Chapter 61: Nan Ruyan's Crisis

Some people held iron pots, while others gripped steel pipes...

Everyone waited with uneasy expressions.

Li Jiandong directed the crowd to move the debris blocking the doorway.

"Then... we are ready to begin!"

He opened the heavy door just a crack and glared fiercely at the chubby young man, hissing, "Quick! Run outside!"

The chubby youth trembled, too terrified to step out.

Li Jiandong instantly pressed a kitchen knife against the boy's neck.

"Rush out there, and you have a chance at survival. If you don't, I'll slash your throat right now!"

The chubby youth glanced at the blade, gritted his teeth, and lunged through the doorway.

Run! Run! Run!

He felt as though he had never run this fast in his entire life.

It felt as if wings were attached to his feet!

A few zombies were instantly drawn by the movement and bolted in his direction.

Seeing this, the chubby youth ran even faster.

At that exact moment, a flicker of viciousness crossed Li Jiandong's eyes.

He swung his arm back and hurled the wooden rolling pin in his hand.

The rolling pin traced a parabolic arc through the air.

With a sharp thud, it struck the chubby youth squarely in the back.

"Ah...!"

The impact knocked the boy off his feet, and the wave of pain wrenched a scream from his throat.

"Roar! Roar!"

Seeing him collapse to the ground, the pursuing zombies lunged forward instantly!

Faced with the savage creatures, the chubby youth's face drained of color, replaced by utter despair.

"No! Stop!"

"Get away from me!"

The zombies paid no heed to his cries. They snapped their jaws wide, flailed their razor-sharp claws, and swarmed over him in a writhing mass...

Squelch!

The boy's chest was torn open, and his piercing shrieks echoed continuously!

"Aghhh! Help me!"

Witnessing the gruesome fate of the chubby youth, Li Jiandong's eyes lit up, and he issued a decisive command.

"Everyone, right now!"

"Charge!"

Scramble!

The crowd rushed out in a frantic wave.

Li Jiandong dragged Nan Ruyan along, sprinting for their lives.

Not all the zombies had been lured away by the chubby youth.

Several others still charged straight into the fleeing crowd.

A few unlucky souls were intercepted by the undead, forced to watch helplessly as their flesh was ripped apart, their agonizing screams piercing the air.

The rest of the survivors ran for their lives, wishing their parents had given them extra legs just to run faster.

A short-cropped young man gripped a kitchen knife, dragging his secretary—dressed in black silk stockings—as they sprinted.

However, a zombie soon locked onto them from behind.

Because the woman's pace was sluggish, the distance between them and the pursuing creature shrank rapidly.

Realizing they were about to be caught, the woman in black silk suddenly shoved the young man directly into the path of the zombie.

The short-cropped youth stared at her in sheer disbelief as his flesh was torn into by the beast.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I want to live."

The secretary apologized, tears streaming down her face.

Gritting his teeth, the young man lashed out with his knife in a backhanded swipe, slicing off one of the zombie's fingers.

By some bizarre coincidence, the severed finger flew through the air and landed squarely on the woman's head.

Terrified out of her wits, she screamed, convinced she was about to be devoured next.

When she glanced back, she saw the young man locked in a brutal struggle with the zombie. "Xiao Wei, run!"

A surge of wild elation washed over the woman, and she fled without ever looking back...

The short-cropped youth's breathing quickly ceased...

...

On the other side.

Li Jiandong and Nan Ruyan were also running at a frantic pace.

Yet, one man was outpacing them both.

It was the same man who had vocally supported Li Jiandong earlier.

The three of them fled for their lives.

Rounding a corner.

A zombie came staggering toward them.

All three froze in their tracks.

Li Jiandong made a split-second decision and unleashed a vicious flying kick straight into the middle-aged man's back.

The man was propelled squarely into the arms of the oncoming zombie.

Delighted by the sudden delivery of prey, the creature bared its rotting teeth and clamped its jaws down hard.

His throat was torn to shreds!

"Li Jiandong, you'll die a horrible death!" the middle-aged man shrieked in his dying curse.

Li Jiandong ignored him entirely.

After all, better you die than I!

If you don't die, how can I escape?

Li Jiandong and Nan Ruyan continued their desperate flight.

Yet a moment later, two more zombies blocked the path ahead.

Their hearts sank.

They glanced backward.

At some point, another zombie had appeared behind them, fixing its dead eyes upon them.

A wave of utter despair washed over Li Jiandong and Nan Ruyan.

Just then, Nan Ruyan cried out in joyful surprise.

"There's a room here! The door isn't locked!"

Li Jiandong looked over and felt a surge of ecstatic relief.

There was indeed a door.

With no time to hesitate, just as the zombies were about to lunge upon them, the two of them narrowly squeezed inside the room.

