Nighttime is always full of danger.

Even though Xu Duoduo had become a zombie, for some reason, she still felt sleepy. She had gone more than ten days without needing rest, yet now drowsiness crept up on her. So, after finishing dinner with the others, she put away her thermos cup and found a spot to curl up and nap.

The survivors in the factory did the same after their meal—finding places to rest—but no one stayed alone. Everyone huddled together in groups.

Wang Weihu and Bai Shu were resting, while Qin Luo and Chen Xiaofei took the first watch. They would guard the first half of the night, and Wang Weihu and Bai Shu would take over for the second half.

The thunderstorm outside had passed, but heavy rain, mixed with hail, poured down, striking the factory roof with loud, irregular clattering sounds.

Despite this, the survivors felt somewhat at ease—at least they had people watching over them.

They believed they could sleep peacefully.

But they were too naïve.

As night fell, Qin Luo and Chen Xiaofei grew visibly more alert, no longer joking or chatting idly.

Xu Duoduo noticed their tense demeanor and suspected the night would be dangerous, so she didn’t allow herself to fall into a deep sleep.

The little zombie lay still with her eyes closed, conserving energy.

Not far away, Wang Weihu was snoring soundly, while Bai Shu slept peacefully, leaning against a wall.

Chen Xiaofei patrolled the area, staying vigilant. Qin Luo sat on top of a shipping container, loading his magazine. From this central position, he could quickly respond to any trouble.

Due to the thunderstorm, the factory’s power had gone out earlier, leaving only dim emergency lights.

Xu Duoduo initially assumed that any threats would come from outside—perhaps zombies or other mutant creatures. She never expected the danger to come from within.

The moment an unnatural growl sounded from the survivors’ area, a gunshot shattered the quiet night, followed by a scream.

“Ahhh!! It tried to bite me! Why is there still a zombie?!”

“What? A zombie?!”

The survivors had seemed completely normal before. They had undergone thorough checks before boarding the transport to the survivor base—only those without wounds were allowed in.

But some injuries were too small to notice, and some people hid their discomfort, clinging to the hope that they wouldn’t turn.

Now, one had transformed and attacked, and zombies were far more agile at night than during the day.

Panic erupted among the survivors.

“Quiet down! Anyone experiencing fever or any unusual discomfort, step forward now.”

Qin Luo holstered his gun and jumped down from the container, scanning the group. The survivors, realizing some among them were infected, quickly distanced themselves from one another, too scared to remain in close proximity.

Chen Xiaofei’s boyish face turned serious as he stepped forward to explain, “In the early stages of infection, symptoms include sluggish thoughts, stiff limbs, low fever, and throat bleeding. At night, an infected person may feel a strong craving for blood and raw flesh. If anyone is experiencing these symptoms, step forward now—otherwise, you’ll only endanger your comrades.”

The survivors exchanged uneasy glances. Some were terrified, some hesitated, and some clenched their fists, their lips trembling.

Finally, three people stepped forward.

One woman clung to her husband, desperately shaking her head. “Don’t go! You just have a fever, you’re not infected! Please, I only have you left!”

Some survivors instinctively backed away from the couple, while others looked away, unable to bear watching.

Chen Xiaofei approached them, while the woman clung to her husband, nearly breaking down. The man, worried he might hurt her, struggled internally.

They had to manage the situation carefully.

Qin Luo, meanwhile, separated the infected individuals, placing them in a corner. Their eyes were already becoming dull, their movements restless, and their skin was turning a sickly pale-blue.

Xu Duoduo couldn’t resist peeking out, and she also noticed that her body was more agile at night.

Unfortunately, Qin Luo’s sharp instincts were terrifying. The moment she peeked, his cold, calculating gaze locked onto her.

She was scared stiff.

That one glance told her everything—if she made the slightest move that seemed threatening, she’d be shot instantly. Not even her space ability would save her.

A zombie with abilities was far more dangerous than a regular one.

Luckily, her eyes were pure and untainted. After a moment, Qin Luo’s expression softened, and he tilted his head, signaling for her to hide and stop peeking.

Fine.

Sorry for disturbing you.

Xu Duoduo quickly shrank back, hugging herself tightly, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground. She was a little shaken—she’d almost lost her life just now.

After some commotion, they finally managed to separate the sick from the healthy. But the revelation that the virus had a dormant phase left everyone too scared to cluster together anymore.

The night quieted down again.

But during the second half of the night, multiple gunshots rang out, followed by frantic movements and more screams. The infected survivors didn’t make it. Others broke down in sobs.

They had thought they were safe. But reality was crueler than they imagined.

Xu Duoduo trembled at the sound of gunfire. She didn’t even have a heartbeat, yet she almost felt like her heart was racing in fear.

Or maybe it was just her nerves being too taut.

Then came another disaster.

The woman’s husband had struggled hard to resist the virus, but in the end, he succumbed to it. When Chen Xiaofei raised his gun, the woman screamed and lunged toward him.

Her sharp, heart-wrenching scream sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

And then—echoing shrieks came from outside the factory.

The eerie, high-pitched cries seemed to respond to hers, one after another.

Someone yelled in terror, “Ahhh! Why are there monkeys?!”

The entire factory descended into chaos.

Wang Weihu and Bai Shu immediately snapped awake, flipping over and leaping to their feet without hesitation. Their eyes locked onto the source of the commotion.

The factory doors rattled violently as something banged against them. On the rooftop, sharp claws scratched at the metal sheets, producing an unbearable screeching noise.

Xu Duoduo glanced up just in time to see a monkey smash a window with a rock.

She locked eyes with it.

Or rather, with something that had once been a monkey.

Its face was twisted with grotesque rage, its teeth had grown unnaturally large, its eyes burned red, and its claws were unnervingly long and sharp.

The other survivors saw them too—and more screams followed.

There was no helping it.

They were just ordinary people. It was natural to be afraid. Their reactions were purely instinctive.

But the mutant monkey horde became excited at the screams, screeching in response.

Wang Weihu bellowed, “Shut up! Everyone, find a place to huddle together! If you spread out too much, we won’t be able to protect you!”

Even as he spoke, he had already taken down several monkeys with his gun. Bai Shu went straight into action, grabbing survivors and shoving them toward a safer spot.

Chen Xiaofei rushed to help Bai Shu protect the group, while Wang Weihu focused on clearing the mutant monkeys.

“Damn it! Why the hell did we have to run into these things?!”

As for Qin Luo—he was slaughtering them effortlessly.

Eventually, he switched to dual blades.

His speed far outmatched the monkeys’.

With a single slash, multiple creatures fell.

The ground was soon slick with blood.