Hua Thanh and a few others nhanh chóng chạy về phía chiếc xe buýt.
The door was unlocked. He stepped inside, heart pounding, his eyes scanning the driver's seat. Hanging right next to the steering wheel was a ring of keys.
"There... there are keys!" His voice trembled with joy.
Another person immediately hopped in, inserted the key, and gave it a hard turn.
Rumble—
The engine vibrated, and the dashboard lit up. The sound of the motor echoing through the vast warehouse felt like music amidst the apocalypse.
"It started!" The group was overjoyed, some sighing in relief, others nearly bursting into tears.
Chu Minh shouted, "Everyone, get on the bus! There's enough room for all of us!"
But at that exact moment—
"Wait."
Tran Pham's voice rang out, cold and clear. The warehouse fell into an immediate silence. He stepped out from the crowd, his gaze fixed directly on Thuong Sinh.
"Thuong Sinh. You were bitten, weren't you?"
The air seemed to freeze. Vuong Khai frowned and immediately countered, "But Tran Tuyet already treated him! The bleeding stopped, he should be fine."
Tran Pham gave a thin, cold smile. "Should be?"
"Is that one word... enough to gamble the lives of everyone on this bus?" He looked around, his voice slow but heavy with pressure. "What if he turns into a zombie mid-journey? In such a confined space—who will take responsibility?"
As soon as he finished, Tran Pham's group immediately chimed in.
"He's right." "Who can guarantee it?" "We can't risk everyone for one person."
Luu Hao's group flared up in anger. "How can you say that? He was bitten while saving us! Is this how you repay a life-saving debt?"
An argument erupted, the atmosphere as tense as a pulled bowstring. Thuong Sinh watched it all. He had anticipated this. If he stayed with a group like this and got bitten, would they isolate him or kill him?
He let out a self-deprecating smile. "Enough," Thuong Sinh spoke up.
His voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the room instantly. He stood tall, his calm gaze sweeping across their faces.
"He's right. I was bitten." The words were like a cold blade. "Perhaps... in just a few moments, I will turn into one of those walking corpses."
No one could find their voice. Only Tran Pham wore a faint, barely concealed smirk. Thuong Sinh took a deep breath.
"You guys go ahead. From this moment on, I'll go my own way."
Chu Minh took a step forward, his worry evident. "Thuong Sinh, we can't just leave you like this!" He looked at the bandaged shoulder, where dark blood still seeped through.
Vuong Khai stepped up too. "Exactly. You aren't that kind of person. Without you, we would have died several times over."
The atmosphere wavered again, but Thuong Sinh merely shook his head, signaling them to stop.
"No more words." His voice was calm, almost disturbingly so. His gaze drifted past Tran Pham's group and back to Luu Hao's group. "If the roles were reversed, I'm not sure I could casually stand next to a ticking time bomb either."
Chu Minh was speechless. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.
Thuong Sinh looked up, his eyes cold and serene. "So I don't blame you, and I don't need pity."
A single sentence extinguished all remaining protests. It wasn't a noble sacrifice; it was a rational choice in the apocalypse.
Luu Hao turned his back to Thuong Sinh, his hands clenched into fists. After a long silence, he muttered, "We're out of time."
The bus door creaked open. One by one, they boarded. Some looked back at Thuong Sinh one last time, some bowed their heads, and some even sighed in relief.
The bus door hissed shut.
Vroom—!
The engine growled, and the wheels began to roll. The bus left the warehouse, disappearing behind the bend of the sports field. In the vast hall, Thuong Sinh was left alone.
A hot wind blew through, carrying the scent of blood and rust. He stood still for a long time before looking down at his right shoulder. Blood was still oozing.
The flesh around it showed no signs of necrosis. On the contrary, deep within his body, a faint stream of Essence was silently circulating through his meridians, slow but steady.
That energy was clashing head-on with the cold, chaotic force of the virus. On one side was the virus, corroding flesh. On the other was the Essence, pure and stable. Two forces collided within him, locked in a relentless tug-of-war.
Every time the energy passed through the wound, a wave of agony flared up, but the terrifying chill was forced back inch by inch.
"..."
Thuong Sinh gritted his teeth. He could feel the virus being suppressed. "If I hadn't practiced "Source Breath Cultivation", I'm afraid I'd no longer be human."
He took a deep breath, slowly channeling his Essence toward his right shoulder. The sensation was a clash of fire and ice. With every cycle, the energy ground down the tainted force.
Time passed slowly. Cold sweat drenched his back. But he didn't dare stop, keeping his consciousness focused on the internal flow.
Finally, a sense of emptiness appeared at the wound. The coldness vanished. The Essence now flowed through his shoulder without resistance. It was smoother than before, yet half a beat slower.
Thuong Sinh opened his eyes. The bleeding had stopped. The flesh was sore, but the numbing chill was gone.
"...It's over!"
He let out a long sigh. He stood up; his shoulder still ached, but his mind was crystal clear. The virus was completely neutralized by his Essence. He clenched his fist, feeling the faint energy moving within him, and a smile played on his lips.
At that moment, several zombies, drawn by the scent of blood, began to shamble through the warehouse doors. They dragged their rotting bodies, letting out guttural, horrific groans.
Thuong Sinh glanced down at his dagger. The blade was severely chipped, and the hilt was half-broken.
"System."
[ Thuong Sinh ]
[ Cultivation ]: 0/200
[ Realm ]: Body Refinement (Mid-stage)
[ Battle Skills ]: Blade Wind (Novice), Phantom Steps (Novice)
[ Merit Points ]: 85
His eyes stopped at the Merit Points. "Killing just one mutated zombie... gave me over thirty points."
Without hesitation, Thuong Sinh opened the shop. A list of weapons appeared, and his gaze froze on one item in the center.
[ Longevity Sword ]
[ Quality ]: High-grade Mortal Tool
[ Effect ]: Increases Essence fusion, stabilizes aura
[ Price ]: 80 Merit Points
The image enlarged. The sword was long and straight, its blade slender and sharp, coated in a faint green glow like flowing vitality. A sword with a life of its own.
Thuong Sinh's mouth curled into a smile. "It suits me."
[ Confirm Purchase? ]
"Confirm."
Ding! Consumed 80 Merit Points. Received: Longevity Sword.
A flash of green light erupted. The sword appeared in his hand. The moment he gripped the hilt, he felt his meager Essence flow more smoothly.
"I have a sword now..."
He looked toward the entrance. The shadows were swaying closer, their raspy roars echoing.
Thuong Sinh slightly tilted his blade. "Time to hunt."