black fish

Who is He Er? In truth, he is a murderer, though this was before the onslaught of the T-virus. Now, everyone is a killer—though their victims are no longer human, but the walking dead. He Er escaped from prison with no particular goal in mind. His only desire was to live a life of safety and pleasure—food, drink, and beautiful women at his side. But this simple wish was proving increasingly difficult to attain.

However, when He Er laid eyes on Su Yulian, his heart stirred. As a man with real experience in killing, he wasn't one to readily expose his intentions. Unlike Wang Bo, a petty thug, He Er knew better than to act impulsively. Xu Changtian and Zhang Debing were no fools. Since they had openly sworn to protect Su Yulian, He Er could only bide his time—because, if he acted too rashly, the half-automatics on their bodies would prove lethal.

Wang Bo, in contrast, was a man of bluster, pretending to be formidable when, in reality, he was empty inside. After Xu Changtian scouted a crossing point and drove a four-wheel drive Honda CRV to the north bank, Wang Bo gestured wildly from behind, giving orders for Wang Jinbao and his son to submerge their Audi.

Though the Audi was a fine vehicle, it was no match for the CRV. The water swallowed half its body, and Wang Jinbao, who was no expert at driving, managed to stall the car in the middle of the river. Wang Bo shouted from the shore, "Start it up, damn it! Hurry up, or the cars behind you will get stuck! Damn it, if I had known, we should've gone first!"

Wang Bin, a silent and introverted boy, spent more time online than sleeping, making him even more inept at social interaction. Being called useless wasn't new to him. Quietly, he opened the car door and waded into the water. Wang Jinbao attempted a few more times, only to abandon the effort. He, too, stepped out of the driver's seat, joining his son to unload the luggage from the trunk.

Xu Changtian stopped the vehicle and waded into the water as well. Calling to the others on the opposite bank—Qin Hai, He Er, and Wang Bo—he said, "Everyone, get down here and help us move the Audi aside. This is the shallowest spot in the river; any other places could trap the cars."

Wang Bo cursed as he entered the water, just as Wang Bin passed by carrying a large package. Wang Bo sneered, "What the hell are you carrying that for? Throw it away and push the car!"

Wang Bin was shoved aside by Wang Bo, but instead of discarding the bag, he shot a fierce glare at Wang Bo. Enraged, Wang Bo snarled, "You little brat, dare to glare at me? I'll shoot you, I swear!" 

Wang Bo lunged to snatch the bag from Wang Bin's hands. Wang Bin, clutching it tightly, resisted fiercely. In the struggle, the metal strap buckle of the bag cut into his hand, causing blood to drip into the water.

Seeing the scene escalate, Xu Changtian intervened, saying, "Enough, stop this nonsense. Push the car, time's running out. We need to get out of here soon, or no one will reach Tong City ahead of us."

The Audi, with its solid chassis, was heavy, but the combined strength of the men, aided by the water's buoyancy and the car's tilt, allowed them to overturn it with a loud splash. To everyone's surprise, as the water splashed, it revealed dozens of black fish the size of a palm. Qin Hai was the first to face the onslaught as the fish shot towards his face, one of them piercing his left eye.

With a scream of agony, Qin Hai fell into the water, clutching his eye. Below the surface, the water churned with darkness. His body twisted in the water, and within moments, the river turned crimson with his blood. Xu Changtian shouted in alarm, "Damn it! There are creatures in the water! Get to the shore, now!"

Xu Changtian turned and ran toward the north bank. He Er and Wang Bo, closer to the south bank, were slower to react. The black fish, having dispatched Qin Hai, now darted toward them. Wang Bo, agile and quick, dodged behind He Er, narrowly escaping death.

However, He Er was no ordinary man. Reaching back, he tried to use Wang Bo as a human shield, but Wang Bo slipped away like an eel. He Er then shoved Wang Jinbao into the path of the attacking fish. A piercing scream erupted from Wang Jinbao as a black fish impaled his throat. These fish, once mere river dwellers, had mutated after the zombie contamination of the waters. Their jaws, hard as iron knives, tore through flesh with insatiable bloodlust. The scent of Wang Bin's blood, dripping from his wound, had drawn them in.

Wang Jinbao's hands shot to his throat as the fish burrowed into his trachea. His pain-filled roars echoed through the water. Wang Bin, now on the shore, saw his father's agony and rushed to help, but a hand grabbed him, holding him back. It was too late—entering the water would mean certain death.

The black fish swarmed around Wang Jinbao, devouring him. He Er and Wang Bo used this moment to scramble to the shore. The group stood by the bank, watching the river surge like a fountain. At first, the bodies of Qin Hai and Wang Jinbao were still visible, but soon only bones surfaced, floating amidst the dark, blood-tinged water. These black fish were far deadlier than piranhas.

"You took my father!" Wang Bin, now fully aware of He Er's betrayal, screamed in fury and lunged at him, attempting to tear him apart.

He Er, muscular and imposing, slapped Wang Bin hard, sending him sprawling. Wang Bo seized the opportunity to kick Wang Bin and growled, "Shut up, you little brat. Behave yourself, or I'll put you down right now!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Jingyao had been about to intervene when the black fish appeared. Terrified, she retreated to the safety of the Jinlong minibus, unwilling to face the horrors in the water. Wang Bin, still determined to fight, was held back by Zhang Jingyao, who couldn't bear to see him harmed by Wang Bo and the others.

A bubbling sound rose from the water. He Er looked down, astonished. "What is that? An airbag from the Audi?"

Not far from the overturned Audi, a white fabric emerged from the water. Wang Bo, recognizing it, jumped in excitement. "It's airdropped supplies! Damn, we're rich now! Food's here—let's grab it!"

Xu Changtian and Zhang Debing, stranded on the north bank, saw the actions of He Er and Wang Bo. They were helpless, unable to intervene unless they killed the two men. They also saw the white object floating in the water—it was indeed the airdropped supplies, likely preserved by the water after being submerged. The earlier turmoil from the Audi had stirred the supplies loose.

Wang Bo, eager to seize the prize, approached the riverbank, but suddenly a black fish leapt from the water, targeting him. Luckily, Wang Bo was quick on his feet and still on dry land. The fish, exhausted from its leap, crashed onto the beach, its jaws snapping frighteningly. Wang Bo remembered the danger and wisely stayed away from the water.

He scoured the area for a long pole to retrieve the supplies but found nothing suitable. Hungry after days without a proper meal, Wang Bo's greed took over. He pressed the barrel of his gun against Wang Bin's head.

"Move! Get in the water and drag that airdrop up!" he ordered.

"No!" Zhang Jingyao cried. "There's no way out in the water! Let him go!"

Wang Bo grinned maliciously. He grabbed Zhang Jingyao, shoved the gun into her chest, and pressed it harder. "Bitch, since you care so much about this little brat, you can take his place. If you don't act quickly, I'll kill you both!"

From the north bank, Xu Changtian shouted desperately, "Wang Bo, don't do this! The supplies won't disappear in the water. We'll figure out a way to get them out! Let them go!"

Wang Bo ignored him, turning the gun back on Wang Bin. He snapped at Zhang Jingyao, "Get in the water now, or I'll kill him. The others better stay in line, too. I'm starving, and I can already smell the lunch meat. He Ge, don't worry, I'll share the food with you. You don't need to do a thing."

He Er, enjoying his role as the "good guy," remained silent, offering no objection. Zhang Hongbing, though armed with a Type 54 pistol, was paralyzed with fear and could only watch from the Jinlong minibus. Zhang Jingyao, under Wang Bo's pressure, had no choice but to step into the water.