CH 105

Chapter 105: False alarm

Wen Bin has disappeared.

Early in the morning, the entire school is thrown into chaos, survivors scrambling here and there in search for the missing student. Eventually, they gather outside Zhou Xingfeng's locked door.

"Junior brother, if…if Wen Bin is really inside, then what should we do?" A pretty Senior sister asks lowly. "And Junior Zhou…"

A lot of survivors here were rescued by Zhou Xingfeng. Now that the very same person is bitten by a zombie, all of them are worried and anxious. A few even pray every day that he will miraculously be all right.

"Senior sister Chun Li, what else can we do? Of course, we should charge in and save little Bin." A male student the same age as Xingfeng says.

"Then…then if brother Zhou becomes a zombie…what do we do?" Another female student inquiries in a tiny voice.

"That…"

A sudden hush settles amongst the crowd as soon as this question is raised. No one knew how to answer because none of them wants to see Zhou Xingfeng and Wen Bin become zombies.

"If he changes into a zombie, then simply kill it." Huo Zaiyuan's voice breaks the silence, even and emotionless. Walking through the crowd, his grip tightens on the pistol in his hand.

A moment later, a youth around Wen Bin's age pushes his way forward, shouting angrily. "How can we do that? He is our schoolmate. A lot of people here were personally rescued by him. Furthermore, you are his good friend…how can you do such a heartless thing?"

"Junior brother, you…"

Whatever Li Qing wants to say dies as Huo Zaiyuan stops him. Turning around slowly to look at the other student, his gaze is ice-cold, as though the person before him is a mere corpse.

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"I - I - "

"It is the apocalypse. Do you what the word apocalypse mean?" Leaning forward, he continues. "Once a person changes into a zombie, they are no longer human. If you do not have the guts to do this, cannot bear to pick up a weapon and kill it, the one who will die is you…I'm cruel, huh? When Xingfeng came to rescue you, he was faced with students who turned into zombies. The very people he studied with, played with, had fun with…had he felt a sliver of pity for them, he would have long been dead. Also…if he becomes a zombie and realises that the people he rescued and protected were eventually turned by him, do you think he will be happy?"

Huo Zaiyuan's words gave them food for thought, stilling further objections. Sweeping a bland glance over the survivors, his eyes land on Long Zhanye. "Older brother Long, open the door."

"Little Yuan." Scrutinizing the youth's emotionless face, he places a hand on Huo Zaiyuan's shoulder. "Don't force yourself. I can help you."

"No need. Open the door."

"All right." Nodding his head, Long Zhanye proceeds to open it. Although the door is locked from the inside, this trivial matter is no big obstacle.

