Chapter 40

Chapter 40

001.

Before Ji Yanqing could even be surprised, the weight of Feng Yimo fell into his arms as he collapsed against him.

Ji Yanqing steadied him. "Are you alright?"

That flower field could make them lose control of their bodies and induce hallucinations, but not everyone experienced the latter effect. As far as he knew, only a few people in their group had experienced hallucinations.

He was one, and Lan Zi was another.

Furthermore, the scent emitted by that flower field could make someone feel like they were drunk?

Thinking about it, when they all collapsed earlier, Feng Yimo indeed seemed unaffected. It was fortunate that Feng Yimo was fine; otherwise, they would still be lying there motionless.

The effects of the flower field should not just be limited to temporarily taking away their control over their bodies. Over time, as they absorbed more of it, their breathing and heartbeat might even stop.

Feng Yimo had saved their lives this time.

In response to the inquiry, Feng Yimo shook his head, his head rubbing against Ji Yanqing's chest, causing an itchy sensation.

Ji Yanqing took a deep breath, wrapped his arm around Feng Yimo's hot chest, and lifted him up. He let Feng Yimo lean on his shoulder and guided him towards the tent.

Feng Yimo was very obedient. His dark eyes were serious and deep, and apart from occasionally stumbling due to his feet not listening to him, he was almost no different from usual.

When Ji Yanqing brought Feng Yimo into the tent, everyone's attention was still focused on those three guns.

After Xia Shenshu entered the tent, he matched those three guns with the remaining bullets they had, checking if the dozens of bullets they carried but couldn't use before were now usable.

Mo Xian and the other three handed over the guns along with the bullets they had. However, they didn't have many bullets to begin with, and together, they only amounted to about twenty rounds.

Fortunately, the three guns were of different models, and among the dozens of bullets they had been unable to use before, over twenty rounds could match two of the guns.

Xia Shenshu briefly explained the precautions for using the guns to the three who had just received them. Then, he sorted out some of the bullets and handed them over for safekeeping.

After Xia Shenshu finished these tasks and organized everyone to quiet down and sleep, Ji Yanqing had already brought Feng Yimo into the tent and to Ji'an and Ji Le's side.

The two little ones, accustomed to sleeping when it got dark, were already quite tired after a day's work. Seeing Ji Yanqing return, they hurriedly moved closer to him.

Ji Yanqing chose a spot near the edge of the tent, where the temperature was lower, but it was more convenient for him to take care of Ji'an and Ji Le.

"Daddy..." Ji Le rubbed his sleepy eyes.

Ji Yanqing pulled his hand away to stop him from continuing. "Sleep."

After doing this, Ji Yanqing turned to look at Feng Yimo, who was sitting motionlessly beside him, staring at him as if he were drunk, quiet and well-behaved.

Ji Yanqing patted the spot next to him near the tent. "You should sleep too. Just sleep here."

Normally, Feng Yimo would find a place with fewer people and stay alone, rarely crowding with others. Hearing that he could sleep, Ji'an and Ji Le hurriedly moved close to Ji Yanqing, wanting to sleep next to him.

As soon as Ji'an moved to Ji Yanqing's left side and prepared to lie down next to him, he was lifted up by the back of his collar.

Feng Yimo placed Ji'an on the other side of Ji Yanqing and then lay down in the spot where Ji'an had just lain, next to Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing had just allocated this spot to him.

Having his spot taken, Ji'an, sitting on the ground, stared in disbelief with his clear black-and-white eyes.

Ji'an looked at Ji Le, who had also sat up from the ground.

The two little ones exchanged a glance, and both looked incredulously at Feng Yimo, who was lying behind Ji Yanqing, as he faced them.

Feng Yimo ignored them.

Since Ji Yanqing had allocated this spot to him, it was his, and no one else could take it.

Lying behind Ji Yanqing, feeling the warmth emanating from his body, Feng Yimo closed his eyes contentedly.

Ignored, Ji'an and Ji Le exchanged another glance, their eyes filled with disdain. Feng Yimo was so big yet wanted to sleep next to Daddy. At his age, others slept alone.

And Ji Yanqing was their father!

"How..." As Ji Yanqing lay down and wondered why Ji'an and Ji Le had gotten up again, he sensed movement coming from behind.

Turning his head, Ji Yanqing met Feng Yimo's face, which was so close. Feng Yimo was so near that Ji Yanqing's nose nearly brushed against Feng Yimo's ear as he turned his head.

The night was pitch-black, with barely any light, but the faint glow still made Feng Yimo's deep-set nose and eyes distinct. His eyelids closed, his long and slightly curled eyelashes appeared even denser while sleeping, giving him a calmer appearance than his usual cold demeanor.

Feng Yimo had already closed his eyes, seemingly quite satisfied with the spot he had claimed. Smelling the scent from Feng Yimo, Ji Yanqing's breathing became lighter and slower.

Ji Yanqing retracted his gaze, tugging at the pouting Ji'an and Ji Le to lie down. "Go to sleep."

