C89 The Sound of a Gunshot Echoed in the Library.(1)

At 2 PM sharp, Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang had loaded all the useful supplies from the supermarket onto their "Shopping Tank," leaving behind nothing but a chaotic scene.

"Good! Our mission for today is accomplished!" Tang Bing glanced back at the disheveled supermarket. "Everything left is contaminated. It's best we leave it for safety's sake."

"Yep!" Zhao Dagang agreed enthusiastically, "We've got enough resources to last us a long while. Can we take a day to rest once we're back? I'm beat!"

Tang Bing sympathized; he and Zhao Dagang had been moving goods together since morning. Except for a brief lunch break, they hadn't stopped, and he felt the fatigue too. "We've finished all our tasks for today. A good rest back home is definitely in order!"

"Awesome!" Zhao Dagang perked up at Tang Bing's confirmation. "Shall we head out now?"

"Let's do it!" Tang Bing said, pulling his "Shopping Tank" and leading the way.

"Bing, are we moving out tomorrow?" Zhao Dagang asked, towing his cart behind. "We've gathered all the supplies, and I reckon everything at home will be sorted out by today."

Tang Bing looked up at the sky, pondering for a moment. "We'll have to see how the weather holds up. There's no sun this afternoon, and it looks pretty overcast. The air feels muggy and hot; I've got a hunch it might pour."

"Ah, really? It's been scorching for days!" Zhao Dagang was skeptical. "I just think it's a tad hotter than the last few days, not like rain's on the way."

"We'll play it by ear," Tang Bing said cautiously, scanning their surroundings. "If it does start to pour, we'll stay put."

"Okay!" Zhao Dagang nodded. "Bing, I gave Liang Hui a pack of chocolates yesterday. She didn't thank me, but she seemed a lot nicer than before! Looks like your advice worked!"

"If it's working, keep at it," Tang Bing chuckled. "But be careful now, Qin Mengli is tallying the supplies. Make sure you hide it well so she doesn't catch on."

"Ha! Isn't everyone following your lead, Brother Bing? With just a word from you, I'm off the hook!" Zhao Dagang laughed heartily.

Tang Bing was just about to explain how tough Qin Mengli could be when he abruptly stopped, a faint baby's cry catching his ear.

"What's up, Brother Bing?" Zhao Dagang was taken aback by Tang Bing's sudden halt. He paused and turned to Tang Bing with a questioning look.

"Shh," Tang Bing gestured for silence, speaking in a hushed tone, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Zhao Dagang quieted down and strained his ears.

"Listen closely!" Tang Bing whispered, "There's a child crying, and it's close by!"

"You're right!" Zhao Dagang exclaimed, realizing he heard it too, "There are survivors! And they have a child with them!"

"It seems to be coming from..." Tang Bing faced west, where the sound appeared to originate.

"Bing, shouldn't we go help them?" Zhao Dagang was eager, rolling up his sleeves.

"Hold on!" Tang Bing quickly restrained him, "We need to get the supplies back to the factory first."

"But what if it's too late, Bing?" Zhao Dagang pressed, his anxiety palpable, "The child's cries will draw the zombies!"

"I'm aware!" Tang Bing acknowledged, locking eyes with him, "Even if we rescue the child, and his parents are there, it's going to be tough to keep him quiet. The crying will attract zombies and we'll be in trouble!"

"So, what do we do?" Zhao Dagang's mouth hung open, "We can't just ignore someone in need, especially a child! We might choose not to save adults since they're supposed to be able to fend for themselves. If they can't, it's not as heavy on our conscience. But a child is different! I couldn't live with myself if we didn't try to save him!"

"You don't need to tell me," Tang Bing replied, his own turmoil evident. Knowing there were survivors nearby, possibly infants, made the thought of not helping them unbearable. Of course, if he were alone, he might selfishly choose to ignore the cries, dealing with his guilt later, but survival might dictate such a choice.

Now, as the team leader, his priorities should lie with the team's safety, but faced with this dilemma, he knew they had to take action.

"Bing..." Zhao Dagang hefted the mace, "Shall we go together?"

"No!" After much deliberation, Tang Bing firmly shook his head. "Your job is to haul the supplies back to the factory and stay put at home."

"What? Brother Bing, you're heading out solo again? That's way too risky!" Zhao Dagang protested, "Why don't we secure the supplies first, then head out together? We can watch each other's backs!"

"You know we don't have time for that!" Tang Bing shot him a stern look. "Just do as I told you. Get those supplies back home. I'll check out what's happening over there."

When Tang Bing made up his mind, there was no changing it. Zhao Dagang, realizing this, reluctantly agreed, "Fine! I'll get the supplies home and wait there. But Brother Bing, please be careful! If it's too dangerous and you can't help them, then just let it be. Your safety is paramount—you're the one we all rely on, our leader!"

"Enough," Tang Bing gave him a brief nod, passed off the shopping cart, grabbed the mace, and sprinted towards the source of the cries.

Zhao Dagang made two cautious trips, bringing both shopping carts loaded with supplies back home, then swiftly locked the front door.

"Brother Zhao, where's Brother Bing?" Sun Meng, descending the stairs, asked with urgency upon seeing him return alone.

Qin Mengli, Lin Leyan, and Liang Hui all converged, their expressions fraught with worry.

Understanding the gravity of Tang Bing's absence on the team's morale—since he was the sole leader and pillar of support—Zhao Dagang quickly reassured the four women, "On our way back, we heard a child crying nearby. It could be survivors with children passing through, or perhaps there are more survivors out there. Brother Bing went to investigate, hoping to bring back the children and any other survivors, if possible."

"Why let Brother Bing go by himself again?" Sun Meng pressed, her anxiety palpable. "What if something happens to him?"

"I intended to accompany Brother Bing, but he insisted I return with the supplies," Zhao Dagang replied, his frustration evident.

"Which is more important, the supplies or Brother Bing?" Sun Meng asked, her voice tinged with urgency.

"I'm well aware that Brother Bing is more important!" Zhao Dagang replied, equally anxious, "But I can't just ignore his orders!"

"Enough!" Qin Mengli intervened timely. "If Tang Bing insists on going alone, he must have his reasons. He's come through plenty of dangers unscathed, hasn't he? And it's not a given that Brother Zhao's presence would be of any help. What if he ends up being a liability instead?"

"Your words might sting, but I can't argue with them," Zhao Dagang said, casting a disgruntled glance at Qin Mengli, clearly bothered by her suggestion that he might slow them down.

Sun Meng peered outside, her face etched with concern.

Qin Mengli noticed her expression, and a flicker of irritation passed through her eyes, almost imperceptible.

Meanwhile, Tang Bing was making his way toward the source of the crying. The path was sparsely populated with zombies, allowing him to handle them with ease.

But something puzzled him. The crying had been constant, yet the zombies he encountered weren't as frenzied as he'd expected, with hardly any heading toward the noise.

Given the zombies' keen hearing, this was unusual. What was happening? Could it be that a child's cry was somehow different, not attracting the zombies?

He quickly dismissed the odd notion, convincing himself it was unlikely.

Regardless, the sound of crying was becoming louder, a sign that he was closing in on its source.

It wasn't far from the factory, just a few streets over. After using a bomb to divert the zombies earlier, the area was mostly clear, reducing the threat level.

As he made his way, wielding his mace against any stray zombies, he unexpectedly leveled up from 12 to 13.

He decisively invested all his skill points into Agility. For him, speed was of the essence. Only with enough speed could he ensure his survival.

After all, as the saying goes, "In the world of martial arts, speed is unbeatable." Lacking formal training, he relied on his agility, using speed as his primary means of fortification.