Ding~
The elevator doors opened slowly, and a figure covered in blood appeared in the gap.
He stood facing the group, his short-sleeved shirt soaked in dark, dried blood, making it impossible to discern its original color.
He seemed to react to the sound of the elevator.
The man slowly turned around.
Inside the elevator, everyone gripped their makeshift weapons tightly.
"Help..." The man's voice trembled, his body shaking uncontrollably, his eyes wide as if he was about to turn.
But just at that moment, something unexpected happened.
Another figure suddenly appeared, leaping and crashing directly into the trembling man, and then rushed into the elevator.
This new arrival was also covered in blood, his expression frantic, and without hesitation, he raised his weapon and smashed it into the zombie he had knocked over.
"I'm human! I'm a human!" he shouted in panic as he rushed inside, frantically pressing the close button.
Roar!
As he jumped in, countless zombies immediately let out shrill screams, surging towards them. One even managed to slip inside.
The man let out a loud yell, kicked fiercely, and sent the zombie tumbling back out. The elevator doors finally closed.
Everyone huddled inside, cautiously observing the new man who had joined them, while the elevator began descending once more.
"How did those zombies get so terrifying..." someone muttered.
The man leaned against the elevator wall, catching his breath. Seeing the group staring at him nervously, he couldn't help but chuckle, "Where are you all heading? Looks like you're going to the 2nd floor?"
"Oh... right, which department are you from? I don't think I've seen you before?" Luo Jian cautiously asked, still gripping his weapon.
The man casually wiped the blood off his clothes, "I just got here today, haven't been assigned a department yet."
"By the way, kid, you haven't been bitten, right?" Luo Jian finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind.
"Bitten?" The man suddenly leaned closer to Luo Jian, giving him a playful yet slightly sinister smile, "If I had been bitten, I'd be biting you right now!"
Seeing the shocked expression on Luo Jian's face, he laughed and stepped back, "Relax, I'm not bitten. So, what are you doing on the 2nd floor?"
Once he was convinced the man wasn't infected, Luo Jian relaxed a bit. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, "You're still joking at a time like this... We're heading to the convenience store on the 2nd floor. Come with us."
"The convenience store, huh. Sure," the man nodded.
After all, there weren't many options left, and he wasn't familiar with the place either, so following them was the best choice.
As the elevator continued to descend, they reached the 2nd floor within moments.
Ding~
The sound signaled the doors opening. They slid apart slowly, revealing a dimly lit corridor.
"The convenience store is near the fire escape, not far from where we were in the conference room earlier. Let's move quickly!"
The one who pushed open the door first was Xiao Wang, tightly gripping a broken chair leg and stepping cautiously forward. Outside, there was no sign of zombies, but the blood stains on the glass reminded everyone of the danger that had just passed.
The man who had joined them earlier leaned forward, sticking close to the glass door to observe for a moment. Xiao Wang whispered, "Clear."
Everyone followed and pushed through the glass door.
As they moved, Jiang Xing caught a faint, unpleasant odor, a mix of blood and decay. But when she looked ahead, there were only empty office cubicles, no sign of any zombies.
Where had they gone?
At that moment, someone grabbed her sleeve.
Jiang Xing shuddered, almost screaming, but quickly realized who it was. It was Lin Xiwang.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Xing's eyes questioned.
"I'm scared..." Lin Xiwang whispered.
The blood-stained man who had joined them had been staring at her ever since they were in the elevator, and when they passed by, he had even intentionally brushed his bloody hands against her. Jiang Xing, seeing how terrified Lin Xiwang was, gently reached out and held her hand to comfort her.
As they moved closer, Jiang Xing suddenly realized where the foul odor had come from.
Roar!!!
A zombie, snarling and snapping, lunged at them, only to impale itself on the man's weapon. The blade sunk deep into its skull, and the creature twitched a few times before going still.
But more zombies were already climbing up from behind it.
A seemingly endless stream of them poured out from the fire escape, growling and snarling as they rushed toward the group.
"Quick, run!"
Luo Jian gathered the group, pulling Xiao Wang as they dashed toward the convenience store.
Smash!
The man kicked a zombie aside, quickly stabbing his knife into another's skull. But there were too many zombies flooding in, and he couldn't hold them all off by himself.
"Close the door!"
Jiang Xing shouted, knowing that if they didn't block the entrance, who knew how many more zombies would come. The glass door of the convenience store alone wouldn't hold them back for long.
"Get over here and help!" the man yelled, kicking away another zombie. His actions, far bolder than anyone else's, inspired some courage in the others.
"Take this!" Xiao Jin shouted, jabbing a pointed stick into the head of a nearby zombie, his voice trembling yet firm.
The sharp tip pierced through its skull, and despite its growls, the zombie's body went limp and collapsed.
Others in the group joined in, using whatever weapons they had—sticks, brooms, anything—to fend off the zombies. The man, still fearless, swiftly dispatched another zombie and ran to the side, kicking the door of the fire escape shut with a loud thud.
Roar!
The zombies from all directions screamed and roared, chasing after the group. Everyone bolted toward the convenience store.
The convenience store was small but packed with shelves, providing a bit of cover. Luo Jian, who had been leading the way, ran in first, yanking Xiao Jin with him. He noticed the man running alongside them, still wearing that mischievous smile.
"Why are they all chasing me?" the man said, almost jokingly.
Because he had rushed in to shut the door, some of the zombies that had been knocked down were naturally the first to crawl back up and chase after him, leading the horde right to where the group was.
He turned around and saw four or five zombies lunging at him at once. The man had no choice but to respond, but even he couldn't handle that many at once. He could only watch as the zombies closed in on him.
At that moment, Jiang Xing happened to pass by him. She grabbed one of the zombies by the collar and yanked it away.
The man managed to break free, kicking away the last zombie clinging to his leg. Just as he was about to run, another zombie grabbed him, and he almost lost his balance. If it weren't for his loose pants, the creature might have torn through his flesh.
"Damn it, let go of me!"
The zombie's grip was unusually strong, and the man couldn't shake it off. Seeing several more zombies charging at him, he panicked and grabbed Jiang Xing, who was just passing by, using an almost desperate strength to pull her toward him.
Jiang Xing felt a forceful tug that almost threw her off balance. Her vision blurred, and she found herself spinning as she was suddenly flung into a zombie with its neck exposed.
The impact sent stars flashing before her eyes, but the rotten stench and adrenaline pumping through her veins brought her back to her senses immediately.
Roar! Roar!
Looking at the zombie in front of her, Jiang Xing's skin crawled.
But the nauseating stench and the warm, ragged breath coming from the creature filled her with a surge of fear and shock.
In the next second, a zombie wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt lunged at Jiang Xing, roaring as it charged toward her.