4 Escape from the hospital

After confirming that he was in this situation due to a zombie outbreak, Jack began racking his brain to recall everything he knew about zombies. 

Although most of his knowledge came from movies and TV shows, and he wasn't sure how useful it would be, he had no other way to verify it at the moment. 

The most crucial piece of knowledge was that being bitten or scratched by a zombie could infect him with the virus. Therefore, he had to avoid direct contact with zombies at all costs in the future. 

The second most important rule was that if he had to fight a zombie, he needed to pierce its skull or destroy its brain to completely kill it. Otherwise, even if he decapitated it, its mouth might still keep snapping and biting. 

The third rule was that if someone close to him became infected, his first option was to kill them, and his second was to get away as quickly as possible. He couldn't let emotions cloud his judgment or hold onto the hope that they might still retain some humanity. 

Zombies couldn't be treated like humans. They were monsters in human form. 

Even if they had once been his parents, children, or partner, once they turned into zombies, they would tear him apart without hesitation. 

These three rules were ironclad, and Jack had to follow them strictly. A single mistake could cost him his life and turn him into another member of the zombie horde. 

Beyond these, there were other rules that needed verification. 

For example, it was best not to go out at night because zombies were most active then, making it easy to get trapped. 

Or, food that had been bitten by zombies shouldn't be eaten, as it might carry diseases or even be fatal. 

Testing these rules might not necessarily be deadly, but testing the first three would be equivalent to suicide. 

After all this thinking, Jack felt more exhausted than after playing a basketball game. 

Partly because he hadn't fully recovered from his injury, and partly because he needed to replenish his energy with some food. 

The food and water on the bedside table weren't much. For a young guy like him, it was barely enough for a day. 

But Jack didn't ration it. Instead, he ate and drank heartily. 

He already had a clear plan in mind and needed to fill his stomach to ensure he had enough strength to face what was coming. 

He devoured half of the food meant for three meals in one go, but he didn't feel any regret. 

He needed to recover his energy quickly to deal with whatever lay ahead. 

Outside, the sky was gradually darkening. 

Jack went to the window to look out. The entire city was pitch black, without a single light in sight. 

Sure enough, the whole city had fallen. 

It wasn't just this hospital that had lost power and water—the entire city of Beishan was in the same state! 

As the night deepened, strange noises and growls began to echo around him, a sign that the zombies were becoming more active at night. 

Jack could hear footsteps echoing in the hallway downstairs, as if lost souls were wandering around, searching for a way out. 

It seemed the hospital was infested with zombies. The only saving grace was that, at least on his floor, the zombies were locked in their rooms and not roaming the hallways. Otherwise, he would have had to reinforce the barricade on his door even more. 

Jack calculated that he had to leave the hospital as soon as possible. The food and water would run out quickly, and with zombies all around, this place wasn't safe. 

To escape, he needed to prepare and have enough energy to face the challenges ahead. 

But since it was already late, Jack decided to get a good night's sleep first and start preparing for his escape after waking up. 

After checking the door and window one last time, Jack returned to the bed and fell asleep. 

He was the type to stay calm in the face of major crises, so he actually slept quite well. 

As dawn broke and the sun began to rise, Jack woke up and started preparing. 

He disassembled the IV stand, taking apart a solid metal rod over a meter long. He gave it a few practice thrusts—it felt good in his hands and would probably work well against zombies. 

But the rod didn't have a sharp tip. If he didn't hit the right spot, it might not pierce through. 

So Jack spent an hour grinding the rod against the floor until he had a small, sharp point. 

He was pleased with the result. Unless he hit an extremely hard spot, he was confident it could pierce a zombie with one thrust. 

All he needed was to aim for the zombie's eye socket or mouth, and one strike would be enough to take it down—if those things could even be considered alive! 

With a weapon ready, Jack started working on protective measures. 

He tore the bedsheets into strips and wrapped them around his sleeves and pant legs. 

The hospital gown's sleeves and pants were loose, leaving his arms and calves exposed—prime targets for zombie attacks. So Jack carefully wrapped the strips around those areas. 

Finally, he tore the remaining bedding into long strips and braided them into a rope. 

With all this done, he felt fully prepared. 

By now, the sky outside was bright, and the sun had risen above the buildings. 

The noises of the zombies' nighttime activities had gradually quieted down. As the morning light spread across the land, the world fell silent, as if all humans had disappeared, leaving only Jack behind. 

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Jack looked out the window and quickly mapped out an escape route. 

However, this route was only an ideal plan. 

During the actual escape, there would undoubtedly be unexpected variables, and he wouldn't have the luxury of sticking strictly to the plan. 

His goal was to reach the ideal destination safely, and as long as he didn't get injured or bitten along the way, that would be the perfect outcome! 

After memorizing the layout outside and his planned route, Jack sat down to eat the remaining food. 

Escaping required energy, and he couldn't afford to skimp on food. 

If he made a mistake during the escape, saving the food would be pointless. 

After quickly finishing the food and drinking the last drop of water, Jack knew it was time to leave. 

Now, with no food or water left, it was a do-or-die situation. He had to leave and couldn't turn back. 

He quickly stuffed tissues, towels, and some miscellaneous small items into a pillowcase, then added the empty water bottle. 

The empty bottle was almost weightless but could serve as a portable water container. 

After tying the pillowcase to his back and securing the sharpened IV stand rod to his waist, Jack picked up the rope he had braided from the bedding and tied it to the window frame. 

He tugged on it a few times to make sure it was secure, then grabbed the rope and climbed out the window. 

To avoid taking the stairs and risking encountering zombies in the narrow hallways, Jack decided to descend directly from the building using the rope. 

There was no other choice. While the zombies on the third floor were locked in their rooms, the zombies on other floors were free to roam. 

If he got trapped in a narrow hallway, it would mean certain death. 

So he had to take the risk and use the rope to descend the exterior wall. 

Fortunately, there was a drainage pipe on the wall with footholds at regular intervals, ensuring he had places to step. 

The rope was more of a safety measure than a necessity. 

Jack was confident that someone skilled in climbing could descend without it. 

The third floor wasn't too high, and in less than ten minutes, Jack's feet touched the soft grass below. 

As soon as one foot landed, he scanned the area to make sure there were no zombies nearby before placing his other foot down and letting go of the rope. 

He had already prepared for the worst—if there was danger, he would climb back up immediately. 

Survival required flexibility! 

Fortunately, the hospital grounds seemed relatively safe during the day. At least, as far as he could see, there were no zombies in sight. 

However, the faint smell of decay lingered in the air, making him feel a bit dizzy. 

The weather was also scorching hot. Even though the sun had just risen, the heat was already intense. 

This summer had arrived earlier and was hotter than usual. 

Jack pulled out a towel from the pillowcase and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He then used the towel to cover his nose and mouth, creating a makeshift mask to block the foul smell. 

It wasn't perfect, but it helped reduce the stench. 

As he made these preparations, Jack began moving forward. 

He planned to cross the grassy area and head toward the hospital's side entrance. 

He had designed this route while still in his room because it was less crowded, meaning there would likely be fewer zombies. 

Going through the main entrance was out of the question. Although he hadn't seen the main entrance, he could imagine it swarming with zombies. 

This was a large general hospital, after all, with an unimaginable flow of people.