The three of them were all very surprised. Brian Carter smiled and said, “Brother, you actually don’t have to stay here with us. This is our first time entering a horror movie, so our physical abilities are just those of ordinary people. But you have a Desert Eagle with unlimited bullets, and your skills are much better than ours. Why not go over there and kill more zombies to earn reward points? If you’re lucky and kill a Licker in that train car battle, that’s a hundred reward points! We’re only staying here because we have no other choice.”

Michael Bolton gave a bitter smile. This was the first time he showed a vulnerable expression. He said, “To be honest, who the hell would want to stay here? Constantly going through horror movies—anyone’s nerves would break. This is my fourth horror movie, and many times I’ve just wanted to end it all. This kind of terror really isn’t a place for people to stay…”

“And I also hope you all can survive. Some horror movies just can’t be survived alone. If, besides me, there are a few more veterans who have been through several horror movies, then all of us will have a much better chance of making it. Alright, let’s just stay here. Let’s think for a bit about how to explain this to them!”

The four of them huddled together and discussed in low voices. By the time the mercenaries came out, the four were already smiling and went up to greet them.

Brian Carter knew that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to survive—they all did. When facing death, everyone wants to live!

When facing death, everyone wants to live! They just want to survive!

Chapter Four: The Life-Saving Laser Corridor

Michael Bolton took a drag of his cigarette and said to the mercenary captain Matthew Addison, “The four of us will stay behind.”

Matthew Addison was just about to explain the next steps to the four of them, but Michael Bolton’s words stunned him. After a moment, he said, “What do you mean? We don’t have much time now, I don’t have time to joke with you.”

Michael Bolton dropped his cigarette butt and said seriously, “I’m not joking. I mean the four of us will stay here and guard this place. I think you know as well as I do that the three of them are just ordinary civilians in terms of physical ability. In the long escape ahead, there’s a very high chance they’ll fall behind. Rather than risk such a high chance of failure, it’s actually safer to stay here.”

Matthew Addison looked at the three with Brian Carter. He was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about you? Why do you want to stay here too?”

Michael Bolton shrugged and said, “Sorry, I’ve recovered some memories. These three are my friends. I can’t just leave them and run away alone. If I stay here, I can protect them.”

The other mercenaries came over, all looking at Brian Carter’s group with a strange expression. Matthew Addison looked at Brian Carter and said, “No. He saved my life, and I can’t just stand by and watch my teammates die! Remember, you’re my teammates now too, understand? My order is to move out immediately. We’re leaving here!”

At this moment, Laura James stood up and said, “Captain, everyone, you all know our physical abilities. There’s no way we can keep up with you on this escape. Rather than turn into those zombie monsters, don’t you think it’s better for us to quietly stay here and wait for any possible rescue teams that might arrive? Isn’t that our only chance to survive? If you still insist on dragging us along to our deaths, then I have nothing more to say.”

Matthew Addison was silent for a long time before he finally said, dejectedly, “I understand… Kaplan, turn on the defense system for the laser corridor. You all stay in the Red Queen’s mainframe room. That’s the safest place… Wait quietly. If we’re still alive, we’ll report your situation to the company… Don’t die.”

Michael Bolton led Brian Carter and the other two into the Red Queen’s mainframe room. Only then did Kaplan activate the defense system for the laser corridor. The lights on both sides of the corridor lit up brightly again. The four of them looked out through the glass window of the steel door, and the mercenaries were also peering at them from the steel door at the other end of the corridor. Both sides saw a kind of pity in each other’s eyes.

After the mercenaries left through the sewers, Laura James grinned and said, “See that? Their eyes were full of pity. I really wonder what their faces will look like when they face the Licker.”

With three layers of sturdy steel doors for protection, and a laser defense corridor outside the last steel door, this place was extremely safe—at least compared to the route the story characters had to take, this was definitely the safest place in the entire Hive facility. The four of them immediately relaxed, and Michael Bolton cheerfully took out cigarettes and kept handing them to Brian Carter.

“Does the ‘God’ have any more cigarettes?” Brian Carter took a drag. The taste was incredibly rich, definitely much higher quality than any cigarette he’d smoked before, so he asked curiously.

Michael Bolton squinted and said, “You can exchange for all kinds of things from the ‘God’—too many to count. I haven’t even looked through them all. There are four main categories of things you can exchange for. First is technology, like firearms, bulletproof vests, and even some weapons that only appear in sci-fi movies. It’s just that their prices are way too high, more than I can afford… The second category is magic and legends, like magic scrolls, Chinese talismans, and some amulets and swords.”