Chapter 174 – Code 202

As a Zombie was swiftly impaled through its upper body by Ye Lian’s Tiger Claw, Guo Chao and his group immediately opened their backpacks and began quickly searching the surroundings.

The dim lighting made it hard to see, so they blindly stuffed anything they found into their bags. Whether the items were usable or not would have to be determined later.

“That should be enough. Any further and we’ll end up in the electronics section,” Ling Mo said, glancing ahead through Li Yalin’s perspective. Although the Shopping Mall was huge, the area suitable for gathering food was limited to this section.

“Xiao Ling, we really owe you today. I can’t even imagine what would have happened without your help,” Guo Chao said sincerely as he tossed two more bottles of water into his backpack.

“Yeah, without Ling Mo, it would have been impossible for us,” Meng Jiayu chimed in, a hint of pride evident in her voice.

Old Wang, who appeared to be the more silent type, nodded in agreement. “Thanks.”

After retracing their steps, Guo Chao suggested they check upstairs to see if there were any signs of Survivors.

What they lacked was manpower, and once they reached the Food Production Base, they would need labor.

The second-floor area was much larger, consisting of not only offices and storage rooms but also a huge clothing market.

The mannequins posed there gave off an eerie, unsettling vibe.

“Are there really Survivors here?” Meng Jiayu asked. It seemed like no one had been around for a long time; the place felt too creepy and devoid of life.

“It’s quite likely. This place is completely isolated from the floor below, accessible only by that door and the elevator. Zombies don’t use elevators. If someone took the time to clear out the second floor, it could definitely serve as a hideout,” Guo Chao suggested in a low voice.

Ling Mo thought this was very plausible, having noticed many of the clothing stalls were still under renovation and probably had never been officially opened.

This meant that there would be very few Zombies present when the outbreak occurred.

After clearing the few Zombies on the second floor, it indeed felt like a suitable hiding spot, despite being just a wall away from the Zombies in the first-floor Mall.

Food could be found on site, and there was a potential escape route.

Moving through the passage, everyone held their breath, visibly tense.

Just then, Xia Na, who was at the back, suddenly turned around. The Scythe in her hand swung in a swift arc and then halted above a shelf.

“Come out,” Xia Na’s cold voice made everyone, including Guo Chao, stop in their tracks.

“Don’t be alarmed…”

A slightly immature voice came from behind the shelf, revealing a tall, skinny teenager who slowly stepped out.

The tip of the Scythe was just above his head, poised to kill with the slightest downward movement. The precision of Xia Na’s control left Guo Chao and the others in awe.

The strength of Ling Mo’s group was truly formidable!

The boy was clearly human, wearing an ill-fitting coat, and his skin was pale from lack of sunlight.

He curiously glanced at Ling Mo’s group before turning his gaze to Xia Na. “You’re amazing. You actually knew I was hiding there.”

Ling Mo thought to himself, “Obviously, you’re just an ordinary human. As Advanced Zombies, both Ye Lian and Xia Na sensed your presence long ago. Xia Na simply acted first.”

But to think there was really a Survivor here… Despite the heavy Scythe hanging over his head, he seemed unfazed, as if he was completely nonchalant. “I bet you’re here looking for Survivors, right? I heard your conversation earlier. By the way, miss, you can lower the Scythe if you don’t intend to use it. If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it already. Honestly, you’re so pretty, I wouldn’t mind standing here to let you chop me down.”

Ling Mo felt this guy had a bit of the Psychopath in him. Xia Na’s demeanor was no joke; she clearly had lethal intent.

The boy noticed the way Ling Mo was looking at him and immediately said, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not a Psychopath.”

You certainly seem like one… “Where are your companions?” Guo Chao cut off the boy’s rambling, eager to get back to business.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ling Mo quickly pulled Xia Na back, worried that she might actually go through with slashing the boy.

The teenager seemed smart and composed, though his calm demeanor nearly got him killed.

He swung a thin iron rod in his hand and pointed it further into the second floor. “Follow me.”

“Uh, aren’t you going to ask what we want?” Meng Jiayu couldn’t help but ask.

Without turning around, the teenager replied, “You have guns, a stunningly strong sister, and the others don’t look weak either… What’s the point of asking? I would still end up leading you in the end. Oh, by the way, my name is 2.”

“What a peculiar name…”

“It’s not a name; it’s a code.”

Ling Mo had more questions, but 2 had already disappeared into the darkness ahead. The group had no choice but to follow.

Ling Mo had met many Survivors before, but this one was definitely the strangest. His behavior and speech were somewhat unusual… Guo Chao, on the other hand, looked quite excited. Having another Survivor join them meant their team’s strength would increase.

He wasn’t worried about any tricks. With Ling Mo’s group around, any devious plans the Survivors had would surely backfire.

