Chapter 3. Dual Abilities
Ji Qingyan was startled and quickly vanished into the shadows beside the antique shelf. He breathed softly, gripping the scalpel tightly in one hand, gathering his strength at his fingertips and focusing on defense.
After a brief silence, the quiet sound of footsteps came from the stairs.
The footsteps were light and steady. The other party had clearly noticed the commotion downstairs and was approaching cautiously.
When the tall, sturdy figure of Dao slowly emerged from the corner of the staircase, Ji Qingyan's eyes narrowed slightly.
It was him.
The man he'd encountered at the hospital—the special-forces soldier who had shot the zombie and saved him, then disappeared into the rain without looking back.
He had changed out of his soaked black combat uniform and was now wearing a dry black T-shirt and work pants. Small droplets of water still clung to the ends of his hair. A bulging military backpack hung from his back, while he held a pistol steadily in his hand, its muzzle trained squarely on Ji Qingyan. His expression was full of vigilance.
When Gu Jinfeng saw who was standing against the wall, he was slightly surprised.
He had never expected to see Ji Qingyan here. The slender, fair-skinned young man stood calmly in the shadows, like bamboo drenched by a torrential rain yet still refusing to bend.
A flicker of surprise crossed his deep-set eyes.
“Why does it have to be you?” they asked at the same time.
After a brief silence, Gu Jinfeng was the first to lower his weapon and relax.
His gaze settled on Ji Qingyan—the young man was soaked through from the heavy rain, his white shirt clinging to his body and making him look even thinner and more fragile, the lines of his collarbones faintly visible beneath the wet collar.
Despite his disheveled appearance, his polite and elegant bearing remained undiminished, and his eyes still held the calm and resolve unique to a doctor.
Gu Jinfeng stepped forward, took a piece of bread from his backpack, and held it out to him. The firmness in his manner had softened, and his voice became relaxed and gentle, as if he were a different person entirely. “Gu Jinfeng.”
Ji Qingyan stared at the offered bread, warmth spreading through his heart.
He didn't stand on ceremony and accepted it naturally, his fingertips accidentally brushing the other man's—a touch that was slightly cold and fleeting, yet left them both silent for a moment.
“Thank you.”
Ji Qingyan looked up into his eyes, thanked him, then calmly leaned against the wall and ate little by little. The tension he'd felt for so long finally eased a little.
Actually, he was starving. After several hours of intensive surgery, he hadn't even had time to eat or drink anything when the apocalypse arrived without warning.
He had been anxious the entire time and kept running for his life, draining all his energy. At that moment, he felt utterly exhausted.
When the soft bread touched his lips, the rich aroma of wheat spread across his tongue, and warmth traveled down his throat into his stomach. Ji Qingyan's lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile, and a hint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, like a cat whose fur had just been stroked.
Gu Jinfeng pulled over a usable chair and sat down, casually crossing his long legs. He looked at him mockingly. “You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll knock you out and throw you out to feed the zombies?”
Ji Qingyan raised his eyes and glanced at him indifferently, his voice calm and firm. “You can't.”
There was no hesitation or doubt. It was as simple as stating a fact.
Hearing that, Gu Jinfeng lifted an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
He'd expected the cold young man to hesitate and test the possibilities, but he'd never imagined the other party would be so decisive and unshakable.
A smile unconsciously tugged at his lips, and a quiet chuckle escaped his throat. Though faint, the smile carried a trace of pleasure and appreciation.
Interesting.
Right at that moment—
Raaagh!
Several loud roars suddenly came from outside, followed by the sound of shattering glass as shards flew everywhere.
Three terrifying-looking zombies staggered inside.
Ji Qingyan's pupils suddenly contracted.
Unlike the Elementary mutant at the hospital, they had blue-gray skin and black, razor-sharp nails that glinted coldly. They moved quickly and were far more aggressive.
One of them roared, baring blood-smeared fangs, and lunged straight at them.
“Get somewhere safe!”
Gu Jinfeng reacted with incredible speed. He extended his long arm and shoved Ji Qingyan toward a safe spot beside the wall before suddenly leaping away.
He raised his left hand slightly.
The surrounding air temperature instantly dropped, and frost spread across the floor at a visible speed, shattering porcelain fragments and coating the nearby wooden frames.
The zombie in front slipped immediately, lost its balance, and crashed hard to the floor.
An ice-type superpower!
Ji Qingyan's pupils narrowed slightly, and his heart pounded.
It wasn't over.
At the same time, blue lightning crackled around Gu Jinfeng's right palm. Small electric arcs leaped and flashed between his fingers, casting flickering light across his cold, handsome face.
His figure moved like a ghost, instantly closing in on the second zombie before he slammed down a fist filled with tremendous force.
Hiss—!
