Chapter 40: Zombie Wave (2)
Her voice had a sharp tone, though it carried a touch of humor beneath the edge. After a moment of silence, she took a deep breath, visibly calming herself. Panicking wouldn't help anyone now—they needed clear heads to figure out a way out of this mess.
"You, Adam! Elon! Hans!" She pointed at three men in the crowd. "You've been staring at me all day; it's time to put those eyes to work! Go get the buses ready!"
The men exchanged embarrassed glances before quickly moving to follow her orders, their cheeks flushed. Erza turned to an elderly man in his seventies and softened her tone. "Grandpa Jack, when the buses get here, make sure everyone boards safely, okay?"
Then, just as quickly, her playful energy returned. She spun around to face Mark, a young man who had recently accompanied her into town. "And you! I thought you were some innocent little angel, but I saw you eyeing Elly earlier—"
"Erza, come on!" Mark stammered, his face beet-red. "I'll do whatever you want, just... don't bring that up!"
He cast a nervous glance at a girl his age in the crowd. Seeing her puzzled expression, he exhaled in relief. "Alright, fine! I'll clear the road!" Mark jumped onto the bulldozer with a middle-aged man, ready to get started.
Erza didn't miss a beat. "Henry!" she called out. "Take the mixer truck and cover the rear! And Samuel—" She rattled off more instructions, her words snapping the anxious crowd out of their fear. Despite her fiery personality, Erza's leadership gave everyone a sense of stability, helping them muster the courage to move forward.
Soon, the convoy of construction vehicles and buses began to roll out. At the front was a heavily modified bulldozer, its frame reinforced with spikes and a ram at the front, easily shoving abandoned cars out of the way. Behind it came three buses, their windows covered with steel plates, crammed with survivors peering through narrow gaps. At the rear, more construction vehicles followed in a steady line.
"Front row, keep moving! Rear, stay close!" Erza shouted from the passenger seat of a modified dump truck. Two braziers burned in the truck bed, casting a flickering, eerie glow as they advanced.