Obediently, they lay down side by side. In the darkness, the two little ones exchanged a glance. Their eyes no longer showed any signs of drowsiness, replaced instead with full vigilance.

Was Feng Yimo trying to take Ji Yanqing away?

In the darkness, Ji'an and Ji Le held hands. They would not let Feng Yimo take Ji Yanqing away.

Ji Yanqing was theirs.

After making sure the two little ones were lying down, Ji Yanqing covered them with clothes. In the brief moment it took for him to lie down between the two of them and Feng Yimo, the sound of calm, deep breathing came from Feng Yimo's side.

Feng Yimo was heavily intoxicated and had fallen asleep.

Ji Yanqing couldn't help but look over.

Feng Yimo was usually very alert. Ji Yanqing himself was also very vigilant, but he had never seen Feng Yimo truly fall asleep in front of them. Most of the time, he just closed his eyes to rest.

Ji Yanqing was lost in thought as he gazed at Feng Yimo's face when footsteps approached them from the darkness. At the same time, the sleeping Feng Yimo furrowed his brows.

Ji Yanqing turned to look at the approaching person.

It was Xia Shenshu. The tent was already full of sleeping people, leaving only a little space beside Ji'an and Ji Le.

Waving at the two kids, Xia Shenshu lay down.

When Ji Yanqing turned back to Feng Yimo, his brows were still furrowed, and his muscles tensed up even more as Xia Shenshu lay down.

Feng Yimo didn't like strangers getting too close to him, especially when he was asleep.

Ji Yanqing moved slightly and cautiously held Feng Yimo's wrist.

Feng Yimo's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and his tense muscles eased. His closed eyes tilted slightly towards Ji Yanqing, as if trying to get closer to him.

Ji Yanqing was taken aback. Despite being fierce, Feng Yimo was unexpectedly easy to comfort.

Not long after lying down, everyone in the tent fell asleep, including Ji Yanqing, who listened to the breathing of the two children and one adult beside him.

As the sky began to brighten, Ji Yanqing immediately woke up upon the night guard entering the tent. So did Feng Yimo.

Taking advantage of the faint light, Ji Yanqing looked at him. "We can lie down for a bit longer."

Feng Yimo's eyes opened in the darkness, momentarily confused before quickly regaining clarity.

Hearing the voice, he turned his head slightly and saw Ji Yanqing lying beside him, their shoulders touching. He paused in his breathing, as if unsure why he was here.

Feng Yimo didn't get up and leave but remained lying beside Ji Yanqing with his eyes open for a long time until Ji Yanqing, estimating the time, got up to wake everyone else.

They had to return to the railway as soon as possible and reach the next village to replenish their food and water supplies.

Villages differed from cities; they were limited in size. If they were unlucky and the village had already been visited by another Survival Team, they might find it empty, and the next village would likely be far away.

As the sky grew brighter, everyone quickly ate and drank before setting off again.

After exiting the forest, they didn't approach the flower fields but instead maintained a distance as they moved forward.

Beyond the wasteland lay a hilly region.

Various hills, not particularly high or dense, dotted the landscape. Some hills had trees growing on them, which, after mutating, became so large that they seemed to crush the entire hill beneath them, creating an eerie sight.

They walked through the snow for over three hours until the ground beneath the melting snow turned black and yellow, and they were far enough from the flower fields. Then, they veered to the right.

Their luck held, and around eight o'clock, they spotted the railway ahead.

This section of the railway showed signs of use, suggesting that it had merged with other tracks further along.

Ji Yanqing knew nothing about railways, but Li Pingsen, who often played on the tracks as a child, confidently stated that it must have been extended from elsewhere for cargo transport.

With evidence of human activity, the group became more alert, knowing that where there were people, there were also zombies.

The area they were in was filled with hills and trees, and if they weren't careful, a sudden zombie attack could catch them off guard.

Along the way, they passed an unmanned station. Ji Yanqing stopped to check the map; the next village wasn't far from the station.

Estimating the distance, Ji Yanqing led the group to accelerate, and around ten o'clock, when the heat was unbearable, they arrived at the village.

As they approached the village, everyone's throats involuntarily tightened.

This village was different from any they had encountered before.

With around five to six hundred households, it was located near the railway, which had a station nearby. However, the station lacked passenger access, confirming Li Pingsen's theory that the railway was used exclusively for cargo trains.

Built against a mountain, a significant portion of the village and the mountain had collapsed several meters downward, likely due to tectonic movement. The collapsed area was filled with water.

Everyone's throats tightened at the sight of the thousand-square-meter pool.

Water was a precious resource, but no one was elated at the sight of the pool because something was clearly wrong with it.

The collapse appeared recent, and the submerged buildings looked new, indicating that the collapse occurred after the virus outbreak, meaning it couldn't have happened more than half a year ago.

Yet, within just half a year, the water was covered in lush green aquatic plants.

The deep green color of the water and the round leaves the size of thumbs gave the pool an eerie, secluded pond-like atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the brand-new, tile-covered buildings submerged within.

Without needing Ji Yanqing to say anything, Li Pingsen led a few armed individuals toward the un-flooded part of the village.