They slammed the door shut and bolted it securely.

Listening to the frantic, muffled thudding of the zombies battering against the wood, Li Jiandong's face broke into a triumphant grin.

"Hahaha! I survived!"

Nan Ruyan's chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath.

Her face radiated the pure joy of cheating death.

Looking around, the two of them were even more thrilled to discover it was a presidential suite. It was completely unoccupied and, naturally, devoid of any zombies.

"Li Jiandong, thank you!"

"Thank you for saving me once again!" Nan Ruyan said, her eyes swimming with genuine gratitude.

Had Li Jiandong not pulled her along as they ran, she would have long since fallen behind and been devoured by the undead.

Li Jiandong gazed at Nan Ruyan's rapidly heaving chest and swallowed hard, a heavy knot of desire forming in his throat.

"Manager Nan, what are you saying?"

"Wasn't saving you the right thing to do?"

Noticing the predatory glint in his eyes, Nan Ruyan instinctively took a step back and offered an awkward, tight smile.

"Quick! Let's see if there's any food!"

Li Jiandong swept his gaze around the room as well.

"There's food!"

"There's stuff in the fridge too!"

After a frantic search, their harvest proved remarkably fruitful.

"As expected of a presidential suite, this fridge is well-stocked!" Li Jiandong muttered, greed flashing in his eyes.

They pulled out over a dozen bottles of beverages, seven or eight bags of potato chips, and an assortment of small snacks.

Several plates of fruit still sat upon the table.

Though not entirely fresh, most of it had yet to rot or spoil.

"If we ration these carefully, it'll be enough for the two of us to eat for days!"

With their stomachs growling from hunger, the two immediately began devouring the food voraciously.

Once the snacks finally subdued their hunger, Nan Ruyan pulled out her phone and checked for notifications.

The next moment, she could hardly believe her eyes. She rubbed them frantically and looked again.

It was no hallucination; it was real!

The message had been sent by Nan Shiyin.

Nan Shiyin: "Auntie, are you still alive?"

Nan Shiyin: "Auntie, I've been rescued. My boyfriend, Ye Feng, is a powerful superhuman."

Nan Ruyan replied instantly.

"I'm still alive! Can you come and save me..."

A moment later, a reply came through.

Nan Shiyin: "Ye Feng agreed. He and I are coming to rescue you right now!"

A wave of ecstatic relief washed over Nan Ruyan.

She immediately transmitted her exact location to Nan Shiyin.

Then, she sent several follow-up messages detailing how perilous her current situation was.

With a glimmer of hope anchoring her heart, Nan Ruyan felt a slight sense of ease.

She absentmindedly reached for a pack of biscuits, intending to continue eating.

To her absolute astonishment, however, a pair of large hands suddenly snatched the biscuits right out of her grasp.

Nan Ruyan looked up in shock.

The person who had grabbed her food was none other than Li Jiandong.

A sudden, ominous premonition flared in Nan Ruyan's chest.

"What are you doing?" Nan Ruyan forced a weak smile.

"What am I doing?" Li Jiandong's lips curled into a faint smirk.

"Nan Ruyan, ever since the apocalypse descended, haven't I been more than fair to you?"

"I've saved your life at least twice!"

An inexplicable smile crept onto his face.

"Sure, I'm just a bodyguard and a driver, hired to do a job..."

"Given the circumstances... this has long since gone far beyond the duties of a normal bodyguard. Wouldn't you say so?"

Hearing his words, Nan Ruyan's expression shifted slightly.

"I know, Li Jiandong."

"That's why I am so, so grateful to you!"

"I want to repay you with money... I know money doesn't mean anything anymore, but I truly don't know what else I can use to express my gratitude..." Nan Ruyan pleaded earnestly.

Li Jiandong cut her off mid-sentence.

"No! You do know!"

"You know exactly what you can use to thank me!"

Li Jiandong's gaze swept hungrily over Nan Ruyan's figure.

Her slightly disheveled hair and chapped, cherry lips could do nothing to conceal her stunning beauty.

Her taut business suit and the curves pressing against her blouse clearly hinted at the magnificent fullness beneath.

Not to mention her fair, slender legs and the full, rounded perfection of her hips...

The alluring air of a fully ripened peach made the well-fed Li Jiandong stir with restless desire.

Noticing the predatory intensity of his gaze, Nan Ruyan forced a brittle smile. "I... I don't really understand what you're talking about!"

"Let me make it clear to you: all the food here belongs to me, and you aren't allowed to eat another bite!"

"Why?" Nan Ruyan asked reflexively.

"Because I am stronger than you!" Li Jiandong declared with an arrogant smirk.

"Take a good look at the world right now; I don't need to spell it out for you!"

"It's so dangerous outside that you have no choice but to rely on someone!"

"And I am your most suitable candidate!"