Chapter 18: Even with a Hoe on His Shoulder, the Heartthrob Is Still Strikingly Handsome

"Ah!" The zombie's hand had nearly grabbed her head at such close range—Du Yun felt on the brink of collapse. She was nothing more than a homebody who, despite having crossed into another world and bearing the title of savior, could only remain so calm in circumstances like these. Startled, she let out a loud cry, instinctively rolled to the ground with the little girl, and smashed the jar in her hand against the invading limb.

Whether the zombie felt pain was unclear, but after being struck by Du Yun, the hand did not withdraw; instead, it shoved forward with renewed vigor—what had been just a grasping palm was now an arm straining to force its way inside.

"This..." Du Yun was terrified, trembling all over. She pressed the petrified little girl to the ground, lest she lift her head and get caught, then quickly snatched a denim jacket from her storage compartment. Twisting it into a rope, she looped it around the zombie's hand and yanked it hard to the side.

The zombie's grip was formidable—once it seized something, it would not let go—but Du Yun's jacket was sturdy, and the back-and-forth struggle bought precious time. She held on with all her might, knowing no one could spare a hand to help her; she would have to endure until the most dangerous moment had passed.

But her arms ached terribly... She had already exhausted much of her strength taking out two zombies by sheer luck, and now, tired and hungry, her hands felt as if they might break from the contest of strength. The pain was excruciating.

Just a little longer... Just a little longer... Gritting her teeth, Du Yun clung to her resolve, but her hands were slipping from her control. Suddenly, with a powerful jerk, the zombie widened the breach in the mud wall, and the denim jacket finally gave way under the strain, tearing apart.

"Ah!" As the ghastly white arm broke free and lunged toward her, Du Yun's mind went blank. What now? Paralyzed with fear, she could only watch as that bloodstained, chilling hand drew ever closer.

Bang!

At the brink of despair, the hand was abruptly struck. Without even a twitch, it hung at an unnatural angle from the wall, motionless. Looking up, Du Yun saw the man they called "Boss" turn away to fend off more zombies outside—clearly, it was he who had come to her aid.

Watching his figure wielding the hoe, Du Yun felt a fierce jolt in her heart. That man was truly the stuff of legends: rugged features, broad shoulders, strong arms, and in a crisis, the one who saved her from disaster. If it weren't for the encircling zombies, Du Yun might have clutched her heart and cried out at how handsome her iron-willed hero was.

But this was no time for foolish fantasies. Steeling herself, she cast another look at the Boss's back, drew a deep breath, and faced the motionless zombie arm. Courage swelled within her. Gripping the broken jar, she stood guard, spine straight, eyes wary of the dirt wall.

The zombie, even with one arm shattered, was not so easily thwarted. Soon, another arm forced its way through the breach, and before long, a zombie even managed to wedge its head inside.

Behind Du Yun, the figure wielding the hoe glanced over, a trace of appreciation flickering in his eyes—though Du Yun, wholly focused on defense, failed to notice.

In the moonlit makeshift hut, the four of them stood back to back, each guarding a direction. Among them, the tallest and strongest was like a god of war, his mere presence shifting the tide. Wherever his weapon swung, zombies fell, flesh and blood flying, the battle gradually turning in their favor.

Standing behind Du Yun, that tall, unyielding silhouette made her heart inexplicably calm. Without realizing it, she found newfound courage; now, when zombie arms or heads thrust through the wall, she could smash them back with her broken jar.

Time lost all meaning. When the final zombie let out a dying scream and silence returned outside, Du Yun's legs buckled beneath her. She sank to the floor, exhaling deeply, awash with relief at having survived.

She looked back at the three men—tall, blood-soaked, chests heaving with exhaustion. Clearly, the fight had cost them dearly.

"We can't stay here. The smell of blood will soon draw more zombies," called the voice that had been shouting incessantly. "We need to go—now!"

"That's right, Boss, let's get out of here," another voice, deep and hoarse, agreed. Both men turned to the one called Boss.

"Mm." The Boss gave a low, resonant reply, his voice magnetic. With his approval, his two subordinates went out to scout ahead, and he too strode toward the door.

After surviving such peril, Du Yun was so weak she felt boneless. As the three men reached the entrance—none looking back, none speaking to her—it was as though she and the little girl had been forgotten. Du Yun's heart sank. She opened her mouth to call out, but her knees gave way and she fell again.

The heavy scent of blood filled her nostrils. The deadly silence outside made her uneasy. She was utterly spent—and soon, the stench would surely lure another horde. What would she do then?

Never had she felt so disheartened. Looking up through the broken roof at the star-strewn sky—so peaceful and serene—Du Yun knew that beneath this quiet lay a tide of death.

"Get up. We're leaving..." With not a sound outside, Du Yun bit her lip hard, using the pain to clear her head. Forcing herself upright, she hauled the terrified little girl to her feet, her voice resolute.

As Du Yun dragged the girl from the hut, her eyes suddenly grew hot. In the moonlight, a tall figure stood waiting, one hand resting lightly on his hoe, watching her intently.

In the shifting light, that cold yet impossibly handsome face appeared before her. Even in such wretched circumstances, the man looked like a deity descended to earth. Du Yun's heart skipped a beat.

The Boss's bright eyes glanced her way, a hint of satisfaction in his gaze. His thin lips parted, voice deep and magnetic: "Come with us."

"Thank you!" Du Yun replied, her heart brimming with gratitude. She quickly took the little girl's hand and followed behind the man. She couldn't deny it—in such a perilous world, having a hoe-wielding hero by her side was a great reassurance.