In a short few seconds, the lock clicks and the door is pushed open slowly, revealing the dim interior of the room…

~~~

"You beast!" Expression full of disdain, Li Qing snarls at the half-naked, foolishly laughing bastard of a friend who had everyone worrying for a good few days.

"Older brother Qin, brother Zhou…is completely fine?" A nervous Wen Bin asks from the side, glancing between Qin Jun and Xingfeng.

A horrid smelling pile of bandages stained with black blood is strewn carelessly all over the floor. Rubber gloves covering his hands, Qin Jun carefully examines the ghastly scar on the student's back.

It has long since stopped bleeding, and there are absolutely no traces of rotting flesh at the edges of the wound. What's even more astounding is the injury is already showing signs of healing.

"The wound is starting to heal and there are no more traces of transformation lingering on any part of Xingfeng's body. There ought to be no problems." Taking a new roll of bandages, Qin Jun announces as he rebound the injury. "Of course, he needs a lot of rest…and don't do anything strenuous."

"We didn't do - that's just sleeping together in the same bed." Upon hearing Qin Jun's words, Wen Bin blushes vividly, snatching up a clean coat and draping it over Zhou Xingfeng's shoulders.

"So you mean, I wouldn’t change into a zombie?" Zhou Xingfeng's heart is filled with tentative hope.

According to your current situation, you wouldn't." Qin Jun consents.

"Oh yeah! It's the power of love ah!" A joyous cheer erupts from him. Hauling Wen Bin in a hug, he kisses the startled Junior and causing him to turn red as a tomato again.

Silently watching the scene unfold, Huo Zaiyuan heaves a quiet sigh of relief, then soundlessly slips out of the room.

"Looks like your experiment is a success. So why are you still looking so distressed?" Long Zhanye drapes an arm around Huo Zaiyuan's shoulders. Regarding the youth's actions, he understands it more clearly than anyone else.

A few days ago, after Zhou Xingfeng was bitten by the mutant zombie, the rate of infection and consequent transformation is extremely quick. Therefore, in a panic, Huo Zaiyuan used the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool's water to wash his wound. But to his utmost surprise, he discovered it manage to slow down the speed of the flesh becoming rotten, and his friend's transformation to a zombie also slows.

Afterwards, Long Zhanye said one sentence "since there's no way to prevent his transformation, might as well give medicine to a dead horse and see if it comes to life" which broke Huo Zaiyuan out of his misery. He thought back to when he first started cultivating and drank half a cup of spring water, as well as all the time he used said water as ink for his talismans. If he gave this spiritual energy rich water to an infected Zhou Xingfeng, will the result he hope for appear?

Thus, for the next few days, when he delivered food to his friend, he will set a cup of spring water on the tray for him to drink. Now, the rot threatening to eat away at the bite has disappeared completely and the infection within his body has been eliminated. This shows that his experiment is a success. The spring water actually allowed him to save his friend's life.

"Although this experiment is a success…I keep feeling that something doesn't add up, but I'm not quite certain what it is." A wave of his hand and a glass bottle containing a redish-purple crystal appears. Staring at the crystal, Huo Zaiyuan frowns.

This crystal is the exact same one Long Zhanye picked up back in the hospital after that small monster was burned to nothing. At one glance, it is pretty obvious this is different from the others, especially the vast store of spiritual energy he can feel circulating within.

Slender fingers wrapping around the wrist of his hand currently holding the bottle, a gentle smile appears on Long Zhanye's face. "How about I let a zombie take a bite out of me, then you feed me some of that spring water. If I don't turn, then it proves it has the power to stop the infection."

"Don't talk nonsense." Huo Zaiyuan glares at him.

"But you are unhappy. I don't wish to see you depressed. A gloomy little Yuan is not cute at all." Embracing Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye seized the opportunity to kiss him on the mouth. "Stop thinking so much."

Staring at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan eventually sighs and nods his head. "Okay."

Devil ants, zombies, crystals, Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool. In the end, how are they all connected? Or can it possibly be related to the one who possessed this before him - his ancestor Huo Tianji?

Having experienced Zhou Xingfeng narrowly escaping being turned into a zombie from a bite, the survivors who were originally content to live aimlessly day after day begin to change their attitude. A spark of hope ignites in the depths of their hearts, enabling them to face each morning with a smile and spirits full of vigour.

"So you are preparing to head to R City?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he eats another mouthful of instant noodles.

"Ai…being able to escape from the brink of becoming a zombie, not everyone is so fortunate. I have already discussed it with the other survivors. S City is not safe. If this place is discovered by zombies or humans harbouring bad intentions, it will put everyone at risk. That's why we decided to follow your advice and head to the nearest safe zone." Zhou Xingfeng replies, savouring his other packet of pickled chicken feet given to him by Huo Zaiyuan.

After two days of bed-rest, the wound on his back has begun to scab. Once the scab falls off after another few days, he will be completely recovered.

"This plan is sounds good." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

"Originally, I wanted to go with you guys to Q City, but Wen Bin is still a little weak. He wouldn't be able to handle a long journey. So we will go to R City and recuperate there for a while." Zhou Xingfeng admits with a sigh.

That afternoon, after conversing with Zhou Xingfeng for a while, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan get in the off-road vehicle and left the school for a while. Who knows where they wandered off to, but when they returned, it was in a large truck.

"Woah, this vehicle is not too bad ah. Where did you find this?" Looking over the truck, Zhou Xingfeng beams at Huo Zaiyuan. "Really capable ah!"

"We happen to see it on the road so we decided to drive it back. The petrol tank is still full and there are two drums of gasoline here. Take them with you." Huo Zaiyuan nudges the two unopened drums forward.

This truck was most probably driven by the first few people lucky enough to escape during the apocalypse, but due to it running out of fuel, it was abandoned at the roadside. The pair chanced upon it during their round of the city and brought it back after filling the tank. These two drums of gasoline are also taken from within his space.

"Thanks bro!"

"So you still remember your manners?"

The two students look at each other, then share a laugh.

Since they have already decided to leave, Zhou Xingfeng oversee the process of transporting food supplies into the truck on that very day. This way, they can drive away immediately whenever they decide to.

Yet, plans rarely go according to plan. Just when he is in the middle of supervising more supplies to be loaded into the truck, trouble comes knocking!