Lost and Dangerous

"Alas, what manner of phenomenon is this? What in the world is PU-31? Has the command center suddenly reassigned our task?" 

"One can surmise, even with one's toes, that it is improbable for such a change to occur spontaneously from above." 

"Could it be a frequency overlap with other teams' assignments? Or perhaps a mischievous act perpetrated by Unit Nine?" 

"And what of this Dark Pursuer? Are we doomed if we fail to complete it?" 

"Captain Song, have you encountered such circumstances before?" 

Amidst the clamor, Ji Yushi's inquiry brought about a hush among the group. 

Clad in black combat attire, Ji Yushi appeared almost delicate against it, yet his demeanor stood markedly composed compared to his comrades. 

"For the first time," replied Captain Song Qinglan. "Have you encountered anything similar during your reconnaissance missions?" 

Observing his silence, it was apparent he hadn't, prompting Song Qinglan to arch a brow. "What's this? Feeling apprehensive?" 

Ji Yushi shook his head. "Not at all. I merely favor a laid-back approach." 

The astonishment among the group was palpable. Never had they expected Advisor Ji to utter such words! Was it truly prudent to adopt such a relaxed stance in this perilous and ambiguous situation? 

Ji Yushi remained serene, appearing utterly unburdened by any psychological strain, steadfast in his resolve to be a 'salted fish.' 

Song Qinglan sighed inwardly. Each to their own aspirations. Deciding not to dwell further, Song Qinglan surveyed their surroundings, picking up a broom from the park management office and stepping outside. 

The black wall loomed before them, and Song Qinglan prodded it with the broom, revealing its non-corporeal nature. However, the weight of the broom inexplicably lightened in her hand, and upon withdrawal, the section that had touched the black wall vanished, leaving behind a clean cut as if devoured by the wall itself. 

This horrifying sight sent shivers down everyone's spines. One couldn't help but envision the gruesome consequences of inadvertently touching the black wall—ranging from limb mutilation to being gruesomely bisected. 

As witnessed earlier, the black wall was mobile. Though currently stationary, its potential continued advancement remained a source of uncertainty, indicating the urgency for them to vacate the park premises swiftly. 

Discarding the broken broom, Song Qinglan inquired, "What were the mission rules just now?" 

"Elimination... via death," someone replied. 

"Good to know," Song Qinglan's countenance turned stern as she addressed the group. "Secure your gear and ensure not a single one of us meets demise. Since we're stranded regardless, regardless of the nature of this PU-31, we shall confront it." 

* 

Exiting the park, the team arrived at a narrow intersection. In the year 1470 of the Star Yuan era, urban density far surpassed that of the time they once knew, rendering the allocation of space for a park in the city center a luxurious endeavor. Consequently, the streets near the park were relatively narrow. 

The city, desolate and more barren than imagined, was devoid of any signs of life. Damaged vehicles littered the roadside, while various shops bore the marks of looting and arson, with bloodstains and occasionally encountered decaying corpses further accentuating the post-apocalyptic ambiance. 

The deeper they ventured into the city, the more desolate it became, with the communication devices transmitting nothing but the heavy breaths of their comrades, devoid of any conversation. 

Advancing cautiously along the walls, the team moved from one concealed position to another. Uncertain whether the black wall had resumed its movement, they frequently glanced back, only to find it stationary in the distance, obliterating half of the skyline. 

"Hold on." 

Song Qinglan's voice resonated over the public channel, accompanied by a clenched fist gesture. 

Everyone halted their steps. 

The time was now 6 o'clock in the morning. 

The end-of-summer sunlight seeped through the gaps between towering buildings, casting a golden hue upon the scorched asphalt. 

Within that glaring light, a group of figures emerged. To be precise, a horde of zombies. 

Lying in the middle of the road was a pool of flesh and blood, a testament to the recent demise of a victim, now surrounded by the ravenous undead. They voraciously tore at flesh, limbs, and entrails, emitting a cacophony of chewing sounds mixed with hoarse growls, audible from a mere seven to eight meters away, chillingly clear. 

Despite their preparedness, witnessing such scenes of humans feasting upon humans remained profoundly shocking. 

Before they could fully process this sight, a scream of utmost terror echoed from behind. 

"Ah!!!" From the shadows untouched by sunlight, a blood-soaked woman dashed out of a building. Hot on her heels, two to three dozen zombies streamed out of the dark doorway, relentlessly pursuing her, intent on tearing her apart. 

The woman's scream disturbed the feasting undead under the sunlight. 

Lifting their heads, their grey-white pupils and blood-stained mouths resembled demons emerging from hell, swiftly charging towards the team! 

"Damn!" A curse slipped from someone's lips, followed by cries of "Save her!" 

