Chapter 4: Rushing to the Airport
"Why isn't he picking up?" Su Qingge clutched her phone, her brow furrowed with worry. The airport had just been through a series of chaotic events. Most people were either dead or had fled. Among them, many hadn't died in the jaws of zombies, but were trampled to death by the panicked crowd.
Fortunately, Su Qingge had reacted in time and rushed to the third floor. There were fewer people here, and not many had turned into zombies. After one group was lured away, the rest were dealt with by the airport's security team.
"Quick, block the stairs! There are more zombies downstairs," Su Qingge said to a security captain who seemed to be in charge. A moment ago, many people had fled downstairs in a blind panic, not realizing that more people meant more zombies.
The priority now was to block the stairwells and escalators to prevent more zombies from surging up. Hearing Su Qingge's words, the security captain immediately ordered his still-shaken subordinates to push tables, chairs, water coolers, and anything else they could find to barricade the escalator exit.
Luckily, in a place like an airport, escalators were the main way to get to the third floor. Although there were still emergency stairwells, they had already sent people to lock and block them from the inside, temporarily securing their safety.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness. Thanks for the reminder," Li Feng said to Su Qingge gratefully. If it weren't for her warning, he wouldn't have thought of it in the heat of the moment.
Li Feng was the security captain from before, the one who had first given the order to kill the zombies. He was an active-duty soldier, originally a rifle-wielding sentry posted in the main hall, who had just happened to come upstairs for lunch after swapping shifts with a comrade.
Upon discovering the zombies biting people, he had immediately gathered the remaining security personnel, combining their strength to clear the zombies on the third floor and isolate those who had been bitten. Just as they finished, he heard Su Qingge's advice and quickly blocked the critical access points for the zombies.
"Captain, come take a look!" Before he could even catch his breath, Li Feng was called over by one of his men. Su Qingge followed.
Li Feng's expression turned grim as he looked at the five or six people lying or sitting in a corner. These were the ones who had been bitten by the zombies earlier. Not even twenty minutes had passed, but something was clearly wrong with them.
Most of them already had bloodshot eyes and were letting out strange cries. Drool dripped from their mouths, and a foul stench emanated from their bodies. The other survivors kept their distance, and even the friends and family of the bitten didn't dare to approach.
Li Feng's face was ashen. He had considered the possibility that the bitten would become infected, but he never expected the signs to appear so quickly. The state of these few people was already terrifyingly close to that of the zombies they had just killed.
"Mr. Li Feng, what's happening?~" a man from the crowd of about twenty survivors stepped forward and asked anxiously. It was clear that one of his relatives was among the bitten.
With a sigh, Li Feng addressed the crowd helplessly, "Everyone, I'm afraid you can see it for yourselves. The people bitten by those monsters have been infected. They are now turning into zombies. I'm afraid... they can't be saved."
"No... impossible." The man who had just spoken had a look of terror and disbelief. He looked worriedly at his wife, who was sitting on the floor, as if he wanted to rush over but didn't dare.
"I'm sorry, but for everyone's safety, please step back. We need to quarantine these people to prevent them from suddenly attacking."
"No, Mr. Li Feng, I'm begging you, don't! My wife can still be saved..." The middle-aged man began to panic, pleading with Li Feng. He even looked to the crowd, hoping for their support.
Unfortunately, while some in the crowd were moved, they weren't stupid. Some of them also had loved ones among the bitten, but they didn't dare go near them. After all, no on wanted to be infected and turn into one of those monsters.
Li Feng shook his head helplessly. "I'm sorry, I can't take that risk." With that, he ordered his men to use chairs and tables to try and wall off the infected individuals.
"It seems this soldier is not only calm, but also not a fool," Su Qingge thought to herself as she watched the drama unfold, observing the situation.
This apocalypse wasn't going to end anytime soon, and the airport below was surrounded by zombies. With her intelligence, Su Qingge quickly understood that this place would become a small survivor base. To protect herself, she had to figure out how to survive here.
From her observation, Li Feng was a very traditional soldier: responsible, cautious, calm, and skilled. He wasn't a genius, but he wasn't stupid either. With him leading this group of survivors, things might not descend into total chaos.
This was why Su Qingge had offered him advice in the first place. On one hand, it was to ensure she wouldn't be torn apart by a horde of zombies. On the other, it was to improve her own standing within this small, budding survivor base.
"Watch out!" Just as Su Qingge was lost in thought, she saw one of the bitten, a young boy, suddenly lunge at a security guard who was moving a stool.
Before anyone could say anything, Li Feng reacted instantly, shouting a sharp warning. The security guard froze for a second, and seeing the zombie pouncing on him, he instinctively dove to the ground. These security guards were responsible for maintaining order at the airport. Their skills were average compared to an active-duty soldier like Li Feng.
After shouting the warning, Li Feng grabbed a nearby suitcase and hurled it at the zombie's head, knocking it back and disrupting its lunge.
At that moment, the other security guards finally snapped out of it. Mustering their courage, they closed in, wielding improvised weapons like table legs and stools.
The boy's transformation was like a lit fuse. Soon, the other bitten individuals all fully turned, lunging at the crowd. A brutal fight erupted between them and the circle of security guards.
In the end, at the cost of one life, Li Feng and his men managed to eliminate the newly turned zombies. The one who died was the unlucky guard who had been moving the table. Though he had been warned and had dodged the first zombie, he was pounced on from behind by three others and bitten to death. He didn't even get the chance to turn into a zombie himself...