Looking at the scenery along the road, besides the wandering zombies in the stores, there wasn't a single living soul in sight.
He really wanted to talk to someone.
Not to discuss anything serious.
Just to ask: "Are you okay?"
"Do you need any help? I'm currently working as a delivery runner—if you need anything, I can help out. Just pay me a little fee."
Bang!
Right as he passed the intersection, a second-floor window of a building suddenly shattered. A figure fell from above.
That person was covered in blood, especially at the moment he hit the ground—his ankle twisted with a gruesome sound of bones cracking. It was clearly broken; otherwise, there wouldn't have been such a sound.
"Ah! Ma Dong! You son of a—!" Zhang Quan screamed in fury. He hadn't expected Ma Dong to go this far.
Suddenly—
Three zombies burst through the window.
"Don't come near me! Get the hell away from me!" Zhang Quan's face twisted in horror. He tried to run, but with a broken ankle, he couldn't move well.
He couldn't believe it—Ma Dong had actually thrown zombies in to get revenge on him, killing two others in the process, while Ma Dong himself hid away safely somewhere.
By the time Zhang Quan reacted, he was already surrounded by three zombies. Looking at those filthy, gaping mouths and ferocious expressions—even with all the courage in the world—he was scared stiff, unable to resist, just wanting to leap from the window to survive.
Who would've thought? Jumping out the window broke his leg. And on top of that, he had open wounds—perfect for zombies to bite into. Blood gushed like a fountain.
Lam Pham stopped his bike and looked at the situation up ahead. He didn't expect there to be a living person, but the current scene didn't look good at all.
From the second-floor dark window, a shadowy figure appeared.
"Zhang Quan, this is mine—mine! Who the hell do you think you are, huh? Just 'cause you're built bigger, you think you can bully me? You're asking to die!" Ma Dong clutched the gold chain on his neck, claiming ownership, and shouted down furiously.
"No, please…" Zhang Quan cried, snot and tears pouring down his face. The three zombies in front of him brought immense pressure, and the pain made him feel death looming near.
In moments of despair, humans can unleash hidden strength.
Despite being immobile, he struggled to his feet, dragging his broken leg, trying to escape.
That's when Zhang Quan saw Lam Pham nearby and suddenly had hope.
"Help me! Please help me…" He reached out toward Lam Pham—that was his final hope.
Lam Pham's expression remained calm. Inside, he was puzzled—who is this guy?
Still, even if he was just passing by, he wasn't the type to be a bystander.
As a human, one must have compassion.
Nine years of compulsory education led him on the path of righteousness.
Especially as one of the outstanding students of that system, he absolutely wouldn't stand idly by.
As for the guy covered in blood looking extremely tragic—was it a trap? That wasn't something he really cared about.
Even if someone later accused him—"Didn't you push him out the window? Why'd you go save him?"—he wouldn't bother explaining.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed everywhere. The three zombies pounced on Zhang Quan, tearing flesh apart in a grotesque display.
His screams echoed from deep within his throat.
"…Damn."
Lam Pham froze. He hadn't expected the zombies to act that fast. He blamed himself, too—wasting time overthinking some grand, noble idea and missing his chance. He really did want to save someone—not just stand around watching.
Too bad. He thought too much and failed to act in time.
So he became a bystander after all.
"Hahaha…"
"He's dead."
"Finally dead. Good! Now everything here belongs to me—mine!"
"Let's see who else dares to mess with me!"
Ma Dong stood at the second-floor window, laughing maniacally. He looked completely unhinged—no remorse for causing death, only exhilaration.
"Hey, is your brain okay? Do you need me to call someone?" Lam Pham glanced up. This lunatic seemed like he had mental issues.
He tried dialing 120.
No one answered. A bit helpless. Even if he wanted to help, what could he do? Hospitals were probably overrun with zombies too.
Ma Dong, soaked in the thrill of madness, looked at Lam Pham after hearing that. His eyes turned fierce, face twisted.
"You, a stranger, dare mock me?"
"Let me tell you, this is the apocalypse! If I want to kill someone, I kill them. If I want to do something, I do it. Only the ruthless survive!"
This guy was seriously insane.
Lam Pham always thought everyone would calmly face this new reality. That people would react to this new species with cold rationality.
But clearly, that was too idealistic.
Gag… gag…
Just then, Zhang Quan's body, thought to be dead, suddenly convulsed like he'd been electrocuted. His eyes snapped open—black and white replaced by a murky, cloudy hue.
He arched back, head tilting unnaturally, and blood gushed from his half-missing face.
Thump, thump, thump!
He thrashed on the ground like a fish out of water.
