Chapter Fifty-Three: Fierce Battle

Fang Xia nodded. It was indeed too dangerous now. Since the situation was clear, he no longer wished to take risks. If he had to abandon his territory, so be it; he could simply find another place.

But just as Fang Xia turned around, Bai Xing’s pupils suddenly dilated.

Fang Xia sensed movement behind him, but it was too late…

At the critical moment, he was about to activate instant teleportation, but in the next second, Bai Xing’s figure vanished, appearing behind him with a speed that seemed almost like displacement.

Fang Xia spun around in haste, only to see a third-tier zombie raising its claws high, slashing violently at Bai Xing.

Even clad in battle armor, Bai Xing was struck and sent flying, landing amidst a horde of zombies who immediately swarmed her.

Brandishing his battle blade, Fang Xia forced the third-tier zombie back and raced toward where Bai Xing had fallen.

Every zombie that blocked his path was cleaved in two by Fang Xia.

“Bai Xing!”

When he finally cradled Bai Xing in his arms, she was barely clinging to life.

Though protected by armor, her body had suffered from the tremendous impact, and after falling, she was surrounded and bitten by countless zombies. Her face bore several deep scratches.

“Brother Fang, kill me. I don’t want to become a zombie.”

Held tightly in Fang Xia’s embrace, Bai Xing thrashed desperately. She would rather die by his hand than become one of them.

“You foolish woman, don’t move. I’ll save you. No one can touch my woman—not even zombies.”

Subduing the struggling Bai Xing, Fang Xia retrieved a small vial from his spatial storage. The unknown green liquid within it looked unsettling.

He could not afford hesitation; all he could do now was pray the antidote worked.

“Open your mouth.”

Nearly a minute had passed, and signs of zombification had already appeared on Bai Xing.

If not for her third-tier fighter’s constitution, she would have turned already.

Fang Xia administered the antidote, uncertain how long it would take to work.

He also fed her a second-tier upgrade crystal; her injuries were severe and without prompt treatment, death was certain.

Around them, the area Fang Xia had cleared was once again teeming with zombies, while the third-tier zombie lingered nearby, silently watching.

His blade from earlier had given it a strong sense of danger, so it did not rush forward.

Fang Xia fetched some clothing from his spatial storage and tied Bai Xing securely to his back.

With this done, the zombie horde pressed in close. Fang Xia’s gaze locked on the third-tier zombie—the true culprit.

Perhaps sensing the murderous intent in Fang Xia’s eyes, even the low-intelligence zombies instinctively retreated a few steps.

“Is it working?”

Even as he spoke, Fang Xia’s form slowly faded.

A third-tier zombie’s instincts were formidable—despite Fang Xia’s sudden assault, it managed to dodge the vital strike.

He had to finish this quickly.

Now, carrying someone on his back, his movements were severely hindered, and the zombies around him were poised to attack.

If he didn’t resolve the fight swiftly, both he and Bai Xing were doomed to remain here.

He took a second-tier upgrade crystal for stamina recovery, giving the third-tier zombie no respite, his blade falling again and again.

As the saying goes, overwhelming force defeats all skill.

When speed and strength reach a certain threshold, technique becomes unnecessary; every move is simple, yet each is lethally efficient.

By the tenth swing, the zombie finally succumbed.

As the first third-tier zombie in this world, it could neither outrun nor outfight its adversary—a shameful end for such a creature; a dignified death seemed preferable.

Fang Xia swiftly retrieved a dark blue upgrade crystal from its corpse, not stopping to examine it, tossing it into his spatial storage.

On his back, Bai Xing had fallen unconscious, whether from the antidote or her grievous wounds, he could not tell.

The death of the third-tier zombie did nothing to deter the others; they surged forward as before.

Now, facing the zombie army was even more dangerous than facing the third-tier zombie, for he also had to protect Bai Xing.

Fang Xia scanned his surroundings. Not far away stood a farmstead, though it was now overrun by zombies.

He fought his way there, reaching the house and swinging his battle blade in a relentless assault.

This was the only solution Fang Xia could devise in such a short time.

His blade was too short; manageable for now, but over time, it would fail to keep the zombies at bay. He needed a longer weapon—not for killing, but to prevent them from closing in.

With several powerful swings, the already shaky wooden pillar at the door collapsed.

Stowing the blade, Fang Xia wrapped his arms around the pillar. Whether he could return safely depended on how long he could hold out.

Clenching his teeth, he summoned his strength, fixed his sights on Dawn City, and executed two successive teleportations.

In those two moves, he covered over a hundred meters, yet he was still at least five hundred meters from his teammates.

With no other options, Fang Xia charged ahead.

Fifty meters in, his arms were painfully numb…

At a hundred meters, his body was drenched in sweat, zombies flying away as he fought…

At one hundred and fifty meters, veins bulged on his face, his expression twisted with exertion…

At two hundred meters, he felt he could go no further…

At three hundred meters, he had reached the limits of his strength; his consciousness grew hazy, his sole thought to keep pushing forward…

He had no idea how much farther he ran; his vision blurred, but he seemed to hear human voices—perhaps the women from his team…

Finally, Fang Xia could endure no more. Still clutching the hefty wooden pillar, he collapsed forward onto the ground.

Luckily, he fell face-first. Had he fallen backward, Bai Xing might have survived the zombies only to be crushed beneath him.

In the distance, several figures broke from the group, racing toward him.

“Hopefully I won’t die…” was the last thought before Fang Xia lost consciousness.

“I’m not dead?”

Fang Xia slowly opened his eyes, the phrase sounding oddly familiar.

He tried to make sense of his surroundings—it seemed to be his own room.

Attempting to sit up, he discovered his hands were wrapped in bandages; any movement sent waves of pain.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the door. Fang Xia watched alertly.

The door opened, and a strange woman entered.

She appeared to be twenty-five or twenty-six, exuding a mature aura, though her face seemed tired, as if she hadn’t rested in a long time.

There was no one like her in his team; such beauty and grace were unforgettable.

“Captain, you’re awake.”

Seeing Fang Xia in bed, the woman hurried over.

“Captain, you mustn’t move. You’ve sustained multiple muscle and ligament injuries; you need to stay lying down.”

“Who are you?”