Chapter 143: The fringe village
"Glug…glug…" Polishing the entire bowl of soup off, Li Qing gives a long, satisfied sigh, expression extremely contended ah.
"Huuahh…I feel like I"ve come back to live again."
Looking at his pleased face, Huo Zaiyuan swallows his mouthful of noodles and scoffs, "Pig ah, don"t you carry some food on you at all times?"
Rubbing his full and bulging stomach, Li Qing scrunches his nose at Huo Zaiyuan. "That"s different. After being locked up in the factory for a month, I had to memorise and learn and make machines every day. Even if an imperial feast is laid out before me, it would still be tasteless."
"For a cheerful and active person, Uncle Long"s control of subordinates with an iron fist can drive one mad,” Chewing on the ends of his chopsticks, Zuo Hanyang says as his hand darts out, stealing a piece of ham sausage from You Nuandong"s bowl, earning him a sour glare.
"Exactly, exactly." Li Qing nods vigorously in complete agreement.
Although he managed to learn a lot about technology and engineering when studying under General Long, he had to endure all sorts of "torture". Just thinking about it makes him feel like curling in on himself. Oh, how he admires his own endurance, somehow managing to survive for this long.
With Li Qing "released from confinement", Zuo Hanyang has a like-minded friend to clown around with, making the atmosphere more lively and humorous. After enjoying their afternoon feast, the few of them disperse for the time being in order to prepare all necessary equipment for this mission.
"After being released from the mechanic"s factory, didn"t Uncle Long gift you anything?" Long Zhanye asks while loading bullets soaked in spring water into the magazine of his pistol.
"Have ah." When Li Qing came into their residence for lunch, he was carrying along a rather large metal suitcase. Now, he places the item on the cleared dining table. Punching the code into the small electronic lock, he lifts the lid, allowing everyone to see the items within.
Various guns line one side of the case, with bullets and special explosives lining the other. A few peculiar-looking instruments are scattered amongst the weapons. One glance is enough to show everything in this suitcase are newly developed products.
"Master told me that everything here will be issued to the other safe zones in the near future. These guns are basically modified Desert Eagles. Keeping the penetration power of the original while reducing more than half of its standard recoil. The bullets they use are also more aerodynamic. Here, we"ve got armour-piercing rounds, bullets which will release a small grapple upon friction, explosive rounds…"
Everyone falls silent as soon as Li Qing begins talking, listening attentively as he explains the function of each item.
Products that come out of the mechanic"s factory are definitely not ordinary.
This time, the members undertaking the mission are Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan, Zuo Hanyang, You Nuandong, Li Qing and Qin Jun. Although there are only six of them, it is sufficient.
Since the maximum number of people a Hummer can carry is five, and it has no way to fit all the necessary equipment inside, they can only use the armoured car provided by the military.
When other mercenary squads venture out for missions, the priests in their team will certainly not waste talismans to set arrays on their transport. But Huo Zaiyuan is the sole exception. Take his Hummer as an example. Ever since he laid three sets of arrays over it, don"t say getting close enough to touch the car. Any zombies that come within a half-meter radius of the vehicle will be tossed away. Trying to surround their transportation is not easy ah!
After sticking quite a few wooden coin talisman on the armoured vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan climbs into the back. The person in charge of driving is You Nuandong, with the controlling of all interior systems left in the hands of their technician and mechanic, Li Qing.
Having experienced an entire month under the ‘special tutorage’ of General Long, Li Qing"s handling of the various machines within is smooth, swift and skilled.
Departing from the safe zone, the armoured car heads down the pre-planned route towards the fringe village. Besides their designated driver You Nuandong, everyone else gathers around Long Zhanye as he details their battle plan.
"According to the surviving members of the mercenary squad, the zombies that were hiding in the village made the armoured car their very first target. More specifically, the technician within the vehicle. Only after they eliminated the technician did the zombies attack the others." As he speaks, the pen in his hand moves in tandem with his explanation.
"Since they like technicians so much, then let"s send one right up to their doorstep. I"ll let them know this one is not so weak, only knowing how to hide in the vehicle and require constant protection." Contrary to his tough words, the smile on Li Qing"s face is bright and innocent, appearing exceptionally harmless.
Staring at the dazzling smile and energetic look in his eyes, everyone murmurs inwardly in disbelief. Heavens ah, what exactly did General Long teach this child during his imprisonment within the factory?!
"Little Yuan and Qin Jun will stay behind as reinforcement and guard the vehicle. I will go together with my left and right adjutants to "infiltrate". We will converge once more after the surprise attack on the armoured car has been sprung." Recapping the pen, he flicks his wrist lightly, sending it soaring back into the pen rack with superb accuracy.
After the briefing is over, the others wander off to different areas of the vehicle, leaving Huo Zaiyuan sitting cross-legged on the seat beside Long Zhanye.
