Inside the cafeteria.
Everyone surrounded the six members of Huo Shaochen’s team, bombarding them with all kinds of questions.
“Are you here because the government sent you to rescue us? Why are there only six of you…”
“What’s the situation like outside right now? Can you take us home…”
“How does the government plan to arrange things for us…”
Huo Shaochen frowned deeply at the cacophony and couldn’t help raising his voice.
“Everyone, quiet! Do you want to attract the zombies here?”
His shout struck the crowd like a heavy hammer, and the entire place instantly fell silent.
Huo Shaochen spoke sternly. “The government has established five major bases as safe havens. You can organize your own groups and make your way there, or you can stay here and wait for the government to send rescue teams.”
“Our Swift Shadow Squad has been assigned a special mission this time. We are responsible for escorting Professor Yang Zhenghuai, a biology professor, to the Central Base. His expertise is urgently needed to deal with the zombie virus.”
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the crowd complained, “Why hasn’t the government sent anyone to rescue us yet? Have they abandoned us?”
Huo Shaochen’s expression became extremely serious at the question.
“The zombie virus has swept across the entire planet. Not only ordinary civilians, but even the military has not been spared.
“The government is doing everything it can to construct the five major bases. Only once the bases are fully established and resources in all areas have been properly allocated will they have enough manpower to launch rescue operations.”
As he spoke, images of his former comrades surfaced in Huo Shaochen’s mind. They had once trained together…
But when the apocalypse arrived, many of them turned into zombies. They had endured their grief and personally put down their comrades after they became zombies.
When everyone heard this, a commotion immediately broke out.
Someone anxiously asked, “When will the government send people to rescue us?”
Huo Shaochen ignored the question and continued, “The Eastern Survivor Base, established in N City, is the closest base to F City.
“Our Swift Shadow Squad will pass through there. When the time comes, you can follow behind our vehicles. However, you will have to take responsibility for your own safety along the way.”
At first, everyone’s faces lit up with joy when they heard that they could follow the convoy.
However, when they heard that they would have to take responsibility for their own safety, their expressions were replaced by dissatisfaction.
Someone was about to object, but before they could say anything, their companion tugged on their arm, signaling them not to say more.
Everyone gathered here was a college student. Anyone capable of getting into F University couldn’t possibly be stupid.
With a little thought, they immediately understood.
After all, there were only six members of the Swift Shadow Squad, and they also had another mission to complete.
Now that the apocalypse had arrived and zombies were roaming everywhere, expecting them to guarantee everyone’s safety simply wasn’t realistic.
After some discussion, everyone unanimously decided to follow the Swift Shadow Squad to the Eastern Survivor Base.
Huo Shaochen gathered all the ability users together and had everyone introduce themselves.
The Swift Shadow Squad had originally consisted of twelve members. After the apocalypse, only six had survived, and all six had awakened abilities.
Before the apocalypse, Huo Shaochen had been the captain of the Swift Shadow Special Forces. After the apocalypse, he awakened dual-element abilities of lightning and metal.
Wen Qi had a refined and gentle appearance. Like Lu Yuanyuan, his ability was a mental-type ability.
Cao Kang’s ability matched his appearance perfectly. A burly man, he had awakened a strength-type ability.
Xie Licheng had a pair of puppy-like eyes and looked like the boy next door. He was a fire-type ability user.
Wang Rui had a square face and exuded a steady, composed air. He had awakened a wind-type ability.
Xu Kaiyang had a round face, and when he smiled, two dimples appeared on his cheeks. He was a water-type ability user.
At this moment, Huo Shaochen sat on a chair and seriously surveyed everyone before slowly speaking.
“Professor Yang has long devoted himself to research in virology and microbiology. Given his expertise, there’s a very good chance that he could make a major breakthrough in researching the zombie virus.”
“We received word that Professor Yang is currently trapped inside the laboratory at the School of Life Sciences. I hope everyone here can join our Swift Shadow Squad in rescuing him.”
After hearing this, everyone looked at one another, and the atmosphere became somewhat delicate.
Bai Ningrong glanced around at everyone and was the first to speak.
“Shaochen, I’ll go with you. Even though I’m a girl, I want to do my part too.”
Huo Mian wanted to join the Swift Shadow Squad. She felt it would be safer to build up some goodwill with them first.
So she spoke up. “I’ll go too.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, yet firm and decisive.
