C70 They Were Still Resting, so They Wanted to Play Cards, and Then They Came to Ask for Herbal Medi

On a night devoid of electricity, the city was cloaked in darkness.

Despite it being only seven or eight in the evening, visibility outside was nil.

Thankfully, they had stocked up on candles from the supermarket earlier. Restless survivors huddled in the dormitory, curtains drawn, encircling a table.

"Bing, come play cards!" Zhao Dagang pulled out a fresh deck of poker cards from his pocket. "It's the perfect way to pass the time!"

"Great idea!" Sun Meng chimed in. "It's too early to sleep anyway. We can play for a few hours."

"You guys go ahead," Tang Bing declined, uninterested.

"Bing, where are you off to?" Zhao Dagang inquired, watching him rise and head for the door.

Tang Bing flashed his flashlight back at them. "Just bored, thought I'd wander the building a bit, see if there's anything useful to find."

"We've already combed through the whole place. Anything of use, we've already found," Zhao Dagang hurriedly interjected. "Bing, don't bother. Come play cards with us!"

"I'm really not into cards," Tang Bing said, shaking his head as he stepped out of the room. "You all play. Just don't disturb me."

"Bing, should I join you?" Sun Meng offered, standing and quickly catching up to him.

"Why would you join me?" Tang Bing gestured dismissively for her to return. "I've said it already, don't disturb me."

"Oh," Sun Meng muttered, her spirits dampened as she retreated to her room to sit down.

Zhao Dagang stole a glance at Liang Hui, then back at Tang Bing. He set the cards down and stood up. "With Bing out, it's just us ladies left. I'm a bit out of place here. Plus, I'm not exactly nimble. Might as well turn in early!"

"That works out perfectly!" Liang Hui said with a smile, pulling her mother to join them. "We four girls can play together."

"I don't know how to play cards..." Lin Leyan admitted, feeling uneasy.

"Teacher Lin, we can play something simple, like 'catch the turtle,'" Qin Mengli proposed.

"I'm in!" Sun Meng agreed enthusiastically.

Tang Bing made his way to the hallway, with Zhao Dagang trailing behind. Instead of heading back to his own room, however, he followed Tang Bing toward the stairwell.

"What's going on?" Tang Bing spun around, shining his flashlight on the figure before him.

Zhao Dagang shielded his eyes from the beam, grimacing. "Bing, do you have to blind me with that thing?"

"Didn't I tell you not to follow me?" Tang Bing redirected the light, his annoyance evident.

"I need to talk to you," Zhao Dagang said, hobbling over to Tang Bing.

Tang Bing gave him a quizzical look.

Zhao Dagang met his gaze and pulled up his sleeve to reveal a wound. "Bing, this injury on my arm and leg is really getting in the way. Can you help me out?"

"Sun Meng is a nurse, why don't you ask her?" Tang Bing raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, Ms. Meng is a nurse, but she can only do so much—keep the wound from getting worse, maybe help it heal slowly," Zhao Dagang complained. "But I know you've got something better!"

"I'm no doctor, what do you expect me to do?" Tang Bing shook his head. "Just go back and rest. It'll heal up on its own soon enough."

Zhao Dagang glanced around to make sure they were alone, then whispered, "Bing, I'm not clueless! Whether it's been you or any of us, whenever we've taken one of those white pills after getting hurt, the healing's been incredibly fast, and the wounds just vanish. I know the pills are your secret, and I won't pry or let anyone else snoop around. I'm just asking for one now, so I can get back on my feet faster and help you take down zombies for supplies!"

Tang Bing was well aware that keeping such secrets wasn't easy. Zhao Dagang, Sun Meng, and Qin Mengli might not confront him directly, but they were observant. They weren't fools; they couldn't help but notice the remarkable effects of the medicine.

But they didn't know that these miraculous pills were the product of a system, guessing at most about their origins without openly discussing them.

They played dumb because they understood Tang Bing wouldn't divulge the truth. And Tang Bing, for his part, played along, keeping his silence.

Seeing Tang Bing remain silent, Zhao Dagang hurriedly added, "Bing, you really don't have to be so guarded around me. You've saved my life—you're my hero! Plus, you're incredibly resourceful and a natural leader. Most crucially, you possess medicine that can neutralize the infection and has potent healing effects. With all that in mind, if I want to make it out alive, I'd risk everything to ensure your safety! And it's not just me; any survivor who learns about your two miraculous medicines would gladly follow you. We all share the same goal: to survive! Bing, I'm speaking the truth. I'll do anything you ask! All I'm asking is for one pill. You've already given me the anti-infection meds, right? Once I'm healed, I can do even more to help you!"

Tang Bing understood Zhao Dagang's words perfectly. As long as he kept the system's secrets, having these medicines known to others wouldn't be an issue, unless he was extremely unlucky and encountered someone desperate enough to steal them. But with his virtual backpack, he wasn't worried about theft. More importantly, after spending the past few days with Zhao Dagang and Sun Meng, he trusted they weren't the type to betray him.

