Several people were chattering, while Xu Yan, holding the little girl, sat to the side and did not participate in the discussion. She didn't form small groups like the others.
"How could the lighthouse abandon me! I'm not like you all!"
"My husband is a famous scientist. He will definitely come to save me. At that time, maybe he'll even take pity on you and let you leave with us."
Perhaps it was because the woman's tone was too matter-of-fact, but everyone looking at her felt a sense of bewilderment. They never expected to encounter such a "little pampered wife" in the apocalypse. How had someone who always prioritized their husband managed to survive until now?
Some pessimists had already started crying. Everyone present had experienced the apocalyptic disaster. Even if they were foolish, not everyone was blind to the current situation. They looked at the woman's words with utter disdain. It was only the first day of the zombie crisis, and everyone still held a sliver of hope. However, no one truly expected the lighthouse to send anyone to suppress the chaos.
Two hours had passed since the incident, yet District B was still in chaos. There was no sign of any suppression or cleanup. In fact, some people already had a vague feeling of being abandoned. But no one dared to voice it; everyone was deceiving themselves.
...
Xu An and Zhou Haimei efficiently dealt with the troublesome zombies as they headed towards their target. However, Xu An and the others were unaware that they were being watched. Perhaps it was their exceptional combat skills, or maybe it was the backpack Xu An was carrying. In any case, they were in the open, while someone lurked in the shadows.
Just then, a zombie suddenly lunged from behind Xu An. This zombie was different from the others; it seemed almost intelligent, as if it were coordinating with the zombies in front. Seeing the zombie behind her about to pounce on Xu An's back, Zhou Haimei was unable to help. The moment she saw the zombie behind Xu An, it was too late for her to rush over and rescue her. She could only shout in despair, "An An, watch out behind you!"
Xu An, who was entangled with two zombies, heard Zhou Haimei's words and her first instinct was to retreat into her space to evade. However, it would be difficult to explain her sudden disappearance. Before this thought could be put into action, a sharp sword suddenly sliced through the air behind her. It grazed Xu An's scalp and pierced the zombie's brain.
Xu An had never known she could be so close to death. She had also never realized that an arrow could possess such immense power. Even Zhou Haimei, standing beside her, was stunned. It was Xu An who nudged her, preventing her from being bitten by a nearby zombie.
Xu An looked at the person who shot the arrow, a young man with a buzz cut. He appeared to be around 30 years old. His face was covered in dust from escaping, making it difficult to see his features clearly. However, judging by his archery stance and build, it was evident he was skilled, someone who had practiced archery for a long time and was truly professional, not someone with mere showy skills.
However, beside the man cowered a woman, trembling all over. The woman didn't seem very old. Yet, her attire was somewhat baffling. Even though the situation was sudden and they were fleeing, this woman was still wearing a pure white dress. Most importantly, both her face and her dress were clean, without a speck of dust. In contrast, the archer beside her looked disheveled, his body covered in liquids of indeterminate color.
Xu An and the others found a secluded corner, quickly dealt with the zombies, and hid. At this point, the pair of man and woman approached Xu An's direction. Before the man could say anything, the girl beside him trembled with a look of grievance.
"Brother Zhou, I'm so scared."
She then tightly clutched the man's衣角, her expression one of imminent tears. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her appear soft, pitiful, and on the verge of crying. Xu An and Zhou Haimei were in awe. In the years of the apocalypse, both men and women had been forced to become hardened "warriors" who could kill zombies without batting an eye. Even the girls who had tried to scheme against Xu An before had never been as delicate as the girl in front of them. This was her first time directly encountering a "delicate flower" archetype. Xu An instantly understood why men liked "delicate flowers"; who wouldn't feel pity seeing this? It directly ignited men's protective instincts. She realized that the archer was the protector of this little pampered flower. This realization instantly dispelled any good impression Xu An had of the man due to his excellent archery skills.
The man gently patted the girl's hand, appearing to comfort her, but subtly withdrew his衣角. He then looked back at Xu An, his eyes showing both admiration and appreciation.
"Hello, my name is Zhou Ming. Are you interested in teaming up with us? Let's head to the cordon line; there are soldiers guarding it, and we'll be safe then."
Zhou Haimei looked at him as if he were an idiot, while Xu An looked at the man and the pampered flower beside him, remaining silent. The man seemed to sense Xu An's unease.
"What's wrong?"
Xu An shook her head. "We just came from the cordon line, and… we can't get out from there anymore."
Xu An tried to convey this information to him in a gentle manner. She disliked the weak, simply because some people couldn't see their own limitations. They were weak yet acted magnanimous and became a burden. This was also why Xu An preferred to act alone. Because sometimes, you couldn't be sure if your companions were safer than your enemies. Not to mention that Xu An would not accept the man's offer to team up; they were simply not on the same path.
"Thank you for saving us just now, but we have no intention of teaming up. Since you saved us, we'll share this piece of information with you: it's best to find a sturdy and safe place to hide. The entire B District has been locked down, and we don't know what the higher-ups are planning."
As Zhou Ming's astonishment grew, Xu An gave him a reminder. It was a way of repaying his kindness. As soon as Xu An finished speaking, the little flower beside the man could no longer contain herself. As if the world had collapsed, she darted in front of Xu An and grabbed her collar.
"What did you say? Say it again?"
The action was very intrusive. Before Xu An could react, her body instinctively dodged the girl's grasp.