To regain consciousness

Chu Xiang briefly allowed Song Jun to bandage his forehead, then retrieved a PDA, slightly larger than a phone, from his bag. This was the same device he had found on him when he regained consciousness at the military base. With its highly advanced functions, it could serve as a terminal to receive satellite signals, as well as function as a regular phone. However, both the mobile and Unicom towers had been destroyed, and the phone was long out of service. Although he had no knowledge of how to connect the PDA to the satellite network, it contained a detailed satellite map, which, despite being a year old, was still quite useful.

Together, Chu Xiang and Song Jun located the gas station on the satellite map and then began searching for villages with fewer houses. They dared not venture into densely populated villages, as they knew that more people would mean more zombies. Without firepower support, attempting to raid a village for food would surely be a death sentence.

After searching extensively, all they found were large villages with more than three hundred households. With their limited abilities, they dared not approach these areas. Chu Xiang now fully understood the importance of the country's family planning policies. With so many people born, the surviving humans had inadvertently created countless enemies.

Feeling the heat rising within him, Chu Xiang realized that his mind was beginning to blur. Song Jun called his name twice, but his voice seemed to come from a distant horizon. The only thought that raced through Chu Xiang's foggy mind was: I've been infected by the T-virus. Feverish, with a foggy mind, the next step was inevitable — he would soon lose consciousness, and upon awakening, he would become a zombie. This process, he and Song Jun had witnessed countless times, but now it was happening to him. Damn, I've failed to escape once again. But how had he been infected? He hadn't come into direct contact with any zombies.

His thoughts scattered, and before he could contemplate further, he collapsed to the ground with a thud. He didn't even have time to tell Song Jun to put a bullet in his head, as this rapid onset of infection was unlike anything he had encountered before. The virus he had contracted was most likely no ordinary strain.

What happens to a person after death? There is an ancient poem that says, Once dead, one understands that everything is empty. Whether you are Qin Shi Huang, Han Wu, or a celebrity tycoon, one day, you will face death. Death means you can no longer see the world with your thoughts or feelings. It is not like sleep, for sleep may bring dreams, but death is devoid of even dreams. The affairs of this world will no longer concern you.

Chu Xiang was unwilling to accept this. In truth, he had always felt this way. He felt that his life had been too insignificant, that he had never experienced the love of a woman. He couldn't bear to die like this. In his delirium, he clung to a thread of consciousness. Though it was far from the comfort of dreams, the mere existence of this fragile awareness meant that he was still alive. If he were truly dead, he would have no sensation or thoughts at all.

Desperately, Chu Xiang fought to keep that sliver of consciousness alive, expanding it from the brink of disappearance. He refused to give up. He had to survive to search for his parents and sister. As the only man in the family, he had to protect their safety. He also had to find his true love. In times of peace, no woman had ever loved him, but perhaps in these chaotic times, they might still be willing to give their hearts.

"Ah!" he suddenly cried out.

It wasn't a nightmare. Chu Xiang had no idea how long he had fought, but at last, that remaining sliver of consciousness expanded into a full-fledged belief, filling his mind. He suddenly shouted and sprang to his feet.

"Great! Chu Xiang, I knew you would be fine!" The first face he saw was that of Song Jun, his half-burned face, which should have been terrifying, but to Chu Xiang, it looked endearing.

"Am I dead?" Chu Xiang shouted, sitting up and asking the first question that came to mind.

Before Song Jun could answer, another voice spoke up, "You idiot, what are you shouting about? If you're dead, you wouldn't even be able to feel anything. You've had a high fever for three days. If it weren't for your friend, you'd have already been treated as infected and put down to prevent you from causing harm to us."

Chu Xiang nodded gratefully at Song Jun. Initially, he thought he had been infected, as all the symptoms matched those of the T-virus, but Song Jun hadn't followed the agreement they made. If either of them became infected, the other would have to put a bullet in their head. Song Jun hadn't done that. Instead, he trusted that Chu Xiang would wake up, and this trust, this unwavering belief, made Chu Xiang feel a profound connection with him — a bond forged in the fire of life and death.

Looking around, Chu Xiang realized he had been unconscious for three days. The person who had cursed him must have been from an escape group. He was now inside a Jinlong minibus, most of the seats removed. Chu Xiang lay in the center of the vehicle. The man who had cursed him, with his middle-parted hair and dressed in Armani, was likely in his late twenties or early thirties. From his expression, it seemed he was once a street thug before the virus outbreak.

The driver, an older man, showed no reaction to Chu Xiang's awakening, as if he had grown accustomed to the comings and goings of life and death. Aside from the two of them, there were a man and a woman in the back seats. The man looked lecherous and like a gangster, while the woman, though unattractive with an acne-scarred face, had an impressive figure. Even Chu Xiang, who considered himself a gentleman, couldn't help but glance twice at her, though the sight of her face quickly dulled any desire.

The middle-parted man, Wang Bo, harbored significant hostility toward Chu Xiang. He didn't want to share the already scarce food, but Chu Xiang had long learned to endure. In this chaotic world, having more people around increased survival chances. At least during his three-day fever, Song Jun had managed to keep him alive. If they had gone out looking for food alone, they could have encountered even greater dangers.

Chu Xiang quietly checked his body, finding that the three days of unconsciousness hadn't caused any harm. In fact, he felt stronger than before. Despite showing symptoms of T-virus infection, he hadn't turned into a zombie. Why? He couldn't understand and didn't want to think too much about it. With Song Jun's help, he silently rose and moved to the seat behind the driver. There was no point in overthinking things; survival was the only thing that mattered now. As long as he was alive, he could search for his parents and sister. As long as he was alive, he could still search for the love that truly belonged to him.

Song Jun lowered his voice, "The man who cursed you is Wang Bo, a thug. We need to be cautious around him. The driver is Qin Hai; he's a man of few words. The guy in the back is Zhang Hongbing, and the woman is Zhang Jingyao. There are three other vehicles in this convoy, with six people in total. They're heading to Tong City, where there's said to be a survivor base. The military drops supplies there every once in a while."

Listening to Song Jun, Chu Xiang glanced out the window. The convoy was led by a Honda CR-V 2.4, followed by an Audi A6L, and behind the Jinlong minibus was a Dongfeng Tianlong fuel tanker. Tong City wasn't far from H Province's capital. If there really was a survivor base there, it could offer some temporary safety.

Ignoring Wang Bo's hostility, Chu Xiang turned his attention to the road ahead. The vehicles struggled through the ruined highway, blocked by abandoned cars. Occasionally, they encountered wandering zombies, but they posed no threat to the convoy.

By evening, the convoy stopped at a broken bridge. The river crossing would have to wait until tomorrow. The area was flat and safe from hidden zombies, making it a good spot to camp for the night.

Three people got out of the CR-V: two men in military uniforms, carrying semi-automatic rifles, and a mature, beautiful woman, who caught Chu Xiang's attention.

A tough-looking man, with scars and a shaved head, stepped out of the fuel tanker. He appeared to be in his early thirties. From the Audi A6L came a man in his forties and a young boy, likely his son.