C67 Sun Meng Had Instigated Tang Bing to Establish His Authority.

Tang Bing's explanation was riddled with holes. A closer look would easily reveal the cracks in his hastily concocted story.

But given the circumstances, no one had the energy to speculate wildly. Lin Leyan and her daughter Liang Hui, in particular, were still reeling from their harrowing ride in Tang Bing's car—their hearts hadn't yet settled.

"Teacher Lin, you can relax," Qin Mengli assured as she approached, "If I start to turn, I'll make sure to distance myself from you before I become a zombie. You won't be in danger because of me!"

"Don't talk like that!" Lin Leyan, finally easing up, took Qin Mengli's hand. "I trust you, Mengli!"

"Thanks, Teacher Lin!" A smile spread across Qin Mengli's face.

"Oh, by the way!" Lin Leyan turned, bringing her daughter forward, and said to Qin Mengli, "I've taught you for four years and never really talked about my daughter! This is Liang Hui, she's just a month or two younger than you."

"I knew Teacher Lin had a daughter, but I've never met her!" Qin Mengli extended her hand warmly. "Hello! I'm Qin Mengli."

"I know who you are," Liang Hui responded, shaking her hand with a touch of envy. "Mom never mentioned me to you, but she always talks about you at home. I recognize you! Sometimes I wonder if you're her real daughter."

"What are you talking about?" Lin Leyan couldn't help but laugh, playfully tapping her daughter on the head.

"Teacher Lin has always been so kind to me, like family," Qin Mengli said, holding Liang Hui's hand tenderly. "If you're okay with it, we could be great sisters."

"Yes, let's!" Liang Hui nodded eagerly. "Sister Qin, let's make sure we get along well from now on!"

"Sure!"

As Qin Mengli caught up with Lin Leyan and her daughter, Tang Bing turned to head back to his room for some rest. The morning's adrenaline-fueled journey had left him utterly exhausted.

"Hey!" Sun Meng hurried after Tang Bing. "Bing, wait up!"

"What's up?" Tang Bing halted, giving her a puzzled look.

Sun Meng gestured towards Lin Leyan and her mother, who were deep in conversation. "What's the plan for those two? You've got to let me know! We can't just rescue them and then wash our hands of the matter, can we?"

"I did well just getting them out alive. As for what comes next, let Qin Mengli handle it!" Tang Bing was exhausted and had no desire to get involved further.

"That's not okay!" Sun Meng grabbed his hand, whispering urgently, "Why should Mengli be in charge? You're the leader here, Bing! You risked your life for Mengli. If you hand over the reins to her again, won't Teacher Lin and Liang Hui think Mengli's the one calling the shots?"

"What does it matter?" Tang Bing replied nonchalantly.

"It matters a lot!" Sun Meng insisted. "I have a lot of respect for Mengli, but roles within the team need to be clear! The person who gives the orders should be the one in charge! Otherwise, as the number of survivors grows, how will you maintain control without authority? Or are you okay with leading a team that's just falling apart?"

"Who said anything about expanding the team? Just managing a few of you is killing me!" Tang Bing retorted, frowning. "From now on, unless absolutely necessary, we should just take care of our own."

"But everyone needs to follow orders for that to work!" Sun Meng pressed on quietly. "Otherwise, what if they create chaos at home while you're out, or waste resources you've worked hard to find? Without authority, this team won't hold together for long."

Tang Bing was taken aback. Sun Meng's words seemed to be in his interest. Was she playing her own angle, or genuinely looking out for him?

Her eyes appeared earnest.

Yet, he had killed her suitor right in front of her. Could she truly be so devoted to a killer? Or did she have an ulterior motive?

"Bing, say something!" Sun Meng, seeing him silent, prodded him impatiently.

Tang Bing glanced over at Qin Mengli and Lin Leyan, who were enjoying their conversation, and then at Zhao Dagang, who was unabashedly eyeing Liang Hui with a smile. His brow furrowed involuntarily.

Although I'm not sure what Sun Meng is up to, she does make a good point.

I never really wanted to be a captain, especially not of a team that's no help at all. But I can't back down given the current circumstances!

We're not living in peaceful times anymore. Zombies are roaming everywhere, ready to devour us at any moment!

To survive with these people, I need absolute authority. Only by acting on my own will can I prevent them from causing trouble!

With that in mind, I nodded at Sun Meng and said softly, "Alright, you go ahead and find accommodations for the mother and daughter. With all the dorms we have, they can pick any two rooms they like."

"No!" Sun Meng quickly shook her head.

"What's the problem?" I asked, a bit annoyed. "You just agreed to follow my lead and help me establish authority. Are you contradicting me now?"

