Chapter 86: Seeds of a Long Journey p1
“Eh? Yao, what’s wrong?”
Instead of the adorable, just-woken-up look she’d expected, her sister appeared to be in pain. Lin Xiwan grabbed the tissue box and a bottle of water, jumped out of the jeep, and rushed to her side.
Helping her sit up and lean against the car, she wiped Lin Jiayao’s mouth and patted her back, offering her the water.
“What’s wrong, Yao? Where does it hurt?” Lin Xiwan asked, concerned. She needed to know if her sister was still conscious.
“Nothing…” Lin Jiayao took the water, gulped it down, swished it around her mouth, and spat it out.
The water, darkening the asphalt as it splashed, reminded her of the thick, black blood that had spurted from the Lurker’s severed neck.
And the sickening crunch of bone…
It tasted even worse than a Biter.
Ugh—
After a few dry heaves, Lin Jiayao took a tissue and wiped her mouth, finally feeling a bit better.
“I’m… just carsick,” she said, looking at her sister’s worried face.
“Carsick… because we slept outside and you were in the wind this morning?” Lin Xiwan rubbed her forehead, feeling a pang of guilt.
“It’s okay, I feel much better now.” Lin Jiayao looked around and saw tall buildings; they were inside a city.
Had they reached Qingzhou City already…? Why hadn’t her sister woken her?
Lin Xiwan didn’t dwell on it. She lifted Lin Jiayao, avoiding the vomit on the ground, and placed her back in the passenger seat.
“Just hold on a little longer, Yao, we’re almost there… I’ll drive slowly.” She took a rifle from the back and handed it to her sister. “Here, hold this.”
Lin Jiayao took the rifle, closed the car door, and then, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Sister, how long was I asleep?”
“How long? About an hour and a half… The roads into the city were mostly blocked. I had to take a long detour to find a clear path.”
The road was clear, their speed slow, so Lin Xiwan turned to look at her sister.
Was it just her imagination, or did her sister seem… resentful?
As if she had done something wrong.
“You didn’t sleep long, just a little over an hour…” she explained. “I had to take a detour, and I wanted you to rest, so I didn’t wake you.”
“Oh…” Lin Jiayao sighed and leaned back against the headrest, a slightly frustrated look on her face.
Her sister had meant well… she couldn’t blame her.
It was her fault for not being more explicit, saying something like, “Absolutely wake me up.”
I’ll be more specific next time.
Perhaps she could try waking herself up.
Roll out of the car, log into the fourth zombie mid-roll, activate it, hit the ground, and be jolted awake.
That might work; it would just look like a clumsy fall.
The fourth zombie was still extracting. Lin Jiayao gripped the rifle and looked at the road ahead.
As they approached the university gate, two guards wearing cloth masks approached the jeep. Lin Xiwan stopped the car and rummaged in the back.
“Little sisters, hand me those… yes, two of those. And put them on yourselves as well…”
She had the two girls find the gas masks.
She’d taken them from the Voodoo Cult outpost.
Other camps, having heard Survivor’s Light’s announcement, had likely started taking precautions.
But Lin Xiwan, like everyone else, hadn’t seen the true horror of the fungal zombies and still felt a sense of disbelief.
She had even forgotten to wear a mask earlier, on the highway.
Before the two guards reached them, she and Lin Jiayao had put on the masks and goggles.
They sat in the car, Lin Xiwan’s hands on the steering wheel, Lin Jiayao holding the rifle.
The two guards, reaching the jeep, looked through the broken windshield, and paused, momentarily stunned.
Even with the gas masks covering half their faces, their beauty was evident.
The older one looked aloof, the younger one slightly more delicate, though also expressionless, somehow more approachable.
And the observant guard also noticed the two little girls in the back.
Besides them, there didn’t seem to be any other threat in the dilapidated jeep.
Such a group would put anyone at ease.
“Where are you lovely ladies coming from? Did you hear about this place on the radio?” The guard with a blue bandana and a triangular mask lowered his gun, his tone slightly flirtatious.
He didn’t seem to perceive them as a threat, at least not outwardly.
“Yangzhou City. Radio.” Lin Xiwan, not one for small talk, especially not with strangers, replied curtly, then, in front of the two guards, slowly raised her right hand.
Blood, glowing with blood crystal light, pulsed from her heart, flowing through her veins and into her hand.
“An Awakened?” The man’s tone instantly turned serious. “Are you here to purchase supplies or…?”
“Staying for a few days, replenishing supplies,” Lin Xiwan replied.
Staying a few days?
People passing through usually didn’t stay overnight; they were wary of being robbed in unfamiliar camps.
Those who requested to stay usually intended to observe and then perhaps settle down.
“Alright, I’ll have someone escort you in. Just follow her,” the man nodded, stepping aside.
He didn’t mention the blood crystal cost for accommodation.
Whenever a new Awakened arrived, their camp leader would personally welcome them. If they joined, they wouldn’t have to pay; the camp was self-sufficient.
