Chapter 45: Operation Commence!  

Huang Ming and Li Chang'an took the elevator directly to the first-floor lobby. 

Li Chang'an asked, "Ming, what's the mission tonight?" 

"Same as last time—rescuing someone. Building 2." 

"Got it!" 

The two stood by the window, observing the surroundings. It was eerily quiet—not a single zombie in sight. 

"Calling Shuang'er, calling Anqing. Do you copy?" 

"I'm here!" 

"Yes, loud and clear." 

Their voices came through the radio one after another. 

Huang Ming asked, "I'm in the first-floor lobby, ready to move. What's the situation around Building 10?" 

Liu Shuang'er replied, "All clear. You can jump out first." 

She and Gu Anqing were piloting drones around Building 10, finding nothing unusual. 

After confirming the surroundings, Huang Ming decided to make their move. 

"Fatty, I'll jump out first. You follow." 

"No problem!" 

With a burst of strength, Huang Ming leaped up, grabbed the window bars, and smoothly vaulted outside. 

The moment he landed, he drew his pistol from the dimensional space—this time equipped with a silencer and plenty of ammo. Melee weapons were unnecessary now. 

His sharp eyes scanned the area. Nothing seemed amiss. 

He had already eliminated 27 zombies in the afternoon. If any appeared now, only one explanation existed—Li Qingya, the intelligent zombie, was nearby. 

Less than a minute later, Li Chang'an jumped out, landing steadily this time—unlike his previous faceplant. 

"Fatty, change of plans. I'll handle long-range with the gun. You guard my back in case of ambushes. Understood?" 

"Understood! But Ming, do you have enough bullets? Can you reload fast enough?" 

"Don't worry. I've got multiple mags. I'll warn you if I run low. Let's move." 

"Roger!" 

Huang Ming patted his thick shoulder, and they advanced cautiously toward Building 2. 

Ahead, Liu Shuang'er and Gu Anqing piloted drones, scouting left and right. Any anomalies, and they'd alert him immediately. 

By the time they reached Building 7, zombies began appearing in greater numbers. 

Without hesitation, Huang Ming activated his spatial-assisted shooting. Every zombie along the way dropped with a headshot. 

He left none alive—no stragglers to ambush them later. 

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Building 2. Huang Ming checked the time—exactly midnight. 

"Shuang'er, Anqing, respond if you hear me." 

"Go ahead." 

"We're listening." 

Their voices overlapped. 

"Shuang'er, scout toward Building 1. Watch for Li Qingya. Anqing, keep circling Building 2—same objective." 

"Copy that." 

"Understood." 

They acknowledged and split their tasks. 

Since Huang Ming had killed numerous zombies, Li Qingya would undoubtedly notice losing control of some of her horde. 

While she might not know they were eliminated, her heightened intelligence would sense human activity. 

A confrontation seemed inevitable tonight. 

Not taking any chances, Huang Ming dialed Lu Yusi. 

"Hello? This is Lu Yusi." 

"Senior, I'm outside Building 2. Climb out the right window—I'll catch you." 

He got straight to the point, positioning himself beneath the window. Building 2's windows were lower than Building 5's—she should manage. 

"Wait for me. I'm coming now." 

After hanging up, Huang Ming and Li Chang'an stood guard, eyes peeled. 

Before Lu Yusi emerged, Gu Anqing's panicked voice crackled through the radio: 

"Huang Ming! Emergency—Li Qingya is behind Building 2! She's moving toward the main entrance!" 

Before Huang Ming could process this, Liu Shuang'er urgently added: 

"Huang Ming! A massive horde from Building 1 is heading your way—fast! Estimated arrival: two minutes. At least a hundred zombies!" 

The moment she finished speaking, light footsteps sounded behind them. 

Lu Yusi had jumped out—thankfully, the low window saved time. 

"Senior, we need to move! Zombies are converging!" 

Her face paled, legs trembling. Without wasting a second, Huang Ming grabbed her wrist and bolted. 

"Fatty, retreat!" 

Li Chang'an froze briefly before sprinting after them. 

But within steps, Gu Anqing's voice rang out again: 

"Huang Ming! Li Qingya is behind you—approaching from the right!" 

Glancing back, Huang Ming spotted a pair of crimson eyes gliding through the darkness like a reaper's envoy. 

Cleverly, she avoided light, blending into the night. 

Her speed wasn't extreme, but if Huang Ming stopped, she'd close the gap in ten seconds. 

Then Liu Shuang'er reported: 

"Huang Ming, the horde from Building 1 is still advancing. If you keep running, you won't have time to climb back into Building 10!" 

Originally, Huang Ming wanted to avoid confronting Li Qingya. 

But now, he had no choice. 

As long as she didn't flank him, his spatial portal could block her. 

"Fatty, protect Lu Yusi. I'll handle the zombie behind us. Watch for ambushes!" 

Still gripping Lu Yisi's wrist, Huang Ming barked orders at Li Chang'an, who nodded breathlessly. 

Ten seconds later, Huang Ming halted, releasing Lu Yisi. 

Spinning around, he drew his pistol and locked onto those glowing red eyes in the dark. 

Ten rapid shots emptied the magazine. 

A piercing shriek tore through the night—agonized, furious, and deafening. 

Huang Ming's ears rang from the noise. 

He knew the bullets had struck her face. 

Not taking chances, he swapped mags in a flash, ready to fire again— 

But the crimson eyes had vanished into the shadows.