Chapter 38: Arrival, Hostile Crowds

Gu Xu didn’t waste words. He picked up Bian Changxi’s bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder. With a wave of his hand, he handed her four green crystal cores. “Elemental crystal cores are rare. Our whole squad only managed to get four green ones.”

Bian Changxi’s eyes lit up at the faint green glow. “Four is already a lot.” That meant in just one day, their squad had probably cracked open the skulls of around two hundred zombies.

She accepted them without fuss, pocketing three and holding one in her hand. After fighting a tier-two zombie—even though she’d only used her vines twice—it had drained a lot of her ability. She wanted to start recovering her powers on the way to the supermarket, which was why she’d asked Gu Xu to bring the crystal cores.

Gu Xu watched as a faint green light glowed from her fist, and her complexion visibly improved in an instant. He felt a ripple of emotion—her movements were so practiced.

“Let’s go,” Gu Xu said, taking the lead, with Qiu Yun covering the rear. Both of them held submachine guns, looking fierce and ready for battle. The two girls walked side by side in the middle. Qiu Yun had wanted to carry Lin Rongrong’s bag, but she politely refused—she wasn’t injured and didn’t need special treatment.

“Are there a lot of zombies on the way?” Bian Changxi asked.

“It’s not bad until we get near the supermarket. That’s where they really gather,” Gu Xu replied, scanning their surroundings. “Don’t worry, these monsters can’t take a bullet. As long as there aren’t too many, we’ll be fine.”

Having guns really made a difference.

Bian Changxi fell silent, focusing on absorbing the energy from the crystal core and guiding it to heal her body. The pain in her side grew lighter and lighter.

As soon as they left the pedestrian street, they started seeing zombies. At first, it was just one or two, but the further they walked, the more there were. After turning a few corners, they could see the supermarket—by then, the zombies numbered in the dozens, even hundreds. They swarmed like flies drawn to blood, a truly terrifying sight. Lin Rongrong turned pale with fear.

Gu Xu and Qiu Yun kept shooting, each shot hitting its mark. Their silenced submachine guns made barely a sound, but wherever they aimed, a zombie fell.

“Move, quick!”

The four of them picked up the pace. As they passed a certain spot, Bian Changxi deliberately glanced back. The Sagitar car that Zhang Hu had taken was gone, but the big truck behind it was still there, with two mangled corpses slumped in the seats—probably Zhang Hu’s two lackeys.

Did Zhang Hu manage to escape?

Suddenly, she spotted a zombie in the horde dressed just like Zhang Hu, still clutching a handgun in its death grip. Its yellow fangs jutted out, and its rotten mouth gaped as it lunged at them.

Bang. Gu Xu shot it in the head.

Bian Changxi watched coldly. That zombie was definitely Zhang Hu. The second-in-command of the Fierce Tiger Hunting Group, dead on just the fourth day of the apocalypse—it felt almost unreal. But she felt no guilt. If Zhang Hu hadn’t set his sights on her, she wouldn’t have retaliated. He had a gun and still ended up a zombie—he had only himself to blame.

The driver must have managed to escape.

The four of them practically sprinted to the supermarket. A group of zombies had been pounding on the door, but as soon as they caught the scent of the four newcomers, they turned and charged, howling. There were so many it made their scalps tingle. Gu Xu and Qiu Yun couldn’t shoot fast enough, so they freed up a hand to unleash their abilities.

Gu Xu hurled fireballs, while Qiu Yun sent out wind blades. They’d saved their powers for just this moment.

Seeing things were getting dicey, Bian Changxi shouted, “Give me a gun!”

Without hesitation, Gu Xu pulled a handgun from his belt and tossed it to her. Bian Changxi flicked off the safety, extended her arm, and fired several quick shots, blasting the heads of the nearest zombies—one shot, one kill.

Qiu Yun whooped, “Didn’t know you were such a sharpshooter!”

A rope was thrown down from a second-floor window of the supermarket. A young man shouted, “Climb up, quick!”

“The main entrance is blocked. We go in and out through the second floor!” Gu Xu called, leading the way. “You two go first!”

Though it was only the second floor, the supermarket’s upper level was at least seven or eight meters high, with smooth glass walls—impossible to climb without help from above.

Bian Changxi shot a few more zombies, then her gun clicked empty. She ran to grab the rope and called to Lin Rongrong, “You go first!”

“But—”

“Hurry up!”

Lin Rongrong grabbed the rope. “Hold on tight!” someone above called. Two strong arms hauled her up in a few seconds and pulled her through the window, then tossed the rope back down.

Gu Xu and Qiu Yun covered Bian Changxi from behind as she wrapped the rope around her hands and shouted, “Ready!”

No sooner had she spoken than she felt herself lifted. She braced her feet against the wall and, with the help of those above, was pulled up to the window in just two seconds. The young man grabbed her arm and easily hauled her inside.

Next, Qiu Yun climbed up the rope like a monkey, quick and agile. Gu Xu was left alone below, nearly surrounded. The young man above shouted, and with a wave of his hand, a huge mound of earth crashed down, flattening several zombies. Qiu Yun leapt through the window and sent several wind blades slicing down, taking out more zombies. “Boss, hurry!”

Gu Xu’s face was grim. He swept his arm, sending a line of fire that forced the zombies back a step. Then he turned, crouched, and leapt—like a tiger bounding up a mountain. In midair, he grabbed the rope, pushed off the wall, and vaulted up to the window. The people at the window quickly stepped aside to let him in.

Bian Changxi and Lin Rongrong exchanged glances—these guys were all impressive.

Seeing everyone was safe, the young man grinned. “You guys made it back fast. You must be Miss Bian? Hi, I’m Wu Dalang.”

Bian Changxi shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.” The name Wu Dalang sounded silly, and he looked simple, but he was actually shrewd—a staunch supporter of Gu Xu, who would die a year into the apocalypse in Qiu Yun’s rebellion, leaving Gu Xu mourning him for life. Bian Changxi knew who he was.

She introduced Lin Rongrong as well. As they talked, they hurried along a corridor toward the supermarket’s second-floor entrance. Gu Xu asked, “How’s Shadow?”

“Still the same,” Wu Dalang replied in a low voice. “Maybe worse. When he goes berserk, he’s even stronger. I tied him up tight, but I don’t know if Qiu Feng and A Pei can hold him much longer.”

Gu Xu and Qiu Yun’s faces darkened. Qiu Yun said anxiously, “I’ll go check.” Wu Dalang quickly added, “Boss, I’ll go too.” The two of them dashed off like a gust of wind, the air swirling in their wake—what speed!

“Qiu Feng and my brother don’t have abilities, so they’re worried,” Gu Xu explained. “They’re on the third floor. Follow me.”

If he didn’t have to look after the two girls, he’d be flying up there himself.

The entire second floor of the supermarket was a food area, now a complete mess. Scattered around were dozens of survivors—at least forty or fifty people—some chatting, some wolfing down food. When they saw the newcomers, they all paused and looked over, expressions wary, a few with a dangerous glint in their eyes.

Bian Changxi had wondered why Gu Xu’s group was heading to the third floor—there was no food up there. But seeing these people, she understood: either they’d been forced upstairs, or they were worried someone would take advantage of Shadow’s condition, or maybe both."