When it was time to sleep, Wang Bin arranged for everyone to sleep together, placing Sister Liu and Bao in the middle, while Officer Miao and the others slept on the edges.
A gentle breeze occasionally swept by, providing a refreshing coolness.
Wang Bin felt uneasy, his mind occupied with thoughts, and it wasn't until nearly midnight that he finally fell asleep.
Company Commander Zhao had set up sentries around the area, and soldiers occasionally patrolled quietly among the civilians to prevent theft or other misdeeds during the night.
Of course, this patrolling also meant that some couples who wanted some private time couldn't do so, though some thrill-seekers might still try.
For safety, Company Commander Zhao divided the soldiers into pairs, with two soldiers at the bottom of the slope chatting quietly as they patrolled.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers stopped and said in confusion, "Wait, I think I hear something?"
The other soldier quickly stopped and listened intently.
"Yeah, it does sound like something!"
"Yeah, it sounds like the rustling of grass below!"
"Stay alert, let's go check it out!"
"Okay!"
The two soldiers cocked their rifles and moved cautiously downhill, soon spotting a large shadowy mass rushing towards them.
"It's a horde of zombies!"
"Fire a warning shot!"
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
The sound of gunfire jolted everyone on the slope awake from their sleep.
Chaos erupted on the slope as people ran around like headless chickens, screaming in panic.
"Get up quickly!"
Wang Bin was the first to stand up upon hearing the gunfire, hurriedly waking the others.
Thanks to Wang Bin's prior arrangements, although everyone was scared, they didn't panic excessively. They quickly packed their belongings and held hands, while Wang Bin and a few others stood guard with guns.
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Company Commander Zhao was anxious seeing the civilians in such a panic. Panic could spread, and their chaotic running could disrupt his plans. He also had to allocate some people to calm them down.
"Bang!"
"Stop running around! Gather in the middle here!" Company Commander Zhao fired a shot into the air and shouted loudly.
The gunshot immediately calmed the panicked crowd, who gathered together under the guidance of the surrounding soldiers.
"Sergeant Li, take your men down to see what's happening!"
"Yes!"
"Sergeant Wu, take your men to check the other directions, everyone else stay alert!"
"Yes!"
After giving his orders, Company Commander Zhao had a flare fired downhill. As it illuminated the sky, everyone gasped in shock at the sight of a massive horde of zombies charging up the slope.
Wang Bin estimated that there were at least tens of thousands of zombies visible, with unknown numbers behind them. He knew that Company Commander Zhao's hundred soldiers couldn't hold back so many zombies.
If they had enough ammunition and defensive structures, they might barely hold them off, but the soldiers were low on ammo, and the few trenches dug on the slope were insufficient.
"Squad Leader Li, hold off the zombies here, everyone else escort the civilians to safety!"
"Yes!"
Squad Leader Li received the order, knowing full well that staying meant death, but he didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and saluted.
Company Commander Zhao and the others, eyes slightly red, saluted Squad Leader Li and his men, who returned the salute with equal emotion.
"Everyone, about face!"
Squad Leader Li ordered his men to turn around, not looking back at the people behind them.
"First squad, come with me to the front, second squad to the left rear, third squad to the right rear. Don't let a single zombie through!"
"Yes!"
None of the soldiers in the squad flinched or showed fear. Since the apocalypse began, they knew this day would come.
Were they afraid of death?
Yes, everyone fears death, but they were soldiers, bearing the responsibility of defending their country. Even knowing it was a certain death, they had to buy every last second for the civilians and their comrades to escape.
Seeing these brave soldiers fighting to buy them time to escape, the eyes of the hundreds of soldiers turned red, some quietly weeping.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and evacuate!"
Company Commander Zhao shouted at the civilians who were staring at Squad Leader Li and his men, snapping them back to reality. They followed the soldiers and ran to the other side of the mountain.
"Let's go!"
Wang Bin, seeing these admirable and respectable soldiers, led Bao and the others to follow the main group to the other side of the mountain. This was not their battlefield; staying would only lead to unnecessary casualties.
Soon, the squad engaged the zombies, and gunfire erupted, with zombies falling one after another, but more surged forward.
Initially, the intense firepower suppressed the zombies, but as time went on, the soldiers ran out of bullets, and the zombies quickly closed in.
After exhausting their ammunition, the soldiers fixed bayonets to their rifles to fend off the zombies, while some shouted and charged into the zombie horde with grenades.
With a loud explosion, the grenade detonated, taking the soldier and the zombies with it.
The battle continued, but the gunfire gradually weakened until it ceased altogether.
The absence of gunfire felt like a stab to Company Commander Zhao's heart, and he gripped his gun tightly.
Led by the soldiers, the group quickly reached the bottom of the slope and headed towards a mountain pass.
As they neared the pass, Company Commander Zhao stopped and had another flare fired back towards the slope. As it illuminated the sky, they saw the slope swarming with zombies.
Company Commander Zhao's eyes turned red; at this rate, they would eventually be caught.
"Second squad, stay with me to hold off the zombies, third squad, escort the civilians to safety!"
"Yes!"
The second squad's spirits lifted at the order, knowing it was their turn to sacrifice for the country and its people.
"Commander, let us handle this. You and the third squad should retreat."
The second squad leader hurried over, urgently pleading with Company Commander Zhao to leave.
"This is an order! Squad Leader Zhang, what are you waiting for? Take the civilians and leave!" Company Commander Zhao's words were firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes!"
Though reluctant to leave, the third squad leader knew their duty was to safely escort the civilians to the base.
With red eyes, the third squad saluted Company Commander Zhao and the second squad, and after receiving a return salute, they escorted the civilians away.
At that moment, the third squad leader couldn't hold back his tears, knowing it was the last time he would salute his commander. After this farewell, they would never meet again.
He also made a decision in his heart: if the zombies caught up, he would be the first to stand and fight, buying as much time as possible for the civilians to escape further.
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