Escape

Before his body even touched the ground, Chu Xiang had already reacted. As an evolved E-class warrior, although he hadn't sensed the danger beforehand, his reflexes remained sharp. He swiftly grabbed the piece of cured meat hanging from the eaves, the wire barely holding under his weight. With his other hand, he drew his handgun. 

In the moment of his body swinging from the meat, Chu Xiang saw clearly what had attacked him—it was the bride! But this bride was a grotesque sight: her neck was ravaged, the bone exposed through the decayed flesh, her skin a sickly black, her fingers severed, and her thighs missing. She had evidently crawled beneath Chu Xiang's stool. Had she not done so, the danger would have been far greater. The marks of her crawl revealed that she had hidden herself in the pigsty.

Bang! Chu Xiang fired, the bullet tearing through the bride's skull. With a thud, she collapsed, lifeless. The cured meat finally broke free, and Chu Xiang tossed it into his bag. His heart pounded furiously—had that zombie bride bitten him, who knew whether he would have met death or undergone another evolution? Even if the latter were true, such a perilous attempt was not one to risk!

Bending down to retrieve the two bags on the ground, a sudden motion caught Chu Xiang's attention—something shot out from the pigsty. His senses, still on high alert, reacted swiftly. He ducked low and rolled to the side, then sprang back to his feet. It was a large, mutated pig!

The T-virus, having initially spread among humans, now affected all creatures on Earth. Any animal could fall prey to its infection. Perhaps it was a case of humans biting pigs, or vice versa. Regardless, this pig could no longer be called a pig—it had mutated into something far more dangerous.

Unlike humans, whose movements slowed after infection, animals like dogs, pigs, and cattle became exponentially more vicious once infected. Chu Xiang had witnessed firsthand the deadly effects of infected wolves, Tibetan mastiffs, and mutated cows, which had wiped out two of the teams he had joined.

This mutated pig, with its mouth full of foul blood, long tusks jutting out menacingly, was even more terrifying than a rabid dog. Its rear hooves scraped the ground with fury. Once, pigs were prey for humans, but now the roles were reversed. The way it was charging towards Chu Xiang, it seemed bent on eliminating him.

Chu Xiang wasn't foolish enough to face it head-on. He raised his handgun and fired twice. Pigs' skulls were far tougher than humans', and if the shots weren't decisive, the creature could retaliate. Chu Xiang considered himself and Song Jun experts when it came to dealing with such threats. 

With a splatter, the pig's brain matter exploded. Chu Xiang, careful not to get splattered by the black, revolting blood, took two more shots to ensure the pig's demise. As it collapsed, the door suddenly creaked open. Chu Xiang turned sharply. The gunshots had attracted nearby zombies, and they were now approaching!

Grabbing the two bags he had discarded earlier, Chu Xiang swiftly vaulted onto a nearby wall. Being an E-class warrior was truly liberating—what once required considerable effort was now a simple leap. On the streets below, dozens of zombies had appeared, and Chu Xiang cursed inwardly. His earlier negligence had put him in this situation. If the zombies blocked the house, it would be a dead end. Now, leaping onto the street seemed unwise. His only option was to escape via the rooftops.

Most rural homes were built in rows, so Chu Xiang quickly scaled one house after another, eventually landing on the street. The zombies, still behind him, would take time to catch up. He spotted an empty bag, quickly retrieved it, and dashed into another house.

This time, luck didn't favor him. While newlyweds often stocked their homes with food, this particular house yielded only raw grains. Refusing to give up, Chu Xiang rummaged through the corner and found a pickled vegetable jar, pulling out several large, salted vegetables.

Hearing the noises of the zombies approaching, Chu Xiang didn't hesitate to toss the soggy pickled vegetables into his bag, then sprinted off. After temporarily losing the pursuit, he entered another house. This time, fortune smiled upon him. He found a root cellar containing several large cabbages, a pile of carrots, and sweet potatoes—likely prepared for winter.

Not wasting a moment, Chu Xiang quickly stored the vegetables into his spatial ring, then grabbed some salt and peanut oil from the kitchen. He also took the wok, realizing that with his spatial ring, he could carry enough provisions to cook for himself in the future.

Boasting stronger muscles due to his recent evolution, Chu Xiang carried the two heavy bags and dashed out of the village. Behind him, the zombies were in hot pursuit, their cries barely contained. He could have searched a few more houses, but the sweet potatoes already filled his spatial ring, and his bag still had some room left. However, he remembered Song Jun, who was diverting the zombies on the outskirts of the village. He dared not linger. With the increasing number of zombies closing in, he decided to leave while he still could.

Song Jun, riding his Qianjiang 250, had been circling the town entrance, but the zombies following him were growing in number. His space for maneuvering had been greatly reduced, and it was only a matter of time before he was surrounded!

Chu Xiang leapt onto the highway, giving a sharp whistle. Song Jun, drawing the zombies to the entrance, suddenly swung his bike around, charging back. Chu Xiang threw the heaviest bag into the motorcycle's sidecar, jumped onto the back seat, and urgently called out, "Let's go! They're about to surround us!"

A few zombies that had been chasing Chu Xiang lunged straight under the wheels of the bike. One particularly large zombie was struck by the motorcycle, but Song Jun managed to avoid it in time, only grazing its head. The bike skidded, and for a brief moment, it seemed they might fall. Chu Xiang, now an E-class warrior, reacted faster than ever, pushing his feet against the ground just as Song Jun corrected the bike's balance. The motorcycle swerved past a massive zombie, and the two riders finally regained control.

They didn't slow down until they had traveled several kilometers out of the town. After coming to a halt, Chu Xiang urged Song Jun to stop. The two took a moment to smoke and eat a few packs of biscuits, knowing they hadn't had a decent meal in days. With their immediate hunger quelled, Chu Xiang took the opportunity to tell Song Jun about his spatial ring.

Song Jun, thrilled with the sight of the sweet potatoes and half-bag of rice, showed no concern for where the ring had come from. The world was in chaos, and having such a technological item was no longer all that strange. 

"Chu Xiang," Song Jun said after finishing his meal and lighting another cigarette, "now that we have food, it's time to form our own team." As he spoke, he steered the bike forward. Though they had once been barely able to feed themselves, things had changed. Song Jun saw Chu Xiang's growth and knew that while they might not be able to fight zombies head-on, they could at least survive and find more food.

Chu Xiang had indeed considered this—if they couldn't find aerial transportation, going back to S Province to find his parents with just the two of them would be absurd. The more capable people they had, the better. Of course, some people—like Wang Bo—were better left behind. But the space in the ring was limited, and with the risk of roadblocks from the T-virus outbreak, relying on cars might not be enough. Should they build a road crew next?

"We must form our own team, but the right people are crucial. Plus, we're short on vehicles and fuel, so we'll stick with Xu Changtian and the others for now."

Song Jun nodded, "We lack manpower. Even with a car, we need drivers, mechanics, and heavy firepower to protect the convoy from zombie attacks."

Chu Xiang raised his head and shouted, "Song Jun, I feel like Heaven has given us a chance—an opportunity to rise in this chaotic world. Let's take it!"

Song Jun's face was stoic. "You saved my life, so I'm with you for life. Whatever you say, I'll follow."

With renewed resolve, the two of them were undeterred by the zombies wandering through two nearby villages. From over a hundred meters away, Chu Xiang opened fire, clearing a path. With a steady supply of bullets, they no longer even worried about finding an airdrop. It wasn't until they reached the broken bridge, still separated by a small hill, that a distant gunshot shattered their sense of triumph.