Chapter 67: Departure
Jiang Jue’s gaze swept calmly over the three newcomers. His tone was level, devoid of any particular inflection, yet it carried an unquestionable authority: “Since you are joining the team, let’s establish the rules upfront. First, under no circumstances are you permitted to betray your teammates or stab them in the back. Second, when we are in the field, you obey orders without hesitation.”
“Don’t worry, Boss!” Wang Qiang immediately puffed out his chest, his expression turning dead serious. “We would never do something like that! We weren’t that kind of people before, and we certainly won’t be in the future!”
Li Yu nodded vigorously alongside him. “We can swear an oath on it! When things get dangerous, you can count on us!”
Though Little Yu didn’t speak, he stood up straight, his dark, youthful eyes filled with earnest determination.
Jiang Jue studied them for a brief moment, offering nothing more than a faint nod.
Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and tuned out the chatter in the room.
To an outside observer, he seemed to be resting quietly. In truth, an invisible wave of mental power was steadily extending outward from his consciousness, mapping the surroundings with razor-sharp precision—this was his secondary ability.
Over the past several days, whenever he had a spare moment, he dedicated it to this mental training, refining the delicate control and range of his sensory perception. Beyond scouting terrain and warning of imminent danger, once pushed to a higher level, this power could silently shatter an adversary’s mind.
Seeing that their leader had slipped into “silent mode” again, Chu Yang smiled and turned his attention back to Wang Qiang and Li Yu.
Reaching into his spatial storage, he retrieved a small cloth pouch and handed it over. “Inside are several Tier 1 crystal cores that Brother Jiang and I harvested earlier. You’ve only just awakened your powers, and absorbing these will help you build your strength quickly. The stronger our squad is as a whole, the better our chances of survival.”
Noticing the two hesitate, casting nervous glances at the resting Jiang Jue, Chu Yang understood their unease. Lowering his voice, he added with a reassuring smile, “Brother Jiang doesn’t say much, and he might come across as cold or unapproachable. But in reality, he’s a reliable, upright person. As long as you keep those two rules in mind, genuinely treat this team as your home, and look out for your comrades like brothers, everything else is easy.”
“Exactly!” Lin Xiao chimed in, clapping Wang Qiang firmly on the shoulder with a broad grin. “Brother, the name’s Lin Xiao, and this is Little Bai—Su Mubai. From today on, we’re all on the same side. If you ever need a hand, just give a shout—no need to be shy!”
“Brother Xiao, Brother Bai, we’ll be counting on your guidance!” Wang Qiang scrambled to his feet, bowing slightly while Li Yu nodded beside him. The stiff atmosphere in the room instantly melted into friendly camaraderie.
Lin Xiao, never one to stay idle for long, noticed the natural closeness between the young man and woman. He gave a playful wink. “Hey, you two… you wouldn’t happen to be a couple, would you?”
Wang Qiang blushed, scratching his neck with an honest chuckle as he admitted, “Yeah. Little Yu is my girlfriend. We were already together for three or four years before the world went to hell.”
Chu Yang took a closer look at the pair—Li Yu was slender, gentle, and quiet, while Wang Qiang was sturdy and dependable.
To survive together in this brutal wasteland and both awaken abilities along the way was remarkably rare. Patting Wang Qiang on the arm, Chu Yang smiled. “You’re a lucky guy, you know that?”
Wang Qiang grinned warmly, looking at Li Yu with deep affection, while a soft blush rose on Li Yu’s cheeks as she met his gaze.
Just then, Jiang Jue opened his dark eyes, cutting through the room with a calm, decisive look: “Time’s up. Pack your gear and get ready to move.”
“On it,” Chu Yang answered, turning back into the inner room to stow the heater, cookware, and spare bedding back into his space.
Before long, the group assembled in the snowy courtyard.
Although the blizzard had finally ceased, the thick blanket of snow remained unmelted, leaving the roads covered in treacherous sheets of solid ice.
Looking out over the endless expanse of white, Chu Yang let out a sigh. “In conditions like this, driving is completely out of the question. Looks like we’ll have to march on foot for at least another couple of days.”
