After looting the mall's upper floors, Xiao Yang's group descended to find their armored RV besieged by zombies. Xu Tong's panicked voice crackled through the walkie-talkie: "Strangers took shelter inside! They're being chased!"
By the time they fought through the horde, three figures stood revealed inside the vehicle—a sharp-featured woman with cropped hair flanked by two injured colleagues. She stepped forward, posture military-straight. "I'm Captain Tang Ying from City Police Special Ops. We encountered a swarm while evacuating survivors."
Xiao Yang scanned her credentials with a smirk. "Still flashing badges in the apocalypse?"
Tang ignored the jab. "Your team's impressive. We'd have joined the fight if not for injuries." She gestured to a male officer nursing a bandaged hand.
"Bitten?" Xiao Yang's tone turned glacial.
"Scratched during a fall," Tang corrected.
"Bullshit!" The female officer behind her snapped. "We killed fifty zombies protecting civilians! Show some respect!"
A low growl cut through the tension as a German shepherd emerged, fangs bared. Tang snapped her fingers. "Yangyang, heel!"
Xiao Yang stiffened. "You named your dog… Yangyang?"
"Problem?" Tang raised an eyebrow.
Grinding his teeth at sharing his childhood nickname with a mutt, Xiao Yang pointed at the wounded man. "He stays. You two can ride."
"We walk." Tang spun on her heel, pride overriding pragmatism.
"Wait." Xiao Yang's voice halted her. Eyes narrowed, he studied the dog's alert stance and Tang's unyielding bearing—assets in this lawless era. "Keep the mutt quiet, and you all ride."
As the officers boarded, Xiao Yang's gaze lingered on Tang's profile. Competent allies were rare. And if the bite victim turned… well, he'd handle that personally.