Since the distance wasn't too far and the guards usually cleared out the nearby zombies, the group decided to walk. This was also to avoid the sound of a car engine attracting more zombies.
Each of the five guards carried a rifle, two handguns, and ammunition in their backpacks. They were also equipped with signal flares and communication devices. The squad leader led the way with a scout beside him, while Hao Jian and the others walked in the middle, flanked by guards. Another guard kept watch at the rear.
As soon as they left the wetland park, the number of zombies visibly increased, and the guards' gunfire didn't stop. They picked up the pace, moving faster and faster.
The squad leader knew that Hao Jian had a gun, but it only had two bullets left, so he tossed her a magazine, saying, "Help us out."
Hao Jian replaced the magazine, pocketing the old one, and fired several shots at the approaching zombies. On her fourth shot, she hit one in the head.
"I heard you're not an official member of the guards, but your shooting is way better than a rookie’s. Have you had professional training?" the squad leader asked Hao Jian.
"I trained for one day."
The squad leader was surprised. "One day and you're this accurate? You've got talent! No wonder you joined the guards."
"It was tough at first, but after handling the gun a few times, it felt like I had trained for more than just one day. The more I practiced, the better I got, and my accuracy improved."
The squad leader nodded. "Practice makes perfect."
Lian Ru Ning stepped forward. "I also trained for a day. Can I try shooting?"
The squad leader hesitated for a moment but handed her a handgun. "Return it to me when we reach our destination."
He was more decisive than An Minghui had been earlier. His trust showed that the guard force considered this place dangerous enough that it didn’t matter if a civilian had a gun.
Peng Mao wanted to try too, but he had only trained with a bow, so he stuck to using a crowbar to finish off any stray zombies.
Lian Ru Ning wasn’t as skilled as Hao Jian, but her help eased some of the pressure on the guards.
Xin Ting, driving a rice harvester, plowed into zombies while sobbing. The guards were amazed. "Where did you come up with this idea? It's genius!"
Shi Gong Dui proudly said, "I thought of it. Pretty smart, huh?"
The guards turned to see Xin Ting still crying and were puzzled. Hao Jian explained, "She’s scared."
Despite her fear of zombies, Xin Ting’s tearful zombie-slaughtering spree was as brutal as the guards' rifle fire.
"..." It was quite a unique character trait.
____
After quickly crossing two streets, the squad leader warned, "We've passed the new housing development and park. Up next is a densely populated residential area. Stay alert!"
Hao Jian frowned, thinking, "It’s been over ten days since the outbreak, and the guards have been clearing zombies every day. Why are there still so many?"
Just then, she noticed a middle-aged woman hanging out of a window in a nearby apartment, shouting down at them.
"It's the guards! Help! We’ve run out of drinking water. Can you bring us some?"
Then, an old man next door shouted, "When is the internet coming back? I’ve been waiting to chat with my wife!"
The middle-aged woman yelled back, "Wife, my foot! She’s probably just an internet scammer, swindling money from lonely old folks like you. That person behind the screen is probably a shirtless, fat guy! Forget the internet, bring us food and water first!"
“Pah! Why isn’t the internet more important?” a teenager downstairs shouted. “Without the internet, I’m dying here!”
“How come you’re not dead after all these days? Hurry up and die already, so the rest of us can save some food!”
"Stop arguing! Aren’t you worried about attracting zombies?"
The middle-aged woman scoffed, "The gates are sealed tight. No way zombies can get in!"
"???" These people had no sense of the apocalypse or any awareness of not burdening others.
"What’s going on?" Hao Jian asked the squad leader.
He remained expressionless. "This area was designated as a retreat zone early on. We fortified all the high-security residential areas, cleared out the zombies, and relocated people from downtown to here. The guards deliver food and kill zombies every day..."
Hao Jian understood now. These people, safe in their privileged zone, had become so reliant on the guards that they had no idea how dangerous it was outside. They’d turned the guards into their personal caretakers.
One of the guards grumbled, "Every time we show up, whether on a mission or not, they start yelling and attract zombies from other places. We've had a few close calls because of them! But we’re ordered not to act against them."
Since nothing as catastrophic as the "Wujue Incident" had happened here, and it was close to the center of power, the authorities paid more attention to public opinion here than in remote areas. It was a show of face, and these "citizens" had become increasingly entitled.
Unable to act against them, the guards ignored the residents and quickened their pace. However, perhaps due to the gunfire or the shouting, more zombies began appearing ahead.
Even though they fired at the zombies, some still got close. The squad leader gave the order: "Run!"
