The stairwell door on the 22nd floor was closed. Without checking if zombies were behind it, we yanked it open. Thankfully, not even a fly was inside.
This floor was entirely operating rooms. With no surgeries scheduled, it was nearly empty—the cleanest level in the entire main building! Ke'er had already explained this.
We didn't immediately gather the supplies Ke'er needed. The situation had changed—survival came first! Tang Songfa, Tang Songfa… your troublesome backside might just be the death of us all!
We nervously guarded the safety door, anxiously waiting for our companions to regroup. The stairwell door could be locked, and these iron doors opened outward. Zombies only pushed forward—their force would only seal the door tighter. Once locked, we'd be safe.
Of course, we didn't just focus on the door. I had Chengzi and Tang Xiaoyou monitor the 22nd-floor hallway. While no immediate danger was visible, we couldn't rule out zombies suddenly appearing—after all, there were many operating rooms here, all with closed doors.
Screams from downstairs grew increasingly intense. My heart sank. Comrades, please don't all fall to the zombies! I beg you! Show some grit! Escape up here!!!
Just as my anxiety peaked, heavy footsteps echoed outside, followed by shouts: "Open the door!!!"
The two heavy iron safety doors on the 22nd floor swung open. Several blood-soaked men burst in like a gust of wind! In less than two seconds, the doors were shut and locked! Just two seconds later, frantic pounding and howls erupted outside—any later, and the zombie horde would've broken through!
Whew! So close! If even one zombie had grabbed the door edge, it would've been impossible to close!
The men who'd rushed in leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. I quickly took stock: Qin Goodluck, Erbao, Fatty, Aze, Dapeng, Xiaoxuan!
"The others…?" I asked Aze, my voice trembling.
"Too many zombies. We barely made it back ourselves," Aze replied grimly.
Seeing them covered in blood, I urgently asked, "Is anyone injured?"
They shook their heads. Goodluck, catching his breath, answered, "This is all zombie blood… and theirs."
The thought of the buddies we'd shared drinks and laughs with just last night now torn apart and devoured by zombies twisted my heart. I felt suffocated!
But now was no time for grief! In this era, such an end was perhaps inevitable—only a matter of time. Would anyone die peacefully? That was the greatest luxury now.
As their breathing steadied, I knew they'd recovered. I quickly turned to Dr. Ke'er: "Which room has the supplies?"
"Follow me. Surgical tools and UV sterilizers are in the room at the end of the hallway!" Dr. Ke'er moved to lead, but I grabbed her and signaled for her to stay behind us, protected in the middle.
We checked every room we passed, opening doors to ensure no zombies lurked inside, preventing sudden ambushes.
We couldn't afford to lose another person!
Meanwhile, I called Sixth Brother, updating him on our location and situation. We needed rescue! With just our group, we were trapped on the 22nd floor of the hospital. Escape? Unless we grew wings and flew out the windows.
Thinking of A-Qiang's team's combat strength, I deeply regretted not bringing them. Before them, we'd managed fine on our own, but we'd thought this was just a simple pickup—who knew we'd end up in a hospital? Amateurs were amateurs! It was too late for regrets.
Before rescue arrived, we had to gather the supplies quickly!
First room: clear. Second room: clear. Third room: clear…
Honestly, the empty operating rooms gave me the creeps. I wondered how many people had been operated on here. My son Shuai Shuai was delivered by C-section—a day I'd never forget!
A narrow gurney wheeled me from the ward into a large, dimly lit elevator—dedicated to surgical transport. My husband and parents accompanied me. I remember Dad stroking my head, afraid I'd be scared. I calmly reassured them, claiming I wasn't nervous, but inside, I felt like fainting!
The gurney reached the operating floor. I was handed over to surgical assistants while my family was stopped outside. Another person wheeled me past operating room doors to mine. The room felt hollow. Several people lifted me onto the narrow operating table in the center—why was it so narrow? What if the patient was large? Would they fall off?
Lying there, people bustled around me, inserting an IV into my wrist. I didn't know what it was. Then we waited. The doctor didn't come. The operating room was cold—I felt freezing, but still, no doctor…
It felt like half an hour! Maybe my nerves stretched time—perhaps only ten minutes passed? Finally, the doctor arrived! The team immediately administered spinal anesthesia. I had to curl on my side, hug my belly, and stay still… Then a sharp, swelling pain shot through my lower back. I instinctively recoiled but was held firmly…
My lower body went numb. The team prepped swiftly. I remember my hands being tied, a frame placed before my eyes, and layers of green cloth blocking my view. Panicked, someone approached and said, "You're too tense. Sleep." I insisted, "No, I'm not tense. I won't sleep…"
But seeing my extreme anxiety, they sedated me. In my drowsiness, I heard Shuai Shuai's first cry! The most beautiful sound in the world! A mother's instincts surged—even drugged, I murmured, "Let me see my baby…"
But no one listened. Shuai Shuai was taken outside for routine checks…
Oh! Forgive my lengthy reminiscence! Returning to an operating room uncontrollably brought back that terrifying yet joyful memory!
Lost in these mixed feelings, we neared the hallway's end. A scene in one operating room left us all stunned!
A lone zombie lay strapped to an operating table, struggling with low growls. Its long hair and mangled chest suggested it was once a woman—age indeterminable, its face chewed beyond recognition, body ravaged.
Its hands were tied to the bed's sides, feet bound to the end. Its abdomen was torn open, organs and intestines mostly devoured. It looked utterly horrific and pitiful!
Seeing us, it instinctively roared and struggled violently.
We circled it, no one immediately attacking. First, it posed no threat now. Second, it looked too wretched.
Clearly, it was a patient mid-surgery when the outbreak hit. Doctors and nurses had fled or turned. No one cared for it, leaving it defenselessly eaten alive.
How painful! How绝望 (hopeless)! My memory of being tied to the operating table resurfaced, chilling me to the bone!
Dr. Ke'er picked up a file from a table. "Zhao Yue'e, 33. Ectopic pregnancy. No wonder it was an emergency on a Sunday."
An open-abdomen surgery? Had the zombie been cut open by a surgeon's scalpel, then devoured as fresh sashimi by mutated assistants? How terrifying!
We all paled, speechless.
Seeing our expressions, Dr. Ke'er understood. "It wasn't that tragic. It was under general anesthesia—likely bitten and turned while unconscious. It felt little pain. Trust me." She pointed to an IV drip beside the bed—the needle had fallen from the zombie's hand, now mostly bone.
"This is anesthesia, administered intravenously to induce coma. This required full sedation." Seeing our silence, Dr. Ke'er pointed to the IV bag's label, reaffirming.
We didn't need verification, but her words comforted us! We didn't know this person, but its death was too gruesome!
As we hesitated, Dr. Ke'er pulled a gleaming scalpel from her pocket and approached the zombie's head. Sensing fresh prey, the zombie frantically gnashed its teeth, twisting its head.
We stared, shocked. Throughout the journey, we'd done the fighting while Dr. Ke'er was protected. Who knew this girl carried a weapon!
Dr. Ke'er's calm gaze was frightening. To her, zombies were just corpses—this was merely a dissection!
She gripped the zombie's hair with her left hand. It struggled but couldn't escape her grasp. Her slender hand was incredibly strong—the zombie nearly tore its own scalp off!
With her right hand, Dr. Ke'er plunged the scalpel into its eye socket. Plop.A soft sound. She twisted her wrist, stirring the blade inside its brain. The zombie slowly stilled.
She left the small blade embedded. To us, it seemed tiny—but in Dr. Ke'er's hands, it was terrifying!
"This is true release for it," Dr. Ke'er said flatly.