NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 69
Chapter 69: Guardian of the Safe Zone
The wind whipped around the top of the watchtower, but to Lu Ming, it felt like a gentle caress. From his elevated vantage point, he surveyed the Guangping Street Gathering Place below, its inhabitants bustling about like ants. Their numbers had grown considerably, bolstered by survivors from the official shelter.
The gathering place's defenses had been rebuilt and strengthened, but Lu Ming knew they still wouldn't hold against another massive zombie horde. The true bulwark against the undead was the collective strength of the Awakened.
Fortunately, there hadn't been any large-scale outbreaks recently, allowing them to focus on other priorities, such as gathering Tyrant crystals for Zhang Chengcheng's advancement.
Lu Ming's gaze swept across the landscape beyond the gathering place. The streets were sparsely populated with zombies, a stark contrast to the dense hordes that roamed further out. This area, outside the designated safe zone, served as a buffer zone, the front line in their ongoing battle against the undead.
Every day, Lu Ming would climb the watchtower and eliminate any zombies that strayed into his field of vision. His slingshot became an instrument of death, turning the undead into target practice.
This relentless culling had significantly reduced the number of nearby zombies, but the occasional straggler, drawn by the noise of the gathering place, still wandered into his sights, providing ample opportunity for him to hone his skills.
He picked up the Tyrant slingshot, a weapon crafted from the remains of the fallen Level 3 zombie. With a practiced motion, he pulled back the slingshot and released, the projectile whistling through the air before striking its target with deadly accuracy.
Satisfied, he turned his attention to the tower looming in the distance, the enigmatic structure that had appeared at the onset of the apocalypse. Its purpose remained a mystery, even to Huo Sheng, the brilliant scientist.
Not far from the tower lay the official shelter. Since the establishment of the safe zone, the military and Wang Xiong's group had been working tirelessly to clear it of zombies. Lu Ming had contributed as well, using his sniper rifle to eliminate targets from afar.
After a dozen days, their efforts had paid off. The safe zone was now largely free of zombies, with only human survivors and military vehicles traversing its streets.
“But we can’t let our guard down,” Lu Ming reminded himself, picking up his sniper rifle. He assumed a steady position, aiming down the scope. He stood tall, a vigilant guardian, the safe zone his domain.
A loud bang resonated through the air. A sniper rifle’s echo.
Inside the military vehicle, Bai Tianyu watched as a window on the 18th floor of a distant building shattered, a headless zombie plummeting to the streets below.
Beside him, a young soldier grinned. “That must be Brother Lu on duty.”
A female soldier, her eyes sparkling with admiration, chimed in, “Only Brother Lu can see that far and shoot so accurately.”
The soldiers’ praise for Lu Ming irked Bai Tianyu slightly. Before Lu Ming’s arrival, these were his own fan club. Now, it seemed they had switched allegiances. He felt a pang of jealousy, like a partner being stolen away.
Clearing his throat, he reminded them, “Be professional. It’s enough to acknowledge Brother Lu’s skill. He can’t hear your praises from here anyway.”
The young soldiers chuckled. “Is Colonel Bai jealous?” one teased.
“Colonel Bai is awesome too, even if he’s not quite on Brother Lu’s level,” another added with a wink.
“Brother Bai, have you ever sparred with Brother Lu? How many moves do you think you could last against him?”
Bai Tianyu sighed inwardly. These soldiers, recruited from survivors after the apocalypse, lacked the discipline of his former squad. If they were his original troops, he would have made them run twenty kilometers alongside the vehicle as punishment.
Amidst the playful banter, the convoy reached the entrance of the Linting Residential District. Soldiers on duty approached to report their findings.
“Captain, we’ve detected the stench of zombies in this district,” one reported.
“It’s quite strong,” another added. “Our captain suspects a high-level zombie might be present.”
“Possibly even a Level 3 Tyrant,” a third soldier chimed in, his voice hushed with fear.
The mention of a Tyrant made Bai Tianyu’s eyes narrow. “Where’s your captain?” he asked.
A young man in military uniform stepped forward. “Here, sir.”
Bai Tianyu turned to him. “Can you confirm it’s a Tyrant?”
The soldier, Lin Bai, a Level 1 Awakened with an enhanced sense of smell, shook his head. “I’m not sure, sir. I’ve never encountered a Tyrant before, but the stench is much stronger than a Hunter’s.”
Such discrepancies in Awakened abilities were not uncommon. Just as Zhang Chengcheng possessed immense power, others like Lin Bai had less combat-oriented skills.
Lin Bai’s enhanced sense of smell allowed him to detect the putrid odor of zombies with ease. His daily task was to locate zombies lurking in buildings, residential areas, and hidden corners. Once he pinpointed their location, he would direct combat teams to eliminate them.
That afternoon, while patrolling the Linting Residential District, Lin Bai’s sensitive nose picked up a strong, putrid scent. He quickly reported his findings, and Bai Tianyu, leading the strongest team in the safe zone, was dispatched to investigate.
Guided by Lin Bai, the team soon reached Building No. 3. “This is it,” Lin Bai declared, covering his nose and mouth against the overwhelming stench. “The smell is coming from here. There’s a strong scent of blood as well.”
Bai Tianyu wasted no time. He kicked open the door and entered the building, his voice echoing through the stairwell as he ascended.
“Is anyone there?” he called out. “We’re from the authorities, here to search for survivors!”
The call was more a tactic to draw out any lurking zombies than a genuine search for survivors.
No response came.
Reaching the third floor, Bai Tianyu paused. Even without Lin Bai’s enhanced senses, he could smell the metallic tang of blood emanating from behind a door. His heightened hearing, a byproduct of his enhanced physique, detected a rapid heartbeat within.
“There’s someone alive in there,” he muttered, his eyes narrowing.
He approached the door and knocked. “Please open the door. We’re official personnel.”
No response.
Bai Tianyu didn’t bother with further pleasantries. “I’ll count to three,” he announced. “Three... two...”
Before he reached “one,” he gripped the door frame with both hands and tore the security door off its hinges.
A woman’s startled cry filled the air. Bai Tianyu swung the door open and found himself face-to-face with a middle-aged woman, her eyes wide with fear.
End of Chapter 69