Chapter 102: Shancheng: Be Careful Too

Two days passed quickly, and on the morning of the third day, the four of them got up early to prepare for their departure.

Lin Mu once again wore Fu Jingmo’s camouflage jacket. The part of the sleeve that had been torn was patched from the inside with an adhesive he had exchanged for points at the mall. It looked fine now, with no noticeable issues.

Fu Jingmo, sitting nearby, put on his military boots and bent down to tie the laces. As he finished, he casually tightened Lin Mu’s laces as well. “Lin Mu, be careful today.”

“Ah, okay.”

Lin Mu watched as Fu Jingmo crouched in front of him, tying his shoelaces. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, his gaze instinctively shifted to the two cowlicks on the top of Fu Jingmo’s head to distract himself.

“You be careful too…” Lin Mu said awkwardly.

Fu Jingmo looked up and gave a small smile, his sharp brows lifting slightly. “Got it.”

The four of them didn’t waste any time and quickly set off. On the road, they nibbled on a few bites of compressed biscuits.

“Brother Fu, is that giant python really that scary? We’ll definitely take it down today, right?!” He Ze was still chattering excitedly.

“Hmm, with something your size, it could swallow a dozen of you in one bite.”

“…”

Lin Mu, thoughtful, turned his head. “He Ze, the river is full of water. You should give it a try later, it should be a perfect stage for your ability.”

“Right! Why didn’t I think of that? Wow, Mumu, you’re so smart!” He Ze exclaimed.

Beside him, Shen Rangchen, sporting two dark circles under his eyes, let out a cold laugh. The talisman had worn off last night, and this idiot had been noisy for most of the night.

One day, he’d make sure He Ze wouldn’t be able to say a word for an entire night!

The river breeze was strong, and the weather wasn’t great. The dense fog had yet to dissipate.

The entire river was shrouded in dense fog.

The car soon arrived at the section with the steel cables, where Shao Yingjie was already waiting with the Jiangbei team.

There were thirty skilled marksmen and fifteen mutants, most of whom had strength-based abilities.

The four got out of the car, and the soldiers standing rigidly by the roadside immediately turned to look at them. Most of the Jiangbei team were well-trained warriors—disciplined, stoic, and naturally exuding a steely resolve.

Shao Yingjie’s face was solemn as he spoke. “Captain Fu, what’s your plan?”

“Thirty armed soldiers will move to the empty river-view building behind us and shoot from the windows, focusing on zombies entering the southern bank. The rest of the mutants will concentrate on fighting the zombie python, while the strength-based mutants will handle the steel cables.”

“Then who’s going to lure the python over?”

“I have someone in mind. Let’s wait a bit.”

The people from Wunan Tower hadn’t arrived yet, so everyone patiently waited.

The sky was overcast, and the cold wind brushed against their faces, adding an inexplicable air of somber tension.

On the rocky riverbank across the river and along the streets behind the greenbelts, countless zombies gathered. Their grotesque, rotting faces were all turned toward the northern bank as they howled tirelessly, their movements numb and mechanical, reminiscent of some bizarre horror game.

Lin Mu stood by the roadside, watching the scene as the wind picked up, lightly tousling his soft, messy hair.

Fu Jingmo walked over and stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder. He turned his head slightly to look at Lin Mu’s face, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, really. It’s just that, no matter how many times I see it, I can’t help but wonder how the world ended up like this.” 

Lin Mu said calmly. His tone and gaze were as flat as ever, devoid of emotion.

“It will get better,” Fu Jingmo replied.

In the distance, the sound of an engine broke the silence. Through the thin mist, the people from Wunan Tower arrived.

“They’re here,” Lin Mu said, turning to look. At the front was an SUV, followed by two large buses.

Fu Jingmo calmly plucked a small leaf off the end of Lin Mu’s hair before turning around. “Mm, let’s go.”

The vehicles came to a stop, and a man stepped out from the driver’s seat after parking the car. His face was stern, and his steps were steady and firm.

From the passenger seat, a small boy poked his head out of the car window, his beautiful eyes fixed unblinkingly on Fu Jingmo’s back, entirely uninterested in anything else around him.

