Director Liang had clearly overestimated his own strength. There was no way his depraved fifty-something self could break down a heavy steel security door. Eventually, he calmed down and stopped kicking it, realizing that making too much noise might attract unwanted monsters—basically shooting himself in the foot.
His eyes gleamed with calculation as he spoke to the person inside in a sinister tone.
"Alright, Professor Chen. I happen to have some canned meat left. To show my sincerity, I'll leave it at your door. After all, it'll be dark soon. You can open the door and eat it yourself… or let the monsters eat you instead."
"Who knows? Maybe after you die tonight, I'll find your body while it's still warm and—"
Before he could finish, the sound of something tearing apart rang out, followed by what sounded like rain splattering outside the door. Then something heavy slammed onto the ground with a sickening thud.
When Professor Chen looked through the peephole, she nearly choked. The once relatively clean hallway was now splattered with blood. A man stood beside a headless corpse, holding a bloodstained curved machete.
Seeing the scene, she staggered back in horror. She didn't recognize the man outside and instinctively thought he was some kind of lunatic.
"Professor Chen, if you're still alive, I suggest you come out quickly. Don't waste any more time," a voice echoed after a knock on the door.
Her heavy heart suddenly felt lighter when she heard that familiar voice. There was no doubt—it was her student, Lin Xian.
She cautiously approached the door again, but when she looked through the peephole once more, the bloody scene made her stomach churn. She couldn't stop herself from vomiting the acidic remnants in her empty stomach.
We both heard the sound, and he glanced at me. "Did you really have to make it that bloody? Look what you did. You made her throw up."
I shot him a look that clearly said, Are you serious right now?
Before I could respond, the door clicked open. It revealed a thin, pale woman—clearly starving and weak—wearing jeans, a sports shirt, and a light windbreaker.
"Do you have everything ready, ma'am? The sooner we leave, the better," I said, eyeing her outfit. It looked more like something from a dramatic movie escape than a real one.
"Don't worry, Professor Chen. People like him are scum, no different from wild animals. Don't carry any guilt. If there's anyone to blame, it should be him. Now pack your things. The sooner we leave, the better."
He said that before heading into the kitchen. I watched as he grabbed a cardboard box and started stuffing small appliances into it. I moved closer to the corridor, keeping watch.
"Don't worry. We're not scum like him. We won't leave you to become zombie food or force you to fight. Just try to keep up with our pace on the way back."
As soon as I finished speaking, Lin Xian returned holding the box full of appliances and handed it to her.
"What do you need this for? They don't even work anymore," Professor Chen asked.
But Lin Xian was already heading toward the stairs, clearly unwilling to answer.
Chen Sixuan swallowed her questions, deciding it was better not to press further. After all, he was her savior, going out of his way to help her.
We climbed the stairs toward Liang Wei's apartment. I sniffed the air a few times and caught a rotting stench.
"Man, there's something rotten in there. Unless he's raising pigs inside, something's definitely decomposing."
The closer we got, the stronger the smell became. He fiddled with the lock, and within moments it opened. As soon as the door swung open, an overwhelming stench of decay flooded the corridor, making Chen Sixuan vomit again—though there was almost nothing left in her stomach.
The scene inside the dark apartment was even worse. Dried blood and viscera covered the place. I saw both their faces turn pale. Even my stomach twisted at the sight and smell.
In the kitchen lay a human corpse—a middle-aged woman. Several body parts were missing. Beside her were bloodstained knives and utensils.
It wasn't hard to understand. The "food" he had claimed to have stocked up on was this woman. She had clearly been murdered by him—most likely the apartment's owner, and probably his wife.
"Lin Xian, calling him a beast is giving him too much credit. It's an insult to animals. He's far worse than that."
I headed toward the stairs, where the stench was slightly weaker.
"Right. Let's go back. There's nothing of value here," Lin Xian said as he followed me, with Professor Chen close behind.
"Professor Chen, stay in the middle of the group and listen carefully. Don't scream, don't run, and watch where you step. Understood?"
Hearing her student's firm instructions, she nodded like a timid pupil. Following Lin Xian and listening to him felt like the right thing to do.
As we retraced our path, we didn't encounter much trouble. We had already mapped the route earlier. Aside from the occasional zombie, which I dealt with swiftly at the front of the group, we maintained a steady pace—not too fast, not too slow.
At the station, we returned through the maintenance side path. I eliminated a few zombies blocking the way. Behind me, Chen Sixuan walked with a pale face, still nauseated from what she had seen and from the collapse of her worldview. She had never imagined the world could turn into hell on earth.
Entering the tunnel, there were no more zombies. In the distance, under a faint light, a massive shadow loomed. As we approached, it revealed itself—the armored train, parked there like a giant metallic beast.
I stopped beside the train, waiting for Lin Xian. He opened the door, climbed up first, and took the box of appliances from her arms, placing it inside the cabin before returning to help her up by the hand. Then I climbed in, and he shut the heavy door.
Inside, they were already talking. Professor Chen looked around like a child in a new environment.
"How do you think I moved this thing here?" he said proudly, clearly more relaxed now that we were back on the train. I watched him switch off the headlights and signal for us to head to the first carriage. He rummaged through a supply crate, took out a piece of bread and a bottle of water, and handed them to her.
"You need to eat. It looks like you haven't eaten in days. If you want to be useful, you need enough strength for it."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she took the bread, murmuring "Thank you" repeatedly. She devoured it in big bites, nearly choking from eating too fast.
I sat in a corner, wiping the blood from my machete with a cloth while waiting for her to finish. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but having more people in the group made me feel better. I guess that month-long nightmare affected me more than I cared to admit.
I saw him stand up and knew he was about to set some rules.
"First," he began seriously, "he and I are ability users. This train can only be operated by me, so if I die, we all die. The same goes for him—he manages our supplies and resources. Since I brought you aboard, we're allies now. We're a team. We must trust each other—and you must trust us unconditionally. Otherwise, your fate will be grim. I hope you won't disappoint me."
I shot him a slightly resentful look. It had taken time for us to build trust, yet he was granting her instant confidence. But the expression faded quickly. I understood his reasoning. Our abilities would be exposed sooner or later anyway.
She nodded, eyes still red. After taking a sip of water to help the bread go down, she said, "I understand. From now on, I'll obey you and won't go against your orders."
Seeing her reaction, he nodded in satisfaction.
"As for our specific abilities, you don't need to know the details. Just trust us unconditionally. I guarantee we're reliable. And remember—this train is our fortress. Inside, we're safe. But if we open the doors to others, we put ourselves in danger. You've seen what people are capable of. Never open the train under any circumstances without my explicit orders. There will be many people after our supplies, using every kind of trick."
"That also means there will be times when we need your help—whether guarding the train or assisting with problems."
"Understood." Perhaps after eating something, she looked a little less pale, with a bit more strength in her voice.
"And one more thing, Professor Chen," he said, looking directly into her eyes. "You'd better prepare yourself—I will definitely be sleeping with you."
I saw her tremble slightly as she murmured, "Mm," in acknowledgment. Her loose hair fell over her face, hiding her expression as she lowered her head and focused on the bread in her hands.