Chapter 7: Lure The Zombies

As Shen Feng soared through the air, his heart raced not just from adrenaline, but from the thrill of the moment. This was it—the leap that would either mark his triumph or plunge him into chaos. With the roar of howling zombies behind him demanding blood and life, he focused on the horizon of the shopping mall, a fortress of hope amid the approaching doom.

He landed with a thud on the shopping mall's rooftop, gripping the edge of the building as he caught his breath. The dissonant notes of the stereo droned on, a siren song luring the undead relentlessly closer. Looking down from his perch, Shen Feng found himself surrounded by a sea of zombies milling about below, snapping their decaying jaws in frustration. It wasn't the elegant dance he hoped for, but in a world turned upside down, it would have to do.

"Okay, Shen Feng," he muttered to himself, "now's the time to be smart." Peering down, he saw that some zombies began to grow bored of the music, drifting away into the shadows of the alleyways that flanked the shopping mall. It was now or never—he needed to act quickly.

Adrenaline surged through him as he spotted a fire escape on the side of the building, just a few feet away. "Lucky break," he thought, scrambling over and tossing the crowbar to the side for future use. He gripped the ladder tightly with both hands and began to descend—each rung felt like a belated countdown to safety.

Once he reached the ground, he slipped into the alcove of the entrance, breathing heavily and scanning the surroundings for survivors. As he crouched low, his eyes flicked towards the inside of the mall: its vast emptiness was both a comfort and a curse. There, he could see the remains of the last frantic shoppers, their cruel fate a stark reminder of what loomed in the halls behind the glass doors, but there were no zombies in sight… for the moment.

Suddenly, the sound of shuffling feet echoed behind him. Shen Feng turned around just in time to see a group of zombies stumbling towards the mall's entrance, still drawn by the call of the music that hung in the air like a ghostly melody. Panic surged again, but before he acted, he had a moment of clarity.

"You don't need to outfight them, just outsmart them."

Sprinting into the mall, Shen Feng remembered the split-second decision-making drills that had become ingrained in him since the apocalypse began. He needed to find something—anything—that could help him steer these hapless creatures away from his friends still holed up in the building.

His surroundings were chaotic, the debris of consumer culture mixed with the remnants of life. He spotted a small toy store with colorful balloons—perhaps if he created a diversion, it might just work. Dashing inside, he snatched a few colorful toys and frantically grabbed the nearest pair of children's musical instruments for good measure—a tambourine and a brightly colored maraca.

He sprinted back outside just in the nick of time, as the zombies already began to barrel through the doors after him. Their glazed eyes did not see, and their decomposing ears did not hear the bridge of music that floated out from the stereo he abandoned. Without hesitation, Shen Feng shook the tambourine vigorously and rattled the maraca, creating an absurd symphony of sound that sliced through the air.

The zombies hesitated, turning their heads towards the off-kilter melody that danced through the air with childlike whimsy. As he backed away slowly, they began to shuffle towards him, their decaying forms reaching out for the colorful objects that gleamed in the light.

"Come on, guys! Over here!" Shen Feng shouted, his confidence exploding as he waved the instruments above his head, drawing the undead away.

It worked! They turned away from the mall's entrance, completely captivated as he retreated further into the labyrinth of shops, beckoning them with the maraca and the tambourine, almost like a puppet master leading a mismatched orchestra. As they streamed after him, Shen Feng's heart raced with the possibilities unfolding before him.

The risk was paying off; he maneuvered deeper into the mall, leading the horde into a section designed for children, complete with a ball pit. As the undead stumbled forward, they became ensnared in the colorful chaos, roaring and flailing in confusion, their focus now entirely on the vibrant movement he offered.

Against the tides of flesh and despair, Shen Feng realized he had made a mistake too—luring too many. He had to figure out how to minimize their numbers before it was too late. "One step at a time!" he reminded himself, entwining the hiding spots of the mall in his memory.

He found a maintenance door marked "Employees Only" and darted through, pushing the door behind him, a shudder of fear electrifying his muscles. This would be a temporary refuge, and it suddenly dawned on him that he needed a plan—a scientific way to destroy the ceaseless influx of undead.

Inside, a stale quiet enveloped him. Amidst the clutter of old coffee cups and disused janitorial supplies, Shen Feng's eyes landed on a stack of extra large trash bins, filled to the brim with bits torn from clothing and discarded uniforms—what a waste. However, they would be perfect for a barricade.

Acting swiftly, he began to pile the bins against the door. The noise from the tambourine and maraca began to fade as he secured them, stealing glances at the door. Would it hold? He couldn't let panic seep into his resolve.

As he pushed the last bin up against the door, a crash hit the outside, followed by moans. Shen Feng stood silently for a moment, his heart racing as numbers swelled beyond what he could handle alone. Suddenly, a voice broke through the darkness: "Shen Feng! You in there?"

"Chang Jianyi!" Relief washed over him.

The door burst open, and his senior sister emerged, alongside others, eyes wide with fear and hope.

"They packed quickly! Are you alright?" She rushed over, scanning the area behind him as shadows drifted into the flickering light.

"Yeah! I led a mob away but we have to keep moving! We need to find a secure area, I have an idea—" Shen Feng began, a plan already forming, looking into the eyes of his comrades who stood ready behind Chang Jianyi. A mixture of stubbornness and determination burned in him—their escape was still possible, and together, they would uncover a way out of the darkness, their next move just a heartbeat away.