C1 Chapter 1

"Roar!" A sharp wooden spike pierced her foot, sending waves of pain throughout her body. As Jiang Ruan looked up, she was assaulted by a thick, putrid stench. Five or six zombies lunged at her simultaneously.

Frustration! Shame! The events of the past fortnight played vividly in her mind. She seethed with hatred for the heartless souls who had ushered in the apocalypse, and even more for her own helplessness.

Tripped by a stake, she tumbled into the pitch-black forest, enveloped by fear. Crawling in terror, Jiang Ruan hadn't expected to find tears still within her.

Behind her, a horde of zombies pinned her to the ground as she fought to rise. She could almost feel the burning hunger and desire within them.

Simultaneously, she felt her arm being savagely torn off. The zombies gnawed at her flesh, the scent of blood washing over her in waves.

Tears mingled with blood trickled down her neck as she lay drenched in crimson. She opened her eyes wide in defiance; she still had her younger brother, her only kin in this world.

A searing heat enveloped her, followed by an icy chill that coursed through her body before darkness claimed her consciousness...

Time lost meaning until Jiang Ruan's awareness slowly returned.

"Roar!" The familiar sound was close by. She thought death was imminent, but why was her body so rigid?

She tried to move her fingers, her mind feeling as if it would burst. An uncontrollable craving surged within her.

She thirsted for blood.

She was back in the forest where she had fled in panic. Darkness surrounded her, a sinister aura emanating from every direction. The zombies' footsteps seemed to threaten to shatter the earth as they advanced towards her.

A dark mass swayed, their yellow saliva dripping down, exuding the stench of decay. Panic gripped Jiang Ruan. Ignoring her body's stiffness, she attempted to rise but collapsed back to the ground.

Fear engulfed her, and she found herself nearly encircled by the relentless undead.

Was she really about to face death once more? The thought was unbearable. Resentment, rage, and despair surged through her, overwhelming every inch of her being.

In the midst of her emotional turmoil, Jiang Ruan's mind drifted back to the days before the end of the world.

Back then, she was simply a child from a typical working-class family, with loving parents and a mischievous little brother. Once her brother left for university in B City, it was just her and her parents together in S City.

But as the apocalypse struck, she was on her way to school with her parents to pick up some clothes. In her junior year of university, she had been focused on preparing for graduate exams, never imagining that stepping out of her home would mean walking into the apocalypse that had everyone trembling in fear.

They had managed to flee back home, where they endured days of agonizing and desperate waiting for rescue. They witnessed too many once-living beings turn into horrific walking dead, and the night was filled with the sounds of soul-piercing screams.

When the food ran out and hunger loomed, her parents made the selfless decision to venture out in search of sustenance for her.

The following morning, Jiang Ruan awoke to an empty house. As she approached the door to search for them, the peephole revealed the horrifying sight of her parents, now monstrous creatures.

In that moment, Jiang Ruan realized she was utterly alone, her only remaining relative her distant brother in B City. Her resolve to live, her entire will to survive, was fueled by the thought of her long-unseen brother.

Yet, had it not been for that vile group she encountered, she wouldn't be in this wretched state.

With dangers lurking ahead and predators closing in from behind, she vowed that even if she were damned to an eternity without peace, she would drag those responsible down with her.

The roar that pierced the sky snapped Jiang Ruan back to reality. With fierce determination, she fought to rise to her feet.