"But it's already been over five minutes since they were injured, is there a chance they won't turn into zombies?" Yang Ning asked hopefully.
"It's also possible it's just a matter of time. The five-minute mutation period was just our own estimation," Wang Hu didn't want to take the risk. "So, it's better to drive them out. If they turn into zombies, we'll all be in danger."
"My arm hurts a bit, but I don't feel anything else. My eyes, teeth, and face haven't changed. Can you give me some more time..." An Xin was scared but mustered the courage to look at Xiao Wenqiang.
Xiao Wenqiang possessed the original host's memories and knew that the zombie virus would change slowly within the human body. Humans are actually a fragile yet powerful life form. As the zombie virus evolves, the human body also slowly develops new genes to resist it.
"Okay! Then we'll wait here for another half hour. If you still haven't turned into zombies, we'll prepare to set off together," Xiao Wenqiang decided.
"No! I disagree! You're risking the lives of the rest of us survivors!" Wang Hu jumped out again. He looked at his girlfriend and said, "Yanzi, are you going to believe this woman and take such a big risk too?"
This time, Zhu Yan agreed with Wang Hu's opinion. She said to Xiao Wenqiang, "Classmate Xiao, Hu Zi is right. We can't gamble with everyone's lives!"
"But we haven't turned into zombies yet, we're still of the same kind!"
Zhang Wei looked at Zhu Yan incredulously. Zhu Yan didn't dare to meet her gaze and turned her head away.
"Enough with the nonsense, three minutes have already passed," Xiao Wenqiang checked the time. "If you feel it's dangerous, you can leave here first. There's no need for everyone to be tied together. I'm not holding you back."
Upon hearing this, Wang Hu pulled his girlfriend along. "I don't want to take risks. Is anyone else willing to leave with us?"
No one present responded. Even Ye Yao, who had always disliked Xiao Wenqiang, was unwilling to leave.
Although she hadn't lived for very long in her previous life, she knew that the time for zombification was indeed increasing. Some people who were bitten did manage to hold out for a longer period. However, she never understood whether these people would never turn into zombies or if they had simply not mutated within a short period.
Even though Xiao Wenqiang's decision was risky, following Wang Hu would surely lead to a worse outcome. Besides, the ring with the spiritual spring and space was still on Xiao Wenqiang, and it wouldn't be safe to venture out alone without it. Therefore, she decided to stand by her "good friend" for now.
In the end, although Zhu Yan was hesitant, she still left with her boyfriend. They packed the water and food they had distributed into the backpack Zhu Yan had brought from the dormitory and walked out of their sight hand in hand.
Time ticked by. At the eighteenth minute, Zhang Wei began to feel increasingly agitated. Her eyes were also itchy, as dry as if she hadn't slept for days and nights.
She couldn't help but rub her eyes, only to hear a muffled voice.
"Is Sister Wei going to turn into a zombie!" It sounded like the girl named Ye Yao.
Zhang Wei couldn't hear clearly for some reason. She wanted to explain that her eyes were just itchy, but at that moment, she also felt pain in her teeth. The anxiety in her heart grew stronger, and her face began to feel hotter. She opened her eyes to look at the other two injured companions beside her, only to find that they were all far away from her.
In a blur, she seemed to see someone approaching. Zhang Wei took deep breaths and finally made out that it was the girl named Xiao Wenqiang.
Zhang Wei finally realized that she couldn't hold on any longer. But she didn't want to die, didn't want to bite people, and didn't want to become an unaware, purely attacking human. Also, there were supplies in that small warehouse, which she had selfishly not told these younger siblings about yet.
So Zhang Wei slowly stood up from the ground. The others screamed and moved even further away from her.
Xiao Wenqiang walked forward with her soul weapon knife and asked, "Sister Wei, do you still have your consciousness?"
Zhang Wei nodded and struggled to squeeze out her voice, saying, "There's a warehouse inside, don't forget to get it! And, kill me, please!"
Only Xiao Wenqiang, who was closest to Zhang Wei, heard these words because Zhang Wei's vocal cords could no longer function properly.
In the final moments of Zhang Wei's short twenty-odd years of life, she saw the girl in front of her nod solemnly. Just as the zombie virus was about to devour her brain, Zhang Wei lunged towards the knife in the other girl's hand.
However, before she could reach it, Zhang Wei completely lost her human consciousness, opened her mouth with strange fangs, and lunged forward to attack.
Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes. Xiao Wenqiang's hand moved like lightning, and the fully zombified Zhang Wei fell to the ground...
"I told you these people were unsafe, Wenqiang, why did you insist on keeping them!" Ye Yao, startled by the scene, accused.
"Then why didn't you leave with Wang Hu and the others?" Xiao Wenqiang wasn't about to be pushed around by Ye Yao.
"I... I'm just worried about your safety! And we're good friends, how could I leave with others!" Ye Yao sounded a little guilty.
"Then shut your mouth. I didn't ask you to do anything, so what's with all the chattering!" Xiao Wenqiang began to drag Zhang Wei's body.
"Wenqiang, why are you speaking so harshly..." Ye Yao looked at the few boys nearby with a hint of grievance.
However, they didn't spare her a glance. Lu Feiguang even stepped forward and said, "Boss, where are you taking this? Let me help you carry it!"
"No need! Thirty minutes aren't up yet. You guys focus on the remaining two," Xiao Wenqiang, with great strength, said as she walked. "Sister Wei also helped us before. I'm taking her body back to her room."
Lu Feiguang nodded and, along with Yang Ning, continued to monitor the injured An Xin and Li Yixuan.
Xiao Wenqiang carried Zhang Wei's body into the small room and placed her on the bed, tidying her appearance. "Sister Wei, thank you for the information you gave me at the end. This is the last thing I can do for you!"
Then, she carefully searched the room and finally discovered a hidden door that was the same color as the cabinet door. Upon opening it, she found a warehouse about the size of a toilet.
Xiao Wenqiang's mind raced, and everything within her sight entered her ring space.
Closing the hidden door and taking one last look at Zhang Wei, Xiao Wenqiang opened the door and walked out, taking less than two minutes.
An Xin and Li Yixuan, who were waiting outside, flinched when they saw Xiao Wenqiang appear.
They had just witnessed Zhang Wei's zombification process and were terrified of turning into her. They had initially held onto a sliver of hope because five minutes had passed without them mutating. But now, their hearts began to sink.
"I want to go home, my mom is still waiting for me at home..." An Xin couldn't help but sob quietly.