10: Chapter 10 Data Instinct

4:17 AM, Beiling City Air Force Reserve Barracks.

The hummer vehicle's diesel engine emitted a low roar in the silence.

Commander Lin Dong gripped the steering wheel, his gaze sweeping over the night scene outside the windshield.

Scattered across the main road of the barracks were over a dozen corpses, some wearing military uniforms and others in civilian clothes—likely civilians who had tried to sneak into the barracks amidst the chaos last night.

"Company Commander, where are we driving to?" Private Liu Zihao asked in a low voice from the back seat.

This nineteen-year-old Private still had traces of youthful naivety on his face, his hands tightly gripping the Type 95 he had swiped from the armory.

Commander Lin Dong did not answer immediately.

His gaze fell to the upper right of the windshield—where there had originally been nothing, a line of translucent green text now hovered:

【Current Vehicle: Military humvee M1151】

【Status: Fuel 87%, Armor Intact, Weapon System Not Activated】

【Monitoring vital signs of personnel inside the vehicle...】

This was something that had suddenly appeared in his field of vision twenty minutes ago.

At first, he thought it was a hallucination caused by retinal damage, but when he looked at the soldiers beside him, those numbers would automatically appear:

【Name: Liu Zihao】

【Level: Lv.1】

【Status: Minor Injury (Right hand abrasion), Mental State: Fear (72%)】

【Threat Rating: F】

And when his gaze turned to those fallen corpses outside the car window, the green text turned a glaring red:

【Name: Infected Corpse (Inactive)】

【Level: Lv.1】

【HP: 85/85】

【Status: Standby, Infection Level 100%, Time until activation: 00:03:27】

【Threat Rating: F】

Commander Lin Dong's fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel. Three minutes. In three minutes, these corpses would all stand up.

"Company Commander?" Liu Zihao called out again.

"Shut up." Commander Lin Dong's tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority. "Listen."

The car went quiet. The sound of the humvee's engine seemed exceptionally clear in the empty barracks.

Then, they heard that sound—coming from the southeast corner of the barracks, intermittent, like the buzzing of some mechanical device being repeatedly started and shut down.

【Sound Source Analysis: Distance approx. 320 meters, Bearing 15° South-Southeast, Type: Large diesel generator failed to start】

【Current area zombie density: approx. 47 per square kilometer, Estimated number of activations within sound propagation radius: 12-18】

"The Communications Company has a generator over there," spoke Sergeant Ma Hailong from the passenger seat.

He was twenty-seven, a third-term Sergeant, a gunner by specialty, with a shrapnel scar from three years ago on his left cheek. "Before lights out last night, I heard them testing their equipment, saying they were going to conduct some kind of night communication exercise."

Commander Lin Dong remembered this man. During last year's brigade-wide competition, Ma Hailong's gun crew took second place, losing to the Reconnaissance Company led by Commander Lin Dong.

At the time, this man from the Northeast had shaken his hand with a flushed face, saying, "We'll come back next year."

There would be no next year.

"Sergeant Ma," Commander Lin Dong turned his head, his gaze landing on Ma Hailong's right upper arm—there was a fresh scratch there, and through the torn training uniform, one could see the blood had already coagulated. "You were bitten."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

The air inside the vehicle suddenly froze. Li Na in the back seat instinctively shrank back, and Private Liu Zihao's hand holding the gun trembled.

Ma Hailong was silent for three seconds, then grinned, revealing teeth stained yellow by smoke: "Company Commander Lin, your eyes are sharp. Twenty minutes ago, when I was running down from the dormitory building, an old lady darted out from the stairwell corner and scratched me with her fingernails."

"Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"If I had said so, would you still have let me get in the car?" Ma Hailong fished a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth without lighting it. "Company Commander Lin, let me be straight with you. My wife and kids are in the city, and I haven't been able to reach them by phone since last night. I just want to make it out of this gate alive, then head east and go home to take a look. Once I've seen them, whatever happens, happens."

