Chapter 29: Terror at the Aquarium

"Oh no, zombies are catching up! Move, quickly!"

After resting for a moment, Qin Zhong looked up to see a group of zombies that seemed to have spotted him and Xiao Yingyong. They immediately began stumbling toward the pair.

Without pausing to catch their breath, the two ran forward. As they pressed on, a massive structure appeared ahead. Viewed from afar in the fading twilight, they could just make out the characters on the building: Ocean Aquarium.

Qin Zhong had never visited this aquarium before the apocalypse, but he remembered it caused quite a stir when it opened, with reporters even giving it special coverage. It was said to be the largest aquarium in Asia, with an exterior design mimicking the fluid forms of the ocean; its curved glass curtain walls would shimmer with a sparkling luster under the sun. It held countless marine animals and even featured a water park, making it a truly grand facility.

However, less than half a year into the apocalypse, those once-shimmering glass walls were now covered in cracks, with some sections shattered to reveal the dark, hollow interior. At the entrance, the once-colorful sign had faded, and the glass doors were broken, leaving only frames that creaked in the wind.

Qin Zhong pulled Xiao Yingyong through the entrance. Once inside, they discovered that the entire floor was flooded—likely because the damaged structure couldn't drain the rainwater from recent storms. The two ignored everything else and began wading toward the interior. Behind them, dozens of zombies let out guttural moans and surged into the aquarium.

Soon, as the water reached their waists, Xiao Yingyong cried out, "Brother Qin, why is there so much water here?"

"It's an aquarium. Why wouldn't there be water?" Qin Zhong quipped, though he pointed toward the ceiling. A massive hole had appeared there, apparently caused by some kind of impact. This explained the flooding; with no one left to maintain the building after the apocalypse, the water from repeated downpours had simply accumulated, turning the entire facility into a basin.

"We can't stay like this. We don't know what else might be in the water. Let's head over there and take a look." After a brief thought, Qin Zhong pointed toward a souvenir shop inside. They waded toward it. As the zombies pursued them, they were quickly bogged down by the deep water. Most failed to keep up, and those that did were swiftly dispatched by Xiao Yingyong’s crossbow.

Once inside the shop, they spotted a kayak mounted on the wall as a display piece. It looked like it could still be functional. Overjoyed, Qin Zhong had Xiao Yingyong keep watch while he struggled to detach the kayak from the wall. They dragged it back outside.

By now, the sky had turned pitch black. The entire aquarium felt like the depths of a dark well. Looking up through the hole in the roof, they saw thick clouds blotting out the moon; it was pitch black.

Sitting in the kayak, Qin Zhong paddled while sweeping the area with a high-powered flashlight. Floating among the debris on the water's surface were a dozen bobbing heads. They were clearly zombies. Sometimes their eyes broke the surface, sometimes they were submerged; the beam of light caused them to let out occasional, haunting moans.

"How is it possible that these things don't even drown?" Xiao Yingyong asked, her voice full of confusion.

Qin Zhong sighed and gave a bitter smile. "They’re already dead. How can you drown someone who’s already dead?"

Xiao Yingyong said with a hint of envy, "So that means they’re effectively immortal. If only I could be immortal too, that would be great."

Hearing her childlike remark, Qin Zhong felt a stir in his heart. Perhaps in the future, if the zombies gained intelligence, they might become the new dominant species on Earth. Strictly speaking, humans were intelligent, high-order beings, and since these creatures evolved from humans, they might not be far behind.

The pair paddled a few meters forward, scanning with the light. Having noted the tourist map at the entrance earlier, Qin Zhong navigated in the general direction of the exit. Once they cleared the exit, the monkey enclosure should be nearby, where they could find the token left by Sun Xiaoyan.

As they glided along, they used the crossbow to take out any zombies they spotted. The creatures, unable to use their strength while floating, would struggle and end up plunging their heads beneath the water. The aquarium was vast, covering over ten thousand square meters. Maneuvering between the floating debris felt like traversing a tropical wetland.

The darkness was absolute, and the eerie moaning of the dead echoed on all sides, making their skin crawl. Suddenly, as Qin Zhong swept his flashlight across the water, a wake surged past the side of the boat!

"What was that!"

Taken by surprise, Qin Zhong’s expression shifted. The wake was fast and straight. He didn't know what kind of monster it was, but it turned and swam straight back toward them. As it drew closer, Qin Zhong raised his paddle and struck down with all his might. The water churned and splashed, and a large fish, about a meter long, floated to the surface.

Seeing it was just a fish, Xiao Yingyong patted her chest, her eyes wide. "That scared me! It’s a good thing it was just a fish. If it had been something else..."

Before she could finish, Qin Zhong’s pupils contracted. He roared, "Oh no! Xiao Ying, row back! We can't go deeper—there are crocodiles in this aquarium!"

Just then, a massive force struck from beneath the water. The kayak tilted violently, as if pushed by a giant hand, nearly capsizing in the deep, dark water. A foul, fishy stench hit their nostrils, and a thick, long creature—like a massive pillar—rose straight up from the depths, shattering the stillness of the water.

"Holy—!"
"Mom!"

Qin Zhong and Xiao Yingyong screamed in unison. By the light of the flashlight, they saw it clearly: a deep brown, giant python as thick as a bowl, covered in regular black patterns, looking like a messenger from hell radiating an aura of death. Its deep, triangular eyes were fixed on them, the cold, wild gaze making them shiver.

This place not only had crocodiles—it had a giant python!

The next moment, as they shouted in alarm, they both pulled their triggers. Steel balls and bolts whistled through the air, striking the python. The beast roared in pain, plunged back into the water, and thrashed wildly, sending waves crashing into the air.

Terrified to their core, Qin Zhong made a split-second decision. "Quick, row back!"

Qin Zhong regretted his recklessness in heading deeper into the aquarium. He never expected that an ordinary aquarium from before the end of the world would become such a nightmare. They gripped their paddles and rowed with all their might. After rushing back a dozen meters, they saw dozens of zombies floating ahead—the ones that had been following them earlier.