C18 They Split up

Wang Mengyan finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that once the zombies fell, they would be in a safe place.

She quickly made her way toward Shen Faang to check on his condition. To her surprise, despite the close call in the recent scuffle where Shen Faang almost suffered a serious arm injury, his combat experience had prevented the zombies from inflicting any real harm.

She had expected Shen Faang to heap praise on her once he regained consciousness. Instead, his first words were a stark warning: "We're at a disadvantage now. Even though we've trapped the zombies under the manhole cover, I'm sure they'll claw their way out before long. We need to split up and run, or we'll all be caught."

Despite Shen Faang's suggestion, the group was reluctant. Liu Fei confronted him, "Shen Faang, you can't just run off on your own, leaving us behind. You're the strongest among us, with the most powerful combat skills. If we split up now and you abandon us, what will we do?"

Liu Fei's words brought home the gravity of the situation. They didn't want to separate; if Shen Faang fled and left them, they'd be at a loss.

The group debated fiercely, but it was clear they wouldn't accept the idea of splitting up. Shen Faang felt frustrated; he was trying to do what was best for everyone, yet they seemed to have a big problem with his plan.

The argument continued until Shen Faang couldn't take it anymore. He yelled, "If I had wanted to abandon you, I could have done so already. I believe I can escape these zombies on my own."

"Enough with the arguing. We split up, or none of us will make it out alive."

Shen Faang's outburst silenced the group. They knew that when he spoke like that, his mind was made up.

Regardless of what the others said, Shen Faang remained steadfast in his decision. Consequently, the group ceased their arguing and chose to quietly follow Shen Faang's lead.

After a moment of silence, Shen Faang surveyed the calm before him and instructed, "Soon, you'll all scatter and run. In half an hour, regroup here." They took his words to heart, knowing full well that failure to comply would result in being devoured by the zombie. Shen Faang set off on his own, guided by a hunch that the zombie would single him out for attack.

His intuition proved correct. Shortly after he had made his escape, the zombie emerged from the well, with Shen Faang as its primary target. Shen Faang puzzled over the zombie's relentless pursuit. Was there some unseen bond between them?

Shen Faang was acutely aware that his stamina was nearly depleted. If the zombie were to strike, he doubted he could endure it. Yet, he wondered if the zombie perceived his martial arts skills as a threat, which explained the persistent chase. Without further ado, Shen Faang refrained from speaking.

He led the creature to the square, confident that his familiarity with the area would give him the upper hand in the ensuing battle, preventing the zombie from dictating the terms of their engagement.

Running took its toll, and Shen Faang soon realized he had no energy left to flee. He quickly found a nearby hiding spot, but to his dismay, the zombie tracked him down by scent, sending him into a panic.

Spotting a nearby pool, Shen Faang saw an opportunity for safety. If he could entice the zombie into the water, he would be secure. So, he devised a plan to draw the zombie to the pool's edge, his survival hinging on this strategy.

Shen Faang then went on the offensive, brandishing his sword and thrusting at the zombie while continuously backing away. He was convinced that the zombie, in its pursuit, would follow him to the pool.

When the moment arrived, he needed only to nudge the zombie slightly, sending it tumbling into the river. This would give Shen Faang the chance he needed to make his escape.

Everything unfolded as Shen Faang had anticipated. Once he had maneuvered the zombie to the poolside, he used his sword to give it a final push, plunging it into the watery depths.

To his surprise, the zombie seemed to have anticipated the attack. As Shen Faang launched his assault, the creature immediately retaliated, pulling him into the pool with a swift counterstrike.

This was a scenario Shen Faang had never contemplated.

Despite being submerged, he refused to cease his struggle against the zombie, aware that he needed to capitalize on his aquatic prowess—his swimming skills were exceptional, after all.

Upon reflection, Shen Faang resolved to leverage the water to his advantage in attacking the zombie, though it seemed a daunting task. He casually picked up a stone and hurled it at the creature.

He was convinced that if he could strike the zombie with a sufficiently sharp rock, it would soon collapse; no one could endure such a piercing weapon.

As Shen Faang persistently pelted the zombie with stones, the monster began to slow its pursuit. Seizing a moment of inattention, Shen Faang quickly scrambled to the shore.

Realizing that roughly half an hour had elapsed, he knew it was time to regroup with his team.

Ignoring his drenched attire, he dashed toward the rendezvous point. He didn't want to leave his teammates waiting too long, lest they worry he had encountered trouble.