C76 After the Discussion, They All Agreed That They Would Go out Alone Before Nightfall.

During a break, Tang Bing gathered the four women to share his thoughts with them.

Lin Leyan and her mother felt they had no say in the matter, and out of fear for Tang Bing, they kept their opinions to themselves.

Sun Meng, feeling anxious, asked, "Move? Bing, where to?"

"I don't know!" Tang Bing shook his head, addressing the four women, "But we certainly need to relocate to a more secluded area, away from large hordes of zombies. Our current location in the city center is swarming with them. Any noise outside and we're immediately surrounded by a frightening number. You've all seen what happened at the supermarket. Plus, the more zombies there are, the greater the chance of encountering mutant zombies! Since arriving here, I've already faced three mutant zombies, barely escaping with my life each time."

"Your point is valid, but resources are scarce in remote areas," Qin Mengli pointed out, her brow furrowed with concern. "That's a problem for us. Despite the risks here, at least food and essentials are more accessible. And what about all the supplies we've gathered? Are we just supposed to abandon them?"

"I've considered that," Tang Bing acknowledged with a nod. "That's why we won't be moving right away. Before we do, I intend to find a large bus or truck that can carry all our supplies, and even allow us to collect more along the way. We'll also make sure to transport as much as we can from nearby, especially the rice from the supermarket."

"But what about the long term?" Sun Meng asked, her worry evident. "Our supplies will run out eventually."

"Don't fret about that. When the time comes, I'll take Dagang to scout the nearest towns," Tang Bing reassured her. "I'll also make it a priority to locate an uncontaminated water source. Eventually, we can cultivate our own land for farming."

"But none of us know how to farm!" Qin Mengli blurted out, her anxiety spiking.

"Who's naturally a farmer?" Tang Bing gave her a look, thinking to himself that she was overly concerned. "With the mysterious game system I have, this won't be a problem. I'll figure it out. You don't need to worry."

"So, are we heading towards a life cut off from the rest of the world?" Sun Meng asked, a note of unease in her voice as she looked at Tang Bing.

Tang Bing gestured towards the window and said, "So, you'd rather keep company with zombies? Remember what happened when the military sanctuary fell!"

At his words, Sun Meng and Qin Mengli both shuddered, clearly recalling the horrifying sight of the zombie horde overwhelming the military sanctuary.

"I'm with Bing on this," Zhao Dagang declared, stepping forward. "Life's a lot easier far from the zombies' lair! Plus, I'm a farmer by trade—I can work the land!"

The four women remained quiet, and Tang Bing could tell they were deeply concerned. "Take some time to think it over," he advised. "I'm not here to force anyone's hand. Those who want to come with me, I'll take you. If you think staying in the city is better, then I'll respect your decision and let you stay."

At his words, everyone shot him a glare.

That was a bit harsh! Aside from Zhao Dagang, who else could make it on their own here? Without Tang Bing's protection, even if the four women banded together, they'd likely end up just waiting to die in some high-rise.

Tang Bing understood their stares but met them with an unwavering gaze. "Don't look at me like that! And another thing—I want you to start some basic combat and bravery training starting today."

"What?!" The shock was evident on all four women's faces.

"Bing, what are you getting at?" Sun Meng asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"It's exactly as it sounds," Tang Bing replied, scanning their faces. "To survive in this new world, you need to learn to fight. Don't use being women as an excuse to always be protected. There might come a day when I'm not around—anything can happen! What will you do then, just wait to die? Learning to fight isn't about taking risks with me; it's about having the skills to look after yourselves so you don't slow me down."

"But... but Mengli almost got eaten by a zombie last time she went out!" Sun Meng protested, her voice tinged with panic. "Bing, we're not cut out for this... And you, you're invincible. Nothing's going to happen to you—you're too strong!"

All the women nodded emphatically, their reliance on Tang Bing was evident. Their personalities played a role, too; none had ever imagined that as delicate girls, they would need to learn to combat zombies. To them, the notion of strong men providing protection was simply a given.

Initially, they hadn't given it much thought, but Tang Bing's recent words struck a chord, instilling a deep sense of urgency in them all.

There was a hint of anxiety in the women's eyes, yet none dared to openly challenge Tang Bing.

"Don't worry," Tang Bing reassured the visibly shaken women. "I'm only asking you to master the essentials of self-defense. Say Dagang and I are out scavenging and zombies or other hostile survivors breach the base—you should at least be able to fend for yourselves. Don't just panic and run, becoming easy prey or getting captured!"

The women's faces softened a bit at his rationale. Tang Bing had a point; without the men, the base was left with women who lacked the strength to defend themselves. In the event of an intrusion by zombies or sneaky survivors, they could end up as one of the grotesque, roaming undead or like those unfortunate women from a previous group of survivors.

Realizing Tang Bing was genuinely concerned for their safety, everyone, including Lin Leyan and her daughter, breathed easier.

