C31 The Two Beauties in the Office Tried on Their Clothes and Searched for Tang Bing.

Tang Bing was at a loss for words when it came to Zhao Dagang.

But if he was set on that eighth-generation smartphone, then so be it!

Meanwhile, Sun Meng and Qin Mengli were engrossed in picking out beautiful clothes.

"Mengli, how about this blue dress?" Sun Meng held up the sample and asked Qin Mengli.

Qin Mengli glanced at it and replied, "Nice choice! Paired with my white top, it'll look amazing!"

"Really?" Sun Meng's face lit up with excitement. "Mengli, shall we try them on?"

"Sure!" Qin Mengli was equally enthusiastic. "But there's no fitting room here."

"How about we change in the restroom?" suggested Sun Meng.

"No way! The restroom reeks!" Qin Mengli quickly vetoed the idea and then looked around. "That office over there looks good."

"You're right! Let's use the office as our dressing room!" Sun Meng twirled around, beaming. "I'm so happy! We can take any of these gorgeous clothes, try them on, and even take several sets. It's more thrilling than shopping at a mall!"

"Later, we can mix and match to our heart's content and put together dozens of stunning outfits!" Qin Mengli was bubbling with excitement. "Let's go tidy up the office!"

"Okay!"

The girls hurried into the office. Seconds later, Zhao Dagang, who had been searching for supplies there, was shooed out, looking dejected as he approached Tang Bing. "Bing, they won't let me take the supplies! I just found several barrels of pure water I was about to carry out!"

Tang Bing couldn't help but smile wryly. "Let it go, let them have their fun! They've been through a lot these past few days and are probably feeling quite down. If dressing up in these clothes helps ease their stress, don't stand in their way! Go look on the other side. The supplies aren't going anywhere!"

"Oh!" Zhao Dagang nodded compliantly. "I'll head over there, then!"

Zhao Dagang was a simple and obedient guy. Treat him well, and he'd go above and beyond for you. Tang Bing found this trait particularly endearing.

Once Zhao Dagang was out of sight, Tang Bing glanced toward the office. Sun Meng and Qin Mengli had secured the doors and windows, drawing all the curtains shut. The office was now a private sanctuary, free from prying eyes.

Tang Bing had eliminated Yang Fei, who harbored feelings for Sun Meng, and then went on to take out Qin Mengli's new boyfriend, Zhang Tao, along with his two henchmen. He figured that despite their composed exteriors, both women were likely scared or harbored resentment towards him. But in this apocalyptic world, their desire to survive likely led them to suppress any outward reactions.

He knew better than to dwell on it. Chances were, there was no future for him with either of them. It was crucial to keep any feelings for Qin Mengli in check, or better yet, erase them from his heart entirely! The sole priority was navigating survival in this nightmarish zombie apocalypse.

With a heavy sigh, he patted his face and turned back to his search through the desk drawers.

You have obtained three pieces of torn cloth!

You have obtained two pieces of leather!

You have obtained one roll of tape!

You have obtained one bottle of glue!

...

Methodically, he searched each desk, mostly finding torn cloth, leather, tape, and glue, with the occasional piece of scrap iron, copper, or lead. Soon, his virtual backpack was loaded with 128 pieces of torn cloth, 78 pieces of leather, 25 rolls of tape, and 16 bottles of glue.

Having gone through half the warehouse's drawers, his back ached, but he pushed on to the next desk.

You have obtained three rolls of tape!

You have obtained one repair kit!

You have obtained a blueprint for a scrap metal helmet!

To his surprise, this search yielded a lucky find—a blueprint, accompanied by a repair kit, which sparked his excitement.

With the repair kit, you can fix many things!

The scrap metal helmet blueprint detailed a helmet crafted from scrap metal, offering substantial head protection. Required materials: 50 pieces of scrap metal, 10 pieces of leather, and two rolls of tape.

Tang Bing had all the necessary materials on hand, so he promptly learned the blueprint and brought up the crafting interface.

As expected, the armor crafting section now included the scrap metal helmet as an available option, highlighted and ready to be made.

He quickly selected the helmet on the virtual interface, initiating the crafting process, which displayed a progress icon and noted a total crafting time of 4 minutes!

He wasn't one to sit around idly. Closing the crafting interface to run in the background, he resumed his diligent search for more resources.

Four minutes later, the system pinged Tang Bing with the news that he had crafted a low-quality scrap metal helmet.

It was to be expected; without any upgrades to his armor crafting skill, he was bound to produce only the most basic equipment.

Despite its simplicity, the scrap metal helmet boasted a defense rating of 5, offering effective protection against head-targeted attacks. The description was straightforward, yet a 5-point defense was quite impressive.

