7: Did you get corpse poison in Chapter 7?

The train finally burst out of the Misty Forest, and sunlight once again spilled onto the now-battered body of the train.

The crisis was temporarily averted, but the atmosphere inside the carriage did not lighten. Instead, it became even more oppressive than when they were besieged by the wolves.

A faint smell of blood and a disturbing stench of rot permeated the air.

In the rear half of the carriage, a group of girls formed a circle, yet they deliberately maintained a "safe distance" of two or three meters.

At the center of the circle was Wang Jia, lying on the floor and groaning in pain.

At this moment, her face was as pale as paper, and pea-sized beads of cold sweat rolled down her forehead incessantly. The arm that had been scratched by the Wind Wolf was now more than just bleeding.

The originally bright red wound was turning a bizarre blue-black color at a speed visible to the naked eye. The blood vessels around the wound were like black earthworms wriggling and bulging under the skin, and black pus and blood were even seeping out.

"It hurts so much... sob... my hand is so hot, it feels like it's burning..."

Wang Jia had cried until her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were unfocused, and she was in a semi-conscious state.

"Is... is this poisoning?"

"It looks like Zombie Poison to me! Isn't that what happens in movies when someone is scratched by a zombie?"

"Oh my god, will she mutate? What if she turns into a zombie and bites us?"

Panic spread through the crowd like a plague.

Several girls who were originally on good terms with Wang Jia were now so terrified that they retreated several meters away, their eyes filled with fear and disgust.

Just then, Zhao Ji's sharp voice rang out again:

"What are you still standing there for? Throw her off!"

Although Zhao Ji was also a bit afraid, she felt more of a sense of schadenfreude and an impulse to reclaim her authority. She pointed at Wang Jia on the floor and said with an air of righteous indignation:

"Everyone has seen zombie movies! Once you're bitten, you mutate! If we don't deal with her, everyone in this carriage will die! Lin Xiao! You're the Conductor, you must think of everyone's safety!"

These words were cruel, but they struck the darkest point of fear in many people's hearts.

Some people began to waver.

"Yeah... if she really mutates..."

"I think so too... it's too dangerous."

Hearing the discussions around her, Wang Jia suddenly snapped her eyes open, driven by a final surge of survival instinct. She struggled to crawl up but fell back down heavily due to her weakness.

"No... don't leave me behind... please... I don't want to die..."

She desperately reached out her uninjured hand, grasping blindly in the air, but she couldn't find a single straw to clutch. Her former sisters had all turned into executioners who wanted her life.

Just as this moment of humanity's ugliest side was fully exposed, a tall figure pushed through the crowd and walked in.

"Everyone, shut up."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a heart-chilling coldness.

Lin Xiao strode to Wang Jia's side. Completely disregarding the terrifying wound, he knelt on one knee and grabbed her blackening arm.

"Ah! Class Rep! Don't touch it! It's contagious!" someone cried out.

Lin Xiao turned his head and gave the girl who spoke a cold, blade-like look: "If even I were afraid, this train would have fallen apart long ago."

He lowered his head and carefully examined the wound.

The System Panel provided a prompt:

**[Status: Level 2 Zombie Poison Infection (Mild).]**

**[Description: A mutant virus carried on the claws and teeth of Wind Wolves. The infected will lose their sanity within 24 hours and completely mutate within 48 hours.]**

**[Treatment Plan: Requires an injection of anti-viral serum, combined with a healing-type talent to clear residual toxins.]**

"It's alright, she can be saved."

Lin Xiao felt a sense of relief.

If it were a severe infection or the mutation was irreversible, he might have truly sent her on her way for the sake of the big picture. But since she could be saved, he would never give up on any of his "assets."

Yes, in his eyes, every girl on this train was a valuable asset for him to establish himself in the apocalypse.

With a flick of his wrist, a syringe containing a pale blue liquid appeared out of thin air in his hand.

This was the **[Primary Antidote (Universal Type)]** he had traded for yesterday in the trading area with two bottles of water from a lucky guy who supposedly looted a pharmacy.

While it couldn't completely clear this level 2 Zombie Poison, it was more than enough to suppress the toxicity.

"It might hurt a bit, bear with it."

Lin Xiao did not hesitate and plunged the needle directly into a vein near Wang Jia's wound.

As the pale blue medicine was slowly pushed in, Wang Jia's pained and distorted expression relaxed slightly. The black energy spreading from the wound also stopped expanding, though it still stubbornly remained beneath the flesh.

"It's not enough."

Lin Xiao turned his head to look at Shen Man behind him.

Shen Man's face was somewhat pale. To treat Zhao Xiaotang's impact injuries and the abrasions of several other girls earlier, she had already consumed most of her Mental Energy. She was now even swaying slightly while standing.

