Clang—
The passage door creaked open a sliver. Through the gap, Huan Tian could see thick chains tightly binding the door shut. Even if a Tier-2 zombie tried to smash it down, unless it was a strength-type, it likely wouldn't be able to break through.
"Who are you? How many of you? State your identities."
A cautious man peered through the narrow gap, his eyes filled with wariness.
"There are two of us. My name is Huan Tian, I'm from the Project Department on the 46th floor."
"She's Lin Qingqing, from the Secretariat on the 47th floor. We came after hearing the message on the walkie-talkie."
As he spoke, Huan Tian lifted the device at his waist so they could see.
Lin Qingqing also stepped forward slightly, revealing her face behind him. Even after days of hardship, her beauty—renowned throughout the company—was unmistakable. A single glance was enough for the people inside to recognize her.
"Forty-sixth floor? Forty-seventh?"
Someone inside gasped audibly in shock.
"You came down from the top floors?"
"Unbelievable…"
"You're still alive?!"
"Of course we're alive. Stop wasting time and open the door," Lin Qingqing said with a playful huff, feigning irritation.
"Wait a moment, we need to report this first. It's not up to us."
A rush of footsteps followed as someone inside ran off. Less than five minutes later, Huan Tian heard approaching footsteps—many of them. It sounded like quite a few people were heading their way, and two among them seemed especially excited, nearly running.
"Qingqing? Is that you?"
"Oh my God, it is you!"
Wang Hui peered through the opening and immediately lit up with emotion.
Behind him, Qu Wei had already covered her mouth, tears of joy streaming down her face.
But Huan Tian frowned slightly. The moment the crowd had appeared, he had felt several hostile stares land sharply on him and Lin Qingqing. He swept his eyes over the unfamiliar faces—none of them were people he recognized.
"Let them in!"
Lin Qingqing's expression softened at the sight of Wang Hui and Qu Wei.
Wang Hui was her high school classmate, and Qu Wei, her newer colleague from the Secretariat Department. When Qu Wei first joined the team, Lin Qingqing had been the one to train her—she was both a close friend and something of a protégé.
The apocalypse had dragged on for so many days that Lin Qingqing no longer dared to hope she'd run into anyone she knew. Yet here on the 36th floor, she'd unexpectedly met two familiar faces. Her tense heart finally eased a little.
"Open the door, quick!"
Wang Hui was visibly excited, turning to urge the guard on duty.
"But we haven't confirmed whether they're uninfected… And shouldn't we inform Mr. Li first?"
"Cut the crap. Let them in first—we'll handle the checks afterward," Wang Hui snapped.
His words held weight. The guard shrank back at the reprimand and obediently began unlocking the door.
Clank, clank, clank—
The thick iron chains on the other side were removed one by one. The heavy door slowly creaked open, every movement radiating the wariness of those behind it.
Lin Qingqing leaned toward Huan Tian and whispered in his ear, "That girl is Qu Wei—I mentored her when she first joined the company. And the guy is Wang Hui, deputy director of the lab on the 35th floor. If we need access to the lab, we'll probably have to get a keycard from him."
Huan Tian gave a subtle nod and quietly stepped behind Lin Qingqing.
According to their plan, Lin Qingqing would take the lead here while Huan Tian kept a low profile, blending in as just another survivor to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
But their whispered conversation didn't go unnoticed. Someone behind the door frowned slightly.
Huan Tian keenly sensed a subtle shift in energy—someone's aura had momentarily changed. But when he tried to pinpoint the source, there was nothing. No trace.
"Qingqing, it's so good to see you," Wang Hui said warmly, a friendly smile spreading across his face. He also gave Huan Tian a polite nod.
"This is Huan Tian, from the Project Department on the 46th floor. If it weren't for him saving me back on the 47th floor, I would've been zombie food by now," Lin Qingqing said with genuine gratitude, clearly happy to see an old friend.
"Oh, I see—he's from the project team."
Wang Hui nodded in understanding, then looked Huan Tian over with admiration.
"Thank you for protecting Qingqing. You're in great shape… I wish I had a body like yours."
In the apocalypse, wealth and status meant nothing. You could've been a billionaire before, but now, the only true capital for survival is a strong, healthy body.
Several men and women standing in the crowd behind them also began smiling at Huan Tian, offering friendly nods and gestures of goodwill.
Huan Tian noticed that most of the people here were unarmed, dressed in high-end designer clothes that were clearly from before the apocalypse—luxurious, and now oddly out of place. In contrast, those holding weapons and standing behind Wang Hui were dressed plainly and looked tense, clearly subordinate to Wang Hui and the others in status.
"If I stay here, I'll probably end up as one of the grunts sent to the front lines with a weapon," Huan Tian thought to himself. "It's only been a few days, and the survivor camps are already showing signs of class division."
"Thank you for saving Qingqing."
Qu Wei gave Huan Tian a deep bow, her gratitude sincere. She turned and was about to reach out for Lin Qingqing's hand.
But before she could, a man in a security uniform suddenly yanked her back, his voice cold as ice as he stared at Huan Tian and Qu Wei.
"Qu Wei, don't go near them. They haven't been cleared of infection yet."
"Jiang Liang, let me go! Who said you could touch me? Let me go!"
Qu Wei's expression instantly twisted into fury. Just moments ago, she had been smiling, and now she shook off the man's hand like she'd been burned—her disgust palpable, as if even a touch from him was revolting.
Wang Hui quickly stepped in to calm her. Qu Wei immediately clung to his arm, biting her lower lip as she glared at Jiang Liang, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
Jiang Liang's eyes flickered with a trace of menace, but he quickly composed himself.
"Qu Wei, I know you don't like me. But as head of security for the 36th floor, I must protect everyone here. Until they've been fully checked, no one is allowed to approach them."
Then he turned to Wang Hui.
"Director Wang, I assume you support protocol like everyone else?"
The reminder stirred a shift in the surrounding crowd. Over a dozen people raised their makeshift weapons—sharpened iron pipes, improvised clubs, and kitchen knives. The ones who had been watching with cold eyes earlier instinctively moved to the front.
Not a single person spoke up. It was clear Wang Hui held serious authority in this place.
Wang Hui gave Huan Tian and Lin Qingqing an apologetic smile.
"Qingqing, Mr. Huan, please understand—this is standard procedure here. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to hand over any weapons you're carrying."
Before he even finished, Jiang Liang had already pulled out two worn plastic bags, their surfaces creased and yellowed from frequent use.
Lin Qingqing glanced at Huan Tian, and without a word, the two exchanged a knowing look.
They obediently emptied everything from their bodies except their clothing. Huan Tian even handed over his backpack. Everything was going smoothly—until they pulled out the two bone daggers.
Jiang Liang's face immediately darkened.
Wang Hui, intrigued, stepped forward to inspect them closely.
"These… the material is strange. It looks like bone, but not the kind you'd get from a souvenir shop. Did you pick these up off someone's desk or something?"
Huan Tian gave a small smile.
"They're made from the ribs of a zombie. I ground them into daggers. They work pretty well."
In an instant, the entire hallway fell completely silent.