Chapter 33 – Separation and Reunion 分别与重逢

Outside the shelter, the roars of the zombies went on without a break. The walls and the main gate buzzed from the violent crashing sounds. The soldiers fought desperately, but the zombie horde was too large in number. With the command of the high-level zombies, the defensive line was finally torn apart completely with a loud bang.

The senior management of the shelter quickly made the decision to retreat and used the broadcast to shout to the survivors: "Evacuate immediately! Everyone, follow the assigned team and evacuate the shelter! The soldiers will cover our retreat.

Lin Yuan and Cao Yuwei mingled among the crowd and were assigned to the fourth team, the same team as the Jiang siblings and Xiaohei. Jiang Tianming, dragging his prosthetic leg, insisted on following the team to retreat outside the shelter.

After the zombie horde broke through the shelter, they quickly chased after the retreating teams. In the chaos, some teams got separated, and some people were even knocked down by the zombies, with screams ringing out one after another. Lin Yuan and Jiang Tianming teamed up to fight off several approaching zombies in the scuffle.

" Tianming, hurry up!" Jiang Yulian turned around and shouted, her face full of anxiety.

Jiang Tianming gritted his teeth, swung the iron rod in his hand, and smashed the head of a zombie to pieces. Panting heavily, he said firmly, "I'm coming!"

With everyone's efforts, they managed to shake off the pursuers for the time being. However, the retreat route was not smooth. The team was forced to take detours many times and kept encountering attacks from small groups of zombies, and the casualties gradually increased.

During one encounter battle, Lin Yuan, his aunt Cao Yuwei, Jiang Tianming, and Jiang Yulian were forced to get separated. In order to protect Jiang Yulian, Xiaohei suddenly pounced on a high-level zombie and fought with it. Jiang Yulian anxiously called Xiaohei, but in that urgent moment, she had to retreat with the crowd.

Lin Yuan and his aunt were swept into another wave of people and retreated in a different direction. While using her spatial superpower to help the two of them pack their personal supplies, Cao Yuwei comforted Lin Yuan, "Don't worry. They'll be okay. Let's first find a way to survive."

Lin Yuan nodded, but he was always worried about the Jiang siblings' safety.

...

Jiang Tianming was already walking with great difficulty, considering he was dragging a prosthetic leg. Jiang Yulian tried to support him several times, but he refused each time.

"Sister, I'm fine. You go ahead. Don't worry about me," Jiang Tianming said with sweat all over his face, still gritting his teeth and persevering.

Jiang Yulian sighed and finally put Jiang Tianming's arm around her shoulder, "Stop talking nonsense, Tianming."

Xiaohei closely followed behind the two of them, occasionally looking back warily at the pursuing zombies. Its body was even bigger than before, with distinct muscle lines. Apparently, it had mutated again. Looking at Xiaohei, Jiang Yulian felt even more complex. The once small pup had grown into an awe inspiring guardian.

...

Lin Yuan and Cao Yuwei continued to move forward. They encountered attacks from small groups of zombies several times during this period. Lin Yuan avoided most of the battles with the help of the Jiuchong Ring and his own Wind Shadow Movement Technique. Cao Yuwei's spatial rift played a role at critical moments, but because she was not proficient, using her superpower each time would make her fall into an extremely exhausted state.

"Damn! When will we get some peace?" Lin Yuan grumbled. He held up the pale Cao Yuwei, and they took a brief rest in an abandoned supermarket.

The Jiuchong Ring suddenly spoke, "Host, look at the wall over there."

Following the Jiuchong Ring's prompt, Lin Yuan saw a short line of words written on the wall: "The shelter cannot be safe in the long run. Heading to the Capital City is the only hope."

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, "Sure enough, everyone's goal is the Capital City."

He glanced at the exhausted Cao Yuwei and gritted his teeth, saying, "Auntie, we have to speed up next."

Cao Yuwei propped up and smiled softly, "It's okay. I can manage."

Eight months later, after going through hardships, Jiang Tianming and Jiang Yulian finally reached the outskirts of the Capital City. Their condition was worse than that of Lin Yuan and Cao Yuwei. Xiaohei had protected them all the way, and even fought head-on with the zombie horde several times, buying them time to escape.

Looking at her travel-worn younger brother, Jiang Yulian had mixed feelings in her heart, " Tianming, we've finally arrived."

Jiang Tianming forced a smile and said, "As long as we alive, there's hope."

