Chapter 558: Relief Troops
Translator: Liu_Kaixuan Editor: Valvrave
In the early days of the doomsday, all the major cities had been abandoned due to the large numbers of zombies. Unfortunately, not all the troops that had been sent to evacuate and escort the survivors to the Safety Areas built before the virus outbreak were able to complete their mission. Qionghai City was a good example. It had been established by some survivors and a troop that had failed to converge with other troops.
Presently, at a bar in Qionghai City, scantily clad young ladies were running between tables holding beer. Naturally, the bar’s atmosphere could not be compared with that before doomsday. The main theme of any bar now was booze served by beauties. From time to time, the patrons would even take liberties with the ladies while laughing and enjoying themselves.
In the center of the bar were several young men and women. One of them was a well-dressed man, wearing a pair of gold glasses. He was talking about the wine, “Don’t look down upon our Qionghai City. We have collected lots of resources from more than dozens of cities in the surrounding area. However, the wine here is a luxurious product as it’s extremely difficult to transport the bottles safely. Meeting one or two mutant beasts on the road is enough to destroy the cases of wine.”
A girl with delicate makeup, sitting next to him, immediately smiled and said, “Thank you, Master Qin. It’s because of you that we can drink such good wine. All the wine businesses here are controlled by your family. It’s our honor to drink in one of your bars. Qianqian is very happy.”
The girl was called Li Qianqian, and she was looking at Qin Hongfang eagerly. In her mind, Qin Hongfang was a wealthy man.
Qin Hongfang merely smiled without saying anything. He was not interested in Li Qianqian. His gaze was fixed on a woman sitting opposite him.
“Miss Xiang Xuehai, I don’t know if you are satisfied with my hospitality? You’ve come from afar, so it’s my pleasure to offer you good wine.” Xiang Xuehai had captivated Luo Hongfang’s mind.
Who was Xiang Xuehai? A famous actress before doomsday, and a woman that had acquired a powerful ability after the virus outbreak. She already looked beautiful, and after becoming a paranormal, she looked more refined with a unique charm. Consequently, she became the main focal point everywhere she went.
If Qin Hongfang was not accompanying the party, most of the male patrons would already have gone to try and strike a conversation with her. Although Qin Hongfang wanted to pursue her, he didn’t dare to do so. He could only appreciate her beauty as his boss was already coveting Xiang Xuehai.
Xiang Xuehai smiled gently and answered, “The wine is pretty good. Thank you, Master Qin.”
“Haha, Miss Xiang, don’t call me like that. I will lose my life if you do it again. Why has Miss Xiang drunk so little?” asked Qin Hongfang.
Xiang Xuehai looked a little worried. “Mr. Qin, when can I meet the people from the military? I’m afraid that my compatriots won’t be able to last for much longer.”
Qin Hongfang laughed and answered, “Don’t worry. Boss Song Lingchen has not forgotten about your matter.”
In the Qionghai City, Luo Jiafeng had the absolute authority, and Song Lingchen was one of his trusted subordinates. Nobody dared to underestimate Song Lingchen’s power or authority in Qionghai City. At the same time, he was the one coveting Xiang Xuehai.
Xiang Xuehai sighed in her heart. At first, she was under the impression the Qionghai City was a military base, so she had gone there to ask for help. However, the half past month, she had gradually found that the situation was totally different. Qionghai City’s foundation may be the military in the beginning, but now it had become an independent power. It had severed its ties with the military.
After Jiang Liushi had left Jiangbei, Xiang Xuehai had continued developing her camp. But during those days a strange disease struck the camp, infecting many people. Xiang Xuehai was helpless, so she could only ask for the military’s help.
“Miss Xiang, I’m curious about something. You once said that someone had helped you to kill the water monster, saving everyone in your camp. I remember you saying that there was a girl in his team with healing abilities, right?” asked Qin Hongfang suddenly.
