C57 The Person Who Called for Help Was Actually Her Master. Qin Mengli Wanted to Break Through the R

"Mengli, hold on a second!" Sun Meng quickly left a message for the girl named Huihui.

Qin Mengli hurried over too, peering intently at the forum's information.

The reply came back with just four words: "Qinghua University."

Without waiting for Sun Meng to respond, Qin Mengli grabbed the phone from her hands.

"Mengli..." Sun Meng was taken aback by Qin Mengli's sudden move and froze in place.

"Sorry!" Realizing her action might have been rude, Qin Mengli apologized to Sun Meng and swiftly began typing a message on the phone.

Sun Meng wasn't one to hold a grudge, especially since the phone was on its last legs anyway. She quickly flashed a smile, "No worries!"

She then leaned in, curious to see what Qin Mengli was typing.

Zhao Dagang's curiosity got the better of him too, and he moved to Qin Mengli's right side to glance at the phone. "Is it Teacher Lin Leyan? Miss Qin, do you know her?"

Qin Mengli remained fixated on the phone screen, ignoring Zhao Dagang completely.

Zhao Dagang wasn't offended and stood by quietly.

Lin Leyan? The name rang a bell for Tang Bing, but he couldn't quite place it. Honestly, with so many departments in the university and his lack of social skills, he had only made a few acquaintances by the time he graduated. He probably couldn't even name some of his own classmates.

After typing out her message, Qin Mengli waited anxiously for over a minute before getting a reply: "How did you know? Are you one of my mom's students?"

At that message, a wave of excitement washed over Qin Mengli's usually composed face. "It's Teacher Lin! It really is Teacher Lin!"

"Mengli, do you know Teacher Lin Leyan well?" Sun Meng asked, her curiosity piqued by Qin Mengli's excitement.

Zhao Dagang also watched with interest, and even Tang Bing, who had been standing alone by the window, couldn't help but sneak a peek.

"She was my homeroom teacher in university," Qin Mengli exclaimed, her voice tinged with emotion. "I remember she mentioned having a daughter around my age. So her name is Huihui!"

"That's an incredible coincidence!" exclaimed Sun Meng, "Brother Zhao just happened to come across a distress post, and it turns out the person who posted it is your college advisor's daughter? What are the odds? It's absolutely miraculous! This has got to be fate!"

"Let Teacher Lin know I'm on my way to save her!" Qin Mengli quickly sent a message.

"Who is this?"

"I'm Qin Mengli!"

"Mengli? You're still alive?" It seemed to be Teacher Lin Leyan's response, "Where are you?"

"Teacher Lin?"

"Yes, it's me! Mengli, I never imagined you'd be the one to see the distress signal. Where are you now? Are you safe?"

"I'm close by. I'll be there to rescue you soon! Wait for me!" After sending the message, Qin Mengli handed the phone back to Sun Meng and dashed back to her room.

"Mengli, it's too dangerous! There are zombies everywhere here, don't come!" Teacher Lin's message came through, but Qin Mengli had already put her phone away.

Moments later, Qin Mengli emerged, clad in the scrap metal and cotton armor distributed by Tang Bing, wielding a half-meter long pipe.

"Mengli, what are you planning to do?" Sun Meng's eyes bulged with surprise at the sight.

"I'm going to save someone!" Qin Mengli shot Tang Bing a stern look and stated firmly.

"But Mengli, we can't defeat the zombies!" Sun Meng protested, trying to block her path, "Please, don't act impulsively!"

"Teacher Lin was my mentor in college, the one who looked after me the most," Qin Mengli gripped the pipe firmly, "She always went above and beyond for me, in both my academic and personal life, treating me like family. She's also incredibly compassionate, quietly supporting poor children who couldn't afford education with her own money. How could anyone stand by and let such a good person die without trying to help?"

With that, Qin Mengli fixed Tang Bing with a challenging glare.

Tang Bing, feeling the sting of her words, frowned slightly. "If she were close by, I'd definitely take the risk to save her! But three kilometers is no small distance, and whether by car or on foot, it's incredibly dangerous. Besides, nightfall is approaching. Venturing out now is tantamount to suicide! Our own situation is precarious, with a staggering number of zombies nearby. If we inadvertently draw them to our gates, all our efforts will have been for nothing. The best I can do right now is to ensure the safety of this temporary base and prevent everyone from falling into danger. So, no matter what you say, I'm not going to recklessly head out to a place three kilometers away!"

"Mengli, Bing has a point," Sun Meng whispered, "It's getting dark, and it's a long way from here. Maybe we should think this through and decide in the morning?"

"This is none of your business!" Qin Mengli snapped, "I'll save Teacher Lin on my own. You don't need to concern yourselves with me!"

"Really?" Tang Bing scoffed, "And how do you plan to save her? Will your hands stay steady at the sight of zombies? Do you think that water pipe you're holding can take them down?"

"How do you know I can't handle it? For Teacher Lin, I'm willing to do whatever it takes!" Qin Mengli shot him a fierce look before turning to Sun Meng with a stern voice, "Mengmeng, move aside!"

