However, they never expected that this group of drug traffickers not only deceived themselves but also dragged them into trouble.
Ni Xuanxuan looked at the dense crowd of zombies below, sweat dripping from her forehead. "I should have known better than to stay here. We could have left after luring the zombies away."
Hai Baihe admitted remorsefully, "It was my idea to stay and rest. I'm sorry."
Ni Xuanxuan instinctively tried to shift the blame, but she didn't expect Hai Baihe to accept responsibility so readily. It made her feel a little embarrassed. "I'm not blaming you."
Zhang Qihang consoled, "None of us expected this to happen. Don't blame yourself either."
Hai Baihe thought to herself, she didn't actually blame herself. She was confident that her decision was the right one. Mu Ge needed treatment, and everyone needed rest. It was impossible to push on for too long and encounter zombies when they were exhausted—it would be certain death.
But if showing a bit of weakness could prevent arguments, she would continue to "feel guilty."
Liang Xiao found it amusing, but he was merely an outsider to them, so he decided not to say anything.
They had no idea what was happening in the hospital. Two gunshots rang out again, and the zombies outside tried to push their way in, but the gate held them back. They could only wander outside.
Hai Baihe couldn't help but ask Liang Xiao, "How many gunshots were there just now?"
"It doesn't matter," Liang Xiao understood the implication in her words and shook his head. "They are an international criminal organization; obtaining firearms is not difficult for them. Each person is armed with at least two guns."
Even though Hai Baihe had confidence in herself, she didn't dare to confront firearms head-on. She could only give up reluctantly.
Unable to leave, everyone gave up hope. After securing the door with cabinets, the exhausted individuals took turns entering sleep.
Only Hai Baihe, holding a cellphone for illumination, silently flipped through expired newspapers in the corner, hoping to find some useful clues.
1997 was a special year. On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong officially returned, and the newspapers were filled with related news.
Hai Baihe patiently flipped through them one by one, but most of the newspapers focused on the beginning of July, and the other old newspapers were nowhere to be found.
She pondered for a moment and started opening drawers one by one. According to people's habits, there might be a few old newspapers tucked away in the drawers.
Hai Baihe came across a local newspaper dated February 1997. It was exactly what she was looking for. Perhaps considering the diverse ethnic groups in the area, the newspaper contained not only Chinese characters but also some languages she couldn't understand, whether it was Manchu, Mongolian, or Uyghur. They all looked like circles and curves.
She only read the Chinese part, which roughly stated that the economic situation this year was particularly good. It responded to the national call for some people to become wealthy first. The government had discovered new mineral resources identified by experts as rare metals. They urged everyone to continue their efforts next year, believing that the future would be even brighter.
February was approaching the Lunar New Year, so the newspapers mostly contained content related to the holiday. Hai Baihe had initially wanted to find any reports on epidemics, but all she found were advertisements for treating psoriasis and erectile dysfunction. It was quite frustrating.
With no gains, she had to turn off her cellphone and sat in a daze, hugging her knees.
After a while, it seemed that Liang Xiao woke up. He
shook out his shoulder cape and draped it over her. Hai Baihe couldn't help but smile. He thought she was asleep. "I'm not tired. You should rest."
Liang Xiao sat down beside her. "I can stay awake. You should get some sleep."
"I've always had strong stamina since I was young. My dad said I could go without sleep for two or three days straight. He even thought I had insomnia and took me to see a doctor." Hai Baihe comforted him. "Look at the situation now, with only two men, you and Zhang Qihang, we have to rely on you for night watch duty. The girls can handle the less physically demanding tasks. Ah."
Liang Xiao chuckled, "You really know how to coax people."
"It comes naturally." Hai Baihe smiled mischievously. "If I want to make someone happy, who wouldn't be easily convinced by me? Unfortunately, I don't feel like doing it often. Consider yourself lucky?"
"Truly honored," Liang Xiao joked with her for a while before redirecting the conversation to the matter at hand. "We need to find a way to get out."
Regardless of what was happening in this town, they had to find a way to leave.
Hai Baihe asked, "You had a confrontation with it earlier. How did it feel?"
"It was strong, stronger than the average woman," Liang Xiao, being a police officer, had keen observation skills. The zombie was wearing a nurse's uniform with her long hair tied up. Even though he couldn't see her face clearly, he knew she was a woman. "It was also quite agile."
Hai Baihe added, "Even with a broken neck, it could still crawl back up. It seems like the zombie didn't escape."
"Aren't you afraid?" he asked.
Hai Baihe laughed, "Afraid of what? If it can be killed, there's nothing to fear."
"You certainly have courage," Liang Xiao had to admit, he himself was still a bit frightened seeing the scene. After all, monsters were not human.
Hai Baihe pondered while supporting her chin. She was already a freak with a long tail herself. When a monster encounters another monster, what is there to fear? As the saying goes, "When paths meet, the brave prevail." Hehehe~
"I think the first thing we should do tomorrow is find a wheelchair for Mu Ge," Hai Baihe said. "Otherwise, her mobility will be too limited. Will she wake up tomorrow?"
Mu Ge's unconsciousness was not due to the injury on her leg but because she hit her head. Once it involved the brain, there was always some uncertainty. Liang Xiao didn't dare to make any definite statements. "Perhaps."