"Hmm," Lu Chen slowed the car down as the number of vehicles in the town had noticeably increased. They were strewn haphazardly, blocking the way, and he drove the car, using the iron plate of the car’s front to push the small sedans aside slowly.
The shops on both sides of the street were not very tall, likely catering to tourists before the apocalypse, and decorated in an antique style.
There were also a few zombie bodies lying by the roadside, and several streetlights had been broken at the base and blocked the path.
Their car couldn’t get through anymore.
"I’ll go down and push them away," Jianxiong said as he opened the trunk and jumped out of the car.
Seeing this, Li Chuan from the car behind told the mercenary beside him, "Go help."
From Sheng Yuan’s car also came a burly man, and the three people moved forward carefully under the illumination of the car lights.
"At least these guys know what’s good for them," Zhao Changsheng said as he watched the two men emerge from the back and twisted his waist like a snake to stretch his muscles while seated.
"Li Qian, speak up immediately if anything happens," Su Mo said, her gaze following Jianxiong’s figure, instructing the person in the back seat.
"Hmm," came the acknowledgment.
Jianxiong embraced the pole, and effortlessly lifted the streetlight and moved it to the side. The remaining two individuals each grasped one.
Li Qian’s spiritual power was constantly dispersing, with several obviously moving points appearing at the edge of his limit before disappearing again.
"There seem to be living people here," he said, frowning.
"It’s not surprising; do you think we’re the only ones left in this world?" Zhao Changsheng’s voice carried a tinge of exasperation.
"As long as they don’t affect us, it’s fine," Su Mo responded.
Up ahead, Jianxiong had already moved the streetlight. Just then, Li Qian said aloud, "They’re coming."
A Level 2 zombie suddenly sprang from a small shop beside Jianxiong, its backbone protruding as it raised its claws to strike at him.
Just as its claws were about to scratch Jianxiong, Li Qian’s spiritual power finally wrapped unceasingly around the Level 2 zombie, halting its movement. A Bone Spur grew out of the back of Jianxiong’s hand, and he punched through the zombie’s skull.
After extracting the Crystal Core, he casually tossed the body to the ground.
"Damn, that scared the hell out of me," he cursed and kicked the body before hurrying back.
Su Mo turned her head and glanced at Li Qian, saying disbelievingly, "You did that on purpose, didn’t you?"
Li Qian smiled with a scholarly demeanor, his face the picture of innocence.
With the road clear, Lu Chen restarted the car, keeping the noise to a minimum. The sign that read ’Welcome to Lakefront Hotel’ hanging half off the roof came into everyone’s sight.
"We’ve arrived," Su Mo murmured, squinting towards the hotel.
It was a dark little building, not tall, just four or five stories, surrounded by quite a few cars.
"This doesn’t look like it’s free of zombies," she whispered, pointing to the hotel’s partially full ground parking lot.
Li Qian this time replied seriously, "I’ve checked; there are only a few, most likely people fled here before or after the apocalypse."
"Let’s go over," Lu Chen made the final decision as the car’s dashboard started to flash a yellow light; they were running low on fuel.
The car stopped in front of the hotel, and everyone got out one after another from the three vehicles.
The night air was getting colder, and Su Mo couldn’t help but shrink her neck.
Apart from the light from their car’s headlights, only the moon hung high, spilling silver light all around.
From within the dark hotel came occasional growls, like those of a wild beast.
Su Mo approached the derelict cars and opened the oil caps, which were bone dry, evidently out of gas. Zhao Changsheng opened the cap of another car only to find it empty, and she wondered aloud, "Has someone already siphoned off the fuel?"
What they could think of, others naturally could too. Su Mo nodded, no longer interested, "Let’s go inside."
She walked over to Lu Chen and followed him into the hotel.
Li Chuan stepped in with long strides, his group following close behind.
Jingjing clung to Sheng Yuan in fear, "Brother Sheng... are we... are we going to stay here tonight?"
Sheng Yuan glanced at Lu Chen’s group that had already walked in quite a bit and nodded, motioning his companions, "Let’s go."
Su Mo entered the lobby, and a chilly breeze carrying the damp odor of decay hit her face, with several zombie corpses lying on the ground.
The advantage of having Li Qian as a living map became apparent at times .
"Has someone been here to clear them out?" Su Mo asked softly, remembering Li Qian’s words.
"Seems like it, but not completely," Li Qian adjusted his glasses, "There’s one behind the reception desk."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a female Level 2 Zombie with protruding vertebrae leaped onto the counter, drool dropping from its mouth onto the floor.
Lu Chen’s Ice Blade flashed, and with one stroke, he severed its head. He headed toward the left side of the building to the stairwell; with no electricity, they had to take the fire exit.
Lu Chen conjured a flashlight out of nowhere to illuminate the path ahead, drawing a surprised look from Li Chuan behind him, and an astonished murmur from the mercenaries, "Dual Ability?"
Seeing this, Sheng Yuan was also shocked. He had witnessed Su Mo’s extraordinary speed and the Tang Blade appearing out of thin air. He knew she was a Dual Ability User but hadn’t expected that Lu Chen was also one. He wondered just how many more astonishing secrets their team held.
The group ascended the stairs.
Zhao Changsheng, feeling around in the darkness, hooked her arm around Su Mo’s shoulder and whispered hot breath into her ear, "Momo, let’s sleep together tonight, it’s better for two girls to look out for each other."
Su Mo immediately got goosebumps and shook off her hand, taking two steps up the stairs, she pointed at Su Niang, "You sleep with Su Niang, she could use someone to watch over her at night."
Su Niang smiled awkwardly; it seemed she was starting to understand the mindset of the sultry girl beside her.
"Exactly, why compete with our boss for people?" Jianxiong, nearly invisible in the dark, his eyes glaring brightly at Zhao Changsheng.
Lu Chen looked back with an icy gaze at Zhao Changsheng, his eyes conveying displeasure.
With a huff, Zhao Changsheng snorted, and as the man turned away, she defiantly raised her middle finger at him and cursed him as a dog of a man in her heart.
Upon reaching the second floor, Su Mo’s scalp tingled with the intermittent zombie groans echoing in the corridor.
She stood at the top of the stairs, hesitant to proceed. The doors of the hotel rooms creaked under the strain of zombies trying to break out, yet none could, uncharacteristic of Level 2 Zombies.
"Look like these are Level 1 Zombies, aren’t they?" she remarked.
Li Qian nodded, "Yes, there’s fewer of them on the third floor."
"Then let’s go straight to the third floor," Su Mo looked up at Lu Chen, "These zombies don’t have Crystal Stones in their brains, no point in wasting our energy."
"Sis makes a good point," agreed Jianxiong, brown-nosing.
"Let’s move on then," Lu Chen pivoted his footsteps, leading them upstairs.
Li Chuan paused on the second floor, signaling his mercenaries to close and barricade the door behind them before continuing up.
Jingjing, paralyzed with fear, clung to Sheng Yuan, "Brother Sheng, I’m scared..."
Sheng Yuan lifted her impatiently, "Now do you see how you compare to others?"