I stared at my system screen and read the message it showed me...
[Ding, Congratulations, host! Netori Quest: [Blow job] has been completed!]
[Objective complete: 1/1.]
[Ding, Congratulations, Host! Your cooldown for the dash skill has finished!]
Now that I have this skill, I'll easily evade those zombies...
Wait, how should I take her with me?
I'll be running like crazy, and as an Iron ranker, she won't be able to keep up.
Hmm... Maybe I should try that instead?
I turned to Kiara, who was looking at me with a mix of unknown and curiosity. "Kiara, to escape from here, I need to carry you in a 'fireman's carry' position. It's the only way we can move quickly and safely. Trust me on this."
I didn't wanted to waste any time chatting, so I got straight to the point without any hesitation.
I chose this position precisely because it would help me avoid attracting Alex's attention.
If he saw me carrying Kiara like that, it might cause problems.
Also, it was the only position where I could carry Kiara with one hand while using the other to get some kills.
Kiara squinted her eyes and looked me up and down. "Boss, can you?"
Is she for real?
"Hey, what do you mean by 'can you'? Are you doubting my strength?"
Kiara shook her head. "No, boss, it's just"
"It's just what?"
Kiara thought for a moment, then nodded. "Nothing, boss. If you think it's the best way, then I'm in."
"Good," I said, taking a deep breath. "Hold on tight, and don't let go no matter what."
With that, I carefully lifted Kiara, draping her over my shoulders in the fireman's carry position.
I made sure to lift as slowly as I could since I wasn't a professional and it was my first time carrying someone like this.
She clung to me tightly, understanding the urgency of our situation.
With Kiara securely on my shoulders, I activated my dash skill.
Instantly, a surge of energy coursed through my body, filling me with incredible speed and agility.
The world around us became a blur as I sprinted through the streets.
Kiara's grip tightened, her fingers digging into my shoulders as we sped along...
Using my free hand, I fired bullets in every direction, taking out any zombies that came close.
My aim was sharp, each shot finding its target with deadly precision.
Zombies fell one by one, their bodies hitting the ground as we raced past them.
I darted and weaved through the streets, avoiding clusters of zombies, my enhanced speed allowing me to outmaneuver them easily.
The rush of wind in my ears and the excitement pumping through my veins kept me focused as I navigated our way to safety.
Time seemed to stretch, each second feeling like an eternity.
I knew I didn't have much time left for the skill to be effective; three seconds had already passed, leaving me with only a few more to reach safety.
Pushing myself to the limit, I increased my speed, feeling the energy surge through my muscles.
The restaurant was just a little over 100 meters away, but the real challenge lay in the horde of zombies trailing us.
Their growls grew louder, and I could feel their presence closing in.
With every passing second, the distance between us and the door to the restaurant lessen.
And finally, when we got much closer to the restaurant door, I threw my gun aside without hesitation and kicked the door open.
Without wasting a second, I burst through the door, tossing Kiara aside like a ragdoll.
Kiara fell to the floor and exclaimed angrily, "Ouch! Why did you throw me, boss? That really hurts!"
As Solos and I stood locked in our standoff, the air suddenly erupted with the deafening roar of gunfire...
What?
Bullets whizzed through the air, tearing into the surroundings of the restaurant.
I dropped to the floor to avoid getting hit by bullets, with Kiara and Solos quickly following suit.
Startled, zombies from all directions turned towards the source of the sound, drawn like moths to a flame.
In the chaos that ensued, the zombies charged towards the direction of the gunfire, their hungry groans filling the air.
But as they closed in, they were met with a hail of bullets, mowing them down mercilessly.
The attackers outside were relentless, systematically clearing out the undead threat with ruthless efficiency.
Inside the restaurant, the gunfire intensified.
Bullets shattered windows and pierced through walls, sending glass and debris flying.
What the hell is happening?
Rebels attack?
The safe place I had sought was now under siege, caught in the crossfire of a battle I weren't a part of.
But how?
This was not what I expected...
Realizing the danger, I made a split-second decision.
With Kiara and Solos momentarily distracted by the onslaught, I sprinted towards the kitchen, my only hope for shelter...
Leaping over fallen chairs and dodging stray bullets, I reached the kitchen door just as it was blasted open by incoming gunfire.
Inside, chaos reigned.
Cookware clattered to the ground, and flames erupted from damaged stoves.
I dove behind a steel counter, seeking cover from the relentless barrage outside.
The kitchen became a battleground of its own, with bullets piercing through walls and appliances...
I glanced sideways to check on Kiara and realized she wasn't nearby.
After scanning the area further, I spotted her in the staircase where no bullets were reaching, making it a safe and hidden spot for now.
As for Solos, he was still on the ground, ducking his head. I didn't understand why he was doing this. As I mentioned before, bullets of this caliber wouldn't harm Gold Rankers much; they'd only get painless injuries.
Given their faster recovery speed, they'd heal within a few hours.
But why would they even get injured in the first place?
I mean, shouldn't he have a special skill to protect himself?
He should have...
Then why is not using it?
Meh, leave it, who cares about that bastard?
I turned my attention back to the bullets firing.
Are those bears and the Abomination dead or what?
If not, how can these guys freely roam around and fire bullets?
But if they are dead, how did they even manage to defeat a Platinum Rank monster let alone kill it?
For now, since I wasn't sure, I decided to leave it be. This might be the rebels' death stampede.
What's a death stampede?
It's a strategy...
So, when the rebel leaders think they're losing, they sacrifice some of their members by ordering them to charge and attack at the front, knowing they'll die immediately...
Just then, while I was lost in thought, something unbelievably shocking happened.
That was...