The weather was scorching, with the sun burning their skin.

Li Pingsen and his group didn't enter the village to investigate. After confirming the safety of the first few buildings, they signaled for the rest of the group to join them.

Everyone quickly approached, seeking shelter from the intense heat inside the buildings.

As they entered the building chosen by Li Pingsen and his team, their brows furrowed.

There were clear signs of thorough searches throughout the building, and it appeared multiple groups had done so.

Exchanging quick glances, disappointment was evident in everyone's eyes. If the village had been searched multiple times, the chances of finding food and water were slim to none.

Despite their disappointment, everyone quickly entered the building.

Once inside, they locked the door from within, and after a morning of travel, everyone found a place to sit.

Ji Yanqing instructed someone to distribute food and water, while he took the opportunity to explore the village.

There weren't many zombies in the village, and the doors of each household were wide open. The living rooms visible from the outside were in disarray, indicating that the village had been thoroughly scavenged. It was unlikely they would find any food or water here.

Ji Yanqing wandered around the village for a bit before approaching the pond.

The ground had collapsed quite suddenly, plunging several meters downward. Standing at the edge and looking down into the pool of water, one could clearly see the break in the ground. The deep green water revealed the jagged edges of the collapse.

After observing the water's edge for a while, Ji Yanqing found a long bamboo stick from a nearby courtyard that had partially collapsed. He used it to fish some aquatic plants out of the water and placed them on the ground.

The scorching temperature of the floor caused the water plants to sizzle upon contact, as if they had been placed on a hot griddle.

Ji Yanqing used the bamboo stick to examine the plants. They resembled clovers but were much larger, with each leaflet about the size of an adult's thumb.

These water plants were clearly the result of mutation.

The water was no longer safe to drink. Even if they boiled it, there was no guarantee that the high temperature would kill any seeds within. There was a possibility that after drinking it, the seeds might sprout from their flesh.

When Ji Yanqing returned to their resting place, the group was already eating. Upon his entrance, everyone looked over at him.

Ji Yanqing shook his head and took a seat next to Ji'an and the others.

Everyone had guessed that Ji Yanqing had gone to check the water. Seeing him shake his head, they couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Ji'an and Ji Le had already collected their share of food, but since Ji Yanqing hadn't returned, the two children waited by the pile of provisions without starting to eat.

The weather was unbearably hot, leaving everyone feeling dazed and lethargic. No one spoke inside the house, and it remained quiet.

After finishing their meal, the group found places to sleep.

Once the hottest part of the day—around ten to eleven o'clock—passed, they set out again.

Xia Shenshu and Lan Zi, whose wounds were gradually healing, led a portion of the team into the village. Although they all knew that countless people had already scoured the village and left little behind, they were unwilling to leave without trying.

Their supplies of food and water were dwindling. If they couldn't replenish them within three days, they would be completely depleted.

In this kind of weather, lacking food might still be manageable, but without water, they wouldn't last more than two days before dying.

The village itself wasn't large, and half of it had sunk into the water. They only needed to search through about two hundred houses, which took them about half an hour.

Xia Shenshu and Lan Zi did return with some items: a large bag of loose noodles that may or may not have expired, two packets of low-gluten flour for making bread, and a few miscellaneous items.

Some of the miscellaneous items could be eaten directly, but the noodles and flour required water for preparation. They already had many such items in their current food supply, and they wouldn't use their limited water to cook these unless absolutely necessary.

Disappointed by their failure to find food and water, everyone appeared listless. However, they had grown accustomed to disappointment and didn't show it.

They gathered and stored all the items, then loaded them onto the backs of a few individuals. Glancing outside at the glaring sun, they turned to look at Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing was staring off into space toward the left side of the courtyard.

Xia Shenshu noticed and asked, "What is it?"

The courtyard was littered with various discarded items from previous searches, including clothes, plastic bags, cups, pens, and other small household items.

A large truck was parked near the village entrance, not far from the courtyard.

The red cab of the truck was nearly ten meters long, and the rear cargo area consisted of a transparent metal frame covered with fabric. From their vantage point, they could see that the back of the truck was completely empty.

"It will take us at least three days to reach the next village," said Ji Yanqing.

Three days was precisely the amount of time it would take for their food and water supplies to run out.

"So?" Xia Shenshu prompted.

"We should travel by vehicle," Ji Yanqing said, turning to face the group.

Hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

The idea of "traveling by vehicle" felt both foreign and familiar, momentarily transporting them back to the time before the virus outbreak.

Ji Yanqing pointed to the large truck in the distance. "The distance between villages here is quite far. As long as we're careful, we shouldn't attract too many zombies. Our food will only last three days. If the next village has also been scavenged, we'll be left to die. We need to move faster to shorten the time."

Everyone was worried about their food supplies and had considered the possibility that the next village would also be stripped bare.

"The problem is finding the keys," Ji Yanqing said.

There were still around two hundred houses standing in the village. It was impossible for them to search every single one, and even if they had the time and energy, the keys might have fallen into the water during the collapse.

