A Shocking Dream

Lin Wunian looked at the iron gate again. A huge crack had appeared in it, and the zombie's disgusting claws stretched out from the gap, waving wildly in the air. She took a deep breath, cast all distracting thoughts aside, and entered a state of intense concentration, like a cheetah ready to hunt, waiting for the perfect moment to arrive.

When the iron gate finally collapsed under the weight, it shook violently and collapsed, sending up clouds of dust. Zombies poured in like a tide, and the stench of decay instantly enveloped Lin Wunian and Qin Rongchen.

Lin Wunian and Qin Rongchen quickly leaned back to back, their bodies pressed tightly together. They could feel each other's warmth and the subtle trembling of their muscles, a mixture of tension and excitement. Lin Wunian wielded two short swords, their blades gleaming coldly. She crouched slightly, crossing her swords before her, her eyes as sharp as an eagle's, locked onto the zombies charging ahead. Every movement was precise and swift, with a single thought in mind: attack the spinal cord.

Qin Rongchen raised his sword high, the gemstone on the hilt still gleaming faintly amid the chaos. He planted his feet firmly in a horse stance, using his back as a solid support for Lin Wunian, while keeping a vigilant eye on any movement behind him. As the zombies approached, he shouted loudly and swung his sword with a fierce gust of wind. The sword pierced the zombie's neck with pinpoint accuracy, then thrust hard, attempting to sever its spinal cord.

Lin Wunian, watching for a zombie to lunge, dodged sideways, avoiding its direct attack. Then, like serpentine snakes, she launched her dual swords, piercing the back of the zombie's neck with precision. With a powerful twist, the zombie collapsed to the ground. The two of them coordinated perfectly, each strike aiming for the zombie's vital points. Blood and rotting flesh splattered around them, yet they showed no sign of retreating.

As the last zombie staggered out of the house, Lin Wunian and Qin Rongchen braced themselves for the attack. After they successfully dispatched that one, there was a sudden silence around them. The two waited cautiously for a moment, confirming that no more zombies had appeared. They assumed that all the zombies in the house had been dispatched.

Lin Wunian let out a long sigh, her tense nerves finally relaxing slightly. At that moment, she felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body, exhaustion washing over her like a surging tide. Her arms ached from wielding the swords for so long, every muscle protesting. Her legs felt weak, like two branches without support, trembling slightly. Beads of sweat streamed down her forehead, some of them sliding into her eyes, the stinging sensation causing her to blink.

"You're amazing! A woman can remain calm and composed in the face of so many zombies." Qin Rongchen looked at Lin Wunian, his eyes full of admiration. His voice was a little hoarse with fatigue, but the sincere praise echoed clearly in the air filled with the smell of death.

Lin Wunian didn't respond, merely nodding slightly before crouching down. Her brow furrowed slightly, her gaze intensely scanning the zombies. Her gaze was focused and deep, as if everything around her had vanished, leaving only the remains of the zombies and any clues hidden within. She gently turned the bodies over, scrutinizing their nauseating wounds and decaying flesh, meticulously examining every detail, trying to uncover the root cause of the zombies' appearance or a more effective response. However, after her thorough inspection, she found nothing of value. A flicker of disappointment flashed across her eyes, but it quickly gave way to determination. Standing up, she dusted herself off, and then turned to Qin Rongchen. "We must continue our search for clues. We can't let these zombies threaten the people again." Her tone was calm, as if the life-or-death battle she had just endured hadn't left a lasting impression. She glanced at Qin Rongchen, noticing a look of fatigue on his face, yet he remained forcefully alert. Lin Wunian wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and whispered, "Hopefully, this will temporarily alleviate the crisis in the city. We need to hurry back to see if everyone is safe." As she spoke, a breeze blew by, bringing a slight coolness but also stirring up dust and zombie debris. The pungent smell made her frown again. The surroundings were in shambles, like a battlefield left after a devastating death. The walls were splattered with the black blood of zombies, and the ground was wet and sticky. Every step felt incredibly heavy.

"When did you become the prince's disciple?" Qin Rongchen asked on the way back, his eyes shooting towards Lin Wunian beside him like lightning.

"This is a personal matter of mine, Your Highness. Please don't ask any more questions." Lin Wunian looked exhausted, her brow furrowed, and she didn't even glance at Qin Rongchen. The news of the plague mutation weighed on her heart like a mountain, and the painful faces of those infected kept flashing before her eyes. How could she have the energy to deal with Qin Rongchen's questions?

Seeing that she didn't want to pay attention to him, Qin Rongchen didn't ask any more questions. Everything that happened tonight was too heavy for her. He looked at Lin Wunian's retreating back and frowned slightly. The sound of horse hooves echoed in the silent street, like a knock on his heart.

Lin Wunian sped back to her secluded courtyard. Moonlight shone on the mottled walls, casting a veil over the courtyard. She ignored everything else and headed straight for the house. As soon as she opened the door, the scent of herbs hit her face, lingering on her nose.

An oil lamp flickered faintly on the simple wooden table inside the room. She quickly walked over to the table and sat down, quickly taking out a pen and paper, her eyes focused solely on recording her observations on the day's plague. The rustling sound of her writing echoed throughout the room, but she was so engrossed in her writing that she momentarily forgot the doctors were still waiting for her to discuss the next steps.

Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, she was startled. She immediately put down her pen, stood up, and walked quickly outside. In her haste, the wind from the corner of her clothes made the flame of the oil lamp swing violently, and the light and shadow danced on the wall, as if urging her to hurry, faster. After all, every minute and every second was precious in the fight against the plague.

When Lin Wunian arrived, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. The doctors' eyes were filled with strangeness, like countless thorns, shooting straight at her. She could clearly sense the blame in their gazes, clearly blaming her for arriving too late and wasting precious discussion time.

But the moment those eyes met her, a touch of fear grew in their hearts. Simply because she was a disciple of the Crown Prince, and in this complex situation, the Crown Prince's power loomed like a shadow. Although these doctors were filled with anger, they could only swallow their complaints and dared not speak out.