Big brother hao said angrily, "The gun is in his hand! What if he shoots?"
The woman said, "Big brother hao , this is bulletproof glass."
"Shut up!" Big brother hao snapped furiously.
The woman obediently shut her mouth, not daring to say another word, but internally she was still unconvinced. It was clearly bulletproof glass, what was there to be afraid of?
"Tieu Thuy, Big brother hao has his reasons. What do you know?" someone else said.
Tieu Thuy pouted, "Big brother hao , I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything else."
"Mm."
Big brother hao , driving the armored car, had fury in his eyes. He couldn't hear any other words, only thinking about how to get back the ground he'd lost. He had no other intention than to let the other guy know: what I, Big brother hao , have lost, I will definitely take back with my own two hands.
The community entrance.
"Ugh... ugh... Roar."
Lam Pham, immersed in Su Dat Khac's nightlife, heard the zombies' growls and slowly looked up.
One.
Two.
Three.
Limping zombies arrived, drifting slowly, their speed very slow, like stiff corpses. Appearing at the community entrance, the three zombies saw Lam Pham sitting there.
Lam Pham bookmarked his page and slowly said, "Can you listen to me for a few words?"
A gust of wind blew, rousing the dazed zombies. Seeing flesh and blood, their bodies jolted as if seeing their favorite thing.
"Ai..."
Lam Pham sighed. He found the zombies too unfriendly. Their bullying of survivors had reached the extreme limit. No reason, no logic, just acting straightforwardly. This wasn't being true to oneself, but foolishness.
Phwok!
Phwok!
Phwok!
There was no fierce battle, no excited shouts, only Lam Pham's fluid footwork, moving as his heart desired. The tip of Frostmourne pierced through their heads.
He didn't slice them in half.
He didn't swing to cut off their heads.
Merely pierced.
He relied on the environment of the community entrance; he didn't want the clean ground to become dirty because of them, even less did he want sticky substances everywhere. The stench could easily affect people's psyche.
Besides, there were children in the residential area.
He stuffed the three zombies into a trash can, not transporting them to the garbage dump. He couldn't leave right now. He couldn't control the time of childbirth, but he could control his own two feet.
Staying here, welcoming the new life, was an extremely happy event for him.
His ears twitched slightly; he seemed to hear the pregnant woman's breathing becoming a bit rapid. It was a sound of pain. He could understand it, like when one cut their hand – one wouldn't scream heartbreakingly, but would let out low humming sounds, a resistance against the pain.
He continued flipping through the book, the rustling sound of pages accompanied by the gentle breeze was very comfortable. If paired with a cup of tea, it would surely be even better.
Far away.
"F*ck! Are you damn sick? Why did you have to provoke that zombie?" A burly man holding an iron rod constantly struck at the zombies trying to climb through the window.
The one being roared at by the burly man was a thin young man.
His face was pale, showing panic, "I really didn't know! I really didn't know it would be like this!"
His name was Trieu Kim, a survivor whose luck was slightly better. In his moment of despair, he was discovered by passing survivors who took pity on him and brought him along.
Although life in the apocalyptic society was difficult everywhere, at least he was alive.
They were currently hiding on the second floor of a shop. Regarding supplies, because the adjacent shop was a small supermarket, they weren't lacking.
"What the hell are you standing there dazed for? Hurry up and help!" the burly man cursed.
"Ah ah ah..."
There were four survivors in total at the scene, their ears plugged with something.
Trieu Kim really hadn't expected this to happen. He was just leaning on the window as usual, looking at the deserted street. Who would have thought a zombie would appear swaying in his line of sight.
He hadn't paid much attention to this zombie.
Just a single one.
What was there to fear?
Even if it saw them, with their advantageous position, they could easily take care of it.
But who could have imagined, when his eyes met the swaying zombie's.
That swaying zombie, like a startled little rabbit, bolted and ran towards the distance. This strange situation greatly surprised Trieu Kim. He felt this zombie was very odd, different from the ones usually encountered.
Normally encountered zombies would charge over like mad dogs. Who knew this zombie wouldn't follow the usual path, but would actually be scared away.
But soon, a terrifying thing happened.