In reality, given their skills, they probably wouldn't last long without him.

Tang Bing was well aware of this—perhaps even more so than they were.

So, there was no need for Tang Bing to worry about them at all.

The reason he hadn't given Zhao Dagang and Qin Mengli painkillers to speed up their recovery was to punish them for not heeding his advice and rashly deciding to rescue others, which nearly cost them their lives.

Now, both of them likely recognized their error, and the team's core had been established. There was no point in continuing the punishment. Besides, Tang Bing did need their assistance; a group of wounded would only slow them down.

With this in mind, he reached into his pocket, feigning a search, while actually pulling out two painkiller pills from his virtual backpack. "I don't have any magical cures here, just some standard medicine I got from the hospital. If you think it'll help you heal faster, go ahead and take it. I'm not so petty as to withhold help."

"Thanks, Brother Bing!" Zhao Dagang exclaimed as he took the pill, his face lighting up with happiness. He was about to pop both pills into his mouth when Tang Bing quickly grabbed his hand, frowning.

"Just one is enough! Give the other to Qin Mengli," Tang Bing instructed.

"Oh! Got it!" Zhao Dagang said, a bit sheepishly, as he picked up one pill and tossed it into his mouth. "I'll take this pill to Miss Qin and then head to bed. Brother Bing, I won't bother you any longer!"

"Alright," Tang Bing nodded, watching Zhao Dagang hobble away before he himself descended the stairs.

Back in the lively room where everyone was gathered, the four women were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Sun Meng, seeing Zhao Dagang's return, turned and asked with curiosity, "Brother Zhao, you're back? Weren't you off to bed?"

"Oh, right!" Zhao Dagang nodded, "I was headed to sleep, but Brother Bing was concerned about my injury and gave me a pill for it. And he asked me to bring one to Miss Qin as well! Miss Qin, this is from Brother Bing. Take it quickly; his medicine works wonders!"

Lin Leyan and Liang Hui, unaware of the specifics, assumed it was just a standard injury pill and didn't give it much thought. However, Qin Mengli and Sun Meng caught on immediately upon hearing Zhao Dagang's explanation.

"Mengli, you definitely need to take some injury medicine!" Sun Meng said, nodding encouragingly. "It'll help you heal faster!"

"Mmm!" Qin Mengli didn't put on airs. She accepted the pill from Zhao Dagang and swallowed it down, then grabbed a nearby bottle of mineral water and took several big swigs.

"Mengli, it's your turn! Keep the game going!" Liang Hui urged, her attention fixed on the card game.

"Okay!" Qin Mengli said, feeling a bit better after the pill. She was unsure about the origins of Tang Bing's medicine, its safety, or potential side effects. Yet, the effectiveness she witnessed was undeniable. Her abdominal wound was severe, disrupting her sleep and often waking her with pain. She was in dire need of relief.

"I'm heading back to my room to catch some Z's!" Having delivered the medicine, Zhao Dagang didn't linger and promptly left. A good night's sleep was all he needed; come tomorrow, he'd be bursting with energy, ready to join Bing on the day's tasks.

Meanwhile, Tang Bing, flashlight in hand, made his way to the office floor. Clutching the map of wooden furniture Zhao Dagang had sketched, he bypassed Lin Leyan and her daughter's room, systematically entering each office.

His first order of business was to dismantle the wooden desks, chairs, sofas, and cabinets with a wrench, harvesting a wealth of materials in the process. Wood was the prize commodity.

To fortify the factory with additional layers of barbed fences, a substantial amount of wood was needed. It wasn't feasible for Tang Bing to venture out into the night, risking zombie encounters to chop trees along the roadside. With the night offering little else to do, breaking down furniture was a no-brainer—it provided not only wood but also iron ingots, scraps of cloth, leather, and various other materials in a convenient and efficient manner.

After disassembling the furniture, Tang Bing didn't overlook the drawers, filing cabinets, and trash bins in the offices.

Qin Mengli, Sun Meng, and the others had already combed through these areas, claiming any valuable supplies. However, thanks to the system's unique abilities, Tang Bing could still extract random loot from these previously searched locations.

You have received 40 sheets of paper!

You have received 1 bronze medal!

You have received 1 empty teacup!

You have received 1 button!

You have received a logger's diary!

You have received 235 yuan!

You have received premium tea leaves!

You have received 1 piece of chocolate!

The assortment was eclectic and somewhat chaotic, but mostly practical. Tang Bing stashed everything in his virtual backpack. The logger's diary was an unexpected find. Much like the herbal compendium he'd encountered before, this book was a special skill tome.

Upon reading the logger's diary, his logging skill increased by 1! The yield of wood from chopping trees rose by 10%.

This was indeed a good find. Naturally, he intended to put it to use right away.