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The woman smiled lightly, her pink lips parting slightly. "Song Yao."
Her voice was soft, not deliberately lowered in volume, echoing the calm serenity in her eyes. It was a depth born from experience, a weariness that emerged only after the storms had passed, contrasting sharply with her appearance yet somehow leaving no room for criticism.
Luo Yu noticed a fleeting look of shock on Dream Fan's face, as if she found it hard to believe, along with some other indescribable emotions. However, she concealed it well, and after the woman spoke, she turned to leave, so she did not notice Dream Fan's reaction. Luo Yu felt a twinge of curiosity and cast a questioning glance. Dream Fan pouted in thought for a moment, then gently shook her head and mouthed back, "I'll tell you later."
Luo Yu refrained from asking further; Dream Fan's earlier behavior had already hinted at something. Coupled with the woman's self-introduction, Luo Yu couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious. "Song" wasn't an uncommon surname, but it wasn't particularly rare either. Song Jiu had never mentioned her past to her, so even though Luo Yu felt some suspicion, she couldn't make baseless assumptions.
Xiaofei and Pockmarked Girl were busy trying to disperse the foul odor clinging to them and didn't notice the exchange of glances between the two ahead. After walking for a while, Pockmarked Girl couldn't help but ask, "Miss Song, how much farther do we have to go?"
"Don't rush," Song Yao replied softly as she led the four girls across a nearly collapsed overpass. She pulled out a wireless intercom from her waist bag and pressed it; all that came through was static.
Song Yao frowned slightly and looked toward one direction, murmuring something under her breath before turning back to ask, "Can we kill Zombies?"
Luo Yu nodded and glanced at the three beside her who had combat abilities that barely registered on the scale. She apologized, "They're not fighters."
"Oh," Song Yao said thoughtfully before adding, "Then let's move quickly and keep up."
Luo Yu estimated that the path ahead wouldn't be easy to navigate. She pulled out a Steel Saw Blade and gripped it tightly while handing a short dagger to Pockmarked Girl. She instructed Dream Fan and Effie to stay in the middle while she fell back to the rear of the group to prepare for any unexpected events.
Song Yao glanced at Luo Yu's Shotgun, which was still dripping water, and asked, "Is your gun still usable?"
Luo Yu shrugged helplessly; whether it could be used was uncertain—the key issue was that it was out of ammunition.
"Take this; the magazine is full." Song Yao closed the safety on her handgun and tossed it to Luo Yu while advising her, "Don't let the Zombies hold you back."
Luo Yu accepted it without hesitation, weighing it in her hand as her curiosity about this woman grew even more.
The journey ahead was rather dull. After descending from the overpass, Song Yao chose a more congested route. The dilapidated stores lining the streets indicated that this area had once been a bustling thoroughfare. The long street was filled with various vehicles of all sizes, from luxury cars to numerous electric ones. For the first two hundred meters, the vehicles were relatively orderly, but soon chaos ensued as drivers attempted to turn around upon realizing the road ahead was blocked. However, the traffic behind them had also become a tangled mess, leaving everyone in a predicament with no way to move forward or backward. Although many cars were abandoned, there were surprisingly few corpses; most open car doors bore dark stains of dried blood, and scattered backpacks and shoes left behind by fleeing owners were everywhere. Even after three years, one could still envision the scenes of chaos from that time.
Song Yao navigated through the traffic with ease, moving quickly yet cautiously. After covering some distance, she would stop and wait for a moment, tilting her head and squinting as if listening intently for any sounds. Luo Yu considered herself quite alert; whenever Song Yao paused, she instinctively listened for any noises around them. However, her efforts yielded little success as she could not detect any signs of zombies.
With Song Yao silent, Luo Yu felt it inappropriate to ask questions and could only patiently wait for her to assess the situation.
After about ten more minutes of travel, the walkie-talkie in Song Yao's pocket suddenly crackled to life, with a fragmented male voice calling out her name.
The static noise wasn't loud, but in the eerie silence of the street, it was somewhat jarring. Song Yao quickly pulled out the walkie-talkie and brought it to her mouth, responding, "This is Song Yao. Xiao Wei, where are you?"
There was a brief silence on the other end as if he was searching for a better signal. After a moment, he replied, "I'm near East Gate. Are you still outside the city?"