"Shen Man." Lin Xiao looked at her, his tone firm. "I'll have to trouble you a bit more. Use your [Healing Lightwave] to work with the medicine and force the poison out."

Looking at the hideous, blackening wound, Shen Man was actually feeling nervous.

She was an art student and couldn't even stand to watch a chicken being slaughtered, let alone handle a semi-rotten wound like this. Moreover, she was currently dizzy and felt like she could faint at any moment.

But when she met Lin Xiao's trusting and encouraging eyes, the fear in her heart miraculously dissipated by more than half.

"Okay... I'll try."

Shen Man bit her lower lip and forced herself to walk over and kneel beside Wang Jia.

She extended her long, fair hands, hovering them over the wound.

"Buzz—"

A soft, milky-white halo lit up in her palms, like a warm holy light, slowly covering the hideous wound.

"Hiss..."

As the light penetrated, the originally ink-black stagnant blood began to slowly liquefy and flow out of the wound, making a "sizzling" corrosive sound as it dripped onto the floor.

At the same time, new pink granulation tissue began to grow at the edges of the wound.

Ten minutes later.

Shen Man's body went limp, and she nearly collapsed to the floor.

Lin Xiao was quick to react, grabbing her by the waist to support her.

"It's done. The rest can be left to the body's natural healing."

Wang Jia, though still weak, no longer had a deathly gray complexion, and her breathing had become steady.

Looking at her arm, which was still wrapped in gauze but no longer black, tears welled up again.

This time, they were tears of gratitude.

She struggled to kowtow to Lin Xiao, but he held her down.

"Class Rep... sob... thank you... I thought I was going to die... I thought you all didn't want me anymore..."

Lin Xiao patted her shoulder, stood up, and swept his gaze across the room.

The group of girls who had just been clamoring to throw her off the train now lowered their heads one by one, their faces burning with shame, not daring to meet Lin Xiao's eyes.

Zhao Ji, in particular, shrank to the very back of the crowd, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

"Did you all see that?"

Lin Xiao's voice echoed in the carriage, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"On this train, as long as you still have a breath in you and as long as you haven't betrayed us, I will not give up on you."

"That was my medicine, but it's also your lives."

"Next time anyone dares to suggest throwing a companion off the train..." Lin Xiao's eyes turned sharp, and the revolver in his hand suddenly pointed at the train door, "I'll send her down first to experience life for herself."

At this moment, Lin Xiao's image became truly towering in the hearts of all the girls.

If before they had obeyed because of his force and resources, now these girls, who were like startled birds, felt a nearly blind dependence and worship toward him.

In this dog-eat-dog apocalypse, having a leader who was willing to use precious medicine to save you and not give up on you was the greatest sense of security.

"Long live the Class Rep!"

Someone shouted first, though it wasn't clear who.

Soon after, scattered applause rang out in the carriage, eventually converging into a single wave.

Wang Jia looked at Lin Xiao with a fanatical gaze, secretly swearing in her heart that her life belonged to the Class Rep from now on. She would do whatever he asked without a second thought!

...

After calming everyone down, Lin Xiao supported the weak Shen Man back to the driver's cabin.

"Click."

The door lock engaged, isolating them from the noise outside.

Although the driver's cabin was small, it had an independent air conditioning system, making the temperature pleasant and the environment quiet and comfortable.

Lin Xiao helped Shen Man sit down in his leather seat.

At this moment, Shen Man's bangs were soaked with cold sweat and stuck to her pale forehead. She looked exceptionally fragile, possessing a sickly beauty that made one instinctively want to cherish her.

"Drink some of this."

Like a magic trick, Lin Xiao pulled out a bottle of pure milk (from the snack pack he got from last night's sign-in) from behind him.

In a time when even water was precious, a bottle of milk was a luxury among luxuries.

Shen Man looked at the milk bottle with the cow pattern, her eyes a bit dazed.

She didn't reach out to take it. Instead, she looked up, her peach blossom eyes, which usually held a gentle smile, were now a bit moist as she stared fixedly at Lin Xiao.

"Class Rep... that medicine was very expensive, wasn't it?"

Although she didn't know the exact value, she could imagine that medicine capable of curing Zombie Poison would cost a sky-high price.

"It was okay, I traded two bottles of water for it."

Lin Xiao lied casually; in reality, the current market price for such a thing was at least twenty bottles of water plus a crate of bread. "Don't think too much about it, it's my investment. You're my chief healer. If you collapse from exhaustion, who's going to heal me later?"

Hearing the slightly teasing term "healer," Shen Man couldn't help but giggle, and a hint of color returned to her pale face.

