NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 109
Lolita looked to be under ten years old, a pretty and delicate child with vibrant light green eyes and an endearing smile. She was intelligent and beautiful, her presence charming even the toughened Bai Tianyu, who couldn't help but greet her with a warm smile.
Duan Mei stroked Lolita's hair and spoke softly, "Lolita, you're a smart girl. I'm facing some trouble and might not be able to protect you anymore. So, you should go with these two uncles to a safe place. Once I resolve the issue here, I'll come find you, okay?"
Lolita's smile wavered for a moment, but she quickly nodded with determination. "Okay, Sister," she agreed.
"Yes, I knew our Lolita would be a good girl," Duan Mei replied, placing her gently on the ground. Lolita obediently approached Gao Junyi and took his hand.
Gao Junyi noticed Lolita's grip was surprisingly strong, and her hand felt cold. It was clear she felt a sense of belonging with the people of Dragon Mountain and likely understood the current state of the world.
Going to a new place would undoubtedly be stressful for a child, but Lolita bravely suppressed her anxiety.
"Good girl," Gao Junyi said, gently ruffling her hair as he turned his gaze towards Duan Mei.
"What about her parents?" Gao Junyi inquired, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Her father was an executive at a foreign-funded company here, but he perished at the start of the apocalypse. Her mother was in New York before..."
Before Gao Junyi could ask any further questions, Duan Mei was already on the move. "This child is very important," she said as she hurried towards the exit. "If you have any more questions, protect her and take care of her. She will tell you everything. Now, I'll lead the Flesh Mountain away. Hurry up!"
With those parting words, she vanished from sight.
Gao Junyi turned to Bai Tianyu, a helpless expression on his face. Bai Tianyu simply nodded in response.
"I'll assist as well," Bai Tianyu declared. "You take the survivors back to Guangping Street immediately. I'll try to lure the Flesh Mountain towards Brother Lu's place."
Duan Mei had been mistaken on one point. It wasn't just her that attracted the Flesh Mountain; Bai Tianyu was also a target.
"Be careful," Gao Junyi cautioned.
Bai Tianyu's response was a confident smile. "This is actually a perfect opportunity to test the strength of the Black Mist Exploration Team. If we can't even handle this Flesh Mountain, venturing into the Black Mist Zone would be a death sentence."
The Dragon Mountain gathering place seemed well-prepared for such emergencies. Within ten minutes, hundreds of survivors, young and old, had assembled and were ready to evacuate.
Meanwhile, a bus, two pickup trucks, and five small cars stood ready for their escape. This was their contingency plan.
With Lolita safely settled in one of the small cars, Gao Junyi watched as the Black Mist Exploration Team, Duan Mei, and several Level 3 Awakened individuals from Dragon Mountain departed. He then urged the remaining survivors to board the vehicles and hastily drove off.
"Which way should we go?" the driver asked.
Gao Junyi pondered for a moment before responding, "Head downhill, follow Highway 517, then turn towards Lin Family Village, and..."
This was the route they had taken on their way to Dragon Mountain, and it was known to be relatively safe. Additionally, there were two official checkpoints along the way, manned by Awakened individuals with weapons and equipment.
The driver nodded, pressed the accelerator, and the convoy sped away.
Ten minutes later, as they had just cleared Dragon Mountain, the sound of fierce battle erupted from behind them.
That night, Lu Ming was awakened by an urgent knocking at his door.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he approached the door and activated the electronic screen, revealing the anxious faces of Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng.
Before Lu Ming could utter a word, Wang Xiong blurted out, "Brother Lu, we have a big problem."
"Colonel Bai Tianyu and the others are in trouble," Wang Xiong blurted out, his voice thick with worry.
He quickly relayed the situation, his words tumbling out in a rush. "A severely injured member of the Exploration Team just returned, saying that Colonel Bai and the others are trapped in Cheng County. They're facing a Level 5 zombie and a horde of exotic beasts..."
Wang Xiong's rapid explanation painted a dire picture. Lu Ming's expression hardened as he absorbed the news.
"That's indeed troublesome," Lu Ming agreed gravely.
A heavy silence descended upon the room.
Outside the door, Wang Xiong grew increasingly anxious as he waited for Lu Ming's response. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer. "Brother Lu," he pleaded, "please consider..."
Zhang Chengcheng abruptly cut him off, silencing him with a pointed look. She turned to the camera and addressed Lu Ming in a gentle voice.
"Brother Lu, it's said that there are dozens of exotic beasts in Cheng County, each yielding several tons of meat. I think we should stock up on this exotic beast meat. According to Sister Meng, the origin of these creatures is still unknown, meaning there might be a limited number in Nanxiang. If someone kills one, we lose a valuable source of food. Therefore, I suggest we all head out together and see if we can hunt more exotic beasts. It would secure our food supply for the foreseeable future."
Wang Xiong looked at Zhang Chengcheng with newfound admiration. No one understood Brother Lu better than she did.
Finally, Lu Ming spoke, his voice thoughtful. "Chengcheng, you make a valid point."
His mind raced, weighing the risks and rewards.
Going out meant facing danger.
However, the abundance of exotic beasts represented an equally abundant source of food. Moreover, consuming their meat would save valuable meal time...
And time equated to skill proficiency, and skill proficiency equated to strength.
It was a difficult tradeoff to calculate.
In his contemplation, Lu Ming's thoughts drifted to Chang Yi, the eccentric Awakened.
"Are you absolutely certain there's only one Tier 5 zombie there?" Lu Ming asked, his voice laced with a hint of caution.
"Yes, absolutely!" Zhang Chengcheng assured him.
"Alright, that's good. Let me pack up, and we'll set off in ten minutes."
In his room, Lu Ming quickly gathered his equipment while considering the potential challenges ahead.
Chang Yi is a Level 5 Awakened with a unique superpower that, when activated, grants him the physical strength of a Level 6. He also possesses multiple superpowers, meaning his peak combat strength is likely comparable to a Level 6 peak.
Comparing my strength to his...
Lu Ming recalled his previous encounter with Chang Yi. A normal punch could only inflict moderate damage on an opponent of that caliber, and utilizing the Continuous Cold Light Stab Punches seemed like overkill.
A series of regular heavy punches should suffice for a Level 6 peak opponent. If I face a Level 7, my attributes shouldn't be too far off. While I have an advantage in skills, if the opponent possesses an exceptional superpower, victory is uncertain.
According to the doubling theory, the biological attributes of a Level 7 creature were 640, which was not much different from Lu Ming.
So, the limit of the enemy I can handle is a Level 6 peak? Facing a Level 7 would risk injury!
With this thought, Lu Ming paused his packing and sat on the bed, opening the attribute panel:
- Name: Lu Ming
- Level: 1
- Age: 25 years old
- Strength: 626.2
- Physique: 637.6
- Agility: 660.2
- Free Attribute Points: 234
- Superpower: Awakening in progress…
Observing the plus signs next to the Strength, Physique, and Agility attributes, Lu Ming began allocating his points.
After distributing all the free attribute points, Lu Ming's attributes transformed into:
- Strength: 716.2
- Physique: 727.6
- Agility: 714.2
- Free Attribute Points: 0
Looking at the significantly increased attributes, Lu Ming nodded with satisfaction. "Now, I should be able to handle a Level 7 opponent reasonably well."
"With this, I can venture outside with a little more peace of mind..." he thought to himself.