Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

Xie Ning threw up a Golden Shield to block the Fireball and Wind Vortex, and without a word, flung out several golden cones.

As they moved to dodge, a patch of metal spikes suddenly shot up from the ground.

Caught off guard, the Wind and Fire Ability Users screamed in pain as the Metal Spikes pierced the soles of their feet.

The Fire Ability User failed to dodge the golden cones; a volley of them nailed him in the neck, killing him on the spot.

The Wind Ability User was faster. After dodging the golden cones, he glanced down with lingering fear at his blood-soaked foot.

But at that exact moment, several Ice Blades, glinting with a cold white light, were already upon him, slitting his throat without preamble.

With a look of disbelief, the Wind Ability User turned toward the cold-faced Song You’ai. He raised a hand to his neck but couldn’t stop the blood that gushed out as he crumpled to the ground.

The last remaining Speed Ability User saw that his boss and the others were all but dead. He turned on his heel and bolted.

Suddenly, the mustached butler moved with incredible speed.

His fist landed heavily on the Speed Ability User’s chest, sending the fleeing man flying in the opposite direction. He crashed onto the ravaged lawn, breaking three ribs on impact...

Then, the mustached butler, once again smiling with his hands clasped before him, gave a slight nod to the astonished Song You’ai, Song Youzhi, and the others.

”Old Wang, Old Wang, don’t die!” Ji Taixian’s funeral-like wail echoed from inside the house.

Xie Ning formed several Metal Spikes between her fingers and sent them flying one by one toward Zhang Zhennong.

”You’re just a Second Order Gold Element! You can’t even dream of piercing my Third Rank defense!” Zhang Zhennong howled, yet his body rolled with surprising speed, allowing him to dodge several Metal Spikes.

But the last two pierced through his legs.

He froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. ”How? How can you do that?”

”Argh!” Two more Metal Spikes pierced his lower abdomen and waist in succession.

Xie Ning stared at him coldly. ”Tell your men to bring Yu Tianfeng here. For every minute you delay, I’ll put another hole in you!”

”Aargh!” A Metal Spike pierced his left shoulder.

Zhang Zhennong looked up and realized the Metal Spikes that had pierced his body were also driven deep into the ground, pinning him in place.

A river of blood was already flowing from beneath him.

His earlier arrogance completely gone, Zhang Zhennong was now frantic. He frantically waved at his trembling henchmen, ”Go! Go to the lab and get Dr. Yu!”

”You have five minutes, tops!”

Shaking, Zhang Zhennong fumbled in his pocket for a key and threw it to his men. ”Hurry!”

”Xie Ning, you’re Third Rank?” Zhang Zhennong stared at her, his face a mask of shock. ”How? When did your Gold Element reach the Third Rank?”

Xie Ning coated her hands in metal and landed two heavy punches, knocking out one of his teeth. ”Whether or not I’ve reached the Third Rank, and when I did it, is none of your damn business.”

Zhang Zhennong howled, his mouth full of blood. He glared at Xie Ning with bulging eyes, staring so intensely it was as if he wanted to burn a bloody hole right through her face.

Xie Ning drove a Metal Spike into him three inches below his navel.

The man’s body seized in pain, and he let out a squeal like a stuck pig.

”One minute has passed,” the young woman said, her red lips pursed. The four words she spoke were utterly chilling.

”No, you can’t... you can’t torture me like this! I—I’m the base commander’s son! I... ARGH!” Zhang Zhennong let out another wretched scream.

Five minutes later, a truck arrived. The henchmen got out, followed by a truckload of soldiers.

Zhao Jianjun was stunned by the carnage. ”Miss Xie?!”

A faint, cold smile touched Xie Ning’s lips. She stared at Zhang Zhennong, who was glaring and baring his teeth at her. ”So this is your choice?”

”Excellent. You’re really something else,” Xie Ning said, and with a reverse thrust, she drove a golden cone deep into the hollow of Zhang Zhennong’s shoulder, burying it almost to the hilt.

”AAAAARGH!”

Zhao Jianjun watched as the bloody figure on the ground convulsed violently. His body seemed to be pinned firmly to the lawn by several Metal Spikes, making it impossible for him to break free no matter how much he struggled.

”M-Miss Xie... what you’re doing is too inhumane!”

”Inhumane?” Xie Ning sneered. ”Squad Leader Zhao, are you telling me to be humane to a gang of thugs who broke into my home, ready to rape, pillage, and commit every atrocity imaginable?”

”Does that make any sense to you?”

”But, Miss Xie...”

”Zhao Jianjun!” Xie Ning’s tone turned ice-cold. ”I haven’t made a move against you and your men out of respect for Gu Chen and Lu Wei. You’d best leave now. Don’t get dragged into the muck of this base.”

”Right now, no one can stop me, Xie Ning, from killing who I want to kill!”

”Let me go! Let go!” Yu Tianfeng suddenly pushed through the crowd, violently shaking off Dr. Wei’s hand. He rushed over, shouting, ”What’s going on?”

”You weren’t being held captive?” Xie Ning glanced up at Yu Tianfeng.

”Captive? Who would dare hold me captive! I’d poison them to death.” Yu Tianfeng’s eyes narrowed.

”Xiao Yu!” Song You’ai ran over, crying.

”Aunt Song, what’s going on? Don’t cry. Tell me what happened.”

”Xiao Yu, quickly, come inside with me and check on young Wang...” Song You’ai grabbed his hand and pulled him unsteadily toward the house.

”Jianjun.” A young soldier behind Zhao Jianjun leaned in and whispered, ”The City Defense Team is the one making trouble at someone’s home. Do we really have to get involved?”

”The base commander told us before that our only job is to secure the perimeter and keep the zombies out. Internal affairs are the City Defense Team’s full responsibility. We’re not supposed to interfere.”

”That Zhang Zhennong is up to no good. He’s trying to drag us into this mess.”

Zhao Jianjun frowned. Of course he understood the reasoning, but as a soldier, how could he just stand by and watch this carnage unfold...

”Zhao Jianjun, what are you waiting for?!” Zhang Zhennong, bloody and in agony, roared with fury. ”Draw your guns and execute them! They’re using their superpowers to endanger the base! None of them can be allowed to live!”

Xie Ning landed several vicious punches on his face before turning a cold gaze on Zhao Jianjun. ”You can try pointing your gun at me.”

Zhao Jianjun wanted to fall to his knees and beg.

’Point my gun at her? Is he insane?’ Before leaving, Captain Gu had repeatedly instructed them to protect her.

He didn’t dare.

Just then, the young soldier behind him raised a fist and shouted, ”Let’s go! We need to inform the base commander right away! This is a major incident!”

”Oh, yes, yes, yes!” Zhao Jianjun seized the opportunity and nodded vigorously. ”Inform the base commander! Inform the base commander! It’s an emergency!”

”Zhao Jianjun!” Pinned to the ground, Zhang Zhennong’s eyes nearly split from their sockets with rage as he watched the soldiers turn and practically flee the scene...

He felt as if his body was being drained of blood, and the pain was so immense it had gone beyond feeling.

Zhang Zhennong’s eyes were wide as he glared hatefully at Xie Ning. ”You... you...”

”This is for Zhang Biyun, isn’t it?” Xie Ning stared at him coldly. ”What a doting big brother you are.”

She leaned in slightly, enunciating each word with chilling clarity. ”I will make sure her death is even more miserable than yours.”

Zhang Zhennong’s eyes flew wide. The next second, he felt something hard and sharp pierce his throat.