C132 The Spoils of War Were Plentiful and the Zombie Horde Actually Left!(2)

Tang Bing caught his own reflection in the mirror and noticed the look in his eyes. With a resigned shake of his head, he teased, "Seems like you're trying to impress someone, huh?"

Liang Hui's cheeks flushed at his words.

Zhao Dagang, feeling sheepish, scratched his head and let out an awkward chuckle.

"Let's just drop it," Sun Meng suggested quietly. "With all those zombies, it doesn't feel safe. We can always come back another time, once they've moved on."

"Hold on!" Tang Bing had intended to do just that, but he abruptly stopped the car mid-reverse.

"What's the matter, Bing?" Sun Meng asked in a hushed tone. "You're not seriously considering going in there, are you? With that many zombies..."

"Remember the cement factory? It was swarming with even more zombies, and Bing took them all out solo," Zhao Dagang said, his faith in Tang Bing unwavering. "I bet these zombies seem like nothing to him!"

"Exactly! Bing's incredible. How many times has he weaved through hordes of zombies with ease? Those were just the tip of the iceberg," Liang Hui finally chimed in.

"Enough with the praise," Tang Bing shot back, giving them a pointed look. "Don't think I don't know what's going through your minds."

"Exactly! Bing, don't listen to them. They're not considering your safety at all!" Sun Meng said, glaring at Liang Hui and Zhao Dagang with frustration.

"That's not true! We trust Bing!" Zhao Dagang countered immediately. "Plus, the stuff we get isn't just for us. Everyone benefits!"

"But we can't keep letting Bing take all the risks!" Sun Meng argued, still not satisfied.

"We're not as capable as Bing, though," Zhao Dagang admitted.

"Enough!" Tang Bing cut off their bickering. "Quiet down! Do you want to attract the zombies?"

"But Bing, they..." Sun Meng started, clearly worried.

"Shh," Tang Bing hushed them, making a silencing gesture. He pulled out the recently acquired telescope from his virtual backpack and scrutinized the distant scene.

After a moment, he nodded with a hint of reluctance. "Looks like we really need to figure out a way to draw those zombies away."

"Bing, is it worth risking your life for a CD?" Sun Meng asked, concern etched on her face. "You're going to face danger again? Can't we look for it somewhere safer? After all, a day or two won't make a difference."

Upon hearing Sun Meng's words, Zhao Dagang and Liang Hui exchanged a glance, both falling silent.

After a moment's reflection, Zhao Dagang seemed to realize he might have been too harsh: "Brother Bing, maybe we should just let it go. Thinking it over, Ms. Meng has a point. Risking our necks for a CD, just for kicks, isn't really worth it."

Liang Hui agreed, "Yeah, let's drop it. We can always come back another time, or find a safer spot to pick it up."

"Shh—" Tang Bing hushed them once more, peering through his binoculars for a good while before turning back to them. "I've got one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

Why was he suddenly talking about good news and bad news? The trio exchanged puzzled looks.

"Tell us the good news, Bing," Liang Hui prompted.

Tang Bing stowed the binoculars and nodded, "Just like you mentioned, where the zombies are clustered, there's a shop selling videos, computers, and phones. Most importantly, I spotted our main target for today—the solar water heater store is right at the end of that street!"

"Let me have a look!" Zhao Dagang quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and scurried over to Tang Bing.

Tang Bing passed him the binoculars, allowing him to take a long, careful look.

"It's true!" Zhao Dagang confirmed with a nod. "Right at the corner, too. Good eye, Bing!"

"But with so many zombies, it's hardly convenient," Sun Meng pointed out. "Should we search for another street?"

"The bad news," Tang Bing said with a shrug, "is that we've nearly circled the whole town. That spot up ahead might be the only place left with the supplies we need. Unless we're willing to trek to a farther town or the city center, we're out of options."

"Ah?" Sun Meng's face fell at his words. "So, what do we do?"

"We'll need to come up with a plan to draw the zombies away from that area," Tang Bing declared, standing up. "Our current location is relatively safe. You two stay put in the car and wait for me. I'll go alone, lure the zombies out, and then grab what we need. If it's too much to carry, I'll come back for the car."

