Chapter 153: Awakening

Bai Ge returned breathlessly to the private sleeper car where everyone was waiting.

"How is it?" Wang Lu asked anxiously.

"Not looking good... The guards are almost out of ammunition, and the zombies have breached two more doors," Bai Ge shook her head wearily.

Resources on the train were limited, but people were in abundance. With the cramped space and dense crowds, the zombies held a complete advantage, continually expanding their ranks as the virus spread at an alarming rate.

She had just been helping the guards and train attendants intercept the zombies in the rear cars, but their numbers were simply overwhelming, often swarming forward in a mob. Even if the ones in front were knocked down, those behind would immediately lunge forward to fill the gaps, leaving no room to catch one's breath.

Even a veteran like Bai Ge, fighting with intense concentration for over twenty minutes without any protective gear, felt immensely strained and was forced to retreat step by step, let alone the others.

Some of the unfortunate interception team members were directly tackled and devoured by zombies; others, scratched or bitten, joined the zombie legion and turned to attack their comrades.

Zombies never tired and could fight relentlessly to the end, but humans were not perpetual motion machines and could not sustain such consumption.

The current situation was extremely grim.

If the rear cars could be uncoupled, the survivors in the front and middle sections might still be saved.

However, it was raining outside, and the train attendants had no way to go out and detach the front and rear couplers between the cars. Moreover, four members of their own team were still trapped in the rear, and from the bottom of her heart, Bai Ge was unwilling to abandon them, nor did she support this plan.

Xijing had already sent a reply. They agreed to come for rescue, but the method and location were yet to be determined. Their suggestion was for the train to keep moving so they would have some time to make preparations.

Dragging it out like this was no solution, yet there was no other way out. For now, they had no choice.

Considering the various problems they might face shortly, Bai Ge reminded everyone of the precautions in advance. They had to be on guard not only against zombies, but also against people.

The private car currently assigned to them was empty, which did not mean it would remain that way.

Earlier, she had witnessed several stampedes in the isolated cars. Perfectly fine people were pushed to the ground, bleeding from their noses and mouths, unable to move ever again.

When there were too many people, every individual was like a wave in the vast ocean, completely unable to control their own movements.

"If you get trapped in a crowd, make a fist with your left hand, grab your left wrist with your right hand, and hold your elbows out flat in front of your chest to create a certain amount of space. Remember, keep breathing," Bai Ge instructed everyone on the basic self-rescue methods while pondering how to arrange their next steps.

If the zombies charged over here, it would be very difficult for them to retreat, and there were still quite a few issues within their team.

Mu Qing had already woken up. Although her condition was poor, she could at least protect herself.

Yi Chen and Cheng Xianglong—one unconscious and the other heavily injured—were the hardest to handle. Additionally, Yi Lin was young and needed care. She had to consider all these matters thoroughly.

At that moment, Yi Chen suddenly sat up, giving everyone a start.

He kept his head lowered, and his shoulder-length white hair covered most of his face, making his expression unreadable.

"You're awake..." After her initial shock, Bai Ge was overjoyed and about to step forward to speak when Liang Bing grabbed her by the arm.

"Something's not right," Liang Bing's voice trembled slightly. Being the only infected person present, she could clearly sense what others could not perceive.

There was an eerie, malevolent aura emanating from Yi Chen; this was not his usual state!

Hearing Liang Bing's words, no one dared to move. The surrounding air became chillingly quiet.

Yi Chen slowly raised his head, his eyes burning red!

His sharp gaze swept across everyone one by one, his distinct, angular face devoid of any emotion—neither joy, nor anger, nor sorrow.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat, and they held their breath desperately, terrified that the slightest sound might provoke him into drastic action. Although no bizarre patterns had appeared on Yi Chen's body this time, he was certainly not his usual self.

Everyone understood: the zombies in the rear cars were terrifying indeed, but compared to the fiendish deity standing before them, they were mere child's play!

If Yi Chen wished, a flick of his finger could snap all of their necks!

Yi Lin was the closest to Yi Chen. Overwhelmed by the crushing pressure, she couldn't look him in the eye, unable even to raise her head as cold sweat poured down her body in intense anxiety.

At the old factory building, she had seen her brother emit such a terrifying aura, alongside Lu Yu. She had originally thought everything was over and things were in the past, yet just a few hours later, Yi Chen was making her feel estranged and terrified once again.

Yi Chen stood up, stretched his stiff limbs, and bent down to pick up the Shengxie sword in the corner.

Without casting another glance at anyone, he strode out of the compartment and headed toward the rear.

"Whew—I thought I was going to die!" Zhu Youzheng collapsed onto the floor.

"In this state, he should be indiscriminate toward friend and foe, so why didn't he attack us?" After noticing Yi Chen's abnormality, Liang Bing had been anticipating his actions. This unexpected turn of events made her wonder if Yi Chen possessed his own consciousness right now.

"Maybe... maybe he just thinks trash like us isn't even worth killing," Zhu Youzheng chuckled weakly, his facial features contorted into an ugly, tear-like grimace.

He felt immensely grateful that Ling Lan had given Yi Chen a blood transfusion while he was unconscious; otherwise, if he had woken up with an empty stomach, he certainly wouldn't have let them off as "delicacies."

"Where is my brother going?" Yi Lin asked with a tight, anxious heart. She was terrified, but she was also deeply worried.

"You stay here, I'll go check," Bai Ge said.

"I'm going too!" Mu Qing and Liang Bing said almost in unison.

"That guy is so lucky. Does he even know he's this popular?" Bai Ge smiled and asked.

Mu Qing and Liang Bing fell silent. The former felt embarrassed, while the latter didn't know how to respond.

"Mu Qing, you should stay. Your body is still weak, so don't push yourself. Besides, it's going to be very bloody up ahead; you'll probably feel even worse if you see it."

Mu Qing had no choice but to nod, watching Bai Ge and Liang Bing leave.

She felt a trace of frustration. Up until now, it seemed her only role was to be rescued, and she had never been able to lend a hand at a critical moment. Simply having the courage and determination to share risks and face difficulties with him was not enough...

She had to admit that she envied Bai Ge and Liang Bing, at least they had the ability to fight side by side with him.

Yi Chen appeared in the car most recently overrun by zombies.

Perhaps the newly turned zombies were particularly gluttonous, as several of them were currently tearing voraciously into the thigh of a fat woman in front of Yi Chen, with warm blood splashing strikingly across the floor and seats.

Yi Chen walked past them without a sound. *Bang*—the heads of those zombies burst open, their brains splattering everywhere!

The sound was not loud, but it felt like a fatal warning.

All the remaining zombies in the car stopped moving. They blankly turned their heads toward the direction where Yi Chen stood.

"Daring to run wild in my territory?"

These newly minted zombies received the king's first icy command, but they would never have the chance to receive another.

*Swish*—a flash of sword light, and in the blink of an eye, they were hacked to pieces!