On the fifth floor, survivors were also pointing at Bai Li and Yan Cijin outside the window, talking in excited voices. One said it looked like the two of them had broken through the zombies somehow. Another said it seemed they had just charged straight through on a motorcycle. Someone else said that maybe they could go downstairs and drive away in a car too. Then another voice cut in and said no, look at how smoothly she was riding, even using the motion to kick away the zombies that came too close. That kind of control was almost impossible unless she was a real pro. The crowd kept chatting and pointing, but Bai Li did not care about any of that. She and Yan Cijin had already rushed out of the hospital and were leaving the place behind them. Even though dozens of zombies were still chasing after them, Bai Li felt unusually good. This whole trip had not been a waste. Even though she had terrible luck when she drew the Wahaha card, the serum’s effects were real and obvious. Because of that, Bai Li felt the whole adventure had still been worth it. She had also rescued Dr. Yan, and while she was riding, she could not help wondering whether she might use some condition later to get Yan Cijin to help her draw more cards. After that Wahaha card, Bai Li had already accepted that her luck was bad. There was no point in crying about it now. Still, she did not dare think too far ahead. The most important thing right now was getting back home. Home was safe. Home had supplies. Home was where she could rest without worrying about zombies crashing through a door. Her strength had recovered, but the injury in her hand still hurt badly and would need a few days before it fully healed. Thinking of that, Bai Li pressed on the throttle and shifted gears again, and the heavy motorcycle hummed loudly beneath her hands, full of speed and force.

Because they were moving so fast, Yan Cijin, who was hugging Bai Li’s waist tightly from behind, could feel the wind hit her face in a sharp sting. It was not a gentle ride at all. The air cut across her skin and made everything feel more alive, more real, and more dangerous. She had not felt this kind of thrill in a long time, and she could not help enjoying it. At the same time, though, the danger around them was still there. Yan Cijin saw zombies surging toward them from every direction, and when she turned her head to look behind them, goosebumps rose on her arms. About ten steps behind the motorcycle, there was a thick swarm of zombies chasing them, at least a couple hundred by her rough guess. The sight alone was enough to make a person’s heart beat faster. Even so, Yan Cijin could not help laughing out loud as she held Bai Li even tighter. That made Bai Li feel shy for a moment, but the sound of Yan Cijin’s laughter seemed to reach her too, and before long Bai Li was laughing as well. The wind brushed against them, and with it came the strange mix of fear, freedom, and excitement that only this kind of escape could bring.

Bai Li continued to accelerate, leaving the zombie horde behind her fifteen or sixteen steps behind. A cool summer breeze gently brushed against her body as she increased her speed, making her feel refreshed. She had taken her first step in surviving the apocalypse, and she had also figured out how the interdimensional market worked, which boosted her confidence. The roar of the kawasaki ninja 400 continued. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The road ahead was still messy, with abandoned cars tilted at awkward angles and broken glass shining under the sun like tiny sharp teeth. Bai Li kept her eyes steady and her hands firm on the handlebars. Yan Cijin sat behind her, one hand holding tightly to her waist, the other guarding herself as they moved through the ruined street. The smell of blood and dust still hung in the air, and the sounds of distant screams had already faded into a dull and ugly background noise. Even so, Bai Li did not relax for a second. In a world like this, any moment of carelessness could turn into death.

Just as they were about to turn the corner, Yan Cijin suddenly tightened her grip and leaned forward a little. Bai Li felt the change at once and looked in the direction she was staring. Up ahead, on the side of the road not too far from them, three figures were running for their lives. Two women and a child. The taller woman was holding one hand out in front to guard the other two, while her other arm was stretched back to keep the child close. The smaller woman was looking pale from fear, but she kept trying to run without falling. The child was crying while stumbling along between them, already too tired to keep up.

Behind them, a group of zombies was pressing in fast.

Bai Li narrowed her eyes. There were more than ten of them at least, maybe more hiding farther back in the broken street. The two women were clearly doing their best, but their strength was already running thin. The taller one kicked out hard when a zombie got too close, sending its head snapping to the side, but that only slowed it down for a second. Another one lunged from the left, and she twisted her body just enough to shield the smaller woman and the child from the claws. Her face was full of panic, but her movements were clean and desperate, like she had learned in real time how to protect what mattered most.

Yan Cijin also saw it and her brows drew together. For a moment she did not speak. Bai Li glanced at her, then looked forward again, still holding the bike steady.

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TO BE CONTINUED.