After searching, I finally dug out the Yamaha key. I pressed it. Beeping sounds followed. The motorcycle’s engine roared to life, shattering the silence in the pitch-black underground parking lot!

Vroooom~~~

Auto-start?

No wonder he’s rich… This gear’s so advanced, I can’t even grasp it!

I walked to the stall filled with the engine’s roar. The door was shut. Beside it sat a button…

This… is a roller shutter?!

Instantly, I facepalmed.

‘Is this really necessary?! A motorcycle lot with private stalls? And what the hell with a roller shutter?! How do I even open it?!’

Does this button… still have power?

Hesitating, I pressed the switch. Clanking sounds erupted from the shutter machine. Under my disbelieving gaze, it slowly rose!

There’s still power?!

I couldn’t believe it. But facing the rising shutter, I was speechless.

Where… is this electricity coming from?!

Suspiciously, I examined the machine. A wire snaked along the wall to a distribution box, then vanished into the ceiling.

Is this… connected above?

Seeing this, I remembered my solar backpack—formerly Brother Liu’s next door, but that’s not the point! The key is… it has solar charging!

Could it be… these shutters link to solar panels?

The more I thought, the more plausible. After all… no area avoids blackouts. If power fails, shutters jam. Cars can’t escape, owners can’t leave—terribly inconvenient.

With solar panels, at least cars can flee during outages.

City folks really know how to play.

Sighing helplessly, I shone my flashlight on the Yamaha.

Its streamlined body gleamed metallic gray, like a ghostly head. Modified headlights blazed. The relentless roar hooked me instantly!

Tsk tsk! Now… this bike is mine!

With the bike secured, I wasn’t rushed. Driving home takes under ten minutes. Only then did I glance back at the hanging corpse. I pressed the key switch.

The Yamaha’s roar faded slowly. The dead body still sent chills through me.

Most crucially, his feet… had twisted shape!

They were… no longer human. His lower body morphed into an octopus-like form, soft and dragging on the ground. Maggots swarmed over him, crawling in and out. The nauseating stench made me pinch my nose.

Is this… a new kind of Mutant Monster?!

I scanned him. Clearly, he hanged himself after mutation began.

My flashlight crept up from the tentacles. I saw his privates—expected yet frustrating. Mutated creatures kept their male features. I wondered about females.

Higher up, he wore a blue security uniform. A rope dangled from a bracket above the iron gate. Did he… hang himself like this?

Wait… something’s off.

He died mid-mutation. That means… he still had sanity?!

No wonder… no Zombies here.

Scared off by this monster?

Can a dead monster still deter Zombies?

But why didn’t the gecko monster scare Zombies away? Its neighborhood is just one street from mine.

Perhaps… not all monsters clear Zombies from their territory.

So… no Zombies doesn’t guarantee safety. But with Zombies, you can’t confirm Mutant Monsters!

Damn, this really is a messed-up world!

I muttered a curse. I studied the hanged man. I admired him.

Suicide takes real courage.

Most jumpers just stir drama. Those truly wanting death can’t be stopped.

But facing death head-on? Rare for ordinary folks.

This guard chose suicide over becoming a monster. His resolve dwarfed mine.

I just want to survive. If I turned monster… would I have the guts to end myself?

I’m not sure, but I’ve wondered.

Lost in thought, I spotted his name tag. “Zhao Kai.” His photo hung above it.

“Zhao Kai?!”

“I admire you… but I’ve no time or means. Sorry.”

In peace, I’d lay him properly. He deserved that.

But now, I can’t. No time.

I silently prayed for his soul and turned to the Yamaha.

The moment I straddled it, I shivered! Dream come true—pure bliss! I hummed aloud.

“Mmm~~~”

The moan startled me!

“Whoa!! Did that girlish voice really come from me?!”

Eek! I shuddered. Calming down, I fiddled with the bike. Unexpectedly, a parking accessory sat behind it.

“This thing… might work…”

I pressed the switch. No key needed. It beeped twice. The engine roared. The bike vibrated slightly.

Vroooom~~~

The dashboard lit up. Its sci-fi glow made me want to kiss it. Next second, I nearly fainted.

“Please perform fingerprint authentication.”

A smooth female voice crushed my mood instantly!

“This!! Why does this damn bike need fingerprint auth?!”

I shouted! My voice echoed through the empty lot.