Chapter 60: Mario Tsunami

The two men got back into the car, which had been reorganized and restocked with supplies—just enough to last them a month.

Before nightfall, they found a place to sleep. Just as they were dozing off, the ground suddenly trembled slightly, but noticeably enough for both Cao Kun and Shenchi to open their eyes simultaneously.

Outside, birds that usually stayed quiet began flapping their wings frantically and flying away, while distant barking of dogs could be heard.

Some dust fell from the walls, followed by another jolt. The two men immediately got up, gathered their belongings, stepped outside, got into the car, and hit the gas.

The wind outside started howling, bending the dry trees and sending branches flying everywhere, as if a catastrophe was about to unfold.

The car shook due to the trembling ground; Shenchi had already pushed the speedometer to its limits, yet the engine's roar couldn't mask the faint rumbling in the distance.

Suddenly, several beams of light shot from behind them. Shenchi turned to look and saw three cars closely following them, soon joined by dozens more vehicles and groups of people.

The zombies that had been slowly wandering around were now drawn to the commotion. Shenchi drove while Cao Kun set fire to any zombies blocking their path.

The earth trembled more violently, and through the rearview mirror, Shenchi saw the people behind them stumbling. One taxi with an open window had already crashed into a guardrail, and the sound of thunderous crashes surrounded them.

Cao Kun let out a startled cry. Shenchi turned to see a massive wall of water, tens of meters high, emerging from behind the tall buildings!

In his previous life, Shenchi had been in the north at this time, where it was freezing and communication was cut off. He had no idea when the tsunami struck the south. It was only later that he heard about the "Mario" tsunami in December.

This was happening a month earlier... Shenchi’s heart raced. Could it be the butterfly effect?

The water wall surged over rooftops, carrying a torrent of debris. Within minutes, the first two floors of buildings were submerged, and people running behind them were being swept away by the flood.

The car sped forward, approaching a T-junction. With his enhanced senses after reaching level three, Cao Kun could hear the rumbling from the left side even before they reached the junction. However, turning back was no longer an option.

Cao Kun said grimly, “It looks like the Gaojiang levee has breached. We need to get out here.”

Shenchi also heard the sound and quickly steered the car to the side of the road. They grabbed their backpacks and ran towards the nearest tall building.

Many other supernaturals in the convoy also noticed their actions and, after hearing the noise ahead, abandoned their vehicles and sought higher ground nearby.

Shenchi and Cao Kun simultaneously launched their grappling hooks, swinging onto the second floor just as two waves collided below, submerging the first floor.

They climbed to the fourth floor, and suddenly a shadow loomed overhead. A ten-meter-high tsunami towered above them, like a towering adult looking down at a small child, silently imposing fear and oppression.

Cao Kun used his powers, slamming his fist against the window, but it didn’t shatter as expected.

Cao Kun was stunned—was this fake glass?!

He cursed and punched again, breaking through the painted wall. He grabbed Shenchi and threw him inside, then was instantly swept away by the tsunami!

"Cao Kun—!"

Shenchi’s eyes widened as the tsunami burst through the hole, and he hastily erected an ice wall to block it. However, the pressure was too great, and cracks appeared within seconds.

Shenchi bit his lip and ran upstairs, still hearing Cao Kun’s words echoing in his mind—“See you soon!”

"Fuck seeing you soon!"

The building was dark, but a headlamp materialized in Shenchi’s hand. He put it on and ran through the pitch-black corridors, the only sounds being the roaring floodwaters and his own footsteps and breath.

His mood was terrible—not just because Cao Kun’s fate was uncertain and his reckless decision, but also because he had let his guard down too much recently, allowing Cao Kun to pull him over.

The building shook under the force of the waves, and Shenchi knew it wouldn’t last long. He sprinted to the rooftop, arriving just as the building collapsed. He saw the blackness of the flooded surroundings, struggling figures, and a zombie perched on a barrel opposite him.

The zombie was clearly excited upon seeing Shenchi. Its wet, pale skin and a chunk missing from its head did nothing to dampen its appetite.

It leaped at Shenchi, who waved his hand, sending an ice arrow whistling through the air. Without looking, he retreated a few steps and jumped onto another submerged rooftop, while the ice arrow pierced the zombie’s forehead, sinking it along with the collapsing building.

In a breath, Shenchi resurfaced using ice pillars, climbing onto a higher, more stable rooftop.

