C20 The Corpse Training

On the morning of the second day, marking the ninth day of the apocalypse, the evolution of the zombies had noticeably sped up. The future risks for Yanjing were escalating, prompting Lee Yuanhong to plan a swift departure. The archers' inclusion had significantly bolstered the team's combat capabilities, yet resource consumption had skyrocketed. Gathering more resources was essential, but Lee Yuanhong harbored a secret desire to collect additional Crystal Cores to unlock his superpowers sooner. With a large group and many dependents in tow, walking was out of the question, necessitating the need for large vehicles. But finding such vehicles within the inner five rings was a tall order, especially since public buses, now electric in the year 2030, were useless with the power grid down.

Lee Yuanhong inquired with Looh Fei about any nearby large supermarkets or food wholesale markets. After some thought, Looh Fei suggested heading east, near the eastern fifth ring, where there was also a police station not too far off. It was unclear whether it housed a special police unit, but the presence of a police station raised the possibility of acquiring firearms or riot shields, which could be crucial for their eventual escape from Yanjing.

Navigating the small pathways between the residential blocks, it took Lee Yuanhong the better part of the morning, nearly three hours, to reach the wholesale market Looh Fei had mentioned. This early morning market, mostly comprised of open-air pavilions, was surrounded by a few scattered buildings designated for breakfast vendors and food wholesalers. The market's perimeter was enclosed by an iron fence, through which the silhouettes of zombies could be seen—a dense, foreboding mass. A direct assault seemed suicidal, likely resulting in being swarmed by the undead. The plan to access the market was, regrettably, a bust.

There's a saying, "When one door closes, another opens," and right across from the wholesale market stood the police station. Lee Yuanhong led the group around the market, mindful of the youngest member's potential for fussiness. To preempt any outbursts, he took out a milk bottle from his embrace to feed Chunxue. When asked why he had the bottle, Lee Luoxia's words came to mind: "It's a human thermal box, a sign of Chunxue's favor towards you." And so, with the metaphorical crows of contentment flying overhead, Lee Yuanhong earned himself the affectionate nickname of "Human Thermal Box."

Upon reaching the entrance of the police station, the group was met with chaos. Several bodies lay strewn in front of the shattered glass doors, and beyond, the silhouettes of three or four zombies could be seen roaming. Lee Yuanhong had grown accustomed to such grim scenes, but for the Lu siblings, who had only been thrust into the apocalypse two days prior, it was still a jarring sight. They managed to suppress the urge to vomit that had overwhelmed them upon encountering a one-and-a-half-meter-high pile of corpses, though their faces blanched at the horror.

With gunmen leading and archers flanking for protection, Lee Yuanhong cautiously advanced into the police station. They were immediately greeted by six or seven zombies, including two of the formidable Level One variety. Lee Yuanhong found himself up against one of these Level Ones, and after a clash of his shield, he was sent reeling backward. If not for the cushioning belly of Fatty Looh behind him, he would have been sprawled on the ground, his pot lid shield now sporting a sizable dent.

Lee Yuanhong's retreat caused a breach in their defensive line, leaving the gunmen on either side vulnerable to a pincer attack. It was a critical moment when Zhang Yuan, the archer (named so by Lee Yuanhong, with 'Yuan' symbolizing a circle, representing unity, followed by Zhang Heng, Zhang Er, Zhang Jie, and Zhang Fang for the subsequent numbers, with Zhang Xing standing in for five—Yiling's incessant teasing had driven Lee Yuanhong to devise this new naming system), stepped through the doors into the lobby. Recognizing the urgency, Zhang Yuan swiftly nocked an arrow and let it fly, striking the Level One zombie that had breached their ranks directly in the eye. The creature's movements halted abruptly, and it fell forward, claws outstretched in a final, futile gesture.

Just as Lee Yuanhong extricated himself from the embrace of Fatty Looh's belly, two dark shadows swept past him. His eyes snapped into focus, revealing the zombie's claws inches from his face, sending a shiver of terror down his spine. He knew that had the zombie advanced just a fraction more, his face would have been ravaged beyond recognition.

