Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 128: Chapter 128 - Lu Zhi

Muchen squinted, trying to get a better look at the boy standing on the balcony across the courtyard.

He was young—probably around sixteen or seventeen—wearing a wrinkled school uniform stained with sweat and grime. His face was pale under the dim sunlight, but his eyes were desperate, hopeful.

”Hey! We’re here!” the boy shouted, waving both arms frantically.

Shao, who had been bracing against the door with Muchen, turned sharply toward the window, his heart pounding. His breath hitched with hope—Was it him? Was his brother still alive?

But the moment his gaze landed on the unfamiliar face, that hope shattered.

His hands clenched into fists as a hollow feeling settled in his chest.

Not him.

Not his brother.

A dull sense of dread replaced the rush of adrenaline, weighing heavily in his stomach.

The boy didn’t seem to notice Shao’s reaction. His head turned slightly, calling back to someone hidden behind the tall balcony railing. ”There are other people here!”

Muchen narrowed his eyes, trying to count the number of figures shifting in the shadows behind him.

The boy turned back. ”Did you come to save us? The others are all dead.”

His voice was flat when he said that. Almost too calm.

Muchen swallowed hard. How many had they lost? How long had they been trapped here, watching their classmates die?

Beside him, Shao barely breathed. He looked gutted.

Muchen exhaled sharply, pushing the tension aside. They couldn’t waste time.

”Which class are you guys from?!” he shouted.

The boy looked over his shoulder before turning back. ”12A and 12B... and a few from 10A.”

Shao’s body tensed beside him.

Muchen caught the movement and turned quickly. ”Shao?”

Shao’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, his grip tightening on the crowbar.

”...My brother’s in 12B.”

Muchen’s heartbeat spiked.

He turned back toward the balcony.

”Hey! 12B—who’s there?! Give me names!”

The boy blinked, startled by the sudden urgency in his voice. He hesitated, glancing behind him.

A few murmurs rose from the unseen group behind the balcony wall. A moment later, another voice—softer, nervous—called out:

”...Zhao Wei. Guo Lin. And—”

A brief pause.

Then, finally—

”Lu Zhi.”

Lu Shao let out a shaky exhale.

His fingers trembled around the broken table leg, his entire body going rigid.

His brother was alive. Alive.

The crushing fear that had been eating away at him since the outbreak—the thought of never finding Shao Zhi again, of him being one of them—finally lifted, if only slightly.

But they weren’t safe yet.

The kids were on the other side of the building, and between them was a shitload of undead.

Shao turned to Muchen, urgency thick in his voice. ”We have to get to him.”

Muchen didn’t hesitate. ”Hold the door. I’ll check for a way out.”

Shao braced himself against the classroom entrance, pressing his weight against it as muffled thumps and scratches echoed from the other side.

Muchen rushed to the window and peered down.

They were on the second floor. Below them, the basketball court stretched out—enclosed by tall chain link fence. No zombies inside.

But outside...

A small horde was already clawing at the mesh, their decomposed fingers tearing through the rusted wires. Their soulless eyes stared upward, as if sensing fresh prey.

Muchen clenched his jaw.

they can’t jump. it was hard ground down below.

If they tried, they’d break something—an ankle, a leg, maybe worse.

The courts exit led directly to the other courtyard’s stairwell. If they could get down there somehow they could get to Shao zhi.

But if they weren’t faster they’d be trapped in the court like rats, with no way out when the fence eventually gave in.

Shao’s voice was sharp. ”Well?!”

Muchen shook his head. ”We can’t jump! It’s too high!”

Shao cursed under his breath, his mind racing. ”Then we fight our way through?”

Muchen’s stomach twisted.

The undead were getting louder, their moans growing in number. The hallway outside was full of them—too many. If they rushed in headfirst, there was no guarantee they’d make it.

There had to be another way.

His gaze flicked across the room, scanning for anything useful.

His heart stopped. his eyes fell on the fluttering curtains.

”...Rope,” he muttered.

Shao frowned. ”What?”

Muchen turned, pointing to the curtains. ”The fabric—it’s thick enough. We can tie them together and climb down.”

Shao’s eyes widened. He let out a shaky laugh, wiping at his damp eyes. ”Fuck. You’re a genius.”

They didn’t waste time.

