Chapter 23: A Heroic Sacrifice (Readers with Voting Slots, Please Help)

More than half an hour later, Zhang Su told Zheng Xinyu to stop and rest, while he continued.

It wasn’t that he was sentimental or lenient with others and strict with himself; it was simply that when danger could strike at any moment, one couldn’t train to exhaustion—must preserve at least some strength to fight back.

“How do you feel?”

After training ended, Zhang Su wiped himself clean with a damp cloth and asked Zheng Xinyu how she felt.

Zheng Xinyu had already changed into a clean pajama and sat aside, holding a sports drink, shrugging: “I think we could slightly increase the intensity—I’m not that tired.”

She wasn’t unexhausted; she felt Zhang Su’s effort and carried an inexplicable tension inside.

Zheng Xinyu was a PUBG streamer who often played four-man squads; she knew all too well the helplessness of trying to carry teammates who just wouldn’t move—many times, it wasn’t that you didn’t want to save them, but you simply couldn’t.

She didn’t want to be the one crawling desperately in the grass.

“Alright, we’ll increase the intensity gradually—otherwise, injuries are inevitable.”

As he spoke, Zhang Su walked to the window to observe the outside, sighing: “It’s getting quieter out there. By the way, Xinyu, while killing zombies today, I thought of something…”

The two discussed many issues about zombies, summarized their experience from today’s eliminations, then returned to their rooms to rest.

Around ten at night, Zhang Su lay in bed, eyes open, unable to sleep. Before this, Zheng Xinyu had woken him from sleep, and he’d endured a day bordering on madness—one that would continue without end.

“Luezi, Xiao Xue… I wonder how those two are doing.”

Few people concerned Zhang Su, but his two employees were near the top—among the very few in this world who knew him, and whom he knew well.

Sometimes he’d think of an ex-girlfriend…

He rolled over and suddenly his hair stood on end—he shot upright, glaring at the door: “Are you a ghost? You walk like you have no feet!”

In the darkness, a silhouette stood by the door—it was Zheng Xinyu, hugging a blanket.

For some peculiar reason, Zhang Su had deliberately left the door open tonight, as if he’d anticipated she’d come.

“I heard noises… I’m scared.”

Zheng Xinyu whispered softly.

Her bedroom was at the far end of the building; the open space and nighttime silence meant she heard too many unwanted sounds—heart-wrenching screams, hoarse pleas for help, agonized moans, and zombie howls like wild beasts.

She tried wearing headphones to silence the world, but losing hearing in the dark only made her more terrified.

Zhang Su shifted over, patted the bed, and said: “Come on, I’m the designated shelter for helpless girls—but I’ll be grabbing and touching!”

Zheng Xinyu didn’t hesitate; she darted onto Zhang Su’s bed, exhaled a long breath of relief, then grinned: “Like I wouldn’t grab and touch too, hey!”

“You’ve got guts!”

Zhang Su reached out to slap her ass—but this time, he failed.

Zheng Xinyu anticipated his move and blocked his wicked hand with a box.

Zhang Su felt the plastic film on the box and knew what it was—the mood was right, the night was deep—perfect for smoking.

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it with a flick of flame, and in one inhale and exhale, his tension dissolved completely—his frayed nerves finally found rest.

The first night of the zombie outbreak should’ve been the hardest to sleep through—but after the cigarette’s calm, both fell into deep sleep, and when they opened their eyes again, it was still pitch black.

Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap… BOOM…

A barrage of gunfire shattered the silence; terrifying explosions shook the sky, casting a red glow across the curtains.

Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

“What was that?”

Zheng Xinyu asked in fear. People in the Celestial Empire weren’t particularly sensitive to gun or artillery sounds.

“Gunfire—and artillery? Go check…”

Zhang Su was familiar—he heard it daily in games—but Zheng Xinyu wasn’t; she played for atmosphere and show, never paid attention to PUBG’s sound effects…

Ignoring clothes, Zhang Su sprinted to the window and saw distant flames and smoke erupting along a street west of the compound, where no explosion had occurred.

Through the firelight and street lamps, he saw many figures moving and firing—flames interwoven into a glowing halo in the night, trying to block the encroaching evil!

Occasional explosions sounded like grenades—just like a battlefield, utterly shocking.

“Over there—probably the military arrived, clearing zombies with heavy weapons. Ha! We’re safe now!”

Zhang Su said with excitement.

He remained optimistic despite the grim environment, but he longed for order to return quickly—his old life had been good.

“Really? Oh my god, I think I just saw a tank—was that a tank just now?”

Zheng Xinyu clung to Zhang Su’s arm, tears welling in her eyes.

“That’s an armored vehicle. Not the military—special police armored vehicles. Probably the same people from yesterday’s helicopter. Either way, we’re saved!”

Zhang Su’s face relaxed—he believed that against such overwhelming firepower, zombies stood no chance.

But his smile froze instantly—the muzzle flashes were now blocked by buildings, and what filled his vision was a vast, dark mass, filling the entire street…

“Those… are zombie hordes!”

Due to distance and lighting, Zhang Su couldn’t see details clearly—but he was certain: that entire stretch was filled with terrifying zombies!

His hair stood on end, he sucked in a cold breath, his scalp prickled—even two or three hundred meters away, the overwhelming, sky-blackening pressure made his heart freeze.

Against enemies, negotiation might still be possible—but against a tidal wave of zombies…

These bloodthirsty monsters were born solely to feed on flesh; they left no shred of life for the living.

“Damn it, how the hell are there so many? This… is bad!”

Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu desperately wanted to see the end of that dark tide—but before they could, the gunfire began to fade.

One could imagine how much ammunition such overwhelming firepower required—when it ran out, the guns became useless…

BOOM! A firestorm erupted skyward, the window trembling slightly—after the explosion, all gunfire fell silent; only the roaring flames remained, as if nothing had ever happened.

Thud.

Zhang Su sat down on the floor, disbelief in his eyes, not caring about the cold ground.

“Zhang Su… those special police…”

Zheng Xinyu asked numbly.

“They sacrificed themselves.”

A heavy answer.

Those brave souls turned their lives into brilliant light, striving to drive back the filth of evil!

Still far from a hundred votes—readers with slots, please help~~~ Thank you.

(End of Chapter)