A sharp screech, like a tidal wave, crashed towards them. Instantly, they felt intense pain in their ears. In a flash, they were covering their ears, not knowing what had happened.
Immediately after, they felt the earth shake and mountains sway. A world-shattering scene occurred. The roar of densely packed zombies came from afar, then countless zombies poured out from all directions, thoroughly terrifying them.
"F*ck..."
The burly man felt he couldn't hold on anymore. There were too many zombies, really too many. The hand holding the iron rod trembled unceasingly, unable to grip it firmly.
"Ah..."
A bloodcurdling scream was heard.
A zombie lunged in, tackling a companion to the ground, biting ferociously. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere.
Some bit the buttocks, some bit the arms, some bit the crotch...
The rolling shutter door downstairs couldn't stop the zombie flood. It collapsed with a crash. Zombies storming the shop surged upwards, jostling each other, crashing together. The narrow storefront was instantly packed with zombies.
Four survivors encountering so many zombies biting them – basically, even becoming a zombie was impossible. Being left with just a skeleton would already be fortunate.
Duong Quang Complex, entrance.
Lam Pham, reading his book, frowned and looked into the distance. Just now, he seemed to have heard some sound, but it was very faint. It might have been an illusion, but thinking about it, probably not.
He closed the book.
Stood up, scanning the long street.
He always felt something might be about to happen.
"Ah..."
A miserable scream came from upstairs. The old residential building's glass was single-layered, not double-layered; the sound insulation was very poor.
"Hang in there," he said towards that floor.
Hoping everything would go smoothly.
Then, he slowly drew Frostmourne from his back, the sword tip pointing to the ground, waiting quietly. If nothing happened, that would be best. If something did happen, then he was Duong Quang Complex's door god, a God of War protecting the community's safety.
Room 603 had become thoroughly busy.
Grandpa Tu nai and Luong nai nai were extremely calm. Despite their age, their hands and feet were exceptionally nimble.
Duong Tue, lying on the bed, was covered in sweat, her face flushed red.
Ly Mai held the tools, waiting nearby, her face full of pity. Women empathize with women, understanding the pain involved. In just a few short hours, a life could possibly be lost.
She had also experienced it.
With hospital care, safety was guaranteed, but it was still agonizingly painful.
Now, Duong Tue before her had nothing.
How much suffering must she endure?
Room 504.
"Old Sir, zombies have appeared!" Vuong Khai stood at the balcony, watching the situation on the street below. He could hear Duong Tue's screams. To the zombies, they could definitely hear it too.
"Seen them."
Old man Vuong's face was serious.
He knew this was a very crucial moment.
Tran Hac trembled like a leaf. Even though the number of zombies wasn't large yet, in his eyes, they were still terrifying existences. This terror was buried deep in his soul. If it weren't for these terrifying creatures, he wouldn't have been separated from his wife by death.
Co Hang said, "Old Chief, can he really hold out? Based on this situation, the source of the sound is the main reason attracting the zombies. One wave follows another. Maybe there are only a dozen now, but if it continues, I'm afraid it will attract even more zombies."
Old man Vuong said, "Listen. Don't doubt, don't be pessimistic. Trust him, trust his ability. We were all saved by Little Pham; we should believe in his ability. If even we doubt him, then who else can believe?"
"Grandpa, I believe Uncle," Phi Phi raised her hand and said.
"I also believe Uncle," Dinh Dinh saw Phi Phi sister raise her hand and immediately raised hers too.
Old man Vuong smiled and patted the two little girls' heads, "Such obedient and sensible good children. After this is over, Grandpa will have Uncle Lam buy you some test papers."
Dinh Dinh said, "Thank you, Grandpa."
Phi Phi: "..."
Co Hang still watched the situation below with gravity. He wanted to help, but didn't know how. He had never felt so powerless.
He understood the meaning behind the Old Chief's words.
Whether Duong Quang Complex could survive truly depended on Lam Pham.
Perhaps for normal survival, being careful might be enough. But encountering terrible situations, for others, it was a matter of life and death.
...