【Name: Ma Hailong】

【Status: Early Infection (Zombification in 02:37)】

【Infection Progress: 1.7%】

【Infection Source Analysis: F-Class Zombie scratch, Infection efficiency 12%, Estimated time to full zombification: 02:34:18】

Two hours and thirty-four minutes.

Commander Lin Dong's brain raced. The east gate of the barracks was less than four hundred meters away; a normal drive would get them out in three minutes. But what after that? Head east, travel across half the city to Ma Hailong's home? Take someone about to turn into a zombie into the city?

"Sergeant Ma," Li Na's voice came from the back seat, trembling noticeably, "Do, do you know you will turn into one of those things?"

"I know." Ma Hailong took the unlit cigarette from his mouth and stared at it for two seconds. "Just now, when I went down to the garage, I saw Instructor Wang. He was standing right next to that Yongshi vehicle, half his face was gone, his stomach was ripped open, and his intestines were dragging on the ground. But he was still standing, and he was still damn well moving."

He stuffed the cigarette back into the pack and tucked it into his pocket: "Before I turn into that, I can blow my own brains out."

Commander Lin Dong looked at the countdown on the panel—02:33:51. He remembered something. Just now in the armory, he had grabbed three hand grenades, and they were now in the ammunition box in the back seat of the humvee.

"Sergeant Ma, I have a question for you." Commander Lin Dong's hands were still gripping the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the increasingly close barracks gate. "If I tied you to the roof of the humvee and used you as bait, how many zombies could you lure away?"

Ma Hailong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard that his wound twitched in pain: "Company Commander Lin, you really are a piece of work."

"Answer the question directly."

Ma Hailong stopped laughing and thought seriously: "Fresh meat, alive, definitely attracts things. A hundred or eighty wouldn't be a problem."

"Good." Commander Lin Dong slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the humvee roared through the barracks gate. "Then you help me do one thing. Once it's done, I will personally take you to the East District to find your wife and children."

【Task Triggered: The Last Sergeant】

【Task Objective: Use the infection source Ma Hailong to lure away the corpse horde on the main road, ensuring the squad arrives safely at the eastern suburbs】

【Task Reward: Energy Points +50, Unlock 【Military Expert's Decision】 talent branch】

【Failure Penalty: Ma Hailong turns into a zombie early, squad member survival rate drops by 37%】

——

4:35 AM, the intersection of Jianshe Avenue and Jiefang Road in Beiling City.

The humvee stopped in the shadows at the intersection, the engine cut, and all lights turned off.

Three hundred meters away, in the center of Jiefang Road, over a dozen cars had collided in a pile-up, blocking the six-lane two-way road completely.

Flames erupted from beneath one of the overturned oil tankers, illuminating the dense crowd of figures nearby—at least two hundred zombies were wandering aimlessly around the accident scene.

【Area Analysis: Jiefang Road accident scene】

【Zombie count: approx. 230-270, mostly F-Class】

【Mutant detection: None】

【Special Threat: Oil tanker may explode at any time, explosion radius approx. 80 meters】

【Suggested Route: Detour via Jianshe Avenue → Dongming Road → Eastern Suburbs】

Jianshe Avenue was a four-lane two-way road, now empty, with only a few abandoned cars parked on the side.

But the problem was, Jianshe Avenue had a five-hundred-meter straight section, flanked entirely by residential buildings.

Once an engine started, the zombies in the buildings would be alerted and swarm out from every unit entrance.

"We can't get through." Liu Zihao's voice was very low, as if afraid of being heard by the zombies outside. "As soon as we start the engine, the things in the buildings on both sides will all come out."

Ma Hailong stared at the residential buildings and suddenly spoke: "Those buildings are old brick-concrete structures, six stories, no elevators. Each building has three units, each unit has two households per floor, thirty-six households per building."

