Chapter 354: The Sooner You Leave, The Better
Chapter 354: The Sooner You Leave, The Better
At the front gate, the pressure on Zhan Lian and the others suddenly eases, but the situation remains far from optimistic. Except for Yun Tao, the few ability users only dig out crystal cores.
Luo Feifan and Zhan Lian absorb the crystal cores like flowing water, so the burden on the other ability users stays heavy.
The key problem is the piles of zombie and rat corpses blocking the hospital gate. Not all zombies and rats burn to ashes completely. As long as any body parts remain, they attract the surviving rats and zombies rushing over.
The number of zombies gradually shrinks—after all, they can’t reproduce like rats—but the number of rats isn’t just stable; it increases.
“This won’t do. We have to find a way to get rid of all these rat corpses!”
Zhan Lian swings out a huge crescent-shaped scimitar, anxious as he looks at the rat corpses that attract more rats.
He wants to get away and guard An Ran, but it’s too dangerous to leave Luo Feifan alone at the gate.
His ears twitch, alert. As soon as he hears An Ran call out, he immediately turns back to protect mother and daughter.
But An Ran doesn’t call once. On the contrary, it seems like there is no danger inside the hospital, which makes Zhan Lian suspicious and eager to investigate.
Suddenly, there is a commotion on the street.
At the street corner, a commotion rises as Zhang Boxun leads several vehicles charging in. Zhang Boxun swings a metal spear as he goes, piercing houses along the street like a hedgehog’s spikes.
One advantage of the metal element is that metal weapons like spears and swords can’t be eaten by rats like plants can. However, Zhang Boxun’s metal elemental power is clearly not as strong as Zhan Lian’s. The metal spears he throws barely affect the rats, which remain as numerous as ever.
When the car reaches the hospital gate, its body is already crawling with cat-sized rats.
Zhang Boxun rolls down the window. A metal net woven from metal threads blocks the front as he shouts to Zhan Lian and the others amidst the chaos: “Drive, retreat! This county had a rat extermination campaign even before the apocalypse. These rats reproduce too fast. Let’s go!”
It’s impossible to kill all the rats. Even if Zhan Lian and the others don’t need to eat, the other ability users still do. Facing a tide of rats, a few people simply can’t hold out for long.
Of course, even with An Ran secretly helping, they don’t last more than a few days.
Zhang Boxun’s convoy is down to just three vehicles after sending some back to deliver supplies — showing his losses are severe.
On Zhan Lian’s side, only one person has been bitten by a rat so far.
Clearly, the sooner they leave, the better.
Inside the firewall, Zhan Lian waves his hand and releases a metal blade. He turns, grabs Yun Tao, and pushes him into the house.
“Go take my wife and daughter downstairs. Get in the car and leave. I’ll cover you.”
Yun Tao frowns, staggers a step back, and looks at Zhan Lian with graying hair. The situation is urgent—there is no time for discussion.
Zhan Lian covers the rear because he has the ability to do so, and sending Yun Tao to bring An Ran and Doll is because he trusts him.
Sighing, Yun Tao hurries upstairs. Hengheng follows close behind.
Yun Tao touches Hengheng ’s head and sees An Ran standing by the window, absorbing crystal cores. He asks, “Can the rats outside the window be dealt with?”