The man's sclera was covered in dark red bloodshot lines, and the veins near his wound appeared purplish-black. He was tightly bound, looking at them with eyes full of pleading.
A crowd had gathered around him. Those at the front wore serious expressions, while those at the back watched as if enjoying a good show.
"What are we still waiting for? He's infected, just throw him out already," a burly man cursed roughly.
If he really turned into a zombie later, they would be the ones to die.
The others also hesitated and said, "Then let's throw him out. There's nothing else we can do. Who told him not to protect himself properly?"
The man's mouth was gagged. Listening to their conversation, he could only let out muffled whimpers.
Just as they were about to throw him out.
A soft, broken sobbing suddenly came from behind.
As soon as some people in the crowd heard this sound, they started rolling their eyes.
"Mingfei is so pitiful. Can we not throw him out? He will be eaten by the zombies."
The girl buried her face in her hands, large drops of tears falling to the ground through her fingers. The tip of her nose was red from crying, looking as if she was terrified.
The scoffing in the crowd grew louder.
"I'm begging you. Mingfei is our teammate, we can't treat him like this. How can you be so selfish!" the girl cried uncontrollably.
Bound by iron wire on the ground, Mingfei also looked at her with a sorrowful expression.
Being accused by the girl, the others became somewhat displeased.
"What do you mean by selfish? This is for the greater good."
"Exactly. If Mingfei hadn't insisted on digging out those crystal cores, how would he have ended up dying?"
"What was he digging up so many crystal cores for anyway?"
Seeing so many people refuting her, the girl stood there weakly.
Right at this moment, a frivolous voice laced with deep weariness suddenly came from a corner.
"Since you are so close to him, why don't you take his place?"
A man leaned against the wall, looking at her with a hint of malice in his eyes.
"A healing ability user should be able to do that, right?"
A life for a life.
Ji Zhaoxi choked on her sobs, and her crying stopped abruptly. She wiped her tears and lowered her head without saying a word.
That wouldn't do.
The man let out a scoff at Ji Zhaoxi's reaction.
This big moth was always either crying or on the verge of crying every single day. He thought she might as well become a water ability user.
Ji Zhaoxi was a weirdo in the building. Crying wasn't the main issue; it was her obsession with wearing little white dresses.
In the cruel conditions of the apocalypse, everyone tried their best to wear durable clothes to protect their bodies.
At that time, Ji Zhaoxi had barged into everyone's sight wearing a white dress, with red eyes. In Mingfei's words, she was like a little rabbit that had strayed into a restricted area.
Pei Yufeng, who was standing nearby at the time, had mocked, "What little rabbit? More like a flappy moth."
With that dress fluttering about.
Because of this remark, Ji Zhaoxi and Pei Yufeng had formed a grudge on the very first day.
Seeing the atmosphere fall silent.
A girl nearby stepped forward. "Yufeng, don't make such jokes. Zhaoxi is timid, she will take it seriously."
Ji Zhaoxi hid behind the girl fearfully.
The eyes of Mingfei on the ground were filled with absolute despair. He had actually thought just now that Zhaoxi would save him. After all, he had done so much for her, hadn't he?
The girl softly comforted Ji Zhaoxi, "Zhaoxi, let's keep Mingfei in the house for these few days. In a few days, we'll find a time to bury him, so he can pass on with some dignity."
Ji Zhaoxi nodded, moved. "Thank you, Sister Jiasui."
Yan Jiasui decided to use drugs to let Mingfei die slowly. Although it would still be painful, it would be better than being eaten by zombies outside.
Mingfei was placed in the basement, covered with a white cloth.
The basement was mixed with the metallic stench of rust. The water pipe overhead was dripping water, as if counting down to his death.
It was already late at night, and everyone in the building had gone to sleep. Except for the sound of dripping water, no other noise could be heard in the basement.
Mingfei silently waited for his death. Since the apocalypse began, he had seen too many teammates die, but when he found himself in this position, he still felt a sense of despair in his heart.
A small gap suddenly opened in the dark corridor, and a petite figure tiptoed toward the basement.
Mingfei heard the sound and froze for a moment.
The next second, the white cloth over him was suddenly lifted. He looked at the person before him, his heart surging with excitement.
Zhaoxi!
She had come looking for him!
"Mmph..."
He knew it, he knew she wouldn't give up on him...
She was the kindest girl in this world.
"Mingfei, are you in a lot of pain?" Ji Zhaoxi's eyes were red.
"My heart aches for you so much. Could you please not move so much?"
Mingfei looked at her with deep affection, tears flowing from the corners of his eyes.
Zhaoxi was always so good. Even... even though he had accidentally pushed her before, her attitude toward him had never changed...
"SquELCH—"
The next second, a sharp blade pierced into his skull.
Mingfei's pupils instantly contracted. Due to the severe pain, his body jerked violently. He looked at her in disbelief, his throat constantly letting out low growls.
Ji Zhaoxi carefully reached her hand into the rotting hole. She frowned tightly, and after a good while, she finally smiled.
"Found it."
She pulled her hand back, bringing out a crimson crystal covered in viscous matter from deep within.
As the crystal left his body, Mingfei's body rapidly withered, and he soon stopped breathing.
Ji Zhaoxi used her ability to heal the wound on the back of his head, kindly covered him with the white cloth again, and then quietly left.
After Ji Zhaoxi left, the iron door of the basement gently opened again.
A tall figure walked into the basement and slowly lifted the white cloth.
Mingfei was already dead, but the wound on the back of his head was still healing bizarrely. The edges of the wound were treated very smoothly, without a single piece of excess bone fragment.
"Handled quite cleanly."
The man used his ability to stop Mingfei's wound from healing, and the gruesome state of the wound gradually revealed itself.
He was a little curious about what reaction that flappy moth would have when she saw the wound on Mingfei's body tomorrow.
Just as Ji Zhaoxi was about to close her room door, she was startled by Yan Jiasui behind her.
Yan Jiasui was a bit surprised. "Zhaoxi? Did you go outside?"
Ji Zhaoxi nodded weakly. "Sister Jiasui, the dress I'm wearing got dirty, so I went to wash it."
Yan Jiasui smiled at her gently. "I scared you just now, didn't I?"
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi's red eyes, Yan Jiasui thought she had gone outside to cry secretly again but was too embarrassed to tell her.
"Zhaoxi, don't worry. Even if Mingfei is no longer here, the others in the team will protect you well," Yan Jiasui comforted her.
Whether she was an ordinary person or a healing ability user, everyone would protect her.
Ji Zhaoxi's eyes turned red, and she buried her face into Yan Jiasui's shoulder.
Yan Jiasui sighed and patted her shoulder.