Xiang Xuehai nodded and replied crestfallenly, “Yeah. Ever since they left, we lost contact. I tried to search for them but to no avail.”
“I’ve asked Boss Song about the disease, and he told me that not even paranormals with healing abilities can deal with it. It’s a pity that couldn’t contact them. If that team could join Qionghai City, they would be of great help to Boss Song,” Qing Hongfang.
At that moment, the patrons suddenly quieted down, while the waitresses stood up quietly. Several men in camouflage uniforms had entered the bar, and upon seeing them, Qin Hongfang sprang from his seat. He smiled and greeted the leader respectfully, “Boss Song.”
Song Lingchen was a handsome man with delicate features. He ignored everyone in the bar and walked straight toward Xiang Xuehai.
“Xiang Xuehai, how have you been these days?” asked Song Lingchen.
Xiang Xuehai nodded to Song Lingchen and answered, “Commander Song.”
Song Lingchen frowned and said, “You can just call me by my name.”
“It’s fine. When will I be able to get an answer? I’m afraid that my members don’t have much time left,” said Xiang Xuehai. She was neither humble nor pushy to Song Lingchen. She was a smart woman that obviously knew about Song Lingchen’s covetous thoughts.
‘I have already given my first kiss to Jiang Liushi. There’s no place for anyone else in my heart,’ thought Xiang Xuehai.
In this world, one’s first kiss was not important at all. But for Xiang Xuehai, that first kiss meant something for her. It was engraved in her soul, Xiang Xuehai didn’t want to forget how it felt as she believed that they would never meet again in the future. Every time she thought about it, a warm stream would course through her heart.
“I came here to tell you that I will leave because I have to deal with an urgent matter. It will take me four days tops,” said Song Lingchen.
Qing Hongfang asked in surprise, “Boss Song, what happened that you have to go in person?”
“Nothing special. We got new information regarding the fugitives,” said Song Lingchen.
“Fugitives? You mean that team? Were they found?” asked Qin Hongfang.
“In this desolate world, it would be quite challenging for us to find them if they decided to hide. Unexpectedly, they did not hide,” replied Song Lingchen.
“Boss Song, you will complete this mission easily. What an unlucky team. If I’m not mistaken, they’re called Shi Ying Squad, right?” asked Li Qianqian with a smile.
Xiang Xuehai wasn’t interested in their conversation, but when the name Shi Ying Squad was mentioned, she was thunderstruck. “What did you say? Shi Ying Squad? Who’s their captain?”
“His surname is Jiang or something like that. They may be wanted people with a price on their heads, but I don’t trouble myself with remembering the names of soon-to-be-dead,” said Song Lingchen lightly.
“Why are you going to intercept that team? Are you going to…” asked Xiang Xuehai urgently.
“To kill him, of course. Wait here for I bit longer. I will go pick up their heads and return pretty soon,” said Song Lingchen before leaving.
Xiang Xuehai stood petrified like a statue upon hearing that.
“Xiang Xuehai, what’s wrong with you? You look pale,” asked Li Qianqian.
Xiang Xuehai didn’t have the mental capacity to answer Li Qianqian’s question. All she could think about were Song Lingchen’s words.
Never had it crossed her mind that Jiang Liushi’s team would become a wanted one. It was most likely that everyone in Jiang Liushi’s team would die.
Qin Hongfang smiled. “Is Miss Xiang worried about Commander Song? You should rest assured that he’ll be safe. Once the news spread, countless teams will join in the fray. In their eyes, that team is a huge piece of meat. A prey worth to fight for. It will be a spectacular hunt.” Qin Hongfang was not exaggerating at all.
Xiang Xuehai felt her heart plunging in despair. After Song Lingchen’s departure, most of the patrons followed him, let alone the ones Song Lingchen had brought with him.
“Miss Xiang, where are you going?” asked Qin Hongfeng but received no answer.