Commander Lin Dong immediately understood what he was calculating: "Assuming two people per household, infection rate at 70%..."

"About fifty per building," Ma Hailong took over. "There are... let me count, on both sides of Jianshe Avenue, from the intersection to Dongming Road, six on the left, seven on the right, thirteen buildings, about six hundred and fifty."

【Ma Hailong Tactical Deduction: Accuracy 92%】

【Estimated number of activated zombies: 580-720】

【Combat duration: Estimated 45 minutes for total elimination】

【Ammunition consumption: Estimated 4500 rifle rounds, 800 pistol rounds, 12 hand grenades】

【Squad current ammunition: 870 rifle rounds, 120 pistol rounds, 3 hand grenades】

Can't do it.

Commander Lin Dong's fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, a habitual action when he was thinking.

Six hundred zombies, five of them; even if their marksmanship was perfect, each person would have to take down one hundred and twenty.

Reload time, aiming time, zombie movement speed... data arranged and combined in his mind, and all calculation results pointed to the same conclusion: a frontal assault had a 91% probability of total annihilation.

Unless—

His gaze fell on Ma Hailong. Two hours and twenty minutes.

【Infection Progress: 3.1%】

"Sergeant Ma, if I gave you a vehicle, could you lure these six hundred things away?"

Ma Hailong grinned: "Company Commander Lin, I've been waiting for you to say that."

——

4:52 AM, the intersection of Jianshe Avenue and Jiefang Road.

Commander Lin Dong and Ma Hailong got out of the car, walked to the back of the humvee, and opened the trunk.

Inside were a few military backpacks, some compressed rations, two cases of mineral water, and that box of ammunition.

Commander Lin Dong opened the ammunition box, took out twenty rounds, and pushed the rest toward Ma Hailong.

"What kind of vehicle do you want?" Commander Lin Dong asked.

Ma Hailong didn't rush to take the ammunition; instead, he walked to the side of the road to observe the abandoned Private cars.

His gaze swept over the cars, finally stopping on a silver-gray Great Wall pickup truck.

"That one." He walked over and checked the body. "Diesel version, four-wheel drive, high chassis. The keys should be in..."

He pulled open the driver's side door, felt behind the sun visor, and a key fell out.

Ma Hailong caught it, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it. The dashboard lit up, and the fuel gauge needle pointed to three-quarters.

"Enough to run over a hundred kilometers." Ma Hailong jumped out of the car and went to the back to check the cargo bed. "Empty, perfect."

Commander Lin Dong placed the ammunition box and two bottles of mineral water into the pickup's passenger seat, then took the climbing rope they had found in the armory from the humvee and tossed it into the cargo bed.

"The plan is like this." Commander Lin Dong opened the panel and brought up the map of Jianshe Avenue—strangely, when he focused his attention on thinking of a "map," a translucent 3D block map actually appeared before his eyes, marked with the height of each building, the location of unit entrances, and estimated zombie numbers. "You drive north from Jianshe Avenue, turn right at the first intersection, and enter Xinmin Road.

Both sides of Xinmin Road are full of restaurants and shops, and the zombie density is high. Drive slowly and let them follow. Then turn right from Xinmin Road onto Heping Street. Heping Street ends at Dongming Road, so wait for us at the Dongming Road intersection."

Ma Hailong looked at the map and nodded: "Meaning I'll clear a path for you. I'll take everything with me, and the things in the buildings on both sides of Jianshe Avenue will hear the noise and have to chase me too."

"Correct. We will go straight through Jianshe Avenue to Dongming Road, and when you reach the Dongming Road intersection, we will meet up."

"And then?" Ma Hailong asked. "I'll have hundreds of zombies on my tail, how will we meet up?"

Commander Lin Dong was silent for two seconds, then pointed to the climbing rope in the pickup's cargo bed.

"When you reach the Dongming Road intersection, keep your speed at twenty miles per hour. We will overtake you from the side, you throw the rope over, and we will drag you onto our vehicle."

