Content warning(s): Gory scenes (it’s a zombie novel after all), use of vulgarities

Wen Qingling recalled that he had left four blood anemones behind in the abandoned factory, and planned to go check on them.

Too lazy to walk, he casually found a random car on the road and drove over.

The dead zombies outside the factory had decomposed so much, only skeletons were left. The atrocious smell permeated through the whole area.

Before he realized, it had already been almost a month since he had returned home. This month was the happiest and most relaxing time he had ever had since the start of the apocalypse. He did not have to worry about the safety of the base, did not have to care about the food problems in the base, and did not have to take the risk of going out for supplies. ‎

‎He was not responsible for anybody’s life or death, and had become free and unburdened of worries.

‎Jumping over the rotten flesh and skeletons, he walked into the factory. ‎

There was nothing on the ground. Even the blood he had left behind had disappeared. However, it was gone together with the top surface of the ground, seemingly having been eaten by something together with the mud.

While Wen Qingling was wondering at the strangeness, a gust of wind came from behind, bringing along a fishy smell.

Wen Qingling turned around and came face to face with a pair of scarlet eyes. The claws that were aimed at the back of his head suddenly stopped, then the creature rapidly escaped through an open window.

Following right behind were four people. The two sides stared at each other, stunned.

Wen Qingling:‎ “…”

He had actually become the protagonist this time1Referencing to how he watched the previous 4v2 Butcher fight as a spectator.

The four people:‎ “…”

There were actually living people here? ‎

‎Wen Qingling’s instinct to bite people began to surface again, but it was not very strong. He could eat his fill everyday and no longer hungered as much. It was just that the smell of fresh blood and flesh was sweet, causing an instinctual reaction.

He Lin followed the trail of blood on the ground to the window, helplessly turning back, “It escaped.” ‎

Xiao Hen had been staring at Wen Qingling all this while. Wen Qingling calmly returned his gaze.

Xiao Hen’s moved his hand to the hilt of his knife.

“Who are ‎you?” What are you doing here?”

Wen Qingling: “A survivor.”

Secretly observing his reactions, Xiao Hen continued, “Did you see anything just now?”

Wen Qingling shook his head, “I only smelled a fishy smell.” ‎

Ji Rong teased, “You’re truly lucky. That Blood Corpse2Um;;;; this was the best I could come up with… _(:3」∠) The original chinese name for it literally means “a bloody corpse” was being chased by us and didn’t have time to eat ‎you.”

Wen Qingling expressionlessly replied: “Blood Corpse?”

It was a name he had never heard before. ‎

Ji Rong: “I just named it. That zombie is not rotten, has no skin and is covered with bloody flesh. It’s very fast. If you see it, don’t hesitate, just ‎run… Well, you probably wouldn’t be able to escape after seeing it. That thing just attacked a small squad of survivors and bit a few to death. The moment it saw us, it immediately fled without hesitation. It is highly intelligent.”

Wen Qingling: “I see, thank ‎you.”

Once he finished speaking, he started walking towards the factory door. ‎

‎Xiao Hen watched him leave and gave the three people a‎ look. ‎The three people understood his meaning.

It was not just Xiao Hen who found things strange. The other three also felt that something was fishy.

Following Wen Qingling, they left the factory as well. Wen Qingling had already reached a spot opposite of the skeleton and was still walking forward.

Wen Qingling walked a little more, then turned to look at them.

“Sneakily tailing me?”

The four who had not tried to hide their actions at all: “…”

Xiao Hen: “We’re just walking in the same direction.”

Wen‎ Qingling glanced at them. Opening the car door, he hopped into the car and drove away.

The four people:‎‎ “…”

Ji Rong: “He actually has a car.” ‎

Xiao Hen: “There are cars all around us. Is it strange to own a car?”

They grabbed a usable car from the side of the road and chased after the sound of Wen Qingling’s car.

Wen Qingling knew that they were following. Originally, he wanted to abandon the car and leave, but suddenly changed his mind.

***

Xiao Hen slammed down on the accelerator, wanting to knock the incoming zombies out of the way. However, soon afterwards, the four started to deeply doubt themselves.

Ji Rong stiffly asked, “Did you guys see that? The zombies here even know how to avoid cars.”

With a solemn face, Xiao Hen replied: “I saw it.”

The whole journey, only a few zombies who could not duck away in time were knocked flying by the speeding car. All the other zombies actually managed to dodge.

They! Dodged! A! Speeding! Car!

He Lin: “Did the zombies here evolve to have some consciousness?”

Xiao Hen: “It’s impossible for there to be so many evolved zombies with consciousness in such a short period of time. There’s something strange here.”

Ji Rong was furious, “Motherfucker, we haven’t even completed our mission yet, but now there’s such a situation! And that Blood Corpse, is it a new evolved breed? It can’t be that it also has its own consciousness?”

Xiao Hen: “The possibility of that is very large.”

He suddenly braked. He had spotted Wen Qingling’s car at the side of the road.

The car was there, but its driver was gone.

