"Ugh..." With her neck seized, Lily's pretty face quickly flushed red, her plump little hands desperately trying to pry Quentin's grip loose as involuntary whimpers escaped her lips.
"Let her go!" Hugh's usually calm and poised face showed a flash of anger for the first time as she rushed over, lifting a medical kit to swing at Quentin's head.
"Hey!" Quentin's eyes flickered with a mischievous malice, and with a swift pull, he used Lily as a shield in front of him.
"Ah!" Hugh gasped in shock, twisting her body in a desperate attempt to avoid hitting Lily, managing to narrowly miss her shoulder. However, she lost her balance, stumbling past them.
Quentin's eyes blazed red as he tossed Lily aside, his body twisting to deliver a kick to Hugh's shapely behind. She flew into the air from the force of her own forward momentum, crashing into a group of over a dozen zombies behind her, tumbling into a heap in the corridor.
As Hugh rolled, her icy expression turned to one of bewilderment; the base's cherished Ice Queen could hardly believe she'd been discarded like trash by a man.
It wasn't until a zombie bit deeply into her shoulder that Hugh snapped back to reality from the searing pain. Her once cool and composed face now showed panic and an unwillingness to accept her fate as she stretched out a hand towards Quentin and Lily, struggling under the weight of the undead.
"Help... Help me!"
"Hugh, no..." Lily went pale with shock, screaming at the sight of Hugh falling into the horde.
"Hey, you're lucky, unlike that pretentious girl, Quentin likes you more! With this pile of flesh to distract them, we might slow down the zombies giving chase." Quentin watched Hugh's desperate struggle with a brutal smile, stepping forward to scoop up Lily and chase after Lincoln.
Lincoln hadn't gotten far, his burst of fear-induced strength only carrying him down one flight of stairs. Now, at the next landing, he was once again surrounded by a dozen zombies, fending them off with the IV stand.
Seeing Quentin carrying Lily, Lincoln's face showed a hint of despair.
"Hmph, this girl is still useful; keep an eye on her!" Quentin dumped Lily into Lincoln's arms and stepped towards the encroaching zombies, kicking one down with a swift motion.
Overjoyed, Lincoln braced the trembling Lily, who was still in shock, and followed closely behind Quentin.
Quentin faced the oncoming horde of zombies, twirling the black dagger around his thumb with a ferocious grin. The next moment, he spread his arms wide and leaped from the landing into the midst of the undead.
The first zombie in his path was a young woman, her lab coat now tattered, her black lace bra hanging loosely, exposing half a snow-white breast with a cherry-like nipple.
Mid-air, Quentin pressed his left hand against one side of the female zombie's face, pinning her firmly against the wall, his feet propelling off the chests of two zombies behind her. Using the momentum of his flight, he lunged downward.
"Argh!" The female zombie howled, her cheek dragging a long trail of blood across the wall, while the other two zombies fell back down the stairs, knocking over a dozen more behind them.
"Thud!" The horde collapsed into a heap at the next landing, struggling chaotically. The two zombies Quentin had stepped on had caved-in chests, blood splattering from their mouths, twitching weakly from the heavy blow.
The female zombie's cheek was a gory mess, her skull exposed, barely clinging to life.
"Damn, that's badass!"
Lincoln blushed with excitement, momentarily forgetting his fear. He organized death matches because he revered such brutality and violence, even seeing it as the essence of life.
Quentin strode out of the circle, his fair complexion twisted grotesquely, his legs a bloody mess from the zombie bites. The muscles hung like tattered cloth, yet he seemed unaware of the pain.
After defeating the encircling zombies, the path ahead was clear. Although more zombies were gradually entering the safety corridor from below, forming a blockade like before wouldn't be easy.
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"Waaah!" After rushing down a few more levels, Lily, who had been half-supported by Lincoln, finally came to her senses, bursting into tears with her round, chubby face quickly drenched in snot and tears.
"You... be gentle, stop crying!" Lincoln sweated profusely as he covered Lily's mouth, sneaking a glance at Quentin ahead.
"Ack! You stinky girl, how dare you bite like a zombie!" Just as Lincoln relaxed, pain shot through his palm; Lily was biting down hard on the webbing between his thumb and forefinger, "Let go, or I'll throw you to the zombies!"
"You two meanies got Hugh killed, I'll bite you to death!" Lily wiped her tears, glaring fiercely.
"That's got nothing to do with me!" Lincoln grumbled under his breath.
"Then you come back with me to save her!" Lily pleaded with a mournful expression.
"It's too late for that. If you want to die, go back by yourself!" Lincoln sighed, releasing Lily's arm and pausing before adding, "But you should appreciate the chance to live that she bought with her life."
