Survival in the Class: I'm the Only Boy on the Bus

Jiang Chen stepped aside to clear Zhang's view, revealing the three screens side by side behind him, and the red portal behind the screens that was constantly bursting with purple lightning.

He pointed towards the portal, his expression turning serious again as he tried to offer advice:

"Grandpa Zhang, this dungeon is S-rank, which may be a bit difficult for you, but you can choose to leave. I also suggest you leave."

Zhang Zizhong squinted and read the information on the screen word by word.

His gaze lingered on the line "Golden Scale City has been besieged by Japanese zombies" for a long time, as if he were confirming that he hadn't misread it.

On Zhang Zizhong's wrinkled face, the expression gradually changed from a kind smile to shock.

His eyes widened slightly, his pupils contracted, and his hands trembled slightly.

Zhang Zizhong felt not fear, but excitement and agitation.

He was excited because... he never expected that God would give him a second chance.

Both were about escorting civilians to safety, and both were about stopping the Japanese from pursuing them...

This scene is so similar, only the location and teammates have changed.

Zhang Zizhong looked ahead in the direction of the bridge.

The gray-yellow observation tower gleamed with a warm yellow light in the early autumn morning.

The three red flags at the top of the tower are very eye-catching.

However, these three red flags were not made of cloth, but rather resembled models, fixed in this fluttering scene, their red color dazzling.

Zhang Zizhong looked across the bridge towards the towering city walls in the distance and uttered three words in disbelief:

"Is it really Golden Scale City?"

He had been to Jinlin City.

Five or six years ago, Zhang Zizhong, dressed in civilian clothes, took a day and a night on a green train, carrying a worn-out satchel containing the only photo of him and his old squad leader.

He came specifically to see the memorial hall and also to see the city.

Jiang Chen and Zhang Zizhong stood side by side, his face solemn as he looked towards the distant walls of Jinlin City.

"Yes, it's Jinlin City. It's been besieged by Japanese chickens once again."

As Jiang Chen spoke, he gripped the scabbard of his katana tightly with his left hand.

Jiang Chen had already started making plans in his mind.

He should be able to get the names of the other people in the city from the people he was escorting.

In this way, he could use the location card to open a path and enter Golden Scale City directly.

Once inside, with his and the girls' strength, plus the Gatling gun, ice laser turret, and heavy mortar on the bus roof, they could wipe out any number of Japanese zombies.

The only tricky thing is the potential presence of Japanese chickens [residents].

But with his strength, he can just pick off the enemy without much trouble!

As Jiang Chen was thinking, he suddenly heard the sound of a motorcycle engine starting up behind him.

He turned around abruptly.

Grandpa Zhang had somehow gotten onto the red and black Honda CG125, his left foot on the ground and his right hand gripping the handlebars.

He smiled at Jiang Chen:

"Count me in!"

"This time... I won't run away again..."

Old Master Zhang's eyes completely changed; besides being filled with murderous intent, they now also showed a willingness to die for him.

Zhang Zizhong twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle emitted a low, even sputtering sound as the tires began to turn slowly.

The Guangdong-Guangxi "miracle car," equipped with a Class D automatic Gatling gun, carried the 80-year-old man slowly toward the last parking space.

For Zhang Zizhong, being able to die for the people meant he had not let down his old squad leader and teammates. Even in the afterlife, he could face them with his head held high!

Jiang Chen originally wanted to try to persuade Old Master Zhang again, but seeing Old Master Zhang's eyes, his military uniform, and the large machete on his back, he decided not to try.

Jiang Chen understood that persuading a Chinese soldier to abandon protecting civilians and leave would be a great insult to Chinese soldiers.

So, Jiang Chen watched as Grandpa Zhang slowly drove the motorcycle into the last parking space.

The next moment, the information on all three screens changed, and the information became the same:

Team matchmaking successful.

The dungeon is now open. Please enter as soon as possible!

Silently say "I want to leave," and the portal will open. Only players within this instance are allowed to enter. The portal leads to the parking spaces.

