Infinite Ebullience
Chapter 1138 - 23 Scum and Burden

Chapter 1138: Chapter 23 Scum and Burden

Tang Zheng had fired over a million bullets throughout his life, naturally developing an excellent sense for firearms. Supported by powerful muscles and quick neural response speeds, he handled any gun as if it were an extension of his arm.

Facing these swarming zombie dogs, just a few days earlier, Tang Zheng could have killed them all within a minute, each shot a headshot. But now, relying on past instinct and sensation, after firing one bullet, he swiftly switched to the next target. However, after his physical condition was limited, he found himself unable to perform as before, so he had to restrain the urge to switch targets impulsively.

"This is so awkward," Tang Zheng felt anxious and wanted to kill all the zombie dogs quickly, but this urge instead decreased his shooting efficiency. Although he still hit his targets, he couldn’t manage a headshot with each bullet. Ordinary bullets hit the dogs but didn’t kill them, only pushing them back slightly.

"Stay calm!" Tang Zheng muttered to himself while taking a deep breath to focus his mind. Although the awkwardness didn’t subside, his shooting skills improved significantly.

The zombie dogs dispersed, hunting their own prey, which made it somewhat safer for the newcomers. Still, a dozen pursued them closely.

Fearful of looking back at the zombie dogs’ fierce barking, the newcomers pedaled their bicycles desperately, sweating profusely with their chests heaving like broken bellows.

"My arm is so sore, and firing single shots is so annoying," Tang Zheng complained while astride the motorcycle, his shooting posture nonstandard and straining his arm. His G36C, a decent assault rifle, was the civilian version which couldn’t fire automatically in rapid succession, wasting too much time.

Bang, bang, as shells ejected, bullets entered the bodies of the zombie dogs, killing them. Tang Zheng targeted the foremost one each time, creating a chance for the newcomers to escape.

Some panic-stricken foreigners saw Tang Zheng firing and screamed for help, running toward him, seeking assistance.

Tang Zheng silently counted his remaining bullets and surveyed the battle situation.

Currently, Li Wenbo was pedaling the fastest, already fifty meters ahead. Although he was conceited and arrogant, he hadn’t neglected his physical fitness, which was something noteworthy. Behind him was Dong Zixuan, followed by the fourteen miners who were proving their strength and speed, typical of those used to physical labor.

"That old guy really has some tricks up his sleeve!" Nie Jianhua was too cunning. Tang Zheng had hoped to trick him into becoming food for the zombie dogs, but the old man fought desperately to stay in the middle of the group without falling behind.

The last two were the remaining elderly men, ahead of whom was a middle-aged woman with a boy. These three were visibly struggling to keep up, wavering and slowing down on their bicycles.

These four were undoubtedly a burden, and Tang Zheng could pull the trigger to make them lose their balance and fall, likely getting caught by the chasing zombie dogs before they could stand up again.

But seeing the terror and desperate desire to live on their faces, Tang Zheng couldn’t bring himself to do it.

"Forget it, just fend for yourselves!" Tang Zheng decided not to interfere, nor would he help them, and unexpectedly let the three leading zombie dogs go, focusing on those behind.

The barking of the zombie dogs was almost at his heels, and Elder Zhou Jingyu could even smell their stench. All of a sudden, he stood up on his bicycle, yelled out, and pedaled furiously, bursting with the endurance he had honed over time, catching up to the mother and son.

Seeing himself become the last one, the other old man panicked and tried to stand and pedal like Zhou had, but he lost his balance, crashed, and before he could get up, a zombie dog was on him, tearing a chunk of flesh from his cheek.

The old man’s scream startled the newcomers, and Uncle Wang, who was quite ahead, glanced back.

"Save the mother and child!" Dong Zixuan shouted as the other two zombie dogs ignored the fallen old man and continued to chase the last in the group, now only five meters away from catching them.

"Mommy, I’m scared!" the boy, standing on the bike frame and gripping the handlebars, cried out in fear upon seeing the ferocious zombie dogs.

"Don’t be scared, Mommy’s here," the woman exerted herself to the utmost, her teeth gritted as she pedaled the mountain bike fiercely, determined to do anything for her son, even if it meant her death.

"Mommy, keep going, the dogs are coming!" the boy cheered his mother on.

Zhou Jingyu had initially breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he could use the mother and son as a meat shield if the zombie dogs attacked, but seeing them about to overtake him while he had no strength left, he panicked.

"What do I do?" Before Zhou could think clearly, his left hand had already left the handlebar and harshly pushed the woman’s arm.

Because a person was standing on the bike, it was hard to keep balanced, and the mountain bike fell over, the woman and her son tumbling to the ground.

"No." The woman, seeing the zombie dogs pounce, screamed in horror. Unable to get up, she threw herself in front of her son, extending her arm to block them.

One of the zombie dogs lunged, its jaw dripping with saliva, biting into the woman’s arm, shaking its head vigorously and dragging her.

"Mommy," the little boy cried, trying to fight off the dog but was forcefully pushed away by his mother.

