Chapter 40: Reunion with the Blood Gang
During the day, most people, whether explorers or scavengers, would go out to try their luck, hoping to find something useful.
Scavenging in the surrounding areas was basically “picking through trash,” and in reality, that’s exactly what it was.
As the sun began to set, people would return to the camp before the zombies emerged.
Unable to go out at night, confined to the camp, this was the perfect time to exchange information and supplies.
Usually, the camp would also distribute watered-down beer made with boiled river water as daily drinking supplies.
Even boiled, the contaminated river water had a strange, metallic taste. Mixing it with beer or wine masked the unpleasant flavor.
Every camp had its own methods for alleviating the oppressive atmosphere of the apocalypse.
The resort camp had an underground wine cellar, so they distributed diluted wine; the stadium camp could grow vegetables, so they distributed small amounts of vegetables at night.
Each camp was different, but the purpose was the same.
As darkness fell, a knock came from the door just before nightfall.
“Sister Lin, I brought your things,” a man’s voice called from outside.
Lin Jiayao recognized the voice. It was Li Yi.
The man who had escorted her out of the camp.
“Wait a moment, I’ll come to the door,” Lin Xiwan said to her sister, still adjusting the radio frequency. She got up and went to the door.
Opening it, she saw Li Yi, out of breath. He must have run all the way there and back.
Lin Xiwan looked at the wheelchair he was pushing. The black seat cushion was still covered in a dusty plastic film. It was brand new.
“Thank you for your trouble,” Lin Xiwan said, tossing him 10g of blood crystals.
Li Yi looked at the blood crystals in his hand and hesitated. “Wasn’t it 3g, Sister Lin…?”
“Consider it a thank you for helping my sister,” Lin Xiwan said casually, gripping the wheelchair’s armrest. “You can go now.”
“Okay, thank you, Sister Lin.” Li Yi didn’t say anything more and accepted the crystals.
He had defied the Blood Gang to buy some time for Lin Jiayao, and now it seemed that time had made a difference.
After Li Yi left, Lin Xiwan tore off the plastic film from the wheelchair and pushed it inside.
“Want to try it out? The night market should be opening soon,” Lin Xiwan said with a smile, pushing the wheelchair to the bedside.
Lin Jiayao didn’t speak but opened her arms towards her sister.
Lin Xiwan lifted her and gently placed her in the new wheelchair.
“This resort is actually quite big. I’ll take you for a tour.”
Lin Xiwan pushed the wheelchair to the door.
Opening it, she pushed Lin Jiayao out.
Finally, Lin Jiayao could relax and explore the camp she had lived in for four years with a tourist’s mindset.
Before the apocalypse, this place had been a famous resort, conveniently located near the city center.
Swimming pools, villas, bars, service centers, bathhouses… it had all the necessary entertainment and living facilities.
Because she was an Awakened, Lin Xiwan had been assigned a room in one of the few detached villas.
Grandma Zhang and her son had lived in the room next door, just a doorway away.
Most of the other explorers and scavengers were assigned to the bathhouse, which had the most rooms and beds.
However, after the apocalypse, the bathhouse’s ventilation system no longer worked, so some rooms had to have their walls smashed open for ventilation.
Lin Jiayao looked around with curiosity at this place, once a vacation spot for middle-class families.
Even with moss growing on most of the buildings, she could still see glimpses of its former luxury.
Among the apocalypse camps, this was considered one of the most comfortable.
“This used to be the swimming pool, now it’s a warehouse… See that tree over there? The longan fruit we get every year comes from that tree, but it bears less fruit every year…”
Lin Xiwan pushed the wheelchair slowly, patiently explaining the camp’s layout to Lin Jiayao.
Many things Lin Jiayao had only heard about from her sister; she was finally seeing them with her own eyes.
Usually, she could only imagine; today, she was seeing the reality.
Lin Jiayao touched the wheelchair’s armrest with her fingernail, sensing the changes in the surrounding sounds – after discovering she could use Bone Spike Lurker through her fingernails, she kept it activated almost constantly.
It was convenient and undetectable.
Soon, she sensed a cacophony of noise about 150 meters ahead.
“Almost there. That’s the night market, where they distribute watered-down alcohol and exchange supplies at night… Seems a bit crowded today.”
Lin Xiwan explained, scanning the approaching crowd.
And Lin Jiayao, through Bone Spike Lurker, quickly picked up several interesting conversations.
“Gather at Kerry International tomorrow. The boss made some connections. We’re going onto the highway to join a convoy.”
“Is this like merging with another gang? Then who’s in charge?”
“Idiot, we can’t even survive in the city anymore. Who do you think will be in charge?”
“Damn it, this sucks.”
“Which gang’s convoy?”
“It’s called the Speed Demons, I think. They have a badass who can shoot while riding a motorcycle. I heard he was a racer or stunt rider before the apocalypse…”
“Whoa, cool. We’ll be living the high life tomorrow.”
“…”
Among the many discussions about trading, these conversations about gangs caught Lin Jiayao’s attention.
And there was only one gang in the camp: the Blood Gang.
So you’re still here.
Good…
A slight smile appeared on Lin Jiayao’s face.
Finally, a knot in her heart could be untied.
“Yaoyao… I see them. Don’t be afraid,” Lin Xiwan whispered, having also spotted the Blood Gang members as they approached the night market.
“Don’t worry, Sister will teach them a lesson. With Sister here, they won’t dare do anything to you.”
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