A large bottle of turquoise liquid?
Chi Ying blinked at the price tag and nearly choked.
One million points per bottle.
And just to unlock it? Two million points.
[This is a medicine designed to treat the zombie virus. If taken before the mutation completes, it can completely cure an infected individual.]
Chi Ying: Wow.
Aside from being outrageously expensive, the potion seemed… flawless.
Chi Ying: Can I hand this over once I exchange it?
[What?]
Chi Ying: Hand it in. Didn’t you say Gu Chi belongs to the Zombie Virus Research Institute? I should be able to give this to them, right?
[That… Theoretically, yes.]
Chi Ying: Perfect.
[…]
The system was panicking. It quickly checked its own logs and restrictions—there weren’t any limitations preventing the host from handing the potion over.
That fact disturbed it more than it liked.
If Chi Ying really submitted the cure to the Research Institute, and if they managed to reverse-engineer and mass-produce it, then… the apocalypse might end a lot sooner than anticipated.
But after a moment’s thought, the system settled down again.
Sure, it had initially been worried about the story going off the rails. But the plot had already collapsed—wasn’t that why it found Chi Ying in the first place? To help the world survive?
Chi Ying glanced out the window at the zombies being sliced down one by one.Gu Chi launched another ice blade through a gap in the window, felling a cluster of zombies instantly. The attacks were sharper, faster, and carried more energy than yesterday.
Chi Ying smiled to herself.
He’d clearly gotten stronger.
On the surface, she looked somber. In reality, she was having a mental conversation.
Chi Ying: Where exactly are they heading now?
[Not entirely sure. My data only includes the original storyline, and as you know… the plot’s pretty much wrecked. Besides, Gu Chi’s a villain in the novel—his movements weren’t closely followed.]
Chi Ying peered at Gu Chi through the rearview mirror—stoic as ever, efficiently killing zombies—and then glanced at Lu Yunfei, who was busy mapping a path through the ruined city.
Better not interrupt. They were busy.
So, she quietly pulled out a small pocketknife and a couple of sticks she’d gathered earlier. Then, she started whittling.
Gu Chi was in the middle of launching another ice blade when his gaze slid to the rearview mirror—and froze.
Was she… carving a cross?
[Holy Mother value +1. 100 points credited.]
Chi Ying looked up, confused. There was nothing new around her.
Then she shrugged and continued working.
Well, the Virgin Mary had to have a cross, didn’t she?
Gu Chi turned his head slightly, his expression was one of resigned heartbreak.
This girl… she’s hopeless.
After they drove for a long stretch and the zombie count finally thinned, Lu Yunfei had a little more time to chat. He pointed ahead.
“See that supermarket? That’s where we found you yesterday. This city might’ve been your home before the outbreak.”
Chi Ying blinked and looked in the direction he indicated. Sure enough, there was the sign from the night before.
“The city’s too dangerous,” Lu Yunfei continued. “We scouted the area yesterday to make sure it was passable, then brought the team through this morning.”
Chi Ying frowned. “Why not take a route around the city? It’d be safer, wouldn’t it?”
Lu Yunfei smiled. “Can’t be helped. There are people waiting for us to help…”
Relief work? she wondered, but before she could ask more, Lu Yunfei slammed the gas and accelerated, cutting her off.
“Lin Xun! Hurry up! I’ll rear-end you at this rate!” he shouted into the communicator.
A laugh crackled through the speaker, followed by a muttered curse. “Idiot.”
Chi Ying’s curiosity grew when she saw their destination—an underground parking garage, wide open and eerily quiet. Logically, it should have been swarming with zombies.
And in fact, it had been.
The two vehicles parked outside—empty, as zombies rarely attacked abandoned cars. The group gathered quietly.
“Be careful,” their escort warned. “There might be some still alive.”
He was the first to enter the garage. A moment later, his voice echoed back.
“All clear.”
Chi Ying peeked in and stopped short.
Zombies. Everywhere. Dozens of rotting corpses, the floor was littered with the corpses of zombies. There wasn’t even a clean spot to stand.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed across the room:
Scanning… identity confirmed: human. Please present your pass.
Chi Ying searched the room, spotting a glowing red light peeking out from the center of a pile of zombie bodies—embedded in what looked like a circular metal disc rising slightly from the ground.
Gu Chi raised his wrist, revealing a black bracelet.
Identity confirmed: Gu Chi, Senior Commander of the Institute.
BOOM!
With a deafening impact, the entire disc moved. Zombie bodies were launched away, tumbling like ragdolls.
Chi Ying blinked.
Maybe humanity’s situation wasn’t as dire as she’d thought?
【No.】 the system chimed in grimly.
【This virus is still in its early stages. Soon, all these systems and weapons will be ineffective.】
Soon, the platform revealed a metal staircase leading down.
Gu Chi motioned for everyone to descend.
Chi Ying hesitated—she still had the two crosses she’d carved earlier.
She glanced at the mutilated corpses nearby.
She placed the crosses gently in the hands of the two ugliest zombies and closed their eyes with her fingers.
She lingered a moment longer, casting a solemn gaze at the two bodies.
“Amitabha…”
[Holy Mother value +5. 500 points credited. You’ve now reached 1000 points. Basic medicine tier unlocked.]
Amitabha…
Gu Chi’s lips twitched.
Was she mixing Buddhism with… crosses?
Lu Yunfei sighed. “No matter how many times I see her, she’s always weird.”
Song Shi sneered under her breath. “Praying to zombies. What an idiot.”
Gu Chi glanced at Chi Ying with a complex expression.
Thank god Chi Ying didn’t see it—or she’d know exactly what “sympathy for the mentally challenged” looked like in someone’s eyes.
“Don’t space out,” Gu Chi said, snapping the group to attention. “Let’s move.”
Once everyone was inside, the metal door sealed shut behind them.
“Yo, Captain Gu?” a young man in a lab coat greeted them with a smirk.
Gu Chi returned a polite nod. “Hello.”
He clearly didn’t recognize the man.
Chi Ying found it odd. This guy seemed to know Gu Chi, but the feeling wasn’t mutual.
【Gu Chi is a senior commander of the Research Institute. Everyone here knows him.】
Chi Ying: Senior commander? That sounds… impressive.
【Extremely. There are only eight senior commanders across the two core research institutes of the Human Alliance.】【And Gu Chi earned the title without any medical or biological background.】
Chi Ying’s eyes widened.
Holy crap.
【Exactly. He got there entirely through combat strength and the resources he brought back from the outside.】
【Even the hero Ye Wuhan doesn’t have that distinction.】
Chi Ying: Oh right, Lu Yunfei said Gu Chi’s a level-six ability user.
【Yes. Ye Wuhan is too, but he belongs to a different research institute.】
As they talked, the lab coat guy sneered.
“Here to deliver supplies?”
Gu Chi paused, then nodded. “We received your call. That’s why we’re here.”
“Tch… some commander. Just a delivery boy.”
“What did you just say?!” Lu Yunfei exploded.
Another researcher—older, wearing a protective mask—hurried over.
“Xiao Ren! Watch your mouth!”
The younger man, Xiao Ren, scoffed. “What? I was just saying—what kind of commander doesn’t even have any real skills? He is just a guy who knows how to fight.”
Chi Ying frowned.
She turned inward. System, is this guy stronger than Gu Chi?
【Not even close.】
Chi Ying: Then why’s he so smug?
【Ah… the classic case. Pink eye syndrome. Jealousy, basically.】
Loveguy On CFRFGC Chapter 1