Chapter 120: Fatal G City (Part 5)

Of course, Xiao Muyu wanted to hold her. They had been embracing before entering the instance, and then, snap—they lost all trace of each other.

However, now was not the time to be sentimental. There was a reckoning to be had.

She briefly closed her eyes, and her expression darkened when she opened them again.

Xiao Muyu pushed Shen Qingqiu away, her face cold and tone chilling as she spoke: “Save the hugs. I want an explanation.”

Shen Qingqiu’s face went through several emotions. Her composure faded and she let out a bitter smile.

“I couldn’t wait,” she said.

Xiao Muyu’s face remained tense, eyes unfazed as she stared at Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu turned her head to look at the zombie-packed building. After a while, she looked back at Xiao Muyu.

“I only feel at ease when I can see you safe and right by my side. Between being unable to see you and facing that horde, I feared the former more. Humans naturally seek comfort over harm, so I chose to fix the problem of not being able to find you.”

This apocalypse instance didn’t have ghosts, but these creatures—neither human nor supernatural—put Shen Qingqiu more on edge.

It was like a string in her mind had snapped when she realized most of her cards were unusable.

Under normal circumstances, Shen Qingqiu firmly believed that the smart and composed Xiao Muyu would be fine for a while.

But this instance required hand-to-hand combat. Xiao Muyu had no weapon, and Shen Qingqiu didn’t know where the system would put her. In this apocalyptic setting, a scratch could take her away forever, and that was a fear she could not bear.

Now that Xiao Muyu was with her, Shen Qingqiu finally breathed easier. She willingly accepted Xiao Muyu’s anger. She didn’t make excuses. She knew she had made Xiao Muyu angry but didn’t try to coax her or promise it wouldn’t happen again. Instead, she laid her feelings bare.

And because of that, Xiao Muyu couldn’t keep up her cold front.

She could get angry at her for being reckless, audacious, and putting herself in danger.

But she couldn’t get angry at her for caring too much.

Xiao Muyu’s stern expression softened. She unconsciously turned her face away, mumbling, “So you’re just betting I can’t stay mad at you, huh.”

Shen Qingqiu shook her head and held Xiao Muyu’s hand. “No, it’s because I know you understand me. I trust you would’ve done the same if the roles were reversed.”

Xiao Muyu snorted, shooting her a glare. “I wouldn’t be as dumb as you.” She didn’t want to deal with her anymore.

“Of course,” said Shen Qingqiu, chuckling. “You’re much smarter than me. But I wasn’t acting recklessly. I was looking for you, not trying to get myself killed. The infrared sensor doors on that building had a good set-up. I found the control system, used remote access from upstairs, and waited for the zombies to gather before letting them in.”

“As for the zombies inside the building—I went up to the tenth floor, cleared the entire level, and locked the stairwell door behind me. They won’t be getting up anytime soon.”

“Even so, how were you planning to get out?” Xiao Muyu frowned disapprovingly. In the end, the zombies did break in.

“I had a plan,” Shen Qingqiu replied calmly. “I thought such a large gathering of zombies would catch your attention if you saw it. And even if you didn’t, the odds of running into at least one of the others were better than all of us being separated.

“If none of you came, I was going to use the fire hose from the tenth floor to help me climb down along the outer wall and shut the doors again. So I could take out numerous zombies even if you didn’t come. And besides, I had other methods if that didn’t draw you here.”

Xiao Muyu was about to ask what those “other methods” were when she suddenly noticed Shen Qingqiu’s clothes. Her brow immediately furrowed.

“What are you wearing?”

Shen Qingqiu looked down at herself and rolled her eyes resignedly. “I came to at a luncheon in a full-length evening gown. While I was figuring out what was happening, someone at the event turned and started biting people. It spread from ten to a hundred in no time. Barely anyone made it out of that venue alive. I couldn’t run for my life in a dress, so I tore it off.”

Xiao Muyu kept frowning as she looked her over. Shen Qingqiu’s black V-neck dress accentuated every seductive curve of her body. The torn hem revealed long, pale legs that were blinding. Xiao Muyu had been too tense to pay attention earlier. But now, she was desperate to find something to cover her up.

