Chapter Thirty-One: The Last Line of Defense

"I don't want to turn into a zombie! And I don't want to die like this, for nothing!" Cai Jiashu shouted. He could already feel the Z-enzyme ravaging his body.

"We still have a chance. Zhao Qiang survived it, didn't he? You can too. Besides, Dr. Mei has the vaccine; you'll be fine!" Chen Ergou roared. Having lived through life-and-death situations side-by-side for months, the bond between these teammates was something ordinary people could never comprehend.

"Brother, I understand," Cai Jiashu said with a bitter smile. Though impulsive, he was no fool. Dr. Mei had stated that the optimal window for treatment was within two hours of infection, and even then, the vaccine's efficacy was not guaranteed. With the base now swarming with zombies, coupled with that murderous sandworm, even clearing a path out of the base within two hours was unrealistic, let alone reaching Dr. Mei, who was buried deep underground.

The sandworm did not intend to give the Tiger Squad much time for debate. Its massive body merely grazed the Thorn, yet the vehicle was jolted as if struck by a heavy tank, nearly overturning completely.

"Stop arguing with me, dammit! If we keep dragging this out, we're all going to die here!" Cai Jiashu drew his pistol and pressed it against his own temple. "Either let me out, or let me die!"

With a screech, the Thorn’s tires ground against the concrete, leaving behind several acrid, charred marks as it skidded nearly ten meters before coming to a halt. In that instant, Cai Jiashu leaped out of the vehicle.

"Hey, you big lug, come to daddy!" Cai Jiashu had left all his gear on the Thorn, save for two high-explosive grenades in his hands.

"Old Cai!" Tears filled the eyes of the others as they watched helplessly as Cai Jiashu vanished into the sandworm's massive, tooth-lined maw. In their distraction, the Thorn slammed into the giant arm of a Crusher zombie that had been wedged into the concrete, and the engine sputtered and died with an abnormal groan.

With a thunderous boom, the giant sandworm was reduced to a rain of blood. Chunks of flesh and bodily fluids rained down, coating everything within a fifty-meter radius of the blast in disgusting remains.

Seeing the sandworm slain brought the group no joy. The Thorn was all but totaled, and their comrade had traded his life for theirs. Yet, the world of zombies showed no signs of relenting, desperately battering the defenseless vehicle.

Stay calm, must stay calm! Zhao Qiang gritted his teeth so hard they clicked. A burning rage erupted from his wide-open eyes. The Thorn was stalled, ammunition was nearly exhausted, and the soldiers were reaching their physical limits, while the zombie horde remained endless. Everything seemed to proclaim the total defeat of humanity.

Zhao Qiang could not understand why the zombies chose to launch such an offensive at this moment, or why they had to extinguish everyone's hope just as it had begun to burn. Thousands of lives were buried underground; the mere thought filled Zhao Qiang with horror.

He tried several more times, but the Thorn only let out a weak, dying groan before falling silent. A look of despair finally washed over Zhao Qiang’s slightly chubby face. He did not fear death, and with his skills, even a horde twice this size could not trap him. But he could not retreat—not a single step. Behind him were the thousand living souls of the base, and behind them was his wife. The others did not know that the rubble from the explosion would not hold back the zombies for long. Therefore, until Wei Tao and the others found another exit and successfully evacuated the survivors, Zhao Qiang would be the final barrier.

"Zhang Jun, come here." Zhao Qiang abandoned his efforts to start the Thorn and pulled Zhang Jun to his side.

"Brother Qiang, what is it?" Zhang Jun kept his head down, his hands fidgeting with his M9 (Beretta 92SB-F). Having witnessed the entire battle, he knew this was the final moment.

"Take this." Zhao Qiang handed his QZB97 to Zhang Jun, along with the last two unused magazines. "I'm sorry for dragging you all into this."

"Brother Qiang, what are you doing?" Zhang Jun understood clearly that if not for the Tiger Squad, he and the others would have been zombie breakfast long ago. If not for them being a burden, the Tiger Squad might have already resolved the situation. He pushed the gun back, saying, "You need this more than we do!"

"That's an order!" Zhao Qiang’s voice carried a bone-chilling coldness that brooked no refusal. He pointed to the ruins near the entrance of the air-raid shelter. "Do you see that? There are thousands of living people in that shelter—my family, my friends, children, and pregnant women. They are the future of humanity, the sparks of civilization. I will not allow a single zombie to threaten their safety. For that, I am willing to guard them with my life. And students, I am sorry, I can no longer protect you."

"Even if it costs me my life, I will protect those around me." Zhang Jun choked back tears as he took the gun. Several girls stopped crying, stood up from their seats, and said in unison, heads held high, "Uncle, give us a gun too!"

Zhao Qiang sighed, then roared, "Tiger Squad, take orders!"

The command was given, and the members reacted instantly. The only sound in the carriage was the sharp click of boots snapping together; the soldiers stood as rigid as spears.

"Special circumstances require special measures. Saber, take orders!" Zhao Qiang scanned the group, his gaze resting on Saber.

"Sir!" Saber also demonstrated what it meant to stand like a spear.

"From this moment on, Saber is the commander of the Tiger Squad. Saber, lead everyone in a retreat!" Zhao Qiang calmly issued the order, ignoring the confused gazes of his team.

Saber shifted his shoulders and shot forward like lightning, stopping instantly before Zhao Qiang. He pressed a gleaming combat knife against Zhao Qiang’s chin, the sharp edge drawing a bead of blood. He said coldly, "You want us to be deserters? The soldiers who come out of Wolf Fang have no tradition of abandoning comrades to be cowards! Remember this: if you ever insult me and my men like that again, you will learn why they call me Saber."

Ten minutes later, six men with gleaming combat knives strapped to their hands with bandages stood covered in blood, their eyes piercing the distance like blades. Behind them were six students holding rifles, trembling slightly from adrenaline. Beneath their feet lay countless headless zombies, and behind them was a vast expanse of ruins—and behind those ruins, the sparks of life the twelve of them were sworn to protect.

In the distance, the ground began to tremble slightly once more...

...to be continued