Chapter 238 Another Pursuit
Armed personnel led the way, followed by the research team. After successfully passing through the corridor, the group was about to enter a complex area with intersecting passageways.
Danger could strike at any moment.
Team leader Xu Qian stopped and turned to look at Lu Wei: "President, please come to the front."
Lu Wei is the strongest fighter in this team. Xu Qian may not know that he and Lin Xi are planning to run away, but the road ahead is dangerous, and he needs Lu Wei to lead the charge.
From now on, Xu Qian will keep a close eye on Lu Wei, making all their actions more difficult.
Lin Xi gripped the object in her hand. Although she had prepared potent poison, she did not want to clashed with them unless absolutely necessary.
On the one hand, they weren't confident of victory against so many hardened, half-infected soldiers. On the other hand, these half-infected soldiers were there to relocate the research team. If they were all killed by Lin Xi and Lu Wei, the remaining research team would have no way to protect themselves. With the sonar system unstable, once the zombies turned around, none of these researchers would be able to escape.
Lin Xi couldn't save so many people, nor could he take them away; these armed forces could only protect them temporarily.
Their current location is still cramped and not suitable for escape. A conflict would easily alert the enemy, and they would then face pursuit from both the zombies and Xu Qian.
Lu Wei took a step forward, temporarily calming Xu Qian down.
Lin Xi quickly stepped forward and grabbed Lu Wei.
Xu Qian squinted at her.
Lin Xi shrank her neck and hugged Lu Wei's arm, lowering her head and saying in a trembling voice, "Brother Lu, don't go, I'm scared..."
After she finished speaking, she pursed her lips, afraid that she would lose control, but her trembling lips only added to the authenticity of her "fear".
Hearing her say that, the former staff members of the watchtower base all agreed, with some whispering, "I'm scared too..."
"..." Zhao Jing, Qu Shuran, and Meng Yu stared blankly at Lin Xi, barely suppressing the change in their expressions.
"Hiss..." Xu Qian clicked his tongue impatiently and hissed, "President Lu, don't forget what our mission is."
"I won't forget. We must protect the core technologies of the research institute." Lu Wei held Lin Xi's hand and said very seriously, "For both public and private reasons, we should protect her."
The core technology mainly comes from Lin Xi.
Xu Qian glared at them irritably, but had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to the front.
At this critical juncture, he couldn't say, like others, "I'm scared too."
Taking advantage of this moment, Lin Xi secretly slipped the medicine she was holding into Lu Wei's hand. The spoils were divided, but to cover up their "fear" and to make it easier to escape, their hands were still linked together.
Footsteps and roars could be heard ahead.
The armed personnel changed formation and formed a circle to protect the research team.
Despite the circumstances, their tense steps revealed their inner fear.
They had just fought a battle with a half-infected mutated zombie. This type of zombie not only had the obvious characteristics of hardened zombies, but also retained some human habits, such as fighting skills.
Although the unmutated half-infected individuals also have hardened bones, their skin is still human skin, making them easily scratched and infected with the virus.
At this moment, everyone cherishes their lives.
Along the long corridor, groups of researchers in white coats ran for their lives.
Lin Xi once thought of the Nanhua Research Institute.
As expected, a zombie appeared at the fork in the road. Everyone recognized this zombie; it was one of the garrison troops on floor -16.
His face was clean, his features didn't even twitch, only his eyes were empty, and his hands, covered in blood, clenched futilely in the air as he approached the crowd, shouting:
"Run...faster..."
It was a zombie that still retained some consciousness but was unable to control its body.
Then, a group of newly mutated zombies appeared one after another. The soldiers who were protecting the researchers had to step forward and fight the zombies. The unarmed researchers screamed in horror at the scene in front of them and instinctively scattered in all directions.
Great opportunity!
Lu Wei held Lin Xi's hand tightly as they ran and attacked the zombies that were rushing towards them, trying to avoid being separated by the crowd.
Lin Xi held the refrigerator tightly in her arms with her other hand.
They don't know exactly how many zombies are in the base right now, so it's not the time to linger in battle. Their primary task is to escape with the vaccine and technology.
After escaping the base, where to go next?
How do we escape?
Before Lin Xi could exchange information with Lu Wei, she had to fight off another wave of zombies to clear a path and run away when she heard footsteps.
Looking back, most of the staff members and soldiers, and even Xu Qian, were with them.
People didn't seem to be scattered by the riot just now.
"..."
She heard someone in the crowd say, "This Chairman Lu is quite capable; following him might save our lives."
"Ah, I think Dean Lin is lucky. He's escaped death so many times. Following the lucky charm will definitely lead him out of trouble."
"Never mind, they're easy to survive, so let's go with them!"
"..." Lin Xi squeezed Lu Wei's palm and asked silently: What should we do?
They are in dire straits now, and even if they escape the zombie horde, they will fall into Jiang Wenxian's hands.
