C105 Tang Bing's Words Left Everyone Flustered and Wanted to Keep Sun Meng(1)

After dinner, a heavy silence hung over everyone.

When Tang Bing suddenly announced his intention to leave the team, it was like a shock grenade detonating, catching us all off guard.

Since the onset of the apocalypse, with its horrifying scenes of zombies devouring people, to finding solace in Tang Bing's team and the hard-won stability that came with it, we had grown accustomed to his presence and our reliance on him for survival.

Despite some harboring resentment, fear, or disapproval of his merciless approach to killing, no one could dispute that he was the backbone of our group, the true spirit of our team.

Without Tang Bing, Zhao Dagang didn't believe he could lead the team. Aside from him, the other four female survivors were more of a liability than an asset, often the source of the dangers we faced. Without Tang Bing, it's doubtful any of us would have made it this far.

This was a matter of life and death for the entire team, and no one took it lightly.

Post-meal, Tang Bing retreated to his room, shutting out everyone else. He was exhausted, worn down by the constant pressure from his less-than-competent teammates.

Time after time, he faced life-threatening crises only to be met with disappointment, particularly the blow dealt by Qin Mengli.

Qin Mengli had only entertained the thought of killing him, never acting on it. But for someone who had loved her for four years, sacrificed so much for her, only to be met with cold rejection and to witness her contemplate his assassination—what could be more brutal?

He had tried to restrain himself, to act as if nothing had happened, believing that even if Qin Mengli tried, she couldn't kill him.

But when she foolishly defied his orders and endangered their lives yet again, his patience ran out.

Maybe it was time to be selfish.

In this world, to survive meant shedding any semblance of compassion.

Without anyone holding him back, and with the aid of the mysterious system, he could thrive even in the most perilous of places.

Why should one live for others? You put your life on the line for them, yet they plot your demise. What was it all for?

If things keep going like this, wouldn't it be self-degrading? Why put ourselves through this?

Tang Bing's demeanor didn't escape anyone's notice. The tension-filled air weighed heavily on everyone's spirits.

"Brother Zhao, what do we do?" Liang Hui, having warmed up to Zhao Dagang after recent events, softened her usually dismissive tone.

Zhao Dagang's face was a picture of worry. "I'm at a loss! Bing is seriously upset, and it seems like no one can get through to him!"

"What will we do if Bing leaves the team?" Liang Hui asked Zhao Dagang, concern etched on her face. "It's so dangerous out there, and without him, we're without a leader!"

"Do we cease to exist without him?" Qin Mengli couldn't hide her frustration. "Who says we can't survive without him around?"

"Some people would do well to keep their mouths shut!" Sun Meng, typically jovial, now wore a scowl, glaring at Qin Mengli with barely concealed rage. "Have you even considered who's at the root of all this?"

"Yes, blame me!" Overwhelmed by the accusatory stares, Qin Mengli felt an immense pressure, struggling to breathe. Her heart ached, "He doesn't need to go—I will! If I leave, he'll stay with the team, with all of you! Isn't my death enough?!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Lin Leyan sprang into action, catching Qin Mengli's arm as she made to run off, her emotions running high.

"Teacher Lin," Qin Mengli turned, tears in her eyes, "Let go of me. Let me die! If I'm gone, maybe Tang Bing will stay, and the rest of you can live on!"

"Mengli, think this through!" Lin Leyan gripped her hand firmly. "You've made a mistake, sure, but it's not worth your life! We need to think this through together; there might be other solutions!"

"What other solutions?" Qin Mengli sobbed. "He despises me now! It's because of me that he wants to leave the team! If I'm gone, he won't need to go!"

"What are you talking about?" Lin Leyan implored, "It's not just on you. We all play a part in this!"

"But it's all because of me that he's like this!" Qin Mengli sobbed, "If I just leave, all the problems will go away!"

"Is that really the case?" Lin Leyan sighed as she watched the student and teacher struggle with each other.

Unable to watch the tug-of-war any longer, Sun Meng, already frustrated, strode over and pried Lin Leyan's fingers apart, separating the two. She then fixed her gaze on Qin Mengli and declared sternly, "You want to leave? Fine! Leave then! Step outside and let those zombies rip you to shreds, devour your flesh and blood, bite by bite! Go on! Leave!"

Qin Mengli spun around and dashed toward the door. But upon seeing the bloodied, ghastly zombies desperately pounding on the iron door, emitting spine-chilling cries, her legs buckled, and she collapsed to the ground.

She despised her own weakness, her lack of courage, and began to furiously slap her legs, trying to muster the strength to stand. But she remained seated, her strength sapped, until she finally broke down into heart-wrenching sobs.

Her cries moved Teacher Lin and Liang Hui to tears, while Sun Meng closed her eyes in resignation, and Zhao Dagang turned away, shaking his head gently.

"Mengli, oh..." Lin Leyan approached and tenderly wrapped her arms around Qin Mengli's shoulders, drawing her close.

"Teacher Lin!" Qin Mengli buried herself in her embrace and wept uncontrollably.

Liang Hui silently joined them, squatting down to gently soothe Qin Mengli's back.

The group remained silent for a long while until Sun Meng turned and began to walk slowly toward the building.

"Ms. Meng, where are you headed?" Zhao Dagang asked with concern.

At the sound of his voice, Qin Mengli, Lin Leyan, and Liang Hui all turned their tear-streaked faces toward him.

Sun Meng glanced at Zhao Dagang, then back at the three women, "What am I doing? I'm going to convince Bing to stay, of course! Or should I wallow in self-pity like you?"

"It's no use," Qin Mengli whispered through her tears, "He's beyond listening to anyone right now."

"How will we know unless we try?" Sun Meng shot her a challenging look. "Regardless, I'm going to do everything I can to persuade Bing to stay. Even if I fail, I'll have known I tried. That's better than doing nothing at all!"

"But how can you convince Bing?" Liang Hui inquired, her concern evident. "He seems determined to leave!"

"Well, I'm just as determined to make him stay," declared Sun Meng, her gaze firm upon the group. "At any cost. Think about it—can any of us truly survive without Bing? Sure, he's left us enough supplies for a good while. But what happens when they run out? Do we have the means to scavenge for more, to sustain ourselves? You all know that it's not just the regular zombies out there; there are far more horrifying mutant zombies lurking. We struggle with the regular ones; who's to say we'd stand a chance against the mutants?"

"And if you can't make him stay?" Qin Mengli's voice trembled as she fought back tears.

"Then I'll keep trying until he does," Sun Meng replied with unwavering resolve. "I'll do anything, as long as he agrees to stay. I'm not like you—I stick to my convictions and see things through to the end. I won't give up unless it's absolutely impossible to succeed." With those final words, she turned and dashed upstairs.

Sun Meng's impassioned speech jolted everyone to reality. The idea of surviving without Tang Bing was nothing short of delusional. Though they were clueless about the origins of his superpowers, he was undeniably their sole beacon of hope in this nightmarish world.

Their experiences with other survivor groups, the disdainful treatment of women, and the dark side of humanity they'd witnessed in the struggle for survival made one thing clear: at least with Tang Bing, they lived with dignity.