Wasteland Rebirth

Upon seeing the girl step out of the Mercedes, Chu Xiang felt as though he had been struck by lightning. The two 03 automatic rifles in his hands almost slipped from his grasp. There must be people in this world who resemble one another, but for someone to look so strikingly similar to the person in his memory was a rarity. And when he heard Zhao Yang call her "Shan Shan," Chu Xiang was more certain than ever that he hadn't merely encountered someone who resembled Xie Shan Shan, but the very same Xie Shan Shan. 

The Earth was vast, with millions of square kilometers of land, yet the world felt strangely small. How else could it be that after seven years, two people who had once been so close could cross paths again—under such dire circumstances? Seven years had passed, and while Chu Xiang still occasionally thought of the innocent, pure neighbor girl he had once known, the passage of time had not changed Xie Shan Shan much at all. She still looked like the girl from his memories—innocent, radiant, and full of youthful charm—though her figure had matured. 

"What's wrong?" Song Jun stood beside Chu Xiang, noticing the shift in his expression. It was the first time he had seen Chu Xiang so unsettled under pressure. At such a tense moment, one misstep could lead to disaster, so he leaned in to ask quietly.

Chu Xiang shook his head. Xie Shan Shan's gaze had briefly swept over him, but it had lingered not a second longer. She was still the same Xie Shan Shan, but he had changed greatly—he could feel the difference, even the scar on his forehead, which would make it hard for even his parents to recognize him now. This was not the time for recognition. Moreover, Xie Shan Shan had a boyfriend now, and perhaps, as the bearded man had said, they had been resting together in the car just moments ago. If they had indeed shared a bed as he implied, Chu Xiang did not wish to imagine further.

Gu Hai insisted that Chu Xiang hand over Su Yulian and make the two subordinates he had knocked out earlier slap him. Chu Xiang would not yield to such demands. Safety was important, yes, but at this stage, retreating any further could lead to the ruin of everything.

"Hmph," Gu Hai sneered. "If you refuse my offer, don't blame us for being impolite. You only have two rifles and a broken bow and arrow, but we have seven or eight guns. Let's see who ends up regretting it."

Xie Shan Shan's voice rang out, still as kind as Chu Xiang remembered. "Don't shoot. We'll give you more money—just let them go. They've survived the plague, they've been through so much to stay alive. Please, don't force them any further."

Zhao Yang was reluctant to interfere, but Xie Shan Shan insisted, and he could not ignore her, for she held a special place in his heart. Aside from Su Yulian, Xie Shan Shan was the most beautiful and graceful woman he had ever seen. Her youthful innocence only added to her allure, making Zhao Yang completely captivated.

"I'll give you one million more!" Zhao Yang quickly returned to the Mercedes, retrieved a box, and presented it to Gu Hai, opening it to reveal stacks of cash.

Gu Hai glanced at it with a cold, dismissive smile. "Zhao Yang, do you really think this paper is worth anything? The only reason we promised to escort you to Shishi is because we're heading there ourselves to seek refuge. This money is worthless to us, not even enough for a single roasted sweet potato!"

Zhao Yang gritted his teeth, turned, and returned to the car. He brought back a smaller box, which seemed heavy. When he opened it, it revealed a gleaming stack of gold bars. These hard assets held real value—unlike paper currency, they were universally accepted.

"Is this enough?" Zhao Yang said, his voice pained.

Gu Hai took the box of gold with a nod, signaling to his men. "Alright, men, give Zhao Yang face. Let them go."

The bearded man, the second-in-command, immediately understood Gu Hai's meaning. He accepted the gold, and in front of Zhao Yang and his girlfriend, ordered the release of the others. They no longer had a vehicle, and once the group had departed, they could quietly go back and take the beautiful woman. After all, once they were gone, what was stopping them from doing whatever they pleased?

The bearded man raised his hand to dismiss his subordinates. "Put down your guns, let them go... Ah..."

Before he could finish speaking, a long, bloody tongue shot through his chest. From the roof of a nearby Passat, a T3 zombie had leaped down. Its tongue recoiled as it licked its decayed lips, revealing dark, rotting teeth that glinted in the pale sunlight of late winter.

This T3 was faster than the last one Chu Xiang had encountered. It had once been a traffic cop, a fact evidenced by its tattered uniform. Its third eye on its neck was even more pronounced than the previous T3's, and its exposed arm muscles were grotesquely swollen. Clearly, it had evolved further.

The T3 moved quickly, and in an instant, it killed the bearded man. It then lunged at a man with a short crew cut, but the crew-cut man was ready. His 03 automatic rifle sprayed a volley of bullets, but none of them hit a vital spot. The T3 only staggered in mid-air before landing on him and tearing off half his scalp in a single, horrifying bite.

Zhao Yang and Gu Hai, along with the others, were seeing such a formidable zombie for the first time. They had grown used to the less dangerous T1 and T2 zombies over the past few weeks. But seeing this terrifying creature, which seemed to leap and bound like a monkey, made them want to flee in panic. Chu Xiang and Song Jun, however, knew better. When faced with a T3, escape was futile. No matter how fast you ran, it would always outrun you. The only solution was to kill it.

The crew-cut man, his scalp torn away, screamed in agony, and the sight of it caused Xie Shan Shan to faint. Zhao Yang, in his panic, could not protect her. He turned and sprinted toward the car, while Gu Hai followed suit. Both of them reached the car nearly at the same time, and as they jumped inside, they heard the screams of their men. Gunfire erupted as the remaining survivors unloaded rounds into the T3.

The T3 leapt and darted through the crowd, making it nearly impossible to target. Chu Xiang fired several shots, but none of them hit its head. Song Jun shot two iron arrows, but they too missed. Su Yulian and Zhang Jingyao crouched behind Chu Xiang, their eyes filled with fear and trust. In this moment, both of them placed their hopes entirely on him.

But Chu Xiang was only human, not a god. This T3 was nothing like the previous one, which had stood still, allowing him and Song Jun to strike. This one was constantly on the move, dodging bullets, and despite Chu Xiang's efforts, he couldn't land a fatal shot. Sweat dripped down his face as he realized the T3 was about to pounce on the unconscious Xie Shan Shan. 

With a roar, Chu Xiang jumped forward, his rifle raised high.

Bang! The T3 was about to grab Xie Shan Shan when Chu Xiang swung the rifle's stock into its back with all his might. The impact shattered several of the T3's ribs, but the creature, oblivious to pain, let out a deafening roar and lunged at Chu Xiang.