Chapter 3: Ambition

Chang Jianyi leaned against the cool wall, her breath shaking in the oppressive silence of the darkened room. The cardboard bed felt damp and unsatisfying, a poor makeshift sanctuary from the horrors outside. Shen Feng lay beside her, lost in a fevered haze, his brow damp and his body burning hot. Her heart twisted with worry, not just for him, but for the family she had left behind—a family she could only hope was safe from the chaos raging beyond these four walls.

The rain had ended, but the weight of dread remained as thick in the air as the darkness cloaking the city. Zombies roamed the streets, an endless parade of the undead, and change had come like a thief in the night—sudden and merciless. It was a nightmare she had once dismissed as fiction, yet here she was, trapped and vulnerable, with only the distant flicker of uncertain lights to tell her she wasn't the only one enduring this madness.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around her knees, trying to draw warmth from her own body. Shen Feng stirred, his voice a weak whisper breaking the stillness. "Senior, I want to... drink water." His words sank into her like stones, heavy with implication. Did he have the strength to hold on? Would he last another day?

Working quickly, she filled a tin bucket she had scavenged from the utility room with what little water remained. Her heart sank as the faucet sputtered and hissed, refusing to yield even a drop more. "Is it really the end?" she thought, despair gnawing at her resolve. Thoughts of her family's safety twisted into her gut like a knife. Would they too suffer in this cruel reality?

But she had no time to dwell. Shen Feng's fever was the grim reality she needed to confront. With a determined breath, she clasped a small piece of soft bread against her lips, chewing it before gently feeding it to him. "Just a little more, you have to try," she urged, desperation creeping into her voice. His body need not fail him, not now. They had come too far to let this be the end.

Night fell again, the world beyond her window draped in shadows as they curled against each other. She focused on the heat radiating from Shen Feng's feverish skin, an absurd comfort in the midst of their horror. Her mind raced with thoughts of escape—a way out of the city, but she knew each plan was fraught with danger.

Suddenly, a sound pierced through her thoughts—the creaking of the utility room door. Anxiety shot through her as she jumped to her feet. She couldn't risk discovery. "Who's there?" she called out, her voice steadier than she felt.

On the other side, a low voice emerged, oily and condescending. "Sister, don't be frightened. It's just me, Team Leader Zhou. I brought you something to keep warm."

Her instincts screamed in rebellion. No way. She wouldn't be so easily deceived. "You can leave. I don't want anything from you!"

A pause hung in the air, heavy with tension. "You don't understand," he said, his tone slipping into something darker. "Your boyfriend will die without medicine. Surely you wouldn't let him suffer…"

Panic overwhelmed her. "What do you want?" she demanded, but deep down, she already had a sinking feeling.

"I only want a small favor. Just let me in," he coaxed, an insidious edge to his voice. "I can help you. I'll make sure you're safe—just one night, and I'll give you the medicine…"

Her heart raced—this man was a predator in the guise of a savior. "No! I'll never let you in!" She needed to think fast. He would use her vulnerability against her.

"Suit yourself," he replied, voice laced with menace as he stepped back, the shadows swallowing him whole. "You'll be hungry soon. Then we'll see what choices you make."

With that, silence reclaimed the space, but the threat lingered heavily in the air. She sank back down beside Shen Feng, wrapping her arms tightly around him like a shield. The fear clawed at her insides, but she wouldn't let it drown her. Not now.

For the next few days, the days turned into cycles of feeding, monitoring Shen Feng's condition, and the incessant worry of their precarious situation. People outside were breaking through the barriers of society, abandoning their homes in desperate attempts to flee the chaos. She watched from the confines of her makeshift fortress, her heart sinking further with each passing moment.

Then came the night of the fourth day, a heavy atmosphere draped over her like a suffocating shroud. As she held Shen Feng close, trying to absorb the heat radiating from his body, a low murmur slipped through her thoughts.

"I'm not ready to die, not like this, not here…"

The words fizzed in her mind, an echo of doubts. What would happen to her? What would happen to them?

Then came the knock.

A small sound that shattered the silence, and she froze. A knock from outside, ringing far too close for comfort.

"Jianyi!" a voice called out. It felt familiar—fear lodged in her throat. She rushed to the door, unlocking it tentatively. She was met with the sight of her brother, breathless and pale, but alive.

"Quick, we need to go!" he urged, pulling her outside. Relief washed over her like rain—would they finally escape this nightmare?

But as they turned to run, Chang Jianyi knew the fight was only beginning. They could not let Zhou Changkun, or any of the shadows lurking in the desolate city, close in on her. Hope surged alongside her fear; there were still roads to navigate, and she would fight to survive another day.