Chapter 100: Give Up Illusions

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Gao Yuan ran across the barbed wire, trying not to touch it with his hands because below the barbed wire was a layer upon layer of zombies.

After breaking through the barbed wire, the two tanks did not stop, nor did they continue to clear a path for the fleeing group. Instead, one went south and the other north, driving along the barbed wire in both directions, crushing any scattered zombies they encountered without hesitation.

The west was mountainous, and the northwest was as well, but the mountains in the west were smaller, formed of isolated peaks, while the northwest first led to a hilly area followed by a range of smaller, endless mountains. Although the main ridge of the Taihang was tens of kilometers away, it was still much safer than the direct western route.

The problem with heading west was that there were two counties not far away, positioned between Stonegate Shelter and the mountains. In contrast, there were no counties when entering the mountainous areas to the northwest.

The group moved swiftly, but it wasn't long—barely two hundred meters from the barbed wire of the shelter—when the sounds of explosions suddenly became sparse behind them.

As the explosions grew infrequent, the cries and screams of people could be heard.

It wasn't much later, just a short minute or two, when the wailing behind them abruptly surged in volume.

"Zombies have entered the camp..."

Wang Hu whispered, not knowing if anyone around him had heard.

In the face of a massive horde of zombies, a large group of humans stood no chance at all.

Surrounded by soldiers, Gao Yuan glanced back only to see tense and gruesome faces; looking left and right, he could only see the silhouettes of people running.

"No firing!"

"No firing!"

Wang Hu shouted first, then his order was quickly passed back relay-style.

At that moment, a soldier who had fallen behind called out loudly, "A large number of survivors are coming out, with zombies following them!"

The news quickly reached the front, and Zhou Shaoqiang, the captain of the Da Hong Third Company, ran to Wang Hu's side. While moving his arms to keep pace and running shoulder to shoulder with Wang Hu, he said urgently, "Commander, many survivors are running out, followed by a lot of zombies. Let us go and hold them back a bit, Commander!"

Wang Hu clenched his teeth and said in a deep voice, "No, keep running forward, our target is the mountains ahead!"

"Commander!"

Zhou Shaoqiang let out a mournful cry, but Wang Hu didn't turn his head or look at him, simply stating sternly, "Keep running forward, no firing, execute the order!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Shaoqiang gave a helpless roar, then slightly slowed his pace and waited for his soldiers to catch up before loudly commanding, "No one is to shoot without orders, absolutely no firing; that's an absolute order. Everyone, safeties on!"

The group continued to run forward in silence.

Yu Shunzhou began to slow down, but he was still keeping up. Gao Yuan glanced at him and said, "Give me your bag, I'll carry it for you. Tell me when you can't run anymore; don't wait until you're completely out of energy."

While running, Yu Shunzhou took off his backpack and handed it to Gao Yuan, panting, "I can still hold on..."

By now, Gao Yuan could no longer see what was happening behind them, for they had moved beyond the range lit by the searchlights. However, their vision was still quite good because the moon had already risen—a very unfortunate fact, as tonight's moon was very bright, full, and large.

The beautiful moonlight shone upon the hell on earth, giving zombies a better view, enabling them to kill even more humans.

Gao Yuan suddenly despised the presence of the moon.

It was then that a soldier from behind called out urgently, "Zombies are catching up, attacking the fleeing survivors."

Gao Yuan looked back again but still couldn't see anything.

The screams of the survivors were the clearest alarms.

Upon hearing the noise, Wang Hu turned his head to look back and then declared in a deep voice, "Night vision goggles!"

The Da Hong Third Company wasn't equipped with night vision goggles, nor was the protective platoon, but the two special forces teams provided by Stonegate Branch One each had a pair.

Soon, a special forces team leader by Wang Hu's side reported in a deep voice, "Reporting, Commander, a large number of survivors are at our two-hundred-meter rear right, survivors keep appearing at four hundred meters directly behind us, there are few survivors on the right side, no zombies spotted visually, but judging by the sound, the zombies are less than five hundred meters from us."

At this moment, most survivors were fleeing west or northwest because everyone knew that the east was most infested with zombies. If one had to flee, naturally it would be towards where there were fewer zombies.

Without hesitation, Wang Hu ordered, "Continue moving forward, increase speed!"

As the special forces team sped up, those behind them did as well.

What about the several hundred thousand survivors? Even if zombies had surged into the shelter, it wouldn't be possible to kill all the survivors quickly.

But it wouldn't take very long either.

They ran for another ten minutes, but the distance they had covered was pitifully short.

