Chapter 33: The Trio Investigates the Steamship

"I want to go too." Lu Yao’s voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of coquetry, much like a child begging an adult for candy.

Jiang Qiyu found this side of him impossible to resist; it felt as if she were raising a large dog that would act all aggrieved the moment she was slightly stern with him. She sighed helplessly and rubbed her temples. "Fine, fine, let's go together. But once we're out there, you follow orders. If you dare to run off, I’ll throw you to the zombies."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yao immediately broke into a smile through his tears. He clung tightly to Jiang Qiyu’s arm, hanging onto her like a koala, terrified that she might change her mind.

Shi Chao, standing to the side, shuddered and couldn't help but rub his arms. Lu Yao’s clinginess made the very air feel cloying and sweet, and he couldn't stop the goosebumps from rising. He gave a dry cough to break the slightly ambiguous atmosphere. "Ahem, well, Boss, when are we leaving?"

"We leave now." As Jiang Qiyu spoke, she walked to the villa’s backyard and retrieved the military-green sidecar electric motorcycle from her spatial storage. It appeared before them, its metallic frame gleaming in the sunlight. On the left was the motorcycle, and on the right was a sidecar for passengers or supplies, equipped with two machine guns that looked quite formidable.

Shi Chao pulled open the door and plopped into the sidecar seat. He had just buckled his seatbelt when a chill ran down his spine, as if he were being watched by something cold and sinister. He instinctively looked back to find Lu Yao standing where he was, his resentful gaze seemingly piercing through his body, his face filled with grievance and dissatisfaction.

Shi Chao hurriedly unbuckled his seatbelt, scrambled out of the sidecar, and trotted over to the back seat, sitting obediently behind Jiang Qiyu. He hunched his shoulders, trying to minimize his presence, hoping to avoid Lu Yao’s hateful glare.

Yet, Lu Yao’s eyes remained locked onto him, making cold sweat break out on Shi Chao’s back. He could almost feel Lu Yao’s resentment surging toward him like a tide, threatening to drown him.

Shi Chao sighed in resignation and silently moved to the seat behind the sidecar.

"Hold on tight, we're leaving." At Jiang Qiyu’s command, the motorcycle shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Along the way, zombies surged forward like a tide.

Lu Yao held a machine gun in one hand, the muzzle flashes reflecting in his indifferent eyes. Zombies swarmed forward one after another, only to have their heads exploded by his precise, rhythmic fire. Shi Chao witnessed bullet after bullet piercing through rotting skulls, tracing arcs of death in the air. He was astonished to find that although Lu Yao looked frail, his strikes were exceptionally ruthless and decisive, his combat power truly shocking.

When they reached the pier, looking out from a distance, the area near the containers was a sea of black, filled with the stench of blood and rotting flesh that made it hard to breathe. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that a massive number of zombies had gathered there, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

Jiang Qiyu narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the terrain of the pier as she quickly calculated the best route for their operation.

The zombie horde was mainly concentrated in front of the containers, while the other side was relatively empty. She decided to avoid the densely packed front area and approach the containers from the safer side.

"Shi Chao, you scout ahead. I’ll be second, and Lu Yao will cover the rear."

Shi Chao nodded. His face turned deathly pale, his eyes flooded with eerie red bloodshot veins, and his skin gradually took on a rotting grayish-green hue. He hunched over and walked toward the zombie horde with a shambling gait, emitting a nauseating stench of decay. He blended perfectly into the ranks of the walking dead and slipped into the crowd without a sound.

Jiang Qiyu followed closely behind, while Lu Yao kept watch, guarding against any zombies attempting a sneak attack from the rear.

Jiang Qiyu followed Shi Chao into the horde. She moved with light, agile grace, like a black bolt of lightning weaving through the gaps between the zombies. Lu Yao held a submachine gun, his eyes scanning the surroundings vigilantly, ready to gun down any zombie that tried to ambush them from behind.

Everything went smoothly at first, and they were just about to reach the containers.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling roar erupted from behind the containers, and a zombie in an advanced state of decay lunged out. It moved with terrifying speed, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, heading straight for Jiang Qiyu.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Yao’s gaze sharpened. He lunged forward like a leopard, grabbed Jiang Qiyu’s arm, and pulled her behind him. At the same time, he turned sideways and delivered a clean, swift shoulder throw, slamming the zombie hard onto the ground and sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he raised his pistol and fired a shot into the zombie’s head.

The entire process was seamless, without a hint of wasted movement.

Shi Chao was startled. In that split second, Lu Yao’s eyes had been cold and ferocious, like a bloodthirsty beast—a complete departure from his usual docile self.

He stepped back slightly, his heart pounding with unease.

Jiang Qiyu quickly walked to Lu Yao’s side, looking him up and down with a trace of worry. "Are you alright? Were you bitten?" she asked softly.

Lu Yao immediately switched back to his aggrieved, pouting expression.

Jiang Qiyu felt relieved and shook her head with a secret laugh. The drama queen was at it again, acting pitiful to win sympathy. She sighed helplessly.

"Don't do that again. Close-quarters combat is too dangerous; it's easy to get scratched."

"My hand hurts so much..." Lu Yao pouted, tears welling up in his eyes, acting coquettish toward Jiang Qiyu. He lifted the hand that had been scratched by the zombie; three bloodstains stood out starkly against his fair skin, looking truly shocking.

Jiang Qiyu rubbed her forehead. This guy changed his face faster than turning a book page. One moment he was a god of slaughter, and the next he was a pathetic little puppy.

She took disinfecting alcohol and gauze from her storage, gently tending to his wound. "That’s enough, it’s just a scratch. It’ll be fine after resting for two days."

"But it really hurts..." Lu Yao sniffled, gazing up at Jiang Qiyu with wide eyes, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Shi Chao rolled his eyes from the side. This kid was acting way too well! Given his freakish regenerative abilities, a minor wound like this probably didn't even itch.

Shi Chao muttered to himself that if this kid didn't go into acting, it would be a waste of talent. He deserved an Oscar for his performance. The ability to cry on command and flip his personality so effortlessly was truly something else.

Jiang Qiyu glared at him in annoyance. "Stop acting. What is a scratch like this to you? Get in the car, we need to collect the containers and gather supplies."

Only then did Lu Yao drop his pitiful act. He hopped into the passenger seat, buckled his seatbelt with excitement, and chirped, "Let’s go!"