"Luo Xiaole! It's your turn to keep watch." The person who had just finished their shift rubbed their heavy eyelids and nudged Luo Xiaole, reminding her groggily.
Mo Chen's expression was a little subtle.
Supporting his arm, he moved to their guard post.
The group hadn't made a new roster, so they followed the same watch order as the previous night.
Luo Xiaole scratched her head. It turned out she and Mo Chen were on watch together again tonight.
She stretched lazily and, with a guilty conscience, sat down next to Mo Chen.
She had just witnessed quite a show, and now that she'd been caught, she felt a little embarrassed.
Mo Chen remained silent at first.
He gazed at the distant moonlight.
Luo Xiaole rubbed her nose and, imitating him, stared at the moon, adopting a "wait and see" attitude.
"Making so many weapons, aren't you tired?" A deep, pleasant voice came from beside her.
As soon as he spoke, he precisely hit Luo Xiaole's sore spot.
Luo Xiaole: "!!!"
Was this man a devil?
He had known from the beginning that she was the "Weapon Big Shot"!
And he had said nothing all this time?
Feigning ignorance was the only option now.
"Isn't it that Weapon Big Shot who makes them? I must say, the things he makes are quite useful."
Luo Xiaole guiltily touched her nose again.
"Pfft~" Mo Chen couldn't help but chuckle.
Not only feigning ignorance, but also boasting about herself while doing it?
Mo Chen found Luo Xiaole increasingly interesting.
Luo Xiaole, however, thought the sound of that suppressed laugh seemed familiar.
It was the same as when Luo Shu had mocked her last time...
The person who had mocked her last time was actually Mo Chen!
Luo Xiaole felt like she was falling apart...
"I was actually planning to buy more weapons from you. If it's not you..."
Mo Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at her provocatively.
Alas, Luo Xiaole sighed inwardly.
To earn money and level up, sometimes one had to compromise.
Mo Chen had kept her secret for so long, he probably wouldn't spill it easily.
"How many do you need?" Luo Xiaole tacitly admitted.
"Let's talk about it when I find something to exchange for them next time," Mo Chen said, his 'evil plan' succeeding, a pleased smirk playing on his lips.
"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret."
"Your thumbtack darts actually have decent accuracy," Mo Chen continued to talk to himself.
"However, you lack precision training and wrist strength. That's why you can't always hit your target."
Luo Xiaole's heart leaped.
Was he teaching her?
Immediately, she was filled with joy. Hadn't he said earlier that he wouldn't easily teach his skills to others?
It seemed that as long as she became his teammate, he was indeed very protective.
Keeping the benefits within the group, she understood!
If Mo Chen could give her some specific guidance, her accuracy and self-preservation abilities would greatly improve in the future.
"You try," Mo Chen said, raising his hand slightly.
He pointed to a small bundle of campfire in the center.
"Focus your attention on the tip of the flame," his voice was deep and steady, much less cold than usual, which made it easier for her to concentrate now.
"Stare intently at the flickering flame until you can clearly follow its every sway."
Luo Xiaole was more than willing to comply. She rubbed her eyes and immediately started to follow his instructions.
Although it was an indoor gymnasium, the slight breeze filtering through the gaps in the door still made the campfire flicker and sway.
After staring for a while, Luo Xiaole's eyes started to feel blurry.
She closed her eyes briefly, concentrated, and then continued to stare at the campfire.
Mo Chen sat beside her, silent, also watching her intently.
The campfire's light reflected in her eyes, warming the beholder.
Still those same eyes that had saved him back then...
Forty minutes passed quickly.
Luo Xiaole felt like her eyes were already blurring.
"Rest if you're tired. Don't let your eyes get too fatigued," Mo Chen said, withdrawing his gaze as if nothing had happened.
"No, I want to practice a bit more. This is a rare opportunity."
"Clack"
Suddenly, a sound came from the opposite side of the campfire.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Zombie sounds!
Luo Xiaole's eyes snapped up. She wouldn't mistake that sound!
How could there be a zombie!
Luo Xiaole's first reaction was to look at the door.
The main entrance was still locked.
There were no signs of forced entry at the back door either.
Mo Chen also narrowed his eyes, staring intently at a spot in the distance.
"So, it was an internal transformation?" Luo Xiaole made a reasonable deduction.
Mo Chen nodded in approval.
"There," Mo Chen casually pointed.
Luo Xiaole followed his finger and squinted.
In the moonlight, a distorted, gaunt figure was shambling towards them.
