Chapter 73: Don't Want to Leave

While everyone else was training, Gao Yuan left. He had no choice but to be exceptional.

Now Gao Yuan was the chief... Bladesmith of Shimen Shelter No.2.

Moreover, it wasn't just Shimen Shelter No.2 using Gao Yuan's methods to make knives; in fact, both shelters in Stonegate were doing so. Even though Stonegate Branch One hadn't started to form its Volunteer Corps, making the knives first was definitely the right move, because the military's demand for knives was also substantial.

Gao Yuan, Xiang Weiguo, and five volunteers had together determined the knife's design.

The blade was seventy centimeters long, five centimeters wide, and ten millimeters thick, with a slender and slightly curved edge; the handle was fifty centimeters long, totaling a length of one hundred and twenty centimeters.

Why this length, you might ask? Because it was sufficient.

Zombies have no intelligence and won't dodge. When they attack humans, they just pounce instinctively, without any tactics, so the length of the knife ensures you can chop them without the zombies touching you.

Longer would be okay, but it would become less convenient, and shorter—very few people have the strength to lop off a zombie's head.

The weight of a knife was around ten jin, give or take, because the spring steel used varied in thickness, the steel pipes used for the handles varied in thickness and diameter, and the cutting was not so precise during manufacture, so it was impossible to keep the weight uniform.

Shields were also made. There were police shields, but too few of them, just over thirty, including riot and round shields. How could that satisfy the need for two hundred shields required by the one hundred teams?

Gao Yuan's solution was to cut large oil drums in half and weld handles on the back.

"I feel these shields are a bit heavy,"

After lifting the shields made from gasoline drums, Gao Yuan tested a few times and said to Xiang Weiguo, "They can be lightened."

"How to lighten them?"

"Drill holes. Small holes, any shape will do. As long as it doesn't affect the strength, drill as many holes as possible."

Liu Siming, who had been following Xiang Weiguo, said, "How can this be? How can shields have holes in them?"

Gao Yuan looked at Liu Siming and replied, "Why not?"

Liu Siming responded without hesitation, "But if there are holes in the shield, how can it block..."

Gao Yuan laughed and said, "Right, it can't block bullets or arrows, but blocking zombies should be fine, right?"

Liu Siming, a bit embarrassed, chuckled and said, "I actually forgot about that."

Shields are to block zombie attacks, and since zombies can only attack with their teeth and hands and have no other means, a shield full of small holes would certainly suffice.

Xiang Weiguo appreciated this aspect of Gao Yuan, his nimble mind that could solve problems immediately.

"Drill holes in these shields, finish the work as soon as possible, and let's test them this afternoon."

That was work Gao Yuan didn't have to do himself. He placed the shields on the ground and whispered to Uncle Xiang, "I want to go see Yu Shunzhou."

Xiang Weiguo looked at Gao Yuan and asked, "Is this you asking for leave?"

"Uh, yes, it's a leave request."

Xiang Weiguo thought for a moment and said, "You may go."

Gao Yuan took off his gloves, patted the dust off his clothes, and began walking toward the hospital.

In this communal living situation, even visiting Yu Shunzhou required asking for leave, but Gao Yuan understood that since he had joined this community, he had to follow rules. If everyone did whatever they wanted, how could any team be led?

It was several days since arriving at the shelter, and Yu Shunzhou's condition had finally stabilized after surgery, so this was Gao Yuan's first visit.

The shelter's hospital was comparable to a township health clinic in terms of facilities, but its medical staff was formidable.

Stonegate City's renowned doctors who survived were either at Branch One or Branch Two. Plus, there are nurses—now, in this shelter's hospital, there are even more nurses than patients.

As Gao Yuan pushed open the door to the ward, he saw Yu Shunzhou happily chatting with a young nurse.

When Yu Shunzhou saw Gao Yuan, he immediately said, "There you are, I thought you'd married and forgotten all about your mother."

Gao Yuan couldn't help but laugh and he said loudly, "You jerk, can't you watch your mouth for once?"

Yu Shunzhou said to the nurse standing beside him, "This is Gao Yuan, my buddy."

The young nurse seemed a bit embarrassed, she spoke quickly, "You guys talk. I'll call him when it's time."

It almost looked like the young nurse was dodging out when she left, so Gao Yuan looked puzzled and asked, "What did you do? Don't tell me you hooked up with her in just a few days!"

Yu Shunzhou actually looked quite handsome when he laughed, too bad he always appeared a bit lecherous and frivolous.

"Hey hey, what do you think?"

Yu Shunzhou touched his own face and then made a suggestive gesture, "Did you notice that once I lost weight, I became super handsome."

Gao Yuan had some words of comfort he wanted to say, but he couldn't say them now.

"Truly a scourge that lasts a thousand years..."

Gao Yuan sat down opposite Yu Shunzhou and asked, "Did you fart?"

"I did. You came all this way, and you didn't bring me anything?"

Gao Yuan felt like he couldn't chat anymore.

"Alright, I don't want to talk to you anymore. I want to go back."

Yu Shunzhou quickly said, "Wait a minute, first tell me, how was that bastard who hurt me dealt with? Even if you guys didn't beat him to death, you at least gave him a beating, right?"

Gao Yuan was silent for a moment and then he sighed, "Let it go, it's not that I don't have your back. But... there was no beating him, Uncle Xiang is quite fond of him, and honestly, without Uncle Xiang's help, I doubt I could've taken him. Maybe the two of us together could've had a chance."

"Bullshit!"

Yu Shunzhou was agitated and raised his voice, "You know I trained in combat, right? Unable to beat him?"

"Those moves you trained in, don't even mention them. I have no idea, but Uncle Xiang said that kid is definitely better than me. I trained for a long time, but if Uncle Xiang says I can't beat him, then I can't, can I? I trust Uncle Xiang's judgment. Anyway, that guy's name is Jia Weidong, and he wanted me to apologize to you on his behalf."

Yu Shunzhou exhaled deeply and said, "I can't just accept an apology for this gunshot wound. Forget it, we'll talk about it later. It's useless discussing it now."

Gao Yuan felt a bit embarrassed because he hadn't avenged his friend.

"I heard you've become a volunteer?"

"The nurse told you? That's right, I've become a volunteer, training every day to fight zombies."

"If that jerk hadn't shot me, I'd be joining you right now. But tell me the truth, do you really plan on staying in this shelter forever?"

Yu Shunzhou lowered his voice even more, "I always feel it's overcrowded in this shelter, and sooner or later, something bad is going to happen. Brother Yuan, do you think we should head to the camp instead?"

Gao Yuan took a deep breath and said, "From a survival point of view, I think we should go back to our camp, but I can't leave. You, at the very least, will need another two months to recover."

"So, will we leave once I'm healed?"

Gao Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Can't leave. It's not that others are stopping us—it's just that I can't go. I feel like I've started to integrate into this community, so I don't want to leave."