Three years ago, the "Bone-Eater Virus" broke out around the world. Infected people turned into zombies within seventy-two hours. Governments rapidly collapsed, and the survivors, led by remnants of the military, established a sealed refuge called Ark City. Lin Ye had been head of security at a P4 virus research institute. On the night of the outbreak, he was escorting researchers to safety when they were ambushed. His younger sister, Lin Xiaoyu, disappeared in the chaos, leaving behind only a pendant engraved with coordinates. Three years later, a blood transfusion accident reveals that Lin Ye has natural antibodies: his blood can briefly restore the infected to their senses. Ark City's administrator orders him taken to a laboratory for live dissection; the underground resistance group Dawn wants to abduct him and trade his blood on the black market for control over supplies. Meanwhile, a new kind of zombie, an "Awakened" capable of commanding the hordes, appears to be driven by some vestige of the virus's intelligence. After escaping Ark City, Lin Ye follows the pendant's coordinates through a forbidden death zone, gathering companions along the way, including Su Qing, a retired military medic, and A Chai, a mute orphan boy. The coordinates point to the original research institute, where not only his sister's whereabouts are hidden, but also the truth behind the virus's origins: this apocalypse may not be a natural disaster.
