Chapter 41 A Fine Cabbage Rotted by a Pig

Zhang Min felt like a targeted prey, yet for a fleeting moment, she also felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Pei Siying and Yu Niaoniao exchanged glances. Having died early in her past life, Pei Siying had no idea what had transpired between Zhang Min and Captain Gao afterward, but she instinctively felt that Zhang Min was acting rather strange.

"Zhang Min, do you want to get rid of him?" Pei Siying sighed softly. "I have a feeling the way he looks at you is completely wrong."

"Pei Siying," Gao Zheng suddenly spoke up, causing Pei Siying to instinctively straighten her back and stand at attention.

The memory of her training days rushed back. Upon first entering the base, she and Zhang Min had been assigned to Gao Zheng's squad. Gao Zheng had frequently made them stand unshielded under the blazing sun, under the pretext of cultivating their endurance. She had always disliked this somewhat sadistic captain.

Wait, why was she standing so straight? They hadn't even reached Tian'an Base yet, and she wasn't his subordinate at the moment.

"Don't be so tense," Gao Zheng chuckled. "You're still the same old you—just as impulsive as ever."

"A young lady really ought to..."

Zhang Min raised her hand, interrupting Gao Zheng without the slightest hesitation: "Gao Zheng, just because you were our captain for a few years doesn't give you the right to lecture us."

"Ah... Minmin, you're as merciless as always." Gao Zheng took a step forward, and Zhang Min retreated a step. "Alright, alright... but our relationship..."

"Are we really just former captain and subordinate?"

No matter how dense Pei Siying was, she could finally tell that something was deeply amiss. She narrowed her eyes and looked Gao Zheng up and down: "Minmin, after I died, you and this perverted captain actually got involved?"

"Little girl, watch your tone when you speak," Gao Zheng said.

Hearing Gao Zheng's words made Pei Siying feel even more aggrieved. It felt just like a close best friend complaining constantly about her boss, only to end up dating that same boss the moment you turn your back. Her brows knitted so tightly they could have crushed a fly. "Zhang Min! Say something!"

"Siying, calm down for a moment," Zhang Min soothed in a gentle voice.

Then, Zhang Min met Gao Zheng's gaze head-on, her eyes devoid of any emotion. She had already reined in her feelings; a man wasn't strictly necessary in this world, but a best friend was irreplaceable. "Gao Zheng, you are not allowed to follow us anymore."

Gao Zheng clutched his chest with both hands, taking two exaggerated steps back as if mortally wounded: "Hah? Zhang Min, you really are..."

"Ruthless, aren't you? But what if I insist on following you anyway? What are you going to do about it?"

"On what grounds?" Zhang Min forced herself to look away, suppressing the sudden flutter in her heart. Gao Zheng had always known she was susceptible to that particular expression of his.

"On what grounds? On the grounds that I hold the bargaining chips you need."

Zhang Min remained silent, and Gao Zheng calmly began to list them off.

"Over in the West District, there's an underground supermarket that hasn't been looted yet." He watched as a glimmer of interest finally sparked in Zhang Min's eyes, and then produced a set of car keys. "Do you really plan on walking all the way to Tian'an City like this? Let me drive you."

Zhang Min didn't say anything, but Pei Siying was genuinely tempted. Trudging along on foot every single day was going to take forever.

Even Li Luyan and the others had somehow managed to procure such an outrageous vehicle out of nowhere. Now, someone was practically handing them a car on a silver platter. This jerk of a captain had put her through the wringer back then, so taking a little compensation from him now was only fair, right?

Judging by Zhang Min's expression, she probably didn't want any further romantic entanglements with this jerk anyway. Her beloved cabbage shouldn't end up being eaten by this pig.

Pei Siying forced down her smile and spoke in a cool, detached tone: "Fine then. Lead the way."

Meanwhile, in the West District of Tongcheng.

"The road ahead is blown apart," Lin Youwei said, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as she frowned. "The weather is so bizarre. The sun should have just set by now."

"It looks like a major disaster is about to unfold," Li Luyan stated briefly.

"It's so hot..." the little bastard whined weakly. "The sun is baking my body until it's scorching. Let's take a break."

"I'm begging you guys, you're sitting in there enjoying the air conditioning while leaving me all alone outside!" The little bastard began to throw a tantrum, making the rear of the car bounce up and down rhythmically against the ground.

Yu Yue was jolted upward by the motion, her head hitting the roof of the car directly.

"Ouch! You little bastard, what are you doing?"

"I don't care, I'm too hot, I need a break too!" The little bastard blasted a track of DJ music, and the rear of the vehicle began to sway along with the beat.

"Alright, alright, take a break," Li Luyan said coldly. "Stop shaking the car."