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Several gunshots rang out as Song Qinglan dispatched three to four zombies trailing the woman. Simultaneously, another teammate unleashed a volley of shots, splattering the brains of the advancing feeders across the ground. 

The tranquility of the city was shattered by the gunfire. 

"Ho! Ho!" 

This action stirred up a hornet's nest. Within seconds, zombies emerged from all directions like a tidal wave, surging forth from shadows, buildings, and unseen corners of the streets at an astonishing speed. 

"Move! Move! Move!!" 

"Hurry!" 

Gunfire erupted incessantly, echoing throughout the street. 

The woman had already reached their vicinity. Ji Yushi was about to reach out to her when his expression abruptly changed! 

In just a dozen meters, the woman transformed from a living human into a ghastly creature, with veins bulging blue on her face, her pupils turning ashen, a fellow demon to the undead! 

"Fire!!! She's no longer human!!!" 

Someone shouted from behind him. 

Ji Yushi snapped out of his daze, fingers tightening on the trigger. With a single shot from his Diamond Bird, he blew off the zombie's head, causing her to collapse, engulfed by the swarm of zombies surging towards her. 

"Behind us!!" 

Pushed forcefully from behind, Ji Yushi's ears rang as he felt a warmth on his neck. Song Qinglan had already blown off the head of the zombie behind him. Splattered with blood mist, Ji Yushi's vision blurred, his ears ringing intensely. Though Song Qinglan was saying something to him with a furrowed brow, he couldn't make out the words. 

In the blink of an eye, the street was filled with zombies, making it impossible to discern any escape route. 

"Bang!" 

With swift movements, Song Qinglan leaped onto the roof of a carand, amidst the hail of bullets, effortlessly dispatched a circle of flesh. 

A brief moment of respite ensued. 

Following suit, Li Chun replicated the action, leaping onto another vehicle, simultaneously firing rounds while bellowing, "Captain Song! There are more of them coming!! What do we do?!" 

Song Qinglan's brow furrowed, pupils narrowing. "To the left, there's a convenience store!" 

Most of the shops along the street had been ravaged, but the convenience store, with its fortified iron grilles, stood out conspicuously. 

Despite the increasing throng of zombies drawn by the gunfire, those closest to the living continued their relentless pursuit. 

Amidst the carnage and disarray, with limbs scattered and blood pooling, they rushed towards the direction indicated by Song Qinglan. 

Tang Qitang and Yue Le positioned themselves on the flanks, while Zhou Mingxuan led the charge at the forefront. 

Enjoying the vantage point, Song Qinglan and Li Chun swiftly cleared a path for them. 

As they approached the convenience store's entrance, someone cursed, "It's locked!" 

Years of tacit understanding prompted Duan Wen to act without hesitation. He fired at the shop's identification panel, triggering a piercing alarm. As the alarm blared, the iron grille outside the glass door slid open, courtesy of Zhou Mingxuan. 

Ji Yushi turned around, catching sight of Song Qinglan leaping off the car roof. Rolling to cushion her fall, she dodged the surging zombies, striding decisively towards their location. 

Song Qinglan's demeanor remained as cold as ice, a voice of authority amidst chaos, "Li Chun! Have you had enough fun yet?!"

Li Chun, his eyes burning with rage, was cursing while indiscriminately shooting at the zombies swarming around him.

At Song Qinglan's shout, Li Chun snapped out of his trance-like state and glanced at his teammates rushing towards the convenience store. "I'll cover them again! Go!" 

Arriving at the convenience store entrance, Song Qinglan's formidable strength was evident as he effortlessly joined Zhou Mingxuan in pulling up the iron grille to a height sufficient for entry. 

Unexpectedly, as they opened the grille, five or six pallid-faced zombies with grayish-white irises burst out of the convenience store, their movements as swift as rabid dogs, charging towards them! 

Gunshots rang out in rapid succession, and bodies fell to the ground. 

Each bullet found its mark with deadly precision, leaving everyone momentarily stunned. 

Facing the entrance, Ji Yushi's face was splattered with blood, obscuring his expression. 

Gripping the Diamond Bird tightly, the recoil from his continuous firing made Ji Yushi's arms numb, causing them to tremble slightly. 

In front of him lay the final corpse, eyes wide open, a bullet piercing its forehead. 

Song Qinglan, too, was momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained his composure and commanded, "Clear the entrance, close the door!!" 

Now was not the time for jests. Duan Wen immediately dragged the corpses aside and rolled into the store, followed by Ji Yushi, who underwent a remarkable transformation, as if becoming a different person in an instant. 

Neither of them dared to let their guard down, swiftly surveying the store upon entry. 

The convenience store was in disarray, with most of the shelves empty as if ravaged by looters. Surprisingly, there were no other zombies inside, making it relatively safe. 

