As this thought emerged, a shadow swiftly crossed overhead.

Yang Mu glanced up to see the initially intelligent zombie dog had landed less than two meters in front of him, its four legs splayed as it darted towards the helicopter.

Cold sweat immediately broke out.

It was perilously dangerous; when had the zombie dog managed to sneak up behind him?

Had the helicopter not drawn its attention, Yang Mu shuddered to think of the grim fate that awaited him with his back exposed to the zombie dog. Clearly, having a companion was essential.

He ran back to the rooftop edge, ready to descend at any moment, keeping his eyes fixed on the zombie dog, hoping the special forces could deal with it.

“Watch your back!”

Yang Mu shouted a warning, but it was too late; the zombie dog was too swift and had already closed in on one of the special forces.

The soldier, trained as he was, instinctively dropped prone and rolled aside upon sensing the danger.

Unfortunately, the zombie dog’s leap wasn’t high enough, and the soldier was still caught by its claws, sustaining a scratch.

“Ah...! Captain, I’ve been scratched!”

The soldier’s voice trembled with fear.

The zombie dog did not pause; it landed and, after a couple of steps, leaped into the helicopter.

“Lift the aircraft and shake it off! Pillar, enter isolation status. Longzi, prepare to escort!”

The captain issued the orders.

The injured soldier, named Pillar, immediately moved to stand several meters away from the group, while another soldier named Longzi raised his gun, aiming at Pillar.

The so-called "escort" meant ensuring Pillar was killed the moment he turned into a zombie.

Yang Mu couldn’t help but feel a measure of respect for their professionalism, which was indeed befitting of soldiers.

The helicopter ascended to a hundred meters and tilted to try and shake off the zombie dog.

Gunshots rang out from within, accompanied by the feral growls of the zombie dog.

After twenty seconds or so, the helicopter began to descend erratically, failing to approach the rooftop and instead plummeting toward the lower floors.

It had gone out of control, likely due to an attack on the pilot.

As the helicopter passed the rooftop, a figure leapt from the cabin door and tumbled onto the rooftop. The helicopter continued its descent, and before it hit the ground, the zombie dog burst out, running into an alley and disappearing around the corner.

A soldier who had escaped the helicopter ran to the captain, his face ashen. “Hua Zi is dead. That beast’s speed is too fast; it’s impossible to dodge in the cabin, and shooting its body is ineffective.”

The captain’s face turned grim.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The soldier named Pillar began to turn into a zombie. Longzi’s hand trembled as he called out, “Captain!”

The captain turned to Pillar, counting the seconds: one, two, three.

Finally, he spoke in a deep, hoarse voice, “Escort him.”

“Bang!”

A single shot to the head, and Pillar fell, plummeting to the ground and merging with the wreckage of the helicopter.

Yang Mu crouched at the edge of the building, letting out a long sigh.

Two of the six special forces had already died; it wasn’t due to their lack of skill but because the situation was too complex and the opponent too formidable.

The remaining four soldiers lined up against the wall, solemnly saluting below before returning to Yang Mu and the others.

“I am Fang Hua, the captain. They are Han Dong, Guo Tiecheng, and Su Long. The deceased are Liu Lanzhu and Li Hua... You must be Ye Lianali, correct?”

“Yes!”

“Our mission is you. We’re in a bit of trouble. To leave, you must follow my orders. Han Dong, verify the identity of Subject One.”

Fang Hua issued the command, then glanced at the little pup and Yang Mu while picking up the communication device.

“Shinobi Team Three has acquired the target, but we encountered mutated attacks, and the helicopter crashed, resulting in two casualties. Please advise!”

“Ensure Subject One’s safety.”

“Will there be any aircraft for evacuation?”

“There are some airborne mutants in the quarantine zone, likely mutated birds. They are highly sensitive to noises in the air. The aircraft of Shinobi Teams One and Two have all crashed. They are now as trapped in the quarantine zone as you are. We will first attempt to eliminate these airborne mutants before any rescue aircraft can enter the quarantine zone. However, we have dispatched ground armored units.”

“Airborne mutants? If they leave the quarantine zone, what’s the point of the blockade?”

“We have set up radar and drones to ensure no infection sources escape the quarantine zone... Received new orders: Teams One and Two will converge at Team Three’s location. Team Three will remain on standby to ensure Subject One’s safety!”

“Received!”

Their communication devices were akin to walkie-talkies. Yang Mu, upon hearing this conversation, was frustrated to the point of almost pulling his hair out.

Without speaking, he descended from the rooftop.

“What are you going to do!”

Ye Lianali shouted from the edge of the wall.

“I’m going back to the other building; my companions are there.”

Yang Mu had no intention of remaining to be protected by the special forces, as that would mean following their arrangements.

In terms of survival in dire circumstances, Yang Mu believed he was truly the expert.

Reaching the lower floor, he secured the rope connecting the two buildings again, making the cable car between them more stable. Yang Mu swiftly climbed back into the room, closed the window, and jumped onto the bed.

Sleep, sleep—everything can wait until morning.

Due to the earlier incident with the zombie dog appearing behind him, Yang Mu had established a survival rule: never wander around at night, as it is perilous.

The night was anything but peaceful. The wreckage of the aircraft below exploded and then ignited.

Several nearby buildings had become gathering spots for zombies, with various noises attracting more zombies. The ground passages were completely sealed off. The only escape now seemed to be the sky, but recalling the communication between the special forces captain Fang Hua and their base, it was evident that the sky was also blocked.

This was truly an expression of "no way out"—a perfect description of a desperate situation!

Before falling asleep, Yang Mu mumbled to himself, “Food, food is crucial.”

...

The next morning, Yang Mu awoke early and opened the door, feeling invigorated from a good night’s sleep.

Several people outside were already up, huddled together with worried expressions.

Having gone without food for a day and a night, they were all in poor shape.

Yang Mu sat at the bedroom door, holding a machete in one hand and a backpack in the other. He took out a loaf of bread and a bottle of water, eating in front of them.

“Brothers, share the food. Today we’ll make a run for it together. Our home is just downstairs; there’s plenty of food there.”

Liu Dongfeng spoke with a frown, his voice weak.

“With you? Do you think we can fend off the zombies outside?”

“When pushed to the edge, what’s there to be afraid of?”

“Heh, I can provide you with some food and lead you out. The goal is to gather all the food on this floor and clear some space for us to have more options, but I have conditions.”

“Alright, speak.”

Liu Dongfeng’s voice immediately grew louder at the mention of food, and the others looked eager as well.

“Firstly, you must all follow my orders. The food will be distributed based on merit, regardless of gender. If you’re unwilling to fight zombies, you won’t be well-fed!”

“Fine... that’s only fair.”

“Secondly, I need his phone, Lei Xin TX!”

Yang Mu pointed to Liu Dongfeng’s nephew, Wang Liang, reiterating his demand.