Chapter 24: Return to Anqing City

Xu Hanfeng, Jiang Hanchuan, and I quickly donned the mercenary gear from the Jiang Group, distributing the remainder among the few able-bodied and daring survivors.

Just then, the walkie-talkie on the ground suddenly crackled to life.

"This is Command. Team 2, what is your current status? Have the defectors been eliminated?"

Our group paled, a collective sense of dread washing over us. Our position had been thoroughly compromised, and it wasn't just those six people who knew where we were.

I looked up at Xu Hanfeng and saw him pick up the walkie-talkie, inspecting it closely with a furrowed brow. "A Federation military radio?" he muttered.

The voice from the other end repeated, "Team 2, respond if you receive this..."

Xu Hanfeng slammed the radio onto the ground, crushing it under his boot, a flash of grim resolve in his eyes. Everyone grew tense, the atmosphere as heavy as the silence before a storm.

"Boss," I asked, "are they nearby? What should we do?"

Xu Hanfeng’s voice was low. "They shouldn't be too close. This is a foreign military radio with a communication range of about 50 kilometers. We’ve been exposed here. Everyone, pack up. We’re heading back!"

Jiang Hanchuan asked, confused, "Back? Back where? Anqing City?"

Xu Hanfeng nodded, his tone firm. "The city is swarming with zombies; it’s our natural protective barrier. It’s the only place we can hide to have a fighting chance."

We didn't hesitate. We quickly gathered all the food and water from Old Sun's house and set off immediately toward Anqing City. Despite our trepidation, we knew it was our only option and pressed on.

Our large group hurried along the path we had come from. I walked in the middle, feeling unsettled. I couldn't shake a strange, growing anxiety about the traps Xu Hanfeng had ordered us to set before leaving.

Jiang Hanchuan, always unable to keep his composure, leaned toward Xu Hanfeng and whispered, "Boss, will this really work? Will they fall for it?" His eyes were full of doubt, as if the trap were a trick that might be exposed at any moment.

Xu Hanfeng walked in front without turning back, his voice steady and powerful.

"Fifty kilometers is only a few hours away for mercenaries. This trap might not necessarily hurt them, but it will at least buy us some time."

Hearing this, I finally understood—Xu Hanfeng was playing for time. No wonder he had insisted that I drive all the zombies into Old Sun’s mansion, light candles in every room, lock the front door, and hang the remaining flour from the ceiling above the entrance.

I had thought at the time that the trap was useless—it couldn't even fool me, let alone those cunning mercenaries. I hadn't realized that Xu Hanfeng’s primary goal was simply to delay them. My own thinking had been quite naive.

I blushed at the thought, realizing I had just been doubting him.

When Jiang Hanchuan heard this, his eyes lit up. "An empty-fort strategy? Boss, that’s brilliant! They’ll rush in thinking we’re all inside, and by the time they realize, we’ll already be in Anqing City."

He continued to shower Xu Hanfeng with praise, his words sounding like a performance. I secretly looked down on his sycophancy. The boss was impressive, sure, but was it really that dramatic? If I, Li Linyu, had the chance, I could perform a grand feat too. "Hmph!"

With plenty of food and water, our travel speed was significantly faster than before. By noon the next day, we reached the Anqing City toll station.

Luo Yucheng suddenly gasped behind me, "Why are there so many zombies wandering all the way out here?" I followed her gaze and saw a dense mass of zombies, thick as ants. With such a large group, our progress would inevitably be slowed.

Seeing the situation, a surge of bravado took hold of me. "I'll drive them into the city; you guys follow," I said, rushing forward as if I were a legendary hero capable of banishing ghosts and demons.

Behind me, Xu Hanfeng frowned, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Seeing I had already run off, he remained silent.

Luo Yucheng stepped forward and said anxiously to Xu Hanfeng, "Brother Feng, Linyu is too impulsive. Now all the survivors who escaped from the Jiang base will know about Linyu’s secret!"

Xu Hanfeng sighed, a look of helpless resignation in his eyes. "Let him be." His words carried both tolerance and a worry for the future.

As for me, I had already plunged into the sea of zombies, beginning my "zombie-herding mission."

...

After the zombies were driven away, the terrifying, tide-like figures finally retreated for the moment. I panted heavily, sweat dripping down my cheeks and onto the dusty ground.

The main group followed, like exhausted travelers finally finding a moment of peace, filing into Anqing City. However, the sight before us was despairing: the city was so densely packed with zombies that it looked like an endless ocean of death, impossible to penetrate.

"This... what do we do now?" Jiang Hanchuan stammered, his eyes filled with fear. "With so many zombies, how can we possibly get through?"

I frowned, feeling my own anxiety rising. It was true; if we went deeper into the zombie swarm, we would not only face danger but also the risk of attack from mutant animals. Those mutated beasts were far fiercer than ordinary zombies, and I truly wouldn't be able to handle them.

Xu Hanfeng surveyed the area, his gaze as sharp as a hawk’s. Finally, he locked eyes on a six-story residential building.

"Over there!" he pointed. "Let’s go up and take a look."

Without hesitation, we moved quickly, climbing the crumbling stairs step by step. Every movement was fraught with the unknown, but we had no way back.

Finally, we reached the top floor. There was an attic with the door left ajar, as if beckoning us. We pushed it open cautiously, and a stale, musty air wafted out. The attic was cluttered, but the space was reasonably large.

"This will do," Xu Hanfeng said. "It has a good vantage point, and there are several buildings nearby. If we are discovered, we can evacuate quickly."

I nodded in agreement. Everyone began organizing their gear, preparing to rest in this temporary shelter. I walked to the window and looked out through the filthy glass at the zombies wandering below like soulless puppets.

"When will these days ever end?"

"Yeah."

"Hiding and running, every single day."

The survivors behind me murmured.

"Everyone, don't lose heart," Xu Hanfeng said, patting one of them on the shoulder. "As long as we stand together, we will find a way out eventually."

I turned to look at his determined eyes, and a strange, newfound strength surged within me.