Chapter Twenty-Two: Fighting Side by Side

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Jiang Qiyu ignored Zhang Qiang’s sobbing and hurried up to the rooftop. The view from the villa’s roof was wide and open, and rough estimates put the number of zombies at least seventy or eighty. Worse still, ahead of the horde, there were another twenty or thirty living people desperately running toward the villa, shouting cries of despair as they fled.

Driven by the pursuing zombies, the survivors scattered in all directions. A young mother clutched her infant tightly, stumbling as she ran. The baby’s wailing was piercingly sharp in the silent night, only fueling the zombies’ ferocity. They emitted excited snarls.

Clearly, these people had seen the villa’s lights and were frantically rushing toward it.

Inside the villa, a large diesel generator had been installed. In the endless darkness of the apocalypse, the villa’s lights were like a warm embrace, dispelling fear and bringing hope and a sense of safety.

Jiang Qiyu took a deep breath. Time was pressing, and there was no room for hesitation.

“Zhang Qiang,” she said briefly, “wake everyone and gather downstairs.”

Zhang Qiang immediately obeyed. Jiang Qiyu returned to the room and simply told Lu Yao, “Zombies.”

Lu Yao instantly snapped to attention and followed her downstairs.

Downstairs, the survivors had already gathered, the atmosphere tense. Jiang Qiyu opened the armory, revealing a cache of firearms and ammunition. Wang Yu, Zhang Qiang, and Zhao Hu skillfully picked up their guns and checked their ammo. The others looked helpless.

Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Yun were especially pale, shrinking back at the rear of the group, afraid to touch the cold weapons.

Jiang Qiyu took two lightweight pistols and handed them to the two women without extra comfort, simply saying, “Aim for the head.”

Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Yun accepted the pistols with trembling hands, their faces as pale as paper. They had never handled such deadly weapons before, and the cold metal sent chills of fear through them. Their hands trembled so much they could barely hold the guns.

“I… I don’t know how to use these…” Lin Xiaoxiao’s voice was faint and choked with tears.

Zhou Yun was no better; she tightly closed her eyes, unwilling to look at the gun in her hand.

Among the crowd, some others were just as helpless facing the firearms, their eyes filled with fear and despair.

Jiang Qiyu frowned slightly. Time was running out; she had to teach them how to use the guns quickly.

“Wang Yu, Zhang Qiang, Zhao Hu, you three teach them how to use the guns,” Jiang Qiyu’s tone left no room for argument. “Everyone else, check your gear and prepare for battle.”

The three promptly moved to those unfamiliar with firearms, patiently explaining how to use the guns and the precautions.

“Hold the gun steady, aim true, and pull the trigger decisively,” Wang Yu demonstrated while explaining. “Remember, zombies’ weak spot is the head. Always aim for the head.”

Zhang Qiang added, “Don’t fear the recoil. The first time firing will feel strange, but after a few tries, you’ll get used to it.”

Zhao Hu corrected their posture and movements, ensuring they used the weapons correctly.

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Under the three men’s guidance, Lin Xiaoxiao, Zhou Yun, and others slowly overcame their fear, trying to hold the guns, aim, and shoot.

Jiang Qiyu watched this scene and felt a slight relief. Though time was scarce, at least these people had started learning to protect themselves.

She walked to the window and looked outside again. The zombie horde was drawing closer, and the survivors were nearing the villa.

There was little time left.

Then she picked up an assault rifle, checked the magazine, and moved to the center of the hall, her voice cold and resolute: “Survive.”

The zombies were now only tens of meters from the villa. Just as they were about to break through, Jiang Qiyu made a swift decision: “Use the broadcast! Direct the crowd to enter through the west gate—quickly!”

The west gate was the villa’s back door—more concealed—and the zombies’ main focus was on the front door. Entering through the west gate would minimize casualties.

Jiang Qiyu, Wang Yu, Zhang Qiang, and Zhao Hu—those reliable with guns—opened fire at the zombie horde. Having clear targets, their accuracy improved, and a few zombies fell. But it was only a drop in the ocean; the horde was overwhelming.