"Friends, zombie friends, there's a pregnant woman upstairs giving birth. Can you please not be like this? If I cut you down, you won't be able to breathe the fresh air. If I cut you down, I still have to clean the ground. It's really very troublesome."
Lam Pham reasoned, hoping the zombies could understand.
Clearly, he was thinking too much.
The savage zombies roared, sticky fluid dripping from the corners of their mouths. Some had cracked lips, some had faces missing skin, revealing oral tissues.
Faced with this situation.
Lam Pham swung his sword in self-defense. The current number of zombies didn't cause him any trouble; it was still very easy, one sword thrust piercing one zombie.
His speed, strength, and stamina had reached the extraordinary; he wouldn't feel tired.
He scanned both sides of the street.
As Duong Tue's cries of childbirth spread out, they naturally attracted some hidden zombies to the source of the sound.
Some jumped down from buildings, breaking their legs, but still crawling forward.
Some had bodies and heads smashed into bloody holes, fearless, getting up, running wildly towards the sound.
Some zombies made 'ugh ugh' sounds, stiffly twitching their heads. Their sensitive hearing could pick up the sound waves propagating through the air, then they ran, roaring.
Zombies gradually appeared on both sides of the street.
"Thinking of bringing danger to the community I look after? I absolutely will not allow it. I am Duong Quang Complex's security guard!"
Lam Pham held his sword, his expression serious. He looked at the community behind him.
This was his post, a job with a five thousand salary. How could he let down the homeowners who trusted him and paid him?
Work required complete dedication.
Moreover, he also had to show the newly arrived homeowners: the security guard in your residential area is extremely professional, very capable, absolutely not like those uninvolved security guards you've seen before.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
The zombies' roars echoed. Zombies from the left and right saw flesh and blood and madly charged towards Lam Pham. This group of zombies was very fast, having reached a human limit, and furthermore, felt no fatigue whatsoever.
Phwok!
Phwok!
Lam Pham swung Frostmourne in his hand. He wanted to lead this evil sword towards the light, let it protect the hope of light. And this battle was no longer simple self-defense.
It was a confrontation between hope and one of the sources of evil in the apocalypse.
Upstairs.
Co Hang and the others watched, terrified. When there were only a dozen zombies earlier, it had already made him nervous. Now, as the number of zombies increased, the level of tension reached its peak.
He knew this was just the beginning.
It was far from the end.
He looked towards Old man Vuong, noticing the old man's hands tightly gripping the balcony railing. Though he verbally expressed trust in Lam Pham, he was probably more worried than anyone about what would happen next.
"Old Chief, you're worried too, aren't you?" Co Hang spoke up.
Old man Vuong looked at Co Hang, "It would be false not to worry. You must know, he is our only hope, and also Hoang city's only hope. In the current apocalypse, humanity's darkness, moral decay... simply relying on our hopes to rebuild Hoang city, rebuild order, is undoubtedly a fool's dream. But in him, I see hope, I see the future."
Co Hang said, "We can help him."
Old man Vuong stared at Co Hang, "No, that's not help, that's hindrance. When firepower reaches a certain level of saturation, what one thinks is help becomes a burden. A momentary rush of blood is just impulse. To truly help, one must embrace the idea of sacrifice, using sacrifice to secure the chance of winning a decisive battle. That is real help. If sacrificing one's life could determine the victory of a battle, don't talk about letting you go first, I, this Old Fart, would rush to be the first."
"Yes, Old Chief's teachings are correct," Co Hang lowered his head and said.
Thinking carefully, the Old Chief made sense. Given the current situation, the help he could provide was minimal, and might even require the other person to protect him. This was indeed a hindering behavior.
Suddenly.
Co Hang, with his sharp eyes, saw a strange zombie appear on a distant rooftop.
"Old Chief, look what that zombie is doing?" Co Hang pointed into the distance.
Everyone looked in that direction.
Only to see on the rooftop of a distant two-story shop, a zombie was squatting there, its hands slowly placed on the ground. This strange zombie made them a bit surprised.
What was this zombie's situation?
Other zombies were charging this way like mad dogs, but that zombie was actually watching, staying put.
Just as they were puzzled.
A piercing shriek erupted, rolling towards them like a tidal wave overwhelming mountains and seas.
