Chapter 73: Chapter 73: DIY Rope
"Wu Chao! Tang Qiang! You two handle Huzi’s corpse, move it to the storage room over there!"
"The rest of you, come with me. I want you to take these tents and..."
As the words fell, Hu Xiaodong struck the camping tent with a cleaver, and then the blade moved down, scraping around the edge of the frame. A piece of waterproof fabric, 2 meters high and 50 centimeters wide, was forcibly cut down.
Holding the cut fabric in his hand, Hu Xiaodong raised it to measure the approximate size, then continued, "After taking down the fabric, cut it into strips like this, then braid four strands together and connect them end to end. I want to use them to make a descent rope. Do you understand?"
"Descent rope?" Tang Xiaoquan blurted out subconsciously. He wasn’t unfamiliar with such things. He often saw hosts on survival shows using knots and natural conditions to perform various high-difficulty descents and climbs.
But those ropes were professionally manufactured in factories, with great strength and flexibility guarantees.
And now, they were supposed to use these scraps to glue together the so-called descent "rope"... Tang Xiaoquan truly had no confidence in this, so he asked worriedly:
"Brother Hu, will it be okay to use these things to make a rope..."
"It won’t!" Hu Xiaodong interrupted Tang Xiaoquan with a face like a thundercloud, exuding a murderous aura, as if he could swallow someone whole.
But despite the seriousness, he explained the source of his confidence in a calm tone: "This tent is a high-altitude camping tent. Its fabric is made from high-quality nylon. Moreover, its outer surface has a waterproof coating of over 2000mm, so it is not only waterproof but also tear-resistant. It’s very suitable for making descent ropes. Do you have any more questions?"
A drop of sweat rolled down Tang Xiaoquan’s cheek. He gulped.
Honestly, he was going to ask who Hu Xiaodong intended to have complete the upcoming descent.
After all, this technique, if implemented without relevant training and experience, could be inherently dangerous.
However, seeing Hu Xiaodong’s undeniable deadly serious attitude, Tang Xiaoquan wisely swallowed his question.
In the subsequent time, the group followed Hu Xiaodong’s instructions and split into two teams.
One team handled Huzi’s corpse, while the other cut the fabric, sliced it into strips, braided it, and made the rope for escape.
The scorching sun became increasingly intense, especially in this life-and-death race against time, but the survivors didn’t dare utter a complaint. They focused silently, working diligently on their tasks.
Soon, out of the five tents, except for the one where Huzi’s mother was dismembered, the other four were stripped by everyone until only bare frames remained.
The fabric strips were twisted together by everyone as per Hu Xiaodong’s instructions, then connected end to end into a long rope.
Once all this was done, Hu Xiaodong instructed the group to tie a secure knot every 70-80 centimeters on the rope, stating it would be needed during the climb.
After about 3-4 more minutes, when the last knot was tied, a completed lifeline rope, resembling a string of insects, was finally made thanks to the collective effort of the survivors.
Hu Xiaodong called for Wu Chao and Wang Qiang, the strongmen, to test the rope’s strength by simulating a tug-of-war.
The result surprised everyone: these seemingly insignificant strips of fabric had their strength greatly increased after being braided together.
Hu Xiaodong nodded expressionlessly, then quickly explained to Wu and Wang the precautions for the upcoming action.
After all, this was a rooftop several meters high, and climbing down safely was crucial.
As the survivors prepared frantically for their escape, the zombies in the street quietly gathered into the alley.
Hu Xiaodong peeked over and saw four zombies that had arrived earlier starting to pound on the hard walls in rhythm with the rooftop noises.
Time was of the essence. If a horde of zombies gathered at the bottom of the building, even with the right equipment, the survivors might not have a chance to escape.
So without hesitation, Hu Xiaodong held a compound bow in his hand. With a swift "whoosh" of four shots, the previously ferocious and relentless zombies slumped to the ground instantly.
Opportunities are fleeting.
Seeing the four zombies fall, Hu Xiaodong hurriedly set down his longbow and signaled Wu Chao, who was already on standby, to lower the rope.
With a resonant "rattle", the 3-meter-long DIY descent rope fell as planned, but as it hit the ground, everyone was shocked to realize it was still a few meters short of reaching the ground.
The situation was critical, and there was no time to supplement these few meters. Moreover, the survivors had little material left.
Thus, Hu Xiaodong made a quick decision, sheathed the cleaver in his backpack, and climbed up the wall.
He glanced into Wu Chao’s serious eyes, and the latter returned a ready signal, prompting Hu Xiaodong to take a deep breath.
Frankly speaking, he had some extreme experiences like rock climbing, but his experience was superficial.
However, as the situation involved the life and death of the entire team, Hu Xiaodong decided to take the risk, despite his inexperience.
Besides, Hu Xiaodong was stimulated by the brutal deaths of Lin Bo, Huzi, and others, and his adrenaline was rapidly increasing, so fear was no longer a concern.
Wu Chao felt his waist tighten suddenly, and his body leaned forward as Hu Xiaodong tugged him downward.
This action was extremely dangerous for Hu Xiaodong, who was climbing, as the swaying rope could increase his difficulty and the risk of falling.
Fortunately, Wang Qiang was alert and extended a helping hand when Wu Chao started to move. Otherwise, Wu Chao’s momentum might have slammed him against the wall, causing him to spit blood.
Hu Xiaodong struggled to move down slowly along the rope, using the knots as anchors, testing one’s strength and stamina intensely.
He felt his upper arms burning as if on fire, questioning his once proud strength for the first time in 30 years.
Fatigued muscles signaled surrender, and the acidic pain spread throughout his body.
But Hu Xiaodong wasn’t one to give up easily. He clenched his teeth, his strong hands gripping the rope like iron pincers.
Then he lowered down, released, tightened his grip, repeating this process. Finally, persistence paid off, and Hu Xiaodong reached the last knot of the rope.
Next, he would face the highest jump of his life.
For the team, and for survival!