Dark Apocalypse

Episode 4

To survive!



"After exiting through the back door, there are two paths; one to the left and the other to the right, with the route to the small boat leading to the left..."

As Ling Ao observed a throng of people frantically rushing back from the right entrance, panic etched across his face, the exquisite mother and daughter duo, who had been poised to sprint in that direction, abruptly halted due to the unfolding chaos.

"Help! Help!" Glancing down the path from which the crowd was returning, a youth of around twenty was desperately making his way toward them.

Yet this was not the crux of the matter. While it was indeed astonishing to still see living beings, a far greater terror loomed behind the boy in the form of countless shadowy figures...

"D*mn it!" Ling Ao cursed furiously, without a moment's hesitation, he pivoted and seized the stunned mother and daughter, propelling them toward the left exit.

Seeing Ling Ao's abrupt action, the fleeing crowd had no time for contemplation and instinctively followed him.

As for the youth who had unwittingly drawn danger upon them, he too joined the fray without a second thought.

At this moment, the disparity in physique and stamina among the group became glaringly apparent. In the short span of twenty to thirty meters, some individuals began to fall behind, while others sprinted ahead, overtaking their companions.

Those lagging behind were predominantly the elderly and children, while the young and vigorous surged forward, heedless of the struggles of others.

Among them, the unexpectedly swift youth darted ahead. He had initially lagged far behind the crowd, at least twenty meters away.

Yet, in under ten seconds, he surged forward, surpassing the others and nearing the lead, where Ling Ao and two others raced ahead.

"Don't! Help! I don't want to be eaten! Help... ah... help... me..."

The cries from behind spurred the others to run with even greater urgency, for they knew that if they slowed, they might soon find themselves in the same predicament.

Behind this group, tattered creatures, bearing gruesome wounds and resembling zombies, pounced on a middle-aged man in his fifties who was running the slowest. A horde of these monsters descended upon him, tearing at him with hands and teeth as if he were a delectable feast...

Meanwhile, more of these creatures hastened after the fleeing crowd. Despite their seemingly sluggish movements, they were surprisingly swift, closing the gap between themselves and the humans.

In less than a minute, three individuals had been overtaken, and it was clear what fate awaited them—they would become food. The remaining survivors, overwhelmed with terror, had no certainty that they would not be next.

Except for a few, the majority of the crowd found their speed inferior to that of the ravenous creatures, making it merely a matter of time before they were caught. With the narrow alley twisting and turning, many could already smell the putrid stench emanating from the monsters trailing behind them!

Suddenly, a man in his thirties, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam, seized the sleeve of another man to his left and kicked him behind the knee.

The unsuspecting man had no inkling of the betrayal and stumbled forward as he fell. The result was inevitable; he was instantly engulfed by the frenzied monsters, and the screams faded within moments.

This treacherous act seemed to awaken the primal survival instincts in the others. The man's actions reminded them that by offering up someone else to the ravenous beasts, they could at least buy themselves some time.

In that instant, regardless of gender or age, even those who appeared gentle and kind revealed their true, sinister nature.

The once cooperative and resilient bond among the survivors shattered, leaving behind only scheming hearts.

"A diversion, just long enough for us to escape!" This thought raced through everyone's minds.

And thus, chaos erupted. Shoving and pulling ensued, masks dropped, revealing the raw essence of humanity! To ensure their own survival, they would let others perish!

With speed already diminished, the betrayals among them slowed their flight even further. Some, too slow-witted to react, fell victim to their own comrades' treachery, attracting the attention and appetite of the monstrous horde behind.

However, the group's internal conflicts significantly hampered their escape. As the creatures closed in, rather than a sudden realization compelling them to flee, they became even more furious and desperate to use others as shields.

"What a bunch of fools!" Ling Ao, caught up in the turmoil, glanced back at the unfolding scene, muttering a curse under his breath.

But he had no time to concern himself with the plight of those doomed individuals; he was fully occupied with the mother and daughter, unable to disengage. The foolish actions of the others unwittingly granted him a brief opportunity to slip away.

"Idiots... If they had just focused on their own escape, at least half of us might have survived..."

Unbeknownst to him, the boy who had drawn the horde was now behind Ling Ao, his voice trailing after him.

"It's all your fault!" the girl named Xiao Ya shot a glare at the boy.

Indeed, from her perspective, had this inexplicably appearing boy not shown up, they wouldn't have attracted so many monsters, nor would so many have perished.

But before the boy could respond, Xiao Ya was paralyzed by the horrific scene unfolding behind her. Though several days had passed since the world had turned upside down, she had been well shielded by Ling Ao and her mother, so she had witnessed little of such c*****e.

At that moment, her face drained of color upon witnessing the grotesque and blood-soaked spectacle, and her legs turned to jelly...

"Oh no!" Ling Ao felt the grip on his hand tighten, and instinctively knew something was amiss.

Indeed, the girl's legs buckled, her footing faltering, and she stumbled. This mother-daughter pair had relied on Ling Ao to propel them forward; otherwise, with their pampered constitutions, they would have been caught from the start.

But if she fell now, she would undoubtedly be overtaken by the monsters behind!

"Xiao Ya! Get up! Don't fall!" Ling Ao and the beautiful woman cried out in desperation.

But the terrified girl's legs refused to cooperate, and it seemed she would soon collapse. Ling Ao, still holding the woman with one hand, had no chance to catch her.

"I'll take care of her! Go!" Suddenly, a pair of small but resolute hands reached around the girl's chest, steadying her.

It was the boy!