It's All My Fault

Xu Ruoxi was immensely attractive to Tier 2 Zombies.

Even after she hid inside the Armored Car.

Those seven or eight Tier 2 Zombies still howled outside.

Trying to tear through the Armored Car's defenses with their claws.

But unfortunately, this was a Level 2 Armored Car.

A Tier 2 Zombie's strength was still insufficient to damage it!

Gunfire also rang out outside.

The soldiers suppressed the fear in their hearts and continuously sprayed bullets around the Armored Car where Xu Ruoxi was.

For a moment.

The Tier 2 Zombies were trapped in place.

Dodging left and right!

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

That was when the sudden change occurred!

The Tier 2 Zombies' speed could no longer be tracked by the naked eye.

Not long after being suppressed by the firepower.

They swiftly broke through the encirclement.

And chose a random direction to attack!

"They're coming! They're coming! Open fire, quickly!"

"Ah!"

Screams rang out without end.

The bullets simply couldn't lock onto the zombies. They could only watch helplessly as the creatures broke through the line.

Pouncing on the soldiers and tearing into them!

Xu Ruoxi clenched her hands, wanting several times to go out.

But Li Chen stopped her every time.

What a joke—if Xu Ruoxi died, where was he supposed to find another binding partner this outstanding?

While the soldiers fought in blood-soaked battle, Li Chen was also rushing over at high speed.

As the Tier 2 Zombies feasted with abandon.

Many soldiers of the Resident Combat Team lost their composure.

They had not been trained for long to begin with.

Their mental fortitude had yet to meet the required standard!

If it had been a crushingly one-sided battle, that would have been one thing.

But when faced with adversity, all their problems were exposed.

Quite a few soldiers had already lost their minds, firing wildly in every direction.

Many soldiers fell to the zombies' jaws.

But even more fell to their comrades' guns!

The scene descended into chaos!

"Help..."

A soldier was lifted high into the air by a zombie.

He desperately stretched out his hand, begging his comrades on the ground for help.

Yet no one present could do anything!

Just as his mind went blank and he waited for death.

Bang—

Li Chen descended like a god.

He violently flung the zombie away, sending it flying more than ten meters before it crashed heavily to the ground.

"Hold the formation!"

At Li Chen's command.

The soldiers who had been at a complete loss moments ago instantly found their backbone.

They snapped back to their senses and reformed their ranks, opening fire once more!

Meanwhile, Li Chen weaved through the storm of bullets.

He was even faster than the Tier 2 Zombies.

With the zombies pinned down by suppressing fire, Li Chen turned and plunged his hand in.

He violently punched through its chest.

The Energy Core dropped straight into his palm.

One, two, three...

Li Chen moved swiftly.

Every time he made a move, another Tier 2 Zombie died.

The remaining Tier 2 Zombies sensed the danger.

They immediately gave up attacking the soldiers and pounced on Li Chen instead.

"Courting death."

Li Chen's displeasure spread without restraint.

With a flip of his hand, he pulled out several hand grenades.

Then he leaped into the air.

And stuffed them directly into the Tier 2 Zombies' gaping mouths!

Boom—Boom—Boom

The hand grenades exploded one after another.

They blasted the Tier 2 Zombies' heads clean off.

But a zombie's Energy Core was in its chest.

Even without their heads, they could still move.

They had merely lost their five senses.

Seizing the chance, Li Chen reached in with both hands.

Rumble—

All the remaining zombies collapsed.

Their chests bore gaping holes—Li Chen's handiwork.

Once Li Chen steadied himself, he immediately gave the order.

"Execute the wounded!"

"Commander, they're our comrades! We can't do this!"

"Maybe they weren't bitten. Take them back and give them another chance!"

Quite a few people pleaded.

Their faces were full of reluctance.

Bang—

Li Chen raised his gun and fired.

A single bullet put down the person on the ground who was turning into a zombie.

Then he turned to look at the crowd, his gaze icy.

"Carry out the order immediately!"

"If we don't execute them now, are we supposed to bring them back so they can bite your families?"

"Remember, from the moment you joined the Resident Combat Team, your lives no longer belong to you!"

As Li Chen's words fell.

Xu Ruoxi stepped out of the Armored Car.

She was the first to fire at the struggling people on the ground.

Soon, gunshots rang out one after another.

This time, they were not killing zombies, but infected comrades!

"Ergou, rest in peace. I'll help take care of your son from now on!"

With tears in their eyes, the soldiers pulled the triggers.

After they finished dealing with them.

Li Chen looked around, making sure no one had been missed.

Only then did he slowly say, "Return immediately."

Vroom—

The Armored Car still led the way.

Truck after truck rumbled toward the shelter.

Inside the Armored Car.

Xu Ruoxi was still shaken as she asked, "Commander, what... what was that monster just now?"

Li Chen toyed with the Tier 2 Zombie Energy Core in his hand.

A cold glint flashed through his eyes. "Those slow-moving zombies we saw before are called Elementary Zombies."

"The one we encountered today was Tier 2!"

"Zombies continuously accumulate energy and evolve by feeding on humans."

Tier 2 Zombies?

Xu Ruoxi immediately cried out, "Does that mean there are Tier 3, Tier 4, and even higher-level zombies?"

Li Chen nodded.

Xu Ruoxi felt her heart jolt.

Tier 2 Zombies were already so difficult to deal with.

She did not dare imagine what would become of humanity if Tier 3 and Tier 4 Zombies truly appeared!

After the apocalypse, humans would evolve.

Zombies would as well!

And because of the existence of Energy Cores, zombies evolved far faster than humans.

Yet Li Chen was somewhat puzzled.

The prerequisite for zombie evolution was consuming a massive amount of flesh and blood.

Whether by feeding on humans or devouring their own kind.

The virus had only broken out a month ago. How could zombies have evolved so quickly!

The convoy soon returned to the shelter platform.

As the platform slowly descended.

Li Chen brought all the surviving members of the Resident Combat Team to the training room.

"Xu Ruoxi, report the casualties from this operation."

Looking at the scattered, sparse ranks of soldiers, Li Chen's expression darkened.

Xu Ruoxi's palms were drenched in sweat as she immediately stepped forward.

"Reporting to the Commander: 1,032 soldiers were killed in this operation. Most died from the guns of their comrades, while a smaller number died at the hands of zombies!"

More than a thousand people had died.

The losses were devastating!

Seeing Li Chen's poor expression, Xu Ruoxi forced herself to continue. "I'm sorry, Commander. It was my strategic mistake that caused such heavy casualties."

"I am willing to accept punishment!"

Li Chen glanced at Xu Ruoxi.

Then waved his hand.

"This is not your fault."

The speed and strength of a Tier 2 Zombie exceeded anything an ordinary person could imagine.

Before undergoing Gene Evolution, the naked eye simply could not track its movements.

On the contrary.

A Tier 2 Zombie could easily tear through defenses, like a wolf among sheep!

Xu Ruoxi lowered her head in guilt.

She knew the Commander was merely comforting her.

If she had trained the Resident Combat Team soldiers to be more disciplined.

So many people would not have died from their comrades' gunfire!

"Now is not the time to Shirk Responsibility. Compile the list of the fallen immediately."

"Provide compensation to the families of every sacrificed soldier, and properly arrange their future living arrangements."

"Send the wounded soldiers to treatment immediately!"

Li Chen gave the order.