Sudden Change

The deafening roar of the helicopter's rotors, accompanied by the pressure of the wind, descended upon them.

After hovering, gunfire erupted incessantly.

The rescue team on the aircraft kept firing, and no matter how rampant the infected were, they could only fall like wheat stalks.

"Bang..."

A muffled sound echoed, a bullet pierced through an infected's head and then directly through the windshield, its momentum undiminished as it struck the dashboard.

Shen Yi swallowed hard, never before feeling death so close.

"Get down!"

His shock abated slightly, and he suppressed the urge to curse, pulling Cheng Jun down with him.

Shen Yi gave up on breaking through the encirclement.

The infected might not break through the jeep for a while, but driving further would expose them to bullets that didn't discriminate.

Shen Yi decided to stop the car and protect Cheng Jun, both of them crouching low to avoid the gunfire.

"Are they really here to rescue us?"

Listening to the roaring outside and the gunfire that showed no concern for their safety, Shen Yi's heart was heavy with unease.

Inside the sealed car, only the sound of their hearts beating and breathing remained.

On the helicopter, the rescue team coldly aimed their guns at the infected below.

The infected ignored the helicopter above, focusing only on the vehicle, clawing at it, and even ramming their heads full of fungi, causing the windows to crack.

Fortunately, although the infected were numerous, only a few could get close to the car, so they managed to hold out for the time being.

Gradually, the gunfire subsided, and many infected lay on the ground, forming a large pile of bodies.

"Prepare for rappelling."

"Be cautious of enemies, and pay attention to recovery."

Hearing the command from Zero Five through their earpieces, the rescue team quickly descended to the ground via ropes.

The gunfire ceased, and Shen Yi cautiously looked up to find that all the infected had been cleared.

In the distance, five members of the team had rappelled down and were slowly approaching, guns in hand.

Cheng Jun also straightened up, her eyes glistening with joy of survival as she looked at Shen Yi.

"Shen Yi, we survived!"

The crisis had finally passed, and the rescue team was within reach. She smiled radiantly at Shen Yi.

This time, Shen Yi did not meet her gaze but instead looked tense, staring ahead.

"What's wrong?"

Cheng Jun was puzzled and instinctively turned to look forward.

"Pew pew pew..."

The crisp sound of suppressed gunfire exploded in their ears.

...

"Infected cleared."

The team members covered each other, gesturing as they advanced alternately.

The infected were incredibly resilient; sometimes, they wouldn't die outright and needed to be watched for sudden bursts of activity.

Zero Five sat in the helicopter, closely monitoring the situation below.

His mind replayed the conversation with his superior from earlier.

Half an hour ago, the Middle-aged Man had put down the satellite phone and immediately issued an order.

"Dr. Chen's hypothesis has been verified. The Eukaryotic Fungus King has awakened. When two tigers cannot share one mountain, it means the sample lost from the Huaijing Research Institute should be fleeing Huaijing City."

"Zero Five, you lead the team personally. Ensure everything goes without a hitch."

"Remember, the eukaryotic strain could take the form of a rat or a human. According to the information Dr. Chen sent back, it has the ability to switch bodies. Don't let your guard down; it has an instinct for self-preservation!"

"Capture it and bring it back!"

Zero Five asked, "What about the survivors?"

"Hmph, what nonsense about survivors. As the first outbreak site, Huaijing City has been checked inside and out three times. Where would any survivors be?"

The Middle-aged Man sneered.

"If there are any, treat them as infected!"

"Yes!"

Zero Five looked again at the situation before him, his earpiece simultaneously receiving a request for further instructions from the team.

"Target the jeep, fire!"

"But... the survivors..."

Hesitation came through the earpiece.

"Execute the order! Focus on capturing the target."

He said coldly and decisively.

Responding to him was the crisp sound of gunfire.

...

What does it feel like to be shot? Shen Yi thought he could write a detailed account on Zhihu once he returned.

He didn't know how many bullets hit him, but his body felt like it had been hit by a truck. The pain, like nails, pierced his mind, and his strength rapidly drained from his wounds.

"Why, I didn't die to the infected, but to my own people..."

"Damn system, it really hurts..."

The pain was so intense that it turned into anger, but his rage had no outlet, only feeling his eyelids heavy and drowsiness overwhelming.

Shen Yi mustered his last bit of strength to force a smile at Cheng Jun, who was frozen in shock.

"Sorry, the nightmare should end..."

Shen Yi apologized, regretting involving her in his dangerous adventure.

As he was on the brink of death, he thought,

'It's good, my death will end this nightmare.'

Then his vision went black, and his consciousness began to fade.

Cheng Jun instinctively cradled Shen Yi's falling face, her vision filled with red.

Blood, a torrent of it, gushed from Shen Yi's back.

She tried desperately to stop it, but it flowed from one wound to another, all in vain.

The sudden, enormous shock left her stunned, Shen Yi suddenly lunging at her.

The gunfire, from its onset to its end, lasted only a few seconds but overturned her life.

"He's dead?"

"Why?"

"The nightmare should end?"

Cheng Jun's mind was in turmoil.

Shen Yi lay in her arms like a broken doll, shot through, while she felt as if her heart had been struck.

Had the nightmare ended? No, it had just begun.

Blood droplets rolled and gathered at her chin, ready to fall.

Grief is worse than death.

Cheng Jun closed her dull, lifeless eyes.

She was exhausted.

The sound of approaching footsteps grew closer, but the rescue team remained vigilant despite the jeep showing no movement.

They advanced towards the parked vehicle, three in front and two behind.

Through the shattered windshield, they could see a man and woman lying in a pool of blood.

They approached the car door cautiously.

"Check carefully."

"Begin recovering the strain."

The faint voice reached Cheng Jun's ears like a loud bell.

"Strain... Research Institute... Notebook... Rescue team."

Everything connected, and she suddenly understood.

They were just pitiful sacrifices, all those arrangements and information were just for the strain.

Cheng Jun smiled silently, then suddenly opened her eyes and turned to grab the rat.

The rat's fur was sleek, and none of the bullets had hit it.

Now in Cheng Jun's grasp, it showed no reaction, only staring at her with its tiny eyes.

Cheng Jun, however, did not look at the rat but fixed her gaze on the swaying flower on its forehead.

"Everything is because of you..."

She whispered.

The rat's instinct seemed to sense something, and it turned into black liquid, ready to slip away from Cheng Jun's grasp.

Understanding everything, Cheng Jun would not let it escape. She lowered her head and bit the flower, swallowing it.

The team outside noticed the commotion inside the car and quickly raised their guns to shoot.

Cheng Jun paid no attention, just holding Shen Yi quietly in place.

Her long hair spread out like a waterfall, growing and spreading like tendrils.

White fungal strands sprouted from her eyes, skin, fingertips, and her entire body.

These threads wrapped around her, gradually forming a cocoon.

The sound of a drumbeat echoed.

A terrifying aura spread.