Chapter 288: Firing

【System detects host's vital signs recovered to 80%, healing energy residue is stable】

When the cold mechanical voice sounded in Lin Hao's mind, he was standing in the golden light,

the illusion before his eyes had not yet dissipated, but the growling sounds of the zombies outside the door suddenly became clear. The golden light slowly faded, the warm touch lingering on the surface of his skin,

the wound on his arm had completely healed, the strength to hold the gun recovered as before, and the numbness in the web of his thumb disappeared.

He looked down at the gun in his hand; the last bullet in the cylinder lay quietly,

his father's words echoing in his ears. The flower sea and smiling faces in the illusion gradually faded, leaving only the crashing sound of zombies against the door frame,

and the harsh sound of claws scraping the metal, filling the entire room. He gripped the gun handle tightly, pressed his thumb against the cylinder latch, but didn't point the gun at his own temple as expected, nor did he pull the trigger.

【System prompt, zombie group breakthrough probability increased to 90%, suggests host immediately fire for self-defense】

Lin Hao ignored the system's prompt. He turned to look at that deformed iron door,

the door lock was still firmly buckled, the key hanging on the hook on the door frame, left by Lin Chen before he left. He stepped forward, raised his hand, and took down the key,

the coolness of the metal spreading from his fingertips. He inserted the key into the keyhole, turned his wrist gently, and with a crisp click, the lock core popped open, and the door lock unlocked.

He let go, and the key fell to the ground, making a crisp sound,

exceptionally abrupt amidst the growling of the zombies. The zombies outside seemed to notice the loosening of the door lock, the intensity of the crashing increased abruptly, the iron door shook, tilting toward the inside, revealing a pitch-black gap, the stench of rot pouring in through the gap, filling the entire infirmary.

Lin Hao stepped back, gripped the gun in his hand, his arm raised steadily, the gun muzzle pointing straight ahead. He didn't hesitate, nor did he have half a fear, his gaze through the gap in the iron door, falling on those zombies crowding forward. The gun muzzle wasn't aimed at his own heart, nor at his own head, but toward that precarious iron door, toward the zombie group about to pour in.

【System detects host's behavior mode changed, from self-defense to active defense】

The first zombie finally broke through the gap in the iron door, its rotting claws reaching in, grabbing toward Lin Hao's arm. Lin Hao didn't dodge, his finger on the trigger, slowly tightening, his gaze locked on the zombie's head. There were more and more zombies in the corridor, growling, crowding, like a black tide, rushing toward the infirmary.

His breathing was steady, his heartbeat without the slightest disorder, the arm holding the gun as steady as a rock. The previous exhaustion and weakness completely disappeared, replaced by a continuous stream of power, coming from the healing energy A-Nian left behind, from Chu Yao's smile in the illusion, from Lu Ran's waving figure. He knew he couldn't retreat, couldn't escape, and even more couldn't use the last bullet to end his own life.

The iron door was struck until it clattered again, the sound of the hinges breaking clearly audible, the entire door collapsing inward with a roar, kicking up a cloud of dust. Several zombies immediately rushed in, their eyes turbid and white, their mouths wide open, dripping black saliva. Lin Hao still held the gun, the muzzle aimed at the center of the brow of the zombie in front, the force of his finger growing heavier, about to pull the trigger.

【System prompt, host's shooting accuracy calibration completed, can achieve 100% headshots】

The zombies behind stepped on their companions' bodies to rush forward, the growling sounds deafening, the stench almost suffocating. Lin Hao didn't blink, his gaze fixed on the rushing zombies, his arm without the slightest shaking. He didn't use that bullet to end himself, but chose to open the door lock, chose to raise the gun, chose to face those rushing zombies head-on.