Chapter 4, Anping Lake Metro Station

She tried once again to carry Zheng Jieming, but once again she failed, ultimately collapsing onto the ground

Chang Bing let out a long sigh. In the past two days, she felt both fear and relief. The fear stemmed from witnessing the sudden madness of passengers entering the station, seeing her colleagues and passengers alike collapse and then rise again, witnessing a river of blood and cries of despair in just a few short minutes. The relief came from the fact that she had just been transferred to Anping Lake station, which had been the least affected by the zombie crisis.

"What about the man in that room?" Liu Junluo pointed to the lounge

Suddenly, she noticed that Zheng Jieming's lips seemed to be moving slightly. She quickly leaned closer, wanting to hear clearly what he was saying

Sister

Oh! Brother! Zhou Jitang deliberately elongated his tone in a teasing manner, then made a foolish smile while looking at Chang Bing, revealing a severely decayed black canine tooth that had been eaten away by insects

Ma Qizhao muttered something behind him as Meng Zhuang walked into the room

Ha, it seems I no longer need to express my stance!" Zhou Jitang tilted his head and said softly

A large group of zombies emerged from the platform, and some of them are slowly making their way upstairs. They have not yet noticed us, but at this rate, they will be up here in no time, Meng Zhuang replied

He... he said... "" Chang Bing thought for a moment, this man lying down indeed said nothing, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words

Zhou Jitang made a sound of "cut" but had not yet expressed his opinion when Liu Junluo seized the opportunity to speak: "I believe we cannot drag a burden along the way; the outside is filled with zombies, and we can hardly protect ourselves. We should leave him behind."

Zhoujitang squinted his eyes and looked over, then also walked out the door

She continued to pull him up, once again wanting to carry him on her back. Meng Zhuang merely watched from the side

Chang Bing sat on the ground of the entrance hall at Exit A of Anping Lake Metro Station, gripping a riot baton and vigilantly watching the iron gate leading outside from Exit A, occasionally glancing back at the door of the metro staff break room. The iron gate leading outside was tightly locked, and under the moonlight, several zombies clung to the bars, their heads drooping as they knelt, seemingly in a state of slumber

The cavalry! Upon seeing everyone's selfish reaction, Chang Bing felt a surge of anger in her heart. She turned to face the cavalry, hoping to gain his support

"Let's go," that person said to Chang Bing, turning to walk out the door

Bastard! Chang Bing cursed inwardly, Ma Qi! You usually play both sides, yet at a critical moment, you don't even have the courage to come inside... Meng Zhuang... You won't even help me bear some of this! That scoundrel Liu Junlu!

The zombies are slowly moving upstairs. The cavalry is urging us to retreat immediately; if we don't leave now, it will be too late

The cavalry urges you to hurry! There is no time left!" Liu Junlu poked his head in, dropped this line, and then went out again

You had better be quiet. Don't disturb my sleep www.hetushu.com! Liu Junluo heavily lay down on the sofa. In the darkness, Chang Bing gritted his teeth in anger.

Zheng Jieming fell to the ground once again, letting out a sound of "mm".

Everyone fell silent

With tearful eyes, Chang Bing raised her head in the dark room, her vision blurred, and she could only see a shadow.

The bald man nodded slightly and quietly descended the stairs while holding a baton

Ma Qi turned his head; Zhou Jitang and Chang Bing had already regained consciousness. He fixed his gaze on Zheng Jieming, glanced at Chang Bing again, and stepped out to investigate the situation

"The alarm cannot be raised, and the outside is filled with zombies." Chang Bing expressed his concern as he glanced at the strong man in the team

Meng Zhuang, what is your opinion?" Ma Qi did not express his stance, turning towards Meng Zhuang

Late at night, Chang Bing, Zhou Jitang, the bald man, and two other subway security personnel gathered in the A entrance station security check hall, discussing the next course of action outside the break room

"Sofa?" Liu Junluo complained, only to be glared at by Ma Qi, causing his head to lower reluctantly

Chang Bing immediately leaned in to check Zheng Jieming's breathing, which was steady. She struggled to lift Zheng Jieming's head, trying to get him to sit up, but he remained in a daze, barely able to half-open his eyes and make swallowing motions. Anxiety began to rise within her, thinking, "Come on, buddy! Wake up already!"