“Alright, let’s get out of here first,” she said. “We can talk about everything we’ve encountered as we go, gain a better understanding of this world.”

Shen Qingqiu nodded. But then she suddenly grabbed Xiao Muyu’s hand and anxiously pulled open Xiao Muyu’s jacket collar. Upon seeing the hospital gown underneath, she panicked.

“Were you in a hospital? Are you hurt? Sick? What happened?”

Xiao Muyu quickly shook her head. “My assigned scenario was the hospital. I’m fine. The doctor said I’m recovering well. I don’t feel sick at all.”

“Really?” Shen Qingqiu still looked unconvinced.

“Really,” Xiao Muyu affirmed.

Shen Qingqiu finally relaxed. Holding Xiao Muyu’s hand, she led her downstairs.

The two descended from the ninth floor, Shen Qingqiu never letting go of Xiao Muyu’s hand. Her eyes sharp and vigilant, she swiftly dealt with any clueless zombie that managed to break through.

Xiao Muyu frowned at the fallen corpses on the floor. “Did you notice something different about these zombies?” she asked.

“I did,” Shen Qingqiu nodded. “Among the horde I lured over, some were unusually agile and much stronger than the ones I’ve killed before. Any regular person would have gotten hurt facing them.”

“So you’re saying the zombies you encountered at the luncheon didn’t move like this?” Xiao Muyu asked to clarify.

“Yeah,” Shen Qingqiu nodded. “Those quick zombies only appeared while I was being summoned. Why, is there something odd about it?”

Xiao Muyu briefly recounted what she’d seen at the hospital.

“You mean the mutation speed in your ward was different from the other floors?” Shen Qingqiu asked carefully.

“Right. That nurse, Tian Jia, should’ve been the first to show symptoms. From what I saw, she spread the zombie virus in that ward.” Xiao Muyu’s expression turned grave as she recalled the bloodstain on Tian Jia’s wrist.

“That’s suspicious,” said Shen Qingqiu. “If that wound caused her mutation, the source must be someone else. She’s a nurse. Other than patients and colleagues, the infection could’ve come from a family member or even a stranger on the street. It’s hard to pin down.”

“Exactly,” Xiao Muyu agreed. “And the zombies in the other wards were different from the ones in mine. Someone else must have infected them. I remember watching a news report in my room. G City had 136 cases of unexplained high fever, diarrhea, and manic behavior with signs of aggression. A headline like that coming out at that time had to be a warning that the zombie virus had spread. It was just dormant until today. But what I still don’t understand is why Tian Jia’s symptoms were so unusual.”

As they talked, the two reached the ninth floor’s elevator. The elevator smoothly descended to the first-floor lobby. Thanks to Shen Qingqiu’s bold maneuvers, the area was now secure.

However, Shen Qingqiu didn’t head straight out the door. Instead, she turned toward the back of the lobby and fetched a plastic bucket from the restroom.

“What are you doing?” Xiao Muyu asked in confusion.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Perplexed, Xiao Muyu followed Shen Qingqiu out of the building.

A crouching Lin Jian saw them and hurried over. His expression froze the moment he saw Shen Qingqiu.

Noticing him staring intently at Shen Qingqiu, Xiao Muyu stepped in front of her to block his view. “Is there a women’s clothing store nearby?” she asked blandly.

Lin Jian immediately snapped back to his senses. Flushing bright red, he quickly turned away and stammered, “Y-Yes, there’s a mall just ahead.”

Xiao Muyu turned to look at Shen Qingqiu. Shen Qingqiu winked at her with a charming smile. Xiao Muyu felt like rolling her eyes again.

Shen Qingqiu let out a muffled laugh, but her expression quickly turned serious. Solemnly, she said, “Wait for me. I’ll go change clothes once I finish this.”

She took the bucket and walked toward the abandoned cars parked haphazardly along the street. Some had been left behind in haste, but most belonged to those who had already become zombie food.

As Shen Qingqiu approached the cars, Xiao Muyu immediately understood her plan. She quickly followed and whispered, “Earlier, you said you had another method. Is this what you meant?”