The group ran for their lives, shooting down zombies as they neared.
After about ten minutes of running, they finally reached the entrance to the street where Shi Gong Dui’s house was located. They were panting and drenched in sweat, their clothes soaked through.
"We’ve completed our mission. The rest of the way is up to you. We’ll help divert some zombies, though. Remember, head upwards whenever possible, zombies aren’t as good at climbing as humans, so the higher you go, the safer you’ll be." The squad leader finished speaking, retrieved Lian Ru Ning's gun, and handed Hao Jian a magazine full of bullets and a flare gun. "When you need to retreat, fire the signal flare from the rooftop, and someone will come to pick you up and take you to the safest refuge."
Following the guards' instructions, Hao Jian and her group hid in an alley, while the guards fired shots to draw away some of the zombies wandering near the residential area entrance. Although a few zombies instinctively ran into the alley, Hao Jian quickly took care of them.
"Now’s the time, move!" Hao Jian urged.
They twisted and turned through the alley and eventually reached the back gate of the residential area.
The neighborhood where Shi Gong Dui’s home was located was part of an older district, built over ten years ago. Unlike most developments, this residential area was constructed on top of a large shopping mall. The first two floors were parking lots, while the first and second levels above ground were occupied by a mall with a modern supermarket and various small shops. The third level served as a public space for the residential area, with entrances to each building.
If they didn’t want to pass through the mall, they could enter via side doors, but these only led up to the second floor, after which they would have to use the mall’s staircases to continue upward.
This type of residential setup had a significant flaw: it was hard to defend against a zombie siege, so the guards had not designated it as a refuge. There might be survivors here, but zombies were likely just as common.
Luckily, the guards had already lured away most of the zombies, and the back gate led to a relatively secluded area. Without any loud noises to attract them, few zombies wandered there.
____
Each step they took felt like a brush with death, and the five of them narrowly escaped several close calls. Eventually, they made it to the cargo elevator.
Because the first two floors were part of a mall, many people had come here to scavenge supplies, attracting even more zombies. Fortunately, there was a door at the entrance to each floor’s stairwell, and as long as they didn’t make too much noise, the zombies on the other side wouldn’t be disturbed.
The five of them quietly crept up to the third floor. This door was made of glass, allowing them to see outside. The situation on the third floor was better than outside, there were half as many zombies.
Shi Gong Dui pointed. "My house is in that building right there. Once I unlock the door, we’ll rush in!"
The path was clear of zombies, but the electronic lock would make noise when opening, which would draw zombies from upstairs and downstairs. Even though it was only a ten-meter distance, it wasn’t completely safe.
"Wait, let me prepare!" Peng Mao said, taking a deep breath. But before he could finish, the electronic lock beeped, “Didi! Didi!”
In an instant, it felt as though every zombie nearby turned its gaze toward them. As the zombies began to move, Shi Gong Dui pushed open the door, and the group dashed out.
Zombies behind the second-floor door also broke through. Even though their climbing abilities were poor, their numbers made up for it, one zombie would fall, and others would take its place. If Hao Jian and her group didn’t run, they’d be overtaken in less than a minute.
"Wait for me!" Peng Mao shouted as Xin Ting had already run several meters ahead. He hurriedly caught up and slammed the door shut behind them, trapping the stairway zombies.
Once Shi Gong Dui unlocked the electronic door to his building, more zombies inside rushed at them.
Hao Jian shot two zombies in front, while Lian Ru Ning and Xin Ting helped take down two more. As Peng Mao ran inside, he and Shi Gong Dui quickly shut the slow-closing door. The electronic lock beeped again just as a dozen zombies slammed into the door.
"My apartment is on the sixteenth floor, hurry up!" Shi Gong Dui, drenched in sweat, urged. Though more agile than most people his size, he was still struggling to keep up with Hao Jian and the others.
As they climbed the stairs, taking down any wandering zombies in the stairwell, they finally reached the sixteenth floor after a few minutes, panting heavily.
Seeing the number “16” on the wall nearly brought Shi Gong Dui to tears. "My supplies, my good days, I’m here!"
Hao Jian quickly doused his excitement. "The mall is right below us. It’s not just outsiders coming here to scavenge for supplies, residents from this complex might have too. If we thought about it, so would others. At best, they’ll rob you, at worst, they’ll take over your apartment since no one’s been living here."
Shi Gong Dui angrily snapped, "Don’t jinx it!"
But when they reached Shi Gong Dui’s apartment, his key couldn’t unlock the door. He looked helplessly at Hao Jian: "…"