"Yes, West Gate has fallen. I'm planning to enter through East Gate. What's the situation over there?" Song Yao asked.
"It's safe for now. How long until you arrive?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Okay, I'll keep an eye out for you. Stay in touch."
Song Yao steadied herself without further explanation and continued leading her group through the traffic swiftly. Along the way, they encountered a small wave of zombies. Luo Yu initially thought they could avoid confrontation but was surprised when Song Yao charged in without warning. By the time Luo Yu rushed over to assist, all that remained on the ground were dismembered limbs.
"She's amazing," Dream Fan whispered to Luo Yu. "She doesn't even bother dodging."
Luo Yu hadn't witnessed Song Yao's fierce combat style and couldn't grasp what Dream Fan meant by "not bothering to dodge." There were seven or eight zombies; based on her own abilities, she doubted she could have dispatched them so quickly.
Soon enough, East Gate came into view, resembling Vermilion Bird Gate from which they had escaped earlier—both featured similar gray bricks and ancient city walls. The only difference was that there was no arch bridge here; instead, a foul-smelling moat ran beneath the street while the T-junction ahead appeared wide and empty as if all vehicles had been funneled into that long street behind them.
The city gate was closed, and the guard towers on either side were overgrown with weeds. Directly opposite the gate, a street corner lay in ruins, with several burned-out car shells scattered about.
Song Yao ran silently across the intersection, signaling Luo Yu and the others to wait momentarily under the city wall. She cautiously approached the massive gate, reached out, pressed against it, and her expression changed abruptly. She quickly called the others over.
"Help me," Song Yao said succinctly, placing both hands on one of the gates and making a pushing motion.
Luo Yu and the others exchanged glances. This heavy door must weigh several hundred kilograms. Despite their hesitation, they didn’t slow down. The five of them combined their strength and pushed forward, causing the thick gate to tremble slightly as it opened a narrow gap.
Song Yao beckoned them inside. Once they entered, without needing further instruction from her, they took the initiative to lift the heavy bolt and securely close the solid fortress once again.
"Do you control this door?" Luo Yu asked as she noticed Song Yao's increasingly serious expression.
"Sort of, but there’s a problem now," Song Yao replied, her gaze sweeping over the group before settling on Dream Fan. She blinked and asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"Uh..." Dream Fan hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something but holding back.
"It's okay; just speak up if there's an issue," Song Yao said with a slight smile. "You've been staring at me this whole time. Do I look like someone you know?"
Dream Fan licked her lips, hesitated again, and frowned as she replied, "A little."
"I hope it's not someone you dislike," Song Yao said lightly, smiling as she led them out of the doorway. Taking out a walkie-talkie, she continued, "I know you have questions, but now isn't a good time for chatting. Can we wait until we get back?"
Luo Yu and the others were indifferent; in fact, they didn’t have many questions at all. Encountering unfamiliar Survivors in a strange place wasn’t particularly unusual.
Only Dream Fan's eyes grew increasingly intense. It seemed she had been holding back for too long; finally unable to contain herself any longer, she stepped forward and asked, "Do you have a brother?"
Song Yao's expression froze for a moment, her eyes shifting as she focused intently on Dream Fan.
Sizzling
Just as Dream Fan was about to continue asking questions, the walkie-talkie in Song Yao's pocket crackled to life again.
"Yao Yao, have you entered the city?" The voice on the other end was urgent.
"I just got in. What's wrong?" Song Yao replied, her gaze still fixed on Dream Fan.
"Hurry and leave. Several vehicles are heading towards the East Gate."
"I've already closed the city gate."
"They have heavy firepower. You need to get out now!"
Song Yao's expression changed dramatically. Without a moment to ask Dream Fan anything, she quickly signaled the four women to run. Just as they burst through the doorway, a sudden explosion erupted behind them with a deafening roar. The tightly shut city gate was smashed open by an overwhelming force, splintered wood flying everywhere, and a wave of dust surged forth like a dragon. The intense shockwave knocked Song Yao and the others to the ground. Before they could get back up, the thick smoke that lingered was pierced by the sound of roaring engines.
"Run!" Song Yao grabbed Dream Fan and pointed in a direction before sprinting away. She picked up the walkie-talkie and shouted, "Guide me!"
