Chapter 88: Ambushed

This time, the main force finally crossed the bridge without any major incidents. With a few explosions, the bridge was blown up, leaving the zombies stranded on the other side of the river.

After running such a long distance, Commander Li knew everyone was exhausted and needed to rest, so he ordered everyone to stop and take a break.

Those who narrowly escaped didn't cheer; instead, many began to cry, creating a heavy atmosphere.

Although they had managed to escape, many had died along the way, either killed by zombies or trampled in the chaos. Those who died were their friends and family.

After breaking through the encirclement, Wang Bin found Li Dazhu and the others. Seeing they were safe, he felt relieved.

Everyone was saddened, but Bao and Little Nan were excited because they had just witnessed Wang Bin's impressive display of power, and their admiration for him had reached a peak.

As soon as Wang Bin sat down, the two of them each grabbed one of his arms, asking him to teach them how to shoot. It wasn't the right time, so Wang Bin promised to teach them when he had the chance.

During the break, Commander Li ordered a headcount and discovered that nearly ten thousand people were missing, most of whom were non-combat survivors.

They hadn't died from zombie attacks but were instead trampled to death by their own people, a truly tragic situation.

To prevent this from happening again, Commander Li gathered a group of officers to discuss, also considering their next steps.

Some suggested following the river, while others proposed heading to the next city for a brief rest before continuing.

Both suggestions had pros and cons. Following the river was safer, but it was a winding path, three times longer than a straight line. Moreover, they had a serious issue with food supplies. Even if they started rationing now, it would be hard to reach the Fuzhou settlement in a straight line, let alone following the river. Ultimately, Commander Li decided to take the risk and go straight, hoping to find food in nearby towns.

Half an hour later, the group set off again, moving noticeably slower since there were no zombies chasing them.

As night approached, the main force was still advancing, only five or six kilometers from the nearest city. Commander Li planned to enter the city overnight to rest the troops.

The base was already low on gasoline, and Company Commander Zhao reported to Commander Li that several tanks had run out of fuel and were stranded.

They had no choice but to unload the ammunition from the stranded tanks onto others and consolidate the remaining fuel into three tanks, meaning they had to abandon eight tanks.

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Commander Li was reluctant but understood it was necessary and agreed.

When Wang Bin heard the tanks were out of fuel, his eyes lit up, knowing his opportunity had come.

Once everyone left, he sneaked over, took out the Jinbei Van, and stored two tanks inside before catching up with the main force.

"Brother Wang, where did you go just now?"

"Hehe, I traded the Jinbei Van for two tanks!"

"What? Weren't you supposed to go back in a few days?"

"Not going back, just ditched the Jinbei Van and got two tanks."

"Wow, you can do that?"

"Keep it down, don't let others hear!"

"Okay!"

"Does anyone know how to drive a tank?"

"I do!"

"Alright, Dazhu, the tanks are yours to drive from now on!"

"No problem!"

"Officer Miao, do you know how to drive a tank?"

"No, do you think I'm a special forces soldier?"

"Uh, okay!"

"Actually, driving a tank is simple, but driving well takes some practice. If you want to learn, I can teach you!"

"Great, teach me when you have time!"

When Wang Bin returned to Guan Xiaoyue and the others, he realized a practical problem: he couldn't drive a tank. Fortunately, Li Dazhu could, and he was willing to teach him. Wang Bin was already daydreaming about driving a tank into a horde of zombies, with the system's voice announcing his martial arts skills leveling up to the max.

"Brother Wang, why are you smiling?" Guan Xiaoyue asked curiously, seeing Wang Bin grinning foolishly.

"Nothing, just excited at the thought of driving a tank!"

Just as the troops were about to enter the city, a sudden change occurred. Countless zombies charged out from both sides of the city and road, scattering the troops, and everyone fled in all directions.

Since they had been at the back of the group waiting for Wang Bin to return from stealing the tanks, they weren't caught in the zombie encirclement. Seeing the swarm of zombies, everyone had one thought: it's over.

"Retreat quickly!"

"If you want to retreat, go ahead. We can't leave the commander behind!"

Wang Bin quickly ordered a retreat, but his order wasn't heeded by the rearguard's Battalion Commander and Second Battalion Commander. Seeing Commander Li surrounded by zombies, their eyes turned red, and they immediately led their men forward to try to rescue him.

Watching the Battalion Commander and Second Battalion Commander charge forward with their troops, Wang Bin was dumbfounded. This was clearly a suicide mission.

"Wang Bin, what do we do?" Officer Miao, feeling uneasy, came over to ask for his opinion, seeing Wang Bin standing there in a daze.

"Damn it, these idiots, follow them!" Wang Bin cursed the Battalion Commander and Second Battalion Commander but ultimately could only draw his gun and follow. The others followed suit, drawing their guns.

During this time, everyone had formed bonds with the soldiers and were moved by their selflessness. Seeing them risk their lives to save the commander, Wang Bin couldn't stand by any longer.

As Wang Bin charged forward, he cursed himself internally. He called others idiots, but wasn't he one too?

Commander Li, seeing the zombie attack, quickly led the main force into the city, knowing they were surrounded. Their only chance of survival was to enter the city and use the buildings as defensive positions.

With the tanks leading the way, Commander Li soon led the main force into the city and ordered everyone to take shelter in nearby buildings for defense.

Once inside, people rushed to the upper floors, assigning many to guard the staircases on the second floor, killing any zombies that entered while barricading the stairs with tables and chairs from other rooms.

Over the years, many had learned how to evade zombies, with some even destroying the second-floor stairs to prevent zombies from reaching them.

After all, zombies hadn't yet become smart enough to use tools; they could only stand below, howling mindlessly.

Soon, the Battalion Commander and Second Battalion Commander engaged the zombies, and Wang Bin arrived with Guan Xiaoyue and the others. However, it wasn't long before the soldiers ran out of bullets.

Moreover, their gunfire attracted more and more zombies, and many were already charging toward them.

"Battalion Commander, Second Battalion Commander, order a retreat! Commander Li has already entered the city; they should be safe!"

"Sigh, retreat!"

By this point, the two commanders had regained their senses. Saving the commander was important, but so were the soldiers' lives.

And judging by the situation, it seemed Commander Li and the others had already entered the building and were temporarily out of danger.

Now, the real danger was upon them, as countless zombies roared and charged at them in the darkness, and most of them had already run out of bullets.

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