Chapter 19

Outside the base, Yang Mo rubbed her chest. "Weird. I feel kind of... guilty." She gasped dramatically. "Am I growing a conscience?!"

Could she be serious for once?!

Wen Yu played along. "Big Sister has always been kind. Otherwise, why would she have taken me in?"

Yang Mo nodded sagely. "Wise words."

So... where do we go now?

Yang Mo clapped her hands. "Home!"

No way! Despair flashed in both Wen Yu's and my eyes.

Just then, I heard panicked screams erupting from the base.

Something’s wrong.

Yang Mo looked suspicious. "I don’t hear anything. Seriously, this timing?"

Wen Yu paled. "Do... do we go back?"

Good question. We fell silent.

So... is what you saw accurate? I thought.

Yang Mo glared, refusing to ask. Fine, I’d type. ​​"Am I really going to die?"​​

Wen Yu didn’t speak, just nodded.

So troublesome. My logic screamed run. But something else whispered I could save them.

Elder Mu’s words echoed: "You saved Qingyun and her child, you saved people in your neighborhood... why not stay and save more?"

Hmm. Guilt trip. Don’t want to go back now.

"Whatever," Yang Mo started to say.

Wen Yu interrupted, "Let me scout first. My teleportation is reliable now. If there’s trouble, I can get out fast."

Ridiculous. Even a stray kid we picked up shouldn’t be sent into danger.

While we hesitated, I saw them. A horde of zombies, pouring in. Weird. They seemed... controlled. Was there another ability user?

Yang Mo shrugged. "Well, if we die, we die together."

Thanks, but I think we can still salvage this.

It was brutal. That’s all I can say. Zombies everywhere. Blood everywhere. Horrifying. A few survivors still fought back. Few were left.

"Elder Mu! Behind you!" Yang Mo shouted towards the distance.

Elder Mu whirled around and bashed the zombie behind him.

Yang Mo ordered Wen Yu, "Watch your Second Sister. Don't let her do anything reckless." She grabbed her ever-present but long-unused "lucky club" and charged towards Elder Mu.

One swing. One crushed skull. Terrifying efficiency. But wasn’t I better suited for clearing a path?!

I hadn’t expected this many zombies. Like holiday subway crowds. I regretted not leaving firmly.

Yang Mo and Wen Yu were strong, but human. They’d tire.

Elder Mu pointed towards the distant wall. "There! Fall back to the safe zone! It’s fortified!"

A safe zone? Excellent. I looked up. Not far. People were on the wall.

​​*THUD!​​* I grabbed one of Yao Wenwu’s cronies and hurled him over. My memory was good. I held grudges. A distant cry confirmed I’d overshot. Thanks for the calibration data. Better not throw others carelessly.

I’d get Yang Mo and Elder Mu over first.

Yang Mo hesitated. She was flagging. Staying would make her and Wen Yu liabilities. "Maybe just us four should go? Saving one is still saving."

After coming all the way back, how could she suggest giving up now?

"We go first," Elder Mu urged. "They have specialized anti-zombie weapons there." He looked at Wen Yu. "The three of us should go."

Wen Yu shook his head, adamant about staying with me.

Stubborn brat! Couldn’t he see sense?!

No choice. I sent Yang Mo and Elder Mu over first. Zombies wouldn’t attack me; I could handle this. Unless... Zombies wouldn’t attack me, so how could I die?!

Belated realization hit me. I looked towards the wall. The "specialized weapons" were rows of guns and cannons. Yang Mo was being restrained. I couldn’t see her face.

"Apologies," Elder Mu’s voice rang clear. "We used everyone. This is the final horde. We used infrasound to lure them. There was never any cooperation. Our orders, from the start, were to eliminate all zombies. Of course, ability users are welcome. And... it’s fortunate you returned."