The helmet, crafted from humble materials, turned out surprisingly attractive. Its design echoed that of a motorcycle helmet but appeared far sturdier. An iron exterior was complemented by a soft leather interior. Once donned, it shielded the neck entirely, leaving only the wearer's facial features exposed. It promised to ward off frontal assaults and sneak attacks alike, whether from zombies or other adversaries.

Tang Bing was thrilled with his creation. He resolved to take the helmet with him on tomorrow's scavenging trip, a smart move to increase his chances of staying safe.

A defense value of 5 for a low-quality helmet made Tang Bing wonder about the potential of higher-quality gear. Initially, he planned to invest skill points into his physical attributes to secure his survival and fighting prowess. Only later would he consider enhancing his crafting abilities. With a stroke of luck, he might come across skill books to boost his crafting skills directly, saving points for other uses. Unlocking and upgrading crafting skills was no small feat, requiring a minimum of 5 points.

Fortune continued to smile on Tang Bing. Soon after acquiring the helmet, he unearthed blueprints for scrap iron gloves, knee pads, and boots. His only disappointment was not finding blueprints for scrap iron body armor. A complete set would significantly bolster his defenses.

The makeshift scrap iron gloves, knee pads, and boots, along with the helmet, covered about 60% of his body. Only his chest and back remained vulnerable. The ensemble offered solid protection, and when the time came, he could equip his team with similar gear. Against the zombie hordes, as long as their gear held up, they could count on their safety being assured.

This was a huge advantage when scavenging for supplies in battle!

If Tang Bing could get his hands on a set of top-notch scrap iron gear, he'd easily take on a horde of zombies without breaking a sweat! Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to face them head-on without any evasive maneuvers.

As he stowed the subpar scrap iron equipment and was about to resume his hunt for the elusive scrap iron chestplate blueprint, Sun Meng and Qin Mengli emerged from the office after a good twenty minutes. They had slipped into white tops and blue skirts.

Though they wore identical outfits, each woman brought a distinct vibe.

Sun Meng exuded the fresh, girl-next-door charm in her ensemble, radiating an adorable presence; Qin Mengli, on the other hand, carried herself with the poise of a corporate powerhouse, exuding an air of authority. The stark contrast between them was a visual feast for Tang Bing!

But Tang Bing's awe lasted merely a second before he caught himself grumbling internally. They took almost half an hour just to change outfits—outrageously long! He could switch clothes in mere seconds. The complexity of women's wardrobe changes was beyond him.

When Sun Meng and Qin Mengli noticed Tang Bing's initial look of amazement, it was quickly replaced by his focus on rifling through drawers for more items, which quite deflated their confidence. However, they were soon preoccupied with the allure of their stylish attire, joyfully picking out more combinations like excited twin sisters.

Tang Bing, meanwhile, paid no mind to the girls, zeroing in on his search. After flipping every desk in the storeroom, he still came up empty-handed for the armor-type scrap iron blueprint.

He did find a blueprint for cotton cloth armor, though, which required a mere ten scraps of fabric.

The crafted cotton armor was basic, with a defense value of three, offering minimal protection for the chest and back. But it paled in comparison to Tang Bing's suit jacket. The cotton armor would probably be more suitable for the other three.

Time flies when you're busy, and before they knew it, it was already around 9:10 PM.

Zhao Dagang had finished scouring the adjacent rooms, unearthing a treasure trove of snacks like sunflower seeds, peanuts, candy, gum, and chips, along with several large containers of purified water. He returned, set everything down, and contentedly settled in a corner to tinker with his newly acquired latest model fruit phone.

Tang Bing had initially set out to head upstairs to the sewing workshop, intent on continuing his search for the blueprint of armor-like scrap iron equipment. He was determined to assemble a full set of scrap iron gear, aiming to significantly bolster the defensive capabilities of the four team members and enhance their chances of survival.

But after spending so much time hunched over in his search, his back and waist were aching, forcing him to grab a chair and take a much-needed break.

On top of that, he was starting to feel the weight of fatigue. The day had been one of constant vigilance, with no real opportunity to unwind. Driving through hordes of zombies and engaging in close combat had taken its toll, leaving him yearning for nothing more than a restorative sleep.

In stark contrast to the weary Zhao Dagang and Tang Bing, Sun Meng and Qin Mengli were brimming with energy. The two women had tried on what seemed like an endless array of outfits and were still going strong, their enthusiasm undiminished. Both Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang were left speechless, utterly baffled by the seemingly inexhaustible vitality and zest of their female companions.