"Whew~"

  Leaning against the floor behind the driver's seat, Bai Ru let out a long breath. Her pale face finally regained a bit of color. She straightened up and asked Lin Tao, who was driving, "Lin Ye, what exactly was that thing just now? It was terrifying! Even bullets couldn't kill it. Will we encounter more of them in the future?"

  "That creature is called a Hunter Corpse. It preys on humans, and when hungry, it even devours regur zombies. That's why there were no zombies in the warehouse. But don't worry too much. Hunters rarely come out during the day, and their numbers are quite low. Counting this one, I've only seen seven or eight in total." Lin Tao spoke while checking the rearview mirror, gncing at Bai Ru.

  "Thinking about it, we were really lucky st night! That thing was right beneath our building while we slept, and that gaping hole wasn’t far from us either!" Bai Ru bit her lip, shuddering at the thought.

  "It probably arrived only a few days ago and feasted on the zombies inside. That's why it didn't bother with us. Otherwise, we would've been in serious trouble." Mikael zily sprawled across Ah Xue's p, speaking in a carefree tone.

  "Hmm, that makes sense." Lin Tao nodded, taking a lit cigarette from the ever-attentive Cao Mei and inhaling deeply.

  "Beloved, fly slowly, beware of the thorny roses ahead..."

  Afraid of the sun, the girls had unceremoniously driven Old Hu to the front passenger seat to keep him from taking advantage of them. Old Hu didn't mind; he was already dark-skinned enough. Once seated, he immediately turned on the radio. The nauseating melody of Two Butterflies filled the air, but Old Hu, completely unfazed, patted his thigh and sang along, swaying his head to the rhythm.

  "Chef Hu, what kind of taste is that? Can't you py something more modern? This song is ancient! And you still listen to it?" It was that fiery little pepper again—the same girl who had argued with Old Hu before. She seemed to have taken a liking to provoking him, cshing with him the moment they got in the car.

  "You think this is a CD pyer? Switch songs at will? This is a damn cassette tape! Be grateful we have anything to listen to at all!" Old Hu grumbled without looking back, then comfortably propped his feet on the dashboard. Seeing Lin Tao driving beside him, he grinned, as if momentarily reliving his days as a big shot.

  "Then just turn it off!" The fiery girl strode over and shut off the radio. Just as Old Hu was about to explode, she suddenly leaned in and gave Lin Tao a pyful peck on the cheek. Then, sweetly resting her head on his shoulder, she cooed, "Lin Ye, you’ve worked so hard. Let us sing you a song!"

  "Alright then, you first!" Lin Tao chuckled, pointing at her.

  "Mmm!" The fiery girl nodded eagerly. After a moment of thought, she announced, "I'll sing Grandmother's Penghu Bay!"

  "Pfft—" Old Hu nearly spit out the water he was drinking. Turning his head, he scoffed, "And you think your taste is any better?!"

  Ignoring him, the fiery girl rolled her eyes and began to sing. Despite the song being more of a children’s tune, her crisp voice quickly resonated with the group. Soon, almost everyone in the car joined in. The previously somber atmosphere lightened considerably, even Mikael, who had never heard the song before, howling along in excitement.

  "Haha, Jiao Jiao! Listening to you sing really makes me feel like we’re on a company trip!" Zhang Hong leaned against Bai Ru, smiling nostalgically.

  "Hmph! Of course! Who am I? I’m Jiao Jiao, the company’s famous mood-maker! I bet at this moment, we’re the only ones in the world still able to sing happily in a car!" Jiao Jiao puffed out her chest, brimming with pride.

  "Sigh… Yeah. Those Hong Kong and Taiwan celebrities are probably all dead by now. Looks like we'll be stuck singing old songs for entertainment from now on." Zhang Hong sighed, shaking her head.

  "Oh, Hong Jie, don’t be so pessimistic! Happy or sad, it’s all just a day—better to stay happy! Anyway, my song is done. Your turn now!" Jiao Jiao tugged at Zhang Hong's sleeve.

  Zhang Hong hesitated, reluctant to embarrass herself since she wasn't a great singer. But the other girls wouldn't let her off the hook, dragging her into the fun. Their pyful banter continued for over three hours until Lin Tao finally pulled the car into a rural gas station, bringing their merriment to a pause.

  Lin Tao hopped out first, retrieving a crowbar from the trunk. With a few swift strikes, he smashed the heads of a few wandering zombies. Fortunately, the area was desote—a small town with a sparse popution. After those zombies were dealt with, no other threats appeared.

  "Alright, everyone, get out and stretch your legs. If you need to use the bathroom, go behind the car, but don’t wander off. Cao Mei, Bai Ru, keep watch. Call me if anything happens. Old Hu, come with me."

  As the girls exited the vehicle, Cao Mei, who had recently undergone a brief firearms lesson from Bai Ru, put on a pair of bck sungsses and stood guard at the front of the car. Bai Ru, ever the quick learner, climbed onto the roof, cradling her bck 97-1 riot shotgun, scanning the surroundings from above.

  The other girls, unaccustomed to combat and relieved to be outside after being trapped in a dark supermarket, started chatting like they were on a trip. A few, desperate for the restroom, squatted beside the car, their pale backsides fshing in the open.

  "Ahhh! A snake!"

  Suddenly, a girl screamed, jumping up mid-relief, her jeans still tangled around her ankles. She stumbled into the group, nearly tripping over herself before crashing into another girl’s arms, too shaken to even pull up her pants.

  "Where? Where? The meat is yours, but the gall bdder is mine!" Mikael, who had been zing on the car, instantly perked up. He darted to the back, only to see a five or six-meter-long crimson snake rearing its head, flicking its tongue menacingly.

  "Huh? Snakes grow this big?" Mikael scratched his head, puzzled.

  "Mikael, don’t go near it! That thing is dangerous! Bai Ru, just shoot it!" Ah Xue dashed forward, clutching Mikael tightly, more anxious for his safety than her own.

  "Aww, Sis, don’t make me all emotional!" Mikael teased before turning to Bai Ru. "Hey, gorgeous, aim for the head! Don’t mess up the gall bdder!"

  "Rex, little doggy!" Bai Ru smirked, adjusting her sporty tinted sungsses. She took careful aim and fired. With a loud bang, the massive serpent’s head exploded like a smashed tomato.

  "Woohoo!" The girls cheered as Mikael excitedly dashed over, using his sharp cws to skillfully cut open the snake’s belly and extract a green, lychee-sized gall bdder.

  "Damn, all that size and such a tiny gall bdder? What a waste! Ah Xue, eat it!" Unexpectedly, Mikael offered it to Ah Xue instead of keeping it for himself.

  "Eww! No way, that’s disgusting!" Ah Xue recoiled in horror.

  "It’s a rare tonic! Just swallow it whole!" Mikael coaxed.

  "Ugh… Do I really have to?" Ah Xue hesitated, clearly reluctant.

  "Of course! This thing could’ve been infected—it might even be a serpent spirit! Eating its gall could be a huge boost! Just close your eyes!" Mikael swiftly sliced the gall open and tossed it into her mouth.

  "Blech! Mikael, this is awful! So bitter!" Ah Xue scrunched up her face in disgust, swatting Mikael before rushing to the car for water.

  "Tsk, should’ve just swallowed it whole!" Mikael clicked his tongue, watching Ah Xue with an amused expression.