When they reached the first-floor lobby, many guests were already running out.
"Which way now?!" Lacking information, Chu Ran couldn't decide.
The boy panted and said without hesitation, "South. We need to hurry, or it'll be too late!"
But before they could run out the door, a wave of pressure spread out.
The boy's legs went weak. If Chu Ran hadn't been quick to grab his collar, he would have knelt on the ground.
"A Zerg!" The boy's pupils shrank. "How can there be a Zerg here?!"
"Zerg, Zerg Beast, whatever—let's just run! Which way?" Chu Ran knew her limits; she'd die against either.
Outside the window, the black vortex had stabilized. A humanoid Zerg with two long antennae on its head and narrow eyes stepped out. His mouth split to his ears, with double pupils—eerily bizarre.
He looked around, a little displeased. "A Garbage Dump. Looks like the little darlings won't get a treat today."
He turned sideways, and an eight-eyed leech crawled out of the black hole, followed by shadow bloodsuckers, black-sheathed tapeworms... These Zerg Beasts, about half the size of a person, landed on the ground and, sensing food, quickly scattered.
"An eight-eyed leech! Help... Ah!"
Chu Ran didn't know what was happening near the black hole.
Ignorant of this world, she chose to follow the boy running south.
The boy seemed to have deep experience with Zerg Beast invasion patterns, leading Chu Ran to dodge several Zerg Beasts. But as the Zerg Beasts' activity range expanded, experience became less useful.
If not for her sharp eyes, they would have nearly collided with a feeding Zerg Beast.
The two hid behind a wall, holding their breath.
The boy clenched his teeth and couldn't help looking at the hand gripping his wrist. He gasped—three days without food, and she still had this much strength...
Chu Ran stared at the half-body of the Zerg Beast visible around the corner, her face ashen.
The Zerg Beast's soft body wobbled as its mouthparts chewed, sticky white liquid continuously dripping down, like a rotting piece of fat.
And beneath her feet was a puddle of that white liquid.
Since it wasn't far, she didn't dare move to another hiding spot.
Not only had she failed to shower, but her leg was also soaked in the white liquid.
Chu Ran closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again. She pointed south and looked at the boy questioningly: Must we?
The boy looked at the wobbling Zerg Beast and nodded bitterly.
Chu Ran didn't ask further.
They just had to wait for the Zerg Beast to leave.
Time ticked by. The boy's face gradually turned pale.
He remembered a conversation from long ago.
"Uncle, why did the Third Deputy Star government activate the shield eighty years ago without rescuing anyone?"
"Because the Zerg invasion was at the Garbage Dump."
And now, the Zerg were invading the Garbage Dump again!
Last time, out of a population of nearly three million in the Garbage Dump, only a few hundred survived...
The boy saw the Zerg Beast's body slowly moving. His heart raced. It must be leaving!
Any later, and they would have no hope of survival!