A piercing electric buzz exploded, and the sharp smell of burning instantly filled the entire shop.
Before the evolved zombie could react, a lightning strike burned its entire head to a black, coal-like lump glowing like an ember. It collapsed straight to the floor and lay motionless.
A lightning-type superpower!
Ji Qingyan stared blankly at the firm and ruthless figure before him, secretly admiring him.
Dual Ice-Lightning Attribute—Superpowered Individual.
My God, was this the combat power of a dual-ability user? They were like walking human-killing machines in the post-apocalyptic world—terrifyingly powerful.
Gu Jinfeng didn't stop moving. He turned, raised his foot, and precisely kicked the zombie that had slipped to the floor.
The tremendous force, accompanied by a fierce gust of wind, slammed the zombie into the wall. With a muffled bang, its head exploded, spraying foul black fluid everywhere.
Then, with a turn of his palm, he drew his military dagger and, in a flash of cold light, drove it straight into the eye socket of the last zombie.
With a swift twist of his wrist, the blade spun violently inside the skull, and dark fluid dripped from its hilt.
The three ferocious, evolved zombies were killed in an instant.
The entire process took less than ten seconds.
Gu Jinfeng flicked the blood from his dagger and turned to find Ji Qingyan staring at him with eyes wide in astonishment.
Shock, admiration, and a glimmer of emotion he might not even have been aware of himself shone in those beautiful eyes...
His cold, handsome face softened unconsciously, and a quiet flicker of delight rose in his heart.
Then a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips, touched with a hint of roguish charm. “Surprised?”
Seeing that Ji Qingyan was still dazed and hadn't come to his senses, Gu Jinfeng slowly stepped forward and moved a little closer. In a low voice edged with mockery, he said, “Are you really an idiot?”
Ji Qingyan came out of his reverie and looked up to find that handsome face so close to his—deep eyes, a high-bridged nose, thin lips curved slightly upward, and breath that nearly brushed his forehead.
A blush suddenly appeared on the tips of his ears.
He turned his face away, somewhat embarrassed, but the image of Gu Jinfeng's powerful, imposing figure remained vivid in his mind.
Unable to hold it in any longer, he turned toward the other man and exclaimed in amazement, “Your combat power is incredible!”
Gu Jinfeng looked at the easily flustered young man before him and smiled. “Of course. Don't you even know who your Brother Feng is?”
Hearing that, Ji Qingyan couldn't help rolling his eyes.
He thought to himself, He looks so arrogant and conceited, but I never expected him to be this big-hearted—and this shamelessly full of himself.
Gu Jinfeng watched his indescribable expression, and the smile in his eyes grew wider.
He sheathed his dagger, deftly wiped the black, foul residue from the blade, and said seriously, “This place isn't somewhere we can linger. Hurry up and find your things.”
After saying that, he pushed a heavy shelf over to cover the broken window. His movements were quick and decisive, clearly showing that he had done this more than once.
Hearing that, Ji Qingyan no longer hesitated. He turned and hurried to the antique shelf, pressing his fingertip against a hidden carved mechanism at the bottom.
Click.
The hidden compartment opened, revealing an antique sandalwood box. Its surface was carved with intricate auspicious cloud patterns, and the wood had acquired a warm patina with age.
He took out the wooden box and opened it.
Inside lay a pure-white jade pendant with mysterious cloud patterns carved across its surface, both ancient and beautiful.
A faint, shimmering white aura radiated from it, soft, tranquil, and clear.
The moment Ji Qingyan's fingertip touched the jade pendant—
Something unusual suddenly happened.
The jade pendant abruptly emitted a dazzling green light, illuminating the entire shop in an instant.
A wave of pure, powerful energy flowed from his fingertip into his limbs and bones, pounding and raging like a searing current surging through his meridians.
Sudden, intense pain spread throughout his body, as if countless knives were cutting into his bones and ripping apart his tendons all at once.
“Ugh—!”
He groaned, staggered, and collapsed to the floor, his back slightly hunched and the veins on his forehead bulging.
Seeing this, Gu Jinfeng's heart tightened with worry. Almost instinctively, he rushed forward, seized Ji Qingyan's wrist, and tried to check his condition.
But at the exact moment their skin touched—
That powerful, pure energy seemed to have found a new outlet, surging wildly through the point of contact and into Gu Jinfeng's meridians.
The energy was so immense and violent that it flooded into his body like an overflowing torrent.
At the same time, excruciating pain spread through his limbs and bones. Even a man as tough as steel as Gu Jinfeng couldn't suppress a groan, and his knees buckled as he knelt beside Ji Qingyan.
The two of them knelt on the floor, each gripping the other's wrist, swept away by that irresistible energy like two fallen leaves battered by a storm.
The jade pendant's radiance grew brighter and brighter.
The entire room was illuminated as brightly as day.