Yue landed on the elevator roof as gently as he could. Even so, the elevator bobbed up and down unsteadily.
Tian jumped down like a silent cat and got down on her knees, observing the small vent in the middle. "This vent is too small. I'll melt the roof. But the whole elevator could become unstable."
"Try melting the corner." Hary also sat down to examine the surface.
Yue stood away not to disrupt their work. He gently juggled Qian, who was grabbing onto his neck tight. "Please don't squeeze,"
"D-do," Qian Wen tightened up even more. "Do you not hear that?"
"Hear what?" Yue keenly listened. A soft humming noise came from somewhere in this elevator shaft. It felt soothing to his soul. His eyes started to twitch involuntarily.
"All of you close your ears!" Fan's shout became a distant echo in his ears.
Yue dazedly placed his hands over his ear. Soon, his mind started to clear up. "What was that?"
"A level one mind control zombie." Fan Xui whispered, gesturing for Qian to cup his ears as well.
Qian Wen seemed more in daze than they were. He climbed down from his back and wobbled down to the floor. He crumbled to the ground and started to twitch weirdly.
"What's happening to him?"
"It's the sound. It's taking control." Fan tore his shirt and shoved pieces of it in his, Qian's and Yue's ears. "Tell your friend to shield our ears with his metal,"
The soft hum started to become a ringing loud noise. His head started to pounding. It was as if a needle was piercing into his head.
"aghhh...." Groaning, Yue glanced back. Even Tian and Hary were on the ground, twitching violently.
"Shit," he first ran to Hary and cupped his ears tightly. "Snap... out of it,"
The sound became so loud that he could not even hold steady any longer. "Come on. Snap out of it....."
Hary froze.
"Hary, I need you to use your metal to shield our ears," Yue whispered.
Hary instantly pulled him over his lap and covered his ears with his palm.
The ringing sounds stopped.
Yue softly panted, holdings his head.
Harry swiftly rushed to the other the two behind and shielded their ears. He glanced back. Tian stood there stiffly. "Tian, close your ears,"
She was unmoving.
"Stay back...." Fan warned softly.
Yue frowned deeply. "Hary, can you use your metal from here?"
Hary nodded. A part of his metallic leg melted off and the mercury like substance rolled closer to her.
Tian simply kicked it away. Her whole body started to burn. Red and blue flames sparked out of her hands as she stepped closer.
"Or she can do that? What's going on?" he stepped closer.
A dagger tabbed right towards his heart.
Yue grabbed him by the back and dragged him away. "It's hypnosis,"
Tian growled softly and tossed a flame ball their way.
Hary swiftly shifted his metal into a blanket and covered them.
Fan Xui squatted low, with Qian to his back. "Yue, take care of Qian," he crawled close and lifted the blanket up a bit. He simply kicked Tian's legs.
"Gently!" Yue shouted.
The fire attack stopped. Tian jumped up.
Fan Xui caught hold of her hand tightly. "Do your metal thing now!" her heated skin started to burn his skin. Small boils formed at the spots he touched her.
Harry swiftly moved behind Tian and closed her ears with his palm.
Tian stumbled back panting softly caressing her calf.
"Sorry," Fan Xui glanced at the elevator roof. For the hypnosis to work so well, the zombie must be right below them. He placed his hand on the heated metal. With his powers, He felt a figure frantically jumping trying to get to them. "It's right below us."
Tian cleared her throat. "What happened to your hand?"
"It's okay. Let's find a way to solve this first."
Tian immediately got to move. Without the interference of the zombie's hypnosis, she easily melted the floor with just a touch of her hand.
The moment a hole was opened. She shot the zombie inside the elevator. "It's clear,"
Tian jumped in first. Hary followed after her. Fan Xui waited until Qian and Yue got down before he did.
His eyes always stayed on the top, looking at the broken elevator door. The zombies that were chasing them had already reached the thirtieth floor and moving towards the elevator shaft entrance.
'How are they actively tracking us?'
With this question in mind, he swiftly jumped into the elevator. Qian was squatting by the dead zombie collecting skin tissues. "Seriously, you need to stop being so obsessed with research,"
"But that zombie is different. It's... powerful. I can feel it," Qian mumbled.
