Chapter 26: Gu Anqing's Expertise!

After lunch, Liu Shuang'er volunteered to clean up while Huang Ming set up a workspace in the living room. He retrieved equipment and materials from his dimensional storage, creating a makeshift workstation for Gu Anqing. 

"Huang Ming, with these tools, I can make more than just bullets and explosives. I can even attempt to create more advanced equipment and devices!" 

"Good. Use whatever you need. If you're missing anything, just let me know. Before the apocalypse, I scoured the entire city. Unless it's some rare material, I've probably got it stocked up." 

Before the world fell apart, Huang Ming had visited numerous metal and chemical factories in the suburbs. The resources there were piled up like mountains. He had casually taken about 50% from each factory. By the time the owners noticed and started investigating, the apocalypse had already hit. 

Gu Anqing's eyes sparkled as she looked at the array of equipment and materials. Her excitement was palpable. 

This was something she had never dared to dream of. Back at school, she only occasionally got to touch such things in the lab, and even then, it was never this comprehensive. Now, she finally had the chance to showcase her skills and prove her worth. She was determined to use her knowledge to create the most advanced equipment for Huang Ming. 

"Senior Anqing, can you make me a combat suit? Something that can protect me from zombie scratches and bites." 

"That's too easy. If it's just about defending against physical attacks like zombie scratches and bites, ordinary metal would suffice. But if you're up against survivors with sharp weapons or firearms, it'd be useless." 

Huang Ming was thrilled at the idea of a suit that could protect him from zombies. It would prevent situations like the near-miss he had the other night. 

"Just protecting against zombies is enough. Getting hurt by people is better than getting infected by zombies." 

But as soon as he said this, Gu Anqing's expression turned sour, leaving Huang Ming puzzled. 

Gu Anqing raised her chin, her lips curling into a confident smile. 

"You're underestimating me! I'm a genius mechanical engineer. A basic combat suit is child's play. I'll make you a top-tier suit that can not only stop zombies but also block ordinary bullets from survivors!" 

It turned out Gu Anqing was upset because she felt Huang Ming was underestimating her. Clearly, Huang Ming didn't understand the world of overachievers. 

Huang Ming rubbed his nose awkwardly. 

"Sorry, Senior Anqing! I don't know much about this stuff. But could you make a basic one first? Professor Li Qingya is still out there, and we might run into her anytime." 

"Don't worry. I'll make the essentials first. High-quality gear takes time, but I'll get it done," Gu Anqing assured him, already diving into the materials. 

Seeing that she was fully focused, Huang Ming didn't disturb her further. He placed a cup of "Auntie Shanghai" milk tea next to her workstation and walked over to the window to operate the drone. 

The scorching sun beat down on the campus, but the zombies seemed unaffected by the heat, wandering aimlessly. 

"Hey, any new discoveries?" Liu Shuang'er asked, having finished cleaning. 

"Nothing unusual. Just more zombies in Building 1. Some people couldn't stand the hunger and came out of their rooms. You know how that ends..." 

"Have you found Professor Li Qingya yet?" 

As she spoke, Liu Shuang'er launched her own drone. She had been showing off her drone skills lately, performing aerial drifts that left Huang Ming exasperated. 

"No sign of her. She's too smart to show herself easily. She probably noticed us this morning. She's a cunning one," Huang Ming grumbled. 

Liu Shuang'er rolled her eyes. 

"So what's your plan? If she keeps hiding, are you going to tear down Building 1?" 

Huang Ming thought for a moment, then pinched her soft cheek. 

"If I get the chance, I'll take her out. In a way, she's invincible. As long as she stays hidden, she can keep sending zombies after us. If she controls everyone in the buildings, even a handgun won't be enough. I'd need a machine gun with unlimited ammo." 

Liu Shuang'er gently slapped his hand, her face scrunching in pain. Huang Ming loosened his grip. Her cheeks were soft, and he couldn't resist pinching them sometimes. 

"Ouch, be gentle! The worst part is, if she escapes to the outside, we might never find her again. And with all those zombies out there..." 

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. If she gets out, the entire campus will be swarming with zombies." 

Liu Shuang'er's concerns mirrored Huang Ming's. Actively hunting down a smart zombie that could control others wasn't a wise move. 

"Ugh, we need to find her fast. I feel like she's evolving, getting smarter. If her intelligence keeps growing, we're in trouble." 

Liu Shuang'er made a valid point. Huang Ming also felt that Professor Li Qingya's intelligence was evolving. But he still had many unanswered questions. 

"I've been thinking—what if there are other mutated zombies outside the school? If Professor Li Qingya escapes, would they fight each other, or would they coexist and hunt humans together?" 

Liu Shuang'er frowned, pondering the question. 

"I'm sure there are other mutated zombies out there. With such a large population, it's inevitable. If our campus has someone like Professor Li Qingya, the outside must have even more terrifying creatures." 

Huang Ming stroked his chin, watching the drone feed thoughtfully. 

"So, can Professor Li Qingya sense other zombies? Is that why she hasn't left the campus? Do they have territorial instincts, like animals?" 

Liu Shuang'er felt her brain overheating. She quickly changed the subject to cut short their deep discussion. 

"These are just guesses. We don't have any solid evidence to prove it."