Zombie Apocalypse: Creation

”Mr. Xiaoyun. I know what I did was wrong, but those civilians are innocent. They don’t deserve this...

Please, there are still innocent women and children inside those buildings. I’m begging you, please save them.”

As Liu Qing kneeled with his forehead touching the floor, Xiaoyun sighed.

”Tianci, help him up and put him somewhere safe.”

Tianci quickly supported Liu Qing back up, and the two headed out of the tent.

”Lingang, what do you think the best plan would be to rescue those people in the building?”

Hearing Xiaoyun’s words, Ji Tian looked a little disappointed, and Ningjing was much happier seeing him backing her side.

”Um, I was thinking of using a distraction to distract them towards the exit of the city down south where we came from. That way, we won’t have any zombies blocking us since we cleared most of it in that direction.

Within the short time frame that the zombies are mostly or half missing, we can send in tanks to spearhead a rescue effort and load all the civilians into the buses and trucks before zombies from another part of the city come here.”

Xiaoyun nodded in agreement as he couldn’t find anything wrong with the plan at all.

”Who volunteer to be as bait?”

Ningjing immediately raises her hand, looking over Ji Tian as if she was calling him a coward for not raising it.

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”Very well. Ningjing, you’ll lead your brigade to set up as many distractions as possible. Lingang, you’ll get ready to spearhead the rescue mission. Everyone else will remain put until one of them requests help.”

With everyone nodding in agreement, Xiaoyun dismissed the meeting.

”Lingang, can you stay behind for a bit?”

”Of course, sir. What can I do to help?”

Xiaoyun waited for everyone to leave the meeting first and then continued.

”When did our military develop factions?” Xiaoyun curiously asked.

”Factions? What do you mean, sir?” Lingang asked, acting as if he was confused by his word.

”You know what I mean.”

After a short silence, Lingang finally decided to admit what happened.

”It started a long time ago... At first, it was all good since everyone was equal, and all the majors worked together before coming up with a plan for you to see.”

Lingang paused for a second to think, then continued.

”Then it was the beginning of the division, and few of us were promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. It was still fine since everyone saw how hard we worked for it.

Han Bang, Li Miao, Zhen Ren, and I were all old guards who had been here since the beginning of the town, so everyone was fine with us——”

”How about Wuli?” Xiaoyun interrupted to ask.

”She was an outlier. She only joined halfway, and although most of us felt her position was gained unfairly, she was extremely popular among the soldiers.

Especially soldiers who already had her in the past as the leader before coming here. And since most of her units were female, we didn’t really interact or ever run into trouble since she had always been on defense duty.

More importantly, when we learned that you and Mrs.Wuli were getting married, we just viewed her as your own personal brigade.”

Xiaoyun’s face blushed a little as if Lingang pointed out his original intention, but he quickly recovered.

”I would never do that. Wuli herself had earned it through combat. Her leadership skills are no match in comparison to other majors,” Xiaoyun replied with a straight face.

”Of course. We had seen how hard her brigade fought in the wall defense... But the issue started as soon as Wuli stepped down.”

Seeing Lingang hesitate, Xiaoyun started pressuring him to talk.

”What’s wrong with Ningjing replacing Wuli? Didn’t you and all the others vote yes when I asked for your opinions?”

”There’s nothing wrong. We did say yes, but it was more out of respect for you, sir. Most of us actually wanted one of the existing Majors to be promoted to Lieutenant colonel.”

”You guys... *Sigh* Whatever, what about now?”

”Ningjing... Compared to Wuli, who had always maintained neutrality, she was much more aggressive in getting several of the majors on her side.

Especially the newly promoted ones who didn’t feel a connection with us. You could say they were the newcomers, and we were the old guard.”

Hearing Lingang’s answer, Xiaoyun was starting to get a little headache.

”Thank you, Lingang. You can go now.”

”Thank you, sir...”

As Lingang quickly ran out of the tent, someone suddenly covered Xiaoyun’s eye.

”Guess who am I?”

”Tianci, stop it.”

Xiaoyun quickly pushed the hand aside as he turned around to wrap Tianci in his arm.

”Liu Qing is safe?”

”Yeah, I put him in the back of a bus... So which one did you pick in the end?” Tianci curiously asked.

”We’re going to save those civilians... Do you think I made the right choice?”

”I——”

Before Tianci could finish talking, her left iris suddenly changed blood red.

