Chapter 14 Path to Survival

Chapter 14: The Path to Survival

Yet Bai Suizhi and Kahn became the sacrificed few...

107. After vaulting into the room, Bai Suizhi first kicked away the zombies closest to him. Before they could rise, he burst out the door and veered towards the kitchen. With one hand, he snatched an iron pot and slammed it onto the first approaching zombie, then shoved another zombie’s head into the refrigerator, all while stabbing a third in the kidney with his right hand. In mere seconds, three zombies were incapacitated. Bai Suizhi found grim amusement in the chaos, thinking that human potential truly emerges under duress.

But this was far from sufficient. As long as zombies weren't definitively killed, they always posed a threat of retaliation. Bai Suizhi had no time to deliver fatal blows to these three before he was chased around the living room by the next wave. Fortunately, the zombies’ brains hadn’t evolved enough for tactical thought; they simply followed Bai Suizhi in a straight, unthinking line.

Not long ago, Bai Suizhi had grumbled about zombies encroaching on his outdoor running routes. Now, forced into an indoor chase with them, he found himself nostalgic for the days when both sides kept to their own territories.

He had considered fleeing outside, but if new zombies were to appear and encircle him, even with superhuman agility, escape would be impossible. Thus, Bai Suizhi could only quietly circle with the zombies, awaiting the opportune moment to break free.

Just as Bai Suizhi completed his tenth lap, a sudden noise erupted from the balcony. His heart seized—could it be?

The next moment, Kahn appeared in the living room like a divine intervention. Bai Suizhi chuckled, scolding, "Idiot..." though the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved into a smile.

Kahn’s arrival diverted a significant portion of the zombies’ attention, and Bai Suizhi, reinvigorated, shouted, "Split up!" Kahn immediately grasped his meaning, leading half the zombies to the study, while Bai Suizhi guided the rest to the gym. Some bewildered zombies continued their habitual circling in the living room.

After luring the zombies to the study, Kahn climbed the ladder beside the bookshelf and used a nearby makeshift spear to stab downward at them—a tactic they had previously devised at home.

Bai Suizhi’s bookshelf spanned an entire wall, complete with a ladder for accessing higher books. They had agreed that if zombies attacked, they could use this ladder for a high-ground advantage. The spear, too, had been strategically placed for quick access. Bai Suizhi hadn't gone to the study earlier because the sheer number of zombies meant they could easily topple the ladder. But now, with their numbers halved, the strategy became viable.

In the gym, Bai Suizhi immediately slammed a sandbag into the face of a "lucky" zombie upon entering. The zombie fell and remained motionless for a long time. Bai Suizhi swiftly delivered a finishing stab, then pushed a barbell toward the incoming zombies. As expected, they tripped and piled up like a game of Jenga. Bai Suizhi quickly skewered them like candied hawthorn, patiently threading them one by one due to the difficulty of doing it all at once.

Using furniture and walls as cover, the two systematically eliminated the zombies. After dispatching their own, they eagerly rushed to support each other, only to meet in the living room simultaneously. Seeing each other’s anxious expressions, they couldn't help but laugh.

On the rooftop, the helicopter had arrived at Building One. It lowered a rope ladder about ten meters above the ground, and two armed soldiers descended to assist them aboard. Wang Yongzhi, Wu Feng, and the others rushed forward, pleading urgently, "Comrade officers, we still have two friends downstairs. Can you please rescue them?"

The soldiers had clearly answered this question countless times, responding with calm fluency: "Due to the overwhelming number of survivors and insufficient military resources, we prioritize the greatest good for the greatest number in our rescue operations. To ensure efficiency, we cannot conduct search and rescue for your friends. Please board the aircraft quickly; we must proceed to the next rescue location."

"They’re on the seventh floor, just below the rooftop!"

"They’re only in their early twenties!"

"Please, we beg you, save them..."

No matter how they pleaded, the two soldiers remained unmoved. Rationally, they understood the soldiers’ actions were correct under the circumstances, but emotionally, they couldn’t accept the outcome. They owed these two so much, and now that they were safe, Bai Suizhi and Kahn had become the acceptable losses.

The pilot above was already urging them to hurry. The two soldiers sternly warned, "Every minute and second you delay, lives are being lost! Please board the aircraft now!" The group from Building One had no choice but to board the helicopter. They felt regret and guilt but knew that time was life, and this was not the moment for emotional decisions.

After boarding the helicopter, Yue Shaolin immediately spotted them. He walked over, put his arms around Wang Yongzhi and Wu Feng, and asked, "Brothers, what took you so long? Where are Suizhi and Kahn? Are they behind you?"

When the two remained silent, Yue Shaolin’s heart sank. He frowned and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"They didn’t make it up."

"What do you mean, 'didn’t make it up'?"

"When we reached the rooftop, the elevator door had been forced open by zombies. They were trapped outside on the rooftop. Kahn had originally climbed up from below, but when he saw Bai Suizhi wasn’t coming, he went back down to find him."

Yue Shaolin immediately latched onto the key phrase: "Trapped outside?"

The twins, their eyes red, cried out, "It was that guy who locked them out! If we had all fought, we could have defeated those zombies!" They had actually wanted to follow Kahn down but were restrained. They burned with frustration, angry yet powerless.

