Chapter 180 – We’ll Still Be Friends If You Don’t Step On Me

For the next few days, the Food Production Base was bustling with activity.

With just over a dozen survivors tasked with cleaning up such a large base, everyone was busy from dawn till dusk.

In comparison, Ling Mo and his girlfriends had it much easier.

The Food Production Base had abundant supplies, and thanks to some special treatment, Ling Mo and his group enjoyed a well-deserved break during these days.

Not only did they eat and drink well, but Ling Mo also had the rare opportunity to get a few nights of good sleep.

For him, it was a rare chance to relax. From the outbreak until now, his nerves had been constantly on edge, and they finally had a chance to unwind.

There was even a fleeting moment when Ling Mo considered staying there permanently.

But he quickly jolted back to reality. As tempting as a comfortable life might be, he couldn’t think only of himself; he had Ye Lian and the three girls to care for as well.

His goals were fundamentally different from those of others.

While some people might live solely for themselves, striving just to survive, Ling Mo had a greater responsibility for his three zombie girls.

The heavier the burden, the more needed to be sacrificed, but the rewards were also beyond what others could comprehend.

That reward was… the meaning of being alive.

It might sound pretentious, but that was Ling Mo’s biggest motivation to keep going.

Ouyang Lian and the other superhuman, 2, also enjoyed similar treatment.

Guo Chao seemed eager to befriend 2, but with his ordinary mindset, it was challenging for him to maintain a conversation with 2 for more than five minutes.

Moreover, 2 was only interested in Ling Mo and his group.

“51… 52…”

As Ling Mo was doing push-ups in his room, 2 appeared once again.

He had been coming by Ling Mo’s door several times a day for the past few days, each time using different covert methods to approach secretly.

This time, he opted to climb up from the balcony using a wooden ladder. He landed gracefully and casually dusted off his clothes.

“Ling Mo, good morning! Such nice weather outside; why don’t you take your girlfriend out to soak up some sun? We could also chat about life, dreams, and most importantly, your superpowers…”

“53… Ye Lian, get down.”

Ling Mo completed another push-up before speaking softly.

Ye Lian responded and climbed off his back, turning her cold gaze towards 2.

Xia Na had already picked up the scythe that was lying nearby, and Li Yalin’s icy eyes scanned 2 like a venomous snake.

However, 2 smiled happily, seemingly unaware of the impending danger.

“I’ve tolerated you long enough.”

Ling Mo twisted his neck and then walked towards 2. Just as he was about to reach him, he suddenly accelerated and charged forward.

2 seemed to be ready for this. His psychic storm erupted instantly, but it was entirely blocked by Ling Mo’s psychic tentacle.

In a direct clash of psychic power, 2 lost!

He staggered back, and Ling Mo’s final kick was just inches from landing on his face.

“Wait! Ling Mo, I’ve got something important to tell you!”

“I’ll give you one second.”

“One second… That’s not enough time for me to explain anything. But here it is: Guo Chao said he’s ready to go check out the Military District and will also visit the Biological Research Institute. He wants to know if you plan to leave now.”

Just as 2 finished speaking, he let out a scream, accompanied by a loud “thud” as he hit the floor.

When he slowly crawled up, still groaning, his face was a mess, looking like it had exploded into ugly blooms of pain.

There was a clear footprint on his face, and his nose was bleeding profusely.

And he had fallen right next to Xia Na.

“Nana… Ah! My leg!”

Xia Na stomped on his foot, and the immense pressure made 2 bend like a prawn in agony.

“Call me Nana again, and I’ll skin you alive.”

Xia Na’s gaze was ice-cold, and only 2 could be oblivious enough to miss the hostility.

Hopping on one foot, 2 asked Ling Mo, “I came to talk about serious matters. Why did you still kick me?”

“Because I can’t stand you. There’s a door for a reason, so why are you climbing the balcony?” Ling Mo rolled his eyes.

2 widened his eyes, looking incredulous. “Aren’t you the one who told me I wasn’t allowed to show up at your door anymore? After much consideration, I opted for the balcony. Ling Mo, you have no idea how hard it was to find a ladder.”

“…Why am I even arguing with a psychopath…” Ling Mo sighed, rubbing his temples with his hand. “Did Guo Chao specifically send you to tell me this just to give me a hard time?”

These past few days, Guo Chao had been somewhat avoiding Ling Mo. Likely, it was because the survivors in the group all respected Ling Mo, while Guo Chao felt somewhat neglected, which left him resentful.

During the incident with the armored jeep, Old Wang and another survivor were there. Naturally, they recounted the events to the other survivors in detail.

