The following morning!
It was another sunny day.
Yan Yun yawned and trailed behind Lu Yu, heading towards the police station.
"Yan Yun, why are you yawning constantly?
Was it because Young Master Lu was too vigorous yesterday that you couldn't withstand it?"
Yan Yun: "..."
"If you ever feel overwhelmed next time, remember to reach out to me!
I'm here to assist you..." Qiao Manli Said.
Yan Yun: "..."
"Please don't give me that look"
You don't understand how to bring pleasure to men
I can join you and the young master and teach you!
"Qiao Manli, what exactly are you suggesting?"
Yan Yun queried, her voice tinged with disbelief as she listened to the tall woman's brazen words whispered into her ear.
Her face, a canvas of innocence, was now painted with a deep blush that spread from her cheeks to her neck.
Qiao Manli, unabashed and bold, seemed to have no qualms about speaking her mind in public. Indeed, it appeared that no one but her could utter such provocative words to Yan Yun.
Despite Yan Yun's limited experience with men—Lu Yu being her sole encounter—she had armed herself with knowledge, poring over countless images in an attempt to understand the opposite sex.
"Am I mistaken?"
Qiao Manli inquired, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"Given your current state of fatigue, yawning in broad daylight suggests that not only did you forgo sleep last night, but you also exerted yourself considerably…"
Yan Yun, caught off guard, struggled to form a rebuttal. The truth was, Qiao Manli's observation hit the mark.
They had indeed spent the entire night engaged in playful activities, but…
"Your bashfulness confirms my suspicions," Qiao Manli teased, her smile widening at Yan Yun's evident discomfort.
"Yun Yun!"
"What is it?" Yan Yun responded, her tone a mix of curiosity and caution.
"Would you consider… allowing me to join you tonight?" Qiao Manli proposed boldly.
"Stay away!
Lu Yu is off-limits!"
Yan Yun retorted, her face a portrait of indignation. Yet, despite her anger, her inherently pure and lovely features could only convey endearing charm.
Unperturbed, Qiao Manli pressed on, "You know you can't handle him all by yourself…"
"Mind your own business!
I…" Yan Yun's retort was cut short by the sudden interjection of Lu Yu's voice.
"Attention, everyone!
We're approaching a horde of monsters.
Those among you who lack combat skills, stand back and stay out of harm's way!" Lu Yu commanded.
At his warning, the conversation between the two women ceased, and the group, particularly those unskilled in battle, halted in their tracks—all except for two individuals who seemed unfazed by the impending danger.
Dai Lian, the girl with the dark ponytail, and Wang Chao, a peer of Lu Yu. Their approach towards Lu Yu, swift and determined, suggests a prior consensus among their group.
"Master Lu!" they called out.
Upon seeing Dai Lian, Lu Yu's expression shifted to one of concern, "What's the matter?"
"May I have a word with you, Master Lu?" Dai Lian inquired.
Acknowledging her request, Lu Yu gestured affirmatively.
"Of course," he consented.
...…
Dai Lian, known as the venomous lady, was once an ally of Chu Feng. Chu Feng's demise left the team directionless, their guiding force gone.
While Chu Feng's passing was met with a tinge of sorrow, his extreme emotional outbursts and the unsettling memory of his indiscriminate violence against fellow students overshadowed any grief.
Consequently, Chu Feng's death did not plunge them into despair, nor did it incite a desire for vengeance against Lu Yu.
Acknowledging the finality of death, they chose to focus on the living and their own survival.
After a night of deliberation, Dai Lian and Wang Chao sought out Lu Yu, representing their group's decision.
"Your name is Dai Lian, correct?" Lu Yu asked after hearing her account.
He grasped their intentions: in these nascent days of apocalypse, compassion still lingered.
Witnessing the plight of other survivors, they aspired to lead them to relative safety and proposed an alliance with Lu Yu.
"Yes, Master Lu," Dai Lian confirmed.
