C14 Chapter 14

Zeng Qiang emerged, flanked by two women. "It's ours. Is there a problem?"

The man swept his gaze over Zeng Qiang, surveyed the crowd, and then fixed his intense stare on Jiang Ruan. Even the usually indifferent Jiang Ruan couldn't help but return his gaze.

"I was hoping you could take us with you. We know where the survivor's base is," the leader said, approaching with urgency. Among their group, only one person possessed a special ability—a predictive power that could foresee events a mere minute into the future.

It wasn't much of an asset for their team, but the fifty freshly slain zombies outside were a testament to the prowess of the group before them. Following them could significantly increase their chances of survival.

"We can take you," Zeng Qiang declared, arms crossed and eyes alight with a commanding presence. "But you'll all have to follow my lead."

The leader glanced back at his companions, who showed no objection, and then nodded at Zeng Qiang. "I'm Faang Yu, and these are my companions. We won't hold you back."

Pleased with Faang Yu's deference, Zeng Qiang didn't bother consulting his own team. He casually instructed, "There are a few decent vehicles at this gas station. Pick one and trail behind us."

"Brother Zeng, we're barely managing as it is," Zhu Zhengyan protested, but a sharp look from Zeng Qiang silenced him.

Zeng Qiang sneered. "If you've got a problem with that, you can leave. I'm the one in charge here, and you'll all follow my orders." His gaze then shifted to Jiang Ruan, his desire to dominate her evident, to make her his own.

Fortunately, Jiang Ruan was oblivious to Zeng Qiang's inner thoughts—knowing them would have revolted her.

"We need to keep moving. We have to find a safe place to rest before nightfall, or we won't make it," Jiang Ruan said, casting a brief look at the others before setting out.

She sat in the car, eyes closed, conserving her energy, ignoring the others until they were ready. Then she sped off, the trunk packed to the gills. Had the car been bigger, they probably would have stripped the gas station's convenience store bare.

Their journey to A City was slow-going; they encountered the occasional zombie and heavy traffic, which meant they spent a whole day on the road and were still on the national highway without even a town in sight.

With no other option, they drove into a nearby village devoid of human life, with only a sparse number of zombies roaming.

"Zhu Zhengyan, take a team to clear the zombies around the village perimeter. I'll handle the ones inside," Zeng Qiang instructed, then turned to the newcomer, Faang Yu, "You're with me."

In this post-apocalyptic world, you had to grow strong fast or you'd end up as zombie fodder. Faang Yu, the only college student from the village, understood this all too well.

Following Zeng Qiang, they quickly dispatched the zombies, and the village fell eerily silent, save for the occasional crow's caw that seemed to underscore the heavy atmosphere.

Jiang Ruan chose a farmhouse on higher ground, where they could all safely stay on the second floor, well out of reach of the average zombie.

The group followed Jiang Ruan upstairs to a room with a concrete floor, where an underage zombie lurked. Jiang Ruan eliminated it in the blink of an eye.

Zeng Qiang, no stranger to such sights, couldn't help but marvel at the efficiency. As for Faang Yu, the team's newest member, his admiration for Jiang Ruan grew even more.