Chapter 65

Chapter 65: The Special Ability Users

They were using a wheel tactic, where some attacked while others took the time to recover their special abilities, trying to maintain their peak condition. The psychological shadow cast by that mutated zombie probably wouldn’t fade anytime soon, and they had to be ready to deal with any mutated zombies that might pop up from who knows where. Moreover, those two mutated zombies were still out there, and could emerge from any inconspicuous alley at any moment.

That nightmare-like rustling sound was something they probably never wanted to hear again in their lives.

While releasing lightning strikes, Zhang Xiaobai took a moment to say, “Without Gu Ning, I feel a bit uneasy.”

Jia Daozhang nodded in agreement. Ever since he guessed that Gu Ning was the person foretold in the divination, he had developed a strong sense of trust in her. No matter how dangerous the situation, as long as he turned his head and saw Gu Ning, he felt reassured. Now that Gu Ning was suddenly gone, even though they seemed to be doing well, he just couldn’t shake off that uneasiness.

The others also felt somewhat the same. When Gu Ning was around, they didn’t notice it, but now that she was suddenly gone, they felt a void somewhere. They all knew very well that the reason they survived the intense battle in the morning without casualties was largely due to Gu Ning’s decisive commands, including her later risky move that dealt a heavy blow to the mutated zombie, turning the tide of the battle.

If they had only considered Gu Ning as a companion or friend before, now they had developed a sense of admiration and reverence for her, and even a faint inclination to regard her as a spiritual leader.

Almost without any surprises, the team rushed to the nearest chain supermarket near Eleventh Square. The surrounding zombies had been cleared out, and with Xiang Xu acting as a mobile radar, they confidently charged into this small chain supermarket.

The supermarket’s door was wide open, showing signs of being looted. The cash register drawers had been rudely opened, leaving only some loose change and coins, likely the work of those who thought the disaster would pass quickly at the beginning of the apocalypse. Although the shelves were in disarray, a lot of supplies remained, mostly food and drinks. Zhang Xiaobai was the first to rush to the refrigerator at the entrance, opening it to grab a bottle of cola. He gulped down several mouthfuls and let out a satisfied sigh. The familiar scent hit his nostrils, and Zhang Xiaobai, holding the cola, was almost moved to tears.

Third Brother glanced over and said, “Don’t take anything watery. With Zhong Xu around, we don’t lack water. Focus on taking as much food as possible; that’s what will keep us alive.” He then calmly swept all the cigarettes from the rack behind the cash register into his backpack, prompting Zhang Xiaobai to accuse, “Third Brother, aren’t you wasting backpack space with all those cigarettes?!”

Third Brother glared and retorted, “Don’t you know I’ll die without cigarettes?!”

Zhang Xiaobai was left speechless.

Zhong Xu, while sweeping food from the shelves into his sack, anxiously said, “Third Brother, this won’t do. There’s so much stuff here, and with just a few sacks, how much can we carry? It’s not worth the effort to come all this way and only take so little.”

Zhong Xu’s words were met with agreement from everyone.

Third Brother, who had already lit a cigarette, said, “What can we do? Our vehicle isn’t here.”

At this point, Jia Daozhang suggested, “Xiaobai, why don’t you come with me to find a vehicle.”

Zhang Xiaobai was stunned, “Huh?”

Jia Daozhang coughed and said, “I learned this skill when I was young. Come on, let’s go together. What if I run into a zombie horde alone?”

With that, he pushed and dragged Zhang Xiaobai out.

Third Brother watched Jia Daozhang leave with a suspicious look, then turned to the others in the supermarket and said, “What are you looking at? Hurry up and finish looting this place so we can move to the next one.”

When they stepped out of the small store, Jia Daozhang had already secured a vehicle.

Seeing the large truck parked at the supermarket entrance, everyone was stunned.

Zhong Xu exclaimed, “Daozhang, you’re amazing!”

Third Brother also said, “Didn’t expect that, Old Jia. You really have some skills!”

“Hehe! Just a little something I picked up,” Jia Daozhang said modestly, though his face showed clear pride, clearly enjoying the newfound respect from everyone.