"Ah..."
Everyone was violently struck by this sound wave. Except for Co Hang, who had undergone high-intensity training and quickly recovered after a brief moment of pain, he said in astonishment.
"Extremely high decibels, capable of causing injury to people! Old Chief, are you all alright?"
He quickly supported them. The Old Chief and the others were covering their ears, faces showing pain. He rushed into the room searching, found handkerchiefs, quickly wet them, stuffed them into his own ears, then into the ears of the Old Chief and the others.
This sound also caught Grandpa Tu and the others off guard. Ly Mai, holding a basin of water, painfully covered her ears, the basin crashing to the floor with a clang, warm water splashing everywhere.
It greatly impacted their midwifery efforts.
Nhan Ny Ny covered her ears, clearly in great pain, but she was still searching the room. Finding cotton balls, she tore them apart, quickly stuffing them into the pregnant Duong Tue's ears. While her own mouth was wide open [from the sound pressure], she stuffed cotton into the ears of the two elderly women.
This sudden situation came too quickly.
Such sound severely affected the ears.
Blocking the ears provided some relief, but it was still very uncomfortable. She didn't know what happened outside. In this situation, she couldn't think too much, quickly continuing her work.
She saw the bedsheet was covered in blood.
Sister Duong Tue's painful screams made her afraid to ever have children; it felt truly terrifying.
The community entrance.
Lam Pham frowned, looking towards the distance. The piercing sound came from over there.
"The sound is really piercing. It will affect Old Sir and the others, and also the pregnant woman."
In his view, the elderly gentlemen were advanced in age; how could they withstand such stimulating sounds? He thought about going to reprimand the guy releasing the sound waves.
But he stopped.
Gently sensing.
The ground was vibrating, as if ten thousand horses were galloping.
"Countless dangers are rushing towards me."
Lam Pham muttered to himself.
The cake shop.
To Tieu Hieu, hiding behind the curtain, covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with terror. She was scared stiff by the scene before her. The street was filled with running zombies. To her, this was a scene from hell.
No... this was a scene hundreds, thousands of times more terrifying than hell.
Her fragile soul suffered a heavy blow.
Huddled in the corner, she only felt the world enveloped by malice. She didn't dare make a sound, not even daring to let her breathing be heard.
Afraid the sound of breathing would attract the zombies.
She didn't know what was happening.
At least since hiding here, she had never encountered such a scene.
Never mind To Tieu Hieu being terrified.
All nearby survivors were terrified.
The deafening roars of the zombies made them tremble like leaves. Peeking at the outside scene, they were all scared stiff. No one could believe they were encountering such a terrifying scene.
This made them lose hope for survival in the apocalypse.
This was not something they could accept.
...
At this moment.
The frequency of the ground vibrations grew faster and faster. The sound of running footsteps echoed in their ears.
At the entrances of the left and right streets, a dense tide of zombies had appeared, like a broken dam flooding, churning, rushing forward. Looking closely, it was a zombie torrent formed by individual zombies merging together.
No matter how brave a person was, facing the current situation, they would be scared into collapsing on the ground, wetting their pants, daring not to face it.
Lam Pham gripped Frostmourne tightly in his hand.
"This is the greatest challenge I have ever encountered in my professional career."
"As the security guard, how can I retreat? I am not afraid at all."
Lam Pham held his head high, chest out, his eyes revealing determination.
He thought of lines from his favorite game.
Slightly modified.
That would be...
"Duong Quang Complex, its surge inextinguishable! I, Lam Pham, will surely protect this place! Come on, you sources of evil! The Frostmourne in my hand will surely bloom with the brilliance of hope!"
Turning his head to look at the tightly shut iron gate of the community.
He slowly walked to the center of the street.
To meet the arrival of the zombies.
The current situation was far beyond what self-defense could solve.
In Lam Pham's heart, he yearned for hope, yearned for light, yearned for the future, hoping Hoang city would return to its former bustling appearance.
Now.
This was evil launching its first attack against him.
He could not fail.
Nor could he lose.
Even less could he fear.
Perhaps what seemed like an ordinary step back, would be the defeat of hope, the fading of the future.