"Once we clear the road, let’s check it out. Without antibiotics, even a minor illness could be a big problem!" Lin Tao nodded in agreement. He and Hu Laoda worked together to move several cars that were blocking the way. When they reached the st vehicle—a white delivery truck—Hu Laoda's eyes suddenly lit up. He burst into ughter, exciming excitedly, "Ha! It's Wufangzhai rice dumplings! Ladies, we've hit the jackpot!"

  "Really? Really?! I love rice dumplings!" Jiao Jiao’s sharp eyes had already spotted the Wufangzhai logo on the truck. Overjoyed, she and the other two girls jumped down from their vehicle, gazing at the truck with eager anticipation. However, as they approached, a hint of doubt crept into her voice. "What if it's empty?"

  "No way! Judging by the direction it was coming from, it should be loaded."

  Hu Laoda frowned at the small truck, then, without further hesitation, he used the butt of his rifle to smash the slightly deformed lock on the cargo hold. But before he could even pull the door open, the metal panel, marked with a blue registration number, suddenly burst outward on its own. A wave of putrid stench rushed at Hu Laoda, engulfing his senses and knocking him off his feet. At the same moment, two decayed figures lunged out of the truck, shrieking as they pounced toward him.

  "Aghhh—!"

  Hu Laoda let out a terrified yell. He turned to flee, but his legs betrayed him, tangling together and sending him sprawling onto his back. The two ravenous corpses wasted no time, their bloodshot eyes gleaming with predatory hunger as they sprinted toward him. He screamed, his voice a mix of terror and desperation, but at the st second, his finger twitched instinctively over the trigger.

  A deafening gunshot echoed.

  The bullet shattered the first zombie’s right leg, sending a spray of bckened corpse fluids spttering onto the white truck. Yet, the creature showed no sign of pain; with a guttural snarl, it continued crawling toward Hu Laoda, eager to sink its teeth into his flesh. Panicked, Hu Laoda scrambled backward, kicking frantically while squeezing the trigger again.

  Two more shots rang out.

  One bullet bsted through the male zombie’s skull, sending fragments of decayed brain matter flying. The other shot struck the female zombie’s torso, causing her to stumble back briefly before regaining her footing. Her mouth, already split to the ears, stretched wider in a grotesque grin as she lunged again. But this time, Hu Laoda’s frantic trigger pulls produced only hollow clicks—his gun was out of bullets.

  A fsh of silver sliced through the air.

  The female zombie colpsed instantly at Hu Laoda’s feet, her severed head rolling away, its rotting lips still opening and closing mechanically.

  Still lying on the ground, pale-faced and trembling, Hu Laoda lifted his gaze to Lin Tao, who had already sheathed his machete back onto his shoulder harness. Without sparing a gnce at Hu Laoda, Lin Tao strode toward the truck and yanked open the cargo doors.

  "Jiao Jiao, what kind do you want?" Lin Tao asked, waving a hand to clear the lingering stench. His smile widened at the sight of the neatly stacked boxes of rice dumplings filling the cargo hold.

  "Salted egg yolk! I want the salted egg yolk ones!"

  Jiao Jiao, who had initially shrieked and hidden behind the vehicle, immediately perked up. Pulling the other two girls along, she excitedly climbed into the truck. Under the golden midday sun, the sight of the pristinely packed Wufangzhai rice dumplings was nothing short of a feast for the eyes.

  With a delighted squeal, Jiao Jiao drew the short-handled hatchet from her belt and sshed open a box, revealing the neatly arranged red packaging inside. Holding up one of the gift boxes, she grinned brightly. "Ha-ha! Lin Ye, it’s even vacuum-sealed! We’ve struck gold!"

  "How much can you even carry?" Lin Tao chuckled, shaking his head. "Don’t just celebrate—get your team to start loading them onto the roof. Oh, and grab a few fresh meat ones for me. That’s my favorite."

  After giving instructions, Lin Tao turned toward Hu Laoda, who had finally managed to stand up but was still shaking. Lin Tao frowned and said, "Hu Laoda, load more bullets next time. You and Cao Mei stay here. Bai Ru and I are going to check out the clinic."

  "You… You go ahead!" Hu Laoda wiped the sweat off his forehead and nodded hurriedly. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of crimson bullets, and hastily shoved them all into his gun.

  Lin Tao waved at Bai Ru, who had been standing guard atop the vehicle. She swiftly climbed down, her movements precise and effortless. Lin Tao was becoming increasingly impressed with her—not just because she was the most independent among the girls, but because they had developed an unspoken synergy. A single gnce or gesture from him was enough for her to understand his intent. Compared to the still-shaken Hu Laoda, Bai Ru’s composure was far superior.

  "Lin Ye, where to?" Bai Ru adjusted her amber-tinted sports sungsses as she approached. Her bck hair was neatly tied back into a high ponytail, and she wore a white polo shirt with a slightly open colr, which outlined her well-proportioned figure. She had paired it with khaki pants simir to Lin Tao’s and a pair of brown hiking boots for mobility.

  Lin Tao gnced at Bai Ru’s attire, then subconsciously looked down at his own outfit—bck polo shirt, khaki pants, brown boots, and bck sungsses. He suddenly realized they were dressed almost like a matching set.

  "Lin Ye?" Bai Ru noticed his lingering gaze. A hint of embarrassment flickered across her face, as if she’d been caught in a carefully pnned scheme. She quickly spoke again.

  "Oh. We’re heading to the clinic to see if there are any useful medical supplies." Lin Tao awkwardly looked away and rubbed his nose before striding toward the small two-story building. He failed to notice Bai Ru’s sudden blush or the way she bit her lip before lowering her head and quietly following behind.

  They arrived at the clinic’s entrance, where an old wooden sign hung above the door, its paint peeling. The faded lettering still barely revealed "X Wa Township Clinic," though the first character had rotted beyond recognition. Perhaps it had once read "Chen."

  The pce seemed to have been in disrepair even before the outbreak. The building itself looked precarious, its courtyard eerily empty. The wooden doors on the first floor were so decayed that some had holes rge enough to peer through.

  Yet, the scene at the entrance told a different story.

  A makeshift barricade of sandbags had been stacked tightly against the gate. Scattered among them were a tangle of skeletal remains, some in the remains of military fatigues. It was evident that a fierce battle had once taken pce here.

  Climbing over the sandbag wall, Lin Tao and Bai Ru found more skeletal remains beyond. Several rusted Type 81 assault rifles y buried under dust, their trigger guards still curled around pale, severed fingers.

  "These guns are useless," Lin Tao muttered, lifting one and finding its mechanisms rusted shut. Even if there were bullets, he had no rifle to fire them with. But something else caught his eye—a bloodstained riot shield.

  He picked it up, gauging its weight before tossing it to Bai Ru. "Here, this suits you."

  Bai Ru took the shield but hesitated. "What about you? Don’t you need it?"

  Lin Tao smirked. "Anything strong enough to hurt me wouldn’t be stopped by that shield."

  Drawing his machete, he turned toward the clinic’s entrance, stepping forward without hesitation.