Lily fell silent, no longer making a fuss, but tears continued to fall.
"Silence!" Quentin, leading the way, suddenly raised a hand, halting his steps with narrowed eyes, the red glint flickering within.
"There's talking downstairs; sounds like living people." Lincoln listened intently for a moment before exclaiming with joy.
"Go, you two take the lead!" Quentin's sly smile returned as he hid the black dagger behind his back.
After descending another two flights of stairs, the trio finally encountered another group. Compared to Quentin's party, this group was larger, with about a dozen individuals, all bearing injuries. Among them were not only death row inmates but also federal soldiers in uniform, with Disciple Hanso and the transvestite Lyla included.
The group was mostly death row inmates, with only a few federal soldiers who were being pushed to the front like human shields.
Upon seeing Quentin's trio, the group paused. After Lyla and Hanso whispered a few words, they resumed their march without paying further mind to Quentin's party, whether inmates or soldiers, all faces showing indifference.
By now, Lincoln had swapped his suit for prison clothes, and Lily, sandwiched between Quentin and Lincoln, seemed more like a hostage, fitting in well with the group. The three quietly lingered at the back, blending seamlessly into the team.
"Hey, handsome, good to see you again!" Lyla sidled up to Lincoln, winking and teasing with a playful grin, "Did you change your outfit?"
Lyla's voice was saccharine and high-pitched, almost coquettish.
"Shut up!" Lincoln snapped, grabbing Lyla by the arm and hissing.
"You're such a rude man, you hurt me!" Lyla shook off Lincoln's hand, giving him a scornful look, twisting her waist sensuously, rubbing her wrist, and whispering as she glanced back at Quentin, "Your boss doesn't seem to be doing too well, huh?"
Quentin's leg wounds were severe, his pant legs soaked with blood, and each step left a vivid print. But he seemed as if he felt no pain, his face merely pale, his stride unhesitant.
"Mind your own business; Quentin is doing just fine!" Lincoln turned to see this and blanched, his body tensing as he glared at Lyla, "Why don't you go ask him yourself if he's okay?"
"Forget it, I was just concerned!" Lyla's flirtatious demeanor faltered, and she forced a laugh, her gaze turning cold.
"Quentin is a tough guy! But don't blame me for not warning you, don't let him lose too much blood and collapse. Otherwise, you two will soon be abandoned by the other bosses and fed to the zombies blocking the way! We've already fed quite a few people to the zombie horde to get here!"
Lyla's sparkling eyes turned cold as she laughed, swaggering back to the middle of the group with a sway of her hips.
Lincoln's face darkened. He had already noticed Quentin's leg injuries. But to him, Quentin and the zombies were the same; as long as he could escape the base before they both perished, it was fine. However, with so many death row inmates present and no Quentin to protect them, he and Lily wouldn't last long.
After Lyla's reminder, Lincoln couldn't help but scrutinize the other death row inmates, his expression soon turning to one of horror, his forehead beading with sweat.
"Excluding Hanso and Quentin, there's 'The Shepherd' Hill, 'Chameleon' Chekhov, 'Fireworks' Rand, 'The Clown' Grant... Damn, how could the base have accumulated so many serial killers!" Lincoln's lips quivered with a whispered curse.
Realizing his life was wholly tied to Quentin, Lincoln wasted no time. He carefully lagged a few steps behind, inching closer to Quentin.
"Quentin, why don't we stop for a minute so I can bandage your wound? It'll only take a few minutes!"
Quentin's expressionless gaze swept over him, his eyes glinting mechanically.
Lincoln felt like prey under a predator's gaze, his body going rigid, and he quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet the murderer's eyes.
"Do it quickly!" Quentin glanced at him and then sat against the corridor wall, closing his eyes and instructing softly.
"Those won't work; let me do it." Seeing Lincoln fumbling with his prison clothes, Lily, who had been silent, sighed and knelt down, pulling out a packet of bandages and hemostatic from her lab coat pocket. She had taken them from the infirmary as a precaution, never expecting they'd be needed so soon.
As they peeled back Quentin's pant leg, both inhaled sharply at the sight of his calf, which was ravaged by zombie bites, the white bone visible through the torn flesh, the muscle fibers quivering in the air.
"It's all bandaged now; as long as there's no vigorous movement, it should stop bleeding!" Lily turned her head, whispering expressionlessly.
"Thank you, Lily!" Quentin opened his eyes, appearing as if he had just awoken from a dream, the red glow in his pupils gone, replaced by clarity and purity. His face broke into a contented, gentle smile.
"Quentin, the great devil..." Lily turned back in astonishment, her beautiful eyes filling once again with tears.