"Be careful." Pulling Huo Zaiyuan towards him until the youth"s head is resting in the crook of his neck, Long Zhanye whispers as he runs his fingers through the long, dark hair.
"Same goes for you. I keep feeling like those zombies are rather odd. If they are not under anyone"s control, then…" Huo Zaiyuan wrinkles his brow, heart in turmoil.
Ai…why did he die so early in his previous life? If he had lived a while longer, then he might know more things pertaining to this apocalypse…
"Beloved, don"t worry. Who am I? I"m the undefeated Long Zhanye. Together with you, this peerless Taoist priest by my side, we travelled all the way from Z City to A City. What haven"t we encountered during that long journey?" Compared with this distressed and troubled child, he greatly prefers the aloof and serene youth.
"Do you think you are the unequalled Superman ah?" The troubled look disappears, replaced by faint amus.e.m.e.nt as Huo Zaiyuan elbows him none too gently in his side, causing Long Zhanye to cry out in feigned pain.
After driving for two hours, the armoured car arrives outside the fringe village. Ensuring their respective earpieces are securely placed in their ears, Long Zhanye and his chosen companions get down from the back of the vehicle.
The entire village is eerily quiet. If this was before the apocalypse, one will label this atmosphere peaceful tranquillity. However, during the apocalypse, and especially after the first-hand report obtained from the surviving members that this place almost wiped them all out, the tranquil silence becomes a sinister, deadly stillness.
As soon as Long Zhanye leads his left and right-hand men out of the car, the door closes behind them. Rifles at the ready, the three men head into the village in a tight triangle formation.
Only when the trio"s figures disappear into the distance does the remaining members within the vehicle turn their attention to the monitors, keeping a close watch for any movements from the outside. Suddenly, a faint sound of activity comes from the fourth screen monitoring the rear of the car. The only warning they receive is a second-long rustling from the human-height, wild undergrowth before a shadow shoots out towards the armoured car.
"Incoming!" Li Qing shouts.
A silver screen flares into existence for a split-second, causing the pouncing zombie to bounce off, crashing to the ground a few meters away from the vehicle. Instantly, the side door is thrown open and Huo Zaiyuan jumps out, closely followed by Qin Jun with his gun.
Climbing back to its feet, the undead snarls and springs towards Huo Zaiyuan.
A flick of his left hand and an explosive talisman appears, whizzing towards the zombie. With a loud bang, it is sent flying through the air once more.
Prompted into action by the violent explosion, another zombie leaps out of the underbrush, again aiming for Huo Zaiyuan. Qin Jun"s reaction is swift, raising his gun and pulling the trigger thrice in quick succession. The modified Desert Eagle"s recoil is indeed small, resulting in an increase in accuracy. On top of that, even if none of the shots. .h.i.t the undead"s vital points, the explosive bullets blew its shoulder joint and left behind a large hole in its chest. Crippled and gravely injured, it falls to the ground heavily, dismembered limb thudding dully on the soil a couple of paces away.
Not giving them room to breathe, a third undead dashes out from the opposite direction. Even as Li Qing"s cry of alarm rings from their earpiece, Qin Jun knows that he wouldn"t make it in time to shoot it down.
Suddenly, a silver light flickers and streaks forward. With a sharp ‘schick’, it skewers the zombie through its head, pinning the monster to the ground.
Only when the rays of light fade slightly can one finally see it is a silver-bladed jian with a white jade hilt. The undead struggles futilely for a while before crumbling into a pile of ashes.
With a jerk, the silver jian dislodges from the ground and flies back to Huo Zaiyuan, hovering silently by the Taoist"s side.
It is at this moment that the three who left to "infiltrate" the village return, sprinting over to a.s.sist in eliminating the enemies.
From tens of meters away, Long Zhanye fires a shot that neatly downs the lightly smoking zombie injured by the explosive talisman and was trying to crawl up again. A second later, a bullet from You Nuandong"s rifle takes care of the crippled one.
Huo Zaiyuan sends Liu Ying back into the s.p.a.ce and snaps his fingers. Two talismans fly out and the corpses disappear in a blaze of gold, leaving behind two crystals the size of peanuts.
"Common Rank 3 zombies," Huo Zaiyuan remarks as he picks the crystals up.
"No wonder the previous squad was nearly wiped out. Three Rank 3 undead in one place," Zuo Hanyang says with a frown.
"Right, onto the next step. Zuo Hanyang and Qin Jun will remain here as reinforcement and guard little Qing. The rest of us will actually go deeper into the village and take note of the situation at the same time," Long Zhanye orders as soon as he draws within hearing distance.
"Yes, Sir." Zuo Hanyang nods and returns to the armoured car.
"Eldest brother Long, take this. Dump its contents on the ground at the entrance so we can help monitor the situation in the village as you venture in." Li Qing"s head pops out of the back door, handing a small metal case over to Long Zhanye.
Tucking the case away, Long Zhanye whirls on his heels, leading Huo Zaiyuan and You Nuandong back into hostile territory.