Chang Bing looked up at Meng Zhuang, but in the darkness, she could not see his face clearly. Gritting her teeth, she pulled Zheng Jieming onto her right shoulder, attempting to carry him on her back

"Chang Bing, what is your opinion?" Ma Qi turned towards Chang Bing

What is going on?" He suppressed his anger and asked as calmly as possible.

At this moment, Meng Zhuang also jogged to the door, looking much more at ease.

It is me! Liu Junluo! Liu Junluo crouched down to protect his head

"Xiao Zhou, please be mindful of Sister Chang's feelings when you speak, and refrain from being too blunt." Ma Qi attempted to mediate the situation. The four individuals in front of him were all members of his security team. "However, food is indeed an issue; there are only some disorganized snacks in the break room, which won't last until tomorrow afternoon."

"What do you care! Get out!" Chang Bing forcefully stepped out of the door after leaving the weekly meeting, slamming the door shut behind him

"It's bad, it's really bad! We must retreat immediately! Otherwise, it will all be over!" Liu Junluo gasped for breath, completely failing to get to the point.

Did you hear that! He is still alive!" Chang Bing's voice trembled slightly

Weekly Journal

B entrance? Guarding it! Am I not here every day guarding the B entrance? The problem is, the entrance is tightly locked, and I can't get in!" Zhou Jitang looked at Chang Bing with ill intentions, sizing him up. Chang Bing knew he had been at a disadvantage in the conversation but found himself unable to retaliate.

Everyone, please stand up, and take your places. Zhou Jitang walked over to Chang Bing, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Taking care of handsome guys, this job is great!"

What should we do tonight? Liu Junluo asked, glancing at the lounge, clearly indicating that the kid had taken the only bed in the lounge, leaving us with no place to rest

There is also Zhoujitang, this rogue! A despicable rogue!

She glanced at the iron exit door, confirmed it was safe, and pushed the door to enter the lounge. Inside the room lay a bed, and on the bed was Zheng Jieming.

The snacks are all gone, I'm about to starve! Should we start a fire and roast some human meat to try?" Zhou Jitang yawned and exaggeratedly rubbed his belly. He wasn't really unafraid; he just had a particularly sharp tongue at times.

How is that person?" Chang Bing asked softly

What are you doing here? Go over there and wait at the exit." Chang Bing gazed out the window

What about me?" Chang Bing raised his right hand high

"Human lives are at stake! We lost so many people yesterday, including 6 members of the security team and 9 staff from the subway company. Now only the five of us are left, and we truly cannot afford any more losses." Meng Zhuang spoke with a steady demeanor, leaving no room for error. At first, Chang Bing thought Meng Zhuang was supporting her, but as the conversation progressed, she began to feel otherwise.

Subsequently, Zheng Jieming was laboriously carried on the back by that person

Ma Qi pretended not to see or hear, and continued speaking: "If we still cannot contact the outside world tomorrow during the day, we will have to relocate."

Ah? Are you worried about the pretty boy getting hurt? The Weekly Journal doesn't mind, loosening his grip and strolling out of the room. "Be careful, Xiaobingbing, if the pretty boy really gets bitten, he might turn into a corpse in a while, right?"

"You go out! Don't disturb him!" Chang Bing opened the door to the lounge and formally expressed his protest to Zhou Jitang.

A petty person! Not even as good as the weekly diary hall

Chang Bing cast him a glance, remaining silent. She knew that her choice was quite isolating. Indeed, everyone was engulfed in tension and fear, and self-preservation was already beyond their capacity, especially for her. As a woman, she was inherently part of a vulnerable group. Faced with colleagues who were not particularly united under normal circumstances, she still had to take care of a stranger she had never met before, who was mentally unresponsive.

Isn't that right, Chang Mei? I haven't said anything wrong, have I? When you are hungry and your front is pressed against your back, I, Brother Zhou, will take care of you!" Zhou Jitang once again took advantage of Chang Bing, who glared at Zhou with resentment and turned away, no longer paying him any attention

She secretly cursed in her heart

Chang Bing was startled and quickly straightened up, arranging his bangs that had fallen down. Zhou Jitang leaned against the door, smirking as he teased.

