C28 They Searched Through the Floors of the Clothing Factory, and the Zombies in the Dormitory Were

Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang meticulously inspected every nook and cranny of the factory with their team in tow.

The facility was a garment factory, specializing in a variety of women's attire.

Spanning five floors, the building's ground level housed both the garage and cafeteria.

Both the garage and cafeteria were deserted, suggesting that the facility was not operational when the zombies emerged.

Inside the cafeteria, they found rice, flour, vegetables, meat, and several barrels of purified water—a find that thrilled all four of them.

The second floor was a securely locked warehouse, accessible only with a key or by breaking the lock.

Peering through the glass windows, they could see piles of raw materials and finished garments, mostly packed in boxes with samples displayed on the outside.

The third floor was the sewing room, filled with sewing machines, heaps of raw materials, finished garments, and a collection of discarded seconds. This door was locked as well!

While they could break in with the fire axe, there was no pressing need. What they prioritized was finding a place to rest. A good night's sleep was essential for the energy to tackle the next day's challenges.

The fourth floor consisted of various offices: the General Manager's, Sales, Technology, Logistics, Human Resources, Security, and a General Office—all locked and showing no signs of recent activity.

Ascending to the fifth floor, they were immediately confronted by a female zombie lunging from around the corner.

"Ahh!" Qin Mengyao screamed, nearly tumbling down the stairs in fright, but Sun Meng swiftly steadied her.

As the zombie appeared, Zhao Dagang instinctively raised his fire axe but faltered at the last second.

"Pfft!" Without hesitation, Tang Bing swung his axe, cleaving the zombie's head before it could reach Zhao Dagang.

You have slain the zombie and earned 10 experience points!

"Why didn't you go for her head?" Tang Bing demanded, his gaze fixed on Zhao Dagang after they had taken down the zombie. "You've got to strike hard at the head, or you're the one who's going to end up dead!"

"I... I just... I'm sorry!" Zhao Dagang stammered, his excuse trailing off into an apology.

"If you're too scared to act, the only person you're letting down is yourself," Tang Bing retorted icily. "To survive, you need the guts and the resolve to kill them! Remember, they're already dead. We're merely granting them release."

"I get it!" Zhao Dagang nodded firmly. "Next time, I won't hesitate to make the cut."

"You'd better take responsibility for yourself," Tang Bing said, turning his attention to Qin Mengli with a frosty edge to his voice. "That includes you!"

"What did I do?!" Qin Mengli protested, her face a picture of hurt. Her foot was slightly twisted, causing her considerable pain. Tang Bing's lack of his usual concern for her, coupled with his harsh tone, sparked a surge of resentment within her.

Tang Bing caught the look on Qin Mengli's face and understood her thoughts. Pretending he didn't care would be dishonest. The sight of her nursing her foot in pain tugged at his heartstrings. Yet, he knew there was no future for them; Qin Mengli had already rejected him decisively. For the sake of both their hearts, he had to sever the emotional ties. Above all, he was determined to survive and to ensure the survival of those with him.

With this in mind, he spoke up, his expression steely. "Zombies have keen hearing and smell. We might not reek of blood, but your screaming earlier could lead every zombie in the vicinity right to us! If there are any zombies on this floor, they'll be on us in an instant..."

"Watch out!" Sun Meng's warning cut through the air before Tang Bing could finish.

Tang Bing couldn't turn in time, but Zhao Dagang, spurred by a newfound bravery, lunged forward with the fire axe in hand.

With a resounding "Bang!" a female zombie that had lunged out of nowhere was sent sprawling by Zhao Dagang. But he missed her head, striking her shoulder instead. The zombie was quick to recover, letting out a feral roar as she lunged at them once more.

Tang Bing was prepared this time, delivering a fierce blow to the female zombie's head with his axe.

With a heavy thud, the female zombie hit the ground, twitched a few times, and lay still.

"Make sure you see clearly before you strike!" Tang Bing instructed Zhao Dagang. "Hitting any other part is useless. You've got to break their heads to kill them for good!"

"Got it!" Zhao Dagang nodded earnestly, quietly repeating to himself, "The head, aim for the head..."

A guttural roar announced the arrival of four or five more female zombies charging from the sides, one clad only in scanty lingerie.

But Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang spared no admiring glances; the woman's once graceful figure was now a grotesque display of torn flesh and protruding bones, a sight devoid of beauty and filled with sheer terror.

Behind them, Qin Mengli and Sun Meng clung to each other, eyes shut tight, shivering with fear, unable to bear the sight of the undead.

"Dagang!" Tang Bing called out, axe in hand as he faced the oncoming horde. "You take the right side!"