[Attention! Due to the presence of special items, the [residents] in this instance can harm [players]!]

[Finally! Wishing you a safe return!]

Immediately afterwards, the huge red portal behind the screen disappeared, and a white portal only as tall as a person appeared.

Zhang Zizhong got off the motorcycle, carrying the B-grade [Kill the Bandits Greatsword] on his back, and stared intently at Jinlin City in the distance.

At this moment, Zhang Zizhong's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and his sharp aura was released without reservation, like a tiger about to launch an attack. Even if any ghost or monster saw him, it would be scared away!

He had no other weapons; this knife was always the most handy and the most suitable for killing Japanese chickens!

Jiang Chen was standing next to Old Master Zhang when he suddenly turned to look at him:

"Grandpa Zhang, do you smoke?"

Zhang Zizhong subconsciously reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette that was only half-smoked, and waved it at Jiang Chen with his fingers:

"I still have half a stick left, that's enough. I bought it from 43999."

"Xiao Chen, if you want it, it's yours!"

As he spoke, Zhang Zizhong handed the cigarette, which was now only half-smoked, to Jiang Chen, showing great generosity.

For longtime smokers, being able to take a puff of cigarette before they die is an incredibly pleasant experience.

But Zhang Zizhong chose to give the last half of the cigarette to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen smiled and waved his hand, then turned to look at the window of the bus next to him.

Just then, Teacher Wen handed out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Jiang Chen took it and immediately handed it to Grandpa Zhang.

Zhang Zizhong was somewhat surprised and quickly tried to refuse.

He knew, of course, that cigarettes were very expensive in this area; now, one cigarette could sell for two survival coins.

Jiang Chen, however, insisted on stuffing it into Grandpa Zhang's pocket:

"It's not free, you have to pay. Grandpa, you can give me the money after we clear this dungeon!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zizhong burst into laughter and gently patted Jiang Chen's shoulder:

"Okay! It's settled then!"

"Xiao Chen, don't die! These survival coins are only for you! If you die, I won't give you any money!"

Jiang Chen smiled and nodded.

Suddenly, Zhang Zizhong rubbed his eyes. He seemed to see Xiao Chen wearing a blue coarse cloth military uniform, just like himself.

Why is he wearing an octagonal hat on his head again?

He was also carrying a large machete tied with a red rope on his back!

Jiang Chen suddenly smiled and spoke, even raising his hand to pat Zhang Zizhong's head:

"Xiao Zhong, please keep these cigarettes for me. Don't die! If you die, how am I supposed to get them back?!"

Zhang Zizhong's eyes widened suddenly.

This is... the last thing the old sergeant said to himself before he sacrificed himself!

Jiang Chen is slowly turning into the old squad leader!

Behind the old sergeant, it seemed that there were also older brothers wearing military uniforms and carrying red rope machetes!

They were all transparent, yet they all smiled and looked at Zhang Zizhong.

The next moment, the old squad leader and the older boys disappeared, leaving only Jiang Chen and the girls on the bus.

Zhang Zizhong suddenly laughed, a very happy laugh!

He guessed that his old squad leader and the others were watching him from heaven!

But he also knew that this might just be a hallucination, simply a flare-up of his Alzheimer's disease...

The old squad leader and his comrades probably never came back to see him.

Who cares!

I believe that if the old squad leader and the others are back, then they are back!

I will never let them down!

After regaining his senses, Zhang Zizhong waved to Jiang Chen, and the two, one old and one young, walked towards the teleportation portal.

The girls watched the two men's backs as they walked on the bus.

The wind blew through Grandpa Zhang's gray hair peeking out from his octagonal hat and lifted the dark red rope tied to his machete.

The wind also blew Jiang Chen's black hair and made his black short-sleeved shirt flutter!

The two walked into the portal together.

But before entering the portal, Zhang Zizhong suddenly remembered that the brand of cigarettes Jiang Chen gave him... how come it's exactly the same as the one sold by 43999?!

These young people... can't really be the team that's number one on the 43999 leaderboard, right?