C2 The Same Name Different Planets!

Lee Kai glanced back after distancing himself from the crowd, which had descended into chaos. They were mostly ordinary folks, none of whom could match his physical prowess. As the zombies drew near, their lack of resistance was painfully evident. Watching the panicked masses flee towards him, Lee Kai sighed inwardly, "Is this the tragedy of the common man?"

He turned and resumed his sprint. "First off, I can't let those zombies catch me. That's crucial since I have no idea about these zombies or the consequences of being wounded by them. Secondly, I need to find a vehicle or some other means of transport. I exercise regularly, but my stamina isn't infinite. The goal is to survive 24 hours, and I seriously doubt I can keep running that long."

"Hey, can't you wait up for me?" Lee Kai heard a voice from behind and looked back.

"What's with this woman? She's been on my tail since the start."

Zhu Ying caught Lee Kai's baffled look but had no time to clarify, her labored breathing a testament to her fatigue. She had exhausted herself trying to keep pace with Lee Kai.

Lee Kai halted and faced her, silent, awaiting her explanation. Zhu Ying, hands on her delicate legs and gasping for air, managed to say, "You shouldn't make a lady run like that."

"You're insane," Lee Kai muttered, his lips barely parting as he fixed his gaze on Zhu Ying's woeful eyes. He couldn't fathom why she still believed herself to be the center of the universe. Did she really think she was still the glamorous star, flanked by bodyguards and assistants? Ridiculous. If she couldn't adapt, she might as well die and not hinder his survival efforts.

Lee Kai's swift mental shift was due entirely to his extensive experience with holographic games. Each game scenario differed from reality, so this situation was nothing new to him. The only real difference was that previously he controlled a character, but now he was the character.

Zhu Ying watched Lee Kai turn and dash off, momentarily taken aback. Her usual ace in the hole was useless now, which seemed illogical. Her daze was brief, but it was long enough for someone to reach her side. As the man passed, he gave Zhu Ying a glance, then paused. With genuine concern, he said, "What are you doing? Run! The ones behind will eat you!" With that, he grabbed Zhu Ying's arm, hoisted her to her feet, and they both continued their escape.

Observing Lee Kai's behavior, Zhu Ying was convinced it wasn't that her charm had faded; rather, Lee Kai must be an unusual individual. Her allure was certainly no laughing matter, yet he seemed to completely disregard her. Could he possibly be gay?

Why else would a woman like herself get caught up in such fanciful thoughts? Even in the midst of everything, she was preoccupied with such trivial concerns.

...

After running for roughly an hour, Lee Kai halted. Presumably, those who had arrived in this world with him had managed to hold off the zombies. Consequently, only a few stragglers remained behind him, with no other zombies in sight.

Despite maintaining a steady pace, the toll on his stamina was tangible. Surveying the still desolate surroundings, Lee Kai couldn't help feeling that his luck was downright terrible.

"Let's rest for ten minutes, then keep moving along the road. While searching for transportation, we'll need to look out for any food. If possible, figuring out how to eliminate those zombies would be ideal; we can't keep running forever," Lee Kai mused aloud while seated on a large roadside rock.

"Hey, man, you've got some impressive endurance," remarked a man approaching with another person. Lee Kai glanced at him briefly before looking away, mentally tagging him as "lecherous, hypocritical, arrogant, and disdainful."

The man's face registered embarrassment when Lee Kai didn't respond. He shrugged and joked to Zhu Ying, "Looks like this guy isn't too keen on making conversation." Zhu Ying steadied her breath, lifted her head with a sparkle in her eyes, and presented the image of a vulnerable woman. Her delicate features made her the spitting image of a mistreated princess, causing the man to breathe more heavily. If it weren't utterly inappropriate, he would have been tempted to whisk Zhu Ying away to a secluded spot for some indecent activities.

"Indeed, that man lacks any sense of chivalry, unlike you," Zhu Ying responded. The man's fleeting smile betrayed his satisfaction. "My dear, may I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

"Of course, I'm Zhu Ying."

"A lovely name indeed. I'm Lee Chao, and I work in security," he replied. And with that, the two struck up a conversation.

