C142 At the Entrance of the Town Tang Bing Wanted to Take a Gamble!(2)

Attempting to overpower them? Even if we lined the entire road with barbed fences, I doubt it would hold back the sheer scale of the zombie horde. Their numbers are nightmarish, and setting up that many fences would take days of preparation with no guarantee of success.

What about bombs? I could craft a more potent detonator, but success is far from certain. The only way that might work is if I could drop bombs from the air, raining destruction upon them.

On the ground, the road isn't wide enough to employ kites to wipe out the zombie army. I'd need to circle around them, keeping them clustered to maximize firepower.

Besides, even if I strung kites in a straight line, I'd need an endless supply of bombs, and it would take much longer. Plus, the road would be left cratered and impassable, blocking our access to the town's supplies.

Damn! What's the best course of action?

Tang Bing was at a loss, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

"Bing, what's up?" As Tang Bing got back into the car, Zhao Dagang and the others eyed him with concern.

He glanced at the trio, his frown deepening. "We've hit a snag! The town entrance is clogged with an uncountable zombie force! We can't just plow through, so it looks like our scavenging plans are on ice for now."

"So what do we do now?" Zhao Dagang asked urgently, his eyes darting around before he blurted out, "I've got it! Brother Bing, we could use sound to draw them off!"

"Sound?" Tang Bing shook his head. "I have some toy cars, but they're only good for a few zombies. Against such a massive group, especially with a mutant zombie in the mix who might have keener senses than me, they're practically useless."

"If only we had an airplane!" Liang Hui chimed in, "A remote-controlled one to attract them from the air!"

"I've considered that, but we don't have one," Tang Bing sighed. "Dagang's toy plane ran out of juice a long time ago, and we left it behind in the city center."

"Why don't we drive and lead them away, far off to the other side?" Qin Mengli suggested, pointing down the road. "We've taken that gamble before, and it worked pretty well, didn't it?"

Tang Bing glanced at her and let out a sigh. "There's only one road that leads there. Sure, we could draw the zombies in that direction, but then what? There's no other route for us to make it back. We'd just end up trapped even further away! And what about Sun Meng and Teacher Lin? Are we supposed to just leave them behind?"

"No way!" Liang Hui interjected urgently. "Brother Bing, that's not an option! Please!"

"I'm well aware we can't do that," Tang Bing replied with a sense of resignation. "Our only other choice is to abandon this area and head for a town further out. But that town is at least a ten-hour journey, all through mountain roads and surrounded by villages. And villages are the worst, with dogs turned into zombie hounds that pose an even greater threat!"

The trio eyed Tang Bing skeptically. How could he be so sure it would take ten hours to reach the town? It seemed impossibly far. But recalling the string of miraculous insights Tang Bing had demonstrated recently, they couldn't help but trust his judgment.

"We just can't give up on the closest urban area," Zhao Dagang lamented, his expression troubled. "Not unless we're willing to forsake the secure base we've worked so hard to establish, along with all the valuable supplies we've gathered! But how on earth can we divert those zombies? If only we had a helicopter!"

"You're dreaming!" Tang Bing shot him a look. "And even if we had one, who here knows how to fly it?"

"You've got a point," Zhao Dagang conceded with a sigh. "So, what's the plan?"

Both women's eyes were fixed on Tang Bing, their intense gazes making him shift uncomfortably.

After a moment of contemplative silence, Tang Bing's eyes snapped open. "Maybe... we could try using sound!"

"Isn't that what I suggested earlier?" Zhao Dagang questioned, puzzled. "But Bing, what do we have that could draw so many zombies? And like you said, how would we lead them away? If we take a vehicle, we'll end up chased so far we'll never make it back!"

"Exactly," Tang Bing agreed with a nod. "Which means we need to think outside the box."

"Bing, do you have any ideas?" Liang Hui inquired softly.

Turning to face the three of them, Tang Bing said, "I have a rough idea, actually."

"Spill it!" Qin Mengli leaned in eagerly, "If there's anything we can help with, just ask! We're willing to do whatever it takes to lend a hand!"

"Exactly, Bing, command away!" Liang Hui agreed with a nod.

"Bing, we'll follow your lead!" Zhao Dagang declared with conviction.

Tang Bing gave a slight shake of his head, "I don't need help this time. And there's nothing you can do to assist."

"Why not?" Zhao Dagang pressed, "We're a team; we should all pitch in!"

"Really, Tang Bing, do you underestimate us?" Qin Mengli's eyebrows arched, "We might not be the strongest, and sure, we've held you back at times, but we still want to help!"

"Bing, just say the word! No matter the risk, we're in!" Liang Hui added, though her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

Tang Bing raised his hand, signaling for silence, "This is something you can't help with, so please, just listen."

Reluctantly, the trio fell silent.

"I've just come up with a plan," Tang Bing spoke softly, "We head to the town and use the government loudspeakers to draw the zombies from the crossroads. If we can lure them away with the noise, maybe even to a distant location, we can sneak past and into the town."

"But Bing, you're forgetting there's no power anymore!" Liang Hui interjected quietly, "And how are we supposed to get into the town? Isn't that the very problem we're facing?"

"Yeah, Tang Bing, your plan sounds a bit shaky, doesn't it?" Qin Mengli chimed in skeptically.

"The electricity issue, I can handle that," Tang Bing reassured them, confident. He just needed to remove a car battery to serve as a makeshift power supply. That would be enough to operate the loudspeakers. "I built the generator, remember? Don't you have a little faith in me?"

"Oh, right!" Liang Hui exclaimed, a lightbulb going off, but worry quickly clouded her face again, "But Bing, you've said zombies have better senses than you. What if they detect you, or if we're spotted entering the town? We could still end up trapped!"

"That's why I'll place gasoline barrels at strategic points," Tang Bing explained, "The zombies will be drawn to the area. When the barrels explode, the fire will take out many of them. With some luck, it might even incinerate all the mutant zombies! And if luck isn't on our side, I'll set it up far enough away to at least guarantee our safety while we scavenge."

"Must take a ton of gasoline, huh?" Qin Mengli inquired.

"Yep! But I've got the gasoline situation handled," Tang Bing replied coolly. "I'll stockpile as much as I can to maximize the damage. And I'll make sure to get out before they're drawn in, so I don't get trapped. You three should stay put here for now—this area's pretty clear of zombies. If any do show up and there's a crowd, Dagang, you drive back first. If it's just a few, make sure to protect the ladies."

"Got it!" Zhao Dagang responded promptly, "Understood!"

"I'll be taking a roundabout route through the mountain paths to the other side of town, which might take a while. But given the distance, I doubt it'll draw their attention," Tang Bing explained, gesturing towards the nearby mountain. "Crossing over there to the other side of town should take an hour or two. If I pull it off, I'll signal you. If not, I'll signal anyway, and then do my best to retreat safely so we can regroup here."

"Bing, this seems way too risky," Zhao Dagang pondered aloud. "Maybe we should head back to base and plan more thoroughly?"

"Exactly! Tang Bing, you're always playing fast and loose with your life. What would we do if something happened to you?" Qin Mengli expressed her concern. "Let's just head back to base, okay? We've got enough food, water, and power to last us. If we just hold tight, we might outlast them. Who knows, given enough time, the zombies might just move on to somewhere else!"

"Yeah, yeah! Maybe we should head back and talk it over," Liang Hui chimed in.

"Sometimes you've got to take a stand," Tang Bing countered, shaking his head. "What if they end up roaming towards our base? We'd be sitting ducks! Just stay here and keep safe. I'll figure something out."