Lin Zhongsheng looked at the group chat message and knocked on Lin Jing's door from the outside, "Lin Jing, Lin Jing, what did they mean in the group?"
Lin Jing opened the door with a cold face, "It means exactly what they said. You will know if you go to the window. If you don't want to die, just stay here and don't open the door casually to seek death."
"How can you talk like that to me?"
Lin Jing was too lazy to pay attention to him and closed the door and locked it.
Lin Zhongsheng stood at the door and cursed, "Isn't it just a few questions for me? You are so arrogant that you don't even listen to me. Just look, I'm not a three-year-old child, how can I be scared?"
As he said that, Lin Zhongsheng went to the balcony of the living room and squinted his eyes to look out. At the gate of the community, two people were hugging and biting each other, and there seemed to be blood on the ground.
Still baffled, Lin Zhongsheng continued watching, only to see a series of bites in the neighborhood. Trembling, he turned on the TV. The news anchor was delivering an urgent report.
"Attention all residents: Several bites have occurred within Jiangbei City. Investigations suggest the virus is spreading. Please do not panic. Stay home and await further notifications. Remember, do not go out unless necessary!"
Lin Zhongsheng switched to another channel, which was broadcasting the same news. "Attention all residents: Huanhua Street and Jianshe Road are currently under attack. Jiangbei City First Hospital is the primary target. Residents are advised to avoid this area..."
Terrified, Lin Zhongsheng switched channels several times, hearing only the same urgent news. He collapsed on the sofa in fear.
Meanwhile, Lin Jing, through surveillance cameras, had noticed zombies roaming outside the first-floor building entrance, pouncing and biting passersby.
Meanwhile, Mo Fei, along with her colleagues and several patients, had taken refuge in a medical warehouse.
Just now, the hospital corridor suddenly became chaotic. Several patients who were wheeled in for emergency treatment suddenly went berserk, hugged the doctors and started biting them. The scene was extremely bloody.
Mo Fei happened to be a doctor in the emergency department of Jiangbei City First Hospital. After witnessing the bloody scene, he and his colleagues immediately hid in a medical room on the first floor, along with several patients.
Because they were blocked by rows of shelves, they locked the door from the inside. Several people hid at the back of the shelves and were temporarily safe.
Outside the medical room, screams, roars, and cries for help continued to ring out. There were too many living people outside, so the zombies naturally didn't notice them.
Mo Fei carefully called home, and the call was quickly connected. Cheng Yanhong answered, her voice tinged with tears: "Mo Fei, how are you doing over there? I saw on the news that there are a lot of monsters out there. Be careful in the hospital."
"Mom, don't worry. Remember not to go out. Take good care of Ruanruan at home. I'll find a way to go back." Mo Fei whispered, but even he knew that going back was probably impossible.
The hospital was in such chaos, which meant that everything outside had fallen as well. It was hard to save his life, let alone go back. He said this just to reassure his mother.
"Okay, don't worry, I will take good care of Ruanruan. Mo Fei, if it really doesn't work out, just find a safe place to hide. Staying alive is important. Don't risk coming back, okay?" Cheng Yanhong cried as he warned.
"Okay, I remember everything. Don't worry about me, Mom. I'm a little unavailable here, so I'll cut to the chase."
Just as Mo Fei was about to hang up, his son's voice rang through the line: "Mom, Ruanruan misses you~"
Hearing the little boy's voice, Mo Fei almost couldn't contain himself, his eyes already reddening. "Ruanruan, boy, Mom misses you too. Just stay home and play with Grandma. Mom will be back to be with you soon, okay?"
"Okay!" the little one said, still full of energy, not understanding what was going on outside.
Mo Fei's lips curled slightly, but his eyes were even redder than before. Such a lovely little one, Mo Fei didn't know if he would ever see him again.
"Mom has something to do here. Goodbye, Ruanruan," Mo Fei said, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Goodbye, Mom." The little boy thought it was just another ordinary conversation, like his mom would still come home from work to play with him and bring him delicious strawberry candies.