Xiang Xienhai had already left like a breeze. Knowing that the Shi Ying Squad was in danger, how could she stay there any longer? Xiang Xuehai had led a team from her camp. Some of them had died on the road, but there were still about 20 people left.
Currently, Xiang Xuehai was rushing back at her residence. Upon reaching the house, she hesitated. She could do anything to assist Jiang Liushi, but her members had no obligation to help.
As soon as she entered, one of her subordinates noticed that something was wrong. “Sister Xiang, what’s wrong? Did anyone bully you?”
“No…” Xiang Xuehai was still hesitant, but she steeled her heard and recounted everything as fast as possible. Any minute counted and the longer it took her to leave, she could feel her heart going to burst. “I will go to help him. You don’t need to take such a risk.”
“Captain Jiang?”
“If not for Captain Jiang and his team, the water monster would already have killed us. What’s there to think?”
“We will go together!”
“Even if we can’t help, we will support him. It’s better than not going…”
Xiang Xuehai was moved by her members’ stance. “You all…” She realized that Jiang Liushi was not only a hero in her mind but also in her compatriots’ minds.
“This is the person I like…” Xiang Xuehai’s heart was full of satisfaction and joy. She had no other concerns. “Thank you all. We’d better set off now! Song Lingchen is already heading there with his team. If we miss them, the situation will take a turn for the worse.”
Presently, a team was gathered in the northern gate of Qionghai City. There were several cars, including tanks and military vehicles. All the soldiers were holding machine guns and sniper rifles.
Many passersby were wondering what had happened. Even if it was a large-scale hunt, the Qionghai City’s army rarely used so many weapons and equipment.
“The leader is Song Lingchen.”
“I heard that Song Lingchen has long been a level-2 paranormal, and a strong one at that.”
“Do you know what happened?”
“Have you heard about a wanted team? It’s said that they received information about that team!”
“Shi Ying Squad?”
“Are they the ones driving a minibus? I’ve heard about them, but why are they dispatching so many people to hunt them down?”
“Poor fellows…”
Many people were shaking their heads, thinking that the Shi Ying Squad’s fate was sealed. Even a horde of zombies led by several level-2 mutant zombies would die under the bombardment of such weapons. Let alone a survivors’ team.
Song Lingchen ignored all the survivors looking at them. He boarded an armored vehicle and shout in a cold voice, instantly suppressing all the sounds around him, “Set off, now!”
Everyone was shocked by the large fleet of vehicles and the deafening sound generated by their engines.
At that moment, a few more vehicles appeared in the distance. “Commander Song, please wait.” Xiang Xuehai’s voice reached Song Lingfrng’s ears from a distance.
“Xiang Xuehai, why are you here?” Song Lingfeng felt surprised.
Xiang Xuehai had been treating him coldly, but he didn’t mind at all. It was not rare for a perfect-looking woman to be arrogant. He believed that he would conquer her sooner or later.
Upon seeing Xiang Xuehai’s worried expression, Song Lingchen was moved. ‘Is she worried about me? But if she wanted to come with me, why did she also bring her team?’ Thinking about it more carefully, Song Lingchen looked at Xiang Xuehai doubtfully.
Xiang Xuehai calmed herself down and replied, “I also want to join this mission. May I accompany you? If it’s inconvenient, I will go alone.”
Song Lingchen was stunned and hesitant. As a seemingly regular army, he could not make rash decisions. After pondering for some time, he decided and said, “Since you want to go, then you can join us.”
The real reason Song Lingchen agreed with her request was that he believed it was a good opportunity to pursue Xiang Xuehai. Unsurprisingly, amongst all the teams that wanted to claim Jiang Liushi’s life, Song Lingchen’s team was the strongest one.
It was a good chance for him to pursue Xiang Xuehai. That’s why Song Lingchen agreed. Xiang Xuehai showed some happy. Of course, among all the teams, who would like to kill Jiang Liushi, Song Lingchen’s team was the strongest one.