"I... I can fix vehicles," a member of the group said, raising his hand.

Ji Yanqing looked over. It was a thin man who seemed embarrassed under everyone's gaze. He scratched his head. "I used to enjoy tinkering with vehicles, so I've tried modifying them myself."

"A rich kid?" Li Pingsen sized up the man. Anyone who could afford to modify vehicles must have had some financial means.

"...Bicycles," the man said, his face turning red. "But I have studied how to start a vehicle without keys."

"Are you sure you can do it?" Ji Yanqing asked.

"...I think so."

Hearing his uncertain response, not just Ji Yanqing, but everyone in the room fell silent.

The man wanted to say more but held back. He lacked confidence, especially since it had been over half a year since he last worked on vehicles.

Ji Yanqing thought for a moment. "Get ready."

This was a gamble. If they could successfully start the truck and drive away, they might reach the next village tomorrow. Even if that village had no food or water, they would still have a chance to search elsewhere.

If they couldn't start the vehicle, they would have to prepare for the worst-case scenario of not finding food or water after three days.

"I saw many vehicles in the village earlier. I'll lead a group to check how much fuel is left," Li Pingsen said enthusiastically.

"What about the water tank?"

"There's water right there; it's not like we're going to drink it." Lan Zi pointed at the pond beside the village.

With both water and oil taken care of, all that remained was the vehicle. "I'll go check if the car can be started."

The car was located at the village entrance, where the view was wide open and there were quite a few zombies nearby. If they wanted to drive the car away, they would have to deal with those zombies first.

The group split up, and within moments, only about ten people were left in the hall.

Ji Yanqing led the others toward the village entrance. The main trouble in driving the car away was still the zombies.

As they approached, Ji Yanqing had the others hide around the corner while he moved closer to Xia Shenshu.

Xia Shenshu had already reached a spot near the back of the car.

As Ji Yanqing drew closer, Xia Shenshu turned around and recognized him. He pointed toward the village entrance behind the corner.

The car was parked on the left side of the entrance road, with the main gate of the village right behind it.

From a distance, they had seen that it was a large square with some fitness equipment. It also had the highest concentration of zombies in the entire village.

Ji Yanqing silently approached the corner and looked toward the square.

Most of the creatures in the square were middle-aged or elderly. Beside the sunshade on the left side of the square, some playing cards had fallen to the ground. When the virus broke out, many people had been playing cards and watching the commotion at the village entrance.

After observing the square, Ji Yanqing glanced at the car on its left side.

Upon closer inspection, the car appeared even larger, capable of accommodating more than seventy people comfortably. It didn't look abandoned, with intact wheels, suggesting that it should be drivable.

Ji Yanqing retracted his gaze.

The two quickly returned to the others.

Away from the square, Xia Shenshu picked up a stone and squatted down to roughly sketch the layout of the square and the location of the car on the ground.

There were hardly any obstructions between the square and the car. Moreover, the square connected to several main roads in the village. Although most of the village was now submerged in water, if they made too much noise, they could still attract nearly a thousand zombies.

They had fewer than fifty people in total. If things really turned out that way, they might not be able to escape.

Ordinary zombies weren't as terrifying as awakened zombies or zombie kings, but that didn't mean they weren't scary.

Even ants could kill a person when there were enough of them, let alone a horde of mindless, fearless zombies that attacked relentlessly and infected their victims with the virus upon a single bite.

"Should we create a sound to distract them?" Xia Shenshu suggested.

Ji Yanqing remained silent, his eyes fixed on the diagram on the ground. Xia Shenshu's idea was their only option, but the question was how to create the sound.

A sound that was too loud or too soft wouldn't work. A weak sound wouldn't divert all the zombies, while a loud one could potentially rouse every zombie in the village. How to avoid the zombies attracted by the sound was another problem.

Those zombies couldn't think, but their sheer numbers meant that once they came into sight, they would immediately become the target of a collective attack.

"What if we fire a shot in the mountains? We could lure all the zombies into the mountains and take the opportunity to drive away," someone in the group suggested.

"How do you plan to get back when the mountains and forests are swarming with zombies?" Xia Shenshu asked.

The person thought for a moment and fell silent.

Although the forest was full of trees, they provided cover not just for them but also for the zombies. In such an environment, with so many zombies scattered, it would be even harder for them to hide.

Ji Yanqing looked at the buildings beside him. Compared to the forest, the houses in the village offered a more convenient place to hide.

"I'll go around nearby. You guys check if the others have returned," said Ji Yanqing.

Xia Shenshu glanced at Ji Yanqing before turning to head toward the room where they had rested earlier.

A group of people, including Lan Zi, who had gone to fetch water, had already returned to the room.

Since they didn't know the condition of the water, Lan Zi and her group had found plastic gloves and brought several large buckets. They used the gloves and buckets to carry the water back.

Li Pingsen and the others hadn't returned yet.

They were responsible for obtaining oil, which was more complicated than fetching water.

Many families in the village had small cars for transportation, but these cars were mostly parked in their garages or in front of their homes. It wasn't easy to approach the cars without attracting the attention of the zombies in the houses and yards.