After Mo Fei hung up, only two others remained in the medical room, still on the phone with their families. They didn't talk for long, fearing an incident, so they quickly hung up. The medical room fell silent for a moment, the only sounds echoing from the zombies' shrill roars outside and the frantic cries for help.
Around
noon, Lin Jing left the room and went to the kitchen to heat up a can of hot pot food and steam half a pot of rice. He planned to leave after lunch. Since nine o'clock in the morning, the Jiangbei City police force had been overwhelmed, leaving no one to care about him. After all, it only took one hundred crystal cores to draw a prize, and collecting them would take most of the day.
After heating up the canned food, Lin Jing began to eat it while it steamed. Lin Zhongsheng, however, was terrified and had no appetite at all. Seeing Lin Jing still able to eat while watching zombies on TV, Lin Zhongsheng was furious.
"Eat, eat, eat! It's already this late, and you can't even eat? Don't you think of a solution?" Lin Zhongsheng said anxiously, sitting on the sofa.
"Why should I think of a solution? Didn't you see the news? The entire planet R2 is experiencing a zombie outbreak. Even if I were a living Buddha, I wouldn't be able to solve it. Instead, think about saving your own life." With that, Lin Jing began to eat. After dinner, Lin Jing washed the pots and dishes. Then, he prepared a waterproof backpack. He strapped his compound crossbow and ten bolts to the top, stuffed it with energy bars, biscuits, and bottled water, and finally, a high-powered telescope and some rope.
After preparing everything, Lin Jing dressed. Despite the heat outside, he wore a denim jacket to avoid unnecessary scratches while he chopped down the zombies.
Seeing him leave, Lin Zhongsheng panicked. After all, being together provided a sense of security. Leaving him alone was too terrifying.
"What are you doing? Are you going out, Lin Jing? I'm telling you, you're courting death by doing this. Look how many people are running home outside? Who would go out and get killed right now?" Lin Zhongsheng said angrily.
Lin Jing turned to look at Lin Zhongsheng. "If you want to live, stay home and don't ask so many questions you shouldn't."
Surviving the apocalypse was an extremely draining endeavor. Lin Jing didn't want to be exhausted outside, only to have to listen to strangers complaining about him when he got home.
Lin Zhongsheng was startled by Lin Jing's gaze, and then he raised his voice and cursed, "You're my son. What? You want to attack me?"
Lin Jing sneered at Lin Zhongsheng as he put on his Martin boots. "Don't blame me for not warning you. Zombies are extremely sensitive to sound. If you're not afraid of death, you can be louder. It just so happens that the zombies in the fire escape haven't eaten yet."
"Lin Jing, are you sick?" As if remembering that he shouldn't speak louder, Lin Zhongsheng slumped back onto the sofa.
Lin Jing ignored him and left, shouldering his backpack.
He wore a pair of thin black jeans, the bottom of which just tucked into his black Martin boots. He wore a black vest on his upper body, and a thin light blue denim jacket on the outside. Lin Jing zipped up his clothes and tied up his slightly curly long hair to make it easier to move.
Lin Jing thought, and the Tang sword appeared in his hand.
He pulled out the Tang sword and put it back into the scabbard, holding only the long sword in his hand.
Lin Jing didn't dare to take the elevator down. Although the power system was normal now, he was afraid that when the elevator reached the first floor, there would be a large number of zombies blocking the door. He would be dead then, so it would be safer to take the emergency stairs.
Lin Jing took a deep breath and slowly walked down the emergency stairs on his side.
Everything was safe when he walked down to the 7th floor. He didn't even encounter a zombie. When he walked up to the 6th floor, Lin Jing ran into two zombies wandering in the fire escape.
The two zombies naturally noticed Lin Jing's movements and, having smelled the scent of life, the tall male zombie in the lead lunged at him.
The zombie's face was horrifying, one of its eyes bulging out, a sticky substance, either white or blood, oozing from its socket. It looked more disgusting than a slug. His shoulder, seemingly bitten by another zombie, was still oozing black blood, and a hoarse, inhuman roar emanated from its throat.
