The Zombie Combat Manual (30 page)

ZCM: Loss?

LZ:
I use that word in the traditional sense that the dead were not vanquished that day. Nor was that ever the intention.

ZCM:
What was the intention?

LZ:
The abbot was a man of peace, but he was not naïve. There were seven million people in Zhengzhou alone. Even if only one half of one percent of the population was infected and made its way toward the sound of our chants, they would vastly outnumber our own ranks that day. His greater purpose was to use this situation as an opportunity to test both our weapons and our will. It had been almost five hundred years since monks of Shaolin had to confront an enemy in mortal combat. And this enemy was different from any we had ever faced in our history. These were not pirates or bandits. He knew that facing these adversaries, of whom we knew so little and who looked not like hardened fighters, but very much like the same, poor countrymen that fought alongside us, could affect the monks’ ability to do what was necessary.

As the battle took place, scribes stood next to the abbot, furiously recording notes as fast as he could relay his thoughts. As the abbot watched, he noted the performance of each of his disciples—which monks overcame a normal sense of fear and resistance to destroying unarmed attackers, which ones needed continued assessment, and which needed to be placed in more of a support role in the future. Even in those cases, he was very conscious of making the reassigned monk not feel like a coward. The abbot would say to him, “Your level of compassion is great indeed,” and he truly believed it.

Our weapons needed assessing against this new adversary as well. As closely as he was evaluating each monk’s abilities, the abbot also monitored which of our historical armaments performed most effectively, and which might need further technique refinement given our opponent’s vulnerabilities. The spear, broadsword, and axe all seemed to fare well during battle. Other weapons, such as the chain whip, fan, and rope dart, did not.

We fought for hours, until just before sunset, as ghouls continued to swarm from the east. Teams of monks were responsible for continuously clearing bodies toward the outskirts of the field as the battle raged. The dead were piled in such great numbers that they formed a perimeter several meters in height around the battlefield. As it turns out, this too was intentional. As everyone began to tire and our weapons dulled too quickly to resharpen, the abbot declared a full retreat from the field. Once the last of our combatants was clear, he ordered a group of archers to release a volley of arrows tipped in flame. Upon landing, they sparked an inferno that engulfed the entire battlefield. It was then I recognized the odor we had encountered when approaching the field that morning—kerosene. The edges of the field were soaked in the flammable liquid, and large kettles were also overturned to augment the flames. Not only did the blaze devastate much of the remaining horde, themselves trapped by the wall of corpses, but the fumes helped guard our nostrils from the stench of the ghouls during combat. The abbot truly thought of everything. We stood alongside the battlefield, now a massive funeral pyre, to say a prayer for the dead. As night was falling, the flames helped light our path as we made our way back up the rugged mountain pass, returning to Mount Song and sealing the trails behind us.

It was almost daybreak by the time we returned to the temple, and awaiting us was a breakfast prepared by the villagers who had stayed behind. It was during our meal that I learned that other groups of monks were sent forth along the opposite side of the mountain to gather supplies and the experienced farmers and their children were coordinated to prepare the neighboring fields for the growing season.

Zhen stares contemplatively toward the vegetable field. He points to a child who, startled by an insect, is being calmly soothed by his mother.

LZ:
Life here is not easy. The earth on this mountain is hard and rocky, difficult to farm. We have survived, though, just as we have for thousands of years. This will be a time to return to ways that were forgotten by us in our recent past. We now exist in a world much like our ancestral monks before us—uncomplicated, simple, austere . . .

Lee pauses and smiles.

LZ:
Old school.

CLOSE-QUARTERS COMBAT

SAFETY LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT: LOW
COMBAT SKILL REQUIRED AT THIS DISTANCE: HIGH
RISK OF INFECTION: 30-50%

Zombie close-quarters combat (ZCQC) is defined as engagement with the walking dead within a two-foot (0.6-meter) range between opponents. Combat at this distance frequently occurs indoors, and many times unexpectedly. Two common scenarios when ZCQC takes place are during undead home invasions and in urban search and rescue operations in an apartment or housing complex. Because of the proximity with the undead and the confined space where combat usually takes place, it is a harrowing and treacherous range in which to battle a corpse. At this range, the zombie most likely will have its hands on your body and will be seconds away from a lethal bite. In order for you to survive at this distance, your skills need to be razor-sharp and your execution flawless.

Close-Quarters Combat Strategies

Although engaging in close-quarters battle with an undead opponent is not encouraged, you can use several strategies to lessen the risk of infection and to make these types of encounters easier to manage.

Sloth Kills

Whatever you do, do it fast. Research has shown that the risk of infection triples for every additional second you remain engaged in close-quarters combat with a ghoul. This is due to not only the increased chance of being bitten or scratched by your attacker, but also having undead fluids spray onto your exposed areas. This risk also depends on your protective garments, the zombie’s state of decomposition, and the injury status of both you and your attacker. The more exposed wounds and lesions either opponent has, the riskier the engagement. As mentioned previously, experts in zombie close-quarters combat can finish an altercation within three seconds. It should be your goal to do the same.

