0.5% Chance

Jin Xuyan's expression hardened when he saw this. He pulled out a dagger and ignited it with his black flame, sterilizing the blade before cutting away the decaying flesh.

He didn't know if this would stop the mutation, but he had to try.

Just as he finished, Zhang Yuan returned with alcohol and medicine. Setting the bag down, he handed over the alcohol and said, "Captain, this is all I could find."

Jin Xuyan nodded and opened the alcohol bottle. He carefully cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and wrapped it in fresh bandages. Then, he lifted Qin Luzi's eyelids and checked his pupils.

The black part of his pupil, which had almost disappeared, was slowly enlarging.

Hope surged in Jin Xuyan's chest when he saw this. He quickly poured water into Qin Luzi's mouth and whispered, "Qin Luzi, you better hold on and get better. If you turn into a zombie, I will cut you into pieces."

His voice was sharp and steady, but only he knew how worried he truly was. This man had been his friend for years and their relationship was closer than a brother. There was no way he would let him die.

After feeding him some jelly drink, Jin Xuyan checked his wound again. The rotting process showed no signs of stopping but his temperature slowly rose.

Clenching his fists, he searched his mind for a solution. Other than an ability user with healing powers, the only possible way to save his life was a crystal core.

If Qin Luzi awakened an ability, his body would be able to suppress the zombie virus and eventually purge it.

However, the odds of awakening his ability using a crystal core were less than 0.5%. If his body was too weak to withstand the surge of energy, he could explode from the inside out. 

Standing behind him, Zhang Yuan hesitated before speaking, "Captain—"

But after one word, he didn't know what else to say. The one mutating wasn't just a stranger. He was their comrade—the man who had fought alongside them through countless battles. 

He didn't want him to turn into a mindless monster. But he also couldn't save him. All he could do was watch him suffer the pain.

After a long silence, Jin Xuyan finally spoke, "Untie the others and let them rest in the mini-market. Assign someone to keep feeding them water and monitoring their temperature."

Realizing his captain wanted to be alone, Zhang Yuan simply nodded and said, "Understood."

Ten minutes later, the wounded soldiers had been moved into the mini-market. Some soldiers cleaned up the corpses, while others secured the perimeter.

Only Jin Xuyan remained by Qin Luzi's side.

For twenty minutes, he battled with his thoughts and considered the pros and cons. Then, at last, he made his decision.

He pulled a crystal core from his pocket and burned it in his black flame for several minutes before rinsing it with water.

Holding the transparent core between his fingers, he spoke in a low voice, "Old Qin, you better do your best to survive. Don't waste the crystal core."

When he finished his words, he pried open his friend's mouth and placed the crystal core inside. The moment it touched Qin Luzi's tongue, it melted instantly.

The energy was impure, so there was a chance that it would heighten the risk of him turning into a zombie. But at the same time, it would give him enough energy to awaken an ability.

Jin Xuyan stared at his friend's fevered face, let out the breath he had been holding, and thought, 'Old Qin, it all now depends on you. I hope you won't make me kill you.'

Since there was a chance he could turn into a zombie, Jin Xuyan kept him outside while continuing to cool his body with alcohol and ensuring he stayed hydrated.

Two hours passed amidst his tense nerves.

The gas station had been cleared of the zombies' corpses, and the foul stench of blood began to fade. As the wind carried the scent away, the zombies outside the gates slowly dispersed.

At midnight, when the red moon reached its peak, the entire station was eerily silent.

Aside from Qin Luzi's heavy breathing, not a single sound could be heard.

Inside the mini-market, the soldiers glanced in their captain's direction with complicated expressions.

Those who had followed Jin Xuyan for years already knew how stubborn and loyal he was towards his comrade-in-arms. It wasn't surprising to them that he would stay by Qin Luzi's side until the very last second.

However, for the newer recruits, this was the first time they had seen someone risk everything for a subordinate.

Before, they had assumed Jin Xuyan was like every other officer—someone who only cared about orders and personal gain.

But after witnessing how he had saved them time and time again, and now seeing his unwavering determination to save his comrade, they realized they had misjudged him.

Zhang Yuan, noticing their guilty expressions, said in a low voice, "We still have a mission to complete tomorrow. Right now, the most important thing is to rest and recover our strength."

"If you are still hungry, grab something to eat. Once you are full, get some sleep. We will take turns on the night watch."

The soldiers nodded in understanding and quietly went about their tasks. After the world changed, silence became their second nature.

At night, they no longer spoke. Instead, they relied on hand signals and coded gestures to communicate. Because in their current situation, noise means death.

The night passed slowly, and Jin Xuyan didn't close his eyes for even a moment of rest. When the red moon slowly set and the sun rose, he checked his friend's condition.