Chapter 17:The Zombie Virus

The big man scrambled up from the floor, not bothering to hide the shock in his eyes. Was this the infamous "Su family waste"? Or was the Su family deliberately projecting a false image?!

Su Xiaomu considered his memory decent. He walked unhindered, but the surrounding space felt unnervingly quiet.

"Why is it so quiet here?" Su Xiaomu pursed his lips, his mind racing. It hadn't felt like this when he came with Zhang Yi earlier. Had something happened?!

It was nighttime. Lights were on everywhere, but people were scarce... Or perhaps...

He went directly to the room they'd met in earlier. The door was tightly shut, clearly empty...

Su Xiaomu didn't linger. He headed towards the area where the others lived. Before getting close, he caught the heavy scent of blood. The usually somewhat lively place was now eerily silent.

He reached the doorway of one room. The door hung open. Daily items lay scattered and broken in the corners. The floor was smeared with dark purple stains. Deep scratch marks scarred the white walls...

Su Xiaomu frowned slightly. From the signs, this room had seen a struggle. And the blood... if he wasn't mistaken, it was zombie blood...

"Su Xiaomu!" A cold, raspy voice heavy with exhaustion called out from behind him.

Su Xiaomu spun around instantly, his jet-black eyes locking onto the man before him...

Zhang Yi looked pale. His usually sharp eyes were clouded with unmistakable fatigue. Splotches of blood stained his clothes...

"Did you do something bad?" Su Xiaomu joked with a crooked smile, then immediately found it inappropriate and forced the expression away.

Zhang Yi's thin lips pressed into a tight line, his whole body radiating oppressive, terrifying energy. "If you wander off again, I'll break your legs!"

"Ha!" Su Xiaomu laughed coldly. "Captain Zhang is so impressive!"

"Even prisoners get fed, right?!" Su Xiaomu's lips curved into a sarcastic smile. "You want to use me to achieve your goals. Don't I even have the right to go out and find food?" His voice grew dangerously soft on the last sentence, but his eyes burned fiercely.

"Well, Captain Zhang? Shall you toss me out now? Let the zombies eat me?" Seeing Zhang Yi remain silent, Su Xiaomu continued his cold, biting sarcasm.

Su Xiaomu dared to be so brazen not just because they needed to use him, but more importantly, because he had his space. If surrounded, he could hide inside for a year or two without issue.

Zhang Yi rubbed his temples. "Shut up!" he snapped. He already had a pile of troubles; this guy was a major headache.

"You tell me to shut up, so I shut up?!" Su Xiaomu protested indignantly. But seeing the murderous aura emanating from the man, he reluctantly closed his mouth.

He felt annoyed with himself. He knew the situation, yet he couldn't resist provoking this man who'd dismissed him from the start. Probably because he wanted to crush him underfoot.

Zhang Yi turned and walked away. Seeing Su Xiaomu hadn't followed, he reached back, grabbed Su Xiaomu by the collar, and started dragging him. "Hey hey hey! What are you doing?! I have legs!" This was too much! Using his height to haul him around like a chicken...

Zhang Yi ignored his protests, dragging him along regardless...

Su Xiaomu rolled his eyes skyward. Heaven help me... This man was too overbearing! Had he no respect for human rights?!

"I feel awful..." he whimpered pitifully. His face flushed crimson from the collar tightening around his neck.

Cough cough cough... cough cough cough... Released, Su Xiaomu doubled over, coughing violently. Tears welled up, glistening on his long eyelashes, making him look utterly pitiful.

Zhang Yi turned his head away, slightly uncomfortable. "Come on..." His anger had noticeably cooled upon seeing Su Xiaomu like this.

Su Xiaomu rubbed his neck, following behind. "What happened?" Something serious must have occurred. This level of the base was far too quiet, as if people were hiding.

"Zhao Sheng turned into a zombie," Zhang Yi stated with difficulty. "Yan Qing was bitten. He's under observation now..." He couldn't fathom how Zhao Sheng had transformed.

"What?! He was bitten?!" Su Xiaomu exclaimed in shock, then met Zhang Yi's piercing stare.