C13 The Dean's Room Was Suddenly Attacked, and Sun Meng Was Shocked.

Tang Bing, with Sun Meng in tow, scoured their way up to the ninth floor. Upon locating the dean's office, Tang Bing didn't hesitate to swing his fire axe, forcefully splitting the locked door open.

"Stay put over there!" he cautioned Sun Meng in a hushed tone.

Sun Meng quickly nodded, her hands firmly gripping the handle of the modified cart brimming with scavenged food, water, and medical supplies.

Seeing her comply and stand at a safe distance, Tang Bing felt a wave of relief. He cautiously nudged the dean's office door open with his left hand, his right hand clenching the fire axe, ready for any surprise zombie attacks. Luckily, the office was zombie-free.

Tang Bing peered around the room several times, ensuring it was clear before giving Sun Meng a reassuring nod and stepping inside, axe in hand.

His primary goal was the car keys, so he headed straight for the desk and tugged at the drawer. Locked, as expected.

But the fire axe made quick work of the lock, shattering it and granting access to the drawer's contents.

"System, you have obtained the car keys!

System, you have obtained 20 paper bills!

System, you have obtained 22 coins!

System, you have obtained the blueprint for a wooden bow!

System, you have obtained the blueprint for wooden arrows!

System, you have obtained the blueprint for iron arrows!

System, you have obtained the blueprint for steel arrows!

System, you have obtained the Classic of Medical Herbs!"

Tang Bing was surprised by the bounty of blueprints from a single drawer, mostly for crafting arrows. Was fate nudging him towards becoming an archer? He allowed himself a rare chuckle at the thought.

The car keys were ready to start their designated vehicle. The paper bills were all 100 yuan each, totaling 2,000 yuan. The coins, a mix of one yuan and fifty-cent pieces, added up to 2,020 yuan—all of which were now safely stored in his virtual backpack.

The wooden bow blueprint described how to craft a basic bow with modest damage potential, requiring three pieces of wood and a rope. The wooden arrow blueprint listed the essentials for the most basic of arrows, with minimal damage: one piece of wood and a feather.

The iron arrow blueprint promised arrows with respectable damage, needing an iron arrowhead, a piece of wood, and a feather. Both iron and steel arrowheads would likely require a furnace to forge, and where would he obtain feathers? Hunt birds himself, or scour the farmer's market for live chickens? If he could craft the entire bow and arrow set, Tang Bing considered it a win—certainly a safer option than hand-to-hand combat.

Upon reading the Classic of Medical Herbs, his medical skill increased by one point.

"Medical skill? What's that?" Tang Bing muttered, puzzled. He quickly accessed his skill panel for clarification.

He soon realized that 'medical' was a passive skill, enhancing the effectiveness of medicines with each level gained.

This was an excellent passive ability, and he wasted no time diving into the text. As he opened the Classic of Medical Herbs, the book vanished from his hands, and a warm energy enveloped him, leaving him feeling remarkably refreshed.

Checking the skill panel once more, he saw his medical skill had indeed advanced from level 0 to level 1.

Tang Bing was off to a promising start, which brought a smile to his face.

He wasted no time in opening the unlocked drawers by his office desk, but it seemed his streak of luck had run dry.

System: You have obtained 47 sheets of paper!

System: You have obtained 1 pen!

System: You have obtained 20 disposable cups!

System: You have obtained 1 plastic teacup!

System: You have obtained 1 toothpick holder!

System: You have obtained 3 empty bottles!

They were a hodgepodge of items, but better than nothing. Besides, they might come in handy, so Tang Bing carefully stored them away.

The file cabinets nearby yielded nothing more than a handful of blank papers, nothing of value.

However, the wardrobe tucked in the corner was an unexpected treasure trove!

System: You have obtained an Excellent Suit Jacket!

System: You have obtained Superior Suit Pants!

He couldn't believe his luck. There it was—a sharp black suit, with the jacket boasting a blue name for quality and the pants even better, with a green name, a tier above the jacket.

The Excellent Suit Jacket offered a Defense of 7, reducing damage from unarmed attacks by 4%.

The Superior Suit Pants had a Defense of 10, reducing all damage by 5%.

The attributes were impressive. Not only did the defense values of 7 and 10 blow his old white lab coat out of the water, but the special damage reduction properties alone were enough to make Tang Bing's eyes sparkle. With this suit, his chances of survival had just gotten a significant boost. Naturally, he changed into it right away!

Discarding the white coat, he donned the suit jacket and pants, transforming from a dubious character into a dashing young nobleman. The suit was clearly expensive, enhancing his demeanor and feeling comfortable to boot. Indeed, the right clothes can make all the difference!

He then rummaged through the nearby trash can, finding another roll of tape and two more empty bottles. After scouring every nook and cranny of the room, his gaze landed on the computer on the desk. An idea struck, and he took out a wrench to dismantle it.