Amidst the gunfire and howls, Li Chun rolled into the convenience store as the third person. 

Following closely behind were Zhou Mingxuan and Song Qinglan. 

The bodies piled up, and Song Qinglan kicked away the zombies trying to enter, following up with shots to ensure their demise. However, the appearance of the living attracted more and more zombies. They crowded at the entrance, frantically trying to force their way in, splattering blood and brain matter, turning the entrance into a sea of corpses. The iron grille was pounded so hard that it seemed on the verge of collapse! 

As the group struggled to hold their ground at the entrance, Tang Le was finally pushed into the convenience store by Tang Qi's forceful shove. 

Tang Le's hair was dampened with blood, and he turned back to shout, "Brother! Come in quickly!!" Tang Qi stood outside, his face smeared with blood. After pushing Tang Le inside, he abruptly pulled the iron grille down, trapping himself outside! 

The others were shocked! 

"Tang Qi—" 

Suddenly, Song Qinglan dropped the stun gun, lifted the iron grille, and saw Tang Qi wiping the blood from his face. 

Three of his fingers were missing, bitten off, with fresh blood oozing from the wounds. 

Like the woman who had just undergone a transformation, Tang Qi's youthful face gradually became covered with a network of blue veins, his once bright and determined eyes turning gray-white at a visible rate. 

Countless zombies crowded behind Tang Qi, swarming around him and biting at his flesh. 

He remained unfazed. 

"Brother!!!" Desperate wails filled the convenience store as Tang Le, witnessing everything, lunged towards the entrance like an injured beast. 

Teammates restrained Tang Le, their eyes bloodshot. 

Outside, Tang Qi's eyeballs were completely clouded over, and in just a few seconds, everything that belonged to him disappeared. He emitted a hoarse growl, "heh heh," along with the group of zombies locked outside, furiously pounding and assaulting the iron grille. He had become one of them. 

"Brother!!!" Tang Le lay on the ground, pinned down by his teammates, a tall man of over six feet crying heartrendingly, "Brother!!!" 

Song Qinglan stepped back a few paces, slamming his fist against the wall! 

His black hair hung over his forehead, with veins popping out on his temples, emanating a strong aura of hostility. 

"Are we doomed?! Behind us is the black wall, outside are the zombies!" Li Chun's eyes were red with tears, "So many outside, what do we do?!" 

The zombies outside surged like a tide, wave after wave, densely packed and leaving no possibility of breaking through. Once bitten, they would mutate almost within ten seconds, as Tang Qi's fate had demonstrated. 

This convenience store's iron grille seemed unlikely to hold for much longer. 

This question, once voiced, brought about a silence in the convenience store. 

The situation was hundreds of times more dangerous than anticipated. It seemed like a dead end from the beginning, and no one had imagined it would come to this! 

Ji Yushi stood in the corner, strands of hair dripping with sticky blood. 

The horrifying scene of Tang Qi's transformation had left everyone feeling apprehensive. 

As the iron grille clanged, more and more zombies gathered outside the convenience store. 

Listening to the nearby howls, despair enveloped everyone in the small convenience store. 

But then Song Qinglan spoke up: "Staying here is just waiting to die. It's not time to give up yet!" 

Ji Yushi looked up. 

Seeing Song Qinglan pick up the stun gun from the ground, without looking at the teammates outside with clouded eyes who had fought alongside him through life and death, Song Qinglan gritted his teeth and gave a command in a low voice: "See if there's another way out!" 

The teammates immediately acted, quickly returning to their original positions. 

"Captain Song! Nothing found!" 

"There's a window in the restroom, but it's only thirty centimeters in size. We can't get out."

"The warehouse must have an exit," Ji Yushi's ears were ringing from the deafening gunfire, causing him to speak with a strange tone, his eardrums throbbing in pain. 

Witnessing the death of his teammates, Ji Yushi's blood-stained face turned somewhat pale. "But I'm not sure what's outside the exit; it could be even worse." 

The others were slightly surprised. 

This newly joined advisor, Ji Yushi, had just shown his hand at the entrance, even though he now appeared fragile, akin to a greenhouse flower subjected to brutality. 

But everyone couldn't help but remember the row of zombies that fell before him. 

Duan Wen said, "I've checked, and there are walls on all four sides of the warehouse!" 

Ji Yushi said, "That's not true. I remember the layout of the buildings in this area!" 

Song Qinglan blurted out, "Have you been here before?" 

No, Song Qinglan quickly dispelled this guess. They had just arrived at this so-called PU-31, and they hadn't figured out what this place was. Ji Yushi couldn't have been here before. 

Ji Yushi explained, "No! On our way here, I saw the window layout of this row of buildings. This is a commercial district, and the exterior of the buildings has fixed requirements. Therefore, each storefront on the ground floor is exactly the same. So the warehouse must have an exit." 