Yue Shaolin followed the twins’ pointing fingers to Zhang Huan, who was cowering in a corner. With a grim expression, he grabbed his collar and demanded, "You locked them out?"

Zhang Huan, intimidated by the murderous glint in Yue Shaolin’s eyes, defended himself: "If they really wanted to stop me, could I have held them back alone? The truth is—they didn’t want to go down and save them either, but they still put on a righteous act."

Those who heard this lowered their heads. They knew Zhang Huan wasn’t entirely wrong. If they had been resolute enough, could a dozen people not have overpowered one? But they had families and children; they dared not gamble.

Yue Shaolin understood from the others’ silence. He let go and laughed self-mockingly. "I truly believe those two were wasted. Who risked their lives all these days to lure zombies away for you? Who ran tirelessly to get supplies for you? A bunch of ungrateful bastards."

Zhang Huan straightened his collar and retorted, "Don’t make it sound so harsh. If it were you, would you have gone?"

Yue Shaolin roared, "Damn right I would have!"

Zhang Huan dared not provoke Yue Shaolin further. He knew another word would earn him a beating, so he meekly retreated to his seat. He didn’t believe Yue Shaolin would actually have gone. Empty words were cheap—what a bunch of utter hypocrites.

After clearing out the few foolish zombies in the living room, Bai Suizhi and Kahn rushed to the balcony to check the situation. Seeing the helicopter had already departed, their hopes plummeted. So close...

Bai Suizhi looked at Kahn and asked, "Do you regret it?"

Kahn didn’t understand: "What?"

Bai Suizhi: "If you hadn’t come down to find me, you’d be safe now."

Kahn looked firmly at Bai Suizhi: "I told you, if you didn’t come up, I would come find you."

Bai Suizhi looked away and said softly, "Fool."

Kahn continued to gaze at Bai Suizhi, asking, "What about you? Do you regret it?"

Bai Suizhi: "What?"

Kahn: "If you had left first, you wouldn’t be trapped here by zombies."

Bai Suizhi smiled and said, "We’re both fools."

Kahn smiled along with Bai Suizhi. The two leaned against the balcony railing and laughed at the dark night sky for a while, though they didn’t quite know what they were laughing about.

Moreover, no one would be air-dropping supplies anymore. After this rescue operation, it was implicitly declared that no living survivors remained in this area. Even if there were, they would be scattered individuals. Finding possible survivors in a vast sea of zombies would be like searching for a needle in a haystack—an impossible task.

They could no longer stay in their apartment; they had to forge their own path to survival. News reports mentioned several survivor bases established nationwide. Those who had just boarded the helicopter were being transported to these bases. The closest one to them was "Feisha Valley" in the northwest.

Due to its defensible terrain, advantageous for both offense and defense, and its arid climate, which naturally inhibited zombies, Feisha Valley was quickly designated as one of the national survivor bases.

Kahn followed Bai Suizhi unconditionally, simply nodding in affirmation.

Bai Suizhi: "Why are you so compliant?" He couldn’t resist pinching Kahn’s cheek.

Kahn’s ear tips subtly reddened as he asked, "Do you like it?"

Bai Suizhi paused, then mumbled, "Mm."

"Then I’ll be even more compliant in the future."

Bai Suizhi turned his face away and said, "Let’s grab some food and get moving."

Kahn also felt a bit embarrassed, softly replying, "Okay."

They packed two backpacks with supplies before heading downstairs. Perhaps because everyone had left, the zombies had lost their primary targets and were no longer clustered together but wandered in small, scattered groups.

Bai Suizhi and Kahn moved stealthily, bypassing these zombies, and safely reached their car. The keys to the off-road vehicle had been left inside, allowing them to start it smoothly and set off toward Feisha Valley.

Hearing the engine, the zombies swarmed the vehicle. Their pale eyeballs looked even more terrifying under the headlights. Bai Suizhi deliberately swerved to avoid them, not out of humanitarianism, but because he feared damaging the car.

After driving some distance, the zombies behind still pursued the car like hungry wolves after prey. Zombies from outside the compound joined the chase, creating a truly spectacular scene. It wasn’t until they reached the suburbs that they finally shook them off completely.

Bai Suizhi glanced at Kahn in the passenger seat and said, "Let’s find a safe place to pull over and rest soon. If you’re tired, you can sleep now."

After a day of intense activity, Kahn was utterly exhausted. Once in a safe environment, his guard dropped, and sleepiness washed over him like a tide.

Kahn struggled to keep his eyes open, saying, "I'm not sleepy." But his eyelids, like magnets drawn together, slowly began to drift shut. Then, he forced them open again, as if trying to prove he really wasn't tired.

Bai Suizhi's lips curved into a faint smile. He gently squeezed Kahn's hand and said softly, "Go to sleep."

The next second, Kahn fell asleep as if given permission. Bai Suizhi tried to pull his hand away after seeing him asleep, but the moment he moved, Kahn's brow furrowed, and he mumbled, "Don't let go, don't let go..." like a child whose security blanket had been taken away.

So Bai Suizhi truly didn't pull his hand back, letting Kahn cling to it as he slept.

At night, an off-road vehicle carried two resilient and brave youths along the deserted road. The three-day-long heavy rain had finally stopped, and the night sky, washed clean, stretched endlessly, deeper than ever. Everything seemed so tranquil and beautiful.