Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Little Girl from the Previous Life

"Alright, let's take a look."
Chen Yi nodded, signaling his team to prepare to move forward.
"Stick with us. Don't rush ahead, but don't lag too far behind. Understand?" Lu Kai instructed.
The crew member nodded repeatedly, nervously following behind the group.
They moved slowly, carefully avoiding any potential traps.
Not far ahead, another eerie noise echoed from the darkness.
At the corner, everyone halted, adjusting their breathing.
As Chen Yi peered out, his expression suddenly changed; his hand holding the blade trembled slightly.
"Stop!"
At his command, the group froze.
Lu Kai frowned, asking, "What's wrong?"
"There are piles of zombies up ahead."
"We can't go any further."
Chen Yi pointed, his gaze filled with a deep sense of foreboding.
The others tensed, obediently retreating, their eyes fixed on the narrow passage ahead.
Only then did they notice the shadows of zombie hordes writhing in the dim light.
"Too many..."
A team member murmured, his hands trembling.
Chen Yi gave a resolute order: "Fall back, retreat first!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, cautiously retracing their steps.
Chen Yi, however, walked over to the wall beside the passage, paused in thought, then tapped the wall gently with the handle of his knife.
"Boss, what are you doing?" Lu Kai asked, puzzled.
"Drawing their attention. We wait for them to come out, then clear them out at the exit."
Chen Yi explained.
Upon hearing this, the others withdrew to a safe spot in small groups, watching his actions.
The tapping echoed down the passage, quickly attracting the zombies, who rushed toward the source of the sound.
"Be ready. Once they all come out, we'll have a better chance to slaughter them at the exit."
"Don't let a single one escape!"
Chen Yi reminded his teammates behind him.
As the zombies drew closer, Chen Yi's heart began to race—not from fear, but from excitement.
His fingers gripped the knife handle tightly, eyes brimming with murderous intent.
Sure enough, the zombies swarmed, madly attacking the wall.

The biting stench grew stronger as their snarls approached.
Seeing the moment was right, Chen Yi shouted, "Go!"
He led everyone out of danger, sprinting toward the distant exit.
Tension filled the air; the sounds of their footsteps mingled with the rise and fall of their breaths.
Outside, the space was open, and once they escaped, they launched a counterattack.
Chen Yi wielded his double-bladed knife, slicing through several pursuing zombies with unstoppable force.
The others fought valiantly as well, carving a bloody path through the horde.
"Good thing it's more spacious out here, otherwise we'd really be in trouble," Lu Kai panted.
"If the interior had been too cramped, handling these zombies would've been much harder."
"But we have to hurry and clear them out; only then can we move forward," Chen Yi nodded, his hands never slowing.
Each swing of his blade spilled blood and severed zombie heads.
For half an hour, they fought fiercely, finally eradicating this wave of zombies.
The wind carried the scent of blood and decay, but everyone felt a slight sense of relief.
"Back into the cabin. It should be much cleaner this time."
Chen Yi signaled, knife in hand.
Re-entering the cabin, they found only a few scattered zombies remaining.
Chen Yi led the team to dispatch them with ease, then continued to explore the lower decks.
"The ship's structure is intact; there might be survivors,"
Chen Yi whispered, cautioning everyone not to miss any sound.
As they reached the lowest level, a faint sound suddenly came from nearby—it was as if a little girl was crying.
"Did you hear that?"
"That sound... it's a little girl!"
Lu Kai listened intently, then stopped in place.
Chen Yi felt a stir in his heart. He hadn't heard it as clearly, but trusted Lu Kai's judgment.
"Your hearing is impressive,"
He patted Lu Kai's shoulder in praise.
"Haha."
"Feels like my ears have gotten sharper lately," Lu Kai replied with a self-conscious smile, rubbing his ear.
Chen Yi nodded, saying, "Next time there's a chance for an ability upgrade, you'll have your turn."
He then looked at the other teammates, adding, "Don't worry. Everyone will have the same opportunity."

The team was excited by this.
They had long hoped to have their own weapons like Chen Yi and Hu Sanhan, and perhaps even gain their own enhancements.
Knowing they too had a chance, they all began to look forward to it.
After all, the stronger one's own abilities, the greater the chance of survival.
In the previous life, two or three months into the apocalypse, those who hadn't received the initial Disaster Roulette still got rewards and opportunities to enhance themselves.
Chen Yi had gained his abilities at that time, but it was already too late.
Those who received upgrades in the later stages were destined never to become the top tier.
Yet, even the second group to gain enhancements were significantly strengthened.
If one missed the second stage, by the third, they'd truly fall farther and farther behind the high-level combatants.
"The sound is coming from over here."
Now, Lu Kai heard the voice more clearly and walked toward an inconspicuous corner, stepping lightly to avoid making any noise.
Chen Yi and the others followed closely, slowing their pace.
The dim corridor stretched deep into the ship; broken debris and mangled bodies littered the floor.
The air was thick with the stench of rot, the chaotic scene unsettling to all.
Yet Chen Yi remained calm, eyes fixed ahead.
They reached an area piled with crates, where Lu Kai listened again.
Confirming the sound came from here, he asked softly, "Is anyone there?"
No answer came—only faint sobs in reply.
Chen Yi stepped forward, frowning.
He disliked wasting time, so without hesitation, he moved forward.
"I'll handle it."
He began to shift the mountain of crates.
When he moved the topmost crate, a little girl's head slowly rose.
She looked eight or nine years old, her face streaked with tears, yet a hint of resilience shone through her small features.
Chen Yi stared at her in surprise, a wave of emotion rising within him: "In the previous life, that little girl... who later became renowned and admired by all!"
A strange sense of destiny filled him.
He remembered clearly: this very girl was said to have gained three rewards from the first Disaster Roulette—a hawk gene, a pair of miraculous white wings, and a dart she could control with her mind.
Once she mastered her abilities, she became a nightmare for zombies.
With just herself and her flying dart, she carved a path through swarming hordes.