Han Fei looked at Qi Yue, this pretending-to-be-fearful flattering act, clearly not afraid of him yet acting like he was very afraid, made people feel both helpless and amused. He had never encountered someone who could stir up such a big interest before. It felt pretty good. Even though he was a man, he himself didn’t really mind.
Yangcheng’s food processing factory was located on the outskirts. Because it was newly built, it hadn’t been publicly announced yet, people who weren’t familiar with the area knew very little about this place. The scale of the food factory was very big, the food produced all kinds: chocolate, biscuits, canned goods, chips, milk candy, jelly, and also beverages, milk.
What made Han Fei’s heart move were those chocolates and milk urgently needed after the apocalypse. When his space had just awakened it was only about half a basketball court in size, and with the upgrading of his ability it was now as big as a football field. And after reaching second level he also comprehended the spatial attack ability, the space blade.
Inside the space there was one upper and lower floor. The lower one was a basement that could store food and time was static, and the upper layer could store other supplies. Now inside both layers were piled with many kinds of supplies. The organization had big ambitions, so they needed a large amount of supplies for better development in the future.
Lunch was resolved in the car, eating bread and biscuits. By the time they arrived at the food factory it was already afternoon.
Qi Yue, in order to make up for his faults, took out tools and picked open the food factory’s main gate. Inside there were only a small number of zombies wandering in the factory area. Inside the food factory there were several rows of factory buildings, and different kinds of production workshops, warehouses, distributed in the east and west factory areas. Their goal today was to collect the supplies in the warehouse. Everyone had previously been assigned tasks and had also looked over the internal map of the food factory. Han Fei’s team was orderly, everyone holding guns, blades strapped on.
Arriving at the location, just before getting off, Han Fei instructed Chu Yi: “You take Qi Yue to the east, I’ll go west with Glasses.” He finished speaking and before Qi Yue could even argue, he already got off with Glasses.
Chu Yi brought a few subordinates, signaling Qi Yue to follow him. Qi Yue, twisting around behind him, followed. He was wonder why he just left before he even opened his mouth. He looked so good for nothing, how could his brain seem clogged and not think a bit more. He hadn’t joined that long, Han Fei should collect the supplies himself, how could he trust him to collect too! Most importantly, wanting to cry, he couldn’t collect anything at all. He hoped Han Fei wouldn’t blame him, it was Han Fei’s own incomplete understanding, couldn’t blame others.
Qi Yue’s train of thought was getting worse each time, his looks becoming more tender with rebirth, his thinking also becoming childish.
Inside and outside the food factory the zombies weren’t too many, they used to all be workers of this factory, scattered wandering outside. On the way they ran into a few small waves of zombies, all easily taken care of by Han Fei’s subordinates, smoothly reaching the warehouse.
The east factory area stored milk and various flavored drinks.
Chu Yi turned his head, looking at Qi Yue: “Collect it all.”
Seeing Qi Yue not moving. He said again: “Use your spiritual abilities to collect all these boxes.” The boxes were all filled with milk.
Qi Yue still didn’t move.
The walkie-talkie transmitted Han Fei’s voice: “You guys done yet? If done then come out.”
Chu Yi got anxious, urged Qi Yue: “Hurry up and collect, don’t waste time.”
Qi Yue: “Um, I wrapped dumplings all night last night, I’m exhausted! Can’t use spiritual abilities.” Especially regretting how he had said he had space ability in the first place.
Chu Yi’s face full of suspicion, took out the walkie-talkie: “Brother Fei, if you guys are done over there, come over here. Qi Yue said his ability can’t be used right now, things can’t be collected.”
“Got it. Be careful!” Han Fei’s voice came through.
After dispersing to inspect the surroundings and killing a few zombies dressed in factory transport uniforms, they waited a bit and Han Fei rushed over with Glasses.
Han Fei went forward and collected all the warehouse supplies into his space. Suddenly using spiritual abilities, he sensed something abnormal above his head. His level was one higher than the others, his senses more sensitive.
“Above.” Han Fei warned everyone.
A monkey was squatting on the top beam of the warehouse, a level-two mutated monkey. Its eyes were bright red, and it was aiming at their group.
Han Fei pulled out a gun and tossed it to Qi Yue. He released a space blade, but the mutated monkey dodged it. Monkeys were already agile by nature, and a level-two mutated monkey was even more nimble. Everyone released their own abilities: ice spikes, water bullets, wood spikes. The ability-monkey dodged left and right, in the blink of an eye jumping behind a container full of drinks, and after that it couldn’t be found anywhere. Using spiritual abilities to probe, they could feel the mutated monkey was nearby, hadn’t left.
“Brother Fei, outside zombies suddenly increased.” The lookout’s voice came through the walkie-talkie.
“Slowly retreat out.”
