Ryan led the way, holding his axe tightly, while Olivia followed closely behind with the bag strapped to her back, looking like an obedient little girl.
The once-admired star goddess, revered by countless fans, had become meek and submissive in a matter of hours. A few slaps and being thrown into a horde of zombies were all it took to break her resistance.
Avoiding large groups of zombies, their progress was steady. With his enhanced strength, Ryan no longer needed to rely on stealth or other tactics. Dispatching a few scattered zombies was almost effortless.
Olivia trailed behind, her gaze fixed on Ryan as he raised his axe, dispatching zombies with swift and precise strikes. His raw power and ease in handling the undead left her both awestruck and a little fearful. His movements were so quick and calculated that, even when surrounded by several zombies, he would dodge gracefully before finishing them off without a scratch.
What would have been a three-hour journey took Ryan just forty minutes, even with Olivia slowing him down. Still, her stamina surprised him. Despite her average physical fitness, she managed to keep up with his brisk pace, breathing heavily but never complaining.
Now, they stood on the outskirts of A City's airport—the only one in the area. The massive airport grounds were bustling with activity before the apocalypse, in a city of nearly 30 million people. But now, it was a battlefield.
Ryan scanned the area. Outside the airport hall, the square teemed with zombies. Hundreds of them shuffled aimlessly, their groans filling the air. And these were just the ones outside—there were undoubtedly more inside the building.
"Can you drive a truck?" Ryan asked, his brow furrowed as he turned to Olivia.
She was staring at the sea of zombies, visibly unsettled. His question snapped her out of her daze. "No... I've only driven cars before," she replied, shaking her head.
Ryan nodded slightly, deep in thought. He hadn't expected much, but it was worth asking.
It was unlikely for someone like Olivia to have experience driving a truck. However, since she had driven a car before, that would suffice. She didn't need expert driving skills for what Ryan had planned.
Olivia glanced nervously at Ryan's face, unsure of his intentions. His calm, calculating demeanor only heightened her unease.
Taking her by the hand, Ryan led her to a truck parked nearby. It appeared to have been used for airport construction and was abandoned when the apocalypse began.
After searching around but failing to find the keys, Ryan resorted to smashing the console. He rummaged through the wires inside, isolating the neutral and live wires to hotwire the truck.
Ryan then began teaching Olivia the basics of driving a truck. She didn't need to master it—just understanding the essentials would be enough. Fortunately, the controls were somewhat similar to a car's, and with a bit of practice, Olivia started to get the hang of it.
"Listen carefully," Ryan instructed. "When I give the signal, start driving. Circle the square, maintain a steady speed—neither too fast nor too slow—and then stop under that tower," he said, pointing toward the airport control tower a few hundred meters away.
"I..." Olivia hesitated, her voice trembling. The plan sounded simple, but the reality of navigating a truck through a horde of zombies was anything but. Especially for someone inexperienced like her, avoiding a crash seemed like a tall order.
"Do as I say," Ryan said firmly. "If you can reach the tower, go inside, lock the door, and stay put. Zombies won't follow you up there. Take this for protection." He handed her a Type 54 pistol.
"Master..." Olivia looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear and desperation. She resembled a frightened kitten, unsure if her owner was about to abandon her. The plan seemed so fantastical that she couldn't help but wonder if Ryan intended to leave her behind.
"Don't worry, just be obedient. It's okay. I promise I'll come to rescue you. Be good—the master won't abandon you." Ryan's voice softened as he gently stroked her cheek.
Feeling Ryan's gentleness, Olivia relaxed slightly, though she was still visibly scared. God must have taken pity on her. Just half a day ago, she had been a popular star, basking in the adoration of thousands of fans and living a luxurious, comfortable life. Now, she was risking her life, tasked with driving a truck to ram into hordes of zombies.
"Master... please, you must not forget to save me," Olivia whispered, clutching her arm fearfully. She didn't dare refuse Ryan's request but was clearly terrified.
"Don't worry, I won't," Ryan reassured her with a smile. If Olivia cooperated with him in rescuing her sister, he was determined to do his best to bring her to safety as well.
Lily's voice came through, saying, "Sister, I'm next to the airport, near the two trucks by the square."
On the third floor of the airport, Lily stood, both surprised and worried. She hurried to the massive floor-to-ceiling window and looked out at the two mud-covered trucks on the road, a few hundred meters away.
Ryan spotted the trucks and scanned the square, noting the swarm of zombies. A plan began to form in his mind. There were hundreds of zombies in the square alone, not counting the ones elsewhere, including those inside the airport hall. Altogether, there were at least thousands.
Handling them alone would take an uncertain amount of time and would put his life at significant risk. So, he devised a daring strategy: Olivia would drive one of the trucks to lure most of the zombies in the square toward the tower west of the airport.
With another truck in tow, Ryan positioned it directly below the airport hall. He instructed his sister, Lily, to break a window on the third floor and jump down. The dump truck, already tall, had its bed filled with sand, creating a cushioning effect. This reduced the actual drop to just five or six meters.
Ryan explained his plan to Lily. Despite her worries, she knew there was no changing his mind. Her brother had made it this far to rescue her, and all she could do now was trust him and cooperate.
Once everything was set, Ryan signaled Olivia, who was waiting in another truck nearby. Following his cue, the heavy truck rumbled to life and began its ascent up the steps of the square, with Ryan close behind.
The low growl of the engine shattered the eerie stillness, and the reaction was immediate. Hundreds of zombies turned at the noise, their guttural roars filling the air as they converged on Olivia's truck.
The massive vehicle, gaining momentum, plowed through the horde with unstoppable force. Zombies were sent flying on impact, their shattered limbs, ribs, and entrails splattering against the truck. The gruesome debris left streaks of blood and flesh on the windows, painting them in sticky, reddish-brown smears.
The side windows were quickly obscured, and soon half the front windshield was covered in gore, making it increasingly difficult for Olivia to see.