Chương 114: Don't Stop! Run!

Run!

"If you can move, get down here and lure them away! I haven't even settled the score with you for pulling these monsters onto me yet!" Vince shouted at Bruno up in the tree while retreating, drawing the zombies toward Claire and her team. The Giant-Armed Zombie had one arm blown off by Vince, losing its balance. It was unable to run and could only stagger toward him, but it was quickly overtaken by the numerous normal zombies behind it.

Seeing so many zombies closing in, Vince wanted to pull them toward Claire's side, but he couldn't separate the Giant-Armed Zombie from the horde. Hearing Vince's shout, Bruno felt a twinge of guilt. Although he didn't clearly remember how he ended up here, the situation made it obvious—he was the one who lured that monster over. Furthermore, since he was up in a tree, this "Leader" must have thrown him up there to keep him from being eaten while unconscious. That's... true honor!

Taking advantage of the fact that the zombies hadn't noticed him yet, Bruno steeled his resolve. He struggled to sit up and shoved himself off the branch! With a thud, he landed on a zombie corpse and rolled to the side. Ignoring the foul blood covering him, he took a deep breath and scrambled to his feet. One arm was definitely useless—he didn't know how long it would take to recover. His foot was in agony, but a quick glance showed the wound had already closed, and the internal pain had eased significantly.

He wasn't in immediate mortal danger.

"Lure the zombies over to them! Pull the horde apart and hand them over—tell them I ordered it!" Vince saw Bruno actually come down from the tree and was somewhat surprised. The man is a total badass. Even though his Health Bar showed more HP than Cody's, that was just the Awakened physique. His body had clearly sustained heavy injuries. Despite his harsh words, Vince didn't actually plan to blame him for luring the mob.

After all, luring the zombies away had been his own command; it was his duty to handle whatever the man brought back. He had only said that to provoke him, but seeing Bruno's expression, it was clear he intended to draw the horde away again. That actually did Vince another favor. Bruno tucked his mangled right arm into his jacket and zipped it up. He took a deep breath and let out a gravelly, blood-flecked roar toward Vince:"Come on!" Seeing this, Vince cooperated immediately by switching to the [Stealth Crystal].

He leaped backward, clearing four meters in a single bound. Bruno had made up his mind. This was the mess he created, and no matter what, he would see it through to the end! Just as he let out the shout to attract the zombies, he saw the leader jump back and vanish into thin air...

"... He's gone?" Bruno's eyes widened, speechless. But remembering the man's words, he quickly endured the piercing pain in his foot, turned to dodge a lunging zombie, and led the horde toward the building in the distance! You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. His teammates are there. He won't just disappear for good... Bruno ran faster and faster. The wound on his foot, which had just closed, began to split and bleed under the heavy strides. He ignored the pain.

The zombies behind him stepped in his bloody footprints, following relentlessly. He had chosen his path; only by putting his head down and running could he find a sliver of hope! In the distance, that dumpster was already stained with blood, turning a grimy grey-black. One person was missing from inside, and the remaining three were clutching their spears, staring nervously in his direction.

"Save... Save me!" Seeing them, Bruno felt as if he had found the hope of life. He tore his scratchy throat to shout.

"Claire! It looks like that big guy!" Zoe was the first to notice the movement. She quickly spotted the man and the horde behind him.

"He's hurt!" Claire obviously knew who Zoe was talking about. But as the man drew closer, she saw him covered in blood, his arm clearly broken, leaving a bloody footprint with every step...

"How is Vince?" Claire shouted toward him.

"... Your Leader told me to bring the zombies over! He's fine!" Bruno explained hurriedly. He was terrified these people would retract into their iron shell and leave him for dead. Hearing that Vince was fine, Claire breathed a sigh of relief. Vince had gone to find him, so it made sense for him to direct the zombies here. Claire was just about to tell Zoe to lift the "Moving Castle" slightly to let him in when her pupils suddenly contracted... There are way too many zombies behind him...

As the distance closed, looking at the dozens of zombies swarming behind Bruno, Claire only thought for a split second before killing that idea. The only way out was also the cruelest one! It was time to replicate Vince's previous tactic! In an instant, her eyes became cold and determined, suppressing all sympathy and hesitation.

"You can't come over!... Don't stop! Keep running around us! Run in big circles! Don't stop! Run! Or we all die!" She couldn't let him near! Even though the Bruno before her was covered in blood, half-crippled, and wheezing for air, Claire steeled her heart and gave him the only viable plan! If dozens of zombies swarmed them, the team could retract into the dumpster, but at that point, this Awakened would be dead meat! If he had the strength to run this far, he had to hold on a bit longer!

Although Bruno felt his body becoming heavier, his mind was still clear. He immediately remembered what the leader had been doing when he first lured the zombies away. Separate the horde. Feed them to the team in batches.

"... Fine!" He frowned, sensing that one thing this woman said was wrong! Everyone will die? No... The truth was, in that scenario, only he would die! So, even if just for his own life! At that thought, he narrowed his eyes, endured the pain, gasped for breath, and veered to the right! Whether his life could be saved was now in the hands of God! Most of the zombies behind him followed his turn, with only a few noticing Claire's team and lunging toward them. Run! Don't stop! Run!

Watching that silhouette, Claire also grit her teeth and forcefully thrust her heavy spear, piercing through the eye socket of a zombie... Vince was equipped with the [Stealth Crystal], standing on a tree in the green belt. After leaping out of the zombies' perception range, he had quickly climbed up to observe the horde's movements. It wasn't until he saw Bruno's moment of sheer confusion that he remembered the effect of the [Stealth Crystal] would hide him from others as well.

In Bruno's eyes, he must have vanished. Will he still do as I said? Vince hesitated on whether to reveal himself, but once he did, the Giant-Armed Zombie would surely attack. If the commotion was too loud, those zombies wouldn't be lured away... Just as he was debating, he saw Bruno pause for only a second before gritting his teeth and leading the zombies toward Claire and the others.

"Phew..." Fortunately, the plan was still in motion. Facing those thirty to forty zombies, Vince could only choose to trust his teammates. Claire and the others should be fine... With a thought, the heavy spear reappeared in Vince's hand. He held his breath, watching the Giant-Armed Zombie stagger southward, trailing behind the main horde. Its speed was no longer as fast as the sprinting normal zombies; it was gradually losing distance from the horde and becoming isolated in the rear.

Vince was like a leopard crouched in a tree, slowly waiting. He waited for the exact moment the monster passed through the closest point beneath the branches!