Chapter 23: Rescuing the Survivors

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Lu Yao swiftly turned his gun over and fired a precise shot to the head. Dark green fluid splattered out, emitting a foul stench that filled the air. He frowned in disgust, expertly swapped the magazine, then turned back to Jiang Qiyu with eyes shining like a proud puppy. “Pretty impressive, right?”

Before Jiang Qiyu could respond, Zhang Qiang beat her to it, grinning broadly as he approached Lu Yao and gave a thumbs-up. “Impressive! Absolutely incredible! Lu Bro’s marksmanship is just amazing! Even better than the boss!” He had always thought Lu Yao was just a freeloader, but now he saw just how formidable he really was. This kind of shooting skill was nothing short of divine! He realized he had been shortsighted and resolved to treat Lu Yao with more respect from now on—who knew when he might have to rely on him to save his life.

With the entire horde of corpses cleared out, Jiang Qiyu issued orders to Zhang Qiang and the others: “Secure the area and bring all survivors inside.”

Outside, the survivors, who had been on the brink of despair, were stunned to find that help had truly arrived.

Barely clinging to life, they supported one another and staggered toward the villa, grateful to have survived.

Seeing Jiang Qiyu at the villa’s entrance was like witnessing the dawn breaking after a long night. The joy of survival and gratitude toward Jiang Qiyu overwhelmed them, leaving them nearly speechless with emotion.

“Thank you! Thank you!” A middle-aged woman clutched Jiang Qiyu’s hand tightly, overcome with tears, unable to speak clearly, her vision blurred by sobs. “Thank you for saving us! Without you, we’d be dead by now!” A young man knelt before Jiang Qiyu, repeatedly bowing his head in thanks, mumbling, “Thank you, thank you…” An elderly man beside him trembled as he reached out, eyes filled with admiration and gratitude, tears streaming down his face. “A living Bodhisattva! Truly a living Bodhisattva! Young man, you must repay her kindness well,” he urged the youth.

The young man nodded fervently, choking up. “I will, absolutely! You are our lifesaver!” A child clung tightly to Jiang Qiyu’s leg, crying out, “Sister, thank you, thank you…” The child’s pure gratitude touched everyone around even more deeply.

“We… we have no way to repay you…”

The young man was overwhelmed by emotion, clutching Jiang Qiyu’s hand as if grasping the very hope of life or a blessing from the heavens, words tumbling out incoherently: “Thank you, thank you… we will definitely…”

Tears glistened in their eyes as the rescued people filed into the villa. Jiang Qiyu instructed Li Dalin to count the survivors and record their information.

Her gaze swept the group and settled on a young man dressed relatively cleanly in traditional attire. Though somewhat weary, he was in far better condition than the others. He cradled a young mother and a swaddled infant in his arms.

“You look to be in good shape,” Jiang Qiyu said, approaching him with a hint of curiosity.

The man hesitated briefly before offering a shy smile. “Ah, I’m not sure how to explain it… the zombies seem to sometimes not notice me—they just pass right by.”

Jiang Qiyu raised an eyebrow in surprise. Could this man have awakened the ability to become invisible? She calmly pressed on, “What’s your name?”

Quickly, he answered, “My name is Shi Chao. I’m an actor.” He paused, adding, “Before the apocalypse, that is.”

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“An actor?” Jiang Qiyu observed his outfit, which looked like he had just stepped off a film set.

Shi Chao scratched his head awkwardly. “I never had any major roles, mostly small parts. But I worked hard, hoping someday to star as the lead.”

Jiang Qiyu said nothing further, glanced around, and seeing Li Dalin had finished the registration, told Shi Chao, “Go register for now. We’ll talk more later.”

Shi Chao nodded and carried the child and mother toward Li Dalin.

Silently, Jiang Qiyu activated her investigation skill.

Name: Shi Chao
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Loyalty: 7
Strength: 5
Speed: 7
Burst: 6
Spirit: 18
Personality: Calm
Skill: Thousand Faces (Beginner) – Can alter appearance and aura, blending seamlessly into the environment.

Indeed, he was a supernatural ability user! And this skill… seemed like a treasure. She intended to speak more with Shi Chao.

Just then, Lu Yao approached, unable to hide his pride, like a curious cat. He first brushed lightly against Jiang Qiyu’s shoulder, his bright eyes sparkling with anticipation, then eagerly asked, “How did I do just now?” He lifted his chin slightly, clearly waiting for her praise. His tousled hair swayed softly with the motion.

Jiang Qiyu hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand and let her fingertips gently pass through his soft, fluffy hair. Lu Yao’s hair was even softer than she had imagined, slipping through her fingers and leaving a warm sensation. That feeling was both strange and familiar, stirring an indescribable ripple in her heart.

Lu Yao’s abilities were indeed formidable, and his marksmanship—precise and ruthless—was nothing a normal person could possess. More importantly, his power to regenerate severed limbs…

Jiang Qiyu recalled someone she had known in a past life who possessed a phoenix-like rebirth ability. No matter how severe the injuries, he could recover fully, and his flesh could cure all diseases. Because of this, he had been locked away in a laboratory since childhood, used as a test subject, repeatedly cut, but his healing speed only grew faster. However, his flesh had no effect on people who had turned into zombies.

In his quest for revenge against humanity, that man had deliberately allowed himself to be bitten by zombies, retaining his human consciousness to infiltrate bases and secretly infect humans, becoming the number one enemy of all the bases.

But this Lu Yao before her was pure as white paper, his clear eyes full of innocence and wonder, every gesture imbued with naive charm. The killer from her memories, on the other hand, radiated terrifying malice, with fierce eyes and ruthless methods—like a bloodthirsty beast.

These two were completely different, like two separate people. Could it be just a coincidence?

Suddenly, Li Dalin hurriedly approached, running with anxiety. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breathing grew rapid, and his face showed unmistakable terror. He nearly stumbled as he reached Jiang Qiyu, catching himself just in time.

Catching his breath, pale as death, eyes wild with fear and urgency, he stammered, “Boss! Bad news! Someone in the crowd… has been bitten by a zombie!”

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