Chapter Twenty-Five: Protecting Those You Wish to Protect

"Calm down, Yuyue!" Jiang Miaomiao could no longer bear Yuyue’s madness and shouted loudly, hoping to distract her somehow.

Yuyue responded as if she’d just heard the most absurd joke. "Calm down? Ever since the day I killed Huo Ran, there’s been no turning back. Since I’m doomed anyway, I might as well drag you all down with me. That way, I’ll feel a bit more at ease."

Lin Xing frowned, trying to keep his tone as calm as possible. "Just because you've killed someone doesn't mean there's no way back. As long as you're willing to turn around, nothing is impossible."

"Do you know how it felt to slice Huo Ran’s body, one cut at a time? Do you know what it's like to eat her flesh, desperate and with nowhere left to run?" Yuyue grew more agitated, glaring fiercely at Lin Xing.

Jiang Miaomiao glanced at Qin Sheng, nodded slightly, and in a moment of distraction, bit Yuyue’s arm hard. Yuyue screamed in pain and was forced to let go of Jiang Miaomiao.

Qin Sheng seized the chance, rushed forward, and subdued Yuyue, pinning her to the ground. Jiang Miaomiao freed herself from Yuyue’s grasp and grabbed the dagger. Now the blade was pressed against Yuyue’s throat—the situation had changed in an instant.

Yuyue struggled for a long time before realizing it was Qin Sheng who had captured her. Hatred and venom flashed in her eyes, as if she would devour Qin Sheng the next second.

Qin Sheng, on the other hand, was utterly composed. Her eyes betrayed no emotion, as if she was suppressing something deep within, making it impossible to read her.

"Again, it’s you! Qin Sheng!" Yuyue glared at Qin Sheng so fiercely her molars threatened to crack, but her body couldn't move an inch.

Qin Sheng snorted coldly, bent down slightly, and glanced at Yuyue, resembling a demon risen from hell. No one around dared to breathe.

"I told you, if you provoke me again, I won’t hesitate to kill you."

Yuyue failed to notice the barely contained rage in Qin Sheng and continued, without restraint, to challenge her limits.

"If you have the guts, kill me! You won’t dare! You’re a coward, Qin Sheng. So what if you can fight? You still can’t save yourself, and you can’t save those you want to protect. Because this is the apocalypse!" Yuyue laughed wildly, her eyes growing ever more bloodshot.

Qin Sheng frowned, studying Yuyue’s eyes closely. As she suspected, after persecuting Huo Ran, Yuyue’s psychological defenses had collapsed. Her gaze was vacant, and she kept repeating the same phrase—clearly, her mind had snapped.

"Hahaha, this is the apocalypse! This is the apocalypse!" Yuyue repeated this over and over, so much that Qin Sheng’s ears hurt.

Lin Xing picked up the kitchen knife lying nearby, stained with dried blood, examined it for a moment, and said slowly, "This should be a cooking knife from the girls’ dormitory, most likely the weapon she used to kill Huo Ran."

Qin Sheng glanced down at Yuyue, then dragged her up from the floor like a criminal headed to execution. She hauled her into one of the dorm rooms and shoved her inside, slamming the door shut.

"Are you just going to let her off like that?" Jiang Miaomiao looked at Qin Sheng in confusion. This didn’t match Qin Sheng’s temperament at all.

Qin Sheng lifted her cold eyes, peered through the small window in the door at the now deranged Yuyue, and sneered, "She ate Huo Ran, didn’t she? Then let her experience what hunger truly means. It won’t be so simple."

Jiang Miaomiao nodded. Though she felt a little pity for Yuyue deep down, the old saying rang true—those deserving pity always have something detestable about them. Anyone who could treat her companion Huo Ran as emergency rations was capable of anything. To pity her was impossible.

On the way back to the rooftop, Qin Sheng said nothing. Jiang Miaomiao, worried, called out to her.

"Shengsheng, are you affected by Yuyue? Don’t mind what she says. She’s a lunatic now—nothing she says is worth believing."

Qin Sheng understood perfectly well, but she knew her own recent negligence had allowed Yuyue to slip through the cracks.

"It’s nothing. I just feel I’ve been too lax these past few days." Qin Sheng spoke solemnly, and after talking with Jiang Miaomiao, she went to the rooftop, picked up her Tang blade, and started training.

She even forgot to eat.

Jiang Miaomiao glanced at the cold self-heating rice left on the table, worried about Qin Sheng, but knowing her temperament, she pinned her hopes on Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu.

"I support whatever Sheng Jie says or does, but skipping meals is really bad for her health." Chu Xingyu was also full of concern. Knowing he couldn't do much, he took his little toy hatchet and followed Qin Sheng to train.

