“You…” A fearful voice echoed.
Jian Lexian pulled himself away from his world and saw that many people were standing before him. In that moment, he felt like the monster once again. He quickly used his sleeve to cover his wounds.
But it was in vain. The veins at his neck had taken on a purplish hue, protruding prominently against his skin. The terrified gazes pierced through him, inflicting pain like knives, slicing him into countless pieces.
At that moment, a small figure stepped forward. “Brother…” The child drew closer. “Brother, are you alright?”
Jian Lexian looked up at him. His vision was already somewhat blurred, yet he did not see the child expressing any disgust. At that moment, it seemed that everything became unimportant; perhaps this was the fate he could not escape.
“Don’t come any closer.”
Jian Lexian realized that all the rules he thought were universal were wrong. The heavens had given him a second chance, not to make him more cruel than those people, but to enable him to improve this world. He lowered his head, channeling the little power he had left to condense a space blade.
Rather than become that monstrous being once again, perhaps it would be better to end it here.
Meanwhile, Tong Sui, who was in a deep slumber, was abruptly awakened by the system’s urgent voice.
The system said: [Detected that the protagonist has been infected by a zombie, with suicidal thoughts. If the protagonist dies, the world is at risk of collapse.]
Tong Sui’s drowsy mind snapped awake instantly. If the world collapsed, wouldn’t he be forced to leave this world?
The system replied: [Yes.]
Tong Sui quickly got up, not even bothering to change clothes. He hurriedly followed the system’s guidance towards the base’s entrance.
He saw a crowd of people gathered at the door. Tong Sui pushed through the crowd and saw a person kneeling on the ground.
He was filthy and halfway through zombification, with his neck and cheeks showing signs of decay and a sickly gray.
“Jian Lexian.”
Tong Sui called out uncertainly.
Jian Lexian raised his head and, in his hazy vision, froze upon seeing Tong Sui. He panickedly lowered his head and shrank back.
Tong Sui rushed forward and grabbed his hand.
Jian Lexian attempted to shake him off, but he was firmly held. “Are you here to watch my joke?” he snapped angrily.
“I’m here to save you.”
Jian Lexian shivered all over, looking at Tong Sui in disbelief. Though Tong Sui looked somewhat disheveled, his white face bore no hint of jest or mockery.
Could he truly have developed a serum that turned ordinary people into power users, perhaps even a cure for the zombie virus?
Jian Lexian couldn’t help but recall how hard Tong Sui had worked back when they were in the same vehicle, a mix of complicated emotions swelling in his chest. He had thought he understood the apocalypse’s progression, stubbornly believing Tong Sui’s efforts were futile.
Tong Sui retrieved a syringe from his storage space. “This drug is effective against the zombie virus in the experimental phase, but it hasn’t been tested on humans yet, so there could be some unknown side effects.”
He opened the syringe’s cap and expelled the excess air.
Jian Lexian pressed his hand down, struggling to speak, “That billboard was my doing; you shouldn’t save me.”
He had only wanted to eliminate Tong Sui as a variable, even going so far as to sabotage him at the base, leading others to destroy his laboratory. Jian Lexian couldn’t bear the thought of being saved by him.
“Don’t overthink it. I’m not saving you because I’ve forgiven you; it’s just for testing the drug’s effects,” Tong Sui said nonchalantly. “You could interpret it as a second chance from the heavens.”
A look of surprise flashed in Jian Lexian’s eyes. Did Tong Sui know he was a reborn soul?
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his arm as Tong Sui injected the serum into his body.
He felt his heart begin to heat up, completely unable to control its rhythm; his blood circulation sped up, and every nerve in his body began to ache.
“Ah…” Jian Lexian rolled on the ground, letting out pained cries.
Tong Sui was taken aback.
He hadn’t anticipated that the drug’s effects would be more intense than he expected.
Suddenly, he was pulled back, finding himself in a heated embrace.
Tong Sui froze for a moment.
Turning around, he met Jiang Hua’s grim face, who was coldly watching the suffering Jian Lexian, small currents of electricity gathering in his hand.
Tong Sui quickly pressed Jiang Hua’s hand down. “Captain Hua, wait!”
“He’s been bitten; he could harm you.”
Jiang Hua wouldn’t tolerate such a possibility. He had to deal with him.
“I know, which is why I’m administering the drug I researched.”
Tong Sui rubbed his hand. “Alright, don’t be so tense. Let’s observe the situation first.”
Jiang Hua frowned, openly displaying his disgust towards Jian Lexian.
If he couldn’t get rid of this person, who knows how many unforeseen events would arise afterward?
Jiang Hua felt a surge of agitation, a strong desire to kill rising within him. If not for Tong Sui’s interference, he would have eliminated him right then and there.
At that moment, the sound of zombies banging on the door echoed from outside the base.
Jiang Hua tossed the electric ball he had created towards the door.
The outside fell silent immediately, and the others looked at him in fear.
His power was terrifying.
After waiting for a few minutes, Jian Lexian gradually quieted down; his once grayish skin slowly returned to normal, and the protruding veins smoothed out.
The drug was taking effect.
Tong Sui quickly said, “It seems he’s alright now; don’t take action against him.”
He was worried that if Jiang Hua lost control, the world would collapse, and he would be forced to leave.