Chapter 178: Ye Jun's Wish

However, after travelling with him, he began to suspect that Ye Jun possessed other abilities as well.

‘No wonder he managed to escape so easily. It wasn’t luck. He was simply capable enough to survive on his own.’

Just as Ji Henghua was thinking about this, another zombie suddenly lunged toward him.

This one was much faster than the previous creature.

It immediately targeted his leg, attempting to cripple him before he could escape.

Ji Henghua quickly stepped aside. The zombie changed direction and swung its claws toward him.

However, Ji Henghua reacted immediately. He raised his leg and kicked the creature hard in the stomach.

The impact sent the zombie flying backward.

Although Ji Henghua wasn’t particularly strong physically, his combat training allowed him to deal with Level Four zombies.

He had learned how to use timing, balance, and precise movements to compensate for his weaker body.

Unfortunately, Ye Jun wasn’t having an easier time. At that moment, he was surrounded by four zombies.

His face had turned bright red from the oppressive heat, and sweat was dripping down his forehead.

Ji Henghua raised his hand and fanned himself, hoping to feel even the slightest breeze.

However, the air was almost completely still.

The temperature had been rising steadily over the past few days.

‘Don’t tell me another season of extreme heat is approaching.’

The thought made his expression darken. He couldn’t help wondering whether the heavens had completely abandoned humanity.

First came the zombie apocalypse. Then came the mutated creatures, deadly viruses, and increasingly unpredictable weather.

Now, even the environment seemed determined to make survival impossible.

‘Does God really not want humans to survive?’

Just as he was thinking this, Ye Jun shouted again. “Ji Henghua! Head west!”

Ji Henghua turned toward him.

“There’s a thick patch of bushes over there!” Ye Jun continued. “Go through it!”

He struck one of the approaching zombies before adding, “I scouted this area on my way here. There’s a safe spot behind those bushes!”

“What kind of safe spot?” Ji Henghua asked.

“A huge tree!”

Ye Jun hurriedly explained, “It’s not a mutated tree, but for some reason, the zombies and mutated creatures around here avoid it. Even the mutated plants don’t seem to grow near it!”

Ji Henghua hesitated for a brief moment. He wasn’t sure whether trusting an unfamiliar tree in the middle of Dark Forest was a good idea.

However, Ye Jun hadn’t misled him even once during their journey.

On the contrary, he had repeatedly helped him escape dangerous situations.

After a moment of consideration, Ji Henghua decided to trust him.

He immediately rushed toward the bushes.

After pushing through the dense vegetation, he finally saw the tree Ye Jun had mentioned.

His eyes widened in delight. The tree was enormous. Its trunk was so wide that nearly ten adults would have been needed to surround it with their arms outstretched.

Its height was equally astonishing, reaching approximately the height of twenty people standing on one another’s shoulders.

Thick branches extended in every direction, forming a broad canopy overhead.

Some of the branches were wide enough for a grown man to lie down comfortably.

Ji Henghua stared at the tree in amazement. ‘How did Ye Jun even discover this place?’

Before he could ask, Ye Jun’s voice sounded behind him. “Climb up!”

Ji Henghua turned around. Ye Jun was still fighting the zombies that had followed them.

“I’ll deal with these creatures!” Ye Jun shouted. “You go first!”

Ji Henghua didn’t argue. He knew that Ye Jun was far more capable of handling multiple zombies than he was.

He immediately grabbed a low-hanging branch and began climbing.

Fortunately, the tree’s rough bark provided enough grip for him to pull himself upward.

After considerable effort, he finally reached one of the thicker branches.

Meanwhile, Ye Jun quickly finished dealing with the four zombies.

Once the creatures were no longer a threat, he hurried toward the tree and began climbing.

Ji Henghua leaned down and offered him a hand when he came close enough.

With his assistance, Ye Jun managed to reach the upper branches.

The two men eventually settled on a sturdy branch overlooking the surrounding forest.

For a while, neither spoke. They simply sat there, panting heavily.

Their clothes were soaked with sweat, and the oppressive heat made it difficult to catch their breath.

After several minutes, Ye Jun finally broke the silence.

“You know, this is exactly the kind of exciting life I used to dream about before the apocalypse.”

Ji Henghua glanced at him.

Ye Jun leaned against the trunk and let out a bitter laugh.

“Back when everything was peaceful, I used to imagine what would happen if a zombie apocalypse suddenly broke out.”

He shook his head.

“I always thought I’d awaken some incredible ability, obtain a cheat system, and eventually become the strongest person in the entire apocalypse.”

He looked toward the dark forest below.

“But now that the apocalypse has actually happened, all I want is to return to those peaceful days.”

His smile gradually disappeared.

“I really miss the time when we didn’t have to fight for our lives every single day.”

Ji Henghua didn’t respond.

He was still struggling to recover his strength.

The heavy black backpack strapped to his shoulders wasn’t helping either.

It was filled with food, mechanical tools, and various supplies they would need during their mission.

After carrying it through the forest for so long, his shoulders and back were aching terribly.

He carefully removed the backpack and placed it beside him.

Then he leaned against the trunk and took several deep breaths.

For a moment, he felt as though he might collapse from exhaustion.

Ye Jun noticed his condition. “Hoard more water bottles.”

He looked toward the sky. “This heat might continue for the next few months. If the temperature keeps rising, we’ll have to ration our water carefully. At worst, we might have to survive on half a cup of water each day.”

Hearing this, Ji Henghua clenched his fists.

He immediately thought of his younger brother. ‘If the heat really becomes that severe, what will happen to him?’