Jiang Miaomiao and Lin Xing exchanged glances, then joined Qin Sheng in training.

Qin Sheng naturally noticed the three trailing behind her. She stopped after a short while.

"Shengsheng, your meal has gone cold. Let me reheat it for you," Jiang Miaomiao quickly put down her dagger and prepared to warm up Qin Sheng’s food. Ever since the hotpot last night, the stove had been in use, though it was a bit tough on Lin Xing—every meal required him to pedal the generator until sparks flew.

"No need, it’s fine." Qin Sheng accepted the meal, set the Tang blade aside, and ate in silence.

The three watched Qin Sheng, only relaxing when she finished every last grain of rice.

As expected, after eating, Qin Sheng resumed training. With her as a role model, the other three trained relentlessly, sacrificing their scant rest.

Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu, both strong young men, were on the verge of collapse, yet Qin Sheng continued her intense training. The Tang blade danced, seemingly gentle but deadly with every strike.

No one dared approach her.

"I really can’t keep up. She’s not just tough—she’s a total monster! I need a break," Lin Xing said, flopping down onto the ground, speaking to Chu Xingyu with utter exhaustion.

Chu Xingyu, drenched in sweat, saw Lin Xing stop and followed suit, sitting beside him.

"Sheng Jie really is incredible."

They rested for about ten minutes, then looked up to see Jiang Miaomiao rushing over with bottles of water.

"Miaomiao Jie, give me a bottle," Lin Xing stood up, brushed off the dust, and reached for water just as Jiang Miaomiao arrived—a godsend.

"Don’t drink yet, something’s happened," Jiang Miaomiao set the water down and hurried toward Qin Sheng.

Lin Xing grabbed a cup of water, twisted the cap, and took a big gulp, feeling instantly better.

"Xing Ge, let’s go see what’s up," Chu Xingyu said, then followed Jiang Miaomiao.

"Shengsheng, I just saw a large group of zombies heading toward the cafeteria. We have to get back, otherwise, if they come up here, the rooftop won’t be safe," Jiang Miaomiao panted, pointing in the direction of the cafeteria.

Qin Sheng frowned, climbed to the highest point on the rooftop, and saw what Jiang Miaomiao described—hordes of zombies marching toward the cafeteria. It wouldn’t be long before the cafeteria fell.

"This is dangerous. We should pack up and go back to the dorm," Lin Xing said, immediately grabbing the important supplies from the rooftop, waiting for Qin Sheng’s nod before rushing to his room.

"You go back and hide. I need to check the cafeteria," Qin Sheng remembered the encounter with Xia Tian at the convenience store and couldn’t let it go—maybe she could save someone.

"It’s too dangerous for you alone. I’ll go with you, Auntie," Lin Xing said, stuffing his things into Chu Xingyu’s hands, gripping his dagger, ready to follow Qin Sheng out.

Qin Sheng hesitated, then shook her head. "It’s too dangerous. I’ll go by myself."

"Even if I die, I’ll back you up," Lin Xing declared firmly, his eyes showing he was ready for anything.

Jiang Miaomiao, seeing Lin Xing was out of arguments, added, "Shengsheng, let us three go with you. We’ve been training for a while; we need real combat to grow."

Chu Xingyu nodded. "Yes, Sheng Jie, and besides, we won’t let you face everything alone anymore."

"That’s right!"

Qin Sheng was moved, thinking Jiang Miaomiao made sense. She nodded, agreeing to let the three follow.

"But if things get dangerous, don’t think too much—just run. Don’t hesitate," Qin Sheng instructed.

The three smiled and nodded, their eyes filled with anticipation and excitement at finally being able to help Qin Sheng.

"Put on the clothes I gave you before, bring your daggers, but leave most supplies behind. We leave in five minutes." At Qin Sheng’s command, Jiang Miaomiao and the others dashed toward the dorm, afraid she’d change her mind.

Qin Sheng watched their hurried backs and smiled helplessly.

Yuyue was right—this was the apocalypse. But as for not being able to save herself or those she wanted to protect, she would never let that happen.

Living again, she had only this purpose:

To protect those she wanted to protect.

Five minutes later, everyone was ready.

"Let’s move."

In just five minutes, Qin Sheng’s team reached the cafeteria’s vicinity. It was just as they had imagined—the cafeteria was surrounded by hordes of zombies, and it wouldn’t be long before the doors were breached.

"Hold your positions," Qin Sheng ordered. The group watched the cafeteria from the shadows.

Soon, the zombies broke through, creating a hole in the wall. In a flash, they all pressed in through the gap.

The rescue squad inside used every tool at their disposal to fight back, trying desperately to block the zombie horde, but they were no match for the ravenous zombies that hadn’t eaten for days.