Chapter 80: Chapter80-Why this bastard again?!

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!" I quickly ignored her and, locked the door behind us, ensuring no zombies could follow us in. Breathing heavily, I took a moment to survey our surroundings. Finally, we are inside the restaurant... The zombies were roaring and relentlessly pounding on the restaurant's window with both hands, attempting to shatter it for easier access inside. I chose to leave from here, realizing that if Kiara and I remained here, they would continue their assault until the window gave way... In one corner of the restaurant, there was a staircase. Nearby, there were fancy things like chairs and tables, but I didn't pay attention to them at the moment. My main focus was the stairs. Why? Because to avoid being noticed by the horde, our best bet was to go to the second floor of the restaurant where we could hide easily... The restaurant had two floors. I told Kiara, "Let's head upstairs to avoid the zombies' notice." I explained my decision afterwards because I knew if I only said part of it, she would ask for more details, and I also wanted to keep our conversation short. Kiara said, "Ok." As we were about to head towards the stairs, I heard a sudden noise. **THUD** It was the sound of something metallic falling behind the restaurant's kitchen. I called out, "I know you're back there. Just come out now." Solos emerged from the kitchen, his presence exuding menace as he sneered at me with open contempt. "Hey, fucker, we meet again," he spat, his voice dripping with malice. Heh... This bastard again... Why can't he just leave me alone? I brushed off his insult, staying composed. "What were you doing there?" I asked firmly. Solos smirked, a cruel gleam in his eye. "Just enjoying watching your ass run like a coward," he replied casually. He seems to enjoy insulting me a lot. I'm not sure how much he harbors hatred for Michael, but one thing's certain: he'll definitely continue annoying me like this in the future... I didn't much like getting insulted all the time... I chuckled dismissively. "Oh, really? Remember just yesterday when this bastard guy of yours just kicked your sorry ass and beat you in a duel?" Solos's face twisted with anger, his jaw tightening. He pointed his sword at me, his voice filled with venom. "You got lucky last time," he growled. "Now that I have my sword, what do you think will happen?" Yeah, yeah, just blatant excuses... I met his glare calmly. "Nothing," I replied evenly. "You're still no match for me." Solos clenched his teeth, fury blazing in his eyes. "You dare insult me, you bastard!" When the fuck did I ever insult you? Damn it, this annoying bastard just keeps getting on my nerves more and more. I decided to play along with him... I smirked, unfazed by his rage. "What could a weakling like you possibly do to me?" Solos's face flushed red with anger as he raised his sword, preparing to strike. I expected this outcome... I also drew both daggers from my pants pockets and prepared myself to defend against any attack that might come from Solos. While Solos and I stared each other down, anticipating the next move, Kiara sat in a chair, visibly enjoying the spectacle as if she eagerly awaited a major confrontation. What kind of woman is she, anyway? 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...