Ma Hailong was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Company Commander Lin, what the hell, are we shooting a movie?"

"Twenty miles per hour, with the two vehicles running parallel at a distance of no more than three meters, I have a seventy percent chance of success." Commander Lin Dong looked at him, his gaze calm. "You can choose to blow your own brains out now, and I will help you take the photos of your wife and children back to the East District."

Ma Hailong stopped laughing and stared at Commander Lin Dong for five seconds. Then he turned, pulled open the pickup's driver-side door, and sat in.

"After I start the ignition, I'll count to thirty. Is that enough time?"

Commander Lin Dong glanced at his watch: "Enough."

Ma Hailong started the pickup. The sound of the diesel engine was exceptionally piercing on the early morning street.

【Warning: Sound source activated, zombies within a 200-meter radius are beginning to move toward the sound source】

【Estimated time for the first batch to arrive: 45 seconds】

Commander Lin Dong ran quickly back to the humvee, opened the door, and sat in. Li Na and Liu Zihao in the back seat were pale, and the other Private, Zhang Lei, was gripping his gun tightly, his knuckles white.

"Where is Sergeant Ma?" Li Na asked.

"Driving to lure the monsters." Commander Lin Dong started the humvee. "Hold on tight."

——

4:57 AM, Ma Hailong began to count.

"...twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty."

He slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the Great Wall pickup's diesel engine let out a roar. The tires spun in the air for half a turn on the ground, and then it suddenly shot forward.

The residential buildings on both sides of Jianshe Avenue were like a beehive that had been awakened. Lights lit up in window after window—no, those weren't lights, those were figures moving.

Unit doors were smashed open, one, two, ten, dozens of figures surged out from the stairwells, rushing towards the pickup.

【Zombie activation count: 47... 89... 156... rising rapidly】

Ma Hailong saw those things through the car window. There were women in pajamas, men shirtless, elderly people with gray hair, and even a few children wearing school uniforms.

Their faces were covered in blood, their eyes murky, their mouths open, emitting that hair-raising screech.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

He floored the gas pedal. The pickup truck's speedometer needle jumped from 40 to 60, then to 80. In the rearview mirror, the group of figures grew more distant, but more figures poured out from roadside alleys, shops, and buses, joining the pursuit.

[Zombie Density on Jianshe Avenue: Decreasing]

[Current Remaining Zombies: Approx. 40%, concentrated at the far end of the road]

"Now's the time." Commander Lin Dong hit the gas, and the humvee surged out from the shadows, its engine roaring as it charged onto Jianshe Avenue.

Li Na saw the scenes on both sides through the car window. The unit doors of those residential buildings were wide open, and the hallways were empty. There were still scattered zombies along the roadside—an old woman with stiff legs, an injured person whose legs had been crushed by a car—they heard the sound of the humvee, turned their heads, and began to shamble closer.

"Don't stop, don't fire." Commander Lin Dong's voice was terrifyingly calm. "Maintain sixty miles per hour and push through."

The first zombie hit the humvee's front right wheel, making the vehicle jolt. The second was clipped by the left rearview mirror and sent spinning through the air. The third lunged at the windshield; Liu Zihao instinctively closed his eyes, hearing a "thud" as the zombie was sent flying, leaving a smear of foul blood and a crack on the glass.

[humvee Status: Lightly damaged, front bumper deformed, crack in windshield, continuing at high speed]

They drove the five hundred meters of Jianshe Avenue in less than a minute. As the humvee charged into Dongming Road, Commander Lin Dong glanced at the rearview mirror. On the surface of Jianshe Avenue, several bodies lay scattered from being hit, and more zombies were shambling after them in the distance, but the gap had already widened to over three hundred meters.

"What about Ma Hailong?" Li Na asked.

Commander Lin Dong glanced at the panel.

