Chapter Eighty-Three

Zhou Yu pulled Nian Yu back, not letting her follow outside. He drew her onto the bed, held her in his arms, and fell asleep almost immediately. Nian Yu had thought Zhou Yu might be up to something mischievous, but in the end, he simply held her like a doll and drifted off. The look of helplessness on her face spoke volumes.

The truth was, Zhou Yu had been truly exhausted these past few days, barely getting a proper night's rest. Nian Yu watched him for a while, then closed her eyes and slipped into sleep as well.

At nine o'clock, Pan Yuxin came in and called Nian Yu out of the room. Some time later, Zhou Yu stirred, feeling as though something was missing. The moment he opened his eyes, he realized Nian Yu was gone. He glanced out the car window—the sun was already high in the sky—so he got up and went outside.

By then, everyone was almost finished with breakfast. Upon seeing Zhou Yu emerge, Xiao Jie stood and ladled him a bowl of rice. Zhou Yu accepted it, sat down, and began to eat. By the time he finished his meal, the others had tidied everything up.

Once everyone was ready, Zhou Yu spoke up, "When we go in, there's no need to use melee weapons. Don't worry about wasting ammunition—use your guns for everything." He then turned to Wang Kui. "You'll use a carbine as well. Give the sniper rifle to Wang Hao."

He continued, "I'll go in with the original Asura Squad, plus Nian Yu and Xiao Jie. Each of us will carry two carbines, a submachine gun, two pistols, and plenty of magazines."

"Zhao Yan, you and the two uncles will keep watch outside. Once we're done, Wang Hao will let you know. You can then open the gate and bring the vehicles in, one group at a time."

"Wang Hao, take the sniper rifle and find a good vantage point, just in case. We don't know what the soldiers inside are like. If anything seems off, shoot immediately. Don't hesitate."

With the tasks assigned, Zhou Yu got everyone organized to collect their weapons. He went inside, took off his jacket, and slung two carbines over his shoulders. Two pistols were strapped to his waist. Over his shirt, he put on a bulletproof vest, clipped with a row of carbine magazines. After a moment's thought, he tucked the demon blade Muramasa into his belt as well.

Once he was fully equipped, Zhou Yu stepped outside. A little later, Nian Yu appeared, outfitted similarly, though she only carried a single pistol.

Nian Yu asked, "I saw you bring a sword—didn't you say we wouldn't use melee weapons?"

"It's true," Zhou Yu replied, "but what if we run out of ammo? I'm not exactly a crack shot."

Nian Yu retorted, "And you think using a sword will help? What if you end up hurting someone by mistake?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "It's fine. Most of them won't get close enough to hit me anyway. And don’t forget what the bulletproof vest is for."

"That doesn't work," Nian Yu insisted. "The vest only protects your upper body. What about your arms and legs? I don’t agree."

Zhou Yu tried again. "Once I'm out of bullets, I’ll stay close to you and Xiao Jie. If any zombies get up close, that’s when I’ll use the sword."

Nian Yu still disagreed, but after Zhou Yu’s repeated coaxing—and with Xiao Jie joining in to persuade her—she finally relented.

Once everyone was ready, Zhou Yu scaled the wall first, then pulled Xiao Jie and Nian Yu up after him before dropping down on the other side. Landing, Zhou Yu gripped a carbine in each hand and began to mow down the zombies indiscriminately.

The Asura Squad followed suit, each armed with a carbine, firing in sweeping arcs. Only Nian Yu held a single pistol in both hands—after all, she’d never served in the military, nor undergone any real training. Her physical condition was a bit behind even Xiao Jie, let alone the rest of Zhou Yu’s group.

Soon enough, most of the zombies had been wiped out, leaving only a few scattered stragglers, which posed no threat. Zhou Yu signaled Wang Hao to inform Zhao Yan that it was safe to bring the vehicles inside.