Xia Shenshu waited in the room for a while but didn't see anyone return, so he decided to look for them with Lan Zi and the others.

When they found Li Pingsen and the others, they had only managed to collect half a bucket of oil. The car's fuel tank had dried up due to the high temperature, and they had drained the oil from four vehicles to gather that amount.

Xia Shenshu, Lan Zi, and the others joined in, and they split up to work.

There were many zombies in the village, but it was different from the city. At most, five or six people lived in each house in the village, so as long as they didn't make too much noise, it wouldn't be a big problem.

The group worked together, with some keeping watch while others siphoned oil. After nearly an hour, when they regrouped, they had collected three large buckets of oil.

When they returned to the room, Ji Yanqing was already waiting for them.

He took off his backpack and placed it aside, then wrapped a cloth around his hand. Most of the injuries on his hand had nearly healed.

Seeing Ji Yanqing's preparations, Xia Shenshu, Lan Zi, and the others, who were delighted about obtaining the oil, quickly understood what Ji Yanqing intended to do, and their smiles faded.

"I can hold them off for a maximum of three minutes," said Ji Yanqing.

Lan Zi clenched her gloved hand into a fist so tightly that her nails almost pierced through the glove and into her palm. She hated seeing Ji Yanqing put himself in danger.

"Three minutes. We'll definitely be able to start the car within three minutes," Xia Shenshu said after taking a deep breath and smiling.

Ji Yanqing's strength, speed, and explosive power were among the best in the entire group, which was why he was the leader of this team.

Those who had joined the group earlier, like Li Pingsen, already understood what the three of them were discussing, and their faces turned grim.

This was not the first time Ji Yanqing had put himself in danger.

Mo Xian and the others who had joined later had an inkling of what was going on, their expressions were rather complex and surprised. If they were still in Xue Gang's team, Xue Gang would definitely be pointing a gun at people in his team right now.

Ji Yanqing wrapped the last bit of cloth tightly around his hand and looked at Ji'an and Ji Le.

Ji'an and Ji Le had already vaguely understood what he was about to do. Holding hands, their faces were pale with worry, but they did not cry or make a fuss to stop him; they were always sensible.

Ji Yanqing patted the heads of the two kids.

Everyone got ready, carrying buckets of water and oil, avoiding the zombies around them as they headed towards the village entrance.

Because there were so many people, it took them some time to finally all reach the corner where they had previously looked towards the square.

Everyone took their positions. Ji Yanqing glanced back at the group hiding behind the corner, took a deep breath, and then quickly walked towards the square with an axe in hand.

Turning the corner, Ji Yanqing was exposed to the sight of the zombies in the square.

Ji Yanqing did not immediately turn and run, but instead walked calmly into the square.

When he reached the center of the square, Ji Yanqing raised his left hand and blew a whistle, curling his little finger as he did so.

The sound of the whistle was clear and pleasant. It was like pressing the start button; the zombies in the square, which had been unsure how to react to his sudden appearance, suddenly came to their senses and lunged at him all at once.

Ji Yanqing's right hand, holding the axe, moved calmly. He gripped the handle with both hands and swung the axe at the two zombies that were closest to him, smashing their heads open.

After swinging the axe, Ji Yanqing turned and ran along the route he had planned.

As he started running, zombies rushed towards him.

Just as Ji Yanqing was about to react, a long knife danced behind him, severing the head of the zombie from its neck.

Ji Yanqing did not look back, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

He dashed through the entire horde of zombies and into a lane on the left, moving swiftly through the narrow and wide lanes of the village, leading the crazed zombies on a tour.

He moved extremely fast, and almost no zombies could catch up with him in the short term. Even if occasionally startled zombies lunged at him from the front or sides, he easily dodged them.

Feng Yimo didn't need Ji Yanqing to worry about him. As he moved quickly in sync with him, he chopped down the zombies that lunged at them, and occasionally found the time to take a swing at other zombies.

Feng Yimo seemed quite unhappy with the zombies chasing after them.

Running from the left side of the alley to the right, after passing more than ten houses, the number of zombies following them began to approach a hundred.

Ji Yanqing gradually started to struggle. His speed slowed because he had to dodge the zombies lunging at him.

And yet, only thirty seconds had passed.

On the main road at the village entrance.

A group of people, who had already been assigned their tasks, rushed to the vehicles after Ji Yanqing disappeared around the corner with a horde of zombies. They filled the vehicles with water, added fuel, lit fires, and kept watch.

Everything that needed to be done was accomplished in an instant, except for lighting the fires.

"Can you do this?" Xia Shenshu's expression turned ugly when he saw the person in front of him drop the wire for the second time due to his shaking hands.

The thin man remained silent. His face had lost all color, and he quickly picked up the dropped wire, using a lighter to burn away the protective layer on its surface.

"How..." Lan Zi finished filling the water and approached the car door.

Hearing the urging, the man's hands shook again, nearly dropping the wire. This made Xia Shenshu's lips twitch.

"Get in the car!" Lan Zi didn't urge him further but instead looked back at the others.

