Chapter 7 - Hell

“Qimeng, wait, there’s a motorcycle!” After taking out the zombie with the safety helmet, Ling Qimeng was still sulking, pouting in silence. However, I found a motorcycle key in the zombie’s clothes, and the motorcycle was lying quietly not far from us. Instead of walking more than ten kilometers to the Western District police station, it would be better to ride the motorcycle. It would save our energy and avoid zombie disturbances.

This motorcycle is pretty good, or perhaps we’re just incredibly lucky. It’s a 250CC dirt bike with a top speed of 160km per hour. As long as we don’t encounter a large group of zombies, those scattered wandering zombies would have to eat our dust if they wanted to attack us.

I propped up the motorcycle and said to Ling Qimeng, “Hop on, let’s ride this.”

Ling Qimeng wrinkled her nose and said, “Do you even have a motorcycle license?”

“High school students get special privileges; we don’t need licenses.”

“I’m not getting on!”

“Oh, not getting on? Unless you’d rather walk to the Western District police station.”

“Unless you’re willing to leave me here!”

Of course, I wasn’t willing.

We rode the motorcycle swiftly through the deserted streets. Under normal circumstances, having a beauty like Ling Qimeng behind me, sitting so close, would make me feel ecstatic even if winter layers made sure nothing unusual could be felt. But right now, my emotions were too complex to savor such moments because I saw hell; I understood what an end truly was. Along the way, there were burning houses with billowing smoke, cars crashed on the roadside, a few incomplete bodies, and a handful of zombies wandering here and there. We were traversing through this hell.

For some reason, several J-10 fighter jets flew low overhead from time to time. They seemed to be on some special mission, given the equipment hanging outside their cabins, apparently filming something. Ling Qimeng and I were quite the conspicuous “scenery” that had evidently caught their attention. When we crossed the river bridge, they even descended to a height slightly above us, and I could clearly see the pilot inside the J-10 fighter jet. The pilot was looking at us, too.

Ling Qimeng was excitedly gripping my shoulder with one hand and waving frantically at the jets with the other. I joked, “Qimeng, these J-10 fighter jets seem to be taking pictures. Strike a pose!”

In playful response, Ling Qimeng made a V-sign with her fingers toward the camera equipment below the J-10. Though the pilot seemed bewildered by our antics, he still took photos of us. For him, this was a discovery-three days after the D Virus outbreak in FZ-HOPE City, two high school students (we were still wearing our school uniforms) were alive. This was something he had to report to higher authorities.

After photographing us, the J-10 fighter jet immediately ascended and changed direction, heading towards the opposite direction to the East District.

“Jeez, the motorcycle is running out of gas,” I lamented as I noticed the fuel gauge was nearly empty. This dirt bike had excellent speed and performance, but its major flaw was fuel consumption! Plus, the owner had left us with less than a third of a tank!

Ling Qimeng frowned and said, “This is the rather remote Riverside Avenue. I remember there’s no gas station nearby, and the nearest one is in West District 5. But to get to West District 5, we’ll have to cross the densely populated main roads, which probably have a lot of zombies.”

“Let’s give it a try; the explosion just now should have drawn most of the zombies in the vicinity.”

“Ok.”

I kept the motorcycle at a speed of around 80km per hour to minimize fuel consumption, ensuring that we could reach the gas station before the gas ran out while also avoiding being attacked by zombies due to a speed that was too low.

After turning through an intersection, we finally entered the main road of West District 5! The situation here was even worse than the previous streets. Aside from the humming sound of the dirt bike’s engine beneath me, the entire street was dead silent, which made the engine noise-usually not that loud-seem particularly jarring, causing my heart to race with fear of attracting a horde of zombies.

The roadside presented a shocking sight: a pool of dark red blood with a backpack and a shoe lying in it. The owner of these items was apparently hanging by the power line attached to a utility pole, swaying in the breeze. A newspaper kiosk was toppled over by the road, and fragments of newspapers and magazines were flying around. A few small cars were randomly parked along the street, with some having smashed windows and crumpled front ends. One white BMW 320 had several glaring blood handprints on it! Puddles of dark red blood were everywhere, and several bodies, dead beyond any doubt, lay strewn across the road, with even some stray dogs gnawing at them. Oddly enough, there wasn’t a single zombie in sight.

“Strange, why aren’t there any zombies?”

“Maybe they were drawn away by the explosion or went off chasing other survivors?”

“Tiankuang, stop the bike!”

“What’s up?”

“Look over there!”

Following the direction Ling Qimeng pointed, I saw a police car parked at a corner up ahead, with only a small part of its front visible. It would be hard to notice without looking carefully. It was likely a traffic cop attempting to hide and surprise any violating vehicle by jumping out unexpectedly – that’s how they earn their extra cash.

“Tiankuang, let’s check out that police car. There might be something useful in there!” Ling Qimeng said excitedly, patting my shoulder.