Loose Lips, Safety Slips

The major risk of infection during ZCQC warrants addressing another recommendation when fighting at this range—keep your mouth closed. Because a zombie’s blood does not course through its decaying veins, there is less risk of being splattered by infectious fluid if you sever a major artery. However, there is always a chance that aberrant drops of fluid will land on your body. Ingestion of undead flesh or fluids has been shown to cause death within sixteen hours. It has been difficult for researchers to measure the exact quantities of undead contagion that have to be ingested to cause a fatality. (Is your fate sealed should a single drop land on your tongue?) Regardless, it is better to err on the side of caution in these situations.

Targeting the Eyes

In long-range combat, we recommended avoiding the eyes because of the likelihood of a misdirected strike given the small area you are targeting. Although close combat affords you better accessibility to these attractive targets, it is still recommended that you proceed carefully. Shoving a blade into a zombie’s orbital socket may seem effortless in theory, but when you have a writhing, decomposing corpse in front of you, its rotting hands flailing away at your vision, the maneuver can be quite difficult. Should you be unfortunate enough to miss your target, your arm may be positioned in a highly vulnerable location—close to the zombie’s mouth. Only after extensive close-combat experience should you even consider the eye sockets as primary targets.

Combat Techniques

The most important zombie close-quarters combat technique to keep in mind is, if at all possible, to avoid it. Never engage a zombie at close range by choice. If you are able to convert a close-quarters encounter into a melee-range engagement, you run much less risk of death and infection. This first technique can be used to plant space between yourself and your undead attacker:

THE LAUNCHPAD

TARGET AREA: CHEST/TORSO AREA

Technique:
Recall the section on conditioning, where we detailed Blaster push-ups and Kickout exercises. This technique is a direct application of both movements in a combat setting. The launchpad tactic is a straightforward maneuver to execute in lieu of engaging in a wrestling match with a zombie.

Upon initial contact, before the ghoul has an opportunity to latch itself to your body, take the palms of both hands and slam them against the zombie’s chest, forcing it backward. Alternatively, you can use your leg to jam your foot into the attacker’s pelvis and force it away, noting that this movement requires slightly more balance and coordination. Ensure that you shove forcefully, driving from your heels with the weight of your entire body behind you.

Executed correctly, this action should cause the zombie to stumble back several steps, after which you can draw your melee weapon and execute a neutralizing technique as described in the section on medium-range combat. This technique is most effective when encountering an undead attacker outdoors or in a wide open setting where there is more room to maneuver. It is less successful in cramped conditions such as an apartment hallway, bathroom, or office cubicle.

As we described in the section on anatomy, the grip of a zombie is one of its most dangerous attributes. Some have even claimed that it is impossible to escape once you are caught in the clutches of the walking dead. This is a complete falsehood. Not only have many people been able to break free from the tight hold of a zombie, it is relatively simple to do so. It does, however, require a specific technique and dedicated practice to perfect the movement.

BREAKING THE GRIP

TARGET AREA: UNDEAD HANDS/FINGERS

Technique:
In most standing ZCQC encounters, the zombie will grab you in one of two places: the upper or lower arms. Given this high likelihood, there are two defensive techniques to keep in mind:

Avoid pulling or pushing:
The reason why many people fail to release themselves from a ghoul’s clenches is often that (1) panic overwhelms them, and (2) they attempt to force themselves free by either pushing or pulling their arms. Not only is this ineffective in dislodging the zombie’s grip, it actually puts you in greater jeopardy. If you pull your arm away from the attacking zombie, you risk pulling its open mouth closer to you. Additionally, pulling away may result in having infected fingernails ripping deeper into your flesh. Pushing your seized arm is equally futile, as you may push your body closer to your attacker, becoming even more entangled.

Roll your wrists:
The most effective way to break a zombie’s hold on your arm is a technique common in several different martial arts. The objective is to apply the greatest amount of pressure on the weakest part of the ghoul’s grip. If the zombie grabs the outside of your forearm, forcefully roll your wrist around the zombie’s hand, exerting pressure against where its rotting thumb and forefinger come together. Apply aggressive downward pressure, and you should be able to free yourself from its grasp. If the zombie grabs the inside of your arm, execute the same maneuver, this time rolling your wrist toward the inside. This maneuver places a great deal of force against a zombie’s grasp while requiring a nominal amount of strength on your part.

Practice the wrist-rolling grabs with a partner and you will see how easy it can be to free yourself from any adversary’s grip, be they living or living dead. With regular drilling and practice, you should be able to consistently escape a zombie’s hold within seconds.