The group, all carrying backpacks and feeling so tense they were close to vomiting, hurriedly boarded the vehicle. The first ones to get in stood on the vehicle and quickly pulled those below them up.

In less than ten seconds, everyone was in the vehicle.

Lan Zi confirmed that Ji'an and Ji Le were also crouching in the car before heading back to the front of the vehicle. The fire still hadn't been lit.

Outside the car door, Xia Shenshu's face was dark, and he said nothing. His heart was racing at its limit, and not urging them was the extent of his patience.

However, even so, as time ticked by and the commotion in the village grew louder, the person trying to light the fire became increasingly flustered.

He was almost in tears.

When he had volunteered, he hadn't thought much about it. Now, however, he couldn't help but start thinking: What if he failed to ignite the fire? What if Ji Yanqing died? What if they were all discovered?

"He has killed two awakened zombies." A female voice suddenly broke the silence.

The person inside the vehicle who was busy lighting the fire and Xia Shenshu at the door both looked over.

Lan Zi smiled. The wound on her left cheek made her smile look ugly and terrifying, but her eyes were full of gentleness. "Sometimes I find it hard to believe myself."

"Awakened zombies?" The man sitting in the driver's seat instinctively spoke while busily working. He had never heard of anyone killing awakened zombies.

When they were with Xue Gang's team, they had only encountered the Beast Corpse King, and that one encounter had shattered their team.

"Mm-hmm." Lan Zi smiled. "One of them he killed alone."

Pausing for a moment, as if remembering something, Lan Zi added with a smile, "Now that I think about it, I killed one too."

The person who was busy looked up at Lan Zi in surprise.

Lan Zi killed an awakened zombie?

Lan Zi looked at Xia Shenshu. "If you don't believe me, ask him."

Although luck played a bigger role that time, the fact was enough for anyone to brag about for a lifetime.

Without Ji Yanqing, she might have already played for countless others, but with him around, all of that seemed insignificant.

Ji Yanqing had never counted how many awakened zombies he had killed.

"Rumble..." The sudden sound of the vehicle starting interrupted their idle chat.

Hearing the noise, the man holding the ignition wire twitched his facial muscles. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes reddened; he was almost in tears.

He hurriedly looked up at Xia Shenshu.

Xia Shenshu, who was already on edge, slammed the door shut. "Go!"

"But what about Ji Yanqing..."

"Go first!" Xia Shenshu was resolute.

The moment the car started, Lan Zi decisively rushed to the back of the vehicle, grabbed it, and quickly got on board.

After slamming the driver's door shut, Xia Shenshu also sprinted to the rear.

Once pulled onto the vehicle, Xia Shenshu checked the time—it had been exactly three minutes.

The vehicle started slowly, and the driver clearly hesitated.

Xia Shenshu grew anxious and punched the side rail. "Drive faster!"

Hearing the pounding and low growls from behind, the driver glanced into the rearview mirror, gritted his teeth, and floored the accelerator.

Unlike smaller cars, the truck did not accelerate quickly. Even with the pedal to the metal, it took some time for the vehicle to pick up speed.

As the truck approached its top speed, everyone in the back, including the driver, looked toward the rear—Ji Yanqing hadn't arrived yet.

Ji'an and Ji Le, who were among those in the back, stood up anxiously. They looked at Xia Shenshu, who was standing at the back of the vehicle with a gun, ready. Were they not waiting for Ji Yanqing?

However, no one in Xia Shenshu's group looked back. Everyone stared intently at the road leading out of the village.

As the vehicle started and made noise, zombies in the village were alerted and began running towards them.

One, two, five... The number of zombies increased, and as the village faded into the distance, the truck approached its maximum speed. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the village entrance.

Ji Yanqing and Feng Yimo ran towards the vehicle, one after the other.

The moment they saw the two figures, everyone in the vehicle, who had been holding their breath, came alive. Blood rushed to their hearts and brains, making their tense limbs weak.

Following Ji Yanqing and Feng Yimo were nearly three hundred zombies, densely packed, charging at them from the square and rooftops.

The zombies' eyes glowed as they lunged and bit, emitting incomprehensible roars. They chased after the vehicle like mad.

"This way!" Xia Shenshu threw his gun into the vehicle, grabbed the side, and extended his hand outside.

Ji Yanqing swiftly dodged the few zombies that had been chasing the vehicle and, when he was about fifty meters away, gritted his teeth and suddenly accelerated.

With incredible explosive power, he surged forward over ten meters in an instant. In less than a second, he reached the vehicle.

Xia Shenshu leaned out and grabbed his hand, pulling with all his might.

Ji Yanqing jumped in sync with Xia Shenshu's pull. After being lifted to a certain height, he stepped on the vehicle and jumped inside.

"Over here!" Li Pingsen also extended his hand to Feng Yimo.

Feng Yimo slashed a zombie that had been relentlessly pursuing Ji Yanqing, sheathed his knife, and then accelerated, leaping onto the vehicle.