Third Brother and the others exchanged knowing smiles, then proceeded to load all the sacks into the truck’s cargo hold. It was a large truck with a huge capacity, capable of holding several small supermarkets’ worth of supplies. Zhang Xiaobai was the happiest, loading all the cola onto the truck and thoughtfully adding yogurt and milk for Xiang Xu.

After sitting in the passenger seat, Third Brother said to Jia Daozhang, “Old Jia, drive about 200 meters ahead. There’s a Haining Department Store with a huge supermarket on the first floor. Let’s go there and get everything we need in one go before heading back.”

Jia Daozhang started the vehicle and complained, “Third Brother, didn’t we agree not to call me Old Jia? You’re going to corrupt everyone.”

Third Brother took a deep drag of his cigarette and said, “Cut it out. Who knows if you’re even a real Daoist? Just drive!”

Jia Daozhang had no way to deal with Third Brother. If it were anyone else, he would have wanted to freeze them into an ice sculpture.

The vehicle hadn’t gone far when, just as Third Brother said, a large Haining Department Store appeared ahead.

After clearing the surrounding zombies, Third Brother left Zhong Xu and Zhang Xiaobai to guard the truck while the others, like hungry wolves, dragged their sacks and charged inside.

The first floor was a large supermarket. Xiang Xu used his spiritual power to check for any zombies, and after clearing them out, they began a frenzied looting spree.

Jia Daozhang, while sweeping various biscuits and bread from the shelves into his sack, excitedly shouted, “Holy crap!!! We’re rich, we’re rich!”

The others wore the simple, joyful smiles of farmers after a bountiful harvest.

Cheng Ming’s smile almost reached his ears, “This haul should last us a year!”

Zhang Yang, quickly scooping various biscuits into his sack, chuckled, “I used to dream about doing this! Never thought it would come true today!”

The soldiers all laughed with great happiness.

One soldier took a moment to shout, “Hey? Where’s Third Brother?”

Xiang Yi said, “Where else? Probably looking for cigarettes again.”

As Jia Daozhang had said, Third Brother was now at the cigarette counter, frantically sweeping everything into his sack, shouting like a madman, “With these cigarettes, I can smoke for a year if I ration them! No more suffering through three days with one cigarette! Damn! These are cigarettes I couldn’t even afford before! Hahahaha, now they’re all mine!” A few soldiers who stumbled upon this scene shook their heads at the crazed Third Brother and quietly walked away.

The meat in the refrigerators had completely rotted, and the area reeked of decay, but it didn’t bother them at all. Jia Daozhang, however, looked at the spoiled meat in the freezers with regret, “What a waste, what a waste.”

Third Brother, dragging his huge sack of cigarettes, gathered everyone and said, “Let’s move all this stuff out first, then we’ll check the upper floors for clothes and blankets.”

So, the group, dragging their bulging sacks, prepared to take the loot out first before returning.

Just a few steps from the door, a humanoid figure flew in from the entrance—crashing to the ground with a thud, sliding across the smooth tiles before colliding with Cheng Ming’s foot.

The person clutched their chest in pain, rolling over.

Cheng Ming’s shocked voice rang out, “Zhong Xu?!”

The person who had flown in and crashed to the ground was none other than Zhong Xu, who had been left outside!

“What happened?” Cheng Ming and the others helped Zhong Xu up, asking in shock.

Before Zhong Xu could answer, another person flew in from the door, crashing on the other side—it was Zhang Xiaobai, also left outside! There was a bloody hole in his stomach, still bleeding! Zhang Xiaobai was a mutated lightning-type special ability user with a vast amount of power. How could he be injured like this?

Zhang Xiaobai was in slightly better shape than Zhong Xu. Despite his severe injury, he managed to struggle to his feet, pale-faced, clutching the bloody wound on his abdomen, and glared at the entrance, saying, “It’s a special ability user—”

Zhang Xiaobai, a mutated lightning-type special ability user with immense power, what kind of special ability user could injure him like this?!

Before Zhang Xiaobai could finish, a group of seven people walked in through the entrance.

The leader, a tall man, scanned them with his eyes and said with a smile, “Sorry, but this place, and that truck outside, are ours now.”

A skinny man beside him reminded, “And the crystal cores.”

The man nodded and continued smiling, “Right, and hand over the crystal cores you have on you as well.”