As a result, Ling Mo’s reputation had peaked, while Guo Chao’s standing among the survivors had plummeted.

It’s easy to lose the favor of people, but winning it back is hard.

Despite Guo Chao’s efforts to rebuild the base, wherever he went, survivors often greeted him with cold stares.

Regarding this situation, Ling Mo had only one thought: Serves him right!

“Where’s Guo Chao?”

“He’s waiting for you downstairs.” 2 stood up straight, limping slightly. Before leaving, he turned his head toward Xia Na and said, “Even though you’re not a mature woman and you have a boyfriend, you are very pretty. It was worth it to be stepped on by you. My tolerance for beautiful women is very high… Ah! I wasn’t finished talking! Stepping on me now is breaking the rules! It’s true; you all belong to one family, treating me like this is really unfriendly… We could’ve still been friends if you just didn’t step on me… Ah!”

When they got downstairs, 2 could barely walk without holding onto the wall. However, Xia Na had actually held back. With her advanced zombie strength, it wouldn’t have been difficult for her to crush his foot entirely.

“Ling Mo!”

Guo Chao was inspecting the armored jeep. After a thorough cleaning, it didn’t look much different than before.

There were a few new dents and scratches on the rear, but they didn’t affect the vehicle’s performance.

Military-grade quality is something else, unlike the other off-road vehicle which was practically beyond repair.

“2 has already talked to you, right? I just wanted to know your thoughts. I’m ready to head out anytime.”

Guo Chao greeted him with a somewhat enthusiastic smile.

Too bad Guo Chao’s face didn’t lend itself well to smiles, making it look rather forced.

Ling Mo thought to himself that Guo Chao was likely eager to end their partnership as soon as possible and have him leave. It was a mild way to handle the situation.

If Ling Mo stayed a few more days, there might no longer be a place for Guo Chao in the survival base.

“We can leave right now.”

Ling Mo replied without hesitation.

A flash of relief crossed Guo Chao’s eyes; he had genuinely feared that Ling Mo and his group might overstay their welcome.

“Alright, I’ll go gather everyone.”

Before leaving, Ouyang Lian nervously approached the car window and asked, “Ling Mo, you’ll come back tonight, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll be back.” Ling Mo thought for a moment and then kissed the little girl on the cheek.

Her skin was so soft and smooth, like a piece of jelly that melted in his mouth…

Ouyang Lian’s eyes sparkled with joy, and she shyly covered her cheeks, looking absolutely adorable. “Okay, Lian Lian will wait for you. Oh, and make sure you protect Jiayu!”

“Got it.” Ling Mo smiled and gave her nose a playful tweak.

The little girl had seen something embarrassing a few days ago, and for a whole day, she couldn’t look Ling Mo in the eye, always hiding behind Meng Jiayu whenever she saw him.

Ling Mo had been quite anxious, thinking that if she told Meng Jiayu about it, his image as a big brother would be ruined forever.

But, surprisingly, despite her young age, Ouyang Lian kept her promise. Not only did she not sell him out, but she quickly recovered and continued to visit Ling Mo every day. She also showed affection towards Ye Lian and the other girls.

Li Yalin was pretty cold towards Ouyang Lian, and Ye Lian wasn’t very friendly either. In contrast, Xia Na showed a great deal of interest in the little girl, and their conversations often made Ling Mo break out in a cold sweat.

“How did you meet Ling Mo?”

Ouyang Lian’s questions usually started with inquiries about Ling Mo, as she was very curious about him.

“Oh, while chopping zombies,” Xia Na’s initial response was fairly standard.

“Are you Ling Mo’s wife?” Ouyang Lian asked curiously.

“If sleeping together counts, then yes, I am. Hmm… and we’ve done a lot more than just sleep.”

“What do you like to eat?”

“Actually, I think you should taste pretty good.”

“Giggle… you’re so funny…”

Conversations like this always made Ling Mo’s scalp tingle.

After a few words with Ouyang Lian, Ling Mo chatted with the survivors who came to wish them well.

These people were both grateful and admiring of Ling Mo. When they learned that they were heading to the military district, they dropped what they were doing to see them off.

“Ling-Ge, be careful out there!”

“What are you talking about? Of course Ling-Ge and his group will be fine.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

Ten minutes later, the gate slowly opened, and Old Wang drove the military jeep, carrying Ling Mo’s group, along with 2, Meng Jiayu, and another selected survivor, Zhang Haoyu. They were officially on their way.

The food production base was about a half-hour drive from the military district, which was relatively close considering the suburban area and the need to navigate around vast farmlands.

As the jeep crossed the concrete bridge, the base’s gate promptly closed behind them.