"But Brother Bing, it's way too risky!" Sun Meng implored, her eyes filled with concern. "Why does it always have to be you? It's just not fair!"

"What, you want to take my place?" Tang Bing retorted, glancing back at her.

"I... I wouldn't be any help if I went!" Sun Meng's voice trailed off as she hung her head.

"As long as you understand that," Tang Bing replied with a sigh. "Dagang isn't up to it either, and Liang Hui is in the same boat as you. Right now, it seems I'm the only one on the team who can handle this. I've gotten pretty good at it, anyway..."

"Boom!" His words were cut off by a massive explosion in the distance. Seated in the car, they felt the ground tremble as if an earthquake had struck.

"Roar~!" Zombies far off were suddenly on the move, swarming en masse toward something unseen.

"What's happening? What's going on?" Zhao Dagang jumped, his voice tinged with alarm.

Sun Meng and Liang Hui, startled by the abrupt blast and shaking, huddled in their seats, wide-eyed and looking to Tang Bing for reassurance.

Tang Bing quickly grabbed his binoculars for a closer look, only to see zombies fleeing from in front of the shops. "I'm not sure what's happened! Seems like an explosion somewhere has drawn the zombies off with its loud noise!"

"Could there be survivors?" Sun Meng blurted out, her worry palpable. "Brother Bing, do you think there might be survivors?"

"Yeah! Maybe there are survivors out there. Are we going to attempt a rescue?" Liang Hui chimed in, catching on.

"Attempt a rescue? Against that many zombies? Do you really think we could save anyone?" Tang Bing responded coolly. "Heading over there would be like walking into a death trap. We'd be goners for sure!"

"Brother Bing, look quick! The sky's all lit up red!" Sun Meng exclaimed, pointing toward the horizon.

They all crouched down to gaze at the distant sky, which was indeed ablaze with red.

"An explosion of that magnitude, and the flames..." Tang Bing paused to think. "It's unlikely to be the work of a vehicle. My guess is either a gas station or a coal plant has blown up. No other explanation for such a big disturbance! But if it's a gas station or a coal plant that's gone up, then any survivors in that area... they wouldn't stand a chance."

"Yeah, with an explosion that big, there's no escaping it..." A tinge of sorrow crossed Sun Meng's face.

"Come on, no more long faces," Tang Bing said, shaking his head at the sight of their gloomy expressions, concerned for survivors they weren't even sure existed. "We're the lucky ones right now! We were just trying to figure out how to distract those zombies, and now we don't have to lift a finger. Everyone buckle up! I'm going to drive us over there and we'll grab everything we need to bring back home!"

The trio quickly buckled their seat belts and settled into their seats.

Tang Bing fired up the bus, seizing the moment while the zombies were distracted by the explosion, leaving the once-bustling streets deserted. He pressed on the gas and drove forward.

Naturally, there were still some zombies in the area, blocked by debris and unable to leave. Tang Bing didn't hesitate. With Zhao Dagang by his side, they used their keen senses to track down and eliminate each one, preventing any surprise attacks during their supply run.

Once the area was clear of zombies, Tang Bing called out to his teammates, "Move fast! Now's our chance while it's clear. Dagang, you're with me. We're going to haul as many solar water heaters as we can carry! Sun Meng, Liang Hui, you two hit the video and computer stores. It's safe for now, but still, grab what you can quickly and don't get greedy. Once you've got it, head straight back to the bus and stay hidden, just in case any zombies show up. If you run into trouble, shout out and Dagang and I will be right there to back you up!"

"Got it, Bing!" Sun Meng nodded, then turned to Liang Hui. "Let's make the most of this rare chance and move fast!"

"Dagang, over here, quick!" Tang Bing called out, seeing the girls spring into action. "Come on, come on, come on! These solar water heaters look heavy. Think we can manage?"

"I'm not sure! Maybe they come apart?" Zhao Dagang suggested.

"Well, let's figure it out and get to it!"