Lu Yu laid out his terms, "I'm open to leading and forming a group, but I won't dedicate my time to their protection, nor will I allow them to impede me."
"That's acceptable," Dai Lian agreed, outlining her plan to settle the group in a nearby, old-fashioned community with an adjacent supermarket, where they would fend for themselves.
"Very well, let's proceed," Lu Yu nodded in agreement.
He was familiar with the area; the neighborhood was close to the police station, enclosed by two eleven-story buildings, and protected by a wall over two meters tall.
The sole entry was an iron gate, its height matching the wall, with a narrow opening. This location, more secure than schools or malls, was their chosen sanctuary.
In the apocalyptic world, Dai Lian's actions of bringing numerous individuals to a secure location are commendable and demonstrate her integrity.
Temporarily, she and her group have aligned themselves with Lu Yu's team.
...
As time progressed, the clock struck half-past four in the afternoon within the confines of the police station.
"Hey, you two, dispose of this youngster,"
Xu Bao casually commanded his henchmen, gesturing towards the young man who had endured their cruelty.
His nonchalant tone belied the gravity of the act, as if such brutality had become commonplace in this new lawless reality.
The police station, once a bastion of order, had devolved into a den of iniquity under Xu Bao's rule.
Survivors seeking refuge were met with unspeakable horrors, women faced abuse, while the elderly and men were maimed and kept as fodder for the monsters.
Xu Bao, a thug, was not immune to fear. Despite being armed and accompanied by a psychic and two enhancers, the monstrous threats lurking outside instilled terror in them.
In a desperate bid for survival, Xu Bao devised a macabre strategy to offer these expendable survivors as a distraction to the ravenous beasts, thus sparing themselves from attack.
This gruesome tactic had proven effective, sparing them from numerous casualties over the past ten days.
"Let's go, Brother Leopard!" one of the thugs called out.
"Bad luck on you, kid," they jeered, releasing the young man's handcuffs only to drag him out as his screams echoed through the station.
Xu Bao remained seated, indifferent to the chaos, as he retrieved an object resembling a pocket watch from his jeans.
The timepiece was devoid of a chain, featuring a solitary hand on its face, embodying minimalist design.
With a furrowed brow, he scrutinized the watch intently, as though seeking a hidden sign.
It was precisely at that moment…
Boom!
An abrupt, subdued explosion caused Xu Bao to startle, nearly dropping the 'pocket watch' to the floor.
The other thugs within the surrounding were similarly jolted.
The noise was thunderous, reverberating through their ears like a bolt from the blue, heralding the apocalypse's dawn.
"Damn, what's going on?"
"What the fuck happen?"
"Is it… bombs?"
"No… it can't be!"
Xu Bao's expression mirrored his concern.
"Aguang, Acheng, check it out!"
"Sure thing, Brother Leopard!"
The duo, sporting cropped hair, acknowledged the command and departed through the rear exit, weapons in hand.
The cacophony had lured the dispersed creatures outside, facilitating their unobstructed passage.
Navigating with caution, they circumvented two blocks and soon laid eyes on the source of the commotion.
A vehicle!
A black minibus in motion.
However, it hadn't approached the station but halted a short distance away from them.
At the minibus's forefront, a concealed metal hatch swung open.
From within emerged a futuristic silver cannon, its barrel comparable in size to a volleyball, encircled by traces of electrical arcs.
In the vehicle's wake lay a creature, motionless on the ground.
The vicinity was strewn with monsters, their numbers in the hundreds, some injured, others incapacitated or lifeless.
The scent of blood intermingled with the odor of char, assailing their senses.
"A Minibus?
But how?"
"Weren't all vehicles inoperable?
Where did this one originate?"
"I don't know?
This is no ordinary vehicle!
"Observe the metallic barrel."
"Wow, Aguang, can you identify that cannon?"
"I'm uncertain…I think it is… an electromagnetic gun."
A/n :- Dear readers, I welcome your suggestions and feedback in the comments section below. If you find the story engaging and enjoyable, I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave a review for this novel.