightened Shen Qingqiu even more.
The tension snapped in her mind when she discovered most of her cards were unusable.
Xiao Muyu was smart and calm; under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t be in trouble quickly.
But in this instance, it was real combat, and Xiao Muyu was without weapons, with no knowledge of where she might end up. Even a minor scratch could cost her Xiao Muyu, a fear Shen Qingqiu found unbearable.
Now, with her by her side, Shen Qingqiu could finally feel slightly at ease. Even if it meant facing Xiao Muyu’s anger, she welcomed it.
Shen Qingqiu didn’t argue; she knew she had made Xiao Muyu angry. Instead, she candidly revealed her feelings.
And precisely because every word was heartfelt, Xiao Muyu couldn’t maintain her cold demeanor.
One could be angry at her recklessness, her audacity, her putting herself in danger, but one couldn’t be angry at her for caring too much.
Xiao Muyu’s stern expression softened bit by bit, and finally, she turned away slightly, murmuring, “You think I have no way to deal with you, don’t you?”
Shen Qingqiu shook her head, holding Xiao Muyu’s hand. “No, it’s because I know you understand me. If the roles were reversed, I believe you would do the same.”
Xiao Muyu huffed, rolling her eyes, “I wouldn’t be as stupid as you.” She used this statement to scold Shen Qingqiu, unwilling to talk to her further.
Shen Qingqiu laughed, “Of course, Muyu is much smarter than I am. But I wasn’t being reckless. I was looking for you, not seeking death.
“The infrared sensor doors in that building are well set up. I found the control system and remotely controlled it from upstairs, letting the zombies in once they had gathered.”
“The zombies inside the building—I cleared the tenth floor and locked the stairwell door. They won’t come up for a while.”
“Even if they don’t come up for a while, how will you get out?”
Xiao Muyu frowned in disapproval, remembering how the zombies eventually broke in.
“I had a plan. I figured that such a large gathering of zombies would catch your attention.
“Even if you didn’t notice, Su Jin and the others weren’t around. Meeting up with one person is better than everyone being scattered.
“If you hadn’t come, I would have used the fire hose on the tenth floor to descend and climbed down the outer wall, just able to close the door again. Even if you didn’t come, I could clear out a large portion of the zombies. Moreover, if the zombies couldn’t attract you, I had other methods.”
Xiao Muyu was curious, but just as she was about to speak, she noticed Shen Qingqiu’s clothes and frowned. “Your clothes?”
Shen Qingqiu glanced down at herself, rolling her eyes helplessly. “When I regained my senses, I found myself attending a luncheon, wearing a long gown. Once I figured out what was happening, people started mutating and biting each other. The chaos spread, and few people escaped. I couldn’t run in that outfit, so I tore it.”
Xiao Muyu frowned even more at the sight. The black V-neck dress clung to Shen Qingqiu’s overly seductive curves. The skirt had been torn, revealing her fair legs, which were now glaringly conspicuous. In the earlier tension, Xiao Muyu hadn’t thought much of it, but now she wished she could immediately find something to cover Shen Qingqiu up.
Shen Qingqiu nodded but suddenly grabbed Xiao Muyu’s hand, pulling open her coat collar with a tense expression.
Seeing the hospital gown Xiao Muyu was wearing, she asked urgently, “Did you come from the hospital? What’s wrong with you? Are you sick or injured?”
Seeing Shen Qingqiu’s anxiety, Xiao Muyu quickly shook her head. “My setting was the hospital. I’m fine; the doctor said I’m recovering well. I don’t feel any discomfort.”
“Really?” Shen Qingqiu asked, still worried.
“Really.” After receiving a firm confirmation and having Xiao Muyu by her side, Shen Qingqiu relaxed and prepared to leave with her.
They exited from the ninth floor, with Shen Qingqiu holding Xiao Muyu’s hand tightly, her eyes sharp and vigilant. Any zombie that managed to break free was quickly dealt with by Shen Qingqiu.
Looking at the fallen zombies, Xiao Muyu frowned and asked, “Did you notice anything different about these zombies?”
“I did, especially among those I attracted. Some were particularly agile, much more formidable than the ones I killed along the way. If an ordinary person encountered them, they’d be easily injured.”
“You mean the zombies you encountered at the banquet weren’t as fast, right?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded. “Right. The agile zombies appeared only during my summoning. Why? Is there something wrong?”
Xiao Muyu thought for a moment and briefly recounted her experiences at the hospital.
“You mean the mutation speed in your ward was different from other floors?” Shen Qingqiu, realizing the anomaly, asked carefully.
“Yes, Nurse Tian Jia was the first to show symptoms. From what I saw, she was the initial carrier spreading the zombie virus in our ward.” Xiao Muyu’s expression grew solemn as she recalled the bloodstain on Tian Jia’s hand.
“If that wound caused Tian Jia to mutate, then the true source is someone else. A nurse, besides interacting with patients and colleagues, could also be in contact with family or even strangers, making it hard to pinpoint who it is.”