Lin Mu glanced over and quickly confirmed his guess: the person in the car was Ye Xing, and the one walking toward them must be Chen Yu.

He was tall, with a lean yet solid build, similar in type to Fu Jingmo.

Chen Yu nodded at Shao Yingjie before heading straight toward them.

“Jingmo, how’s it going?”

Fu Jingmo took two steps forward and smiled. “We’ve just been waiting for you.”

Their conversation was easy and natural, like that of old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. It was evident that their relationship had been strong in the past.

“Thirty-eight mutants. You handle the arrangements as you see fit,” Chen Yu said.

Behind him, many people got off the buses. From the second bus, a group carried down a large box. Chen Yu explained, “It’s filled with firearms and ammunition. The people from Wunan Tower aren’t skilled with them, so they’re for you to use.”

“Got it,” Fu Jingmo nodded, accepting them without hesitation.

“And look over there.”

Following his gesture, they turned to see a yacht slowly emerging through the thin mist and coming to a stop by the shore.

“We were worried the road might be overturned by the python. There are a few yachts at the dock, but they’re short on fuel. We managed to get one running, just in case it’s needed.”

Fu Jingmo patted Chen Yu on the shoulder. “It’s always you who gets things done.”

Unhappy about missing out on the conversation, Ye Xing also got out of the car. His delicate and refined appearance quickly drew most of the attention.

Without wasting further time, the group got to work. The thirty soldiers were handed firearms and ammunition and sent to the abandoned buildings behind them to find suitable shooting positions.

The strength-based mutants moved down to the rocky riverbank. Three of the six cableway lines on this side had already been cut, leaving them dangling there. The mutants began trying to control the cables, testing their tension and maneuverability.

The remaining three cables still stretched across mid-air and were left untouched to conserve manpower. With the giant python capable of raising its head over ten meters high, the height was just right to block its movements.

The other mutants didn’t need detailed instructions; they all had combat experience and knew what to do.

With all three leaders having decisive and efficient personalities, the arrangements were completed swiftly.

“But where exactly is that python…?” He Ze muttered in confusion. It would be anticlimactic if everything was set up, and the python didn’t show.

“It’s downstream,” Fu Jingmo said, glancing at Chen Yu. “I need your lightning ability to help me drive it upstream.”

“How do you know it’s downstream?” Lin Mu asked.

“That day, when I tore open its abdomen, I slipped a black crystal inside. I can sense its approximate location,” Fu Jingmo replied calmly.

Lin Mu’s brow subtly arched. Considering how urgent and sudden the situation had been back then, Fu Jingmo had not only managed to make a split-second judgment but also left himself an advantage.

Truly, only someone like Fu Jingmo, who had experienced countless battles and missions, could possess such an instinctive reaction.

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” Chen Yu nodded decisively.

“Uncle Chen, I’m going too,” Ye Xing said, clinging to his arm, completely ignoring the crowd of people around them.

“Stop messing around, Xingxing. You promised me you’d follow my arrangements seriously today,” Chen Yu replied firmly.

Ye Xing looked at him with his beautiful eyes. “I’m just going with you. I’ll stay obediently in the car. If I stay here, I’ll worry about you getting hurt.”

The soft, sweet voice was enough to make anyone’s heart melt. Up close, Lin Mu noticed just how stunning this boy was, like a little prince who had stepped out of a European fresco.

His long eyelashes were thick and dark, his large eyes tinged with a faint blue, and his soft, light chestnut hair added to his delicate appearance.

“Let him go. I’ll come too. Four people in one car, and I’ll drive for you,” Lin Mu said, stepping in to diffuse the situation.

Ye Xing turned his head to glance at Lin Mu and curled his lips into a smile. This person is nice. I like him.

With that, Chen Yu didn’t say anything further. The four of them got into an SUV, leaving the area under Shao Yingjie’s command, and drove toward the streets downstream.

To guard against the possibility of the python throwing zombies their way en route, they also assigned a few soldiers, armed with guns, to drive another vehicle and follow behind.