They would only discuss fees if they decided not to join.
The guard used his walkie-talkie.
Only when Lin Xiwan drove the jeep to the main gate did someone manually open the electric sliding gate.
A young woman on a bicycle, panting, rode towards them.
“Follow me!” she called out, waving, and then, climbing back onto her bike, rode down a side road.
Lin Jiayao, her hand on the window, activated Bone Spike Lurker, scanning for any unusual activity.
Lin Xiwan slowly followed the bicycle.
The young woman on the bike led them to a dormitory building, stopped, and looked back at the jeep.
Squinting, she saw two women in the car, their long hair visible, but her nearsightedness blurred the details.
Curious, she walked closer to the passenger side, finally getting a clearer look.
Pretty sisters!
“Clink—”
She took out a ring of keys, blinked at the pretty girl in the passenger seat, who looked about her age, and asked, “Which room… would you like?”
Before anyone in the car could answer, she blurted out, “I recommend 111, 611, or 711. The ‘eleven’ rooms are the largest on each floor!”
“111 then,” Lin Xiwan said coldly, noticing the girl staring intently at her sister.
“Okay, here’s the key for 111. You can park anywhere in the courtyard. Someone will come find you later.” The girl handed the key to Lin Jiayao.
Their fingers brushed as the key changed hands, and the girl blushed.
“I… I’ll go find Sister Wanzi. You can go to the dorm first. It’s straight ahead through the main entrance…”
She quickly climbed onto her bike and sped away, disappearing around the corner.
Lin Xiwan drove into the dormitory courtyard and parked in front of room 111.
People in the dormitory seemed to notice their arrival, some curious faces peering out from the windows.
Lin Xiwan would have preferred a room on a higher floor, but the first floor was more convenient for taking care of her sister; she wouldn’t have to carry her up and down the stairs, and she could keep an eye on the supplies in the jeep.
And even if she could carry the jeep upstairs, she wasn’t about to carry it to the sixth or seventh floor.
“Wait in the car, I’ll open the door.” Lin Xiwan took the key from Lin Jiayao and unlocked the door.
The smell of mildew and dust hit her as she opened the door. It was a four-person dorm room, two bunk beds covered in dust.
It seemed to have been unoccupied for a long time.
Giving her sister an okay sign, Lin Xiwan grabbed a rag hanging by the door and started wiping the dust off one of the chairs, creating a clean spot for her sister to sit.
A minute later, she returned to the jeep, lifted Lin Jiayao, and, carrying her and the two little girls, entered the dorm.
Meanwhile, the girl on the bicycle had reached an administrative building.
Just as she stopped, a group of people emerged.
Seeing the short-haired woman with a purple bandana leading the group, the girl waved.
“Sister Wanzi, Sister Wanzi! We have new guests!”
“I know, the guard told me,” the woman, called Sister Wanzi, said, shaking her head. Her short hair was black.
“And, call me Sister Wan, not Sister Wanzi.”
“Okay, Sister Wanzi.”
“Sigh…”
The woman, seemingly giving up on correcting her, asked about the newcomers. “Tell me about them.”
“Four women, one older, three younger. The older one looks about eighteen or nineteen, the slightly younger one about fourteen or fifteen, and the other two are around seven or eight…”
The girl described them in detail, mentioning their weapons and focusing on their appearance.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” Sister Wan interrupted, waving her hand dismissively.
Most of what the girl said was irrelevant. She just wanted to know about their weapons and their attitude.
As for their looks… being pretty increased your chances of survival in the apocalypse; it meant you could find someone to rely on.
But being pretty wouldn’t help them drive a dilapidated jeep all the way to this camp. Their strength was what mattered.
“Building seventeen, right?”
“Yes, I took them to Building Seventeen.”
“Good.”
After confirming their location, Sister Wan and her group headed towards Building Seventeen.
It wasn’t far. They quickly reached the dormitory building and saw the battered jeep parked in front of room 111, its dented and twisted body covered in dark red bloodstains.
A vehicle with a story, clearly.
Entering the building, Sister Wan didn’t go directly to room 111 but turned and entered room 101.
Without knocking, she opened the door and went inside, the others waiting outside.
“Auntie Lan, what’s the situation?” Sister Wan asked the woman, about fifty years old, wearing a tracksuit, who was sitting on a bed.
“A young woman carrying a younger girl, maybe middle school age, and two little children,” Auntie Lan replied. “Two Awakened.”
“Good.” Sister Wan sat down at a table, took out a walkie-talkie, and said, “Two bone fracture rings, one vehicle first aid kit, to Building Seventeen, room 101, quickly.”
“Zzz… Roger, Sister Wanzi.”
“Damn it! It’s Wan!”
“Zzz…”
Two Awakened… probably the two older ones. Traveling with two young children suggested they were compassionate.
And the younger girl was likely injured, hence being carried.
Although she hadn’t met them yet, Sister Wan had formed a preliminary assessment of the newcomers.
