Chapter 102: Delay

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“There are people all around. If they get bitten by those creatures, they’ll be infected with the virus and turn into zombies,” Liang Bing said, struggling to understand Yi Chen’s approach.

“Come with me,” Yi Chen said, leading Liang Bing into a quiet alley. Actions speak louder than words, and no explanation could compare to seeing it for herself.

He connected to the mental network and issued commands to a nearby bobcat.

Soon, the bobcat appeared on a low wall not far away and gracefully jumped down in a few light steps.

Startled, Liang Bing instinctively took a few steps back. It was her first time seeing such a creature up close.

“Don’t worry. The bobcats are obedient. They’re my extended senses, responsible for scouting within the inner city. My own perception is limited, so having them is much more convenient,” Yi Chen explained.

Liang Bing relaxed slightly and studied the bobcat carefully, her impression of it as a bloodthirsty monster shifting drastically.

This bobcat looked calm. It wasn’t originally black, but after being infected by the virus, it mutated; its fur lost its luster, though faint patterns were still visible.

Girls love cats, and Liang Bing was no exception.

After observing for a few minutes, she hesitated and reached out her hand. The bobcat seemed to understand her intention, slowly approaching and standing at her feet.

Liang Bing touched its head—it was cold and stiff—but between them there was a fundamental connection that brought her a bittersweet sense of familiarity.

Neither the cat nor she had control over what they had become.

Her long, blue, seaweed-like curls fell over her face as she murmured dreamily, “We’re monsters too. Monsters paired with monsters—isn’t that fitting?”

“Don’t say nonsense. We’re not monsters. We’re stronger than ordinary people. This is a form of evolution,” Yi Chen said, bending down to ruffle her thick hair. He had always used this trick whenever his sister Yi Lin spoke pessimistically.

Liang Bing hadn’t expected this gesture from Yi Chen, so she looked up at him, stunned.

She was surprised. Though both were infected, her mental resilience was far weaker than his.

He could calmly accept everything now, good or bad. As for her, she could see no path forward and sometimes sank into the torment of self-pity.

Since gaining her powers on the day the black rain fell from the sky, she didn’t know what she was meant to do or how to find her place.

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Ling Zhe and Ling Lan had taken her in, so she followed them. Later, after meeting Yi Chen and the others, she simply carried out the tasks assigned to her without extra thoughts.

However, during this process, she gradually became concerned about Yi Chen: would he lose control, abandon his humanity, and become as ruthless and cold as a zombie?

She feared losing the Yi Chen she first knew, but now her feelings had eased somewhat.

It was just wishful thinking—more precisely, a selfish notion.

The future was his path alone. Once he made his decision, no one could influence it.

She thought that even if Yi Chen were to fall into hell someday, as an infected person herself, she would never stand against him. In that light, her path was clear: to follow him.

If her mind wasn’t strong enough, then she would rely on him—there was nothing wrong with that.

“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?” Yi Chen asked, seeing Liang Bing staring at him. He wiped his mouth, thinking maybe his image was ruined earlier when he and Lu Yu ate skewers.

Liang Bing smiled faintly and shook her head.

“Hey, you actually smiled! Has the sun risen from the west today?” Yi Chen teased with a smile.

Liang Bing was four or five years older than Yi Lin, but small in stature. Yi Chen habitually treated this little girl beside him like a younger sister. Seeing her happy made him glad.

Just as Liang Bing was about to speak, Yi Chen suddenly grew serious and stared in a certain direction.

“What’s wrong?”

“The bobcat has made a discovery.”

“Is it a lurker?”

“Yeah. Want to come and check it out? Be my right-hand.”

“Of course,” Liang Bing agreed without hesitation. This invitation meant more than a simple request to her. If Yi Chen needed her, she would follow him forever.

The bobcat’s signal came from several blocks away—an underground parking garage beneath a commercial building.

Yi Chen loathed the lurkers’ style of hit-and-run. He wished he could find an open space to fight them to the death.

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As it turned out, they had arrived too late. Inside the parking garage were several business and passenger cars crushed underfoot. Torn clothing and bloodstains marked the ground, but this time, there were no obvious signs like severed limbs or scattered flesh.

Judging by the freshness of the blood, the victims had likely fallen recently.

“There were about five or six people here,” Liang Bing guessed based on the lingering scent.

Unlike the scenes at Future Pharmaceuticals headquarters and Eastern Time Apartments last night, which resembled wanton massacres, this was the aftermath of a meal.

Moreover, the lurker ate rather cleanly—not even a finger was left.

“If that’s its usual appetite, it’s astonishing,” Yi Chen mused. Given that it was only slightly larger than an ordinary person, he couldn’t understand how it had fit five or six people inside its belly.

“With such a big belly, it probably can’t move far...” Yi Chen focused his perception but found no lurker. Instead, he sensed many people heading toward the parking garage.

Yi Chen quickly dragged Liang Bing away from the exit.

Only the two of them were at the scene. If discovered, they would be unable to explain themselves. Even if Zhou Shiwen eventually secured their release, being falsely implicated would be deeply unpleasant.

As dusk fell, the day ended fruitlessly. Twice the lurker had slipped away, leaving Yi Chen frustrated.

It seemed to mock him deliberately, always achieving its goals while trying to frame Yi Chen.

And this was only the first day. He needed to brace himself mentally.

After stationing bobcat scouts along Victory Avenue, Yi Chen still wasn’t at ease. If he left, the lurker might strike back at his family, and even if he sensed it, he wouldn’t arrive in time to save them.

After some thought, he called Zhou Shiwen, who agreed to arrange new accommodations nearby for him and his team.

About an hour later, Zhou Zihao led a team in several black cars to pick up Ling Lan, Bai Ge, and the others. They stayed at a hotel just across the street from Victory Avenue.

Cheng Xianglong and Wang Lu were also brought over, and everyone embraced warmly.

Though they hadn’t been apart long, in this apocalypse where unexpected events could happen at any moment, reuniting safely was the greatest hope for all.