Li Luyan rubbed her throbbing temples, genuinely wondering what on earth the God of Desire was thinking when it created such an absurd creature.

"I remember there's an underground shopping mall ahead," Lin Youwei said, pushing open the car door and using one hand to shield her head from the blazing sun above.

"Yay, we get to rest!" As soon as everyone stepped out of the vehicle, the little bastard instantly transformed back into its small puppy form and burrowed straight into Zhao Meina's arms. "Hug me~ Hug me~"

In truth, it simply didn't feel like walking, but the icy Li Luyan certainly wouldn't carry it, and Yu Yue was just as likely to kick it as she was to pick it up. As for Lin Youwei... no, the divine aura emanating from her was far too potent; what if Lord God of Desire failed to recognize it afterward?

Thus, the absolute best candidate was this newly arrived human girl.

Just as it predicted, the plan worked swimmingly.

The little bastard stretched lazily and contentedly in Zhao Meina's embrace. Seeing this display, Yu Yue rolled her eyes dramatically and sneered, "Some creatures don't even have legs of their own and just throw themselves into other people's arms."

"Who are you calling a dog?!" The little bastard raised its canine head.

"I said a dog. Are you a chair, or are you a dog?" Yu Yue hoisted the little bastard up by its initial form. Powerless to refute and thoroughly defeated in the verbal sparring match, the little bastard muttered under its breath, "You just love picking on—human! No, dog!"

"Ten minutes on foot," Lin Youwei said, pointing in a specific direction. "Right up ahead. My mom used to bring me here to buy clothes."

Yu Yue broke into a smile, already picturing her wonderful future. At the very least, she wouldn't have to go hungry, and she could finally shed this hideous orange work uniform. "Fantastic! We'll be able to scavenge plenty of supplies this time."

She then cast a sidelong glance at the little bastard freeloading in Zhao Meina's arms. "Certain organisms shouldn't expect any help with the work."

"So what if I don't? Blah!"

Li Luyan took the lead, her footsteps light and agile.

After turning two street corners, a partially collapsed shopping center materialized before their eyes.

The sign reading "Red Heart Mall" lay smashed across the middle of the road.

"There's movement," Li Luyan suddenly raised a hand to signal the team to halt.

She closed her eyes and released her psychic energy, blanketing the surrounding area as her perception rippled outward like waves.

"Not zombies... these are traces of human activity."

Lin Youwei frowned. "Other survivors?"

"They might have already left," Li Luyan shook her head. "We need to move quickly."

The automatic doors of the underground supermarket had long since failed. Yu Yue used a crowbar to pry open a narrow gap.

A wave of damp, moldy air rushed out, immediately followed by an unnatural, chilly breeze tinged with a strange odor.

Li Luyan's eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted several monsters lying paralyzed and dead on the floor.

She narrowed her eyes. The strange thing was that whoever had killed these creatures hadn't bothered to clear out the supplies, which implied they intended to return.

She pointed to her right. "The food section is over there. I'll go collect the provisions."

"Youwei, go clear out the clothing section and fold the items neatly. Yu Yue, go with her."

"Meina..." She paused, looking at the girl holding the little bastard. "You're on watch duty. If anyone approaches, report back immediately."

"What about me?" The little bastard poked its head out from the crook of Zhao Meina's arm.

"Just keep your mouth shut." Yu Yue had already strode toward the down jacket section. These were designer brands that she, an impoverished female college student, could ordinarily never afford to buy.

"Yu Yue, why are you rubbing your hands together? Hurry up and fold these clothes and stack them aside so Luyan can store them directly when she gets here." Lin Youwei, having just finished folding a shirt, felt a surge of irritation upon seeing Yu Yue standing idle and rubbing her hands in glee while staring at the down jackets.

"I know, I know."

Li Luyan walked alone toward the depths of the supermarket, continuously utilizing her spatial ability along the way to sweep the food items one by one into her storage space.

Rounding a collapsed set of shelves, she discovered a locked storage room.

The iron chain on the door was nothing more than decoration to her. The moment she placed her hand upon it, the heavy chain vanished into her storage space.

Inside the storage room, boxes of military rations and bottled water were stacked neatly, but those weren't the primary target. Her gaze drifted toward several green packages resting quietly in the corner.

—Camping gear and firearms.

Now these were genuinely good finds. It seemed someone had indeed been using this place as a temporary stronghold. Well, she would simply treat these supplies as their tribute to her.

A faint smile touched the corner of Li Luyan's lips. She swiftly transferred the boxes of rations into her spatial storage.

As she turned back, her supermarket-wide psychic perception registered a disturbance.

Someone was coming, and there was more than one person.