Chapter 14

Shenzhou City, March 21, 2030 – 8:00 AM

— Mister Hero, Mister Hero, wake up, please, wake up!

The little girl's voice trembled with anxiety. Her… Wen thought, his mind still clouded. Slowly, he opened his eyes and abruptly sat up, driven by an involuntary force.

At his feet, the girl he had saved stood there, reaching out to him, her frail figure pressing against him.

— I'm not a hero… I already told you, for God's sake…

The words escaped his lips in a desperate whisper. How could she call him that? A hero? He was just a boy who had mocked Tiang, who had tormented the weak… a boy who had once drowned an animal in the river. Shame overwhelmed him, suffocating him. He broke into sobs.

He got up with difficulty, his legs trembling beneath him. His eyes landed on the small window. There, in the darkness, he saw a gaze devoid of humanity—an icy, pale stare. The white eyes of the monster… They paralyzed him. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out of his throat.

The creature slammed violently against the door.

— Mister…!

The little girl called his name, her face full of worry.

Wen pressed a finger to his lips, urging silence.

— Shhh…

He froze, his heart pounding as the monster struck again—harder this time. In a swift movement, Wen grabbed the girl and dashed toward the back door. He kicked it open, but the horde of ravenous creatures followed, surging after them in a frenzied chase.

Without hesitation, he ran through the deserted alleyways, sprinting until his lungs burned. He shielded the girl's face from the horrors around them.

Fifty meters ahead, he saw something that made him freeze once more.

A father and mother, still in their prime, stood defending two children—teenagers—armed with whatever they could find in their garden. The mother fought like a lioness, but her fate was sealed. The eldest son, a fourteen-year-old boy, let out a heart-wrenching scream.

— Mom, no!!

His cry pierced the air, desperate.

The mother was torn apart in an instant, her jaw ripped off by a creature with those ghostly white eyes. Her sons, unable to run, stood frozen, forced to witness the horror unfolding before them.

Wen shut his eyes, unwilling to watch. But the image had already burned itself into his memory—permanent, inescapable.

— Bastards… YOU SONS OF BITCHES!

Rage exploded from his throat, the words spilling out like a curse. He clutched the little girl tighter and ran—ran far away from the nightmare.

The girl, surprised, looked up at him. Her innocent eyes, filled with curiosity, rested on his tear-streaked face.

— Mister… Why are you yelling?

Her voice, so pure, clashed with the brutality around them. She didn't understand. She was too young to grasp the depth of the chaos swallowing the city whole.

Shenzhou Hospital, March 21, 2030 – 10:30 AM

Wen sat in silence, his ears ringing. Gunshots echoed in the distance. The horde that had chased them was being swiftly cut down by relentless bursts of rifle fire. One by one, the ravenous creatures collapsed into pools of blood.

His gaze lifted toward the rooftops, where snipers watched the surroundings, their rifles trained on the hospital, ensuring its safety.

Suddenly, a soldier from the Chinese National Army emerged from a nearby building. He raised his weapon and fired into the air.

BOOM.

The deafening sound rattled Wen's skull.

The little girl burst into tears, terrified.

— GET DOWN! GET DOWN, NOW!

The soldier's voice was sharp, filled with hostility. His piercing gaze locked onto them. Wen carefully set the girl down and knelt.

— You search the kid, I'll handle the rugby player. Got it?

The commander's voice was dry, almost indifferent. In an instant, he slammed Wen to the ground, gripping his shoulder violently.

The little girl, horrified, tried to struggle. Her clothes tore under the soldier's hands.

— Mister Hero… No… I don't want this!

She thrashed, hitting the soldier with all her tiny strength, landing desperate blows against his waist.

Without a word, the soldier lifted her roughly and threw her over his shoulder like a sack, ignoring her terrified screams.

— What the hell are you doing?! She's just a kid, for fuck's sake!

Wen's voice shook with fury, his body tensed with rage. He lunged at the soldier, throwing a powerful punch.

With practiced ease, the sergeant dodged, swept his foot under Wen's legs, and sent him crashing to the ground.

— Bastard…

Wen growled through clenched teeth, his jaw locked with anger. The sergeant, unfazed, raised his assault rifle.

— Shut the fuck up.

With a swift, brutal motion, he slammed the rifle butt into the back of Wen's head.

The impact was devastating. Darkness swallowed him whole.