The bearded man suggested, “Then why don’t you take some medication for motion sickness?”
“ Captain, why don’t we switch seats and allow me to attend to Dr. Sang?” The bearded man looked up, and met the good-looking young man’s apologetic face. “After all, it’s because of me that Dr. Sang is in this predicament, and I feel somewhat remorseful.”
Concerned for safety, the bearded man was about to decline when Dr. Sang interjected, saying in an instant, “Very well.”
The bearded man: “?”
‘Your reaction speed seems doesn’t match someone suffering from motion sickness.’
After contemplating for a moment, the bearded man ultimately chose to compromise under Dr. Sang’s piercing gaze. “Alright, but if you encounter any danger later, the two of you must follow our instructions, seek shelter swiftly, and we will ensure your protection. Do you understand?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “Understood.”
Ten seconds later, Bai Lixin and the bearded man switched places.
Dr. Sang was occupying the outer seat, while the bearded man sat on the inside. As Bai Lixin entered, his slender legs brushed against the firm legs of the man as he squeezed himself into the confined space.
The young man immediately looked around with concern upon sitting down, extending a glass of water and a medication towards Dr. Sang. “Dr. Sang, I just took some motion sickness medication and water. Would you like some?”
Dr. Sang glanced sideways, and in the young man’s moist eyes, there was only the reflection of his figure, leaving no space for others.
With a slight stir in his heart, Dr. Sang replied slowly, “I require a nutrient solution. I am allergic to motion sickness medication.”
Dr. Sang extended a finger and lightly pointed to the shelf above him. “It’s up there. Help me retrieve it,” he instructed.
The young man immediately stood up, “Alright.”
The armored vehicle stood tall, with an interior height of over two meters and shelves positioned at approximately 1.8 meters. Standing beside Dr. Sang, the young man heard a man’s voice emanating from below, “It’s in the army green backpack in the innermost part. Check the side and open the third zipper.”
From Dr. Sang’s perspective, all he could see was the arduous movement of the young man as he stretched his arms with great difficulty and struggled to reach for the item.
Due to the exertion, the young man’s body subconsciously leaned forward, unintentionally pressing against Dr. Sang’s side.
An immediate warmth permeated through their clothing, causing Dr. Sang’s breath to momentarily catch, and he got closer to Bai Lixin imperceptibly.
He looked at the young man from the corner of his eyes, observing that the edge of his clothing had flipped up as a result of the exertion, revealing a patch of delicate, cream-like skin.
Dr. Sang discreetly swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“Found it!” The young man exclaimed, his voice filled with urgency. His clothing slipped back, and a slender hand holding a vial of nutrient solution came before Dr. Sang’s eyes.
Dr. Sang followed the trajectory of the hand holding the vial and immediately caught sight of the young man’s obsidian-like pupils.
Due to the rummaging, the young man’s previously tidy hair had become slightly disheveled. However, the young man paid no mind to it and simply gazed wholeheartedly at Dr. Sang. “Is this it, Dr. Sang?”
Dr. Sang was momentarily stunned.
He lifted his gaze to the young man’s face, his arms instinctively reaching out to tidy the young man’s hair and straighten the corners of his clothes.
Having completed this gesture, Dr. Sang calmly accepted the nutrient solution from the young man and consumed it without uttering a single word.
No nonsense was necessary.
As newcomers in the team, even if they weren’t protectors, their presence would inevitably draw attention, especially considering they were the very targets of this protection mission.
The soldiers watched the interaction between the two with great surprise.
Hadn’t it been said that Dr. Sang was always a loner, someone who preferred to keep his distance from others?
Why did he show such care for this young man?
Tsk tsk tsk, but the young man was so good looking , even as a stranger couldn’t help but be drawn to him.
————————
In the live broadcast room.
[Heh heh heh, how about that? Have you fallen in love? Dr. Sang, you’re done for, you’ve fallen in love.]
[Dr. Sang is still playing hard to get, a stubborn person indeed. Dog man, have you noticed how popular our God Xin is? Feeling a bit threatened? Still suffering from motion sickness? Heh heh heh, such a foolish response.]
[I can’t wait to see how long Dr. Sang can hold back. The plot is becoming more and more intriguing, hahaha.]
[Emma, I have to admit, when Dr. Sang tidied God Xin’s hair just now, my heartstrings were stirred. Such pure emotion is incredibly sweet.]
[No need to say more, it’s undeniably sweet.]
[It’s just a bit of a pity, big boss.]
[Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing. Big boss: Are you called polite?]
————————
After the episode, Bai Lixin settled back into his seat.