Shen Qingqiu turned her head to look at her, eyes spirited. “People in ancient times used beacon fires to send messages. A primitive method of communication is the simplest and most effective in this post-apocalyptic world. If zombies within three hundred meters don’t catch your attention, a building with more than twenty floors sure will. Don’t you think?”

Xiao Muyu stared at her in disbelief but also with deep admiration. “You maniac,” she murmured.

But then her eyelids drooped, and she smiled, eyes glimmering with trust. “But I like your madness.”

Shen Qingqiu returned the smile. She quickly found one car’s fuel tank, pulled out her knife, and motioned for Xiao Muyu to back up. Xiao Muyu only gave Shen Qingqiu an indifferent eye-roll before crouching beside her to watch.

Shen Qingqiu chuckled despite herself and drove her incredibly sharp dagger straight into the car’s fuel tank. Gasoline immediately began to leak out.

Although she controlled her force well, she remained highly cautious. Any slip-up could ignite the fuel, causing a serious accident.

After filling the entire bucket with gasoline, the two carried it to the building. Shen Qingqiu poured the fuel all over the front entrance and emptied the rest through a window that hadn’t been closed in time.

Shen Qingiu signaled to both Xiao Muyu and Lin Jian. “Step back. I’m going to light it.”

This time, Xiao Muyu obediently followed instructions, but Lin Jian couldn’t believe what he was about to witness. “Th-this is the International Tower! A 32-story skyscraper! And you’re just going to burn it down like this? Arson of this scale could land you a life sentence if anyone finds out!”

Having grown up a law-abiding citizen, Lin Jian couldn’t bear doing something like this.

Shen Qingqiu knew this doctor. After hearing what he said, she responded irritably, “Do you realize what time we’re living in? Survival is the most important thing in an apocalypse. Your laws won’t save your life. Muyu saved you and agreed to let you come with us, but I have one thing to make clear. I am not a good person. I will not hesitate to break some moral or legal boundary if necessary. You’re free to leave if you can’t accept that.”

She dragged the remaining gasoline in a line, creating a trail that led to the building entrance.

Lin Jian watched silently from the side.

“There are so many zombies in there,” Xiao Muyu spoke in Shen Qingqiu’s defense. “Leaving them as is will only endanger survivors. People are always the priority. You can stand to lose a skyscraper or two.”

She pulled out the carousel lantern, its candle forever lit. Though the lantern had lost its other functions, Xiao Muyu could still use it to start a fire.

Shen Qingqiu dipped a cloth strip in gasoline and set it alight. Holding it at arm’s length, she tossed it onto the gasoline trail.

*Whoosh*

Fire snaked across the ground at incredible speed, and a roaring blaze erupted.

Xiao Muyu accompanied Shen Qingqiu to the mall to change clothes. When they returned, the fire inside the building had grown to an unstoppable inferno. The zombies on the upper floors, having nothing to guide them, wandered through the flames.

They didn’t fear heat or smoke, so they made no effort to flee the fire. But a horde of bodies made of organic matter—soul or no soul—would burn just the same. The raging flames swept through them instantly.

Watching the zombies stumble through the fire, Lin Jian felt the hairs behind his neck stand on end.

The three hid inside the nearby mall, observing. Gradually, they saw a figure moving silently. Xiao Muyu recognized her. It was the short-haired woman.

A few more people appeared soon after, and Xiao Muyu’s eyes lit up.

The system’s familiar voice announced, “Congratulations to player Xiao Muyu’s team for being the first to regroup. Points +20.”

“Congratulations to Team Xiao Muyu for activating the storyline of Instance No. 005: Fatal G City. Unlocking permissions and initiating the main storyline.”

“To the 22 players in this instance, welcome, though only 21 remain now. Enjoy the game. Instance No. 005 has more than one requirement for clearance. Please explore thoroughly.”

“Main storyline unlocked: Main Quest—Survive in G City. There is no time limit. Note: Harming NPCs after the storyline starts is strictly forbidden. Those who violate this rule will immediately fail the game.”

“Congratulations to Team Xiao Muyu for unlocking the second clearance requirement: obtain a clearance pass by earning 250 points per member! P.S.: To reduce the wealth gap, players may only use points earned in this instance. Please complete your tasks with care.”