"Head west; there are vehicles left in front of the City Construction Bureau." The voice on the other end became much clearer. After a pause, it added, "I'm heading that way too."
"Received." After putting away the walkie-talkie, she led the four women into a narrow alley and began to run at full speed.
Behind them, Luo Yu and the others were astonished. On one hand, there was the sudden explosion; on the other hand, Dream Fan's inexplicable question.
Xiaofei and Pockmarked Girl didn't know much about Song Jiu, but Luo Yu had been following him for quite some time. Hearing Dream Fan's question piqued their curiosity as they ran. " Brother Jiu has a sister?"
"Yes." Dream Fan's face flushed red, whether from excitement or exertion was unclear. His eyes were fixed intently on Song Yao's rapidly retreating figure as he confidently stated, "Do you think Brother Jiu will cry when he reunites with his sister?"
"I've never heard him mention this," Luo Yu said, a strange expression on his face as he automatically dismissed Dream Fan's wild thoughts, his tone laced with a hint of jealousy. "He hasn't told me anything."
"Come on, you never asked him, did you?" Dream Fan chuckled and replied, "It took me months of pestering before he finally told me. You two are such closed books; I don't know who to blame."
"Are you sure?" Luo Yu shot her a skeptical glance, still somewhat unconvinced. "What a coincidence. When did you figure it out?"
"From the stinky ditch," Dream Fan said matter-of-factly. "Don't you think she looks a lot like Brother Jiu?"
"I don't see it," Luo Yu shook his head and turned to Effie and the others. "Do you think Brother Jiu looks like her?"
Xiaofei and Pockmarked Girl exchanged glances and both shook their heads in unison.
Dream Fan gave the three of them a challenging flirtatious eye roll and pouted, "You all saw her reaction just now; it's pretty obvious."
Meanwhile, Song Yao, who was running ahead, had no time to listen to the gossip behind him. He quickly arrived at the Urban Construction Bureau, glanced around, and cautiously opened the door of a silver-gray Jetta. Peering inside, he indeed spotted the key inserted in the ignition.
"Get in," Song Yao said as he climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Once Luo Yu and the others were inside, he pressed the intercom button. "Xiao Wei, I'm here. Where are you?"
"I see you. Those people are behind the street across from you. If you come out now, you'll run into them. Wait a moment for my signal."
"What’s their target?" Song Yao asked with a frown.
"Looks like it's the Roundabout," came the hesitant reply from across the line. "Little Bear just returned half an hour ago; Qixi should be ready by now."
"I'll draw them away," Song Yao responded.
"Don't! They have four cars; they aren't like Gaoyang's group," the voice on the other end quickly warned. "You won't be able to stop them."
"Who wants to stop me?" Song Yao said with a sly smile on her side profile. "Is the road to Ximen smooth from here?"
The person across from her paused for a moment, then replied with a smile, "Got it, stay safe and keep in touch."
"What’s going on?" Luo Yu had caught on to some of the meaning, noticing that Song Yao seemed ready to confront the intruders. Looking at their armed forces, Luo Yu couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
"Don't worry, just hold on tight." Song Yao drove out of the intersection, buckled her seatbelt, and kept her eyes on the rearview mirror. She also retrieved her handgun from Luo Yu and said calmly, "Little girl, you can continue."
Dream Fan, sitting in the back, was taken aback and lost any intention of beating around the bush. She directly asked, "Is your brother named Song Jiu? The drunkard?"
The noise at the end of the street grew louder as an engine roared closer. In the blink of an eye, a dusty yellow Jeep burst onto the scene and appeared in the rearview mirror.
Song Yao lightly bit her lip, leaned out of the car window, and fired several shots. The sound of gunfire echoed as the front windshield of the leading Jeep shattered in response, and tires screeched against the pavement. Quickly sitting back in her seat, she released the gas pedal and slammed down hard, propelling the vehicle forward. At the same time, the rear convoy began to counterattack; explosions erupted from the back of a Jetta as sparks flew. The three girls screamed in unison and hurriedly ducked down to shield their heads.
A flush of red appeared on Song Yao's pale face as she continued to command her team without pause. The battered Jetta under her control took on a fierce racing spirit. With sharp eyes and a smile tugging at her lips, she asked, "Are you all my sisters-in-law?"
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