Thud.

Tan Huajun fell to her knees, tears streaming down as she looked at everyone, crying speechlessly, not knowing how to express her gratitude.

“Get up quickly, get up, damn, Old Tan, did you sneak some food? How come you feel heavier than when we left the gas station…”

Zhang Su felt the atmosphere was too heavy and quickly cracked a joke.

“Pei Lan, Xiaoxue, quick, take Old Tan to the car to calm her down. She still needs to drive later! Bozai, you go notify Xiaoshan and Pang Dakun, everyone else pack up, we’re moving out soon!”

With that, he handed the walkie-talkie to Lu Yubo and headed towards the factory building, deciding that he needed to learn some things from Jia Shiqin if they were going on a rescue mission.

Zheng Xinyu sneaked over to Zhang Su’s side, whispering: “Why are you suddenly so full of Holy Mother compassion, having your monthly visit?”

Zhang Su rolled his eyes at Zheng Xinyu and gave her a loud knock on the head with his hand, making a sound loud enough for even those not far off to stop and turn their heads, only to see them teasing each other and quickly turning away.

“Ouch!” Zheng Xinyu covered her head; it really hurt, even making her nose sting.

“That’s payback for pinching my thigh earlier! Monthly visit, my ass. Little girl, you don’t know anything, hurry and pack your stuff!”

After speaking, Zhang Su lightly pinched Zheng Xinyu’s cheek.

“Hmph, next time I’ll tie you up and not let you go for half an hour!” she thought to herself, secretly making a vicious promise, and then ran off in a flash.

Zhang Su entered the factory to find Jia Shiqin and the others sitting on the ground in a daze, lost in their thoughts.

“Master Jia, come, tell me about the situation at Jinyuan Mall!”

Hearing someone speak, Jia Shiqin snapped back to reality, uttered an “Ah,” and upon Zhang Su repeating the question, he asked in shock, “Kid, do you really plan to go to the mall?”

“Yes, we’re setting off right away.”

“Everyone’s going?”

The delivery guy asked in surprise.

Zhang Su nodded, “Sister Tan is kind and helpful, everyone is willing to help her!”

The three exchanged looks, Jia Shiqin sighed again, “Kid, only someone like you deserves to be a team leader. Who am I? I can’t even manage our own group’s relationships…”

“You’re talking too much. Time’s limited, just get to the point!”

Zhang Su was getting impatient, thinking how this guy kept wandering off-topic and couldn’t focus on the main issue.

“Kid, say no more. I’ll go with you too. I need to atone for my own mistakes. Let’s talk on the way!”

Jia Shiqin suddenly stood up, making up his mind.

“I’m going too!” the delivery guy gritted his teeth and stood up as well.

“Ah…” The stylist, with a somewhat sissified attitude, hesitated before standing up and saying, “Then I’ll go too.”

Zhang Su hadn’t planned on bringing the three with him, at least not by force, because forcing it would do no good, but since they volunteered, that was a different matter.

“Alright, let’s go. We’ll talk in the car!”

Zhang Su didn’t dawdle, taking the three out of the factory building.

At 3:30 AM, the Nonghua Glass Factory, having been deserted since its closure, was bustling at such an early hour for the first time.

Quickly packing up, three vehicles drove out through the gates, heading towards the city.

The streets of Qin City, after being washed by a downpour, were in a far worse condition than the suburbs.

The original broken limbs and bodies hadn’t been washed away completely by the floodwater, looking even more disgusting after soaking in the accumulated water, and even though the temperature had dropped to six or seven degrees, practically a refrigerator’s chill, the air was still filled with a stench of rotting decay.

Branches, leaves, decaying limbs, and all sorts of trash were scattered everywhere on the streets, with a thin layer of sludge covering the asphalt, making squishy, irritating sounds as the zombies shuffled along.

Survivors hiding in the shadows were constantly tormented by the foul smell, an inescapable, ongoing chemical assault, on top of zombies lurking everywhere, threatening lives at any moment, leading many broken survivors to end their own lives, choosing eternal relief.

Those who ended their own lives were too fragile, but the truly resilient survivors held firmly onto the belief of survival, just like the six hiding in Jinyuan Mall’s building A!

In the pitch-black mall, though visibility was practically zero, the sounds of hasty footsteps and guttural growls echoed one after another, occasionally punctuated by the noise of colliding with objects, reverberating throughout the entire mall.

The circular mall had four floors above ground, and if the lights could be turned on, it would be clear that the zombies weren’t densely packed; maybe the mall was too large, spreading out hundreds of zombies so they didn’t seem so numerous…

“Damn it, what the hell is up with these zombies? Why aren’t they being drawn away by the noise made by their kind?”

A voice full of frustration and exasperation spoke, instantly conveying a sense that this person was on the verge of a temper explosion, just a straw away from breaking the camel’s back.

Inside the All-Day Demon Roasted Fish Shop, five pairs of eyes showed either fear or weariness, and another pair was filled with malice and ruthlessness.

“Brother Xiang, do we still have hope of making a jump for it?”

A female voice quivered with fear as she asked, her voice barely audible.

“How the hell am I supposed to know, damn it, it’s all Jia Shiqin’s fault for being such an idiot, not even being able to block a single overpass, f***!”

In the darkness, Xiang Wei sat at a table, his face full of venom, holding a homemade short spear in his hand.

