Chapter Thirty-Six: Fortune Favors the Bold

Rebuilding Civilization Without Barriers

Xie Han knew that opportunities like this were fleeting, mere flashes in time. So as soon as the plan took shape in his mind, he stood up without hesitation and said to Xu Qiang and Taishan, “Wait for me in the car. I’ll be gone for a while. No matter what happens, don’t get involved. If the convoy leaves and I haven’t returned, don’t wait for me.” With those words, and before Xu Qiang and the others could react, he opened the car door and dashed out.

In this environment, teeming with zombies, leaving the group—stepping outside the zone of protection that ensured one’s safety—what would that lead to? Xu Qiang and Taishan knew the answer all too well. By the time they realized what Xie Han had said, he was already sprinting at incredible speed, vaulting over the barricade of cars blocking the street and charging headlong into the newly cleared roadway.

The scene stunned everyone. Even the metal storm spewing fire paused for a moment. None of them had ever imagined someone could be so reckless, so mad as to charge straight into countless zombies.

“Damn it…” Chen Liu, who recognized Xie Han, hadn’t yet grasped the situation. When it hit him, he cursed loudly, “Kid, get your ass back here!” His eight-barreled heavy machine gun, after a brief lull, unleashed another torrent of death, drowning out his voice. Chen Liu knew Xie Han had heard him, but whether he listened was no longer his concern.

Xie Han heard the curses, aware that his actions seemed tantamount to suicide in their eyes. He was only exerting half his strength, but his speed had already broken the six-second mark for a hundred meters—a terrifying feat to those watching. He had no intention of exposing his true abilities too boldly, wary of the endless trouble it might bring him.

In just a few breaths, Xie Han had sprinted over a hundred meters. The road ahead, within another hundred meters, was still empty of zombies, but he dared not go further. Stray bullets were everywhere, striking the corpses scattered on the ground and splattering black liquid. He could picture his trousers now, surely soaked in that rotten flesh, since he’d been running atop layer after layer of zombie bodies.

Just as everyone expected Xie Han to continue his charge, he suddenly shifted direction, leapt more than two meters into the air, aiming for the mango tree at the roadside. As his feet touched the trunk, he used the rebound to leap another two meters, landing steadily at a second-floor window of the nearby residential building. With both hands and feet, he grabbed the pipes beside the window and climbed swiftly toward the rooftop.

Chen Liu’s mouth hung open, his fingers mechanically squeezing the trigger, muttering, “What, is he performing acrobatics?” Xie Han’s feat wasn’t exaggerated, but it left a deep impression. No one could guess what he was up to. Aside from the machine gunner, nearly everyone else watched his rapid ascent in awe.

Soon, Xie Han reached the tenth-floor rooftop. His plan was simple: use the rooftops—almost equal in height—to reach the place where the two banks stood. He had to thank the previous government for its building regulations; thanks to them, the surrounding residential buildings were of similar height, and some were connected, while others stood one to ten meters apart. Xie Han was confident he could clear those gaps.

The building Xie Han climbed wasn’t ideally positioned; the gap to the next was, by his estimation, at least eight to nine meters. “Damn, starting off with a difficult jump…” He was annoyed, but time was pressing, and he had no choice but to sprint.

Chen Liu, still watching, saw Xie Han begin his run and exclaimed, “Damn, that’s a ten-meter gap—he must be insane! Is that even humanly possible?” Everyone shared his doubts, staring at Xie Han’s sprinting form, anxious for him. If he failed, the fall from ten stories would flatten him.

This time, Xie Han didn’t dare hold back. All out, he charged like lightning. At the edge, he pushed off hard with his right foot, launching himself like a bird across the gap. For a moment, his mind was blank, thoughts racing. Then, his feet struck solid ground—he landed safely on the next rooftop.

Applause rang out, mixed with the roar of machine guns below. Xie Han knew the people below were cheering for him, so he waved briefly, then ran onward. Within moments, his figure disappeared from their sight.

Xu Qiang, Taishan, and the others swallowed hard, exchanging glances. The shock Xie Han had given them was immense. They knew he was strong, but never imagined he was this strong. “Damn, is he even human?” That thought seemed to echo through all their minds.

Of course, Xie Han had no interest in their opinions at the moment. In just over two minutes, he reached the rooftops above the two banks. Looking down, the street was packed with zombies, all moving toward the food warehouse—probably drawn by the sound of machine gunfire. Knowing how sensitive zombies were to scent, Xie Han only glanced briefly. Both banks’ doors were locked, which pleased him; he withdrew his head.

The rooftop access was locked by a steel door. Xie Han considered blasting it open, but thought better of it—who knew if the zombies below had heard the gunfire? If they all surged toward him, his earlier risk would be wasted. The lock was old-fashioned, so he simply twisted it hard until it broke. Without hesitation, he slipped inside and raced down the stairs.

He estimated that most zombies had already poured onto the street, leaving the building relatively clear. This proved true; he descended to the second floor without encountering a single zombie. Through the stairwell windows, he could see the parking lot below swarming with them.

After some thought, Xie Han stopped on the second floor. The apartment doors were wide open. He checked carefully to ensure the zombies had left, then slipped inside and locked the door behind him. This apartment was directly above the bank. His plan was to break through the floor and enter the bank from above.

He searched the room and found several ropes. After securing them to the steel pipes on the window, he retrieved the Star of Demolition from his spatial inventory, aimed at the floor from a distance, and pulled the trigger.