"Run." The woman shouted, then seeing another dog passing by, she nearly gave up hope. Using all her strength, she dragged the dog still clamped on her arm to intercept the other.

Dong Zixuan, hearing the shout, turned and saw this scene, immediately wanted to turn back to help, but she was surrounded by teammates, having no way through.

The zombie dog lunged, bang, a bullet flew, accurately bursting into its head, exploding it. The headless corpse crashed into the woman’s arms.

"Scumbag!" Tang Zheng hadn’t expected the old man to do such a disgraceful thing. He hurriedly fired two shots, killing the two zombie dogs, emptied the ammo clip, and without bothering to reload, he let go, pulled out the Beretta handgun tucked at his waist, supporting it with his left hand while his right thumb flicked off the safety, and started shooting rapidly.

The remaining five zombie dogs had already pounced on the woman, but with the burst of dense gunfire, they were killed around her.

Blood splattered on the woman and the child, drenching them in gore.

Dong Zixuan let out a breath of relief and was very satisfied with Tang Zheng’s actions, and was about to go over to help but Tang Zheng stopped her.

"Don’t just stand there, come over." Tang Zheng knew they were burdens, the best option under these circumstances was to leave them for the zombie dogs, no one would blame him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

"My heart isn’t hard enough, oh well, consider it building good will." Tang Zheng forced a smile, not knowing if the woman would get infected and turn into a zombie, but he couldn’t worry about that now. Before the bullets were gone, he had already replaced the clip, then he turned off the safety and tucked it at his waist, then he changed the clip in his G36C.

"Well done." Dong Zixuan saw the mother and child get back on their bicycle and continue on their way; she didn’t chase after them but rode up to Tang Zheng instead.

"What do you mean ’well done’? What if she’s infected and turns into a zombie all of a sudden?" Zhao Lei was worried, complaining loudly, "I don’t want to stay with someone who’s been bitten by zombie dogs."

"If you’re scared, just get lost," Dong Zixuan retorted unapologetically, "So what do you suggest? Watch them get devoured like that old man?"

The first old man who had been attacked was dead, lying on the ground, his body torn like a rag, bloody and mangled.

"If you were falling behind, would you really want to be abandoned?" Liu Man firmly sided with Tang Zheng.

All the newbies had ridden over, breathing heavily, their expressions fluctuating as they watched the mother and child, worried about their own safety. However, most had no complaints about Tang Zheng’s intervention; if he were cold-hearted, that’s when the newbies would really start worrying.

"Don’t just stand there, let’s get going," Uncle Wang urged, the zombie dogs hadn’t finished their kill but were busy gnawing at their prey, temporarily ignoring everyone else.

Some Americans who had come running over gave Tang Zheng a thumbs up, praised him, and asked if they could stick together for mutual protection.

"Thank you." The woman, with her son, came over and rapidly thanked Tang Zheng.

"You better go now." Tang Zheng nodded, then walked toward Zhou Jingyu.

The old man was resting with one foot on the road surface. Seeing Tang Zheng coming toward him, he sensed trouble, stepped down on the pedal to leave, but Tang Zheng grabbed him by the collar, using brute force to yank him down.

"Don’t hit me, I was terrified, I swear I won’t dare do it again." Zhou Jingyu cowered on the ground, protecting his head, begging Tang Zheng for mercy.

"Scumbag!" Tang Zheng kicked him in the stomach. Zhou Jingyu’s body convulsed, instinctively protecting his abdomen, then his head was kicked, blood gushing from his nose.

"Stop hitting me." Zhou Jingyu begged for mercy.

"Just get out of the team," Tang Zheng was too lazy to even take the old man’s handgun; under these circumstances, he couldn’t aim properly to back-shoot.

"No, I’m useful, I can definitely help the team." Zhou Jingyu’s face was as pale as paper. Leaving the team meant certain death, "Please, ask them to spare me."

No newbie paid attention to Zhou Jingyu, and under Uncle Wang’s call, they got back on the road.

"Elder Nie, you have to help me." Zhou Jingyu was almost crying.

"Ah, it’s always the honest ones who die," Tang Zheng thought of the old man who had been bitten to death earlier, who had also been struggling to keep up without asking for help.

Nie Jianhua ignored him and rode away, and by then, several zombie dogs had killed their prey and were chasing again.

"You bastards." Watching Tang Zheng get on his motorcycle to leave, Zhou Jingyu cursed, then went to steady his mountain bike. But just as he was getting on, Tang Zheng turned back and blasted the front tire with a shotgun.

Zhou Jingyu let out a scream as he fell to the ground.

Tang Zheng started the motorcycle and left.

"I curse you to a terrible death." Zhou Jingyu, gritting his teeth in anger, pulled out his handgun and aimed at Tang Zheng’s back, but since he didn’t know how to use it, it wouldn’t fire. By the time he remembered to pull the slide to chamber the round, the zombie dogs had caught up.

Zhou Jingyu could no longer focus on shooting Tang Zheng; he staggered as he ran, but was quickly overtaken by the zombie dogs. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it or purchase a monthly pass, your support is my greatest motivation.)