Seeing what was unfolding before him, Xie Qi realized exactly what was happening, no matter how oblivious he might have been.
Song Chen’s face was as pale as paper. With a weak breath, he spoke: "Cap…tain, don’t hesitate any longer. Do it. I really can’t hold on anymore..."
He struggled to move his heavy eyelids, his gaze meeting Lu Muyang’s. His eyes were filled with an infinite, lingering attachment.
"Brother, I beg you... sob..."
"Warning! Warning! The protagonist’s dark-side index has risen to 80%!"
A sharp, piercing alarm suddenly erupted, sounding like a blade tearing through the silent night sky. Xie Qi’s heart tightened. With no time to overthink, he reflexively shouted, "I have a way to save him!"
The words struck like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone’s ears. A flicker of hope appeared on their desperate faces.
However, that ray of light was fleeting, quickly replaced by deep dejection and helplessness. They knew all too well that there was no turning back for someone in Song Chen’s condition.
Yet, Lu Muyang seemed unwilling to let go of any chance to save Song Chen, however slim. He stared intently at Xie Qi, his eyes burning with urgency as he pressed, "What way?!"
His voice carried an irrepressible intensity and expectation, as if he were willing to attempt anything, no matter how difficult or dangerous, if only Xie Qi could provide a path.
Xie Qi took a deep breath to steady himself before walking slowly to Song Chen’s side. As he reached out his right hand to lift Song Chen’s arm, he suddenly withdrew it and said, "Let me see the wound."
After carefully examining the blackened injury, Xie Qi knew what he was dealing with. He straightened up and asked firmly, "Do you have a container? Something that can hold water?"
No sooner had he spoken than Lu Muyang bolted like an arrow from a bow, heading straight for the kitchen. A moment later, he returned with a water basin held in both hands, carefully offering it to Xie Qi. Clearly, Lu Muyang viewed this faint sliver of hope as a lifesaver.
Xie Qi, who had been looking down, looked up at the basin and was instantly stunned. Was this his preparation for him to suffer excessive blood loss? Was such a huge basin really necessary?! He understood that Lu Muyang wanted to save his lover, but his own life was at stake too.
Xie Qi forced a smile and said to Lu Muyang, "Don't you have something smaller?"
To his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, Lu Ze handed him a cup.
Although Lu Ze didn't know what Xie Qi was planning, he thought that if it could truly save his friend, they had to try, even if the hope was slim.
Xie Qi took the cup and, without hesitation, pulled out a razor-sharp dagger, ready to slash his own wrist.
"What are you doing?!"
Just as Xie Qi placed the blade against his skin, Lu Ze’s quick reflexes allowed him to seize Xie Qi’s hand before he could cut himself. Lu Ze gripped his wrist tightly, preventing him from moving, his brows furrowed with worry and confusion.
Xie Qi looked at Lu Ze, a flicker of surprise in his eyes before he regained his composure, smiling as he said, "Saving him, of course."
Before Lu Ze could react, Xie Qi slashed his wrist without a moment's hesitation.
Fresh blood flowed slowly into the cup. Xie Qi watched as his blood gradually filled the bottom of the cup, unsure of exactly how much would be enough. When it was half full, he stopped, and Lu Ze, seeing this, quickly frowned and bandaged the other man’s wrist.
While he didn't know why Xie Qi would do this, he was certain that what Xie Qi claimed would save Song Chen had to be linked to his blood. Xie Qi’s next words confirmed his suspicion.
"Drink this."
Forced to swallow the blood, Song Chen, unable to handle the metallic taste, drank only a few mouthfuls before he began to cough violently. The coughing was so loud it immediately grabbed everyone’s attention.
"Hey, hey, hey... don’t waste it!" Xie Qi hurried to tilt the cup toward Song Chen’s mouth, trying to track his head as he dodged.
Before long, Lu Muyang shouted in surprise: "It’s gone! It’s turned red!"
Hearing this, Lu Ze looked toward Song Chen’s arm. Sure enough, the blackened, spreading area had receded, and the blood flowing from the wound had returned to a bright crimson.
This change was like a stone thrown into a still pond, instantly igniting excitement and expectation in them. Could it be that the legendary virus serum had truly been successfully developed?
If this were all real, it would be an incredible blessing for humanity in the apocalypse. One could only imagine that if this news spread, the whole world would be in an uproar.
Lu Ze stared at the cup of blood, his heart filled with complex emotions, including conflict, doubt, and a worry he couldn't quite explain. Logically, possessing a cure that could end the apocalypse should have made him happy, but the thought that this cure came from Xie Qi made him feel a strong resistance to returning to the base.
Seeing the shifts in their expressions, Xie Qi said calmly, "I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. My blood is only effective for ability users, and it must be used within 24 hours of infection. It has no effect on ordinary humans."
He then looked at Lu Muyang and said, "He’s still weak. Let all the black blood drain out, and he’ll be fine after a sleep."
He turned and held the cup out to Lu Ze, smiling as he added, "I made sure to draw extra. It should help replenish the abilities you exhausted fighting the high-level zombie, and it might even help you level up."
Looking at the pale-faced Xie Qi and the unnervingly vibrant red liquid in the cup, a flicker of panic and fear crossed Lu Ze’s mind.
He couldn't help but shout, "Are you just going to confess it like this? You trust us that easily? If others find out about this, do you have any idea what the consequences will be? Do you have any idea how many lunatics are hiding in the labs at the base?!"
Facing Lu Ze’s worried interrogation, Xie Qi smiled slightly and replied firmly, "I know, of course. But I believe you would never hurt me. As for what happens once we reach the base, you can rest easy—the research left behind by my grandfather is more than enough."
Watching Lu Ze’s lingering look of concern, Xie Qi teased half-jokingly, "Captain, I’m basically a treasure from head to toe now. So, you must protect me, this 'Tang Monk meat,' all the way safely back to the base!"
"Fine. I’ll protect you."