Chapter 15: Escape to Survival

In the fourth-floor dormitory, a girl watched as Yue Zhong escorted Chen Yao and the other three girls away. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face as she covered her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs.

The commotion caused by Yue Zhong and Ji Qingwu's arrival in the girls' dormitory had not gone unnoticed. The survivors in the dorm had felt a glimmer of hope—hope that they could escape the zombie-infested building. Yue Zhong's departure, however, shattered that hope, leaving behind a sense of despair. The girl couldn't bear it. If not for the circumstances, she might have burst into tears.

"Qiqi, don't cry! Didn't he say he'd come back?" A long-haired girl named Zhang Li walked over to Lin Qi, who was quietly weeping, and tried to comfort her.

Lin Qi whispered, "Zhang Li, but it's so dangerous here. He might not come back once he leaves."

Zhang Li reassured her, "Don't worry, that guy is Yue Zhong. I know him. He's a man of his word. If he said he'd come back, he probably will. We just need to hold on until then."

Lin Qi asked curiously, "Really? Zhang Li, do you know much about him?"

Zhang Li smiled slightly. "Of course, I'm the one who helped him find part-time jobs."

"Then tell me more about him," Lin Qi insisted. In this perilous environment, she needed something new to distract her.

"Alright," Zhang Li said, pulling Lin Qi aside and softly recounting what she knew about Yue Zhong.

As soon as they left the girls' dormitory, Yue Zhong and Bone led the charge, pushing relentlessly toward the school bus.

Chen Yao and the other three girls followed closely behind.

As soon as Yue Zhong's group emerged, zombies from all directions began shambling toward them.

Seeing the zombies with their torn, mangled faces and bodies, Chen Yao and the others were so terrified that their legs went weak, slowing their pace.

Not everyone could remain calm in the face of a zombie horde. Even Yue Zhong, who had already killed many zombies, would have struggled to stay composed if not for his prior experience.

"Run! Don't stop!" Ji Qingwu shouted in her commanding voice.

The zombies ahead had been scattered by Yue Zhong, but Ji Qingwu's burden grew heavier. Protecting the four girls was no easy task. If even one zombie got through, these women, who had never fought zombies before, would likely be wiped out.

At Ji Qingwu's command, the four girls didn't dare slow down and continued to push forward.

As they sprinted, Zhang Xuan accidentally stepped on a small stone, slipped, and fell to the ground.

Wang Fang quickly stepped around Zhang Xuan and chased after Yue Zhong. With zombies all around, she didn't want to risk herself for Zhang Xuan.

"Help me, please! I've sprained my ankle!" Zhang Xuan struggled to get up, crying and pleading with the others.

Chen Yao hesitated for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Cai Xiao. The two girls walked over to Zhang Xuan, helping her up, and the three of them trudged forward with difficulty.

"Thank you! Thank you, Chen Yao, Cai Xiao," Zhang Xuan sobbed, tears streaming down her face. It was in moments of crisis that true friends were revealed, and it was clear who genuinely cared.

Zhang Xuan weighed nearly a hundred pounds, and with Chen Yao and Cai Xiao supporting her, their pace slowed significantly. After just a few meters, they were already out of breath.

"I'll take her! Follow Bone! Hurry!" Yue Zhong turned back, took Zhang Xuan from Chen Yao and Cai Xiao, and barked urgently.

"Be careful," Chen Yao and Cai Xiao said in unison, relieved. They then hurried after Bone.

"Climb on my back, quickly!" Yue Zhong handed his backpack to Zhang Xuan, then turned his back to her.

Zhang Xuan grabbed the backpack and climbed onto Yue Zhong's broad back.

Once Zhang Xuan was on his back, Yue Zhong felt the weight press down on him. If not for his enhanced strength, carrying Zhang Xuan and the supplies in the backpack would have been nearly impossible.

"Hold on tight. If you fall, I can't save you," Yue Zhong said, taking a deep breath and charging toward the school bus without looking back.

Zhang Xuan clung tightly to Yue Zhong, leaning against his broad, warm back. A sense of safety washed over her. "If only he were my boyfriend," she thought.

By now, Bone had leveled up to level 7, with physical attributes surpassing those of an average person by 60%. Swinging its giant axe, Bone cut down any zombies blocking the way.

Yue Zhong's body had also been enhanced several times, and his speed was nearly on par with the girls. Soon, they reached the school bus.

As soon as they boarded the bus, Yue Zhong set Zhang Xuan down and tossed the bus keys to Chen Yao. "Drive, now!"

Once Zhang Xuan was off Yue Zhong's back, a sense of loss washed over her.

"Got it!" Chen Yao deftly inserted the key and started the bus.

"You two, take care of her," Yue Zhong said to Cai Xiao and Wang Fang, then sat down on the bus, exhaling deeply. The intense combat had drained his stamina to 6 points, and he needed every minute of rest to recover and prepare for potential battles.

Cai Xiao nodded and walked over to Zhang Xuan, while Wang Fang looked at Zhang Xuan awkwardly. In the heat of the moment, she had chosen to flee rather than stop to help her friend.

Ji Qingwu sat across from Yue Zhong and extended her delicate hand. "Water."

Yue Zhong smiled wryly and quickly pulled a can of cola from his backpack, tossing it to Ji Qingwu.

"Where to now? My place?" Chen Yao asked as she started the bus.

"No! First, we head to the small supermarket to stock up on supplies. Without them, we won't last long. Wang Fang, come over here and explain how to drive," Yue Zhong said, walking over to Chen Yao. He needed to learn how to drive so that, even if he were alone, he wouldn't be stuck with a vehicle he couldn't use.

"Okay!" Wang Fang happily walked over to Yue Zhong and began explaining the functions of the various controls.

In truth, the hardest part of learning to drive was the traffic rules. Starting, stopping, accelerating, and braking weren't difficult, and Yue Zhong quickly grasped the basics.

Of course, Yue Zhong's driving skills were still far from safe—he was a potential hazard on the road. But he quickly memorized how to start, stop, and brake the vehicle.