Chapter 208: Help Us
Chapter 208: Help Us
Liu Yuan opens the panoramic sunroof. Before another wave of zombies can swarm them, she picks up Hengheng and shouts from inside the car:
"Anran, help us!"
The ground is covered in lilies, making it difficult for Hengheng to move. Seeing this, Anran nods and waves him over.
"Come here. These lilies won’t hurt you."
Liu Yuan sighs in relief, sets Hengheng down on the car, and urges him,
"Climb down and go to Aunt Anran."
But Hengheng twists his body and wails, "Mom! Mom!"
Growing desperate, Liu Yuan slaps him hard, her voice trembling. "There’s no time for this! If you don’t leave now, we’ll all die here!"
"Mom! Mom! I want Mom!"
The slap only makes Hengheng cling to her tighter, his tiny arms wrapped around her like a vice. Liu Yuan struggles to pry him off but fails.
Yun Tao, his face pale, climbs out of the sunroof with a grave expression. "Hurry up! I’ll cover you. Take Hengheng and go!"
As he speaks, a zombie lunges onto the car, reaching for Hengheng. Without hesitation, Yun Tao throws a punch, knocking it aside. The zombie tumbles into the lilies and is instantly devoured.
But before it is fully consumed, two more zombies clamber over their fallen companion, closing in fast. Yun Tao draws a knife from his boot, slashing left and right, carving a path for Liu Yuan and Hengheng.
Liu Yuan wastes no time. She scoops Hengheng into her arms, climbs out of the sunroof, and tumbles into the lilies.
Just then, a zombie lunges at Hengheng.
Without thinking, Liu Yuan throws her arm in front of him.
Teeth sink into her flesh, ripping away fabric and skin. Agony shoots through her, but before the zombie can do more damage, the lilies swallow it whole.
Liu Yuan grits her teeth, hoisting Hengheng up and scrambling toward the escalator. Yun Tao shields them as they climb.
Meanwhile, Anran sits in the middle of the escalator, swaying dizzily, waiting for them to reach her.
It isn’t that she lacks strength—she has simply burned through all the crystal cores she has gathered. Even the ones Little Mint has collected for her are gone. She is running on empty, overdrawing her own energy.
And yet… something feels off.
Her powers are depleting faster than before, yet flowing out more smoothly. A single crystal core’s energy is no longer enough for even one use of her ability. She needs to absorb a large quantity to fuel her powers. The more she uses, the more she needs.
No matter how fast she gathers crystal cores, it isn’t enough to keep up with how quickly she burns through them.
She has miscalculated. She hasn’t stockpiled enough before the fight. But can she really blame herself? Liu Yuan’s sudden charge has left her no time to prepare.
Now, she is stuck on the escalator. Most zombies are still below, but only a handful manage to squeeze onto the steps.
If she wants more crystal cores, she’ll have to go down and collect them herself.
But with so many zombies crowding the first floor, descending in her weakened state would be suicidal. It’s better to wait for Yun Tao, Liu Yuan, and Hengheng to reach her first. Then, she can come up with a better plan.
Yun Tao, gripping Liu Yuan with one hand, hoists Hengheng up with the other. Without hesitation, he grabs Anran as well and, with Liu Yuan following behind, they all rush up to the second floor.
—
[Author’s Note:]
The reunion is coming in just a few more Chapters! Thank you for sticking with me. To tell a complete and immersive story, I need to lay down the proper foreshadowing and details—so bear with me as I piece everything together! I appreciate your patience, and I promise to do my best. Let’s keep going together! 💪