"Besides that big supermarket, are there any other places to shop? We also need some clothing and blankets."

Old Chen pondered, then pointed towards the other side of the city hall, saying, "We could check there. There's a residential building."

Debating between the residential area and the supermarket, Shao Qi assessed the conditions of both routes. Eventually, he chose the supermarket due to its spacious entrance and singular access point. If they defended the main entrance, they'd be relatively safe.

As they rounded a bend, they saw half of the city hall had collapsed. Not many office buildings remained intact. Overgrown weeds and thick snow, which reached halfway up the buildings, obscured many entrances. Trudging through the ruins, they finally saw the supermarket—a large chain store. The ground floor, once filled with luxury items, had been emptied by the first wave of evacuees. The second floor was the clothing section, while fresh produce was in the basement. They didn't need produce and set their sights on the second floor.

"This store is huge. Smoke grenades won't be much help, and there might be mutated beasts inside. Zhuo Hao, you and Long Gan stay outside with four others. If any beasts emerge but don't attack, ignore them. The rest, follow me." Shao Qi took off his snowboards and jumped through a broken second-story window. The daylight provided good visibility, and a quick scan revealed no immediate danger, so he gestured for the others to follow.

Zhou You jumped up and, using his psychic abilities, scanned the area. He spotted a nest of wild rabbits hiding under shelves and a group of mice in a corner, but no large mutated beasts. Apparently, the drafty conditions were unsuitable for hibernation.

One by one, the rest followed, putting on their helmets and cautiously advancing with their weapons raised.

Reaching the aisles with clothing, they began their search. There was an abundance of men's and women's clothing, but most were tattered and unwearable. They searched meticulously for unopened, new clothing, but the pickings were slim. Especially winter clothes; since the apocalypse began in autumn, most heavy clothing had not been stocked yet.

"I've found a dozen sets of new autumn wear! This is great." Zhou You exclaimed, stuffing the clothes into his backpack, planning to distribute them later.

"I've got some decent sneakers here. I'll take them."

"Does anyone need gloves?"

Before the apocalypse, most men loathed shopping. Especially with the convenience of online shopping, many rarely visited physical stores. But now, their enthusiasm was palpable. They even rummaged through a ladies' lingerie shop, grabbing some new underwear for the women in their group.

Old Chen stood guard outside, frequently checking the time and occasionally attempting small talk with Zhuo Hao, "Are you friends with Captain Shao Qi?"

"Friends? You're mistaken." Zhuo Hao replied stoically.

Old Chen chuckled, "I'm sorry, I just thought you two being together meant you were close."

Scanning the surroundings, Zhuo Hao said, "Long Gan and I are friends. As for our captain, he's my superior."

"Oh, I see... You're all so young and yet so skilled. I'm envious. If only I were twenty years younger."

Zhuo Hao cast him a brief glance, saying calmly, "That's not quite right. Who could love life as it is now? At least you've enjoyed a decade more of peace than we have."

"Well," Old Chen coughed, "at my age, even if I became a martial artist, advancing further is tough. If not for everyone's care, I'd have crumbled long ago." He touched his belly, frowning, "Ouch. I wonder if it's that expired cookie I just ate. My stomach feels off."

Zhuo Hao handed him a bottle of medicine, "This is for stomach relief. Try one."

"No need, no need. I'll just squat somewhere, and I'll be fine."

Seeing that Old Chen chose a spot not too far away, shielded only by an old car, Zhuo Hao chose not to comment further.

After squatting, Old Chen took a circular ultrasonic device from his pocket, pressed its button, and placed it on the ground. After a moment, he stood and said, "Ah, much better."

Ultrasonic devices have become trendy in recent years. When turned on in the wilderness, they mimic human activity to attract mutated beasts using ultrasonics. It's a distraction tactic for traveling parties. However, its effective range is roughly a hundred meters.

Old Chen's eyes briefly met the supermarket's rooftop before he approached Zhuo Hao, "They've been in there for quite some time. Seems safe enough. Mind if I go up?"

Zhuo Hao declined, "No. Stay put."

"I just wanted to find some pretty clothes for my daughter. She's always wanted a pre-apocalypse outfit as a keepsake."

"That's easy. Once we're back, I'll sort it out for you."

Old Chen gave a grateful smile, "Thanks in advance."

Zhuo Hao studied him, thinking, 'Something's off about Old Chen today. He's more talkative and seems restless, unlike his usual composed self.'

Suddenly, an explosion echoed from the supermarket. Without warning, the building collapsed, leaving everyone on the scene stunned.

Zhuo Hao and Long Gan were the first to recover, rushing forward. But they were met with a wall of rubble, making it impossible to find an entrance. All they could do was shout.

The others, paralyzed with shock, eventually managed to move closer, "What... what just happened? Was that explosion their doing?"

"What do we do now? They're all trapped inside..."

Old Chen fell to his knees, crying out, "Captain, what do we do? Should we get help?"

"Yes, yes! Let's call for help!"