Nearby, Wang Li, carrying little Niu Niu in her arms, spotted Li Yu and walked over.
“Sister Yu,” Niu Niu chimed in a sweet, soft voice, her small, mittened hand gently tugging at the edge of Li Yu’s coat.
Li Yu leaned down and scooped the toddler into her arms. “Look at you, Niu Niu! Did you miss me?”
The little girl nodded vigorously, wrapping her tiny arms around Li Yu’s neck.
Wang Li looked at Li Yu, asking in a quiet tone, “How are things going with the squad?”
“Really well,” Li Yu replied with a warm, genuine smile. “Brother Jiang is a man of few words, but he’s dependable and fair. Chu Yang and the others are wonderful to be around, and they’ve been taking great care of us.”
“That’s a relief.” Wang Li nodded, a trace of comfort touching her tired eyes. “You two are fortunate. Following capable people like them… is the only real chance of living with dignity in this world.”
Glancing down at the innocent child in Li Yu’s arms, Wang Li let out a silent, aching sigh. Will my little girl ever live to see better days? She swallowed the thought, leaving the question unasked.
The squad set out once again, their boots crunching steadily through the deep drifts. Their pace was deliberate and measured, maintaining a stable, synchronized rhythm.
After roughly an hour of marching through the winter landscape, the jagged silhouettes of mid-rise buildings began to pierce the gray horizon.
“Qi County,” Chu Yang read aloud, glancing at a rusted, battered road sign tilting by the roadside.
Turning toward the county town, he addressed Lin Xiao and the others: “Once we head in, aside from staying alert and scavenging for supplies, keep an eye out for operational vehicles. Once this ice clears, having wheels will be ten times faster than hiking on foot.”
He tilted his head back, studying the overcast sky.
The biting frost seemed to have lost some of its edge, and a faint, noticeable warmth was creeping into the air.
“This bizarre climate… the deep freeze is finally ending, isn’t it? If I’m keeping track, it’s been over a month since the world turned.” Chu Yang muttered under his breath, recalling the survival tropes from the web novels he used to read. After an unnatural winter freeze, extreme heatwaves usually followed close behind.
He made a mental note to hoard heatstroke remedies and cooling supplies as soon as possible.
Lin Xiao nodded in agreement.
Chu Yang turned back toward the cluster of ordinary survivors trailing behind their formation, raising his voice so everyone could hear: “For the road ahead, having transport will save your lives. Anyone who knows how to drive should do their best to find a working car in town. Once we enter the county, you’ll need to scavenge for your own provisions; there should still be unlooted shops scattered inside.”
The moment the words left his lips, a wave of panic rippled through the refugee group, erupting into anxious whispers:
“The… the county town? There must be swarms of those things in there, right?”
“Zombies! The streets will be crawling with them! Going in there is pure suicide!”
“How on earth are regular folks like us supposed to fight them?!”
“Please, just let us stay with you! We’ll trail right behind your squad—we swear we won’t cause any trouble!”
Hearing the whining, Lin Xiao frowned deeply and cut in with a stern shout: “We’ve already escorted you this far! The stragglers along the road were cleared by us along the way. What, do you expect us to spoon-feed you three meals a day too? Watch your own backs, keep your voices down, and remember that ordinary zombies have dull senses. If you get cornered by a stray, shout and we’ll lend a hand if we’re close enough. But if you aren’t willing to take a single risk to search for food…” He paused, his voice hardening with an icy edge, “Then starve, and don’t go blaming anyone else.”
One man stepped forward, refusing to back down: “Can’t we… can’t we just walk behind you? We’ll keep our distance, we promise!”
Chu Yang let out a dry, teasing chuckle. “We’re intentionally heading toward the areas with high-tier, mutated zombies today. Are you absolutely sure you want to tag along? When the fighting starts, we won’t have the spare hands to babysit you. If you get chased down or ripped apart, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
The moment those words landed, the survivors who had been clamoring to follow turned pale in an instant. Shrinking back, they exchanged terrified, hesitant glances, suddenly unsure of their next move.
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