Chapter 61: The Fading City (26)
“Ah…”
Screams of terror and despair echoed from the second floor, indicating that other people were still alive there.
Ye Nianchu and Qin Mubai decided it was best to leave, not because they didn’t want to help, but because the utility room was too cramped. They couldn’t move freely or hide properly. If they didn’t leave quickly, they would end up trapped.
The zombie had vanished, leaving behind a chilling silence that seemed to haunt their hearts.
In the corner of the broken wall crouched a young girl in a hotel staff uniform. Her face was smeared with wall plaster, and she stared at the creature in front of her with sheer disbelief. This was no ordinary zombie.
The creature was monstrous, towering about two meters tall. It was clearly not a zombie.
Could this be another boss level?
Ye Nianchu urged Qin Mubai to move faster.
“Help me, help me!” The girl’s desperate cry reached them. “Please, don’t leave!”
At her plea, the monster turned its attention toward them, its head swiveling away from the girl. With one powerful leap, it lunged at Qin Mubai.
Its face was a grotesque mask, lacking any human features. Its dry lips curled back to reveal sharp, menacing teeth, and it emitted a beastly hiss.
“So this is what the antidote turns people into,” Qin Mubai remarked, studying the monster that blocked their path. His eyes showed a clear interest, as if he wanted to pull out a scalpel to dissect and analyze it.
Ye Nianchu asked, surprised, “Is this the same one from before?”
“Yes, but a part of its consciousness must remain,” Qin Mubai replied. “Otherwise, it wouldn’t have let go of its prey.”
The mutated zombie lunged at Qin Mubai, attacking as if it didn’t notice Ye Nianchu beside him.
This was definitely a dangerous situation.
Qin Mubai reacted swiftly, dodging to the side and drawing the mutated zombie away from Ye Nianchu.
The other person in the room sighed with relief, her body trembling in shock. She wondered if he was even a player, having survived this long. The most important thing now was to get rid of the mutated zombies and leave as quickly as possible, regardless of whether their identities were revealed.
Ye Nianchu looked away and prepared her knife, ready to assist. Before she could act, she saw the mutant zombie—capable of smashing half a wall with its hand—pinned to the wall, with her knife embedded in it.
The monster struggled violently, letting out a strange roar from its throat, trying desperately to free itself and attack.
Qin Mubai returned to Ye Nianchu’s side.
“You’re going to the warehouse, right? Can you take me with you?” the girl pleaded, running up to Qin Mubai in a panic.
Neither Ye Nianchu nor Qin Mubai responded.
“Please, there’s plenty of food in the warehouse. One more person won’t make a difference. Just take me with you, and I’ll do whatever you ask.” The girl reached for the hem of Qin Mubai’s coat.
But she was stopped by the gleam of the knife.
Qin Mubai’s face showed no emotion, only a cold, detached expression.
He stood there with his usual grace and dignity.
The girl felt a chill run down her spine. Just moments ago, Qin Mubai hadn’t been holding a knife, and though she had only played two rounds of the game, she knew that spatial abilities were typical for high-level players.
She had thought they were inexperienced and easy to handle, but now she realized they were actually skilled players.
“Seeing as we’re all players here, you should take me with you.”
The monster would eventually break free from the wall.
The girl knew that if she continued to hide alone, even if she wasn’t eaten by the zombies, she might not escape the monster. It would be easier to survive if she teamed up with a high-level player.
Qin Mubai glanced down at Ye Nianchu. In the past, he would have dealt with such interruptions directly, but now he had to consider Ye Nianchu’s opinion as well.