Chapter 34: "I Will Repay You for Saving My Life!"

"Everyone!"

At the edge of the City Ruins, Biao Zi slung the Soaring Dragon Assault Rifle across his back and gripped a Train Blade Fragment wrapped in cloth as he swiftly navigated through the debris. His voice was hoarse yet sincere as he spoke.

"These past few days, we've gotten along quite well. I know some of you might still not fully accept me, but I want you to understand one thing: the danger level skyrockets the moment we step out of the Train."

"No matter how you feel about me, I hope we can act as one unit outside. Only then can we ensure a safe return to the Train."

"Understood?"

As his words fell, his loyal subordinates, Hei Wa and another burly man, were the first to respond. The others also chimed in with serious expressions. The apocalypse wasn't new to them; they all knew the dangers of not working together in such a harsh environment.

Only the man who had been beaten up by Biao Zi and Hei Wa a few days ago let out a cold, disdainful snort.

It had to be said—this man had a tough backbone. From the start, he refused to submit, and even after being beaten, he still wouldn't yield. He was simply unyielding.

Biao Zi glanced sideways at the man who had snorted, his eyes narrowing slightly without a word. He noticed a Zombie Wolf that had silently appeared behind the man, emerging from a container buried under the rubble.

The Zombie Wolf's eyes glowed red, its body slightly crouched, limbs tense, ready to pounce at any moment.

Biao Zi saw this but made no reaction, acting as if he hadn't noticed anything. He pointed to a clearing not far ahead and said in a low voice, "Head that way. It's the best shooting position under the Spiderweb."

All the enforcers followed Biao Zi's direction with their eyes.

Just then—

A sharp, whistling sound pierced the air. The Zombie Wolf, which had been lying in wait, finally sprang into action. It lunged at the man who had snorted earlier, aiming straight for his back.

"Watch out!"

Biao Zi, who had reacted first, immediately rushed forward and tackled the man to the side. The other enforcers quickly followed suit, their gun barrels instantly trained on the Zombie Wolf. A burst of gunfire later, the creature lay in a pool of blood, riddled with bullet holes.

The man, now pinned under Biao Zi, only then realized what had happened. His face paled with fear as he stared at the Zombie Wolf, a chill running down his spine.

Biao Zi stood up, his expression grim. He clutched his left arm tightly, blood seeping through his fingers. He tore a piece of cloth from his clothes and quickly bandaged the wound.

"Biao... Biao Ge," the man who had earlier snorted stammered, his voice weak with shame as he stepped forward to support Biao Zi. "Biao Ge, I... I never thought you'd save me. I... I didn't accept you at first, but you still saved me. I..."

"It's fine," Biao Zi replied emotionlessly, not even flinching. He perfectly embodied the image of a tough guy. After hastily wrapping his wound, he patted the man's shoulder and said softly, "Whether it's you or anyone else, I would have saved you."

"As your captain, it's my duty to bring you all back to the Train alive."

"That's the responsibility of a leader."

"If anyone has to die, it should be me first. Otherwise, how could I face Lord Mang or any of you?"

"Alright, let's keep moving. We need to finish the mission and return quickly."

"I..."

The man, who had stubbornly refused to yield even after being beaten, now felt a sudden sense of respect. Only someone like Biao Zi deserved to be their leader. In the apocalypse, he had faced so much malice, but this was the first time someone had willingly risked their life to save him. It gave him a strong sense of belonging.

Standing firmly in place, he clenched his fists and watched Biao Zi's retreating figure. Through gritted teeth, he said hoarsely, "Biao Ge, my name is Shan Mao Zi."

"I will repay you for saving my life!"

Hearing the voice behind him, Biao Zi's lips curled into a faint smile. He coughed lightly and waved without turning back, "Hurry up and keep up. Don't fall behind."

Fighting with him?

Did he really think that just because he could take a beating and fight, he could be a leader?

In this day and age, surviving wasn't just about brute force—it was about brains, understand?

His left arm hadn't actually been injured by the Zombie Wolf. He hadn't controlled his strength properly, and the wolf had merely brushed past him without causing any harm. In a pinch, he had discreetly used the Train Blade Fragment to nick his own arm.

Of course, he wasn't so reckless as to inflict a serious wound—it was just a light scratch, enough to draw a bit of blood. With a quick bandage, it would heal in a few days without needing stitches. The Train Blade Fragment was new and hadn't been used to carve into any Man-Eating Spiders.

Sometimes, a little blood had to be shed to make an impact. Without it, the effect wouldn't be as strong.

Saving someone without any cost versus saving them at a personal cost—the recipient's feelings would be different.

He had even considered letting Shan Mao Zi die here.

But...

If there were casualties on their first mission outside, even if it was understandable, Lord Mang's opinion of him would surely drop. That wouldn't be good.

Besides, Lord Mang knew that Shan Mao Zi didn't fully accept him. If Shan Mao Zi died during this trip, Lord Mang would inevitably suspect something.

Originally, Biao Zi had thought that if Shan Mao Zi didn't show gratitude, he could find an opportunity to let him die later.

But unexpectedly, despite being stubborn and lacking tact, the guy did seem to appreciate being saved.

The distance wasn't too far, but collapsed buildings and blocked streets slowed their progress.

Along the way, they encountered three Zombie Wolves.

It was clear that with the departure of the Level 3 Man-Eating Spider, some creatures were beginning to sense the absence of its presence and were venturing in to investigate.

"We're here."

Twenty minutes later, Biao Zi raised his right hand, and the team stopped on the rooftop of a low-rise building in the ruins. After the earlier incident, the other enforcers had grown more respectful and were now following his orders without question.

In the apocalypse, who wouldn't want a leader willing to risk their life to save them?

Before them stretched a massive Spiderweb woven between several tall buildings. About a dozen Spiderlings hung from the Spider Silk, swaying gently in the wind about ten meters above the ground.

Beneath the Spiderweb, roughly twenty Level 1 Zombie Wolves looked up at the dangling Spiderlings, drooling with anticipation.

"Biao Ge," Hei Wa whispered as he approached. "The plan didn't account for these twenty-plus Zombie Wolves. Something feels off. If the Zombie Wolves are here, other creatures from the wilderness will probably arrive soon."

"That's normal," Biao Zi replied, his eyes narrowing. "I've never seen a plan go without a hitch. It's like when we used to work on construction sites—no client ever paid on time. You get used to it."

"Let's make this quick. They're just twenty-odd little wolves."

"Everyone, load up and get closer before firing."

"Keep moving quietly."

They were about thirty meters awa

y from the Zombie Wolves. At this distance, accuracy with bullets was hard to guarantee. Getting closer would significantly improve their chances.

(End of Chapter)