Lin Jing didn't hesitate and reacted quickly, kicking the male zombie in the chest. It staggered, but a female zombie held it back.
At that moment, Lin Jing seized his opportunity, quickly gripping the hilt of his Tang sword with both hands and slashing at the male's neck. With the sound of metal scraping against vertebrae, the male fell backward, pinning the female zombie behind him.
Lin Jing glanced at the Tang sword in his hand with some surprise. It was sharper and more durable than he had imagined. The human spine was incredibly strong, and it usually took four or five slashes with a machete to decapitate a zombie. But after that last blow, Lin Jing felt confident he could decapitate a zombie in two strokes.
He took advantage of the male zombie's scramble to its feet and slashed again. A stream of foul-smelling dark brown blood spurted out, splashing all over Lin Jing. The stench was even stronger than that of rotting fish.
It was only because Lin Jing was a top bodyguard and had been trained in endurance, otherwise the stench would have made any ordinary person vomit.
But he didn't dare to delay. The male zombie was dead, and the female zombie behind it was still screaming.
Lin Jing stepped forward, stomping his leg firmly on the male zombie's chest, pinning the raging female zombie below. Then, he swiftly raised his Tang sword. With two strikes, the frenzied female zombie was silent.
"Congratulations, dear, on collecting two Level 1 zombie cores. These cores can be used in a lottery." Lin Jing's mind immediately rang with the system's mechanical voice.
Lin Jing keenly grasped the system's meaning. "So, there will be Level 2 and Level 3 zombies later?"
"Yes, dear. The higher the level of the zombie core, the higher the level of the lottery you can enter. The higher the level, the more rare and precious prizes you can get," the system explained.
Lin Jing, however, felt a chill. The zombies had just evolved to a Level 1 R2 planet, and this was it. If higher-level zombies evolved, life would be truly difficult.
However, Lin Jing didn't have time to dwell on it. He wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve and continued downstairs. On the third floor, he saw four more zombies. They looked like a family, but they lingered near the elevator door and didn't notice Lin Jing. But Lin Jing wasn't about to leave. With only a few zombies hiding, what would he do from then on?
Lin Jing's thoughts swelled with energy. At least he had a few things ordinary people didn't have. He carefully approached the large white iron door connecting the fire escape to the hallway. Through the gap, he could still see the zombies.
One of the zombies, about five feet tall, moved toward the door. One of its legs was lame. During the infection, the zombies had gnawed half of its neck off, leaving only the other half. Lin Jing could even make out the spine amidst the bloody flesh.
"3, 2, 1!" Lin Jing silently counted to three. When he reached three, he kicked the iron door with his right leg, sending it flying open and sending the zombie slamming back through it.
The door creaked shut, and just then, the lame zombie squeezed through the gap, forcing half of its body toward Lin Jing. Lin Jing pressed his leg firmly against the white door, holding the zombie in place with only half of its body visible.
Lin Jing's lips curled slightly. "So proactive? Okay? I'll help you with your spiritual salvation, saving you so much pain."
As he spoke, he slashed at the spine of the female zombie's neck. Although Lin Jing had been an international bodyguard in his previous life, quickly killing his opponents was an essential skill. Therefore, he could accurately locate the body's weak points. When he struck the spine, he tried to strike right at the existing gaps, saving a lot of effort.
Lin Jing could clearly feel the numbing sensation of his dagger in the zombie's spine. He gripped the hilt tightly with both hands and pulled it back with all his might. Then, with a quick push of his right leg, he retreated nimbly like a monkey. The next moment, the female zombie leaped out of the white gate. Lin Jing slashed at the gaping female zombie, her mouth wide open. Using the zombie's momentum, Lin Jing smoothly thrust the dagger forward, using inertia to swiftly decapitate her.
As the female zombie fell, the three zombies behind her lunged at Lin Jing again. In that instant, Lin Jing's long sword vanished. He deftly grasped the handrails of the fire escape and slid down, landing safely on the next level. The next moment, the vanished Tang sword reappeared in Lin Jing's hand.
