After reaching the school gate, Jianyi and Principal Chen climbed out at the same time. With Jianyi's help, Lijuan also managed to climb out.
Jianyi had barely taken a few steps when he ran straight into Boss Wu. Startled, Boss Wu thrust the sharp wooden stick in his hand into Jianyi's throat.
Everyone present was horrified by the scene.
Jianyi collapsed to the ground. Lijuan screamed at Boss Wu in shock and anger,
"What are you doing?!"
She dropped to her knees in tears beside Jianyi. Seeing this, Boss Wu rushed over and pressed his hands against Jianyi's neck, trying to stop the blood that was spurting out.
Jianyi looked at Lijuan with pain-filled eyes as tears streamed down his face.
Fumei glanced at the zombies rushing over from afar, drawn by the noise, and said,
"We have to go."
Fumei and Lee Yan ran to the car. Principal Chen followed and got in as well.
Xiaowen said to Boss Wu,
"Let's go."
Boss Wu looked at Lijuan, then at Xiaowen, and said,
"Take her with you."
Xiaowen asked in confusion,
"What?"
Boss Wu broke down and shouted,
"Go! Take her and go! I'll take responsibility for what I've done!"
After snapping back to her senses, Xiaowen picked Lijuan up and carried her toward the car. Lijuan struggled desperately, crying,
"No! Let me die with him!"
Xiaowen pulled her into the car and slammed the door shut.
Boss Wu held Jianyi's wound and whispered,
"I'm sorry, kid."
Jianyi's hand slowly fell to the ground. Boss Wu gently closed Jianyi's unblinking eyes, then began to cry expressionlessly.
Fumei drove the car away. Xiaowen looked back and saw Boss Wu being swallowed by a sea of zombies. She covered her mouth and burst into tears.
Lijuan sat beside her, completely hollow, while Principal Chen held her tightly.
Fumei asked Lijuan,
"My son is in the same class as you, right? Do you know how he's doing?"
Lijuan didn't answer. Principal Chen spoke up instead,
"He ran out with his friends."
Fumei's eyes filled with tears.
At that moment, a massive horde of zombies appeared ahead. Fumei knew that crashing into them would mean certain death. She spotted the entrance to a train station nearby and turned the car toward it.
Lee Yan grabbed the handrail tightly as he watched Fumei's maneuver.
The car sped down the entrance ramp and slammed into a wall.
"Bang!"
CuRiOsItY 2
Chapter Five: Hope
Fumei slowly opened her eyes. Lee Yan rushed over and said,
"You're awake."
He helped her sit up.
Xiaowen walked over and said,
"You've been asleep for a whole day. I thought you might never wake up."
Fumei wiped her eyes and looked around. The only ones left were Lee Yan, Xiaowen, Principal Chen, and Lijuan.
She slowly stood up and asked,
"Is everyone okay?"
Principal Chen walked over with some food and said,
"We're fine. Eat something."
Fumei asked in confusion,
"Where did this food come from?"
Lee Yan stood up and said,
"We smashed the vending machines and took the food from inside."
Fumei took the food and began eating ravenously.
Xiaowen watched Fumei eat, then looked at Lijuan, who was sitting nearby like a lost soul.
She walked over and sat beside her.
"Don't think about those things anymore. Let it all pass."
Lijuan glanced at Xiaowen but didn't respond. She pulled out her cigarette pack and was about to light one when Jianyi's words echoed in her mind:
"Smoke less. It's bad for your health."
Lijuan suddenly broke down, crying uncontrollably—tears, saliva, and mucus streaming down her face. Xiaowen hugged her tightly, as if holding her own daughter. Principal Chen stood nearby, completely at a loss.
Xiaowen said softly,
"It's okay… it's okay. Be strong."
Lee Yan sat beside Fumei. Fumei asked,
"Why aren't there any of those monsters here?"
Lee Yan thought for a moment.
"I don't know. It's like they're afraid of something and don't dare come down."
Just then, Xiaowen's phone received a message. She pulled it out and stared at the screen in shock.
She jumped up excitedly.
"We're saved!"
Lee Yan asked,
"What do you mean?"
Xiaowen immediately showed everyone the message.
"It says a train will arrive here at 6:15 p.m. today and stop for five minutes. It says once you leave Korya Town by train, you'll be safe."
Hearing this, both Lijuan and Fumei stood up.
Principal Chen asked,
"What time is it now?"
Xiaowen checked her phone. Her excitement instantly turned into panic.
"6:19."
Fear spread across everyone's faces.
Lee Yan shouted,
"Run!"
They all sprinted toward the train. Lee Yan and Principal Chen ran at the front.
Soon, they saw the train with its doors still open.
Lee Yan shouted,
"Get on!"
Lee Yan and Principal Chen rushed inside first. The doors began to close. Fumei and Lijuan squeezed in just in time.
But when it was Xiaowen's turn, the train doors shut.
She was left standing outside, staring at them.
Principal Chen and Lee Yan looked at Xiaowen in shock.
Realizing what had happened, Lijuan desperately pulled at the door handle, pounding on it, but it wouldn't open. Fumei looked at her through the window as the train began to move.
Xiaowen ran after the train in tears, crying out to Fumei,
"If you ever see my son… please take good care of him…"
Fumei nodded through her tears as the train pulled away.
Xiaowen staggered out of the station and screamed at the surrounding zombies,
"Come on! Come and bite me! You animals! You weren't raised by parents!"
A zombie lunged at her, pinning her to the ground and tearing into her. Xiaowen lay there, tears of despair streaming down her face.
The scene shifted to the train.
Everyone sat silently in their seats.
Lee Yan stared out the window. Suddenly, it felt like the train ran over something. He stood up and looked closely.
Fumei walked over and asked,
"What is it?"
Lee Yan turned to her and said,
"When we passed the previous station… I saw a group of kids in school uniforms outside."
Tears streamed down Fumei's face.
"Really?"
Lee Yan didn't answer. He stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
Principal Chen sat down beside Lijuan. She looked at him and asked,
"What are you doing?"
He said nothing, simply staying beside her. Lijuan turned to look at the helicopters flying back and forth outside the window.
One Day Later
The survivors were placed in quarantine.
Inside one of the tents, Yeey sat on the bed in a daze. Kaize stood nearby, not knowing what to say, simply watching him.
At that moment, Liu Ly led someone into the tent.
Fumei walked in.
Yeey casually glanced over—and his eyes widened instantly. He rushed forward and hugged Fumei tightly.
Fumei stroked his head and said,
"It's okay. You're safe. You're safe."
Yeey broke down crying loudly in his mother's arms.
Kaize watched from the side. Fumei looked at him, then let go of Yeey and walked over.
"Your mother's name is Xiaowen, right?" she asked.
Kaize stepped back a few steps. Fumei forced a smile and said,
"You look just like her."
Kaize sat down on the bed, unable to hold back his tears.
Fumei hugged him. Yeey and Liu Ly stepped forward as well, and the four of them held each other tightly.
Kaize started crying loudly.
— End of Volume —