Chapter 5：Out of control
1322 Words
"Ahh—"
The sharp and hoarse roar pierced everyone's eardrums like needles, a chilling and eerie sound that was neither human nor animal, accelerating the spread of panic.
"Run!"
Quinn grabbed Hana's still stunned hand and kicked Lloyd hard on his bulky rear, causing him to howl in pain, though he had just snapped out of his shock.
"What are you doing? It’s murder!"
"No time to talk, just follow me!" Ignoring Lloyd's angry protest, Quinn kicked him again and swiftly dashed towards the exit of the shopping mall. However, they weren't the only ones trying to leave; everyone in the mall rushed towards the same exit.
Within moments, the exit gates were crowded with people, a cacophony of noise and screams of terror filling the air. Despite the chaos, abandoned vehicles further compressed the already narrow passageway.
Fear-stricken crowds trampled and hindered each other, while stiff, slow-moving figures at the rear intensified the atmosphere of terror. Grotesque and blurred, their bodies, once lifeless, now driven by a viral compulsion, sought food instinctively.
Have they appeared?
Quinn was familiar with these creatures——zombies. These scientifically implausible beings had somehow manifested in the real world. While Quinn was accustomed to such sights, it was clear others were not, evidenced by the surrounding panic.
Seeing the terrified crowd fleeing, Quinn felt a faint sense of sadness. These were just ordinary zombies, less than a dozen, with no advantage over regular humans except for slightly greater strength. Two average adult males could easily handle one.
Despite this, no one dared to turn back, let alone pick up weapons to fight. The sound of someone being tackled by a zombie further intensified the chaos.
"Quinn... Quinn, what's happening?!" Hana's voice trembled with disbelief. She couldn't comprehend how this bustling night scene had turned into a living hell. The stark contrast was overwhelming.
Quinn opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud, eerie roar. Looking towards the entrance, where the crowd was dispersing in chaos, a figure remained still, causing Quinn's pupils to shrink.
Impossible!
The apocalypse had just begun! How could such a creature exist?
Clad in ragged clothes stained crimson, its swollen body revealed muscular contours. Towering half a body taller than an average person, it greedily gnawed on half a head. Red and white fluids splattered around it, next to a headless body twitching slightly.
A first-level zombie!
By its size, Quinn identified it as a zombie advancing towards the second level. By consuming enough live cells as hosts, the virus no longer simply controlled nerves; it began repairing and strengthening bones and muscles, distinguishing first-level zombies from the ordinary.
At this stage, their brains contained enough virus particles to potentially crystallize, forming what was known as a core.
If alone, Quinn would have engaged the first-tier zombie for this probable core. Despite lacking her past powers, her combat skills offered a good chance. However, now she had to protect two ordinary people. Any distraction could endanger Lloyd and Hana.
"Lloyd! Upstairs, now!"
Seeing Lloyd on the verge of vomiting, Quinn kicked him hard in the rear again, pushing through the bitter taste of bile and sourness in her throat. Lloyd followed Quinn towards the stairs.
"Wait... Quinn, watch out!" Just three steps away, a figure lunged from the stairwell, its mouth filled with flesh strands stuck between teeth, a nauseating stench almost causing Hana to faint.
Ignoring Hana's piercing scream, Quinn's left hand flashed a silver gleam in mid-air, unnoticed by the others. Feeling the handle's touch, Quinn narrowed her eyes, guiding the katana in a swift s***h across the zombie's neck.
"Splurt!"
The severed head, frozen in its grimace, sprayed a half-meter-high fountain of blood. Quinn pulled Hana away from the splatter, avoiding the body, and swiftly ascended to the second floor.
The scene on the second floor offered little relief compared to the first. Limbs, mixed with blood, littered the floor, and people fled in fear like headless flies.
"Where... where should we go now... huff... huff..."
Lloyd, breathless, caught up, supporting his knees with his palms after the frantic run. When did Quinn become so agile?
More surprising than that was Quinn's recent display. Her fierce strikes were flawlessly executed, suggesting more than just casual familiarity with combat. Although not a fighter by trade, Lloyd noticed the decisiveness and precision in her movements.
Glancing at the blood-drenched katana in Quinn's left hand, Lloyd shuddered. His friend seemed quite different from the Quinn he remembered...
Quinn, lost in thoughts about Lloyd, didn't notice his changing expression. Her meticulously planned strategy was now disrupted. Quinn had contingency plans for unforeseen events, but escorting two ordinary people was not part of her plan, throwing everything into disarray.
"To the third floor... the employee... lounge..." Hana, still pale but calmer, suggested.
Quinn silently agreed; roaming the mall was unwise, and Hana's knowledge of the layout was invaluable. She had delivered parcels to employees and managers here at least twenty times, so she knew the layout of the area very well."
Quinn glanced back at Lloyd, who had now recovered. The approaching zombies, drawn by noise and blood, required swift action. Quinn led Hana and Lloyd, sprinting towards the third-floor staircase.
The wandering zombies around had already sensed the noise and the scent of blood here, beginning to converge towards the gathering. In the next second, Quinn was already leading Hana and Wu Lloyd, sprinting away.
Seeing the zombies in front wildly waving their arms and roaring, Quinn once again gripped the blade in her hand, preparing for another powerful strike that slashed diagonally across the zombie's neck. The head flew off accompanied by a large shoulder blade, and the momentarily rampant zombie was effortlessly cut down by Quinn.
Seeing Quinn’s attacks several times, Hana and Lloyd finally regained some courage facing these zombies. At least they no longer screamed like before. Hana overturned one zombie with a chair, and Lloyd closely followed Quinn’s footsteps."
Near the stairwell to the second floor, several zombies fought over a ragged corpse. The upper floors, with more shoppers, indicated a graver infection.
Upon seeing another gruesome scene not far ahead, Hana gagged again. Once settled, she swiftly searched her memory for the nearest employee lounge.
"Turn right... there's an employee corridor, leading to a larger lounge."
Following Hana's directions, Quinn soon found the lounge.
Quinn tried pushing the closed door, hearing a brief metallic clash inside and a faint whisper.
Survivors!
Lloyd dropped his distorted chair excitedly, banging on the door while calling out in a restrained voice, "Is anyone inside? Please open the door; those monsters haven't followed us."
Before Lloyd finished speaking, the room fell silent for a few seconds. Then, a series of fumbling locks were heard, and the door slowly opened. A tall, slim young man peeked through, scanning Quinn's group before cautiously opening the door. "Hurry up! "
Rushing inside, Quinn finally felt a moment of relief upon entering the lounge. Protecting two people with her current abilities was challenging. Though Quinn appeared composed throughout, the burden was immense. A momentary lapse could jeopardize Lloyd and Hana. Strengthening herself was now the priority...
Hearing the crisp sound of the door locking behind her, Quinn refocused on assessing the lounge. Bags of snacks and three barrels of purified water were the sparse provisions. A bespectacled young man, seemingly an office worker, sat resting with a blood-drenched baseball bat nearby, contrasting with his square appearance and attire.
On a bench, a middle-aged couple embraced, whispering words of comfort. Near the window, a young man with blond hair and tattoos impatiently tapped on his phone, revealing strange, tan skin.
The tall, slim youth who had opened the door now slumped on a bench, his face a pallid gray. He seemed to be a mall service worker.
Quinn's gaze settled on a figure in the corner, and her heart suddenly raced...
- Writer
