The people whose nerves were stretched to the limit were simply unable to react in time. Grace Sutton glanced at the running Emma Harris, subconsciously wanting to turn around, but the weapon in her hand was still stabbing wildly at the zombie. Brian Cooper's attacks also noticeably slowed, his eyes filled with hesitation and fear. David Thompson reacted a bit faster than the others; he froze for two seconds, took a few steps back, seemingly wanting to turn and give chase, but instinctively cast an inquiring look at Henry Sutton.

At this moment, their minds were filled only with “survival” and “zombies.” They had no experience dealing with such terrifying scenes. The inertia of thinking under the rules of civilized society made it impossible for them to immediately stop Emma Harris's actions. After all, anyone would feel fear when facing death and disgusting things.

What’s more, Emma Harris was still a girl.

“You idiots! What are you all looking at me for? Grab her! If we get surrounded by the horde, we’ll all die here—”

Henry Sutton cursed as he deftly adjusted his steps, constantly changing his distance from the zombies, seeking the best angle of attack. These infected were the lowest level, and also the easiest mutated creatures to deal with. But even humans whose abilities had been enhanced in every way could not withstand the densely surging zombie horde.

He had just injected the vaccine and taken silver bone. Although he was not afraid of viral infection, the effects of bone reinforcement would take at least eight to twelve hours to begin to show.

Henry Sutton had always thought his plan was meticulous: he used separate teleportation to ensure physical safety and minimize material loss. He had stayed in the underground warehouse of the mall for a long time according to the building coordinates on the city map, thus avoiding the initial outbreak’s frenzy and chaos. However, he underestimated the intense fear of death that people of this era harbored.

A powerful will to survive made Emma Harris burst forth with unimaginable speed. In just five or six seconds, she had already crossed the sideline on the side of the parking lot. If the entire passage filled with cars in the middle was seen as a circular clock face, and the exit ramp as twelve o’clock, then Emma Harris had already run counterclockwise to about four or three o’clock, while Henry Sutton and the others were still struggling at what would be eight o’clock.

Zombies had no thought, but possessed a sense of smell and hearing more sensitive than any predator. Several zombies that had just left the front of a Mercedes immediately caught the scent of a living person drawing closer. They became agitated, instantly turned, sped up, and charged at Emma Harris, who was screaming wildly and exuding a strong, enticing scent.

After a brief mental pause, their brains resumed normal function and immediately released a strong sense of crisis. David Thompson and Brian Cooper turned around at the same time, faces full of terror and anger, and sprinted after Emma Harris's fleeing figure.

Henry Sutton had already chopped down four zombies in a row; he had no time to collect silver bone and could only fight while retreating. As he raised the fire axe again, ready to strike the neck of the zombie in front of him, Grace Sutton, who was standing beside him, suddenly rushed forward and stabbed her dagger accurately and fiercely into the zombie’s eye socket.

“Good! Well done.”

Grace Sutton's face was still pale, and fear lingered deep in her pupils. But her hands and feet were no longer trembling as violently as before, and her teeth were clenched even tighter.

Henry Sutton looked at the girl in surprise, gasping for breath as he adjusted his breathing, and said, “Let’s go! We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Emma Harris's screams caused the zombie horde that had been surging toward Henry Sutton and the others to split into two groups. The zombies that changed direction to follow her accounted for only a third of the total, but there were still more than a dozen. There was no point in continuing to attract and hold them off.

Suddenly, Emma Harris, who was running, stopped abruptly as if she had slammed on the brakes, clutched her face tightly with both hands, and let out a scream that nearly pierced the eardrums. In the empty underground parking lot, it instantly became a deafening and terrifying echo—just a dozen meters ahead of her, the zombie horde had already blocked the ramp leading to the surface, waving their filthy, rotting claws and closing in on her step by step.

David Thompson charged from behind, grabbed her hair, and in the most brutal way, dragged her back by force. He ignored the girl’s cries and pleas, raised his right hand, and slapped her heavily across her beautiful face smeared with expensive makeup and tears, roaring repeatedly, “Bitch! You stupid whore! You’re going to get us all killed—”

“Let her go—”

Brian Cooper erupted with a strength completely at odds with his short, chubby frame, smashing David Thompson away with a mop and hugging the sobbing Emma Harris tightly. He raised his head, glaring at David Thompson, who was about to swing a hammer in retaliation, and spat like a madman, “Touch her again and I’ll smash your skull in!”

“Fatass! Say that again, I dare you!”

David Thompson rolled up his sleeves, glaring viciously at the half-kneeling Brian Cooper. The spot on his shoulder where the mop had hit burned painfully, making the veins in his arm bulge. If it weren’t for the approaching zombie horde, he would have smashed the other man’s mouth with his hammer without hesitation.