Gunshots thundered, the recoil numbing Jiang Qiyu’s palm. A burning ache spread up her arm to her shoulder, causing her to frown slightly. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the discomfort, continuing to aim and fire, each shot hitting a zombie’s head precisely. The heavy weapon grew scorching hot after sustained fire, burning her palm, but she dared not relax—any lapse could mean being overwhelmed by the zombie tide. The adrenaline surge masked her fatigue and pain temporarily, but her trigger finger stiffened, making each shot agonizingly difficult.

Suddenly, Jiang Qiyu sensed someone approaching from behind. She whipped around and saw Lu Yao standing there, seemingly having appeared without her noticing.

“You… you came?” Jiang Qiyu said in surprise.

Lu Yao said nothing, gently took the rifle from her hands, his slender fingers caressing the weapon before raising it, aiming, and firing in one fluid motion.

“Bang!” A gunshot rang out, and a zombie directly ahead collapsed. Lu Yao’s movements were smooth and elegant, as if born for battle.

“Your grip is wrong. Keep your balance steady, breathe evenly…” Lu Yao coached Jiang Qiyu quietly as he fired. His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a reassuring strength.

Jiang Qiyu stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time. The usually fragile and harmless-looking youth now radiated a stunningly powerful aura.

Under Lu Yao’s guidance, Jiang Qiyu’s shooting improved markedly, every shot hitting its mark. Together, they moved in perfect sync, like two precise killing machines, felling zombies one by one.

Wang Yu, Zhang Qiang, and Zhao Hu watched with wide eyes, dumbfounded. When had such a figure appeared in their base? They had no recollection of him. His marksmanship was incredible!

Wang Yu was the first to react. He rubbed his eyes hard to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. This was really Lu Yao? The fragile-looking pretty boy trailing behind the boss? He had always thought Lu Yao was a freeloader, but now he was stunned by his skill. His shooting was even better than the boss’s! He realized he had underestimated Lu Yao and resolved to treat him with more respect in the future—he might even have to rely on him to save his life someday.

The zombies’ snarling grew louder, deafening, as if intent on ripping the entire villa apart. A thick stench of decay filled the air, nauseating everyone.

Lu Yao’s eyes hardened. He casually picked up a dagger from the ground, and his entire demeanor shifted, like a sword drawn from its sheath—sharp and deadly.

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He dashed out of the villa first, his figure flashing like lightning as he weaved through the horde with ease. Every swing of his dagger left a flash of blood, cutting precisely and lethally through the zombies’ necks. His movements were clean and efficient, like a seasoned assassin delivering death sentences.

He targeted the larger zombies—powerful but slow. These posed a deadly threat to ordinary people, but Lu Yao was fearless. He nimbly dodged their attacks, moving like a phantom, evading their claws time and again.

Spotting an opening, he leapt up, stepping onto a zombie’s shoulder to spring higher. His dagger traced a perfect arc, stabbing accurately into the head of another massive zombie.

The creature crashed down, kicking up a cloud of dust. Lu Yao landed steadily without hesitation and continued the slaughter.

Inside the villa, Jiang Qiyu and the others did not rest. They set up machine guns and sprayed the horde relentlessly. Bullets rained down like a storm, felling zombie after zombie.

Yet the horde seemed endless, surging from all directions.

Lu Yao noticed several unusually swift zombies among the crowd. They were faster and stronger than ordinary ones.

These were clearly mutants, posing an even greater threat to the survivors.

A cold glint flashed in Lu Yao’s eyes as he abandoned the regular zombies to focus on the mutants.

His figure blurred as he charged like a leopard toward one mutant. The creature let out a sharp snarl and swung its claws at him.

Lu Yao sidestepped, his dagger darting out like a viper, plunging precisely into the mutant’s chest.

The mutant gave a piercing scream and collapsed.

Without pause, Lu Yao continued hunting the other mutants. His moves were lightning-fast and deadly, leaving no chance for them to fight back.

Soon, all the mutants were eliminated.

The zombie attack gradually weakened, and eventually, the remaining zombies were all cleared.

Everyone exhaled deeply. Just then, a zombie suddenly slammed into the villa’s iron fence with a deafening clang, startling everyone.

This zombie was larger and more muscular than the others, its grotesque face twisted in a snarl. Its blood-red eyes fixed on the group as if it intended to devour them alive.

“Not good! This zombie is no ordinary one!” Zhang Qiang exclaimed.