As long as it sensed they had the intention to retreat, the mutated monkey would jump out from the dark and attack, directly going for the weakest person. Two subordinates had already been scratched by it.
Gunshots came from the walkie-talkie, very loud. “Brother Fei, something’s off. Hurry and get out.” Zombies outside were gathering, crawling out from who-knows-where, surrounding them.
Han Fei sensed it too, this mutated monkey was stalling time, wanting to keep them here.
Chu Yi: “Brother Fei, you go first, I’ll stay with a few and deal with the monkey.”
“You and Glasses take people and go first, I’ll tangle with the monkey. Meet at Yangcheng.” Han Fei refused, rejecting unnecessary sacrifice. This mutated monkey’s ability level was higher than theirs. Staying meant dying for nothing, not even delaying time.
“Then I’ll stay, let Glasses take them.” Chu Yi refused to leave. He was absolutely loyal to Han Fei. His life was Han Fei’s gift, of course he could die for Han Fei.
“Stop talking nonsense, Glasses, take him away.”
“Don’t drag Brother Fei down.” Glasses went forward and pulled Chu Yi away. They weren’t the monkey’s match, staying would only be a burden to Han Fei. He believed Han Fei could deal with it, just like Han Fei trusted him. They weren’t just subordinates, but sworn brothers.
Han Fei searched everywhere for the mutated monkey. There. Space blade. The others took advantage of the gap and retreated quickly toward the warehouse door. The mutated monkey dodged the attack and leapt into the crowd.
Bang! Hit the monkey’s chest. The mutated monkey screamed loudly, then leapt aside and hid again.
Han Fei turned his head, narrowed his eyes, tugged the corner of his lips, smiled, it was Qi Yue who fired! This brat’s aim wasn’t bad! The others were gone, but he hadn’t left. Why? Did Qi Yue like him?
He called Qi Yue over, letting him stand beside him. The two subordinates scratched by the monkey had pale faces, cold sweat on their foreheads, probably about to mutate.
Suddenly, the sky darkened. It was afternoon, still early from evening, but the sky became gray.
“Brother Fei, we’re in the car. Waiting at the gate for you.” Glasses and the others had already cleared the zombies outside, the car parked at the gate of the food factory.
Han Fei and Qi Yue were still inside. If they didn’t kill the mutated monkey there was no way to leave. It wouldn’t let them go. They had to find it and deal with it. Eyes searching the shadows of the warehouse.
“You guys go first. The weather changed. If by evening tomorrow you still haven’t seen me arrive at Yangcheng, then the morning after, take people straight to L Base.”
After a while, Glasses’ voice came, “Got it, Brother Fei.” Taking the others away. The situation was getting worse, the sky darker, wind rising, seemed like rain was about to fall? Too abnormal.
Inside the warehouse it was even dimmer. After awakening, one’s vision improved, still seeing clearly. The two scratched subordinates were already turning blue, trembling on the ground.
Bang! Bang! Two more shots. Qi Yue’s aim wasn’t bad, both hit the head. Han Fei only glanced once, then looked elsewhere. Even if Qi Yue didn’t act, he would, they had already mutated, couldn’t be kept.
Saw it, the monkey’s tail, in the gap between two containers. The mutated monkey sensed Han Fei had found it, jumped out, instinctively judging Qi Yue was weaker, and lunged toward him.
Although Qi Yue’s combat moves weren’t as flashy as trained people, he was still quite good, and his intuition was sharp, always able to dodge danger by a hair. That’s why in the cycles of rebirth he lived longer each time, the last time even nine years. Sadly, he escaped dangers but not people’s hearts.
Mutated animals were more agile than zombies and had more senses, not relying only on smell. Seeing the monkey rushing at him, Qi Yue had a sudden idea, pulling out from his little kitchen a pot of dumplings, splashing it at the monkey. The water inside was boiling hot, cooked last night after wrapping and put directly inside.
The mutated monkey let out a howl, fell to the ground screaming. Han Fei seized the chance, one space blade, its head and body parted ways.
He took out the crystal core. Very lucky, it was red, usable for fire-ability Han Fei.
“Why stay behind?” Han Fei looked at Qi Yue. He hadn’t expected Qi Yue to stay.
Since this rebirth, Qi Yue had stubbornly believed dual-ability people were powerful. He didn’t know why, just felt that staying at Han Fei’s side in that situation would be safer. And the weather changed, very likely zombies’ second mutation, happening a month earlier than before.
Seeing Han Fei looking at him, Qi Yue suddenly didn’t know what to say, standing there staring back, seeing Han Fei’s eyes on him, that complicated expression, stunned.
Han Fei looked at Qi Yue, his watery eyes looking at him, blinking. Qi Yue’s eyelashes were long, every blink making Han Fei’s heartbeat speed up a bit.
He stepped forward, pulled Qi Yue into his arms, lowered his head, and pressed his lips to his.