Seeing both Ji Yanqing and Feng Yimo safely aboard, everyone in the vehicle couldn't help but smile. Their faces, which had been pale from tension, regained some color.

Almost simultaneously, the vehicle reached its top speed, shooting down the road like a massive arrow.

"The zombies are following us," someone in the vehicle said.

Everyone, still exhilarated, turned to look back. As the commotion grew, more and more zombies in the village were alerted, and nearly four or five hundred were chasing after them.

They came in a fan formation, overwhelming in numbers. Their frenzied appearance was enough to make one's scalp tingle, even from a distance.

Xia Chen instinctively raised his gun.

Ji Yanqing pressed down the barrel. "Don't shoot."

The gunshot would travel far and wide, attracting even more zombies if fired.

Lan Zi moved to the front of the vehicle and knocked on the nearby metal wall. "Drive faster."

Seeing Ji Yanqing safely aboard, the driver's ashen face gradually regained color. He gritted his teeth and maintained the position of his foot on the accelerator.

There were zombies attracted to the road ahead, and he closed his eyes, driving straight through them.

The heavy truck sent the zombies flying, and those unable to escape were crushed under the wheels.

Maintaining top speed, the vehicle raced down the road. Under the blazing sun, they soon reached the first turn, where the road outside the village connected to a national highway.

As the highway approached, the vehicle showed no signs of slowing down. Reaching the turn, it barreled through without hesitation.

The large vehicle, moving at high speed, was pulled by inertia, causing it to tilt to one side.

This sudden jolt caused everyone inside to collide with the vehicle due to inertia. Groans and cries of pain echoed throughout.

Feng Yimo leaned against the iron railing, holding Ji Yanqing in his arms.

Ji Yanqing leaned against Feng Yimo's chest, holding Ji'an and Ji Le in his arms.

"Sorry." Ji Yanqing put down Ji'an and Ji Le, picked up an axe, and went to the back of the vehicle to prevent any pursuing zombies from jumping aboard.

Feng Yimo was in a good mood. He strode past Xia Shenshu and Li Pingsen, who were still sprawled on the ground, and stood beside Ji Yanqing, ready to help.

The vehicle had already left the village far behind, but the zombies didn't give up. They continued to chase after the vehicle from a distance.

Ignored, Xia Shenshu lay on the ground with his hand over his head, his lips twitching. He began to consider the possibility of sneaking up on Feng Yimo and hitting him over the head.

After the truck picked up speed, it moved at an impressive pace.

Following the national highway, they left all the zombies far behind within ten minutes, and they were also far away from the previous village.

As they entered a flat forested area with no zombies around, everyone who had been shaken by the fall couldn't help but smile.

Ji Yanqing also gave up on guarding the back of the vehicle. After exhaling, he turned to look at Ji'an and Ji Le.

The two little ones' faces were still pale as they clung tightly to the side railings and crouched on the ground.

When the virus broke out, they were only a little over two years old. They didn't have many memories of riding in vehicles, and the recent fall made them both fearful of this rampaging vehicle on the road.

"Don't be afraid." Ji Yanqing put down his axe and sat next to the two little ones in the vehicle.

The two little ones, who were nervously holding onto the railings and not daring to let go, immediately rushed towards Ji Yanqing, now clinging tightly to his clothes instead.

Ji Yanqing pulled the two little ones closer into his embrace against the wind.

Finding security in Ji Yanqing's arms, the color gradually returned to Ji'an and Ji Le's faces. They turned their heads, their wet eyes darting around as they began to boldly examine the inside of the vehicle.

This vehicle must have been used for transporting goods before, though what kind of goods was unknown. Only two plastic boxes remained in one corner.

The rear of the truck had a half-meter-high wall below, with railings and canvas above. The canvas covered only the roof, while the railings allowed the wind to pass through. As the vehicle sped forward, large amounts of wind rushed into the vehicle.

"Whooosh..." Someone pressed their face into the wind and breathed deeply.

Seeing that person's appearance and hearing their sound, everyone in the vehicle was reminded of their past memories. They didn't have time to reflect on the danger they had just faced, and instead, they all turned their faces towards the wind.

"Ah!"

"Ah..."

"Woah ah ah..."

"Haha..."

The strong wind took away the sweat and heat from everyone's faces and bodies. Even though everyone knew that this would accelerate the loss of moisture, no one could resist the coolness at that moment.

On the rapidly speeding vehicle, a group of people laughed and shouted, making unrestrained noises.

Riding in a vehicle and feeling the wind was like something from another world to them.

Seeing everyone like this and sensing their excitement and joy, a smile appeared on Ji Yanqing's face as well.

Seeing Ji Yanqing smiling, Ji'an and Ji Le, who had just been hiding in his embrace, became even bolder. They started to peek outside from above the railings.

The vehicle raced forward, and the surrounding scenery quickly receded. This scene could only be seen by those who had ridden in vehicles before, and it was quite rare for them, who usually moved slowly.

The two little ones curiously looked left and right, even touching the vehicle secretly.

While Ji Yanqing found this amusing, he noticed a slender and well-proportioned hand beside them.

