killing

Zhang Hongbing pressed himself against the window and shouted, "Wang Bo, don't harm Zhang Jingyao! She's now Chu Xiang's woman—don't you fear his return and the trouble he'll bring? And don't forget how formidable Song Jun's iron arrows are!"

Wang Bo sneered. "Hmph, those two useless fools have probably already been devoured by the zombies. They thought they could show off by searching for food, but it's not as simple as us. This rescue pack is more than enough to get me to Tong City. Ha-ha... hurry up and throw it into the water!"

A gunshot rang out—Wang Bo, irritated by Zhang Jingyao's hesitation, fired a warning shot. The rescue pack, filled with vegetables, meat, and a large quantity of compressed biscuits, was an immense temptation for those who were barely surviving on moldy bread. The bullet hit the sand at Zhang Jingyao's feet, kicking up a cloud of dust. With a deep breath, Zhang Jingyao closed her eyes and plunged into the water to retrieve the pack.

Boom… the engine of the Qianjiang 250 rumbled with an earth-shaking vibration. Song Jun's driving skills were truly exceptional. With one leap, he managed to cross a deep ravine at least four to five meters wide, sending the motorcycle crashing onto the beach. But with a twist of the throttle, it roared back to life. Wang Bo looked up, astonished, just in time to see the motorcycle zip past him. Chu Xiang lunged from the back seat, knocking Wang Bo to the ground with a single swift move!

Bang! Bang! Panicked, Wang Bo fired wildly. On the opposite shore, Xu Changtian grunted in pain—an unlucky bullet from Wang Bo had pierced his calf! Chu Xiang landed a powerful punch, knocking Wang Bo unconscious. At that moment, Song Jun discarded his motorcycle and aimed his crossbow at He Er!

"It's a misunderstanding, purely a misunderstanding," He Er stammered, trying to appear more amiable. "It wasn't my idea. Wang Bo acted on his own. He forced Xiao Zhang into the water to retrieve the rescue pack. This has nothing to do with me."

Chu Xiang said nothing as he picked up Wang Bo's Type 54 pistol from the ground. At that moment, Zhang Jingyao turned back with a smile, only to be horrified when she saw Chu Xiang raise the gun without a word and fire a shot into Wang Bo's head!

Bang! Blood splattered, and even He Er, standing closest to Wang Bo, had droplets of it land on his face. For a moment, everyone was stunned. On the opposite bank, Xu Changtian, still nursing his wound, was shaken. This was a blatant act of murder. Wang Bo hadn't been infected by the virus—wasn't it the duty of a soldier to restrain a murderer?

Though He Er had killed before, he did so with careful planning and for a specific purpose. This impulsive murder, devoid of skill or strategy, was something even Wang Bo would have hesitated to do. His intention was only to intimidate, not to kill—forcing Zhang Jingyao into the water was nothing compared to shooting someone dead.

Zhang Jingyao felt a momentary sense of relief as Chu Xiang's actions finally secured her safety. But then, her shock and fear deepened, only to be replaced by a feeling of happiness and gratitude. The reason for his killing was her—he had done it all for her. She had not been wrong about him the previous night; he was not just an ordinary man. From now on, she knew that being by his side would ensure she would never again be wronged.

Wang Bin almost dropped to his knees in front of Chu Xiang, mentally shouting, "Well done!" His father's death was closely linked to Wang Bo, and this moment seemed to serve as retribution. This Chu Xiang was someone with true backbone—perhaps following him would allow him to escape the world of death. Yet, he was still just an insignificant child. Would Chu Xiang really want him, this burden?

"Damn, he's a devil," Zhang Hongbing muttered as he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. Thankfully, his relationship with Chu Xiang seemed to be alright. Wang Bo had always looked down on Chu Xiang, thinking his sickly appearance made him weak, assuming his quest for food might cost him his life. Little did he know, Wang Bo had ended up paying the price for his arrogance. Now, he had learned the hard way what kind of people were best avoided.

Song Jun, expressionless, dragged Wang Bo's lifeless body into the river. A splash of water erupted, and only then did Chu Xiang and Song Jun realize how dangerous the water was. However, Chu Xiang spotted the rescue pack. With Song Jun's rope, Chu Xiang crafted a simple hook from a piece of iron pipe, casting it a few times until it snagged the pack. Together, they pulled it ashore.