The two men and one woman behind the female zombie, relying solely on sound and smell for direction, tripped over the fallen female zombie. The three terrifying, fang-baring zombies were sent tumbling down the stairs.
Lin Jing was waiting for this moment. Rolling up beside him was the male zombie. He was wearing a suit, but it was now soaked in dark brown blood. His once handsome face was now covered in hideous blue veins, his neck twisted into an arc unfathomable. He crawled towards Lin Jing, prostrate on the ground, twisting and twisting.
"It's been tough, I'd better get you to your freedom soon," Lin Jing said, not waiting for it to crawl over. With his dagger raised, he swiftly chopped the male zombie's neck twice, chopping it like vegetables. The zombie stopped struggling.
At the same moment, a female zombie behind him lunged at him, her blood-soaked mouth wide open, attempting to bite down on his carotid artery.
Lin Jing held the female zombie's head tightly against him, kicking her back a few steps. Taking advantage of this moment, Lin Jing slashed at her with his dagger, then quickly drew his blade. Zombies don't feel pain. Even with blood gushing from her neck and her head tilted to her side, she continued to charge at him. Behind her, another elderly male zombie tripped over the body of the dead male zombie in a suit.
However, the crouching male zombie didn't stop. Instead, it crawled over the suited male zombie and pounced on Lin Jing's legs.
Lin Jing spun around quickly, grabbing the stairwell railing with his left hand and swinging down again. However, this time, Lin Jing's luck wasn't as good. He came face to face with a male zombie in a cleaning uniform standing at the entrance.
Now he was facing a fierce tiger in front and pursued from behind. Lin Jing didn't lie. He took advantage of the janitor's slowness and kicked him before he could react. By then, there was a vacant spot at the second-floor stairwell, and Lin Jing could have easily run away, but he chose not to.
Instead, he immediately slashed at the cleaner with his knife, then kicked him, forcing the male zombie to lean against the wall. By the time it remembered, Lin Jing's second slash had already struck, and foul-smelling blood spurted out, covering Lin Jing's body. Lin Jing remained calm, having just experienced this dangerous situation. He
turned around and saw the two zombies from upstairs had caught up with him. Lin Jing didn't dodge, but instead, with a smile on his lips, he lunged at them. The female zombie he had already slashed with also lunged at him.
Just as Lin Jing's body was about to collide with the female zombie, he nimbly turned, the Tang sword in his right hand using inertia to neatly slice into the zombie's spine, completely severing the vertebrae. Lin Jing then continued his attack, severing the arm of the elderly male zombie behind him with one strike. Then, two more strikes, his blades swiftly descending.
His wielding speed was noticeably faster than the first zombie he'd killed, and he felt a surge of excitement. In extreme danger, adrenaline surges to its fullest, triggering all his instincts to survive.
But frankly, killing zombies takes a tremendous amount of energy. He'd already exhausted himself before he'd even left the hallway.
"Congratulations, dear! So far, you've collected seven level one zombie cores. Keep up the good work," System 33's voice echoed again.
Lin Jing leaned against the wall behind him to rest. Fortunately, he didn't have to search for cores in the zombies' brains, which would have been another challenge.
He pulled a tissue from his pocket and, facing his phone, managed to wipe his face like a normal person. However, his clothes were practically covered in blood, and the dark, brown, and fishy smell was nauseating.
Lin Jing simply endured it. He didn't have time to change clothes, and even if he did, he'd still be splashed with blood when he killed zombies later.
He estimated the time. According to the system, the first draw location would appear at 4 p.m., and the location would remain in place for three hours. He needed to arrive within three hours and complete the draw. The prerequisite for the draw was that he had collected one hundred level 1 zombie cores.
He took a deep breath, put his phone away, and headed back to the first floor, knife in hand.
However, when Lin Jing reached the corner where the first and second floors met, he encountered a surprise. There were at least five or six zombies wandering around the wide-open door on the first floor. Lin Jing's lips curled up. The stairwell was narrow, and he was standing at a high point with absolute advantage. These zombies were like appetizers to him.