Dark Apocalypse

Episode 5

The End of the World



"Let go of me!"

The girl, her face flushed with embarrassment, pushed away the boy who had just saved her and rushed to stand behind her mother, glaring angrily at him.

At that moment, Ling Ao, the two women, and the boy had reached the bank of an inland river, where indeed a small boat awaited them—seemingly once used for tourist excursions around the city.

Without a moment's hesitation, the four of them climbed aboard. Those creatures couldn't swim; as long as they reached the center of the river, they would be safe, for even if the monsters pursued them, they would merely sink to the riverbed, posing no threat to their lives.

As soon as they boarded, the girl shoved the boy who had rescued her.

Previously, she had been so paralyzed with fear by the horrific scene behind her that she almost fell behind. Had it not been for the boy's grip, pulling her along in the desperate flight with Ling Ao, she would have likely become food for those monsters trailing them, possibly endangering her mother and Ling Ao in the process.

Yet now, she glared at him, indignation etched across her features. The reason was simple; whether intentional or not, the boy had wrapped his arms around her from behind, his hands pressing against her ample chest.

In the moment of panic, she had not reacted immediately, but now that they were safe, her anger surged forth.

Naturally, Ling Ao and the girl's mother had witnessed the boy's actions as well, but the tense circumstances had prevented them from rebuking him then. Now, they regarded him with cold disapproval.

"What's the matter?" the boy asked, confusion evident as he glanced between the three.

The expression of the armed man was particularly frigid, as if he were staring at a rival who had wronged him.

"Nothing!" Ling Ao huffed dismissively. He turned his gaze to the narrow path along the riverbank, where the distant sounds of roars and shadowy figures approached rapidly.

"Let's go; no one else will survive."

The boy shook his head, voicing a grim truth that everyone understood but few dared to speak aloud. The people behind them had sealed their own fates. At this point, apart from the four of them, no one else had a chance of escaping.

"Brother Ao, can we wait a little longer? Perhaps others are still alive!"

The girl's kind-hearted plea met Ling Ao's gaze, compelling him to hesitate. He recognized that the likelihood of any survivors was minuscule, yet he felt unable to dismiss her hope so bluntly.

However, if they lingered too long, the approaching monsters would endanger them as well.

"Xiao Ya! No one is alive! Ling Ao, start the boat!" The girl's mother, resolute, shot her daughter a glare before calling out to Ling Ao.

"Alright!" Ling Ao had been waiting for her command; he promptly untied the ropes, pushed off from the bank, and sprinted to the helm to start the boat.

Just as the boat glided more than five meters from the shore, the horde of zombies finally arrived. Unfortunately for them, they could neither leap nor swim, plunging one by one into the river, never to resurface. Whether they would drown remained uncertain.

With temporary safety achieved, the four of them sighed in relief. Just moments ago, every second had been fraught with danger; none could have predicted who would be devoured next.

"Following this river, we'll need to navigate around half the city, and at a fork in the waterway, we can head out of town. Once we're outside the city, we'll be safe!"

Ling Ao had already set the boat's autopilot and turned to the others.

"I hope we can find other survivors or a refuge beyond the city," the mother of the girl remarked, her previously furrowed brow slightly easing.

"Mom, I'm sure we will! And we have Brother Ao with us!" The girl looked at Ling Ao with admiration.

"Rest assured, I will protect both you and your mother at all costs," Ling Ao replied, a hint of determination in his voice.

Hearing their exchange, the boy subtly rolled his eyes. This gesture did not go unnoticed by the attractive mother, who now scrutinized him with a piercing gaze.

"Aren't you going to introduce yourself?" Her voice was melodious, though notably cold.

"Me?" The boy blinked in surprise, pointing to himself in confusion.

"Of course! Who else would it be?" The girl seemed to harbor lingering resentment over what had just occurred, her expression decidedly unfriendly, and she muttered under her breath, "Pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert; my name is Adam," he replied, casting a glance at the girl before stating his name.

"Adam? Very well, I shall call you that from now on. I never expected to encounter other survivors in the city. How did you manage to evade the zombies and stay alive?"

The beautiful mother exuded an air of refined nobility, even in this dire world. It was evident in the way she directed Ling Ao throughout their journey.

"Zombies? Oh, you mean those infected by the virus?" Adam lowered his head in contemplation before offering a wry smile.

"I merely had the good fortune to dodge those monsters and was trying to find my way out of this wretched city. Unfortunately, I was eventually discovered. If not for meeting you, I would have perished, either torn apart and devoured or turned into one of those creatures."

Adam spoke vaguely, yet the beautiful mother refrained from pressing him for details. His experiences were commonplace, and her inquiry was merely habitual, devoid of any real curiosity.

"Just know this: if it weren't for Brother Ao, you would have been eaten by those zombies!" The girl huffed at Adam playfully, her actions surprisingly endearing.

Adam, however, reacted with indifference, casting only a fleeting glance her way before turning to Ling Ao, who seemed quite formidable.

"Hello, I'll be counting on your support in the future, Brother Ling!" Adam's expression was amiable, his tone modest.

"Of course, as long as it is within my capabilities, I will ensure your safety," Ling Ao's demeanor softened slightly towards this new survivor.

"Thank you, please feel free to ask anything of me, and I will do my utmost to assist."

Having successfully joined this group of survivors, Adam found a spot to sit, reflecting on everything that had transpired since he had awakened just hours before...

"The end of the world..."