Muchen yanked down the heavy curtains, tearing them into long, sturdy strips. Shao helped, knotting them together into a makeshift rope. It wasn’t perfect, but it would hold.

Outside, the zombies were growing restless. The door was creaking behind them. the lock on the door was groaning.

Shao secured the rope around a sturdy weighted table’s leg, tugging hard to test its strength. He made sure to tie it to many other tables as well making it as strong as possible.

Muchen swallowed, glancing back at the trembling door. ”You go first. I’ll cover you.”

Shao shook his head. ”No way. I’m not leaving you behind.”

Muchen’s gaze softened for just a moment. ”You won’t. I’ll be right behind you.”

Shao hesitated.

Then—finally—he nodded.

Gripping the rope tightly, he swung himself over the window ledge and started his descent.

The curtain rope creaked under his weight, but it held. His hands burned as he slid down, but the second his feet hit the ground, he looked up.

Muchen was already about to climb down after him.

Then—

A loud bang echoed from behind.

The classroom door burst open.

The undead poured in.

Muchen barely had time to react before one of them lunged.

Shao’s breath caught in his throat.

”MUCHEN!!”

It was as if time had slowed down.

Shao watched, heart pounding, as Muchen lost his grip. His body slid down the rope, uncontrolled, falling.

No!

Shao moved on instinct, every muscle in his body tensing with an energy he didn’t understand. His limbs felt electric, charged, alive. He leaped forward, arms outstretched—he was going to catch him.

But just as Muchen was about to land in his grasp—

He stopped.

Mid-air.

Shao froze.

Muchen was floating.

His body hovered just inches above Shao’s waiting arms, curled up like a shrimp—his arms wrapped around his stomach in a protective grip. His face was tense, his eyes squeezed shut, his breath coming in short, harsh gasps.

Shao’s hands lowered, trembling.

What... what the hell?

A stunned silence stretched between them.

Muchen didn’t seem to notice—his body shivered, his chest rising and falling rapidly, as if something inside him was fighting to break free.

Then, slowly, he opened his eyes.

Shao felt his breath catch.

They weren’t black.

They weren’t human.

A brilliant gold glowed in Muchen’s irises—unnatural, intense, piercing.

A shiver ran down Shao’s spine.

Muchen blinked, dazed, as if only now realizing what was happening. His eyes widened slightly, flicking around in confusion. Then, his gaze landed on Shao.

”...I’m floating.”

His voice was hoarse, disbelieving.

Shao swallowed. ”Yeah.”

Muchen stiffened, his breath hitching. His arms tightened around his stomach—like he was afraid to let go.

”What the hell...” his voice came out as a whisper.

Shao had no answers.

Neither did Muchen.

But there was no time to figure it out.

Above them, the classroom was now overrun. Zombies leaned out of the broken window, their rotting hands grasping at empty air, their moans growing louder.

Shao snapped back to reality. ”Muchen—drop down! We have to move!”

Muchen looked at him, panic flickering in his golden eyes.

”I—I don’t know how!”

Shao cursed. Of course. If Muchen could control it, he wouldn’t be stuck in the air like an idiot.

”Then just—stop whatever you’re doing!” Shao shouted.

”I’m not doing anything!” Muchen shouted back.

A beat.

Then—like a switch was flipped—

Gravity returned.

Muchen dropped like a rock.

Shao lunged forward and caught him, the impact sending them both tumbling onto the ground.

Muchen groaned. ”Ow.”

Shao grunted, pushing himself up. ”You’re heavy as shit.”

Muchen ignored him, his face still pale, one hand pressed tightly to his stomach.

His fingers trembled.

Shao frowned. ”Are you okay?”

Muchen didn’t answer.

He was still staring at his hands.

The glow in his eyes had faded—but Shao could still feel it. Something had changed.

Something was very, very wrong.

But before they could process it—

A loud crash echoed from behind.

The zombies had spilled out of the classroom.

Shao snapped back into focus. ”Shit—RUN!”

Muchen shook himself awake and bolted after him.

They dashed to the gate, sadly it was licked from outside. ”fuck! Stand back.” Shao slammed the lock with his table leg through the huge holes in the chain link fence. The Lock broke after a few attempts. They both threw open the door and took a mad dash towards the stairwell. Muchen had lost his weapon now. All he could do was stumble along behind Shao who was dealing with the undead ahead of him.