Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 164: We’re not from the military

[You’ve never used it before, but the foundation is already in you. Focus, Host. Place your hand on him—skin contact. Then clear your mind. Instead of projecting outward like with your flames, this time... listen. Sink inward.]

Qingran narrowed her eyes, gaze flicking to the man’s unconscious face.

Sweat beaded at his temples, his lips parted with shallow, uneven breaths.

She exhaled slowly and knelt beside the bed.

Her hand hovered for a heartbeat, then pressed gently against his wrist. His skin felt strangely cool, but at least he was alive.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

"Clear my mind and... listen." She closed her eyes.

In the silence of her thoughts, she pushed past the habitual alertness she’d cultivated since the world fell apart.

She silenced her instinct to scan the room, to anticipate threats. Instead, she turned her focus inward.

Stillness settled.Then like water rippling under a single drop something stirred.

Her breath hitched.

Thoughts that weren’t hers, they buzzed faintly at the edge of her perception, blurred and chaotic.

No words. Not yet. Just noise.

[Good. You’re close ] Lingquan said quietly. [Now... ask. Silently, but with intent. Ask him to show you what happened.]

Qingran did.

Her mental voice was steady and clear, forged through grit and sheer will "Show me. Who are you? What happened to you?"

The reaction was immediate.

A jolt of emotion surged through her, a tidal wave of fear, pain, and hunger.

Images slammed into her vision.

The corridors were dark, screams echoing. There were glimpses of teeth and hands.

Flashlights cutting through dust and debris.

The a low growl was heard, followed by more horrific cries.

She said whatever happened to him was caused by that thing.

[Well now we know what it is.]

"Yes. Luckily for me, I have that mobile laboratory. I’ll start testing after we return with the medics."

[We could be looking at mutation...50/50.]

Qimgran nodded, could be possible if beaten one could turn into those things.

"Then it would be very bad to have him here..won’t it?"

[Yes. But since there’s no signs of actual mutation, we can only leave it on the 50/50 mark.]

Heading to the sink, she washed her hands twice with soap, it would be bad if the bite or the virus was contagious.

She left the room. And headed to the lobby. Where Meng Nian, Yu Song and Chen Wei were waiting for her.

"Alright. Our destination is the hospital. Unfortunately we’re only rescuing the doctors and nurses. No one else."

Meng Nian nodded grimly. "Understood."

Yu Song frowned but didn’t object. "The patients..."

"I know," Qingran said flatly. "But they’ll slow us down, and we don’t have the means to stabilize or move them in bulk. Right now, the doctors are more valuable. If we lose them, we won’t be able to treat anyone later."

Chen Wei folded his arms. "Some people might not take that well."

"They don’t need to," she said. "This isn’t a democracy. It’s triage."

The tension simmered, but no one argued further. They all understood the stakes.

"Let’s head out."

The barricaded doors opened as they headed out, Qingran headed to the SUV, beaconing Yu Song to ride with her.

"Chen Wei you go with Meng Nian. The hospital is 6 kilometers away from the hotel. So just follow my lead."

The convoy started forward.

Their tires rolled cautiously over cracked asphalt, weaving around rusted-out cars, broken glass, and the occasional half-eaten corpse baking under the sun.

Qingran kept one hand on the wheel, the other near the shotgun resting on the console beside her.

It took them fifteen minutes to reach the outer block near the hospital. The streets narrowed here, the buildings rising tall and suffocating on either side.

The hospital’s white facade peeked through the gaps ahead.

"Hold." Qingran braked just before a tight intersection, throwing a hand signal.

Everyone dismounted.

They gathered behind the first SUV, their weapons drawn and heads low.

"Yu Song, cover east. Chen Wei, west. Meng Nian, you’re with me. We move to the entrance. Ten-minute recon. If there’s movement inside, we fall back to this point."

"Understood," the others echoed.

The group split.

Qingran approached the front doors of the hospital.

The glass was shattered, the reception desk half-obscured by overturned chairs and blood smeared across the floor.

She and Meng Nian stepped inside slowly, their boots crunching glass.

The smell hit them immediately. It reeked of rot, old disinfectant, and something else.Decay probably.

They moved past the lobby, clearing the main hallway.

The floor tiles were sticky in a lot of places.

A body lay face-down near the elevators, arm outstretched as if reaching for the button panel.

The uniform was originally white but now it was mixture of blood and dust.

"It’s a nurse.." Meng Nian murmured.

Qingran crouched. "The blood is fresh. He didn’t die too long."

From behind them, Chen Wei’s voice came through. "Clear west."

"East has light movement," Yu Song added. "Two zombies down. One inside a car. Not sure if it’s active or not."

"Hold position." Qingran ordered. "We’re going in deeper."

She and Meng Nian moved up to the first-floor emergency area.

They found signs of barricades, makeshift barriers of gurneys, filing cabinets and overturned carts.

Whoever had been here had tried to make a stand.

A door creaked nearby. Qingran froze.

Her hand shot out to stop Meng Nian and just in time.

Then they heard it, a soft, terrified sob.

She moved fast, pressing her back to the door before swinging it open with a burst of force.

Three people sat huddled inside. One doctor in a bloodied lab coat, two nurses crouched behind him.

All three stared at her in fear.

Qingran lowered her weapon. "We’re not zombies. We’re here to get you out."

The doctor blinked. "You’re not from the military?."

"No" she said flatly. "But we’re organized. And we’ve got shelter. Can any of you walk?"

"Yes we can all walk."

Qingran nodded, and helped them to their feet.

"Yu Song take them back to the car. Are there any more of you? We only need 3 more.."