Chapter 125: Life and Death

The blade cut deep, and Lu Yu winced, nearly collapsing.

He had been careless. While he was calculating how to deal with his enemy, the enemy had been looking for an opening as well. To seize a momentary lapse in the opponent's defense and decide the outcome—that was the nature of combat. He had been struck, but it wasn't over yet; now was the true test of his judgment and willpower.

Taking advantage of the split second Magneto relaxed after landing his blow, Lu Yu lunged forward, still wearing the wooden chair like a shield. Magneto, never expecting the wounded Lu Yu to advance rather than retreat, was caught off guard and knocked down hard. Instinctively, he reached out and gripped Lu Yu tightly.

Magneto was robust and had a powerful grip. Lu Yu couldn't break free, and as he was pulled down, it looked as though he would be dragged to the floor with him.

*Bang!* A powerful jolt of electricity surged through his body. Lu Yu’s mind went blank, and he was thrown more than a meter away. Fortunately, he landed in the living room, putting distance between himself and the electrified zone on the balcony.

Magneto thrashed and convulsed on the floor like a fish in a frying pan until he finally went still. Silence descended, and the room was filled with the smell of burning. The wooden chair on Lu Yu’s head had shattered, its splinters digging into his face, causing searing pain.

"Yi Chen... you owe me big for this," Lu Yu muttered, still shaken. If he had slipped up even slightly, he would have lost his life.

He tried to crawl up, but the sharp pain in his back brought tears to his eyes. *No good, better just lie here for a bit...* Lu Yu lifted a hand with great effort, wanting to move the broken chair off his head just to make his field of vision a little more comfortable.

However, he froze. There were clear, bloody scratches on his arm.

Magneto had managed to scratch him in the final moments!

Was he infected?

A few minutes later, Yi Chen burst through the door. His speed was immense; the air around him seemed to ripple with his arrival.

"Lu Yu, are you okay?!" Yi Chen pulled the blood-soaked Lu Yu up, his heart a whirlwind of emotions. He saw his mother lying nearby; her breathing was steady, and she appeared unharmed, merely knocked unconscious. He also sensed his sister in another room—they were safe.

Lu Yu had protected them. This was his lifelong best friend, and he was now suffering such grave injuries all to protect his family.

"You've lost a lot of blood! Just hold on..." Yi Chen suppressed his surging hunger and settled Lu Yu on the sofa. He tore off a cushion cover to use as a makeshift bandage. Having spent so much time with Ling Lan, Yi Chen knew the basics of first aid, and he worked quickly to bind the wounds.

Lu Yu’s eyes were unfocused. Due to the blood loss, his naturally fair skin had turned deathly pale. Throughout the process, he seemed numb, showing little reaction.

"My family and friends have been attacked by Magneto. Please send an ambulance as soon as possible!" Yi Chen dialed Zhou Shiwen.

"What's the situation now?" Zhou Shiwen asked.

"Magneto is dead. I'll report on the tracking of the infiltrators later." Yi Chen hung up; he was in no mood to discuss anything else.

"Yi Chen..." Lu Yu suddenly spoke.

"Hold on a little longer, the ambulance will be here soon," Yi Chen reassured his friend.

"I... I was scratched!" Lu Yu whimpered, shaking his arm frantically, his emotions spiraling out of control.

Yi Chen’s heart sank. Only then did he notice the scratches on Lu Yu’s arm. Though not deep, the skin was broken and bleeding. The virus had entered his system.

"I don't want to become a zombie! I'd rather have been electrocuted to death with that bastard!" Lu Yu screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Calm down! Nothing is set in stone!" Yi Chen quickly held him down. Because Lu Yu was so agitated, his freshly bandaged wounds tore open again, bleeding profusely. If this continued, Lu Yu would die from blood loss long before he could turn.

"What do I do..." Lu Yu asked, trapped and desperate.

"You won't necessarily turn. Look at me!" Yi Chen’s throat tightened.

"...Heh. Don't lie to me. How many people are like you?" Lu Yu’s emotions began to settle.

"Even if the hope is slim, it’s not gone! I’m taking you to the hospital right now!" Yi Chen didn't waste another word and hauled him up.

"I'm scared..."

"Scared of what? The worst-case scenario is that I’ll be the one to end it for you. There’s nothing to be afraid of!"

Lu Yu paused, then managed a faint smile. "True. If I become a zombie, you have to do it quickly. I don't want to eat people..."

"Don't talk nonsense! I'm telling you, you have to live! My family owes you, and you need to give me a chance to pay you back!"

"Who do you think you are, talking so high and mighty... If heaven wants me dead, can you really make me live?" Lu Yu laughed bitterly.

Just as Yi Chen was about to respond, he heard a timid voice behind him.

"Brother?"

Yi Lin stood there. It was unclear how much of their conversation she had overheard. Yi Chen had been so focused on Lu Yu that he hadn't noticed his sister’s movements.

"Are you my brother?" Yi Lin seemed to gain a bit of courage, her voice growing louder. Yi Chen looked very different from before, and with his shoulder-length white hair, it was impressive that she had recognized him at all.

Yi Chen’s mind was in chaos. He forced himself not to turn around. The scene was too chaotic—his mother unconscious, Lu Yu wounded, and a man charred to death on the balcony... He didn't know how to face Yi Lin.

"Kiddo... didn't I tell you to stay put? Why didn't you listen to your brother Yu?" Lu Yu turned his head with difficulty.

"You're hurt!" Yi Lin began to cry, taking a few steps forward before hesitating.

"Lin Lin," Yi Chen finally spoke. "I’m taking Lu Yu to the hospital first. You stay here and look after Mom. An ambulance will be here soon to pick you up."

Yi Lin stood there, mouth agape. The person before her, who looked somewhat like a stranger, really was her brother, whom she hadn't seen in over two months.

"Can you handle this task?"

"Yes!" Yi Lin snapped out of it and nodded firmly.

"Promise me, don't tell Mom about today. Not a single word. Otherwise, she'll worry."

"Can't I even mention that you came home?" Yi Lin asked, puzzled.

"Don't mention it. If you can keep this secret, I’ll be back in a couple of days." Yi Chen turned his head slightly, showing her half a smile.

"Okay..." Yi Lin finally agreed.

Having settled his sister, Yi Chen dared not delay further. He threw a coat over Lu Yu and rushed out with him. A crowd of curious residents had gathered nearby, but they dared not approach due to the broken, sparking power line. Yi Chen moved fast enough to avoid drawing attention.

He only had one place to go: the Future Medicine headquarters, where Ling Lan and the others were. As long as Lu Yu hadn't turned yet, he would make sure he received treatment.