Infinite Ebullience-Chapter 23 - 17 Shadow Barbie Part 1

23: Chapter 17 Shadow Barbie (Part 1)

23: Chapter 17 Shadow Barbie (Part 1)

After shoving a mountaineering rope from a corner of the wardrobe into his travel bag, Tang Zheng and the others practically stripped the security room bare, leaving nothing of use behind.

“This is a good haul.” Lin Weiguo contentedly caressed the M9, proposing, “I can give you a crash course on firearms, let’s hold off on returning to room 1207 for now.”

“I was thinking the same thing.

Let’s head to the living room and check the monitors to see the current state of the hotel.” Tang Zheng walked out, placed his travel bag on the tea table, pulled out some food from the bag, then sat down on the sofa in front of the monitors.

Fumbling with the mouse for a bit, he turned and asked, “How do I use this thing?”

“Let me.” Li Xinlan, having likely manned similar equipment during her time at the airline’s security room, made a few adjustments to the display.

The hotel lobby was packed with zombies, definitely more than 200 of them.

There were seven or eight wandering aimlessly down some corridors, and two or three on others.

Some bad news – more zombies had appeared in the kitchen that had been cleared out the day before.

The number was not particularly high, but among them was a hunter zombie.

And in front of the fridge stood a gigantic zombie, around 3 meters tall with remarkably robust arms.

It was currently pounding on the fridge.

Each blow left a dent in the surface, and in less than half a minute, the fridge door was reduced to scrap metal.

“Oh my God, it’s a tank zombie!

What do we do?

We only have enough food for another five or six days, what will we do after that?” Li Xinlan’s face was full of anxiety.

She grabbed Tang Zheng’s arm, “We should go back to our rooms immediately and tell everyone to ration the food.”

“That’s unlikely.

The food is probably half gone by now.” Lin Weiguo shook his head, “People who have never gone hungry cannot resist the temptation of food.

Maybe an individual could, but with so many people, even if someone eats just one more bite, it could cause the whole team to collapse.

After all, there is no trust among us.”

“You underestimate us.” Qin Yan was slightly annoyed and promptly spoke to refute him, “We are all educated, we understand the principle.

If we tell everyone about our current predicament, I think everyone would work together to get through this.”

“Naive, what happened to that little bit of intelligence you had just now?” Lin Weiguo waved dismissively, obviously irritated, “I don’t want to argue with you, it’s pointless.”

Before Qin Yan could retort further, Li Xinlan pulled her onto the sofa.

The flight attendant didn’t want their relationships to become strained.

She agreeed with Lin Weiguo, even the flight attendants on her own team were divided, and had different loyalties within those divisions.

As for the strangers, it was hard to say.

She suddenly felt a spark of gratitude for her decision to follow Tang Zheng.

She felt fortunate to be considered his partner and receive some of his care.

“Tang Zheng, say something.” Qin Yan was not happy with Tang Zheng’s silence, starting to bombard him.

“Just as the crafty rabbit has three tunnels, we also need to have some plans.” Tang Zheng ignored Qin Yan’s questions, asking, “If I suggested we don’t go back, and instead settle here, what would you think?”

“Are you crazy?

Why are you so selfish?

When everyone is together, we are stronger, aren’t we?” Qin Yan didn’t understand Tang Zheng’s thinking.

Her voice raised abruptly, “I thought about trying to become the team leader, but that was to protect the flight attendants.

Even if it’s the repeated offender Zhao Jingye, the non-contributor mechanic Kang Songde, or the prisoner Wu Xudong, I never thought about leaving them behind.”

“That’s why I say you’re naive.

With your kind of attitude, we’re all going to be annihilated sooner or later.” Lin Weiguo’s mouth twisted into a mocking smile, “Are you planning to let some idiots drag us all down with them?”

“Who are these ‘idiots’ you’re talking about?

And who are you prepared to give up on?

The flight attendants without combat power?

Or, our pudgy Director Kong Songde?” Qin Yan stared directly at Lin Weiguo, waiting for his response.

Lin Weiguo closed his mouth.

Even if he had some ‘garbage’ he was ready to throw away, he wouldn’t say it.

But when he noticed Tang Zheng’s gaze on him, the old soldier eventually explained, “They have yet to earn the privilege to be called my comrades.

My training has taught me that understanding how to choose is the key to survival and accomplishing the mission.”

“You don’t need to explain.

I understand.” Tang Zheng quickly asserted, “The question I asked earlier was just a joke, don’t take it seriously.”

“Tang Zheng, can’t you see that everyone revolves around you?

Even Zeng Xue and Xu Lu, though they mock you, acknowledge your strength.

Why can’t you help them?

Shouldn’t a man’s character be as broad as the sky?” Qin Yan’s eyes welled up with concern.

She was genuinely worried for the safety of the flight attendants.

“Fine, you guys continue arguing.

I’m going out on patrol.” Tang Zheng slung a travel bag over his shoulder, checked his Ontario 18 Chop and dog leg knife, handed the M1911A1 to Li Xinlan, and picked up the Remington M870 shotgun beside her.

“I’m borrowing this.”

“Sure.” Li Xinlan quickly loaded up a cartridge belt full of number twelve buckshot and fastened it around Tang Zheng, then reached for another one.

“That’s enough, otherwise it’ll be too heavy.

I’m just going out for a scout.” Tang Zheng stopped Li Xinlan, then turned and left.

“What are you really going out to do?” Qin Yan wasn’t naïve enough to think that Tang Zheng was acting aimlessly.

He was too cunning for that.

“Buddha says, ‘It can’t be told, it can’t be told’!” Tang Zheng put his index finger to his lips, infuriating Qin Yan with his cryptic reply, then went to the monitor to have Li Xinlan call up the image of the underground parking garage.

“Damn, how did the camera break?” Tang Zheng cursed, staring at the dark screen.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go after all.” Li Xinlan advised him once again.

“How can I give up halfway through?

Find me the building plans of the Oasis Hotel on the computer, and the hotel guest list too.

Mark all the occupied suites.”

“Won’t you tell him to stop?

He’s just asking for trouble.” Frustrated that none of her warnings seemed to be getting through, Qin Yan directed her ire at Lin Weiguo.

“I trust him.

That’s enough for me.” Lin Weiguo replied.

He sat down next to the tea table, disassembled his handgun, and asked, “Want to learn how?”

…

After identifying the general direction, Tang Zheng held the M870 in the high-readiness position he had seen in books, the buttstock at his waist, the muzzle raised, and the front sight in line with his gaze.

He slowly advanced down the hallway, making as little noise as possible.

His intention was to inspect the underground parking lot, as many of his plans involved that area.

Luckily for Tang Zheng, the hotel security room’s computer did contain the hotel’s building blueprint.

Although incomplete and primarily marking fire safety facilities, presumably the hotel’s compliances with the Fire Department, it was sufficient for identification purposes.

He could have taken the elevator near the first-floor kitchen to the underground parking garage, but he deemed it too risky.

He chose to take the stairs instead.

There were four exits and entrances.

One outside the hotel, two in the lobby, and one in the backyard used by the staff.

Tang Zheng was taking the fourth one.

Arriving on the first floor, he walked about ten meters to the right and through a door that led to the backyard.

There were only about twenty-something zombies here, former staff members now aimlessly roaming.

Tang Zheng hid behind the door, waiting for an opportunity to make a break for the entrance to the underground parking garage, some thirty meters away, shielded by the tall, upright palm trees. ƒreewebɳovel.com