Preserving the Spark of Humanity

No one understood the cruelty of the apocalypse better than Li Chen.

Outside, there were landslides, tsunamis, and zombie invasions.

Inside, order was lost, and civilization collapsed!

Ordinary people didn't even have basic survival skills.

Li Chen wasn't a god.

He couldn't save everyone in Donghai City.

He could only choose to protect a portion of the research personnel.

This wasn't just for researching the zombie virus, but also for preserving the legacy of human civilization!

The establishment of a knowledge system required the accumulation of several eras; once broken, it was difficult to recover.

Noah projected a map of Donghai City.

On it, at the airport location, several moving red dots appeared.

"The first infected person has appeared at Donghai City International Airport and is spreading at a rate of ten people per minute."

"It is estimated that in another hour, the infected population will reach the urban area."

"It is recommended that the host immediately take twenty combat soldiers and proceed to the research institute."

"Available transportation: Modified bus."

"Route map is as follows."

As Noah's voice fell.

A route through the urban area was immediately projected onto the giant screen.

Donghai City's International Airport was in a remote location, thirty kilometers from the urban area.

It was mainly used for international flights.

Clearly, infected individuals from other countries had brought the virus to Donghai City!

The map showed that the infected at the airport were still moving.

They wouldn't necessarily turn into zombies immediately.

Those with good health might have a latent period, but it wouldn't exceed twenty-four hours.

Li Chen's expression became serious.

"Deploy the modified bus and notify the combat personnel to assemble at the entrance."

With that, Li Chen grabbed an electromagnetic cannon and walked out.

Approximately thirty minutes later.

Li Chen led twenty combat soldiers to the entrance of the Donghai City Research Institute.

However...

"Ah! Help!"

"Mom! What are you doing! Why are you biting me!"

"Is there anyone who can save me? I have money!"

"Help! I haven't even been in love yet, I don't want to die..."

At this very moment.

The once prosperous human civilization was completely gone.

The streets were filled with wails.

Vehicles collided with each other, stopped in the middle of the road.

People scattered and fled.

Looking around.

These scenes were so similar to those in movies.

Those once familiar relatives became ferocious in the blink of an eye, pouncing on the nearest people and biting them madly.

Even the police maintaining order were dispersed by the crowd.

A few kind people tried to stop all this.

But they were trampled by the crowd!

Bang!

It was a gun.

Following Li Chen's order, the bio-soldiers' muzzles spat fire.

Bullet after bullet pierced through the vehicles, directly hitting the zombies.

Li Chen's dark eyes burned with the flames of anger.

Using the cover of fire, he turned and entered the research institute.

Originally, according to Noah's estimate, it would take at least an hour for the infected to reach the urban area.

But unfortunately, a rich man was infected with the virus and took a helicopter home.

This directly advanced the time the urban area fell by half an hour!

Silence.

The research institute was in stark contrast to the streets.

Not a single person was seen, only empty tables and chairs lay across the corridor.

Twenty combat personnel surrounded Li Chen, approaching the core laboratory step by step.

Suddenly.

"Teacher, you said those people outside..."

"Shh, quiet."

Two voices reached Li Chen, and he stopped in his tracks.

The sounds were coming from the storage room.

Thump, thump, thump—

Li Chen walked up and gently knocked on the wooden door.

More than twenty muzzles were aimed squarely at the door!

After a moment of silence, a clear female voice came from the storage room: "Who?!"

"I'm here to rescue people," Li Chen said slowly.

A moment later, the storage room door opened.

A young woman in a white lab coat stood at the doorway, her face filled with surprise.

Behind her was a man around fifty years old.

He was leaning against a chair, wrapped in bandages, appearing injured.

"Teacher, we're saved!"

The woman pulled the door wide in a few steps and said hurriedly.

"My name is Ning Jing, I'm an intern at the research institute. This is my teacher, Doctor Yang!"

"He's injured and urgently needs bandaging."

"What's the situation outside? Are you from the military?"

A string of questions came at him.

Clearly, Ning Jing had already mistaken Li Chen and his group for the national rescue team.

Li Chen furrowed his brow and looked at Doctor Yang's arm.

"How did you get injured?"

The zombie virus could be transmitted through saliva and blood.

If Doctor Yang had unfortunately been bitten...

"I was crushed by a shelf when we entered the storage room."

"Let's go quickly, it's not safe in the research institute now."

Ning Jing explained in a hurry.

She had just seen with her own eyes how her usually kind senior fellow student had suddenly become ferocious.

Biting other colleagues!

Li Chen nodded and waved his hand.

Immediately, all combat personnel turned their muzzles outward, forming a protective formation.

"Are there any other survivors in the research institute?" Li Chen asked.

"There should be. There's an isolation zone in the lab. It's heavily sealed off, so maybe others are hiding there," Doctor Yang, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly said.

Li Chen didn't waste any time. Protecting Doctor Yang and the other person, he cautiously advanced towards the isolation zone.

Roar!

As they went deeper, they could see quite a few zombies.

Some were gnawing on corpses.

Others were swaying and getting up, attacking Li Chen and his group.

But before they could get close, they fell under the muzzles of the androids' guns.

Ning Jing looked at the familiar faces from the past, her expression showing reluctance.

But in the end, she didn't say anything.

Beep beep—

Using Doctor Yang's card, they swiped open the access control.

Inside the isolation zone, six researchers in white coats stood up.

"Teacher!"

"Doctor Yang!"

"That's great, you're okay!"

As soon as they saw Doctor Yang, tears welled up in their eyes.

"Alright, keep it down."

"This young man saved me."

Doctor Yang gently waved his hand.

Immediately, everyone's gaze focused on Li Chen.

"Let's talk after we leave. It's already chaotic outside, and it will be even more unsafe on the streets after dark."

Li Chen said calmly.

"Where are you taking us?"

A man with a buzz cut stood up, his eyes filled with suspicion.

Ning Jing had little social experience. Seeing that Li Chen's subordinates were all carrying guns, she thought they were from the army.

But the buzz-cut man was different. As soon as he saw the androids' attire, he knew they weren't from the military.

Everyone here was a defenseless researcher.

If Li Chen had any ill intentions...

The buzz-cut man immediately pulled Ning Jing behind him and spoke righteously.

"Teacher, junior sister, we'll stay here and not go anywhere."

"I believe the chaos outside is only temporary, the country won't abandon us!"

"This kid's background is unknown, what if he wants to harm us?"

Pfft—

Li Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Doctor Yang's face darkened.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

If Li Chen truly had ill intentions, he would have acted downstairs already!

Furthermore, as a senior academician, Doctor Yang knew more information.

At this moment, the army was probably in complete disarray.

Waiting for rescue? That would take forever!

The flat-haired young man glared, unconvinced.

"Teacher..."