The rescue pack had been designed with airmail drops in mind, its exterior waterproofed. Even the contents were individually wrapped in waterproof packaging. Upon inspection, nothing had been damaged—there were heaps of compressed biscuits, bottles of mineral water, cans, and weapons.

Chu Xiang retrieved a Type 54 pistol from the pack and tossed it to Song Jun. He handed the remaining one, along with the medicine, to Zhang Jingyao. She hesitated upon receiving the medical supplies but was reluctant to take the gun. "I'm a woman, I don't know how to use a gun. Maybe I shouldn't carry it."

Chu Xiang swiftly inserted the magazine and chambered a round. "You'll learn quickly. The Type 54 doesn't have a manual safety. In this situation, just aim and pull the trigger. If you encounter someone like Wang Bo, just shoot him."

Zhang Jingyao nodded and accepted the gun. At that moment, Wang Bin suddenly spoke up, "Chu Ge, give me a gun."

Chu Xiang tossed him an M9 combat knife. "You're still too young. Take this knife for self-defense."

Chu Xiang then swept the remaining knife and bullets into his bag. He Er, though inclined to oppose, noticed that both Chu Xiang and Song Jun were more powerful than him, so he quietly retreated to his oil tanker. After all, he had a gun too, though his ammo was running low.

Although the river was too dangerous to cross on foot, driving through it posed no threat from the piranhas. The buses and oil tankers continued to the north bank. Zhang Jingyao quickly disembarked to tend to Xu Changtian's wound. The medical supplies came in handy, as the bullet from Wang Bo had pierced his calf. Zhang Debing had already stopped the bleeding, but being no professional medic, Zhang Jingyao's expertise proved invaluable. She swiftly dealt with the wound, confirming it hadn't hit any major bones or tendons, and simply needed to be kept clean to prevent infection.

Xu Changtian glanced at Chu Xiang. He had something to say, but ultimately held his tongue. He couldn't deny that Chu Xiang's actions, though extreme, had been necessary—Wang Bo's behavior had indeed been excessive. Chu Xiang emptied two large food packs and the remaining supplies from the rescue bag onto the ground, then said to Xu Changtian, "Captain Xu, my task is complete. The sky's getting late. Let's eat and get moving. You decide how to distribute the food."

After a brief moment of thought, Xu Changtian replied, "I suggest we let Xiao Zhang manage and distribute it. I didn't consider things well, and two of our men paid the price for it. Moving forward, I hope Xiao Chu can offer advice and plans for our team's survival. Whether we can make it to Tong City depends entirely on you."

Chu Xiang, unperturbed, responded, "I can't promise we'll reach Tong City in two days..." By now, no one doubted Chu Xiang's words. The time was well past noon, and they had barely crossed one river. There were two smaller cities and dozens of towns ahead. Safely navigating through them was a huge challenge. However, with food no longer a concern, even if it took a few extra days, they wouldn't starve.

Xu Changtian interrupted, "Time isn't a pressing matter for us. Theoretically, sooner is better than later, but safety is our primary concern. Those black fish earlier really opened my eyes. This isn't a battle with enemy agents; our enemies are unpredictable, and we don't even know who they are. Do you have any advice for our team?"

Chu Xiang nodded, "To safely cover the next three hundred kilometers, these vehicles must be modified. Ideally, we should use large, stable vehicles, provided we have enough fuel. Small vehicles, once surrounded by zombies, won't stand a chance. Unfortunately, we lack tools and skilled welders. The front windshields and windows of the buses need to be reinforced with steel bars. You'd better abandon that CRV; it's not safe."

Su Yulian, who had been silent throughout the ordeal, furrowed her brow at the suggestion to abandon the CRV. This did not go unnoticed by Xu Changtian, who glanced at the aging Jinlong bus and shook his head. At that moment, Zhang Hongbing spoke up, "I know a welder, but finding tools will be the issue. I used to work in a repair factory. What Chu Xiang is suggesting is simple enough."

Chu Xiang clapped Zhang Hongbing on the shoulder with a grin. "Turns out you're a real asset! No need to worry. There will be repair