The armored car had begun to traverse the bridge over the sea. Due to neglect, the bridge had long been abandoned. Several metal suspension ropes were severed, and even the fences on both sides of the bridge were dilapidated and chaotic. The entire bridge appeared on the verge of collapse.
Numerous corpses still littered the bridge. These corpses had mostly dried up, with some reduced to skeletal remains. Bullet holes were visible on these bones.
Dr. Sang explained, “The city we are going to was the epicenter of the initial virus outbreak. The virus originated here and swiftly engulfed the entire city. To prevent the escape of these viruses, the nation resorted to a ruthless measure on the bridges. Anyone crossing those bridges, be it ordinary people or zombies, was ruthlessly gunned down.”
Only then did Bai Lixin redirect his attention to the island city ahead, realizing they had now arrived at the former country R.
Dr. Sang continued in an indifferent tone, “However, being an island surrounded by the sea, the virus has already infiltrated the seawater, polluting vast coastal areas and marine life irreparably.”
“This is how the calamity came to pass, doomsday arrived, and the pinnacle of human civilization was laid to waste.”
Upon hearing these words, the bearded man let out a long sigh, and the faces of everyone in the vehicle had solemn expressions.
The driver switched on the stereo, allowing a soothing melody to permeate the car and dissipate the somber atmosphere.
An hour later, they crossed the bridge uneventfully. The once-distant, diminutive city that had once teemed with prosperity gradually unfolded before their eyes.
With a frown, the bearded man gazed upward at the sky, remarking, “Today’s weather isn’t particularly favorable. Let’s find a secure location to settle. In addition to seeking out advanced zombies, we must also procure supplies. I hope we can accomplish this task satisfactorily. We came as a group of seven, and we shall return as a group of seven.”
Bai Lixin followed the bearded man’s line of sight and peered out the window. The once-clear sky now bore thick, ominous clouds. These clouds encroached upon the sun, casting an instant pall over the previously sunny heavens.
The air turned humid, with a blend of chemical agents and the strong stench of blood permeating the moisture.
Even after so many years, the lingering scent of death persisted in this city of demise.
The bearded man glanced back at Dr. Sang and Bai Lixin, cautioning, “The two of you must stick close to us. The power of zombies intensifies several times over at night, just as the darkness blankets the sun.”
Bai Lixin poked his head out from Dr. Sang’s chest and inquired, “Captain, why did the last two zombie attacks on the Ark occur during the day?”
The bearded man replied, ”Zombies are simply mindless creatures. Their frenzies often transpire during daylight hours. They could easily wait a few hours and launch an attack at night, but they lack such patience. Hence, they strike during the day. I truly can’t fathom their rationale.”
Bai Lixin retreated to his seat, lost in thought.
He rubbed his chin contemplatively and muttered to himself, “They are stronger at night, yet they persist in attacking during the day. Could it be that there’s some sort of auditory stimulus propelling their daytime movements?”
Could it be the zombie queen mentioned by the special zombie?
Dr. Sang caught sight of Bai Lixin’s exquisite and flawless countenance, and there was a slight stir in his heart.
His gaze slid downwards imperceptibly, his eyes tracing the young man’s delicate chin to the elegant curve of a swan’s neck, and then following the slender lines of the neck, saw the faint outline of the young man’s prominent collarbone.
He had caressed that collarbone yesterday.
Delicate, tender, with a gentle resilience that embraced the bone.
Suddenly, a faint bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, accompanied by a muted thunderclap.
The gathering dark clouds above grew denser, obscuring the sun’s radiant glow in rapid measure, visible even to the naked eye.
In a hurried and earnest tone, the bearded man commanded, “Third brother, prepare to step on the accelerator and make a beeline for the old location.”
The third brother in question was the one driving the vehicle. He acknowledged the order and promptly accelerated.
Seeing Bai Lixin’s body involuntarily leaning back, Dr. Sang instinctively extended his arm to shield Bai Lixin’s shoulder.
The young man was momentarily flustered, and upon locking eyes with Dr. Sang, hastily declared, “I understand, Dr. Sang. I am merely your experimental subject. I won’t have extra thoughts.”
Dr. Sang: “…”
Damn it, he wanted to curse.
——————————
In the live broadcast room.
[Hahaha, every remark from back then is now a shut down.]
[The big boss speaks, type an idiom.]
[“Digging Your Own Grave.”]
[“Be Passionate.”]
[“I Understand.”]
[God Xin, cheers, keep it up! Let this despicable man suffer the wrath of a scorned wife! Exhilarating.]
