Chapter 75: Forward

A day quickly passed, and early in the morning, Wang Zhi got out of bed. For someone who had trained for a long time, suddenly resting for two days felt unsettling.

He went to the bathroom and trimmed his long hair and beard, something he hadn’t done in a while. One had to look presentable when going out!

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, Wang Zhi saw how his face had become more resolute over the past few months. His gaze had grown sharper, and for a moment, the person in the mirror felt like a stranger.

After everyone had breakfast, they began packing supplies. Each person carried their own ammunition, equipment, food, and medicine.

They had considered having one person carry all the supplies to free the others for combat. However, if that person had an accident and they couldn’t retrieve the supplies in time, the entire team would be left without resources. By distributing the load, they ensured that even if someone was lost, the rest could still manage.

Once everyone was suited up in their protective gear, they headed toward the exit.

Upon reaching the elevator leading near Z Hospital, the guards in the lobby, seeing another team preparing to go out, raised their rifles skyward and stood at attention, a silent salute to those venturing beyond the safe zone.

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Walking down the corridor, Wang Zhi pushed open the iron gate.

The snow outside immediately whipped against their faces.

Snow had been falling for two days, and now a thick layer of 20 centimeters covered the ground. The biting wind seeped through even the warmest thermal clothing, sending chills straight to the bone. Their boots pressed into the fresh snow, producing a soft crunch with each step.

Looking around, Wang Zhi found the surroundings eerily familiar.

“This is the park we passed when we arrived, isn’t it?” Lao He commented, glancing around.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Scanning the park, Wang Zhi noticed a few aged zombies shuffling weakly through the snow.

The group exchanged glances and decided to take them down quietly with melee weapons.

As Wang Zhi slowly approached one of the zombies, it suddenly erupted into a frenzied sprint, moving as fast as the terrifying undead they had first encountered.

Wang Zhi was momentarily startled but quickly regained composure, dodging the zombie’s lunge. The creature missed and collapsed into the snow. Before it could get up, Wang Zhi drove his dagger straight into its skull, ending it instantly.

He wiped the blood off his blade on the zombie’s tattered clothes.

Damn thing was pretending to be weak. Even zombies knew how to hide their strength now? Wang Zhi mused as he gazed at the lifeless corpse.

Once the others finished dealing with the remaining zombies, the group continued westward.

The park was large but sparsely populated with undead. When they reached the other side, they saw a massive square ahead.

Wang Zhi pulled out his binoculars and surveyed the area.

The square was teeming with a dense horde of zombies, wandering aimlessly in the open.

“Looks like we’ll have to find another route,” he said, lowering the binoculars.

There were multiple ways to reach Z Hospital, and avoiding large groups of zombies was always the priority.

After trying two different detours, Wang Zhi realized a harsh truth—there was no avoiding the city center.

No matter which way they went, they always encountered a significant number of zombies.

Sooner or later, they would have to push through.

“Captain Wang… maybe we should just head back? We still have plenty of survival points, and going into the city is just too dangerous,” Fatty suggested hesitantly.

Wang Zhi was silent for a moment.

Then, without responding, he took a step forward and kept walking.

He knew Fatty well enough—if he moved ahead, Fatty would follow.

Was Fatty the only one afraid? No! Wang Zhi was scared too.

He knew this journey would be tough, but it was necessary.

Because one day, they would have to walk this path.

Better to do it now, while the zombies hadn’t fully mutated.

Better to act while humanity still had a chance.

Better to fight while they still had resources to survive.

As their footsteps disturbed the quiet street, the zombies ahead snapped to attention.

With guttural roars, they went berserk, charging toward them. Some even slipped on the snowy ground, scrambling to regain their footing.

Wang Zhi quickly switched to his handgun, taking out two of the closest zombies with precise headshots.

The others followed suit, raising their guns and firing at the approaching horde.

A stray bullet shattered a store window on the side of the street.

The crisp sound of breaking glass rang out, echoing through the silent cityscape.

Wang Zhi’s heart sank.

“Damn it! Run to the intersection! Don’t waste time fighting!” he shouted through the radio while sprinting ahead.

The group dashed through the snow, undead snarling and chasing close behind.

When they reached the crossroads, they found the intersection jammed with abandoned cars, forming a natural barrier.

Wang Zhi leapt onto the roof of a Jeep and turned to fire at the pursuing zombies.

The wrecked vehicles significantly slowed the horde’s advance, giving the team time to reload.

After exhausting their spare magazines, only a few zombies remained.

Switching to melee weapons, they finished off the remaining undead.

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A system notification flashed across their helmets.

“Survival Points +500”