Early the next morning, the group of almost sleepless people climbed out of bed one after another.
Following instructions, Wang Qiang poured all the remaining rice into the pot and cooked a whole pot full of rice.
This was their first full meal in three days. Although it tasted bland, the hunger in their stomachs was noticeably alleviated.
After the meal, they washed the small pot and put it away. Everyone gathered in the living room to rest for half an hour, then the action began...
As they left the rented house previously, Tang Xiaoquan and the others were only wearing three down jackets, so among the four of them, inevitably, one would have to go without this set of "armor."
Wang Qiang and Du Jian, being at the "frontline" positions and directly engaging with zombies, were undoubtedly in the most danger, so each of them must have one piece.
As for Archeng, still a young child, he was not only a blossom of the nation but also a cherished relative of Du Jian. Therefore, to prevent Du Jian from being distracted in action, it was equally necessary to equip his nephew with a set of "armor."
Lastly, there was Tang Xiaoquan. Although there was no spare "armor" for him, necessity is the mother of invention, and our ancestors didn’t give us brains just for decoration.
Since there’s no armor available, let’s make our own.
Bedsheets were torn into strips of varying sizes. With the help of Wang Du, Tang Xiaoquan’s arms, neck, thighs, ankles, and chest — the areas most susceptible to zombie scratches — were wrapped in circles of fabric strips.
Everyone was careful with each wrap, asking Tang Xiaoquan if the tightness was appropriate to avoid affecting his blood circulation.
Moments later, with the earnest efforts of Du Wang, a simplified version of a "mummy" was created.
Tang Xiaoquan moved his neck seriously, carefully confirming the flexibility of his joints. After all, his survival depended on it, and he didn’t want to be dragged down by the strips later on.
Once he felt there was no major issue, he nodded to signal to everyone that they could proceed to the next step.
They all stepped into Huang Yaru’s bedroom. The moment the door opened, everyone instinctively covered their noses.
Archeng, unaccustomed to such a foul and putrid stench, immediately felt his stomach churn and nearly retched.
Ignoring his nephew’s reaction, Du Jian rolled up his sleeves, ready to get to work. The source of this content ɪs novel-fire.ɴet
Now the wooden bed was empty, and the bedding, mattress, everything had fallen to the bottom floor along with Huang Yaru’s body.
However, this saved the survivors the trouble of cleaning up again, as the remaining wooden panel was their main focus.
The four of them lifted the nearly one-meter-wide wooden panel to the door. Tang Xiaoquan motioned Archeng over, and the two tested its weight together. Finding it manageable, they nodded and set it down.
The preparations were complete. After donning their gear and checking each other’s equipment, the four survivors finally stood at the front door. The escape plan was about to commence...
Without Tang Xiaoquan’s previous hesitation, Du Jian merely glanced back at his companions once. Seeing them all give an OK gesture, he unhesitatingly turned the door handle and charged out.
This operation demanded speed, so as Du Jian left, Wang Qiang was right behind him.
With an axe and spear, they followed the pre-arranged steps, one handling the zombies on the left side of the corridor, the other on the right.
With two muffled "pops," Tang Xiaoquan heard the door being knocked on.
This was the "safe" signal from Du Wang, indicating they could exit.
Of course, in the apocalypse, there is no absolute "safety," especially in this zombie-infested building flanked on both sides.
Tang Xiaoquan was just sticking his head out with the board when he saw a zombie hand reaching for Wang Qiang.
Wang Qiang seemed accustomed to this, showing no fear on his face. He raised his right arm high and calmly threw it. In an instant, the zombie owner’s head sprouted holes, and it fell powerlessly.
Tang Xiaoquan knew this was no time to admire his brother’s prowess because Du Jian was already fending off two zombies.
He quickly held his breath, mustered strength, and, with Archeng’s help, rushed out with the "board."
"Bro Du, step aside!"
As he finished speaking, the "board" under Tang Xiaoquan’s arm was forcefully thrust forward, and at the same time, Du Jian quickly ducked to the side.
With a "bang, crack!" the zombies fell upon impact.
By this point, every second could determine everyone’s fate.
There was no time to worry about those zombies’ lives or deaths. Tang Xiaoquan hastily urged, "Quick, Bro Du, turn the board sideways."
This was their only method to prevent the neighboring zombies from attacking. Du Jian, without a word, stepped forward, grabbed the other end of the rushing "board," then flipped it back, wedging it against the handrail exposed at the corner railing.
One side on the small room’s door frame, the other on the protruding handlebar, using the two points of contact to create a natural barrier.
When crafting this plan, they had based it on zombies’ mindless nature, believing that with their currently degraded intelligence, it was impossible for them to move the board to bypass the obstacle.
Seemingly to validate their efforts, just as the board was locked in place, several zombies followed the sound and emerged from the room.
Though only a short distance away, due to the "barrier," the zombies could only twist their heads, wave their arms, and vent their dissatisfaction and depression with continuous loud roars.
Slashing open the skull of a writhing zombie closest to him, Du Jian shouted, "Go!"
So far, it must be said that the survivors’ plan had been carried out quite smoothly. They made a swift escape, the encountered zombies either had their heads smashed by the axe or were pierced by the long spear. In short, along the way, at least a dozen zombies had died at their hands.
But the most terrifying aspect of these creatures was not their attack strength, but their inexhaustible numbers and relentless death-defying spirit.
As they descended floor by floor, the resistance faced by Du Wang and his companions increased significantly.
Tang Xiaoquan and the others had already been extremely cautious, striving to minimize noise.
Yet, the howling of zombies trapped upstairs echoed like loudspeakers, continuously proclaiming: "Come quick, there’s a feast here, they’re about to get away!"
Finally, on the last corner of the corridor, the path forward for the survivors was completely blocked by the swarming zombies...