Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 192: Chapter 192 - Heartbroken

Muchen’s chest burned from running. His breath came out in ragged gulps, the weight of the machine gun digging into his shoulder. Behind him, Shoa shouted something—he couldn’t hear. The roar of the taller zombie chasing them drowned out everything.

He didn’t even turn around.

The ran towards a closed mall.

”Push it open!” Shao shouted, crashing into the entrance.

The doors burst inward under their weight. Muchen tumbled forward onto the smooth marble floor, skidding slightly as Shoa, Jai, Qiu Yue, Lu Zhi, and Hana carrying Yuki barreled in behind him.

”GO! GO!” Shoa barked, grabbing a rack from a nearby display and jamming it against the door. But the thing was still coming.

Its shadow loomed just outside the glass.

A split-second of silence.

Then—BAM!

The entire frame of the mall door shuddered as the zombie hurled itself into the glass like a battering ram.

Cracks spiderwebbed instantly across the surface.

”the escalators!” Muchen yelled, grabbing Lu Zhi’s arm and hauling him toward the unmoving escalator.

The mall was eerily silent.

Their boots pounding over spotless tiles, the heavy breaths of fear echoing off the high walls.

The tall zombie—lanky, twisted, and fast—had slipped in behind them like a shadow that couldn’t be shaken. It didn’t groan or growl like the others. It made no noise except the slap of its bare feet on the floor and the sickening sound of its joints cracking with every unnatural step.

They’d scrambled up the frozen escalator, hearts thudding. Every second stretched long.

”there...” muchen dragged everyone into a clothing store.

Now, hidden inside a dimly lit store, behind racks of dresses and mannequins dressed in spring fashion, Muchen clutched his machine gun with both hands, sweat beading on his brow. His back pressed against a shelf of jeans. His knees trembled.

Across the store’s open glass entrance, they could see the monster.

It towered over six feet, bones jutting from its shoulders, its face long and hollow. It stood still for a moment, sniffing the air, before its attention was drawn to the mannequins.

With a howl that made Muchen’s spine stiffen, the creature lunged—slamming into one of the models and tearing its plastic arm off in a frenzy.

The sound of cracking resin echoed like gunfire.

Muchen bit down hard on his lip.

He tightened his grip on his gun and began to shift up, ready to aim.

”No—wait!” Shao whispered harshly, catching his wrist. ”We need a better plan. If you shoot now, it’ll come straight for us.”

Muchen shook his head, whispering back urgently, ”I can kill it. Just one burst—”

”It’ll be too fast. Let me draw its attention first. When its back is to you—take it down.”

”What?!” Muchen’s voice was a sharp whisper of panic. ”It’ll kill you!!”

Shao didn’t flinch. He just gave a soft smile.

Before Muchen could grab him, Lu Zhi moved forward and clutched his brother’s arm tightly. His knuckles turned white.

”No,” Lu Zhi said, his voice quiet but unshakable.

The fear in his eyes was louder than any shout.

Shao looked down at him, softening. His hand rose, ruffling the younger boy’s hair gently. ”I’ll be fine,” he said with a brave smile.

But Lu Zhi shook his head, eyes shining.

”No, you won’t,” he said, his voice breaking.

Behind them, Yuki, Hana and Qiu Yue stayed crouched, silent, breathless. Jai was gripping a metal pole, eyes scanning the floor anxiously, as if measuring the steps between them and the monster.

Muchen’s heart was a war drum in his chest. He glanced down at his machine gun, then up at the flickering lights reflecting off the sleek glass of the storefront. Outside, the tall zombie had stopped attacking mannequins. It turned its head slowly, sniffing the air again.

It was getting closer.

It knew they were here.

He looked at Shao, who still looked calm despite everything. Too calm.

”No one’s dying here today,” Muchen said, his voice low and firm. ”I’ll have your back.”

He met Shao’s eyes.

And slowly—nodded.

Shao grinned just a little, and stood up quietly.

Lu Zhi caught his sleeve once more, desperately.

Shao didn’t speak. He just placed a hand over his heart and gave him a look that said trust me.

Then he stepped into the hallway.

The moment Shao stepped into the open, the temperature dropped in Muchen’s veins.

He watched, heart screaming in silence, as Shao took one slow step forward, then another—arms out, body tense, each breath measured.

The tall zombie froze.