“Exactly. The zombies in other wards were clearly different from those in mine. They must have been infected by others. I heard on the news that G City reported 136 cases of unexplained high fever, diarrhea, and aggressive behavior. This news, appearing at this time, indicates the zombie virus had already spread but was in the incubation period until it suddenly broke out today. I still don’t understand why Tian Jia’s symptoms were so peculiar.”
As they talked, they reached the ninth-floor elevator. This time, the elevator smoothly took them to the first-floor lobby, which was now incredibly safe thanks to Shen Qingqiu’s actions.
However, Shen Qingqiu didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she turned to the back of the lobby and retrieved a plastic bucket from the restroom.
“What are you doing?” Xiao Muyu asked, puzzled.
“You’ll see.”
With Xiao Muyu full of doubts, they walked out of the building. Just outside, Lin Jian was crouching and quickly ran towards them upon seeing them. He froze when he saw Shen Qingqiu.
Seeing Lin Jian staring at Shen Qingqiu, Xiao Muyu stepped in front of her, blocking his view. “Is there a women’s clothing store nearby?” she asked calmly.
Lin Jian snapped out of his daze, blushing furiously. “Yes, there is a mall just ahead.”
Xiao Muyu glanced at Shen Qingqiu, who winked at her with a seductive smile, making Xiao Muyu want to roll her eyes again.
Shen Qingqiu chuckled softly but soon turned serious. “Wait a moment. I’ll change my clothes after I finish this.”
She walked towards the abandoned cars on the street, which were scattered haphazardly. Most of their owners hadn’t had time to retrieve them, having fallen victim to the zombies.
As Shen Qingqiu approached the cars, Xiao Muyu quickly followed, whispering, “You mentioned having another method. Is this it?”
Shen Qingqiu looked back at her, eyes sparkling. “In ancient times, beacon fires were used for communication. In this apocalypse, such a primitive method is the most effective. A 20-story building on fire is sure to catch attention if the zombies couldn’t.”
Xiao Muyu stared at her in disbelief but couldn’t help admiring her. “You’re crazy.”
But then she smiled softly, her eyes full of trust. “But I like your madness.”
Shen Qingqiu smiled, then decisively found a car’s fuel tank, pulled out a dagger, and gestured for Xiao Muyu to step back.
Receiving only a cold look in response, Xiao Muyu crouched beside Shen Qingqiu, watching.
Shen Qingqiu laughed, then used her sharp dagger to pierce the fuel tank, letting the gasoline flow out.
Although careful, Shen Qingqiu remained vigilant, knowing that a mistake could lead to disaster if the gasoline ignited unexpectedly.
Once they had filled a bucket with gasoline, they carried it to the building entrance. Shen Qingqiu poured the gasoline at the entrance and through the still-open windows, dousing the interior.
“Step back. I’m going to light it,” Shen Qingqiu warned Xiao Muyu and Lin Jian.
This time, Xiao Muyu obediently moved back, but Lin Jian was incredulous. “This… this is the Xinhe Building, a 32-story tower! Burning it is a severe arson crime that could get you a life sentence!” Lin Jian, having always been law-abiding, couldn’t fathom such an act.
Shen Qingqiu, understanding his concerns, replied irritably, “In this apocalypse, survival is paramount. Those laws won’t help you survive. Muyu saved you and agreed to let you follow us, but you need to understand, I’m not a good person. I’ll break any moral code if necessary. If you can’t handle that, you can leave.”
She drew a line of gasoline from the building’s entrance. Lin Jian fell silent, no longer arguing.
“With so many zombies inside, leaving them would endanger the living. In this world, people matter most. Everything else can be sacrificed,” Xiao Muyu explained, pulling out a revolving lantern.
Though most of its functions were gone, it could still start a fire.
Using a gasoline-soaked cloth strip, Shen Qingqiu lit it with the lantern, then tossed the flaming cloth onto the gasoline line. Instantly, a small fire snake raced along the line, erupting into a blazing inferno.
When Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu returned after changing clothes, the building was an inferno. Zombies, disoriented without direction, wandered aimlessly inside, their organic bodies burning swiftly.
The sight of zombies roaming through the fire was terrifying, making Lin Jian’s scalp tingle.
Hiding in the nearby mall, they watched cautiously. Soon, a familiar figure, the short-haired woman, appeared in their view.
A few more people followed, making Xiao Muyu’s eyes light up.
At that moment, the system’s familiar voice rang out: “Congratulations to player Xiao Muyu’s team for being the first to gather their members. Points +20!”
“Congratulations to Xiao Muyu’s team for activating the 005 instance ‘G City of Death.’ The main storyline is now unlocked.
“Welcome to the 22 players in this instance. Now there are only 21 left. Enjoy the game.
“The 005 instance has multiple completion requirements. Explore carefully.
“Main storyline unlocked: Survive in G City. There is no time limit. Note: Once the storyline is activated, harming NPCs will result in instant failure.”
“Congratulations to Xiao Muyu’s team for unlocking the second condition for completion. Obtain a clearance pass by earning 250 points per book!”
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