Ji Yanqing looked over.

In Feng Yimo's deep black eyes was a faint confusion. It seemed he hadn't seen a vehicle start before. He was touching the walls and the bottom of the vehicle, his serious expression as if he were studying some new type of zombie king, wondering if he could defeat it.

The wind blew, tousling Ji Yanqing's slightly curly hair. As the wind passed, the world became beautiful.

Ji Yanqing's smile was like a blooming flower.

Feng Yimo, who had been focused on the vehicle beneath his feet, raised his head and met Ji Yanqing's smiling face with his wind-tousled hair. His mind went blank for a moment.

Sunlight shone on Ji Yanqing's face from the side, making his tousled hair look soft and inviting to touch. His pinkish-white lips were attractive enough to want to bite, and his flawless white skin was like translucent jade, tempting a gentle kiss on his cheek.

What captivated Feng Yimo the most were Ji Yanqing's eyes, which had become almost translucent like amber in the sunlight. These eyes were filled with laughter and were looking directly at him.

In that instant, Feng Yimo felt that nothing else mattered, and his eyes were fixed solely on those eyes.

"Daddy." Two small heads blocked Feng Yimo's view.

Feng Yimo came back to his senses and looked over. Lowering his head, he met two pairs of hostile eyes.

Ji'an and Ji Le stood on either side, blocking Ji Yanqing. They looked fierce.

They knew that Feng Yimo wanted to take Ji Yanqing away, and they wouldn't let him succeed.

Feng Yimo was already an adult. Adults should sleep and eat by themselves. Even if they were scared, they shouldn't act like children and whine.

If Feng Yimo really wanted a dad to sleep with, he should find one himself!

Ji Yanqing belonged to them.

On the road stretching to the horizon in the grasslands, a badger-like awakened zombie, which had run for two or three days after being bitten on its tail and leaving its original wasteland, suddenly stopped. It looked towards a small forest on its right.

Its pupils constricted, and it trembled from the heart.

There was something more powerful than it in that direction, an existence that sent chills down one's spine merely by existing, nearly surpassing the level of a zombie king.

A massive beast with black fur emerged from the forest. It had long noticed the badger-like awakened zombie running towards it.

Stepping out, the black-furred zombie king, with its golden eyes, looked down at the badger-like awakened zombie, which was pressed to the ground merely by its presence, considering whether to eat it.

It had completely digested the four awakened zombies it had consumed in the city before, and it was only a step away from evolving into an existence beyond a zombie king.

"Hmm..." The awakened zombie with a badger's form but covered in scales whimpered in fear from its throat.

It trembled, its head turning, not wanting to be eaten, but even if it struggled, there was no guarantee of escape—the being before it was far too powerful.

"Aaah..." The beastly Corpse King, covered in black fur, narrowed its eyes slightly. It understood the thoughts of the badger-shaped awakened zombie before it. The vast disparity left the badger-shaped zombie transparent and unable to hide before it.

"Aaah!" The badger-shaped awakened zombie’s eyes turned blood red, a hint of despair and madness growing within them.

There was no way it could just lie down and be eaten. It refused to accept this fate!

Enduring the invisible pressure, it rose from the ground, raising its tail high as it prepared to attack.

The black beastly Corpse King’s disdainful gaze rested on the tip of the badger-shaped awakened zombie’s raised tail. Where scales should have covered the tip, someone had stripped it bare, leaving a small tooth mark behind.

"Hmm." Reminded of its previous near-death experience, the badger-shaped awakened zombie recalled the terror of almost being eaten. For a moment, it forgot its current predicament and hastily hid its tail beneath its belly.

A gentle breeze blew past as the black beastly Corpse King stood motionless, its eyes vacant.

"Guh..." The badger-shaped awakened zombie bared its teeth, slowly retreating in an attempt to escape.

Hearing movement, the black beastly Corpse King glanced at it, having lost all interest in consuming it. Its eyes vacant, it staggered back towards the nearby small grove, intending to hide once more among the trees.

The badger-shaped awakened zombie froze, still shaken. Its gaze fell upon the black beastly Corpse King’s tail tucked between its legs—a large, furry tail, but without a tip!

Someone had neatly bitten off the hair at the tip of its tail.

The badger-shaped awakened zombie’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Understanding the thoughts of the badger-shaped awakened zombie behind it, the black beastly Corpse King hurriedly concealed its tail beneath its belly.

The black beastly Corpse King turned around, baring its teeth. In the instant their gazes met, they saw the bitterness in each other’s eyes and suddenly reached an unspoken agreement.

"Aaah?"

You were almost eaten by another Corpse King?

"Aaah..."

Eaten? No.

"Aaah?"

Then what happened?

"..."

Little Badger, there is something in this world far more terrifying than a Corpse King.

"Aaah?"

"..."

It's a directionally challenged individual.

"Aaah?"

"..."

Is it nearby?

"..."

No.

"Aaah?"

Then why are you afraid of it?

The black beastly Corpse King’s eyes remained vacant.

Because it's directionally challenged!

Who knows where it might suddenly appear from?!