The three zombies who were eating him froze. They didn't expect their prey to suddenly turn into one of them.
In a blink—
Zhang Quan stood up.
Raaah!
Now four zombies roared at Lam Pham, thick slime dripping from their mouths onto the pavement.
"Hahaha! Kill him! Tear him apart for me!" Ma Dong screamed from above, thrilled by the idea of Lam Pham being devoured.
When his group had been resting, he had opened the door, let in the zombies, and got them killed. Maybe it was risky, but he succeeded. He survived. The others didn't.
"If danger comes, I can only protect myself," Lam Pham said. He had no particular hatred or prejudice toward zombies.
As long as they didn't provoke him, he wouldn't touch them.
But if they threatened his life?
Then he had no choice but to fight.
Raaah!
The four zombies charged. An average person wouldn't stand a chance—even with a weapon. These zombies weren't slow and weak.
Ma Dong was practically drooling from excitement, fully lost to madness.
Lam Pham held his cleaver. One swing—a head flew off.
One slash, one zombie down.
Four zombies? Piece of cake. Nothing troublesome. And that half-transformed zombie was slow—barely moving.
Besides gaining four points—
Nothing else happened.
On the second floor, Ma Dong looked completely stunned.
He hadn't expected all four zombies to be slaughtered so easily.
Lam Pham pedaled forward a bit, stopping right below the second-floor window. He looked up—locked eyes with Ma Dong.
A moment of silence.
He didn't leave. Instead, he wanted to talk—maybe save this lost soul in the apocalypse. That felt meaningful to him.
"Let me tell you—what you did was wrong," Lam Pham said.
"What's wrong with it?" Ma Dong was shocked. He hadn't even recovered from seeing the zombies killed. That guy was fast. Deadly fast. One swing per zombie. Strength and speed at their peak.
Terrifying.
"You're not in a good state right now. You need to adjust," Lam Pham said, sincerely wanting to help him snap out of it.
"Bullshit! I'm in my best state ever!" Ma Dong screamed, bloodshot eyes full of madness. "Let me tell you—this is the best time ever! Anyone who dares cross me, I'll kill them. Including you. Get lost, or I'll make you regret it!"
"Sigh." Lam Pham sighed. "You can't think that way. Killing is a crime. You'll go to prison. You look young—you shouldn't be this impulsive."
When he said that, Ma Dong burst out laughing.
"Hahaha… Crime? You think this is a novel or a movie? It's the end of the world! Zombies everywhere! There's no law anymore! I can do whatever I want. Even kill—without consequence!"
Ma Dong loved this feeling—lawless freedom. He could kill anyone he wanted. That was the ultimate high.
Now someone had the nerve to tell him that killing was a crime?
Ridiculous.
"So, the apocalypse is your excuse to kill at will?"
"If someone is obsessed with such low pleasures, how are they different from beasts?"
"If you'd received nine years of education, learned history, you'd know—even in hard times, when lives were worthless, there were still people who acted righteously. Even those with nothing still respected others, even if they had to give out IOUs."
Lam Pham sighed. People really are a type of species.
Some have a bottom line, maintaining moral boundaries no matter how the world changes.
Others are just animals in disguise.
Using the apocalypse as an excuse to kill, rob, and harm others without guilt.
"You're annoying! Go die! I'll let the zombies eat you!" Ma Dong roared, his voice echoing.
He wanted to lure more zombies.
Raaah!
A zombie answered the call.
Bang! Bang!
Zombies jumped from the upper floors, breaking their bones on impact, brains splattering, but still crawling toward Lam Pham.
Others emerged from dark corners—lunging out ferociously.
Their cries gathered more zombies.
"Sigh… pathetic. I'm done talking to you." Lam Pham got on his bike and started pedaling away. Too many zombies. Truly terrifying. He hadn't expected there'd be so many.
But just as he left—
He saw Ma Dong fall from the second floor.
Too arrogant. Too crazy. Waving his arms madly on the window ledge—
He slipped.
"Bro! Help me! Please! I was wrong! I really was wrong! Save me…!"
Ma Dong screamed in panic as zombies closed in.
Lam Pham didn't look back.
He stomped on the pedals and sped away like lightning.
Zombies chased, but Ma Dong's cries distracted them. They swarmed him, tearing him apart.
"You crazy bastard… I should've chopped you down myself—!" Ma Dong's last words ended in a scream.
Lam Pham turned his head briefly, watching Ma Dong being devoured.
"Evil begets evil."
"You reap what you sow."
"Nothing to do with me."
He collected his payment, mood light and joyful. Pedaling his little yellow bike, he felt like he was flying—floating through the air with ease.