One disadvantage of Stonegate Shelter was its location on a vast plain. It was indeed not easy to outrun the extremely fast zombies on flat ground.

As they continued to run forward, clear screams could now be heard behind them.

At that moment, a special forces soldier observing with night vision goggles suddenly said, "Commander! The zombies have caught up, five hundred meters away, slaughtering a few survivors..."

Wang Hu suddenly ordered, "Stop moving forward!"

The entire group came to an instantaneous halt.

Why did they need to stop at such a critical time? Because Wang Hu had to observe the situation and make new tactical decisions.

Wang Hu reached for the night vision goggles; after only a brief look, he quickly lowered them.

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After pondering for a moment, Wang Hu suddenly shouted loudly, "Zhou Shaoqiang!"

The commander of Da Hong Third Company quickly ran to the front of Wang Hu, saluted, and loudly said, "Present!"

"I order you to lead Da Hong Third Company to carry out the blocking task, with the requirement that while luring the zombies in other directions, you hold the zombies off for thirty minutes. Can you do it?"

Zhou Shaoqiang stood at attention, snapped a salute, and without any hesitation said, "Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

Everyone was watching what was unfolding, and under the faint moonlight, Gao Yuan could not see very clearly, but he could see, he could hear.

Wang Hu took a breath, then returned a military salute.

"Commander, I have just one thing to say."

Zhou Shaoqiang stretched out his hand, taking something out from the bullet pouch on his chest and the gap in his clothing.

"Commander, I have only one request, that Da Hong Third Company must not be disbanded, not have its number cancelled."

Zhou Shaoqiang held up the item, Wang Hu reached out to receive it, but his hand retracted halfway into the air.

"I dare not promise this request..."

Zhou Shaoqiang hesitated for a moment, then suddenly turned back, saw Gao Yuan in the crowd, and immediately ran towards him.

"Gao Yuan!"

Gao Yuan didn't understand what was going on, but he immediately stood up straight and loudly said, "Present!"

"You are a volunteer, not a soldier, right?"

"Report, I am not a soldier."

"Good, now I specially recruit you to join the glorious Da Hong Third Company. Are you willing?"

Gao Yuan didn't hesitate, although he didn't understand, his mind simply couldn't process at that moment.

"Report to the commander, I am willing!"

"Very well, from now on you are a member of Da Hong Third Company. I order you to take good care of our company flag; you must not die! You do not have permission to die! If you do not die, Da Hong Third Company still has its seed, and if there is someone in Da Hong Third Company, you cannot let it be disbanded, you do not have permission to die, this is an order!"

Gao Yuan stretched out his hands, shaking violently as he took the very neatly folded company flag.

"I guarantee to complete the mission!"

Zhou Shaoqiang smiled, turned to salute Wang Hu, then stood in front of all the members of Da Hong Third Company, took the rifle into his hands and raised it to his chest.

"Da Hong Third Company!"

Zhou Shaoqiang called out in a firm yet not very loud voice, but when all the members of Da Hong Third Company stood at attention, gazing at him, Zhou Shaoqiang didn't know what to say next.

What else to say, what else?

"Abandon all illusions, embrace death!"

Having said that, Zhou Shaoqiang waved his hand vigorously.

"Follow me!"

Zhou Shaoqiang ran towards the direction of the shelter, followed by all the members of Da Hong Third Company, with neat formation and uniform steps.

Not all of Da Hong Third Company remained, Gao Yuan was left behind.

Gao Yuan looked at the company flag he was holding, the bright red banner was folded into a square block, very squared-off, very red.

As red as blood.

Wang Hu slowly exhaled, then spoke in a deep voice, "Continue advancing! Speed up!"

The troop resumed its march, only this time there was no one standing around Gao Yuan and the few others.

Gao Yuan silently touched his backpack, intending to put the company flag Zhou Shaoqiang had given him inside, but he quickly changed his mind. He unzipped his jacket and placed the flag inside the inner pocket of his combat vest.

Just then, Gao Yuan heard a loud roar from far behind.

It was the kind of sound that could only be produced by many people shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Abandon all illusions, embrace death! Kill! Kill..."

Gao Yuan turned his head to look back, he could see a group turning on their flashlights, and then he heard the sound of gunfire.

The chaotic beams of light receded further to the south.

Gao Yuan felt for the company flag inside his clothes.

The sounds of gunfire grew more distant.

Gao Yuan didn't turn back, he looked up at the sky where the Serpent People's airship still hung midair.

Gao Yuan looked at the moon; it was round, large, and bright.