To the Start of a New World

3.15

The villa was the last line of defense in the SG base. The civilians and scientists disembarked from the transport trucks at the front door, where the SG logistics team directed them into the safe rooms.

Hong Sheng stood at the side and oversaw the process. He carried his custom-built munitions with him, just in case. As he scanned the crowd, he frowned when he noticed that after almost all of the civilians had been evacuated, he still hadn't seen Lisa Xi.

He went up to the last trailing group and held up a hand to signal the SG escorts to stop. "Where is the head researcher?"

These logistics team members looked at each other in confusion. "Scientist Xi? She said... She would be fine, and that no zombies would be making it in, so she'd stay in the lab to continue her research."

Hong Sheng looked dully at the man who spoke. He then turned his dull gaze on the rest of the SG escorts who'd been meant to gather everyone to the safe rooms. The team members stiffened, and one of them said, "I'll go back and retrieve her immediately."

But Hong Sheng shook his head. "Keep going." At this moment, Hong Sheng saw the checkpoint of the villa zone open. Another car rolled in. The people in here didn't belong to the SG. Hong Sheng watched as a mother, a teenager, and two young children got off the car.

The driver of the car noticed Hong Sheng and gave a nod. "Boss's orders. We're to keep the kids and their mother safe."

Hong Sheng nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and walked away. He was headed in the direction of the research wing. Clearly, he meant to retrieve Lisa Xi himself.

The SG members bustled behind him as they continued to direct civilians to safety. Unnoticed by anyone, the teenager slipped away and quietly followed in Hong Sheng's footsteps.

When he arrived at the research building, Hong Sheng immediately turned toward the restricted laboratory section. Before he took more than a few steps, however, he paused, and suddenly turned around.

His dark eyes scanned the room. It was silent and empty.

After this confirmation, Hong Sheng turned around again and proceeded to the laboratory door. He input the code to go through, and shut the door behind him.

A long moment later, something crawled down from the ceiling.

Ji Ling, with her limbs twisted in inhuman ways, had managed to avoid Hong Sheng's detection. Her bright, eerie eyes had stared down at him from the dark corner, watching as he input the code. She had memorized the numbers.

She repeated the sequence and followed him inside. Through the door, she twisted, once again crawling up the walls and ceiling like a ghostly specter.

"What, you came to see me?" A woman's voice came from up ahead. Ji Ling silently approached. When she reached the open door to the laboratory, she looked in upside-down, the tip of her head and eyes just barely peeking across the threshold.

"You have to evacuate," Hong Sheng's low voice replied.

Lisa Xi rolled her eyes from behind her red-rimmed glasses. "Please. As if a zombie would make it in here. And even if it did, there are safe rooms in the lab." She gestured him over. "Come on, check this out. You remember that pendant? Well, it's been reacting strangely lately."

She took him to one of the research stations, and opened up a large machine. The compartment slid to reveal a small jade pendant, with a red string tied to it. The jade pendant was trembling, shaking against the surface, as if reacting to something.