NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 46
Chapter 46: Venturing Outside
Night fell, and everyone gathered in front of Lu Ming’s house to witness Zhang Lixin demonstrate his newfound superpower.
“I’ve named it Material Modeling,” Zhang Lixin announced. “It allows me to manipulate the shape of matter, like this.”
He casually picked up a dumbbell weight. With a squeeze of his hand, the plates morphed rapidly, transforming into near-perfect spheres.
This magical display elicited a wave of cheers and thunderous applause, especially from Lu Ming.
“Amazing, Sir Zhang! This power is incredible! I might need to call upon your skills in the future to craft some weapons.”
Lu Ming’s mind immediately drifted toward weaponry and ammunition.
The trusty hunter slingshot was no longer enough. He’d recently noticed signs of wear and tear, and securing a few backups wouldn’t hurt. Ammunition, needless to say, was a constant drain on their resources.
Zhang Lixin offered a solemn nod. “Leave the weapons and ammo to me from now on.”
Wang Xiong, however, interjected at an inopportune moment.
“It seems to me this power has more support applications,” he remarked. “The direct combat effectiveness might be a bit lacking...”
The atmosphere shifted, a palpable tension settling over the group. Just that morning, Zhang Lixin had declared his intention to protect everyone with the power of an Awakened. Now, in the evening, upon seeing his ability, Wang Xiong threw out these words.
Here he was, Zhang Lixin, an Awakened, seemingly relegated to a support role. How could he save face?
The smile vanished from Zhang Lixin’s face, replaced by a glare directed at Wang Xiong. Feeling the weight of his misplaced comment, Wang Xiong awkwardly scratched his head.
Thankfully, Zhang Chengcheng’s soothing voice intervened at the perfect moment.
“What’s wrong with being a support?” she questioned gently. “Everyone says my gravity power is powerful, but ultimately, it just helps with Brother Lu’s training, right?”
Zhang Lixin gave Zhang Chengcheng an appreciative look. Little sister Zhang, you truly understand.
The lively evening eventually drew to a close.
The next day dawned, marking Day 31 of the Apocalypse Calendar, a Tuesday.
Following their morning exercises and lunch break, Lu Ming began rummaging through boxes and cabinets.
Today was a critical day. Lu Ming was venturing out.
For food.
Name: Lu Ming
Age: 25
Strength: 54.9
Physique: 55.6
Agility: 50.8
Surpassing 50 points in all three core attributes, Lu Ming felt confident enough to make the trip. Still, confidence couldn’t replace preparation.
He donned a thick leather coat and gloves that wouldn’t impede his aim. After deliberation, a yellow safety helmet joined the ensemble. A bow with arrows strapped to his back, a slingshot, a Rifle with a silencer, a fire axe, a baseball bat, and a dagger—Lu Ming decided it was best to be over-equipped, even adding a crossbow and bolts. With enough ammunition, throwing discs, and a hefty bag towering over him, he approached the door.
Click, click, click, click, click
Five locks disengaged, revealing the military vehicle parked outside. Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng occupied the driver and passenger seats, respectively. Their gazes met Lu Ming’s, and both were visibly stunned by his arsenal.
Only after Lu Ming entered the car did Wang Xiong manage a helpless chuckle. “Brother, it’s really not that bad out there.”
Before Lu Ming could respond, Zhang Chengcheng interjected thoughtfully, “It’s good to be prepared, Brother Lu. We can’t predict high-level zombies. Better safe than sorry, right?”
Lu Ming nodded in agreement. “Caution never hurts.”
Wang Xiong waved to Zhang Lixin standing outside. “The house is in your capable hands.”
With that, he pressed the gas, and the car rumbled towards the heart of Good Hope Village.
Leaving the familiar surroundings instilled a flicker of apprehension in Lu Ming. Yet, the sturdy military vehicle offered a sense of comfort.
Soon, they left Guangping Street behind. Named after their location, it was Lu Ming’s home turf. Thanks to the combined efforts of Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng, Guangping Street was free of zombies and designated as a safe zone by the group.
Venturing beyond Guangping Street meant leaving the safe zone. Lu Ming’s posture stiffened, his focus sharpening. Even the usually carefree Wang Xiong adopted a cautious demeanor.
“Our target this time is the Zhang family’s food supplies,” Zhang Chengcheng explained. “I already cleared the area of zombies. The plan is simple: grab supplies, load them up, and get out. However, Wang Xiong and I haven’t cleared the streets between our place and the Zhangs’. That’s why we didn’t bring anyone else—we’re clearing the streets while we travel. Once we’re done, all four vehicles can move together for a quicker haul.”
Lu Ming’s eyebrows shot up. “That many supplies, huh?”
Zhang Chengcheng gave a small confirmation. “We stockpiled a lot in the past.”
Their conversation attracted nearby zombies, their moans drawn to the vehicle’s noise. Lu Ming took a deep breath, opened the firing port, and expertly took down two with precise shots.
Peering out, he squinted and then crawled back in. “There don’t seem to be many…”
Good Hope Village, nestled near Nanxiang City’s center, was once home to a large migrant population. As such, the zombie density should be high. Yet, after nearly three minutes of driving, they’d only encountered two. This unnerved Lu Ming.
“Less zombies is a good thing, right?” Wang Xiong remarked casually.
Zhang Chengcheng countered, “Fewer zombies means fewer evolved ones. How do we Awakeners get stronger then?”
Wang Xiong’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Lu Ming interjected, “Let’s focus on the task at hand. Food is more important than zombies right now.”
Wang Xiong nodded in agreement. “Survivors are more important too. We need more people in our group.”
Without a strong workforce, development stalled. Wang Xiong envisioned the Guangping Street gathering place as a thriving community. He aspired to be a hero, a savior, building a haven for survivors.
This dream required not only exceptional talents like Lu Ming but also a core team like himself, Zhang Chengcheng, and Zhang Lixin. It also needed ordinary people like Yang Guan and Qin Lie.
Half an hour later, the military vehicle pulled up to the Zhang family compound’s gate. They’d encountered less than ten zombies on the way. Peering through the large iron gate, they saw a field of scattered zombie corpses—Zhang Chengcheng’s handiwork.
Opening the gate, they walked along the muddy path to the underground cellar entrance. Zhang Chengcheng’s brow furrowed as she approached.
“Something’s wrong,” she said. “The lock is broken.”
Two days prior, she’d distinctly remembered the large cellar lock being secure. Now, it was twisted beyond recognition.
With a deep breath, Zhang Chengcheng led the way down the cellar stairs. A moment later, her voice, though tense, echoed up, “Thankfully, not much seems to be missing.”
End of Chapter 46