”You dummy, why bother saving them? Just go home and relax already. It’s a new year, for god sake.” The alternate Tianci complained as she rested on top of Xiaoyun’s lap.

”S-Shut up. Xiaoyun, you made the right choice. If we are not to save people, then what separates us from being beasts?”

Hearing the normal Tianci’s answer, Xiaoyun felt a little better making the decision.

”Whatever. You two are just selfless idiots. I’m going back to sleep. Tell me when you guys get back home.”

The alternate Tianci disappeared as Tianci’s red iris returned to her natural color.

”Let’s get ready.”

---

When everything was set, it was already six O’clock.

The sun began to rise above the horizon, shining brightly onto the city. The fog was also beginning to dissipate, giving much-needed visibility for the soldiers.

”Everyone ready?” Xiaoyun asked over the transmission.

”Yes, sir!”

”Very well. Godspeed everyone.”

As hundreds of trucks and cars headed out of the camp, Lingang waited patiently for them to get in position.

A few minutes later...

”We’re in position. They are currently *Honk* chasing *Honk* us right now.”

As loud music plays over the transmission, Xiaoyun and Lingang both know it is time.

”Everyone in your vehicles!”

Lingang quickly entered inside one of the tanks as they headed out first, followed by heavily armored trucks and APCs, then followed up by empty buses and trucks.

”What do we do now?” Tianci curiously asked.

”Wait and pray... If it doesn’t work, then we’ll have to abandon the plan.” Xiaoyun explained.

”Oh, please work and come back safely...” Tianci murmured as she looked out towards the temporarily makeshift gate.

---

”Holy shit! There are so many zombies behind us!” Mingxu yelled as he sat in the driver’s seat, both hands gripping the steering wheel as if his life depended on it.

”I know there are so many zombies! Shut up and focus on driving the car!” Ningjing yelled in anger.

As they continued to drive forward, more zombies emerged from the buildings and shades to chase after them.

”We’re about to exit the city!” A soldier’s voice appeared from Ningjing’s transmission.

”Okay, everyone, get ready! The moment we leave the city, everyone goes their own way and meets up at the gas station!”

Within seconds, the cars that were ahead and next to Ningjing’s car began to drift off to the side, with some of the pick-up trucks even going off-road.

And soon enough, the massive group of zombies that were chasing after the cars started to split up into different small groups.

”It’s working——”

”I know it’s working! Stop talking and focus on driving——”

Before Ningjing could finish talking, the car suddenly turned sharply to the left as it took a highway exit to a small village.

”Geez, what the hell is your driving skill?” Ningjing complained as the car began driving straight-forward again.

”Hey! I got my driver’s license two years ago, and I haven’t even driven a car since!”

As the car began to slow down to drive into the empty village, the zombies chasing after them were now mostly gone.

”Man, I still can’t believe it has been two years since the outbreak... Remember when we were just celebrating me getting my driver’s license?”

”Yeah, you, me, Xiaoyun, Yueyue, Pinli, and Chengyi in that BBQ place. I still remember how shy Yueyue was when she first met Xiaoyun.”

”Time really flies past, doesn’t it? Now they are even married... Hey babe...”

”What?”

Mingxu hesitated for a second but made up his mind after seeing Ningjing’s face on the rear mirrors.

”We should get married after we go back to Luoping.” Mingxu nervously mentioned.

Ningjing’s body froze for a second as her brain couldn’t process Mingxu’s words.

”M-Maybe we can talk about it later. We shouldn’t talk on the job. We are still on a mission right now.”

Ningjing quickly tries to avoid answering Mingxu’s sudden proposal, looking to the side to hide her face blushing.

”Come on, we don’t get much alone time. Besides, there are still a few miles to the gas station.”

Mingxu pressured Ningjing as they finally drove out of the village, with no zombies in sight chasing after them.

”Do we really need that formality? Haven’t we already done everything together?”

Ningjing voice got quieter and quieter as she thought back to their break day together last week.

”It’s not just about formality. You always wanted to be in a wedding dress, didn’t you?”

After a long silence, Ningjing finally spoke up again.

”Fine... But I’m not retiring from my job. I’m not going to be Wuli and give you a kid right now.”

”Of course! Why would I want kids in this apocalypse? I love you, babe!”

”Love you too...” Ningjing shyly replied, happiness on her face as she stared out of the window.