Fan Xui yanked him up and over his shoulder.
Yue and Hary started working on opening the door. The elevator had stopped right in the middle of twenty-eighth floor and twenty-seventh floor.
Yue tore the door apart, exposing an entrance at the top.
Hary climbed out first and helped Yue out. Tian easily climbed over on her own.
Fan Xui lifted and pushed Qian over.
Yue held out a hand with a shy smile.
Smiling, he took his hand and climbed out. The floor was free of any zombies.
A huge thud sounded behind them.
Fan Xui vigilantly glanced back. A young female researcher zombie stood there with her hands stretched out. The small metal particles started to float around it.
"You guys go ahead. I'll take care of it,"
"Fan!" Yue shouted.
"Just go, you might hurt,"
Yue just stood there with his sword ready.
Hary gripped the back of his shirt. "You idiot. Your sword is metal. You can't fight against it. Let him deal with it," he dragged him away.
"Wait,"
"I'll be here, get into the research labs." Tian said, standing in a corner with her gun ready. "You sure you can deal with it?"
"I think so," Fan Xui held out his hand. Electricity whirred in the air and formed a small compact ball in between his palm.
The whole air pressure started to drop.
Screeching, the zombie also started to compress the metal elevator doors and crawled up close.
Fan Xui waited... his power was low.... lower than level one. It won't be able to hurt this level two metal ability zombie in long distance.
Only a short range attack will work.
He held his breath, waiting for the right moment. The second the zombie got two feet away from him, he shot.
The blue electric ball whirred loudly as it hit it.
"screeeeee..." the zombie screeched. Small electric current shaped like a snake started to attack its body.
But it was not enough. The zombie's body started to heal itself.
Tian shot its head. The zombie twitched and collapsed to the ground.
Sizzling sound and the smell of burnt flesh spread across the corridor.
"Undead can heal now?"
"Yeah, they are evolving fast,"
Fan Xui took a careful look at the charred zombie. Hesitating a bit, he tore a limb and rushed towards the opened door. Yue was waiting right there.
"Get in." he pulled both him and Tian in and closed the door.
"Are there any zombies in here?" Fan Xui vigilantly glanced around. He spotted two corpses and Hary standing there wiping his dagger.
"It's taken care of," Yue whispered, pulling him to a corner. He blushingly looked around. Tian just looked at him with a frown and pulled Hary to the other side. "Now can we have that talk?"
"Y-yeah," Fan Xui mentally prepared himself. He fidgeted with the burned hand a little. "What do you have to say to me?"
"What is that?" Yue looked at his hand.
"Tissue samples." He awkwardly placed it on the table nearby. He wiped his hands on his pants and glanced at him nervously. "Sorry you had to see that?"
"That's okay... so... getting back to the topic... what are your thoughts about women?"
"They are pretty," he said without hesitating this time. He placed his trembling hands in his pant pockets. "I find them very pretty,"
Yue's smile slightly dimmed. "Oh... that's nice. What are your thoughts on men dressed as woman?"
He smirked widely. "Beautiful,"
Yue froze. He nervously played with his hair. "R-really?"
"Yeah, very beautiful," he stepped closer and gently held his hand. "Why are you so nervous? Your hands are cold,"
Yue just peered at him dazedly. His beautiful honey coloured eyes shone bright like the stars. "Fan Xui.... I... I am not a woman.... I'm a m-man."
Fan Xui chuckled softly. "is that what's bothered you so much? I knew long back." he gently pinched his pale cheeks, making them slightly pink.
Yue blinked. "You…. you knew?! From when?"
"When you carried me around like a potato sack." He touched his soft hair and tucked it behind his ear. "Were you worried about this all the while?" he whispered close to his ear.
Yue hitched a breath. "I-I'm a man Fan Xui. Doesn't that make you feel disgusted?"
Fan scoffed. "Why would I feel disgusted? You make me feel exactly the other way. I kissed you knowing about your gender.... your clothing and everything about you just it turns me on~" He gently held his waist and pulled him closer.
"But.. but.." Yue pushed him away a bit. "You seemed disgusted when men touch you. That time.. You called Hary disgusting. What changed? Why me?"
Fan Xui glanced back at Hary, who was glaring at him intently. "That guy, I don't like,"