Published: January 31, 2025
A shadow suddenly darted past the window, and moments later, a muffled thud echoed from downstairs, sounding as though a water bag had burst upon hitting the ground.
Ye Zhongming didn’t need to look to know that someone had committed suicide, a person who might have lost all reasons to continue living, someone who, in their desperation, could think of nothing else but to jump into death.
Perhaps this method seemed a bit cowardly, but anyone who had experienced the apocalypse would understand that sometimes, this choice truly is the right one.
Mo Ye, who had intended to answer questions, suddenly changed her expression and quickly walked to the window to look down. A somewhat twisted and blurry figure lay there, unmoving, and a few dozen meters away, several zombies were slowly making their way over.
"Sometimes, death is a good form of relief. You should get used to it," Ye Zhongming said, his eyes half-closed.
Mo Ye gritted her teeth, an indescribable sadness in her eyes. Looking at the body that, even after choosing to commit suicide, would still be eaten by its kind, the last flicker of hope she had for the world to recover was extinguished.
"For the first question, you've already said that zombies have very sensitive hearing and smell, so there’s no need to mention why we should leave the tennis court immediately," Mo Ye leaned weakly against the windowsill, looking at Ye Zhongming with some dissatisfaction at his indifferent attitude. However, after collecting her thoughts, she began to reply.
"For the second question, those lizards must have been raised by someone or escaped from a zoo; otherwise, how could they appear in the city?"
As she pondered, she continued, "For the third question, I think he must have run to a place he considers safe. I don’t want to talk about people like that anymore. As for the fourth, although I admit you are very capable, in your current state, you shouldn’t be my opponent. This earth yellow pill, I believe, is much weaker than those lizards, and with this sharp machete in my hand, I can’t see how it poses any threat to me."
Feeling pleased with her answers, Mo Ye’s usual confidence in her abilities returned to her expression.
Ye Zhongming sneered, raising a finger: "Only the first question can be considered a decent answer; the rest are completely wrong."
Naturally, Mo Ye was not willing to accept this, crossing her arms defiantly: "Then tell me, where did I go wrong?"
"For the first question, aside from what you mentioned, there’s another point you didn’t consider: the gunfire not only attracts zombies but also our kind."
Mo Ye was taken aback. "You mean... humans?"
Ye Zhongming nodded, pointing to the window. "The moonlight is nice tonight; standing here, you can see the campus. If you’re lucky, you should be able to spot something."
Mo Ye, feeling skeptical, turned to look outside the window. With the moonlight, she noticed several zombies had gathered near the tennis court, evidently drawn by the earlier loud gunfire. She continued to observe and, just as she was about to turn back to mock the man, she suddenly spotted several figures moving on the campus side of the tennis court. They moved swiftly, using cover to avoid the visibly wandering zombies; clearly, they were survivors.
There really are others out there? A spark of joy lit up Mo Ye’s face. To be honest, her training had always emphasized teamwork and serving society. In the current situation, the more people gathered together, the safer it should be.
This was true in peaceful times and was indeed largely correct.
But now, in the apocalypse, sometimes, fellow humans could be far more dangerous than zombies.
Ye Zhongming recalled the few people he encountered in the teaching building who were also gathering magic crystals while holding guns. Those people clearly did not have good intentions towards him. If they heard the gunfire, they would likely come looking.
"Don’t get too happy. If you were still out there now, you might have already been shot dead by these people," Ye Zhongming's words dampened Mo Ye’s enthusiasm. She wanted to retort but suddenly remembered the betrayal of her earlier companions, so she pressed her lips together and fell silent.