Chapter 80: Fleeing for Life

“The car, our car!”

Zheng Xinyu watched the zombies approaching the vehicle and instinctively ran out to salvage the supplies.

“Get back!” Zhang Su grabbed her backpack and exclaimed in shock: “What are you doing? You can’t break out—have you gone mad?”

“We’re done!” Zhong Xiaoshan’s face turned ashen, her voice trembling: “All that effort to clear this place… it’s over!”

In just one or two minutes, over fifty zombies had gathered at the gas station’s entrance and along the street outside, and the number kept growing.

Zhang Su stared at the zombies, his expression grim. Fortunately, the fire on the car had slightly slowed them down—otherwise, even more would have wandered into the gas station.

This was their temporary safe zone, meant to last one night before they left—but now, not even one night was possible. They had to flee immediately.

“You have one minute to pack up and get out!”

At Zhang Su’s order, no one dared delay—they quickly slung their bags on, then froze in confusion.

“Boss Zhang, do we fight our way out?”

Lu Yubo made a shocking suggestion, waving his grain sampler with full confidence.

Zhang Su was stunned. The zombies kept gathering—by his count, nearly eighty now. How could they possibly fight that many?

Give him an RPG or a Gatling gun with infinite ammo, maybe he’d try…

“No, too many!”

Zhang Su shook his head decisively.

His combat strength wasn’t low, but he’d never recklessly risk himself—especially when a clear escape route existed. Why risk death?

Lu Yubo still wouldn’t give up, pointing at the H6: “Boss, we can’t leave the car behind! I’ll run out and lure the zombies away—you guys get the vehicle started!”

Zhang Su glanced reluctantly at the bread van—loaded with supplies—and the H6, which held newly gathered gear and armor. But the nearest zombies had already reached Ma Xuechuo’s corpse, just two or three meters from the vehicles!

“Bozi, don’t take risks! We’ll come back for the car later!”

If they fought desperately now, they’d have no fallback depth. Unless it was a certain death trap, there was no need to charge blindly.

“Damn it!”

Lu Yubo sighed in frustration, glaring fiercely at the zombies outside.

“The situation outside the wall is better than inside. We climb over the restroom roof!”

Zhang Su turned toward the staff office, instructing those behind him: “Move quietly—no noise at all. Tan Jishi, remember: no matter what happens, don’t shout!”

“Got it!”

Tan Huajun clutched her digital caliper, nodding firmly. Surviving alone at the gas station for nearly a week had tested her nerves.

Without another word, everyone followed Zhang Su out the back door. The convenience store still held plenty of supplies; with Lu Yubo’s H6, they could’ve taken more. But now, no chance remained.

“When you jump, don’t land flat—roll with the impact. Any way you roll, just absorb the force!”

As they climbed, Zhang Su taught them landing techniques.

Zombies retained partial vision. About ten meters from the restroom, a group spotted Zhang Su’s group and shuffled toward it.

Fortunately, the restroom’s exterior offered many climbable spots. By the time the zombies arrived, Zhang Su’s group was already on the roof. Looking down, they saw zombies clawing at the ground, their gnashing teeth like meat grinders.

In the distance, nearly a hundred zombies wandered slowly down the street—a terrifying scene. The man who’d run from the car, now on fire, had been reduced to a few charred bones, abandoned on the ground, ignored by all.

“Good thing we didn’t leave our bags in the car—otherwise we’d be eating shit!”

Zhang Su muttered.

“Boss Zhang is awesome…”

Lu Yubo kept giving thumbs-up. He wore two packs—one his own, the other belonging to Qiu Shuo. If Zhang Su hadn’t warned him repeatedly, he’d have left his bags in the car.

“The alley’s clear—hurry, toss your bags over!”

Zhang Su took off his backpack and peered over the wall. The alley between the gas station and the residential compound looked good—only a few zombies wandered near the entrance and the far end.

Puff. Puff.

In an instant, everyone hurled their bags into the alley.

“Hey!”

Zheng Xinyu threw her baseball bat across, then vaulted the wall first. Seeing the drop was only three or four meters, she remembered Zhang Su’s advice and leapt without hesitation.

Thud.

“Ugh!”

A solid landing and a muffled groan echoed together. Zheng Xinyu, tough as nails, brushed dirt off her pants and stood up unharmed.

Next came Zhong Xiaoshan. Her physical condition surpassed Zheng Xinyu’s, and her past hiking experience helped—she rolled half a turn on impact, covered in dust but moving with surprising ease.

Lu Yubo, of course, jumped down effortlessly.

“Boss, it’s too high! Too high! I—I’m scared I’ll break my legs!”

Perched on the wall, Tan Huajun stared down at the drop and felt dizzy.

“No way! Tan Jishi, it’s only three or four meters—you’re afraid of heights now?”

The wall’s height matched a standard basketball hoop. Normally, no one would jump for fun—but in a life-or-death moment, choices vanish.

Zhang Su pointed toward the gas station yard: “Tan, either get eaten by zombies or jump. You’re all fat—what’s there to fear?”

After speaking, Zhang Su jumped down from the wall first and landed easily.

“Boss, zombies coming from over there!”

Zhang Su had just landed when Lu Yubo pointed down the alley, twenty to thirty meters away. Four zombies, sensing movement, shuffled toward them.

“Jump down—I’ll catch you!”

Zhang Su waved up at Tan Huajun on the wall.

“Fine, I’ll die then!”

Tan Huajun glanced toward the gas station—the fear of zombies outweighed the fear of falling. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tipped sideways off the wall.

“Fuck your fucking mother!”

Zhang Su cursed under his breath.

Tan Huajun had hoped to reduce her fall distance, naively assuming Zhang Su would catch her with open arms…

Zhang Su reacted instantly, shoving Tan Huajun sideways against the wall as she fell—reducing her downward force and turning it horizontal.

Thud…

Tan Huajun felt her back slam into the wall, her organs jolted, nausea rising. Before she could vomit, her side hit the ground, her arm crushing her chest—another wave of suffocation hit.

“Don’t you know how much you weigh? Jumping like that—you trying to kill yourself?”

Zhang Su stared at Tan Huajun, dazed and groaning on the ground, utterly speechless.

(End of chapter)