Do running scripts need to follow the order of strokes?

No, running script appeared as an independent calligraphy art in the Song Dynasty, and it was mostly used by ancient literati to express their inner feelings and thoughts and feelings, so there was no specific writing order. Outstanding calligraphers include Zhang Xu and Wang Xizhi, among which Wang Xizhi's Preface to Lanting is known as the world's first running script.