Huo Shaochen turned his head toward her. For some reason, the girl in front of him seemed vaguely familiar, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember where he had seen her before. He couldn’t help staring at her for a moment.
Hearing Huo Mian, Lu Yuanyuan turned her head toward her, a look of understanding appearing in her eyes.
As expected, Huo Mian really was kindhearted!
Lu Yuanyuan raised her chin. “Count me in.”
Xu Mingfan gritted his teeth, a look of determination flashing through his eyes.
“I’ll go too.”
Xia Yan looked at Huo Shaochen, then glanced at Huo Mian. After thinking for a moment, he said gently,
“Professor Yang is a teacher at our university. Naturally, I’m willing to go and rescue him…”
In the end, everyone unanimously agreed to go to the laboratory to rescue Professor Yang.
Taking into consideration the safety of the ordinary people in the cafeteria, Huo Shaochen decided to leave several ability users behind to hold down the fort.
Xia Yan had previously served as their leader and had considerable prestige among the students. His presence would naturally help keep everyone calm.
In the end, it was decided that Xia Yan, Lu Yuanyuan, Su Yan, Ye Shinan, and Zhao Yong would remain behind to guard the cafeteria, while everyone else would accompany the Swift Shadow Squad to the School of Life Sciences to rescue Professor Yang.
The School of Life Sciences building was located in the southeastern corner of F University. To rescue Professor Yang, they first had to pass through two dormitory buildings.
Then they would turn left and pass through four teaching buildings and one university clinic before finally reaching their destination.
At this moment, everyone was carrying various weapons. All of these weapons had been manufactured by metal-type ability users and provided by the Swift Shadow Squad.
Huo Mian never got the Tang saber she had been waiting for from Xu Mingfan, but unexpectedly received one from the male protagonist’s team instead.
Her saber was one meter long, with a blade measuring more than sixty centimeters. Its razor-sharp edge reflected a chilling gleam.
Huo Mian gripped the handle and found that the size was just right, with a comfortable weight that was neither too heavy nor too light.
Seeing the nervous expressions on everyone’s faces, Huo Shaochen said sternly,
“Move out.”
With that, he turned and took the lead, while Huo Mian and the other nine people followed closely behind.
As they passed the dormitory buildings, Huo Mian and the others became extremely vigilant.
Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, constantly scanning their surroundings and remaining on high alert for danger.
Suddenly, several roars rang out.
Everyone looked up and saw two tall zombies rushing out from near the dormitory buildings and charging toward them.
Before Huo Mian and the others could make a move, Xie Licheng and Cao Kang suddenly charged forward.
The sharp blade in Xie Licheng’s hand flashed through the air, accurately slicing off the head of one zombie.
Cao Kang sidestepped, lifted a massive iron hammer, and slammed it hard into the zombie’s head.
“Bang!”
The zombie’s head was instantly smashed to pieces, with brain matter splattering everywhere.
The two killed the zombies cleanly and efficiently, without a single unnecessary movement.
Huo Mian and the others watched in stunned silence, secretly marveling at them.
As expected of soldiers who had undergone rigorous training.
The combat prowess displayed by the two immediately gave everyone a sense of reassurance, and the fear in their hearts was greatly reduced.
The group cautiously passed through the two dormitory buildings and carefully advanced toward the teaching buildings.
Since the zombie virus had broken out at night, there were only a few scattered zombies around the teaching buildings, wandering aimlessly nearby.
The Swift Shadow Squad was highly trained, and the members worked together seamlessly. They easily dealt with the few zombies.
Just as they were about to pass the fourth teaching building, Wen Qi’s voice suddenly rang out.
“Shaochen, there’s a small group of zombies ahead.”
Those brief words instantly shattered everyone’s sense of security.
Everyone’s hearts tightened, and nervousness was written all over their faces.
Huo Shaochen frowned slightly and asked, “Can you determine the number?”
Wen Qi stared ahead. After a moment, he replied, “Around thirty or forty. They’re all wandering between the university clinic and the School of Life Sciences building. Some of them are also heading this way.”
Huo Shaochen immediately issued an order.
“Everyone, prepare for battle. No guns.”
He turned to Huo Mian and the other ten people and suggested, “Work in pairs. Two people team up to kill one zombie. If you encounter one you can’t handle, retreat immediately.”
His voice was calm and powerful, slightly settling everyone’s panicked hearts.
Everyone responded softly, “Understood!”