​​Chapter 04

One month later.

Trouble had arrived.

The zombies were moving faster—some could now even leap. Through the window, a disheveled man in a torn t-shirt lightly vaulted onto the roof of a Jeep Wrangler.

The pace of their evolution was terrifying.

During her shift keeping watch, Secretary Lin Ling suddenly recoiled as a small zombie thudded against the window. Gray-white eyes peered through the gaps in the solar panels.

Shrieking in terror, Lin Ling sent the creature into its own frenzy of howls. Even muffled by the glass, the haunting screams pierced through us. I jerked her aside and ordered everyone to drop flat to the floor.

Too late.

sluggish shuffle drew closer. The horde had answered the call. Through the PTZ camera platform I had set up earlier, I watched as they slammed decayed, gray faces against the security grating. Some smashed off rotten noses and lips; others cracked their eyeballs as they pressed forward.

The number was easily 400 to 500.

Ruan Tingting and Lin Ling broke into a screaming contest. With no other choice, I struck Lin Ling unconscious.

Before Xiao Chu could lunge toward Ruan Tingting, Qiu Ze suddenly swung—a hard punch to her skull. She crumpled unconscious.

Clear disgust was written on Qiu Ze's face.

Beating his unreachable crush? Impressive.

Heavy blows rained on the grating until concrete chunks crumbled free.

This wasn't sustainable.

"Xiao Chu!"

"Here!"

had just climbed onto the filing cabinets when Chairwoman Li panicked: "Dai Mei, where are you going?"

Qiu Ze pleaded: "A Mei~ please, don't leave."

"Running away now?"

"Holy hell! Leaving us behind?"

"If we die, we die together!"

Before he finished, Zhao Kai lunged at me. Xiao Chu countered with a swift hook that sent him stumbling back.

Through the vent opening, I called out my promise:

"Everyone, stay calm! I won't abandon you!"

"We can't fight back from here! Xiao Chu and I are going to the maintenance room!"

"Keep silence!"