“Xiang Wei, enough!” A powerful male voice sounded from the corner, “Jia Shiqin has been working tirelessly for the self-rescue team, what have you done? Faking a leg injury just to laze around and avoid going out to scavenge for supplies, lying among the elderly and kids every day, you’re just a hindrance!”

The speaker was quite blunt.

“Ma Guoteng, do you believe I won’t kill you right now?” Xiang Wei retorted angrily, refusing to back down an inch.

“Heh, do you think I’m afraid just because I’ve lost a leg? Come at me if you dare, I can’t guarantee I’ll win, but I’ll damn sure drag you down with me!”

Ma Guoteng was unequivocal, his hands tightly clutching the makeshift double crutches, ready to fight at any time.

The two had harbored grudges within the rescue team for a long time, finally reaching a breaking point.

“Ha.” Xiang Wei sneered and said, “I won’t stoop to the level of a dying mad dog. Your life is worthless, don’t compare it with mine.”

“Hey, both of you say less. How about we think of a solution? Otherwise, trapped here, it’s only a matter of time before we’re doomed.”

At this moment, a somewhat aging voice spoke up.

“Old fool, what business do you have here? A worthless man with a useless granddaughter, all trash, wasting resources. Should really…”

Roar.

Bang bang bang.

Just as Xiang Wei was angrily confronting the old man, three wandering zombies sensed there were living people inside the roasted fish shop, letting out a low growl and began banging on the curtain wall glass.

With the zombies’ commotion, the six people dared not make a sound, hunched and quietly holding their breath for several minutes until the banging finally ceased.

After waiting another seven to eight minutes, the zombies’ footsteps finally gradually distanced, allowing the group to breathe a sigh of relief.

“The old man’s right. Trapped here, it’s only a matter of time before we’re dead. I must escape. Who’s planning to follow me?”

Xiang Wei asked in a low, sinister voice.

“Me, me. Brother Xiang.”

“And me, Brother Xiang, I’m coming too. Please take me with you.”

Suddenly, two female voices sounded, neither seemed old; they deliberately made their voices sound sweet and captivating.

“You’re welcome to come with me, but listen, once we escape, you’ll be my women from now on. And I’ll do whatever I want, understood?”

Xiang Wei knew the two women were right behind him, brazenly reaching out to grope them.

“Yes, Brother Xiang, whatever you say goes.”

“Brother Xiang, as long as you save me, I’ll do anything for you. Guarantee you’ll be comfortable every day!”

The two didn’t mind being taken advantage of, these trivial matters seemed negligible compared to life, they even felt fortunate he was a lecher; otherwise, they’d lose their advantage!

“He he.” Xiang Wei let out a greedy laugh, then addressed the direction of the old man: “Lanlan, Uncle cares for you too, come to Uncle, he’ll take you out!”

“Xiang Wei, don’t go too far!”

The old man protected the girl in his arms.

“Old fool, I advise you to be sensible!”

Xiang Wei glared viciously at the old man, not entirely as lascivious as he seemed, it wasn’t just about women’s bodies, but among the six, only three women and he had decent mobility.

He felt the crutch-bearing and antiquated duo didn’t deserve to be cannon fodder!

A female voice chimed in: “Brother Xiang fancying your granddaughter is her luck; if you can’t escape, you’ll lose your lives here. Do those things even matter?”

“That’s right, little sister. Women should be realistic and leverage their advantages to survive!”

Another woman quickly chimed in, fearing Xiang Wei might not take her along.

“I say you’re truly filthy. I genuinely care for Lanlan, not like you think. He he, Lanlan, follow Uncle and run later, don’t get lost, ha. Old fart, you’ll benefit from your granddaughter!”

After Xiang Wei finished, he turned to the corner: “Cripple, don’t follow us, it’ll delay things. Find a cozy place and wait to die!”

Don’t worry, even with one leg, I’ll escape. Never follow a bastard like you.”

Ma Guoteng showed utter disdain.

“Xiaoma, can Lanlan and I go with you?”

Tan Chengwu asked in Ma Guoteng’s direction.

“Old bastard, you’re tired of life following him? Don’t bring Lanlan; what’s her crime, sending her to die with you crippled bastards?”

Xiang Wei immediately objected, Lanlan being young and energetic, taking her out would be joyful. If taking her out was impossible, sacrificing her as zombie bait would be worthwhile!

“Fine, Uncle Tan, the three of us will go together later!”

Ma Guoteng ignored Xiang Wei’s clamor.

“Crippled bastard, dead old man, all tired of living!”

Xiang Wei cursed under his breath, even so, he didn’t dare act against Ma Guoteng, knowing Ma Guoteng’s skill, even with one leg was formidable, might drag him to die together; now’s not the time to act rashly.

Six people divided into two groups, discussing their escape plans.

Soon, just five or six minutes passed, Ma Guoteng’s group still quietly chatting escape plans while Xiang Wei got up, snorted coldly: “Giving you ten more seconds, after ten seconds, zombies swarm over!”

“Mad dog, what are you doing!?”

Ma Guoteng instantly got furious.

“Do what?” Xiang Wei took out a lighter, said, “I’m going to kill people and set fires!”

Finished speaking, without waiting for any more seconds or not, rubbed the lighter twice in hand, swiftly lighting the tablecloth beside him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep