The road stretched ahead, long and empty, swallowed by the horizon. The only sounds were the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of wind against the vehicle.
Qingran kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting near the rifle she had propped up between the seats. Her gaze flickered to the rearview mirror, scanning the road behind them for any signs of pursuit.
Feng Yizhou sat beside her, his posture relaxed but his sharp gaze locked on the road. He hadn’t spoken in a while, but she knew he was thinking the sa thing she was.
Man-made.
Not just the zombie they had encountered, not just the mutagen they had found in the truck’s storage, but the apocalypse itself could be man-made.
Qingran’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
She had spent an entire lifeti fighting to survive the apocalypse, believing it had been so uncontrollable disaster, the inevitable collapse of civilization. But now, she knew better. Soone had done this deliberately. Soone had ensured it never ended.
"They are ensuring it never ends."
Caocao’s words echoed in Feng Yizhou’s mind, and he clenched his jaw.
A controlled apocalypse. Not just a virus running rampant, but a structured and thodical event.
If this was planned from the beginning, then the people behind it had not just prepared for the collapse of society. They had prepared for what ca after.
And that was what made it terrifying.
Who had the power, the resources, and the sheer ruthlessness to engineer sothing like this?
And why?
The silence in the truck was heavy, thick with unspoken thoughts. Qingran’s mind was running just as fast as his.
"Lingquan."
[I am still processing the probability models based on this new information.]
"Forget the models. Tell one thing—if this was engineered from the start, what was the goal?"
There was a pause, then Lingquan’s calm, chanical voice answered.
[There are multiple potential objectives. The leading possibilities are population control, bioweapon testing, or forced human evolution.]
Qingran scoffed, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the wheel tighter. "That’s a hell of a way to control the population."
[That assus the goal was control and not replacent.]
Her fingers twitched. "Replacent?"
[If the objective was to create a superior dominant species, then wiping out the existing population would not be a side effect. It would be the purpose.]
A slow chill crawled down her spine.
It wasn’t just about thinning out humanity.
It was about replacing it.
Feng Yizhou shifted beside her. "You look like you’re about to say sothing."
Qingran exhaled sharply. "It’s not just about releasing a virus. If this was man-made, then it ans they weren’t just hoping for chaos."
Feng Yizhou’s jaw tightened. "They were planning for what ca after."
That thought sat heavy between them.
For so long, she had believed the apocalypse had been an accident, a disaster no one had been prepared for.
But what if it had been engineered?
What if the world had been ant to fall?
Qingran adjusted her grip on the wheel, her mind racing. "We need to find out where those shipnts were coming from."
Feng Yizhou exhaled. "Caocao already ran so traces on the vehicle’s registration. Blackout Division is just a shell. The real players are hiding behind them."
Qingran shot him a sidelong glance. "You think they’re based in Xi’an?"
Caocao’s voice echoed in Feng Yizhou’s mind.
"Negative. The shipnts originated from multiple locations. However, a high percentage have moved through Xi’an before final distribution."
Feng Yizhou relayed the information aloud.
Qingran frowned. "So Xi’an isn’t the source."
Feng Yizhou nodded. "It’s a funnel."
A transit hub.
A distribution point.
That changed things.
If the real source was elsewhere, then going to Xi’an might not give them the full answers they were looking for.
But it would give them sothing at least.
Whoever was behind this was watching that city.
And if they wanted real information, they would have to step into the lion’s den.
Qingran’s lips pressed into a thin line. "We still go."
Feng Yizhou didn’t argue and only nodded.
The highway stretched on, the city still hours away, but the weight of their discoveries hung thick in the air.
They weren’t just fighting for survival anymore.
They were hunting the people who had started the apocalypse.
And those people had no idea what was coming for them.
Xi’an was nothing like the roads they had traveled to get here. It was loud, thriving, and packed with people who had no idea that in just weeks, their world would collapse.
The city pulsed with life, skyscrapers gleaming under the afternoon sun. Billboards flashed advertisents, taxis honked impatiently, and businessn rushed past street vendors selling everything from roasted chestnuts to fake designer bags.
Qingran stared at the scenery from behind the wheel, her fingers tightening on the steering. It felt surreal.
Feng Yizhou, however, looked completely at ease.
"This place will be a graveyard soon," she muttered.
"Not yet," he said, unbothered. "Might as well enjoy the luxury while it lasts."
He wasn’t joking.
The hotel he picked was a five-star high-rise in the city center, towering over the streets below. Expensive, polished, the kind of place with gold-trimd elevators and staff who bowed as you walked in.
Qingran had planned on a discreet, out-of-the-way hostel. But Feng Yizhou had the money, and he made it clear he wasn’t about to rough it when he didn’t have to.
The check-in was smooth. No questions asked, no unnecessary security checks. Within minutes, they were stepping into a spacious suite with plush carpets, a massive window overlooking the city, and a bed that looked far too comfortable for the kind of mission they were on.
Qingran tossed her bag onto the couch and stretched. She still had hours before nightfall, before they would scout the facility. That ant ti to rest.
Feng Yizhou was already dialing room service.
"Get whatever you want," he said lazily. "Might as well eat well while we can."
She didn’t argue.
Twenty minutes later, a cart was wheeled in, laden with dishes—perfectly seared steak, fresh dumplings, a steaming bowl of noodles, and a platter of fruit. It was a feast, the kind she hadn’t had in ages.
Qingran sat down, picking up her chopsticks. "You know this is excessive, right?"
Feng Yizhou leaned back, biting into a dumpling. "You’re welco."
She rolled her eyes but ate anyway. The noodles were perfect, the broth rich and thick.
She wasn’t sure she had ever eaten such an expensive noodles..ever.
But for now, they could afford to indulge a little.
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