Chapter 115: Evolved zombies
Slim fingers fly over the keyboard of the machine, kick-starting it into action. The monitor lights up, displaying the blueprint of the armoured vehicle. Another couple of taps on the keyboard and the screen flickers, changing to show the six full-body pieces of equipment the soldiers are wearing.
"Woah, the person who created this car and equipments is a real genius ah." Li Qing stares at the screen with sparkling eyes as he sighs in admiration.
An arm curls around his body, drawing him into an embrace as Huo Zaiyuan"s voice sounds in his ear. "You are also a genius. Youngster, you finally found your calling. All the trouble you put me through ever since I met you again were not endured in vain."
Teased by Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing"s face reddens as his temper explodes. "Little Yuan, you are so annoying!"
"Thank you." Huo Zaiyuan takes it as a compliment without batting an eye before turning to Long Zhanye. "This car and the allocated equipment are a set. If they simply go in the way they are now, there is a high chance of encountering danger."
"I understand." Long Zhanye nods, then asks the recruit. "Are there any other extra equipment in here?"
"Eh? There is, there is. There are exactly four more outfits. Senior officer, you…are you planning on coming with us?" Even if they cannot see the soldier"s expression, one can tell from his body language and words that he is dumbfounded.
Long Zhanye"s reputation is not confined to A City"s military district only. Entering the Military Academy at the age of fifteen, he is able to take up S-rank missions, complete them successfully and return with his body parts still intact. And now, out of the blue, he unexpectedly decides to a.s.sist them. With him by their side, it means their mission is a guaranteed success.
"That"s right. Is there a problem?" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow at him.
"No, of course not. I"ll go prepare the equipment for all of you." Saying thus, the soldier scurries away to prepare everything.
"Older brother Long, we are going to help them, huh?" Li Qing blinks.
"Little Yuan and I will enter the city with them. You and Qin Jun will stay in the car to guard it and act as backup. This vehicle requires someone who knows how to operate it to stay, or else it would be useless." Long Zhanye says, patting his shoulder.
Hearing this, Li Qing feels extremely happy. In the past, he was always protected by the others. This is the first time he feels he is able to contribute a lot and able to a.s.sist everyone.
Putting on the attire, the four forgoes wearing the headgear. Li Qing and Qin Jun remains in the back of the armoured car in order to monitor and operate the machines while Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye returns to the Hummer.
"Why are we wearing the same gear as them? Although the quality is pretty good, I don"t like wearing skintight clothes. It feels rather uncomfortable." Huo Zaiyuan scowls, pulling at the fabric covering his body.
Currently driving the Hummer and following close behind the armoured car, Long Zhanye glances over at the complaining youth with a fond smile. "Even normal attires designed by Uncle Long are always simple, but made with top-quality fabrics, let alone these clothes manufactured to resist toxic matters and various other dangers. That vehicle may look rather ordinary, but it is not your typical armoured car. Its frame is made out of the hardest steel alloy available and every surface is bulletproof. The clothes we are wearing right now is from a high-quality fibre that is extremely durable and bulletproof."
"You seem to be very familiar with it." Huo Zaiyuan raises his eyebrows as he puts on the earpiece.
"The military attire I usually wear are all made from this kind of material. It makes me look smart!" Long Zhanye boasts. "Wait until we return to A City. I"ll wear it to show you."
"Narcissist." Looking at that smug smile, Huo Zaiyuan reprimands him lightly as he leans in to help Long Zhanye put on his own earpiece.
"It"s self-confidence." Feeling his soft touch on his ear, Long Zhanye glances at the attractive face so close to his and a few thoughts flash through his heart before he forces himself to concentrate on driving. "I saw you sneakily sticking a few charms on the backs of those youngsters."
The way his little Yuan tries to stealthily do things is too adorable. In his eyes, the child resembles a kitten trying to scratch something up without their owner noticing.
"Hmph, I cannot travel with a group of people who are liable to be torn apart by zombies the second they accidentally slip up. Those talismans are able to block ten attacks. How they use these ten chances to save their lives all depends on their ability." Huo Zaiyuan harrumphs coldly as he looks away.
"Sharp tongue and a soft heart."
His heart is so obviously softer and more honest than anyone else"s, but he insists on hiding it behind a cold and indifferent demeanour. Aya…this awkward child is so cute, really tempting him to pull his little Yuan into a tender hug and love him dearly.
The armoured car and Hummer cruises along the main street leading to I City. As they head further and further inwards, the numbers of zombies increase exponentially. Because a safe zone had been established here before, most of the old undead created near the beginning of the apocalypse has been cleared. Zombies wearing tattered and torn clothes were scarce. A majority of the undead within this city is clad in cleaner attire with only faint traces of rot on their bodies. However, none of these had bite wounds or scratch marks. Suffice to say, they were all infected by the poison gas in the air and consequently transformed.