It turned its twisted head toward the sound, and for one long, drawn-out second, predator met prey.

Then it charged.

Fast. Inhumanly fast.

Shao bolted down the hallway, skidding around a kiosk, knocking down a rolling signboard as a pathetic barrier. His foot slammed into a loose tile, and he stumbled—but didn’t stop. He sprinted for the fountain in the mall’s center.

Muchen was already on the move.

The second the zombie’s back turned, he leapt over the store’s counter, weapon raised. ”Come on...” he hissed to himself, aiming carefully. The creature was nearly on Shao.

He pulled the trigger.

Gunfire exploded, bullets flying straight into the creature’s back. It let out a distorted shriek, lurching sideways. But it didn’t fall.

It pivoted, enraged.

With one monstrous leap, it slammed into the ground in front of Shao. The shockwave threw Shao off his feet, skidding across the polished floor with a painful yell. He crashed into a bench, the metal bar cracking against his leg.

He didn’t get up.

”Shao!!” Muchen cried, voice breaking as he tried to shoot it down. But the bullets got jammed.

The monster was stalking toward Shao’s broken form now, claws dragging across the tiles with a screech. Its mouth opened wide exposing its many teeth.

Muchen ran.

He didn’t think—he just ran, dropped his gun, and threw himself forward.

His legs kicked into overdrive. His energy surged like lightning bursting through bone.

In a burst of unnatural strength, Muchen jumped—vaulting high, impossibly high. His arms locked around Shao’s waist, pulling him into his chest. And then—

They flew.

Muchen’s feet hit the metal beam of the second-floor balcony. He pulled themselves both onto the second floor panting.

A sharp pain ripped through his stomach.

His body collapsed, wheezing, arms still locked around Shao.

They were alive.

But barely.

Shao cried out in pain, leg twisted awkwardly. ”go.. just run...” he pushed muchen away but his best friend sat there frozen. ”what are you...” his eyes followed what muchen was looking at.

Muchens crotch had a few fresh bloody stains.

”no...Muchen....”

Below them, the creature roared jumping into the second floor with it’s long limbs.

A sudden voice cracked through the air.

”D-Don’t you d-dare...!”

They turned.

Hana was there, tiny and trembling at the top of the opposite escalator. Her clothes was smudged, and tears streamed down her cheeks—but her eyes held something fierce.

She stood between them and the monster with a broken clothing rack tight in her grip.

It turned slowly.

She raised her weapon knees buckling, face pale. ”P-Please... stop—s-stay away...!”

The creature snarled—and lunged.

”Hana!!” Shao screamed, trying to get up—but his body wouldn’t move.

A blur Passed by.

Suddenly, Qiu Yue was there—sprinting out of nowhere, scooping Hana into his arms just in time. He turned his back to the creature, shielding her with his body.

She buried her face in his chest, sobbing. ”I-I don’t want to diee—!”

And then—

A scream ripped through the air.

”STOP!!!”

Jai skidded in and stood in between them.

He stood in the center of the shattered hallway, hands raised. His whole body trembled.

The ground beneath him cracked. The tiles split apart with a deafening CRACK, shattering like glass.

And then it happened.

Stone erupted from the floor—jagged, twisting spears that burst upward like a blooming deathtrap.

They pierced the monster’s limbs, its gut, its spine.

It shrieked in agony, trapped—its body twitching violently, held in place by dozens of razor-sharp stone pillars that jutted up from the earth like a forest of spears.

Everything fell silent.

Jai stood there, panting, eyes wide, glowing a soft, earthy brown.

The light faded slowly.

”Did... did you guys see that?” he whispered, voice trembling. He ran up Muchen and Shao. ”that was cool yeah,” he tried to lift up Muchen but the man sat there frozen. ”what’s wrong? are you hurt...”

Shao gestured for him to be silent. He gently cupped Muchens face and made him look at him. ”Muchen...”

Muchen’s breath hitched. He looked down.

His pants were wet with blood.

With a trembling hand, he touched the stain near his crotch. His fingers came back red.

”My baby...” he whispered. His voice cracked. ”Shao... my baby...”

Tears spilled over without warning. He couldn’t stop them, couldn’t hold them back.

”What have I done....” He curled forward, pressing a hand to his stomach like he could hold something in. ”My baby...my poor baby”

His heart wrenching sobs echoed throughout the empty mall