Chapter 23 (1/2)
Chapter 23
Bang!
The bullet shot through the zombie's head that was wrapped up in bandages, and out puffed a cloud of dust.
Bang!
The zombie staggered, but still continued pressing on.
Ten metres, five metres, three metres.
Bang bang bang! Three more shots, and Si Nan threw away the empty Type-64 handgun. Exhaling a heated breath tinged with the taste of blood, he swung his fist at the zombie's temple!
When a person was at a critical moment in time, they would usually find an astonis.h.i.+ng strength within themselves. Si Nan's punch was comparable to that of a professional boxer, and it slammed into the zombie's forehead without any restraint.
If this head belonged to a human, it would already have been split apart. However the head of this zombie that smashed out from the coffin only tilted to one side. It grabbed Si Nan, and threw him out!
With the sounds of things falling, Si Nan's body flew out over ten metres and crashed into the wall. As he landed, he knocked over some equipment, falling heavily on the ground covered in gla.s.s and metal shards.
”…” Si Nan swore silently. With bloodshot eyes, his vision was unclear, and in a haze he could see the zombie walking step by step towards him.
This zombie was wrapped entirely in thick, greyish-yellow bandages, looking just like a mummy. Its facial features were completely concealed, only revealing bloodstained teeth in a gaping mouth. Although it was not very nimble, it did not look as stiff-jointed with dry, cracking flesh like the ordinary zombies outside. Instead it had an unimaginable extreme strength, and even a bullet shot at its head could not cause any damage to it.
Si Nan shook his head slowly. What exactly was this thing?!
In the round, underground testing site, other that an elevator that was cut off from the power supply, there was nothing else that he could use to climb out. Am I about to die here today?
The zombie drew closer, and Si Nan struggled to get up. In his panic, he saw a row of gla.s.s tubes about the width of a finger under him. They had essentially been crushed by him, and a dark red serum exploded over half his body, looking just like blood.
He did not have the time to contemplate what this liquid was. Dodging the iron claws the zombie swung at his head, he lunged to the side in a flash.
Howl—
The zombie's speed was even faster than he had expected. It caught his leg, dragging him towards it. Si Nan was thrown into a panic. Fortunately for him, the power in his kick was greater than that of his punch, and he actually managed to escape a second before he was bitten. Instantly, he clambered up and rushed forward.
He was unable to run out of the testing site, and could only run along the alloyed metal walls with the zombie chasing behind him. There were several times when Si Nan could feel the zombie's hands at the back of his clothes, but he forced himself away at the critical juncture. With the aid of the large-sized equipment strewn about the site, he was able to barely evade the zombie's pursuit.
The zombie was after all not alive, and in the midst of the mess of equipment, it was very clumsy, knocking apart various items with crashes. In the dim lighting, one was in pursuit while the other escaped, and like this they ran around the testing site the size of a football field seven or eight times. Si Nan's energy was completely spent, and towards the end he was running and coughing blood at the same time. Suddenly, he was tripped by a cable that extended out from nowhere, and he tumbled over.
Under the zombie's foot, a metal chair shattered. The stench of decay was right behind Si Nan.
A dagger in his hand, Si Nan was like a fish out of water. Bonelessly, he flipped over and stabbed the dagger right into the zombie's throat.
The zombie looked down and roared, its teeth almost sc.r.a.ping across Si Nan's head. However, the dagger still did not pierce its throat!
Never in his life had Si Nan been so close to death before. Every second of the stalemate dragged on like a year. The veins on his arms bulged out, and because of the amount of force he used, the base of his fingernails started bleeding.
The mouth of the zombie came closer and closer, almost pressing right into Si Nan's eyes!
Just at this time, a voice was heard above him. ”Si Nan!!”
Yan Hao!
Yan Hao had a knee on the ground, and he had his a.s.sault rifle aimed at the zombie. ”Quick, get away!!”
Si Nan dropped to the ground. Leveraging the force exerted by the dagger on the zombie's neck, he slid across the floor a few metres away from the zombie.
The zombie got up, wanting to chase after him. At the same time, Yan Hao pressed the trigger—
A 9mm armour-piercing bullet was fired, hitting the zombie accurately, and throwing it back!
This timing was perfect. Yan Hao had a good shot, and he immediately handed the a.s.sault rifle over to Zhang Yingjie. Retrieving a rope, he tossed it down into the pit. ”Si Nan, come up!”
Si Nan gasped a couple of times, getting up with much difficulty.
He was covered in blood, and even his ears were blocked with blood clots. His pheromones would definitely be exposed to anyone within ten metres of him.
— However, to think about this matter now would be unreasonable. Si Nan stumbled across the testing site, heading towards Yan Hao. Just as he was about to reach out and grasp the rope, a beast-like figure lunged at him from the back.
Bam!
Si Nan was knocked right over his head!
Because of the bullet, the parts of the zombie were bursting apart. It was extremely enraged, and with a slight movement, it grabbed hold of the rope and yanked Yan Hao down the pit at lightning speed!
With the abrupt change in situation, they were at a loss. Zhang Yingjie did not have any time to even aim and fire, and Yan Hao tumbled down the pit a dozen metres deep, falling right into a humongous centrifuge.
This was not the end.
The other end of the rope was tied to Yan Hao's waist. When the zombie yanked savagely on the rope, Yan Hao did not even have the time to yell, and was dragged all the way out!
Zhang Yingjie roared, ”Yan Hao!!”
His finger touched the trigger, only to move away as though he had been shocked — the zombie had caught hold on Yan Hao. If he were to fire now, the bullet might not be able to kill the zombie, but it would definitely turn Yan Hao into paste!
Si Nan suddenly jerked his head back. ”No…”
His pupils constricted and then expanded rapidly, a glint appearing in his eyes.
Aiming at Yan Hao's carotid artery, the zombie bit into it!
Yan Hao's pained cry rang aloud. Blood gushed out, swiftly painting half the zombie's face in red.
Making his way across the ground covered with sharp metal fragments, Si Nan lunged over. Pus.h.i.+ng the zombie's body that was as heavy as steel away with one hand, he grabbed at Yan Hao with his other. In the chaos, Yan Hao pushed Si Nan away fiercely. With a trembling hand, he pulled out a hand grenade, shoving it into the zombie's chest—
Four seconds of silence, then an earth-shaking tremor!
Yan Hao, his arms protecting his head, was thrown outwards. The zombie fell against the wall, rolling across the ground.
”f.u.c.k your ancestors—!”
Taken over by bloodl.u.s.t, Zhang Yingjie shot another armour-piercing bullet into the zombie, and the zombie's body bounced up under the light of the fire. Without waiting for it to land, Zhang Yingjie again reloaded the rifle, taking another shot and bursting the zombie's chest open!
Si Nan called out with a shaky voice, ”Yan Hao!”
Yan Hao's eyes were unfocused. In a pool of blood, his body was convulsing, countless of bones broken, and his chest caved in terrifyingly.
The scent of an Alpha's pheromones burst into the air, surrounding the place in seconds. The masculine smell was so thick it could not hide its traces. When Si Nan smelled it, he staggered back, dumbfounded. However, with the rapid decline in Yan Hao's life, the Alpha pheromones swiftly faded away.
Kneeling down next to him, Si Nan shuddered as he removed his jacket, pressing it forcefully against Yan Hao's bleeding neck.
”…” Yan Hao mumbled, but no sound could be heard.