Now that the situation with the semi-infected has collapsed to this extent, who knows what Jiang Wenxian plans to do with the research institute next.
But with people fleeing for their lives following behind, they couldn't abandon them or shake them off.
Just as he was feeling troubled, someone asked curiously, "Colonel Xu, what are you doing here?"
"They're probably also running for their lives with the chairman."
"Nonsense!" Xu Qian retorted angrily, "I was protecting you!"
"Moreover, protecting the 'core technology' is also my mission." He aimed at Lin Xi in the crowd. Although everyone was wearing white lab coats, Lin Xi was a relatively tall female staff member. With her distinctive hairstyle, she wouldn't be easily spotted among the group of people in white, but as long as you kept your eyes on her, you wouldn't lose her.
They were heading towards an elevator on the -16th floor, where the number of zombies and survivors was increasing.
The "-16" displayed next to the elevator flashed, indicating that the elevator was about to arrive.
Lin Xi had a bad feeling: "Quickly retreat! Let's find a place to hide."
When the koi spoke, the guardians led the way in retreating, and the others followed suit, entering nearby convenience stores and power distribution rooms where there were no zombies and closing the doors.
This elevator is the closest to the research institute and is also the largest civilian elevator.
The moment the elevator doors opened, twitching zombie arms emerged one after another from the cracks in the doors. Then, nearly a hundred zombies surged out of the doors like a tide, causing a stampede. If zombies didn't live by breathing, they would probably have suffocated.
The writhing pile of zombies quickly adjusted, and the zombies began to hunt living people nearby, while those without prey wandered around.
As the elevator doors closed and ascended, there were still many zombies at the entrance.
"This elevator is out of service," Lin Xi muttered to herself.
The civilian elevator is the only means of transportation within the base. One elevator goes up, and the next one won't arrive for another 20 minutes. Will that elevator be filled with zombies again? Or will something else happen in the meantime?
We cannot wait in place.
Lin Xi released Lu Wei's hand, placed the refrigerator next to her and Lu Wei's feet, took off her lab coat and threw it on the ground, letting her hair down.
She once had short hair for a period of time, which was convenient for both maintenance and combat.
However, in this life, she often participates in scientific research, and her shoulder-length hair can be tied up perfectly to make it easier to bend down while working, so her hair has always maintained this length.
Taking off their white lab coats and slightly changing their hairstyles would at least allow them to evade their pursuers.
Lu Wei glanced at the tightly closed back door and gestured with his eyes.
Lin Xi nodded.
They planned to use the shelves as cover to avoid the crowd and make their escape.
Just then, a person appeared at the end of the shelf.
Zhao Jing wearing a patient gown with the experimental sample number on it.
Lin Xi looked at her with a deep gaze.
Was she there to stop me from escaping? Or to escape with me?
If it's the former, just kill them; if it's the latter...
Zhao Jing approached step by step. Lu Wei had already prepared the potent poison in his hand. Zhao Jing didn't have much skill, but with the two of them, they could silently kill this half-infected person.
Zhao Jing seemed to have thought of this as well.
She slowly crouched down, maintaining a safe distance of one meter from Lin Xi.
Lin Xi quickly picked up the refrigerator from the ground and stared at Zhao Jing warily.
Zhao Jing noticed the look in Lin Xi's eyes, but ignored it. Instead, she picked up Lin Xi's lab coat and took something out of her backpack and handed it to her.
Lin Xi looked over and saw it was her pocket gun that Zhao Jing had confiscated.
They're not the only ones in this convenience store; there are others hiding on the shelves next door who will soon wander over here.
Zhao Jing remained silent and stepped aside to make way for them.
Without delay, Lu Wei grabbed Lin Xi's hand again, and the two of them dashed out the back door.
As she stepped out the door, Lin Xi couldn't help but glance back.
Zhao Jing took out scissors from her bag and cut her hair to shoulder length. Then she put on the lab coat that Lin Xi had thrown away and put on a mask.
Qu Shuran and Meng Yu arrived here in search of Zhao Jing, and upon seeing the person beside the shelf, they blurted out, "Lin..."
Zhao Jing turned her head.
Qu Shuran leaned closer to see her eyes clearly and asked in a low voice, "Zhao Jing! What happened to you? Where's Lin Xi?"
"They're gone."
Meng Yu's eyes widened: "They're gone?!"
Qu Shuran paused, stunned. They had been following Lin Xi just now, just like when they had escaped from dangerous areas with Lin Xi several times.
She was too embarrassed to ask Lin Xi for help again, and just wanted to leave with her silently.
But now Lin Xi has left, and Zhao Jing actually watched her leave without following or calling out to them.
Zhao Jing seemed to see through her thoughts and whispered, "We can't keep up."
Those two are incredibly strong and skilled; in the current situation, they themselves might not even be able to escape, let alone take others with them.
Her feelings towards Lin Xi were complicated; she disliked her while simultaneously using her, but in the end, she saw her as a source of hope, much like a teacher.