[Ma Hailong's Location: Mid-section of Xinmin Road, approx. 450 zombies behind, speed difference narrowing]

[Pickup Truck Status: Lightly damaged, right rearview mirror fallen off, 3 zombies have climbed into the cargo bed]

"He's still luring them."

—

5:11 AM, Xinmin Road.

Ma Hailong saw the three zombies in the cargo bed through the rearview mirror. A middle-aged man in a chef's uniform, a girl with a ponytail, and another—what was that? Half a body? They were clinging to the edge of the bed, desperately trying to crawl in, growling from their mouths.

"Damn it." Ma Hailong held the steering wheel with one hand and reached for the holster at his waist with his right. But just as he touched the pistol, he caught a glimpse of a zombie suddenly darting out from the intersection ahead—it was a Speed-type, on all fours, running like a beast, at least three times faster than a normal zombie.

[Mutant Detected: Lv.3 Speed-type]

[HP: 200]

[Speed: 7.5m/s]

[Threat Rating: E]

Ma Hailong jerked the steering wheel, and the pickup truck tilted violently, with the two right wheels nearly leaving the ground. The Speed-type zombie brushed past the front of the truck and tumbled into a roadside trash can. The pickup landed back on the ground, Ma Hailong's heart pounding wildly.

He looked back at the cargo bed—the three zombies were still there, but the Speed-type had already climbed out of the trash can and was chasing again.

[Speed-type Mutant Distance: 45 meters, closing rapidly]

Ma Hailong gritted his teeth and slammed on the brakes. The pickup's tires left two black streaks on the ground as its speed plummeted to thirty miles per hour. The three zombies in the bed were caught off guard and all fell forward; two were thrown directly out of the bed and onto the road. The one in the chef's uniform gripped the edge tightly, half its body hanging outside.

The Speed-type Mutant had already lunged at the rear of the truck, leaping up—

Ma Hailong slammed on the gas again, and the pickup surged forward. The Speed-type Mutant missed its mark and slammed heavily onto the ground. But it immediately rolled up and continued the chase.

[Distance: 60 meters, widening]

Ma Hailong breathed a sigh of relief. But the next second, he saw a scene through the rearview mirror that made his blood run cold—from the restaurants and shops on both sides of Xinmin Road, more zombies were pouring out. Not dozens, but hundreds. They poured out from barbecue shops, ramen shops, internet cafes, and KTVs, merging into a gray torrent chasing the pickup.

[Zombie Density on Xinmin Road: Far exceeding estimates]

[Current Number of Pursuing Zombies: Approx. 800-1,000]

A thought flashed through Ma Hailong's mind: Motherfucker, I lured too many this time.

—

5:19 AM, Dongming Road intersection.

Commander Lin Dong parked the humvee by the roadside and turned off the engine. They had been waiting for eight minutes. Li Na kept checking her watch, Liu Zihao's hand holding the gun was shaking, and Zhang Lei had his eyes closed, muttering something as if praying.

"Company Commander," Li Na finally couldn't help but speak, "Artillery Chief Ma..."

"Shut up." Commander Lin Dong stared at the northern end of Dongming Road. At the very end was the intersection with Xinmin Road.

[Ma Hailong's Vital Signs: Normal]

[Infection Progress: 17.4%]

[Time Remaining: 01:55:32]

[Pickup Truck Location: Mid-to-rear section of Xinmin Road, approx. 1.2 km from the rendezvous point]

[Number of Pursuing Zombies: Estimated 1,120-1,350]

A thousand.

Commander Lin Dong's fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel. With a thousand zombies chasing a pickup truck, it was impossible for Ma Hailong to rendezvous with them at twenty miles per hour. As soon as he slowed down, the tide of corpses behind him would submerge him.

The plan had to change.

"Li Na, you drive." Commander Lin Dong pushed the car door open and jumped out.

"Company Commander, where are you going?"

"To pick up Artillery Chief Ma."