With the archers' backup, the last six zombies failed to stir up any trouble. Aside from a minor issue with Lee Yuanhong, everything else went off without a hitch.

Once the area was cleared, Lee Yuanhong had the chance to survey the police station's main hall. To the left was the reception area, where, behind the barred office window, two zombies growled menacingly, clawing at the air through the fence. Judging by their attire, they were likely female officers, but whether they were scratched or turned suddenly, they hadn't managed to escape.

Observing the zombies confined in the reception room, an idea struck Lee Yuanhong: he could use these two zombies for combat training.

He had noticed that their group had become overly dependent on the gunmen, with few others having any real combat experience with zombies. This included Lee Luoxia, who seemed to have never killed a zombie. Whenever he questioned her reluctance, she would respond with a look of revulsion, "Zombies are just too gross!"

Looh Cuihua, the newest recruit, would avoid zombies at all costs. The other less experienced members were always under strict protection, having never faced a zombie themselves. In a repeat of today's events, if zombies were to break through, those at the rear would be defenseless and in grave danger.

So, Lee Yuanhong grabbed a spear from one of the gunmen and handed it to Lee Luoxia, pointing at the zombies with a stern command, "Kill it."

Lee Luoxia, looking bewildered with the spear in hand, asked, "Why should I kill such a disgusting thing?"

"Because I can't bear the thought of seeing you killed by that monstrosity in front of me one day," Lee Yuanhong replied, his voice heavy with gravity.

Lee Luoxia, realizing the seriousness of his words, gripped the spear more firmly and advanced toward the zombie. Despite her composed expression, her hands trembled slightly, giving away her nerves.

She approached within a meter of the zombie, let out a fierce cry, and thrust the spear into its chest. The zombie seemed unfazed, continuing to flail its arms. After her initial stab, Lee Luoxia froze, unsure of her next move. From the sidelines, Lee Yuanhong barked, "Keep going, aim for the head!"

Lee Luoxia snapped back to life, retracting her spear and thrusting it forward once more, only to pierce her own chest again. She had lunged five times in total, each strike seemingly fueled by a vendetta against the zombie's chest, hitting the mark every time. Lee Yuanhong couldn't help but exclaim, "That zombie's chest isn't as big as yours; no need for such jealousy."

With a fierce glare, Lee Luoxia plunged her spear into the zombie's right eye, putting an end to its torment. She then slammed her spear down at Lee Yuanhong's feet, huffed, and turned away, refusing to give him another glance.

Lee Yuanhong had no time to dwell on the scene. He grabbed the spear and called out to Looh Cuihua, "You need to fight the zombies too."

"Do I really have to?" asked Looh Cuihua.

"It's a must, or else you'll end up getting your brother Lu Fei killed in the future," Lee Yuanhong insisted.

Bolstered by his words, Looh Cuihua took the spear, inhaled sharply, and approached the zombie, her steps as tentative as if treading on cotton. A meter away, she mimicked Lee Luoxia's movements and lunged at the zombie, though her eyes were shut tight.

"Keep your eyes open. Closing them doesn't count," he instructed.

Reluctantly, Looh Cuihua opened her eyes, tilting her head as she continued to jab at the zombie. Lee Yuanhong, with a sigh, stepped behind her and straightened her head with his hand, directing her gaze squarely at the zombie.

The zombie, plagued by misfortune, was stabbed over ten times before Looh Cuihua, in a moment of clumsiness, finally struck its head.

As the zombie collapsed, Cuihua sank to the ground, gasping for air.

Lee Yuanhong glanced back at Looh Fei, signaling with his eyes, then led his gunmen to sweep the first floor.

They were in a small police station, where most of the first floor served as public offices. Since it was before working hours, the area was mostly clear of zombies—likely, the ones in the lobby were all that remained.

As Lee Yuanhong scoured the area for zombies, he didn't overlook the chance to hunt for valuable supplies. Regrettably, the majority of the first floor was comprised of mundane offices, offering nothing of worth. His attention then shifted to the second floor.

"Today marks both New Year's Eve and the beginning of spring. Wishing everyone a joyous Spring Festival!"