Seeing as I was already riding without a license and had stolen a motorcycle, getting hauled to the police station for “guidance” was a sure thing. Having battled with zombies already, was I still supposed to fear the police? If we could find some “good stuff,” our safety would be even more assured!

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

When we rounded the corner, we discovered that only half of the police car was intact. An enormous Dongfeng truck had crushed the rear half completely flat. The gas tank had been ruptured and was leaking continuously, presenting an imminent explosion risk. Inside the car were the bodies of two officers, their heads bloodied and unrecognizable.

Ling Qimeng jumped off the motorcycle and dashed toward the police car. “Qimeng, what are you doing?! The car is leaking gas! It’s dangerous!”

“There might be something useful in there! Don’t just stand there, come and help!”

Qimeng was right. Braving the stench of the corpses, we found our first real weapon inside the police car: a Type 54 pistol.

Besides the pistol, we also found two three-section telescopic stun batons, two walkie-talkies, and a pair of handcuffs. Judging by the badges of the deceased officers, they were from the Western District police station. So, being opportunistic, I took all the keys from their bodies. If we were going to the Western District police station, why not seize the chance to get some “good stuff”?

Mwahaha! (I chuckled evilly in my mind.)

The cold, metallic feel was heavy in my hand-this was a real gun! In other countries, having a gun isn’t a big deal, and firearms are sold as easily as vegetables. But in Tian Chao, there was a time when even kitchen knives weren’t allowed to be sold due to various societal factors, so you can’t really blame Tian Chao for that. If everyone here had a gun, it would indeed be utter chaos.

“Do you know how to use a gun?” Ling Qimeng asked.

“No problem, I’ve seen it on TV!”

“Just remember, keep your finger off the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot.”

“It’s a bit heavy.”

“Dummy, of course it is-it’s a real gun!” I ejected the magazine and frowned after checking it. “Only eight rounds? So we can only fire eight shots?”

“Hold out your hand.”

“What?” Even though I wasn’t sure what Ling Qimeng meant, I held out my hand. Ling Qimeng placed another eight bullets into it.

“Qimeng, where did you find these?” Ling Qimeng used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from her hands and said, “From the other officer. His pistol was deformed, but the bullets seemed fine.”

“You’re amazing.”

“Mhm.”

Ling Qimeng just blushed and softly replied to my compliment. She’s incredibly capable. Most people, let alone girls, would not dare to retrieve things from a mangled corpse unless they worked in a morgue or were grave robbers. And finding usable bullets from a wrecked handgun? Most would not even take a second glance.

I engaged the safety on the pistol and tucked it into my pants pocket, leaving just the grip exposed and covered it with my shirt. This way, I could draw it quickly if I ran into danger.

“Now that we have a gun, can I toss this steel spike? Carrying it around is exhausting,” Ling Qimeng said, rubbing her shoulder.

“Let’s hold onto it for now as a backup weapon. You probably won’t hit anything with the pistol without practice.”

“Alright, but having a gun makes me feel a bit more secure.”

“Hang on tight; time to find a gas station.”

As I twisted the throttle, the dirt bike roared and sped forward, leaving a trail of dust and the silhouettes of figures slowly emerging from the roadside behind us.

“I wonder if the gas station still has any fuel left.”

“Tiankuang, you worry too much. This is the largest gas station in the Western District. Besides, any decent gas station would have reserves sufficient to fuel a thousand cars.”

“I was just kidding. I know that, of course. Haha.”

“Typical, trying to save face.”

“Uh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“This is a self-service gas station. Without paying, you can’t get any fuel.”

“Then just pay.”

“The problem is, I don’t have any money.”

“Hopeless.”

“Nothing I can do-I’m broke.”

“Aren’t you a guy?”

“Well, do you have money? Lend me some.”

“It’s in my bag.”

“…”

“What’s with that look!”

“Nothing.”

“Sigh,” I sighed. “There’s no choice. Keep an eye out here, and if anything happens, just shout.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Robbery.”

“Robbery?! Hey!”

With that, I picked up the steel spike and headed toward the gas station’s convenience store. Neither Ling Qimeng nor I noticed a pair of crazed eyes watching us from behind.

“Is anyone here?” I called out as I pushed the door open to the convenience store. It seemed unnecessary, but it had its benefits-if there were zombies inside, that single shout would lure them out.

After glancing around the cash register area and ensuring there was no danger, I turned my attention to the cash register itself. Yep, I was going to take the money inside. But after pressing the buttons repeatedly, the register showed no intention of dispensing any cash.

“No other option, I guess I’ll have to break it open!” I muttered, shrugging. “Doesn’t matter anymore, not when I’ve already taken a gun.”

“Yes, I get it now. I’m beginning to like this current world-this hellish world-because the thrill is just too exhilarating! Hahaha!” I raised the steel spike high and brought it down hard.

“Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!”

Outside the convenience store, Ling Qimeng, leaning on the motorcycle, couldn’t help but flinch at the repeated crashing noises. “Tiankuang, that guy does whatever he wants, but I can’t blame him.”

“Bang! Crash!”