"I'm on it!" Zhao Dagang, bolstered by bravery, swung his axe at the lunging zombies.

The corridor echoed with the gruesome sounds of battle as the two men, positioned left and right, swung their fire axes with deadly intent, hacking away at the female zombies. The air was thick with the stench of blood and the scene was horrific.

Tang Bing's movements became more fluid with each strike, dispatching each zombie with a single, precise blow. He nimbly avoided their lunges, effortlessly clearing his side of the threat.

Zhao Dagang, however, was struggling. Though he had gathered his courage and managed to cleave through the skull of the first zombie, the revulsion quickly overwhelmed him, and he began to retch. Distracted, he was viciously bitten on the left hand by another zombie, losing a chunk of flesh.

Driven by pain and desperation, Zhao Dagang fought back furiously, swinging his fire axe wildly, no longer mindful of any bites he might receive.

Seeing Zhao Dagang's dire situation, Tang Bing rushed to his aid, dispatching the final zombie. He swiftly pulled out a first aid bandage to dress the wound, then handed over painkillers and antibiotics. "Take these!" he urged.

Having previously witnessed the miraculous effects of Tang Bing's medicine, Zhao Dagang had no doubts about its efficacy. Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill and glanced at his bandaged left hand. "My wound feels itchy. Could it be healing?"

"Most likely!" Tang Bing agreed with a nod.

"You're incredible!" Zhao Dagang beamed at Tang Bing, his grin wide. "You're like a wizard!"

Tang Bing remained noncommittal.

"He got bitten?" Qin Mengli and Sun Meng, who had been shivering with fright, finally opened their eyes, having overheard Tang Bing's exchange with Zhao Dagang.

Sun Meng was less concerned, already familiar with the wonders of Tang Bing's remedies.

But Qin Mengli, unaware of the medicine's powers, pointed at Zhao Dagang, her voice laced with terror, "He's going to turn into a zombie! He's infected!"

"No, he won't," Tang Bing assured her with unwavering confidence.

"How can you be so sure? Everyone online says that a zombie bite means certain infection!" Qin Mengli protested, her anxiety palpable. "He's going to turn into one of them!"

"I won't turn," Zhao Dagang interjected, turning to Qin Mengli with a reassuring smile. "Bing's medicine is magical, like something out of a fairy tale! With it, I fear nothing!"

Tang Bing was momentarily taken aback. He hadn't expected Zhao Dagang to refer to him as 'Bing'. How much older was this man? Why would he use such a familiar term? Tang Bing himself would never address someone five or six years his junior in such a way.

But he let it slide, focusing instead on Qin Mengli. "I simply have antibiotics that counteract the infection. They're hardly a panacea. But being bitten by a zombie isn't the end—as long as it's before the transformation, there's a chance for recovery."

"Where did you get these antibiotics?" Qin Mengli asked, her brows knitting together. "Can I see one?"

Her request was made casually, a tone she was accustomed to using. Tang Bing had always been accommodating in the past, immediately fulfilling such asks.

This time, however, Tang Bing merely gave her a cool look and shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. Just remember, if any of you get bitten, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll provide the antibiotics to prevent the infection from turning you into zombies. But be cautious—my supply is finite. If we run out and can't restock quickly, it's vital to avoid injuries and conserve the medicine as much as possible."

"Who in their right mind would volunteer to get bitten by a zombie?" Qin Mengli grumbled, her displeasure growing by the second. She just couldn't get used to Tang Bing's current demeanor and found herself missing the way he was before all this chaos. But she quickly banished the thought from her mind. Such habitual thinking had to go. They were nothing more than classmates, nothing more. He wasn't her type at all—who would fall for someone who's been a nuisance for four years?

"Alright!" Tang Bing didn't spare Qin Mengli another glance as he turned to address the group. "Dagang, you're with me up front. The two ladies, stay close behind and don't lose track of us! This floor looks like it's the staff dormitory, housing all the female workers from the clothing factory. We can't be sure if there are more zombies lurking around, so we need to stay sharp! But here's the upside—if we clear out all the zombies on this floor, we'll have ourselves a safe spot to catch some sleep."

"Got it!" Zhao Dagang nodded, following Tang Bing closely with his fire axe at the ready, eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

Tang Bing proceeded with extreme caution, axe in hand, inching towards the dormitory. He was poised for combat, ready to strike at the first sign of a zombie.

He had taken the lead this time because he realized that the zombies Zhao Dagang killed didn't count towards his own experience points. Only the zombies he took down himself would boost his level. He was on the verge of reaching level 3 and was eager to rack up as many skill points as possible.