Although Jiao Lizhi was confused, she also felt happy. Since she could absorb back the energy spent on attacking, she could save more energy during the fight.

When two ability-users with similar strength fight, the one with more energy would be the winner, therefore, her ability to absorb back the power would be her trump card.

As her mind raced, she opened the door and entered the guard post. Looking at the torn flesh, bone pieces, and dried blood on the ground, she guessed that one of the guards had turned into a zombie and the other had been eaten alive.

Even if the blood scent had dispersed, she still didn't want to spend the night here. She sighed, then turned around and went to check another guard post.

There were four main entrances to Lin'an University, and a guard post was located near each. Since this one couldn't be used, she just needed to find another.

Due to the number of zombies, it took her a long time before she finally found an empty guard post at the west entrance of Lin'an University.

After entering the post, she locked the door and windows before using duct tape found inside to seal the gaps on the windows and door.

Although the zombies outside were normal zombies, it was better to be more careful. It would be troublesome if a level-one zombie were nearby and attracted by her scent.

When she was done, she sat in the chair in the corner and took out a loaf of bread from her space. Instead of drinking the mineral water she collected from the mini market, she filled an empty bottle with pond water.

She was so thirsty that she felt her throat burning and finished half the water in several gulps. Letting out a sigh, she touched her throat and thought, 'Strange, why does this water taste better than before?'

Although Jiao Lizhi didn't know the reason, she felt better after drinking it. Not only did her exhaustion and soreness in her body lessen, but her fever also seemed to subside. She also felt that there was a faint energy similar to the one stored in the crystal cores in the water.

Taking out the thermometer, she checked her temperature. After a beep, she saw the number 37.1°C.

'My fever had finally subsided,' she thought inwardly.

Feeling relieved, she finished her bread and drank the rest of the water before closing her eyes to get some sleep.

At the same time, ten kilometers away from Lin'an University, a group of soldiers was fighting zombies at a gas station.

Their clothes were stained with black blood and rotten flesh as they killed the zombies with military combat daggers and blades.

The soldiers stood in a half-circle formation with their backs to the armored vehicles and the military tactical trucks. On either side of the vehicles, groups of ten to fifteen soldiers fought against the incoming wave of zombies.

With their comrades covering their backs, they could focus entirely on cutting down the zombies before them.

They have been killing zombies for almost an hour, but the number of zombies has not decreased at all. The noise of clashing blades and zombie roars had drawn even more zombies toward the gas station.

Seeing the situation at the entrance, one soldier swung his blade, severing a zombie's head, then called out, "Captain, more zombies are coming!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a rancid stench hit him from the left. Turning his head, he was met with a rotten face. The zombie lunged straight at him with its mouth full of sharp teeth wide open.

"Roar!"

The overwhelming smell made his stomach churn, but his body reacted instinctively. Leaning to the side, he delivers a roundhouse kick to the zombie's chest.

His kick sent the zombie backward, hitting two more zombies behind it. He barely avoided being bitten and his body broke out in cold sweat. But before he could take a breath of relief, another zombie's sharp claw slashed toward his back.

By the time he realized the attack and turned around, it was too late. The long, black claws were only inches from his throat. In that moment of helplessness, all he could do was stare at the incoming attack as his face drained of color.

'No–I don't want to die!' he thought inwardly.

Stab!

A moment before the claws ripped his throat, a dagger whizzed past his ear, burying itself into the zombie's forehead with a sharp sound.

As the black blood flowed from its forehead, the zombie collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.

The next moment, he heard the familiar voice of his captain, "Don't get distracted."

As he walked past the soldier, the man bent down, kicked away a zombie charging toward him, and pulled the dagger from the fallen zombie corpse's skull.

Gripping his longsword and his military dagger on each hand, he turned toward the gas station's entrance. His frown deepened when he saw the number of zombies rushing in from outside keep increasing.

They needed to end this battle before sunset or their situation would become more dangerous. Glancing at his exhausted subordinates, he said, "Hold the formation and protect yourself and your comrades!"

"Yes, Captain!" the soldiers answered in unison.

The moment he finished his words, that man sheathed his dagger into its sheath, bent his knees, and leaped straight into the group of zombies that rushed toward them.