Having survived a difficult battle, injured, compassionate, a car full of supplies but still searching for a camp.
They were probably looking for a place to recover. Perhaps she could persuade them to join the camp.
For that, she needed appropriate gifts, like bone fracture rings and some medical supplies.
Less than three minutes later, a man on a bicycle screeched to a halt in front of room 101, carrying a black plastic bag, his bike discarded carelessly.
“Sister Wanzi, I got the stuff.”
“It’s Wan!” Sister Wan took the bag, checked the contents, and then, carrying it, walked towards room 111.
The others followed, keeping a distance, staying out of sight of room 111.
Passing the jeep, Sister Wan glanced inside, noting the dried blood and the strong, metallic smell, confirming her suspicions.
“Knock, knock, knock—”
She knocked on the door of room 111.
“My name is Wan Zi. I’m currently in charge of camp affairs. I’d like to talk to our new arrivals.”
After announcing herself, she heard footsteps approaching, and then the door opened.
“May I come in?” She smiled at the young woman who opened the door, slightly taller than her.
“Yes.” Lin Xiwan nodded and stepped aside, not bothering to close the door.
She knew they were surrounded; it didn’t matter if the door was open or closed.
“Where are you all coming from?” Wan Zi entered and sat down on a dusty stool by the door, not seeming to mind. “Someone will be by later to clean the room. If you need anything, you can go to room 101 and find Auntie Lan. She’s in charge of Building Seventeen.”
She had already scanned the room upon entering, noting who was injured.
The beautiful young woman sitting on the far bed, her legs motionless… but she had no Awakened aura, while one of the little children had a faint one.
“Yangzhou City. It’s flooded,” Lin Xiwan sat down next to her sister, shielding her, and looked at the woman by the door.
“Oh… Yangzhou… that’s quite far. You must be tired,” Wan Zi nodded. “Where are you headed next? West, perhaps?”
“Yun Province had the most mushrooms before the apocalypse. If you go further west, you’ll reach it… Oh, I almost forgot, I brought you some things.”
She held out the plastic bag.
“No, thank you, we don’t need…”
“I already brought them, so just take them…”
While her sister was talking to the woman named Wan Zi, Lin Xiwan frowned slightly.
She’d forgotten something important.
Like Gu Wangran before her, she’d been thinking about going to the largest seed bank; it would be the best place to restart agriculture.
But she’d forgotten one thing, just like Gu Wangran.
He hadn’t known about the fungal zombies initially, and she… had momentarily forgotten.
Yun Province had been the largest producer of mushrooms in China, both cultivated and wild.
Logically, it would also have the highest concentration of fungal zombies and infected.
And the seed bank was located in Kun City, within Yun Province.
They needed to reconsider their destination.
Wan Zi, after confirming they didn’t want the medical supplies, didn’t press further.
“Alright then, if you need anything, just go to room 101 and find Auntie Lan. And if you’re thinking of staying long-term, you’re welcome to join us. The camp gates are always open to you.”
She left, closing the door behind her.
This brief interaction had given her a good impression of the two young women. They seemed like they wanted to survive, to live a decent life in the apocalypse.
And they were Awakened. She would try her best to recruit them. If she failed, it would be their loss.
And she’d also learned about the Voodoo Cult’s movements towards Fuzhou.
Whether the information was accurate or not, she had to send someone to the radio station to stop the broadcasts, to avoid attracting the Voodoo Cult.
The cost of their stay would be considered payment for the information. As for repairing their vehicle, that would be a separate charge, unless they joined the camp.
Shortly after Wan Zi left, as her sister was preparing to nap, Lin Jiayao received a system notification.
A highlighted red “①” appeared beside the [Login] entry, just like when the Hunter had successfully extracted.
Had it extracted already?
Lin Jiayao also lay down on the bunk bed. The bed was wide enough for both of them; they were both slender.
She snuggled closer to her sister, who instinctively pulled her into an embrace, her hand under Lin Jiayao’s head, her legs wrapped around hers.
Feeling safe and secure in her sister’s arms, Lin Jiayao closed her eyes.
In the darkness, she clicked on [Login]. Instead of the dark void, the evolution retention screen appeared.
Hmm?
No blood crystals on the Hunter?
She’d been hoping to get some; she was slightly disappointed.
It had probably consumed them all. No more free blood crystals.
She looked at the evolution options.
「Please retain your evolution」
「1、【Blood Crystal Vision Lv.1 (Purple): When activated, only blood crystals and creatures containing blood crystals are visible, ignoring most obstacles】」
「2、【Blood Crystal Amalgam Lv.1 (Purple): Allows your body to be compatible with different blood crystal abilities, with a chance of incompatibility】」
「3、【Bone Spike Chainsaw Lv.1 (Blue): Transforms your hands into chainsaws, activated by blood crystals】」
The first was the ability that made everything but blood crystals disappear from view. She could even use it to identify weak points, areas with high blood crystal concentrations, in a creature’s body.
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