Upon closer inspection, wasn't that one of Li Xiaotian's lackeys?
The blue-white of his pupils still seemed to retain some warmth; he must have only recently turned.
However, he was quite far from Luo Xiaole and hadn't yet triggered her僵直 (stiffening).
"Try it. Can you aim for his forehead?" Mo Chen turned to look at Luo Xiaole.
Was this a practical test already?
Luo Xiaole's instinct screamed no!
But she also knew that this zombie had to be dealt with.
Otherwise, the entire gymnasium would turn into a slaughterhouse tonight.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Xiaole decided, "Then let me end your suffering."
She took a deep breath and solemnly took out a thumbtack.
She focused all her attention on the zombie's forehead, just as she had focused on the flame.
She strangely discovered that when her attention was focused, other people's movements became clearer in her eyes.
The zombie's sway was not as pronounced as the flame's.
Luo Xiaole took a deep breath, and the next second, the thumbtack flew out!
"Snap!"
The thumbtack grazed the zombie's earlobe, drawing a trickle of black blood.
"A pity," Luo Xiaole murmured.
"It's alright. Your wrist strength is still insufficient, and the coordination between your hand and eyes isn't high enough. But it's already good."
Luo Xiaole's mouth fell open.
Mo Chen actually knew how to comfort people!
Not only a good comrade, but also a good teacher!
"Again." She didn't give up, once again fixing her gaze on the zombie's forehead.
This time, a thumbtack fiercely pierced the zombie's nose bridge.
Deep into its brain.
The zombie finally fell to the ground, stiff and silent.
Luo Xiaole and Mo Chen, not daring to be careless, approached with weapons.
They saw its mouth drooping, and a faint blush seemed to linger on its face.
A blush?
Luo Xiaole was puzzled and reached out to touch the zombie's fingertip.
"He's so hot!" Luo Xiaole exclaimed.
She and Mo Chen exchanged glances.
"He has a fever!"
They both said it in unison.
Could it be... that there was another way for zombification to occur?
...
The next morning, everyone saw the zombie lying on the ground.
They were all terrified.
A person they had been in the same room with just the day before had turned into a zombie overnight.
And they couldn't find the cause.
Everyone's hearts were pounding.
Xu Lingyan, her hands trembling, covered her mouth and stumbled backward a few steps.
Before escaping to this gymnasium, she had witnessed her two companions being bitten by zombies.
And she had, without a moment's hesitation, abandoned them.
All for the sake of survival.
But now, even in their sleep, people could suddenly turn into zombies like this!
She felt a wave of despair.
Just then, a pair of warm hands gently touched her shoulder.
She turned her head and saw a pair of clear, watery eyes looking at her with concern.
The girl had her hair tied in a high ponytail. Even in the apocalypse, she had a delicate face that inexplicably inspired longing.
It was the campus beauty, Zuo Ran!
"Don't be sad. As long as we work together, all difficulties will be overcome," Zuo Ran said with an innocent, warm smile.
Xu Lingyan's heart was instantly healed.
Her eyes welled up with tears, and she allowed Zuo Ran to embrace her.
She suddenly felt an urge to pour out everything to Zuo Ran.
She didn't notice the sly, triumphant, and disdainful smile that flickered in Zuo Ran's eyes.
Mo Chen, you despise me, don't you?
One day, I will make you willingly pursue me.
We'll see.
...
"Xiaole, come here and take a look," Luo Shu said, a rare seriousness on his face, beckoning Luo Xiaole over.
"Zhu Hui seems to be sick," he said, pointing to Zhu Hui beside him.
Luo Xiaole leaned in and saw Zhu Hui lying on the ground, her limbs limp.
Luo Xiaole saw that her cheeks were a little red, and she reached out to touch them, "Hissing."
"She has a fever," Luo Xiaole said, stunned for a moment, remembering last night's events.
Her expression instantly darkened.
"Why did she suddenly get a fever? There's a campfire here, and she didn't catch a cold," Luo Shu said, scratching his head, completely baffled.
"Boss, boss!" Li Xiaotian's lackey also exclaimed in surprise from the other side.
"What happened?" Luo Xiaole couldn't worry about anything else now and walked over to ask.
"Boss suddenly has a fever!" The lackey was somewhat flustered. "His forehead was burning hot this morning! Should we go find medicine for boss?"
Another one with a fever...
Luo Xiaole turned to look at Mo Chen.
This situation really seemed to be not right...