Chapter 28: Are You Deaf?
“No.”
As expected, her sister refused her request without hesitation.
“What are you talking about, Yaoyao? The highway is too dangerous—” Lin Xiwan started to explain, but Lin Jiayao covered her mouth.
“I know why Sister never mentioned going to Donghai Province. It’s because of me, isn’t it?” Lin Jiayao changed the subject, speaking frankly. “I know Sister is worried that it would be harder to protect me outside…”
Lin Xiwan leaned back, avoiding Lin Jiayao’s hand.
“No, Yaoyao, how could you think that? Sister just has feelings for Yangzhou City and doesn’t want to leave. We’ve been here for so long…”
Lin Xiwan tried to explain, but under her sister’s calm gaze, her voice grew softer and less confident.
Finally, she sighed. “You know it’s dangerous out there. I can’t guarantee your safety, so please don’t bring this up again… okay?”
Although Lin Xiwan was an Awakened, she could, at best, only protect herself.
Even against the Nest Zombie she’d encountered before, in a one-on-one fight, she might not survive.
Let alone protecting a helpless, immobile younger sister.
And the highways weren’t just dangerous because of zombies.
Even more dangerous were the gangs that controlled them.
The highways were mostly in rural areas. Since they had been closed before the mass outbreak of the blood crystal infection, only the national and county roads were blocked by abandoned vehicles. There were only a few abandoned cars on the highways.
And these open highways had become breeding grounds for gangs.
They were desperados, roaming the highways, relying on nearby towns and villages for supplies.
Due to the lack of people and zombies on the highways, they could freely use their scavenged firearms, their equipment rivaling that of a small army.
They were the biggest problem on the highways.
If their scouts spotted a passing vehicle, they would give chase in their various jeeps and trucks, armed to the teeth.
They often chased and killed not for supplies, but for the thrill of the hunt, unrestrained by law.
Compared to them, the Blood Gang in the camp seemed like child’s play.
This was Lin Xiwan’s biggest concern. She was only a D-rank Awakened, no match for bullets.
“There’s almost no food left here, Sister,” Lin Jiayao said patiently. “Sooner or later, they’ll send you out on another exploration mission. There’s another camp full of people who depend on you Awakened for supplies…”
“Then we can go to nearby cities, find other camps…”
“Sister,” Lin Jiayao cupped her sister’s face again, making her look at her. “Other camps have also been through five years of this.”
Lin Xiwan looked down, unable to refute her sister’s words.
Yes, it wasn’t just Yangzhou City that had endured five years; other places, other camps, had also endured this long, agonizing apocalypse.
And cities with fewer food processing plants might have already run out of food.
Growing their own food? They would need to solve the problem of water.
But areas near water sources were bound to have amphibious or aquatic zombies. Using a bucket and rope to draw water from a bridge was fine, but for large-scale farming, it wasn’t nearly enough.
They could try small-scale farming like Hengyang Stadium, but hoping to feed an entire camp that way was a pipe dream.
So, the recovering Donghai Province seemed like the only option.
Looking at her sister’s worried expression, Lin Jiayao wanted to tell her that she could protect herself now, but the words wouldn’t come out.
If she claimed to be an Awakened, and the infection detector showed a different result, she would definitely be treated as a Mimic by her sister.
But if she claimed to be an ordinary person, and the detector confirmed it, or showed her as an Awakened, she would still have a chance to explain.
At least a two-thirds probability of being able to stay with her sister.
It was better to say nothing for now and avoid a contradictory result.
In a world with high-level Mimic zombies, only the infection detector was the ultimate authority.
Unfortunately, Yangzhou City was too far from Donghai Province; there were no infection detectors here.
If she found one, Lin Jiayao would definitely test herself before going to Donghai Province.
She just had to hope her zombies could find a working infection detector.
Since she could choose the spawn points for her zombies, she could select locations near Donghai Province, increasing the probability of finding one.
“Let’s set a departure date, Sister,” Lin Jiayao asked again.
“Sigh… Okay. Let me take care of some things here first… Should I carry you back now?”
Lin Xiwan seemed to have agreed to leave, but she would prepare thoroughly first.
Gather information about the nearby highways and deal with the Blood Gang.
“Okay, after you’re done.” Lin Jiayao smiled and nodded, relieved.
She also needed time. Her zombie had reached the highway entrance. She needed to eliminate or avoid any gangs they might encounter along the way.
Her zombies would clear the path.
“Is your wheelchair broken? Don’t worry… we’ll get you a new one from a hospital or equipment store…”
Lin Xiwan lifted Lin Jiayao onto her back.
With one hand supporting Lin Jiayao’s bottom, she opened the door with the other.
“Wait, Sister, my gun is still on the wheelchair,” Lin Jiayao said, remembering her FN-57.
“Uh… I’ll look for it.” Lin Xiwan returned to the wheelchair, crouched down, found the pistol, and put it in her waist pouch.
Carrying her sister out of the room, Lin Xiwan finally had a chance to look around.
Compared to the resort camp, this place was filthy and chaotic…
She also noticed a pool of dried blood near the end of the corridor, close to the restroom. She could smell the metallic scent of blood from here.
“This place is a mess…” Lin Xiwan shook her head and turned to leave, only to find the guard waiting for her at the entrance.
Remembering the bloodstain, she looked at the guard and asked suspiciously, “No one bullied my sister here, did they?”
This place was so chaotic; it was possible her sister had been mistreated.
Hearing her question, the guard swallowed nervously and glanced at Lin Jiayao, who was peeking over Lin Xiwan’s shoulder.
Lin Jiayao looked at him expressionlessly and said sweetly, “Uncle, I remember you. You were among the onlookers last night, weren’t you? I was there too.”
“Oh? What happened last night? You weren’t bullied, were you?”
“Nothing, just a normal fight. I was just there…”
“Oh… don’t go near those kinds of things next time. It’s dangerous, understand?”
After expressing concern for her sister, Lin Xiwan turned back to the guard, her eyes cold. “I asked you a question. Are you deaf?”
“No… no! I-I’ll take you out,” the guard stammered, turning and hurrying towards the camp gate.
“Damn, these sisters, one is more terrifying than the other… Fuck!”
“They’re all so pretty, but their tempers are frightening…”
The guard cursed inwardly, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
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