C129 They Fought over the Bet and the Police Were There for a Day(1)

Ultimately, Tang Bing sent Sun Meng back to her room without allowing her to join the conversation.

The next day, Sun Meng seemed a bit downcast, while Qin Mengli's spirits had noticeably lifted.

"After breakfast, we're heading back to town," Tang Bing announced to the group. "Our main goal is to locate a factory that manufactures solar water heaters or a store that sells them. We'll only have the morning to search, and we'll return immediately afterward, whether we've found anything or not. This afternoon, I plan to divert the clean water source to our house. We've been going through our stored pure water too quickly using buckets. Even with our ample reserves, we need to conserve. Once we have the water source connected, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, cleaning, and using the toilet will be much less of a hassle."

"Who's going to stay with me today?" Lin Leyan asked, her eyes filled with concern for her daughter. Deep down, she hoped Liang Hui would remain behind. The thought of her daughter venturing into a zombie-infested town in search of supplies made her uneasy.

Tang Bing glanced at Qin Mengli, Sun Meng, and Liang Hui. He noticed that since their outing with the team the previous day, both Qin Mengli and Sun Meng were still shaken, showing reluctance at the mention of another trip.

Liang Hui, silent as she was, clearly wasn't eager to leave either.

They had all been so resolute before, but now, just a day later, their courage had waned.

Tang Bing could empathize; after all, they were young women unaccustomed to such harsh realities. But the current circumstances left little room for sympathy.

After a moment's thought, he addressed them, "We're rotating turns, so Liang Hui, you're definitely coming with us today."

Liang Hui, though braced for the decision, couldn't hide her dismay at being singled out.

"Don't worry, Huihui!" Zhao Dagang quickly reassured her, moving to her side. "I've got your back!"

With a huff, Liang Hui shot him a glare and turned away, snorting softly.

Why hasn't she cooled off yet? Zhao Dagang was feeling down, still in the doghouse with Liang Hui over yesterday's trivial matter!

Tang Bing observed Qin Mengli and Sun Meng, expecting them to volunteer. But as time passed and neither girl spoke up, he finally declared, "If neither of you is willing to go, we'll have to draw straws!"

"Draw straws?" Everyone turned their attention to Tang Bing.

He produced a pen and paper, wrote "Go" on one and "Stay" on the other, then tore and folded them into two slips. After shaking them in his hands, he gripped one in each fist. "One says 'Go,' the other 'Stay.' I've mixed them up so well, even I don't know which is which. You two, make your pick! Whoever draws 'Go' joins the team. The 'Stay' picker remains here with Teacher Lin for the day. Whoever goes out today gets to rest at home tomorrow. Moving forward, the three of you will rotate in this order. If there are no objections, let's draw!"

Despite their anxiety over the possibility of being chosen to go, Qin Mengli and Sun Meng knew they had no choice. After a brief silence, Mengli reached out and gently tapped Tang Bing's left hand, "I'll take this side."

"Then I'll take this one!" Sun Meng, not to be outdone, grasped Tang Bing's other hand.

Mengli shot her an annoyed look, but Sun Meng seemed unfazed.

"Now that you've chosen," Tang Bing flipped his hands over and slowly opened them, "let's see what you've got!"

Sun Meng snatched the slip from her side while Mengli, not wanting to fall behind, quickly grabbed the other.

In a moment charged with tension, they unfolded their slips.

"Ahh!" Sun Meng's face twisted into a grimace at the sight of her slip—no guessing needed!

"Not going!" Mengli exhaled deeply, her anxiety finally easing.

"Let's move!" Tang Bing commanded, having made the decision. "No time to waste. Liang Hui and Sun Meng, you're departing with us today. Everyone head back to your rooms, gear up, and make sure you're well-protected! We'll meet at the entrance in five minutes. I'll be waiting for you in the car."

Despite their reluctance, Sun Meng and Liang Hui suited up in their makeshift armor, hefting their heavy iron swords, and boarded the vehicle.

They embarked before dawn, but by the time they reached the town, the sun was already high in the sky.

"Bing, we spent so much time driving here. The actual time we have to search for the water source seems really short, doesn't it?" Zhao Dagang voiced his concern at the town's entrance. "What if we just focus on finding solar water heaters today and deal with the water source tomorrow?"

"We can skip a day's bath and survive, but delaying the water source means wasting a significant amount of clean water," Tang Bing replied, scanning the surroundings with his senses, choosing a path with the fewest zombies.

Navigating the small town was a challenge; dodging larger zombie hordes meant taking longer routes and occasional detours when roads were impassable. Finding a shop that sold solar water heaters was no easy task.

After circling for over ten minutes without locating the shop, they stumbled upon a police station.

Sensing fewer zombies in the vicinity, Tang Bing promptly pulled up at the station's entrance.

"What's going on, Bing?" Zhao Dagang asked, looking out with confusion.

"Change of plans," Tang Bing announced, killing the engine. "We'll check the police station first; we might find some guns and ammo."

"Ah?" Zhao Dagang's mind flashed back to a previous encounter in the city center. "What if there are zombie dogs inside? We can scale walls, but what about Huihui and the others?"

Tang Bing glanced back at him, then at Sun Meng and Liang Hui, who were clearly on edge. He reassured them, "No need to worry! There are no zombie dogs here, and the place isn't overrun with zombies. We'll go in through the main entrance."

Although the team didn't know how Tang Bing was so certain there were no zombie dogs in the police station, his knack for avoiding hordes of zombies on the drive over had earned him their trust. When he assured them, Zhao Dagang, Sun Meng, and Liang Hui all breathed a silent sigh of relief.

The entrance to the police station stood wide open, unobstructed.

Tang Bing led the charge, stepping out of the car with a mace in hand. He dashed to the doorway and swung at an apparently empty space. Suddenly, a zombie in a police uniform lunged from behind the wall, only to be met squarely by the mace and knocked to the ground, head back.

"Get out!" Tang Bing called back, urging his team as he quickly moved forward to search the downed zombie.

You've found five pistol bullets!

What luck – a great start! You've managed to find the five bullets you needed right away!

Zhao Dagang, Sun Meng, and Liang Hui exited the vehicle, their eyes darting nervously around.

"Stay close!" Tang Bing instructed as he rose to his feet and pressed on, reminding them, "Don't stray too far."

They didn't need to be told twice; the trio stuck to him like shadows.

Inside the police station, they encountered seven or eight zombies. Tang Bing took down four, Zhao Dagang dispatched two, and the rest were left to Sun Meng and Liang Hui, just like the day before.

The two women were still adjusting, but they were handling it better than yesterday. Sun Meng wasn't as sick, and Liang Hui, though pale, managed to keep from vomiting. Her mental fortitude was proving to be stronger than both Sun Meng's and Qin Mengli's.

With the zombies taken care of, Tang Bing led the search of the interior. They prioritized the rooms holding contraband, evidence, and police gear.

Zhao Dagang, Sun Meng, and Liang Hui focused on the more visible assets – gold, silver, jewelry, necklaces, cell phones, watches, and other valuables.

Meanwhile, Tang Bing took the opportunity to rummage through every drawer and cabinet while the others were occupied with the loot.

[You've acquired 20 pistol bullets!]

[You've secured a manual for crafting gasoline tanks!]

[You've snagged a guide on constructing gasoline buckets!]

[You've scored an exquisite jade bracelet!]

[You've landed a stunning sapphire ring!]

[You've snagged a finely crafted diamond watch!]

[You've nabbed a golden rabbit!]

[You've earned a champion's medal!]