The floodwaters continued to rise, and Shenchi anxiously searched for Cao Kun. The flashlight’s beam revealed nothing but darkness below or on the surface, though he could see others struggling and fighting zombies, and the occasional glow of supernaturals’ powers.

"I’m here!"

Despite the roaring waters, Shenchi heard the voice and looked up, spotting someone clinging to a power pole a hundred meters away.

Without hesitation, Shenchi used his grappling hook to latch onto the pole, riding a floating ice block like a surfboard toward it.

The person on the pole was indeed Cao Kun, looking battered and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, likely from internal injuries.

Shenchi asked, “Are you hurt?”

Cao Kun, noticing Shenchi’s gaze on his mouth, wiped it and said, “It’s nothing serious.”

Shenchi frowned, “Why did you...”

Cao Kun sighed, “Now isn’t the time to revisit old arguments. Secure yourself so you don’t get washed away.”

Shenchi reluctantly tied himself to the pole with the grappling hook rope, leaving enough slack for some movement.

They each injected a dose of the C1S9 vaccine to prevent infection from any zombie scratches.

Surrounded by darkness, they felt like they were adrift in the ocean, their feet resting on a broken boat, always at risk of being swallowed by the sea. Only the occasional glimmer of light revealed the presence of others engaged in battles.

Cao Kun’s fireball incinerated a sofa and piles of debris that had drifted near them. His flickering flames illuminated their surroundings, helping Shenchi gauge the situation and spot incoming waves of debris.

The debris contained everything—cars, trees, furniture, rebar, dust, corpses, and zombies—a chaotic mix.

Shenchi fired another ice arrow at a zombie. Ordinary and level-one zombies couldn’t float, making them easy targets.

Even level-two zombies were easier to handle underwater for Shenchi.

Five minutes passed, and the floodwaters had risen to their waists. Shenchi created a triangular ice wall in front, diverting the water and reducing the pressure significantly.

Although the temperature is high now, the water is icy cold. Cao Kun is worried that Shenchi might catch a chill, so he wants Shenchi to stand on his neck to minimize his exposure to the water. However, knowing Shenchi's temperament, he would never agree.

Cao Kun thought for a moment and then untied the rope and dove into the water. Shenchi watched his actions with a frown, and suddenly something solid lifted his feet!

Startled, Shenchi was about to struggle when the person underwater gently patted his leg.

Shenchi didn't move, and Cao Kun climbed up while holding Shenchi's legs, returning to their original height. At the same time, he transferred energy to Shenchi to keep him warm.

Shenchi was utterly stunned and growled, "What are you doing!?"

Cao Kun exhaled and smiled, "Of course, it's to prevent you from being harmed by the flood."

This explanation was casual and perfunctory. Shenchi, already agitated from earlier, became even more annoyed and was about to jump back into the water.

Cao Kun immediately became displeased, "Shenchi, don't be so stubborn! Can you endure this, but can your child inside?"

Cao Kun had never spoken to Shenchi like this before, leaving Shenchi momentarily stunned.

He glanced at his belly, realizing that continuing like this would indeed harm the child.

Shenchi frowned, "But your injury..."

Cao Kun felt warmth in his heart, knowing his arm wouldn't last much longer. He asked, "How long can you stay in the space?"

Shenchi hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "Four hours."

Cao Kun smiled, "That's enough."

"Then choose: either stay here or come into my arms, and I'll cover you as you enter the space."

Shenchi knew this cover wasn't just protection; there were many people nearby, and some might have survived. To prevent others from discovering them and causing further trouble, Cao Kun would need to continuously use his fire abilities to shield them.

Moreover, with his internal injuries, Cao Kun's abilities could barely help in this situation. Without his triangular ice wall, his injured organs would face greater pressure, necessitating increased energy output to alleviate the strain.

Exhausting his abilities was better than losing his arm.

Cao Kun waited for Shenchi's answer and heard him say, "Let go."

Cao Kun immediately understood his choice and released his grip. In the next second, a warm body slid into his arms.

Cao Kun hugged him tightly, meeting Shenchi's gaze. The next moment, flames engulfed them, and only the sudden blaze of fire could be seen in the darkness, obscuring everything else.

Once inside the space, Shenchi wasted no time, quickly changing out of his wet clothes, drying off, taking medicine, and absorbing crystal cores to prepare for replacing Cao Kun later.