"Bing, I would never go against you," Sun Meng said urgently, grabbing my hand. "But you shouldn't let Teacher Lin and the others have the same privileges as us! Zhao, Mengli, and I have been through life and death with you; you can trust us completely. But it's different with Teacher Lin and the rest. Even though Mengli is close to them, they're strangers to us! And just moving someone into the dorm building as soon as they arrive won't make you seem approachable or authoritative. They'll just see you as another survivor, someone who happened to save them once. I think we need to start treating newcomers differently. Unless they're particularly close to you, they should be housed in the office building downstairs. Just clear out the office equipment and set up some beds—it's not that different. But it will send a clear message that they're not on the same level as us! It will also remind them who they depend on to survive around here."

"Why on earth would you think that way?" I asked, frowning at Sun Meng in surprise.

"Bing, there's a saying, 'A snake can't move without a head.' If we're going to survive this apocalypse, we need a strong leader to guide us. Who here has the capability to match yours? Plus, I've always been a fan of those post-apocalyptic zombie shows, so I know how crucial a good leader is for the survivors. Without unity, the team will fall into chaos, and infighting will kill us off one by one! Or worse, following a weak leader could lead to a life of misery. I don't want to end up like that. I believe you're the key to our survival! So, you must take charge and ensure everyone follows your lead!"

Before the apocalypse, Tang Bing might have thought Sun Meng was out of her mind, perhaps even a bit unhinged. But now, even though he couldn't quite grasp her line of thinking, he couldn't find fault in her words. She was suggesting he become the leader of their entire group. While his actions had always been leader-like, the idea of openly declaring it and expecting everyone's obedience gave him pause.

"Bing!" Sun Meng's forceful grip snapped Tang Bing out of his reverie. Her intense gaze locked onto his, "I need your answer now!"

Their eyes met, and after a brief silence, Tang Bing nodded decisively, "Tell them to set up a room on the office floor."

A sweet smile spread across Sun Meng's face at his response, "On it, Bing!"

Tang Bing returned to his room, lay back, and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling with complexity. Was this the right move? Was he ready to step up as the leader and categorize the survivors? Would the others truly be on board with this?

Meanwhile, Sun Meng, armed with Tang Bing's decision, dashed downstairs to the corridor window. Qin Mengli and Lin Leyan were deep in a nostalgic exchange, their excitement palpable after such a long separation, injuries forgotten.

Sun Meng held back from interrupting, instead discreetly pulling Zhao Dagang aside. "What's up?" Zhao Dagang's gaze lingered on Liang Hui, his eyes glued to her.

"Brother Zhao," Sun Meng whispered, "Bing has ordered that Teacher Lin and her daughter move to the office floor below."

"Why? Aren't there plenty of dorms upstairs? I don't get it," Zhao Dagang said, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"Don't you really understand?" Sun Meng probed, her eyes earnestly searching his, "Think about it."

"What's there to think about..." Zhao Dagang began, but his tone shifted to one of seriousness, "Ms. Meng, did you say something to Bing?"

"Yes," Sun Meng admitted without evasion, "I was the one who suggested it to Bing. You're not dense; you know what I'm getting at."

"...I get it, of course!" Zhao Dagang fell silent for a moment, "But Miss Qin is sure to resist."

"This is everyone's team, not Mengli's," Sun Meng said quietly. "I may get along with her, but we have to make the right choices when it matters. Brother Zhao, how will you decide?"

"You don't need to probe me; I've been with Brother Bing from the start," Zhao Dagang replied, glancing at Liang Hui in the distance, a flicker of complexity in his gaze.

Sun Meng had already noticed his look and her lips quirked up as she leaned in and whispered, "Brother Zhao, did you fall for that girl at first sight?"

Zhao Dagang remained silent, his eyes giving him away.

"Times have changed," Sun Meng murmured to him, "You have no reason to feel less than. In fact, with just a word from Brother Bing, she could be yours."

"Shut up!" Zhao Dagang snapped, his eyes blazing as he stared down Sun Meng. "I support Brother Bing leading our team and I'll back him against any dissent. But don't you dare lead him down the wrong path! Ms. Meng, the end of the world doesn't justify losing our humanity."

"Brother Zhao, that stings," Sun Meng retorted, her brow furrowing. "How have I lost my conscience? I wouldn't push Brother Bing to do wrong. I just saw how smitten you were and made a suggestion. In zombie movies, it's the survivors who do truly heartless things! If I'm wrong, correct me, but don't judge me."

"Enough," Zhao Dagang sighed, "I know you didn't mean any harm. But have you thought about how we're going to break this to them? Miss Qin is going to blow a fuse."