C5 Barbecue

Chapter Five: Barbecue

As dawn broke the next day, Ye Xiaomei was already up. After freshening up, she prepared breakfast and roused Gu Ming and her daughter from their slumber.

Once they finished their half-hour breakfast, the chariot roared to life.

The chariot was situated a fair distance from the heart of the city, but reaching the outskirts of the urban area would suffice.

Before long, the chariot reached the edge of the city. Gu Ming, with Lucky by his side, made their way toward the city center. The risk was necessary; if the artillery fire took down the giant snake, Gu Ming needed to be close by to absorb the energy points. If the zombies or mutated creatures were dead for more than ten minutes, he wouldn't be able to harvest any energy points. Waiting on the city's edge would mean they'd run out of time.

Zhang Tine and Zhang Ying had also risen early. They had spent the previous afternoon watching the roads with no sign of anyone passing by. Today, they planned to keep watch for another day.

As Gu Ming and Lucky passed the road near the residential area, the sisters caught sight of them. Their excitement was palpable, especially upon seeing Gu Ming's full gear, making him resemble a SWAT officer, and his dog, fierce as a tiger. They were certain he was no ordinary man.

"Sis, do you think that's a SWAT officer?" Zhang Ying asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

"Probably not, but he seems to be heading toward the city center," replied Zhang Tine, her tone laced with uncertainty. She had seen a drone the day before and guessed it belonged to the man they now observed. Yet today, it was just him and his dog daring to venture into the city center. Was this a suicide mission? She had expected to encounter a group of survivors, ideally with a mix of ages and abilities. If so, they would have joined them, knowing that staying in this part of the city spelled certain death.

Now, seeing only one man, Zhang Tine was unsure of their next move. Still, she advised her sister, "Little Ying, let's pack up. We'll decide our next steps after assessing the situation."

The sisters watched as Gu Ming disappeared into the distance at the road's bend, then turned to gather their belongings. They had little to pack: a bag of food, another with clothes and essentials. They had wisely left behind frivolous items like cosmetics and toys. The sisters were practical, not foolish; survival was their priority. Besides, they had two cars at home—one of them an SUV.

Gu Ming approached a towering building of over ten stories, entering through the main entrance where he could still make out a long, dark trail of blood on the floor. The trail vanished in the direction of the elevator, and Lucky's reaction was a clear indicator that zombies were lurking nearby.

Together, the man and his dog made their way to the fire escape. Gu Ming gently opened the door, allowing Lucky to enter first, followed by himself. After securing the door behind them, they found the stairwell eerily silent. Thankfully, windows at each landing let in beams of sunlight; otherwise, the stairwell might have served as a haven for zombies.

With Lucky leading the way and Gu Ming gripping his Tang sword, they cautiously ascended. Upon reaching the third floor, Lucky halted, his ears pricked up attentively.

Gu Ming paused as well, tuning into the sounds around them. The bestial growls and the distinct crackling noise were all too familiar to a married man. He reasoned that, as living entities, zombies possessing the primal urge to feed and reproduce was to be expected.

After giving Lucky an encouraging pat on the head, Gu Ming motioned for him to continue upward. Without any unforeseen incidents, they reached the rooftop. Fortuitously, the door was unlocked, sparing them further complications.

Approaching the perimeter wall, Gu Ming peered into the distance. The massive snake was visible in the central square, unmoved from its position the day before. He wondered if it was preparing to hibernate, given the approaching winter, but dismissed the thought as unlikely for an outdoor location.

"Zeus, prepare to fire," Gu Ming commanded.

"Received, sir," came the response.

Following Gu Ming's command, the war chariot transformed. The central barrel on the roof pivoted upwards to a 70-degree angle, revealing a white phosphorus bomb—the very one Gu Ming had purchased the day before.

White phosphorus, a colorless or pale yellow, wax-like substance with a pungent odor reminiscent of garlic, ignites effortlessly upon contact with oxygen. It burns with a bright yellow flame and produces thick smoke, capable of incinerating substances that are otherwise resistant to fire. Its ability to burn intensely in confined or low-oxygen environments is notable, with temperatures reaching upwards of 1000 degrees Celsius—sufficient to eradicate all living organisms within its effective radius.

The white phosphorus bomb poses an immense danger. Upon contact with any object, it burns relentlessly until extinguished. When it comes into contact with human flesh, it penetrates the skin and burrows deep into the bone.

Known for its extreme danger and terror, the white phosphorus incendiary bomb clings to the skin, making it difficult to remove promptly. With its high burning temperature, it can sear through to the bone, while the smoke it emits is highly irritating to the eyes and nose.

Internationally, the white phosphorus bomb is a banned weapon, primarily due to its excessive lethality and inhumanity. Consequently, its use is prohibited by international alliances. However, Gu Ming is currently employing it against a mutated creature, so these considerations are moot, especially in the era of doomsday.

"Sir, we are ready to launch at your command."

"Very well, launch."

With a resounding "boom," a shell plummeted from the sky. Thanks to the gene drug he had taken, Gu Ming's reflexes were sharp enough to track the projectile's path—something that would have been impossible otherwise.

"Whoosh—"

Since the onset of the apocalypse, the mutated serpent had known no peril. Once a pet python in a tycoon's home, the cataclysm had awakened its primal genes, inflating its appetite to no bounds. It devoured anything edible—humans, zombies, animals—digesting them efficiently. Its body grew visibly larger, its scales darkened and hardened, becoming impervious to bullets, which only left white marks. Emboldened, it roamed without fear, claiming an entire county as its domain, preying on all living beings within. After feasting on numerous zombies the day before, it lay in its lair digesting, unaware of the impending disaster.

As the serpent sensed danger and lifted its head, the descending shell struck.

"Boom!"

The horror of the white phosphorus bomb was unleashed. In an instant, the great snake was engulfed in flames. From a distance, Gu Ming watched as the fire seemed to instantly subsume the creature.

"Boom!" "Hiss!"

True to its nature as a mutated creature, it thrashed wildly under the searing heat of a thousand degrees Celsius. Its tail whipped around, and its head repeatedly slammed into the surrounding buildings, sending sand and stones scattering. The ground was left pockmarked and uneven, as if a bulldozer had run amok. The giant snake's struggle in death was in vain.

Before long, Gu Ming caught the scent of cooking flesh. The giant snake's movements gradually ceased; it was dead. Whether its demise was too horrific to stir the zombies in the county, or if, against all logic, they were capable of fear, remained a mystery.

In a short while, the snake was reduced to ashes. The lingering smoke in the air and the dark imprint on the ground were the only evidence of the recent turmoil.

"Come on, Lucky," Gu Ming called out, rising to his feet and signaling for Lucky to follow.