But Guo Chao’s excitement turned to disappointment when 2 led them to a small storeroom. Instead of finding five or six Survivors as expected for such a big Mall, there were only three people, including 2… a Half-bald Man and a somewhat disheveled woman. The woman wore a business suit with mismatched cloth shoes, looking somewhat out of place.

Without even a greeting, 2 opened the door.

The two inside were dozing in separate corners, surrounded by some food. They immediately opened their eyes at the sound of the door.

“2… What are you doing out every day… huh!” The woman jumped up as soon as she saw Ling Mo’s group behind 2, looking alarmed.

The Half-bald Man also stood up quickly, subtly gripping a Kitchen Knife.

“2, who are these people?”

“No idea.”

The Half-bald Man seemed accustomed to 2’s attitude. His beady eyes shifted towards Ling Mo’s group. “May I ask who you are…”

Guo Chao finally snapped back to reality. Even though there were only three of them and the two in the room seemed weak, having extra hands was better than none.

On this trip, they had already lost four Survivors… After Guo Chao explained their purpose, the woman eagerly ran over, “That’s great! I’d love to join you! I was losing hope staying here!”

“But I need to make it clear,” Guo Chao cautioned, “Joining my team means everyone has duties to perform. Plus, where we’re headed is pretty dangerous. But if we make it, you won’t have to live in fear for quite some time.”

He wasn’t very satisfied with the state of these three Survivors, but he still responsibly provided the warning.

His words made the woman hesitate, and the Half-bald Man also seemed uncertain. While they felt hopeless here, at least they didn’t face immediate death. Leaving with this group meant their lives would be under constant threat… But 2 remained calm and said, “Staying with you two is too boring. I’d rather sneak around and observe the Zombies downstairs. Whether you stay or leave, I’ve decided to go with them.”

Ling Mo, curious, asked, “Why are you interested in Zombies? Aren’t you afraid?”

“Well… Zombies are simpler than humans. I know a Zombie would eat my flesh, but with humans, I never know what they want to do to me.”

“No one wants to do anything to you…”

“Forcing me to take medicine, give me shots, and that promised white thigh has never been seen. Plus, the nurse outfit with a bit of exposure… I’ve never seen that either…”

2 sighed. His tone was so serious that it was hard to tell if he was joking or being earnest.

“There probably aren’t white thighs, and nurses wear pants! And the nurse outfits you’re talking about with exposed breasts—you’re sure that’s not from an adult film? Where did you even come from…” Ling Mo wondered.

Ling Mo frowned as he looked at 2, puzzled.

2 chuckled and then shifted his gaze to the Half-bald Man: “Bald Guy, Yu-Jie, if you don’t come with us, how long do you think your food will last?”

His words made the Half-bald Man have an epiphany.

Initially, there were more than just the three of them, but a few had died while trying to settle here, leaving the three survivors behind.

While 2 survived by his skills, the Half-bald Man and the woman survived largely by luck.

The food they had wouldn’t last forever… “Alright, I’ll go with you!” The Half-bald Man gritted his teeth, the muscles in his face twitching as he spoke.

The woman quickly added, “I’ll go with you too!”

With Bald Guy and 2 deciding to leave, she couldn’t possibly stay here to face death alone.

Though she was somewhat skeptical about Guo Chao and his team’s abilities, she made a mental note to persuade 2 and Bald Guy to leave if things looked bad.

Having made up their minds, they packed up their food with Guo Chao’s help.

As they followed Ling Mo’s group downstairs, Bald Guy and Yu-Jie were visibly tense. Moreover, the sour smell emanating from them made Meng Jiayu wrinkle her nose.

2, on the other hand, seemed rather excited. He trailed behind Xia Na, frequently reaching out to touch the stylish Scythe she carried.

But Xia Na treated him with extreme coldness, even disdain, though that didn’t dampen 2’s enthusiasm. He showed great interest in Ling Mo’s group as well.

Though 2 seemed unreliable, he remained exceptionally calm.

As they passed through a large door, a Zombie, likely attracted by the previously slain Zombies, was wandering nearby. As soon as it spotted Ling Mo’s group, it lunged at them.

Without panicking, 2 pulled the door towards himself, trapping the Zombie’s hand in the door frame.

Though he wasn’t as strong as the Zombie, he had his own method—bracing his heel against the nearby wall.

Simultaneously, he raised the thin iron rod in his hand and repeatedly jabbed it at the Zombie, muttering, “Too bad I can’t reach its eyes…”

Seeing that his jabbing only made the Zombie angrier without causing significant damage, Ling Mo walked over, thrust his Tang Sword into the Zombie’s abdomen, and then pulled it horizontally.

“Wow,” 2 exclaimed, staring at Ling Mo in amazement, “your aim is incredible.”

Ling Mo thought to himself that it was actually the Puppet Control Ability at work. Should he tell him that he momentarily controlled the Zombie, making it come to him on its own?