Commander Lin Dong took the bundle of climbing rope from the trunk and put twenty rounds of ammunition into his pocket. Then he ran quickly toward an abandoned box truck by the roadside, climbed into the cab, and tried to start it—no gas.

The second one, no keys.

The third one, a semi-old Wuling Hongguang, the key was in the ignition, and the fuel gauge showed one bar left.

Commander Lin Dong started the Wuling and floored the gas onto Dongming Road.

[New Mission Triggered: The Last Sergeant - Continued]

[Mission Objective: Support Ma Hailong and ensure his survival until he sees his family]

[Mission Reward: Ma Hailong joins the team, unlocking the [Life-and-Death Bond] connection]

[Failure Penalty: Ma Hailong turns into a zombie, squad morale drops, subsequent plot branches close]

—

5:23 AM, intersection of Xinmin Road and Heping Street.

Ma Hailong saw the open area at the end of Heping Street—Dongming Road. But the corpse tide behind was getting closer, and those Speed-type Mutants were already flanking from both sides, the nearest one less than twenty meters from the pickup.

The pickup's speedometer pointed to 65 miles per hour. If it dropped to 20, he would be caught within three seconds.

He heard a strange noise from the engine compartment—the wheezing after prolonged high-speed operation. The water temperature gauge needle was approaching the red line.

"Fuck."

Ma Hailong pulled out his sidearm from his waist and checked the magazine—fifteen rounds. What was that enough for? Enough to give himself a shot if he really couldn't escape.

Just then, he saw a silver-gray Wuling Hongguang charging at full speed from the end of Dongming Road.

—

5:25 AM, the two vehicles met.

Commander Lin Dong saw the scene behind the pickup through the Wuling's window—it was a gray ocean, zombies surging like a tide, the leading Speed-type Mutants already less than ten meters from the pickup. The pickup's body was jolting violently, and white smoke was rising from the engine compartment.

[Pickup Truck Status: Engine overheating, could stall at any time]

[Ma Hailong's Infection Progress: 19.7%]

[Time Remaining: 01:47:33]

Commander Lin Dong jerked the steering wheel, bringing the Wuling parallel to the pickup. He rolled down the window and shouted at Ma Hailong, "The rope!"

Ma Hailong grabbed the bundle of climbing rope from the passenger seat and threw one end out the window. Commander Lin Dong controlled the steering wheel with one hand and reached for it with the other—he missed the first time, the rope flying past his fingertips.

[Grab Success Rate: 47%]

Commander Lin Dong took a deep breath and reached out again. This time, he firmly grabbed the end of the rope, quickly wound it twice around his right wrist, and tied a dead knot.

"Slow down! Pull closer to me!"

Ma Hailong let off the gas, and the pickup's speed plummeted to forty miles per hour. Commander Lin Dong slammed on the brakes, and the Wuling's speed also dropped. The distance between the two vehicles shrank from three meters to two, then to one.

[Distance between vehicles: 0.8 meters]

[Relative Speed: 5 km/h]

[Success Rate: 82%]

"Jump!"

Ma Hailong let go of the steering wheel, pushed the door open, and leaped. His body slammed into the Wuling's side door, and he gripped the edge of the window tightly. Commander Lin Dong held the steering wheel with one hand and grabbed Ma Hailong's arm with the other, pulling him inside.

The pickup lost control, veered toward the roadside, and crashed into a utility pole. The corpse tide behind instantly submerged it.

Ma Hailong was hanging halfway out of the Wuling's window, his feet still dangling outside. The nearest Speed-type Mutant had already lunged at the rear of the car, its claws almost touching the soles of his shoes.

Commander Lin Dong floored the gas pedal, and the Wuling's engine roared as it sped away. The Speed-type Mutant missed and fell to the ground, quickly being trampled into meat paste by the corpse tide behind.

Ma Hailong was pulled into the car with all of Commander Lin Dong's strength, collapsing into the passenger seat, gasping for air. His face was covered in sweat, and his right hand was trembling slightly.