"You and your glib tongue..."

She took the milk, inserted the straw, and took small sips. The rich milky fragrance slid down her throat, and it seemed as though even her dried-up Mental Energy was recovering a bit.

The driver's seat was originally designed for one person. Although it had become more spacious after the upgrade, it was still a bit tight for two.

Lin Xiao didn't sit in the passenger seat (which was Luo Yao's spot). Instead, he naturally squeezed into one side of the driver's seat and reached out to wrap his arm around Shen Man's shoulder, letting her lean into his embrace.

"If you're tired, lean on me for a bit."

Lin Xiao's voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a reassuring masculine scent.

Shen Man's body stiffened for a moment.

In the past, she would have certainly jumped away as if she'd been electrocuted and then called him a "rogue" with a blushing face.

But now...

Having just experienced the edge of life and death, her psychological defenses were already extremely fragile. The broad, solid chest behind her was like a safe harbor, making her want to sink into it.

She didn't struggle. Instead, she submissively relaxed her body and leaned her head on Lin Xiao's shoulder. Smelling the faint scent of sweat and tobacco on him (actually, Lin Xiao didn't smoke; it was the smell of gunpowder), she felt an incomparable peace of mind.

A subtle silence fell over the driver's cabin.

There was only the slight vibration of the moving train and the sound of their close breathing.

"Class Rep..."

Shen Man suddenly spoke, her voice as soft as a feather brushing against the heart.

"If... I mean if, the person injured just now was me, and there was only one dose of medicine... would you save me?"

It was a very cliché question, like "if your mother and I both fell into the water, who would you save?" But in the apocalypse, this question often represented a choice between life and death.

Lin Xiao lowered his head.

From this angle, he could see Shen Man's long eyelashes, her perky nose, and her red lips, which looked exceptionally moist and enticing after drinking the milk.

And... the snowy white cleavage rising and falling with her breath beneath her collar.

He didn't answer directly. Instead, he reached out and gently grasped Shen Man's cold little hand, interlocking their fingers.

He could even feel Shen Man's fingers trembling slightly, and her palm was a bit damp.

"Shen Man, look at me."

Lin Xiao commanded softly.

Shen Man slowly raised her head, her watery eyes meeting Lin Xiao's deep gaze.

Their faces were extremely close, their breaths intertwining.

"You are my exclusive healer, my adjutant, and my woman," Lin Xiao declared his ownership imperiously. Though the last title was a bit premature, it felt just right in this atmosphere.

"On this train, anyone can die, but not you."

"Even if I have to trade the lives of everyone on this train, I will bring you back."

These words might have been a bit selfish, cold-blooded, or even chuunibyou.

But for Shen Man, who was currently extremely lacking in a sense of security, these were the most beautiful love words in the world.

This was her only faith in this broken world.

Shen Man's eyes instantly turned red, and tears fell like broken strings of pearls.

She could no longer control her emotions and actively reached out both arms, tightly encircling Lin Xiao's neck and burying her face in the crook of his neck, sobbing softly.

"Waa... Lin Xiao... you're a bastard... but... thank you..."

Feeling the soft, hot body of the beauty in his arms and the fullness of her chest rubbing against his own because of her crying, Lin Xiao felt the fire in his body, which had been suppressed due to the Strengthening Potion, flare up again.

His hands were no longer well-behaved either, slowly wandering up Shen Man's slender waist and stroking the beautiful butterfly bones on her back, comforting her emotions while also enjoying this rare warmth.

"Alright, stop crying. You won't be pretty if you keep crying."

Lin Xiao coaxed her softly in her ear, his lips grazing her sensitive earlobe as if by accident. "Get some rest quickly; I'll need you to change the bandages for the wounded tonight."

Shen Man's body shuddered, and an intoxicating blush spread across her face. She looked up at Lin Xiao, who was close at hand, her gaze blurred and shy.

As if possessed, she closed her eyes, tilted her head up slightly, and offered those two enticing red lips.

It was a kiss filled with gratitude, dependence, and a hint of lust.

Although it was just a fleeting touch, for the always reserved and dignified Shen Man, it was already an extremely daring move.

"Consider this... interest."

With a red face, Shen Man buried her head in Lin Xiao's chest and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum. "The rest... we'll talk about it later..."

Lin Xiao touched his lips; the sweetness of the milk and the softness of the beauty still lingered on them.

A satisfied smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and he pulled the woman in his arms even tighter.

"Fine, I've noted down this debt."

Outside the window, the sun was setting, dyeing the wasteland blood-red.

But this Train No. 9527, filled with hope (and hormones), was carrying Lin Xiao and his Harem toward an even more unknown distance.