Chapter 10 – Infection
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They set off into the store and grab out some supplies.

Lu'er is the first to come out. She stands nervously by Kaleb and Bones. She looks at them now and again, Bones has a new cloak on, fortunately disguising his appearance. Lu'er doesn't say anything as Simon comes out with Lu Si. He's angrily glaring at Kaleb who wholeheartedly feels like shaking his head.

 

 

"Sorry, he just wants you to pay for those items. He said it's stealing, I tried to say that it's his aunt's store, but he doesn't care."

 

 

Simon apologizes while Lu'er steps in and says a few words after Lu Si argues back against Simon's words.

 

 

"This is between me and his aunt, not him. He needs to calm his shit down and think about the situation we're all in."

 

 

Kaleb calmly replies. Lu Si seems pissed off even further by the words, but Simon steps in between them.

 

 

Lu Si pushes him and forces him backward into Bones.

 

 

Bones looks at the both of them.

 

 

Simon backs away slowly saying "Sorry sir.", while Lu Si crosses his arms and looks away. Kaleb feels like laughing at this sudden shift, it seems Bones has some serious aura already.

 

 

The final person emerges from the store, the group seems settled, but Lu Si still looks annoyed. They prepare to set out with Simon out in front and Kaleb at the rear with bones, they slowly work their way around the street the direction Kaleb came from. The streets are quiet but the distant sounds of helicopters in the air is constant.

 

 

They fight off a few zombies, Simon taking the lead as he smacks down each zombie with the beginner’s staff.

 

 

The group wants to detour to look at the wreckage of the hotel, but Kaleb tries talking them out of it, they still detour to see the exterior of it.

 

 

A roaring burst gas line has a gigantic flame roaring above it. That's all they need to see, with the crowd of zombies gathering around it.

 

 

The group returns to the original path as they walk up a street with closed storefronts everywhere, they're all shuttered with roll down doors that have been dented inwards. There's no sign of blood anywhere, as they continue going up the streets. They go through an alleyway with some small businesses and cars.

 

 

5 zombies are in the alleyway, Lu'er steps forward, but is stopped by Simon who points to the car.

 

 

"We'll all go"

 

 

Simon organizes peoples positions as Lu'er follows closely behind him, Lu Si and Chen Zhong both step around the other side of the car leaving the final ones for Kaleb and Bones. They wait for the signal from Simon.

 

 

*BANG*

 

 

Simon hits the head of the zombie; it explodes while he's holding two beginner's staves.

 

Lu'er is closely behind, she takes another one with a simple knock down, with a strike to the knees followed by a bashing of the head.

 

 

*THUD THUD*

 

 

She starts panting after those two hits, she smiles at Simon.

 

 

Kaleb can't see Lu Si or Chen Zhong, but he can hear them taking similar actions to Lu'er.

 

 

He sets to action himself; 3 zombies are standing by a car. He casually walks up to them, Simon and Lu'er have wide eyes as they watch him after collecting their items.

 

 

*SLICE* *SLICE*

 

 

Kaleb makes two casual sword movements against the zombies that hadn't noticed him, they're decapitated before they could turn around.

 

 

The street is empty, and they regroup, Simon comes over with a big smile.

 

 

"Kaleb sword master, why didn't you say you can do that?"

 

 

Kaleb's neck instantly feels itchy, he's not used to praise, so he awkwardly stutters out:

"It was nothing..."

 

 

"Can you teach us how to do it?"

 

 

"It's not really a skill, it's just lots of practice." Simon and Lu'er like that response. They are friendlier towards Kaleb after this.

 

 

Lu Si and Chen Zhong return, and the group sets out again, they walk through several smaller streets killing various zombies and taking breaks often to recover stamina. Kaleb gets bored and waits around while Bones has often just walked off to do patrols by himself.

 

 

It's a perfect chance to do some recon of the situation around them and it's strangely a lot easier than it was inside the office building out here, nearly everything they have encountered has been standard zombies without black skin. Two carriers have appeared with their poisonous appearance but that's it.

 

 

Kaleb isn't sure what to make of it but now isn't the time as he returns to the group, they turn into an alleyway before stopping at the rear entrance of some building. Chen Zhong retrieves a key and unlocks the door leading them inside. Lu Si very noticeably walks to the rear of the group as they go through the ground floor of this hair salon.

 

 

It's empty right now but it has a pungent chemical smell, they walk to the front door, rolling up the protective cover, before revealing the street. There are several zombies just wandering about, nothing too concerning. There's a river back on the other side of the road, the door is unlocked, and the group runs onto the street.

 

 

The zombies attack them, but everyone has fallen into a rhythm where they can pick out a zombie or two and Kaleb handles the rest.

 

 

The group takes a break to eat when they get to the river, Kaleb looks at the river activating Eagle Eyes.

 

 

<Preliminary Infection Lvl 1 - Consumption will turn consumer into zombified creature, it is unable to be filtered down without a tier 2 filtration device. Increased quantities of zombifying pathogens will increase the level of infection. Note, Preliminary virus will dissipate without replenishment within 72 hours.>

 

 

Kaleb looks deeper in the water and can identify strange wriggling shapes and things deep in the water.

 

 

"You guys should not touch the water, probably any water in the open should not be safe anymore." Kaleb informs the group.

 

 

Simon translates it for them, Lu Si blows the concern off, while Chen Zhong goes over to the water and calls Lu Si over. They mess around with it as Simon and Lu'er talk, they group back together after a couple of minutes.

 

 

"If we can't swim across the water then we'll have to try the railway bridge."

 

 

"Why can't we take the other bridges?"

 

 

"They're further away, we could take the highway up there but..." Simon points up there. There others have a fearful expression as he does.

 

 

"What?"

 

 

"That's the primary evacuation route. Helicopters are hitting what comes from there." Simon says.

 

 

"Ah shit."

 

 

"The railway bridge is better as we don't have to climb. It's not that much further either." Simon points down the river, Kaleb looks that direction and not too far away is a covered bridge. Kaleb nods and they walk in that direction, the occasional zombie appearing shrubbery along the river bank.

 

 

Lu'er is back with Kaleb right now, this allows him to look at her in a better light. She has a cute immature round face with short black hair. They reach the start of the bridge and climb up some concrete pillars. Simon is first as he helps Lu Si and Chen Zhong up, those two walk off, and Kaleb helps Lu'er up with Simon.

 

 

Bones appears and helps Kaleb up who then helps himself up, Simon smiles at this and laughs it off. Lu'er thanks Kaleb for the help as she didn't trust the other two with doing that. Kaleb nods his head in response. They walk off the short distance to the wire fence that is getting a hole cut through it.

 

 

Kaleb chuckles at this as they finish cutting it, they point at Bones and say something and walk off dropping the cutters. Bones won't fit through the hole so it's easy to understand what they did, Simon bends down to pick up the cutters, but Jack stops him and takes it with them, walking through the fence and leaving Simon behind.

 

 

Lu'er walks through next leaving Simon and Bones.

 

 

"Sir, I don't know how to help you." Simon says politely to Bones.

 

 

Bones turns as Simon feels a shiver down his spine. He walks forward, Simon freezes but Bones just walks past him.

 

 

Simon turns around just to see Bones leaping over the fence, landing safely on the other side.

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