System: You have obtained 3 mechanical parts!

System: You have obtained 4 electronic parts!

System: You have obtained 20 electronic components!

System: You have obtained 13 wires!

System: You have obtained 1 small fan!

System: You have obtained 1 power source!

All useful crafting materials for future needs.

As Tang Bing was meticulously searching, a piercing scream from Sun Meng echoed through the corridor.

His heart lurched at the sound. Had something happened to her?

Without hesitation, he bolted from the office and found Sun Meng sprawled next to a cart, panic-stricken, with a ghastly nurse zombie looming over her, snapping its jaws in a frenzied attempt to bite.

Sun Meng was frantically holding the zombie at bay with a pot, preventing it from getting too close. Her kitchen knife lay discarded, and she flailed helplessly. Upon seeing Tang Bing, she cried out with tears in her voice, "Bing! Save me!!"

Tang Bing charged forward and swung his fire axe with all his might, cleaving the nurse zombie's head in half.

With its head split, the zombie ceased to move.

He hoisted the lifeless body aside and quickly pulled up the distraught Sun Meng.

"Wuwu~ I was so scared! I thought I was done for!" In Tang Bing's presence, Sun Meng felt a safety she had never known, clinging to him and sobbing uncontrollably.

Tang Bing's brow furrowed slightly; he was tempted to push her away. He couldn't discern whether Sun Meng's fear was genuine or just an act. After everything he'd been through, trusting anyone had become a challenge.

Looking down at her anguished expression, he found he couldn't bring himself to be harsh.

Sun Meng had been crying for some time before she realized she was embracing Tang Bing a little too closely. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she abruptly released him and stepped back several paces, her head bowed, unable to meet his gaze, and continued to sob softly.

Once she let go, Tang Bing's anxiety eased. He had been on edge, half-expecting her to use the embrace as a pretext for an attack, ready to defend himself at any moment. Seeing no such intention from her, he allowed himself a measure of relief. "Where did that zombie come from?"

"From upstairs," Sun Meng managed between tears and sniffles. "It came down the stairs. I was so focused on watching each side, I didn't see it behind me! If it hadn't let out that eerie scream, I might've been bitten without even realizing it..."

"Didn't I tell you to always be on your guard?" Tang Bing scolded, his brow furrowed in displeasure.

"I'm sorry..." Fresh tears spilled from Sun Meng's eyes.

"Crying again? Is that all you do?" Tang Bing was exasperated with her constant weeping. His heart was already heavy from a painful breakup with Qin Mengli, waking up to a world overrun by zombies, and the near-death experiences that followed. The stress was immense, his mood sour. Yang Fei's situation and Sun Meng's incessant crying only added to his frustration, making his tone harsher than intended.

"I'm sorry..." Sun Meng, noticing his irritation, quickly dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve, stifling her sobs, though her body still shuddered with the effort.

Her forlorn state quenched much of Tang Bing's anger. Still, his voice remained icy as he inquired, "Are you hurt? Did any zombies bite or scratch you?"

Sun Meng shook her head vigorously. "No, I wasn't bitten or scratched! I swear!"

"There's no need to panic," Tang Bing said coolly. "Just be honest with me. Have you been bitten or scratched? If not, great, but if you're injured, you need to tell me now. The internet claims that zombie bites or scratches lead to infection, and there's no cure. But I might be able to treat an early-stage infection and stop you from turning."

"You have that skill? For real?" Sun Meng asked, her voice quivering.

"Lying to you serves no purpose. I just want someone around who can still hold a conversation," Tang Bing said earnestly. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"Absolutely not!" Sun Meng nodded emphatically. "I wouldn't lie to you. If I were injured, I'd tell you immediately! But... how can you treat an early infection? It's so odd. Are you deceiving me, or is there something you're not telling me?"

Tang Bing's frown deepened at her questioning. He had only meant to check on her well-being, not wanting her to succumb to the infection. Yet now she was suspicious, turning the questions back on him. He had no intention of elaborating or revealing anything about the system. So, he replied tersely, "What you don't need to know, don't ask. Just understand that I can treat an early infection. So if you're truly hurt and tell me the truth, I can save your life. But if you don't trust me, then let's drop it."

"I believe you! I really do!" Sun Meng nodded frantically, "I'm not hurt, I swear! Bing, if I were hurt, I'd tell you right away! I wouldn't lie to you, you have to believe me!"

"That's good to hear!" Tang Bing observed Sun Meng's distressed demeanor and understood that she was relying on him as her main pillar of support. Naturally, he had no desire to have a falling out with her. He chose not to contradict her. After all, once he located Qin Mengli and escorted Sun Meng to the military district, their paths would diverge.