After a brief silence, Meng Zhuang spoke, "Let's go"

Tears streamed down Chang Bing's face. None of these men in the library were willing to help her save a single person, a life; she felt the world was cold and devoid of hope

The weekly journal hall is at Exit B, and the remaining two are on the platform. You can go check the platform; Exits A and B have iron gates, so it's fine for me to stay here

Zhou Jitang and Ma Qi were soundly asleep on the sofa, while Chang Bing dozed off with his head tilted on the chair. Suddenly, the door was flung open with a loud bang, crashing against the wall. The three of them woke up simultaneously, groggily staring at the doorway. In his confusion, Ma Qi thought it was a zombie charging in and instinctively pulled out his baton, ready to strike at the door.

Isn't that moving "slowly"? This guy is still not awake! Chang Bing continued to shake Zheng Jieming. The more she struggled within herself, the more her conscience prevented her from disregarding a life. Throughout the entire day of the zombie crisis, she witnessed countless people fall before her. Deep down, she did not wish for anyone to fall, especially this person she had just rescued yesterday.

After a brief pause, the horseman spoke: "The person inside, we must take good care of him tonight and tomorrow morning. Xiao Chang, he was saved by you and Zhou Jitang. It seems he is only severely dehydrated; he can occasionally wake up for a few seconds to drink some water. I believe he should regain consciousness and recover by tomorrow, so there is no need to worry too much." He paused again, noticing that Chang Bing's expression had eased slightly, and continued, "Regardless of the situation tomorrow, we must be ready to depart by noon. We need to find a suitable stronghold for defense and survival."

Chang Bing wiped away his tears and saw the figure of that person clearly, tears once again streamed down his face

Oh? Zhou Jitang swung his arms as he walked into the room, glancing at Zheng Jieming, who was still in a semi-conscious, semi-asleep state. "What did he say?"

"Oh? Look at what you said, am I not just taking a look at the pretty boy we rescued?" Zhou Jitang took a step forward, grasped Zheng Jieming's chin with his right hand, tilted his face towards himself, and then bent down to examine him closely, "Tsk tsk tsk, not bad at all, a few more scars would add to the manliness."

The area near Anping Lake Station is a lakeside district. During the morning rush hour, this station actually experiences the least foot traffic. The station has three ground exits: A, B, and C. Exits A and B are adjacent to each other, located on the side of the ring road around the lake, while Exit C is on the lakeside. During the zombie outbreak, there were almost no people inside the station, but pedestrians and incoming passengers outside quickly turned into zombies. The subway security team promptly locked the iron gate doors connecting exits A and B to the outside world, preventing more zombies from flooding into the station. They then engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the zombies. After dealing with the zombies inside the station, the five surviving security team members took positions at exits A and B, while the remaining members patrolled the platform to prevent zombies from entering through the subway tunnels and other areas. Fortunately, at the moment the zombie crisis erupted and the subway system was completely paralyzed, there happened to be no train at the platform of Anping Lake Station, making their subway station a relatively safe area. Chang Bing and Zhou Jitang were both members of the subway security team. After clearing the subway station, while patrolling the platform, they heard unusual noises from the ventilation system. Chang Bing insisted that there was someone above, and the two opened the ventilation duct, only to discover Zheng Jieming. At this point, it had already been a day and a half since the outbreak of the zombie crisis.

However, Zheng Jieming slipped to the ground

Of course we should take it away! Right, Brother Ma!" Chang Bing answered without hesitation, hoping to gain support from Ma Qi

At the weekly meeting, you and I will keep watch in the late hours. We will take over for them at 3:00 AM. Everyone just needs to focus on Entrance A, there is no need to go to Entrance B, and it is best to avoid leaving the platform as much as possible

Meng Zhuang nodded and said: "The subway platform is too long, and there are four tunnels. It is truly impossible to defend. Today, no zombies have come out from the platform, which is our good fortune. If more zombies appear, we will be completely helpless."