Xiaohei let out a low growl and stared warily around. Jiang Yulian stroked its head and said softly, "Good boy. Take a rest first. Everything will be okay soon."

Soon, Lin Yuan and Cao Yuwei reached the Capital City too. The four of them and Xiaohei were reunited again.

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避难所外,丧尸的嘶吼声连绵不绝,墙体和大门都被猛烈的撞击声震得嗡嗡作响.士兵们奋力抵抗,但丧尸群的数量太过庞大,加上高阶丧尸的指挥,防线终于在一声巨响中被彻底撕裂.

避难所高层迅速作出撤退的决定,利用广播向幸存者们喊话:"全体撤离!所有人跟随指定的队伍撤离避难所!士兵将负责掩护撤退!"

林远和曹雨薇混在人群中,被分到了第四小队,与江家姐弟和小黑同一队伍.江天明拖着一条假肢腿,坚持跟着队伍向避难所外撤退.

丧尸群突破避难所后迅速追击撤退的队伍.混乱中,部分队伍失散,甚至有人被丧尸扑倒,惨叫声此起彼伏.林远和江天明在混战中联手对付几只靠近的丧尸.

"天明,快点!" 江玉莲回头喊道,脸上满是焦急.

江天明咬紧牙关,挥动手中的铁棍,将一只丧尸的头颅砸得粉碎.他喘着粗气,声音坚定:"来啦!"

在大家的努力下,他们暂时摆脱了追击.然而撤退的道路并不顺利,队伍被迫多次绕路,不断遭遇小股丧尸的袭击,伤亡逐渐增加.

在一次遭遇战中,林远,小姨曹雨薇与江天明,江玉莲被迫分散.小黑为了保护江玉莲,猛地扑向一只高阶丧尸,与它厮打在一起.江玉莲焦急地呼唤小黑,但无奈形势紧迫,只能继续跟随人群撤退.

林远则和小姨被卷入另一波人群,朝着不同的方向撤退.曹雨薇一边用空间异能帮助两人收拾随身物资,一边安慰林远:"别担心,他们会没事的.我们先想办法活下去."

林远点头,但心里却一直担心江家姐弟的安危.

...

江天明已经走得十分吃力,毕竟拖着假肢.江玉莲几次试图扶着他,但都被他拒绝.

"姐姐,我没事,你快走,别管我." 江天明满脸是汗,却依然咬牙坚持.

江玉莲叹了口气,最终还是将江天明的手臂搭在自己的肩膀上:"别废话了,天明."

小黑则紧紧跟随在两人身后,偶尔回头警惕地盯着追击而来的丧尸.它的体型比之前更大了,肌肉线条分明,显然又变异了.江玉莲看着小黑,心中复杂的情绪更甚,这个曾经的小家伙,已经逐渐变成一头让人心生敬畏的守护神了.

...

林远和曹雨薇继续前进,期间几次遇到小股丧尸的袭击,林远凭借九重戒的辅助和自己的风影身法避开了大部分战斗.曹雨薇的空间裂缝在关键时刻发挥了作用,但因为不熟练,她的异能每次使用后都会让她陷入极度的疲惫状态.

"妈de,什么时候才能安生一点?" 林远抱怨着,扶着脸色苍白的曹雨薇在一处废弃的超市内暂时休息.

九重戒突然出声:"宿主,快看那边的墙上."

林远循着九重戒的提示,看到墙上写着一行简短的字: "避难所无法长期安全,前往首都城才是唯一的希望."

林远深吸了一口气:"果然,所有人的目标都是首都城."

他看了一眼疲惫的曹雨薇,咬牙道:"小姨,接下来我们得加快速度了."

曹雨薇撑起身体,轻轻一笑:"没关系,我能撑住."

8个月后,历经艰难,江天明和江玉莲终于抵达了首都城的外围.他们的状态比林远和曹雨薇更糟.小黑则一路护卫着他们,甚至几次与丧尸群硬拼,为他们争取了逃生的时间.

江玉莲看着风尘仆仆的弟弟,心中百感交集:"天明,我们终于到了."

江天明勉强扯出一抹笑容:"只要活着,就还有希望."

小黑低吼一声,警惕地盯着四周.江玉莲摸了摸它的头,轻声道:"乖,先休息一下,很快就没事了."

不久后,林远和曹雨薇也抵达了首都城,四人和小黑再次重逢.