"According to that professor"s research, if those mutant plants can be used to purify the air, then it will really be a life-saver." Li Qing comments as he types away at the keyboard.
"Little Li and little Qin, have you both seen a mutant plant before?" The smaller machine"s green light flashes and a soldier"s voice comes out of it. This particular soldier is called Lu Yi.
"Seen it once before." Li Qing answers.
"Un, it left a very deep impression." Qin Jun"s face is filled with black lines as he recalls that demonic Banyan tree which sucked humans dry of blood.
"You guys…don"t look too good. Bad experience?" This observation comes from another commando named Zhao Ming.
"Heheh…"
The two vehicles take a turn around the corner, cross onto another main street and drive forward for a short period of time. All of a sudden, two stationary cars appear in their line of sight. Parked horizontally across the road, the vehicles effectively block their way.
The bodies of the unknown cars are splattered from top to bottom with blood, making a rather shocking sight. In addition, scattered on the ground below and around the wheels are dismembered limbs, body parts and pools of scarlet.
Leading out in front, the armoured car slows to a stop while the Hummer moves forward a little until it draws parallel to the car it was following.
"Unknown situation, take all precautions." Long Zhanye"s voice comes out from everyone"s earpieces. When he made the decision to join this commando squad to accomplish their mission, the squad leader immediately handed over command to him. "Li Yu and Ming Kun, get out of the car. Su Qing and Hou Yong, cover them. The rest of you, stand by."
"Roger."
"Yes, Sir."
Lu Yi and Ming Kun are the first pair to exit the armoured car, guns at the ready and aiming at the bloodstained Land Rovers as they inch towards it.
In the Hummer, Long Zhanye exchanges a glance and a nod with Huo Zaiyuan before the latter opens the car door. Three paper talismans in his left hand, he readies them, eyes fixed on the scene ahead.
Just as the two soldiers approach the Land Rovers" ajar door, a shadow pounces out from within. Lu Yu and Ming Kin react in an instant, lifting their firearms to shoot. Flesh and dark blood form another coating over the already tainted vehicle. The rotting corpse of a hound collapses, its head broken and brain matter leaking out of the various bullet holes.
Immediately after, another two more shadows spring out of the narrow alley between two high-rise buildings opposite the road, attacking Lu Yi and Ming Kun in unison. Tasked with providing cover, Su Qing and Hou Yong open fire and down the undead dogs. Lu Yi and Ming Mun exchange a look before climbing into the two Land Rovers, placing them in reverse and clearing the way.
"Zombies incoming. A swarm of them." Li Qing"s voice sounds in their ears.
From the alleys on both sides, a large number of zombies surge forth, arms waving and growls rumbling in throats as they head unerringly for the Hummer and the armoured car.
"Lu Yi and Ming Kun, hurry up! Everyone else, spray into the horde!" Long Zhanye orders as he fires his submachine gun at the approaching ma.s.s of undead. Following the tinkling of bullet sh.e.l.ls. .h.i.tting the asphalt road, zombies fall like dominoes.
The other members in the armoured car begin to pour fire into the undead horde on the other side. Beneath this hail of bullets, Lu Yi and Ming Kun safely return to their vehicles.
Ming Kun enters first with Lu Yi following right on his heels. But it is at this moment, within the crowd of ordinary zombies, a silhouette leaps high into the air and pounces towards Lu Yi.
Airborne, one can clearly see this creature"s distinct features. A female with red cracked skin, milky white eyes, a mouthful of razor-sharp, shark-like teeth and purplish-red claws.
The few bursts of gunfire from Su Qing are all deftly evaded. When it seems as if those terrifying claws are going to tear Lu Yi"s head clean off, a ray of silver light shoots towards the female zombie.
With quick reactions, it pulls back its claws and sidesteps, intending on dodging around the talisman. Except the yellow paper didn"t follow its wishes, instead homing in on it and exploding in its face.
An ear-piercing screech rings out as it turns around to flee. But Long Zhanye is quicker. Who knows when he swapped the submachine gun for his trusty rifle, but a single gunshot is all he needs to put a bullet through the female zombie"s head.
It collapses to the ground like a puppet with its strings severed.
And when everyone breaths a sigh of relief after taking down an above-average undead without receiving a single injury, the motionless corpse suddenly burst into action, pouncing on the nearest zombie and taking a large bite out of its head.
Before their startled eyes, the neat bullet hole in the middle of the female"s skull heals, leaving no traces of a wound behind. Devouring the rest of its fellow undead"s head, it slowly turns back in the direction of the Hummer and the armoured car.
"It"s an evolved zombie!!"