"Company Commander Lin," he said hoarsely, "I owe you my life."

Commander Lin Dong didn't speak, his gaze scanning the numbers on the panel.

[Infection Progress: 20.1%]

[Time Remaining: 01:45:12]

He floored the gas, and the Wuling sped toward the southern section of Dongming Road. In the rearview mirror, the gray ocean was still in pursuit, but the distance was widening.

—

5:34 AM, southern section of Dongming Road, humvee parking spot.

Commander Lin Dong parked the Wuling behind the humvee and turned off the engine. Ma Hailong pushed the door open, his legs giving way as he nearly knelt on the ground. Li Na and Liu Zihao ran over to support him, while Zhang Lei held his gun, alert to the surroundings.

"Get in the car, quick." Commander Lin Dong jumped out of the Wuling, took the ammo box from the trunk, and threw it into the back seat of the humvee. "It's not safe here; the corpse tide will be here in twenty minutes."

Ma Hailong was helped into the back seat of the humvee, leaning against Li Na. His face was pale, his forehead burning, and the scratch on his right arm was beginning to turn black.

[Infection Progress: 21.8%]

[Time Remaining: 01:41:07]

Commander Lin Dong sat in the driver's seat and started the humvee. The car turned around and headed east. In the rearview mirror, at the end of Dongming Road, the gray ocean had not yet appeared, but the scalp-numbing roars could be faintly heard, like the wind of hell blowing.

The car was quiet for a few seconds, then Ma Hailong spoke: "Company Commander Lin, you drove like a madman back there."

Commander Lin Dong didn't speak.

"My wife and child," Ma Hailong pulled that crumpled cigarette pack from his pocket, opened it, and inside was a photo—a woman in her thirties holding a three- or four-year-old girl, both smiling happily. "Our home is in the East District, Huimin Community, Building 7, Room 302. If I don't make it there, help me bring the photo to them, let them see it."

Commander Lin Dong looked at the photo, then at Ma Hailong. Then his gaze fell on the panel.

[Infection Progress: 22.3%]

[Time Remaining: 01:39:52]

"Deliver it yourself," Commander Lin Dong said.

Ma Hailong was stunned for a moment, then he smiled, a very light smile. "Alright, I'll deliver it myself."

The humvee continued eastward, and the sky began to lighten. A touch of pale white appeared on the eastern horizon. It was the first dawn after the apocalypse.

Li Na looked through the rear window and saw the distant gray ocean finally appear at the end of Dongming Road. They were still chasing, but the distance was growing. She knew that distance had been bought with Ma Hailong's life.

Her gaze fell on Ma Hailong, on the blackening scratch on his right arm, and on the countdown on the panel that she could also faintly see.

[Infection Progress: 23.7%]

[Time Remaining: 01:36:58]

She didn't know what to say.

Just then, the car radio suddenly emitted a piercing static sound. Then came intermittent voices, mixed with gunshots and screams:

"...Zzt... This is... Beiling City Armed Police Detachment... Zzt... Emergency SOS... Anyone who hears this... Zzt... We are in the East District... Government Building... Zzt... Surrounded... Need support... Repeat... Need..."

Ma Hailong suddenly sat bolt upright.

East District.

Huimin Community.

Building 7, Room 302.

He turned his head and looked at Commander Lin Dong. Commander Lin Dong's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his fingers on the steering wheel were tapping lightly.

[Plot Branch Triggered: Call of the East District]

[Option 1: Go to the Government Building to rescue the Armed Police Detachment (Gain powerful allies, but time consumption increases, Ma Hailong's remaining time may be insufficient)]

[Option 2: Go directly to Huimin Community to prioritize Ma Hailong's wish (Gain Ma Hailong's absolute loyalty, but miss the best opportunity to rescue the Armed Police)]

[Countdown: Make a choice within 60 seconds]

[End of Chapter]