The cash register finally spewed out bills after my relentless pounding. A quick count revealed over 500 yuan-a jackpot! “With this much, we shouldn’t have any issues for a while.” Just as I was counting the money and licking my fingers, a scream suddenly echoed from outside the convenience store!

“Ah-!”

Oh no! It’s Qimeng! I tossed the money aside without a second thought and grabbed the steel spike beside me, rushing out of the convenience store!

“Qimeng!” Bursting out, I saw someone in light-colored shorts, a backward baseball cap, with dyed blond hair and an earful of earrings holding a cleaver to Ling Qimeng’s neck, laughing wickedly. “Hahaha, what a cute girl, haha.”

“Let her go!”

“Who would let her go, idiot! In a world full of monsters, women are treasures! Hahahaha!”

“Are you crazy?!”

“Crazy? Obviously! I watched my family turn into those things! I smashed their heads in! My mom, dad, grandparents, and even my younger siblings! Could I possibly be sane?! Huh? Hahaha!”

Family? I, an orphan, have no concept of such things.

“Tiankuang!”

“You stay put, hahaha! Missy, is this your boyfriend?! Have you been with him, huh? Hahahaha! You, drop the steel spike, or I’ll kill her! And I’ll be taking your motorcycle too!”

“It’s out of gas.”

“Then smash the cash register and get as much money as you want! Go fill ‘er up!”

In this situation, I couldn’t use the gun. Besides the uncertainty of hitting him fatally in one shot, my shooting skills in such a situation could miss the blonde altogether, and I’d be lucky not to hit Ling Qimeng. Plus, we’re at a gas station! If I hit the tanks or a stray spark ignites the gasoline in the air, we’d all be done for! So, I had no choice but to toss the steel spike aside, put the money into the gas pump, and start refueling the motorcycle.

“Hey, let us go. We’re on our way to…”

“I don’t care where you’re headed! On the street, your family and mine ended up the same! The same, do you get it? This is hell! Hell! Real hell! Hahahahaha!”

“Ugh.”

I pulled the fuel nozzle out of the motorcycle’s tank. “The gas is filled.”

“If you want to leave, then go!”

Is he really letting us go?

“Hey, really? Please, let her go.”

“But this pretty girl has to stay!”

“Damn it! Over my dead body!”

“Damn it, you’re so loud! I’m gonna get rid of you!”

Suddenly, the blond man shouted and reached to grab Ling Qimeng by the neck with one hand while raising the cleaver in the other, aiming to strike me! It seemed this guy had completely lost it. But his movement was too exaggerated, and in that moment, I saw the opening he left. I swiftly stepped forward, pulled out the Type 54 pistol from my pocket, and pressed it against his right chest! The blond man clearly hadn’t expected me to fight back, nor did he anticipate that a student in a high school uniform would have a gun! With this proximity, there’s no need to worry about accuracy. If I couldn’t hit him like this, I might as well just hang it up! Moreover, there’s no concern about the spark from the gun igniting the gasoline in the air since the blond man’s body would block any sparks.

“What, you have a gun?!”

“Even though it’s my first time firing a gun, there’s no way I’d miss at this range. I don’t want to do this, but it’s better than letting a woman be taken. Goodbye!”

“Bang-!”

The shot echoed loudly across the silent gas station, followed by the sound of a gut-wrenching scream! The shot didn’t kill the blond man; it shattered his shoulder blade, effectively disabling his right arm. Ling Qimeng seized the opportunity to break free from his grasp.

“Ahh! It hurts so much! It hurts so much!”

Ling Qimeng, her face dark with anger, swiftly kicked the cleaver away and pulled out a stun baton, ready to administer a “cruel and inhumane” electric treatment to the blond man. It seemed she’d had enough of his unwanted advances. “Don’t hit me! It hurts, don’t!”

“Alright, Qimeng. We don’t have time for this now, and we’ve made a lot of noise. There’ll be ‘people’ coming to deal with him. Look behind you.”

About ten zombies that had been wandering near the gas station were now heading our way, attracted by the gunshot. The closest ones were only about ten meters away. Once Ling Qimeng picked up the steel spike I had previously thrown aside and hopped onto the motorcycle, I revved the throttle.

As for the blond man:

“Hey-! Don’t leave me! Save me! Help me! Ah-! Don’t come closer! Don’t bite me! It hurts so much! Aaaaahhhhhh-!”

“Qimeng, be careful from now on. This kind of thing might happen a lot more.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

Qimeng gently wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head on my back quietly. I knew she was exhausted. In this moment, I finally understood a few things.

“Bastard,” I muttered softly.

Though my voice was low, Qimeng heard me and whispered into my ear, “What was that?”

“Nothing. Let’s go!” I hit the throttle hard, letting the dirt bike roar as it sped towards the end of the highway, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

But I knew, it wasn’t truly nothing; I just didn’t say it. In just a few short hours since escaping the school, I had pushed a living, breathing person to the brink of despair. This place truly was hell.

And now, the gas station had gained a new blond zombie.