Chapter 176: Fall
Chapter 176: Fall
The zombies seem to be evolving rapidly. They no longer move at the sluggish pace of an adult’s walk but now run with alarming agility. Many of them can sprint, and it isn’t long before the last car following Anran’s vehicle becomes overwhelmed. The zombies pile on relentlessly, layer after layer, until the car is completely engulfed. In the dark alley, the vehicle struggles to push forward, its engine roaring with the sound of the accelerator being floored—boom boom boom.
But the tide of zombies is too dense. The front of the car is plastered with undead, their weight crushing it down. Eventually, the vehicle succumbs to the pressure, stuck in place, immobilized. Its occupants can do nothing but await their grim fate.
Meanwhile, Yun Tao manages to speed through several streets. His face is as pale as a sheet, and his vision begins to blur. The road ahead becomes harder to distinguish. Turning a sharp corner, he veers dangerously close to a telephone pole on the roadside.
In the passenger seat, Liu Yuan screams, "Watch out!"
But Yun Tao doesn’t let up on the accelerator. With incredible precision, he drifts the truck past the pole.
The sudden movement throws Anran off balance. Clutching Doll tightly in her arms, she falls against the girl sitting next to her. The little girl’s head hits the car window with a dull thud. Wincing in pain, she quickly turns to Anran, hugging her tightly.
"Sister!" the girl cries out, her voice trembling.
Anran, still holding Doll, glances at the window on the girl’s side. Her breath catches in her throat when she sees a zombie’s face pressed against the glass. Its pale, decayed skin looks ghostly under the dim light, its cloudy eyes staring lifelessly. Thick, swollen veins bulge across its forehead, and bluish blood vessels snake beneath its skin. Its fangs protrude grotesquely, growing longer and sharper as it snarls.
Anran’s heart pounds as she spots a shadow moving out of the corner of her eye. She turns her head just in time to see another zombie crawling down from the roof of the truck. Its body twists unnaturally as it descends, gripping the side of her window.
"Liu Yuan!" she shouts in panic.
Liu Yuan, sitting in the front, also realizes something is wrong. Yun Tao’s movements are sluggish, his grip on the steering wheel loose. "Brother Tao! Brother Tao, what’s wrong?!" she cries, reaching over to steady the wheel.
But Yun Tao doesn’t respond. His foot is still pressed firmly on the accelerator. Almost as if driven by sheer willpower, he forces the truck forward one last time, crashing directly into a giant billboard on the opposite side of the road. The impact sends the truck smashing through the base of the structure and into a nearby wall, where it finally comes to a halt.
The collision throws everyone inside violently. Anran, clutching Doll, is slammed into the seat in front of her. The force leaves her dazed and disoriented, her head spinning. She struggles to keep her grip on Doll, but it has been knocked loose during the crash. Doll, now lying in her arms, cries loudly, its wails cutting through the tense silence.
The truck’s surroundings grow eerily quiet. Debris from the collapsed wall fills the back of the vehicle, and the scent of gasoline hangs heavy in the air. An oil barrel has spilled its contents during the crash, and the pungent smell mixes with the faint metallic tang of blood.
Yun Tao’s head rests weakly against the steering wheel, unmoving. Liu Yuan screams, her voice filled with panic, as she realizes Yun Tao isn’t responding. Meanwhile, the zombies outside begin closing in, drawn by the noise of the crash. Their grotesque faces press against the front of the truck, and their bony hands claw at the windows.
"Sister, sister," the little girl next to Anran calls out in a shaky voice. Her eyes brim with tears, and she clings to Anran’s side.
Anran shakes her head, trying to clear her dizziness. Her vision is blurry, but she can make out the shapes of the zombies surrounding the truck. The sound of the baby’s cries brings her back to her senses. She fumbles in her pocket and pulls out a pacifier, slipping it into the baby’s mouth.
The baby quiets down almost immediately, but the danger remains. The zombies show no sign of leaving. Instead, they linger near the truck, attracted to the sounds from within. Worse, each groaning zombie seems to summon others. The undead outside are multiplying rapidly, their numbers growing with each passing second.