A broad and warm hand rested gently on Chang Bing's shoulder, giving it a soft pat

Chang Bing entered the room, turned Zheng Jieming over, and supported his head in an attempt to give him some water. Zheng Jieming was in a semi-comatose state; as soon as he was propped up, his eyes half-opened and moved slightly. At that moment, he was able to slowly swallow some water, but soon lost consciousness again

You will keep watch all night, responsible for taking care of that person. When he wakes up, promptly provide him with water and help him turn over. Report to me when his consciousness is restored. Make sure to rest appropriately yourself as well. Does anyone else have any questions

No, he hasn't woken up yet. I just want to hear what he has to say. Chang Bing appeared quite unnatural

Chang Bing sat on the sofa by the bed, carefully examining the man. His face was handsome, with a noticeable abrasion on his chin, a bruise on his right cheek, and dry lips. She checked his breathing—it was relatively steady.

"Where are the Weekly Journal Hall people?" The bald man stood up

The following morning

It is unclear what the situation is, but judging by yesterday's events, anyone who gets bitten will turn into a zombie within a few minutes. Therefore, they must not be allowed to get close!" The burly man waved the baton in his hand. Every time she saw the exaggerated muscles under his clothing, she thought of Stallone and Schwarzenegger—when they were young. Chang Bingxin thought that if he were to carry a heavy machine gun, it would better suit his physique. This burly man also had a very fitting name—Meng Zhuang

Ma Qi entered the room again. Chang Bing looked up; in the dark room, light seeped in from behind Ma Qi, and she could not see Ma Qi's face

Ma Qi gradually adapted to the light before him, a surge of unnamed anger rising within him, this fool! www.hetushu.com almost struck you with a club!

"What did you say? I can't hear you?" Zhou Jitang leaned in closer to Chang Bing's mouth, mimicking her expression.

What is going on, Meng Zhuang?" Ma Qi asked Meng Zhuang

We have been trapped here for two days now, and currently, there is no signal on our phones, and the power is out," said a security personnel who appeared quite emaciated. His name tag read Liu Junluo.

Yes. Everyone was still alive the day before yesterday. If you don't leave, I will drag you away.

Sister..." Chang Bing replied with a helpless pout.

The door opened gently, and a man holding a baton walked out of the lounge and sat down beside her

"Oh? Are you talking to the pretty boy?" A voice sounded at the door

Then Liu Junluo and Meng Zhuang quickly go to sleep! Chang Bing also goes inside the room. Zhou Jitang follows me

He is showing symptoms of dehydration, quite severe; the coma is likely caused by dehydration, but it may also be due to stimulation. He just regained consciousness for a moment, and I quickly gave him some salt and sugar water, but now he has collapsed again. I will wait a while to see if he can regain consciousness. How did you find him? The man has a shiny bald head, clearly unable to grow hair anymore, and his beard has just started to grow a bit of stubble, indicating that he usually pays attention to his appearance.

"We only have batons, this blunt instrument makes it extremely laborious to fight zombies," Liu Junluo said

I was at the platform with Zhou Jitang, listening to the sounds coming from the ventilation duct. We set up a ladder, opened the cover, and pulled this person out. Chang Bing still found it hard to believe that someone had managed to escape through the ventilation duct. She was filled with confusion and wanted to directly ask this strange man, who was unconscious, for clarification.

What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at Gate B? Chang Bing shifted the focus of the conversation; she did not like the unscrupulous man before her, yet he always clung to her.

"Madu! Are you still going to manage this scum?" Chang Bing shot a fierce glare at Zhou Jitang, then turned to face the bald man. The bald man, named Ma Qi, is the captain of the security team at Anping Lake Station.

She looked at the man in front of her who was escaping through the pipe, and she felt that she could not ignore him. She could not find a reason to help this man, yet she felt compelled to assist him without hesitation. Having saved him once, she hoped to see him awake.

Ma Qi understood his meaning, glanced at Chang Bing, and without waiting for others to speak, immediately made arrangements: "Liu Junluo, Meng Zhuang, you two will rest in the first half of the night, sleeping on the sofas in the lounge. Aren't there two sofas?"

Chang Bing shook Zheng Jieming's body, trying to wake him up, but to no avail. She even pinched Zheng Jieming's arm with her hand, but even after hurting her own palm, Zheng Jieming still kept his eyes closed