Listening to the conversation between the two, Lee Kai's mind buzzed with increasing thoughts. He let out a soft sigh and rose to his feet, continuing his journey along the road. His actions did not go unnoticed by the pair behind him. Lee Chao had no intention of stirring, but Zhu Ying stood up and, with a solicitous tug, pulled him to his feet. "We should get going. This place may be open, but it doesn't look safe. It's better for us to leave."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go," Lee Chao agreed, gently taking Zhu Ying's hand. Zhu Ying bashfully lowered her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Yet, deep down, she harbored a sense of disdain for Lee Chao.

Lee Kai, leading the way, was indifferent to their company. In his eyes, the two slower runners might prove to be an asset should they encounter zombies. To him, life was an equal playing field where survival hinged on the will to fight for it. He had learned that lesson early on, fighting for his place in the studio rather than ending up in some obscure orphanage.

Reflecting on the other man's earlier conversation, Lee Kai mused that despite his lustful demeanor, he didn't seem to be short on money, certainly not struggling for food or drink. The man's physique suggested a lack of regular exercise. If he was truthful about his Class, it was likely a laid-back job, perhaps a neighborhood security guard.

Catching Lee Chao's eye, the two men exchanged glances. Lee Kai observed his self-satisfied smirk and somewhat showy gestures. "Just a guy coasting through life, killing time with movies and TV shows," he thought. Considering Lee Chao's somewhat pale complexion, "And probably no stranger to adult films either. Such a person should recognize Zhu Ying. Even someone like me, who hardly ever leaves home, doesn't watch TV, and just plays holographic games, knows of Zhu Ying. Any modern person would."

With this in mind, Lee Kai entertained a wild guess. "Could he be from another world? Another planet, or even another universe?" The thought was fleeting, as it held no practical value to his current predicament.

Observing the sun beginning its descent toward the horizon, he mused, "A 24-hour cycle should mirror that of my own world. Given the sun's trajectory, it seems to align with what I'm accustomed to. I'm curious about the current season, though, and the precise duration of daylight remains unknown. When I arrived, the sun was directly overhead, suggesting it was sometime between eleven in the morning and one in the afternoon. Based on the temperature, I'd estimate the sun sets between six and eight in the evening. These are mere speculations, but it's best to plan around them for now. That means there's roughly four hours left before nightfall. In that time, my priority isn't to find food or transportation, but rather to secure a safe haven to spend the night."

"Especially since the diurnal temperature variation in the desert could be quite extreme. But again, that's just conjecture." With his thoughts in order, he instinctively quickened his pace. The two individuals trailing him caught up as Lee Kai pondered. Sensing Lee Kai's hastened steps, Lee Chao reached out and grasped his departing arm.

Lee Kai's fingers twitched slightly before he halted and turned to face Lee Chao, puzzled by the gesture. Deep down, he suspected that Lee Chao had some insight into this world; his composure was otherwise inexplicable.

Indeed, Lee Chao seemed unfazed. From the outset, Lee Kai had not detected a hint of panic in his eyes. There was a touch of fear, sure, but he appeared to have a handle on the situation.

"Hey, brother, no need to rush. There's no major issue here. This place seems quite safe," Lee Chao remarked nonchalantly, confident that without a horde of zombies, there was little danger. He had, after all, watched the famous film Resident Evil.

"Why do you feel it's safe? What's with those odd-looking people? It seems to me you might know something," Lee Kai inquired. Now was not the time to withdraw into oneself, and besides, his autism was mild.

"You're not familiar with Resident Evil? Are you even from Earth?" Lee Chao blurted out, then paused, taken aback by Lee Kai's persistently bewildered expression.

"Do you really have no idea?"

"What's the issue? Is it a problem not to know? Plus, I'm an Earthling."

Upon hearing Lee Kai's response, Lee Chao shook his head in disbelief. "Resident Evil is a film, actually a whole series of films. They're about a corporation called Umbrella that created a virus. During an experiment, the virus wasn't contained properly, leading to a human infection that turned people into zombies. These zombies prey on humans in an attempt to satiate their insatiable hunger."