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?" 

Ji Yushi nodded, "I'm sure." 

The group quickly reached the windows on all four sides of the warehouse. 

If one didn't have a good sense of direction, it would be difficult to determine one's position in a strange space. 

But Ji Yushi's mind was like a vivid 3D architectural diagram, and he quickly pointed to a wall, saying, "There is a window at this location, approximately 120 cm high and 80 cm wide. Because this area is planned to be a convenience store warehouse, considering theft and moisture prevention issues, it's likely to be sealed off. The shop owner preserved false windows without changing the appearance of the building." 

The others were skeptical. Could anyone really remember everything they saw on the road without making a mistake? 

Song Qinglan had regained his composure and knocked on the wall. 

With time pressing, after confirming it was a thin brick wall, Song Qinglan asked, "What's behind the wall?!" 

Ji Yushi sensed a hint of trust in those eyes, and he calmly reiterated, "An alley. I can't be sure about the conditions in the alley." 

This situation made Song Qinglan not hesitate at all: "Blast it open directly!" 

Action was taken immediately. 

The group retreated, and Tang Le used a submachine gun, blasting the wall together with Song Qinglan. 

The wall shattered, and daylight flooded into the warehouse. Outside was indeed an alley, just as Ji Yushi had said. 

"Boom!" 

There was a loud noise outside the warehouse!! 

In the blink of an eye, the iron grille, unable to bear the weight, finally collapsed! Countless frenzied zombies rushed into the store, the chaotic and violent footsteps and the sound of shelves toppling over were like the death knell of the reaper! 

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!" 

"You go first!!" 

The opportunity was right in front of them, but the warehouse door was just a thin layer of wood, which was quickly deformed by the pressing zombies. Zhou Mingxuan leaned against it, using his body as a shield to support it, urging loudly, "Go!" 

Li Chun followed Duan Wen and quickly crawled out of the newly blasted window on the wall. 

However, soon after, the flimsy warehouse door fell with a clatter, and the zombies rushed in one after another. Zhou Mingxuan couldn't dodge in time and was instantly engulfed by the zombies! 

Gunshots erupted, blood splattering. 

Tang Le, who was already on the verge of collapse, his eyes bloodshot, exclaimed angrily, "I'll damn kill you all!!" 

Flesh and blood flew inside the warehouse, Song Qinglan's expression tense as he wielded the stun gun frantically. 

Taking a brief respite, Song Qinglan grabbed Tang Le's clothes, turned to look at Ji Yushi, and his eyes were thunderous: "Ji Yushi! Get him out of here for me!!" 

Ji Yushi, covered in blood and extremely disheveled, said, "There are too many! Let's go together!" 

Tang Le's face was smeared with brain matter from somewhere, staggering back a few steps as Song Qinglan grabbed him. 

With one hand holding the gun and killing a new wave of zombies, Song Qinglan pushed him forcefully: "You wanted to help, didn't you? Stop wasting time! Get out of here, all of you! I'll cover the rear!" 

More and more zombies poured in, and zombies outside were also attracted over. 

Seeing that Song Qinglan was preoccupied, Ji Yushi hesitated no longer, shoving Tang Le and leaping out of the window. 

In the not-too-distant car's driver's seat, Li Chun shouted, "Get in the car quickly!!" 

"Bang!" 

After landing, Ji Yushi killed a zombie rushing over and quickly got into the car with Tang Le. 

There was a deafening sound of gunfire behind them. 

"Where's Captain Song?!" Ji Yushi heard Duan Wen in the car asking, "Tang Le!! Where's Captain Song?!" 

The dense gunfire in the warehouse suddenly stopped. 

In an instant, Ji Yushi understood what had happened, and the resolute expression of Song Qinglan just now appeared in his mind. 

He looked sharply at the window they had jumped out of, where zombies were pouring out continuously, but the despotic Song Qinglan was nowhere to be seen. 

Duan Wen's voice changed, sounding like he was crying and screaming: "The identification card!! Find it quickly!!" 

Dozens of zombies surrounded the car, and the sound of their pounding echoed in everyone's heart. 

In this era, driving required a fingerprint lock, and the usual methods couldn't start the car. Li Chun shivered and finally found the spare identification card in the glove compartment. 

The car roared to life, white smoke rising from the tires as they dragged the zombies in front, leaving behind a trail of dark red blood stains. 

Outside the alley, the street was as it used to be, bathed in sunlight. 

In the distance, the black wall became the backdrop of the city. 

At that moment, the flow of time seemed to slow down, and the expressions of disbelief and enlarged pupils on everyone's faces were frozen. 

In the sunlight, a huge space car was rushing towards them from not far away. 

They had just escaped from the brink of death when they were completely wiped out, crushed into mud.