Xiao Hen looked up sharply. On the roof of a tall building in front of him, stood a ‎person. ‎

Wasn’t that the man they were tracking?

“Fuck! Is he an ability user?” Ji Rong was surprised.

Wen Qingling’s face was expressionless and he looked at them quietly. ‎

Xiao Hen disappeared from the spot and appeared on the roof in an instant. ‎

Though Wen Qingling’s face did not show it, he was surprised in his heart.

“Space ability user.”

Xiao Hen grasped the handle of his knife and approached Wen Qingling.

“Who are you exactly?”

Wen Qingling returned his gaze, then replied, “Then who are you guys? What are you here for?”

Xiao Hen: “I’m the one asking questions now.”

Wen Qingling: “Are you sure you have the time to be asking questions now? Don’t you need to go down and help?”Leaving behind these words, Wen Qingling spread his arms and fell from the building.

Shocked, Xiao Hen chased him to the edge of the roof, only to see Wen Qingling flip in mid-air and land stably on the ground, creating a dent.

Wen Qingling looked up at him and quietly said, “You guys are in trouble, leave this place.”

A few jumps later, he disappeared into the surrounding infrastructure.

‎Wen Qingling’s words were very light, but they seemed to have been spoken right into Xiao Hen’s ear.

‎Xiao Hen did not have the time to ponder over it. Turning the long knife in his hand into a sniper rifle, he took aim at the battlefield ‎below.

A fourth-grade evolved lifeform, the “Vile”3Yeah… in the raws it’s named 醜八怪 which literally means “ugly”. I couldn’t bring myself to name it the “Ugly” zombie, so “Vile” it shall be. If you have any suggestions, please let me know :3 zombie, with a ring of heads around its neck, was currently hunting down the other three. Those heads almost seemed to be equipped with springs and would extend out to bite at people when they were not alert.

“Vile” zombies were three meters tall with immense strength. Even when Ji Rong’s large fireball smashed into it, it seemed to feel no pain.

The earth bindings that Shi Chong made were easily kicked to pieces.

He Lin spread out his wings of wind, hacking away at the numerous heads on the “Vile” zombie’s neck. At the same time, Xiao Hen opened fire. Each bullet from his rifle took away a head.

The “Vile” zombie roared and grabbed a nearby car, sending it flying towards He Lin.

“Ol’ He!” Ji Rong rushed over, and the car smashed down on his head. He collapsed ungracefully.

Xiao Hen continuously fired, providing the two some cover. Two bullets hit their marks, but the heads that were destroyed from the shots quickly grew back. The “Vile” zombie angrily roared another time and abandoned the three, charging towards the building where Xiao Hen was located and climbing up its sides.

Ji Rong and Shi Chong combined their strength to push the car away. He Lin was trapped underneath and a layer of crushed dirt was found on his body. The instant before the car impacted He Lin, Shi Chong had made an earth shield to protect him. That shield had been crushed into powder by the impact.

He Lin was covered in blood. His injuries were heavy.

Ji Rong hugged He Lin and yanked him backwards. A thick, fishy scent was blown right into their faces. A gruesome looking Blood Corpse pounced on Ji Rong and He Lin.

Xiao Hen suddenly appeared. A cold light escaped his sheath and slashed towards the Blood Corpse’s neck. A sound akin to metals colliding was heard. The knife’s blade was held within a sharp claw.

Xiao Hen flipped his left hand, causing a short knife to appear. He struck towards the Blood Corpse. It jumped away quickly, but still had its chest sliced open, blood pouring from the wound.

Xiao Hen’s two knives were replaced by a gun. He shot three times in succession, but they were all dodged by the Blood Corpse.

It stood on the roof of a car not far away, staring at them with its blood-red eyes. Suddenly, it opened its mouth and spoke.

“You cannot escape from South City.”

The Blood Corpse’s voice was hoarse and unpleasant.

Xiao Zhen opened fire again, this time hitting the Blood Corpse, but was unable to strike its head.

It let out a long roar. Other zombies in the vicinity roared together as well, swarming towards their side.

‎Shi Chong carried He Lin on his back and got into the car to leave.

‎A dense crowd of zombies headed towards them. Ji Rong continuously changed directions, while the Blood Corpse led the other zombies to surround the car. They piled on top of it, smashed the windows and crazily snapped their jaws, all wanting a bite of human flesh.

At this critical moment, the frenzied zombie horde suddenly paused in their movements. The zombies piled up on the car all rolled off and retreated, forming a road leading out of the city.

The Blood Corpse roared in ‎‎anger.

‎The zombie horde roared back louder.

Reluctantly, the Blood Corpse glanced once at Xiao Hen’s group and rapidly retreated.

TN: This part seriously cracks me up1Referencing to how he watched the previous 4v2 Butcher fight as a spectator2Um;;;; this was the best I could come up with… _(:3」∠) The original chinese name for it literally means “a bloody corpse”3Yeah… in the raws it’s named 醜八怪 which literally means “ugly”. I couldn’t bring myself to name it the “Ugly” zombie, so “Vile” it shall be. If you have any suggestions, please let me know :3