A Gamble with Fate

Yang Mu prepared everything in an empty room on the fourth floor, ready to stake it all on a risky gamble.

Before taking action, Yang Mu sent a message to Hu Die.

"Miss, I'm leaving. If we get the chance, we'll collaborate again. Sadly, I won't be able to taste the meals you cooked with your own hands."

"Leaving? Where could you possibly go? There's a sea of zombies within a kilometer of this place. How are you going to leave?"

"I'm taking a gamble."

"Is it because those special forces disrupted your plans? Do you feel powerless, unable to take charge here, and now want to leave? Yang Mu, let me tell you—don't be so stubborn! The special forces have superior weapons and exceptional combat skills. With their protection, our chances of survival are much higher!"

"You're sharp—that's part of the reason. But it's not the main one."

"Then what is the main reason?"

"I need to get out of the quarantine zone as soon as possible. I have an old friend to visit. Enough talk—take care of yourself. Goodbye!"

After hanging up, Yang Mu double-checked his preparations. With everything in place, the only thing left was to give it his best shot and leave the rest to fate.

He returned to the room, opened his laptop, and blasted Beethoven's *Symphony No. 5* at full volume, setting the speakers on the balcony.

The music echoed, luring the zombies toward the building in droves.

Those at the front couldn't move, and those at the back trampled over them, piling up higher and higher as more zombies swarmed in.

It was do-or-die time.

Zombies, including the feral zombie dogs, were highly attracted to sound. If any zombie dogs were nearby, they would come without fail. Yang Mu was certain the one from yesterday hadn't gone far, so...

Here it comes!

Tension gripped Yang Mu. He knew this was his one and only chance—he couldn't afford to fail.

Every step of the plan was meticulously calculated. As long as there were no mistakes, he could pull it off.

Finally, the enormous zombie dog charged forward, climbing over the pile of zombies and leaping onto the fourth-floor balcony, its bloodstained jaws gaping wide—just as Yang Mu had anticipated.

With lightning speed, Yang Mu rushed forward and slipped a makeshift bridle, crafted from belts, ropes, and wires, into the zombie dog's mouth. He dodged its lunge, grabbing a homemade saddle with one hand and pulling the reins tight as he vaulted into the air.

The saddle landed on the zombie dog's back, and Yang Mu swiftly planted himself on it, gripping the creature with his thighs and tightening the reins with all his might.

Success!

The bridle was firmly in place. Though crude, it was sturdy. As long as he stayed mounted, there was a chance he could break through.

Yang Mu couldn't forget the sight of the plane crash yesterday, how the zombie dog had sensed danger and fled just before the aircraft shook violently and plummeted. 

That reaction was a survival instinct.

What about now? Could it sense him? Did it see him as a threat? Would it flee?

Sweat poured down Yang Mu's body, his nerves on edge.

As he questioned himself, the answer came.

The zombie dog spun around and leaped from the balcony, trampling over zombies, sprinting a full kilometer within moments, and breaking free from the horde.

"Ha ha! Success!"

Yang Mu shouted in exhilaration, brandishing his axe. Whenever a zombie approached, he knocked it down with the blunt side.

In no time, the zombie dog had covered another three kilometers, leaving the cluster of seven buildings far behind.

On the rooftops, the people who had been listening to the music were stunned. They had no idea what was happening until they saw the zombie dog and the man riding it out of the horde. Many were still in disbelief.

Chu Hong stood on the balcony for what felt like an eternity before finally covering her mouth with her hand.

My God!

That was Yang Mu—he had really left!

He had escaped, riding a zombie dog? 

How was that possible?

Yet, the impossible had unfolded right before her eyes.

Chu Hong stood frozen for a full three minutes before she shakily pulled out her phone and called Wen Sijia.

"How are you? Are you alright?"

"Sijia..."

"Why does your voice sound like it's trembling? What happened? Don't panic!"

"Yang Mu... Who is Yang Mu, really? Do you know him?"

"You probably know him better than I do. After all, you've spent more time with him over the past two years."

"Yes... but I don't understand him at all. Sijia, we might have missed something these past two years."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing... Sijia, I'll hang up now. I will survive and escape. Let's talk when we meet outside."

Chu Hong ended the call with trembling hands, her mind completely blank. No... not blank.

The image of Yang Mu riding away on the back of the zombie dog lingered, haunting her.

On the other side, Hu Die, similarly stunned, pulled out her phone and sent a message to Yang Mu.

"Best of luck escaping on that zombie dog. If we meet again, I'd be honored to be your most loyal teammate. Respectfully, Hu Die. You're a wild man, Yang Mu, like a mad dog. I like it."

Of course, Yang Mu had no time to check the message. He was busy scouting for the perfect moment and place.

The perfect moment to escape the zombie dog unscathed.

The perfect place, close to exits A, B, and C.

Finally, the time came. He was about seven kilometers from exit B. Should he jump now?

He hesitated for just a moment before deciding to leap. Ahead, a massive group of zombies had gathered.

The hard cardboard he had taped to his arms and legs had been torn off during the escape, leaving him vulnerable.

Continuing on the zombie dog was too risky. He might be scratched or bitten.

Once Yang Mu made up his mind, he acted without hesitation—a hallmark of his character.

He swiftly dismounted, sprinting toward a nearby building.

He needed to find a safe place to hide and plan his next move.

Riding a zombie dog was a one-time gamble, useful for escaping but impossible for reaching a precise destination. From here on, he would have to rely on himself.

After running just a few meters, Yang Mu arrived at the building. It was Binbei Tower, a commercial complex with vast transportation links.

It had an underground parking lot, a subway entrance, and towered sixty floors into the sky—one of the more impressive structures in the city.

Fortunately, this area was at the boundary of the newly developed zone and the old town, not yet a bustling commercial district. Many office spaces were vacant, with most of the residential units occupying the upper floors. The lower floors were shops, small businesses, and a mid-sized chain hotel, Aijia.

Yang Mu first ran to the building's entrance, pushing the door—it was locked.

Peering through the glass, he saw no one inside, only the corpses of several zombies.

"It seems someone has taken over the building, cleared out the zombies, and locked the entrance. Could there be more survivors inside?"

With this thought, Yang Mu quickly climbed the pillar beside the door.

The zombies and zombie dog pursued him, but they were too late. Yang Mu, nimble and swift, scaled the pillar and climbed onto the platform above, making his way to a second-floor window. This area was likely part of the Aijia Hotel.

The window was covered with curtains.

Yang Mu took out his axe and smashed the window.

Just then, he heard a sharp scream from inside.

Startled, Yang Mu used the axe to push the curtains aside and saw a man and a woman inside. The man appeared to be in his sixties, while the woman was much younger, perhaps not even twenty.

The two were in bed, embracing, without a stitch of clothing between them...