"So we're not being asked to go out and fight zombies?" Sun Meng asked, patting her chest in relief. "Bing, then I'm on board!"

"But can you actually teach us?" Qin Mengli inquired skeptically. "You're self-taught, with no formal training in martial arts."

"It's merely the basics of self-defense," Tang Bing replied, a bit exasperated. "How many zombies have I taken down out there? That experience is far more practical than any traditional martial arts routine."

Qin Mengli wisely chose to remain silent in response to Tang Bing's retort.

"Let's all mentally gear up," Tang Bing continued, seeing no further objections. "I'll get started on the moving preparations. You all should organize the supplies for an easier transition. And in the coming days, when we have some downtime, I'll teach you the fundamentals and help build up your bravery."

"We've got the basics of self-defense down," Sun Meng inquired with curiosity, "but how do we train our courage? Isn't courage something we're born with? How can we make it stronger?"

Tang Bing offered a reassuring smile. "I've got a plan. You'll see when the time comes."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Qin Mengli muttered, her brow furrowed as she eyed Tang Bing's grin.

True to his word, after lunch, Tang Bing ushered the four women on his team into a spacious room he had set up, where he demonstrated some basic exercises for building physical strength and endurance. He instructed them to use this "training room" for daily practice whenever they had spare time.

With a few simple moves shown, Tang Bing retreated to his workspace in the top-floor dormitory, turning his attention to the crafting table.

Among the weapon options was an iron pipe bomb, a design he had previously acquired. The bomb required a sheet of paper, an iron pipe, and five units of gunpowder. Paper was abundant; he had amassed a large supply from earlier scavenging. Iron pipes could be forged in a furnace, but he had already collected many from dismantling various pieces of furniture and appliances. And gunpowder—he had scored a good amount from a trip to the police station, enough to craft 15 iron pipe bombs.

Lately, he had been using up his pistol ammunition at an alarming rate, and supplies were dwindling. With the hordes of zombies outside, relying solely on his mace and iron sword was far from ideal. Lacking the materials to manufacture more bullets, he needed to enhance his firepower, particularly for breaking through swarms of the undead.

Even though he wasn't sure about the potency of the iron pipe bombs, they were still explosives. If anything, their destructive power should surpass that of firearms, capable of inflicting damage over a wide area. The blast's roar might even serve to lure zombies, clustering them in one spot.

The 15 iron pipe bombs might not inflict significant losses on the dense, uncountable horde outside, but they would undoubtedly prove valuable in a pinch—especially since Tang Bing was also planning to venture out in search of a usable vehicle.

It would take roughly half an hour to assemble the 15 bombs. Once completed, he would stash them in his virtual backpack before swiftly descending the stairs.

Before dusk, he knew he had to venture out, first to scout the nearby area and see if he could draw the horde of zombies away from the supermarket.

"Bing, let me come with you!" Zhao Dagang eagerly volunteered upon hearing Tang Bing's plan to leave.

"This mission is too risky; it's not practical to bring you along," Tang Bing declined, shaking his head. "Your job is to stay here, look after the women, and oversee their training. Make sure they complete the basic training I've assigned—no slacking off!"

"Ah?" Zhao Dagang's face fell at the prospect of being left behind, but he couldn't bring himself to defy Tang Bing's command.

"I'm going to try to divert the supermarket zombies and look for any usable large vehicles," Tang Bing explained. "If all goes well, I'll do my best to return before dark. If I can't make it back tonight, I'll find a way to let you know."

"But how will you let us know?" Sun Meng asked, concerned. "All of our phones are dead!"

"Exactly," Qin Mengli chimed in. "And isn't it too risky for you to be out there alone?"

"I can take care of myself," Tang Bing assured them, pulling out a flashlight and flicking it on and off. "If I can't come back, I'll signal you with this. At night, just watch from the window—I'll be somewhere in a nearby building. Two flashes mean I'm on my way back. Three flashes mean I'm staying out overnight. Got it?"

"Got it!" everyone, including Zhao Dagang, responded in unison.

"Good. I'll come back as soon as I can, if possible," Tang Bing said, pocketing the flashlight and getting ready to head out.

"Bing, wait!" Sun Meng hurried after him, pulling him aside.

"What is it?" Tang Bing asked, turning to her.

"Could you leave me a weapon? If trouble comes, we women will be defenseless and won't be able to back up Brother Zhao," Sun Meng pleaded, looking up at him.

Tang Bing thought to himself, Even if I gave you weapons, could you really be of any help? Let's be honest, in your current state, you'd probably just end up running to Zhao Dagang for protection if a zombie showed up.

To reassure them, he leaned in and murmured, "Under my bed, you'll find a fire axe, a crowbar, iron pipes, and more. They're not top-notch, but they'll come in handy."

"Thank you, Bing!" Sun Meng clutched his wrist. "Please, be careful out there!"

"Okay, I'm off!"