Wide awake

Chi Bai expressed no objections, for his ability instilled enough confidence to ensure his own protection.

Moreover, the zombies at this stage were still relatively easy to dispatch; anyone with a modicum of strength could fell them with a well-aimed headshot.

During their recent sweep of the building, he and Lin Feng had discovered no particularly useful supplies, yet they had managed to gather a number of zombie crystal cores.

Unfortunately, the attributes of these cores did not align with his own ability, rendering them unusable for absorption.

Consequently, they entrusted the cores to Lei Yi, who would take them back to be tallied as contribution points.

A quiet solemnity settled over Chi Bai and Lin Feng as they observed the injured individuals before them, some sitting, some propped against walls, all with their eyes tightly shut.

Guarding these people was not without its risks, for there was no telling what they might become—a ravenous zombie or a nascent ability user.

While the latter outcome would be acceptable, the former felt undeniably cruel.

Up until now, every encounter had been with individuals who had already fully transformed into zombies.

They had yet to witness a human undergoing the infection process and turning into one.

Thus, when they struck, there was little emotional impact, save for a slight distaste for the zombies’ grotesque appearance.

The sudden quietude was abruptly shattered.

Chi Bai lifted his gaze towards the source of the disturbance, recognizing the girl he and Lin Feng had rescued.

She sat up with a bewildered expression, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings, clearly disoriented.

As she attempted to raise a hand, a sharp pain from the wound on her arm made her wince.

She then lowered her head, sinking back into a profound silence.

Chi Bai spoke: “Are you okay?”

The girl silently shook her head.

Her voice, when she spoke, was slightly hoarse: “Thank you for saving me.

What’s happening now?”

This particular girl had been rescued on the same floor as Lin Feng’s company, though she worked for the one across the hall, not theirs.

Driven by an inexplicable sense of shared building camaraderie, he proceeded to explain the current situation to her.

Given that she had evidently weathered the infection, it was clear she would, at the very least, not transform into a zombie.

Chi Bai instructed her to examine her personal panel, hoping to ascertain her current status.

It would have been ideal if she possessed an ability, as that would enable her to protect herself.

Alas, she had not awakened any powers.

Yet, she herself didn’t seem particularly despondent.

With a slight smile, she remarked, “It’s still quite alright.

At least I haven’t turned into some hideous zombie monster.

I suppose that counts as a blessing in disguise.”

Chi Bai and Lin Feng nodded in agreement; to be infected and yet avoid transformation into a zombie was, indeed, an immense stroke of luck.

Just then, a chilling zombie shriek suddenly erupted nearby.

Turning to investigate, they witnessed the very outcome Chi Bai had most dreaded come to pass.

One of the returned survivors had succumbed to the infection, transforming into a zombie.

As Chi Bai was closer, he swiftly intervened.

Before making his move, a lingering shred of hope had persisted within him.

However, upon witnessing the blank, upturned whites of the eyes and the grotesque, sharp black talons, he knew he had no choice but to grant this unfortunate, never-before-met compatriot a swift release.

With a sigh, Chi Bai returned and settled beside Lin Feng.

The girl, too, moved closer, her hand pressed against her scratched arm.

After glancing between the two men, she turned to Lin Feng, who had spoken to her most frequently, and inquired, “Are both of you ability users?”

While Chi Bai had just dispatched the zombie with a headshot using his ‘Truth’ (TL Note: Referring to Chi Bai’s ability, likely a named skill or a specific gun), she couldn’t be entirely certain of their nature.

Yet, these two men appeared close to her own age, certainly not old.

Though armed, they bore no resemblance to police officers or soldiers.

Furthermore, Chi Bai’s earlier instruction for her to check her panel clearly indicated his awareness that the panels of ability users differed.

Lin Feng replied, “Indeed.

I’m a wind-elementalist, and he,” he added, gesturing towards Chi Bai, “is an electric-elementalist.”

The girl nodded with a newfound understanding, then extended her uninjured hand.

“Hello,” she introduced herself, “I’m Li Fan, an HR from XX Company.

Though that title holds little meaning now, I want to thank you both again for saving my life.”

Lin Feng shook her hand.

“Oh, I didn’t really do much,” he demurred.

“Chi Bai was the one who carried you all the way down.”

As the girl turned to offer her hand to him, Chi Bai quickly waved it off.

“It’s nothing, truly, no need for thanks,” he insisted.

“It’s only right.

Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda (TL Note: A Buddhist proverb, ‘jiù rén yī mìng shèng zào qī jí fú tú,’ meaning saving a life is an immensely meritorious deed).

Besides, had you not pulled through on your own, my efforts to get you out would have been in vain.

You should be grateful for your own tenacious will.”

Lin Feng: “Hahaha”

The girl’s lips curved into a slight smile.

“Regardless,” she said, “thank you all the same.”

The distinct rumble of a car engine drifted from the distance.

Chi Bai rose to his feet to investigate, observing several SUVs approaching—the very same model they had arrived in.

Calculating the elapsed time, Lei Yi shouldn’t have reached their base yet.

Perhaps he had sent a message en route, summoning the others.

Chi Bai didn’t dwell on it further, instead moving forward with Lin Feng to greet the approaching vehicles.

The individuals who disembarked were unfamiliar to them, yet their attire matched that of Lei Yi and his team, indicating they were allies.

As soon as they stepped out, they saluted, then proceeded to explain the situation to Chi Bai and the others.

It turned out Lei Yi had indeed recalled mid-journey that he could communicate via their personal panels, and had thus summoned these reinforcements.

Their mission extended beyond simply transporting the injured individuals lying on the ground back for isolation; they also had to bring back all the supplies that had been uncovered.

Lei Yi and his team hadn’t finished moving some of these provisions, but they had left clear markers for their comrades, ensuring that following the trail would lead them directly to the piled-up goods.

Once Chi Bai and his companions had grasped the full scope of the situation, they immediately assisted in lifting the injured onto the back seats of the vehicles.

Following that, they helped load the already retrieved supplies into the rear of the minivan.

Only after completing these tasks did they board a vehicle and depart with the first group, leaving the remaining personnel to retrieve the supplies Lei Yi and his team had yet to collect.

These “supplies” were, in reality, little more than food and drink.

The shops in this area predominantly sold technological products, or simply coffee and milk tea.

They had deliberately left the convenience stores untouched, reasoning that any surviving individuals might find these items crucial for temporary sustenance.

However, at present, there were no survivors left in the immediate vicinity.

What remained were the vegetables, rice, noodles, and cooking oil scavenged from restaurant kitchens.

A portion had been moved earlier, but a significant amount still awaited transport.

This, however, was no longer Chi Bai’s immediate concern.

He and Lin Feng were now seated within a spacious minivan, where a blanket had been spread across the empty floor space, upon which lay the still-unconscious infected.

Their duty was to monitor these individuals, ensuring they didn’t transform into zombies and pose a threat to anyone else.

Fortunately, these individuals remained unconscious until they reached the base, signifying a lingering hope that they might yet awaken.

Regrettably, some had already begun to writhe and convulse, ultimately transforming into zombies.

They barely had time to pull the still-unconscious individuals away from the immediate vicinity before the soldiers decisively intervened, delivering headshots to these humans who had, in the end, succumbed to the transformation.