She didn't know where her path lay, but looking at the refrigerated box that Lin Xi was protecting, she knew that it was another important pursuit besides her own life.
After leaving the convenience store, Lin Xi and Lu Wei encountered wandering zombies; there were hardly any survivors left.
The mutated zombies of the half-infected are rarely as impulsive and mindless as the original zombies. Some can still talk to people, some have zombie characteristics but can barely control their bodies to avoid killing, and some have lost consciousness but still remember fighting skills.
After a series of close calls, Lin Xi and Lu Wei arrived at the prison where Xiang Xin was being held.
Hearing footsteps, Xiang Xin gripped the railing tightly, trying to stick her head out to see what was going on.
Upon seeing the two people approaching hand in hand, she was so excited she almost got her head stuck in the railing.
During this special period, loud noises are not allowed, so Xiang Xin could only wave her arms in greeting.
While Lu Wei was cutting the lock cylinder with the laser gun that Lin Xi had taken from the research institute, Lin Xi was keeping watch with a refrigerator.
The base was in chaos after a large-scale zombie outbreak, and the guards were nowhere to be found. It was virtually impossible to open the locks through normal means.
Fortunately, the Watchtower was not converted from a military base; it was originally built as a refuge, primarily to house refugees and protect humanity.
When people first moved to the base, they had just escaped death. They finally had a safe haven and food, and with the army protecting them, few dared to cause trouble at the base.
Later, order was established under the semi-military management of the base. People's living space was narrower than on the ground. There were people patrolling each floor on time, and illegal and criminal incidents rarely occurred. The prison did not have a large number of visitors.
The prison facilities are basic because even if prisoners wanted to escape, they couldn't go very far from the base, so the locks and bars are not very sturdy.
For Lu Wei and Lin Xi, who had received special agent training and were proficient in weapons, rescuing someone was not difficult.
"This gun is pretty good." Xiang Xin coveted the gun in Lu Wei's hand after coming out.
Lin Xi explained, "The lab's equipment for dissecting hardened zombies is very inefficient. Forget about the guns for now, have you figured out the route?"
After Lu Wei and Lin Xi joined the semi-infected experiment, they gained some rights and visited Xiang Xin one after another. Lu Wei even managed to get Xiang Xin released.
But Xiang Xin firmly refused.
Just like Lu Wei and Lin Xi were exchanging secret signals in the room, Xiang Xin cursed "dog couple." This was a joking remark Xiang Xin made when Lin Xi couldn't do a handstand as well as Lu Wei at the White Shield base and dragged Xiang Xin into it as a substitute for treating them to a meal. Saying this was an implication that the two of them knew they were now "spies."
At the same time, she pointed out to Xin that her area of expertise was investigation, and hinted to Lu Wei that she missed the "ita-bag".
Having lived together for so long, they all knew that the ita bag was brought by Xiang Xin from Nanhua, and she would definitely take it if she could.
The coded messages, such as the pain bag and the ability to detect, all hinted to Lin Xi and Lu Wei that she wanted to stay in prison and had already discovered a way to escape.
Xiang Xin had no important luggage. After carrying the itabag, she took the gun handed to her by Lu Wei and ran while saying:
"I'm about to stage a real-life version of 'The Shawshank Redemption,' but in reality, I've been relegated to being Mario! Come with me."
Aside from the possibility of encountering zombies at any time in the prison, which made chatting inconvenient, the group kept their spirits up, maintained a triangular formation, and focused solely on escaping, avoiding any unnecessary fighting.
After passing through several checkpoints, the three arrived at a valve. On one side of the valve was a neat base area, and on the other side were simple industrial-style walls and a complex network of pipes.
After being imprisoned for a while, Xiang Xin was assigned to work as a pipe cleaner. These pipes supplied the base with the necessary oxygen and water, running throughout the entire base.
There are no elevators, no zombies, and no one chasing you, but you have to climb more than ten floors by hand.
"There are no protective measures, so everyone be careful," Xiang Xin instructed, before skillfully climbing.
"There are protective measures in place." Lu Wei took the refrigerated box from Lin Xi and told her to go first.
Xiang Xin led the way, while Lu Wei used his hardened features to act as a human cushion below, just in case, since the climbing area of more than ten floors was complex and physically demanding.
Lin Xi was drenched in sweat when he reached some floor, and looking up, he felt that the top was still very far away.
Lu Wei glanced at the message and suddenly said in a solemn voice, "Speed up, it's about to explode."
His voice still echoed slightly from the opening of the pipe that ran from top to bottom.
"What?"
Lu Wei: "The Watchtower has fallen. Someone has initiated the base's self-destruct program."
Lin Xi heard that the outbreak first occurred in the residential area, where the majority of the population were residents without combat capabilities. The appearance of a single zombie in a densely populated area would trigger a large-scale riot.
By the time the zombies reached the core administrative district, it was all over.
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