Chapter 260 – This Won’t Do for Payment

“Hand over the bullets.”

Watching Sun Zeya smugly receive 150 rounds while Tom and the other two looked conflicted, Ling Mo couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on with you guys?”

“A bet. I bet you all would complete the mission unscathed, while they bet you’d either get hurt or fail the mission,” Sun Zeya said with a cheeky grin.

Xiao Wang and Old Iron both looked embarrassed. After giving Ling Mo an awkward smile, they quickly made their exit.

“I still don’t understand,” Tom asked, “Since you don’t know Ling Mo’s special ability, why were you so sure they would succeed?”

Ling Mo also looked curiously at Sun Zeya, but to their surprise, she showed a bewildered expression. “Do you even need to ask? I guessed!”

“…Hurry up and hand over the agreed-upon reward.”

Sun Zeya wasn’t kidding; Ling Mo had indeed squeezed her dry.

Seeing Tom take off his Bulletproof Vest and reluctantly hand it over, Ling Mo couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.

So this is the second item she mentioned…

“Thanks, Tom. You can get a replacement when you go back,” Sun Zeya said, smiling with her eyes slightly squinted as she reached for the Bulletproof Vest.

Tom seemed hesitant, only letting go after two seconds of reluctance. His gaze lingered on the vest before he walked over and patted Ling Mo on the shoulder, whispering, “Use it well. It’s a good piece of gear; don’t go ruining it for no reason. It’d be a shame.”

After saying that, he sighed and slowly walked into the crowd.

“Is he going to be okay?” Ling Mo asked as he took the Bulletproof Vest, examining it closely.

In terms of design, it was somewhat different from the one Sun Zeya had worn before.

It had more pockets, slightly less flexibility, but was still just as lightweight. In this weather, wearing it close to the body wouldn’t hinder movement at all.

“Tom… he’s just sentimental. Every item he’s had for a while, he gives it a name. This vest, for example, is called Mary. Disgusting, right? Would you give it back to me if I told you that?”

Sun Zeya sat down in front of Ling Mo and asked.

Without looking up, Ling Mo replied, “Nope. I think Mary and I are getting along just fine. This size suits me better. Yours is a bit too small, perfect for Ye Lian and the girls.”

Ling Mo was quite satisfied with this additional reward.

“What about the standard supplies?” Ling Mo asked after finishing his inspection.

Sun Zeya curled her lip and brought over a backpack, tossing it directly to Ling Mo.

“What’s inside?” Ye Lian and the three girls immediately gathered around, curious.

“Falcon Survival Camp’s standard issue for the Search and Rescue Squad. It includes a pair of Infrared Night Vision Goggles, a handheld tactical flashlight, some batteries, a climbing rope, a Bayonet, an emergency kit, a full set of waterproof clothing, and various small items like compressed rations,” Sun Zeya explained from the side. “These items are taken from the camp. They’re not entirely military-grade, but in a city full of Zombies, these will be very useful.”

“Actually, I’m interested in this,” Ling Mo said, taking out the Infrared Night Vision Goggles and shaking them a bit. These could be worn over the head like a visor.

“I see… That makes sense. Humans can compensate for their inferior hearing and smell when dealing with Zombies by being careful, but poor vision at night is a real handicap. Hey, if you only wanted this, why didn’t you just ask me directly?” Sun Zeya suddenly widened her eyes and asked.

Ling Mo gave her a sidelong glance. “The other items are better than nothing. For instance, this tactical flashlight is quite handy.”

After attaching the flashlight to his wrist, Ling Mo pressed lightly on its end, and a strong beam of light instantly shot out.

“Too bad it consumes a lot of power, but the good thing is it’s sturdy and durable,” Ling Mo said with a smile.

Sun Zeya stared intently at Ling Mo for a moment, then shook her head. “I have a feeling that working with you in the future, we won’t get much out of it.”

“Expecting to gain benefits from a superhuman, can that still be called cooperation?” Ling Mo retorted, undaunted.

“Ha…” Sun Zeya glanced at Ling Mo in surprise, then suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder. As she stood up, she leaned in close, her mouth near his ear. “What about the benefits you’ve gained from me?” she whispered.

Ling Mo was taken aback. By the time he collected himself, Sun Zeya was already standing straight, smiling. “Now that everything’s been sorted, I guess you all will be leaving soon?”

“Yes,” Ling Mo nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” Sun Zeya’s expression turned unusually serious. “Even though you’re strong, staying in the city can be very dangerous.”

“And joining you would be danger-free?” Ling Mo countered.

Sun Zeya paused, then smiled again with narrowed eyes. “True, we aren’t exactly having an easy time either. But now you have our contact information. Since we’re all in X City, who knows when we might run into each other. Oh, by the way…”

She pulled out Luo Heng’s notebook from her pocket, eagerly asking, “Can you explain the detailed classifications of Zombies listed here? At least tell me about the Advanced Zombies.”

“I just scribbled those notes…” Ling Mo replied honestly. He had hoped that this bit of information might be useful to the Army.

“Even if I told you, you might not believe me,” Ling Mo said, shaking his head with a smile.

But Sun Zeya grabbed his arm, looking intensely into his eyes. “If you say it, I’ll believe you.”

For a moment, they were so close that Ling Mo thought if Sun Zeya moved any closer, she would be in his arms.

Without the Bulletproof Vest, her breasts were pressing against his arm.

Ling Mo quickly took a step back, then stared at Sun Zeya with a complex expression.

He remembered how Sun Zeya had faced the female Zombie Puppet he controlled without fear, even trying to flirt with it…

Of course, flirting is a form of communication too.

After a moment of hesitation, Ling Mo spoke calmly, “You might consider viewing them as advanced life forms, similar to humans. It simplifies things.”

“Are you suggesting we treat them as humans?” Sun Zeya’s eyes widened at first, but then she appeared thoughtful.

“Indeed, from the behavior of Senior Zombies, they seem to regain intelligence and their ability to speak suggests some memory has returned… Yet, none of this diminishes their inherent predatory nature. If we talk about taking ‘survival of the fittest’ to the extreme, humans top the list, right? So, in essence, there’s not much difference between humans and Zombies…”

Sun Zeya looked excitedly at Ling Mo, as if waiting for his confirmation.

“I didn’t say anything…”

Ling Mo hadn’t considered it from this angle before. Instincts can be controlled—standing right behind Sun Zeya were three female Zombies, none of whom had any intention of attacking her.

Although this was an exception, Ling Mo’s previous statement was heartfelt.

Who can say for certain that Zombies, even at the peak of their evolution, couldn’t develop self-control?

“Hunting and feeding are probably just them being true to their nature, right?” Sun Zeya mused. “It’s impossible to kill all the Zombies. Human survivors aren’t Zombies; they can’t all become soldiers. Plus, humanity needs to recuperate, to produce… If a relatively peaceful path could be found… Ling Mo!”

She suddenly grabbed Ling Mo’s arm. “What do the strongest Zombies look like now? Let’s catch one and see. Consider it a mission, a mission! I’ll pay out of my own pocket!”

Actually, they’re right beside you… but can I say that?

Ling Mo gave her a teasing once-over and asked, “Do you still have anything left to pay me with?”

“Yeah, you’ve extorted everything from me…”

The excitement in Sun Zeya’s eyes dimmed bit by bit. She hesitated, then suddenly clutched her collar tightly, looking at Ling Mo warily. “This is off limits!”