Living Dead's

Chapter 26 - Selection

"Those who have been bitten must remain here."

The crowd exploded with screams.

"I don't!"

"I'm not bitten!"

"I don't either!"

"Let's get on the bus!"

"Let me ride!"

"SILENCE!" Yao Yue's loud voice exploded amidst the crowd, drowning out their screaming sounds. "If you continue like this, nothing will rise!"

The commotion stopped suddenly. In silence, a special forces soldier took the initiative to stand up and show the back of his hand. He smiled, "Captain Xi, I've been bitten. Are there any bullets left? Please just shoot me."

Xi Zihe stared fixedly at the back of his hand that had started to rot and turn black, he did not say a word.

Wen Fan tried his best to close his mouth, biting his lips, but to no avail. He finally could not help his cries and knelt down in grief.

The sobs from the other members sounded in Xi Zihe's ears. He closed his eyes slowly, raising his head. Moments later, she managed to hold back her tears. He's looking for the rest of the bullets all over his body. But not finding one.

Just as Xi Zihe had started to despair, someone inserted a cold gun into his palm. He turned around, meeting Shen Yuan's sympathetic gaze.

He heard Shen Yuan say, "There are only three bullets left in it."

Xi Zihe thanked me quietly.

Xi Zihe stuffed a bullet into the gun, then he walked up to the special forces squad member and hugged him tightly.

Each member of the squad said goodbye, choking on by tears. Yao Yue's shoulders trembled violently as he hugged her, and the members of the squad patted her on the back comfortably. Like an elder brother, he rubbed the top of Yao Yue's head then pushed her away and looked Xi Zihe in the eyes with tears.

"Captain Xi, thank you for taking care of me all these years. I'm so happy to be under your command." He smiled after wiping his tears, leaving behind a pair of crimson yet clear eyes, without regret. "Please send me away, Captain."

Xi Zihe closed his eyes, and with trembling hands, he pointed the muzzle of the weapon over the head of the team member.

"Goodbye..." Xi Zihe choked on his cry.

Around them there is silence. Shen Yuan lowered his gaze and stared at the ground below him. A moment later the sound of gunfire resounded in the parking lot.

Feifei hugged his father's neck tightly, and drowned his face in the recess of his father's neck. When he heard the gunshot, he cried until his nails pierced the skin of Shen Yuan's neck. Shen Yuan patted his back slowly.

Xi Zihe caught the body of his squad member who had fallen losing strength. He laid it on the ground, and took out a stainless steel tag necklace with a thin chain from his neck. It was used to identify the corpses of soldiers, at least Xi Zihe wanted to bring them along.

The anxiety in the crowd stopped quickly. All the survivors looked at each other trembling. In a short time, a teenage boy hesitated for a while before advancing, his eyes red and full of tears. "I... I'm a little scared."

He paused, and looked Xi Zihe in the eyes, "Is there still any more bullets?"

He's a young man, maybe 17 or 18 years old. Her short hair was a little messy, and she was still wearing a school uniform. Maybe when the virus broke, he just finished school.

Xi Zihe buried his face in his palm. His shoulders were extremely tense, he looked like he was about to be crushed. The gun he had in his hand seemed to have grown heavier, so he felt unable to carry it anymore.

The young man endured the crying, until his body was very stiff and unable to speak. Xi Zihe spread his arms and hugged her, he asked, "What's your name?"

"Cheng... Cheng Yu." -."

"Xiao Yu," Xi Zihe spoke into his ear. "Don't be afraid, you look so handsome."

The young man swallowed his tears, and smiled faintly. "Ein!" He admitted firmly.

The next second,

DOR

The shot came quickly, without further ado. His body immediately slumped down. Xi Zihe held onto his already lifeless body, and gently laid it next to the body of his squad members.

"Is there anything else?" Xi Zihe looked at the crowd, asking in a hoarse voice, "Is there anything else? Come out yourself."

There's one more bullet.

No one spoke, nor did they move. The tension in the air became so thick, and things became stuck. After a while Xi Zihe nodded to Wen Fan. Wen Fan pulled out his key, preparing to get into the bus. Yet he suddenly heard Shen Yuan yell, "Stop!"

The eyes of the crowd turned to where he was looking. He was someone Shen Yuan knew, a medic who had a conflict with him. The medic was frightened as he walked towards the bus, and soon Lu Lin who was nearby pulled him out of the crowd.

Lu Lin said coldly, "You've been bitten."

"I'm not bitten! L'm... I'm..."

Lu Lin pulled the hand he had hidden behind him, forcefully tearing his sleeve. The bite marks had already started to rot and gave off a terrible smell.

"It wasn't an infection, I got stabbed by helicopter debris and the wound got inflamed!"

Lu Lin did not listen, and pushed him into a corner towards where Xi Zihe was.

After seeing him knocked out, Shen Yuan said to Wen Fan, "Now open the door of the bus."

The attendant became furious, pointing and roaring towards Shen Yuan, "You baj*ngan! You and your daughter are infected too! You should stay too!"

The sound of the curse echoed. All the survivors began to board the buses and armored vehicles. They glanced at the medic by frowning. Obviously two days had passed but the girl had not also mutated, so there was no one to help speak up for the medic.

Still carrying Feifei, Shen Yuan said calmly, "You better go to Captain Xi immediately. He only has one bullet left now."

The medic swung his fist, which Shen Yuan could instantly avoid. But the man used this opportunity to escape. Shen Yuan saw him running towards the iron gate, which was used to ward off the zombies. His heart skipped a beat, "Stop right there!"

Shen Yuan reflexively wanted to chase after him but Xi Zihe yelled at him, "Shen Yuan! No need to chase him! Get inside!"

His footsteps stopped, and he jumped into the armored vehicle.

Xi Zihe stepped on the accelerator, and an armored vehicle drove out of the parking lot area. Behind him, a medium-sized bus driven by Wen followed closely.

Shen Yuan glanced through the rearview mirror, he saw the medic open the iron gate with his own hands, before he was lost swallowed up by the sea of zombies.