Section Five: It Was a Can of Red Bull

“What a master…” Li Feidao looked at his own axe, feeling a bit ashamed, thinking, “He’s much sharper than I am.”
Nan Housheng’s eyes were full of excitement. With such an expert among them, their chances of survival were bound to skyrocket. But suddenly, he remembered how Qi Xi had angrily berated him earlier, and how he’d nearly knocked Qi Xi over, almost causing his death at the hands of the zombies. The relationship between Qi Xi and Xi Hongchen was rather close, which sent a chill down his spine. He glanced nervously at Qi Xi, then at Xigua, inwardly lamenting his misfortune. Surely they wouldn’t be that ruthless, would they? But this was the apocalypse—without the law to restrain people, who knew what anyone might do? His heart filled with anxiety, he gripped his kitchen knife and hid behind Li Feidao.

“Senior, how did I do?”
Xigua came over, asking Qi Xi excitedly.
Though Qi Xi in his previous life had managed to survive this crisis, this time, he’d also lent a hand.
The newcomer, eager for the elder’s approval, was like a child—having done something, he immediately asked how he’d performed.
To a calculating mind, this question might sound sarcastic, and would likely earn a cold response. But Qi Xi could tell this was genuine, a sincere desire for recognition. As a fake senior facing a newcomer much stronger than himself, he felt the pressure and nearly blurted out, “You’re amazing!” Yet he restrained himself, determined to maintain the air of an experienced elder. He forced a smile, nodding, and replied in a calm, detached tone, “Not bad. Keep it up.”

Hearing Qi Xi’s approval, Xigua beamed with joy and nodded vigorously. “Mm! I’ll keep working hard!”
Li Feidao and Nan Housheng exchanged a speechless glance at this scene.
Nan Housheng’s eyes flickered with both bewilderment and astonishment: bewildered because just moments ago, Qi Xi’s panic hadn’t seemed much better than his own, and now he was playing the role of the elder, giving his approval to the much stronger Xi Hongchen; astonished because Xi Hongchen treated Qi Xi with such respect and obedience. If Qi Xi told Xi Hongchen to kill him, he might just charge over and stab him without hesitation. Recalling Xi Hongchen’s earlier lethal attacks, Nan Housheng felt a phantom pain in his flesh, as if he were about to be killed himself.
Li Feidao, meanwhile, was secretly shocked by Xi Hongchen’s prowess. In just a few moves, he’d dispatched two zombies, astonishingly fast. And that kind of composure and split-second timing in battle could only come from extensive experience. Just who was Xi Hongchen? And why did he defer to Qi Xi? Could Qi Xi actually be a master in disguise? Neither of these two seemed ordinary.

“Let’s finish packing the food and get going. That commotion just now might have already attracted a horde of zombies,” Qi Xi said, glancing at Nan Housheng.
Nan Housheng’s plump body trembled, his beady eyes darting anxiously as he wore a mournful expression.
“You’re right,” Li Feidao nodded, fully agreeing with Qi Xi. He glanced at both Nan Housheng and Qi Xi, suspecting there had been some conflict between them, and felt a headache coming on.

Nan Housheng had been his friend since childhood, a loyal companion. The guy was a notorious sister-obsessive, doting on his adorable little sister who always called him “big brother.” His personality hadn’t been bad—always cheerful and unbothered by a few jibes. But when the global outbreak turned people into zombies, his sister was caught. Though he’d risked his life to save her, by the time they escaped, her body was already covered in zombie scratches…

The outcome had been tragic—he’d personally ended the life of his beloved sister. Afterward, his temperament changed dramatically: he became moody, cold, selfish, and unpredictable, though he sometimes regained his senses. Like now, realizing he’d nearly knocked Qi Xi over and cost him his life, he felt deeply guilty and kept his head down, not daring to speak.

Although the atmosphere was awkward, they had no choice but to set out. Together, they charged toward the exit. Qi Xi glanced toward the home appliance section, hesitated, but ultimately chose not to search for cleavers or fruit knives. He headed straight for the exit.

If he’d chosen a different cheat—such as super strength, extreme agility, or immunity to infection—he might have dared to fetch a weapon. But his was a pitiful cheat, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

They quickly reached the door, lifted the curtain, and were instantly dazzled by the bright sunlight, squinting instinctively. As soon as they stepped outside, they ran toward their prearranged rendezvous.

Their destination was an abandoned building at the end of the street, near a small lake and surrounded by camphor trees—some centuries old. Since zombies moved stiffly and couldn’t run, let alone climb, the trees offered a temporary refuge if the building proved unsafe. With several trees close together, they could even move among the branches. The zombies, being mindless, would eventually lose track of them, making escape possible when the time was right.

But just as they’d run less than ten meters, a scream split the air.

“Ahhh!!!”

It was one of the four women—if memory served, her name was Zhao Xiaoxiao, dressed in office attire with stockings and high heels. Since running in heels was impossible, she’d removed them before leaving, moving barefoot.

Don’t underestimate women—when faced with life and death, all pretense is abandoned, and they can run surprisingly fast. But Zhao Xiaoxiao, without shoes, was hampered. The group looked over to see a large horde of zombies chasing the four women, driving them straight toward Qi Xi and the others. Zhao Xiaoxiao, the office lady, had already been tackled to the ground.

Her body was covered in wounds, her black stockings shredded. She stretched her arms desperately, as if grasping for a lifeline, her face twisted in agony—no trace of her former elegance remained. Her screams only hastened her demise, as more zombies swarmed in, drowning her in their midst.

The zombies howled with excitement—the primal joy of finding food. In moments, Zhao Xiaoxiao was completely engulfed.

Blood spattered, flesh was torn; the zombies feasted on her corpse. The scene was soon obscured, but what could not be seen felt even more terrifying.

With a final, abrupt cry, Zhao Xiaoxiao was gone.

The three surviving women were terror-stricken. Looking back at the horror unfolding behind them, their eyes filled with terror. Seeing Zhao Xiaoxiao being devoured, they turned away, fleeing for their lives.

Qi Xi and his companions were also horrified. No matter how skilled Xi Hongchen was, he couldn’t withstand such a massive horde. Eyeing the zombies warily, they sprinted even harder.

Yet tragedy was inevitable. In this world, misfortune was ever-present, and after one disaster, more would inevitably follow.

Among the three women, one named Xiao Fengyu kept glancing back to see if the zombies were catching up. Failing to watch her step, she tripped over a stone and fell hard.

“Ah!” A chill swept over her, as though she’d plunged into an icy abyss. She shrieked instinctively, terror in her eyes as she saw four or five zombies chasing after the group, eager to feast on them after missing out on Zhao Xiaoxiao. In a panic, she scrambled to her feet, only to fall again, paralyzed by fear. Despair overwhelmed her.

“Help me! Someone help me!!!”

But in a moment of life and death, who would risk themselves to save her? Who would sacrifice their own life for another? At best, she might be saved but the rescuer would die; at worst, both would become zombie fodder. When your own life is in danger, who would even consider saving others? It’s human nature—instinct itself.

As Xiao Fengyu watched the others grow more distant, her eyes filled with hopelessness and misery. Looking back, she saw two zombies already upon her, and terror eclipsed all else.

Am I going to die?
Am I really going to die?!

No!

Xiao Fengyu screamed in her heart.

Just then, something came flying out of nowhere—striking a zombie squarely on the head. Unlike a human skull, the zombie’s was fragile. The object smashed its skull open, sending brain matter splattering everywhere. The zombie collapsed, whining plaintively, unable to get up for the moment.

Xiao Fengyu saw what it was—a can of Red Bull!