C25 Chapter 25

Faang Yu made a compelling point. "Let's all get out," Jiang Ruan declared, flinging open the car door and leaping out. Zeng Qiang and Lu Ming exchanged a glance, acknowledging that despite their reluctance, it was time to move.

Jiang Ruan stretched her neck, feeling the stiffness of inactivity. Brandishing her kitchen knife, she charged at the zombies ahead. With a swift slice, dark brain matter erupted. A furious roar echoed as the horde of zombies swarmed towards her.

Jiang Ruan, undeterred and fierce as a tiger, wielded a kitchen knife in one hand and a bone-chopping knife in the other. She sliced through the zombies with lethal precision, and within moments, ten of them lay lifeless on the ground.

The others were astounded by her formidable strength. There was no time to ponder; they seized the nearest zombies and plunged into a frenzied slaughter.

A smirk played on Jiang Ruan's lips as she faced an oncoming zombie dripping with yellow fluid. With one clean strike, its head burst open like a smashed watermelon.

As two more zombies lunged at her from behind, she sidestepped and delivered a solid kick to one's head while her kitchen knife found its mark in the skull of the other.

The kicked zombie hit the ground, and with a forceful stomp, Jiang Ruan shattered its head, sending chunks of flesh and black brain matter spilling onto the soil, creating a macabre sight.

Driven by a bloodlust, the group fought until they were spent. Sixty zombies lay defeated. Qin Sang, lacking the strength to compete, trailed the team, collecting crystal nuclei.

Exhausted from the carnage, Zeng Qiang could barely muster the energy to drive, yet they couldn't afford to linger.

With the threat of more zombies possibly on the horizon, they pushed on, driving wearily. Only after clearing two kilometers past the toll station did they finally allow themselves to relax.

The drivers trailing behind were met with a scene of horror and awe, wondering who could possess such ferocity to dispatch so many zombies with such ruthless efficiency.

"If we can get a team like that to watch our backs, what's there to fear in this post-apocalyptic world?" A man with dark skin eagerly anticipated meeting the team, thinking how perfect it would be to join their ranks.

Another man, shortsighted and dismissive, sneered, "You can tell at a glance those are people with special abilities. We've got nothing. Why would they take us in?"

"Don't be such a fool. Let's just drive in and see if we run into them," the dark-skinned man retorted, flooring the accelerator and picking up speed. Many others shared his hope of encountering Jiang Ruan's team, seeking the same solid protection.

Unbeknownst to Jiang Ruan, her mere act of survival had sparked envy and a following.

Three more kilometers and they should reach the gymnasium on the outskirts. The road was less traveled, as most people were desperate to converge in the city center, leaving the outskirts sparsely populated.

Yet, the journey was surprisingly safe, with no dangers encountered until they reached the gymnasium and spotted a dozen aimless zombies.

"Not again!" Zeng Qiang's legs turned to jelly at the sight.

Jiang Ruan was aware that the group had depleted much of their energy. The dozen zombies ahead weren't a big challenge, but if they exhausted themselves now, who knew what lay ahead? In this new world, the living were just as dangerous as the undead.

Spotting a few houses near the gymnasium, Jiang Ruan decided they could take a breather there and later devise a plan to clear out the zombies.

Pointing to a nearby location, Jiang Ruan instructed, "Let's take cover over there for now. Once we've regained our strength, we'll make our move." With that, she led the way forward.