The four-person group was elated as they dug up the crystal cores. Li Yanqian even placed the dirty crystal cores directly into the backpack without cleaning them.
"I knew that guy Gao Yuan would follow to help. He needs more experience and knowledge of this kind." Fu Ying remarked. They had left him and Guo Rongrong at home because they were too anxious when they left and didn't dare to take them along.
"It's alright. They won't catch up so quickly." Li Yanqi commented, gazing at one of the buildings in Phoenix Community.
The rescue operation of the rescue team didn't seem to be going smoothly. Several men and women who were rescued by the team followed Zhan Hao and the others, and the occasional rush of zombies made their hearts almost jump out of their chests.
"Can't a few of the big brothers escort us down first? It doesn't seem appropriate for us to stay with you for the rescue," a man with glasses proposed, and several others agreed.
They were only on the fifth floor, and the rescue team was planning to take them up to search for and rescue other survivors. They were already terrified by the sight of the monsters and didn't want to continue following them.
"That would make it even more difficult. If we send escorts on every floor, it would hinder our progress in the rescue operation." Zhang Jinhang explained.
When the rescue team arrived, they had already notified the survivors in the community using loudspeakers. They had started the rescue operation from Building 7. Due to the large number of residents in the community, they couldn't go door-to-door. They instructed the survivors to either walk out on their own or mark their doors if they were alive, and the rescue team would enter when they saw the mark.
This was the first time they had ventured so deep into a centralized community for a rescue operation. Even if they wanted to be thorough, the reality wouldn't allow it.
"Well, this is your fault. After waiting for so long for the rescue, we were on the verge of starving at home. And now we have to accompany you to rescue people. How can this happen?" a dissatisfied woman complained.
"Shut up!" Zhanhao pointed his weapon at the door of an unmarked room. The sound coming from inside was clearly not that of one or two zombies.
"Team leader, there's no mark here." Chen Xiaochong said, puzzled. They usually didn't enter unmarked rooms.
"I know, but the door lock has been loosened." Zhanhao pointed to the key in the wooden door. It was obvious that the zombies inside had been banging on the door. After a while, the door lock started to loosen. If they weren't careful, they would be easily attacked by the zombies rushing out.
Meanwhile, the argument was still ongoing.
"You told us to shut up? Are you the rescue team sent from above? Give us your badge number, and we will complain to your unit!" an older woman, who looked like an aunt, pointed at Zhan Hao and cursed.
"If anyone doesn't shut the **** up, they'll all be thrown in to feed the zombies later!" Zhanhao, in a bad mood, removed the silencer on the spot and fired a shot into the air.
The crowd fell silent, but the zombies inside the building became more restless.
"Ah, it seems to have made them angrier." Li Yanqian guessed.
The four people who had been digging in the community square also heard the noise and removed their silencers. It seemed like a deliberate distraction.
"Should we go inside the building and get them later? Otherwise, it would be a waste." Gu Yao suggested.
"Go? Why not? Since they have cleared the zombies on each floor, it would be a waste not to go," Li Yanxian replied. As she spoke, she double-clicked on a grid filled with 99 crystal cores, and the progress bar beneath it moved forward a little. She was feeling particularly pleased.
Zhanhao and his group, looking unhappy, protected the two dozen people they had brought down. Some of them were still cursing.
"You... you killed my grandson as soon as you arrived!" an elderly man, supported by two members of the rescue team, accused Zhanhao. He could no longer walk, but his hand still trembled as he pointed at Zhanhao.
"Old Yuan, please accept our apologies. That is no longer your grandson; it is a zombie that only knows how to devour people." Zhang Jinhang patiently explained. After all, that was their mission for the day. They were supposed to rescue the two individuals surnamed Yuan—grandfather and grandson. However, when they arrived, the child had already turned into a zombie, and Zhan Hao eliminated the threat without hesitation.
"What zombie? It was clearly moving, and it was still screaming! It's not dead! Just wait and see!!!" the old man shouted. Despite being escorted to the truck by the rescue team, the expressions on Zhanhao and his group were far from friendly.
"Sob, won't you watch out a little when killing the zombies? The blood splashed on me; what if I get infected?" a man cried.
"Their attitude is terrible. You must report them together with me when we get back!" the reluctant aunt chimed in.
Listening to the conversation nearby, Fu Ying, who was waiting by the side, quipped, "Pfft, auntie, when are you planning to make that report? Are you going to the neighborhood committee? Let's survive first, then we can talk about it."
Fu Ying leaned casually against the wall, holding her long knife on her shoulder. Her demeanor was one of nonchalance, causing a few rescue team members to suppress their laughter. Fu Ying had said what they had been thinking but hadn't voiced.
"Who are you guys? Why are you so rude?" the aunt asked, pointing at the four people standing calmly to the side.
"Us? You don't need to know. Anyway, we won't be the kind of people who cross the river and demolish the bridge like you. Let's go." Fu Ying replied, shouldering her long knife and leading the other three towards the corridor. She walked away with an air of indifference, leaving the others dumbfounded. Even Fu Tingyu, who was observing her, couldn't help but laugh.
"Wait! Why are you going back inside? It's not safe." Zhanhao finally halted the four of them.
"You're busy looking for something; call us if you need help." Li Yanqi replied with a smile.
"..." Zhang Jinhang was surprised. Did he hear correctly? Did the survivors really talk to the rescue team like this?
"Let's go. Let's continue to the next building." Zhanhao said, observing the few individuals who entered the dark corridor without hesitation, and said nothing more.
"It's not easy for their rescue team. They're being scolded even though they're saving lives." Gu Yao commented as they ascended the stairs.
"Not everyone is worth saving." Li Yanqi replied from the front. Sometimes, you couldn't even tell if you were saving a human or a venomous snake.
"If I were them, I wouldn't have joined a futile rescue team. Look at whom they rescued." Fu Ying said disdainfully. The old man was understandable, but those young people acted as if others owed them a fortune.
"Alright, alright, we can search them." Gu Yao pointed to the fallen corpse ahead in the corridor. It seemed that this building was worth exploring after all.