——————
The surroundings had plunged into complete darkness. Mere minutes ago, it was still daytime, but now it seemed to have transformed into night.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Accompanied by lightning and thunder, raindrops the size of beans descended from the sky.
Raindrops drummed against the ground and pelted the armored vehicle, striking the iron sheet with a resounding rhythm.
The third brother had already activated the headlights, and the brilliant beams instantaneously dispelled the darkness, illuminating the path ahead.
The men were all prepared, their banter and jesting subsided, their gazes fixed forward with vigilance, bearing grave and formidable expressions.
Suddenly, a swift black shadow darted past the headlights.
Then, a second one, and a third.
Those black shadows moved with remarkable speed, so swift that without the illumination of the lights, their presence would have remained elusive.
Dr. Sang glanced at Bai Lixin beside him, lowering his voice to a whisper audible only to the two of them, “Try to use your powers of perception.”
Bai Lixin nodded, obediently closing his eyes and activating his abilities.
This time, he didn’t see the brilliant crystal nucleus, nor did he witness the eyeball suspended high in the sky.
Perhaps Dr. Sang employed some method to conceal his crystal nucleus.
However, this question didn’t linger in Bai Lixin’s mind for long. He swiftly unraveled thousands of crimson silk threads according to his own rhythm, simultaneously shooting them out in all directions, enveloping the area in a radial pattern.
Gradually, white specks of light began to materialize within the area.
They varied in size, but all exhibited motion.
Bai Lixin counted, and there were approximately a dozen of them.
To human eyes, their movement appeared swift, but within Bai Lixin’s realm of consciousness, their velocity seemed akin to slow motion. Regardless of their trajectory, he could effortlessly apprehend their every motion.
Dr. Sang’s voice resonated in his ears once more, “Have you spotted them? Attempt to absorb them. Each real combat encounter presents a valuable opportunity for growth, so you must seize it with precision.”
Bai Lixin nodded, activating the thousands of crimson silk threads simultaneously, effortlessly penetrating the white specks.
In the next instant, a steady stream of energy flowed into the crystal nucleus within his brain, coursing along the crimson silk threads.
After absorbing all the dozen or so crystal nuclei, Bai Lixin slowly opened his eyes and let out a satisfied belch.
Excuse me, I’m so full, so full.
S419M’s voice reverberated within his mind: [Lord Host, the crystal nucleus has not undergone an upgrade this time.]
[It appears that the evolution of the crystal nucleus can only be accomplished by absorbing a higher-level crystal nucleus.]
Bai Lixin saw his brain’s image through the blue interface. He glanced at the crystal nucleus embedded within his neural pathways and said: [I see, thank you for the reminder.]
It seems that in order to advance, he must seek out higher-level zombies.
The third brother, who was at driving, uttered a puzzled “huh,” “Boss, those zombies suddenly ceased their movement for some reason.”
With tension etched across his face, the boss commanded, “Pay no mind to whether they’ve stopped or not. Let us head to the safehouse we discovered previously. We shall await nightfall and venture out during the daytime tomorrow. I had hoped to take action this afternoon, but alas, time eludes us. Plans are no match for the capriciousness of fate.”
He continued, “And once again, rain and thunder beat us. Such weather proves most unfavorable.”
The third brother acknowledged with a muffled sound and continued to drive towards their destination.
Bai Lixin tugged on Dr. Sang’s sleeve, and just as Dr. Sang turned his head, Bai Lixin straightened his body, leaned closer, and brought his mouth close to Dr. Sang’s ear, whispering, “Why do your mental attacks cause their movements to appear so sluggish?”
The warm breath passed through the ear canal and into the brain without warning, and Dr. Sang’s earlobe quivered ever so slightly in response.
He paused, his black pupils fixedly regarding Bai Lixin, before suddenly leaning closer, mimicking Bai Lixin’s posture and gently nibbling on his ear. “Because thoughts are the fastest things in the world.”
“As long as you think about it, you can cross from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere in an instant.”
The patter of rain concealed their voices effectively, and the ability users were all looking outside vigilantly.
The man’s hoarse voice subtly stirred Bai Lixin’s heart, beat by beat.
An air of ambiguity permeated the surroundings, as if perfectly aligned.
From the corner of his eye, the man cast a glance at the young man’s cheeks, which were beginning to flush, and his heart stirred, impelling him to utter something.
But in that very moment, the armored vehicle abruptly halted, and the third brother exclaimed with excitement, “We have arrived safely, boss, Dr. Sang!”
Dr. Sang swiftly grasped the armrest before him and sat back into his seat with a gloomy face.