"But Mengli, it's really too risky to go out there now!" Sun Meng implored, blocking her path and casting a pleading glance at Tang Bing, hoping he would convince Qin Mengli to stay.

"With all those zombies outside, you'd be swarmed within meters!" Tang Bing's brow furrowed deeply, "You think you can save her? You're more likely to become zombie chow!"

"I'm willing to take that risk!" Qin Mengli insisted to Sun Meng, "Mengmeng, move!"

"But..." Sun Meng was torn.

Seeing her stubbornness, Tang Bing sighed inwardly. He knew Qin Mengli well enough to realize that no one could talk her out of this. Recalling her previous words to him, he felt a pang of hurt. Suddenly, he stepped forward, pulled Sun Meng aside, and faced Qin Mengli with a blank expression, "Fine! Go ahead! Once you step out that door, you're on your own. Your fate is in your hands! And if zombies devour you right there and then, I won't lift a finger to help you!"

"Bing!" Sun Meng turned back to him, her eyes wide with shock.

Qin Mengli hesitated for a split second, then retorted coldly, "I never had anything to do with you all. We're just strangers trying to survive together! It's none of your business what I do or if I end up as zombie food!"

With that, she dashed down the stairs.

Watching Qin Mengli disappear into the stairwell, Sun Meng panicked, "Bing, you have to stop Mengli!"

"It's no use!" Tang Bing declared, shaking his head. "Nobody can stop her!"

"How is that possible? You're so strong, you could easily catch her!" Sun Meng urged frantically, "Bing, we can't just let Mengli walk into danger!"

"Catch her? Like she said, we're all just strangers trying to survive. Qin Mengli is free to make her own choices. We have no right to interfere with, much less control, her freedom!" Tang Bing's hands tightened into fists as he stared out the window, his voice firm.

"Bing..." Sun Meng's voice wavered, her mind racing. "What do we do? What can we do?"

"I'm going after her!" In that instant, Zhao Dagang bolted down the stairs in pursuit of Qin Mengli. "Bing, I'll protect her and help with the rescue! If we make it back, please keep the door open for us. And if we don't... you all need to keep on living!"

"Brother Zhao!" Sun Meng hadn't expected Zhao Dagang to take such a risk. Her anxiety spiked, and she clutched at Tang Bing's hand. "Bing, you have to stop them! They could die out there!"

Confronted with Sun Meng's desperate plea, Tang Bing closed his eyes. His heart was in turmoil, but he fought to keep his emotions from swaying his resolve.

Qin Mengli ran until she reached the factory building, pausing at the door. She looked back, filled with the hope that Tang Bing would be there, ready to stand by her side as he always had. She thought of the past, how no matter how capricious or unreasonable she was, Tang Bing would indulge her without a word of complaint, always there to lend a hand. Even when she deliberately made things difficult, he carried out her wishes without regret, and faced embarrassment with a smile.

Yet, Tang Bing didn't come after her this time, and the sense of loss she felt was profound.

She lingered for several more minutes, hoping against hope that he would show up, but he never did.

There was no turning back now.

Qin Mengli found it odd. In the past, she would have been relieved to be free of Tang Bing's attentions, but now, why did she feel such an overwhelming sense of emptiness?

Shaking off the confusion, she pulled out the key and unlocked the door. Taking a deep breath, she cautiously peered outside, ensuring the coast was clear of zombies before pulling the door open.

"Miss Qin!" Zhao Dagang's voice rang out suddenly from behind.

Qin Mengli turned, her brow furrowing slightly. "Did he send you?"

"No!" Zhao Dagang shook his head. "I came on my own to help! I told Bing we'd go rescue Teacher Lin together and to leave the door open for us!"

Qin Mengli paused for a moment, then glanced up at the rooftop and let out a soft sigh. "Alright, then. You're with me."

"Rest assured, Miss Qin, I'll do everything I can to protect you!" Zhao Dagang was decked out in scrap iron armor, wielding a fire axe, and had a pistol strapped to his waist, looking every bit the part of a reliable guardian.

"Thank you," Qin Mengyao said with a nod. "You're proving to be much more reliable than some."

"Bing has his reasons, you shouldn't hold it against him," Zhao Dagang came to Tang Bing's defense. "I think he's right, but you, Miss Qin, you have your principles. No one's in the wrong here."

Without another word, Qin Mengli picked up the hose and strode out of the factory.

Zhao Dagang quickly followed, fire axe in hand, and made sure to lock the door behind them.

"Are we really going to walk the whole way?" he asked, keeping pace with Qin Mengli. "Three kilometers is a long trek."

"Didn't you hear him?" Qin Mengli sighed. "Driving would be too noisy and attract a horde of zombies. We'll need to be cautious on the way. Let's get to the plaza and regroup with Teacher Lin. We'll hunker down for the night and come back with reinforcements in the morning."

"Got it! I'm ready," Zhao Dagang replied with a nod.

"I've got some snacks with me. Did you bring any food?" Qin Mengli asked, looking back at him. "Teacher Lin and the others must be starving..."

"Look out!" In mid-sentence, Zhao Dagang suddenly shoved Qin Mengli aside. A zombie had burst around the corner of the road ahead, its growls filling the air as it lunged at them.